Home Blog Page 50

New York’s Socialist Gamble and America’s Coming Backlash

DAMON K JONES
-
0
New York’s Socialist Gamble and America’s Coming Backlash

New York City is preparing to do something no other major American city has dared: elect an openly admitted socialist as mayor. Zohran Mamdani, a proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has surged to the top of the polls with the backing of both progressive activists and establishment Democrats like Governor Kathy Hochul. For New York’s political class, this is celebrated as a sign of bold, forward-looking leadership. For the rest of America, it is a warning siren.

To many New Yorkers, Mamdani represents a promise: rent freezes, higher taxes on the wealthy, expanded public housing, and more government intervention in everyday life. But symbolism matters. This is not a council seat in a progressive district — this is America’s financial capital, home to Wall Street, sending the message that capitalism itself is under indictment.

That may feel like progress to Manhattan activists or Brooklyn renters, but in the suburbs of Pennsylvania, the towns of Wisconsin, and the farms of Georgia, it reads as something very different: proof that the Democratic Party has embraced extremism.

The National Divide: Capitalism vs. Socialism

Poll after poll shows the same story: capitalism still holds a majority of American support. Gallup reports that 54% of Americans have a favorable view of capitalism, while only 39% view socialism positively. Among Democrats, the numbers flip — socialism polls better than capitalism — but Democrats don’t win elections with their base alone.

What sells in New York City is poison in swing states. Rent freezes and wealth taxes sound appealing in the boroughs, but they are electoral suicide in places where small business owners, homeowners, and working families already feel crushed by government intrusion.

The Backlash Ahead

A Mamdani win will not stay in New York. Republicans across the country will seize on it to brand the entire Democratic Party as the Socialist Party of America. Every vulnerable House Democrat, every Senate candidate in a tight race, will have to answer for the fact that their party crowned a socialist in the nation’s financial capital.

And what will Democrats offer in response? If history is any guide, not policies, not outcomes — but the tired language of accusation: “fascism” and “racism.” Yet these slogans have diminishing returns. Voters facing inflation, high rents, crime, and failing schools are less interested in hearing what Republicans are called and more interested in what Democrats have delivered.

The Black Southern Voter: The Democrats’ Biggest Problem

Democrats have long relied on Black voters as the backbone of their coalition. Without heavy Black turnout, especially in the South, the party cannot win national elections. But here is the problem: the very voters Democrats depend on most are not clamoring for socialism.

In the Bible Belt and across swing states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida, Black voters lean more moderate. They are church-going, rooted in family values, and skeptical of government overreach. While polls show that younger Black voters flirt with socialism in theory, the reality is that older Black voters — the ones who actually vote consistently — favor capitalism over socialism.

Morning Consult data makes this clear: only 13% of Black voters over 45 wanted the U.S. to move toward socialism, compared with one-third of younger Black voters. In Southern counties where the Black church remains the strongest institution, socialism is not seen as salvation — it’s seen as a threat to faith, family, and small business ownership.

This is the Democrats’ biggest problem. They cannot win without the Black vote, but the Black vote they rely on is not interested in the socialism being normalized in New York. If Democrats continue to embrace Mamdani-style politics, they risk alienating the very voters who have carried them to victory for decades.

Hollow Ground: Democrats and the Youth Vote

The irony is that while younger voters say they are more open to socialism, Democrats are losing them in practice. Democratic registration has fallen in New York by hundreds of thousands in the past four years. That is not the mark of a growing movement; it is the mark of a party that excites headlines but not turnout.

Meanwhile, conservatives like Charlie Kirk have proven that younger voters are not locked into the Democratic camp. His campus movement has shown that with direct engagement, the same voters who cheer for socialism online can just as easily be mobilized against it. Democrats may win Brooklyn, but they are bleeding in battlegrounds.

The Bigger Picture for America

This is why New York matters. A Mamdani victory is not a local curiosity — it is a national signal. It tells voters in the rest of America that Democrats have chosen socialism over capitalism, ideology over practicality. It tells swing voters in Michigan, Nevada, and Arizona that the party of Roosevelt and Kennedy has become the party of radical experimentation.

