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Editors Note: Caesar Alimsinya Atuire is a Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy and Classics Department at the University of Ghana, Legon. He is also a 2020 Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, University of Oxford. Dr. Atuires work draws from African and European philosophical traditions to reflect on normative issues in bioethics, health, and intercultural relations. He is co-editor of the volume Bioethics in Africa: Theories and Praxis. He has also lectured and published on epistemic decolonization in academia. Originally published as 21: INQUIRIES INTO ART, HISTORY, AND THE VISUAL #2-2020, pp. 449467 https://doi.org/10.11588/xxi.2020.2.76234

The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests have been accompanied by calls for the removal of statues of racists from public space. This has generated debate about the role of statues in the public sphere. I argue that statues are erected to represent a chosen narrative about history. The debate about the removal of statues is a controversy about history and how we relate to it. From this perspective, the Black Lives Matter movement is not a drive to remove or topple statues, but a call for an honest examination of systemic racism and the residual effects of slavery. This call can be a kairos to engage in a constructive dialogue about the societies we aspire to live in. The result of this dialogue, which includes a re-examination of dominant narratives, will decide which statues and monuments can occupy public space and represent our societies.

Premise

I begin this paper with a confession. I cannot be neutral in the Black Lives Matter conversation because mine is a black life and I would like it to matter. Nevertheless, as an academic philosopher, I can only try to be rational and possibly dispassionate.

The residual effects of the North Atlantic slave trade and its essentially racist framework have always been present in my life. My ethnicity, the Bulsa of Northern Ghana, is linked to the slave trade. The unity of the Bulsa as a distinct ethnic group came about when various clan and village leaders united to defend themselves and their families from the frequent attacks of slave raiders. The Feok Festival, celebrated by the Bulsa every year in December, affirms the Bulsa identity by commemorating and reenacting the defeat of Baabatu, the last notorious slave raider of the Upper East region of Ghana.1 The architecture of the Bulsa homes also bears witness to defence against human and livestock raiders. All domestic animals are kept within the courtyard of walled compounds, where, amidst the thatched roofs, there is always a flat-roofed terrace which serves among other things as an observation tower.

Growing up in the northern territories of Ghana, I was quite oblivious of racism. This changed when I left Ghana for the UK at the age of seventeen to continue my education. It was only then that I was made to become conscious of the weight of being black. Yet, apart from a few isolated incidents of being verbally and physically attacked because of the colour of my skin, the weight has been present principally in two subtle forms. First is a sort of burden of proof that I am a normal law-abiding, honest person and an intellectual. If we consider that onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat (the burden of proof lies with the one who affirms and not the one who negates), this is tedious. When a burden of proof is needed for such basic human characteristics, there is an implicit assumption that by claiming to possess these qualities I am making an affirmation that requires proof because it is not the accepted view about persons like me. The qualities which have often been assigned to me gratuitously and generously, such as being a good dancer, an athlete, a party freak, and possessing joints or being able to procure them, are qualities which I unfortunately do not possess. The second aspect of this weight is alienation. Even though I have lived, studied and worked in the UK, Ireland, Spain and Italy, and I speak four modern European languages fluently (whereas I can barely get by with two African languages), I have always been considered a foreigner in Europe, an outsider. I do not really belong. With hindsight, I realize how this has conditioned some of my reactions, especially on those occasions when I should have spoken up. The feeling of alienation, accompanied by the burden of justification, has made me think speaking out is counterproductive or pointless. I have been perhaps more fortunate than other persons of African descent born in Europe and America, since I always have a home to return to in Africa, whereas for them it must be more difficult because the only home they have and they know is the one that alienates them.

When I returned to Ghana after living in Europe for twentynine years, I chose to settle in a small fishing town on the Atlantic coast called Apam. There are three things I notice whenever I am returning home to Apam: the distinct smell of fish as I drive by the port; the Apam skyline, which is an endless series of bamboo sticks, none perfectly perpendicular to the ground, holding up TV antennas from low-rise rusting roofs; and, above all, the imposing structure of slave Fort Lijdzaamheid (Fort Patience), built by the Dutch from 1697 to 1702, standing on top of the promontory overlooking the town. It is an indelible and jarring reminder of the North Atlantic slave trade and its racist agenda.

