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by Robert Salaam

I’m a Muslim Veteran. Don’t Ask Me to Apologize for Someone Else’s Hate

2025 couldn’t have started worse. Another terrorist attack, more innocent lives lost in New Orleans, and right on cue, the tsunami of anti-Muslim bigotry is back. Last time, after Fort Hood, I played the ‘not all Muslims’ game on TV. Well, not this time. Fuck that.

Let me be clear about who I am. I’m a Marine, born on Parris Island in ’98 when I was just 17. After six years of honorable service, I’ve continued serving my country in other ways. Like the New Orleans terrorist, I’m in my 40s (44 to be exact) and a military veteran. I’m also a Muslim convert, having found my faith in 2001 after you-know-what. I’ve been married, divorced, remarried, raised kids to adulthood, and now have both babies and grandbabies. Through it all, I’ve never once betrayed any of the many oaths I’ve sworn. Semper Fi isn’t just a motto – it’s a way of life.

Millions commit crimes, but only minorities must answer for entire communities. So grab your hip waders for the flood of BS.

And now this happens on the eve of “Make America Openly Racist Again” so you better believe the propaganda machine is running overtime with their favorite pastime: othering. The Muslim-ban president is back in power, fresh off a campaign that gave us such gems as immigrants eating pets and entire American commonwealths being likened to trash. The same old people, now bankrolled by Silicon Valley billionaires, are flooding the airwaves with divisive narratives because somehow all Muslims are responsible.

To my Muslim brothers and sisters who saw the news and immediately knew what time it was: don’t waste your breath explaining away your faith and religion. I learned during my TV and radio days that it doesn’t matter what you say. The people quick to make bigoted comments won’t change their minds or their filthy hearts. The rest of America knows better.

That said, stay vigilant and keep your head on a swivel. The newly emboldened red army of MAGA loyalists knows no limits, hates facts, and blindly despises whoever their dear leader hates. Remember, these are the same people who, for the first time in U.S. history, tried to overthrow the government – so what’s a mosque, convenience store, school, or random person on the block to them?

To the Muslim punditry class: skip the TV appearances and lectures on Islam’s basic tenets. They’ll hate regardless. Stick to the facts: he’s not one of us; he’s a terrorist pretending to be Muslim. And yes, like in every faith, there are people who claim to belong, but their actions say otherwise.

For those who’d debate that point, remind them that 70+ percent of this nation claims to be Christian – then start talking about the murder rate and other decidedly un-Christ-like statistics. It’s not deflection; it’s facts. But they’ll ignore you when you start quoting the Quran and over 14 centuries of Islamic jurisprudence. These aren’t people who care about facts or truth. All they know is “Muslims bad” because that’s what they heard on some garbage website or from the profitable anti-Islam crowd who are probably speed-dialing every TV producer they know right now, hoping to get their 15 minutes again. Some are probably dreaming of a Bill Maher appearance, because… well, you know.

My recommendation? For now, I’ll pray for the victims and justice—and then try to find peace in small things, like video games and Netflix. Because sometimes, that’s all you can do when faced with such relentless ignorance. We can’t stop the bigots or their enablers, but we can refuse to play their game. Stay vigilant, stand tall, and unapologetically be who you are.

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by Robert Salaam

A Nation Built on Lies Crowns Its King

Time crowning Donald Trump as Person of the Year is peak America: rewarding hypocrisy while ignoring the values voters claimed to want. A country that preaches equality and virtue celebrates a leader who embodies neither. But should we be surprised? This is the same country that wrote ‘all men are created equal’ with one hand while holding a slave whip in the other. America’s toxic love affair with mediocre white men is rooted in its willingness to trade decency for grievance, wrapping bigotry in the false flag of ‘values’ while stomping on its own interests. Hypocrisy isn’t the exception—it’s the rule.

