One has to consider many things. For the language; we must remember the American continent is 95% Spanish speaking - if the United States doesn't embrace access to language it reflects the lack of empathy.
For the homeless; remember in the u.s. quality of life is not a right, hence the debt system. No other first world country has a culture that normalises working to live to be in debt. When your salary doesnt equate your expenses and even more so that paychecks still get cut in half - as if only half of ones bills are due top of the month. How can you expect people to not give up when all they do is work but still cant pay their bills, oppression leads to much darkness.
For the chemical drugs on the street, remember in the u.s. laws protect illegal drugs like adderall which are banned in most of europe. Health care for profit. I happily pay taxes in both countries bc my tax benefits in eu give me so much security today, not at "retirement".
For the crime; youve got to remember the nra that lobbies to keep selling guns to neighboring countries in civil duress and normalising needing to "protect" oneself is only the false advertising of a country that isolates itself from evolution.
Regarding women and how they dress and sit; what can we expect when its still okay for women to be harassed and well now we dont have equal rights because of our sex. Women arent thinking about how to "sit pretty" and "be good girls" we are trying to understand why the u.s. prides itself on taking womens rights away in the name of God. I can totally see the tables being flipped over.
I must say having moved to Italy when i was a preteen was the best thing my immigrant italian american mother could have done for me. Now that ive been back for work the last 10 years, i love that the city offers change, that is always assured, even if its not pretty.
As i plan for a baby and my first home purchase, weve paid our nyc rent 2 years in advance, love our building, we're buying near our family in italy - buying laws in u.s. and nyc having no benefits outside of creating debt - and while we'll enjoying living on both continents I wouldn't dare not give my child a true education, and there the public schools offer classes from preK in 3 languages, because the science God created to "explain" his wonders proves language is a key to empathy and from 0-7 years is when our most important development happens. I wouldnt want my child to be bullied for an accent or anything that didnt fit into one country's narrow view. Even Toronto offers this and many other countries on the American continent just not the u.s.
I think its going to be an exciting time when the empire falls, pride always falls into humility and through it innovation and beauty are born.
Id suggest my recent book club reads, "the changing world order" by Ray Dalio and "how the world made the west" by josephine quinn - gives some refreshing perspective on the beauty of change.
U.S. citizens in nyc that have any culture should be demanding laws that reflect logic toward humanities common goal - peace & prosperity. The U.S. was built on a systems for extracting profit by any means necessary, this is the culture - so construction laws similar to the EU and Scandinavia are not so difficult to imply it would just hurt monopoly esque firms and so we live with greed leading decisions. Education at a standard equal to our first world cousins would give us the understanding that would keep us from acting like barbarians. Guns, literally no other first world country needs this and well having a right to kill another human being in 2024 is demonic in my opinion .
There is evil in the world, this we know, we also know we cannot lean on our own understanding so we cannot be puzzled too much. There is no one way to do anything. But there are definitely things that older countries and cultures have already gone through that the u.s. could be all the wiser for. But to a culture thats been brainwashed to think they are the best, a fools notion, that arrogant ignorance has brought us here...
Thank you, Naomi for an excellent article detailing the intentional destruction of our city. I, too, am a fellow New Yorker. Up until 2018 I had worked & played in the most exciting neighborhood in NY - and, therefore, the world: Williamsburg, Brooklyn imo it had replaced Manhattan’s Greenwich Village as the Art Capital of NY. By that I am including: Music, Art (see the incredible murals!), fashion and, perhaps above all the culinary arts! When I returned for a visit in 2023 I KNEW that what had happened HAD to have been on PURPOSE! However, bc I am a devout Bible believer, I KNOW that “Satan is the God of this World”. This is clearly pointed out a number of times. This is why God needed a “chosen people” to demonstrate the right path to walk during our very temporary stay on this earth it is for this reason that I am not surprised that “THEY” would try to poison us w/ the waxx, etc. TY FOR ALL U R DOING! Peace…..
In Hindu cosmology, our current period is embedded in the Kali Yuga.