It is with this baggage that I write about Black Lives Matter and the removal of statues of racists.

Next week

Introduction. Una passeggiata estiva romana (A Roman summer walk)

Excerpt from:
Black Lives Matter and the Removal of Racist Statues - Insight News

A history book featuring Black Lives Matter on the cover will be distributed to schools by the Welsh Government, as the teaching of ethnic minority histories becomes compulsory.

History Grounded, written by historian and former teacher Dr Elin Jones, is aimed at eight to 12-year-olds and charts a history of Wales from the Neolithic up to the Transatlantic slave trade, as well as the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The protest movement features on the cover of the book endorsed by the Welsh government, which is set to be issued to schools ahead of curriculum changes - as Wales moves to become the first UK nation to make the teaching of minority ethnic history compulsory.

Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, publisher of History Grounded, has described the book as a game changer, adding: Representing Wales history in all its rich diversity was central to the work.

During the past year, we have gained a new appreciation of the importance of learning the history of marginalised communities, as well as an appreciation of education as a tool to fight against racism and all other forms of prejudice.

The book features sections on various movements in Wales, with the LGBT and Black Lives Matter banners featuring on the cover, alongside the Red Flag of Merthyr - the first red flag raised as a symbol of working class revolt.

The volume also outlines Wales connections to the slave trade, including the importing of sugar, and features a map detailing the names of about 40 families who received compensation following the abolition of slavery in 1833.

The Welsh government has said that the book will be provided to schools in early 2022, as part of plans to support the teaching of Wales history in the new curriculum beginning at the start of the 2022/23 academic year.

In 2020, the Welsh government launched a 500,000 project to develop teaching materials for a new curriculum which would inspire their learners to become ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.

On the new History Grounded book, Jeremy Miles, the minister for education and the Welsh language, said: We want to ensure all pupils leave school with an understanding of our nations history not just the major events, but through the lives and experiences of people and communities from all over Wales.

History Grounded really helps bring Wales rich history to life and will be a fantastic teaching resource for our new curriculum.

History Grounded was not commissioned nor paid for by the Welsh government.

See original here:
History book with Black Lives Matter banner on the front to be given to Wales schools - Telegraph.co.uk

Capitol riots: Fire extinguisher thrown at police officer

This footage captures a moment where protesters break policelines on the west side of the U.S. Capitol, en route to storming the building.

Staff Video, USA TODAY

It hasbeen almost one year since a mob supportingnow-former President Donald Trump fueled by baseless voter fraud claims stormed the U.S. Capitolon Jan. 6 in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

The attack led to deaths, injuries andmore than700 arrests, and it temporarily halted Congress' certification of President Joe Bidens Electoral College win. In the following months, a flurry of falsehoods and conspiracy theories about the riot were promoted online, where debunked claimscontinue to circulate.

Special access for subscribers!Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat

With the first anniversary of the Capitol riot approaching, heres a roundup of USA TODAYs fact checksrelating to theinsurrection that touch on election misinformation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's role in the attack, misleading images and videos, claims about politicians, comparisons to past demonstrations and even false claims that reports predicted the attack.

Capitol rioters charged in the Jan. 6 attack have cited the baseless narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen by Democrats.The myth waspromoted by Trump, his closest allies and conservative media personalities, all of whom relied on false claimsabout election technology, vote counting, mail-in ballots and voter turnout.

Biden legally won the presidential race by more than 7 million votes, and his victory was certified by the Electoral College. Hand recounts and independent audits across the country did not change the election's outcome and failed to turn upany evidence of widespread wrongdoing by poll workers or voters.But that still didnt stop people from claiming otherwise.

