Friday, September 04, 2026
Early September 2026 News.
We haven't forgotten about Cuba. Cuba has a humanitarian crisis in part because of U.S. sanctions and embargoes. Some of its leaders are using measures to open the country to the "free market." In Cuba, many people make withdrawals before cash reserves run out. Elderly people are trying to get food to stop hunger. Mothers and kids beg for pesos in rich areas. Crime is on the rise, along with domestic violence, drug abuse, and corruption. Transportation and public services have halted. There are days-long water shortages and massive blackouts. There are fuel and electricity shortages. Cuba has been harmed by recent Trump and Rubio's military petroleum blockade. Only 2 oil tankers came to Cuba in 2026. Cuba has been a nation filled with periods of economic prosperity and economic recession. Fidel Castro was right to oppose imperialism and capitalistic exploitation (as we know that Batista was a dictator who was funded by Western corporate interests and the Mafia), but he made the error of promoting anti-civil liberty measures at times. We don't need imperialism or the status quo. We need Cuba to be given the opportunities to have its own political, economic, and social independence. Cuba has the right to its sovereignty without the embargo and without U.S. aggression. Many hotels and industries stopped investing in Cuba to avoid Trump's criticism. Cuba is fighting for its survival. Either Cuba will be a puppet state of Trump and Rubio or an independent progressive nation.
Recently, Gloria Steinem passed away at the age of 92 years on September 2, 2026. She was one of the most prominent journalists and social activists of the 20th and 21st centuries. She helped to be one of the major leaders of second-wave feminism. Back before 1970, tons of women couldn't have a bank account without a husband's or father's permission. Back in the day, all women couldn't vote until the 1920s. Back then, many women were readily fired from certain jobs because of their sex. This was real and horrendous at the same time. Gloria Steinem worked hard to promote women's equality and women's liberation. We have made progress in laws and awareness to combat misogyny and discrimination against women. Yet, we have a long way to go when women's rights are being massively stripped, especially since 2016. She was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founder of Ms. Magazine. She co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus and the Take Our Daughters to Work Day in order to allow young girls to learn about various future career opportunities. She, in my opinion, was wrong to work in a CIA-backed group of the Independent Research Service. She called the CIA liberal, nonviolent, and honorable. You can Google the CIA's real history in Operation Phoenix, Operation Mockingbird, and other wicked actions to witness that the CIA is not progressive, far from nonviolent, and many of their members were dishonorable. Nevertheless, Gloria Steinem, despite her imperfections, was a strong advocate for the rights of all women and sought equality among men, women, and the rest of the human family. At the very end of her life, Gloria Steinem fought against the racist, sexist, xenophobic, and imperialistic movement of MAGA. So, we remember Gloria Steinem's life and legacy as a continued call to make sure that women have all of the opportunities, equality, and liberty in the world to fulfill their aspirations and dreams on their own terms. I send my condolences to Gloria Steinem's friends and family.
One major lesson in life is to always embrace your human compassion. Many of us may not notice this, but tons of people in this world see us and realize what we do. That compassion is related to the Golden Rule, which is about treating people how you want to be treated (which is dignity and respect). Believing in altruism, treating your neighbors right, and standing up for justice refutes the old prejudices of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bigotry that have plagued us human beings for millennia. You can't have altruism without moral principles. It is true that all of humanity is created equal and has unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (as found in the Declaration of Independence). Now, the person who wrote the Declaration of Independence didn't live up to the precept that he wrote, but we should live up to the ideals of equality and freedom for all people, though. Human beings, with our own intellectual ingenuity, have every right to responsibly improve our society, to develop legitimate inventions to help people, and to improve the environment. God gave us the right to help humanity in their material needs while rejecting excessive materialism, imperialism, and selfish individualism. The role of government has always been to be empowered by the people to regulate the economy, promote industry, grow infrastructure, and defend justice. That is precisely why we need a strong social safety net, voter rights protections, health care meant for all, an end to police brutality, and making sure that people are allowed to live out their dreams filled with joy and happiness. Also, life is both social and individual. We encounter humor, joy, pain, anger, and the wide spectrum of human emotions. Yet, we need to be better and do better since physical life is very temporary, but our legacies will last for all eternity.