And in midterm elections, where turnout is lower and swing districts decide control of Congress, that signal could be devastating. What energizes progressives in New York will repel moderates across the Midwest. What feels like victory in the city could be the very reason Democrats lose the House, the Senate, and beyond.

If Zohran Mamdani wins in New York City, it will be hailed as a triumph for the progressive movement. But the real effect may be very different. For the rest of the country, it will be proof that Democrats have crossed the line into socialism — and they will push back hard.

Elections are not won with hashtags, slogans, or ideological purity. They are won with outcomes that improve people’s lives. If Democrats continue down this road, relying only on calling their opponents fascists and racists, they will find that the rest of America has already made its choice — and it won’t be socialism.

Gallup. Image of Capitalism Slips, Socialism Steady in U.S. (August 2025). Retrieved from news.gallup.com

Pew Research Center. Black Americans view capitalism more negatively than positively, but express hope in Black businesses. (March 2023). Retrieved from pewresearch.org

Pew Research Center. Modest declines in positive views of socialism and capitalism in U.S. (September 2022). Retrieved from pewresearch.org

Morning Consult. Younger Black Democratic voters more open to socialism than older generations. (2020). Retrieved from pro.morningconsult.com

Marist Poll. New York City Mayoralty Poll: September 2025. Retrieved from maristpoll.marist.edu

Politico. Mamdani takes lead in New York City mayor poll. (September 2025). Retrieved from politico.com

CBS News. NYC mayoral race poll: Mamdani leads with focus on cost of living. (September 2025). Retrieved from cbsnews.com

New York Post. Democratic enrollment drops in NY from 2020–2024 in ominous election sign. (December 2024). Retrieved from nypost.com

Jimmy Kimmel, Disney: Speech Has Consequences in a Marketplace

DAMON K JONES
-
0
Jimmy Kimmel, Disney: Speech Has Consequences in a Marketplace

When Jimmy Kimmel joked about the death of Charlie Kirk, it was not an exercise in constitutional free speech. It was the speech of an employee, paid by ABC, which Disney owns. And in business, every action has costs.

Free Speech vs. Employment

Much of the public debate has been clouded by a fundamental misunderstanding. Many are framing Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension as an “attack on free speech.” That is simply not true — and misrepresenting it that way does the community a disservice.

The First Amendment protects citizens from government censorship. It prevents Washington from arresting you for criticizing elected officials or banning you from publishing opinions. But it does not guarantee anyone a nationally televised platform, nor does it shield an employee from consequences at work.

The government did not silence Jimmy Kimmel. He was disciplined by his employer — ABC, owned by Disney — because his words created business liabilities. That distinction matters. Just as an employee at a small business can be fired for insulting customers or violating company policy, so too can a television host be removed when his behavior threatens ratings, advertising, and public trust.

Calling this a “free speech issue” muddies the waters and distracts from the real lesson: this is an employment and business matter. Treating it otherwise not only spreads confusion, but also prevents us from having an honest conversation about accountability in the workplace — whether in a corner store or on late-night television.

The Bottom Line

Charlie Kirk had over 20 million followers. Mocking his death was not only tasteless — it was reckless from a business standpoint. Disney executives had to weigh three immediate risks:

  1. Declining Viewership: Affiliates who rely on ratings have no incentive to air a show that alienates a large portion of the audience.
  2. Advertiser Pullback: Sponsors will not risk their brands being associated with remarks seen as cruel or insensitive.
  3. Regulatory Scrutiny: When the FCC chair publicly criticizes your program, the possibility of hearings or fines becomes a real threat.

Disney had no incentive to keep subsidizing a host whose words jeopardized revenue and long-term trust.

Standards and Morality

There is also a broader cultural question to ask: When did we decide that a television talk show was the proper venue to degrade a man’s death? Disagreeing with someone politically is one thing; mocking their murder is another. Whatever one thinks of Charlie Kirk’s politics, a late-night monologue is not the place to belittle tragedy.