Well, well, well. If you’re searching for the perfect encapsulation of American democracy, look no further than Time magazine crowning Donald Trump as Person of the Year 2024. It’s like watching someone give an arsonist a lifetime achievement award for architectural renovation. But hey, that’s America for you—a place where democracy is a punchline, and the man tearing it apart gets a crown. Where a man can get impeached twice, face 91 felony charges across four criminal cases, and still be celebrated like he’s the second coming.

Remember 2016? Trump rode down that golden escalator like a C-list villain in a straight-to-DVD movie, and the media treated it like the Second Coming. They normalized his birtherism campaign against Obama, chuckled at his “grab them” tape like it was locker room banter, and shrugged when he mocked John McCain’s five years as a POW with “I like people who weren’t captured.” Fast forward through two impeachments, four indictments, a pandemic response that left over a million Americans dead while he pitched bleach injections and hydroxychloroquine, and the first violent transfer of power attempt in American history – and here we are again. Because apparently, America just can’t quit its toxic relationship with mediocre white men who fail their way to the top.

Harris came armed with actual plans – detailed policies for home down payment assistance, small business support, strengthened worker protections, expanded civil rights enforcement, and education funding that would lift up every struggling American, regardless of color. While Harris presented a roadmap to uplift struggling Americans, Trump offered nothing but grievance-laden speeches and dog whistles, proving once again that spectacle trumps substance in America’s hierarchy of values.

But white America was too busy mocking her laugh and swallowing racist lies about Haitians eating pets to notice they voted against their own lifelines. The right-wing propaganda machine worked overtime spreading these racist fantasies while burying her actual policies. Just like they did with Hillary Clinton in 2016, they chose white grievance over their own economic interests. Because apparently, watching Trump dance badly to YMCA while promising to “terminate” the Constitution was more appealing than actual solutions from a Black woman.

Trump didn’t even pretend to have a plan beyond “immigrants are poisoning America’s blood” and dismantling every government protection that keeps working people afloat. No civil rights enforcement, gutted worker protections, slashed education funding, zero housing assistance – but hey, at least he didn’t laugh wrong or skip Joe Rogan’s podcast, right? The same folks who demanded Harris jump through ever-moving hoops in her campaign didn’t bat an eye when Trump dodged debates and filled rallies with bigotry, lies, and dog whistles, proving spectacle matters more than accountability.

Those poor and middle-class white voters who rejected Harris’s lifelines are about to learn exactly what they voted for – and it’s going to hurt like hell. But America’s commitment to white supremacy runs so deep, they’d rather drown than grab a life preserver thrown by a Black woman.

The media, bless their profit-driven hearts, normalized Trump once again, proving they’ll sell democracy’s soul for ratings while clutching their Emmys like Hunger Games victors—celebrating their ratings triumph while distracting from the systemic collapse they helped enable. From Time to cable networks, media giants profit off the very chaos they pretend to lament, ensuring democracy’s undoing remains must-see TV. Networks aired racist dog whistles over policy because white grievance sells.

And social media? Lord have mercy. Elon Musk turned X into a MAGA rally platform, while Meta tipped a cool million into Trump’s inauguration fund like VIP donors at his chaos banquet. Nothing says “protecting democracy” quite like bankrolling its undertaker. Tech giants once promising ‘no evil’ now treat democracy like a discontinued product.

Speaking of selling out, let’s talk about the parade of enablers. Tim Scott and Byron Donalds worked overtime organizing barbershop tours and Black voter outreach, only to get ghosted faster than a bad Tinder date when cabinet positions were discussed. They really thought they’d be different from Omarosa and Ben Carson – bless their hearts. Meanwhile, Latino support for Trump kept climbing even as he promised to deport mixed-status families to “keep them together” – because nothing says family values like forced expatriation.

Remember how Project 2025 was supposedly just liberal fear-mongering? Well, surprise! Trump staffed his transition team with the same rogues gallery that would make Batman’s villains look like a church choir. He openly invited dictators like Xi to his inauguration and promised to be a ‘dictator on day one’ – but only for the first day, pinky promise! It’s like watching someone plan a bank heist on Facebook Live while insisting it’s just a social experiment. The spectacle isn’t the distraction; it’s the point—America’s collapse is just the season finale we’ve all been waiting for.

