Black Community Brings Dishonor to a Polish Community Called Slavic Village - Here is the Truth!

Polish Americans deserve respect, not blame for a crime their ancestors didn’t commit.

In a grotesque display of historical revisionism and community exploitation, the Black Environmental Leaders (BEL) have announced a series of remembrance events for John Jordan, a man they claim was lynched in Cleveland in 1911. Their centerpiece? An Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Dedication Ceremony at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. A historically Polish enclave Slavic Village with no connection to the alleged crime. This is not just a misstep—it’s a deliberate, vile attempt to smear a proud immigrant community with a narrative that doesn’t belong to it. Let’s rip this apart and expose the truth.

Black Environmental Leaders’ Campaign Falsely Implicates Slavic Village in a Distorted History

The Black Environmental Leaders (BEL) have launched a campaign to commemorate John Jordan, a man they claim was lynched in Cleveland in 1911, with a centerpiece Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Dedication Ceremony at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Cleveland Ohio, as reported by Signal Cleveland. This initiative is a blatant misrepresentation of history that unjustly targets Slavic Village, a historically Polish neighborhood with no connection to Jordan’s death. By staging their events in this community and inflating Jordan’s death into a lynching narrative, BEL distorts facts, exploits a tragedy for publicity, and sows division in a vulnerable neighborhood. Let’s dissect this with verifiable evidence and expose the harm.

signalcleveland

The Facts of John Jordan’s Death

BEL claims John Jordan was lynched in Cuyahoga County, the only such case in the region’s history. Their story, amplified by Signal Cleveland, portrays a young Black man chased and killed by a white mob for stealing cherries from a farmer’s orchard on June 27, 1911. But contemporary accounts paint a different picture. According to a detailed Cleveland.com report, Jordan and two others were caught stealing from John Decker’s orchard in Brooklyn Township, near modern-day West 98th Street and Lorain Avenue. A mob of up to 500 pursued them, and during the chase, Jordan allegedly fired a revolver, wounding a farmer. The mob then shot and killed him.

The Equal Justice Initiative defines lynching's as “public acts of racial terrorism” meant to terrorize Black communities. However, scholarly analysis, such as Marilyn K. Howard’s 1999 dissertation Black Lynching in the Promised Land: Mob Violence in Ohio 1876–1916, cited in academic reviews, argues Jordan’s death doesn’t fit the traditional lynching model—no rope, no tree, no premeditated ritual. It was a spontaneous mob killing triggered by a crime in progress. The Cleveland Gazette, an African American newspaper, reported on July 8, 1911, that Jordan’s actions, including shooting at the farmer, escalated the situation. While the mob’s violence was inexcusable, calling it a lynching oversimplifies a complex incident and serves BEL’s agenda over truth.

Slavic Village: A Polish Enclave Wrongly Dragged In

BEL’s choice to host their EJI marker dedication on June 22, 2025, at Elizabeth Baptist Church is a calculated insult to a neighborhood with no ties to Jordan’s death. Slavic Village, historically called Warszawa, was a Polish immigrant stronghold in 1911, built by families who fled European oppression. The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History documents its growth as a hub for Polish and Czech immigrants, centered on Fleet Avenue with landmarks like St. Stanislaus Church, founded in 1873. The West Side site of Jordan’s death, a semi-rural area in 1911, had no documented Polish involvement in the mob, per Cleveland.com and other reports.

Why Slavic Village? BEL’s talk of “racial and cultural barriers” in the neighborhood, as quoted in Signal Cleveland, falsely implies Polish Americans are complicit in a 1911 tragedy. This is baseless and inflammatory. By placing their marker here, BEL smears a community that’s already struggling—U.S. Census data shows a 34% poverty rate in Slavic Village in 2020. A ceremony at the actual site, like West 98th Street, would be honest. Instead, BEL’s choice fuels division and paints Polish Slavic Village as a scapegoat.