Like any employee, television hosts work under contracts that typically include morals clauses. These clauses exist to protect companies from reputational harm when an employee behaves in a way that shocks the public conscience. Kimmel’s misstep was not merely a lapse in taste — it was a violation of professional responsibility.

The Power of Affiliates

This is the part many observers overlook: Disney doesn’t directly beam ABC into every American living room. That job belongs to local affiliates — hundreds of independently owned stations across the country that sign agreements to carry ABC programming.

For these affiliates, ratings are survival. If a show drives viewers away, the affiliate loses ad revenue, which hurts not only Disney but also the local station’s bottom line. That’s why Nexstar, one of the largest affiliate owners, announced it would pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! “for the foreseeable future.” Sinclair soon followed, demanding an apology and restitution.

Once affiliates rebel, the math is brutal. Without affiliates broadcasting the program, there is:

  • No Distribution: The show doesn’t reach households in key markets.
  • No Audience: Viewership collapses when stations refuse to carry it.
  • No Revenue: Advertisers won’t pay for airtime that never reaches customers.

In other words, once affiliates walk away, the national show is finished. Disney could keep producing Jimmy Kimmel Live! in theory, but with no affiliates to air it, the show becomes a product without shelves — like cereal that supermarkets refuse to stock.

Disney’s Statement

ABC, in a statement on behalf of Disney, confirmed that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be “pre-empted indefinitely.”While the company did not spell out every factor that went into the decision, the wording made clear that the show was being pulled from the schedule without a set return date. Reports also indicated that Disney executives — including CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden — met directly with Kimmel to assess the damage, but ultimately concluded the show could not continue under the circumstances.

Economics Over Ideology

Television hosts are not independent truth-tellers standing above the marketplace. They are employees whose worth is measured in audience size and advertising dollars. If they attract viewers, they stay. If they drive people away, they go. The incentives are economic, not ideological.

The Larger Point

The Kimmel affair is not about censorship. It is about accountability. Words have consequences — especially when spoken on national television. No corporation will risk its bottom line to defend a joke that alienates millions, threatens advertising contracts, and invites regulatory scrutiny.

For all the talk about free speech, the real lesson is about responsibility. In the marketplace, speech that builds trust and draws viewers is rewarded. Speech that drives customers, affiliates, and advertisers away is punished. That is not politics. That is business.

Jay Jacobs Refuses to Endorse Zohran Mamdani: A Warning for New York Democrats

DAMON K JONES
-
0
Jay Jacobs Refuses to Endorse Zohran Mamdani: A Warning for New York Democrats

The rift inside New York’s Democratic Party just got deeper. Jay S. Jacobs, the longtime chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, has made it clear: he will not endorse Zohran Mamdani in the race for New York City mayor. This refusal comes despite Governor Kathy Hochul’s controversial move to throw her support behind Mamdani, signaling a major fracture between the party’s progressive and establishment wings.

Why Jacobs Said “No”

Jacobs has long been critical of the party’s left flank, warning that progressive figures like Mamdani push policies that alienate working- and middle-class voters. His refusal to endorse is more than a personal disagreement—it is a political message. Jacobs is signaling to donors, elected officials, and party loyalists that Mamdani’s platform is too radical and too risky in a state already bleeding residents and struggling with public safety concerns.

Hochul’s Gamble

Governor Hochul’s endorsement of Mamdani shocked many within her own party. Critics argue that she has “played herself,” lending credibility to a candidate who has openly defied the party establishment and pushed ideas like decarceration and expansive housing reforms with little concern for how they impact communities on the ground.

Jacobs’ rejection of Mamdani serves as a direct rebuke of Hochul’s gamble. It exposes the tension between a governor seeking to court the left for political survival and a party chair trying to preserve the party’s viability in the eyes of everyday voters.

The Stakes for Black and Brown Communities

For Black New Yorkers, the divide is not just about ideology—it’s about outcomes. Policies supported by Mamdani, such as releasing more individuals from Rikers Island without adequate mental health services in place, raise real questions about public safety. Communities already dealing with gun violence, retail theft, and a fragile local economy could be the ones paying the price if progressive experiments fail.