This is exactly who America has always been. This is the same country that wrote “all men are created equal” with one hand while holding a slave whip in the other. The same nation that sings about liberty on Sunday and bombs for oil on Monday. The same place where insurrectionists who smeared feces in the Capitol got organic meals in jail and were promised pardons by Trump, while peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters in Lafayette Square were tear-gassed and beaten so he could stage a photo op with a Bible he can’t quote.

And white America will still act shocked – SHOCKED! – when he does exactly what he’s been promising. They’ll clutch their pearls when he implements his mass deportation plan, feign surprise when he dismantles environmental protections, and gasp when he turns the Justice Department into his personal law firm. As if he hasn’t been shouting his plans from every golf course and courtroom for the past three years.

To the enablers, the both-sides-ers, the “but the economy” crowd: save your breath. We saw you choosing white supremacy while dressed up in your Sunday best, pretending it was about fiscal responsibility or whatever focus-grouped excuse was trending that week. At least have the decency to be honest about it.

And to the billionaire media class cheerleading this circus: your commitment to profit over democracy would be impressive if it weren’t so pathetically predictable. You’ll normalize fascism as long as it keeps your stock prices high, then act surprised when the monster you helped create comes for you too.

So here we are, watching Time magazine crown the same man who openly promises to dismantle American democracy as we know it. Trump hasn’t changed; he’s just louder. The real tragedy is America’s selective deafness to the warnings written in his every move. Then again, perhaps that’s why they chose him—because nothing embodies America’s hypocrisy quite like celebrating the arsonist as an architect.

A country that preaches virtue while rewarding vice isn’t new; it’s tradition. The joke’s on all of us, and Time just made it official. The only way to stop the cycle is to see it for what it is, reject the spectacle, demand better, and refuse to play along.

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by Robert Salaam

Buy Our Products, Ignore Our Politics

The Black Dollar Is Powerful, and Walmart Needs to Learn That the Hard Way

Let me make one thing clear: never believe for a second that the Black dollar isn’t important. If there’s one thing history and data have shown us, it’s that Black consumers have massive economic power. Yet, here comes Walmart—smiling in our faces while stabbing us in the back, proving they still think they can play us for fools. Spoiler alert: they can’t.

This holiday season, Walmart is trotting out cultural nostalgia to distract us from their messy, hypocritical behavior. They’ve dropped a commercial dripping in Love Jones vibes, complete with beloved icons like Lorenz Tate and Nia Long, all in a desperate attempt to woo Black shoppers. “Look, Black people! Entertainment! Movies! Music! Aren’t we cool?” they seem to say, hoping we’ll dance right back into their aisles. But let’s get real: nothing says we don’t respect you quite like dangling culture in our faces while actively undermining us behind closed doors.

Walmart’s History of Undermining Black Communities

Let’s not forget who Walmart backed bigly during the last election: Donald Trump. Yes, the same Trump who made it his mission to target Kamala Harris—a Black and South Asian woman—and rolled out a red carpet for policies that harm marginalized communities. Walmart didn’t stay neutral, didn’t think, “Hey, we’ve got a diverse customer base, maybe we should sit this one out.” No, they actively chose a side, and it wasn’t the side of justice, decency, or progress.

But it doesn’t end there. Recently, Walmart announced they’re rolling back their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts—the same initiatives designed to promote racial understanding, support Black-owned businesses, and create a more equitable workplace. You know, the bare minimum for any company claiming to value Black lives. Instead, Walmart seems to believe those policies are expendable, unimportant, or worse, unnecessary.

The Black Community Heard You Loud and Clear

Here’s the problem for Walmart: we see you. Especially Black Gen Xers and Xennials, who have lived long enough to spot corporate gaslighting from a mile away. We heard the message you sent loud and clear. Cutting DEI initiatives, promoting a candidate hostile to diversity, and backtracking on promises to uplift Black businesses all signal that you don’t actually care about us—except, of course, for our money.

