Early December 2025 News.

 

There is a story of a college student being deported before her Holiday flight home. She is entitled to her day of court. Her name is Any Lucia Lopez Belloza. She is a 19 year old freshman at Babson College. She was arrested by federal immigration officials moments before getting on her flight on November 20, 2025. Then, she was sent to Texas and then to Honduras. This is the country where she was born, but she had not seen since she was 7 years old. She was deported even after a federal judge issued an order barring the government from removing her from America or transferring her outside of Massachusetts, according to her attorney and federal court documents. Trump defying legal court orders is commonplace, and Kristi Noem should feel shame for condoning defiance of the law. These MAGA hypocrites lecture people on rule of the law, but they want to violate laws that oppose their agenda (like the issue in Indiana when Trump wants to change the state's Congressional representation by fiat, but many people in Indiana oppose that abhorrent scheme). DHS claimed that Lopez Belloza stayed in America after being ordered to leave in 2015. The problem with that argument is that Lopez Belloza was never shown a warrant and there is no conclusive evidence that a removal order to her was given to her. She was placed in chains around her ankles and handcuffs. This is excessive and fascist behavior. The DHS claims that she had due process but Trump has a history of promoting no due process to people in the Caribbean by condoning murder in the Caribbean against people in boats.

We have sick people who are Trump and Hegseth. Hegseth used social media to glorify a picture of a ship being destroyed. The lie is that Trump never allowed ICE to arrest U.S. citizens. They have before. A federal agent has pepper-sprayed kids, an ICE agent assaulted a clergyman before, and ICE has been found slamming girl's faces into the ground, beating women, and punching the elderly. This is barbaric behavior that outlines the inhumane policies of the Trump administration. Trump wants executive power to expand his authoritarian rule. The Supreme Court made the mistake of ruling that Trump has immunity in almost everything that he does. Extremists like Steve Bannon, The Claremont Institute, and other organizations represent the ideological influences on Trump to carry out his attacks on our democracy. The racism in the GOP is not a myth. We know about the recent Politico article exposing how many Young Republican leaders promote racism, Nazism, and other forms of bigotry. Therefore, we can't be deceived during this generation. The MAGA movement is the biggest deception in the 21st century and one of the biggest deceptions in all of human history.

It is important to recognize that the mass deportation agenda, the assault of protestors from many ICE members, the mass detention centers, the violation of due process in murdering people in the Caribbean, the arrest of even pregnant women, and other atrocities now in 2025 is not new. Decades ago, the U.S. government locked up innocent Japanese American citizens during World War II unjustly. FDR supported this injustice. I agree with FDR on many economic issues, but his support of the internment of Japanese Americans was one of his greatest mistakes during his Presidency. It was so egregious and immoral, that America paid Japanese American reparations for illegally using racial profiling to send them into internment camps involuntarily. Now, we face another crisis of democracy when MAGA people want a unitary executive leader, desire to crush the social safety net, and want to eliminate the progressive gains that we fought for during the midst of decades in America. Just like back then, we have to fight fascism and tyranny via peaceful and constructive means.

50 Cent and director Alex Stapleton has promoted the series Sean Combs: The Reckoning on December 2, 2025. It shows tons of witnesses and former Diddy allies that describes his life and his corruption. Two things are true. One true thing is that 50 Cent is a rival of Sean Combs and has hatred of him for many reasons (like 50 Cent accusing Combs of reneging on a deal with Mase, Diddy asking 50 Cent to take him shopping, and Diddy dating Daphne Joy for a time). So, 50 Cent (the irony is that Shaniqua Tompkins and Daphne Joy both have accused 50 Cent of domestic violence. 50 Cent has a known history of threatening people, trolling people, using violence against people, being a sexist, etc.) has a certain motive behind producing the documentary. The other thing that is true is that Diddy has a long history of abusing people, using domestic violence against women, having cursed out innocent people, and done other wickedness for over three decades now. Many people accuse Diddy of overt sexual assault. Therefore, we should not whitewash the evils that Sean Combs has done for decades. The documentary is divided into four parts showing information about Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. too. The documentary didn't lie about Combs' evil actions as it has video evidence, interviews, and rare archival footage of Combs. Sean Combs' legal team may sue Netflix, because the legal team alleges that some of the footage used in the documentary as being private and not to be released in public. Netflix responded that the footage is legally acquired. Sean Combs' actions are not representative of all people in hip hop culture. Sean Combs' deeds should remind us that we should always treat people with dignity and respect. No one should be abused, disrespected, or mistreated period. That lesson must always be reiterated.

Trump claims to oppose drug trafficking but wants to pardon a drug trafficker. Also, at least 11 Indiana Republicans are facing threats to refuse to follow Trump's redistricting plans. This has been reported by NBC News. This comes after Trump used a slur that disrespects people with intellectual disabilities. Trump has used that slur for years, and Trump is a wicked person for saying that word. This refutes the views from many Evangelical and Christian Nationalist supporters in claiming that Trump is some holy role model for humanity (when he isn't).  Indiana state Senators refuse to cave to Trump's demands. Many of these Indiana Republicans have faced illegal swatting and other threats for doing the right thing. Trump is silent on this news, because Trump is concerned with expanding his political power. Trump knows that his political views are unpopular, so he is trying to cheat (via supporting bans of mail in ballots, his support of voter suppression rules, and him supporting mid-decade redistricting schemes) in trying to gain more political power. Most Americans want living wages, affordable housing, universal health care, a clean environment, protection of Social Security and Medicare, and no imperialism (which are progressive values and principles). People reject mid-decade redistricting.

By Timothy

Historical Updates.

Tupac Shakur's solo career existed with the release of his debut solo album called 2Pacalypse Now (alluding to the 1979 film of Apocalypse Now). It was released in November 1991. This album was different than his Digital Underground works. This album talked about important social issues in America (that are still relevant now) like racism, police brutality, poverty, gang violence, teenage pregnancy, and drug abuse. The album was controversial to some people, and many people (especially those who were far right and those who hate hip hop music) hated it. There was the situation when Ronald Ray Howard murdered a Texas Highway Patrol trooper and his defense attorney claimed he was influenced by 2Pacalypse Now and its strong theme of police brutality. This is a silly argument as no album can influence a person to do murder as murder is wrong period. Also, the album never condones killing all police officers. U.S. vice president Dan Quayle criticized the album, making the statement, "There's no reason for a record like this to be released. It has no place in our society." Tupac, finding himself misunderstood. Tupac said in response to the controversy that, "I just wanted to rap about things that affected young black males. When I said that, I didn't know that I was gonna tie myself down to just take all the blunts and hits for all the young black males, to be the media's kicking post for young black males." It is also true that artists do have the responsibility to do what is right. In other words, you can't blame music for all evils in the world, but music that glorifies evil should be criticized. 

Despite controversies, 2Pacalypse Now was certified Gold, and peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The three singles were released being: "Trapped", "Brenda's Got a Baby" (No. 23 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 3 on Hot Rap Songs), and "If My Homie Calls" (No. 3 on Hot Rap Songs). Some prominent rappers—like Nas, Eminem, Game, and Talib Kweli—cite the album 2Pacalypse as an inspiration. Aside from "If My Homie Calls", the singles "Trapped" and "Brenda's Got a Baby" poetically depict individual struggles under socioeconomic disadvantage. Later, Tupac starred in his first acting role in the movie Juice. Juice was released in 1992 about young teenage black people who try to survive in the streets. A robbery gone round causes one friend in the crew to die by a mentally ill, unstable person. The crew falls apart, and the unstable person dies after a fight. Tupac plays the role of Roland Bishop who shows charisma on the screen. Rolling Stone's Peter Travers calls him "the film's most magnetic figure." Multiple actors had auditioned for the role of Roland Bishop, but none were considered right for the role. Shakur accompanied Money-B to the audition and asked producer Neal H. Moritz to read. He was given 15 minutes to rehearse before the audition and secured the role. Tupac Shakur's 2nd album was Strictly for My N_____Z. It was released in February 1993. 

A critical and commercial success, it debuted at No. 24 on the pop albums chart, the Billboard 200. An overall more hardcore album, it emphasizes Tupac's sociopolitical views and has a metallic production quality. The song "Last Wordz" features Ice Cube, co-writer of N.W.A's "F____ tha Police", who in his own solo albums had newly gone militantly political, and gangsta rapper Ice-T, who in June 1992 had sparked controversy with his band Body Count's track "Cop Killer." The album carries the single "I Get Around", a party anthem featuring Digital Underground's Shock G and Money-B, which became Shakur's breakthrough, reaching No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also carries the optimistic compassion of another hit, "Keep Ya Head Up", an anthem for women's empowerment, charting No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's fourth and final hit, "Papa'z Song", peaked at No. 87 on Billboard 200. The album was certified Platinum by April 1995, with a million copies sold. In 1993, he starred in his 2nd film with Janet Jackson in John Singleton's romance film of Poetic Justice. The film is about Justice (played by Janet Jackson) who say his boyfriend murdered. She fails to adequately cope with her loss until she meets a postal worker (played by Tupac Shakur). They don't get along at first and later love each other romantically after many adventures. Tupac played a gangster named Birdie in the 1994 basketball film of Above the Rim. 