Meanwhile, Hochul and other Democratic leaders have done little to deliver tangible improvements in education, housing affordability, and economic opportunity for Black and Brown families. Jacobs’ refusal to endorse Mamdani shines a light on this failure, and it forces voters to ask: who is truly working for us?

A Party at War with Itself

Jacobs’ move is a public warning shot. The Democratic Party in New York is at war with itself—between the far-left voices demanding ideological purity and the establishment trying to hold onto a shrinking base. This is not just political drama; it is about whether New York can govern effectively in a time of crisis.

As voters watch this play out, one thing is clear: the fractures inside the Democratic Party are no longer behind closed doors. They are on full display, and the communities that need real solutions the most are caught in the middle.

The Importance of Farmers Markets: Spotlight on Greenburgh Farmers Market by Dare to Be Different

DAMON K JONES
-
0
The Importance of Farmers Markets: Spotlight on Greenburgh Farmers Market by Dare to Be Different

EVERY 2ND AND 4 SATURDAY IN GREENBURGH NY 10-2AM

Farmers markets have always been more than just a place to buy fruits and vegetables—they are the heartbeat of a community. They connect local growers directly with residents, strengthen local economies, and promote healthier lifestyles by giving families access to fresh, seasonal, and often organic produce.

The Greenburgh Farmers Market, powered by Dare to Be Different, is a shining example of how a market can transform a community. By creating a welcoming space where neighbors gather, this market not only supports small farmers and vendors but also educates the community about the value of sustainable eating. Shoppers know where their food comes from and can meet the people who grow it—a connection that fosters trust and appreciation for the land.

In addition to fresh produce, the Greenburgh Farmers Market features locally made goods, wellness products, and cultural foods that celebrate diversity. It is more than shopping—it’s an experience that encourages families to eat better, spend locally, and take pride in community-driven growth.

Supporting markets like Greenburgh’s is an investment in both health and community. As Dare to Be Different reminds us, embracing fresh food and local business is not just a choice—it’s a lifestyle that helps us all thrive.

The Taboo No One Wants to Face: Race as a Smokescreen for Foreign Influence

DAMON K JONES
-
0
The Taboo No One Wants to Face: Race as a Smokescreen for Foreign Influence

America has no shortage of debates about race. Turn on the television and you will be told that the nation is split between “anti-white” leftists and “racist” conservatives. Democrats and Republicans feed this cycle like an assembly line. One side builds a narrative of systemic racism; the other counters with a story of white victimhood. Both make a living keeping the public angry at each other. But while America is busy fighting over race, a deeper reality goes unexamined: the degree to which foreign money and foreign influence control our politics.

When Candace Owens questioned whether Charlie Kirk had been pressured or even blackmailed by pro-Israel donors, the knives came out. She was accused of antisemitism, opportunism, even betrayal. Yet strip away the headlines, and the substance of her question remains legitimate: are American political leaders free to speak, or are they constrained by donor money tied to foreign interests? Owens may have lacked proof for the specifics she alleged about Bill Ackman. But the broader reality she pointed to is undeniable. Pro-Israel political action committees and billionaires pour tens of millions into both parties. Candidates who cross them find their campaigns defunded, their reputations smeared, and their character questioned. If this is all nonsense, then why have figures as high as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu felt compelled to make public statements about it? On Newsmax, Netanyahu dismissed as “insane, absurd, so stupid, so ridiculous” the growing claims online that Israel had a hand in Kirk’s death. But even that wasn’t the end of it. Tucker Carlson, speaking in conversation about Kirk’s legacy, blasted foreign leaders—Netanyahu included—for trying to hijack Kirk’s murder to advance their own causes. Carlson called it “disgusting” and “literally untrue” to claim that Kirk lived for Israel’s agenda, reminding audiences that while Kirk loved Israel, he opposed another endless war in the Middle East. That kind of pushback is rare, and it tells us that Owens’ questions struck deeper than critics would admit.

Kirk himself lived this contradiction. On his show he admitted that “some of the largest financiers of left-wing anti-white causes have been Jewish Americans.” At his Turning Point USA conference, Tucker Carlson asked directly whether Jeffrey Epstein was running a Mossad blackmail operation. And when Kirk went on Megyn Kelly’s show, he confessed that after platforming Israel’s critics, he was hit with “thousands of tweets and text messages” condemning him as a bad person. Notice what is happening here. A conservative leader who repeatedly declared “I love Israel, I want Israel to win” was not judged on his support for the country, but on his willingness to host a conversation. For that, his moral character was put on trial.

This is where race enters the picture—not as a solution, but as a distraction. On the left, racial politics justifies why Israel’s critics are silenced: anyone pushing back must be racist, bigoted, or hateful. On the right, racial politics is redirected into outrage over DEI, which has been a shield for policies that white people mostly benefited from, layered on top of a Civil Rights Act that has ignored Black people’s rights while being used to fight for gay men to play in women’s sports and use women’s bathrooms. Either way, Americans are pitted against each other on racial terms, while the deeper issue—foreign lobbying, foreign aid, and foreign leverage—is quietly preserved. Do people even know how entrenched pro-Israel money is in our politics? While misinformed Black people argue endlessly about race, the United States sends $3.8 billion of our tax dollars every year to a foreign country for war, while at home we face failing schools, high crime, a housing market that locks working families out of ownership, and a mental health crisis devastating Black communities. Yet no matter which party is in power, there is always bipartisan agreement that Israel gets its billions, even if our own communities go without.

The real divide in America is not between Black and White, or liberal and conservative. It is between a nation where citizens govern themselves and a nation where foreign donors and lobbies script the play while we argue over skin color. Kirk, for all his faults, brushed against this forbidden truth. I am not God, so I do not judge. But I believe each of us is here for a reason, and as Kirk’s political star rose, so did his awareness of the messy, manipulative money that drives it all. I have long said there is no God in politics, and Kirk was beginning to see that for himself. Owens took it further, and the fury directed at both of them proves the point: once you step across the invisible line around Israel and its donor network, you are branded untouchable—not because you are wrong, but because you dared to pull back the curtain.

Read: This Is Not Black America’s Fight: It’s a Struggle Between White Liberals and White Conservatives

In a recent article, I wrote that “this is not Black people’s fight.” The questions Candace Owens raised, and the defensive answers offered by powerful figures, prove why. The struggle here is not between Black and White Americans—it is over whether foreign interests dictate our future while we are distracted by the politics of race.

Facts matter more than feelings, and the fact is this: until Americans, Black or White, stop letting race be the bait that keeps us distracted, we will never deal with the hook—foreign influence that dictates our politics while we fight each other.

Gov. Hochul’s Endorsement of Zohran Mamdani: What It Really Means for Black New Yorkers

DAMON K JONES
-
0
Gov. Hochul’s Endorsement of Zohran Mamdani: What It Really Means for Black New Yorkers

Governor Kathy Hochul’s endorsement of Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor is being celebrated as a bold move by progressives. But before anyone applauds, Black New Yorkers ought to ask a simple question: what exactly does this mean for us—and what will it cost?

Political endorsements are easy. They cost nothing and promise nothing. For decades, Black New Yorkers have been showered with speeches, slogans, and symbolic gestures from the Democratic Party. What we have not been given are outcomes—safer neighborhoods, better schools, stronger businesses, or healthier families. Hochul’s embrace of Mamdani is no different. It signals allegiance to the progressive wing of her party, but it does not guarantee a single measurable improvement for the people who have carried Democrats into office election after election.

