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COMMENTARY: U.S. Attempt to Erase Harriet Tubman

NNPA NEWSWIRE — By erasing Tubman, the Trump forces again deploy their most effective weapon in the quest to maintain power— the unholy alliance of racism and misogyny.

Published

7 years ago

June 8, 2019

Oakland Post

By A. Scott Bolden, NNPA Newswire Contributor

With uniquely American hypocrisy, the Trump Treasury Department has pushed back the 2016 plan to put escaped slave and Underground Railroad heroine Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. Tubman would be the first African-American woman featured on U.S. currency.

The $20 currently features a former president, Andrew Jackson, who not only owned slaves, but ordered the death march of thousands of Native Americans. Euphemistically called “Indian Removal,” the Trail of Tears made way for white settlers to claim millions of acres of southern land.

The attempted erasure of Tubman represents yet another move in the Trump playbook to disconnect racial reality from white fantasy.

In the fantasy of white supremacy, traitors like Jefferson Davis and other Confederates are memorialized for being freedom fighters — the freedom of whites to own black human beings and work them to death — while a woman who risked her life time and again to free enslaved people is simply dismissed. Ignored. Erased.

In the fantasy of white supremacy, white people are always justified in killing unarmed black men, women and children, either with their own guns or by aiming the unquestioned power of the police. No act is too repugnant, even those resulting in the sexual abuse or death of immigrant children in American custody, if it can be framed as a defense of white superiority.

In the fantasy of white supremacy, the FBI spent millions in time and treasure to plant false evidence of Communist influence on Martin Luther King — while in reality, Russians today are using the racial tension in American to incite violence and paralyze our society, while they work towards global dominance.

By erasing Tubman, the Trump forces again deploy their most effective weapon in the quest to maintain power— the unholy alliance of racism and misogyny.

Because in America, it seems, freedom is for whites only, and more specifically, for white men.

To be sure, Trump has ordered his own digital Trail of Tears, as he rolls back civil rights protections for people of color, for women, for immigrants fleeing starvation or oppressive regimes, for LGBTQ people, for the poor and the voiceless.

And currently, the cognitive dissonance in America has reached a new, critical level of psychosis. As a nation we exalt independence, freedom and equality—we boast of our shining city on the hill. Yet our shining city was built on genocide of the native peoples, enslavement of Africans and exploitation of immigrants.

Without a doubt, every people and every culture on Earth have had to deal with unpleasant facts of its history—America is not special in that regard. Where most of white America goes off the rails is in completely denying and minimizing the facts of racial oppression. This erasure makes racial reconciliation—and true equality—impossible to achieve.

In 2019, Harriet Tubman should be a respected and lauded icon for people of every race and ethnicity. Did she not personify American ideals, at the risk of her own life? As a black woman in antebellum times, she was vulnerable to capture, prison, assault or lynching, but did she falter? Did she not refuse to kneel to any man or any king? Did she not fight for freedom against overwhelming odds?

Are these not the qualities we hold dear in our American heroes?

Instead, Tubman is erased.

Instead, our current administration embraces the slave owner, the mass murderer, the white supremacist—and calls him a hero.

For a psychiatric patient—in this case, white America—the reality of racism, misogyny and oppression is incompatible with their self-identity as lovers of freedom and defenders of equality. But instead of taking the painful but therapeutic steps to achieve reconciliation and closure, the patient has opted instead to self-medicate, and maintain the delusion of white supremacy at all costs.

Jackson, a president who authored one of the cruelest and most brutal acts in American history, is a Trump hero, which is perfectly logical — they share a deep, entitled belief in the superiority of white men, and a world order in which Manifest Destiny is not a just doctrine but a divine right.

Jackson should never be forgotten. He should be remembered always as an example of what kind of horrors our leaders can inflict when their values and morals are wildly askew.

Trump will be remembered in the same light— if enough of us survive to tell the story.

And despite their best efforts, the legacy of Harriet Tubman can never be erased. She embodies the spirit of everything our nation claims to stand for, and each one of us — every race, every gender — should be proud to call her our fellow American.

Oakland Post

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

3 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.