And now that Walmart is feeling the pinch—because let’s be honest, Black holiday spending is a cornerstone of their bottom line—they’ve decided to slap lipstick on a pig. Enter the slick commercials and cultural pandering. But here’s the thing, Walmart: we’re not asleep, and we’re not buying it. If you’re going to undermine our values, finance our oppression, and laugh behind our backs, then don’t expect us to keep laughing, dancing, and shopping like nothing’s wrong.

Corporate America’s Playbook: Smile, Undermine, Repeat

Let’s be real: Walmart’s behavior is not unique. This is corporate America’s favorite playbook. They smile in our faces with catchy marketing and token diversity efforts, only to turn around and support policies and politicians that actively harm the communities they claim to value. They want the Black dollar but not Black liberation. They want to sell us everything from lotion to lettuce while quietly rolling back the progress we’ve fought tooth and nail to achieve.

Well, here’s a message to Walmart’s marketing team: great commercial. Seriously, it’s cute. We love Lorenz Tate and Nia Long. But thanks for the memories—because that’s all you’re getting. We’re taking our money to businesses that actually respect us, value us, and align with the issues we care about. Thanks, but no thanks.

Wake Up and Act Accordingly

The reality is this: we are powerful. Our money is powerful. The Black dollar sustains economies, drives trends, and has the potential to bring corporations to their knees when wielded strategically. If Walmart—and companies like it—can’t align their actions with their marketing fluff, then it’s time we make our voices heard. Loudly. Clearly. And most importantly, with our wallets.

It’s 2024, and there’s no excuse for us to keep falling for the same tired tricks. If they don’t value what we value, they don’t get our money. Period. Let Walmart and every other corporation know: we’re awake, aware, and ready to act accordingly.

Peace and love,

Team Accountability

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by Robert Salaam

Trump Showed Us Who He Is. His Voters Showed Us Who They Are.

Let me cut to the chase: my feelings about those who voted for Donald Trump aren’t rooted in politics or policy. They’re rooted in values—or, more accurately, the total lack of them displayed by anyone who could knowingly vote for someone like him.

Trump called veterans “suckers” and “losers.” That’s not hearsay; that’s a direct quote from General John Kelly, a man who dedicated his life to serving this country. And Trump’s disdain for veterans didn’t start or end there. From mocking John McCain for being a POW to publicly disrespecting the Gold Star Khan family, he’s left a trail of venom toward those who’ve sacrificed everything for this nation. For a veteran like me, that should have been the end of the discussion. But somehow, for millions of voters, it wasn’t.

It doesn’t stop at veterans. Let’s talk about Trump the man—or more accurately, Trump the predator. This is someone who said on camera that he’d date his own teenage daughter if she weren’t his child. Let me repeat that: a grown man, a father, sexualized his own daughter. He’s bragged about walking in on underage girls at his beauty pageants and watching them in various states of undress. He’s been caught on audio saying he can “grab women by the [expletive]” and has been found liable for sexual assault in court. What kind of person hears all of that and thinks, Yeah, this is the guy to lead the country?

And that’s just the beginning. He called immigrants “rapists” and “murderers,” spouted eugenics rhetoric about “poisoned blood,” and peddled conspiracies about immigrants eating pets. He whipped up hatred and division with a bullhorn, not a dog whistle, turning fear and ignorance into political capital. And let’s not forget that he tanked the economy, mishandled a pandemic that killed over a million Americans, and made the United States an international punchline.

At this point, it’s not even about Trump. We know who he is—a perverse, morally bankrupt fraud who’s spent his life abusing power and stepping on anyone he could. The real issue is his voters. Because you knew. You knew all of this, and it didn’t bother you enough to walk away.

When you voted for Trump, you didn’t just excuse his behavior—you endorsed it. You said, “This is fine. This is who I want to represent me and my values.” What does that say about you? What kind of person looks at a man who disrespects veterans, brags about sexual assault, and demeans immigrants, women, and entire communities, and still says, “Yeah, he’s my guy”?

