All clamouring for our attention, whether they are spoken, sung or written. And, truth be told, so much of it is mindless, infantile, non-sensical chaff that we are the poorer for it, and deeply regret having wasted our time listening or reading the stuff.

But this is not always so.

The right words can make a huge difference. If you pay close attention to the words that truly matter, the words that carry weighty meaning and eternal significance, the words that are crucial to your development and destiny, the words that can impact your very soul and give meaning to your mortal existence, then you are near to acquiring true wisdom.

True wisdom is, in part, the ability to distinguish words that convey thought that transends the fog that surrounds us and enable enlightenment.

Understanding eternal things, appreciating things beyond mortal grasp, things outside our frame of reference calls for enlightenment.

The fool is not enlightened, so he can glibly declare his lack of understanding, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1)

The pseudo-wise who have acquired a smattering of worldly wisdom, but have fallen short of true wisdom, failed to acknowledge God when they saw him, and so like fools became unenlightened, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:21)

But the wisest person ever to walk this earth, the most enlightened entity that ever existed, and the only person to reside in eternity before his earthly sojourn said this, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Living, full wholesome living, living to our highest potential both physical and spiritual, living transcendent and eternal comes by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

No one with a sense of balance, no prudent person with sense and understanding, with a sense of spiritual awareness, a yearning for and a relish of truth can read the Holy Bible and not find it touched with a sense of divine contribution.

That is why, throughout the ages, the Holy Bile has been the most popular book bought and read throughout the whole world.

It is because the right words make the difference that enemies of God have relentlessly attacked the Bible to destroy it, have tried where that failed to restrict its use, and where that failed to water it down and try to make it ineffective.

The attacks on the Bible are continuing up to this day.

But here is something quite amazing. God has determined that his words will go forth and reach all those who are called to salvation, all those who will accept Jesus Christ, and this will carry on until all the saints are gathered in, i.e., until God calls time on this earth.

It is not a matter of opinion, it is not a matter of speculation, it has been amply demonstrated that what matters for eternal life, what hope there is for immortality, what prospects there are to live with God in eternity, lies in the words of Jesus Christ.

Let there be no doubt that the words spoken by Jesus Christ are the right words that make the difference, and we should take heed of their importance:

Paul encourages the saints, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16)

John warned believers, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” (1 John 1:9)

Jesus directed the church to teach like this, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20)

Jesus spelled out what his words will mean in the judgement, “…the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48)

John declared the importance of the words of Christ, even with the reception of the Holy Spirit, like this, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)

Jesus affirmed, for the saints of all ages, the importance of his words like this, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

There is a song that expresses well the life-saving words of Jesus Christ:

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.

Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life;
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.

Christ, the blessed One, gives to all
Wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call,
Wonderful words of life;
All so freely given,
Wooing us to heaven. [Refrain]

Sweetly echo the Gospel call,
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior,
Sanctify us forever. [Refrain]

It is still true what Solomon said, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11) Only Jesus has total command of all these words and he will speak them to every needed heart; regardless of circumstances.

If you are grieving, then turn to Jesus Christ, and let him do what he can do better than any one on earth; speak words of comfort and consolation to you in just the right tone you need.

If you are discouraged because so much seems to be going wrong in your life, you seem to reach the end of your limit, can’t take any more, then embrace Jesus and let his healing words wash over your soul.

If you are sick, discomforted, miserable and unsettled and seem unable to get a grip on things, then know that Jesus Christ has just the right, uplifting, comforting words for you.

If you are sick letting Satan beat you up, had enough of sinning, don’t want to carry on as you are because you know there is something better, then know that you can turn to Jesus Christ and find hope, and salvation, in the majestic words of Jesus Christ.

Always remember that Jesus promised, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Staff Writer; Henderson W.

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

We owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who proudly serve our country in uniform — military members, law enforcement and first responders.

Protecting the United States and its citizens is the federal government’s chief responsibility. The preamble to the U.S. Constitution established providing for the “common defense” as a justification for our system of government, and our elected leaders take an oath to preserve, protect and defend our country against those who would do us harm.

Fulfilling that charge is becoming increasingly difficult, and not only because our enemies are becoming more sophisticated, although they are. It owes to our rapidly growing national debt.

This year, the federal debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time ever, doubling in size in less than a decade. A Congressional Budget Office report this spring estimates the gross debt — the combined amount the government owes to bond holders and to itself through intragovernmental borrowing — will reach $182 trillion in two decades. That’s about $2 million per U.S. household.

Like an individual with significantly overdrawn credit card, our country’s massive debt load is snowballing. The U.S. has not had a year with a budget surplus in a quarter-century. Each deficit — the annual negative difference between what the government collects and what it spends — adds even more to the total debt, which then incurs interests, adding even more costs to the federal ledger.

This financial spiral directly affects our military readiness. Today, the U.S. spends more on interest payments to service our debt than it does on national defense.

As the debt continues to grow, so too will interest costs. The CBO projects that within 10 years, 25 cents of every dollar of tax revenue will be sucked up by interest expenses. That’s money that could be used pay servicemembers, modernize our fleets, or invest in the new technologies and capabilities necessary to stay ahead of our adversaries — but that instead automatically goes to pay borrowing costs on programs we can’t afford.

The Trump administration’s budget for next year requests $1.5 trillion for defense spending, a more than 40% increase over previous years. While at least partially necessary to replenish our military after former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden slashed funding to pay for their liberal social agendas, the request would be a big ask in good years when the government is flush with money. It’s highly unlikely when the debt is at a historic high.

The president’s budget proposes cutting domestic programs by about 10% to offset the costs. But those savings would only amount to about $74 billion, a fraction of the price tag attached to the administration’s defense budget.

There’s the dilemma. In such a big budget hole, Uncle Sam can scarcely afford to increase spending on our national defenses. And while the problem is bad now, it will only get worse as the debt grows. How much can we afford to go deeper in debt now, and for how long can we kick the can down the road?

The answer to both is, we can’t — not without creating an even bigger fiscal mess in the near future, which will be even harder to clean up, if not impossible.

Not surprisingly, the left is cheering the degradation of our country’s military strength. One radical outlet proudly proclaimed (a day before the Sept. 11 anniversary, no less) that activists should “exploit” the “dismal state of U.S. military power” to turn “anti-war sentiments into anti-imperialist conclusions.”

Sadly, these kinds of ugly, foolish sentiments typify socialists’ thinking. They cheer wasteful programs that foster the welfare state at hardworking families’ expense, thinking somehow the government can cater to their every need. Yet they loathe spending that accomplishes our government’s most important task: keeping our citizens safe.

But that’s the left’s goal. They are intent on consolidating power in a central government, even if it means bankrupting our country and making our people vulnerable to our enemies, who, make no mistake, are still intent on undermining our country and the freedoms we defend.

The United States’ huge and growing debt touches every aspect of our lives, including our national security. The government can’t perform its chief function, or it won’t be able to for long, unless we get our debt crisis in check.

Written by Ken Buck

Official website; https://x.com/FmrRepKenBuck

Signing that release ends the claim permanently. South Carolina law does not allow a victim to reopen a settled personal injury case, even if injuries worsen or require surgery that was not anticipated at the time of signing. That finality is exactly what the insurer is purchasing with the first offer.