At first, Tupac was initially selected for many films. Director Allen Hughes had cast Shakur as Sharif in the 1993 film Menace II Society but replaced him once Shakur assaulted him on set due to a discrepancy with the script. Nonetheless, in 2013, Hughes appraises that Shakur would have outshone the other actors "because he was bigger than the movie." Singleton initially cast Shakur in his 1995 film Higher Learning but was fired because the studio would not finance the film following his arrest. He also had Shakur in the lead role as mind in the 2001 film Baby Boy, a role played by Tyrese Gibson. Ultimately, after his death, the set design includes a Shakur mural in the protagonist's bedroom, and the film's score includes Shakur's song "Hail Mary." Tupac Shakur was a naturally born actor. 

In 1993, while visiting Los Angeles, the Notorious B.I.G. asked a local drug dealer to introduce him to Shakur and they quickly became friends. The pair would socialize when Shakur went to New York or B.I.G. to Los Angeles. During this period, at his own live shows, Shakur would call B.I.G. onto stage to rap with him and Stretch. Reportedly, B.I.G. asked Shakur to manage him, whereupon Shakur advised him that Sean Combs would make him a star. Yet in the meantime, Shakur's lifestyle was comparatively lavish to B.I.G. who had not yet established himself.

 

In 1993, Tupac's world would turn upside down. That was the year when Tupac Shakur and others were accused of raping a black woman named Ayanna Jackson. To the time of his death, Tupac denied the allegations. With tons of research, we all can agree that Ayanna was raped by many people who were around Tupac. The debate is whether Tupac raped the woman or not. Rape and any form of sexual assault is evil and unjustified period to be clear. What both Ayanna and Tupac agree is factually is that they both at first had consensual sexual relationships in New York City. The night of November 19, 1993, Jackson had hanging with Tupac and three other men. These three other men raped her. After the rape, Ayanna said to Tupac, "How could you do this to me? I came here to see you. I can’t believe you did this to me?'” Ayanna accused Haitian Jack and Tupac of raping her. She said that Charles Fuller never raped her. Tupac denied all allegations. He said that, "If the case is about me and this girl then we wouldn’t be here. I’m guilty of a lot of things, but I’m not guilty of rape. Just because I don’t want to be with a girl doesn’t mean they can accuse me rape. It’s a crime for that girl to turn this into a rape charge. In the report it says I was in concert, where are those guys? I don’t want to go to jail for something I didn’t do.” Haitian Jack back then was a stone-cold gangster involved in violence and robbery for years. He dated Madonna, and the Notorious B.I.G. warned Tupac that Haitian Jack had a negative reputation. Haitian Jack said that he gave money to Tupac. Tupac considered Haitian Jack a snitch and informant. By November 30, 1994, Tupac was shot five times in the Quad Studios. Tupac wanted to record a video with Lil Shawn and people with army fatigues beat and shot Tupac. We know now that one person confessed to the shooting under orders from Jimmy Henchman. This person is Dexter Isaac. The Notorious B.I.G. had nothing to do with the 1994 shooting. In 1995, Tupac accused Sean Combs, Jimmy Henchman, and the Notorious B.I.G. or having foreknowledge or being involving in the shooting. Biggie's Who Shot Ya? was made before the shooting, but it was insensitive to be released so soon after the shooting. 

Against medical advice, Shakur checked out of Metropolitan Hospital Center a few hours after surgery and secretly went to the house of the actress Jasmine Guy to recuperate. The next day, Shakur arrived at a Manhattan courthouse bandaged in a wheelchair to receive the jury's verdict for his sexual abuse case. Shakur spent the next few weeks being cared for by his mother and a private doctor at Guy's home. The Fruit of Islam and former members of the Black Panther Party stood guard to protect him.

Interviewed on The Arsenio Hall Show, Shakur said he was hurt that "a woman would accuse me of taking something from her", as he had been raised in aa women household and surrounded by women his whole life. On December 1, 1994, Shakur was acquitted of three counts of sodomy and the associated gun charges, but convicted of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse for "forcibly touching the woman's buttocks" in his hotel room. Jurors have said the lack of evidence stymied a sodomy conviction. Shakur's lawyer characterized the sentence as "out of line" with the groping conviction and the setting of bail at $3 million as "inhumane." Shakur's accuser later filed a civil suit against Shakur seeking $10 million for punitive damages which was subsequently settled. After Shakur had been convicted of sexual abuse, Jacques Agnant's case was separated and closed via misdemeanor plea without incarceration. A. J. Benza reported in New York Daily News Shakur's new disdain for Agnant who Shakur theorized had set him up with the case. 

Halle Berry went into the next level of her acting career (entering another level of superstardom) starring in the television film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge in 1999. It showed her life in honesty and power. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award with her role in the film. By the 2000s, she was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. One of her most controversial roles was the role in Monster's Ball that came in 2001. He played the character of Leticia Musgrove, the troubled wife of an executed murderer (played by Sean Combs). Many people criticized the film for having a graphic nude love scene with a racist character played by co-star Billy Bob Thorton. Many African Americans didn't agree with the part. Berry responded: "I don't really see a reason to ever go that far again. That was a unique movie. That scene was special and pivotal and needed to be there, and it would be a really special script that would require something like that again." You know what my views on that movie was. I didn't agree with certain aspects of the film. Her performance was awarded the National Board of Review and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress. She became the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. The NAACP issued the statement: "Congratulations to Halle Berry and Denzel Washington for giving us hope and making us proud. If this is a sign that Hollywood is finally ready to give opportunity and judge performance based on skill and not on skin color then it is a good thing." After Halle Berry winning the Oscar, She asked for a higher fee for Revlon advertisements. 

Ron Perelman, the cosmetics firm's chief, congratulated her, saying how happy he was that she modeled for his company. She replied, "Of course, you'll have to pay me more." Perelman stalked off in a rage. In accepting her award, she gave an acceptance speech honoring previous black actresses who had never had the opportunity. She said, "This moment is so much bigger than me. This is for every nameless, faceless woman of color who now has a chance tonight because this door has been opened." In 2002, she played the agent Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson in the 2002 film Die Another Day. Halle Berry filmed an homage to  Dr. No, emerging from the surf to be greeted by James Bond as Ursula Andress had 40 years earlier. Lindy Hemming, costume designer on Die Another Day, had insisted that Berry wear a bikini and knife as a homage. Berry has said of the scene: "It's splashy," "exciting," "sexy," "provocative" and "it will keep me still out there after winning an Oscar." According to an ITV news poll, Jinx was voted the fourth toughest girl on screen of all time. Berry was hurt during filming when debris from a smoke grenade flew into her eye. It was removed in a 30-minute operation. After Berry won the Academy Award, rewrites were commissioned to give her more screentime for X2. Halle Berry played Storm in the X-Men trilogy. 

She starred in the psychological thriller Gothika opposite Robert Downey, Jr. in November 2003. She had broken her arm while filming a scene with Downey, who twisted her arm too hard. Production was halted for eight weeks while she healed. It was a moderate hit at the United States box office, taking in $60 million; it earned another $80 million abroad. Berry appeared in the nu metal band Limp Bizkit's music video for "Behind Blue Eyes" for the motion picture soundtrack for the film. The same year, she was named No. 1 in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll. She was in the film Catwoman. The film was about her playing Catwoman with a black suit. She was awarded the Worst Actress Razzie Award for her performance; she appeared at the ceremony to accept the award in person (while holding her Oscar from Monster's Ball) with a sense of humor, considering it an experience of the "rock bottom" in order to be "at the top." Holding the Academy Award in one hand and the Razzie in the other she said, "I never in my life thought that I would be up here, winning a Razzie! It's not like I ever aspired to be here, but thank you. When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there's no way you could be a good winner."

Her next role was in the Oprah Winfrey-produced ABC television film Their Eyes Were Watching God (2005), an adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's novel of the same name. Berry portrayed a free-spirited woman whose unconventional sexual mores upset her 1920s contemporaries in a small community. She received her second Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role. Also in 2005, she served as an executive producer in Lackawanna Blues. She was the voice for the character of Cappy, one of the many mechanical beings in the animated feature Robots.