Don’t tell me it’s about policy or the economy. If Trump’s decade-long rap sheet of cruelty, incompetence, and immorality didn’t disqualify him in your eyes, then nothing will. And that’s the point. Voting for Trump isn’t just a political choice—it’s a moral failing.

This isn’t about politics anymore. It’s about integrity, decency, and the basic human values we claim to stand for as a country. And if you knew all of this and still voted for Trump, the problem isn’t just him. It’s you.

#A Veteran Who’s Seen Enough

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by Robert Salaam

The Real Elephant in the Room: It’s Not the Economy, Stupid—it’s Race and Gender

Let’s just cut the crap, shall we? All the post-election handwringing, pearl-clutching, and overanalyzing by the usual suspects—Bernie Sanders, James Carville, MSNBC, CNN, Nate Silver, Bill Maher, and the Young Turks—has one thing in common: it’s absolute garbage. Pure, unadulterated BS. Every single one of them, no matter how many charts, graphs, or eloquent soundbites they trot out, is missing (or deliberately avoiding) the point.

Here’s a spoiler for you: when they say, “working class,” they don’t mean all of us. They mean white people. In their world, Black people are somehow excluded from economic struggles. We don’t count as part of the working class, middle class, or any class other than the mythical 1% apparently. And that delusion is why they keep getting it wrong.

Black people have been screaming the truth for years: this isn’t about the economy—it’s about race and gender, stupid. Don’t believe me? Look at the exit polls. Look at the data. Black voters, who are overwhelmingly working-class and disproportionately affected by rising costs, inflation, and everything else politicians yammer on about, showed up in droves to vote for democracy, decency, and policies that actually benefit working people. And yet, here we are—again—because white voters collectively decided that a washed-up, insurrection-inciting old white man who thinks immigrants are poisoning America’s blood was preferable to a qualified Black woman who wanted to strengthen unions, lower childcare costs, and protect democracy.

Why? Because whiteness and patriarchy, that’s why.

Stop Pretending This Is About “Economic Anxiety”

Whenever someone on cable news starts waxing poetic about “working-class concerns,” what they really mean is whiteworking-class concerns. You’d think Black folks don’t buy eggs, pay rent, or drive cars with the way they ignore us. Somehow, despite being hit the hardest whenever the economy falters, Black people understood what was on the ballot. We voted like the survival of democracy depended on it—because it does. But white voters? The majority of them decided their discomfort with a Black woman in power outweighed any economic policy that could’ve actually improved their lives.

Let’s not forget: Black voters are the working class. We’re not some mythical unicorn immune to the cost of groceries or gas. But while we’re here fighting for equity, freedom, and policies that benefit everyone, a majority of white voters keep opting for regression and chaos. Maybe it’s because they’re terrified of losing the power that comes with being the default majority, or maybe they’re scared of being treated the way minorities have been treated throughout history. Either way, their priorities are clear: whiteness over everything.

Morality, Decency, and the Myth of White Values

White voters love to claim they stand for freedom, democracy, and Christian values. But when it comes time to vote, they consistently choose the candidate who spits on all those principles. How do you reconcile supporting someone who is openly racist, misogynistic, and a literal threat to the Constitution with claims of moral superiority? Spoiler: you can’t. The truth is, white voters—especially white women—time and time again prioritize whiteness over decency, over democracy, over everything.

And before someone jumps in with the “but what about…” nonsense, let me be clear: no, this isn’t all white people. But when you’re the largest voting bloc and over 50% of you keep choosing chaos, you are the problem. Period.

Black Voters Always Understand the Assignment

Black voters didn’t fail this country—white voters did. Black people showed up, just as we always do, and voted for decency, progress, and policies that benefit everyone. And yet, despite our overwhelming turnout, it wasn’t enough. Because even if every Black person in America voted 100% the same way, it still wouldn’t outweigh the sheer size and influence of the white vote.

