He still cannot explain how to pay for it. Can anyone?

Single-payer health care has been the progressive left’s signature domestic demand for four decades. It has generated presidential campaigns, mass rallies, congressional cosponsors and an inexhaustible supply of Twitter righteousness. What it has never generated once is a workable legislative proposal.

Brookings Institution economist Jessica Riedl has spent years waiting for one. Her challenge is simple: Show us a progressive bill that specifies

(a) a provider payment system that actually saves money under America’s existing, already expensive health infrastructure, and

(b) a financing mechanism to replace the roughly $32 trillion in private premiums and out-of-pocket costs that would need to be covered by federal taxes over the next decade.

Despite hundreds of legislative proposals and multiple presidential campaigns built around the issue, no one has met the challenge.

It’s not for lack of pretending. Sen. Bennie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) have bills that people trumpet as serious legislative vehicles. But as Riedl notes, the proposals are only aspirational. They enumerate generous new benefits with great enthusiasm and then instruct the secretary of Health and Human Services to figure out the rest. The phrase “The Secretary shall …” appears 62 times in the Sanders bill alone.

OK, but what about Europe and Canada? Progressives inevitably say: They made it work! This is a rhetorical sleight of hand that collapses on contact with basic facts.

European countries built modest, government-controlled health infrastructures from the ground up over several decades. They contained costs — meaning, among other things, they rationed care — as they expanded access. America did the opposite.

We built the most expensive, technologically advanced, sprawling health system in human history, which consumes nearly 20% of GDP, under mostly private incentives and market pricing. As Riedl puts it, “We cannot simply pay European prices for the more vast American health infrastructure that exists.”

The central theory of single-payer savings has always been this: Slash payments to providers to offset the surge in the use of universal, no-cost-at-point-of-service coverage. The Congressional Budget Office took a serious look at this fantasy. Its conclusion was that national health expenditures might actually rise, and demand for care would outrun supply. The final result would be European-style rationing, delays and forgone services, all leading to worsening health care.

Then there’s the inconvenient question of how to get the tax revenue needed for a single-payer system to replace private health care premiums, out-of-pocket expenses and state health programs. Although neither Sanders nor Jayapal has an answer, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget does. Financing a Sanders-style system would require a new 32% payroll tax, a 25% income surtax or a 42% value-added tax, more than doubling every individual and corporate income-tax rate.

CBO found that such a system would reduce GDP by 6% to 10% by 2030. From a movement that claims to care about working Americans, that number deserves more than silence.

The state-level record confirms what the nasty arithmetic and voters’ disgust tell us. Vermont passed single-payer legislation in 2011 and assigned an expert commission to make the numbers work. After three years of failure, Gov. Peter Shumlin abandoned the plan, admitting that the required 11.5% payroll tax per company plus the 9.5% income tax per Vermonter (with small businesses paying both) would be politically unsurvivable even in Sen. Sanders’ home state. Colorado voters rejected their single-payer initiative in 2016 after analysis showed that even tripling taxes wouldn’t cover the costs.

Back in California in 2022, the state’s nonpartisan legislative analyst estimated that the proposed single-payer system created by the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act would cost between $494 billion and $552 billion annually. Imagine the taxes needed to more than double that state’s spending overnight.

After the bill died without a vote, Assemblymember Ash Kalra reintroduced it in February 2026, and it failed to advance again few months later. California has now killed single-payer twice in four years.

The absence of a workable plan after 40 years tells you everything you need to know. This is Riedl’s essential insight and the one that cuts deepest. It’s unworkable. It’s expensive. And it will kill the supply of health care. Steyer knew all this in 2020 when he ran for president. The only thing that’s changed is politics.

Written by Veronique de Rugy

Official website; http://twitter.com/veroderugy

For many of us middle aged Brothers from the South, MJ was never just pop music. He was family reunions, skating rink lights, school dances, talent shows, and grown folks turning up the radio when the right song came on. You might have first heard “Billie Jean” from somebody’s old stereo, saw “Thriller” at a cousin’s house, or learned about “Beat It” because the guitar sounded too wild to ignore. However he reached you, once that one record landed, you understood why folks treated him like something rare.