The evidence is everywhere these days, and the bottom is still far below. I spent 7 years in the Big Apple during the 60s and 70s, it was an interesting city then. Personal karma is still highly variable, but large populations centers are now the worst places to be. Imminent transcendence seems highly unlikely.
I think you'd find deep insights into what's going on from these Catholic exorcists (priests) who speak publicly about their work:
1) Father Dan Reehill, on YouTube & podcasts (especially his interview with Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire, "Michael & The Exorcist: "I Saw Her Crawl Up A Wall" https://youtu.be/cFIKpoIt4aE?si=8Akns8jkKws3EGH3
Also see Michael Knowles' thought-provoking interviews with a former witch, a former psychic, and a former "psychonaut" (i.e., psychedelic drug user).
I'm a traditional Catholic, and like many others, I believe we are at the end of the age. Here's what the Catholic Church teaches about the end times in the Catechism of the Catholic Church [with my additions in brackets]:
*****
The Church's ultimate trial
675 Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity [sin]" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah [Jesus Christ] come in the flesh.
676 The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological [final end times] judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism [i.e., we reject the idea that Jesus will return physically to reign for a millenium on earth], especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism [i.e., unachievable secular utopias on earth such as communism, global harmony through "repairing the climate," political "saviors," etc.].
677 The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God's triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world.
*****
So look for traditional, faithful Catholicism to go through what *seems* to be an ugly, bloody "passion and death" as did Our Lord Jesus, and even the seeming "end" of her worship - the Holy Mass - before she is "resurrected" from the dead, again following in the footsteps of Our Savior.
Also, as outlandish as it may sound, I and many others think that the antichrist "religious deception" will involve false "extraterrestrial aliens" which are actually demons / evil spirits. We believe the top tier of totalitarian globalist elites have been working with demons and using money, power, blackmail, etc., to control celebrities, media, politics, business, education, medicine, and all the institutions for some time now. See Daniel O'Connor (his website & YouTube, etc.) for more info on the "alien" deception.
God bless you & yours, and may He send the Holy Spirit to sanctify us all and guide us into truth, virtue, and charity.
This sad and poignant tale of the important historic NYC area called Harlem hurt my heart. I read it aloud to my husband as we were driving to Nevada from northern Utah. Your descriptions of the sad changes in China Town, and the destruction of once thriving Mom&Pop businesses simply broke my heart. I began to weep, as I often do when I read your pieces aloud, and I have to take a short break until I compose myself!
I have never even been to Harlem or China Town—why am I so sad about this!? I am 75, that’s why. I know what used to be. I was born in New Jersey, but moved to California in the 50’s. I weep for the America that used to be, flawed though it was. Simple values. Hard work. Family.
Thank you, Naomi—keep writing & sharing & encouraging your readers to do what we can do to preserve our country.🇺🇸
My father-in-law came here from Northern Europe in the early 1950s, looking for opportunities and a new beginning for his young family, which he had to leave behind while he found work, got himself established, and filled out all of the mountains of paperwork in order to legally bring them all to this land of great promise. It took him almost FIVE years, but eventually, with a sponsor, and with a declaration that they would NEVER be eligible for any kind of public assistance, my mother-in-law and her two young children arrived, none of them speaking a word of English. They immediately set to learning it, because, of course, it was required in order to get a driver's license and a job, and was the language of the school system and their new world. My husband, the first natural born American in the family, arrived the following year, and another son was added a few years later. My in-laws worked hard, followed the rules and the laws, retained their culture and traditions, but also took wholeheartedly to their new home and all of the opportunities it afforded to them and their children. Neither of my in-laws had made it past ninth grade, but all four of their children graduated from high school, and went on to become hard-working, law-abiding citizens. Their seven children include five college graduates, including a doctor, two teachers with Master's degrees, and a Medal of Honor winning police officer. The American Dream, writ large...
