Sunday, June 07, 2026
Pope Leo XIV and I agree: Our country and world need healing
Challenges and responsibility were on my mind as I sat with the pope, a fellow son of Chicago whose moral leadership comes at a critical moment.
Jun 6, 2026, 7:00am EDT
Pope Leo XIV shakes the hand of Mayor Brandon Johnson during their meeting late last month.
Provided
The same week I met Pope Leo XIV, I watched my eldest son graduate.
Like any parent, I felt immense pride seeing him step into adulthood. But I also found myself thinking about the wounded country and world he and his peers are inheriting.
Here in America, families are struggling with rising costs. Our immigrant neighbors, co-workers, classmates and friends are living with fear and uncertainty. Essential federal programs have been cut, while healthcare and food assistance are being stripped from the most vulnerable.
Overseas, wars continue to claim the lives of the innocent and devastate the remaining survivors.
As a father, those realities weigh on me. As a mayor, they remind me why I do this work.
Commentary
What I want for my family is what I want for every family in Chicago: a country and world that are safer, more just and full of opportunity.
These challenges and our collective responsibility were at the front of my mind as I sat down with Pope Leo XIV, a fellow son of Chicago, whose moral leadership comes at a critical moment.
The pope and I spoke about the suffering caused by war, the need for peace in Gaza and Iran and the responsibility we share to elevate the voices of those living through hardship, both in Chicago and across the globe.
When touching on the harsh realities of our country as it approaches its 250th birthday, we discussed the enduring consequences of slavery and the unfinished work confronting that history. He understands the harms of slavery didn’t end with emancipation and that these wounds continue to shape disparities in wealth, health, housing and economic mobility.
Magnificent humanity and shared responsibility at Delaney Hall
Sr. Susan Rose Francois of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace poses next to the sign outside the family and detainee support tent in front of Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey. (Courtesy of Eyes on ICE NJ/Joseph O'Leary)
by Susan Rose Francois
NCR Contributor
View Author Profile
June 1, 2026
For more than a year, a network of community leaders has provided public witness, solidarity and mutual aid in support of detained immigrant neighbors and their families at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey.
Delaney Hall opened in May 2025 and is operated by the private prison corporation GEO Group under a 15-year $1 billion government contract. It is the largest detention center on the East Coast. Five miles from my convent, it has been on my radar for over a year but has just recently entered the national consciousness due to a courageous hunger and labor strike by those held captive behind its walls.
The Eyes on ICE NJ coalition includes a diverse collection of organizations: Catholics like the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace and Pax Christi New Jersey, other faith groups, peace organizations, earnest people from local community and political organizations and immigration advocates. Then there are just ordinary folks who are looking for a way to make a real difference in the face of the cruelty that is happening in our name. We are committed to a common mission to oppose Delaney Hall and the unjust operations of ICE through nonviolence, mutual aid, radical hospitality and interfaith cooperation until the facility ceases operations. We are here for the long haul, and we center the concerns of our immigrant neighbors who are detained and the real needs of their families left behind. For the past year, volunteers have been present every visiting day to staff the "Radical Hospitality" tent or to peacefully stand vigil outside the facility on non-visiting days.
I have come to consider my fellow volunteers as my friends and could not help but think of them as I read these words from Pope Leo XIV in Magnifica Humanitas:
[B]uilding a world in which everyone can flourish requires shared responsibility and courage. No one can singlehandedly bear the weight of the challenges the world is facing, just as no one is so weak that they cannot play their part, for "power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). … We should not be intimidated by tensions or differences because they can become creative forces when guided by shared responsibility.
I'll be honest: We don't always at first agree on details, but we agree on our values and that is what matters. We agree that the cruelty happening in our name is unacceptable. We believe that our friends in detention and their families come first. This isn't easy on the best of days, and it has become even more difficult with the recent attention and activity outside Delaney Hall this past week. The increased focus was sparked by a family-led press conference the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, highlighting the inhumane conditions their loved ones are facing. More than 300 people held at Delaney Hall then went on a hunger and labor strike to raise awareness and concern for the most vulnerable among them.
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond | Full Book Summary
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond | Full Book Summary
The Illiterate's Guide
The Illiterate's Guide
Aug 5, 2025
📖 Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond (2011)
👉 See Book on Amazon | https://amzn.to/46s1r2X
Why Some Societies Collapse While Others Thrive: Lessons from Jared Diamond's 'Collapse'
Explore the key insights from Jared Diamond's acclaimed book, 'Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.' This episode delves into why some societies, like Easter Island and Norse Greenland, faced collapse, while others, like Tikopia and Tokugawa Japan, managed to endure and flourish. Discover Diamond's five-point framework for understanding societal success or failure, the role of environmental and cultural factors, and how these historical lessons can guide us in addressing today's global challenges. Join us as we examine the choices that determine a society's fate and the crucial lessons we can learn to avoid collapse in our own time.
