Have you planned your estate?

capitalizes on to mislead the public.

Take, for instance, the 303 Creative case, which posited that the government cannot compel a business engaging in expressive activity—in this case, website design—to produce speech that contradicts its principles. This reaffirms a centuries-old First Amendment tenet: that the government cannot coerce speech. We’re not talking about a person selling doughnuts or toys; we’re talking about speech. But you’ll be hard-pressed to find liberal pundits commending the Supreme Court for safeguarding people from the slippery slope of government-compelled speech. Instead, you’ll encounter them levying outrageous claims, asserting the Supreme Court has given discrimination its legal seal of approval.

Sadly, even the vice president of the United States put out a misleading statement, saying, “When you walk into a restaurant, hotel, or any business open to the public, you are entitled to be served free from discrimination.” This misunderstands the case’s holding entirely, and ensures that there is more fodder for media outlets and influences to peddle the misinformation that it is now open season for discrimination. Would a Democrat endorse being obligated to produce art featuring a Confederate flag for a Southern wedding?

Consider, too, the affirmative action case that questioned whether there was a compelling justification for discrimination in college admissions.

The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action was firmly rooted in historical precedents, clearly citing past cases where justices from both ends of the ideological spectrum plainly stated that discrimination in college admissions is “dangerous,” but ultimately allowing it temporarily—and only temporarily. The media, nonetheless, constructed a narrative framing the decision as an affront to Blacks and all those who have been burdened by racism. The reports became all about what the decision will do, but not why the decision was made. The media took pains not to state legitimate alternatives, such as using a person’s actual hardships in determining whether they should get a boost. The court made one of the most powerful arguments against affirmative action ever made public, yet it was entirely overlooked.

Then there was the Biden executive order case, involving a staggering $400 billion in loan cancellations. The conservative justices were portrayed as attacking the debt-ridden 40 million borrowers from their ivory towers. Misleadingly, the media linked the policy arguments of Republicans to the Supreme Court’s ruling, despite the fact that these arguments were not featured in the case. The media consistently omitted the ruling’s rationale, the significance of the tripartite branches of government, and how Congress should operate when an agency lacks statutory authority. They missed the primary reasoning: that the phrases “modify or waive” did not equate to “completely rewrite,” as the court stated. It’s truly sad that the court’s reasoning was just that simple and still not what was reported.

A Supreme Court case represents more than a mere judgment. It’s the culmination of rigorous investigation, involving hearing arguments from all sides and crafting comprehensive, reasoned opinions to substantiate their conclusions. These complex narratives shouldn’t be discarded or simplified to a pithy one-liner; they are worthy of far more. These judgments contain more substance than any pundit’s commentary; commentary that relies on preconceived notions of truth rather than a diligent reading of the case. The true fix that the Supreme Court needs is how it educates the public. The court always writes first, but its actual words are always heard last—if ever at all.

Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www.armstrongwilliams.co | www.howardstirkholdings.com

I recently met with a lawyer to talk about my “estate.” I had been putting off the conversation for years because I didn’t think I needed to make an immediate plan for my things. However, upon reflecting on how one’s health can change rapidly due to COVID19 or other circumstances, I thought I should speak to someone about financially securing my assets. I wanted to speak to a professional about making a will, finding out the difference between a will and a trust, and getting paperwork completed that would leave my hard-earned money to the ones I love. Part of making sure your money and assets go to your intended loved ones, and are not lost to the government or banking institutions, depends on whether or not you clearly state your intentions. Each year, millions of dollars leave the Black community because people have not made wills or discussed their pensions, bank accounts, mortgages, or other assets with family members, and their financial assets go unclaimed. Many people, regardless of racial background, do not like to discuss death. It’s an uncomfortable topic that makes some people superstitious, others depressed, and a large swath frightened. However, if we do not discuss the inevitable, we may be exposing our family members to great financial turmoil, debt, and loss of money that should and could stay in the family. By no means do I have Oprah Winfrey levels of money, nor do I have a fancy investment banker’s salary. However, I do know that I have worked very hard for my savings and 401k and would hate to see it sit in a bank account unclaimed due to lack of communication with my family about my affairs. We have seen far too many families fight over beloved objects or property solely because the deceased’s wishes were never made clear. In order to decrease the stress on your loved ones, a simple conversation with an estate planner can help you put to paper your wishes or, at the very least, designate the person in charge of handling things when you are no longer here. Do you plan on leaving money to your religious institution, alma mater, favorite charity, or dear friend? All of these things need to be known—and written down. We have all heard stories about the lack of generational wealth within the Black community and some of that dissolution of wealth stems from a lack of clear communication about assets and wishes. These are hard conversations to have, but they are worth having. It is my hope that you will give yourself a small amount of time to get your affairs in some sort of order if you have not done so already.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an Associate professor at Fordham University, the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”, and the co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio.