The weaponization of compassion has launched a de facto competition of who can be thought to be the most “compassionate” (or, at least, not thought to be uncompassionate). The result of this arms race has been chaos, destruction and depravity.

It’s easy to lose sight of just how often this pernicious dynamic takes place, so it’s worthwhile to point out a few of the disastrous policies that were promoted (and, in some cases, continue to be promoted) as being “compassionate” and to call them out for the societally corrosive lies they are.

1. It wasn’t “compassionate” to close our mental hospitals. The impulse was understandable; plenty of those facilities were substandard. But the results were catastrophic. Until fairly recently in this country’s history, the “homeless” population consisted largely of small numbers of unattached males who drifted from place to place seeking work. But since the 1980s, the homeless population of the U.S. has exploded. Nearly three-quarters of a million people are homeless, and the number jumped 18% from 2023 to 2024. California has 187,000 of the country’s homeless; more than 70,000 are in Los Angeles County alone.

2. It isn’t “compassionate” (nor is it respect for “individual autonomy” or “dignity”) to leave the homeless to live as they do. Homeless encampments are hotbeds of filth (including human urine and feces), crime and diseases like leptospirosis, typhus, hepatitis, tuberculosis and even plague. Across the country, cities are dealing with the economic impact of shuttered stores and declining downtowns attributable to the presence of ever-growing numbers of homeless.

3. It isn’t “compassionate” to hand out needles or create places where addicts can use drugs. Leaving aside what should be an obvious argument that we shouldn’t be encouraging, much less facilitating, the use of dangerous drugs, two-thirds of America’s homeless have a diagnosed mental health illness. A third have a serious substance abuse problem. Approximately half suffer with both. Open-air drug use exacerbates those problems and creates others.

4. It isn’t “compassionate” (or “equitable,” for that matter) to eliminate teaching math, giving grades, standardized tests, advanced academic programs for gifted students or graduation requirements, or to lower entrance qualifications for college and graduate school. It punishes high-achieving students and sends the message to lower-performing students that they aren’t capable of meeting basic standards. That, then, undermines public confidence in the graduates of our high schools, colleges and professional schools.

5. It wasn’t “compassionate” to stop enforcing our immigration laws.

6. It isn’t “compassionate” to allow violent criminals back on the streets.

7. It isn’t “compassionate” to subject children and teenagers with gender dysphoria (and other emotional disorders) to permanent alteration of their bodies with medical and surgical interventions before they are old enough to understand the implications of those decisions.

None of these decisions have had beneficial impacts on their intended populations. Worse still, they are all deeply destructive to other individuals, groups and society at large. Everyone affected should be able to protest the consequences of these failed policies without getting smeared with the false accusation that they “lack compassion.”

Another reason to eliminate “compassion” as a basis for public policy — which we’re seeing daily with painful clarity — is that these policies end up being vehicles for massive fraud. Anyone can set up a 501c3 nonprofit, claim to be working for a charitable purpose, and deceive donors into giving money that does little but line the CEOs’ pockets. And when government grants are involved, there is little oversight (take Minnesota, for example) and more incentive for grift, bribery and payback in the form of pouring money into the campaign coffers of politicians who hold the grants’ pursestrings. What we end up with is a situation where neither the nonprofits nor the politicians have an incentive to solve the underlying problems, since they’re getting rich from their continued existence.

Why has the United States become a nation where “compassion” trumps all other considerations?

Scholars like Helen Andrews argue that the emphasis on “compassion” over logic and methodical analysis is a function of what she calls “the great feminization.” Women, Andrews claims, are hardwired to be maternal, and thus more likely to be persuaded by something that tugs at their empathy than by that which appeals to their reason.

I’m not so sure. First, women have functioning brains, and they are certainly intellectually capable of dispassionate analysis. Second, an awful lot of men seem to be just as hornswoggled by appeals to their “compassion” as are misguided women. And third, I don’t understand how it is “feminine” or “maternal” to witness the collapse of huge sections of our cities into third-world slums; or to know that drugs are pouring into the country, children are being trafficked for sex, and young women are being raped and murdered because the borders are unenforced; or to see people stabbed to death on public transportation, pushed in front of trains or run down by crazed lunatics at Christmas parades because criminals aren’t incarcerated; or to watch as multiple generations of disadvantaged minorities struggle because of schools with weak disciplinary and academic standards; or to want children and emotionally troubled teens to be chemically castrated or surgically sterilized before they’re old enough to drive a car, drink a beer or understand the concepts of sexual satisfaction, fathering, giving birth to or nursing a child, none of which they will experience if they are “transitioned.”

None of this is “compassionate.” It’s objectively irrational. It’s wantonly destructive. It is the deliberate disregard of monumental, systemic, catastrophic failure, the evidence of which is irrefutable. There’s something seriously wrong with anyone who continues to defend these policies and programs, and I’m not persuaded that it’s a matter of chromosomal biology or evolution.

I don’t profess to have a complete solution. But a good start would be to demand meaningful metrics when we discuss proposed (and existing) policies and programs. What matters isn’t “compassion”; it’s consequences.

Written by Laura Hollis

Official website; http://law.nd.edu/directory/laura-hollis/

Here is the backstory.

During the last year of his first term in office, Trump’s tax returns were stolen along with those of 425,000 others by an IRS employee who leaked Trump’s to media outlets. The acts of stealing and leaking were, of course, criminal, and the now-former IRS employee who pleaded guilty to theft of government documents served nearly four years in federal prison.

But the publication of the returns was protected under the Supreme Court’s Pentagon Papers case. In that case, Daniel Ellsberg famously stole documents from the Department of Defense, where he was a civilian employee.