Contrast that story with one of another family that we came to know who fled gang violence in Mexico in the early 80s by crossing into California with no papers - a couple, also in their 30s, with limited education, and a couple of young children, and a baby, born to their then 14 year old daughter. They ended up living in the projects in Bakersfield, where grandpa found work but also went right back into the gang life. They received amnesty in 1986 under Reagan so ended up with Green Cards, even though they never had to apply for anything. Grandma lived here for 30 years but never learned a word of English and simply stayed in the barrio, producing a couple of more children, and then helping to raise the grandchildren that also came along, none of which made it past ninth grade, and most of whom immediately followed grandpa into the gang life, leading at least three of them to end up in prison. There was no attempt to assimilate, no desire to improve their lives, or to take advantage of all of the opportunities that this country offered them.
And it sounds like your visit to New York was simply verification that the second scenario is now the norm, and unfortunately, the first scenario, is just a distant memory of a different time in America!
Naomi! All that's missing is "get off my lawn"! Honestly, don't we all miss Audrey Hepburn? (you are right about current fashions). I'll bet Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams would have a hard time recognizing Harlem today. Lastly, the most horrific emotion is . . . .nostalgia. I'm a victim of nostalgia for better times past as well.
I was born and raised in Manhattan. It's a travesty what has happened to this glorious city. Ppl are so indoctrinated and fail to see just how in decline the city is. Also as you mentioned if they live day to day it's not as stark but there's a little willful ignorance going on. I have hope my city will come back. It is New York after all! Keep doing what you're doing! Getting the msg out there is helping wake ppl up! Sabrinalabow.substack.com
Daughter left NYC a month before Covid struck. She’s going back to visit in a couple weeks. Will be interesting to hear her report. Very familiar w/the areas you described-heartbroken to learn their current state. Demons are real. Agree this is the time of Satan. You’ve got the title of your next book: Days of Shadow!
Funny, in apartheid South Africa we grew up not understanding the languages most of the people around us were speaking. SA has 11 official languages. We were taught only 2 in school. For me that's always been my world and for you it's a brand new world. I did try learn Madiba's language (Xhosa) when I got to university (he was in prison at the time) but only those who grew up on farms are naturally multilingual because black and white kids play together on the farm. I was sad to hear Chinatown has gone. As a raw fooder that's where we bought all the most unusual vegetables and kitchen supplies. Many thanks for the New York updates Naomi. I appreciate your taking time out to keep us updated with first hand accounts of the changing culture. You're the Samuel Pepys of our day.
Eph 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
One has to consider many things. For the language; we must remember the American continent is 95% Spanish speaking - if the United States doesn't embrace access to language it reflects the lack of empathy.
For the homeless; remember in the u.s. quality of life is not a right, hence the debt system. No other first world country has a culture that normalises working to live to be in debt. When your salary doesnt equate your expenses and even more so that paychecks still get cut in half - as if only half of ones bills are due top of the month. How can you expect people to not give up when all they do is work but still cant pay their bills, oppression leads to much darkness.
For the chemical drugs on the street, remember in the u.s. laws protect illegal drugs like adderall which are banned in most of europe. Health care for profit. I happily pay taxes in both countries bc my tax benefits in eu give me so much security today, not at "retirement".
For the crime; youve got to remember the nra that lobbies to keep selling guns to neighboring countries in civil duress and normalising needing to "protect" oneself is only the false advertising of a country that isolates itself from evolution.
Regarding women and how they dress and sit; what can we expect when its still okay for women to be harassed and well now we dont have equal rights because of our sex. Women arent thinking about how to "sit pretty" and "be good girls" we are trying to understand why the u.s. prides itself on taking womens rights away in the name of God. I can totally see the tables being flipped over.
I must say having moved to Italy when i was a preteen was the best thing my immigrant italian american mother could have done for me. Now that ive been back for work the last 10 years, i love that the city offers change, that is always assured, even if its not pretty.
