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opinions
The Protest
by Deborah Springer Suttlar
March 31, 2026
The Protest
On Saturday March 28, 2026, disgruntled citizens nationwide and worldwide conducted a protest of the authoritarian conduct of this current Republican Administration. This protest was organized to highlight the continued violation of democratic principles in which the President of the United States has disregarded the US Constitution as it relates to the duties and responsibilities of the Executive and Legislative branches of our government. Many believe President Donald Trump has taken on the behavior of a “King.”
The issues of the protest varied from the war in Iran, cruel and extreme immigration tactics, corruption in government, Anti-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, student loans, and economic concerns such as gasoline and groceries.
The Protest was an action of “resistance” for the way in which this country is headed. However, there were few representations of what I consider the people most affected. There was not a fair representation of the people who are being marginalized. There were few people of color, and few Black women or Black men represented in the crowd. Where were those people who were most affected?
I have heard it expressed by many Black people that, “we are going to let the white folks fight this time.” Well, let me be frank. The people who fought the last time are dead or aged out. They did their job in the 50’s 60’s,70’s and even before. Exactly when did “you” protest? When did you confront the police, dogs, or White Supremacist? When did you protest the conditions of Jim Crow, Segregation, School segregation or lynchings, denial of voting rights? When did you do that? The answer is, you did not, but you have reaped the benefits.
It is apparent that we have an entitled generation who have no idea of the sacrifices made for the rights that were gained by “real protest.” The protest where you could be beaten, shot, sprayed with water, or even killed simply for being present. A real protest extends beyond just a few weeks or occurs intermittently. The protests of the Civil Rights era were long and hard fought. We should be embarrassed that our current protest consists of just not patronizing to a certain store. There was time when we could not even go to the store. Now, we are fighting specific stores when the policies and laws of oppression are being made in state governments, Congress, or by judges on the Supreme Court.
So, I am telling you, if you do not want to physically protest, you could at least vote. Voting is a powerful form of protest, yet many of us neglect it. If we vote, we could eliminate the people who make harmful decisions about our lives. If we showed our disdain by stepping up and stepping out to decide who represents us, then we would show we do care about what happens to us.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of voting as a form of protest. It is imperative as a citizen for a person to make a choice about who represents you and who will make the laws that govern you.
The vote is also a form of protest when you choose one over the other. At least you can vote against the one you don’t want. It is also how your voice can be heard. Just remember, if voting were not important, Donald Trump would not have acted a fool about it. Nor would we have the SAVE Act based upon a lie about voters cheating.
I urge people to consider what you want from your government and protest by voting to replace those who do not see you, hear you, or desire to give you what you should have and that is a voice.
Voting is a form of protest, do it. Nobody fights for me; I fight my own battles. I vote!
I Timothy 2:1-2 and engage in promotion justice and the common good.
George Jean Nathan – “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a community activist and longtime supporter of public schools.
opinions
SEASONED
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
March 30, 2026
What It Means to Be Seasoned
Seasoned.
As-salaam-alaikum. Shalom. Paz. Peace in the name of Jesus.
Early in my ministerial career, I remember hearing about a church here in Central Arkansas that was in need of a pastor. It was said that the church needed a seasoned pastor. At the time, I did not fully understand what that meant. That was more than 45 years ago.
Now, having matured through ministry, work, marriage, and raising children, I have come to understand that seasonedis a word we all ought to consider carefully. It is not simply about age. One can be seasoned in their 30s or 40s just as much as in later years. Rather, being seasoned is about experience, awareness, and intentional living.
I have come to think about being seasoned through four key ideas.
Documentation
A seasoned person understands the importance of documentation.
This does not only mean writing things down, but having lived through situations where context, decisions, and lessons have been recorded—either formally or through intentional reflection. Documentation gives us a framework for understanding truth in a world filled with misinformation.
In a time when truth is often challenged, a seasoned person develops the ability to discern what is real. This comes not only from experience, but from reading, learning, and engaging with reliable sources. A seasoned life is an informed life.
Procedures
A seasoned person understands procedures.
In the church, we have structured ways of doing things—whether through a Book of Worship, liturgies, or denominational disciplines. These guide how we baptize, bless, bury, and serve.
But procedures are not limited to the church. They exist in our workplaces, our communities, and even our homes.
In my own family, one of our procedures was not just what we did, but what we did not do. We did not use the word “hate.” We might dislike something, but we chose not to give language to hate. That was a value expressed through practice.
Simple daily rhythms—greeting one another, saying goodbye, showing respect—these are procedures too. A seasoned person recognizes and honors these patterns that shape healthy relationships.
Identification
A seasoned person develops the ability of identification.
This is the capacity to look beneath the surface.
There are people who may appear strong on the outside, but inwardly lack substance. Like trees in a storm, some stand tall until pressure reveals what is hollow within. A seasoned person learns to discern what is truly there, not just what is presented.
But identification is not only about how we see others—it is also about how others see us. It is a mirror. As we learn to discern, we must also be mindful that we ourselves are being discerned.