When word got out that he had delivered about 7,000 pages to The New York Times and The Washington Post, the Nixon Department of Justice filed complaints in two federal courts and obtained restraints on both newspapers preventing publication. The stolen documents revealed that American generals had been misleading President Lyndon B. Johnson about success in the Vietnam War, and LBJ had been misleading the public.

The Supreme Court bypassed two intermediate appellate courts and accepted appeals directly from the trial courts’ decisions that imposed the injunctions.

After a very short briefing schedule and a memorable oral argument, the court ruled that while the thief who stole the secrets can be prosecuted, media outlets that publish even stolen matters that are material to the public interest may do so without criminal prosecution or civil liability. This was the high-water mark for press freedom in America.

When various publications and websites published Trump’s tax returns, his lawyers persuaded him that the Pentagon Papers case was so well-settled that he shouldn’t bother suing anyone in the media; and the thief, by then sitting in a federal prison, was effectively judgment-proof.

So, Trump waited until after he returned to the White House to sue the IRS for permitting the theft. Surely, a private citizen who has been harmed by grossly negligent government behavior should have a cause of action against the government.

But how about the president suing the IRS, which works for him? And how can the IRS be represented by the Department of Justice, which also works for the president? And how can the Acting Attorney General, who is Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer, permit the DoJ he supervises to be adverse to the president, who is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the land?

Well, the case gets curiouser and curiouser, as early this week, Trump and the DoJ announced that they had “settled” his case against the IRS by using DoJ funds — appropriated to pay judgments against the U.S. — to establish a $1.8 billion fund to distribute cash at Trump’s discretion to persons he believes were aggrieved by their treatment at the hands of the Biden DoJ.

This entire litigation and its resolution implicate serious constitutional issues that the acting attorney general and President Trump wish would go away.

First is the Constitution’s Case or Controversy Clause, which requires that federal courts may only hear real disputes, with real adversity between the parties — a level of conflict that is nonexistent here. One of the purposes of the clause is to prevent the use of federal courts to facilitate the very type of collusion between the parties that is paramount in this case.

How can Trump be both the plaintiff and the legal superior of the defendant? He cannot. That’s why this case never reached a federal judge for disposition. Had it done so, the judge would have shelved it — dismissal without prejudice is the proper mechanism — until Trump is out of office.

The second constitutional impediment is equally as troublesome. The Constitution’s Appropriations Clause requires that no money shall be drawn from the Treasury except that which has been appropriated by the Congress and spent as Congress directed. The scheme concocted by Trump and his own IRS and his own DoJ was never presented to Congress, nor did Congress appropriate these funds for this purpose.

The scheme is probably not front-page news, but it does involve nearly two billion taxpayer dollars and it is another example of the government’s cavalier indifference to constitutional norms.

This is not to argue that Trump has no case against the IRS, rather the case cannot be litigated while he is in the White House; and it cannot be resolved in a way that substantially burdens the taxpayers without congressional or judicial approval.

In the post-World War II era, Congress has happily looked the other way while presidents encroached on its powers and privileges, hoping for a politically popular outcome, but dismissive of its constitutional obligations.

While Congress and the presidency are equal branches of government, Congress is the first among equals. This is not a question of power. It is a question of will.

Congress is the preeminent branch. It can remove jurisdiction from the Supreme Court and it can remove a president from office. The Constitution’s drafters contemplated a Congress jealous of the encroachment upon its powers.

Why let a president kill boat people without any due process?

Why let a president start a war when the Constitution clearly reposes that authority in Congress?

Why let the president impose and collect sales taxes on products and services originating in foreign countries when the Constitution makes clear that only Congress can do that?

And now this: Why let the president, under the guise of settling a lawsuit with no adversity between the parties, and with no judicial oversight or approval, take tax dollars and give them to his political allies?

These dangerous times are made worse by a supine Congress and a constitutionally indifferent president. The Constitution cannot enforce itself. What part of it will the president evade and Congress overlook next?

Written by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano

Official website; https://twitter.com/Judgenap

“There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran,” Garland said in this release. “The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump.”

Nor was Trump Iran’s only target, according to Garland.

“We have also charged and arrested two individuals who we allege were recruited as part of that network to silence and kill, on U.S. soil, an American journalist who has been a prominent critic of the regime,” said Biden’s attorney general.

“We will not stand for the Iranian regime’s attempts to endanger the American people and America’s national security,” Garland said.

In this release, the Biden Justice Department said: “According to the complaint and other public statements and filings, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran … is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for attacks, including assault, kidnapping, and murder, both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime and to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of then-Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force (IRGD-QF), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad.”

This press release included a link to a criminal complaint filed that day against Farhad Shakeri, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The complaint asserted the Shakeri had “participated in voluntary telephonic interviews with FBI agents” and that he “represented that, at the time of the interviews, he was located in Tehran, Iran.”

What did the FBI learn from Shakeri?

“Also according to SHAKERI,” alleged the complaint, “in approximately mid-to-late September 2024, IRGC Official-1 asked SHAKERI to put aside his other efforts on behalf of the IRGC and focus on surveilling, and, ultimately, assassinating, former President of the United States, Donald J. Trump (‘Victim-4’ herein). SHAKERI indicated to IRGC Official-1 that this would cost a ‘huge’ amount of money. In response, IRGC Official-1 said that ‘we have already spent a lot of money … (s)o the money’s not an issue,’ which SHAKERI understood to mean that the IRGC previously had spent a significant sum of money on efforts to murder Victim-4 and was willing to continue spending a lot of money in its attempt to procure Victim-4’s assassination.”