So let’s stop pretending this is a problem Black people can fix. This is a white problem. White voters have to reckon with the rot in their ranks—the racism, misogyny, and fear of equality that keeps driving them to vote against their own interests. Until they do, we’ll keep repeating this cycle, no matter how many op-eds or cable news panels try to spin it otherwise.

The Hard Questions No One Wants to Ask

So let’s ask the real questions:

  • Why are white voters so invested in protecting whiteness, even to their own detriment?
  • Why do they continue to choose lies, hatred, and authoritarianism over progress and equity?
  • Why are Black voters, the very people most harmed by bad policy, the ones consistently voting for what’s best for everyone?

Until someone in power—someone on those shiny news panels or in political leadership—is willing to address the glaring reality of white voter dysfunction, nothing will change. The rest of us are tired of carrying the moral weight of a nation that refuses to confront its ugliest truths.

So, to all the non-Black analysts, talking heads, and political “experts” out there: spare us your tired excuses. The problem isn’t the economy—it’s you.

Sincerely,

Team Reality

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by Robert Salaam

It’s Race and Gender, Period. Stop Gaslighting Us About Kamala’s Loss.

Let’s cut the crap. We’ve got “experts” on TV practically throwing out their backs twisting themselves into pretzels, trying to explain away how a highly qualified, dignified Black woman — a literal powerhouse of Black excellence — somehow lost to a walking dumpster fire of misogyny, racism, and treason. We’re supposed to believe that America just couldn’t connect with Kamala Harris and that it’s “complicated.” Complicated? Please.

You want to talk policy? Her plans for the economy, her vision for Black men, her approach to healing a country that’s bleeding out from every wound? It was all right there, front and center. Meanwhile, the other guy? His only platform was to “make America white again” and give tax breaks to his rich buddies. But, sure, let’s pretend that this wasn’t about race or gender. Let’s all just smile and ignore the blazing neon sign screaming, “It’s race and gender, stupid!”

Even in states where Democrats won up and down the ticket, where progressive ballot initiatives succeeded, Kamala still lost. They want us to just “move on” from that glaring fact. Instead, they’re dusting off Uncle Bernie and hauling out Arab and Muslim intellectuals to peddle some weak “class struggle” excuse or, even better, the catchall “Oh, it’s just about Gaza.” Let me say it louder for the folks in the back: that is complete and utter BS.

And here’s the real kicker — Black people, as always, knew the assignment. We showed up, overwhelmingly, to protect democracy. Again. Because that’s what we do, election after election, for a country that rarely shows up for us. And yet, somehow, every group except Black people gets to pull the “class struggle” card. Like, do they think we don’t care about the economy? Like we don’t experience inflation, foreign policy blunders, or housing crises? Or that we’re not Muslim? Black people are as woven into the fabric of America as it gets, and yet we’re the ones who actually show up, do the work, and vote for the good of everyone else.

So why didn’t every other group show up like we did? Spoiler alert: because Kamala is a woman. And not just any woman — a Black, Indian woman. America might be good at putting on a polite face, but the truth is, they’ll pick a bigoted, corrupt, sentence-mangling menace over a Black woman who’s ten times as qualified. That’s not about class. That’s not about “economic anxiety.” That’s pure, undiluted American rot, the disease that’s always been here, festering.

Let’s be real here: Democrats have never been anti-working class. This whole line about Dems being “out of touch with the working people” is laughable. Biden, like Obama before him, has done more for jobs, infrastructure, manufacturing, you name it. And yet here we are, playing this broken record again, pretending that it’s totally normal to pick the walking indictment over a candidate with actual plans and a spine. This isn’t “economic anxiety,” this is Southern Strategy 2.0, with Trump winking and nodding to white folks that no matter how bad things get, no matter what his record says, it’s better to keep power out of a Black woman’s hands. And let’s talk about the non-Black people of color who followed suit. There’s a deep, ugly tendency to believe that a proximity to whiteness is some kind of life raft. They’re convinced that if they cozy up to white supremacy just enough, they’ll be protected. They won’t be, but sure, they can keep playing that game.

