November 4 isn’t a holiday but I pray it’s a fresh start for the politically divided states and communities we call home. I understand politics is a dirty business but much of what we saw this election cycle was sad, shameful, and ugly. Millions of midterm election dollars were spent on out-of-context sound bites, AI-generated pictures, lies, and innuendoes. That ought to inspire some serious soul searching about decency, integrity, and what we tolerate from candidates and political action committees on this rocky road called “public service.” President Trump encouraged supporters and campaign rally participants to act like his name…
Author: Cynthia Bond Hopson, Ph.D.
Whether you believe in, support, or abhor capital punishment, we need to pause and have some tough conversations about it. First, I haven’t had a family member or friend on death row, nor have I had one of these prisoners harm anyone I know personally. With that said, I still do not believe killing people to prove that killing people is wrong is the right thing to do. It is not an effective deterrent to crime, and after Tennessee failed miserably to kill *two death-row inmates earlier this year, instead subjecting them to extreme agony and misery, Governor Bill Lee…
Recent conversations about artificial intelligence have made me a little uncomfortable. When SCORE* offered an artificial intelligence webinar in September, I signed up. I felt more informed afterwards but that was before the dire warnings about the world being threatened because of this unregulated, uncertain technology that mimics the human brain but is so smart, quick, and sophisticated, we may not be able to discern when it’s in use. Every source I consulted said I was already using/being used by this artificial assistance in every aspect of my life so I tried it as I reworked my now defunct website.…
The move to rename the Nashville Airport for what Governor Bill Lee termed “Tennessee’s favorite daughter,” humanitarian and entertainer Dolly Parton, is the right thing to do, and, for the right reasons. I can’t think of anyone who was more universally adored, kind, generous, or talented than the phenomenal Ms. Parton. She was in a league of her own. Before we get too far gone, however, I’d like to offer some fodder for conversation. As a native Tennessean, I’m proud of our state’s beauty, hospitality, diversity, and friendly folks, but some days it seems we’re talking out of both sides…
For more than 45 years now, I’ve tried to tell compelling, truthful, well-researched, unbiased stories whenever I’ve had the privilege. Every time I see my name attached to an article, I, along with thousands of my journalism colleagues, fully understand that this is a fragile and sacred honor we never take lightly. If we falsify facts, cut corners, invent or expose sources, overlook critical details, nobody will trust or depend on us for information that matters. Consequently, when military families raised a red flag about living and working conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, I watched in disbelief. My father,…
The fact that Tuskegee University’s fall dress code generated headlines, heated discussions, hard feelings, and any conversation at all is worthy of note. I ordinarily mind my own business (because I have some), but this topic I couldn’t avoid. Ironically, I had a discussion last week with my two youngest granddaughters, Maya, 19, and Morgan, 18, about why I believe bonnets, du-rags, pajamas, and such on campus are an affront to our ancestors who expect us to do better, and move the generations forward. I’m amazed that Tuskegee would have had to create, enhance, and inform students that they’d be…
“…and a child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6 This passage from Isaiah came to mind immediately as Pope Leo XIV welcomed 164 children and youth from around the world to his summer home July 29, for what was termed a Peace Concert, or a Canticle of Peace. The young people, many whose homes, sense of safety, innocence, hopes and dreams had been ravaged by bombs, drones, power seekers, greed, and aggression, stood tall, sang courageously, and offered hope to a world that seems oblivious to the bleak future they and future generations might inherit. This prophetic line from Isaiah envisions…
As this fall’s elections quickly approach, some of the candidates for governor are downright scary, and if we’re not well informed and actually vote, our days ahead may be too. Only a few gubernatorial candidates are running ads now but it behooves us to attend forums and engage on all levels as our 51 st governor is selected. It’s probably too much to hope for someone who is accomplished, kind, compassionate and sensitive, who listens, and whose commitment to party doesn’t trump what’s best for us, our cities, and this beautiful state. Perhaps a prayer vigil begun now for such…
The new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago opened in time for this year’s June 19th Juneteenth holiday, and from all accounts, it’s something important to see. At this point it doesn’t matter whether you admired, supported, or loathed our nation’s 44th president and his wife Michelle; when the dust settles, I suspect this historic couple will be judged as much by what they did as what they did not do. The Obamas, their girls, her mother, and their dog captured the world’s attention as the nation’s first African American presidential family. For many African Americans, their election in 2008 was…
The newly redrawn Tennessee congressional districts may be many things but describing them as fair, legal, defensible, and an accurate reflection of the will of the state’s voters is like saying the Grand Canyon is a ditch. I watched in disbelief as President Donald Trump directed Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to undertake immediate redistricting after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling struck down race-based district lines in Louisiana last week. Before the call was barely finished Governor Lee gathered the Tennessee legislature to hurriedly redraw our lines, despite the fact we were in the midst of election season. Our beautiful state…