Does the Radical Left Have Ties to Cuba?

It doesn't get a lot of press attention, but then much of the most corrupt actions of the left don't. Cuba isn't exactly what one would label a 'stable' country. Not economically, not politically, not socially or culturally. Cuba has lived under a dictatorship for the last 74 years, since General Bautista seized power in a military coup. Dictatorships aren't exactly known for thriving economies, hence alliances with other authoritarian regimes are highly valued. 

Soon after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Fidel Castro turned to Moscow to counter U.S. pressure. In February 1960, Cuba and the Soviet Union signed their first major trade and economic agreement. For the next three decades, Cuba became a key Soviet satellite state in the Western Hemisphere, relying heavily on Soviet oil, weapons and economic subsidies. 

When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Moscow abruptly cut off its massive subsidies and trade support. This triggered a devastating economic depression in Cuba known as the "Special Period." The economic alliance was revived after Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000. Since then Russia and Cuba have steadily rebuilt their political, economic, and military ties. In 2014, Russia wrote off 90% of Cuba's Soviet-era debt. Russia currently supplies Cuba with oil, agricultural products, and financial backing. Cuba consistently backs Russian foreign policy while Russia opposes the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Today Cuba remains a communist dictatorship. Call it what you will, but bottom line, Russia too is a communist dictatorship. If you don't believe that, just try getting crossways with Vlad Putin.  

It's a known fact that Russia interferes in American elections every chance it gets. It's all very clandestine and they're very good at it, and it's not going to end any time soon. But what about Cuba? Not so much as far as interfering in elections, but fanning the flames of leftist radical influence?  According to a new report from the U.S. State Department, yes. 

The Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP), a Cuban intelligence and influence network, maintains social and financial ties with a number of prominent radical left-wing groups in the U.S. from Black Lives Matter to Code Pink, the State Department says in a recently released report. ICAP was founded in 1960 by Fidel Castro and purportedly exists to promote goodwill toward Cuba through a global infrastructure of 'friendship' and 'solidarity' organizations and deep, longstanding ties to U.S. universities, student groups and activist movements, according to the report. 

The group's network includes more than 2,000 solidarity organizations across 150 countries. Its expansive outreach is alarming, ICAP is run by Fernando Gonzalez Llort, a Cuban spy who spent 15 years in a U.S. prison after being arrested in Miami as part of the Wasp Network in 1998. Former officers of Cuba's Intelligence Directorate have claimed that about 90% of ICAP staff are affiliated with the Cuban spy agency. 

The Cuban regime leverages ICAP's 'solidarity' networks to drive policy, shape activist movements, and maintain a cabal of advocates and agents in the U.S., according to the State Department report. 

ICAP works closely with the U.S. based National Network on Cuba (NNOC), a coalition of more than 60 American groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the National Lawyers Guild, Code Pink, and Communist Party USA. While publicly proclaiming a commitment to lobbying for an end to the U.S. embargo, the group actually functions as a key point of contact for coordination between the Cuban regime and the American far left. NNOC works with ICAP to coordinate U.S. delegations to Cuba to hold "solidarity" conferences where American activists meet with Cuban officials to develop strategies for expanding Cuban influence networks in the United States. 

NNOC's propaganda has had a particularly profound effect on young Calla Walsh, who at 16 years of age was celebrated by the New York Times as part of an "influential new force in Democratic politics" for her work on the campaigns of Senator Ed Markey (D. Mass) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D. Mass). One year later, at 17, she was invited to Cuba. She then visited the country four times between 2022 and 2024. 

Her trips to Cuba ultimately led to her introduction to Fergie Chambers, a Marxist organizer and heir to the Cox Communications empire. Walsh met Chambers at a 2022 conference in Cuba. That meeting seemed to solidify her path to extremism. Today, Walsh is a full-time resident of Lebanon who has transgressed from a progressive to a hardened radical who has been placed on a suspicious persons watch list by the U.S. government for her extensive dealings with the governments of Cuba and Iran, as well as countless U.S. designated terrorist groups. She recently appeared in an Iranian state media interview calling the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "the greatest anti-imperialist leader" of her lifetime. 

The path to Walsh's radicalization included relationships with several of the groups cited in the report for having close ties to Cuba, including the People's Forum, Code Pink, and the Democratic Socialists of America. 

The People's Forum is one of the most significant left-wing protest groups in America. The group has served as a significant force in the protests against Donald Trump and ICE. They have received substantial financial backing, almost $5 million in 2022, a more than 800% increase from the prior year, owing to the political network of Neville Roy Singham. The People's Forum has played a part in organizing numerous protests, from a demonstration in New York City on October 8, 2023, celebrating Hamas attack on Israel as "an unprecedented liberation struggle," to teaming up with the New York chapter of Democratic Socialists of America to recruit almost 4,000 activists to counter ICE enforcement operations in the city.  

