While President Trump himself was not a fan of FEMA and campaigned on getting rid of the agency, it was Kristi Noem who sent FEMA into dormancy. She would not sign releases of emergency funds that frustrated Democrats and Republicans alike. It was the threats by Republican congressmen and Senators that really brought this to light as it not just being another dysfunctional relationship between the country’s two major parties. Real disasters in the areas these elected officials left their constituents looking at them for answers and they pressed Trump for a resolution.
Browsing: Against the Grain II
Those moments are irreplaceable. Character-building. Life-shaping. I don’t resent today’s athletes or today’s system. It’s simply different—remarkably different. And while today’s players are benefiting financially in ways we never could, it comes at the cost of something that lasts far longer than any NIL deal.
I want to be clear: I celebrate FAMU Volleyball’s dominance since joining the SWAC. Winning four championships in five years is extraordinary. I am thrilled the conference selected FAMU to host the tournament, and it was truly inspiring to watch our team raise the trophy inside the Lawson Center.
The way the NBA is going with a heavy concentration on three-point shots, probably the last great guard-big man duo in professional basketball might be Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant. Shaq and Kobe combined for three consecutive NBA championships from 2000-2002. Both are regarded as two of the Top 50 players ever in the NBA. By most accounts they would both land in the top 20 players of all time.
The narrative of the absence of Black fathers has been overblown. It has been perpetuated over the decades even with statistics to show the contrary. Since 1976, more resident fathers were in Black households in 2023 than any year in between. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, “children who grow up with their dads are more likely to thrive physically, emotionally, and socially than are children who grow up without their dads.”
He was one of only a handful of entertainers to attain the elusive “EGOT.” He won an Emmy, Grammy, Tony, Oscar and Tony award. This is a symbol of a total entertainer that only a select few have been able to attain.
The passing of longtime FAMU administrator and supporter Eddie Jackson was met with massive disappointment. His passing confirmed that he was one of the most popular figures in the Rattler community, though he never fought for popularity. He was a leader in the Rattler nation though he would shy aware from awards and notoriety. He was that old school Rattler who believed that he should do whatever necessary to support FAMU because the school was the reason for his success in life and it was his responsibility to give back.
Over the years, the fight for Black representation has been a real struggle. It’s hard to convince industries, politicians, or even common folk that seeing someone that represents your category, whatever it might be, is critical in the psyche of providing a sense of belonging. For those who have never had to look for representation, it often doesn’t even register as important. The entitled would often rationalize that you can look to others for inspiration without it totally aligning with who you are.
The Democratic Party, on the other hand, is asleep at the wheel. When something goes wrong, they are purely reactionary and not very effective. More importantly, when things are going well like most economic indicators in the United States, which signals effective leading of the country by President Biden, they are not good at promoting it. It is allowed to be disseminated through normal media channels with no sense of urgency to the point where the average busy American will never see it.
Why Dr. J is still my all-time favorite athlete