BEL’s True Aim: Publicity, Not Truth

Founded in 2020 by Jacquie Gillon, BEL claims to champion environmental justice, but their website is light on specifics, offering buzzwords like “advocate, inform, incubate” with scant evidence of environmental impact. The John Jordan project, tied to EJI’s Community Remembrance Project, is a publicity stunt. Their events—art workshops, youth summits, luncheons—are less about honoring Jordan and more about boosting BEL’s profile and securing donations, as Signal Cleveland’s fundraising pitch reveals. The EJI marker in Slavic Village is a prop for their brand, not a call for historical clarity.

EJI’s Complicity in the Misrepresentation

EJI’s Lynching in America report, which documents over 4,500 lynchings, uses a broad definition—any racially charged mob killing—that can obscure context. Jordan’s case, one of 15 in Ohio, was initially listed as “unknown” in their records, only identified through local research by Hope Lane and Terry Metter, per Cleveland.com. EJI’s Community Remembrance Project encourages groups like BEL to erect markers, but their oversight is lax, allowing distorted narratives to take root. By backing BEL’s project, EJI endorses a framing that exaggerates Jordan’s death and misplaces its commemoration.

BEL’s campaign cheapens the memory of true lynching victims by equating Jordan’s death with Southern lynchings—public, ritualized murders designed to terrorize. It also harms Slavic Village, a community of Polish immigrants who faced their own discrimination in early 20th-century Cleveland. By falsely tying this neighborhood to a West Side tragedy, BEL risks inflaming racial tensions instead of fostering healing. Polish Americans deserve respect, not blame for a crime their ancestors didn’t commit.

Conclusion: Demand Historical Accuracy

The Black Environmental Leaders’ John Jordan campaign is a shameful distortion of history that unfairly targets Slavic Village. Jordan’s death was a tragic mob killing, not a lynching by historical standards. Holding events in Slavic Village, far from the West Side site, falsely ties an innocent neighborhood to a crime it didn’t commit. BEL should relocate their ceremony to the actual location, present the full historical context, and cease exploiting a Polish community for their agenda. Cleveland’s history demands truth, not divisive narratives.

Sources:

1. Signal Cleveland, “Community remembrance events scheduled for John Jordan,” April 25, 2025, https://signalcleveland.org/black-environmental-leaders-release-schedule-of-community-remembrance-events-for-john-jordan
2. Cleveland.com, “‘Unknown’ no more: The story of Cleveland’s only documented lynching victim,” February 12, 2022, https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/02/unknown-no-more-the-story-of-clevelands-only-documented-lynching-victim-chased-and-killed-in-1911-after-stealing-cherries-from-west-side-orchard.html
3. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, “Slavic Village,” Case Western Reserve University, https://case.edu/search-results/?q=Slavic+Village
4. Equal Justice Initiative, “Lynching in America,” https://eji.org/reports/lynching-in-america/
5. U.S. Census Bureau, “QuickFacts: Cleveland city, Ohio,” 2020, https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/clevelandcityohio
6. https://www.blackenvironmentalleaders.org/

Disclaimer & Sources, this article reflects sentiment and opinions, not necessarily facts. Sources, links, and views may not represent the author’s personal stance and nothing in this article should be interpreted as such and or advice, legal advice. You have read the article and by reading the article you came to your own conclusions and used your own thoughts. (Leave a comment) If you spot an error, please contact me promptly to correct it ellenniedz@gmail.com. You can buy me a coffee here and it's very much appreciated. Thank you

Richard Grenell’s Hypocrisy Exposed: Firing a Christian for Faith While Trump Champions Religious Freedom

 

Grenell’s Thin Skin and Shady Past Unraveled Amid Kennedy Center Controversy

Floyd Brown’s recent firing from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by Richard Grenell is a glaring example of hypocrisy and cowardice, especially under the watch of President Donald Trump, who has consistently positioned himself as a defender of Christian values and religious liberty. Brown, a vocal Christian and political organizer, claims he was sacked just hours after CNN inquired about his past statements supporting traditional marriage—a move that reeks of Grenell caving to media pressure rather than standing firm on principle. This incident not only exposes Grenell’s shaky leadership but also raises questions about his alignment with Trump’s pro-Christian stance and his own checkered history. Let’s dig into the dirt on Grenell and unpack this scandal.