Early Offers Arrive Before the Damage Is Fully Known

South Carolina’s at-fault system requires the negligent driver’s insurer to cover the victim’s losses. Those losses include medical bills, lost wages, future care costs, and noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. An insurer that settles early locks in a number before any of those categories are fully documented.

Maximum medical improvement is the legal and medical threshold that matters. MMI is the point at which a treating physician determines that a patient’s condition has stabilized and further treatment will not produce significant additional recovery. Settling before MMI means the claim is valued on incomplete information, with future surgery, ongoing therapy, and permanent impairment still unknown.

The Release Problem

A signed release bars every future claim arising from the same accident. A victim who accepts $6,000 three weeks after a rear-end collision on I-26 near Harbison Boulevard in Columbia or I-77 near Celanese Road in Rock Hill, then discovers a herniated disc requiring surgery two months later, has no recourse. 

According to Brent Stewart, a South Carolina personal injury lawyer, recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America and a Fellow of the American Bar Association, and founder of https://www.stewartlawoffices.net/, honored with Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2026 recognitions and listed on Attorney at Law Magazine and Best Lawyers, premature execution of a legal release permanently strips victims of financial protection: “You sign a release, and you give up your right to come back for more money. Even if your injuries get worse, even if you need a procedure that you did not know about, even if you can’t return to the same job. The first offer is rarely the best. It is a starting point for the insurance company to close the file quickly and cheaply. A good attorney can tell you whether the offer is fair. “

Future Costs Go Unrecorded

Early offers routinely omit future medical expenses, long-term rehabilitation, and lost earning capacity. A crash victim treated at Prisma Health Richland Hospital after a collision on Two Notch Road or anywhere else in Richland County may face months of physical therapy after discharge. None of that cost appears in a week-three settlement offer.

Accepting an initial settlement offer before reaching maximum medical recovery can leave an injured driver with unpaid future medical bills. Stewart Law Offices can assist crash victims by reviewing insurance proposals, evaluating long-term care needs, and protecting claims across Columbia, Fort Mill, Bluffton, Beaufort, Lexington, Lake Wylie, and Rock Hill. If severe injuries prevent travel to an office, their attorneys can meet clients directly at their location.

Adjusters Are Trained to Minimize Payouts

Insurance adjusters do not evaluate claims neutrally. Adjusters use internal claim-valuation software that systematically underweights noneconomic damages, particularly pain and suffering and emotional distress. That gap between software output and actual claim value is the profit margin the insurer defends.

South Carolina victims who are unrepresented accept the first offer at a far higher rate than represented claimants. According to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), 73% of unrepresented claimants accept the insurer’s initial number, anchoring the outcome to a figure the adjuster set before gathering evidence.

Recorded Statement Tactics

Adjusters often request a recorded statement within days of the crash, before the victim has spoken with an attorney. Statements made at that stage, when injuries are still being assessed and fault has not been analyzed, become evidence the insurer uses to reduce the claim’s value. A victim who speculates about fault, minimizes pain levels, or fails to mention all injury symptoms hands the adjuster ammunition.

Delay as Pressure

Some South Carolina insurers deliberately slow claim processing. The longer a victim waits without income or with mounting medical bills, the more pressure builds to accept whatever offer arrives. Delays are a strategy, not a processing backlog.

South Carolina’s 51% Rule Shapes Every Negotiation

South Carolina follows modified comparative negligence as established by the state Supreme Court in Nelson v. Concrete Supply Co. A victim who bears 51% or more of the fault recovers nothing. A victim with 30% fault recovers 70% of total damages.

That percentage is actively contested in every negotiation. Adjusters push fault onto the victim because each point of assigned fault reduces the payout. An early recorded statement, incomplete police documentation, or an imprecise description of the crash sequence all become tools to shift that percentage upward. Victims who settle before fault is formally analyzed often accept offers that already embed an inflated fault percentage the adjuster assigned internally.

Property Damage as a Trap

Insurers sometimes fast-track property damage settlements separately from injury claims. Accepting the property check doesn’t close the injury claim, but the conversation around it often does. An adjuster who processes the vehicle payout creates an opening to discuss the injury offer in the same call, before the victim understands the two are legally distinct.

What to Do Instead of Accepting Early

A victim’s leverage increases as documentation builds. The South Carolina statute of limitations gives three years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. That window allows time to reach MMI, gather all medical records, and build a demand that reflects actual losses.

Crash victims should prioritize gathering early evidence, including declining all recorded statements without legal counsel and requesting the full police report immediately, while completing all prescribed medical treatment and obtaining an MMI determination before entertaining any settlement figure.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety recorded 976 fatal collisions statewide in 2023, with secondary routes accounting for the highest share. Non-fatal injury crashes far exceed that number, and the majority of those victims go through the claims process without understanding what the first offer actually costs them.

Declining the first offer is not a refusal to settle. It is the only position that preserves the full value of the claim until the full extent of the harm is known.

Staff Writer; Roy Carter

Right now, in September, Chuck is telling the world that the 2026–27 season could be his last on Inside the NBA. The way Chuck tells it, he and Ernie Johnson are now a package deal, with Barkley saying that if Ernie decides he is done after next season, he is done too. That kind of loyalty tells you something real about a person. This is not a man sounding desperate for one more contract or clinging to relevance. Chuck has made it clear that when the time comes, he intends to choose his own exit, on his own terms, without begging permission from a single executive.

Study Sir Charles track record and a pattern shows up that makes bosses nervous. Over the decades the brother has made just about everybody mad at one time or another. Republicans, Democrats, team owners, guys he used to bang bodies with, the suits running the networks. His politics wandered all over the map too. For years Barkley was widely identified with the Republican Party, and in 2006 he publicly broke with it. By 2007 he was calling himself an Independent, even while supporting Democratic candidates, including Barack Obama in 2008. Back in the day he called the whole political game a scam where the rich use the poor as chess pieces. Then came the fire aimed at the left, the charge that Democrats roll into our neighborhoods every election with big promises while too many schools, neighborhoods and poor communities remain stuck in the same problems.

Just last month Chuck waded into the fight over transgender athletes and argued plainly that transgender women should not compete in the WNBA. Plenty of people cheered him. Plenty of people cursed his name. Either way, out it came.

Now hold on. I am not writing this to argue that the man is always right. He is not. Some of his opinions I would fight about all night on my porch. Loose with his words, wrong on occasion, stubborn even after the facts turn against him. All Chuck. So let me be clear about the actual lesson, because it slips past most of us easily. The value is not in agreeing with him. The value sits in how the brother got rich, got powerful, got beloved, and yet protected the one thing most successful cats quietly surrender.

His own voice.

That surrender happens quietly, and it happens to too many of us. A young dude earns the promotion, the corner office, the blue check, the sponsorship, and slowly he starts editing himself. He starts laughing at jokes he hates. Little by little the lesson sinks in, which opinions get rewarded and which ones get you uninvited from the room. Nobody even makes a threat. A man simply weighs the cost of honesty and decides the bill runs too high. Ten years slide by and there is no recalling what he truly believes about anything, only what performs well.

