Political Financial Illiteracy: How much does a Policy (Law) cost?

Zohran Mamdani speaking at the Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx mosque,
New York, October 24, 2025

     

     After engaging someone in an online discussion regarding Policy (Law), I realized something that hit me like a ton of bricks. It wasn't a new revelation, it was an "Ah ha!" moment about something that I have witnessed since 2017 with the election of Donald Trump. Everything instantly clicked and I found the words to articulate it: citizens generally lack a basic understanding of the political process and the relationship between Policy (Law) and Procedure. It is political financial illiteracy, and this is how I came to that conclusion.

     One of my Facebook friends shared a status about requiring I.D. to vote here in New York State. If you didn't know, here in New York State citizens are not required to present government-issued I.D. in order to vote. It is against the law. Because of this law, some New Yorkers, usually Republicans or Conservatives, have promoted the idea of voter fraud and undocumented citizens being allowed to participate in the political process. My Facebook friend's argument was that since people need I.D. to buy cigarettes, alcohol, medication, get a loan, cash a check or travel by bus, train, or airplane that people should be required to have a valid government I.D. to vote. What this person did not consider is the relationship between any government Policy (Law) and the Procedures required to implement. It costs money. It was also obvious that they lacked an understanding of how government works when it comes to its financial and legal responsibility to create, amend or repeal any Policy (Law). 

     Regardless of where someone stands on a political spectrum, if there is a Policy (Law) that they believe needs to be created, amended or repealed, the local, state, or federal government that creates, amends, or repeals that Policy (Law) assumes the primary financial and legal responsibility for implementing that Policy (Law). That. Costs. Money. If that Policy (Law) is to require citizens to show I.D. in order to vote, New York State (NYS) is financially and legally responsible for ensuring that eligible voters can obtain the necessary government issued I.D. without incurring significant costs or undue burdens. By law, NYS cannot simply say to citizens, “Get a damn I.D. to vote!” or "You got money and can pay for an I.D. to vote." The procedure of creating, amending, or repealing a Policy (Law) include financial and legal obligations, in perpetuity. For example, some of the financial and legal obligations that NYS would be responsible for to implement a new Voter I.D. Policy (Law) are: NYS government administration costs, training for board of election staff and machine inspectors across the state, multilingual/visually impaired voter education outreach materials to inform citizens about the law, covering associated costs for acquiring the "6 points" of documentation to obtain a valid NYS government I.D., insuring accessibility (elders/citizens with mobility issues, etc.), updating voting technology/machines, material/digital signage, and etc. If financial and legal responsibilities like these are not met, state and federal courts are there to ensure that this Policy (Law) is upheld. This is just a basic example of associated costs and the legal obligations that come along with creating, amending or repealing a Policy (Law). So… take a guess who would be required to pay some of these associated costs and legal obligations to make this Voter I.D. Policy (Law) happen? The same folks who believed that people simply need to, “Get a damn I.D. to vote!” or "You got money and can pay for an I.D. to vote." Sometimes the associated costs and legal obligations for the Policy (Law) is not the grass that people think is greener on the other side. They may find out that this "grass" was actually non-sustainable artificial turf that needs to be constantly replaced, and they're going to be paying the big, beautiful, bill.  We saw the financial and legal responsibility during Covid when federal, state and local governments created, amended, and repealed Policies (Laws) around closures, public services, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), social distancing and etc. We also saw people get rich because of it and people become poor, if we were paying attention. 

     With all eyes on the recent election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City's next Mayor, this transition will provide an excellent opportunity to see the primary financial and legal responsibilities that comes along with creating, amending, or repealing any NYC Policies (Laws) that mayor-elect Mamdani would like to implement. There is always a cost. Folks on both sides of the political spectrum have already begun to weigh-in regarding his campaign promises of a rent freeze, city-owned grocery stores, fare-free buses, free universal childcare, the creation of a new Department of Community Safety, affordable housing construction and other ideas. While some see these things as unattainable pie in the sky delusions, others see practical possibilities. All of them, whether they realize it or not, are indirectly assessing what this will cost; what primary financial and legal responsibilities will come along with these campaign promises? Some folks believe that the cost is too high, others believe that it is not. While most folks see this as a binary argument, either we cannot or we can, the reality is there will be a combination of both. As a government body consisting of two branches, Executive and Legislative, mayor-elect Mamdani will have to work with these branches of government, city departments, county government, and the state government to create, amend, or repeal any NYC Policies (Laws) and determine his city government's financial and legal responsibilities. This is not a unilateral decision, and all of these entities do not always agree. In other words, just like any mayor elected to office, they will get some things done in their first term and other things they will not get done. Sometimes things simply don't get done because it is a multi-year project or initiative beyond the term that someone was elected to serve. That brings up another important point; sometimes the ribbon-cut project or initiative that folks are crediting to a current mayor, current members of city council, or current county legislators started a decade ago when none of these folks were in office. Many times, the political architects of these projects and initiatives are not acknowledged or given any credit for it. Of the many reasons that history is important, this is one of them. It enables you to chart the trajectory of change that happens in any given environment, how those changes shape the legal landscape, who are the folks responsible, who does/doesn't benefit from these changes, and what can be done to create, amend, or repeal any Policies (Laws) to make the environment better and legal landscape more equitable. While this is how I see the value of history, there are others who have used the exact same thought process to make the environment worst and the legal landscape inequitable. American Apartheid or Segregation is one of the most obvious examples where races were legally and inequitably separated for almost a century in all aspects of public and private life (anti-miscegenation laws), even in death (cemeteries were segregated).  These were the same Policies (Laws) that deputized the KKK to enforce them, which included murdering Black folks for voting. Yes, some Black people literally died to vote. Consider the story of Maceo Snipes.

WWII Veteran Maceo Snipes
Shot for Voting. Died July 20th, 1946.