“According to SHAKERI,” alleged this complaint, “during his meeting with IRGC Official-1 on or about October 7, 2024, IRGC Official-1 directed SHAKERI to provide a plan within seven days to kill Victim-4. If SHAKERI was unable to put forth a plan within that timeframe, IRGC Official-1 continued, the IRGC would pause its plan to kill Victim-4 until after the U.S. presidential elections, because IRGC Official-1 assessed that Victim-4 would lose the election and, afterward, it would be easier to assassinate Victim-4. During that interview SHAKERI claimed to the FBI that he did not intend to propose a plan to murder Victim-4 within the timeframe set by IRGC Offical-1.”

This January, the Justice Department put out another press release about this case.

“CARLISLE RIVERA a/k/a ‘Pop,’ was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his participation in a murder-for-hire plot directed by the Government of Iran targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist,” said the Justice Department. “RIVERA previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed today’s sentence.”

“During their efforts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad,” said the Justice Department, “RIVERA and his co-conspirators shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their murder plot. For example, in or about February 2024, RIVERA and LOADHOLT messaged about an incoming payment from SHAKERI, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Mr. Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus.”

“In January 2026,” said the Justice Department, “LOADHOLT pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.”

“SHAKERI,” the Justice Department said in this January release, “remains at large.”

When Secretary of War Pete Hegseth held a press conference on March 4 — the fifth day of Operation Epic Fury against Iran — he seemed to make an announcement about him (without using his name). “Yesterday,” said Hegseth, “the leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed. Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump go the last laugh.”

A reporter then asked Hegseth for more information about this.

“We’ve known for a long time,” said Hegseth, “that Iran had intentions on trying to kill President Trump and/or other U.S. officials … and while that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, never raised by the president or anybody else … I ensured and others ensured that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list. It wasn’t the beginning of the effort. We were focused on missiles and launchers, and that’s the focus.”

On May 15, the Justice Department announced the arrest of Mohammed Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an Iraqi citizen and alleged Iranian-backed terrorist.

“Al-SAADI was charged by Complaint with six counts of terrorism-related offenses for his activities as an operative of Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” said the Justice Department release.

This man was “transferred into U.S. custody overseas, and transported to the United States,” said the Justice Department.

“As alleged,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg in the department’s press release, “Al-Saadi coordinated a wave of attacks across Europe, including bombings, arson, and assaults targeting American communities and interests. The complaint further alleges that Al-Saadi discussed attacking locations in New York, California, and Arizona and presented a serious threat to our national security.”

Iran not only needs to be permanently stopped from possessing a nuclear weapon, it also needs to be permanently stopped from promoting terrorist attacks against the American people.

Written by Terry Jeffrey

Official website; http://www.cnsnews.com

Hughes connected with people because he sounded natural. Nothing about his style felt forced. Reading him almost feels like hearing an elder speak plainly while music hums somewhere in the background. He understood working class Black life in a way many writers could never imitate. Folks struggling to pay rent, mothers trying to stretch meals, young men chasing dignity, migrants leaving Southern towns searching for a better shot up North, all of that lived inside his poetry. He did not create fancy language just to impress professors. He wrote in a way regular people could carry with them.

That mattered deeply during the Harlem Renaissance. Black artists during that period were fighting against ugly stereotypes pushed across America. Racism shaped nearly every part of daily existence. Hughes stepped into that climate with honesty instead of fear. He wrote about dreams, disappointment, loneliness, survival, music, and race without pretending life was easy. Yet there was still warmth in his voice. He never completely surrendered hope, even while describing painful realities many white Americans wanted ignored.

One reason his poetry still lands today is because the struggles he described never fully disappeared. Young Black men continue wrestling with unfair treatment, pressure, financial stress, and questions about identity. Hughes understood those emotions long ago. A poem like “I, Too” still hits readers hard because exclusion never completely vanished from American life. The language looks simple on paper, but the feeling behind it carries weight. Anybody who has ever felt pushed aside understands that poem immediately.

Another thing helping Hughes remain so recognizable is education. His work became part of school systems throughout America. Children encountered his poetry early in life, sometimes before learning about many other Black writers. Once that happens across generations, a literary figure grows larger than literature alone. Students memorize lines. Teachers repeat them yearly. Families discuss them. Over time the writer turns into a permanent cultural presence.

Music also strengthened his legacy. Hughes loved jazz and blues. That rhythm slipped naturally into his writing. His poems moved with energy instead of stiffness. You could almost hear instruments floating through certain lines. Black artistic traditions have always blended together anyway. Poetry, gospel, soul, spoken word, and rap all pull emotion from similar places. Hughes understood that connection before many scholars even took those forms seriously.

Now to be fair, there are people who strongly believe Maya Angelou deserves the crown instead. Honestly, it is hard arguing against her impact. Angelou carried a presence that immediately captured attention. When she spoke, people listened carefully. Her poem “Still I Rise” became bigger than literature. Folks used those words during hard seasons in life, graduation ceremonies, speeches, and moments requiring courage. Black women especially embraced her because she spoke openly about healing, pain, motherhood, survival, and self respect.

Angelou also arrived during an era dominated by television and mass media. Millions saw her interviews and public appearances. Visibility matters whenever people discuss fame. Some younger readers today may recognize Angelou quicker than Hughes because clips of her speeches still circulate heavily online. Yet Hughes carries tremendous historical weight because he helped build the modern foundation Black poetry stands upon.