This election was a test of America’s capacity to accept a Black woman in charge, and America flunked. So spare me the “analysis” and the half-hearted defenses. We’ve seen this same tired story a hundred times over. They’ll pull out every excuse in the book — her laugh, her smile, the sound of her voice — anything to avoid just admitting that they can’t handle a Black woman in the highest office.

Let’s be crystal clear: this wasn’t Kamala’s failure. This is America’s. A country that can look at a woman who’s served in all three branches of government, who’s brought integrity to each role, and still pick the racist, sexist felon instead? That says nothing about her and everything about the rotting, shambling system that put him there.

So, to all those trying to spin this into something it’s not: you can keep trotting out non-Black women, pundits, and Uncle Tom mouthpieces to “explain what went wrong.” But here’s the truth — you’re all lying to yourselves. Because, in the end, this country couldn’t bring itself to elect a Black woman. That’s the whole story, and it’s disgusting.

This is Southern Strategy 2.0, and Trump handed America the same old line: no matter how horrible he is, no matter his lack of skill or soul, he’s still white, and that’s all it takes. And for the non-white groups who went along with him, good luck with that “proximity to whiteness” strategy. We’ll see how that works out for you.

Let’s not pretend this is anything other than what it is. If you voted for a treasonous, racist felon over a Black woman who’s proven herself in every way, it’s not about her or even about him. It’s about you. America chose, and that choice says everything about the values it still refuses to leave behind.

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by Robert Salaam

I’m Not ‘Healing The Nation’ And Neither Should You

No seriously, Fuck these people. America Chose Hate Over Decency

Let’s rip the band-aid off: What we just witnessed wasn’t merely an election – it was America vomiting up its darkest truths all over our democracy. This wasn’t your grandparents’ genteel political disagreement. This was America mainlining hatred and begging for more.

Back in 2016, maybe – maybe – we could stomach the bullshit excuse of naivety. Sure, voters were showing their whole racist and sexist asses, but perhaps we could choke down the lie that they just didn’t know better. But now? After multiple impeachments, felony convictions, and watching this man try to strangle democracy with his bare hands? After a 24/7 sewage pipeline of Jim Crow greatest hits against an accomplished Black woman? They didn’t just know what they were voting for – they were salivating for it.

Let’s talk about these “fellow Americans.” These aren’t “deplorables.” They’re not “misguided.” They’re the kind of people who watched treason unfold on live TV and thought, “This is my guy.” Who heard “grab ’em by the pussy” and said “presidential material right there.” Who saw white nationalist rhetoric and thought “finally saying what needs to be said.” These aren’t your problematic relatives anymore – they’re the cheerleaders of American fascism, dancing on democracy’s grave.

The rot runs through every vein of our body politic:

  • To the white women still clutching their pearls while feeding the patriarchy: Your backbone is as fake as your friendship.
  • To the Michigan Muslims who let perfect be the enemy of saving-our-democracy: Hope that moral high ground feels cozy when rights start disappearing.
  • To the “intellectually curious” bros mainlining Joe Rogan like it’s political heroin: Congratulations on being the useful idiots of fascism.
  • To the Black men who parrotted every racist trope about Kamala: The self-hatred is showing, and it’s not a good look.
  • To the Latinos who thought they’d be “one of the good ones”: Spoiler alert – the leopards are coming for your face too.

And the media? Those spineless bothsidesism merchants who normalized a fucking felon as a “reasonable alternative” to Harris? They’re the STDs of democracy – persistent, harmful, and seemingly impossible to cure.

To every Bible-thumping, Quran-quoting, Torah-wielding hypocrite who twisted their “values” into supporting hatred – you deserve your own special circle of hell. One where you have to eternally explain to your deity how you managed to vote for every deadly sin plus a few new ones your boy invented.

I know Kamala gave that graceful concession speech. She had to – because that’s what Black women in America have always had to do. Swallow poison and smile while white mediocrity gets crowned king. Be twice as good, ten times as composed, and choke down bile while grinning. Because in America, a white man can literally attempt a coup and still be considered more “presidential” than a Black woman with decades of public service.

