Celebrating 80 Years: Gratitude, Reflection, and the Call to Action, with Retired Veteran, Teacher, & Author Brother James Jerome Hankins!
- James Jerome Hankin
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
21 October 2025
Shout-out!
This 20 October, I am truly blessed to celebrate a very special milestone: 80 wonderful years on this earth! I am deeply grateful for the many gifts God has given me: a loving wife, Faye; a wonderful son, Jimmy; and the joy of being part of three amazing families—the Bellamys, Hankins, and McLeans—plus a reasonable portion of good health.
As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of the importance of learning from history. When Adolf Hitler rose to power in 1933, he transformed Germany's government into a dictatorship, taking control of schools, the press, the arts, and more. Today, we must be vigilant and remember Winston Churchill's wise words: "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
Trump is doing all he can to gain complete control of our schools, press, military, election system, exporting, health care, trade, Civil Rights, the Arts, and others. We have overcome so much together—defeating the KKK, standing strong through the eras of Nixon, Wallace, Reagan, and two Bushes. Now, our responsibility is to protect our children's future. Let's continue to support organizations like the NAACP and Blue candidates who stand for justice and equality.
And not candidates who worship an outright racist such as Donald Trump, whose racist tendencies collaborate with organized crime, which has been glamorized in music videos, for the last 30 years, leading our children down a path of early ruin and error as planned.
Support the NAACP, whether it's $8, $80, or $800; every contribution makes a difference.
Most importantly, let's make our voices heard at the ballot box. Just as we did for President Obama, let's turn out in record numbers to vote for leaders who will protect our rights and move our communities forward.
We face challenges, but we are not powerless.
Word to the wise:
Trump's goal is to start a race war and return us Blacks to slavery, ladies to clothes hanger abortions, rewrite child labor law, and deport brown people to any country that will take them. Trump has fired over 4,000 federal workers and is smiling as he will fire/chainsaw thousands more in the coming weeks. He is reliving "The Apprentice, "his play TV show. We who are not billionaires have a choice: bow, smile, kiss Trump's ring, or fight using the power and tactics GOD gave the small shepherd boy David in his battle against the giant Goliath. Will you follow Trump's rules or fight for your rights?
Like David facing Goliath, we have the strength, courage, and unity to stand up for what is right. The choice is ours: to accept injustice or to fight for our rights and the rights of future generations.
With gratitude and hope, James Jerome Hankins, NAACP Life Member, Author, Journalist, Army Veteran, Union Member, Freedom Fighter, and Teacher-for-Life
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