Sir Charles refused that bargain. Ask yourself why this matters for us in particular. For generations, Black men have been handed a narrow script. Be grateful. Be quiet. Be easy to swallow. Do not frighten the ones holding the checkbook. The Round Mound of Rebound looked at that script, balled it up, and pitched it in the trash on live television, night after night, across a quarter century. That is a lesson a whole lot of young brothers need to witness for themselves. You can be difficult and still be wanted. You can challenge the powerful and still eat well.

There is a distinction here, though, and I want my people to catch it. Independence is not the same as clowning for applause. Some characters online spout wild nonsense purely to farm clicks, then call it free thinking. That is a different animal entirely. The Auburn legend speaks his mind because he believes it in the moment, and getting embarrassed later does not scare him. When he believes he crossed a line, he has shown himself capable of apologizing. When the thinking shifts, you hear about it out loud. That is not weakness. That is a grown person treating his opinions as things built by hand rather than things assigned to him.

I keep thinking about the fellas coming up now, glued to their phones, watching every public figure get punished for a single honest sentence. The message they soak in is brutal. Head down. Say nothing real. Protect the brand. And the fear makes sense to me. Bills are due and cancellation is not a myth. Yet a slow death lives inside that kind of safety, a hollowing out that no salary repairs. You can win every argument by dodging every one of them and lose yourself completely anyway.

What the figure from Alabama modeled is a middle path most of us were not taught. Speak your truth, absorb the heat, protect your relationships, and refuse to grovel. Chuck stayed tight with people who disagreed with him plenty. He openly criticized the very network signing his checks during the fight over NBA television rights and still kept speaking his mind. And the fortune built along the way never required him to become a puppet. That mix is rare, and agreeableness had nothing to do with it. It grew from a stubborn refusal to hand over the steering wheel of his mind.

So as this funny, exasperating, unforgettable presence starts talking seriously about stepping off the stage, I hope some of us are truly paying attention. Not to the hot takes. Those fade by summer. Pay attention to the posture instead. A working class kid out of small town Alabama walked into rooms that were never built for him and flat refused to make himself smaller to fit. When it is all said and done, the man kept his own mind. No boss ever got to hold the pen for him.

That is the inheritance worth claiming. Everything else is just noise between the highlights.

Staff Writer; Lee Walker

This brother is a fitness trainer with 12 years of experience, focused on building strength, clarity, and real health within the Black community. Through his writing, Mr. Walker hopes to uplift younger Black men and men in general through honest conversations about fitness, financial pressure, fatherhood, discipline, mental wellness, and the importance of brotherhood.

Have questions? Reach me at LeeW@ThyBlackMan.com.

Homo sapiens, as a species, is a group of jungle savages who know very little about history, and especially do not understand historical perspective. In fact, when it comes to history, most humans are incredibly ignorant.

Two hundred and fifty years — the life of the American Republic — when compared to the entire span of human history, is not a very long time. And we Americans look at our history very narrowly, and rarely see the whole panorama that history really is. That’s typical of all humanity. We see through a glass tunnel, and very darkly.

Americans — and especially the Left — tend to judge things, current and past, through the lens of the very slender historical time period we live in — our “zeitgeist.” We rarely — the Left never — put our judgments in an overarching historical milieu. People see all things only as they see them currently, and, most often, the way they want to see them. No vision, no context, no historical perception.

Many Americans today are surprised and dismayed that massive numbers of their countrymen are moving towards socialism, communism, leftism, promiscuity, godlessness, everything the Democrats and the Left are directing us towards. We should not be surprised, and if we knew history well enough, we wouldn’t be. This movement is new for America, but it’s not new for humans, or the world.

Why do so many Americans now prefer socialism to capitalism? Well, by studying history, we discover that most people, surprisingly, actually do prefer slavery (dependence) to freedom (risk). Dependence upon someone else means, well, somebody else takes care of us. That’s a very easy way to live, and how many millions of Americans today have opted for that course? Freedom, which virtuous Americans think is the way things ought to be, means risk, trials, hazards, individual responsibility, and acceptance of consequences. And there aren’t too many people — and never have been, frankly — who have the character and self-control to be able to conquer themselves and achieve that.

Nor do they have the spirituality. Freedom comes from God, the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property. As Franklin said, only a virtuous people can be free. But since increasingly, more and more Americans don’t believe in or obey God, and don’t want to, they end up rejecting the life, liberty, and property God provides. So, they are rejecting capitalism, free markets, hard work, and individual responsibility for socialism, i.e., letting government take care of them, in effect, sponging off other people. Countless millions of Americans not only do that, but that’s the life they prefer. Selfish dependence, not virtuous freedom.

And history tells us that such dependence — and slavery — is far more common than human freedom.

Thus, when I see the Democrat Party moving towards socialism, totalitarianism, licentiousness, godlessness, etc., it doesn’t surprise me in the least because as a historian, I try to view historical perspective and not just look at the current, narrow zeitgeist. Zeitgeists are nearly always wrong, and much of ours is too.

We today aren’t allowed to call this dependence “slavery” (our Founders did), not in our current zeitgeist. Slavery has become the worst crime in existence, the unforgivable sin, the one the Left has taught us is the greatest evil imaginable and to never forgive America for. And they teach their sheep that America should be hated for it, since we probably invented the practice. There is zero historical perspective in this, of course.

Slavery is certainly un-American because the founding principle of the country was freedom. But the Left fails to see — or admit — that it was the founding principles of America that eventually ended chattel slavery worldwide. It took time; history usually moves slowly, but that is what historical perspective is all about, of which the Left has none at all.

And, of course, the Left will NEVER admit that socialism is simply another form of slavery. Socialism is not personal, individual chattel slavery; it’s slavery to government. We give government the right to oversee all economic factors, thus ultimately controlling, and distributing — and withholding — economic resources as it sees fit. Socialism makes people dependent upon government. That’s its purpose.

And since, sadly, countless Americans today don’t have the virtue necessary for individual freedom, they want socialism.

Americans will insist they want to be free. But how many people voluntarily place themselves into dependence upon government? They don’t have to; they have a choice. But in one of history’s supreme oxymorons, they use their freedom to place themselves in slavery. But they lack the virtue, the character to take care of themselves, and to thus be truly free. And so, they turn to socialism, which makes them dependent upon somebody else. Too many Americans, if they ever had the virtue to be free, have lost it. And the Democrats love that.

The Left, of necessity, has redefined “freedom” as doing whatever one wishes to do, especially sexual licentiousness, the right to have as much sex as one wants with whomever one wishes to have it with — with no responsibility or consequences. But because of this inaccurate, and frankly vile, definition of freedom, people actually become enslaved (addicted, like a druggie) to their own lusts and passions, and, as a result, with no self-control or virtue, become enslaved to (dependent upon) government. These people want moral “freedom,” yet end up in economic dependence (socialism). Exactly what Democrats want.

It is interesting to see that the people who are pushing socialism in America are the same people who are attacking Christianity, glorifying sexual licentiousness, and who hate America—traditional, free America. And history

Historically, we shouldn’t be surprised at all.

