Profits Over Children’s: LIVES? - 2.20.2026

The image of Mark Zuckerberg taking the stand in a landmark social media addiction trial should stop us all in our tracks. This is not just another corporate hearing—it is a moral reckoning.

For years, tech companies have denied, deflected, and delayed while evidence mounted that their platforms are engineered to maximize engagement at any cost. Now we are forced to confront a devastating truth: profits have been placed above the well-being of children.

What does it say about our society that we allow products designed to exploit developing minds to flourish unchecked? That algorithms—cold, calculated, and profit-driven—are shaping childhood experiences, fueling anxiety, depression, and addiction?

This trial is not just about liability. It is about responsibility. It is about whether we, as a society, are willing to draw a line and say that children’s lives are worth more than quarterly earnings.

History will judge this moment. The question is whether we will act with courage—or continue to look away.

U.S. Army plant a major source of ammo for Mexican cartels - 2.19.2026

The recent revelations that a U.S. Army–owned ammunition plant is a major source of .50-caliber rounds recovered from Mexican cartel violence should shock the conscience of every American. But more than that, it should force us to confront an uncomfortable truth: we are not merely bystanders to this violence—we are enablers.

Let us be clear. These are not ordinary bullets. These are military-grade rounds capable of tearing through vehicles, downing aircraft, and devastating human life. And yet, nearly half of the seized ammunition of this kind in Mexico traces back to production tied to our own government—ammunition that was allowed to flow into civilian markets and ultimately into the hands of organized crime.

We can hide behind technicalities and say, “the U.S. Army didn’t sell directly to cartels.” But that is a hollow defense. If a system we built, regulate, and profit from is consistently arming criminal syndicates responsible for mass murder, then that system implicates us. This is not a loophole. It is complicity.

For years, we have condemned cartel brutality while ignoring the pipeline that helps sustain it. We have exported not just weapons, but chaos, instability, and death across our southern border. The consequences are measured in lives lost—police officers, civilians, journalists—people whose only misfortune was living within reach of a system we refuse to fix.

At what point do we stop pretending this is someone else’s problem?

If we are serious about law, order, and human dignity, then we must confront this crisis with urgency and honesty. That means stricter controls, real accountability, and an end to the quiet normalization of practices that allow military-grade firepower to slip into criminal hands.

Anything less is a moral failure.

We cannot continue to condemn violence abroad while enabling it at home. History will not judge us kindly if we do.

Jesse Jackson, the World Salutes You - 2.18.2026

Jesse Jackson Fought for Justice at Home And Abroad

The recent reflection on the extraordinary life and work of Jesse Jackson serves as a powerful reminder of what principled, sustained activism can achieve.

For decades, Jackson stood at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights, economic justice, voting rights, labor rights, and peace. From his early work with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to founding Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he built multiracial, multi-faith coalitions that reshaped American politics. His historic presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 expanded the electorate, registered millions of new voters, and gave voice to those long excluded from the political process.

Jackson’s impact extended beyond domestic policy. He championed human rights internationally, advocating for democracy and helping secure the release of political prisoners abroad. His work demonstrated that the fight for justice transcends borders and that American leadership can be rooted in moral conviction.

At a time when cynicism often overshadows public life, Jackson’s career reminds us that moral courage, coalition-building, and persistence can move a nation closer to its ideals. His legacy challenges current and future generations to continue the unfinished work of equality and justice.

ON THE BRINK: WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN PLAYING WITH FIRE - 2.18.2026

As Trita Parsi , Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute , warns, we are facing an “extremely dangerous situation.” Both the United States and Iran now have political incentives to escalate rather than de-escalate. That is a combustible formula.

When domestic pressures reward toughness and punish restraint, diplomacy becomes politically risky while confrontation becomes convenient. Miscalculation, not strategy, often lights the fuse of war. History shows how quickly tit-for-tat actions spiral beyond anyone’s control.

Leaders in Washington and Tehran must recognize that escalation may serve short-term optics but carries catastrophic long-term costs—human, economic and geopolitical. The region, and the world, cannot afford another preventable conflict.

Statesmanship requires courage: the courage to talk, to compromise and to step back from the brink. Anything less invites disaster.

Accountability at Risk: When Unconditional U.S. Support Enables Netanyahu’s Power Politics - 2.18.2026

Thomas Friedman’s latest column is not only incisive — it is urgently necessary. He lays bare what too many American leaders refuse to say plainly: Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to disregard cease-fire understandings while expecting unquestioning U.S. support, treating the United States as though we will absorb any action without consequence.

Even more troubling is the political reality driving these policies. Netanyahu’s actions increasingly appear shaped not by long-term security strategy, but by personal political survival — by a desperate effort to remain in power, avoid accountability in his ongoing corruption cases, and appease the most extreme and undemocratic members of his far-right coalition. When policy is driven by the need to stay out of jail and satisfy ideological hardliners, stability and diplomacy inevitably suffer.

The American people are not fools. We provide extraordinary military, diplomatic, and financial backing to Israel because we are told our interests and democratic values are aligned. When cease-fires are violated, when escalation replaces restraint, and when U.S. credibility is strained on the world stage, that alignment is called into serious question.

No ally should assume automatic support while undermining agreements the United States has worked to secure. Real friendship requires accountability. Real partnership requires mutual respect.

Friedman is right to warn that unconditional backing, absent consequences for violations, damages both American interests and Israel’s long-term security.

It is time for U.S. leaders to insist that American support not be taken for granted. 

The Hidden Epidemic of Social Isolation - 2.17.2026

In our hyper-connected world, it is ironic that social isolation has reached crisis levels. Experts such as Jonathan Haidt have highlighted the profound mental health consequences of prolonged isolation, including anxiety, depression, and weakened resilience. Yet, the problem extends far beyond individual behavior—it is amplified by the design of modern technology and advertising.

Much like the historical addiction to cigarettes fueled by marketing, cell phone usage has been deliberately engineered to capture attention, drawing users into endless scrolling and passive engagement. The relentless allure of notifications, personalized ads, and social media “likes” creates a cycle that keeps individuals glued to their devices at the expense of real-world connections. The result is a generation simultaneously more connected digitally yet increasingly isolated in reality.

This is not merely a social inconvenience—it is a public health concern. Addiction to these technologies undermines our ability to form meaningful relationships, exacerbates loneliness, and fosters anxiety. Society must recognize the psychological and social cost of these digital habits and take steps to encourage genuine, face-to-face human connection. Awareness, regulation, and personal accountability are crucial in mitigating the harm caused by this modern epidemic.

Social isolation is not an inevitable consequence of modern life—it is a challenge we can address before its impact becomes irreversible.

Rethinking U.S. Policy Toward Cuba - 2.17.2026

President Trump’s recent labeling of Cuba as a “failed nation” and his refusal to rule out military action is alarming. While Cuba faces hardships, it’s crucial to remember that decades of U.S. sanctions—combined with historical interference—have exacerbated suffering for ordinary Cubans. Even before the 1959 revolution, Cuba endured the brutal dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, supported by outside interests.

A constructive first step would be to lift the harsh sanctions that harm ordinary people and allow the free flow of oil from Venezuela, rather than treating Cuba as an enemy. The U.S. cannot continue acting as a global bully, isolating nations and creating hardships abroad while claiming moral authority at home. If we persist down this path, we risk becoming a pariah state ourselves.

Engagement, not threats, is the path toward genuine freedom and stability.