The Democratic Socialists of America has significantly expanded its relationship with, and support for Cuba. In 2019, the DSA announced plans to formally join NNOC. The DAS has since established its own Cuba Solidarity Working Group, has lobbying and campaign advocates, and has sent several official DSA delegations to Cuba. 

In the 1970's, Cuban propaganda turned Assata Shakur, a member of the Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army into the face of U.S. racism, black oppression, and anti-imperialism. Cuban leaders offered Shakur refuge after being convicted of murder and other charges and sentenced to life in prison in the U.S.. Shakur escaped prison with the help of an armed group from the BLA and Weather Underground. She fled to Cuba where she lived until her death in 2025. 

The State Department's report goes on to identify the National Lawyers Guild as having provided support to thousands of George Floyd rioters, and one of the most consistently relevant organizations in Cuba's U.S. network. In 2020 alone, the NLG claims to have coordinated legal support for more than 20,000 arrested protesters during the George Floyd riots. 

The leftist radical ties to Cuba are long-lived and rarely spoken of in the U.S.. Another of the embarrassing faces of the far-left in American politics. Were it not for the support of modern Russia, would Cuba be able to continue this perennial subterfuge?

What's going on behind the scenes with food prices...

With rising food prices, it's human nature and not to mention political bent to place blame. Who or what needs to be identified as the true culprit. All too often, the blame lands on the wrong culprit. 

Many seem to believe that domestic manufacturers and producers are responsible for rising food prices. While politically convenient, this blame game arrantly targets the wrong party while getting the economics of global supply chains, well, backwards. 

One of the key inputs to the American food supply is fertilizer. Its price, like that of other key inputs, is rising. This isn't coming from corporate greed or mismanagement. It's resulting from a combination of global supply chain disruptions, geopolitical instability, and misguided government policies both here and abroad. 

A perfect example of one of the most important, even critical components of the global food supply chain is fertilizer. Increased crop yields depend on it. When crop yields fall, food production declines and grocery bills rise. The production of fertilizer depends on the availability of of a complex combination of materials such as sulfur, ammonia, and phosphate rock. These raw materials are sourced from a variety of global sources and rely on international transportation networks. The supply chains involving these raw materials are currently under significant stress. 

The current war between Russia and Ukraine continues to disrupt key commodity markets and trade routes. Russia produced 7.5 million metric tons of sulfur last year making it the third largest producer in the world. Russia is an oil-rich country and sulfur is a by-product of oil refining. Lately, Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia's oil and fertilizer infrastructure have dramatically cut Russia's ability to supply sulfur. Russia's ammonia exports have also fallen to approximately 80% of pre-war levels. 

Tensions in the Middle East have only added to the uncertainty around energy production and shipping routes. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, roughly 16 million tons of fertilizer remain in limbo while geopolitical events remain unresolved. To compound the situation, about half the world's supply of sulfur passes through the strait.

When supplies of critical raw materials shrink and the cost of accessing them rises, prices for consumers will naturally rise. This is completely unrelated to the 'end' market. The market is simply responding to a failure in the supply chain. 

Lowering prices will not come from penalizing producers. The solution will come from relieving the pressure created by global uncertainty. This begins with eliminating policies that unnecessarily raise costs for domestic producers and manufacturers. Permitting delays, burdensome regulations, including those restricting energy development and production all make it more difficult to produce fertilizer in the U.S.. America has abundant resources and tremendous production capability. Government legislators should be doing everything possible to make sure American companies  can source the raw materials they need domestically. 

At the same time, lawmakers need to be acutely aware of misguided trade practices. Raw materials need to be sourced from trusted trade partners, both foreign and domestic. Many foreign producers are facing the same pressures. Countries like China are exacerbating the situation with unfair trade practices of their own. China is the world's largest exporter of fertilizer. However, China has restricted the export of fertilizer and its raw inputs, including sulfuric acid. 

American officials  must pursue policies that promote a level playing field and supply chains that are not subject to global unrest. This leads not only to lower prices but ensures security of domestic food supplies.  If these issues persist through next year's planting season, Americans will be subjected to further price increases than they have this year, as many farmers had already purchased their fertilizer before the current disruptions. 

The laws of economics have not changed, nor shall they. If Washington is serious about protecting food supplies and lowering costs, it needs to distance itself from the blame game. Addressing this crisis requires analyzing what the root causes are, then effecting efforts at where the real problem lies. 

The Big Boy Steam Locomotive

 The first "Big Boy" 4014 steam locomotive was commissioned for Union Pacific Railroad and delivered in 1941. These massive locomotives were built to haul heavy equipment in support of the war effort (WWII), and normally operated between Ogden, Utah and Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Big Boys are 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds. 