In the thriller Perfect Stranger (2007), Berry starred with Bruce Willis, playing a reporter who goes undercover to uncover the killer of her childhood friend. The film grossed a modest US$73 million worldwide, and received lukewarm reviews from critics, who felt that despite the presence of Berry and Willis, it is "too convoluted to work, and features a twist ending that's irritating and superfluous." Her next 2007 film release was the drama Things We Lost in the Fire, co-starring Benicio del Toro. She played a recently widowed woman who befriended the troubled friend of her late husband. The film was the first time in which she worked with a female director, Danish Susanne Bier, giving her a new feeling of "thinking the same way," which she appreciated. While the film made US$8.6 million in its global theatrical run, it garnered positive reviews. 'The Austin Chronicle found the film to be "an impeccably constructed and perfectly paced drama of domestic and internal volatility" and felt that "Berry is brilliant here, as good as she's ever been."

 

In April 2007, Berry was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Kodak Theatre at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard for her contributions to the film industry. By the end of the decade, she established herself as one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, earning an estimated $10 million per film. In the independent drama Frankie and Alice (2010), Berry played the leading role of a young multiracial American woman with dissociative identity disorder; she struggled against her alter personality to retain her true self. The film received a limited theatrical release, to a mixed critical response. The Hollywood Reporter described the film as "a well-wrought psychological drama that delves into the dark side of one woman's psyche" and found Berry to be "spellbinding" in it. She earned the African-American Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama. She next made part of a large ensemble cast in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy New Year's Eve (2011), with Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Biel, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sofía Vergara, among many others. In the film, she took on the supporting role of a nurse befriending a man in the final stages (De Niro). While the film was panned by critics, it made US$142 million worldwide.

 

The opening took place by 2016. President Barack Obama dedicated the museum. There were special events planned too. NMAAHC officials said that construction scaffolding around the exterior of the building should come down in April 2016, at which time some of the more dust-and-humidity resistant artifacts and displays could be installed. Installation of more delicate items would wait until the building's environmental controls had stabilized the interior humidity and removed most of the dust from the air. The museum identified 3,000 items in its collections which would form 11 initial exhibits. More than 130 video and audio installations would be installed as part of these exhibits. By January 2016, the museum received a 10-million-dollar gift from David Rubenstein, the CEO of The Carlyle Group and a Smithsonian regent. There was a 1 million donation from Wells Fargo. As of January 30, 2016, the museum still needed to raise $40 million toward its $270 million construction goal. Two unique documents, both signed by President Abraham Lincoln, would be loaned to the museum for its opening. These are commemorative copies of the 13th Amendment and the Emancipation Proclamation, of which only a limited number were printed. Few of these have survived. David Rubenstein purchased both items in 2012. Microsoft announced a 1 million donation to the museum by late March 2016. People debated whether items about the career of Bill Cosby will be in the museum as Bill Cosby has been accused of sexual assault by dozens of women.  In response to the resulting controversy, the museum added the following sentence to its description of Cosby's career: "In recent years, revelations about alleged sexual misconduct have cast a shadow over Cosby's entertainment career and severely damaged his reputation." 

Google donated $1 million (~$1.28 million in 2024) to the museum in early September 2016. The technology firm had previously worked with the NMAAHC to create a 3D interactive exhibit which allows visitors to see artifacts in a close-up, 360-degree view using their mobile phone. The 3D exhibit was created by designers and engineers from the Black Googler Network. On September 16, 2016, violinist Edward W. Hardy composed and performed Evolution - Inspired by the Evolution of Black Music for the Congressional Black Caucus at a Google sponsored event in Howard Theatre. This event was a part of the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. On September 23, 2016, The Washington Post reported that Robert F. Smith, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, had given $20 million (~$25.5 million in 2024) to the NMAAHC. The gift was second-largest in the museum's history, exceeded only by the $21 million donated by Oprah Winfrey. 

Ava DuVernay was commissioned by the museum to create a film which debuted at the museum's opening on September 24, 2016. This film, August 28: A Day in the Life of a People (2016), tells of six significant events in African-American history that happened on the same date, August 28. The 22-minute film stars Lupita Nyong'o, Don Cheadle, Regina King, David Oyelowo, Angela Bassett, Michael Ealy, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, André Holland and Glynn Turman. Events depicted include William IV's royal assent to the UK Slavery Abolition Act in 1833, the 1955 lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi, the release of Motown's first number-one song, "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvellettes, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, the landfall of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the night then-senator Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. 

On September 24, 2016, President Barack Obama formally opened the new museum along with four generations of the Bonner family, from 99-year-old Ruth Bonner to Ruth's great-granddaughter Christine. Together with the Obamas, Ruth and her family rang the Freedom Bell (rather than cut a ribbon) to officially open the museum. The bell came from the first Baptist church organized by and for African Americans, founded in 1776 in Williamsburg, Virginia, where at the time it was unlawful for black people to congregate or preach. During his speech at the museum's opening, Obama shed tears discussing his thoughts on visiting the museum with future grandchildren. The opening ceremony also included a speech by Muriel Bowser and a performance by Angélique Kidjo.

The total cost of the museum's design, construction, and installation of exhibits was $540 million ($707,495,840 in 2024 dollars). By the time the museum's founding fundraising campaign had ended, the NMAAHC had raised $386 million ($505,728,508 in 2024 dollars), 143 percent more than its goal of $270 million.

 

When did artificial intelligence begin? It started thousands of years ago with stories, myths, and a belief that artificial beings can have intelligence or consciousness by a person. People have studied logic and other concepts for a long time.  In the 17th century, Leibniz, Thomas Hobbes and René Descartes explored the possibility that all rational thought could be made as systematic as algebra or geometry. In the 18th and 19th centuries Luigi Galvani, Emil du Bois-Reymond, Hermann von Helmholtz and others demonstrated that the nerves carried electrical signals and Robert Bentley Todd correctly speculated in 1828 that the brain was an electrical network. Camillo Golgi's staining techniques enabled Santiago Ramón y Cajal to provide evidence for the neuron theory: "The truly amazing conclusion is that a collection of simple cells can lead to thought, action, and consciousness." The invention of the programmable digital computer in the 1940s changed the game. Now, a computer is a machine that can use abstract mathematical reasoning in a rapid fashion. Many scientists from that time onward wanted to create a possible electronic brain. By the 1950s, experimental cybernetic robots were created by William Grey Walter and Johns Hopkins University. AI research began at Dartmouth College in 1956 through a workshop. The workshop became leaders of AI research for decades. The federal government sent millions of dollars to promote artificial intelligence (or making machines as intelligent as human beings). This plan proved difficult. Many people wanted to stop direct funding into research into artificial intelligence by the 1970s. The Japanese government promoted this research in the 1980s. Artificial intelligence grew slowly in the 1990s and early 21st century. By 2017, the transformer architecture existed to create generative AI applications. Since the 2020s, the AI boom existed into the next level with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. Today, AI is used for public usage now.  Debates and controversies exist with AI. Many people want legitimate regulations involving artificial intelligence too.

 

By Timothy

Rochelle Jordan performs 'Doing It Too' on 'GMA' | Watch.

 Rochelle Jordan performs 'Doing It Too' on 'GMA' | Watch

New Archaeological Evidence for the Biblical Exodus.

 New Archaeological Evidence for the Biblical Exodus

An Event.

 MSN

‘This Ain’t Your Show’: Bruh Man Actor Says Martin and Cole’s Behind-the-Scenes Clash Caused Issues on Set as Fans Point to Cole’s Missing Episodes.

 ‘This Ain’t Your Show’: Bruh Man Actor Says Martin and Cole’s Behind-the-Scenes Clash Caused Issues on Set as Fans Point to Cole’s Missing Episodes

Interview with Wilma Rudolph.

 Interview with Wilma Rudolph

Podcast #74: Wilma Rudolph – The Dead Ladies Show

Oldest survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre dies at 111 | Watch

 Oldest survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre dies at 111 | Watch

Tim Walz Fires Back at Trump With Pointed Dare After President Hurls Slur in Late-Night Thanksgiving Tirade.

 Tim Walz Fires Back at Trump With Pointed Dare After President Hurls Slur in Late-Night Thanksgiving Tirade

End of the Week News.