Seasoning deepens our awareness, both outward and inward.
Designation
Finally, a seasoned person understands designation.
To be seasoned is to have direction—to know where you are going, who you are becoming, and how you intend to get there. This may include goals related to vocation, finances, relationships, or purpose.
For some, designation is carefully planned. For others, like myself, it is something received. I did not always chart my own path, but I have been blessed to be led—to go where God has sent me.
Whether chosen or called, designation gives shape to a life of purpose.
To be seasoned, then, is not simply to have lived—it is to have learned.
It is to value documentation, to honor procedures, to practice identification, and to embrace designation.
May we all grow into a life that is truly seasoned.
Love,
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church
opinions
HOLY WEEK BEGS US TO EMBRACE A SUBVERSIVE GOSPEL
by Wendell Griffen
March 31, 2026
This year Holy Week finds humanity suffering the evils of war in Ukraine, Gaza, the Israeli Occupied Territories, East Jerusalem, Sudan, Venezuela, and Iran.
This year Holy Week comes after ICE agents invaded Minnesota, murdered two people in broad daylight, kidnapped a five-year old boy and his father and hauled them to another state without due process, and have been given what amounts to a blank check to cause havoc and mayhem wherever and whenever the Trump administration wants it.
This year Holy Week comes as people who complained about affordability and voted for Donald Trump in 2024 are paying more for fuel, groceries, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. Meanwhile, Trump, his billionaire enablers and religious nationalists, and their followers believe the lie are that our society is safer, healthier, and freer as they plan to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents militarized and imperialistic evil to us in the Roman occupation of Palestine, Pontus Pilate, and crucifying Roman soldiers. However, only a few preachers will have the wisdom – let alone the courage – to help congregants see the same evil being perpetrated by Israel and United States in Palestine, Iran, Venezuela, and threatened against Mexico, Cuba, and Greenland.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents sacralized evil to us in the religious functionaries who schemed to grab, falsely accuse, and urge politicians to execute the innocent Jesus.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents opportunistic, treacherous, and greedy evil by religious people in Judas Iscariot. It presents self-serving evil to us in Peter.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents human gullibility concerning evil that is masked by political power, religious authority, and devotion to private gain.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus forces us to face these and other unpleasant constants in human affairs. Cruelty, violence, greed, dishonesty, betrayal, hypocrisy, and other aspects of evil are not peculiar to one era, one religion, one political system, and one place. They happen everywhere and across every period of history.
Against those realities, the Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents God’s subversive courage, stubborn loyalty, and fierce prophetic love to us in Jesus. And through the women who refused to abandon Jesus and who were the first preachers of the resurrection power of God, the Holy Week Gospel of Jesus declares that we can choose to embrace, follow, and be instruments of that subversive courage, loyalty, and prophetic love.
The question for each of us is whether we will follow the subversive and liberating Holy Week Gospel of Jesus. Or will we be captives to the tomb-like realities of evil that are constantly tempting us to question if there is a Force at work raising people, calling people, and sending people to live with liberating courage, loyalty, and prophetic love?
Easter does not deny the reality of evil. Easter declares the supremacy of God’s love, life, and peace over evil. Yes, that is a subversive claim. It is also true. God’s sovereignty and supremacy over evil is true.
That is why we will never stop celebrating Easter.
Wendell Griffen is an ordained pastor, and published author. His latest work is The Fierce Urgency of Prophetic Hope (Judson Press, 2017)
opinions
March is Women’s Month
By Deborah Springer Suttlar
March 21, 2026
March is Women’s Month
President Jimmy Carter issued the first Proclamation declaring the week of March 8th as National Women’s History week in 1980. Later in 1987, Congress passed Pub, L. 199-0, designating March 1987 as the first Women’s History month. Therefore, every year since then a Proclamation honoring Women’s History Month has been issued.
However, while women have proven themselves to be capable of “every” occupation a man is qualified to do, there remains resistance. Especially, for a woman to be elected President of the United States of America. Although, it is possible for any kind of Anglo-Saxon male.
Historically, Women have always been relegated to positions in which men must decide, legislate, or agree if they warrant equal status or equal opportunity in this country. It is even worse for women of color and especially Black women.
I did not want to waste my time writing about how qualified women are or how we have already proven that we are just as competent as men for any position on this planet. My purpose of writing this short opinion was to highlight that as usual, anyone who is not an Anglo-Saxon male must have their position in life decided by them. It is highly hypocritical that not only do they feel they have that authority, but they dominate and exploit a status that is unjustified and illegitimate. It is apparent as they dominate and control the institutions of justice and who dispenses it, we have no justice, no equity, or inclusion.
As you can witness, every other non-Anglo-Saxon race receives a month of recognition and Anglo-Saxon men dominate everything, every month and all the years. They have never shared power, and that includes with their own females. Evern Anglo-Saxon females endured “Women’s Suffrage” to be legislated the right to vote. Can you imagine, men denying their own mother or sister the same privileges they have? This is a privileged egotistical mentality for any man.