As i plan for a baby and my first home purchase, weve paid our nyc rent 2 years in advance, love our building, we're buying near our family in italy - buying laws in u.s. and nyc having no benefits outside of creating debt - and while we'll enjoying living on both continents I wouldn't dare not give my child a true education, and there the public schools offer classes from preK in 3 languages, because the science God created to "explain" his wonders proves language is a key to empathy and from 0-7 years is when our most important development happens. I wouldnt want my child to be bullied for an accent or anything that didnt fit into one country's narrow view. Even Toronto offers this and many other countries on the American continent just not the u.s.
I think its going to be an exciting time when the empire falls, pride always falls into humility and through it innovation and beauty are born.
Id suggest my recent book club reads, "the changing world order" by Ray Dalio and "how the world made the west" by josephine quinn - gives some refreshing perspective on the beauty of change.
U.S. citizens in nyc that have any culture should be demanding laws that reflect logic toward humanities common goal - peace & prosperity. The U.S. was built on a systems for extracting profit by any means necessary, this is the culture - so construction laws similar to the EU and Scandinavia are not so difficult to imply it would just hurt monopoly esque firms and so we live with greed leading decisions. Education at a standard equal to our first world cousins would give us the understanding that would keep us from acting like barbarians. Guns, literally no other first world country needs this and well having a right to kill another human being in 2024 is demonic in my opinion .
There is evil in the world, this we know, we also know we cannot lean on our own understanding so we cannot be puzzled too much. There is no one way to do anything. But there are definitely things that older countries and cultures have already gone through that the u.s. could be all the wiser for. But to a culture thats been brainwashed to think they are the best, a fools notion, that arrogant ignorance has brought us here...
Thank you, Naomi for an excellent article detailing the intentional destruction of our city. I, too, am a fellow New Yorker. Up until 2018 I had worked & played in the most exciting neighborhood in NY - and, therefore, the world: Williamsburg, Brooklyn imo it had replaced Manhattan’s Greenwich Village as the Art Capital of NY. By that I am including: Music, Art (see the incredible murals!), fashion and, perhaps above all the culinary arts! When I returned for a visit in 2023 I KNEW that what had happened HAD to have been on PURPOSE! However, bc I am a devout Bible believer, I KNOW that “Satan is the God of this World”. This is clearly pointed out a number of times. This is why God needed a “chosen people” to demonstrate the right path to walk during our very temporary stay on this earth it is for this reason that I am not surprised that “THEY” would try to poison us w/ the waxx, etc. TY FOR ALL U R DOING! Peace…..
125th Street, in Harlem?
Ah, you must mean the crackhead station.
Didn’t use to be. A few short years ago ALL of NY was as safe or safer than any big city in the world!
In Hindu cosmology, our current period is embedded in the Kali Yuga.
The evidence is everywhere these days, and the bottom is still far below. I spent 7 years in the Big Apple during the 60s and 70s, it was an interesting city then. Personal karma is still highly variable, but large populations centers are now the worst places to be. Imminent transcendence seems highly unlikely.
I think you'd find deep insights into what's going on from these Catholic exorcists (priests) who speak publicly about their work:
1) Father Dan Reehill, on YouTube & podcasts (especially his interview with Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire, "Michael & The Exorcist: "I Saw Her Crawl Up A Wall" https://youtu.be/cFIKpoIt4aE?si=8Akns8jkKws3EGH3
Also see Michael Knowles' thought-provoking interviews with a former witch, a former psychic, and a former "psychonaut" (i.e., psychedelic drug user).
2) Father Carlos Martins
3) Father Chad Ripperger
I'm a traditional Catholic, and like many others, I believe we are at the end of the age. Here's what the Catholic Church teaches about the end times in the Catechism of the Catholic Church [with my additions in brackets]:
*****
The Church's ultimate trial
675 Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity [sin]" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah [Jesus Christ] come in the flesh.
676 The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological [final end times] judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism [i.e., we reject the idea that Jesus will return physically to reign for a millenium on earth], especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism [i.e., unachievable secular utopias on earth such as communism, global harmony through "repairing the climate," political "saviors," etc.].
677 The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God's triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world.