 

To be thankful for life is very important. We were not born based on random chance. We were born from fertilization, filled with DNA that contains tons of information and chemical and electrical powers that define our literal identity as human beings. Many of us have families, talents or gifts in the world, and a sense of purpose. That is why we should advocate helping the suffering, because the Golden Rule is a paramount ideology to follow. No one should poor shame people or body-shame people in a disrespectful way. The Golden Rule is not only found in many creeds. It's just the right thing to do. I'm optimistic about the future as a Millennial, but I'm not naive about reality. Many workers suffer tons of misery, and there is a record amount of wealth retrieved by the elite from the consumers. 1 in 7 Americans in 2023 were food insecure, and that rate is 1.5 times higher for children. Massive cuts to food stamps exist now, and Trump wants all beneficiaries of food stamps to re-enroll, which could throw millions into more burdens. Food services are increasing their efforts to feed people. Prices continue to rise involving groceries and other goods and services. The rising prices are caused by many issues like monopolization, the impact of tariffs, and other policies. Ten billionaires increased their wealth by 700 billion dollars this year. Almost one million people sleep unhoused on a single night. We have 1.1 million layoffs in this year alone with A.I. stripping white- and blue-collar jobs. The ruling class wants to rule markets, centralize wealth, and control supply chains plus raw materials. We have a crisis of democracy in America too, when a tyrant and fascist wants to demonize dissent. So, we have to defend our freedoms as freedom is always sacrosanct.

We live in a new time in the quarter-century mark of the 21st century. 2050 is a quarter century away, and I will be in my 60s in 2050, Lord Willing. When the year 2000 existed, I was a teenager in high school. Today, I have lived on this Earth for almost a half of century. It is surreal for me to experience life and have been on this Earth for this period of time, but my core convictions are still the same like yesteryear. In America now, we have a crisis in our democracy with Trump having his 2nd term. Democracy has gone so down in America now, that Trump posted criticisms of Democratic Party Senators (who just want the military to not follow illegal orders) saying that they are acting in sedition and the punishment for sedition is death. These words are not words from a real Christian, not the words from a real moral person in general, and not words from a righteous person. It is the words from tyrant and fascist who doesn't respect the First Amendment or the law. Trump and his allies failed in their attempted coup d'etat on January 6, 2021, but Trump has not stopped in his attacks on freedom. Trump has allowed ICE to illegally arrest American citizens, gone out of his way to bash birthright citizenship, desire the military to occupy American cities during peacetime, and wants paper ballots to be banned nationwide. These are all facts. Trump is a stone-cold capitalist who desires profit from Wall Street and seeks to support the genocidal assault on Gaza, use military ships off the coast of Venezuela, murder people in the Caribbean without due process of law, and violate the rights of immigrants. According to Oxfam, the wealthiest 0.1 percent in America own 12.6 percent of assets and 24 percent of the stock market. Over 40 percent of the American population, including 48.9 percent of children, are poor or low-income. This is a record amount of economic inequality (as the administration's cabinet members and top appointees have a collective net worth greater than $60 billion). This is an example of an oligarchy that we oppose. Big Tech, many in Big Media, and other corporate interests are allied with Trump. AI being part of a speculative market without much regulation is dangerous. There is no solution to these problems except with revolutionary class struggle, political activism, and unity to have real liberation among humanity.

Recently, on Wednesday, a coward shot 2 National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., near the White House. After the National Guardsmen were shot, heroic Guardsmen caught the suspect. The suspect has been arrested and is in custody. This act is evil, as no human being should be shot unjustly. We all want the 1 National Guardsmen (who are in critical condition) to fully recover. The other National Guardswoman has died making the suspect a murderer. This is a tragic, shocking event. It reminds us how life is precious and how evil in the world is a reality. Tons of federal agents have worked together from the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department, the ATF, etc., to find out all of the facts from forensics to the motive of the suspect. It will take time for all of the facts to be revealed in figuring out what exactly happened on Thursday. The Police Chief, the FBI Director, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke about the shooting. This was a targeted attack on federal officials, which is a felony. The Mayor of Washington, D.C. said that the attack is a targeted attack being an ambush. The suspect is detained at a hospital. The federal government is leading the investigation. There is no doubt that digital footprints are being researched, the suspects' family and neighbors are being interviewed, and other actions are being taken to figure out what truly occurred.

We have financial issues, not because of immigrants, DEI, etc. We have this reality because big corporations and billionaires have rigged markets and siphoned off much of the economic gains in America. Massive corporate power has increased inflation. We have a food industry that is dominated by a few corporate companies with the power to keep prices high. The reason they do this is that they face little competition, and they want more power among themselves. That is why if we desire economic growth, we don't need tax cuts for the rich. We need investments for our people and tax cuts for the poor, working class, and middle class. Also, we need to invest in our communities by growing health care, building infrastructure, and investing in our education to build a strong economic base. The more consumers buy products, and the more legitimate investments are made in our infrastructure, the stronger the economy will be. People want paid sick leave, childcare, elder care, living wages, and affordable housing.

Some populists want to break up corporate monopolies, build union power, and End Citizens United, and get big money out of politics. Recently, Kamala Harris went to Fisk University in the great state of Tennessee to encourage the young people to stand for a better future for the people. She wants people to fight for our nation, because this nation of America is our nation too. Our ancestors fought in wars, build infrastructure, and raised families in spite of some of the worst mistreatment in all of human history. We have another story of the war criminal Putin wanting his agenda to be part of the deal. He called Ukraine's leadership illegitimate and wanted Ukraine to give up some of its land which is ludicrous. Now, Trump wants U.S. land action in Venezuela, which is not only illegal but immoral. Trump is completely wrong. He wants to do this under the guise of fighting drug trafficking when alternatives can be enacted to combat drug trafficking. Trump wants Maduro to leave office, so Venezuela would be run by a pro-Western puppet leader and gain the nation's oil and mineral resources too.

By Timothy

Thanksgiving 2025 Part 4.

 

 

Virginia's Gubernatorial Election

The 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election is one of the most important elections in Virginia's history. Virginia has made history in many cases, some for bad and some for good. A few decades ago in Virginia, far right reactionaries from the Byrd Organization tried to prevent black people from voting and maintain Jim Crow apartheid. Also, Virginia has been the most progressive state in the South by bringing historic policies to the state. In Virginia, we have an expansion of Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, Confederate monuments removed from public lands, Virginia had the Breonna Law to ban no knock warrants in Virginia, and being the first Southern state to ban racial hair discrimination. Still, we have a long way to go in Virginia. The Virginian gubernatorial race will make history as the winner will be the first woman Governor of the state of Virginia. The candidates are Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger. Each candidate differs on many issues, from economic to social issues. Yet, the voters did decide who will be the new Governor of the state. Also, multiple elections existed like who will be the next Virginian Attorney General, many district seats, and other political positions. The question that Abigail Spanberger must answer is whether she will be a fighting progressive or just a moderate. The question that Winsome Earle-Sears must answer is whether she will have any form of independence from the MAGA agenda ideologically or be an unconditional Trump follower. Time will tell the answers to these questions. What is true is that this election has been filled with ups and downs, including we have a new era in our world, especially in the case of high level of political polarization. Therefore, Virginia is once again in the zeitgeist of history. 

Sears

Winsome Earle-Sears is a historic human being, being the first black woman lieutenant governor in Virginia's history. She is the first black woman to hold statewide office in Virginia. She is a young Baby Boomer who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Later, she immigrated to America in 1970 when she was six years old. She grew up in the Bronx, New York City. Earle-Sears earned an associate of arts degree from Tidewater Community College, a bachelor of arts in English with a minor in economics from Old Dominion University, and a master of arts in organizational leadership from Regent University. Earle-Sears served as an electrician in the United States Marines from 1983 to 1986. Before running for public office, she directed a Salvation Army homeless shelter. Her political career has lasted for over 20 years. Back in November 2001, Earle-Sears upset 20-year Democratic incumbent Billy Robinson in the general election for the 90th district seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, becoming the first black woman Republican, first woman veteran, and first naturalized citizen to serve in the body. In 2004, during the George W. Bush presidency, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi appointed her to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. Earle-Sears also received a presidential appointment to the United States Census Bureau. 

She owned a plumbing, electrical, and home appliance business in Virginia. She was on the Virginia Board of Education with Governor Bob McDonnell in 2011. She made great accomplishments, and one issue with her is that she is a supporter of Donald Trump. It's one thing to be a sincere conservative. It's quite another to defend Trump, whose views are authoritarian and anti-morality. Earle-Sears once didn't support Trump in 2022, and then she supported Trump in 2024 and in 2025. During her Governor's campaign, she was a victim of a racist sign in a crowd of protesting Democrats outside an Arlington County School Board meeting. Regardless of one's views on transgender issues, there is no excuse for racism against Earle-Sears period. Invoking Jim Crow segregation against a black woman is totally evil and racist. Both Republicans and Democrats, including Abigail Spanberger, condemned the racist sign. Earle-Sears is a conservative on most issues (yet, she said that she supported medical marijuana, not recreational use of marijuana). She is anti-DEI, she wants to end the car tax, and she supports the Trump's bad tariff and Trump's bad budget law. She opposes same sex marriage, and she is fine with civil unions. She supports DOGE, which fired thousands of black people and others of every color unjustly; she wants more virtual schools, and she falsely called CRT racist. She is a Christian with a husband, Terence Sears, three children, and two grandchildren. 