His 1980s run still feels unreal because the records were big, but they also had soul in them. The new film’s box office success proves younger listeners are not just curious about the legend. They are embracing the music, asking questions, and finding out why Michael Jackson could stop a room before he even sang a full line. Ranking his best songs from that decade is not easy. You can argue over the order all day, and somebody at the barbershop will still say you left one out. Still, these five records show why Michael became the measuring stick.

1. “Billie Jean” is the crown jewel of Michael’s 1980s catalog. That bass line alone can change the air in a room. You hear a few seconds, and everybody knows what time it is. That is the mark of a record that belongs to history.

The song is mysterious, but never confusing. It tells a story about fame, temptation, rumors, and pressure. Michael sings like a man trapped between denial and fear. He sounds cool on the surface, but nervous underneath.

What makes it brilliant is the restraint. The production does not overcrowd him. The groove keeps moving, and Michael slides through it with sharp little phrases, hiccups, and emotional sparks. He made minimal sound feel massive.

The Weeknd might be the modern singer most suited for its mood because he understands nighttime tension. Giveon could bring depth. Usher could handle the sleek performance. Still, none of them would have that exact haunted innocence Michael carried.

“Billie Jean” remains number one because it changed everything. The song, the video, the Motown 25 performance, the glove, the moonwalk, all of it became one cultural storm. That was not just music success. That was a moment when the world stopped and watched a Black artist bend popular culture around his feet.

2. “Beat It” was Michael walking into rock territory and not asking permission. That was major. A Black artist from Gary, Indiana took hard guitars, street tension, and dance floor energy, then made everybody listen. That took nerve.

The message is simple, but not weak. Walk away. Live another day. Do not let pride write a check your body cannot cash. Any man from the South who has seen foolishness outside a club, cookout, or corner store understands that wisdom.

Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo gave the record fire, but Michael’s vocal kept it grounded. He did not try to become a rock singer. He stayed himself. That is why the blend worked.

Today, someone like Lenny Kravitz could honor the rock edge. Miguel could bring a wild vocal color. Bruno Mars might turn it into a stage workout. But the original had a rare balance of danger, discipline, and dance.

“Beat It” proved Michael could cross lanes without losing his identity. That is why the record still punches.

3. “Man in the Mirror” is not just a song. It is a church moment dressed in pop clothes. That is why it hits Black folks a certain way, especially those of us raised around choirs, testimony service, and Sunday morning conviction. You can hear the gospel bones inside it.

Michael does not oversing at the start. He lets the message walk in slow. Then, as the choir rises, the whole record turns into a call to action. By the end, it feels like everybody in the room should be standing up.

This is one of his most powerful vocal performances because it grows with purpose. He starts thoughtful, then becomes urgent. That kind of build is not easy. A singer has to believe the message or the record falls flat.

John Legend could sing it today with grace. Kirk Franklin could arrange a strong gospel version. Beyoncé could make it grand. Yet the tenderness in Michael’s voice gave it something fragile, and that fragility made the message stronger.

The record still matters because people still need that mirror. Before we talk about the world, we have to face ourselves. Michael gave that lesson a melody.

4. “The Way You Make Me Feel” has that street corner confidence. It feels like a man stepping out clean, smelling good, walking with a little too much pride because he saw somebody who made his heart jump. Down South, we know that feeling. Sometimes one smile can make a grown man act brand new.

The rhythm has a rolling bounce that gives it flavor. It is playful without being silly. Michael sings like he is flirting, but he never lets the vocal get lazy. He pushes, teases, and leans into every phrase.

This record also shows how well he understood timing. The spaces between his lines matter almost as much as the words. That is where the attitude sits. He lets the band breathe, then jumps back in like he never left.

Usher could sing this today and probably give it grown man charm. Lucky Daye might add a smoother R&B shade. Bruno Mars would understand the bounce. But each version would still be standing in Michael’s shadow.

What keeps this record alive is joy. Not sadness. Not mystery. Just joy. It is the sound of attraction before life gets complicated.

5. “Smooth Criminal” is one of those records that sounds like a movie before you even see the video. The bass line moves like footsteps in a dark hallway. The beat snaps with danger. Michael is not just singing here. He is acting, dancing, whispering, and building tension all at once.

What makes the record special is how sharp it feels. Nothing drags. Every part has a purpose. The “Annie, are you okay?” line became part of pop language, but the real power is in how he turns panic into rhythm. That is hard to do.

From a music critic’s ear, this is one of his finest examples of control. He knew when to hold back and when to strike. Some singers chase big notes. Michael chased moments. On this track, every breath feels placed.

If someone touched this record today, Bruno Mars might understand the swing and showmanship. Chris Brown could handle the movement side, though vocally it would need restraint. The Weeknd could bring darkness, but he might smooth out the danger too much.

Still, nobody really replaces the original. “Smooth Criminal” works because Michael made crime, fear, and style dance together without losing the groove.

Michael Jackson’s 1980s songs still travel because they were built with imagination, discipline, and feeling. He did not just chase hits. He built worlds. Each record had its own weather, its own walk, its own color, and its own reason for staying around.

The new film’s box office success proves something many older fans already knew. Young listeners are not finished with Michael Jackson. They are discovering him in their own way, through theaters, streaming, reaction videos, and family stories. Some legends fade into memory. Michael keeps stepping back into the light.

For those of us who came up hearing these songs in real time, it feels good to see another generation leaning in. They may not understand what it felt like when “Thriller” changed television or when “Billie Jean” made the moonwalk immortal, but they can still feel the greatness. That is the beauty of real music. It does not need permission to live again.

Staff Writer; Jamar Jackson

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

At the beginning of every professional sporting event, it has become an American tradition to stand during the playing of the national anthem. By doing so, it represents a moment of unified respect for our nation that goes beyond race, class, gender, age, political affiliation, and religion. It represents a time before the game when players, coaches, and fans of opposing teams are Americans first, and are joined together as one American team. The national anthem is a few precious minutes where patriotism and unity are established. It establishes an atmosphere of fan camaraderie where MAGA conservatives and die-hard liberals can cheer together for their favorite home team while being free of the political divisions from the outside world. Fans sitting in the stands can be totally unaware of the political persuasions of those around them because political differences are put aside, and support for the home team on the court or field becomes the unifying shared interest of those in attendance. It is a part of the game day experience that can easily be overlooked and taken for granted.

As starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick received backlash on multiple fronts when he used kneeling during the national anthem as a means of silently protesting racial injustice and police brutality. At the time, Joe Lockhart was the executive vice president in charge of communications and government affairs for the NFL. He later became a political analyst for CNN. In a column written in 2020, Lockhart stated, “No teams wanted to sign a player – even one as talented as Kaepernick –whom they saw as controversial, and therefore, bad for business.” Colin Kaepernick was not blackballed from the league because of his lack of skills, injuries, or salary demands. He was ostracized because he became a financial liability. “For many owners, it always came back to the same thing,” Lockhart wrote. “Signing Kaepernick, they thought, was bad for business. An executive from one team that considered signing Kaepernick told me the team projected losing 20% of their season ticket holders if they did. That was a business risk no team was willing to take, whether the owner was a Trump supporter or a bleeding-heart liberal. As bad of an image problem it presented for the league and the game, no owner was willing to put the business at risk over this issue.”

Looking back, I personally believe he should strategically use his platform as an NFL player in speaking out against racial injustice and police brutality, but his method underestimated the fan reaction when he invaded the political safe zone on game day with controversial social issues. It arguably led to Kaepernick losing his promising NFL career, and not being re-signed by any other team in the league. Recently, the New York Giants’ starting quarterback was another NFL player who misjudged a politically sensitive situation by introducing President Trump at a MAGA rally. Jaxson Dart’s decision will not cost him his job and career, but it did result in a backlash from a different perspective: The public backlash came from those defending the Black cause, including one of his New York Giants teammates. Linebacker Abdul Carter initially voiced discomfort with the optics of the event, according to multiple reports. “Some things are bigger than football, and this is one of those things,” Carter told reporters during a press conference. “If he chooses to align himself with a man like President Trump, it’s my responsibility based on what I believe and what I stand on to not only show my teammates that I’m against that, but to show the world.”