Anglo-Saxon men have never been willing to share power or follow the rules. In fact, when the rules are followed, they change them to suit themselves. I am insisting that women deserve every day of the year, just as Black History and every other ethnic group in America. God made humans diverse and of both sex for a reason, and not for one to dominate the other but to work together. However, that is another opinion for another day.
Women deserve to be celebrated each day for what we have do, have done, and are doing. Equality for Women continues to be a struggle every day and Support Black Women! No one else will. “Woke”
African Proverb- Equality is not easy, but superiority is painful.
Romans 2:11: “For God shows no partiality.”
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a longtime supporter of Civil Rights and Public Schools.
opinions
We Did It — Now It’s Time to Take It to the Next Level
by Talk Black Arkansas
March 22, 2026
Black men across Arkansas stood shoulder to shoulder, fraternity to fraternity, and proved what unity looks like in action. Phi Beta Sigma, Omega Psi Phi, Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi Alpha, and Iota Phi Theta came together with one purpose: to push our brothers to the polls and make our voices heard. And we did exactly that. We showed up with discipline, dignity, and determination—and the impact was felt across our communities.
“Our presence was felt at the polls. Our impact will be felt in what we build next.”
But this moment is bigger than turnout. What we accomplished was a declaration. It said that when Black men organize, mobilize, and move with intention, the ground shifts. It said that our voices are not quiet, our presence is not optional, and our leadership is not waiting for permission. We reminded Arkansas—and ourselves—that when we stand together, we are a force.
Still, this is not the finish line. This is the proving ground.
The energy we created cannot be a one‑day surge. It must become a habit, a culture, a standard. Our communities are watching us. Our sons are watching us. The next generation of leaders is watching how we carry this moment forward. The unity we demonstrated is our leverage, and the consistency we build from here is our power.
So yes—we did it. We showed what’s possible when Black men link arms and move with purpose. But now it’s time to take it to the next level. Time to deepen our engagement. Time to expand our reach. Time to turn this spark into a sustained fire for civic participation, advocacy, and accountability.
We proved what we can do.
Now we prove what we can become.
opinions
Seasoned
by Dr. C.E. McAdoo
February 28, 2026
Asalamu alaikum. Shalom. Paz. Peace in the name of Jesus.
Early in my ministerial career, I was blessed to attend school, and I remember hearing about a church here in Central Arkansas—one of the larger churches in our system—that needed a pastor. The word used was that the church needed a *seasoned* pastor.
At the time, nearly 45 years ago, it didn’t fully dawn on me what “seasoned” really meant.
As I have matured in ministry, in various jobs, in marriage, and in raising children, I’ve come to understand that “seasoned” is a word we all need to consider carefully. I’ve broken it down into four categories.
First: Documentation.
When I think about being seasoned, I think about someone who has a good grasp of documentation. This isn’t about age—you can be seasoned in your 30s or 40s; you don’t have to be in your 50s or 60s. But you must have documented some things.
By that I mean you’ve been in situations where the context of what was happening was put on paper. A seasoned pastor, executive, teacher, worker, or coworker understands protocols—what has been written down and why it matters.
And you can become seasoned through reading—through accessing documentation online, in newspapers, and through study. I’m doing further reading myself. I host a podcast called Truth in Life, and part of what we’re dealing with today is an attack on truth. There is so much misinformation circulating.
A seasoned person learns to discern what is true. So: Documentation.
Second: Procedures.
In my situation, serving in an episcopal context with Methodist roots, we have procedures we follow. We have a Discipline. In Methodism especially, having a Discipline has always been important.
We have procedures for ceremonies—outlined in our Book of Worship. How do we bless a house? How do we bless a choir? How do we conduct baptisms? How do we perform burials? There is a procedure for all of it. Seasoned people understand and respect those procedures.
But this goes beyond church life. In our homes, we have procedures too.
For the McAdoo family, one of our procedures wasn’t about what we do—it was about what we don’t do. My daughter-in-law once observed that in our family, we do not use the word “hate.” I hadn’t consciously realized it, but I tried to raise my children not to “hate” anything. We might dislike something or choose not to engage with it, but we avoided that word. That was a family procedure.
We also have daily social procedures: saying good morning to your spouse or significant other, greeting people properly, saying hello and goodbye. At work, there are procedures you follow each day.
Seasoned people understand the value of procedures.
Third: Identification.
This is where being seasoned becomes inward. Identification is an inner look—the ability to see beneath the surface.
People may look a certain way and talk a certain way on the outside, but a seasoned person can discern what’s inside. I often use the example of storms. When storms come, some trees fall and some limbs break. From the outside, those trees looked strong. But the storm reveals that some were hollow on the inside.
In life, we must learn to look at who people really are. And remember—people are looking at us, too. Identification is mirrored. Not only are we discerning others, but others are discerning us.
Finally: Designation.
If you cannot designate where you want to be, who you want to be, and how you plan to get there, you are not yet seasoned.