Spanberger

Abigail Spanberger is a younger Generation X woman who was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. Spanberger was born Abigail Anne Davis in Red Bank, New Jersey, on August 7, 1979, where her father was a police officer and her mother was a nurse. She relocated with her parents, Martin and Eileen Davis, to Short Pump, in Henrico County, Virginia, outside Richmond, when she was 13, after her father moved from policing to federal law enforcement for the United States Postal Inspection Service. She attended John Randolph Tucker High School and was later a page for U.S. Senator Chuck Robb. Spanberger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from a joint program between the GISMA Business School in Germany and Purdue University's Krannert School of Management. In the early 2000s, she taught English literature as a substitute teacher at the Islamic Saudi Academy in Northern Virginia and worked as a postal inspector, focusing on money laundering and narcotics cases.

In 2006, Spanberger joined the Central Intelligence Agency as an operations officer. She said she gathered intelligence about nuclear proliferation and terrorism. In 2014, she left the CIA and entered the private sector. She was hired by Royall and Company (now EAB). In 2017, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed her to the Virginia Fair Housing Board. She was in the U.S. House of Representatives for years. She defeated a Tea Party candidate and represented Henrico and Chesterfield. She had her career as a moderate along with her colleagues Elissa Slotkin and Mikie Sherrill. She criticized the Trump reaction to the George Floyd Protests back on June 1, 2020. Spanberger took issue with Trump after police used tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors and a priest during the George Floyd protests to clear a path so that he could have a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. Spanberger disagreed with some of Biden's Immigration policies, as even some Democrats are conservative on immigration. She is wrong in saying that nobody elected Biden to be FDR but to be normal and stop the chaos. The truth is that people elected Biden to be a fighting progressive like FDR on the issues FDR that right on, not to be a moderate token. She criticized Democrats for not viewing inflation as a problem. Inflation is a problem, and many Democrats talked about it, but many Democrats didn't want inflation to be an excuse to promote austerity against vulnerable communities. She supports clean energy in Virginia, and she has criticized DOGE for firing federal workers without just cause. Spanberger criticized the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act supported by President Donald Trump, arguing that its permanent tax cuts for corporations would increase the national debt. In May 2020, Spanberger voted against the HEROES Act, a proposed $3 trillion stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the bill went "far beyond" pandemic relief and had no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate. I disagree with her. In November 2020, Spanberger led a bipartisan effort to secure the 340B Drug Pricing Program against changes that would lead to significant increases in prescription medication costs. She wants bans on Congressional members from trading stocks. She is wrong to support U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025. She wanted F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Spanberger also co-sponsored the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which grants Medicare Part D the power to negotiate prescription prices directly with drug companies. She supports same sex marriage and voted for the Equality Act. Spanberger has called for a new version of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban that expired in 2004. She favors requiring background checks on private gun sales and supports a ban on bump stocks. She is married to engineer Adam Spanberger, and the couple has three daughters. She is a Protestant. 

 

The Virginian Events of the Election Campaign

The 2025 gubernatorial election has been filled with events. Right now, the firing of federal workers is important for us Virginians because so many federal workers live in Northern Virginia. A July 2025 Virginia Commonwealth University poll found that the most important issues for voters in the campaign were the cost of living (29%), immigration (14%) and abortion (14%). There was one televised debate, on October 9 and hosted by Norfolk State University (being shown by WAVY-TV 10). The Governor's campaign and other Virginian campaigns haven't been too personal. The candidates mostly deal with the issues. Many campaigns accuse their rival campaigns of either lying or distorting the facts. The 2025 Virginia Attorney General election is much more personal between Republican candidate Jason Miyares and Democratic candidate Jay Jones. Each campaign accuses each other of being soft on crime. The truth is that we should be strong on stopping crime, but we should also be fair to make sure that justice is applied fairly to all people. In other words, we need law and justice, not law and disorder. 

There was a historic debate days ago at Norfolk State University among Former Representative Abigail Spanberger and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears. Spanberger is the Democratic candidate for the next Virginia governor, and Sears is the Republican candidate for the next Virginia governor. I'm from Hampton Roads, and Norfolk State University is a historic landmark in the black community and in Hampton Roads culture in general. Both candidates debating each other in that special location certainly was inspiring. Now, the debate lived up to the current political situation in America. America is in its most politically polarized state since the 1960s and the American Civil War. That is not hyperbole. That's just reality. The debate was shown on WAVY TV 10. We lived through many governors like Robb, Northam, and Douglas Wilder (the first black Governor in American history after Reconstruction). The debate was charged and emotional. Sears, at times, didn't allow Spanberger to finish her statements. Spanberger is a moderate trying to appeal to some progressives. Sears is a Reagan conservative who refuses to criticize Trump on any issue in that debate. Spanberger's argument is that Sears is too supportive of Donald Trump's policies, and Sears' argument is that Spanberger is too out of touch on social issues involving schools. The elephant in the room relates to the comments from Jay Jones, which was talked about in the debate. Jay Jones said sick, evil, and deplorable comments about a Republican and his family. As a man, I condemn those comments. Jones was completely wrong period. Jones has apologized, and the voters can forgive him or not. I can't make that decision for all voters. Regardless of whether someone is a Republican or a Democrat, he or she doesn't deserve death for their views. The debate was charged, and each represented parts of America that have diametrically opposed views. I believe in health care for all, I believe in investments, I oppose the DOGE firing, and I want the government shutdown to end without health care subsidies being cut in the process. Trump is clearly a hypocrite by talking about insurrection, but he pardoned insurrectionists on January 6th. On the issues, Spanberger in my view won the debate.

The Blue shows victories by Spanberger and the Red showed victories from Sears. 

Who Wins and Why

The 2025 election was a huge victory for the Democratic Party. They had many victories in state and local elections. A high percentage of voters turned to the Democrats because they opposed Trumpism and sought solutions to economic issues, affordability, health care, and other important issues. American opposed the status quo of Trumpism. We continue to experience a government shutdown until November of 2025, and many suffering Americans decided to vote for change. There were 190 elections in more than 30 states. My state of Virginia had tons of important elections. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger won the gubernatorial race in Virginia. She is the first woman to be elected governor of Virginia. She defeated the Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, whom Trump didn't campaign for. The reason for that was Sears had criticized Trump before and because for the obvious reason. I don't have to spell it out. We know that other reason is (that reason is that Sears is a black woman who once criticized him years ago). Sears used many tactics (in her commercials and speeches about cultural issues), but she failed in her election campaign. The Norfolk State University debate when Sears cut Spanberger off in discussion, turned many people off. Sears failed to show any independent views outside of the Trump echo chamber, which also contributed to her defeat. Sears gave a recorded message to Spanberger to wish her well. The victory for Spanberger was 56 to 44 percent. Many Virginians from the urban and suburban areas voted for Spanberger. Democratic State Senator Ghazala Hashmi defeated Republican John Reid to be the first Muslim lieutenant governor of Virginia. Jay Jones won the election to be the first elected black Attorney General of Virginia (in defeating Jason Miyares). Jay Jones overcame the text scandal that he apologized for. Democrat Mikie Sherrill won the gubernatorial race in New Jersey to defeat Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Sherill was a U.S. Navy veteran, and she won as Trump's popularity is at record lows.

Virginia's Future

Virginian elections represent a new era of Virginia. As a Virginian, we will have our first woman Governor which is very historic. Two candidates represent two different visions for my state of Virginia. One candidate is Abigail Spanberger, who was a CIA agent and is a more moderate candidate. She talks about schools, investments, and other issues. She doesn't agree with the Trump agenda. The other Republican candidate is Winsome Earl-Sears, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She lived in New York City and later became prominent in politics. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia since 2022. She is Virginia's first woman lieutenant governor and the first black woman elected statewide. Winsome Earle-Sears is a conservative who supports the Trump agenda. The campaign has been strident and personal at times. There are many political issues in the race like education, social issues, the comments of Jay Jones (Jay Jones has apologized for his repugnant comments), the economy, housing, crime, and other important issues. There are many commercials in the television that either lies or take things out of context. So, what we have here is a race between a moderate and a near theocrat in Virginia. At the end of the day, Virginia deserves to grow into the next level to be a shining example of how a progressive South ought to be.