Dart, along with other Trump supporters, cannot forget that the majority of players in the NFL are Black. Abdul Carter’s comments refer to the character of a leader. If Dart is accepting the character of an anti-DEI leader, how can he, with any sense of credibility, be the quarterback and leader of a locker room that is predominantly Black? Hopefully, during the private meeting used to repair the fractured locker room, the team will learn that a player in leadership cannot bring racial insensitivity into another version of the NFL safe zone. This is why diversity, equity, and inclusion are always needed to bring racial awareness when needed.

Written by David W. Marshall

Official website; https://davidwmarshallauthor.com/

One may purchase his book, which is titled; God Bless Our Divided America: Unity, Politics and History from a Biblical Perspective.

A singer can carry a tune. A vocalist can carry a feeling. Peabo carried feeling. He could take a plain line about love, regret, longing, or devotion and make it sound like a man had lived through every word before he stepped to the microphone. He had that clean voice, but it was not empty clean. It had soul inside it. It had church somewhere in the background. It had supper on the stove, lights low in the living room, and grown folks sitting close without needing to say too much. That was the kind of music he made.

With the sad news of his passing, a lot of people will remember the Disney songs first. That is understandable because those records were huge. “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle put his voice in front of children, parents, movie lovers, and folks who may not have owned one Peabo Bryson album. But for those who already knew him, those songs were not the start of the story. They were just another chapter in a book that had already been well written.

When you go back to “Feel the Fire,” you hear the heart of Peabo Bryson. That record still sounds like a man standing in truth. He does not sing it like somebody trying to win a talent show. He sings it like somebody trying to reach one person. That is why the song still works. The arrangement gives him room, and he uses every inch of it. He starts smooth, then lets the emotion rise slow. Not rushed. Not forced. Just real.

“Feel the Fire” is the kind of record that reminds you of when R&B singers had patience. Nobody was trying to get to the hook in ten seconds. Nobody was afraid of letting the band breathe. The song had a mood, and Peabo knew how to walk through that mood like a gentleman. He could hit the big notes, but he did not throw them around like loose change. He saved them for when the feeling called for it. That is old school discipline.

Then you can slide right into “I’m So Into You,” and there is that easy Peabo charm. He made romance sound respectful. That might sound simple, but it is not. A lot of men can sing about wanting somebody. Peabo could sing about wanting somebody and still make it sound like he honored her. That is why women loved his voice and men could respect it too. He did not sound like he was running game. He sounded like he meant what he said.

“I’m So Into You” has that smooth feeling where a man is not ashamed to admit he is caught up. He is not trying to be hard. He is not standing in the corner acting like love cannot touch him. He is saying what it is. That was part of Peabo’s gift. He could sing softness without sounding weak. He could sing tenderness and still sound like a grown man. Some artists never learn how to do that.

When “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” comes on, that is grown folks territory right there. Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack gave that song a kind of class you cannot fake. It feels like two people who have nothing to prove to anybody. They are not performing love for the crowd. They are sitting inside it. Roberta brought that calm, elegant voice of hers, and Peabo brought warmth that wrapped around the song without squeezing it too tight.

That record is a lesson in duet singing. Peabo did not try to outsing Roberta Flack. Roberta did not try to outshine Peabo. They respected the song and respected each other. That is why the record aged so well. It still sounds right at a wedding. It still sounds right on an anniversary. It still sounds right when somebody who has been married a long time looks across the room and remembers why they stayed. That is not just music. That is memory.

“If Ever You’re in My Arms Again” is another one that hits different when you have lived a little. Young ears might hear a pretty ballad. Grown ears hear regret. Peabo sings that song like a man who knows he fumbled something precious. He is not begging in a cheap way. He is not making noise just to be dramatic. He is standing there with his heart open, saying if love ever gives him another chance, he will not waste it.

That is why the song still connects. Everybody who has been through something understands the weight of another chance. Sometimes you do not miss the person fully until the silence comes. Sometimes the lesson arrives after the door closes. Peabo knew how to put that kind of feeling into a record. He made regret sound honest. Not pitiful. Honest. That is a hard line to walk, and he walked it beautifully.