Due to their great length, the frames of the Big Boys are "hinged" or articulated to allow them to negotiate curves. They have a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which means they have four wheels on the leading set of 'pilot' wheels to guide the engine; eight drivers on the first engine; another set of eight drivers on the second engine; and four wheels trailing that support the rear of the locomotive. 

Number 4014 was retired in December of 1961 after traveling over a million miles. Union Pacific reacquired it from Rail Giants Train Museum in Pomona, California in 2013 and relocated it back to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a multi-year restoration. It returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's completion. 

The seven other remaining Big Boys are on public display in St. Louis, MO; Dallas, TX; Omaha, NE; Denver, CO; Scranton, PA; Green Bay WI; and Cheyenne, WY. 

As the era of steam locomotives drew to a close with the dawning of the more efficient diesel engines, the machines that had helped build American cities, transported critically needed goods during World War II, and connected the nation from coast to coast, were quickly being relegated to scrap yards. By the early '60's, trains were being powered by diesel engines. In 2019, Big Boy #4014 was returned to Cheyenne, Wyoming for restoration. Since being brought back to life, #4014 has traveled 7,000 miles through 14 states, nearly 100 cities, and countless small towns and stretches of farmland as part of America's 250th anniversary celebration. 

The restoration of #4014 is a fitting symbol of the enduring strength of the working-class communities it visits. Experts had widely dismissed the idea of restoring the 600 ton locomotive to working order as impossible. Big Boy #4014 reminds us of an anxious nation that the sweat, ambition and community spirit that originally built America, still lives. It was merely waiting for the whistle to wake it once again. 

Enjoy the video of Big Boy #4014. Big Boy #4014

High Prices, Who's to Blame?

Like many countries around the world, the U.S. has been beset with rising prices. Especially since 2020 when Joe Biden took office. Seems no commodity, even essential goods has been spared. Politics likes to find a scapegoat for this, almost always to gain points for the party.  The problem is, they rarely get it right. The target for the blame typically gets pinned on the wrong group. 

Identifying a singular culprit for rising prices, or inflation, is often very difficult. Usually because it's not just one culprit. Inflation doesn't happen because a certain manufacturer or industry decides to raise prices to increase their profit margin. Most companies take pride in gaining increased profits due to internal improvements in efficiency and technology. In other words, they earn them. Simply raising profit margins over time without increases in efficiency and better business practices isn't sustainable. 

Getting products and services to market doesn't begin and end with the end supplier to the consumer. There is a "supply chain" that supports the end supplier with raw materials. They might be iron ore, crude oil, minerals, or any material that is obtained from the earth. 80% of all goods consumed on earth begins with a raw material from one of those three groups. It may be a tennis ball, an X-ray machine, a bottle of wine, a car, a pair of headphones, a light bulb, the list is endless. There are some that don't originate with raw earth materials. For instance leather. The seats in our cars, the materials on our sofas that we sit on at home, the wool in our favorite sweaters, cotton for clothing, and many others. Even materials that don't originate with raw earth materials, they are still dependent on the supply chain. Leather needs dyes that require gases and minerals to manufacture. Cotton and wool also require dyes and chemicals to clean and process the fibers. 

Here's the real kicker. 100% of all goods consumed on earth require energy at some point in the supply chain, if not all points. And the vast majority of the world's energy (86%) comes from raw earth materials. 

Supply chains are more often than not complex networks of sources of materials, labor, energy, and services that work together to produce an end product on the market. When even one link in the 'supply chain' is disrupted, this can cause a delay or even a lack of availability of a product in the market. At this point, the laws of supply and demand step in. Assuming the demand stays constant, a lack of supply will result in a price increase. 

Here's another 'real world' example to consider. The Iran war and the blockade and stoppage of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has seriously stymied the flow of crude oil to many countries. Crude is of course the source of energy for countless industries in many countries. If a country's crude supplies are disrupted, energy costs are going to increase. The cost increase is going to passed down the supply chain. It will cost more to refine or process the raw earth material. Energy plays a major role in manufacturing as well. The end product now costs more, but not as a result of the manufacturer raising prices, or even the energy provider. The higher prices are attributable to the very first link in the supply chain, the crude supplier. Arguably, even the crude supplier can deflect blame. A geopolitical event shut down the suppliers ability to deliver his cargo. 

That's just one of a myriad of possibilities. Twenty-first century global economics is a complex subject. No country is completely self-dependent. Suppliers have suppliers who have suppliers who have suppliers... And the suppliers are scattered around the world. Given the helter-skelter nature of world geopolitical 'events', one can see how easily and abruptly a link in a supply chain can be disturbed. One event in the Gulf of Oman can affect prices in dozens of countries.  It did, and it's not over yet...