Now, James Talarico and Paxton are even in the Texas Senate race. Many years back, this was unthinkable in Texas. Now, we have this reality: because Paxton has so many scandals and hypocritical views, Talarico could win the Senate race. The bad news is that the key Texas county of Tarrant has voted to cut polling sites. This action will make it so much harder for human beings to vote. During our primaries of 2026, we see more voters embrace anti-establishment populism. It has nothing to do with age, but people just want power back to the people instead of mostly given to the oligarchy. For example, Massachusetts Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate resulted in 80-year-old incumbent Ed Markey defeating the 47-year-old Congressman Seth Moulton. The establishment is filled with radical centrists who desire the status quo. The problem is that the status quo is not working as we have an affordability crisis, an illegal Iranian war, data centers growing in America (with environmental issues that come along with their construction), we have high oil prices, and voter suppression laws (when Texans protest the vote to eliminate nearly 100 polling sites in Tarrant County, Texas). We have a massive inequality of wealth, income, and power never seen since the Gilded Age of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Therefore, we have to be for freedom, and that means we want racial justice, economic justice, and justice for all in general.
Evil consumes the Trump administration. During this week, Trump approved disaster relief requests for seven red states (I have no problem with this), but he repeatedly delayed and denied aid to blue states (which is wrong and evil). No other President in American history has politicized natural disasters the way that Trump has done. The reason is that no state that experiences a natural disaster ought to be denied legitimate aid because of the state's voting patterns. Natural disasters don't discriminate based upon political ideology, so all people (irrespective of a person's political beliefs) should have natural disaster assistance. Trump has fired hundreds of people from the NOAA, and these people work hard to warn people about hurricanes, tornadoes, and other dangerous weather occurrences. Trump cut so many employees from NOAA, that the agenda is desperately scrambling to try to hire some of them back. These cuts have led to few weather ballons to help meteorologists to track storms. Trump has gutted responses after disasters happen. Trump and DOGE gutted 20 percent of FEMA. When floods hit Texas in 2025, FEMA"s new contract review policies delayed rescue efforts by 72 hours plus left thousands of emergency calls unanswered. Trump has readily denied disaster funding from blue state which is sick. FEMA ended a grant program that spent billions to protect people from disasters. The government ought to help Americans and be there for us, but Trump believes in radical laissez faire capitalism that desires large corporations, not the people, to have the majority of the power in America.
By Timothy
Thursday, September 03, 2026
Wednesday, September 02, 2026
Updates in the World.
Monday, August 31, 2026
Additional Information about Our Lives.
Beyonce's Lemonade changed her career forever. The album not only was her magnum opus, but it was an album that solidified Beyonce as beyond a superstar, but an international icon of music. She is an icon. It has been 10 years since Lemonade has been released, and people are still talking about its complex meanings to this day. The album explored the black women experience in the United States of America. It dealt with adultery or martial betrayal, healing, and other themes structured as a song cycle based on the Kubler-Ross model. It was a surprise album being released on April 23, 2016, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. The album was recorded in many studies in Los Angeles, New York City, and Burbank. The album had elements of R&B, hip hop, rock, country, art pop, etc. There were many producers from Kevin Garrett, Diana, Jonathan Coffer, etc. The album had many singles like Formation, Sorry, Hold up, Freedom, and All Night. Lemonade wasn't just made up of one genre. It was an eclectic, genre-blending album with avant-garde and art pop elements. It also had funk, gospel, reggae, blues, jazz, and soul music. It had many musicians like Jack White, the Weeknd, James Blake, and Kendrick Lamar. When it was released, it immediately had platinum certifications in many countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. The Lemonade was the world's best-selling album of the year. Five singles supported the album. There was the Formation World Tour, the first all-stadium tour by a woman artist. Critics immediately called the album a classic. The BBC called Lemonade the greatest album of the 2010s decade by publications like the Association Press. It topped Rolling Stone's Greatest Albums of the 21st century list. Lemonade won many Grammys like Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best Music Video the 59th Grammy Awards. It won a Peabody Award in Entertainment at the 76th Annual Peabody Awards and received four nominations at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards. Lemonade has been a subject of analysis in academic journals, college courses, books, and museum exhibitions.
Lemonade came after Beyonce's fifth eponymously album called Beyonce which came about in 2013. On February 6, 2016, Beyonce released the song Formation to promote opposition to police brutality and standing up of black liberation. The song had trap and bounce elements in it as Beyonce is a Southern black woman. The song was performed at Super Bowl 50 halftime show in celebrate of the 60th year anniversary of the Black Panthers. She wanted to promote healing and transformation in her music. The themes in Lemonade include concepts like Intuition, Denial, Anger, Apathy, Emptiness, Accountability, Reformation, Forgiveness, Resurrection, Hope, and Redemption. The Formation music video was directed by Melina Matsoukas. Melina talked about Lemonade and Beyonce in these terms, "She wanted to show the historical impact of slavery on black love, what it has done to the black family, and black men and women - how we're almost socialized not to be together." Beyonce wanted her family history of generational hurt to make solutions and knowing that our history makes us both bruised and beautiful. Beyonce linked his father's adultery to Jay Z's adultery. Beyonce quote Jay Z's grandmother Hattie White saying that, "I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade." She praised her grandmother, Agnez Dereon too. Her album deals with black feminism and the evil of misogynoir and racism in society. She links African ancestry to our black American experience. In the Lemonade video, she wears a tignon. This is in reference to the Louisiana's tignon laws. They were created in 1786 that limited African American women's dress in order to maintain the state's racist social hierarchies. Elements of Yoruba orisha religion, Creole culture, and Santeria religion is found in album. You know me, so I don't agree with paganism at all. Yet, Lemonade remains one of the greatest albums of the 21st century.