Writers like Gwendolyn Brooks deserve much more attention too. Brooks became the first Black person awarded the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. Her work captured neighborhood life with incredible detail. She understood ordinary people deeply. Scholars continue praising her brilliance because she balanced emotional honesty with technical skill beautifully.

Nikki Giovanni brought another kind of energy altogether. Giovanni sounded fearless. Younger audiences especially connected with her confidence and direct approach. She discussed Black identity, politics, love, family, and pride without sounding distant from everyday people. Some poets only feel powerful on paper. Giovanni could walk into a room and command attention immediately.

The discussion grows even richer once names like Paul Laurence Dunbar, Amiri Baraka, and Claude McKay enter the picture. Every one of those men shaped Black literary history in meaningful ways. Dunbar especially faced enormous obstacles during his time. America barely acknowledged Black intellectual achievement then, yet he still carved out space through pure talent and determination.

Still, influence and fame are not always identical. Some writers receive tremendous academic respect without becoming widely recognized by everyday people. Hughes managed to bridge both worlds. Professors studied him seriously while ordinary folks embraced him naturally. That combination rarely happens. Usually artists lean heavily toward either scholarly admiration or public affection. Hughes somehow earned both.

Timing also played a role. Hughes emerged when Black America desperately needed visible cultural voices. Large numbers of Southern families were relocating North hoping for better opportunities and safer lives. Communities were changing quickly. Music, politics, fashion, and identity were all evolving together. Hughes documented much of that emotional transition through poetry. Because of that, his work feels tied directly to major chapters in American history.

At his core, Hughes understood something important about Black life. He knew our people carried sorrow and beauty together. He knew laughter survived alongside hardship. He understood music could heal wounds temporarily, even when society kept reopening them. Most importantly, he believed ordinary Black existence deserved artistic respect. That perspective changed literature permanently.

So who is the most famous Black poet? The safest answer remains Langston Hughes. His words traveled through classrooms, speeches, conversations, music, activism, and generations of families trying to understand themselves inside America. Other legendary writers absolutely belong beside him in the conversation. Some readers may personally prefer another voice, and that is completely fair. Greatness comes in different forms. But when people combine recognition, historical impact, cultural memory, and long term influence together, Hughes still stands near the very top. His poetry never felt trapped in the past. Even now, decades later, the brother still speaks.

Staff Writer; Jamar Jackson

This brother has a passion for poetry and music. One may contact him at; JJackson@ThyBlackMan.com.

Compromising with the enemy, with evil of any kind, is plainly wrong, and because many believers do not distinguish clearly who the enemy is, they are likely to fall into the clutches of those who seek their destruction.

Take, for example, the case of Samson and Delilah, as told in Judges 16:1-21.

The moment Delilah engaged in conversation with Samson, as to the source of his strength, was the moment sampson began to compromise. Samson should have desisted from such talk, especially after Delilah called the Philistines to capture him each time. Finally, he gave in, “And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart…” (Judges 16:16-17)

It is wise to remember that Satan does not care how you fall from grace, as long as he gets you to fall, and the sooner you fall is most appealing to him. The merchants of evil care greatly about one thing in particular, your destruction, and like an invading army will use all they possess, every dirty trick at their command, to defeat you.

Take, for instance, the very sad case of a godly, and decent, prophet who was deceived by a renegade prophet into disobeying God, and in so doing lost his life, as told in 1 Kings chapter 13.

The renegade prophet was charming, generous, showed lots of brotherly solidarity and empathy, but he was wayward, unreliable, a deceiver and a liar. He cleverly mixed half-truths with lies in a sickening combination that bamboozled the true prophet, and caused him, the true prophet, to disobey God by accepting food and accommodation; although God had expressly warned him not to do so.

The true prophet was devastated to learn that the renegade prophet, whom he obviously trusted as a fellow believer and seer, had deliberately deceived him, but, like Samson, it was too late, and on his way home he met a terrible death. He was killed by a lion. When believers compromise with evil, it is just a matter of time, before the consequences are evident.

Satan is the master of “wedge theory”, he is an expert in sliding the thin edge of the wedge into the small crack, and by infinite patience, and guile, manipulate the small crack into an ever widening breach; so huge that he can easily get in and do his dirty work.

Jesus cautioned believers with these words, “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” (Mark 13:37), and because  believers need to be aware of the array of approaches of the enemy seeking the destruction of their souls, these words take on a chilling significance.

It was precisely because Moses was watchful, that he did not fall into the trap, that Pharoah so cleverly set for keeping the Israelites in captivity. Pharoah was really clever in crafting some tempting compromises, and Israel’s freedom would have been jeopardised had Moses agreed to any one of them.

Observe the appealing compromises Pharoah offered to Moses.

1. And he said, Tomorrow (See Exodus 8:10) 

When the frogs were all over the place, and Moses came at Pharoah’s request to intervene, Pharoah was asked when, “And he said, To morrow.” (Exodus 8:10)

The truth is that, philosophically, tomorrow never comes, and Pharoah was playing for time, he was procrastinating. When things are to be done now, when now is compelling, then to procrastinate is a devious compromise.

Pharoah did not want to let the Israelites go, and even with the repulsive frogs all over the place, he still dragged his feet, perhaps hoping that Moses would be taken unawares and abandon his mission.

This same procrastinating spirit must surely have led to the perdition of King Agrippa, who, when under conviction by the Holy Spirit under Pauls’s powerful testimony said, “… Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)

For King Agrippa, that salvation moment was lost, he never became a believer, as far as is recorded he never again spoke to Paul, and from that day was never heard of again.

2. Sacrifice to God in the land  (See Exodus 8:25 ) 

Anyone who thought that Pharoah was going to be an easy push-over would be someone with little knowledge of Egyptian affairs, and even less knowledge of the formidable Pharoahs.