But don’t let her composure sedate you into forgiveness. This country just carved its message into our flesh: They’d rather gargle fascism than let a Black woman lead them to salvation.

So here’s our battle cry moving forward: No more unity bullshit. No more extending olive branches to people who’d rather fashion them into nooses. They’ve shown us who they are – time we believe them and act accordingly.

Those Trump-voting “friends” and family members? Cut them out like the tumors they are. Divest. Unfriend. Unfollow. Block. Let them marinate in their own toxic stew. They don’t deserve your holiday dinners, your weekend brunches, or a single calorie of your mental energy.

Let them fuck around and find out in 2026 and 2028. Because while they’re busy trying to bleach America white again, the rest of us will be keeping receipts, remembering exactly who chose fascism when democracy was gasping for air.

And to Kamala: We saw you. We saw every indignity you had to swallow, every racist barb you had to deflect with grace. Your composure wasn’t weakness – it was a masterclass in dignity under fire. But we who watched? We get to be fury incarnate.

Because this isn’t about politics anymore. This is about a nation ripping off its mask and showing us its true face.

And it’s fucking hideous.

Time to act accordingly.

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by Robert Salaam

The Great Betrayal: Black America’s Political Wake-Up Call

The numbers are in, and with them comes a stark revelation that many of us in Black America knew was coming but hoped against hope to avoid. Let’s be clear about what just happened: we witnessed a masterclass in political betrayal, one that should permanently reshape how Black Americans approach political coalitions.

We entered this election with what should have been a slam-dunk candidate: an overwhelmingly qualified Black woman who accomplished the impossible in just three months. She raised historic amounts of money. Drew unprecedented crowds. Built a ground game that political strategists will study for years. She even demolished Trump on the debate stage with a precision that left him sputtering.

And here’s the kicker – she did it all while performing the exhausting dance that Black women in America know all too well: carefully avoiding any mention of her gender or ethnicity, lest she “remind” voters of who she is. We all knew why, didn’t we? Because this is America, and heaven forbid we forget the rules of engagement.

The math was clear from the start. White male voters were never going to abandon their champion, a man who speaks their unspoken thoughts about women and minorities with a bullhorn. But we allowed ourselves to hope. We convinced ourselves that white women had learned their lesson from 2016. That infamous 53% – surely it was an aberration, right?

Wrong. Dead wrong.

When we saw Arab and Muslim voters in Michigan planning their protest non-votes, we bit our tongues. We respected their space, even as we watched them sacrifice pragmatic political strategy on the altar of principle. Why? Because we truly believed white women, a crucial slice of white men, and young voters would make up the difference.

But the real knife in the back – the one we should have seen coming but didn’t – came from our supposed Latino allies. And as someone with Latino family, this betrayal cuts particularly deep. We Black folks had bought into the myth of the “black/brown coalition,” expecting that surely, SURELY, Latinos wouldn’t vote for a man who launched his political career by demonizing them. But here’s what we failed to understand: not everyone approaches political racism the way we do. For Black Americans, explicit racism is a dealbreaker. Full stop. For others, apparently, it’s negotiable.

Let’s put this in perspective: White women increased their support for Trump compared to the last two elections. Nearly half of Latino voters backed him. Yet for weeks, pundits tried to make Black men the scapegoat over a modest 5-8% shift – a gap that could have been easily overcome if our so-called allies had shown up.

So where do we go from here? The answer is both simple and revolutionary: we go our own way.

No more carrying water for causes that don’t carry us. No more “POC” umbrella terms that blur crucial distinctions. No more symbolic “invitations to the cookout.” No more automatic allyship without receipts.

From this moment forward, if you can’t show documented, consistent support for Black causes and Black lives, don’t expect us to march for yours. The time has come – particularly for Black women, the most loyal and least rewarded demographic in American politics – to focus on our own interests.

We’ve been betrayed. Let’s stop pretending otherwise. And let’s start acting accordingly.

The era of blind faith in political coalitions is over. Welcome to the age of receipts.