As parents and individuals, we should think about designation financially, geographically, and vocationally. Where do we want to be? What position do we hope to hold? What kind of life are we building?
I’ll be honest—I didn’t always plan that carefully myself. But I have been blessed to be designated. I believe I’ve been tapped by God. When I entered the ministry, I didn’t ask to go to any particular place. I simply said I would go wherever the Lord sent me. And I have been designated to serve in specific places.
So as we reflect on what it means to be seasoned, remember these four things:
Documentation.
Procedures.
Identification.
Designation.
Love,
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church.
opinions
UNDERSTANDING, THEN USING THE "POWER OF THE BLACK VOTE"
©TalkBlackArkansas.com
February 22, 2026
There is a truth we don’t say out loud nearly enough in Pulaski County:
Black voters decide elections here.
Not sometimes. Not occasionally. Consistently.
In a county where Black residents make up nearly half the population, our collective vote is not symbolic—it is determinative. When we show up, we shape the outcome of every major countywide race: County Judge, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, County Clerk, and even statewide positions like Arkansas Supreme Court Justice. When we stay home, we surrender that power to others who do not share our lived experience, our priorities, or our vision for justice.
This is not theory. It is math.
Pulaski County is the largest and most diverse county in Arkansas. No candidate—Democrat, Republican, or Independent—can win a countywide race without meaningful support from Black voters. And yet, too often, we are treated as an afterthought until election season rolls around. Candidates suddenly rediscover our neighborhoods, our churches, our community leaders. They shake hands, take photos, and make promises that evaporate the moment the polls close.
But here is the part they don’t say out loud:
We are the margin of victory.
We are the difference between winning and losing.
We are the deciding voice in who holds power.
And that truth carries a deeper lesson—one we must name clearly:
Power unused becomes power unseen.
Power unseen becomes power unprotected.
Power unprotected becomes power lost.
Our political power is not hypothetical. It is proven. Every major countywide race in the last decade has been shaped by turnout patterns in precincts where Black voters are the majority. And the offices we influence are not ceremonial—they shape the daily realities of our lives.
- County Judge decisions shape infrastructure, public safety funding, and how resources reach Black neighborhoods.
- The Prosecuting Attorney determines how justice is applied—or withheld—in communities that have historically borne the brunt of inequity.
- Statewide judicial races, including the Arkansas Supreme Court, hinge on Pulaski County turnout because it is the largest and most diverse voting bloc in the state.
These are not small stakes. These are the levers of power that determine whether our communities are protected, respected, and resourced.
That is why voting is not a ritual. It is not a tradition. It is not something we do because our grandparents told us to.
Voting is a strategy.
It is the most powerful tool we possess to protect our families, our communities, and our future.
Every ballot cast by a Black voter in Pulaski County is a declaration:
We see what is happening.
We know what is at stake.
And we refuse to be silent.
The next election will once again come down to us. Not because we are a minority voice fighting to be heard, but because we are a decisive force that cannot be ignored. When we vote, we don’t just participate—we lead.
Our vote is our power.
And when we use it, everything changes.
©TalkBlackArkansas.com
opinions
Values, Values, Values
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
February 21, 2026
Assamalakum. Shalom. Paz. Peace be with you.
I want to talk a little bit about values today, and I want to address this mainly to the younger generation. But when I say that’s where I want my emphasis to be, it’s really that that’s the generation that can help talk to folks younger than they are and also talk to those older than they are — and be in dialogue both ways.
If there’s nothing else, I’ve been blessed to do, it is to have, I feel, a good dialogue with my younger children, grandchildren, my children, and also have older people in my circle that I can talk to about values.
Attitude
The first set of values I want to talk about is Attitude.
I had a bad weekend. Sometimes when you have a bad weekend, you have a chipped tooth and also an eye infection, which I didn’t know. But I went to the doctor and got all that lined up. While I was there, a young lady in urgent care said, “You don’t look like you’re 79 years old.”
I said, “Well, I am.”
She said, “Well, what do you say helps you have that kind of look?”
I said, “Well, number one, I try to have a good attitude. I try to have a good attitude in the midst of all that goes on in my life.”
As my son in Georgia, Charlie McAdoo II, always told me: “Daddy, you’ve got to balance stuff. You just can’t have stuff a certain way or be on one extreme or another extreme. You’ve got to balance it.”
When Charlie told me that, I thought about my psychiatrist when I was in the military. He said life is like that line — sometimes we’re below that line, sometimes we’re above that line — but the main thing is to stay close to that line. That’s what I’ve tried to do in my life. And I did tell her I was blessed to look the way I did because I don’t put soap on my face. I wash it off with good, clean water every day. I don’t have many wrinkles in my face, and I look pretty good for an old man being 79 years old.
But attitude is part of the values we need to have. And as we have that attitude, it’s an attitude toward self and others.
I’ve got to have a good attitude toward me. I wake up in the morning and pray that this will be a day that — one thing I always ask — that I learn something. I try to learn something every day. I’ve been blessed: some days I don’t, some days I do. I really appreciate that.