00:15 Jared Diamond's Framework for Collapse
02:28 Case Study: Easter Island's Self-Destruction
04:19 Case Study: The Complex Collapse of Norse Greenland
07:20 Case Study: The Maya Civilization's Downfall
09:01 Understanding Societal Blindness and Denial
13:28 Success Stories: Societies That Adapted
16:51 Modern Implications and Lessons
21:42 Conclusion: The Ultimate Choice for Our Future
In the Spirit and Power of Elias - Prophets and Kings Chapter 14
Prophets and Kings Chapter 14: In the Spirit and Power of Elias
FreedomTruth
Chapter 14 of Prophets and Kings by Ellen G. White, titled “In the Spirit and Power of Elias,” explores the enduring influence of Elijah’s ministry and the continuation of his prophetic work through those called to stand faithfully for God. This chapter connects Elijah’s mission with the broader work of spiritual reform and preparation among God’s people.
This audiobook presentation highlights themes of prophetic responsibility, faithfulness, and the transmission of spiritual authority grounded in obedience to God. It underscores the call for courage, humility, and unwavering commitment in carrying forward God’s message in challenging times.
Listen and reflect on the lessons found in this chapter, which emphasise the power of God working through consecrated lives to bring renewal and reform.
Can Rural Life Actually Save You In A Blackout?
Can Rural Life Actually Save You In A Blackout?
Neroke-5
Your WiFi router just had a nervous breakdown. Your smart TV is a brick. Your city friends are trapped in high-rise vertical coffins. The Blackout Apocalypse is here, and your fancy apps won't save you. But your boring life in the sticks? That romantic country dream you used to post about on Instagram? That might just be your biggest, dirtiest secret weapon.
Welcome to the new normal. In this chaotic episode of Fallout Raccoon, we ditch the grid and dive deep into the brutally honest science of post-blackout survival. We expose why relying on fragile modern technology is a fatal mistake and reveal the analog survival techniques that genuinely matter. We're talking real physics and chemistry—the 212∘ F boiling point, not your dead electric well pump. Learn the rural blackout survival tips that separate those who adapt from those who become fertilizer for someone else's victory garden.
Are you prepared for the Great Digital Death? We break down the stark, scientific difference between the urban scramble and the rural safety margin. Your grandpa’s knowledge is officially worth more than your college degree.
Discover: Why cities are now death traps and how to avoid the urban collapse.
Learn: Essential low-tech water purification methods that don’t require electricity.
Master: The forgotten fire science that keeps you warm without burning your furniture.
Decide: Is your rural lifestyle a true sanctuary, or just a picturesque place for you to starve?
Clock's ticking. Lights are already out. Adapt. Improvise. Survive. Your move, survivor. Make it count.
Saturday, June 06, 2026
June 6th 2026 | Sabbath Morning Service - Pr. Bill Hughes
1Trump Rededicates America!
Romans 13 - King James Version
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
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9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Friday, June 05, 2026
Delaney Hall hunger strike ignites a week of violence, full report
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On the above May 25, 2026 video at Delaney Hall, Newark NJ @ approximately 0:43 Mins. Kason Little identifies himself as a Community Organizer and Activist. Here's some information about Kason Little, found on CANARY MISSION:
Kason Little
Status: Unknown
State: New Jersey
Organizations: BDS, BLM
Kason Little
Kason Little [Kason J. Little] led chants at the pro-Hamas encampment at Columbia in 2024. Little called for Israel’s destruction and spread hatred of America online in 2024.
Little was featured in an April 30, 2024, Instagram video leading a chant at the encampment and then shouting [00:00:58]: “End the genocide! F**k Israel! Free Palestine!”
During the course of the video, Little stood in front of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, which had been stormed and barricaded by encampment protesters immediately after midnight on April 30, 2024. The video was captioned: “
Protesters Occupy Columbia University…”On April 30, 2024, participants in Columbia’s second pro-Hamas encampment forced their way into the university’s Hamilton Hall, barricading themselves in the building and taking three Columbia custodians hostage. Protesters also vandalized [00:00:55] and destroyed university property inside the hall. A police raid on Hamilton found knives, gas masks, ropes and literature that read: “...DESTROY zionist business interests everywhere!...DEATH TO AMERICA!...”