Zhoran Mamdani and his lies...

 Zohran Mandani took aim at U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agents, Elon Musk, and what he called the "arena of supremacy" in the U.S. during an immigration-themed America 250 speech Friday ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. Let's take a look at some of his statements and break them down.

Mamdani blasted the world's first trillionaire, a milestone Musk achieved with the IPO of SpaceX last month. "We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world, one where children go to sleep hungry while the world's first trillionaire hungers for more." What a convenient little twist of propaganda. Does Uganda have children going to sleep hungry? India? Algeria? Mexico? Who is best managing that issue? Try again Zhoran.

We see monopolies dominating every industry... Ask the executives at Google, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm, Meta, and Apple, to name a few, how their attempts to monopolize their industries worked out. The activities in question were promptly shutdown and billions in fines have been paid. Keep trying Zohran.

Oligarchs who buy elections... Yes, there have been numerous attempts to do this in America. Some of the worst offenders are Russia, George Soros, Neville Roy Singham, Hillary Clinton, the progressives of the Democratic Party. Keep trying Zohran.

We see masked agents terrorizing our streets, eating food cooked by our undocumented neighbors before spiriting them away in unmarked vans... I think you have left off an important prefix to 'terrorizing' Zohran. That should be unterrorizing our streets. The job of ICE is tor find and remove undocumented illegal criminal aliens from our streets. They are quite good at that and would be even better if the policing agencies of your so-called sanctuary cities would cooperate according to U.S. laws. Your sanctuary cities are also quite adept at releasing criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets after committing heinous crimes after without requiring bail. Numerous lives of American citizens have been lost to heinous crimes committed by illegal criminal aliens. 

"We see a nation whose immense wealth has been built by those with calloused, dirt-streaked hands, those who toil on factory floors and chisel into stone. And we see a nation that has allowed so much of that wealth to be held instead in the soft hands of a precious few." Precious few, Zohran? Approximately 5% of Americans hold $1 million or more in retirement accounts. About 20% have a net worth of $1 million or more. Over a third of Americans have a net worth of a half million or more. Is the what you call "a precious few?" Try again Zhoran...

Mamdani, who was sitting at George Washington's desk during the remarks (I'm sure he would be so proud...), also praised the legacy of immigrants, claims they have overcome riots aimed at their very existence. The vast majority of riots have been aimed at the police agencies tasked with removing the illegal criminal aliens. Wrong again Zhoran. 

"Over the years, despite laws enacted by the federal government to bar their entry...". We have immigration laws to control immigration just like every other sovereign nation. Follow the laws and you can be become a U.S. citizen. Just like you did Zhoran. More lies to fit your narrative. 

He speaks of wealth as if it were malicious, the vast majority being ill-gotten gains.  He has never spoken of his own family's wealth, or it's origins. 

"Even from the air, we could make out the promise of America, the promise of the beautiful patriotic work of rendering America, year after year, a little more faithful to its founding ideals," he said. Socialism, which apparently is close to your heart, is not a founding ideal of America. Neither is Marxism, Communism, Maoism, Naziism, Fascism. I think I speak for millions of Americans when I say we will not stand for any such philosophies. They are mere experiments that have been tried around the world throughout history, and have failed every, single, time. 

We do not care about the color of immigrant's skin. We care about them following our laws and assimilating into our society. We care about their behavior. We do not care what religion they practice. The first amendment of our constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Unlike some religions around the world, we do not allow one religion to infringe upon another. 

America, from the perspective of "the powerful" is an arena of supremacy where only a select few are allowed freedom, according to Mamdani. "Where not all are created equal. America belongs only to those with the right accent or the right shade of skin. At every moment in our past, those who lead through exclusion and isolation have tried to win power and enrich themselves by turning us against each other." 

Zhoran, I have a suggestion for you. Educate yourself. Try to be objective and open-minded. Read about American history. Read about world history. Learn some facts. Stop spreading lies and propaganda. Many of us here in America have done just that. That is why when we hear your lies we cringe. We pity you and your ignorance. And as for socialism... Take it to Uganda. Take it somewhere else. We are not interested, and we will not allow it. But dont take my word for it. Keep trying, and find out for yourself. 

Less politics, more life, more stories...

 I started this blog over 15 years ago. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be where it is today. I have readers, literally all over the world. I've traveled to many places in the world over the years, but some of my readers are from places I haven't been to. And it keeps growing. This past week I have acquired readers in Togo, Tunisia, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Guatemala, Indonesia, and more. I thank each and every one of you. I am honored that you are interested in what I have to say. 

