social justice commentary – Urban City Podcast Group

Powerful Lessons From the Beth Israel Synagogue Fire on Hate, Freedom, Justice, Solidarity, and History

Felicia Kelly-Brookins — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 22:12:27 +0000

Major Takeaways

Hate driven violence is fueled by political rhetoric, social polarization, and cultural silence
Jewish and Black communities share a deep history of resilience, alliance, and civil rights struggle
Moral courage and solidarity remain essential to defending freedom, justice, and democracy

Beth Israel fire exposes hate, history, and unity

By Felicia Brookins
Award Winning Author and Screenwriter
Op Ed for Urban City Podcast

“We who believe in freedom cannot rest.”

Those words are not just lyrics from a civil rights anthem. Right now, they are a warning. A reminder. A call to conscience echoing across Jackson, Mississippi.

Shortly after 3 a.m. last Saturday, flames tore through Beth Israel Synagogue, the largest and only synagogue in Jackson, and a sacred institution that has served Jewish families in Mississippi for more than 160 years. Fire surged through its library and offices, reducing historic spaces to ash. Sacred Torah scrolls were destroyed or damaged, with only one surviving, a scroll that had already endured the horrors of the Holocaust.

No one was physically injured, but the spiritual, emotional, and cultural wounds inflicted on the community are profound. This was not simply an act of vandalism. It was an assault on history, faith, and the moral fabric of our city.

Within days, federal authorities arrested a 19 year old Madison, Mississippi resident, Stephen Spencer Pittman, a college student who reportedly admitted to intentionally setting the fire. According to investigators, he cited the synagogue’s Jewish ties and described it in extremist terms, framing it as a target rather than a sacred space.

His father, recognizing both the seriousness of the situation and visible burn injuries on his son, contacted the FBI, a decision that must have been heartbreaking, but one that likely prevented additional harm.

Court filings paint a chilling picture of the events leading up to the arson. Mr. Pittman allegedly sent messages and photographs to his father while committing the crime. The messages reportedly read like a real time log of the attack:
“There’s a furnace in the back.”
“My plate is off.”
“Hoodie is on.”
“They have the best cameras.”
“I did my research.”

To me, this reflects an intentional emotional collapse, a young man consumed with planning, secrecy, and execution, but disconnected from the moral weight of his actions. He focused on logistics instead of consequences. Strategy instead of humanity. Evading detection instead of understanding the pain he was inflicting on an entire community.

This was not impulsive behavior. It was calculated. And calculation fueled by hate is among the most dangerous forces in society.

Beth Israel Synagogue is not merely a building. It is a spiritual anchor for generations of Jewish families across Mississippi. It also carries a legacy of courage and moral leadership that extends far beyond religion.

In 1967, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the synagogue, and later the home of Rabbi Perry Nussbaum, in retaliation for his support of racial integration. At a time when much of Mississippi resisted progress, Beth Israel chose conscience over comfort, justice over silence, and faith over fear.

This congregation stood on the right side of history when doing so came with real danger.

That this same institution has been targeted again nearly sixty years later is deeply disturbing. It reminds us that hatred does not disappear simply because decades pass. Bigotry evolves. It waits. It resurfaces during moments of political division, cultural anxiety, and social unrest.

And in my opinion, we are living in one of those moments now.

The current national climate, shaped in part by the rhetoric and posture of the Trump Vance administration, has widened the boundaries of what people feel empowered to say and do. Repeated attacks on the press, the courts, civil rights institutions, immigrants, protesters, and political opponents have normalized language that dehumanizes rather than unites.

When leaders use rhetoric that frames certain groups as threats, enemies, or less than fully American, it sends a message. And some individuals interpret that message not as political theater, but as moral permission.

Extremism does not grow in isolation. It is shaped by culture. It is fueled by rhetoric. It is reinforced by silence.

The experiences of Jewish Americans and African Americans in this country share striking parallels, histories marked by resilience in the face of trauma, survival in the face of violence, and determination in the face of exclusion.

Both communities have endured centuries of discrimination, hatred, and systemic injustice. Both have fought for dignity, safety, and equal treatment under the law. And both understand what it means to resist being erased, marginalized, or dehumanized.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Jewish and Black leaders forged powerful alliances that helped dismantle segregation and expand civil liberties. That shared history is not a footnote. It is a blueprint.