Written by Mark Lewis 

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

The English poet and cleric, John Donne once wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…” These written words give insight into the truth that no one person is totally self-sufficient without others. For many people, arrogance and the feeling of superiority makes them headstrong into believing that its “their way or the highway”. John Donne reminds brings us to reality that we are meant to be individuals who are interdependent with one another while maintaining a sense of community and solidarity. It is meant for us to have the type of mutual connection which is in direct contrast with the ideas of extreme individualism.

And yet while we live in a society of coexistence with people of all walks of life, it is an undisputable fact that all of us have not quite mastered the art of “getting along with each other”. Are we willing and able to empathize with those who don’t look like us or think like us? Coexistence becomes more difficult when the willingness to accept “others” is based solely on their social status, political ideology or ethnicity. An underlining factor in coexistence is the fact that every American has the right to life and liberty.

Liberty is interesting because it is defined as the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed on one’s life. It can be described as the freedom to live your life the way you want without interference from other people or institutions. Or simply, having the freedom and power to do as one pleases. We hear so much about fighting to protect our freedom and liberty as American values. Unfortunately, freedom and liberty defined does not mean freedom and liberty practiced.

Freedom means people can think, worship, associate, move, and make personal choices with unnecessary interference.  When they talk about protecting one’s freedom, it should include freedom from oppression and freedom to participate in public life, pursue opportunities, and develop one’s abilities. But freedom does not mean that a person can just do or say anything while ignoring the negative consequences their words and actions have on others.

Despite liberty and freedom often being presented as patriotic themes, it should not automatically be assumed that those who describe themselves as patriotic individuals, once given the freedom to do as they please, will do so with a sense of community and responsibility. Or do so with the morals, personal conduct and conviction to do what is right and fair. Liberty is a personal right, but the liberty to do as one pleases should not open the door to disrespect while forgetting that we are all interdependent of one another. Can we honestly self-examine ourselves and ask the following question: Does my freedom to do as I wish result in unfair or unnecessary hardship on others? In other words, while it is my desire to not be subject to oppressive restrictions, do my words and actions place or support oppressive restrictions on others? This is why we have rules so individualism can remain in check. Rules establish the boundaries that allow people with different beliefs, needs, and interests to live and coexist together. They are in place to protect equal treatment, opportunities, and peace in society.

As a result, there is a balance between rules and freedom. Freedom without fair rules leads to disorder, control and manipulation by those with a “my way or the highway agenda”.  Rules without freedom leads to oppression. A democratic society needs both: on one hand, freedom for people to live with dignity and make meaningful choices. On the other hand, rules that are just and can be equally enforced to ensure that everyone can enjoy their personal freedoms. Individualism, liberty, rules and freedom are all intertwined. Politically, those who typically fight against “big government” and against government intrusion on individual’s rights are often the same group who are quick to deny individual rights and place oppressive restrictions “others” through the government.

The Trump administration’s actions have negatively affected individual rights for immigrants, people seeking health care, students, protestors, and people relying on federal civil-rights enforcement. The administration has advocated mandatory detention without bond hearings for broad categories of immigrants. Multiple federal appeals courts have found aspects of that type of policy unlawful while denying due process. Civil liberties groups have reported threats to protesters, activists, student demonstrators, universities, journalists, and organizations critical of the administration by using investigations, immigration enforcement, federal deployments and funding pressures as weapons.

The administration has moved against Planned Parenthood and cut or sought to cut reproductive health funding reducing access to contraception, cancer screening, and abortion-related care for many patients, particularly those with low incomes or limited local providers. The administration ended or weakened many federal diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and environmental-justice programs while directing agencies to scrutinize DEI programs and related grant recipients. In 1981 President Ronald Reagan was prophetic in predicting the future Trump administration. He said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem”.

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.

Our top pick is In Home Music Mentor for San Jose families and adult learners who want locally sourced, background-checked teachers sent directly to their door, with no contracts and a 50% off first-lesson offer that makes it genuinely easy to try before committing. It covers the three most-searched instruments – piano, guitar, and voice – and tailors every lesson to the student’s own goals rather than a fixed syllabus, which is exactly what the at-home model should deliver. For families in the South Bay suburbs who need coverage well beyond central San Jose, Musicians Mobile is the strongest alternative. And for students still exploring which instrument to pursue, Orange Music Studio stands out thanks to a free trial that removes the risk of guessing wrong.

Below you’ll find a quick at-a-glance summary, a short note on how we chose, the full ranked list with honest pros and cons for each service, and a locally specific FAQ answering the questions San Jose parents and adult learners ask most.

How We Chose

We weighted six criteria, with the in-home delivery model given the highest priority since that’s the core promise this guide is built around. First, delivery model – does the teacher actually come to the student’s home, or does the family travel to a studio? Second, instructor vetting: whether teachers are background-checked and professionally screened, which matters enormously when an educator is entering a family’s home. Third, instrument and genre variety, with piano, guitar, and voice prioritized as the most-requested (bass guitar and other secondary instruments earned bonus consideration). Fourth, age and skill-level inclusivity, from young children through adult beginners and returning players. Fifth, scheduling flexibility and contract terms – no-contract, month-to-month arrangements scored higher than lock-ins. Sixth, low-commitment entry options such as free or discounted trial lessons. We favored providers who build genuine musicianship over those who simply push students toward the next exam. Where a provider is studio-based rather than in-home, we’ve said so plainly and positioned it for the readers it genuinely serves.

The 7 Best In-Home Music Lesson Services in San Jose, CA

The seven services below best meet the needs of San Jose students across those six criteria, with true in-home delivery carrying the most weight. Some are dedicated at-home services; a few are respected neighborhood schools included because they’re the right answer for specific families and locations. Number one is our overall recommendation for most learners – here’s a quick summary before the full breakdowns.

• In Home Music Mentor – best for fully managed in-home lessons with vetted local teachers
• Musicians Mobile – best for families wanting in-home lessons across South Bay suburbs
• Elena Le Piano – best for in-home piano students seeking specialist instruction
• Legato Music School – best for Willow Glen-area students wanting an established local school
• Bytes & Notes – best for families seeking a long-running neighborhood school with flexible formats
• Orange Music Studio – best for kids and adults wanting a broad instrument menu with a free trial
• Almaden School of Music & Art – best for south San Jose students wanting a one-stop arts school

#1. In Home Music Mentor – Best for Fully Managed In-Home Lessons With Vetted Local Teachers

For the vast majority of San Jose households weighing convenience, safety, and flexibility, In Home Music Mentor is the clearest pick. It’s purpose-built for the at-home model this guide is about: teachers travel to the student rather than the reverse, and every instructor is locally sourced for San Jose, background-checked, and professionally vetted before they ever set foot in a family’s home. That screening standard alone separates it from services that draw from a scattered national pool.

If you want to book in-home music lessons in San Jose without signing a long-term commitment, this is the lowest-risk starting point on the list – there are no contracts, and a 50% off first-lesson offer lets you test the fit before spending full price. Lessons are shaped around the individual: a returning adult guitarist rebuilding technique, a seven-year-old just meeting the piano, and a teenager preparing to sing solo all get instruction mapped to their own goals and learning style, not a one-size-fits-all curriculum.