By the time you get to “Can You Stop the Rain,” you are hearing a seasoned Peabo. That voice had a little more life in it by then. Still smooth, still powerful, but with more weather on it. That song is not just about missing somebody. It is about the storm that stays after love leaves. The rain in that record feels like loneliness. It feels like memories you cannot turn off. It feels like looking out the window and knowing the person you want to call is not coming back the way you wish.

Peabo sings “Can You Stop the Rain” like a man who has been sitting with heartbreak for a while. He does not rush through it. He lets the ache stretch. That is what makes the song so strong. He understood that sadness has rhythm too. You cannot sing a song like that too clean or too cold. You have to let some of the hurt show. Peabo did, but he never lost control. That is why the record belongs with the great R&B ballads of its time.

“Show & Tell” is another record worth spending time with because Peabo knew how to handle another man’s song with respect. Al Wilson’s version already had its place, so Peabo did not need to come in and act like he was inventing the wheel. He just brought his own polish to it. He smoothed it out, gave it that Peabo Bryson finish, and made it sit comfortably inside his own catalog.

That is something real music lovers appreciate. Peabo had taste. Some singers can sing, but they do not always know what to sing or how to approach it. Peabo knew. “Show & Tell” did not need shouting. It needed charm. It needed a man who could make the words feel personal. Peabo gave it that. He made the song sound like a conversation across the table, not a performance from a stage.

“Reaching for the Sky” shows another side of him. Peabo was not only about romance and heartbreak. He could also sing hope. That record has lift in it. It has a man looking beyond where he is and believing there is more ahead. You can hear brightness in his voice on that one. Not fake happiness. Real lift. The kind that comes from somebody who has seen a few clouds but still believes the sun is somewhere behind them.

That song matters because it reminds people that Peabo Bryson had range beyond love songs. Yes, he was a master balladeer, but he could also sing aspiration. He could sing about reaching, trying, growing, and believing. His voice had enough soul to make hope sound earned. That is not easy. A lot of inspirational records feel too sweet. Peabo kept his grounded. He made the listener feel like better days were possible without sounding like he was selling a dream.

“Let the Feeling Flow” is Peabo doing what the title says. He lets the feeling move. That sounds small, but it is the whole secret to his style. He did not choke a song with too many tricks. He trusted the melody. He trusted his tone. He trusted the words. That is what a lot of newer singers could learn from him. You do not have to run up and down the scale every other line. Sometimes the strongest thing a singer can do is stay still long enough for the listener to feel the lyric.

That record has a certain ease to it. It is smooth, but it is not sleepy. It has romance, but it is not corny. That was Peabo’s lane. He knew how to make love songs for adults. Not just older people, but adults. People with bills, memories, mistakes, hopes, and somebody they still think about when a certain song comes on. “Let the Feeling Flow” fits right inside that world.

Then there is “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle. Now some hard-core R&B heads may try to act like they are too cool for Disney songs, but a great vocal is a great vocal. Peabo and Regina sang that record with real beauty. Regina Belle had her own power, and Peabo met her with grace. They made a movie song feel like a true duet. It was magical, yes, but it also had grown musical skill inside it.

That song introduced Peabo to people who may not have known “Feel the Fire” or “I’m So Into You.” Children heard him. Parents heard him. Families heard him. That matters. A voice like his deserved to travel far. “A Whole New World” did not take away from his R&B legacy. It added another door for people to walk through. Some folks came in through Disney and later discovered the deeper records. That is how legacy works.

The same thing happened with “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion. Peabo stood beside one of the biggest vocalists in popular music and sounded completely at home. He did not get swallowed up. He did not try to overdo it either. He brought warmth. Celine brought power and clarity. Together they made a record that still carries that tender movie magic.

What Peabo brought to “Beauty and the Beast” was maturity. He gave the song a gentleman’s voice. You listen back now and hear how carefully he phrases each part. He does not just sing it pretty. He shapes it. He gives it softness, but there is strength underneath. That is why he worked so well on those big soundtrack records. He could make a song feel grand without losing the human touch.