It reminds us that progress has always required coalition. That justice has always required unity. And that hatred thrives when communities are isolated instead of connected.

In this current climate, one marked by polarization, rising extremism, and growing distrust, that legacy of solidarity matters more than ever. We must remember that our struggles are not separate. Our safety is not separate. Our futures are not separate.

An attack on one community’s sacred space is not just their problem. It is a warning to all of us.

As the Beth Israel community begins the long and painful process of rebuilding, we must do more than offer sympathy. We must offer clarity. Accountability. And collective resolve.

We must recognize that moral courage often carries risk, but silence carries greater danger.

We must acknowledge that hate is shaped by society, and that the messages our leaders send, the language we tolerate, and the divisions we allow all contribute to the world we create.

And we must remember that history matters, that the shared struggles of Jewish and Black communities offer lessons in resilience, resistance, and responsibility.

From this tragedy, three essential truths rise to the surface:

Moral courage carries risk. Standing up for justice and inclusion can invite backlash, but it remains essential for protecting democracy, equality, and human dignity.

Hate is shaped by culture and leadership. Extremism does not exist in a vacuum. Political rhetoric, media narratives, and social polarization influence behavior, reminding us of our collective responsibility to reject bigotry.

History and solidarity are powerful shields. Remembering the shared struggles of Jewish and Black communities strengthens our ability to resist hatred and build a more tolerant, just, and unified society.

We who believe in freedom truly cannot rest. Not when sacred spaces burn. Not when history repeats itself. Not when hatred finds new fuel.

Because the work of justice has never been finished, and moments like this remind us why it must continue.

3 Powerful Voices They Pretend Not to Hear! Big Back Politics Live!

Urban City Podcast Group — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 18:37:34 +0000

Urban City Podcast Group

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Major Takeaways

Working-class Americans are hurting despite “strong” economic numbers, with rising food, rent, and fuel costs hitting Black, Hispanic, and trucking communities the hardest.
Immigration is being used as a political weapon, while real solutions are ignored and everyday people carry the consequences.
Black voters, Hispanic voters, and truck drivers remain the backbone of U.S. elections and the economy, yet continue to be overlooked, under-resourced, and politically undervalued — and that needs to change now.

Big Back Politics Live! “The Voices They Pretend Not to Hear”

Good morning, good evening, good damn whenever-you’re-listening. This is Big Back Politics Live, and I’m your host, Denise Milsap talking straight, the way your grandmama would’ve wanted and the way your elected officials pray you never do.

To my Black folks, my Hispanic brothers and sisters, and my truckers hauling the backbone of this country across 50 states I see you. Hell!! I feel you. Let’s get into what the hell is happening in our politics, because it sure ain’t boring… and it damn sure ain’t harmless!

Now look every politician in America wants to tell you the economy is doing great.
“Jobs are up!”
“Unemployment is low!”
“Inflation’s cooling!”

But let me ask you something personal:
Does your grocery bill feel like it’s cooling?
Does rent feel like it’s calming its ass down?
Does gas feel like it loves you?

I didn’t think so.

Here are the facts because feelings are real, but math aint mathing, and life aint lifeing like that!!

The U.S. unemployment rate has hovered around 3.7–4.0%, one of the lowest in 50 years.

But real wages after inflation have barely budged for working-class folks.

Food prices, even after stabilizing, are still 25–30% higher than they were in 2019.

And rents? Lord have mercy national rent averages have jumped over 30% in 4 years, and in some cities like Phoenix, Miami, and Houston, closer to 40–50%.

So yeah, the “economy” might look cute in a graph, but the people in it are tired, stretched, and one bad week away from wondering what the hell is going on.

And truckers I know the damn spot rates. I know freight swings harder than ya drunk uncle during the holidays. You cannot tell me this environment is “stable.” It isn’t.

Politicians keep telling us “It’s getting better.”
Well… maybe. On paper.

But here on Big Back Politics, we don’t do paper. We do people.

Alright, let’s talk immigration the political football that never deflates.

Every few years, politicians grab it, punt it across the field, and tell you to blame the folks who don’t even have the power to defend themselves.