Many of my posts have been about topics concerning American politics. America, like your own country, is constantly going through turmoil of some sort. We struggle with it just as you do. We wonder about our future and what it's going to look like. We constantly ask ourselves, is it going to get better, or worse. And of course, there's that big question, what will it be like for our children, and future generations. We do have an obligation to them, are we doing all we can do? These are universal questions. 

I do understand that there is more to life than American politics. All of you, wherever you may be, have to deal with politics in your own homeland.  But analyzing politics is a never-ending, no-win game. Considering all the variables, there's no way to consistently and accurately determine or forecast what will develop going forward. Humans are flawed, their behavior is flawed, and they are unpredictable. Need I say more. 

At this stage of my life, I am a writer. I have published two novels, I consider them some of my best accomplishments in life. I'll continue to write more novels. I enjoy it and that's the best reason I can think of to write. I'll also continue to publish articles on this blog. I enjoy that as well, and I hope you enjoy reading them too. I'll also endeavor myself to write about life topics, as opposed to political. I firmly believe that our lives are much more interesting than politics. No matter where we live in the world, we all deal with many of the same issues; hardships, loss, grief, accomplishments, successes, failures, it's an endless list. I'll write more about those things in the future, those are the very things I write about in my novels. I do hope you'll read my novels so you can relate to my blog articles. They're both available on Amazon under C. Clayton Lewis. 

Once again, thank you for reading and I wish all of you the very best. 

C. Clayton Lewis

Parallels between my story, "Between the Whistle and the Gun" and Ukraine's story...

 I haven't been shy about heralding my recently published novel "Between the Whistle and the Gun." I've announced it on Facebook, several forums and on this blog as well. It is a story I carried with me and worked on for a long time. When I say long time, I mean really long time. Like fifteen years long. It's a serious narrative about Native Americans who were displaced from their homeland. A homeland they occupied for centuries, before the colonials ever set foot on American soil. For whatever reasons, mostly selfish no doubt, the White men decided they needed the land more than the Indians needed their homeland. So they were forced to walk, yes walk, to a new, designated area which they would, not by choice, call home. The journey was fatal for many. For those that did survive the 'new' homeland was hardly hospitable. Disease, famine, bandits, marauders, all contributed to making life in Indian Territory hellish. 

As if those few decades of misery and tribulation weren't enough, the fledgling government and barely 'united' United States post-civil war government singularly decided that a large amount of the land that had been appropriated to the Indians could actually serve a better purpose than being home to the Indians. So they "allotted' a certain amount of land to each Indian to own, as opposed to the Indians collectively owning the land. Subsequently, over nine million acres was taken from the Indians amid such allotment. That goes beyond displacement. That's abuse. 

The backgrounds and histories of the Ukraine war and the displacement of the Choctaw Indians are vastly different. The net effect on the people of each nation has some striking similarities. The Choctaws were in fact, physically displaced. The Ukrainians are threatened with political displacement. They have been an internationally recognized sovereign country since 1991. In December '91, Ukrainians voted in a nationwide referendum on whether to remain independent. More than 90% voted "yes" including majorities in every region of the country. 

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, with the unstated but obvious goal of reclaiming it as Russian territory, subject to the Russian government. To date, approximately 500,000 Russian soldiers have died in the conflict. Ukrainian military casualties; 100-140 thousand. There have been 15,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine. It is the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. A war against a country that voted over 90% to remain independent. 

Setting aside the background of each situation, here are the parallels that will forever remain in the annals of history. 

• displacement of sovereign peoples against their will
• the human tragedy inflicted
• significant deaths caused by political ambitions

The Choctaws through the sheer power of determination and leadership were able to survive as a sovereign nation. Their culture remains intact over a century later. The story of Ukraine is still unfolding. In spite of the fact that their culture overlaps that of their invaders, they are a sovereign nation under attack. Whether they remain so and their culture continues to develop with singularity is yet to be written. From what we have seen so far, they will remain sovereign and independent. As they have stated they wish to be. The free world stands with Ukraine. May they forever remain intact as an independent, sovereign nation and govern themselves. 

Murder in Texas...

 The murder trial of Karmelo Anthony in Frisco, Texas has been front page news since April 2025 when the event happened. There's no need to cite the details of the case for those in Texas, or probably most of the country. But for our guests in other countries I'll provide a brief summary of the case. 

Karmelo Anthony allegedly brought a prohibited knife to a track meet, trespassed into another team's tent, refused to leave after being asked 15 times to leave, reached into his bag in a threatening manner, challenged others to fight him, brutally stabbed Austin Metcalf, an unarmed 17 year-old, who lightly shoved him in response, then ran away and tried to hide the murder weapon. 