I was trying to say it was something I learned just the other day — it slips my mind right now — but I think a good attitude is something we must have.
Expectations
The next thing in our values is expectations.
We ought to have expectations for our whole environment, and that starts with me. That means I’ve got to expect myself to be the best Charlie Edward McAdoo I can be.
Then when I get out in public, I expect people to act a certain way. But the blessing is, if they don’t meet my expectations and they’re meeting their expectations, that’s beautiful. That means you can work with folks.
Some folks’ tolerance level might be a five and yours might be a ten.
Some folks’ attitude level might be a twelve and yours might be a fifteen.
Some folks’ level of dealing with people might be a seven and yours may be a one.
Sometimes you just don’t know how people are.
When I think about expectations, I think about the rubber band example. The rubber band was put on a nail on a chart, and you went around the chart. Sometimes you had to pull that band so far to get to a certain part. Then sometimes you had to let the rubber band go back in — because that’s how people are.
So have expectations.
Priorities
The third thing in our values is priorities.
This is where you can really help yourself. If you notice — attitude, expectations, and priorities — I’m starting with self. Have some self-priorities.
The Lord blessed me as I grew up — I never was a big cusser. I don’t know if that’s even a priority we need to think about. I listen to some talk radio now — even Clay King is one of the radio personalities — and there’s a lot of cussing.
I’ve been in the military. I’ve been around a lot of folks that cuss. I’m not going to stay on this too long because my son helped me with that. He said,
“Daddy, sometimes that’s that person’s only way to express himself.”
So, my priority is just not to be a profane person. I try not to cuss. I don’t know if that’s a good priority to even put in this article, but that’s mine.
But you’ve got financial priorities, self-respect priorities, family priorities, and job priorities. I’ve been blessed to work all my life, and I’ve tried to be someone that when I’ve been given a task, I would do it. I’m known for that. So that’s a priority, I pray you will have an opportunity to be part of.
Job Benefits
Another value — now moving outside ourselves — is in a job situation: look at the benefits.
I’m not saying everybody reading this has a job, but I hope you do have one. I’ve talked to a lot of people who said:
“I didn’t know anything about the 401(k). I didn’t know about the 403(b). I didn’t know about this or that.”
One of your values ought to be: on your job, know what the job offers and what the job doesn’t offer.
What’s your sick leave policy?
What’s your short-term sick policy?
What’s the long-term policy?
What is the retirement piece?
Do I do it all myself or does someone contribute?
That’s a value to me — when you go on a job, you ought to find out what’s going on.
Team
Another thing in our values is the people around you. You really need a team.
My son says you need:
* a spiritual person in your team
* a financial person in your team
* a pusher in your team
* a mentor in your team
There are some others he knows. I really need to write an article on team building. Have folks around you that you can call, and they call you. They call me and say, “Mac, can you do so-and-so?” And sometimes I call someone and say this or that.
I’m getting ready today to send to the church I attend a piece for their announcement Sunday that says :
“It’s time to vote — vote, vote, vote.
Let us remember that early voting has started in Arkansas.
Please exercise your American right to vote and encourage all your family and friends to do the same.”
We need that kind of push.
Assets
Lastly, our values ought to be assets.
Remember, you’ve got something — and the something you’ve got, know what it is. It may be a home. It may be something you may not think is an asset but consider your assets.
You may have a car paid for.
You may live in a house that’s paid for or just live in the house.
You may have heirs’ property — that’s a booger bear there. I’ll just throw that out there and won’t jump into it. You and your siblings might have something. You and your cousins might have something.
All these things come under values.
---
Under your values have:
* attitude
* expectations
* priorities
* job benefits
* a team
* assets
I hope this article will help someone.
And lastly, I re-emphasize make sure you vote.
Grace and Peace,
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired district Superintendent in the United Methodist Church.
"The Election games begin"
“The Need for a Co‑Signer: How the Black Vote Is Brokered, Borrowed, and Exploited in the South”
©TalkBlackArkansas.com
February 7, 2026
Every election season in the American South — and nowhere more predictably than in Pulaski County, Arkansas — a familiar ritual unfolds. It is polished, practiced, and deeply political. It is the Southern tradition of pimping the Black vote: the calculated use of Black presence, Black credibility, and Black sacred spaces to legitimize candidates who have not earned the trust of the people they seek to influence.
The choreography is always the same.
A white political candidate, often with no sustained relationship to Black neighborhoods, suddenly appears on a Sunday morning. They do not come alone. They arrive with a Black escort — a pastor, a local official, or a recognizable figure whose name carries weight. This escort serves as the validator, the co‑signer, the one whose presence signals to the congregation that the visitor is a “friend.”
The candidate is ushered down the aisle, introduced warmly, and seated in a place of honor. The congregation is asked to applaud. The pastor offers a blessing. Smiles are exchanged. Photos are taken. And for a brief moment, the candidate is wrapped in the moral authority of the Black church — an authority earned through generations of struggle, sacrifice, and service.