Here’s the blunt truth:
Both parties use immigration as a damn campaign prop.

And who ends up feeling the impact?

Black neighborhoods where resources get stretched thin

Hispanic families caught between two languages and two countries

Truck drivers dealing with new regulations, border delays, and freight instability

Everyday Americans who just want security and fairness

Let me hit you with some facts the politicians conveniently whisper about:

Over 60% of undocumented immigrants in this country have lived here 10+ years.

Over 8 million are working paying taxes through ITIN numbers, contributing to Social Security they will never receive.

And immigration has not been linked to increased crime rates. In fact, immigrants statistically commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans.

Now does that mean there’s no border issue? Hell no.
There is one. And it’s a real one.

The system is overrun. Asylum cases take 5–7 years to process. Border towns don’t have the infrastructure. Federal leadership red or blue hasn’t produced a long-term plan in decades.

But be careful when politicians tell you to “pick a side.”
Because they sure as hell don’t.

They argue on TV… then shake hands in private. And you have to remember in politics, there’s no permanate enemies, no permante friends, its only permante interests!!

The folks who pay the price?
Are People like you. People like us.

Let me say this slowly so Washington can hear it:

The Black vote is not an ATM politicians can drive up to every four years.

Swipe your card.
Take your votes.
Disappear.

Black voters especially Black women have carried elections on their backs, and still get told to “wait patiently” for results.

Hell, if patience were money, we’d all be millionaires.

Black turnout is still a strong engine in national elections.

Yet Black households hold one-eighth the wealth of white households.

Black maternal mortality is 2.5x higher than white maternal mortality.

Black-owned businesses receive less than 2% of venture capital funding.

And before you go thinking one side is better than the other let me stop you.
Because this ain’t church service, and I ain’t singing hymns.

Both parties have failed to deliver on long-term, structural change for Black communities.

You can quote me, stitch it on ya damn forehead if you want:

“If your vote is powerful, then your demands should be loud.”

Now for my Hispanic brothers and sisters especially English-dominant families, first-gen and second-gen:

Politicians court you like you’re the homecoming queen but still treat you like you don’t know how the system works.

But you do.
You’ve been working it, surviving in it, and holding this country up through construction, trucking, healthcare, hospitality, and military service.

The disrespect is unreal.

But here on Big Back Politics we don’t do disrespect.
We do receipts.

Now Let me talk to my truckers real for a second.
Pull over if you need to take a sip of that cold-ass coffee. Y’all deserve this moment.

Because the average American has no damn idea that:

72% of everything they touch, eat, wear, or order online moves by truck.

The trucking industry is over 3.5 million drivers strong.

And truckers don’t get paid for half the things they do waiting at docks, detention, loading, breakdown time.

You’re told to follow every rule:
Hours of service. Weight limits. Fuel taxes. Insurance increases. Endless compliance.

But where’s the respect?
Where’s the voice?
Where’s the representation for the people who literally keep the economy from collapsing?

Politicians talk about truckers like y’all are road ghosts.
But without you, this country would shut down in three damn days. It Happened a few years ago when Trump had it bottlenecked!!!

To every Black trucker, every Hispanic trucker, every woman behind that wheel you deserve a seat at every political table. You deserve policies that don’t treat you like a number.

And to the lawmakers listening yeah, I know some of y’all tune in here pretending you don’t:

Try keeping America running without truck drivers.
Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Listen I know the world feels heavy right now.
Politics feels like a circus with too many clowns and not enough ringleaders. And it is some CLOWNS in it! DO YOU HEAR ME??!!!

But here’s what I believe and I’m saying it straight!

You are not powerless. You are not invisible. You are not forgotten.
You damn sure aren’t stupid.

Black folks…
Hispanic families…
Truckers logging thousands of miles a week…

You matter.
Your voice matters.
Your vote matters.
Your presence matters.

Big Back Politics isn’t here to tell you what side to choose.
I’m here to tell you to choose yourself.
Choose your family.
Choose your future.
Choose what makes sense not what someone on TV screams at you.

I’m Denise Milsap

This is Big Back Politics Live! on the Urban City Podcast Network! Log onto urbancitypodcast.com for our content and download the urban city podcast app!