The claim: Joe Biden did not legally win the presidential election

Our rating: False

Biden received 81 million votes and Trump received74 million votes. A candidate must secure 270 electoral votes to be elected, and Biden won 306 votes to Trumps 232. There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Bidens favor, and courts have dismissed dozens of lawsuits in battleground states challenging the election results. Read more

The claim: Dominion Voting Systems deleted votes for Trump, switched votes to Biden

Our rating: False

There is no evidence Dominion, a private company supplying voting systems in 28 states, deleted or changed votes in the 2020 election, according to a national coalition and election law experts. A few counties experienced minor technology issues on Election Day, but the errors did not affect the vote counts. Read more

The claim: Several key states had more ballots cast than registered voters

Our rating: False

Data and individual state reporting reviewed by USA TODAY shows no state in the U.S. had more than 100% voter turnout in the 2020 election. Posts claiming differently are using improper data sets or flawed data analysis techniques. Read more

The claim: Nevada's presidential election included duplicate voting, dead voters, fake addresses, noncitizens voting andout of state voters

Our rating: False

Claims about widespread voter fraud in Nevada's 2020 election stem from a failed lawsuit, and a district court concluded that no illegal votes were cast and counted. Biden won Nevada's six electoral votes. Read more.

The claim: An audit 'conclusively shows'voter fraud affected Arizona's election outcome

Our rating: False

An audit of Arizona's 2020 election results conducted by cybersecurity firm Cyber Ninjas did not surface any evidence of widespread voter fraud that changed the election's outcome. The review, along with other handrecounts,confirmed Biden won Maricopa County. Read more.

The claim: An investigation found more 'illegal votes'cast in Wisconsin in 2020 than Joe Biden's margin of victory

Our rating: False

A report from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty investigating the integrity of the 2020 election found no evidence of widespread fraud, and the group's findings were misstated online. A hand recount, audit and lawsuits confirmed Biden's victory in Wisconsin. Read more.

Here are more fact-checksanalyzingwhats true and false about the 2020 electionand voting by mail.

Just hours after rioters breached the Capitol, misinformation about what happened spread rapidly on social media, and a false narrative blaming anti-fascist activists for inciting the violence made its way to the House floor that same evening. Many such claims circulated throughout 2021.

The claim: A facial recognition firm claimed Antifa infiltrated pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol

Our rating: False

Claims that members of Antifa disguised as Trump supporters orchestrated the insurrection are baseless and stem from a rumor that a facial recognition company identified left-wing activistsamong the rioters. The technology firm mentioned in the claims refuted the story, and there is no evidence Antifa was responsible for the attack. Read more

The claim: The shirtless man pictured in the Capitol breach is with Antifa and Black Lives Matter

Our rating: False

Jake Angeli, a man who was pictured at the Capitol shirtless wearing a fur hat with horns, is a well-known Trump and QAnon supporter he is not tied to Black Lives Matter or Antifa. The claim is part of the false larger conspiracytheory that Trumps supporters were not actually behind the riot. Read more

The claim: A "known Antifa member"was paid $70,000 for his video of the riot

Our rating: Partly false

News outlets paid Utah activist John Sullivan roughly $90,000 for video footage he captured during the Capitol riot, but he is not linked to any anti-fascist groups and has denied being associated with the movement. Read more

The claim: FBI operatives organized the attack on the U.S. Capitol

Our rating: False

Theres no evidence unindicted co-conspirators listed in federal charging documents related to the Jan. 6 attack are undercover FBI agents or federal informants. Legal experts say the term cant be used to describe undercover government operatives. Rioters have been identified by authorities as Trump supporters, conspiracy theorists and members of far-right groups. Read more

The claim: CNN employees took part in the riot

Our rating: False

Posts claiming CNN employees were among the Capitol rioters are unfounded. Jade Sacker, mentioned in the claims, is a freelance journalist and has never worked for the cable news outlet. Read more

The claim: A man died froma heart attack after accidentallyusinga stun gun on himself at the Capitol riot

Our rating: False

Kevin Greeson of Alabama died on the Capitol grounds after a heart attack, and his wife told USA TODAY he had a history of high blood pressure. He did not accidentally stun himself.Read more

The claim: The FBI told a Senate committee that the FBI did not recover any guns at the riot

Our rating: Missing context

Jill Sanborn, assistant director of the FBIs counterterrorism division,said the FBI did not recover any firearms at the Capitol riot. But she also noted that she cannot speak for other law enforcement agencies. The Department of Justicecharged rioters with bringing firearms to the Capitol grounds. Read more

Social media users have triedto shift blame by spreading false claims aboutPelosi in the wake of the Capitol attack.