      Maceo Snipes was a WWII Veteran who had recently returned home to a segregated Georgia after serving overseas. On Jully 17th, 1946 Snipes cast the first vote in the Primary Election for Governor of Georgia, despite threats from the local KKK that Black citizens didn't have the right to vote. The next day four white men came to Snipe's grandfather’s farmhouse where Snipes and his mother Lula were having dinner. One of those men who came to the house was a military acquaintance of Snipes, WWII veteran Edward Williamson. According to a Department of Justice memo, Snipes was called to come outside. Lula said that she heard Snipes speak to the men and then three gunshots ring out. When the men left the scene Snipes lay shot, bleeding profusely, on the porch. A wounded Snipes and his mother Lula walked almost 3 miles to the home of Homer Chapman for help. Chapman owned the land where Snipes and his mother worked as sharecroppers. Snipes was then driven to the Montgomery Hospital in Butler. After addressing his wounds, Snipes was refused a blood transfusion because doctors stated that there was no "Black blood" in the hospital. Snipes died two days later on July 20th. Edward Williamson eventually admitted to shooting Snipes but claimed that it was over a $10 debt dispute and in self-defense because Snipes approached their car with a knife. While all obvious signs lead to Snipes being murdered for voting, the local coroner acquitted Williamson days later. In 2008 the FBI reviewed the case and determined that the shooting arose from a personal dispute. The case was officially closed on April 10th, 2010, yet not for the family members of Maceo Snipes who are still seeking justice. At the time of Snipe's murder, the family owned 202 acres of land yet were forced to leave their land because of threats to their lives.

     While some things have changed since ending the legalization of Segregation, some segments of the American population are still fighting hard to maintain or reinstate Policies (Laws) that would make these American Apartheidists proud. In fact, many of these Baby Boomers who were in the pictures holding racist signs outside of public schools, spitting on and throwing bricks at marchers, smiling in front of lynched Black bodies, and burning down homes, businesses, and churches are still here today. They didn't disappear and they still serve as judges, lawyers, CEOs, board members, wardens, managers, police chiefs, teachers, business owners, politicians, and in other influential positions today. Many of them voted for the current POTUS; they are in the same peer group! At the same time, there is a new guard of progressive folks across the nation who are bringing a fresh perspective on what local, state, and federal government can be for everybody. Like him or not, mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is one of those folks. As a Five Percenter in New York, yet not NYC, I think it is also important for those of us within Now Why Cee (NYC), especially near our national Harlem (Mecca) headquarters, to position ourselves to prepare for this new Administration and what that can mean to the future of our nation and our headquarters. One of Mayor-elect Mamdani's biggest criticism was his lack of connection with the Black community. There are many who have even gone as far as to coin the phrase "Mamdani Gentrification", claiming that his primarily non-Black campaign team, policies and backing by younger, wealthier white and white-adjacent residents have contributed to rising costs that price out and displace longtime residents in historically Black communities. Taking points like this from everyday New Yorkers and the voting statistics in the 2025 NYC Mayoral Election Exit Polls also appear to corroborate that apprehension, where nearly half (44%) of Black women voted for disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo instead of Zohran Mamdani, even though Cuomo resigned as governor after NYS Attorney General Letitia Jame's report found him guilty of sexually harassing eleven women while serving as governor. 

     In my April, 2024 article Anchor Institutions and the Fate of Allah School in Mecca, I highlighted the fact that our Five Percent Nation's national headquarters at 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. is a parcel that is owned and classified as a miscellaneous religious facility by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services [NYC DCAS]. This is important to note because many Five Percenters were under the impression that this property is Defacto ours because of our historical use and a belief that we possessed a 99-year lease signed by the Lindsay Administration in the 1960s. As of today, there is no legal documentation, no lease agreement, or no property deed that we possess to substantiate the claim that "we own" this property. With this being the case, along with the gentrification criticisms of mayor-elect Mamdani and the sociopolitical unpredictability that comes along with any Administration change, I again echo the sentiment that we need to protect and preserve Allah Youth Center in Mecca. While some of us may assume that as a practicing Muslim, mayor-elect Mamdani may be more relatable to our nation, that is no guarantee. Building relationships with any Administration is the key to collaboration and maintaining cultural assets. Being prepared to show and prove our value as a community asset, cultural resource, and historic site will always be the difference between what we build or destroy. We have to ask ourselves, where do we stand regarding the Policies (Laws) that will be created, amended, or repealed during Mamdani's Administration? What will this cost our nation, and the community of Harlem, where we call our headquarters home? Are we at the table or positioning ourselves to be at the table to help create, amend, or repeal these Policies (Laws) to help better serve our nation and community? If we are not at the table, that is evidence that we are on the menu, either as an appetizer, entrée or a dessert. I am unaware if any Five Percenters were actively involved in Mamdani's campaign or if any Five Percenters saw the election result signs in advance and made contact with his campaign to begin building those relationships. Are any Five Percenters striving to be a part of his new Department of Community Safety? Politicians use Politics to create, amend, or repeal Policies that are ultimately enforced by the Police. There are always financial and legal costs to this, which in many historically instances, have cost us our lives. Today is no different, and if we continue to be politically apathetic and unengaged, sitting back debating on social media and participating in empty monthly vent sessions instead of doing the actual work, we will find ourselves, and our legacy, displaced and erased. 

Peace,

Saladin

Are we winning the battle of Reputational Warfare?

Universal Parliament, 1982                                         Universal Parliament, 2025

     Reputational Warfare is the practice of deliberately damaging an adversary's reputation through malinformation and psychological tactics to influence public opinion, sow doubt, and destabilize trust. In order to engage those on the landscape of reputational warfare we must have the ability to defend our good character, status, or standing within our community in the face of that negative publicity or criticism. 