“By the Time This Night Is Over” with Kenny G is another one that should not be overlooked. Some folks like to talk down on smooth jazz, but there is a time and place for that kind of sound. Late night. Long drive. Clean shirt. Good cologne. City lights. That record has that kind of grown mood. Kenny G’s saxophone gives it atmosphere, and Peabo’s voice gives it heart.

The thing about Peabo is that he could step into different spaces and still be himself. Put him with Roberta Flack, he fits. Put him with Regina Belle, he fits. Put him with Celine Dion, he fits. Put him beside Kenny G’s saxophone, he fits. That is not luck. That is musicianship. He had enough identity in his voice that the setting could change, but the soul remained the same.

“I Can’t Imagine” is another song that carries that later Peabo warmth. It has the sound of a man who still believed in singing from the heart even after the music business had changed around him. By then, R&B was in a different place. The radio was different. The younger crowd had different tastes. But Peabo still sounded like Peabo. That means something. A real artist does not have to chase every trend to prove he is still alive.

That song feels like a reminder that devotion never goes out of style. The production may belong to a later season in his career, but the feeling is classic. Peabo’s voice still had that sincerity. Still had that adult touch. Still sounded like a man who respected the craft. When a singer can carry that kind of class across decades, you are not dealing with an ordinary talent.

“Love Means Forever” is the kind of title that almost tells you everything about Peabo Bryson’s musical world. Forever. Commitment. Promise. Those were not strange ideas in his songs. He came from an era where R&B could speak about love like it was sacred. Not perfect, because love is never perfect, but sacred. Something you treat with care. Something you do not play with like a toy.

Peabo made that kind of message believable because his voice sounded trustworthy. That was one of his greatest strengths. When he sang about forever, it did not sound like a slogan. It sounded like a man who had thought about what the word meant. In today’s world, where so much music treats relationships like quick business, a song like that feels even more valuable.

What made Peabo Bryson special was not just the hits. It was the standard. He represented a time when R&B singers had to stand on voice, tone, phrasing, and feeling. No smoke and mirrors. No hiding behind the machine. When Peabo opened his mouth, you heard training, natural gift, and years of work. You heard a man who respected the song.

For Black music lovers, his place is secure. He belongs in that conversation of male vocalists who made tenderness sound strong. That is important. Peabo did not have to be rough to sound masculine. He did not have to be cold to sound like a man. He showed that a man could sing with grace, speak of love, admit pain, and still stand tall. That is part of what made him so beloved.

His passing hurts because voices like that are rare. We live in a fast music world now. Songs come and go. Artists trend one week and disappear the next. But Peabo Bryson’s music was not built for quick attention. It was built for slow dancing, long remembering, and quiet evenings when people still want to hear somebody sing like they mean it.

So when folks talk about Peabo Bryson, let them talk about the whole story. Talk about the Disney classics, yes, because those songs mattered. But also talk about “Feel the Fire.” Talk about “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again.” Talk about “Can You Stop the Rain.” Talk about “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love.” Talk about the smooth cuts, the heartfelt cuts, the songs that made grown people sit still and listen.

May Peabo Bryson rest in peace. He gave the world a voice filled with beauty, class, romance, and soul. For those who love real R&B, his music is not going anywhere. It will keep playing in living rooms, kitchens, cars, and hearts. It will keep reminding us that there is a difference between somebody who can sing and somebody who can make a song live.

Staff Writer; Jamar Jackson

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

Instead of another press release criticizing the unlawful actions of certain states, the NAACP would launch a campaign focused on an area in which those states are highly concerned — money, sports, and the talent that the two bring to a state.

The Ruling That Started All of This

The case at issue was Louisiana v. Callais. In April, the Supreme Court’s six-justice conservative majority found that a congressional map drawn up by the legislature to create two majority-black districts for two members of Congress constituted an illegal racial gerrymander. Essentially, the lines were drawn to aid in the creation of districts in which Black voters would have a majority and thus real representation in Congress. But according to the court, that was discriminatory.

Justice Elena Kagan in a scathing dissent noted that her colleagues’ decision effectively renders Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — the part that protected the interests of minority voters when maps were gerrymandered to silence their votes — into oblivion. This was the core part of the Act that had been used since 1982 to challenge prejudiced mapmaking all over the country. The decision of the six justices was going to allow states for the first time in decades to redraw the lines of their congressional districts without much fear of being challenged in court.