But beneath the smiles and handshakes lies a harder truth:
This ritual is not about relationship. It is about access.
It is not about partnership. It is about proximity.
It is not about shared struggle. It is about borrowed legitimacy.
The Black church becomes a backdrop.
The congregation becomes a prop.
The pastor becomes a political accessory.
And the Black vote becomes a commodity to be traded, not a constituency to be respected.
This practice is not new. It is rooted in a long Southern tradition in which Black political power is acknowledged only when it is needed — and ignored once it has served its purpose. What makes it especially painful in Pulaski County is that it happens in communities where the needs are urgent, the disparities are real, and the stakes are high. Yet the engagement is shallow, episodic, and transactional.
And so the question that Black congregations whisper — but rarely ask aloud — must finally be spoken:
When will we see them again?
When will we see them after the election?
When will we see them when the schools are struggling?
When will we see them when the neighborhoods need investment?
When will we see them when violence rises, when families hurt, when policy decisions cut deep?
When will we see them when there are no cameras, no ballots, and no political advantage to be gained?
And to the clergy who open their pulpits for these ritualized visits, another question must be asked with equal clarity and courage:
As a Black preacher, what will you now tell your congregation?
Will you tell them that the visit was a covenant or a convenience?
Will you tell them that the candidate came to serve or simply to be seen?
Will you tell them that your endorsement was earned, or that your presence was used?
Will you tell them that the church was honored — or that the church was handled?
Because if the only time a candidate enters a Black church is during election season, escorted by a Black co‑signer who trades credibility for access, then the visit is not ministry — it is marketing.
The problem is not that candidates visit Black churches.
The problem is why they visit, when they visit, and what they fail to do once they leave.
A candidate who has not:
- walked the neighborhoods,
- listened to the elders,
- met with the youth,
- supported the schools,
- invested in the community,
- or shown up when there was no election on the line
…has not earned the right to stand in the pulpit and claim friendship.
And the Black leaders who escort these candidates into sacred spaces must confront a difficult truth:
When we lend our credibility to someone who has not earned it, we are not helping our people — we are helping them use our people.
The Black vote is powerful. It is strategic. It is decisive. But it is not for sale, and it should never be brokered by those who treat it as a bargaining chip.
The time has come for a new standard — one rooted in accountability, transparency, and genuine relationship. Candidates who want the support of Black communities must show up before they need us, not only when they need our votes. They must demonstrate commitment, not convenience. They must earn trust, not borrow it.
Because the Black vote is not a prop.
The Black church is not a backdrop.
And the people of Pulaski County are not a political accessory.
They deserve better. And we must demand better.
opinions
Racism Causes Severe Brain Damage and the Lack of A Moral Compass
By Deborah Springer Suttlar
February 7, 2025
Oh, say can we see white lies? A white lie is defined as a lie that is harmless or trivial. The white lies I speak of are the lies which are the intentional untruths about Black people and actual situations or incidents that occurred to us. Specifically, lies about who we are, what happened to us and what America did to us. The Lies which are neither harmless nor trivial. The lies perpetuated by white people. Once again, in this current atmosphere, the “real” America rises. It is not The America we have been singing about, nor pledging our allegiance. We see that; Racism causes severe brain damage and the lack of a moral compass.
I referenced brain damage; it is apparent to me that the thinking process has gone awry. It is actually, “Racist Stupidity on Steroids.” It is the lack of a moral compass because once again, Black and Brown people must defend ourselves against animalistic behavior, and fight for our humanity, justice, and equality. The laws written to protect Americans, are now ignored and are not applicable to us, due to the color of our skin or the native languages spoken.
The National Anthem, written by Francis Scott Key, who as a Slave Owner, retained slaves until his death. It is his song that we sing. This is a song of war and even mentions: no refuge could save the hireling and slave. It refers to those who fought with the British for the purpose of being freed from slavery. I can understand why we are continuously being stalked. They never wanted us to be freed. It’s time to recognize that fact.
This song praises the bravery of those who fought for freedom from British rule, while at the same time America was buying slaves and Colonizing Africa. A song which glorifies killing and “bombs bursting in the air.” This is our “National Anthem.” which we have been required to sing at every event and occasion as a reminder of how wonderful America is as a symbol of pride for their conquest for a white man’s freedom.
The Pledge of Allegiance states in its final passage,” and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” All? Justice? Now we see, for whom it was intended. It was written by a white man for white men. The very fact that this song is about a white man’s freedom, you wonder why do we even sing it? We have been indoctrinated to do so.
So, let me summarize all of this. We pledge allegiance to a flag that represents a country that enslaved us, denied us our own humanity, and then stalks us for centuries. The words imply this is a country under the authority of God. The same God that commands us to love thy neighbor as thyself and to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. However, anyone who is not a white male was denied human rights, equality and opportunities afforded to white men. It also states, this nation is indivisible, but we have red states and blue states which represent two factions warring against each other. Both different ideologies, one oppressive and the other claims to be more Christian (but supports segregation and prejudices). Although all are God’s children.