The problems are not mysterious. They are visible every day:

  • Housing: Black families are hardest hit by rising rents and evictions. Will more rent regulations build housing, or will it strangle supply and drive landlords out of the market—leaving fewer options for the very people progressives claim to help?
  • Education: Black boys in New York continue to fall behind in reading and math. For years, the left has run New York’s schools, but the results for Black children remain stagnant. Mamdani’s brand of politics may bring more ideology, but will it bring higher test scores or better literacy?
  • Public Safety: Mamdani has openly supported letting more people out of jail. The problem is not the slogan—it’s the reality. Rikers Island houses one of the largest populations of mentally ill inmates in America. Releasing people without treatment or supervision is not compassion. It is negligence. And the neighborhoods most likely to bear the brunt of that negligence are Black neighborhoods already struggling with crime. Left-wing reforms have been tried for years, but they have done little to make our streets safer.
  • Economics: Black-owned businesses make up less than 2 percent of all businesses in the state. Despite endless promises of “equity,” Democratic economic policies have done little to expand ownership, wealth, or access to capital for Black New Yorkers. Meanwhile, campaign finance in New York runs on donations of $5,000, $10,000, even $50,000 from major corporations and developers—money that shapes policy while Black entrepreneurs remain locked out.

The record is plain. Left-wing policies in New York have done little to improve Black education, Black economics, or Black public safety. Yet politicians continue to campaign as if promises are enough, and too many of our leaders continue to deliver votes without demanding results.

Hochul’s endorsement is a calculation, not a commitment. It strengthens Mamdani’s appeal to progressive white liberals and younger activists who dominate media narratives. But the math of elections in New York City still runs through Black voters. If our priorities are ignored in favor of ideological experiments, the result will be familiar: we supply the votes, others reap the benefits.

The question is not whether Mamdani can win. The question is whether Black New Yorkers will win anything if he does. That depends on what we demand: real strategies to expand Black homeownership and business ownership, clear plans to raise education outcomes measured in reading and math—not rhetoric—balanced safety reforms that protect civil rights while protecting neighborhoods from crime and untreated mental illness, and health policies that deal directly with chronic disease and mental health in our communities.

Until those questions are answered, Hochul’s endorsement is just another chapter in a long book of political promises made to Black New Yorkers—and rarely kept.

Westchester Faces Legionnaires’ Outbreak: How to Prevent the Spread

DAMON K JONES
-
0
Westchester Faces Legionnaires’ Outbreak: How to Prevent the Spread

Westchester County, NY — Officials have confirmed a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has left two people dead and at least 37 residents sick across the county. The victims were from White Plains and New Rochelle.

Health authorities say this summer’s hot, humid weather created the perfect breeding ground for Legionella bacteria, which can multiply in cooling towers, plumbing systems, and fountains. The disease spreads when people inhale contaminated water droplets and often strikes older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

Preventing Future Cases

Public health experts stress that Legionnaires’ disease is preventable with the right precautions:

  • Maintain Building Water Systems: Cooling towers, HVAC systems, and hot tubs must be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
  • Control Water Temperatures: Keep hot water above 120°F and cold water below 68°F to limit bacterial growth.
  • Flush Stagnant Water: Unused pipes and faucets should be run regularly to keep water moving.
  • Properly Treat Pools & Spas: Ensure chlorine or bromine levels are maintained to kill bacteria.
  • Install Filters Where Needed: In high-risk facilities, filtered taps and showers can reduce exposure.
  • Follow Health Regulations: Property owners must comply with state cooling tower inspection laws to prevent outbreaks.

Community Guidance

Residents are advised to monitor symptoms like cough, fever, and shortness of breath, and to seek medical care immediately if they arise. Early treatment with antibiotics can save lives.

Officials remind the public that the disease is not spread person-to-person, and with vigilance, Westchester can both control this outbreak and prevent future ones.

This Is Not Black America’s Fight: It’s a Struggle Between White Liberals and White Conservatives

DAMON K JONES
-
0
This Is Not Black America’s Fight: It’s a Struggle Between White Liberals and White Conservatives


When you cut through the noise of today’s politics, you quickly see one truth: the loudest fights in America are not about Black people—they are between white liberals and white conservatives.

White liberals position themselves as champions of the oppressed, while white conservatives claim to defend tradition and order. Yet Black America remains at the bottom, regardless of which side wins. Their talk of “justice” and “freedom” seldom brings measurable progress to our communities.