The claim: Pelosi rejected Trump's request for 10,000 National Guard troops to be deployed before Jan. 6

Our rating: False

Trumps claim that Pelosi blocked his formal request for 10,000 National Guard troops ahead of the "Stop the Steal" rally isfalse. The Pentagon said there is no record of the request, and Pelosis office said she was not contacted about deploying the National Guard. Testimony and a Department of Defense memo about Jan. 6 also confirms that. Read more

The claim: Nancy Pelosi was in charge of Capitol Police on Jan. 6

Our rating: False

Pelosi was not in charge of the Capitol Police at the time of the riot. The agency is overseen by the Capitol Police Board, which is made up of the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms and the Capitol architect. Read more.

Pelosi: 'Never forgive' Trump, lackeys for Jan. 6

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday she would "never forgive" former President Trump and "his lackeys and his bullies that he sent to the Capitol for the trauma" that was exerted to staff during the Jan. 6 riot. (Dec. 8)

AP

The claim: Nancy Pelosi refuses to take responsibility for causing the insurrection

Our rating: False

In short, Pelosi wasn't responsible. Capitol Police told USA TODAY that committees from the House and Senate and a Capitol Police Board are responsible for overseeing operations, not Pelosi. Read more

The claim: Pelosi won't let Capitol Police testify about what happened on Jan. 6

Our rating: False

The claim that Pelosi is blocking testimonyis a reversal of what actually happened. Republican lawmakers tried to stop a hearing from taking place, while Democrats pushed for one. Read more

The claim: Special forcestook Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the riot

Our rating: False

A laptop belonging to the House speaker's office was stolen by pro-Trump rioters, not special forces. Read more

Photos and videosof the Capitol riot went viral online. But in many cases, the footage was doctored, outdated or unrelated to Jan. 6.

The claim: Police officer is the man who carrieda Confederate flag during the Capitol riot

Our rating: False

An image purporting to show a police officer carrying a Confederate flag during the attack is false. The man in the photo was identified by the FBI as Kevin Seefried, who was charged in connection with the riot. He is not a police officer.

The claim: Capitol workers threw away an American flag as they prepared for the transition of power

Our rating: Missing context

Capitol employees did not throw out an American flag in preparation for Bidens inauguration. The photo was captured in the aftermath of the riot. Read more

The claim: Video shows Trump family celebrating the riot from a nearby tent

Our rating: False

Days after the riot, a video went viral purporting to show the Trump family celebrating amid the attack. But monitors seen in the clip as well asa timeline of the events on Jan. 6 prove the video was captured before Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol.Read more

The claim: Chuck Norris was at the Capitol riot

Our rating: False

Martial artist and actor Chuck Norris did not take part in the riot. His manager told USA TODAY he was on his ranchin Texas on Jan. 6 and confirmed that a photo on social media of a man resembling Norrisis not actually him. Read more

The claim: Images show pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., in January

Our rating: False

Photos of crowds at the 2018 March for Our Lives rally and 2017 Womens March were passed off on social media as pro-Trump demonstrations on Jan. 6. Read more

The claim: Image shows a caravan of Trump supporters traveling to Washington

Our rating: False

A photo purporting to show dozens of vehicles heading to Washington to protest the presidential election results on Jan. 6 was actually taken in San Francisco at a pro-Trump truck rally inOctober 2020. Read more

The claim: A viral video shows a man screaming about being placed on the no-fly listbecause of the riot at the Capitol

Our rating: False

A video shows a man being asked to leave an American Airlines flight for a mask violation, not for being placed on the no-fly list because of the Capitol riot. Read more

The claim: Demonstrators erected a cross in front of the Capitol

Our rating: Missing context

A photo showspro-Trump demonstrators erected a cross in front of the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, not in Washington.Read more

The claim: The insurrection was an event hosted by the Stanford Federalist Society

Our rating: Satire

An image of an event flyer claiming the Capitol riot took place during astudent-run Stanford Federalist Society meeting with guest speakers Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is fake. Read more

A number of hoaxes concerning the whereabouts of politicians during the Capitol riot and their responses circulated online afterthe insurrection.

The claim:Acting Pardon Attorney Rosalind Sargent-Burns said Trump was "strongly considering"pardoning Capitol rioters

Our rating: False

See the original post:
Fact check roundup: Debunking false narratives about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot - USA TODAY

Why the European Union is in the news?