    Now more than ever before with the growth of social media, people are more open to reputational attacks. These attacks take the form of negative websites, articles, blogs, reviews of one's products/services, social media posts, tweets, podcasts, videos, online petitions and even fake content being attributed to the targets of these attacks. It is more insidious than trolling, as reputational warfare is designed to do more than just deliberately upset people online. If you take a moment to think about how certain people, organizations, or companies are depicted in the mainstream media, you can probably identify the reputational warfare they have been or are currently engaged in. You can also identify if they are winning or losing that battle based on how they are meeting this assault with counter-messages and credentials. You can also identify if they have supporters or 'force multipliers' that can increase or amplify their ability to attack or defend themselves. Concerning Allah's Five Percent, I am always considering the question: Are we winning or losing the reputational warfare currently taking place in the battleground of the public domain?

         Some people reading this may ask, "Why is this important to know? I am not a celebrity or in the public domain, and what I choose to do does not affect anybody." The problem with that mentality is that we are not islands. We are all connected and represent others by proxy. If we belong to a church, mosque, synagogue, organization, institution, etc., our actions in the public, and our character, represent the body that we are connected to. If it is a religious institution and a family member passes away, that institution will probably conduct the funeral/memorial. If we attend a college or university, our actions can get us expelled, lose a scholarship, access to resources, and support. We are a part of a family and a community, and we have a standing or status in that family and community, whether we know it or not. To believe that we can show up and say and do whatever we want without affecting anyone is a very immature, unevolved view of ourselves and the world. An important part of growth and development is learning to consider more than ourselves. Without that sense of awareness and interpersonal perspective, civilization is impossible. 

          In my culture, I have consistently heard the phrase "warrior" used and people "going to war" over our teachings. In my early days, I would often bomb [check] people for not teaching the correct way. I get it. Yet the same willingness that many of us had and have to check other Five Percenters, it is often not extended to outsiders who are incorrectly telling others who we are, misleading folks about our teachings, and selling merchandise with our universal flag on it. Because of this, we continue to suffer immeasurable losses on the public battleground of reputational warfare. There are many of us who either don't care or who truly believe that constant attacks on our identity in the public domain do not matter. Some of us simply don't know what to do. For example, a few years ago I shared the above image with nation members of Walmart's online store selling a Universal Flag pendant for $399.99 without our permission. Some of the responses that I received from folks ranged from, "They're not making much money from it anyway" to "We should find the person and teach them Supreme Mathematics." No one was able to offer a practical, coherent, legitimate response on how to actually address this. Still today, most people respond to problems like this with snarky tweets, long drawn-out Facebook status complaints, or video monologues. No one is doing anything to actually stop it.

     Sometimes we make matters worse because some of the content that we choose to share only contributes to those attacks on our reputation. For example, imagine if I created a YouTube Channel that is supposed to represent an entire culture. Yet when you go to my YouTube Channel, 98% of the content is androcentric and I rarely give family [women and children] a platform. They are an afterthought, if that. The vast majority of males that I show are simply talking and rarely share any culturally competent "tangible" work. Any thinking person would wonder how my YouTube Channel actually represents an entire culture by deliberately excluding women, children, positive/productive male representation, and actual community work. The mainstream media and non-mainstream content creators then use YouTube Channels like mine as a malinformation content farm. A farm where my low-quality content is harvested by others to reinforce negative public narratives and stereotypes that promote Black pathology, misogyny, and etc. I may be completely oblivious to the fact that I am participating in this malinformation by choosing to not share a well-rounded perspective of my entire culture. My lack of awareness puts me in a losing battle upon the landscape of reputational warfare. How? My YouTube Channel falls short of not providing consistent content that enables our men, women and children to defend our good character, status, or standing within our community in the face of that negative publicity or criticism. 

Gloria Velez speaks on dating an adult from Allah's Five Percent 

Nation at the age of 14.

       When it comes to reputational warfare, we should be willing and able to defend our good character, status, or standing within our community in the face of negative publicity or criticism. It is hard to do that if we have not consistently shown good character, status, or standing within our community. We cannot attack or defend ourselves from negative publicity or criticism if we are constantly involved in negativity that attracts bad publicity and criticism. There isn't anything to defend. If we continuously lose access to gathering spaces because of our reckless behavior, that becomes a part of our reputation which is indefensible. Whether some folks like it or not, my work within local, regional, national, and international communities has enabled me to positively represent the culture of Allah's Five Percent in the face of negative publicity or criticism. I have been referenced/cited in academic papers, film, television, articles, social media content, and numerous court cases to support incarcerated Five Percenters defending and securing their First Amendment rights. While I am extremely proud to informally represent us in this global capacity, sometimes I do get disappointed seeing news stories, political/religious talking points, social media posts/comments, podcast interviews, and short/longform content that doesn't show us in a positive light. Sometimes it feels like when we take three steps forward as a nation, we take five steps backwards. In my assessment, this is partly due to a widening gap between What We Teach and What We Will Achieve. 

Highest 2 Lowest film (2025)

     While you can find an abundance of what Five Percenters teach (or don't teach) online, you would be hard pressed to find an abundance of content emphasizing our positive achievements. Not because it does not exist, I think we overemphasize what we teach and fail to consistently highlight those positive achievements. On the landscape of reputational warfare, this has crippled our ability to defend ourselves in the face of negative publicity or criticism. For every Five Percent professional that we rarely promote, there are countless drug dealers, rappers bragging about crime, addicts, pedophiles, abusers, convicts, and gang members in the mainstream news with Five Percenter names, wearing the Universal Flag, and palling around with us like Phillip J. Graham in Norfolk, Virginia. Our historical association with crime, prison, juvenile delinquency, Black supremacy, misogyny, antisemitism and homophobia has been used to forge an uncivilized reputation of us that we have yet to overcome. It is unfair because this is not all of who we are. I know many of our nation members who are doing some amazing work in our name. It's just unfortunate that there are too many undeniable examples of negativity which often drowns out this amazing work. The only real response to this negativity is to 1.) intentionally amplify our individual and collective achievements and 2.) be more selective about who we associate with. These actions show the most consistent example of what we teach, not the bunch of talking that we are known for doing. What we are about is proven in what we actually do, and who we do it with. 