Conclusion

My home state of Virginia has come a long way over the years, and Virginia still has a long way to go. Virginia is the home of our ancestors who were brought into America in chains centuries ago. From my 5th great-grandmother Zilphy Claud to my parents today, Virginia is home. Virginia is a place where many parts of American existence were born. From the bad times of the Confederacy being headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, to the Civil Rights Movement in Virginia fighting back against injustice, America has a complicated history. With the recent election wins, Virginia is being solidified as the most progressive state in the South. Many factors caused a large victory of Democrats including the government shutdown, many federal workers losing their jobs, the growth of the youth vote, and large opposition to the agenda of Trumpism. We saw Abigail Spanberger winning the Governor's race, we see Lieutenant Governor's race being won by Ghazala Hashmi, and Jay Jones being the new Attorney General.  Michael Feggans, Bonita Anthony, Nadarius Clark, Kelly Convirs-Fowler, Phil Hernandez, Shelly Simonds, and Jeion Ward won elections or Democrats, too. Virginia Democrats have gained 13 new seats in the House of Delegates. That means that the House of Delegates has a supermajority of 64 seats. We have a long way to go. We have to deal with affordability, health care, our civil liberties, our civil rights, our environment, the rights of minorities and women in general, and other vital subjects that deal with millions of Americans. So, the struggle continues, but victory is ours in the end.

The New York City's Mayoral Race

 

The 2025 New York City Mayoral election is one of the most important elections in the history of New York City. This race is complex and represents what the future holds for politics in general for many reasons. One reason is that this election is existing during the time of the most extreme administration in decades which is the Trump administration's 2nd term. We have the paradox of crime decreasing and economic uncertainly because of an increase of inflation and the price of goods and services being a reality in part by Trump supporting excessive tariffs (which is basically a regressive tax on American citizens). This election is about who is the best candidate to maintain and strengthen our democracy in the midst of the President's attacks on democracy. The four mayor New York City mayoral candidates are Zohran Mandani of the Democratic Party (who is a democratic socialist), Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Silwa (who I heard of years ago from the Geraldo talk show), and the current Mayor Eric Adams (who has been compromised on many issues). Some of the most important issues in New York City deals with the housing crisis, education, democracy, health care, immigration, civil rights, other economic issues, and other political issues. It has been a race where Mamdani defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary, and Mamdani maintains a lead for the general election time period. Many New Yorkers are struggling to pay for housing and rent, and New York City has the highest level of homelessness since the Great Depression. The problem is that members of both Republicans and Democrats in New York City have been bipartisan in cutting funding for housing and other social programs that grows economic inequality. Much of the establishment has preferred Andrew Cuomo, and Mamdani is supported by many people like Bernie Sanders. Both Mamdani and Cuomo are right on many issues, but each of them have controversies in completely different ways. Cuomo has the sexual harassment scandal (and Andrew Cuomo is wrong to joining a legal team to defend the evil far right Netanyahu against the ICC accusing Netanyahu of war crimes against Gaza), and Mamdani has the globalize the intifada scandal, the census scandal, etc. Another problem is that the Trump administration wants to cut federal funding for housing via cutting Section 8 vouchers by 50 percent and creating draconian time limits on recipients. This is cruelty. Immigrants are being falsely blamed for the housing crisis, and homeless people are being swept by masked federal agents. The NYCHA or New York Housing Authority is struggling to aid families who need assistance via underfunding and decaying infrastructure. Mayor Adams has seen an increase of rent in the past few years. There are thousands of empty apartments. The super rich want the status quo, and $3,000 a month in NYC for a 2-bedroom apartment is unsustainable and unfair. Regardless of who wins the NYC mayoral election, that person is obligated to enact solutions to help the people of New York City. 

History Being Made

The 2025 New York City mayoral election made history during the race. It happened after the Democratic Primary ended. The primary elections for the Democratic Party took place on June 24, 2025. Early voting started on June 14, 2025. In early 2025, polls showed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo leading all other mayoral candidates among Democratic voters. Leading up to the election, polls showed that Cuomo continued to be the narrow frontrunner in the Democratic primary, with Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in second place; one June poll found that Mamdani had a narrow lead over Cuomo. Opinion polling for the Democratic primary; Mamdani outperformed all polls by wide margins. On June 24, Mamdani defeated Cuomo, City Comptroller Brad Lander, and eight other candidates to become the Democratic nominee for mayor. Mamdani's victory was considered a major upset. Mamdani has suggested imposing a flat 2% tax on New Yorkers who earn more than $1 million and a number of housing plans, such as a promise to freeze rents on rent-stabilized units, extensive public housing development and refurbishment, and stricter regulation of landlords, upsetting some in the luxury real estate market. Nevertheless, Cuomo, who also filed to run on the independent "Fight and Deliver Party" line, will remain on the general election ballot. 

Mamdani is the first democratic socialist to win a Democratic primary in the NYC mayoral race. Mamdani represents a new era of politics, and Cuomo represents the previous generation. The issue of housing affordability is one of the major issues of the election. People in New York City deserve solutions, not the status quo. People want the growth of decent, affordable housing. From the 1930s to the 1970s, a commitment to public investments in housing existed in America. Reagan and Congress cut funds for affordable housing by nearly 80 percent. Eligibility for benefits was restricted. Homelessness then massively increased. Reagan isn't the only one at fault. By the late 1990's, there was a freeze on new public housing, and underfunding happened. Many wealthy corporations now benefit from billions of dollars yearly in mortgage interest and property tax deductions, plus capital gains exemptions for profits from home sales. 

The New York City Mayoral candidates

In the largest city in America in terms of population, which is New York City, Mamdani had recently won the mayoral Democratic primary. This has been a watershed moment because too many Americans are influenced by McCarthyism to believe in the myth that only neo-liberal capitalism can solve every problem known to human beings. He defeated Cuomo and other candidates. This is a historic moment as progressives supported Mamdani, and Mamdani has democratic socialist views (which are taboo in American society, even in 2025). Many Democrats praise him, and centrist Democrats and Republicans have criticized him as being too left. What is the truth? The truth is that centrists have never brought revolutionary change to society, period. Malcolm X wasn't a centrist. Dr. King, Fannie Lou Hamer, FDR, and other human beings weren't centrists, too. Bold, visionary solutions have always been solutions to problems. For example, Social Security wasn't a centrist plan but a bold, progressive program to help tons of Americans, especially seniors. The 1964 Civil Rights Act was a bold, progressive law to help end legalized Jim Crow apartheid. Even Biden's infrastructure laws were not centrist, as they invested billions of dollars to rebuild America's structures from bridges to factories. Therefore, we need bold leadership to improve New York City, not centrist or reactionary propaganda. Mamdani desires affordable housing, affordable busing, and other plans for New York City since he won the general mayoral election. Likewise, we have to use policies based on facts and research, not falsehoods. Mamdani will have to answer questions on the intifada, anti-Semitism allegation (I don't believe that he is an anti-Semitic, as criticism of some of the policies of the Israeli government is not anti-Semitism as claimed by many centrists and many Trump supporters), and other issues. Grassroots campaign can work, and Mamdani's victory proves that 100 percent. Many people have brought up race, as many class reductionists are right to talk about kitchen table issues, but they are wrong to minimize the necessity to eliminate racial oppression and xenophobia. That is why I am not a class reductionist. 

You can't have economic justice without racial justice. Mamdani has issues gaining black Americans and Hispanic American votes, and his campaign has tried to go into the black and brown communities in trying to gain more support. Mamdani stood up against the corporate Democratic establishment (which is backed by corporate billionaire Wall Street interests, real estate lobbyists, and other people. This same establishment once forced Cuomo out of office for his scandal, but they are actively funding him now) to defeat them at the primary, which is a positive development in political history. Bernie Sanders celebrated Mamdani, but he made a snide, in my opinion, sexist remark saying that Kamala Harris needs to learn from Mamdani on how to win an election, when Kamala Harris won multiple political elections in her career. Kamala Harris did the best that she could amid an increase of the MAGA movement and almost beat Donald Trump during the 2024 Presidential election. There is no moral equivalency between Harris and Trump. Kamala Harris is not perfect, but her views are a lot better than Trump's views. You don't have to disparage Harris to praise Mamdani, and Sanders needs to learn that. Also, Sanders is wrong to bring up Harris when she has nothing to do with the New York City mayoral campaign. 

I find it interesting that many people who claim to be progressive (not all progressives) have a hostility towards anyone who doesn't meet their ideal of "perfection," as only God is perfect. Many people who claim to be progressive are jealous of successful black political leaders. Sexism isn't just found in the MAGA movement. Folks need to be reminded that we black folks are the backbone of the Democratic party. Without us, no human on Earth would be born. So, we should be respected, and we are not the world's mules. Mamdani is a Muslim immigrant whose populist plans of free public transit, a rent freeze, free childcare, climate justice, and increasing the minimum wage to $30 an hour is popular among young people and progressives of every age. At the end of the day, people desire progressive solutions, not neoliberalism as the order of the day.