Key Details

• Delivery model: 100% in-home – the teacher comes to the student’s home
• Instruments covered: Piano, guitar, and voice/singing (additional instruments may be available – confirm current roster)
• Age range: All ages, from young children through adults; all skill levels, beginner to advanced
• Pricing: No published fixed rate; 50% off first lesson; no contracts required
• Coverage: San Jose, with locally sourced instructors

Pros:

• Teachers are locally sourced, background-checked, and professionally vetted
• Lessons are customized to each student’s goals and learning style – no rigid syllabus
• No contracts, and a discounted first lesson makes it easy to start
• Covers the three most-requested instruments (piano, guitar, voice) under one service
• Eliminates studio commute and the performance anxiety of a classroom setting

Cons:

• In-home only – no studio drop-in or group-lesson option for families who want a social classroom environment
• Pricing isn’t published as a fixed schedule; you contact for a quote
• Availability for niche instruments may take longer to match by neighborhood
• No permanent physical location or in-house recital program of its own

Who It’s Best For: Families with school-age children and adult learners anywhere in San Jose who want a fully managed, zero-commute lesson experience with rigorously vetted teachers – and who value flexibility and a low-risk trial over a classroom community. If a social group setting or a formal end-of-year recital is your priority, one of the school-based options below may suit you better.

#2. Musicians Mobile – Best for Families Wanting In-Home Lessons Across South Bay Suburbs

Musicians Mobile leans into the in-home promise and extends it geographically, which is its real edge. For families who live in the suburbs ringing San Jose – Milpitas, Santa Clara, Campbell, and the wider South Bay – the central-city studios simply aren’t convenient, and a service oriented around traveling to the student solves that neatly.

Pros:

• Explicit focus on bringing lessons directly to the student’s home
• Wider geographic footprint than providers anchored to a single neighborhood
• Practical for suburban families who find central San Jose studios a hassle
• Scheduling flexibility that fits the in-home model

Cons:

• A smaller brand with less public visibility than the larger schools
• Instrument range and teacher depth may be narrower than a full-service provider
• Limited publicly available detail about vetting standards – worth asking directly
• No physical location for in-person enrollment support

Best For: South Bay suburban families in cities like Milpitas, Santa Clara, or Campbell who want the in-home model but sit outside the reach of centrally located providers. Confirm the instrument list and screening process before you book.

#3. Elena Le Piano – Best for In-Home Piano Students Seeking Specialist Instruction

Where the top two picks are generalists, Elena Le Piano is the opposite – a dedicated piano specialist offering at-home lessons across San Jose and neighboring areas. If your child (or you) already knows piano is the instrument and you want depth over breadth, a focused specialist can push technique and musicianship further than a jack-of-all-trades roster.

Pros:

• Dedicated piano focus – genuine depth rather than surface-level breadth
• At-home delivery in San Jose and surrounding areas
• Personalized approach well suited to a committed piano student
• A strong fit for learners aiming at grade exams or recital performances

Cons:

• Single-instrument focus – no help if you later want guitar or voice too
• Solo-instructor model, so availability may be tighter than a multi-teacher service
• Less public visibility and fewer reviews than the larger schools
• Limited scalability if a household wants multiple instruments under one roof

Best For: Piano-only students – particularly those preparing for grade exams or recitals – who want specialist expertise and don’t need a multi-instrument service.

#4. Legato Music School – Best for Willow Glen-Area Students Wanting an Established Local School

Legato Music School, operating since 2009, is a community-rooted option for families in and around Willow Glen who prefer a physical school with a track record. It’s primarily studio-based, so it doesn’t compete head-on with the pure in-home services above – but for neighborhood families who value a bricks-and-mortar home base their child can grow into, that’s a feature rather than a flaw.

Pros:

• Established since 2009 – a real local track record and community trust
• Presence in Willow Glen, one of San Jose’s most populous and walkable districts
• Private-lesson format with reasonable flexibility
• Broad instrument offering including piano, guitar, and strings

Cons:

• Primarily studio-based – students travel to the school
• A smaller school, so the teacher roster may be limited for some instruments
• Not the right choice if you specifically need in-home delivery
• Physical capacity caps enrollment compared with a distributed in-home service

Best For: Willow Glen families who want an established community school with a fixed location, recital opportunities, and the sense of belonging that comes from a local institution rather than a visiting teacher.

#5. Bytes & Notes – Best for Families Seeking a Long-Running Neighborhood School With Flexible Formats

If longevity is your proxy for trust, Bytes & Notes is hard to beat – this family-owned school has been operating since 1997, making it the oldest provider on this list by founding date. Nearly three decades of local operation buys a kind of community credibility that newer entrants can’t manufacture, and for many parents that history is exactly the reassurance they’re after.

Pros:

• Family-owned and running since 1997 – exceptional local tenure
• Flexible lesson formats (confirm current options directly)
• Deep, hard-earned community trust
• Warm, family-friendly atmosphere

Cons:

• Primarily a physical school, not an in-home delivery service
• Long tenure doesn’t automatically mean the most current teaching methods
• A smaller operation may carry waitlists for popular instruments
• Less convenient for students who need at-home lessons

Best For: Trust-focused parents who prize longevity and local roots, and who are comfortable traveling to a neighborhood school rather than hosting lessons at home.

#6. Orange Music Studio – Best for Kids and Adults Wanting a Broad Instrument Menu With a Free Trial

Orange Music Studio earns its spot on the strength of two things: a wide instrument menu and a low-friction trial. For a student who hasn’t yet committed to a single instrument – the child torn between drums and guitar, or the adult curious about piano but not sure it’ll stick – being able to sample before paying full price meaningfully lowers the risk of an expensive false start.

Pros:

• Broad instrument menu – ideal for undecided students
• A free or low-cost trial lesson reduces the financial risk of trying something new
• Serves both children and adults
• A range of options available under one roof

Cons:

• Studio-based model, so students travel to lessons
• Breadth can come at the expense of specialist depth in any single instrument
• Less information publicly available than the larger schools
• Trial-offer terms should be confirmed before booking

Best For: Kids and adults still exploring which instrument suits them, who want to try before they buy. The trial makes it the lowest-friction way to test the waters – just verify the current terms first.

#7. Almaden School of Music & Art – Best for South San Jose Students Wanting a One-Stop Arts School

Rounding out the list, Almaden School of Music & Art serves the Almaden Valley and the south San Jose corridor – an area often underserved by central-city providers – and pairs music instruction with broader arts programming. For creative families where one child wants guitar and another wants to draw, a single school that spans multiple disciplines is a genuine practical advantage, and it plugs neatly into San Jose’s wider arts scene.

Pros:

• Combines music with broader arts programming – a one-stop shop for creative households
• Serves Almaden Valley, an area with fewer nearby options
• Established local address and community presence
• Convenient for siblings pursuing different arts disciplines together

Cons:

• Geographically focused on south San Jose – less convenient elsewhere in the city
• Studio-based, with no in-home delivery
• A niche school, so instrument depth may be narrower than larger providers
• Limited public detail on teacher vetting – ask before enrolling

Best For: Almaden Valley and south San Jose families who want music lessons alongside visual or performing arts under one roof.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does a 30-Minute In-Home Music Lesson in San Jose Typically Cost?