Gen Z tweet about Allah's Five Percent (October 4, 2025)

     Striving to achieve more, individually and collectively, may require us to be more intentional with how we appropriate our time and where we invest our finances and resources. Investing our time, finances and resources to create a tangible project to better serve our community is more valuable than sitting around recording 4-hour reaction videos about people. Being more selective about the company that we keep is equally important. This may require us to disassociate from folks who are clearly making us look bad, tarnish the reputation of our community, and destroy the positive relationships that we are striving to build. That disassociation may also need to carry over into the digital space. Being consistent about celebrating our achievements and disassociating from negativity will enable us to slowly course correct the Ghost Brand trajectory that we are currently on. Like with any defunct brand that lost its growing success yet still maintains some old loyal customers, Allah's Five Percent has been similarly falling out of significance yet still maintaining some old loyal adherents to what we teach. This is due to our lack of positive public facing representation, successful youth outreach, and real community development. Below are images of this Ghost Brand trajectory. A trajectory that we still have the power to change -through centering the progressive work of our nation's younger generations.

27-year-old Phillip J. Graham attending a Universal Parliament of Allah's Five Percent in Virginia
and his mugshot after being arrested and charged in connection with multiple sexual assaults and
robberies in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

     In addition to outright warfare and genocide, reputational warfare has also been historically used in America against Black/Brown people, women, the poor, the unhoused, people with a disability, etc. to create and maintain the inequitable power dynamics that control this country's economy, its institutions, and its resources. These diverse groups have always been considered a threat to America's white, Christian, patriarchal, able-bodied racial hierarchy. Through this hierarchy's media apparatus, these identities have been constantly under attack and our reputations deliberately damaged through disinformation and psychological tactics to influence public opinion, sow doubt, and destabilize trust in who we are. We only make these narratives credible by amplifying negativity offline and online, especially as Allah's Five Percent. The more credible these narratives appear to be, it becomes the society's justification for our erasure and eventual extermination. These are the same tactics that were used to commit genocide against human families such as the Indigenous People of North America, Aboriginal Tasmanians, Ashkenazi Jews, present-day Palestinians and others. Most of the people within these groups didn't think that this would happen, until it did. The same way that many Five Percenters didn't think that the need to legally control/protect our cultural identity in the public domain would happen, until it did. We are moving into a dangerous space of being even more vulnerable to attacks on our cultural identity. This requires us to better control our own narrative as opposed to being slow moving reactionaries. Ignoring, minimizing, and being cynical about these words won't make this problem go away. 

Peace,

Saladin

It's Violent American Culture, Not Just Political Violence

The Gnadenhutten Massacre, 1782. (Credit: Archive Photos/Getty Images)

 

"The dominant media narrative is pushing the tired, hollow chorus, 'there's no place for political violence in America' as if centuries of racism, lynchings, assassinations, coups, and insurrections aren’t already the bedrock of American politics." -Dr. Stacey Patton

     In response to the recent Georgia and Colorado school shootings, the Charlotte subway stabbing, and the Utah Valley University shooting I wrote on Facebook:

"America was founded with violent warfare. America’s foundational economy was built and maintained through a system of inherent violence and tyranny. America’s identity and historical timeline is written and marked by warfare and centers violence: The American Revolution, the Civil War, WWI, WW2, Korean War, Vietnam War, etc. The patriotism many Americans embrace originates in the violence of "Patriots.” The American Flag is rooted in warfare and is a unifying military symbol beginning with the Revolutionary War. July 4th is a celebration of violent military conquest and fireworks symbolize cannons and gunfire. America is 249 years old and all 249 years it has either been in conflict with a foreign nation or in conflict with its own citizens. America has never experienced a year of peace. America has even been in constant conflict with the land, water, air and other life forms with pollution and ecocide. America prides itself on warfare and military might; its Defense Budget is nearly $1 trillion dollars. No nation owns more guns than America. No nation has more people incarcerated than America. No nation has experienced more school shootings than America. America has always been violent and millions of people have died on this land, many for simply existing and desiring peace.

What you have been watching is a society born and baptized in violence. America’s psychopathic culture of violence needs to change. How America writes its historical timeline in blood, and marks its most significant events with blood, has to change. If this does not change, children are going to continue being born immunized against peace."

     Whether you agree or not, violence is a core part of America's DNA. It is impossible to separate violence and imperialism from what it means to be an American and simultaneously embrace American history and culture. In fact, there is no nation that is considered more historically violent than America and U.S. History is proudly taught from the point of view of 'centering' violence and warfare. This means that there is a primary focus on violence and warfare as the main subjects of American history while excluding other factors as less important. Children in school are not primarily learning that America's most significant events are moments centered in love, peace, and happiness. They are learning about struggle, conflict and turmoil from Colonial Era warfare to the War in Afghanistan. 

U.S. History Classroom Poster of highlighting major American events

Some would argue that all nations were born through violent conflict, which is untrue. People seem to confuse a nation with a country or a state. A nation is a group of people who have a shared identity, history and culture which is often indigenous to a specific territory, regardless of so-called country or state-imposed borders. A country or state is a geopolitical entity with defined borders and a government that was oftentimes established through some form of conflict and ecocide. In other words, a country or state only exists by engaging a nation of people and superimposing defined borders and a government on the lands that this nation inhabits. That engagement, as in some African/Indigenous nations, could have happened through peaceful unification of shared values among groups. Imperialistic engagement has always been marked by violent warfare and ecocide against nations. There are nations of people who were founded in peace, who lived in peace, until that peace was disrupted by White American ancestors welding a Doctrine of Discovery; the legal and religious "right" that justified Christian explorers and colonists to take the land and murder Indigenous peoples. While you can find some nations, countries, and states founded in peace and living in peace, America is not that country, nor has it ever been. And because America is not, and some Americans have accepted its violent history as normal, that does not make it normal for the rest of the world. America's violent history that it celebrates and pridefully teaches to American children is not normal. 

