Issues

Three years after October 7, honoring the victims of the Hamas-led massacre requires remembrance without qualification and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism. That commitment can stand alongside genuine concern for Palestinian civilians enduring loss, displacement, and suffering. Drawing on his experience as a witness to the events at Ground Zero, Chris Meek argues that protecting innocent life demands moral consistency. Rejecting antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, and collective blame, he calls for accurate remembrance, sustained support for survivors, humanitarian assistance, and accountable leadership. On this observance, shared humanity asks us to remember the dead faithfully while protecting the living, and to turn compassion into action that gives Israeli and Palestinian families the prospect of a safer future.

As sports betting becomes part of everyday entertainment, its mental health consequences deserve greater attention. Recent reporting reveals troubling patterns among young investors and rising gambling-related emergency visits in Ontario. Gambling problems can affect finances, relationships, and emotional well-being, while shame often keeps people from seeking help. America needs stronger prevention, financial education, accessible treatment, and accountability from the gambling industry. Families and health care providers must recognize warning signs and respond with compassion. We should make support as accessible as placing a wager. A person’s future is worth more than the next bet, and our priorities should reflect that.

Human trafficking is not a crime that happens somewhere else, to someone else. Recent headlines from communities across America reveal exploitation occurring in massage businesses, motels, online platforms, homes, and neighborhoods that may look much like our own. The dangerous “not in my neighborhood” mentality allows trafficking to remain hidden in plain sight. By supporting organizations such as Safe House Project, Voices Against Trafficking, Enough Is Enough, and Selah Freedom, and learning to recognize the signs of exploitation, we can replace indifference with awareness and action. Sometimes changing a life begins with simply refusing to look away.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, America must remember not only what happened, but how hatred becomes violence. I witnessed that reality firsthand at Ground Zero. Today, as inflammatory rhetoric and political extremism increasingly enter the mainstream, we cannot become numb to language that rationalizes terrorism or dehumanizes others. Free speech does not demand silence in response. It demands the courage to confront hatred before it becomes normalized, and extremism before it becomes action in our communities.

In this OpEd, I examine the contradiction between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s affordability agenda and his administration’s lawsuit to block a $10,000 supplemental payment for approximately 25,000 public-school paraprofessionals. These essential educators earn starting salaries of roughly $32,000 while serving some of the city’s most vulnerable children. For me, the issue is personal. My mother, Camille Meek, taught deaf and hearing-impaired students, and I grew up seeing both the extraordinary commitment this work requires and the financial sacrifices that often accompany it. I argue that if New York truly values paraprofessionals, respect cannot stop at words or process—it must show up in their paychecks.

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, I argue that awareness alone is no longer enough. While public recognition of human trafficking has grown, millions of victims remain trapped in exploitation around the world. In this OpEd, I call for a shift from passive concern to meaningful action through stronger laws, survivor-centered support, public-private partnerships, and individual responsibility. Ending human trafficking requires more than hashtags and annual observances, it demands sustained commitment, courageous leadership, and a willingness from each of us to help dismantle the systems that allow this crime to persist and restore hope to those whose freedom has been stolen.

What happens when a nation begins to forget the defining moments that shaped its character? As Germany wrestles with preserving the memory of the Holocaust amid the passing of survivors and growing historical amnesia, America faces its own challenge as the 25th observance of September 11 approaches. The greatest threat isn't forgetting the date, it is forgetting the courage, sacrifice, unity, and resilience that emerged in its wake. "Never Forget" must be more than an annual slogan; it must become a generational commitment to teach our children not only what happened on 9/11, but why it still matters. The future of our national identity depends on what we choose to remember, and what we choose to pass on.

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, a troubling Gallup survey shows national pride at a historic low. But this moment should not be viewed as evidence that America has lost its greatness. Instead, it is an invitation to rediscover the shared principles that have sustained our Republic for nearly two and a half centuries. Patriotism is not rooted in believing our nation is perfect, it is rooted in believing its founding ideals remain worth pursuing. America250 offers more than an opportunity to commemorate our past; it offers every citizen a chance to renew our shared commitment to liberty, unity, and civic responsibility.

Nearly twenty-five years after terrorists murdered 2,977 innocent people on September 11, a troubling narrative continues to emerge: that America somehow brought the attacks upon itself. As a survivor of Ground Zero, I reject that premise unequivocally. Nations can debate foreign policy, confront historical mistakes, and strive to become more just, but there is no moral framework that can justify the deliberate murder of innocent civilians. As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we must preserve the distinction between victim and perpetrator, honor the extraordinary courage displayed that day, and ensure that future generations inherit history rooted in truth rather than revisionism.