Now, let us address the” justice and liberty for all.” No justice and no liberty for anyone but the white men. Everyone else had to fight legally for that statement to apply to everyone. So, does this mean that the flag is a symbol of an intentional lie or the truth? What are we pledging to uphold? For which it stands? What does America truly stand to uphold? And I ask you,” why are we singing that song?” We should always sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic. It should have been our National Anthem; the winner’s song.
God created diversity. Any actions against God is a sin.
Micah 6:8. What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a community activist and longtime supporter of public schools.
opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY CONTINUES … December 7, 2025
by Joy Springer
December 7, 2025
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY CONTINES…. 12/5/2025
I have decided to repeat my beginning paragraph once again from last
week’s article:
The holiday season is here! Many of us are beginning to think about our
shopping lists and where we will spend money to buy gifts for our families
and friends. There’s no better time to support the small businesses that help
make Arkansas such a vibrant place to live. In addition, I recommend that
you buy your children a book or several books if your budget will
allow you to do so from these small businesses, take them to the library to
read or even check the book out from the library and take it home for them to
read. As previously communicated the Superintendent of Schools of the Little
Rock School (Dr. Jermall Wright) who is encouraging parents to have their
children read at least 20 minutes a day. Yes, my parents required that we
complete our homework and reading assignments before I was able to
go outside to join my friends, watch television, and/or any of the other “fun”
that I wanted to do. I stand by the response that I gave to the elementary
school student who suggested that I pass legislation to “BAN” homework. I
promised that I would do so when he and other students across the district
score proficient or better on the state mandated tests. Once again I encourage
you to work with your students at home and challenge them to read a book
for at least 20 minutes a day and then have them tell you what learned after
having read the book, newspaper article, magazine and/or a letter that they
have written to you or to a friend. READ! READ! READ!
This week started with the House and Senate Education Committees met at
Park Magnet School in Hot Springs, where they toured the International
Baccalaureate World School and the Main Street Visual and Performing Arts
Magnet School. These visits give lawmakers a clearer understanding of the
strengths and challenges in Arkansas classrooms and help guide future
funding.
In addition, House and Senate Agriculture, Forestry, Agriculture
met jointly in Hot Springs during the Arkansas Farm Bureau annual state
convention. Lawmakers received updates on issues shaping the future of
agriculture and rural communities across the state of Arkansas.
Arkansas State University briefed members on the progress of its College of Veterinary Medicine that is scheduled to open in Fall 2026. The program will allow students to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in Arkansas for the first time in the state’s history. Arkansas State University (ASU) briefed members on the progress of its College of Veterinary Medicine, scheduled to open in Fall 2026. The program will allow students to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in Arkansas for the first time, strengthening the pipeline of veterinarians needed across the region. ASU expects to enroll 120 students in its first class, with at least half coming from Arkansas.
Poultry is Arkansas’s largest agricultural sector, generating more than half of the state’s agricultural cash receipts. In 2023 alone, the industry produced an estimated 6.67 billion dollars in economic impact. More than 6,500 farms across Arkansas raise some form of poultry, making any disruption in this sector a significant concern.
Committee members are now reviewing the information and considering potential paths forward as they work to support growers and maintain stability in the state’s agricultural economy.
The Educational Emergency continues….
Representative Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equity in public education. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the JBC Employee Benefits Division Oversight committee and as a 1st Alternate on the Legislative Joint Auditing committee.
opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY........
by Joy C. Springer
November 21, 2025
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY CONTINUES …… November 21, 2025
Another week of Legislative meetings to review and obtain “data” designed
to address pressing issues facing our State. The Arkansas Legislative Council
(ALC) also convened this week to review key updates affecting state revenues,
public assistance programs, healthcare initiatives, and workforce development.
State fiscal officials reported that general revenue continues to remain steady.
Arkansas has collected about $2.65 billion in gross general revenues so far, this
fiscal year, slightly above the same point last year by about $14 million.
Net general revenues available for the State’s use now totals $2.27 billion,
reflecting an increase of $41 million compared to October 2024.
Members of ALC and other Representatives also examined proposed changes
to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program prompted by the federal
One Big Beautiful Act. The new federal requirements would expand the age
range of able-bodied adults without dependents who must meet work require-
ments, raising the upper limit from 54 to 64. The exemption for parents is also
being narrowed. Under the updated rules, only parents with children younger
than fourteen would qualify for an exemption, whereas previously parents of minors
under eighteen were exempt.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received approval for $2.9 million from the state’s restricted reserve fund. The funding will support the High-Risk Pregnancy Program, which connects rural healthcare providers to specialists through obstetrical telemedicine; the Stroke Program that offers around-the-clock virtual access to neurologists for rural emergency departments; and the Following Baby Back Home Program, which provides guidance and support to families caring for premature infants.
In other business, the Game and Fish/State Police Subcommittee discussed upcoming duck season regulations and heard clarification from the Attorney General’s Office regarding “open carry” firearm laws in the state. The Attorney General confirmed that Arkansans may carry handguns openly or concealed in state parks except for areas that fall under federal jurisdiction.