Anthony's defense has imploded faster than a meteor crossing the night sky. During the trial, every witness in the tent, including witnesses called by the defense, portrayed Karmelo Anthony as the aggressor who refused to leave and provoked the confrontation. 

Like many other trials in the past, this trial is about much more than just Karmelo Anthony. It's about the $600,000 that was donated to Anthony's defense. It's about the hordes of black activists outside the courthouse, cheering for a murderer and endorsing his violent, depraved behavior, because he murdered a white teenager. It's also about our post 1960's legal system, which prohibits schools from punishing dangerous black pupils like Karmelo Anthony, and which forces white people to live around them while exhibiting such behavior. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a good and just and necessary piece of legislation. Discrimination on the basis of color, religion, etc. should not exist, and a law to prevent it is justifiable. The laws of our country, since the Constitution and the Bill of Rights was written were and are intended to right certain wrongs and improve the quality of life for citizens. All citizens. They were written by humans which by nature means they are not perfect. There are downsides, fallacies, shortcomings, and unintended effects. The Civil Rights Act of '64 is no exception. Court-ordered busing, public housing policy, and "urban-renewal efforts" have resulted in both positive and negative consequences. The negative consequences have resulted in countless unnecessary deaths. 

Let's get straight to the point. As Thomas Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..." That statement will remain true for eternity. But it does not reflect the reality of life in the streets today of many American cities. I shall not recite examples, but do not doubt that they exist. And they are many. There is an unstated rule that states that you're supposed to tolerate antisocial behavior by black people, no matter now offensive it may be, or you'll end up dead. It has happened countless times, it happened under that team tent in Frisco, Texas. 

Writer Patrick Casey wrote: "Austin Metcalf’s murder is particularly salient because almost everyone, regardless of race, has encountered a black person carrying out an antisocial act – cutting in line, mouthing off, blasting music on the subway, etc. – which is accompanied by the implicit threat of violence. … Most people don’t want to share a society with people who routinely violate public norms and are prepared to murder anyone who objects."

It's simply a fact, statistically substantiated, that on average, black people, are far more likely to resort to violence at the slightest provocation. This is how "justice' works in the hood. If they feel their honor is threatened, or the they are being "disrespected," many black people will shoot you or stab you, without any hesitation. That doesn't mean all black people are violent. Most are not. Same as 'white' people, most are not. But the statistics are indisputable. And when these black men leave their neighborhoods and interact with white people at track meets, on the side of the road, on the subway, or anywhere else, their attitude doesn't change. Many of them are still willing to kill over any challenge to their "authority", no matter how slight. So everyone needs to be aware of the risk. Is that how we want to live?...

It's also notable that the type of violence overwhelmingly perpetrated by young, black males is almost always cowardly and dishonorable. It's often a group assaulting one person. Often kicking and beating the victim while's he's on the ground and injured. Mob violence. Anthony allegedly pulled out the knife and stabbed Austin Metcalf before he had a chance to defend himself or to retreat. 

Is feeling 'disrespected' and 'dishonored' an exclusive black mentality? No, it is not. There are other non-white groups that engage in disproportionate violence in response to criticism. And this is not exclusive to the U.S. The problem cannot be solved by calling people 'racist' when they voice their concerns about it, or by changing their behavior to minimize risk to themselves or their family. The more we ignore what's happening, the more innocent people will die. 

In trial testimony it was demonstrated that Karmelo Anthony is yet another black man who allegedly resorted to murder after his antisocial behavior was called out. This was not merely a case of one stabbing at a track meet. It's about the urgency of undoing the deranged laws and legal doctrines that are getting far too many white people killed. It's about the hopeless attempts to achieve 'racial equity.' Equity has a definition, and it has nothing to do with vengeance. 

The despicable behavior exhibited by the black activists outside the courthouse, the $600,000 donated to the Anthony family, show that not much has changed. Decades of affirmative action, welfare payments, reparations in some cities and states, DEI, a half-black president, has failed to produce any sort of racial harmony in the country. Apparently, it has led us to a period of open anti-white racial conflict which has erupted not only in the US but Europe as well. 

Since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when the concept of 'diversity' showed up, people are dying because of a myth that has persisted for far too long in this country; that racial disparities exist as a result of discrimination. They do not. The problem is far deeper than that. Someday, somehow, we are going to have to return to the doctrine espoused by Thomas Jefferson 250 years ago: "All men are created equal with certain unalienable rights..." 

D-Day

 June 6th isn't celebrated as are some other relevant holidays, such as July 4th, Memorial Day, Veterans Day. Perhaps it should be. D-Day is more than a date in a history book. It is the anniversary of of one of the greatest acts of courage and sacrifice the modern world has ever witnessed. It is a day to pause, reflect and remember, and to honor those who stormed the beaches of Normandy in defense of freedom. 