     2026 will mark the 250th Anniversary of America's violent founding. People around the country will be bombarded with patriotism and reminded of its violent wars and struggles of genocidal enslavers to be independent. Children in elementary school will read books about colonizers who murdered indigenous people, and complete coloring sheets honoring men who enslaved African people. The Social Studies curriculum that middle schoolers and high schoolers will learn will be U.S. History, Geography, Civics, Government, Economics, and even World History centered in violence. There is no way that these students can accurately learn about capitalism without conflict, government without turmoil, and America's timeline without war. As adults, we will be pressured into being patriotic; proud American citizens who are grateful for the bloodshed of millions for us to enjoy the privilege to not even think about, talk about, or care about it. 

The KKK marches down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. in 1926

     Some may read this and accuse me of being Anti-American. No, there are many things that I enjoy about this country, yet I am also anti-devilishment, which means I am against evil and wrongdoing, regardless who is doing. With the recent deaths that we have seen, people appear to cherry pick which lives are worthy of celebrating and which lives are not. Many of us have normalized American violence to the point where we are selective about whose death saddens us. We selectively care, using a sliding scale of empathy regarding others humanity. Violence to them is rationalized by race, religion, politics, gender, age, and/or socioeconomic status. This is how KKK members were rationalized as a protected class of American Patriots and a film about their imagined heroism was screened at the White House, while they domestically terrorized Black people. For some people, the talking point “there is no place for political violence” does not mean that they categorically condemn political violence. What they really mean is “there are 'other places' for political violence, for other people.” People will express being sad and heartbroken about the death of a conservative influencer yet be silent about children dying in a school shooting, Black people being murdered in a grocery store or church, or women dying from sexual violence. They will tweet and post about no political violence when it comes to certain people... and places... in America... but completely ignore the political violence against other Americans and America's political violence on foreign lands. Some people have normalized American violence to the point where they cannot even imagine a world of peace and consider nothing more than an unattainable, unrealistic, utopian dream. The violence that we see is homegrown and as American as apple pie. They are not senseless or without reason. The reason is America has created a psychopathic culture of violence where these acts have occurred within the context of American history, upon an American sociopolitical landscape, and within an American framework of violence and warfare. It's where we live, what we celebrate, and what we do, as Americans. If we want to see different, we have to teach and show children that love, peace and happiness is of the highest value. We have to redefine what it means to be American and rewrite/retell its history to reflect that identity without negating the conflicts, turmoil, and struggles. Its conflicts, turmoil and struggles need to be decentered and not the highlight reel of who we are. That is, if that is not who we are or what we desire to be as a country. The problem is that is the source of pride for many Americans and exactly who they want to be. It's in their blood, like the red on their flags that they mount to their vehicles and fly in front of their homes. 

     I typically greet people and depart with the word "PEACE." It is a fundamental part of my language and culture to begin things in peace and to end them in peace. Whatever happens in-between exists within that fundamental framework of "PEACE." Yes, I get upset, yes things may not go right, and yes, I experience conflict and turmoil at times yet at the end of the day my orientation is peace. America's orientation is and has always been violence and war, since its 1776 inception to modern day. Whatever good history that has happened in-between exists within that fundamental framework of violence and war. If this does not change, we will continue to see the same violence.

Peace,

Saladin

Executive Overreach and The Serpents Egg

1977 film by legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman

     

     On August 12th, 2025, the White House sent this letter to the Honorable Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution regarding an Executive Order to Review its Exhibitions and Materials. This Executive Review is to make sure that these Institutions focus on “Americanism” in order to “Restore Truth and Sanity to American History.” Its aim is to “ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.” This review will assess various aspects of the Smithsonian's operations such as its public-facing content (in-person exhibitions and online materials), curatorial processes and exhibition planning, draft plans for future shows, how collections are used to highlight American achievements, the development of narrative standards for exhibitions. Elaborating on this Executive Order, President Trump shared the below August 19th post on Truth Social regarding this federal directive:

     First and foremost, everything discussed at the Smithsonian Institute is not how horrible the country is, how bad slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been. Anyone who has visited a Smithsonian site knows that this statement is a boldfaced lie. There is a tremendous amount of success, brightness and future aspirations shown in numerous in-person exhibitions and online materials. To that point, the National Museum of African American History and Culture literally have a beautifully vibrant exhibition on Afrofuturism. It is worth noting that the term "WOKE" was first created by Black folks in 1930s and 1960s Protest Songs and recently popularized in Erykah Badu's song Master Teacher. This idea describes an awareness of racism, discrimination, prejudice and their harmful results. To be WOKE means that you possess the knowledge to identify and allude the pitfalls and traps of racism, discrimination, and prejudice. Let's be clear, whenever President Trump or any of his MAGA sympathizers dismiss, ridicule, or attack the idea of being WOKE, they are simultaneously denying that racism, discrimination, and prejudice exist against Black people. The statement, "This Country cannot be WOKE" means the U.S. cannot acknowledge that racism, discrimination, and prejudice exist against Black people because that is the perspective of poor Black people. This is the root of the attacks we have seen on Affirmative Action, DEI, Obamacare, Obama Phones, Reparations, and other initiatives impacting Black people. This is also what's behind the stereotypical claims to pathologize Black people as coming from sh*thole countries, eating dogs and cats, having toxic culture, playing the victim, playing the race card, being unmerited DEI hires, being reverse racists, poor, lazy, on welfare, looking for handouts, criminals, uneducated, and killing each other. 

  According to the White House, the initial Phase I to review the Smithsonian Institute's exhibitions and materials will focus on the following eight museums listed below. Additional museums will be reviewed in Phase II.

• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of Natural History
• National Museum of African American History and Culture
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Air and Space Museum
• Smithsonian American Art Museum
• National Portrait Gallery
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

     Who is doing the reviewing? White House appointees/attorneys. Not historians, scholars, curators, or subject-area experts. This would be equivalent to someone who only has a background in sports entertainment serving as the U.S. Secretary of Education. In that position to lead the Department of Education, this person is responsible for reviewing and developing national education policies, overseeing federal education programs, supporting teachers, and ensuring equal access to quality education for all students. Whether it's former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon as the Secretary of Education, former Fox News Host Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense, or Lee Zeldin as Administrator of the EPA with no background in environmental issues, inexperienced federal appointments like this have become the norm of the Trump Administration. Some have argued that this is not problematic. Yet these are the same people who would have a problem with someone who has no medical background reviewing their medical records and developing a health recovery plan for them or a family member. Like it or not, these appointees and others are responsible for developing a health recovery plan for America.

Submission Timeline

Below is the scheduled compliance timeline highlighted in this letter to the Smithsonian Institute.

Within 30 days of receipt of this letter, we anticipate:

• Each museum to submit all requested materials outlined in the first four bullet points above, including current exhibition descriptions, draft plans for upcoming shows, America 250 programming materials, and internal guidelines used in exhibition development.
• Review of America 250 exhibition and program planning and connect with curators and staff about their specific proposals.
• A staff liaison from each museum will be designated to serve as the primary point of contact throughout the review process.
• Our team will begin on-site observational visits, conducting walkthroughs of current exhibitions to document themes, visitor experience, and visual messaging.

Within 75 days:

• Museums are asked to submit the remaining requested documentation (items 5 through 10), including promotional literature, grant data, educational materials, and guided tour content.

• Our team will begin scheduling and conducting voluntary interviews with curators and senior staff. These conversations will help us better understand each museum’s goals and the broader curatorial vision guiding the institution.
• Each museum should finalize and submit its updated plan to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and ensure coordination with the White House Salute to America 250 Task Force to align messaging and public engagement.

Within 120 days:

• Museums should begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials.

The White House also stated, "If all benchmarks are met on schedule, we anticipate completing our review and preparing a final report for your review in early 2026. This report will include museum-specific assessments, institutional trends, and constructive recommendations for future exhibition strategy." 

Executive Branch Overreach

     President Trump is the only President in American history to call for a review of the Smithsonian Institution. According to the Organization of American Historians (OAH) who have openly condemned this order, the Smithsonian Institution was “established by Congress in 1846 as a unique and independent agency" and "is not, and has never been, under the authority of the Executive Branch." The OAH went on to state that the Smithsonian "is an independent statutory agency, led by the Secretary and governed by a bipartisan Board of Regents as established by law." In a statement by American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) it shared, "The administration’s directive ignores our field’s scholarship and the will of the American people, who have repeatedly said they want to explore the nation's history in all of its depth and complexity. The directive removes crucial context that audiences need for a fuller understanding of the past and its relevance to today. It is also an affront to the public’s right to think for itself." As congressionally chartered and independent, the Smithsonian Institute is not part of the U.S. government's Executive Branch. Thus, the White House, and any President, does not have the authority to direct the Smithsonian's internal operations, museum exhibits, or interpretive content.

     What consequence do these institutions face for not following this directive as a part ofExecutive Order 14253? Potential funding restrictions like we have seen educational institutions face via Executive Order 14238, titled "Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy." The Center for American Progress (CAP), an independent non-partisan policy institute has tracked how the White House's Executive Orders have impacted states and higher learning institutions by Mapping Federal Funding Cuts. What this order also does is set a national standard of censorship and suppression of history. The direction to remove improper ideology that does not show allegiance to the traditions, institutions, and ideals of the United States, as defined by federal government appointees, sets the stage for the rewriting of history. This also undermines the trust in institutions, especially by historians, scholars, researchers, documentarians, curators, subject-area experts, and educators who have researched, documented and teach non-revisionist history. Lastly, this attack on scholarship and academic exploration instills fear in those to not present counter narratives that will conflict with the government's review standards, or face repercussions -which may be severe. What is also important to consider is how this federal overreach sets a precedence on a state, regional, and local level. 

How does this affect everyday people? 

     The Smithsonian Institution is a national standard of excellence in museum collections, scholarship, education, and scientific exploration. What happens on the national level informs institutions on a regional and local level. This is where they receive their marching orders, especially with the added pressure of losing federal funding. In the area of WNY (Western New York) I have seen this effecting a number of institutions. As a host for the show What's Next? on BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media) and which receives funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an entity that was recently defunded by the U.S. government and is shutting down. As an Adjunct Professor at Niagara University, I have also watched extreme cuts to their programs and staff due to the changes within the federal government. Libraries, museums, educational institutions, and regional/local policy makers are all feeling the pressure to comply with the federal government's expectations, which are often not under the legal jurisdiction of the U.S. government's Executive Branch. I have also seen local institutions and business censor how they use social media for fear of losing customers, resources, and funding if they post/share content that does not align with the federal government. What do you call a far-right, authoritarian nationalist political ideology characterized by dictatorial leadership, control and standardization imposed by a central authority, and suppression of opposition? FACISM. While some have hesitated to call it what it is, the elements and tendencies of the current Administration are evidenced in past fascist governments such as Italy and Germany. In fact, the 1977 film The Serpent's Egg by legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, is an excellent example of how a fascist society developed in 1920s Berlin, Germany. Check out the trailer below.

What can we do about it? 