States like Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina began redrawing districts within months. Mississippi and Texas followed suit. The maps showed a marked decline in the number of majority-black congressional districts for black voters.

“Out of Bounds”: The NAACP’s Answer

The NAACP responded to the court’s ruling two weeks later with the launch of “Out of Bounds” campaign. Simply stated, the campaign asks that if a state is taking away the political power of Black people, then Black athletes should not help build the wealth of that same state through college athletics.

“Out of Bounds” started with a simple observation from NAACP President, Derrick Johnson. He said Black athletes have built up some of the country’s most profitable college sports programs. The revenue from these programs are pouring into the coffers of the states that are simultaneously stripping away the voting power of their Black citizens. Johnson’s message was clear — until something changes, Black athletes should take their money elsewhere.

The campaign asks Black student-athletes, recruits, alumni and fans to take their support away from public universities in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. These are the states where almost every school on the list is a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the most profitable college sports operation in the country.

Why Sports? Why Now?

Nothing else has moved fast enough and lawsuits can take years to be heard in a court of law. Elections are held months away. Protests bring attention for a moment and then typically fade away within a matter of days or weeks, without forcing any changes within the state’s legislative bodies. Money, on the other hand, brings a response by morning.

D.L. Hughley recently explained why a boycott would be effective in bringing attention to this cause. He said that if the top athletes in the country stopped going to Tennessee and Louisiana then the university presidents, ESPN executives, and local chambers of commerce would be making phone calls in a short amount of time. The economic pressure of a serious boycott is one of the few things that will prompt action in a short amount of time and that is why this approach is effective than protests alone.

Some notable boycotts in the past have yielded similar results. The NFL moved the 1993 Super Bowl from Arizona after the state refused to recognize a federal holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. day. The NCAA similarly moved several championship events from North Carolina after the state passed the anti-LGBTQ bathroom bill. Both states later reversed the laws in question. The important thing to note here is that the playbook works when institutions have much to lose.

The Congressional Black Caucus Adds Pressure

But the NAACP wasn’t alone in its response to the illegal redistricting. The Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter the day before the “Out of Bounds” campaign launched to the commissioners of the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast conference, and to the president of the NCAA, Charlie Baker.

In a strongly worded message, the Congressional Black Caucus expressed its absolute outrage that the redistricting happening in member states, is being condemned by conference leaders. Unless conference leaders across the country publicly denounce the unconstitutional actions taking place in the states where their member schools reside, the CBC vowed to oppose the SCORE Act currently making its way through Congress. The SCORE Act would allow college athletes to sign contracts with anyone, standardizing athlete rights across the country. Conference leaders would be loathe to see the SCORE Act taken down. Holding that bill hostage was a very serious threat.

The CBC stated in their letter that all institutions who profit from the talent of Black athletes have a responsibility to stand with the Black community when their fundamental rights are being attacked. The silence from the conferences and from the NCAA will not be interpreted as neutrality, but rather, as a choice.

What This Actually Means for the SEC

Black athletes make up a substantial majority of rosters on top teams in both SEC football and basketball. A serious boycott of recruitment to these programs could therefore affect depth charts and scholarship classes within one or two seasons. These changes would affect how a team would fare in comparison to other schools in terms of rankings. Programs that rely so heavily on their ability to land the very best young talents from Georgia, Alabama, and Florida would quickly feel the effect of a boycott.

The counter from some governors such as South Carolina’s was immediate. They claimed that the athletes should not be used as political pawns. The NAACP had framed the campaign in a way that anticipated this response however. Instead of arguing over whether athletes should be used for politics, the question was whether they would choose to be used for their politics or someone else’s.

What’s Actually at Stake

This is not really about football. It’s about what happens to a community that has lost its voice in politics and has turned to find another lever to pull.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law after peaceful marchers were beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama while attempting to exercise their right to vote. The law was put into place because the courts and Congress realized that without federal protection, the voting rights of African Americans would be taken away state by state.