On June 6th, 1944, more than 150,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy. So many thousands would never leave those shores alive. Young men stepped from landing craft into the horror of machine-gun fire, artillery strikes, and seemingly inevitable death. Many drowned before ever reaching the sand. Yet these men pressed forward through literal hell because retreat would have meant the fall of liberty across an entire continent. 

This year, the memory of D-Day coincides with the 250th anniversary of America. This year, in celebrations not only in America, but on the beaches of Normandy itself, the nation will use not only what those young men did, but to also cherish what they preserved. As President Reagan reminded us, freedom is never guaranteed to its inheritors, it must also be defended, protected, and earned. 

Words such as freedom, democracy, and the American way of life are repeated. Now, more than ever, we must reflect on the true meaning of those words. Beneath them lies one of the most precious freedoms of all, religious freedom. The right of every human to seek God without interference of any kind from any government. 

Our founders did not place religious liberty at the head of the Bill of Rights by accident. Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which predated the Constitution and became part of the foundation of the First Amendment, rested on a profound conviction; that conscience belongs to God, not the state. The Declaration of Independence had already established the principle, that rights come not from governments but from the Creator, and that no government can legitimately take what it did not give. 

The underlying logic was profound: if government can control conscience, no other freedom is secure. Religious freedom is the most fundamental of all rights. If it falls, all other rights follow. 

The men who landed at Normandy knew that they were fighting against a regime that demanded absolute allegiance from not merely the body, but from the soul itself. Nazi Germany sought to dominate every institution that stood above the state, including the church. Religious belief was tolerated so long as it submitted to political authority. Across Europe, totalitarian governments claimed the authority to define truth, morality, and human worth itself. 

D-Day was not merely a military operation. It was part of a broad struggle against governments that believed human dignity and conscience existed only by permission of the state. 

Soldiers went into battle inspired by and motivated by faith. Chaplains moved among the troops going into battle. On the night before the invasion, General Dwight Eisenhower urged Allied troops to recognize that "the hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you." Even General George S. Patton, remembered for his toughness, personal coarseness, and battlefield aggression, understood the spiritual dimension of the war. Before the Battle of the Bulge, Patton prayed not only for good weather but that Allied victory would help restore "peace and religious freedom."

One of the most remarkable and untold stories of World War II is that of the "Four Chaplains." On February 3, 1943, the troop ship SS Dorchester was struck by a torpedo in the North Atlantic. As panic spread, four military chaplains; a Methodist minister, a Reformed Church minister, a Catholic priest, and a Jewish Rabbi gave away their life jackets so others might survive. Witnesses later recalled seeing them arm in arm on the deck of the sinking ship, each praying according to his own faith tradition as the ship disappeared beneath the water.

The freedom that so many died for was neither automatic nor self-sustaining. Every generation inherits liberty, and also inherits the responsibility to preserve it. Those who landed at Normandy and marched into Berlin gave us more than victory, they also handed us stewardship. The fallen gave us the most precious thing they possessed, their lives. And ask only that we prove worthy of their sacrifice. 

On the anniversary of this D-Day, remember what was purchased on those beaches so many years ago: the freedom to speak, to worship, to dissent, and to follow one's conscience. 

For those in other countries, we Americans pray that you can enjoy those same freedoms. 

What's really happening in Iran...

 There are certain 'world leaders' (most of whom happen to be Iranian) who would have you believe that the past three months in the Middle East have witnessed the downfall of the America economy, the destruction of the U.S. military, and the rise of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a power that can rival the United States. That the failure to reach any sort of progress toward peace is purely the fault of "The Great Satan" and that Iran has made nothing short of good faith efforts. 

If such were true, then why hasn't the Iranian regime allowed its people to access the internet, after months of digital darkness, to celebrate such supremacy and glory. Instead, the regime has become only more paranoid as the Iranians return to the web and broadcast the genuine, devastated state of conditions in Tehran and across the country. Now that Iranian citizens can be heard, Tehran's manufactured  facade of stealth and resilience crumbles like a stale cookie. 

Reality is; the Iranian economy is spiraling in a downward freefall, its military has been decimated, and its attacks against international shipping and energy in the Gulf are pathetic acts of desperation. Many Americans question whether this war was necessary in the first place. There are various perspectives that can be taken in answering this question, but there is one inarguable truth. Through its missile and drone production, Iran was rapidly approaching a lethal conventional deterrence that could have protected the regime in resurrecting its nuclear program had it been left untouched. 

The broader perspective is this was has been ongoing for 47 years. During that time, the Islamic Republic has killed thousands of Americans, and U.S. presidents of both parties have responded with policies of appeasement, weakness, and fear. 