The European Union has been declared an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone. The European Parliament through a resolution on 11th March 2021 symbolically declared the union as Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Intersex-Queer Freedom Zone.

With this, IAS Exam candidates should know which countries comprise the European Union and what are the objectives of the EU among other relevant information.

European Union is an international organisation consisting of European Countries, which was formed in 1993. It came into force after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty by 28 countries. The Maastricht Treaty is also known as the Treaty of the European Union (TEU). Maastricht is a city located in the Netherlands. The Maastricht Treaty was amended thrice. The amendments are listed below.

Brief-Facts about EU for UPSC

UK made an exit from the EU on 31st January 2020

The objectives of forming the European Union are listed below.

European Union was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2012.

Following the aftermath of World War II. European leaders realised that only large-scale integration would be an antidote to the extreme nationalism that was the cause of the global war. Winston Churchill wentfurther and advocated the emergence of the United States of Europe. The 1948 Hague Congress was a pivotal moment in European federal history, as it led to the creation of the European Movement International and of the College of Europe, where Europes future leaders would live and study together. The founding of the following unions which eventually evolved into the European Union:

The original 6 members of European Communities were

European Union Brexit

On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom (U.K) formally left the European Union. U.K is the first country to leave the E.U. The exit was in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union.

Read more about BREXIT and its impact on India at the linked article.

The 7 important decision-making bodies of the European Union are listed below.

European Parliament

European Council (E.C)

European Commission

Council of the European Union

European Union Economy

Q 1) Why is the United Kingdom (U.K) leaving the European Union?

As per some reports, some of the main reasons for the U.K leaving the E.U are mentioned below.

Q 2) Is Switzerland a member of the European Union?

Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. However, it has signed a number of treaties with the European Union. E.U is the largest trading partner of Switzerland.

European Union UPSC Notes:- Download PDF Here

The European Parliament, which represents the EUs citizens and is directly elected by them; the Council of the European Union, which represents the governments of the individual member countries. The Presidency of the Council is shared by the member states on a rotating basis.

The purpose of the European Unions purpose is to promote peace, establish a unified economic and monetary system, promote inclusion and combat discrimination, break down barriers to trade and borders, encourage technological and scientific developments, champion environmental protection

The above details would be of help to candidates preparing for UPSC exams from the perspective of the mains examination. You can know more about the topics asked in the exam by visiting the UPSC Syllabus page.

Related Links:

The rest is here:
European Union - An Overview of Treaties, Origins ...

Mr. Weber still regrets the loss of Fidesz. On one level, it is a relief, he said. But Orban leaving is not a victory, but a defeat in the effort to hold the center-right together as a broad peoples party.

It has helped Mr. Orban that the European Union has few and ineffective instruments for punishing a backsliding nation. Even the Lisbon Treaty, which gave enhanced powers to the European Parliament, has essentially one unusable tool: Article 7, which can remove a countrys voting rights, but only if passed by unanimity.

In 2017, Frans Timmermans, then the European Commission first vice president responsible for the rule of law, initiated the article against Poland. The European Parliament did the same against Hungary in 2018.

But both measures inevitably stalled because the two countries protect each other.

The treaty also allows the commission to bring infringement procedures legal charges against member states for violating E.U. law. But the process is slow, involving letters and responses and appeals, and final decisions are up to the European Court of Justice. Most cases are settled before reaching the court.

But according to studies by R. Daniel Kelemen of Rutgers University and Tommaso Pavone of the University of Oslo, the commission sharply reduced infringement cases after the addition of new member states in 2004. Jos Manuel Barroso, a former commission president, bought into this to work more cooperatively with governments and not just sue them, Mr. Kelemen said. Mr. Barroso declined to comment.

Attitudes have shifted. With taxpayer money at stake, the next seven-year budget in the balance and the disregard for shared values shown by Mr. Orban and Mr. Kaczynski on leaders minds, Brussels may have finally found a useful tool to affect domestic politics, with a mix of lawsuits charging infringement of European treaties combined with severe financial consequences.

A marker has finally been laid down, Mr. Reynders said.

The big moment comes this month, when the European Court of Justice issues its ruling.

See the original post:
How the European Union Allowed Hungary to Become an Illiberal Model - The New York Times