Brown’s post on X details how he was recruited as a Vice President at the Kennedy Center, only to be abruptly fired after refusing to renounce his Christian beliefs on marriage. He alleges Grenell demanded he recant his views or face termination, a claim that paints Grenell as spineless in the face of a potential CNN hit piece. This is particularly jarring given Trump’s public crackdown on those who target Christians. Trump has repeatedly vowed to protect religious freedom, emphasizing policies to safeguard Christians from discrimination and cultural erasure. His administration’s push to “Make Art Great Again” at the Kennedy Center, under Grenell’s leadership, was supposed to reflect these values. Yet, Grenell’s alleged decision to fire Brown for his faith directly contradicts Trump’s mission, revealing a disconnect that demands scrutiny.

I was fired yesterday by @RichardGrenell from the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. One month ago, I was recruited to join the Kennedy Center as a Vice President. My firing came approximately two hours after @CNN sent an email asking me to comment on my past…

— Floyd Brown (@floydbrown) May 29, 2025

Now, let’s get to the juicy stuff on Richard Grenell. A Trump loyalist appointed interim president of the Kennedy Center in February 2025, Grenell has a history that’s less than squeaky clean. His tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Germany (2018–2020) was marred by controversy, with critics accusing him of meddling in German domestic politics. He openly criticized Germany’s energy policies and threatened sanctions over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, prompting calls from German officials for his expulsion. His brash style earned him few friends in diplomatic circles, with some labeling him a “diplomatic disaster.” Grenell’s brief stint as Acting Director of National Intelligence in 2020 also raised eyebrows when he declassified documents to push narratives favorable to Trump, a move critics slammed as politicizing intelligence.

At the Kennedy Center, Grenell’s leadership has been a lightning rod for criticism. He’s overseen a purge of staff and programming, firing nearly 40 employees, including Deborah Rutter, the center’s president for over a decade. Rutter and others have accused Grenell of mismanagement, with claims that the center was fiscally sound before his arrival. Grenell’s response? Baseless allegations of “fraud” against Rutter, which she vehemently denied, calling his attacks “malicious.” His restructuring has driven away artists like Yo-Yo Ma and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who canceled performances in protest of Trump’s takeover.

Grenell’s public feuds don’t stop there. He’s lashed out at “Les Misérables” actors for planning to boycott a performance Trump was set to attend, calling them “vapid and intolerant” and suggesting a blacklist for artists who refuse to perform. This tough-guy act crumbles when you consider his apparent panic over a CNN inquiry, firing Brown to avoid bad press. Posts on X highlight the outrage, with users like 

@GreenShades9 and @RichardAngwin slamming Grenell’s hypocrisy as a gay man who claims to champion diversity while allegedly punishing Brown for his Christian beliefs. Others, like @Dean_of_Numbers, call for Grenell’s firing and even prosecution, labeling his actions a “felony deprivation of rights.”

Richard Grenell is anti-traditional Christian values, like marriage, because it affects HIM, otherwise he wouldn't have fired Floyd Brown; typical Republican hypocrisy.

— Sterling (@GreenShades9) May 29, 2025

Then there’s Grenell’s cozy new gig on Live Nation’s board, announced in May 2025 amid a DOJ antitrust probe. The timing raised suspicions, with some on X accusing Live Nation of hiring Grenell to curry favor with the Trump administration. This move reeks of cronyism, leveraging his MAGA ties for corporate gain while the Kennedy Center flounders under his watch. Ticket sales have plummeted, and donors are bailing, with reports describing the center as “struggling” under Grenell’s leadership.