Egypt was a mighty regional power at this time, and Pharoah knew that if Israel was allowed to sacrifice to God in the land they would be under the constant surveillance of his military, and at the slightest provocation, his army would swoop down, surround them, and take them back into captivity.

So often, when believers compromise with evil, they foolishly mistake the compromise as helpfulness and fall into the enemy’s trap, so cleverly set for them. When the wicked offer to do you a favour, it is likely that they are planning on doing some monkey business. Satan does not give believers something for nothing, but we can be fooled, “…for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14)

3. Ye shall not go very far (See Exodus 8:28) 

Pharoah was trying to play Moses like a fiddle; allright then, I will be reasonable, you can all go, I am too kind for my own good; but don’t go too far. What Pharoah might have thought, but did not say, was that he knew the Israelites would be tempted to walk the short distance back to Egypt if they were close by, and if they encountered the slightest dissatisfaction.

Pharoah knew Israel well, and the subsequent events all through the desert was ample proof that if Moses had accepted Pharoah’s compromise, then the closeness of Egypt to the assembled Israelites would have been irresistible. Even when they were far away, very often the irritable, quarrelsome Jews still wanted to return to Egypt.

Just like Lot, who could not resist the blandishments of the nearby city of Sodom, who in fact left the plains where he was living, and went and resided in the city, so too believers who compromise with evil are apt to be enticed away from the path of righteousness.

4. Go now ye that are men  (See Exodus 10:11) 

You must hand it to Pharoah for his dogged persistence and ingenuity, because having tried a few times and failed, he produced quite a whopper. This was quite a master stroke. He was trying to show Moses how even-handed and accommodating he was by saying, look chaps, I’m not as bad as you think, I’ll let the men go, and they can have as much time as they want, but leave the women and children here.

Pharoah most certainly knew that if the men travelled to the farthest corner of the world, they would come back to be with their wives, and children. This was not a superficial compromise, but a shrewd one, meant to put Moses on the spot, and even cause rebellion in the Jewish camp. What would the Jewish men say if they heard that they were to be given quality time off to go as far as they liked, and Moses flatly refused that offer.

The Bible says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21). Believers will be less inclined to go back to their old haunts if they rid themselves of all that would drag them backwards; the old life is gone, and with it should be gone all the worldly attachments as well.

5. Let your stocks and your herds be stayed  (See Exodus 10:24)

Pharoah’s cupboard was almost bare, but he had to give it a last try, to see if he could finally get the better of Moses. Pharoah offered to let all the people go, men, women and children, but leave everything else behind. There was no way that the Israelites would abandon all they worked for, and possessed, so Moses answered, “Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.” (Exodus 10:26)

Had Moses accepted any one of the compromises tendered by Pharoah, Israel in all likelihood would have remained captive in Egypt, languishing as a minority within greater Egypt, and never rising to anything greater than an ethnic subset of the Arab diaspora. Moses was right all along; by refusing to compromise.

For good reasons Moses is held in high esteem as a role model for believers, and a hero of faith for all time, and believers should follow his example of not accepting compromises.

Staff Writer; Henderson W.

You can contact this Christian brother at: HWard@ThyBlackMan.com.

It sounds simple, but most people don’t do it. They focus on visas, on cities, on job opportunities, on Instagram inspiration boards, all of that. But the part that quietly decides how your move will go is the part that has nothing to do with geography.

It’s you. Your habits. Your expectations. Your emotional state. Your reasons.

And it’s worth sitting with that a little before you begin packing your life up.

To Clarify Your True Motivations

Most people don’t move abroad for just one reason, even if it feels that way at first.

On the surface, it might be something clear: a job offer, a relationship, a city you’ve always wanted to live in. But underneath that, there’s usually a mix of other things, too. Curiosity. Restlessness. The sense that life could feel different somewhere else.

Some of those motivations are solid. Wanting new experiences, better opportunities, a different pace of life – those tend to hold up when things get hard, which they inevitably do.

But there’s also the quieter motivation people don’t always say out loud: “I need a reset.” Not necessarily because life is bad, but because it feels stuck, or repetitive, or like you’ve outgrown it somehow.

The tricky part here is that those feelings don’t automatically disappear when you change countries. You can still feel stuck in a different postcode, after all.

So, it helps to be very honest with yourself here. Not in a dramatic way, just a practical one. Are you moving toward something specific, or mainly away from something – or someone – you don’t want to deal with anymore?

Both can get you on a plane. Only one tends to feel stable once you land.

To Prepare for the Psychological Weight of Starting Over

Starting over sounds exciting when you’re imagining it. New streets. New people. New routines. It’s a clean slate.

The reality, however, is a bit messier.

At the beginning, everything takes more effort than you expect. Simple things become slightly complicated. You’re figuring out systems you’ve never used before. You’re reading signs more carefully than usual. You’re asking more questions than you’re used to asking.

It’s not dramatic. It’s just constant mental effort.

And, at first, that can even feel fun. There’s novelty in it. You feel alert, curious, switched on.

But that novelty fades faster than you’d expect.

What comes next is a quieter phase where things feel less exciting and more… unfamiliar in a tiring way. You might feel a bit lonely, even if you’re meeting people. You might miss the ease of your old life, where everything was automatic and you didn’t have to think so hard about daily tasks.

This is where emotional resilience matters more than people realize. Not the “I can handle anything” kind, but the “I expect this to feel weird for a little while” kind.

