America has discovered itself anew in 2025. It is a reality that for some is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream that has been suppressed or hidden for decades. For others, it is a shock to the system, a nightmarish series of events which bombards their psyche, spirit and belief in themselves.

Essentially what this undergirds is one’s framing of the American Dream — of being socially mobile by means of hard work coupled with a certain merit-driven magic that has seduced and frustrated millions of Americans. From the Pilgrims to the Huguentots who landed in my native New Rochelle, to the founding fathers all the way to today’s hustle culture, the American folktale has contorted hard work with destiny, self-reliance with self-actualization, and success with moral worth.

In the 20th Century, Martin Luther King Jr.’s visions offered segments of America a modicum of hope. Today, many in America are finding this new administration a source for hope and inspiration.

At the national level, American politics, especially presidential politics, has become a scam. What happens in Washington, D.C. whether in the White House or on Capitol Hill, no more reflects the hopes of the founders of the American republic than Black Friday and Cyber Monday express or illustrate “the reason for the season.” The phrase “Truth, justice, and the American Way," commonly associated with the superhero Superman, rings deaf in our ears today because we can’t properly frame what those words mean in a world where “truth” is manufactured and fortified with repetition and not fact. Indeed in this America, the phrase “if you say something enough times, the public will believe it" — attributed to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels — seems to apply.

In that sense, while the Trump administration's return to the White House may not be worth celebrating for many, it may be entirely appropriate for others. It may well be history’s way of saying: “Hey, you! Wake up! Pay attention!”

New Rochelle has a rich history that was imbued with a spirit of liberty. From the first train that came through on Dec. 25, 1848, New Rochelle went from being an agricultural community to being one of America's premier suburban communities in the early 20th century. It attracted an array of prominent individuals in the arts, sports, finance, theater and social activism. The list is impressive and unrivaled in........

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