For liberals, Black America’s struggles are moral leverage for broader agendas. For conservatives, we’re a cautionary tale to push back on liberal policies. Neither side equips us for independence. We are spoken of, not spoken to.

The Opportunity Cost of Distraction

The tragedy is how we get pulled into their battles. I see more focus on figures like Charlie Kirk than on failing schools, Black suicide rates, business losses, family breakdown, or health gaps in our community. These life-and-death issues are sidelined by arguing over which white faction is worse.

We say racism holds us back, but we overlook our dependency. Black America spends $1.7 trillion yearly, mostly outside our own community. We discuss oppression, but don’t ask why we lack business ownership and economic control.

No community should embrace hate speech — but we must be honest about how the term is often weaponized. If that’s the standard, then I’m no different to white people than Charlie Kirk is to Black people: someone saying what they don’t want to hear. That doesn’t make it hate. Too often, what gets branded as “hate” is nothing more than inconvenient truth or uncomfortable criticism.

I go beyond a simple soundbite or a quote tossed on Facebook — I look at the full context. The main problem is this: when we get called out on our failures by people outside our community, we are quick to let liberal white voices convince us it’s “hate speech.” That’s the trap. If all we’ve got to hang on to in 2025 is labeling criticism as hate, then Black America is in worse condition than ever.

If everything is racism, when do we take responsibility for fixing our problems? Our schools and neighborhoods are mostly run by Black officials. If white people are not managing or tearing down our communities, when do we admit the responsibility is ours? When do we stop supporting leaders who do nothing, only to let critics point at our failures?

I don’t want to hear “we’re working on it.” I’m almost 60, and if that’s the answer, we’re not moving forward. The saddest part? Black people in the 30s, 40s, and 50s lived with more dignity and stronger communities under real racism than we do now—despite having more resources and opportunity today.

History Repeats Itself

In the 1960s, liberals used the Civil Rights Movement to expand government programs, weakening family and community ties. Conservatives in the 1970s used “law and order” rhetoric to gain power through Black crime statistics. The language changed, but Black America remained dependent and neither side built our independence.

Malcolm X warned us clearly: “The white liberal is the worst enemy to America, and the worst enemy to the Black man. The white liberal has perfected the art of using the Negro as a pawn.” His warning was not about personal hatred—it was about political manipulation. Sixty years later, we still see the same playbook.

When you strip away the rhetoric and look only at outcomes, the picture is plain. Neither liberal nor conservative dominance has delivered what Black America needs: strong families, thriving businesses, safe streets, and ownership of the institutions that shape our destiny. Speeches do not build wealth. Promises do not educate children. Marches do not create ownership.

Our True Battle

Our fight is not left versus right—it is independence versus dependency. It is ownership versus tokenism. It is building institutions that will outlast us, instead of aligning ourselves with whichever white faction offers better rhetoric in a given election cycle. Black America’s survival depends on refusing to be pawns in someone else’s struggle and focusing instead on measurable progress in our own.

The Bottom Line

The clash between white liberals and white conservatives will rage on—it is about who holds the reins of American power. But it is not our fight. Our responsibility is to step off their battlefield and build our own economy, our own schools, and our own future. Anything less is choosing distraction over destiny.

“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.” — Deuteronomy 8:18
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly… But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” — Psalm 1:1–2

Independence is not just an economic choice — it is a spiritual mandate. God has already blessed us with the resources. The question is whether we will finally use them to build for ourselves.

The Hypocrisy of Mental Health Policy and the Cost to Black America

DAMON K JONES
-
0
The Hypocrisy of Mental Health Policy and the Cost to Black America

According to the World Health Organization, over one billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. That number should stop anyone in their tracks. But in Black America, the weight is heavier, and the hypocrisy in how policymakers and advocates have responded is too glaring to ignore.

One in five Black adults lives with mental illness. Only one in three ever receives treatment. Suicide has become the third leading cause of death among Black youth. These are not abstract statistics. They represent our families, our communities, and our future.