It also helps to remove avoidable stress wherever you can. Get the basics – finances, healthcare, housing, stability, etc. – in order early. This makes a difference when everything already feels like a lot. Even something like expat health insurance quietly reduces anxiety in the background. Such a purchase means one major uncertainty is handled.

Even with everything organized, though, there will likely be moments where you wonder if you made the right call. That’s normal. And it certainly doesn’t mean you didn’t. It usually just means you’re adapting, and adaptation isn’t a smooth process.

To Ensure You’re Moving Towards a Fulfilling Future

You assume moving abroad will automatically improve your life. New country. New energy. New possibilities. Sometimes, it does feel like that – at first. A kind of momentum kicks in and everything seems more open.

Longer term, fulfillment doesn’t really come from location. It comes from alignment – between what you value, how you spend your time, and the kind of life you’re actually building.

Before moving, it helps to get a bit specific about what “better” actually means for you. More freedom? More creativity? Less stress? A different work-life balance? A stronger sense of community?

Because if it stays vague, your expectations will stay flexible in a way that never really settles. You’ll just keep expecting “better” without defining what it looks like.

And it’s also worth being honest about what you’re giving up. Familiarity. Easy access to friends and family. A place where you already understand how everything works without actually thinking about it.

Those things matter more than you’d admit at first. Not always enough to stop you going, of course, but enough that they should be part of the decision, not something you realize later on.

When you hold both sides at the same time – the gain and the loss, the good and the bad – the decision tends to become clearer. It’s more grounded, not so idealized.

To conclude, looking at your own life before moving abroad doesn’t make you hesitant. It just makes you aware of what you’re actually stepping into.

If your reasons are clear, if you’re honest about the harder parts, and if you know what kind of life you’re trying to build rather than just escape, then the move becomes something steadier. Not a fantasy reset. Not a dramatic reinvention.

It’s just a decision to live somewhere else while still being yourself. Simple.

Staff Writer; Terry Washington

The Attorney General’s push to remove or weaken elected city councils so the governor can appoint his own choices is not just a political move… it’s a power grab. And it’s one that hits at the heart of Orleans Parish. Our city council is supposed to represent us — the neighborhoods, the culture bearers, the elders, the workers, the families who’ve been here for generations. When you take away the right of the people to choose their own leadership, you’re not just changing policy… you’re changing the soul of a place.

And let’s be honest: this isn’t happening in every parish. It’s not happening in the cities that look a certain way or vote a certain way. It’s happening here — in New Orleans — a city where Black culture is not an accessory but the foundation. A city where the music, the food, the traditions, the language, the rhythm of daily life all come from Black hands, Black minds, Black history. A city that has always been loud, creative, rebellious, and unbothered by attempts to tame it.

That’s why people are outraged. Because we’ve seen this playbook before. Louisiana has a long history of trying to control Black political power, and every time progress is made, there’s a push to drag us backward. The governor and his allies may not use the language of Jim Crow, but the intention feels familiar… limit the voice of Black communities, centralize power in the hands of a few, and weaken the influence of a city that refuses to bow.

New Orleans has always been a place where Black people could breathe a little freer, even in the hardest times. Our ancestors created second lines, Mardi Gras Indian tribes, jazz, Creole cuisine, and countless traditions as acts of resistance and joy. They built community structures when the state refused to protect them. They elected leaders who understood the unique needs of this city. And now, to see the state government trying to override that legacy… it feels like an attack on everything we’ve fought to preserve.

People here aren’t fooled. They see the AG’s actions for what they are — oppressive, targeted, and rooted in a desire to control a city that has never been easy to control. Locals are talking about it in barbershops, at corner stores, at second lines, in church halls, on porches. The conversations are full of frustration, but also full of clarity. Folks know this isn’t about “efficiency” or “safety” or “better governance.” It’s about power. It’s about silencing a majority-Black city that refuses to fall in line.

And the pushback is growing. Community organizers, activists, elders, young people, business owners — they’re all stepping up. Meetings are happening across the city… petitions are circulating… rallies are forming… and people are calling for accountability. Some are even calling for the governor to be removed, arguing that any leader who tries to undermine democracy in his own state is unfit to lead. Whether that happens or not, the message is clear: New Orleans will not sit quietly while its political voice is threatened.

What makes this moment so powerful is that it’s not just political — it’s personal. For Black New Orleanians, this city is more than a place to live. It’s heritage. It’s memory. It’s identity. It’s the sound of brass bands rolling down the street… the smell of red beans on a Monday… the feeling of home that hits you the moment you cross the parish line. To have outsiders — even if they live in the same state — try to dictate how this city should be run feels like a violation.

And yet, even in the midst of all this, the spirit of New Orleans is holding strong. This city has survived hurricanes, corruption, neglect, and centuries of attempts to erase its Blackness. But every time, the people rise. They rebuild. They reclaim. They resist. That resilience is woven into the culture… into the music… into the way we gather and celebrate and mourn and fight.

The AG and the governor may believe they can reshape New Orleans to fit their vision, but they underestimate the power of a community that has never depended on the state to define its worth. They underestimate the pride of a people who know their history. They underestimate the fire of a city that refuses to be controlled.

New Orleans has always been a place where freedom lives in the streets, in the art, in the culture, in the people. And no political maneuver — no matter how strategic or forceful — can break that spirit.

The fight is far from over… but the people are awake, organized, and ready. And as long as the heart of this city beats with the rhythm of its Black culture, New Orleans will remain exactly what it has always been — unshakeable, unapologetic, and unwilling to bow to oppression.

Staff Writer; Chelle’ St James

May also connect with this sister via Twitter; ChelleStJames.