One of the most important news of our time is the trade war between America and Canada. This war started by Trump refusing to go along with a proposed deal with Canada. Since that time, the trade war has only itensified among both nations. Trump ammounced U.S. tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, and auto parts. This was imposed last year in overt vioaltion of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will be doubled from 25 to 50 percent on January 1, 2027. Steel, already tariffed at 50 percent, will be included in the order. This came after Washington imposed 50 percent tariffs on more than $20 billion in other Canadian goods. Trump claims that Canada is ripping off the United States of America for year. Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney responded to Trump by saying that Canada is at war. On Tuesday, his Liberal government finalized retaliatory tariffs on almost $20 billion in U.S. goods, at rages 15, 25, and 50 percent, matching Washington's dollar for dollar, rate to rate, to be established by September 6. The global overall trade war that Trump has created since returning to the White House in 2025 has harmed our economic system. Trump desires control of the world's markets, monopolize markets and resources, and we witness a violent redivision of the globe. Trump has outright desired to make Canada the 51st state of America. Trump and the MAGA movement believes that U.S. dominance must extent all over. Trump has plans in trying to seize Greenland and the Panama Canal too. He has already promoted the January 2026 invasion of Venezuela, the abduction of its president, Nicholas Madura. Trump has tried to intimidate Mexico and desires to make Cuba a puppet Western state. Now, we have the war in Ukraine, genocide in Gaza, and the war in Iran all at the same time. Zelensky is not perfect, but certain tank movements omit that Russia illegally invaded Ukraine and used war crimes against the Ukrainian people. Trump promoted the new tariff by invoking Section 338 of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which caused protectionist trade blocs that influenced the origin of WWII. Both American and Canadian workers suffer by these tariffs as a tariff is a tax on imports passed on to consumers in a higher price. The tariffs on plywood, cement, dairy, clothing, appliances, etc. will cause more Americans to pay more for housing, groceries, and utility bills. Canadian workers will suffer for issues too. We need the unity of workers globally, regardless of nationality and a sense of purpose to resolve tariff issues progressively.
In our generation, there are a new generation of sellouts who are overt in not only making anti-black statements, but they are agreeing with Trump on nearly every issue, no matter who repugnant it is. For example, there is a far right MAGA commentator named Officer Tatum who has a known history (similar to Tommy Sotomayr) in degrading black women by insulting their hair and appearance. That is wrong as misogynoir is evil, and no woman should be degraded regardless of their color. Attacking black women is nothing more than agent behavior, and we, as black people, have every God given right to defend the dignity and humanity of black women. Without black women, no human on Earth would exist. Also, this Brandon Tatum made disrespectful comments about Michelle Obama. These haters must have forgotten that we, as black people, will stand up for ourselves and for the dignity of black women including the rest of the black community. This Tatum person degrades black women to elevate white women in a false sense of superiority. This is not preference, but it is total self hatred expressed by Tatum. When Tatum was asked if he agrees with black people being better off during slavery, Tatum agreed with view. Tatum has total self-loathing 100 percent. There is no other way around it. The reality is that we have sociological studies and other studies documenting the brutal realities of racism, colorism, misogynoir, sexism, imperialism, and other forms of oppression harming people globally. He has appeared in Turning Point events and other conservative functions. Tatum lied and said that there is no picture of Nolan hanging out with black people when photos exist of Nolan with many black people. The MAGA cult is not only anti-Christian but anti-God. MAGA wants massive cuts to the social safety net, the ending of birthright citizenship, xenophobia, the restriction of even mail-in voting, and glorifies destructive imperialism including unjust wars like in Iran. That is not what Jesus Christ taught or condoned at all period.
It is no secret that MAGA is filled with racism. Laura Loomer is one of the most racist members of the MAGA movement. Angie Nixon just said that Laura ate dog food on camera which is true. Loomer made a racist remark about Angie Nixon calling her a ghetto b word and mocked Ebonics. Loomer is ignorant and silly for many reasons. First, ghetto refers to a location, but it shouldn't be used to mock working class black people or any person. Second, Angie Nixon did nothing wrong, and she stated a fact. Third, no black woman should be called the b word, and Loomer's misogynoir is typical of many MAGA followers who are jealous of qualified, educated, and powerful black women. Tons of black women that I know in real life are filled with great character, and we have to call out anyone who makes racist and sexist remarks about black women. That is our job. Angie Nixon is running her political race, and she should be judged solely on her political views, not her color or sex. When you have even Marjorie Taylor Greene condemning Loomer's racist remarks months ago, you know that Loomer is a sick, lying, Trump follower who has no true integrity. Angie Nixon is a black woman who is running a historic progressive campaign, and we wish her the best in her endeavors.
