Author: Carma Henry

       Donald Trump’s promise to send American adults a $5,000 “Trump Dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress deserves more than ridicule from Democrats.

     When the United States military sets out to demonstrate its power, the language in Washington is often clinical and reassuring. Precision strikes and restored deterrence sound manageable. The bills tell a less comforting story. In a Sept. 15 assessment, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the war against Iran had cost the Pentagon about $38 billion through Aug. 1. Americans deserve to know what that enormous commitment is buying beyond the capacity to keep fighting.

     Yet inequalities persisted. Economic gaps remained between men and women and between white and Black Americans, while unequal access to personal liberties continued. Institutional segregation endured as well, reinforced by disparities in local school funding. Bias against LGBTQ Americans added another dimension to the unfinished struggle for equality.

     (Now the Full Satire Alert): In a move sending shockwaves through the Republican party, a top‑secret document recovered from a White House shredder reveals plans to rename the GOP the Trumpublican Party any day now. Plans call for a name‑change celebration on Hallowe’en, timed so the president can hand out gold‑foil chocolate coins bearing his profile to trick‑or-treaters on the South Lawn.

     After spending millions of dollars redecorating the White House and transforming D.C. monuments, President Trump approved, on September 15, 2026, an additional 2.8 billion dollar sale of heavy bombs to Israel, including 40,000 one-ton bombs, 20,000 of the 2,000 lb. bombs, and 20,000 bunker-busting penetrator warheads. Israel has used these bombs to destroy homes, families and crucial infrastructure in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

Nunnie on the Sideline

       Converse, a subsidiary of Nike, produced, promoted, and released a controversial ad that, for many, had racial implications. Just for context, our high school basketball team wore Converse tennis shoes in the mid-sixties. In the ad, the black shoes, occupied by dark legs, appear to be suspended or hanging next to a Klan-like hood with foreboding cutout dark eyes (not visble in above photo), reminiscent of a KKK hood, meant to invoke fear, intimidation, and violence by hanging. Closer scrutiny depicts the hooded caricature with Caucasian legs. The implications are startling, shocking, and provocative.

The “Rooted in Community” celebration will honor five South Florida leaders and support efforts to preserve African American history and culture, and to expand access to knowledge.

       Our History Cannot Be Taken for Granted. Across generations, Black communities have worked to ensure that our contributions are documented, our voices are heard, and our experiences are recognized as essential to the American story. That work endures.

Civil-rights leaders, community advocates, young people, and supporters from across Florida gathered to celebrate Dr. Adora Obi Nweze for 25 years of historic leadership as president of the NAACP Florida State Conference.