Most local providers don’t publish fixed rate cards, and in-home lessons usually carry a modest premium over studio lessons because the teacher’s travel time is built into the price. Expect rates to vary by instrument, teacher experience, and neighborhood, and always ask whether there’s a separate material fee for books or supplies on top of the lesson rate. Because pricing shifts, the practical move is to request a quote directly – and to take advantage of trial offers, like In Home Music Mentor’s 50% off first lesson, to see the value before committing.

Are In-Home Music Teachers in San Jose Background-Checked?

It depends entirely on the provider, which is exactly why you should ask. A managed service like In Home Music Mentor states that every teacher is locally sourced, background-checked, and professionally vetted – a standard that matters especially when an educator is entering your home and working one-on-one with a child. Smaller solo instructors and some studios may not publish their screening process, so if vetting is a priority, confirm it in writing before the first lesson.

Do In-Home Music Lesson Services in San Jose Offer Lessons for Young Children?

Yes – most services on this list teach young children, though the ideal starting age varies by instrument. Piano and voice tend to be accessible early, while some string and wind instruments suit slightly older kids for physical reasons. In-home lessons can be especially good for young children because they learn in a familiar, low-pressure setting without the anxiety of a classroom, and a good music teacher will adapt pacing and lesson length to a child’s attention span.

Is It Better to Take Music Lessons at Home or at a Studio in San Jose?

Neither is universally better – it comes down to what the student needs. In-home lessons win on convenience, safety, and comfort: no commute, no traffic, and a familiar environment that eases performance anxiety, which is why services like In Home Music Mentor and Musicians Mobile suit busy or suburban families so well. Studios like Legato Music School or Bytes & Notes offer something in-home can’t: a physical community, group lesson options, recitals, and the social energy of a shared space. Weigh your schedule and your student’s temperament.

How Do I Choose the Right In-Home Music Teacher in San Jose for My Child?

Start with the non-negotiables: confirm the teacher is background-checked and experienced with your child’s age group and instrument. Then look for a match in teaching style – a customized, goals-driven approach tends to keep young learners engaged far longer than a rigid syllabus. Use a trial or discounted first lesson to watch how the teacher connects with your child, and ask how they track progress and build genuine musicianship over time rather than just drilling for exams.

Where Can I Find Adult Singing Lessons in San Jose?

Adult beginners and returning singers are well served by the in-home providers on this list – In Home Music Mentor covers voice for all ages and skill levels, and lessons at home spare self-conscious adult learners the discomfort of singing in a busy studio hallway. If you prefer a studio setting with a broader menu, Orange Music Studio serves adults too and offers a trial. Whichever you choose, look for an instructor who tailors technique work to your voice and goals.

Which In-Home Service Is the Easiest to Try Without Committing?

For the lowest-risk entry point, In Home Music Mentor stands out: no contracts and a 50% off first-lesson offer let you test the fit before paying full price. Orange Music Studio is the runner-up here thanks to its free or low-cost trial, though it’s studio-based rather than in-home. Trial offers and no-contract terms are the smartest way to sample a teacher before locking in a routine.

The Bottom Line

The right choice ultimately depends on your student’s age, goals, chosen instrument, and where you live within San Jose – a Willow Glen family wanting recitals and community will value something different from a Milpitas parent who just needs a vetted teacher at the door. That said, for most families and adult learners who want convenience, safety, and flexibility without a long-term commitment, In Home Music Mentor is the standout: locally sourced, background-checked teachers, lessons tailored to the individual across piano, guitar, and voice, and a no-contract model with a discounted first lesson that makes it genuinely easy to start. If in-home instruction is what you’re after, it’s the one we’d try first – book a first lesson, see how the fit feels, and go from there.

Staff Writer; Terry Brown

Superficially, the policy sounds good. Children raised in two-parent, single-earner homes outperform every other group in school and in earnings, and those families are the only ones reproducing above the replacement rate. We should want more stay-at-home mothers, and the vice president’s heart is in the right place. His plan is still a terrible idea. He is offering socialism-lite, and Diet Coke socialism never beats the real thing.

Republicans spent 30 years arguing that welfare made people dependent on government. In the 1990’s, former President Bill Clinton and the GOP restructured welfare to end dependency by allowing single moms to work or get a degree while their childcare costs were covered. The Vance Plan hands that money to mothers who stay home with working husbands, so long as the husbands do not earn too much and the mothers do not work.

The income cap is near $75,000 in most states, and a couple with two children would collect $18,000 a year. If the father makes $70,000 and his boss offers a promotion with a 10% raise, the $7,000 increase takes the household to $77,000 and wipes out the entire $18,000. The father must turn down that promotion, and the next one, because the math does not change until the children turn 18. By then he is in his 50’s and has passed on every rung of the ladder. The mom cannot take a part-time job, because anything paying less than $18,000 is a pay cut. A nurse who steps away for 5 years to raise kids can get recertified. A nurse who steps away for 25 years starts over at 50.

That is the benefits cliff conservatives spent a generation warning about, and it remains even when the recipient is married and votes Republican. My Christian friends praising this idea are making families dependent on government and turning stay-at-home mothers into welfare queens.

Many of the voices cheering this plan spent last year going through grocery receipts to decide whether a poor woman could buy a Coke with an EBT card. A subsidy conditioned on staying home invites a rule defining what staying home requires, and they will write it. The socialist left loves the collective and the post-liberal right knows what is best for your household, and both want a bureaucrat in Washington controlling your family.

There is a better answer, which is to not take the money at all. Give an uncapped deduction per child for as long as that child is at home or in college, and let parents who homeschool or pay tuition deduct the school taxes they pay for a system they do not use. Then address the national debt, because people do not have children when they have given up on the future and the debt destroys the private sector’s opportunities.

The people most supportive of this plan have given up on America and want to manage its decline. They have replaced the Republican establishment that gave us Medicare Part D and now want welfare expansion.

Democrat-lite never beats Democrat. The vice president is gambling that socialists will balk at subsidizing stay-at-home mothers over working mothers. They will not balk. Democrats will take the deal and raise it, and each raise gets easier once Republicans concede that Washington should put families on welfare. It is also amateurish to divide the right this close to the midterms, pitting stay-at-home mothers against the mothers who work and will pay for it.

Let parents keep their own money and run their households as they see fit. Pay down the debt, grow the private sector, and give hope back to the people instead of trying to manage a decline that itself is a choice.

Written by Erick Erickson 

Official website; https://x.com/EWErickson

My people kept a radio going on the porch back home. Grown folks out there half the night, arguing who could sing and who was just loud. Marvin got named. Aretha, Sam Cooke, the whole church of them. Then somebody would bring up Stevie and the porch went quiet, because what was there to argue.

Start with Music of My Mind. He was barely grown, freshly loosed from the tight leash Motown kept on its young talent, and he showed up playing damn near everything himself. Synthesizers most cats had never touched. Out of wires and keys he built rooms of feeling, and the thing still breathed like something alive. That first swing told you he was done being anybody’s puppet.