Grenell’s claim to be a Christian while allegedly firing Brown for his faith is the cherry on top of this hypocrisy sundae. His marriage to a male spouse doesn’t negate his right to his beliefs, but demanding Brown abandon his biblical convictions to keep his job is a gross overreach. Trump’s vision for the Kennedy Center was to restore “wholesome” entertainment, yet Grenell’s actions—silencing a Christian to appease the media—betray that goal. If Trump is serious about cracking down on anti-Christian bias, he should start by reining in his own appointee. Grenell’s track record of divisive leadership, questionable ethics, and now this apparent betrayal of religious liberty makes one thing clear: he’s more interested in power plays than principles.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/arts/music/kennedy-center-firings.html

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/former-kennedy-center-head-denies-192638914.html

https://deadline.com/2025/05/trump-kennedy-center-fraud-investigation-1236406589/

https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/u-s-ambassador-richard-grenell-is-isolated-in-berlin-a-1247610.html

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-02-25/richard-grenell-ambassador-germany-acting-director-national-intelligence

https://www.thedailybeast.com/live-nation-hires-trumps-kennedy-center-boss-ric-grenell-amid-doj-probe/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/kennedy-center-boss-wants-to-blacklist-trump-boycotting-stars-of-les-miserables/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/live-nation-names-ric-grenell-board-of-directors-trump-ally-1235344483/

https://slate.com/culture/2025/05/kennedy-center-arts-trump-richard-grenell-boycott.html

Harvard Law School awarded Ibrahim Bharmal $65,000 Fellowship - Harvard’s Shameful Embrace of Antisemitism: Rewarding Assault with Honors

 How Harvard Divinity School and Law School Celebrate Assailants of Jewish Students

In a grotesque display of moral bankruptcy, Harvard University has once again proven itself a haven for antisemitism, elevating two students who assaulted a Jewish classmate to positions of prestige. Harvard Divinity School named Elom Tettey-Tamaklo, one of the assailants, a class marshal for its 2024 graduation, while Harvard Law School awarded Ibrahim Bharmal, the other perpetrator, a $65,000 fellowship to work at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). These decisions are not mere oversights—they are a slap in the face to Jewish students and a chilling endorsement of violence against them.

The incident in question occurred in October 2023 during an anti-Israel protest on Harvard’s campus. Yoav Segev, a Jewish student, was surrounded by Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo, draped in keffiyehs, and subjected to chants of “Shame! Shame! Shame!” in a clear act of intimidation. The two were charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in May 2024, but a Boston Municipal Court judge let them off with a slap on the wrist: 80 hours of community service and anger management classes. No real consequences, no accountability—just a green light to continue their behavior.

Yet, instead of distancing itself from these students, Harvard doubled down. Tettey-Tamaklo, a divinity student no less, was chosen to lead the 2024 Harvard Divinity School procession as a class marshal, rubbing shoulders with faculty and scholars as if his actions were irrelevant. Meanwhile, Bharmal, a law student, was handed a $65,000 fellowship by the Harvard Law Review to work at CAIR, an organization whose leaders have a well-documented history of defending Hamas and spewing anti-Israel rhetoric. This isn’t just tone-deaf; it’s a deliberate signal that Harvard prioritizes appeasing anti-Israel activists over protecting its Jewish community.

The timing couldn’t be more damning. A 2025 internal Harvard report revealed that nearly 60% of Jewish students on campus experienced discrimination or prejudice tied to their views—a statistic that lays bare the university’s failure to foster a safe environment. The Trump administration, citing this incident among others, took the unprecedented step of briefly revoking Harvard’s ability to enroll international students in May 2025, accusing the university of enabling antisemitism. Though a federal judge paused the order, the message was clear: Harvard’s inaction has consequences.

Harvard’s response? Empty platitudes about “combating antisemitism” and vague promises of governance changes. These are nothing but PR stunts from an institution that has consistently failed to hold its own accountable. Rewarding assailants with prestigious honors isn’t just negligence—it’s complicity. Jewish students, alumni, and observers are rightly outraged, with many calling for boycotts and divestment from an institution that seems to revel in its moral decay.

The elevation of Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo isn’t an isolated misstep; it’s a symptom of a deeper rot. Harvard’s leadership has shown it would rather coddle those who intimidate and assault Jewish students than take a stand against hate. By honoring these individuals, Harvard sends a clear message: antisemitic behavior will not only be tolerated but celebrated. This is not the legacy of a world-class institution—it’s the hallmark of a university that has lost its way.