There is more information about my late great-grandaunt Ethel Lee Edmunds (1909-1983) that I didn't know about. I found out that she was a Deaconess of a church. A newspaper recorded her obituary. She lived in Irvington, New Jersey. She and her husband had many children who are Mary Clark (1935-2015), Ethel Fairwell (1943-2012), Hattie Mae Harris (1927-2013), Naomi Esther Harris (1937-2002), Ella Harris, Clarence Edward Harris (1932-1984), Joseph Henry Harris (1933-1998), Harvery Harris Jr. (1938-1999), Roosevelt Harris (1940-2002), Columbus Harris (1944-2014), James Lee E., and Alfred Harris (b. 1956). During the time of her passing on October 22, 1983. She had nine great-grandchildren, seven sisters, four brothers, and other relatives and friends. The funeral service took place on October 26, 1983 at 1 pm. in Pilgrim Baptist Church at 34 Hudson Street, in Newark, New Jersey. The interment took place at Graceland Memorial Park. The parents of Ethel Lee Edmunds were Adam D. (b. 1862) and Mary Eliza Edmunds (b. 1873). The parents of Adam D. were Alfred D. (b. 1828) and Jennie D. (1820-1919). The parents of Alfred D. were my 4th great-grandparents of James D. and Edney D.
There is another distant cousin who passed away on March 14, 2021, in Baltimore, Maryland named Michael Darnell Fuller Sr. He was born on July 16, 1969. His parents were the late Jacquelin D. and David Fuller. He was loved by his grandparents the late Joseph D. Sr. and Shirlen D. Michael attended Baltimore City Public Schools. He was introduced to Jesus Christ at Ames Memorial Baptist Church and participated in their Sunday Bible school and their summer vacation Bible school. He loved his wife and his children. He worshipped God, watched the news, watched football games, went fishing, and did crossword puzzles. He moved into North Carolina and was in many jobs. He worked at Swift Transportation and Epps Trucking Company until he started to have health issues with his back. Michael Darnell Fuller Sr.'s wife is Lisa Betts (b. January 31, 1973). His son is Michael Fuller Jr.; father, David Fuller (Felicia); six stepchildren, Latrice Brown, Kennard and Kennianiah Honeyblue, Shelton, Asia, Allison, and Franchesta Davis; six grandchildren, Chris; King; Jaylen, Dominique Jr., Dominique 3rd and Armani; four brothers, Marcus D. (Laura), Charles Williams (Lynette), Darius Fuller, Brandon Stuart; three sisters, Taylor, Asia, and Tiffany Fuller; one sister-in-law, Maxine Betts; two brothers-in-law, Darryl and David Betts; four aunts, Minnie Hopkins, Shirley Brayboy, Bettie Robinson and Barbara Fuller; one uncle, Clifton D.; four cousins/sisters, Lisa Muse, Veronica D., Karen Hopkins and Chandra Spencer; and a host of other family and friends. My 2nd cousin Michael Fuller Sr.'s parents were Jacquelin D. and David Fuller. The parents of Jacquelin D. were Joseph D. (1922-2001) and Sherline Johnson (1925-2012). The parents of Joseph D. were my 2nd great grandfather Adam D. and Nancy Reynolds (1888-1892).
I found out recently that I have a distant 5th cousin named Derreck Anthony Darden (who was in the U.S. military), and he was born in February 25, 1985 at Franklin, Virginia. He is married to Brittainy Chanel Jones. Derreck Anthony Darden is a descendant of my 5th great-granduncle John Burwell Williams (b. 1815). The parents of Derreck Anthony Darden were Larry Darnell Darden (b. 1959) and Ruby Rhea Westbrook (b. 1961). The parents of Larry Darnell Darden were John Henry Darden (1917-1984) and Frances Otelia Worrell (1928-2020). The parents of my 3rd cousin Frances Otelia Worrell were James Harrison Freeman (b. 1904) and Hattie Warrell (1903-1942). The parents of Hattie Worrell were Ridley Worrell (b. 1874) and Lucy Alice Williams (1875-1964). The parents of my 1st cousin Lucy Alice Williams were John Burwell Williams (b. 1815) and Mary Williams (b. 1832). The parents of John Burwell Williams were my 6th-great-grandparents, Burwell Williams and Winifred Woodson-Bozeman (b. 1791).
By Timothy