Then here comes Talking Book, and now the fella is grinning at you from the cover with braids and shades, sitting in red dirt like he belonged there. “Superstition” hit the streets and every barbershop in the South cranked it loud. Flip the record though and you get “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” soft as Sunday morning. Same artist. Two different worlds. The man moved between them like it cost him nothing at all.

Innervisions is where I usually stop and get quiet. That project looked the country dead in the eye. “Living for the City” told an entire story in a single track, a young brother leaving Mississippi with hope in his chest and getting chewed up by the machine. My uncle used to play it and just shake his head. Blind since infancy, and yet he saw us clearer than folks with two good eyes. Shortly after it dropped he nearly died in a car wreck, and the community held its breath.

Then he came back. Fulfillingness’ First Finale gets slept on, and that has always bothered me. Quieter, sure, more inward, but “You Haven’t Done Nothin” was a straight fist raised at the White House. He could whisper and shout on the same set of sides, sometimes inside a single song. Recovery did not soften the young genius. It sharpened whatever was already there.

And then the mountain. Songs in the Key of Life. Man, where do you even begin. He made the label sweat for it, took his sweet time, and handed back a double album with a little extra disc stuck on like he just couldn’t stop. “Sir Duke.” “I Wish.” “As.” “Love’s in Need of Love Today.” Some of it swings like a big band, some of it prays, one song is a straight up lullaby for the new baby. He poured the whole man onto tape and did not hold a drop back.

Now here is the part that keeps me up at night. Five projects. Four years and change. And not one of them sounds like the last. Most artists find a lane and ride it till the wheels fall off, and I do not blame them, because a lane pays the bills. What that boy did was refuse the lane entirely. He treated each set like a fresh canvas and dared himself to become somebody new every time he walked back into the studio.

Sit with the pressure of that. You put out a masterpiece, the world claps, and instead of running it back you burn the blueprint and start over. Talking Book does not repeat Music of My Mind. Innervisions does not lean on the goodwill that came before it. Each go-round he raised the ceiling and then climbed above the fresh one. That takes nerve most of us simply do not carry.

Here we sit in 2026, and I still get the question at least once a month, usually from some young cat who just discovered the catalog. Will we ever see the like again? I hate being the bearer of hard news, but no, I do not believe we will. The business changed. Back then a label would let a genius cook, would front him studio time and trust him to return with gold. Today the clock runs faster and the money runs scared. Streaming rewards a quick single and a viral second, not a patient double LP that begs you to sit with it for an hour.

The tools changed too, and not every bit for the better. A kid in a bedroom can build a whole record on a laptop now, which is a beautiful development, do not misread me. But that same ease nudges everybody toward matching textures, matching drum patterns, the same safe glow. Steveland was reaching for machines nobody understood yet, bending them to serve his gift instead of the reverse. Curiosity drove him. These days the algorithm does plenty of the driving.

And here sits the piece nobody wants to name out loud. He had something to say. Every project carried weight because his gaze stayed on his people, on the city, on love and God and the sickness in the halls of power. The genre we call soul earned its name honest, because the finest of it came from somewhere deep and true. You cannot fake that depth, and you surely cannot stream it into being overnight.

I have made peace with it, mostly. We were handed a gift, a window of a few years when one blind boy from the Midwest showed the planet what our genius looks like when it is turned all the way loose. That window is closed. New windows will open, some of them glorious, and I will be there clapping when they do.

But that particular stretch, those five sacred records in a row, each one different and each one a peak? No. I will not hold my breath waiting on a sequel. Some lightning only strikes the once.

So I do what any old head does. Wipe the vinyl down, keep it in the sleeve right, tell the young ones the stories whether they asked or not. And some evenings I just go sit out there, shut my eyes the way he never got to choose, and let it run. Glad it happened. Still shaking my head that it happened the way it did. Pretty sure in my bones we won’t get that lucky twice, not in 2026 and not in whatever comes next.

Staff Writer; Jamar Jackson

This brother loves poetry, music, and the culture that raised him… His words come from somewhere honest, and they speak to everyday Black folks just living their lives… Reach him at JJackson@ThyBlackMan.com.

A cardinal tenet of Christianity is that it is imperative for salvation to forgive those that trespass against us. It is one of the more challenging tenets of Christian faith.

For some Christians to address that challenge they believe it is best they forget so they can forgive, forgive and forget. If one forgets the transgression that was directed at them, forgiveness is easy since they don’t recall being transgressed against.

We may want our hearts as required by Christian faith to be righteous. However, there are certain things that cannot and should not ever be forgotten. Forgiven yes but forgotten never. To forget in itself would be a sin. To forget those who suffered and died for no reason other than their skin was darker than blue is a sin.

Sunday morning September 15th started out as just another typical Sunday morning. People throughout the city of Birmingham, Alabama, like places across the US were either at Sunday morning service, traveling to service or preparing themselves to head to their place of worship.

As for 11-year-old Carol Denise McNair, and 14-year-old Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Dionne Wesley and Carole Robertson they were already at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. They along with 200 members of the church had attended Sunday school classes prior to the start of the 11 am morning service.

It would be a similar scene in churches throughout the US. Sunday school classes followed by the main church service at 11 am. Attendees to the Sunday school classes would be grouped by age and a teacher would be assigned to lead a class in instruction about the Bible and tenets and practices of Christianity.

Sunday school classes had ended and Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Dionne Wesley and Carole Rosamond Robertson who were youth choir members were busy putting on their choir robes and preparing themselves for the morning church service. The youth choir would lead the church in song for one of the musical presentations at the 11 am service.

It was Youth Day at the church. There was an element of joy and excitement in the air.

Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole talked while putting on their robes. They prepared themselves for the morning service in the church basement ladies’ bathroom.

Like other typical girls, 11 and 14 years of age, they talked about their regular school teachers and classmates. Public schools had been in session just a few days in Birmingham after the summer recession.

The girls busied themselves discussing their new teachers, new and old classmates as well as the subjects they were taking. Eleven-year-old Denise had just started the 5th grade. Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole had just started junior high and were in the seventh grade. While talking Addie Mae helped Carol tie her robe’s dress sash.

Typical girls their age, they talked about the latest fashion. What was in and what was now out of style.

They talked about shows on television. They talked about the latest movies in theaters.

They spoke about the latest songs that were topping the music pop record charts. They talked about what was happening in their lives at that time.

They also spoke about the future. Like girls typical their age they share their dreams, hopes and plans for the future. The future belonged to Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole.

It was a typical September Sunday morning in America. Then just like that it wasn’t.

At 10:22 am a massive explosion ripped through the church. The blast destroyed the church’s rear wall.

The explosion was so violent that it blew a passing motorist out of his automobile. It destroyed automobiles parked on the street outside the church.

Properties located more than two blocks from the church had their windows blown out. Bricks and mortar from the church was sprayed everywhere.

The blast caved in the church’s interior walls and destroyed all but one of the church’s stained glass windows. The only stained glass window left in tack depicted Jesus leading a group of children.

It demolished the basement ladies’ bathroom. The bathroom where Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole were preparing for the 11 am church service.

The explosion resulted in 22 injuries. The bodies of Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole were found beneath the rubble created by the blast.