Yet for decades, New York State and others systematically closed psychiatric hospitals and eliminated mental health beds. The promise was that “community-based care” would take their place. It never happened. Instead, jails became the new mental health institutions. Rikers Island is now one of the largest psychiatric facilities in the country. Nearly half of the people incarcerated there live with a mental health condition. Families pleaded for treatment, not jail cells. Policymakers and advocates largely looked the other way.

Fast forward to 2025. President Trump signs an executive order that pushes civil commitment for those with severe mental illness, substance abuse, or homelessness. The order ties federal funding to enforcement of bans on urban camping and open drug use and moves away from “Housing First” toward programs requiring treatment or sobriety.

The reaction was immediate. Civil rights and disability groups denounced it as authoritarian. They warned of abuses of due process. They called it dangerous. Their concerns are not without merit. Involuntary treatment carries real risks. But where was this outrage when mental health patients—disproportionately Black and Brown—were funneled into jail cells instead of hospital beds?

That is the hypocrisy. When hospitals closed, there was silence. When Rikers Island filled with the mentally ill, there was silence. When Black families collapsed under the weight of untreated trauma, there was silence. But when Trump signed an order, suddenly, it was a national emergency.

The truth is that neither approach solves the crisis. Closing hospitals without providing community care pushed people into prisons. Mass civil commitment without safeguards risks abuse and mistrust. Both fail Black America, which is consistently over-policed and under-treated.

If we are serious about solutions, they must involve investment in community-based treatment centers, culturally competent providers who understand the Black experience, preventive programs for youth, and real mental health infrastructure that does not depend on police and prisons. Anything less is another cycle of hypocrisy that leaves our people paying the highest price.

Over one billion people worldwide are struggling with mental health. Black America carries that burden in ways few want to admit. But we can no longer wait on a hypocritical system to heal us. Wellness and resilience must start with us—in our homes, our churches, our barbershops, and our community centers.

Because when we heal the mind, we heal the community. And until that happens, both the silence of yesterday and the outrage of today will continue to fail us.

How Black Children Are Faring in Reading By Dennis Richmond, Jr., M.S.Ed.

Dennis Richmond Jr
-
0
How Black Children Are Faring in Reading By Dennis Richmond, Jr., M.S.Ed.

Over the past three years, Black boys in New York have continued to face significant challenges in reading, with performance lagging behind both the state’s White students and national benchmarks. With 2026 approaching, people can no longer place the blame solely on COVID.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 2024, eighth-grade Black students in New York scored an average of 248 on the NAEP reading assessment, compared to 265 for White students—a 17-point gap. The state’s overall average score was 257, which matched the national average that year. In fourth grade, NCES reported that Black students in New York averaged 200, while White students averaged 223, reflecting a 23-point gap.

When looking at proficiency, NCES data from 2024 show that only 21% of Black eighth-graders in New York reached the Proficient or Advanced levels in reading, compared to 37% of White eighth-graders. For fourth grade, the divide was similar: just 17% of Black students were Proficient or above, while 37% of White students met that level. These figures place New York’s Black boys well below both their in-state peers and the national averages.

The Education Trust–New York added further context in a 2025 report, finding that 55% of Black fourth-graders and 42% of Black eighth-graders scored below the Basic level in reading. This shows that, despite years of attention, disparities remain deeply entrenched.

Comparisons with other states suggest that New York’s overall averages are not extreme, but its racial gaps remain among the widest. It is worth noting that NCES highlighted in 2024 that New York’s overall eighth-grade average (257) was statistically similar to about 40 other states.

The National Assessment Governing Board reported that between 2022 and 2024, fourth-grade reading scores for Black students declined by 8 points nationwide. The Manhattan Institute echoed this finding, describing a “historic low” in literacy for students of color. New York’s stagnant or declining scores mirror these national struggles, but its persistent racial gap stands out.

In sum, Black boys in New York continue to trail their peers in reading, with little progress made over the past three years. To change this narrative, caregivers must ensure that their children are reading at home. It is imperative to the future of our society that they do. Educators must also prioritize targeted literacy techniques rather than relying too heavily on programs. Culturally responsive instruction is equally essential.

1...495051...178Page 50 of 178