The Growing Importance of E-commerce Site Development

Modern consumers expect fast, intuitive, and secure online shopping experiences. This demand has significantly increased the need for professional e-commerce site development, where functionality meets design and performance. A well-built online store is not just a sales platform—it is a complete digital ecosystem that includes product management, payment integration, analytics, and customer engagement tools.

Businesses that invest in quality store development gain a competitive advantage by ensuring their platforms are optimized for conversions, mobile responsiveness, and long-term scalability.

7fridays Approach to Web Development

As a specialized web development agency, 7fridays focuses on creating tailored solutions that align with each client’s business goals. The company combines technical expertise with modern design principles to deliver websites that are not only visually appealing but also highly functional.

Their approach to web development emphasizes clean architecture, fast loading times, and seamless user experiences. By leveraging the latest technologies, 7fridays ensures that each project is built to support growth and adapt to evolving market needs.

WordPress Development for Flexible Online Stores

One of the core strengths of 7fridays is wordpress-development, which allows businesses to manage their websites with ease while maintaining full control over content and products. WordPress remains one of the most popular platforms for E-commerce website development, especially when combined with powerful plugins and custom features.

7fridays builds WordPress-based online stores that are optimized for performance, SEO readiness, and user experience. This makes it easier for businesses to manage inventory, update content, and scale operations without technical barriers.

Customized Store Development for Every Business

Every business is unique, and so are its digital requirements. 7fridays specializes in custom store development solutions designed to match specific industry needs. Whether it is a startup launching its first online store or an established brand upgrading its platform, the company provides end-to-end services—from planning and design to deployment and optimization.

Their development process ensures that every e-commerce platform is secure, responsive, and built to convert visitors into customers.

Why Businesses Choose 7fridays

Companies choose 7fridays for E-commerce website development because of its strategic approach to digital solutions. The agency focuses on:

• User-centric design and functionality
• Scalable and future-ready architecture
• Integration of modern tools and technologies
• Strong emphasis on performance optimization
• Continuous support and improvement

This holistic approach to web development helps businesses not only launch online stores but also sustain long-term digital growth.

As e-commerce continues to evolve, the demand for reliable and innovative e-commerce site development will only grow. With expertise in wordpress-development, custom store development, and full-cycle web development, 7fridays positions itself as a trusted partner for businesses looking to succeed online.

By combining creativity, technology, and strategy, 7fridays helps brands build powerful digital stores that drive engagement, increase revenue, and support sustainable growth in the competitive world of e-commerce.

Staff Writer; George Brown

The FBI was only marginally less equivocal about whether the shooting was a hate crime. A top official promised to leave no stone unturned and said, “there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved.” But he also gave with one hand and took back with the other. He quickly added that he did not see the murderous attack as “a specific threat to the mosque.”

The irony is that the alleged shooters, Clark Cain and Caleb Vazquez, left little doubt just why they shot up the mosque. In what’s usual in these kinds of mass killings, the shooters leave a disjointed journal filled with scribblings that spew hate against Blacks, Jews, and Muslims. The pair did the same. If ever there was a smoking gun on a hate motive for the killing, they provided it with their diatribes against Blacks, Jews, and Muslims.

But why should that surprise? Surveys have repeatedly shown that hate crimes, violence, and harassment, and threats against Muslims have been almost the norm in many circles. Dozens of neo-Nazis, anti-government, white supremacist groups, and tens of thousands of individuals spew hate with aplomb. The site’s writers lambaste blacks, Jews, gays, and are unabashed in praise of Hitler. They perennially exhort their readers and followers to arm themselves to the teeth against the imagined assault by the federal government on white people’s rights. It was virtually a given that the murders would fire the horde of racists up, and ignite a frenzy of debate, speculation, denial, and even veiled acquiescence to the murders.

Cain and Vazquez, the alleged mosque killers, are the sort of nut jobs who would be perfectly comfortable with the white nationalist crowd.

However, even when the Cains and Vazquez’s are known tracked, monitored, and surveilled and worse commit hate acts, they often evade full punishment. This has nothing to do with the First Amendment, but rather muddled, confused, and outright lax enforcement and prosecution of hate acts. Even when the FBI and local law enforcement agencies ID them for their propensity for violence their hands are still tied.

Federal prosecutors are loath to step on the toes of police and prosecutors in criminal cases no matter how badly the crime is tainted by race, gender, or religious hatred. Federal prosecutors flatly say that hate perpetrators are more likely to be convicted and get stiff sentences in state court. That makes good legal and political sense.

Yet, that’s not the only reason for their hands off of the Cains and Vazquez’s. Except in the highest profile cases, they see these prosecutions as no-win cases with little political gain, and the risk of making enemies of local police, DAs, and state officials. Hate crimes may be horrific but they are largely seen as common crimes and are treated as such. Few state prosecutors will chance inflaming racial passions and hatred by slapping a hate crime tag on a case.

There’s also the belief that hate crimes are mostly a thing of the past. When they do occur, they are isolated acts committed by a handful of quacks, and unreconstructed bigots, and that state authorities vigorously report and prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.

When Congress passed the Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990, it compelled the FBI to collect figures on hate violence. However, it did not compel police agencies to report them. Record keeping on hate crimes is still left up to the discretion of local police chiefs and city officials. Many police departments still refuse to report hate crimes, or to label crimes in which gays, Jews, and minorities are targeted because of race, religion, or sexual preference as hate crimes.

Still other police departments don’t bother compiling them because they regard hate crimes as a politically loaded minefield that can tarnish their image and create even more political friction. The official indifference by many police agencies to hate crimes prevents federal officials, even if they wanted to more aggressively enforce civil rights laws, from accurately gauging the magnitude of civil rights violence.