Finally, the Hospital, Medicaid, and Developmental Disabilities Study Subcommittee visited the Arkansas Workforce Center in Little Rock. Members toured the facility, learned about job training and job placement services. In addition, members heard
firsthand accounts from Arkansans who have benefited from the programs offered
the Arkansas Workforce Center. Additional information may be found at: https://dws.arkansas.gov/dws_local_offices/little-rock/
Welcome Fall and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
State Representative Joy C. Springer represents District 76 in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Representative Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equity in public education. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the JBC Employee Benefits Division Oversight committee and as a 1st Alternate on the Legislative Joint Auditing committee.
About Us
Why we must create our own narratives
Perception is reality. How we are viewed and what is said about us matters. It is abundantly clear that here in Arkansas, we as African-Americans don't control many, if any, statewide media groups. On any given day, COUNT the number of positive stories reported by print and television stations KATV, KARK/KLRT-FOX-TV, and KTHV, about African Americans in Arkansas.
In Arkansas, with the exception of KTHV, the media groups and their ownerships are conservative and often often distort people of color and specifically, BLACK families. As black consumers of the news, "that's the part we miss." How on the "regular" we are portrayed by white media groups and their local news stations and print media.
A study from the University of Illinois concluded that at best media outlets (a) promoted racially biased portrayals and myths that pathologize black families and idealize white families with respect to poverty and crime (b) play a dangerous role in spreading debunked stereotypes about black families and (c) at worst, amplify those inaccurate depictions for political and financial gain. We've all seen that type of behavior before.
When media outlets examined in the study reported stories about poor families, they chose to feature black families in their coverage 59 percent of the time, even though only 27 percent of families living below the poverty line are black.
Similarly, in coverage of welfare, 60 percent of families portrayed were black, even though only 42 percent of families receiving welfare are black.
Finally, the article addresses the real-life consequences of the continued distortion of black life by the media. "When the news media constantly associates black people with crime, it increases racial stereotypes among viewers, leading the public including liberal and conservative Arkansan's to disproportionately favor punitive criminal justice policies." As a collateral damage piece, when the poor are depicted as overwhelmingly black, it leads the public to support heavier restrictions on welfare because of a perception that undeserving black people benefit from it. Backers of corporate and right-wing policies gain when the news media blames black families for social conditions, while their own role in destabilizing society remains invisible.
This online publication exists to counter the narrative that constantly depicts African Americans as "less than." It exists to balance the negative view of African American life that is constantly depicted in the local news and information outlets in this state. We are so much more than the lip-service paid to us by those that control the news cycle. It's not about the reporting of the news, it's about the process of manufacturing the news. There is a saying that goes something like this. "If you control the messenger, then you control the message." Let's take some of that control back. As African Americans in Arkansas, let us create our own narratives. Most importantly, let us report and talk about the real issues.................. with our own voices,.... and our own opinions.
meet our contributors
opinion
opinion
opinion
Deborah Suttlar
Deborah is a longtime Community and Civil Rights Activist. Her column appears in the Opinion Section.
Click the link below to read read Deborah Suttlar's column.
https://talkblackarkansas.com/opinion
opinion
opinion
opinion
The Honorable Wendell Griffen
Judge Griffen will comment on the law and its impact on Black Arkansans. He will also discuss and legal and social issues on a state and national level impacting Black Arkansans and Black Americans.
Click the link below to read Judge Griffens column.
Finance
opinion
Religion
Gaining generational wealth is the key to Black economic family wealth and security. We will share strategies from the Association of African American Financial Advisors to help you and your family get there. We will inform you about managing your finances so that you can start your path to financial freedom.
Religion
Religion
Rev. C.E. McAdoo
Rev. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church. He will provide a weekly column on Religion and Black Arkansas.
Click the link below to read Rev. McAdoo's column.
https://talkblackarkansas.com/opinion .
At the State Capitol
State Representative Joy C. Springer
State Representative Joy Springer is a veteran school an civil rights advocate for African-American children and their families. She will provide a weekly column on state legislative and educational concerns affecting African -Americans .
Click the link below to read Representative Springer's column.
Medicine and health
This weekly column features a listing of top African-American doctors in Arkansas, and their areas of expertise. We will try to connect you with physicians who understand your physical, cultural and mental health needs. One study suggests that African American male patients who meet with black physicians often ask to receive more preventive services than patients who met with nonblack physicians. This study also suggested that black doctors are more likely to provide a comfortable settings to black patients, perhaps because of shared experiences or backgrounds. The study concluded that increasing the amount of black physicians could lead to a 19 percent reduction in the black-white male cardiovascular mortality gap and an 8 percent decline in the black-white male life expectancy gap.
Education
Who to call
Who to call
This weekly column will focus on educational happenings in the state including news from local school districts and the Arkansas Department of Education.
Who to call
Who to call
Who to call
People always have "who to contact questions." Whether it is a local city government office or a state government office, we will try to steer you in the right direction.