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OP-ED: To Fear a Protest: Columbia University’s Forceful Response to Peaceful and Legitimate Protest

NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS — True leaders come to the table prepared for discourse; cowards find something to hide behind. In an egregious display of weakness, the university affirmed that it feared the political views of its students. By arresting more than 100 peacefully assembled young adults, Columbia demonstrated just how vulnerable it is to the leaders they’ve created. What [Columbia University president Namet] Shafik fails to understand is that silencing protest through force only validates the need for protest and inspires more civil unrest.
The post OP-ED: To Fear a Protest: Columbia University’s Forceful Response to Peaceful and Legitimate Protest first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2 years ago

May 15, 2024

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By Rachel Patterson | New York Amsterdam News

Columbia has a long history of nurturing not just academics, but leaders, like former President Barack Obama and former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who used their education and influence to make an impact on the world. It is humbling to know that I am amongst the ranks of those charged with creating the next generation of these dynamic individuals. As a faculty member, my goals each semester are to help my students graduate and secure jobs by ensuring that they have good research and writing skills, underpinned by critical thinking, so that they know when and how to apply their talents.

On April 17, as I got off the subway and prepared to walk through the college en route to watch my students give their final presentations of the semester, I was stopped by the makeshift security entrance. I was utterly confused. I’d never had to show my campus ID to walk across the lawn before as a student or faculty member. Unsettled, I proceeded toward my classroom.

As I hurried through campus, I saw the protesters with their tents and signs; one read, “Liberated Zone” in bold red letters. I slowed down and smiled, proud that these students were taking action. After the presentations, on my way back through campus, I paused to hear the student protesters who were speaking to the attentive crowd. They told the crowd why they were there: To give a voice to the people in Palestine that are victims of a brutal genocide. The speakers noted that they would stay right there until the school divested financially from the genocide. That was powerful to me. These students were putting their academic careers and futures on the line, willing to camp out everyday on this lawn, to make sure that the university administration heard them. To make sure that the institution they pay to attend, that they trust to educate them, ends up on the right side of history. I was glad that they were taking a stand, being seen, and that they had a specific demand for the university. For a moment, I wished I could join them.

I thought about the students, the protest, and the genocide in Palestine for my entire two-hour trip home. I sat there in a daze, sad and frustrated, and prayed for the thousands of Palestinians who face uncertain futures every day. As a person of faith, I was deeply frustrated because leaders always tell people to send thoughts and prayers in light of widespread tragedy, and yet more than 30,000 Palestinians have died, with more civilian deaths promised as this genocide presses on. It highlighted the fact that my prayers aren’t doing much. I felt hopeless. It reminded me of the times I felt compelled to express myself via protest in the past.

Protesting makes you feel like you’re doing something—and you are. You are raising the public consciousness, educating people, and exposing the truth in a way that cannot be ignored. The news, social media, and on-the-ground accounts of the devastating brutality abroad are not enough to inform the public. Many Americans still don’t seem to understand the issue—that the Israeli state was born by violently and forcibly overtaking Palestinian lands and peoples, and over the last seven decades, millions of Palestinians have fled, while those who’ve stayed have been systematically marginalized, murdered, and starved.

It is unfortunate how consistently academic institutions struggle with having an educated, critical, and capable student body. The very tools we hope the students use to secure jobs, become successful, and change the world, are the skills that they are applying to determine just how much the university is failing them. It is not surprising that Columbia students had the awareness and talent to discover the university’s financial ties to this particular genocide; and, given the legacy of leadership cultivated by the university, it is not surprising that some brave students took action.

What did surprise me was the forceful and unprecedented response from university president Namet Shafik.

Though the students assembled in peace—in a space designated for student protests—Shafik responded in full force with armed officers. Instead of being met with respect through civil conversation, they were publicly humiliated through actions intended to create shame and dissuade future protesters. Shafik prioritized her position of leadership over the wellbeing of young people, without consideration of the fact that these are students paying a hefty tuition and in turn relying on the university for shelter, food, and health insurance.

True leaders come to the table prepared for discourse; cowards find something to hide behind. In an egregious display of weakness, the university affirmed that it feared the political views of its students. By arresting more than 100 peacefully assembled young adults, Columbia demonstrated just how vulnerable it is to the leaders they’ve created. What Shafik fails to understand is that silencing protest through force only validates the need for protest and inspires more civil unrest.

As Shafik continues to stoke fear among our academic community, she must ask herself: What is the goal of the institution? How are her actions serving this goal? Is Columbia University not meant to develop critical thinkers and leaders who will change the world with their education? If Columbia genuinely intends to “advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and convey the products of its efforts to the world,” as the mission statement claims, suspending students mere weeks before graduation drastically misses the mark.

While Shafik can set aside her morals for her high perch, it is heartening to know that the students cannot. They refuse to let the ivory towers of the Ivy League institution erode their ethics. They are willing to forgo their fancy degrees and contend with an armed police force in the name of justice. Ultimately, though my goal as a faculty member is to help my students graduate and get jobs; the true victory comes when they apply their skills and knowledge to real life problems and make an impact.

Columbia University and Namet Shafik, it is time to be on the right side of history. The side that celebrates critical thought and application of knowledge. The side that seeks and speaks the truth. The side that puts ethics and human decency above pride and prestige. It is time to divest from financial ties to Israel.

Since the encampment was established, the university has made no indication that they are willing to engage respectfully with the student protesters. Overnight on April 29, protesters entered Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves inside. Hundreds of police officers in riot gear descended upon a few dozen students and physically removed them from campus the following day. Faculty were encouraged to hold their last classes and finals virtually, and a police presence remains on campus. Columbia has canceled commencement due to the unrest, and some protesters have continued demonstrating outside of the homes of board of trustee members. The Department of Education has since opened an investigation into Columbia University due to allegations of anti-Palestinian discrimination.

Rachel Patterson is an alumnae of the Columbia School International and Public Affairs, and is currently an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University. Rachel is a climate justice advocate, a law student, and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

The post OP-ED: To Fear a Protest: Columbia University’s Forceful Response to Peaceful and Legitimate Protest first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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