Authors note
These are events that happened this week that I chose to highlight. These are in no way everything everyone needs to know. I highly encourage everyone to read the news themselves, from reliable sources and to develop their own opinions. My opinions have been italicized. With that being said all opinions stated in this article are my own so if you don’t like them then drink water and mind your business.
The theme of Wassapened This Week is death. We discuss dying young, remembrance of victims, covid regulations and a coup d’état.
Coup d’état
On Sunday, September 5th, gunfire erupted early in the morning at the capital of Guinea, Conakry. Within hours the President of Guinea Alpha Condé had been held hostage. The coup was led by Mamady Doumbouya, a Guinean military officer who is a member of the Special Forces Group. Doumbouya has said he doesn’t plan to harm the president but how long will he just let him live? Who’s heard of a person that has been overthrown living to tell the tale? It’s almost unheard of. Doumbouya publicly announced on national television that the current constitution, government and all other institutions had been dissolved. In the video, he said that “We will no longer entrust politics to a man. We will entrust it to the people. We come only for that; it is the duty of a soldier, to save the country.” He claims he’s there to bring unity to the country yet Doumbouya was among 25 Guinean officials the European Union had been threatening to sanction for alleged human rights abuses. How you gon bring unity if you’ve been committing human rights violations? It’s giving suspicious.Africa is no stranger to coups as there have been over 200 coup attempts in Africa since the late 1950s, the beginning of African nations’ struggle for independence. This coup in Guinea marks the fourth in West Africa this year as there were two coups in neighbouring Mali and succession in Chad being called a “covert coup.”
Michael K. Williams
On Monday, September 6th, renowned actor Michael K. Williams passed away at the young age of 54. He was best known for his outstanding performances in the HBOdrama series The Wire as Omar Little and Boardwalk Empire as Albert “Chalky.” While his exact cause of death has not been confirmed, it is being investigated as a possible drug overdose. Michael had been very open about his lifelong struggle with drug addiction and credited Rev. Ronald Christian, a pastor at Christian Love Baptist Church in Irvington, New Jersey, with helping him get clean. An outpour of love came from fans and celebrities as they spoke about the impact Michael’s life and performances had on them. Michael may have passed away from an overdose but that was only part of his story. Don’t let his struggles overshadow the numerous accomplishments and influences he had on the entertainment industry. This man was ICONIC in more ways than one.
Mask Up
On Thursday, September 9th, President Biden announced a new federal mandate stating that all employers with more than 100 workers must require them to be vaccinated or get tested for the virus weekly. Thank God! He’s applying pressure as he should. This mandate is expected to affect two-thirds of America’s workforce which is about 100 million Americans. Companies who dare to refuse to comply could face fines for $14,000. Hahahaha. Biden’s tone has changed significantly toward Americans who continue to refuse to receive a vaccine despite multiple sources proving it’s safe. He’s not playing with y’all. Weren’t y’all complaining that the vaccines weren’t FDA approved? Well, Pfizer has now been approved. FDA town criers what are yall gonna shout about now? Biden said,“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us.” Biden also signed an executive order stating that all government employees must be vaccinated and that there was no option for weekly or regular testing. Biden has made an exception for workers seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination. Otherwise, those who don’t comply will be sent to human resources departments for counseling and discipline, meaning you could get fired.
Remembrance
On Saturday, September 11th, marked the 20th Anniversary of the four coordinated terrorist attacks orcastrated by the militant Islamist terrorist group Al-Qaeda against the United States of America. Hundreds gathered in Lower Manhattan at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum as that was where the World Trade Center’s twin towers once stood as they commereated the almost 3,000 victims of these attacks. While 20 years have passed, 1106 victims have yet to be identified/found. This means about 40% of victims’ families have yet to receive the remains of their family members so they can give them a proper burial. The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office has been actively conducting the largest missing persons investigation ever undertaken in the nation. They have been testing the 22,000 body parts recovered from the wreckage from all four attacks. I don’t care how long it takes! If the remains of their lost family members can help these families bear their unbearable loss then the government needs to continue identifying every body part found. Also why in the h*ll is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (He was the mastermind behind 9/11) still alive? This man literally tried to plead guilty and asked to be executed more than a decade ago yet here he is still smiling and waving on his way to his military hearing.
