The Royster Chronicle

  “The deed not seen is more precious than the one posted on social media for spectacle.” Dr. BLR The capitalist system enables individuals to leverage their perceived talents to increase their earnings. Some might argue it’s beneficial, but over time, the true nature of this system reveals its flaws. Those in power only offer benefits to those they consider deserving. Many communities have representatives who target people based on race or ethnicity. Sadly, it appears the Black community is influenced by a seven-foot-plus buffoon known for his basketball skills and goofy demeanor, a smaller buffoon some find amusing, and a loud-mouthed sports commentator who refuses to accept the reality of a receding hairline—all of whom appear in multiple commercials trying to persuade viewers to buy, play, or sign up for unnecessary products.  This point is understood by those who recognize the core issue. Keeping the uninformed busy with trivial matters distracts them from understanding l...

Not my enemy “I can’t believe what you say because I see what you do.”  James Baldwin   No one will ever fully agree on controversial issues or people. Recently, someone reappeared in my life after a period of silence. Assata Olugbala Shakur (also known as JoAnne Deborah Byron and JoAnne Chesimard), an African-American woman, was convicted of murdering a New Jersey State Trooper, Werner Foerster, on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. As a retired New Jersey State Trooper (NJSP), I feel conflicted about why I have allowed her to occupy space in my mind. She allegedly killed a state trooper, and law states she should have spent the rest of her life in prison. However, I wasn’t entirely convinced she was guilty.  Growing up as a young Black man in Newark, New Jersey's inner city, I often heard about our struggles to survive within an oppressive, predominantly white, male-dominated system. I vaguely remember the 1967 riots in Newark, but later I researched the NJSP’s role ...