National

Americans More Pragmatic Than Trump on Border Security

THE TENNESSEE TRIBUNE — It’s “xenophobic rhetoric” and “fear mongering,” but most Americans are more pragmatic about border security, according to NAACP leaders.

Published

7 years ago

January 13, 2019

Oakland Post

By Clint Confehr

It’s “xenophobic rhetoric” and “fear mongering,” but most Americans are more pragmatic about border security, according to NAACP leaders and friends commenting on President Trump’s first televised Oval Office speech.

“There is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border [with] thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country,” Trump said. “All Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages.

“Among those hardest hit are African Americans and Hispanic Americans,” Trump said.

NAACP Nashville Branch President Keith Caldwell asked, “How has he arrived at this conclusion that African Americans are being adversely affected by immigration trends?”

An attitude about ability is exposed; “We know,” Caldwell said, “he’s talking about the jobs that no one wants, that are reserved for African Americans and migrants in the fields.”

Trump said the partial government shutdown should end with Democrats’ compromise on a wall.

Deidre Malone, president of the NAACP branch in Memphis, said, Trump “needs to work with the Democrats and get the government back open. A wall is not needed … He’s saying those from Mexico are terrorists and his own government is saying terrorists are coming in through airports.”

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis said Trump’s “reality and most Americans’ reality are at odds … Fear mongering … does not create a crisis… Few beyond his core acolytes will accept that the country needs to spend $5.7 billion to build an ineffective wall to keep asylum seekers out.”

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper of Nashville sees “better” and “cheaper ways to secure our borders…”

Better policing Laredo, El Paso, and San Diego will stop thousands of trucks, often hiding drugs and people. Stop paying Congress and White House negotiators until the shutdown ends.

Gloria Jean Sweet-Love, president of the Tennessee State Conference NAACP, said, “We need better border security, but we don’t need a wall… He’s used the same rhetoric he’s used all along… I don’t think he’s changed anyone’s opinion.” Trump was “talking to his base [and] mixing up the facts to his advantage.”

Immigration is down, Sweet-Love said. “It’s not a “growing … security crisis,” but humanitarian issues exist.

Roan County’s NAACP branch President Joe Eskridge, a vice president to the state conference, said Trump’s speech was “just more rhetoric to his base.”

The wall, Trump said, “would very quickly pay for itself [because] the cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year.”

A former Jackson Madison County Narcotics Unit deputy commander, Harrell Carter, president of the Jackson, Madison County branch, said, “We need security, but it comes from a well-thought-out strategy, not from this knee jerk reaction to people of color…

“Back in the day, we had a problem with planes flying [across the Gulf of Mexico] as far north as they could [and] in several occasions, local officials were involved in the drug trade.” Now, most illegal drugs come through airports and cargo ships.

Trump is “clouded by his views” Carter said. “He … doesn’t represent the majority of the American people.”

Murfreesboro NAACP Branch President Katie Wilson looked at “photos of children with plastic sheets over them;” concluding, “The money for the wall could be spent on immigration reforms, and to support people coming to the border, and the officers who address their needs…. They’re coming to America … because they couldn’t continue to live in their homeland because of the crime.”

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.

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Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

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June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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1 week ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

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