America stood silent and still while our enemies killed scores of our soldiers. We allowed the Iranian regime and its proxies of terror to build massive arsenals of advanced weapons. Presidents of both parties took little to no action as Iran took our diplomats hostage, bombed our Marines in Beirut, encircled Israel, blew up our soldiers in Iraq, and plotted assassinations against American officials on American soil. Barack Obama and Joe Biden even rewarded Iran's hostage-taking  with billion dollar ransom payments and responded to their nuclear extortion with pathetic deals that accomplished no more than kicking the can down the road. 

President Trump's approach is not a policy of appeasement or fear. It is a policy of courage. After last year's decisive strikes, it would have been easy to declare victory and leave the remainder of Iran's threats to his successors. Iran's defiant posturing at the negotiating table is seen by some as leverage. Such smoke and mirror pathetic posturing goes to the core of Islamic ideology. Dying a martyr is revered in their culture. The jihad shall not die. 

For years, Iran stalled nuclear talks and issued maximalist demands not from a position of power but to buy time and obscure the depth of their vulnerability. Today, with their military shattered, their economy probably in the worst shape of any on earth, and their terrorist network starved of weapons and cash, the chutzpah at the table is pellucid blunder. There is no real threat. 

The hard part is fighting back against the empty threat of the Iranians has real human costs.  13 brave U.S. servicemembers have already given their lives in this war. Their sacrifice has the potential of ending Iran's decades of war against the United States, our troops and citizens, and our way of life. 

Courage alone can bring us to a place of stealth and security, and a step closer to a future where the brave people of Iran and the Middle East and the world will be free from the scourge of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Who holds the upper hand; Trump or Xi?

 Now that the Trump/Xi summit is in the rear view mirror, let's reflect for a bit on, let's say, the scorecard. Politics is all about keeping score anyway. 

First, Xi appears to believe he can act with impunity. Since before the Iran war began, long before, actually, China has provided Iran with diplomatic backing, propaganda and economic support and targeting data. Iran possesses stockpiles of Chinese weapons, including the anti-ship cruise missiles fired at the USS Abraham Lincoln in late March. There is ample evidence that Beijing has continued resupplying the mullah's arsenals throughout the war. 

One need not be especially astute to see that Xi is not especially respectful. On the surface he appears a pompous, arrogant buffoon. When foreign leaders visit Beijing, they are not viewed as peers. Charles Burton of the Sinopsis think tank stated, "To the imperial mindset, these outsiders are inferiors. Xi views himself as the modern successor to this lineage of great emperors, the concept of equal friendship with any foreign leader is completely absent from his worldview. Let's hope that Trump is smart enough to realize that his relationship with Xi is not rooted in mutual respect. Xi continually speaks of the West as in decline, he behaves as if he sets the parameters for relations with America. He does not.

Recently, Trump insisted that America and Iran were close to an agreement and, when it became apparent they were not, he pivoted by making it clear that  he was not afraid of ending the ceasefire. The optics of this maneuver were not overly convincing however. 

Undoubtedly, Trump can strike the regime's capabilities directly and quickly. One of the primary targets that is rarely mentioned is a rail link that links Iran and China. Tehran has reportedly been using this to send crude oil eastward and U.S. air power could sever it quickly. He could also impose a no-fly zone to block Chinese transports  from replenishing Iran's munitions stockpiles. 

Such moves would send Xi a clear message. Trump is not intimidated. Beyond Iran, Trump has several pressure points available to exploit, from artificial intelligence and fentanyl to Taiwan and human rights. The US remains far more powerful than China overall and has numerous strategic options for increasing pressure on China. China is more export-dependent today than it has been in decades, because the Communist Party, for political and ideological reasons, has failed to build a consumer-driven economy. China needs foreign consumers, and the United States alone accounts for roughly 30% of global consumption. Xi needs, badly needs, continued access to the U.S. market, which Trump, despite recent tariff setbacks in the courts, can still restrict through multiple avenues. He can also tighten controls on advanced microchips, which overwhelmingly come from U.S. manufacturers. 

Trump could also direct Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to invoke Section 311 of the Patriot Act, which would sever Chinese Banks involved in persistent money laundering from their dollar accounts. such a move could seriously destabilize China's banking system. 

China's strongest cards remain its rare-earth near-monopolies and pharmaceutical monopolies. However, Trump's policies are already effecting an erosion of Beijing's dominance over critical minerals. Doing so over pharmaceuticals will take a little longer. In contrast, China's dependence on the U.S. economically and financially are undeniable. 

In spite of Xi's opinion of himself, modern China is not the economic, financial center of the world. Not even close. Though unlikely to happen, Xi should humble himself before the inevitable embarrassment sets in...