On April 21, 2024, Little posted a photo of himself on Instagram. He wrote: “Nightlong encampment at Columbia University in solidarity with the students demanding full financial divestments from Israel. We're in solidarity with Palestine!!!...#FreePalestine
.” The encampment was also in support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.Also on April 21, 2024, Little posted on Instagram a photo of himself with another anti-Israel protester from the Columbia encampment. The post said: “Live from Columbia University…demanding all student demands in solidarity with Palestine are met!!...”
Columbia is located in New York, New York.
Kason Little Led Chants at the Pro-Hamas Encampment at Columbia University (Columbia)
"rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" @ Delaney Hall 6/4/2026
Here you hear a female voice from the protesters utter "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr", which is strangely similar to what the late Radical Black Poet, Amiri Baraka (father of Ras Baraka Mayor of Newark, NJ) once expressed.
¤¤¤
More from Amiri Baraka (Wikipedia)
In April 1965, Baraka's "A Poem for Black Hearts" was published as a direct response to Malcolm X's assassination, and it further exemplifies the poet's uses of poetry to generate anger and endorse rage against oppression.[42] Like many of his poems, it showed no remorse in its use of raw emotion to convey its message.[43] It was published in the September issue of Negro Digest and was one of the first responses to Malcolm's death to be exposed to the public.[44] The poem is directed particularly at black men, and it scoldingly labels them "faggots" in order to challenge them to act and continue the fallen activist's fight against the white establishment.
References:
Thursday, June 04, 2026
Jerusalem Pride Parade set to take place under heightened security as city prepares for march
Police deploy forces and announce road closures ahead of the 24th annual Pride and Tolerance event in Jerusalem this evening
Marchers taking part in the annual Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem.Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
i24NEWS
June 04, 2026 at 09:34 AM ■ latest revision June 04, 2026 at 09:36 AM
The Jerusalem Pride and Tolerance Parade is set to take place on Thursday evening, with participants expected to gather in central Jerusalem before beginning their march toward the city center.
The event marks the opening of Pride Month in Israel and is expected to draw participants, supporters, and observers from across the country.
Police have completed their preparations ahead of the event, deploying officers throughout key areas of the city to manage traffic, ensure public safety, and maintain order along the route.
Authorities said the operation includes both visible and undercover units, with an emphasis on safeguarding participants and minimizing disruption to daily activity.
As part of the arrangements, several main roads in the city are expected to be temporarily closed or restricted during the march, with alternative routes recommended for drivers. Traffic management plans will remain in place for the duration of the event and will be adjusted as needed.
DHS Highlights Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Sanctuary New Jersey in the Last Week Amid Leftist Smears Against ICE
DHS Highlights Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Sanctuary New Jersey in the Last Week Amid Leftist Smears Against ICE
Release Date: June 2, 2026
Sanctuary politicians need to stop peddling false smears about ICE detention facilities and start thanking ICE law enforcement officers for getting these thugs off New Jersey streets
WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement highlighting criminal illegal aliens U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested in New Jersey over the last week, including murderers, sexual predators, burglars, and violent assailants.
“While sanctuary politicians and leftist agitators spread false smears about the Delaney Hall ICE facility, the brave men and women of ICE are still hard at work removing criminal illegal aliens from New Jersey. In New Jersey, they have removed dangerous criminal illegal aliens with criminal histories that include voluntary manslaughter, sex assault, burglary, fraud, terroristic threats, and aggravated assault,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “These sanctuary politicians need to stop peddling false smears about ICE detention facilities and start thanking ICE law enforcement officers for getting these thugs off New Jersey streets. We will not let violent rioters slow us down from making America safe again.”
Wednesday, June 03, 2026
Giving Ventures Ep. 100 - Arabella: The Left's Dark Money with Scott Walter
Giving Ventures Ep. 100 - Arabella: The Left's Dark Money with Scott Walter
DonorsTrust
Jan 13, 2026 Giving Ventures Podcast
For the past decade, one entity has become predominant in secretive giving on the left of the political spectrum: Arabella Advisors. It goes by a lot of different names, like the New Venture Fund, the Windward Fund, 1630 Fund. This panoply of organizations represents hundreds of nonprofit entities ranging from full-fledged 501(c)3s and 501(c)4s to astroturf groups that only exist as websites. Billions of dollars have flowed into and out of these Arabella entities, all working to counter free markets and conservative ideas and to advance progressive ideology.
Despite its major influence, Arabella is still pretty secretive. But one individual thoroughly understands the reach of Arabella and its tentacles: Scott Walter, the president of Capital Research Center, which focuses on the sources and influence of philanthropic dollars on the left.
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