Author: DAMON K JONES
A 16-year-old boy named Sincere Jazmin was gunned down in broad daylight in Queens. Shot in the chest after stepping off a school bus. He collapsed outside a deli while the shooter fled down Liberty Avenue. His blood soaked the concrete. His dreams were cut short. Another Black child was buried too soon. He wanted to be a rapper. A designer. He had talent. He had time. And then someone took it. The media’s decision to label Sincere Jazmin a “drill rapper” is not just irresponsible—it’s a calculated act of narrative control. Instead of honoring a 16-year-old boy who was murdered after…
The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a man deported to El Salvador and now at the center of a political firestorm—has become the latest example of how immigration, law, and public opinion collide in America. But the deeper issue isn’t just immigration. It’s how facts are manipulated, laws are politicized, and emotion is used to erode standards—a pattern with real consequences for Black America. Let’s set the record straight. Abrego Garcia originally received a court-ordered stay of deportation because he claimed that returning to El Salvador would endanger his life due to gang violence. That is a legitimate and often life-saving…
Tariffs are not typically designed to educate consumers—but that’s exactly what they’ve done. As the U.S.–China trade war heats up, something unexpected has emerged: Chinese manufacturers, in response to tariff pressure, have begun revealing their role in producing luxury goods sold under elite European labels. And in doing so, they’ve exposed a side of the luxury fashion industry most consumers never see. Brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci are at the center of this controversy. Across Chinese social media, manufacturers have confirmed that components, materials, and even fully constructed handbags for these luxury giants are being produced in Chinese factories.…
In 2021, Oregon passed Senate Bill 744, eliminating the requirement for high school students to demonstrate basic proficiency in reading, writing, and math to graduate. Initially paused during the pandemic, this policy was extended in October 2023, when the Oregon State Board of Education voted to continue suspending the “Essential Skills” requirement through the 2027–2028 school year. The current governor of Oregon, Tina Kotek, is a Democrat. She took office in January 2023, succeeding Kate Brown, a Democrat and the governor who signed the original bill (Senate Bill 744) in 2021 that paused high school graduation’s math and reading proficiency requirements. As Speaker of the Oregon House…
In its haste to strike another blow at Donald Trump, Congress may have just kicked open a door it can’t close. Following Trump’s abrupt tariff reversal — and his “Buy Now” post on Truth Social — Rep. Adam Schiff has called for an official investigation into whether the former president engaged in market manipulation or insider trading. Rep. Adam Schiff At first glance, it sounds like a righteous pursuit of justice — a sitting president making a market-moving statement, seemingly timed with his financial interests. But let’s not be naïve. If this investigation gains traction, it won’t just expose Trump. It’ll expose…
On April 10, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a budget resolution aligned with President Trump’s economic policy agenda. This budget, which had already passed in the Senate, sets the stage for the use of the reconciliation process — a legislative mechanism that allows tax and spending legislation to advance with a simple majority in the Senate. While the resolution itself is not law, it is a powerful signal of where fiscal policy is headed under the current administration. The resolution avoids the political landmine of cutting into Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, programs long considered untouchable by most…
The quiet crisis unfolding in our communities isn’t hidden—it’s ignored. Black masculinity, particularly in our youth, is being chipped away by systems that weren’t designed for them to thrive in. Instead of nurturing and elevating our boys, we’re watching them disengage from school, disappear from college campuses, and drift into isolation or incarceration. The erosion isn’t sudden—it’s slow, systematic, and painfully obvious to those of us who’ve spent decades on the front lines. And still, we let it happen. After 33 years working in the correctional system and now as the publisher of a local newspaper, I’ve had the unique…
What the mainstream leaders won’t say: How global trade policy helped erase Black middle-class power! For decades, Americans were told that globalization would lift all boats. That opening trade with China and playing by the World Trade Organization’s rules would benefit workers, increase access to cheap goods, and spur innovation. But for many working Americans—especially in Black communities—the results were far more destructive than advertised. When Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports and challenged the foundations of global trade, it sent shockwaves through Washington. Critics called it reckless. Supporters called it patriotic. But buried beneath the political noise…
In a decisive move highlighting federal concerns over urban transit safety, the Trump administration has issued an ultimatum to New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA): enhance the subway system’s safety or risk losing essential federal funding. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a letter dated March 18, 2025, demanded that the MTA provide a comprehensive plan by the end of the month to address escalating issues related to crime, fare evasion, and general disorder within the transit system. This directive underscores a renewed federal focus on public safety in major urban centers, with New York City at the forefront. Safety…
The viral video of a chaotic street fight in Mount Vernon, New York — where teenagers and even adults were caught on camera violently brawling in broad daylight — is not just a local embarrassment. It’s a symptom of a deeper, widespread crisis that far too many in Black America refuse to name. The footage is disturbing, but sadly, not surprising. It shows young people — not lacking in sneakers or smartphones, but in structure and moral direction — throwing punches, yelling, and being cheered on rather than stopped. This comes barely a year after a teenage girl in the…