Like a thief in the night, the explosion stole the future of Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Dionne Wesley and Carole Rosamond Robertson. They would not give their musical rendition later that day at the 11 am church service. There would be no 11 am church service.

Carol would not be given the chance to graduate from fifth grade to sixth grade. She would not be given the opportunity to eventually attend junior high with Addie Mae, Cynthis and Carole.

Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole would not have the opportunity to attend their high school prom. To join with others in celebration upon their graduation from high school.

Years later, they would not have the opportunity to recollect exactly where they were when they learned that John F. Kennedy, the President of the US had been assassinated. Where they were and what they were doing when the news came over the radio and television that Malcolm X had been killed. That the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had been murder.

To reminisce where they were when they learned that Robert Kennedy had been shot. What they were doing when the planes went into the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11.

Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole would not get the chance to listen and dance to the Four Tops’ “Reach Out I’ll Be There”, “Baby I Need Your Loving”, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)”, “Still Waters Run Deep” and “It’s the Same Old Song”.

They would not get to hear the Temptations’ “Beauty is Only Skin Deep”, “My Girl” and “Ain’t too Proud to Beg”.

They would miss out on the opportunity to hear the Supremes sing “Where Did Our Love Go”, “Stop! in the Name of Love”, and “Love is Like an Itching in My Heart”. They would not get to hear Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell duet “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “If This World Were Mine.”

Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole would not get the chance to watch The Beverly Hillbillies, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, and The Flip Wilson Show.

They would be denied the opportunity to experience the anticipation, excitement and joy of opening college acceptance letters. Of attending college and graduating.

Denied the opportunity after graduation to embark on careers. Perhaps becoming teachers, college professors, lawyers, doctors, nurses, scientists, business owners, council members, state legislators, mayors and members of Congress. Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole would not be given that opportunity.

Carol was a friend and classmate of Condoleezza Rice. Condoleezza Rice went on to become the first female Black US Secretary of State and the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor.

Perhaps, Carol would have become an aide to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Then again, maybe Condoleezza Rice might have been an aide to Secretary of State Carol Denise McNair.

Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole were not given the opportunity to be bridesmaids in the weddings of family and friends. They would not be given the chance to date and marry becoming brides themselves.

They would not be given a chance to experience the wonder, magic and joy of motherhood. They would not have the opportunity to see their children attend kindergarten, graduate high school, college and have successful careers of their own.

To see their children have children making them grandmothers. Their children’s children make them great grandmothers.

Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole would not be there to take care of elderly parents and family. They would not be there to assist their grandparents and eventually their parents take their final breaths prior to transitioning to sit at the foot of Jesus.

They would not be there to celebrate the joy and comfort the sadness of other family members and friends during good times and tough times. Friends that they may have known from childhood, college or career. Carol, Addie Mae, Cynthia and Carole would be denied all of that.

They would be denied being able to see Roots, Soul Train, Amen, 227, Laverne & Shirley, Love Boat, The Cosby Show, Dallas, Dynasty, Good Times, Hills Street Blues, Sanford and Son and The Jefferson. They would not get to see Martin, Law and Order, ER, In Living Color, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, 60 Minutes, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Donnie Simpson’s Video Soul, Bobby Jones Gospel, BET Gospel and West Wing.

They would not get to watch The Wire, Sex in the City, Suits, House of Cards, Power, Game of Thrones, Greenleaf, Sistas and Queen Sugar. They would be denied the opportunity to see Shameless, Red Shoe Diaries, The Handmaid’s Tale, Harlem, Being Mary Jane, And Just LIke That, Godfather of Harlem, Bel Air and Run The World.

They would not hear Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”, Luther Vandross with the group Change singing “The Glow of Love”, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, Patti LaBell, Michael and Janet Jackson, The Jackson Five, Sounds of Blackness, Beyonce and so much more, so much more.

They would not get a chance to experience the profound joy of seeing President-elect Barack Obama raise his hand and take the oath of office becoming the first Black President of the US.

To see Kamala Harris become the first Black and woman to become Vice President of the US. Of seeing Venus, Serena and Coco. Joining with family and friends doing the Boogaloo, Robot, Worm, Cabbage Patch, Running Man, Harlem Shake and Electric Slide.

The opportunity to see and experience all of that and so much more was stolen from Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Dionne Wesley and Carole Rosamond Robertson.

The explosion that stole the future of Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Dionne Wesley and Carole Rosamond Robertson was the result of no less than 15 sticks of dynamite being placed beneath the stairs of one of the 16th Street Baptist Church’s entrances. Immediately, church members and others knew exactly what had happened.

The terrorist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church was the third bombing in 11 days in Birmingham after a federal court order mandated the desegregation of Alabama’s school system.

The church had been targeted because many of the civil rights protest marches that took place in the 1960s began at the steps of that church. It had long been a significant religious center for the city’s Black population and a routine meeting place for civil rights activities.

The horrific church bombing was viewed by many in the US and throughout the world as not just an attack on Black people but the very body of Jesus itself. Roughly 2000 years earlier while Jesus was on the cross a Roman soldier took a spear and thrusted it into the body of Jesus.

Now roughly two thousand years later no less than 15 sticks of dynamite had been used to once again attack the body of Jesus.

But why are we recalling this incident which happened so very long ago? Isn’t it time to move forward to stop looking back at the past. Isn’t it time to turn the page?

Are we too busy looking behind us that we are unable to see and enjoy today and tomorrow? Can we just forget about the past?

The answer is an explicit and emphatic “No!” Yesterday is so very much who and what we are today. The past is today and today is so much the past.

In so many ways we never left the past. The same attitudes and forces of bigotry, discrimination, intolerance, racism, hate and evil never vanished. They remain just as alive, just as ugly and vicious as that fateful September 15th Sunday morning.

Those who have such attitudes might not march around as cowards hiding behind and covering their heads and faces with soiled white sheets. Instead like cowards they hid behind keyboards and keypads emitting their insanity, ignorance, racism and evilness.

Just as sadly and unfortunately, there remain so many people in the US who are unable or just refuse to see in the faces of Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson their child, their grandchild or great grandchild. Their inability and/or refusal makes them just as indirectly compliant today as so many others had been on that September 15th Sunday morning that they might as well had planted the dynamite under the stairs of the church themselves.

It is important for Black people to remember their history and teach their children and their children’s children their history. That the history is passed down from one generation to the next.

Such an act is not about seeking revenge or retribution. It is not about the continuation of hate, inhumanity and evil. But it is about making sure that such inhumanity and evil never ever happens again to them or anyone else.

If Carol Denise McNair who was born on November 17th had lived she would have been 73.

Addie Mae Collins who was born April 18th, Cynthia Dionne Wesley who was born April 30th and Carole Rosamond Robertson who was born April 24th would be 77.

Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Rosamond Robertson lived. Their lives, like all lives, were sacred. They were like all children, regardless of race, gender, country of birth, religion, creed, languages they speak, children of God.

To that end, we remember and will not forget Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Rosamond Robertson.

Staff Writer; Al Alatunji

Question or comment regarding this article? Feel free to send a message to: Alatunji@ThyBlackMan.com.