Events of the Campaign

There are tons of events of the New York mayoral election. Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary. Then, many business executives met with Eric Adams to back him. Jim Walden wanted all non-Mamdani candidates to coalesce to support one person to oppose Mamdani. This tells me that the Wall Street interests oppose Mamdani's political views. Curtis Silwa, on July 7, 2025, refused to drop out of the race. Walden dropped out of the race. On July 1, President Donald Trump voiced support for the incumbent Eric Adams, describing him as a "very good person" and that "I helped him out a little bit"—in reference to his corruption case being dropped by Trump's Department of Justice—while also threatening to arrest and deport Mamdani. During an unrelated press conference, Adams commented that "anyone that is elected or not should never interfere with federal authorities carrying out their functions." Trump has also suggested the possibility of placing New York under federal control if Mamdani wins. Silwa said that he is an anti-Trump Republican who is pro-union and pro-worker. Andrew Cuomo continues to be in the race, promoting a center-left platform and opposing socialism. Cuomo claims that socialism has never worked anywhere. Cuomo needs to be reminded that Social Security itself is near socialist, along with many social safety net programs. 

Cuomo has offered milder alternatives to some of Mamdani's policy platforms, such as opposing free buses, arguing they would cost $900 million, instead proposing a $180 million bus subsidy paid for by an increased property tax. On August 6, it was reported by The New York Times that Cuomo had a phone call with Donald Trump shortly after Trump met with New York Republicans about who they thought was the most likely candidate to potentially beat Mamdani, with a general consensus of a coalescing around a single candidate, instead of a four-way split "non-Mamdani" vote. Cuomo's campaign initially issued a statement that the two did not talk about politics on the call but later backtracked and claimed that the call never happened. Mamdani's victory in the Democratic primary has galvanized the Democratic Socialists of America to make more of a push to influence the Democratic Party, with the DSA convention in Chicago on August 7 primarily centered around standing and supporting more Mamdani-like candidates.  Mamdani also sought to capitalize on Cuomo's call with Trump, calling it a "betrayal" of Democratic voters, and alleging that Cuomo and Trump are conspiring to "rig" the mayoral election against him, especially as Trump routinely questions Mamdani's status as a U.S. citizen.

In July 2025 The New York Times wrote that on Mamdani's unsuccessful 2009 application to Columbia University, he checked the race boxes "Asian" and "Black or African American." Mamdani confirmed that but said his intent was to represent his Indian-Ugandan background given the limited options available, and not to improve his chances of admission. Some of Mamdani's opponents described his action as potentially fraudulent. I think that Mamdani was wrong for what he did on the application.

Shortly after Mamdani became the presumptive nominee, several Republicans attacked him using Islamophobic, racist, or xenophobic content. U.S. Representative Nancy Mace wrote on Twitter, "After 9/11 we said 'Never Forget.' I think we sadly have forgotten." Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted an image of the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa. Others associated with the MAGA movement, including Laura Loomer, Charlie Kirk, and Donald Trump Jr., also spoke of Mamdani in the context of 9/11. On The Brian Lehrer Show, Democratic U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's assertions of "past positions, particularly references to global jihad" could not be substantiated; her office later said she "misspoke", and she apologized to Mamdani. The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) noted a significant increase in Islamophobic content on Twitter the day after Mamdani became the presumptive nominee. On July 1, Trump suggested without evidence that Mamdani might be in the U.S. illegally, adding that his administration would look into that question. Trump also threatened to arrest Mamdani and withhold funding from New York City if he refused to comply with Trump's mass deportations. Many moderates support Cuomo, and many progressives like Adrienne Adams and Brad Lander support Mamdani. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Robert Reich have supported Mamdani too. Yvette Clarke, Jamaal Bowman, Adriano Espaillat, Praila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, etc. have supported Mamdani. 

In September 2025, The New York Times began reporting that Adams had allegedly met in Florida with Steve Witkoff, an advisor to Trump, about receiving a position in the president's administration, specifically as an ambassador, in return for his dropping out and increasing the chances of Mamdani being defeated. Later reports suggested that Adams was giving serious consideration to the proposition despite public statements denying it; part of this consideration was whether or not he would have to resign from his position as mayor. Adams initially responded with a statement on September 5 that he would not be withdrawing from the race. Adams later withdrew his candidacy on September 28, 2025. The truth is that Mamdani and Cuomo represent the past and the future of the Democratic Party. Cuomo is right on many issues, but his sexual scandals and his corporate Wall Street backing concern people. Mamdani is also right on many issues, and his advocacy of democratic socialism is historic. Mamdani faces opposition from the New York state legislature to get his agenda passed, but revolutionary change shouldn't be denied or delayed. It must happen ASAP regardless of opposition. 

The Victor of the New York City mayoral race

Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral race in New York City because of widespread support from New York City residents, the housing affordability crisis, and other important factors. Mamdani used a grassroots campaign to achieve his victory. He defeated Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Silwa. He had a 50.4 percent victory, to Cuomo's 41.6 percent and Silwa's 7.1 percent. Over 2 million votes were cast, the most since 1969, and 17 percent of those who voted were first-time voters. Younger people from 18-44 came out to vote in high numbers. Mamdani represents the public's rebuke of Trumpism and the Democratic Party establishment, which publicly opposed his candidacy. Trump lied and called Mamdani a communist when Mamdani is a democratic socialist. Mamdani ran an explicitly progressive campaign. He wanted to address high housing prices by promoting a rent freeze. He desired to raise taxes to fund his proposals by taxing the super wealthy, he wants improved public services (like an experimental public supermarket and free buses), and he supports the rights of the Palestinian people. He opposes the ICE occupation of American cities. Mamdani has to deal with the city council and the state government in Albany to try to get his proposals done. Yet, Mamdani is up for the challenge as he celebrated the diversity of New York City in his victory speech.

New York City's contributions to the world

The race of the mayorship in New York City in 2025 makes us aware of the contributions that New York City gave to us Americans and people of the world in general. NYC gave us many cultural places like Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. NYC certainly gives us a lot of cultural diversity in our multiracial democracy. It has the most people than any city in the United States with 8,804,190 people from the 2020 census. Between 2010 and 2020, New York City's population grew by 629,000 residents, more than the total growth of the next four largest American cities (Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix) combined. New York City is the birthplace of hip hop, being in the Bronx, New York City. Also, jazz, salsa, freestyle, rock, R&B, music, fashion, and other cultural items are found in New York City. Broadway is home to NYC, too. There are 41 theaters in Midtown Manhattan's Theater District alone, each with at least 500 seats. New York City has more than 2,000 arts and cultural organizations with more than 500 art galleries. 

Epilogue

The New York City mayoral election has made history in many ways. You have Zohran Mamdani competing against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Both candidates are right on many issues, and both have scandals. Cuomo has a sexual harassment scandal, as many women have accused him of sexual harassment. Mamdani has a social scandal of falsely calling himself black on an application form, his controversial tweets, and his father saying that suicide bombing shouldn't be stigmatized as a mark of barbarism. For the record, suicide bombing is evil and disgusting. Cuomo is wrong to try to whitewash Christopher Columbus. Columbus has nothing to do with Italian heritage. Italian American John Basilone was a United State Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. We know of the Viola Liuzzo Italian American family who fought for civil rights. Viola Liuzzo was unjustly murdered by racists while participating in the Selma to Montgomery marches back 60 years ago in 1965. In contrast, Christopher Columbus was an imperialist, murderer, and was even jailed by the Spanish government for his war crimes against Native American people. A genocidal, wicked male like Christopher Columbus should not be glorified. The New York City mayoral race dealt with the issues of housing affordability, policing, opposing racism, dealing with crime, health care, foreign policy, dealing with economic issues in general, infrastructure, and environmental issues. Both Cuomo and Mamdani have different plans for New York City. Andrew Cuomo said that he is the best candidate. Mamdani has won the New York City mayoral election in 2025. We shall see what the future of New York City will be.

Conclusion (for Thanksgiving 2025 series)

 

The nationwide 2nd No Kings protests have been historic. This rally is made up of urban, rural, and suburban people. It is made up of people of every race and background who protested peacefully in Chicago, Washington D.C., Nashville, Miami, Boston, Dover, Seattle, all over Virginia, New York City, Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Concord (in Massachusetts), San Jose, and in other places. There are at least 300,000 protesters in New York City. Almost 7 million protesters have attended No Kings rallies in America. These protesters are unified in opposing the views of a tyrant, who is Donald Trump. There should be no sugarcoating. Trump is a fascist because he has been involved in the murder of people in international waters without due process of law, seeking to suppress the free speech rights of press agencies and universities, desiring to ban birthright citizenship, and desiring the National Guard and other agencies like ICE to occupy American cities for xenophobic motivations. We know that ICE has detained over 100 American citizens, too, and some ICE members have unjustly assaulted people, too. The oligarchy desires monopoly, control over our resources, and authoritarianism. Yet, we desire healthcare, environmental protections, equality, justice, true education (that doesn't sugarcoat American history), etc. This rally is not about hating America. Those who hate America want constitutional laws violated in America. We love America, because we want America to improve and promote liberty, freedom, and justice for all in America. We want to preserve our democracy in the midst of a government shutdown. 

