Commentary

COMMENTARY: President Trump: Destroying the American idea

WESTSIDE GAZETTE — “It is clear that it does not matter how many people are assassinated, how many buildings are invaded by some deranged person who believes he is doing the will of the President or how many letter bombs are put into our mail delivery system. He has shown the ranting and lies will continue. Simply put, President Trump does not care what he looks and sounds like…” — Rasheed Z. Baaith

Published

7 years ago

February 9, 2019

Oakland Post

Pastor Rasheed Baaith

“Therefore thus saith the LORD: Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.” (Jeremiah 34:17)

By Rasheed Z. Baaith

While it has not been surprising, it has been interesting to watch President Trump do all that he can to destroy the dream of America’s Founding Fathers. At least destroy it for those who do not look like, behave like or think like him. He does not want his supporters to just label those unlike them. He wants his supporters to hate them. He believes the foundation for your political activism should be the deepness of your hate for someone.

His core supporters, like him, have decided to close off America both from within and without. They have decided to make this happen employing the political process and unleashing as much verbal hatred as they can. Faces contorted with anger, voices raised as loud as possible, and fists punching the air, they believe they are making America great.

It is clear that it does not matter how many people are assassinated, how many buildings are invaded by some deranged person who believes he is doing the will of the President or how many letter bombs are put into our mail delivery system. He has shown the ranting and lies will continue. Simply put, President Trump does not care what he looks and sounds like. Nor do those who imitate what he says and behave as he does. There is on his behalf, a complete aversion to decency and veracity.

President Trump has made it undeniably clear he does not represent all American people nor does he want to. He is not interested in broadening his political base, or closing political divides. Neither does he want to unify America. His goal to govern through a policy of “them vs. us.” All who are considered “them” in the minds of President Trump and his supporters, deserve as much odious vilification as his lips can utter.

We are living in a very dangerous time. People believe it is within their right to question the legitimacy of Black people to shop, eat dinner in public, lease an apartment, wait for tow trucks or enjoy a park. Let alone be in the environment of good college. Even our children are not excluded from this race based behavior.

It is not just the depiction of a caravan of desperate people as “invaders” or his refusal to even mention the Black people shot down in Kentucky, which happened the same week as the mail bombs and the Synagogue murders that should scare us.

What should scare is how welcome many Americans are of accepting the vision of an intellectually diminutive man whose vision is like that of a kindergartner. He only sees in colors.

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This article originally appeared in The Westside Gazette.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC