Author Archives: William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

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About William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

William Eric Waters is an award-winning poet, fiction writer, essayist, educator, criminal-justice scholar, and nonprofit executive. Writing as William E. Waters, he is the author of the epic poem Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass and three poetry collections: Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, The Black Feminine Mystique, and The Black Blood of Poetry. Under the pen name Easy Waters, he is the author of the novel Streets of Rage and the short-story collection Conundrums: Stories of Law & Justice. His work explores Black history, race, law, punishment, institutional power, accountability, redemption, and resilience.

Fifty Shades of Green

Posted on March 17, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The title of this blog may have led you to it, perhaps thinking that it was going to be something freaky about the Irish on this St. Patrick’s Day.  Granted, today I’ve seen sexy pictures of women in green on … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

“Sound of da Police”

Posted on February 25, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In his 2000 album, his first solo album, “Return of the Boom Bap,” KRS-One has a classic rap about da police, entitled, “Sound of da Police.” The chorus begins: Woop-woop! That’s the sound of da police Woop-woop! that’s the sound … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal Justice & Punishment | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Black Lives Have Always Mattered

Posted on February 8, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

More than 20 years ago, long before #BlackLivesMatter, I noticed a disturbing trend: almost everyday in the news there was a case of police brutality, mostly against Black people, with a few white people sprinkled in because, even though this … Continue reading →

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The Terrorist You Know

Posted on February 4, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Canada has declared the “far right” group the Proud Boys a terrorist group, which has various implications, even going after fundraising and funding sources, that is, bank accounts linked to the group may be frozen and assests seized. The United … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics & Public Affairs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Happy Black History Month!

Posted on February 1, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Today, February 1, 2021, is Black History Month. Before there was Black History Month, there was Black History Week. Actually, then it was called “Negro History Week.” In 1926 (the year my father was born), historian Carter G. Woodson and … Continue reading →

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International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Posted on January 27, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Today, January 27th, is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A Time magazine article, “‘Hate Never Disappears. It Just Takes a Break for a While.’ Why the U.S. Capitol Attack Makes Holocaust Remembrance Day More Important Than Ever,” reveals why we should … Continue reading →

Posted in Justice Chronicles, Politics & Public Affairs, Race, History & American Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blue Lives Matter, Brownsville, and Justice Reinvestment

Posted on January 26, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The throngs of Trump’s January 6th Insurrectionists attacking Capitol police plays across my mind, over and over, like it is on rewind. The self-proclaimed “President of ‘Law and Order’” unleashed domestic terrorism and lawlessness practically unseen in the annals of … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal Justice & Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hammerin’ Hank, and Me!

Posted on January 23, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron died yesterday, January 22, 2021. As soon as I learned of his death, I was deeply saddened. He was one of my childhood heroes, and when I played Little League Baseball I wore his “lucky” number … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

“Hang Mike Pence!”

Posted on January 22, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The January 6th Insurrectionists’ assault on our Capitol revealed a number of things beyond the American Divide, which is always racial, although this Insurrection was framed as political by most of the talking heads. Of all the disturbing images and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics & Public Affairs | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Amazing Grace of Black People

Posted on January 20, 2021 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Just the other day on social media I posted that Black people in America embody amazing grace. That thought came to the forefront of my mind when Lori Marie Key, a Black nurse, sang Amazing Grace at the national COVID … Continue reading →

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