     All marginalized people, based upon our race, gender, socioeconomic status, age, worldview, etc. have always been negatively impacted in various ways by racist, sexist, ageist, elitist. etc. policies that have set inequitable societal standards. These policies and standards have been primarily established and upheld by WASP men; White Anglo-Saxon Protestant men. Because of this, there have always existed resistance movements in every facet of society. Whether those were movements related to classism, racism, gender inequity, labor, etc., people have always strived to fight fascism. This means that there is evidence of where, when, what, and how to fight! As educators, we fought, and fight, by establishing our own institutions to teach the children how to think critically and creatively. This enabled us, and enables them, to intelligently respond to misinformation and disinformation designed to rewrite history. As one of many community members who helped establish our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center we made it our mission to reveal authentic stories of Underground Railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists in Niagara Falls that inspire visitors to recognize modern injustices that stem from slavery and take action toward an equitable society. These means that we center the stories and agency of people of African descent and do not promote a white savior narrative. We have been firm on this, even in the face of turning down major funders whose financial support hinged upon us changing that mission and our exhibits. The same fearless stances of integrity must be made today. We also must be willing to condemn the actions of those who seek to erase our stories. So along with education must come advocacy. In April of this year at our Permanant Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) at the United Nations, I had an opportunity to speak against the National Parks Services temporarily removing an image/content of Harriet Tubman from their website. You can read my official statement here. As adults, parents, guardians, and caretakers, it is important for children to see us courageously challenge these policies and standards. We can also challenge these policies and standards with our dollars. I am intentional about striving to support businesses, especially locally, that are also willing to condemn the actions of those who seek to erase our stories, and support those of us who are invested in preserving those stories. Supporting local businesses like this and simultaneously boycotting businesses that support fascist policies and standards also works as important advocacy tools. The nationwide boycott of Target for rolling back their DEI initiatives resulted in decreased sales, their stock plummeting and a $12.4 billion loss in market capitalization. These are just a couple of examples that have been used by everyday people in the past and present to challenge the status quo.  

      The Executive Overreach that we are seeing with the current Administration is only going to get worse before it gets any better. This political pressure from the federal government creates pressure on state, regional, and local governments where we all live. And this will continue to affect our local institutions, law enforcement, and businesses. We are not powerless though. Power belongs to the people and that power is the truth. How could we show forth and prove this power, and that we are all wise and righteous? We amplify that power through critical thinking, courage, cooperative economics and collective work and responsibility. For the world to be better, we must commit ourselves to being better in the face of this tyranny, fanaticism, and patriotism. 

Peace,

Saladin

Knowledge of Self: Who Are You Really?

“We are actually God Beings having a human experience.” -LeVar Burton

     This coming September marks thirty years since I have had Knowledge of Self via knowing 120 Lessons. If you are unfamiliar with what 120 Lessons are here is a video that I shared about The Origin of 120 Lessons and How They Function. Yet and still, knowing this information is just part of my process of gaining Knowledge of Self, as there are many paths of enlightenment. Knowledge is more than just knowing a bunch of facts, having a lot of information, using AI to make intelligent-sounding social media statuses/comments, or posting our personal library online to look smart. Knowledge is awareness; consciousness that comes from the root word "know." When we use the phrase "Knowledge of Self" it begs the question what part of Self do we need to know? In order to do that, we need to first identify The Self. Is the Self our name? Is the Self our nationality, ethnicity, age, or gender? Is the Self our race or religious/non-religious ideas? Is the Self our language, accent, diet, or temperament? Is the Self the car that we drive, our career, income, relationship status, or the clothes that we wear? Is the Self the neighborhood that we live in, our medical and family history, hobbies, or future aspirations? Is the Self our physical body? And if we define the physical body as "ours", what is the Self that owns this physical body? These are "my hands", "my eyes", and "my brain" creating this article, yet what am I that owns these hands, eyes, and brain? Those are big questions that many people have never asked or explored. At the root of all of these parts of ourselves is awareness. Awareness, consciousness or knowledge is the essence of our identity, and it is infinite and intangible. That awareness, consciousness or knowledge is The Self that underlines these multidimensional, multilayered, and multifaceted aspects of who we are as sapient beings. LeVar Burton simply described this idea as, "We are actually God Beings having a human experience" during a recent Wild Card Interview with Rachel Martin. I would take it a step further by saying that as beings, we are also created with the same matter or star dust that created the physical universe. Our atoms, which are the building blocks of matter and everything that exists within the universe, is the same or undifferentiated. 

We Are Star Dust

     When we start to ponder the above questions about identity, we began to take ourselves to the "ledge" of what we "know" by exploring the limits of our thinking. And this thought process is often rooted in a westernized segregated thinking that betrays the wholistic thinking that classical and indigenous Black/Brown civilizations conceptualized and integrated this into our societies as first world people and the fathers and mothers of civilization. Knowing this ledge or limited thinking is the path of Knowledge [know + ledge = knowledge]. In order to ask "questions", it requires us to be on a "quest" [quest is the root of question]. The further we question and explore, this leads us to the conclusion that The Self, as infinite and intangible awareness/consciousness, it underlines the multidimensional, multilayered, and multifaceted aspects of who we are as sapient beings. It's a dichotomy because The Self is simultaneously many things while at the same time one. This is what is meant by the word individual; we are an indivisible [inseparable] duality. Knowledge of Self is a never-ending inner journey to explore the multidimensional, multilayered, and multifaceted aspects of who we are. The purpose of that exploration it is align with our infinite ability to elevate our consciousness, quality of life, sense of purpose, and relationships to others and this planet. This journey requires us to learn about our family, their stories, and how we got here on the map of human geography. It requires us to assess our diets to see what is best for us. It requires us to reexamine the things that we have embraced as principles, values, and social norms. It requires us to go places and expand our lived experiences by seeing something new. It also requires us to be studious by committing ourselves to learning about the past, what is presently happening, and considering how we can positively shape the future. It requires us to better understand the planet and our relationship to its animate/inanimate objects. These, and many other lifelong considerations, are a part of this journey of Knowledge of Self.

     In this journey of Knowledge of Self, there three things that always happen:

1. We learn new ideas.
2. We confirm some things that we always knew.
3. We learn to get rid of old ideas.

     Every single thing that we experience fall within these three categories, and every category requires change. Sometimes that change is easier than others. I remember starting to learn how to identify unhealthy ingredients in packaged foods. Not eating those ingredients was easy. The hard part was oftentimes not having a reference guide in hand to look up ingredients while standing in a grocery store aisle; cell phones and Google did not exist at this time. Some of us find it hard to change our attitudes or habits about things that we always knew were right or wrong. I've known women who had a difficult time leaving an abusive relationship even though they knew it was the right thing to do. Sometimes it is easy to get rid of old ideas, sometimes it is not so easy. This self-diagnostic process helps us elevate our consciousness, quality of life, sense of purpose, and relationships to others and this planet. It is through this journey that we become more aware and empowered to share that knowledge with others, which may include how we were able to change our attitudes and habits.

