Afghanistan, ‘antifa’ murals in Kennesaw, Westside park debuts in Bankhead, ‘Cop City’ update, & Atlanta News
The Update 8/18
Welcome to my freemium newsletter by me, King Williams. A documentary filmmaker, journalist, podcast host, and author based in Atlanta, Georgia. This is a newsletter covering the hidden connections of Atlanta to everything else.
Book Club
My apologies, the next entry of our book club will be in September. I didn’t order the books in time to start this week. I’m sorry y’all. But if you want to join, please let know by replying with your name and address.
I will schedule a make up outing for next weekend!
Top Story: Afghanistan
The Taliban take Afghanistan, again.
The top story around the globe has been the deterioration of Afghanistan.
After the long announced, but rushed departure of US forces in the country, Afghanistan has descended into chaos. Within a few days the Taliban had seized every major city in the country, including the capital of Kabul. For the millions of Afghan people stuck within the country, there’s no real understanding of what to do nor what will happen next.
For the thousands who’ve escaped the borders into neighboring Iran, there is now a long, unclear future of what will happen next. In a statement, the Taliban has said that women would be able to participate in some of the freedoms afforded to them during US occupation. While many are quite skeptical, some political strategists have stated that this may be a move by the Taliban to quell the continued dispersion of people out of the country while presenting a more modernized face to the regime. The Taliban has been fighting for control and maintaining it in Afghanistan in some capacity for over four decades now.
For the Biden administration, this is an out right disaster. It must be noted that the withdrawal of troops was negotiated under the Trump administration, under former Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who negotiated the withdrawal in February of 2020. It must also be noted that on the campaign trail both Biden and Trump both promised US troop withdrawal. The Bush administration’s decision to go to war with Afghanistan after the events of 9/11 in 2001 is partly how we got here. The other is the role of the United States under the Reagan administration in funding the Afghan mujihadeen in what was known as Operation Cyclone in the 1980s.
President Biden is taking a lot of heat for this
President Biden is taking a lot of heat over the decision to remove troops from the country. This decision (which was negotiated during the Trump administration) and his less-stellar speech on the matter has given Biden his first true ‘L’ in the world of public opinion. Biden must now have to deal with the public perception of the botched withdrawal and now subsequent refugee crisis.
Their is bipartisan pressure now on the Biden administration to either accept refugees from Afghanistan or to leave them where they are. The Biden administration will have to make a decision sooner than later as the transition period is still not yet solidified. This comes as reports of the Biden administration is dragging its feet on ‘the optics’ of accepting refugees in hopes of being more GOP-friendly regarding immigration.
Georgia wants refugees
Georgia State House 89 representative and 2022 Secretary of State challenger Bee Nguyen (pronounced ‘win’) aired her personal story of her families connection of being accepted into the US at the end of the Vietnam War on Twitter.
Kemp wants refugees
Governor Brian Kemp has stated that the state of Georgia would love to take in Afghani refugees—but those who’ve served alongside military forces. The move could be similar to the waves of immigrants that entered to the United States under the Reagan administration. It’s a long-term pivot amongst him to present a more diverse, progressive GOP leader ahead of the 2022 election. As well as to secure a base that is declining in membership.
Atlanta News
1) An ‘Antifa’ mural takes over Kennesaw Confederate store
An ‘antifa’ inspired mural depicting the cartoon characters The Smurfs has been painted on downtown Kennesaw’s Civil War memorabilia and confederate retailer Wildman’s. The owner of the shop Dent Myers has been accused of being racist and has embodied some of the wilder conspiracies. Myers is big 2A supporter also has some wild anti-Obama thoughts, as stated in this 2009 Newsweek video interview.
The political art group, INDECLINE has taken claim in responsibility. The group has grown in popularity over the years for their political art projects, especially during the last four years of the Trump administration.
2) Dog Whistling and ‘gang’ violence is being used as the new proxy against crime
A new claim that the murder of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner was done by a member of the bloods and trying to tie the June 2020 Wendy’s takeover into a gang related incident. This comes as the GBI is stating that gang violence is on the rise. This gels well with a 2022 campaign on Kemp & Co. being built around ‘Atlanta crime’ and ‘supporting’ law enforcement and being tough on ‘Atlanta’ crime. Atlanta Journalist George Chidi is one of the first to be vocal in questioning this logic as the investigations persist. This comes as a simmer scrutiny of the GBI is developing since the murder of Ahmaud Arbery came to national prominence in the spring of 2020.
3) The new Westside Park bka The Bellwood Quarry has opened
Westside Park has officially opened in Atlanta today. The park is the former Bellwood Quarry, a former granite quarry which closed in 2007. The area has since been the location of film/television shows before undergoing a long-term transformation into a city water reserve and public park.
4.Cop City update
On Monday, the city of Atlanta has postponed a decision on ‘Cop City’ until September 7th. The move comes after activists, preservationists, DeKalb County residents and other voiced their concerns to the Atlanta City Council for over 4.5 hours. As more word of the project comes out, expect more pushback as well as a renewed (non-astroturfed) level of support from the ATLScoop crowd. The controversial and non-contextual Instagram account recently posted about the development for the first time, the comments are about as you expect.
I also wrote a brief explainer for Atlanta’s own upstart media brand, Butter.ATL that you can read below.
I suggest you also read the following:
The Intercept (via Aja Arnold of Mainline Zine) - Atlanta poised to approve massive police training facility despite opposition
The AJC (via J.D. Caputo) - Atlanta City Council tables police and fire training center proposal
The Saporta Report (via John Ruch) - Atlanta City Council delays vote on controversial public safety training center, tightens legal language
More Red Clay News
Georgia has hit over 1 million confirmed Covid cases, averaging now 9,745 cases per day. The state has over 10.6 million people.
Music Midtown and the Shaky Knees festival will require to see vaccination status of those wishing to attend.
The Rayshard Brooks case now has been assigned it’s third District Attorney.
A DeKalb recycling business caught on fire this week alongside a scrap metal recycling business in Clayton County.
APD has now launched a use of force database.
DragonCon is now asking for proof of vaccination before attendance.
If you get hired with Atlanta Public Works, you also are eligible to receive a $500 signing bonus.
Cobb County bus drivers will receive a $1,200 signing bonus.
All the 2021 Atlanta mayoral candidates have officially qualified.
Atlanta City Council approves cameras at public parks.
The Dalton Dept of Public Health is declaring a state of emergency due to new Covid infections.
32 train cars were derailed in Oconee.
School children make up now 15% of all Covid cases in the state of Georgia.
Clark Atlanta president apologies for a lack of dorm rooms.
Spelman teachers have staged a walkout over the college’s lack of preparedness over covid-19 protocols.
You can now request an absentee ballot ahead of the November 1st Atlanta elections.
National News
The R. Kelly trial has begun in New York.
The Governor of Texas has contracted Covid. This comes as the state is banning masks and trying to withhold money from Democrats who’ve not followed in compliance with Republican lawmaking.
United Airlines is currently the only airline to require employees to be vaccinated.
The killing of Fred Cox in N.C. is slowly gaining national attention as once again a police killing is resulting in no charges.
Poverty rate is expected to fall this year as a result of the pandemic stimulus and child tax credit. While inflation has not increased as much as expected.