Clark and Vazquez’s hideous rampage almost certainly would have been treated as a murder, charges if they had lived. But in the hands of the Trump DOJ they may well not have been slapped with federal hate crime charges. This glaring laxity is just enough space for the Cains and Vazquez’s of America to run loose.

Written By Earl Ofari Hutchinson

One can find more info about Mr. Hutchinson over at the following site; TheHutchinson Report.

Also feel free to connect with him through twitter; http://twitter.com/earlhutchins

He is also an associate editor of New America Media. His forthcoming book is From King to Obama: Witness to a Turbulent History (Middle Passage Press).

Why Saving Does Not Have to Feel Like Sacrifice 

For many people, the word saving instantly brings to mind strict budgets, canceled plans, and constant reminders of what they cannot buy. This mindset makes saving feel like punishment instead of progress. Yet the most sustainable financial habits rarely come from restriction alone. They come from creativity. 

Creative saving shifts the focus away from deprivation and toward smart choices that make everyday spending more intentional. Instead of cutting joy out of life, the goal becomes finding clever ways to keep the experiences you enjoy while spending less. 

Many people exploring better financial habits also research options for managing existing obligations, such as learning about debt negotiation programs. Understanding available tools can reduce financial pressure, making it easier to focus on building savings rather than feeling overwhelmed. 

When saving becomes a creative process, it transforms from something stressful into something empowering. 

Turn Saving Into a Personal Challenge 

One effective way to make saving enjoyable is to treat it like a challenge instead of a restriction. Challenges activate curiosity and motivation, which can make financial habits feel more engaging. 

For example, some people try weekly savings challenges where they set aside a slightly larger amount each week. Others experiment with no spend days, choosing specific days where they avoid unnecessary purchases. 

The key is approaching saving with a sense of exploration rather than pressure. When people frame saving as a game or challenge, they often discover new habits that stick long term. 

Financial educators frequently highlight the importance of small consistent actions. Guidance from the Federal Trade Commission resources on budgeting and saving strategies explains how incremental changes can significantly improve financial stability over time. 

A challenge based mindset makes those incremental changes feel rewarding. 

Reimagine Your Favorite Activities 

Saving money does not require giving up the activities that bring you happiness. Often it simply requires approaching those activities differently. 

Take dining out as an example. Instead of eliminating restaurant visits completely, someone might explore new ways to recreate favorite meals at home. Cooking can become a social activity with friends or family, turning a simple meal into a memorable experience. 

Entertainment offers similar opportunities. Movie nights at home, local community events, or free outdoor activities can provide just as much enjoyment as expensive outings. 

When people reimagine how they enjoy their time, they often discover that many meaningful experiences cost far less than expected. 

Use Curiosity to Reduce Everyday Spending 

Another creative approach to saving involves becoming curious about everyday expenses. Instead of automatically paying the same prices for services or subscriptions, people can explore alternatives. 

For instance, comparing internet providers, renegotiating insurance rates, or reviewing subscription services can uncover savings that require little ongoing effort. 

These adjustments often feel less restrictive because they happen behind the scenes. Once the change is made, the savings continue automatically. 

Organizations focused on consumer education often encourage reviewing recurring expenses regularly. Insights from the National Endowment for Financial Education financial literacy programs emphasize that awareness is one of the most effective tools for improving financial habits. 

Curiosity helps reveal opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden. 

Celebrate Progress Along the Way 

One reason strict saving plans fail is that they focus only on the final goal. When progress feels distant, motivation fades quickly. 

Creative saving strategies emphasize celebrating milestones along the journey. Reaching a small savings target, eliminating a recurring expense, or completing a savings challenge can all become moments worth recognizing. 

Celebrations do not need to involve spending money. They might include sharing progress with friends, tracking achievements visually, or rewarding yourself with time for a favorite activity. 

Acknowledging progress reinforces positive habits and keeps motivation strong. 

Build Habits That Work With Your Lifestyle 

Saving strategies are far more effective when they align with a person’s natural habits and routines. Instead of forcing dramatic lifestyle changes, creative saving builds on existing behaviors. 

For example, someone who enjoys walking might explore errands that can be completed on foot rather than driving. A person who enjoys organizing might turn budgeting into a weekly ritual that provides a sense of control and clarity. 

When saving fits naturally into daily routines, it becomes easier to maintain without constant effort. 

Over time, these small adjustments accumulate into meaningful financial improvements. 

Find Joy in Resourcefulness 

Creative saving often sparks a sense of resourcefulness. People begin to take pride in finding solutions that stretch their resources further. 

This might involve repairing items instead of replacing them, discovering secondhand treasures, or learning new skills that reduce dependence on expensive services. 

Resourcefulness encourages creativity and independence. Instead of feeling limited by financial constraints, individuals start to view those constraints as opportunities to think differently. 

The result is a mindset that values ingenuity rather than consumption. 

Saving as a Lifestyle Rather Than a Rulebook 

Ultimately, the most effective saving habits feel less like rules and more like a lifestyle. When people enjoy the process of managing their money creatively, saving becomes something they choose rather than something they endure. 

This mindset reduces stress and encourages long term consistency. Instead of constantly worrying about what they cannot spend, individuals focus on what they are building. 

Creative saving proves that financial progress does not require eliminating joy. By approaching money with curiosity, flexibility, and imagination, it becomes possible to grow savings while still enjoying the experiences that make life meaningful. 

In this way, saving becomes not just a financial strategy, but a creative skill that supports both stability and fulfillment. 

Staff Writer; Steve Poole