 Endogenous vs Indigenous

     Endogenous means originating within or an inward origin. Indigenous means originating in an outward place. As awareness/consciousness incarnated within a physical form, we are endogenous before being indigenous to any place. The mind [intangible] proceeds the body [tangible]. Anything that has an outward manifestation first originates within. This includes our audible voice. Before anyone can hear what we are thinking or what we are saying, it is first internally communicated through the inner voice. That voice that you are presently hearing inside of your head as you read this sentence is the inner voice. That voice, that we call the inner monologue, internal dialogue or self-talk, is the non-audible inward expression of awareness/consciousness. Where did it come from?   

     The inner voice that we hear inside of our head, that usually sounds like our voice, is not ours. We learned to claim it as ours. It’s actually a combination of ideas from different voices that we have heard throughout our lives. Some of those ideas that we claim are good, some are not. Some are louder than others. The journey of Knowledge of Self is also about processing and unpacking those ideas that we have identified with and claim as our inner voice. Because that self-talk which eventually manifests itself in how we talk about ourselves and others. A person who has low or vacant esteem, who always talk negative about themselves, has been socialized through a combination of negative ideas from different voices that they have heard throughout their lives. Children how have been told their entire lives that they are bad, ugly, or stupid, often adopt that idea as a part of their identity. That is sometimes the loudest voice that they hear inside of their head. And sometimes it requires more than religion, Supreme Mathematics, retreats, programs, psychedelics and etc. to change that. Sometimes people need therapy to help them process and unpack those negative ideas that we have identified with and claim as their voice. All of this is a part of one's journey of Knowledge of Self. Negative self-talk betrays and neutralizes the infinite potential of The Self. If our idea about who we are is limited to our career, relationship status, appearance, religion, etc., we fail to acknowledge the multidimensional, multilayered, and multifaceted aspects of who we are as sapient beings. It's like having a gift to create visual art within us and never acknowledging or exploring it. Most people have numerous gifts and abilities that they never explore(d) because they don't acknowledge that they are essentially multidimensional, multilayered, and multifaceted. They only identity with parts of who they are, not the whole.

     Now, just because we do acknowledge this and consider ourselves to be on a journey of Knowledge of Self, it does not automatically mean that we know what to do with what they are learning. That requires wisdom. It is being aware of what we now know, and having the consideration, courage, consistency to use it. There are things that we learn about ourselves, and about others, that require us to change our relationships. That is not always easy. Imagine being in a relationship for many years that you always thought was true, then one day you find out that it was a lie and you were being cheated on. Imagine that this was your relationship to yourself, and one day you discover that you've been cheating yourself. You've been cheating yourself all of these years with ideas that betray your ability to elevate your consciousness, quality of life, sense of purpose, and relationships to others and this planet. Most people are not happy when they find this out. In fact, they become angry at themselves and others who they feel/believe set them up to be cheated on. Everyone who is on the journey of Knowledge of Self experience this kind of heartache. It's traumatic, and everyone doesn't recover from it. Some people stay heartbroken and vow to never associate with certain people, places, or things that trigger this trauma. I know people who had a traumatic academic experience, and their reaction [not response] to that trauma is anti-intellectualism. As anti-intellectuals, they became obsessively skeptical of anything academic and consistently smart shame and show disdain for people whom they believe are educated. It can take people a lifetime to recognize that has not been the wisest way to address this trauma. Sometimes recognizing this lack of wisdom requires therapy. 

     Wisdom is using right discernment [judgment] to apply what we know about ourselves, others and the world around us. As sapient beings, this is one thing that separates humans from animals. With a more advanced brain architecture, we possess a consciousness that enables us to think abstractly, solve complex problems, and experience life through self-aware sensory perception. While animals can demonstrate wisdom, humans have the ability to demonstrate supreme wisdom or a higher degree of discernment. That is, humans who are on a path of enlightenment. Historically speaking, when humans have not had a path of enlightenment, we see a decline of civilization and descent into a primitive state as evidenced in The Dark Ages. You can also see this evidenced in the Information Age where we still see a decline of civil discourse, civic engagement, and civilization even though the exponential growth in technology allows people to access more information than ever before. We see people who would rather produce hours of content talking negative about people, places, and things that they don't like instead of investing that same time and finances to create positive solutions. The irony is, some of these people claim to have Knowledge of Self; which shows a clear disconnect between What We Teach [knowledge] and What We Will Achieve [wisdom]. There can be a number of reasons for this disconnect and someone's inability/unwillingness to create positive solutions. Sometimes the problem IS the actual solution. And to solve some problems it may require us to delicately walk back across a fragile bridge that we burned. I can only imagine the level of humility, courage and consideration required to do this. I also understand that there must be some lessons in this to help us become wiser. 

     All of us are on a journey in life and will face challenges, that sometimes appear insurmountable. Some of those challenges are people, places, and things along the landscape and we will need the mental fortitude [knowledge] and skills [wisdom] to address them. The stories that we tell ourselves, the stories that others tell us, the stories that we agree/disagree with and how we use them either aligns with or betrays The Self's ability to meet those challenges. Those stories either align with or betrays our ability to explore The Self's multidimensional, multilayered, and multifaceted aspects of who we are as sapient beings. Our sense of identity is a fundamental part of that self-work. In a number of Surahs within the Quran, the Arabic phrase "Kun fayakūn/Kun Faya Kun" (كن فيكون) is used which means "Be and it is!" In the book of John 1:1 we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." If we think and tell ourselves that we can't, we won't. Regardless of the support and encouragement that is available to us. If we think and tell ourselves that we can, we will. Regardless of the lack of support and discouragement. Each day is an opportunity for us to be better and do better for ourselves, others and the planet. How we choose to ultimately see ourselves will determine what we do. 

Peace,

Saladin