That is what is happening today — only instead of fire hoses and beatings, maps and legal briefs are being used to deny citizens their right to vote. Being angry about this is appropriate. The NAACP’s response says: don’t just stay angry — make the anger count. If the institutions won’t protect your vote, make them feel what your absence look like.

Associate Editor; Stanley G. Buford

Feel free to connect with this brother via Twitter; Stanley G. and also facebook; http://www.facebook.com/sgbuford.

Also his email addy is; StanleyG@ThyBlackMan.com.

Challenges are a part of life. There is no escaping them, no matter how much we would like to. Therefore, since we all face the challenges of life, what then makes the difference between those who do well in spite of them and those who stumble? I am sure there are a myriad of responses but when you boil it all down this one response plays a big if not an enormous part and it is called preparation!

To be prepared simply means you are willing and able to do something or you are ready to deal with something. In other words, is your physical, spiritual, emotional and mental state in a suitable place to be able to cope with whatever life throws your way?

Preparation – when you define this word compared to its earlier form of prepare or prepared, it implies the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready, in putting something together in advance and a state of readiness. Within this definition is the key as to why so many miss the mark when challenges arise. It is referred to as work and work by its definition is purposeful effort. It is the transfer of energy from one thing to another. In short, it is expended effort and it is hard!

Now imagine expending energy and effort in planning for something you can’t see or imagine yet! It can make the perceived work seem all that much more difficult and hard. However, the key here is perception and perception is the process of using our senses to acquire information about our surrounding environment or situation. Perception is an attitude or understanding based on what is observed or thought about.

There it is – I believe we have uncovered the issue – it all lies in our attitude! When we feel that something may be too difficult, we may try to avoid it and since our discussion of preparation involves the unknown it is easier to simply ignore preparation altogether. None of us knows exactly what tomorrow will bring or if there will even be a tomorrow for us, but that shouldn’t excuse us from planning and working through the thoughts of what could be. On the other hand, many of us do like to dream of a better life and the things we want so we will at times try to work toward those ends. Yet, what is the disconnect between the two?

One can seem negative and one can seem positive but if we only have one without the other we become lopsided. I am not advocating a totally pessimistic or absolute optimistic viewpoint. I guess you might say I reside a little more on the realistic scale. Still when I look at a glass of water, I would say it’s half full rather than half empty. This concept goes beyond that kind of thinking. It should make us dig deeper and realize that if we take a look at both what our dreams are and what information our surrounding environment is providing us we should be able to apply ourselves in such a way as to accomplish both our dream and the preparation necessary to face the challenges of the unknown.

Challenges are God’s way of proving us and developing us. It is the tool He uses to help perfect our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states. He may even allow the sacrifice of one area to help sharpen another area. It is also the way He separates out the sincere from the insincere. Another way of saying this would be that it is the way He identifies the wise from the foolish. The Bible has a lot to say about both topics of wisdom and foolishness and the impression I am left with from scripture is that God prefers that we pursue wisdom. Moreover, an essential part of wisdom is in being prepared. Sure, we may not know when the next stock market crash will occur but through observation of our surrounding environment, it would seem wise for us to have a few dollars tucked away to provide for our physical being. Additionally, we may not know when the next scandal will break, so again through observation of our surrounding environment, it would seem wise not to invest our emotional state in the newest political star but rather to build up the emotional bank accounts of those closest to us like family and friends.

I would even go so far as to say that given careful observation of our world wide environment that it would be wise to ensure that we have our spiritual house in order should God decide He’s had enough of sin, corruption, green and the filth of mankind. I know our attitudes may need adjustments in order for us to be prepared for the what if scenarios but simply ask those who have prepared in advance for either success or disaster and determine if they were sorry they expended the energy to prepare? I believe in either case you will get an answer of it was well worth it because for success it simply heightened it and made it sweeter while for disasters it made its blow a little bit softer.

I would encourage you today to show yourself wise by following one simple concept – preparation. It will take some thought, some diligence to look for answers, to gather resources or change your environment but in the end, you could find that it was about time and it helped you face the inevitable!

Staff Writer; Rick S.

One may contact this man of God at: RS@ThyBlackMan.com.