After 43 days, the U.S. government shutdown has ended. Still, things are not back to normal. Trump signed a funding bill to reopen the government. The House approved the bill on Wednesday night in a 222-209 vote with nearly every Republican and a handful of Democrats voting for it. Travelers may have to experience the shutdown's effects on airports with over 900 flights in and out of the U.S. canceled today. People will get their food stamp recipients will receive their full benefits vary by state. The health care subsidies still are not given to people. Some federal workers will get back pay, and some will not. The bill will set up a new funding cliff in Congress on January 30, 2026. It will provide funding for a few key agencies through the fiscal year 2026. Many Republicans were slick to allow Congressional people to sue the government for $500,000 if their phone records were investigated. The bill also eliminates, or delays food safety rules aimed at preventing foodborne illnesses and contamination. Not only did 8 Senate Democrats and other Republicans fail to protect millions of Americans' healthcare, but they are making our food less safe.

There are new revelations of the links between Trump and Epstein. Trump and Epstein had a friendship from 1992 to 2007. We know that Trump is a degenerate. Trump said that he would date his daughter if she weren't related to him, Trump has been creepy in beauty pageants; he joked about grabbing women by their private areas, and he said other perverted comments about his own daughter. This is what has been released to the public now. Imagine what Trump does behind closed doors. Epstein mentioned Trump multiple times in private emails. The emails had said that one victim spent hours with Trump. Trump has not been charged with criminal wrongdoing, and Trump has denied any criminal sexual actions against girls. Yet, Trump has acted strangely to either downplay the Epstein issue or show hostility in preventing more files from being released unless pressure is made. This comes after Maxwell desires to have an easier time in prison. In one email, Epstein said that Trump never asked him to resign. According to the New York Times, Trump personally called Rep. Lauren Boebert, urging her to withdraw should support for the bill releasing Epstein files. So, people from across the political spectrum want full transparency involving the Epstein files. If anyone of any political party is guilty of sexual assault or tried to cover it up, he or she needs a trial and go to prison. We shall see what the total truth is.

There is a new report from Tom Latchem from the Daily Beast mentioning the allegation that ICE is stockpiling warheads and chemical weapons. The question is why ICE is doing this and if they plan on using them on peaceful protesters. ICE or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has increased their buying of weapons. Federal purchasing logs show ICE spent $71,515,762  on small arms, ordnance, and ordnance accessories between January 20 and October 18, 2025. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denies that ICE is buying guided missile components. Wisconsin state Senator Chris Larson said that at least 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by immigration agents, including children. Most people detained by ICE are not violent criminals, so this proves that ICE is about intimidation, following Trump's xenophobic agenda, and cruelty not compassion. ICE has drawn guns on people, used pepper spray, and Rev. David Black (who is 52 years old) was struck in the head with a pepper spray ball fired by ICE agents while he prayed outside the Broadview ICE facility in Illinois on September 19, 2025. By September 28, 2025, CBS Chicago reporter Asai Rezaei said an ICE agent shot a pepper spray ball into her tuck outside a facility causing a criminal probe. Since June 16, 2015, or when Trump promoted his racist Presidential campaign, the MAGA movement has promoted fear, division, hatred, and carnage against the American people. We have every right to disagree with Trump and advocate for liberty and justice for all human beings. Witkoff from America seems to want to compromise with the Putin regime, according to the New York Times. Putin is a tyrant and a war criminal who executed a preemptive, illegal invasion of Ukraine. According to the journalist Julia Davis, Trump urged Zelensky to accept Russia's terms for ending the war during a tense White House meeting. Trump said that Putin had threatened to destroy Ukraine if it didn't comply. Sources said that the meeting was a shouting match with Trump reportedly "cursing all of the time." Trump's behavior is very anti-Christ by cursing all the time if those sources are true. Trump is anti-Christ for calling Minnesota Governor Tim Walz the slur of the "r" word. A President who uses that word in public or in private is a disgrace. No one should disrespect any human being with intellectual disabilities or use offensive slurs. Trump is a covert Russian usual tool in my opinion by his actions. While this is going on, Hegseth continues to justify U.S. war crimes and extrajudicial murder of people in the Caribbean. Killing people without due process is evil and immoral. 

Yesterday, we had a coward who shot 2 innocent U.S. National Guard members from West Virginia. Other heroic U.S. National Guard members subdued the suspect very quickly. This is a difficult and controversial time in our history. The suspect is named Rahmanullah Lakawal, an Afghan national (with ties to the CIA) who came to America in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome. Lakawal was granted asylum back in April 2025. One of the victims was a young woman who was a National Guard member who volunteered to work over the holiday, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. The National Guard victims were just doing their jobs, and they never deserved to be shot at all, period. The National Guard members are Sarah and Andrew. Trump wants higher immigration crackdown in desiring no people from Afghanistan to come to America, and 500 more National Guard troops to go to Washington, D.C. The gunman ambushed the soldiers. There is the FBI, DHS, and the ATF figuring out what exactly what has happened and his motive. The 2 National Guardsmen are in critical condition now in the hospital. Recently, one National Guardswoman died from her wounds. One of the disgraceful events is how Jeanine Pirro, Trump, and others are exploiting this tragedy to promote xenophobia and authoritarianism. A cowardly shooter shouldn't never be blamed for all people in Afghanistan or all people from another country. He wants to pause migration from all Third World countries and pause all asylum decisions for Afghans. Trump disrespected a reporter for just asking him a question about a vetting question. Trump is just obsessed with blaming Biden for everything when he is the President now. Trump is unhinged and insane because of his behavior, his use of slurs, and his maniac behavior (even attacking the Somali community in general). Fascists like Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes (who was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6th attacks) said on the sellout Alex Jones's show that he wants Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act. Rhodes and Jones bash leftists when progressives gave America civil rights, environmental protections, Social Security, voting rights, consumer protections, national parks, labor protections, and other blessings that many people take for granted. People should be vetted if they come to America, but our democratic rights should never be compromised under the guise of vetting.  Authorities have searched locations across the nation, including the suspect's home. The suspect deserves total justice, so he is made accountable for his wicked crimes against 2 innocent human beings. 

The Obama Presidential Center’s main building rises over Jackson Park as construction advances. (Photo Courtesy of the Obama Foundation)

The Obama Presidential library will be completed by the Spring of 2026. It will be found in Chicago's South Side, being a historical location for our black community. Tons of recent Presidents have made their Presidential libraries in many places, mostly at their place of birth or at their place or residency for an extended period of time. President Barack Obama represented a new chapter of American history being the first African American President, and First Lady Michelle Obama being the first African American First Lady in American history too. The construction of the Presidential library has been in existence for over 10 years. President Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States of America. The center will have a branch of a public library, a museum, a garden (with fresh fruits and vegetables named after Eleanor Roosevelt), and an auditorium. I was in my mid 20s when his Presidency started on January 20, 2009, and I was in my early 30s when his Presidency ended on January 20, 2017. So, I lived through both of his terms. I agreed with President Barack Obama on many issues like The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the legitimate parts of the Affordable Care Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall street and Reform and Consumer Protection Act, investments in renewable energy, the Iran nuclear deal, diplomatic ties to Cuba, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, the Fair Sentencing Act, his promotions of civil rights and equality, and DACA plans. Obama did help to lower the unemployment rate and gave investments in HBCUs. I didn't agree with him on his some of his foreign policy actions being too hawkish in my view, especially in the Libyan war and drone strikes in various places. Despite Barack Obama's faults, he is a million times better than Donald Trump. Let's keep it real. Kamala Harris (who has been a victim of sexism and racism) would make a much better President than Trump too. On this day, we should never give up. We all count. We have every right to maintain our independent thinking. That means that the Republicans and the Democrats don't own us. Yet, political independence doesn't mean voting for Trump. Some folks are slick to use "free thinker" as a coded phrase to endorse the policies of Donald Trump. Anyone comparing the Democratic Party to a plantation is not only wrong but offensive. Plantations had rape, torture, other forms of abuse, and other actions against slaves that I can't describe here. We believe in democracy and progressive principles without apology and without compromise. Also, people in my generation are 40+ years old (being older Millennials including Generation X, Baby Boomers, etc.), and it is our responsibility to use our God given power to inspire the babies (the younger generation) to grow and express their talents to the world. People among all generations have gifts and dignity, and we will continue to fight for goodness, honor, dignity, equality, justice, and righteousness. 

By Timothy