*****
So look for traditional, faithful Catholicism to go through what *seems* to be an ugly, bloody "passion and death" as did Our Lord Jesus, and even the seeming "end" of her worship - the Holy Mass - before she is "resurrected" from the dead, again following in the footsteps of Our Savior.
Also, as outlandish as it may sound, I and many others think that the antichrist "religious deception" will involve false "extraterrestrial aliens" which are actually demons / evil spirits. We believe the top tier of totalitarian globalist elites have been working with demons and using money, power, blackmail, etc., to control celebrities, media, politics, business, education, medicine, and all the institutions for some time now. See Daniel O'Connor (his website & YouTube, etc.) for more info on the "alien" deception.
God bless you & yours, and may He send the Holy Spirit to sanctify us all and guide us into truth, virtue, and charity.
This is a rather eloquent lament.
I felt this way when I revisited San Francisco after years of being away.
Do demons really exist? They are called psychopaths, and we better figure out how to handle them pretty soon.
https://youtu.be/w_sX7EKg1zE?feature=shared. Here's another good video about the severity of the situation with the migrant invasion. See at how demonic this guy looks.
This sad and poignant tale of the important historic NYC area called Harlem hurt my heart. I read it aloud to my husband as we were driving to Nevada from northern Utah. Your descriptions of the sad changes in China Town, and the destruction of once thriving Mom&Pop businesses simply broke my heart. I began to weep, as I often do when I read your pieces aloud, and I have to take a short break until I compose myself!
I have never even been to Harlem or China Town—why am I so sad about this!? I am 75, that’s why. I know what used to be. I was born in New Jersey, but moved to California in the 50’s. I weep for the America that used to be, flawed though it was. Simple values. Hard work. Family.
Thank you, Naomi—keep writing & sharing & encouraging your readers to do what we can do to preserve our country.🇺🇸
A tale of two families...
My father-in-law came here from Northern Europe in the early 1950s, looking for opportunities and a new beginning for his young family, which he had to leave behind while he found work, got himself established, and filled out all of the mountains of paperwork in order to legally bring them all to this land of great promise. It took him almost FIVE years, but eventually, with a sponsor, and with a declaration that they would NEVER be eligible for any kind of public assistance, my mother-in-law and her two young children arrived, none of them speaking a word of English. They immediately set to learning it, because, of course, it was required in order to get a driver's license and a job, and was the language of the school system and their new world. My husband, the first natural born American in the family, arrived the following year, and another son was added a few years later. My in-laws worked hard, followed the rules and the laws, retained their culture and traditions, but also took wholeheartedly to their new home and all of the opportunities it afforded to them and their children. Neither of my in-laws had made it past ninth grade, but all four of their children graduated from high school, and went on to become hard-working, law-abiding citizens. Their seven children include five college graduates, including a doctor, two teachers with Master's degrees, and a Medal of Honor winning police officer. The American Dream, writ large...
Contrast that story with one of another family that we came to know who fled gang violence in Mexico in the early 80s by crossing into California with no papers - a couple, also in their 30s, with limited education, and a couple of young children, and a baby, born to their then 14 year old daughter. They ended up living in the projects in Bakersfield, where grandpa found work but also went right back into the gang life. They received amnesty in 1986 under Reagan so ended up with Green Cards, even though they never had to apply for anything. Grandma lived here for 30 years but never learned a word of English and simply stayed in the barrio, producing a couple of more children, and then helping to raise the grandchildren that also came along, none of which made it past ninth grade, and most of whom immediately followed grandpa into the gang life, leading at least three of them to end up in prison. There was no attempt to assimilate, no desire to improve their lives, or to take advantage of all of the opportunities that this country offered them.
And it sounds like your visit to New York was simply verification that the second scenario is now the norm, and unfortunately, the first scenario, is just a distant memory of a different time in America!
Naomi! All that's missing is "get off my lawn"! Honestly, don't we all miss Audrey Hepburn? (you are right about current fashions). I'll bet Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams would have a hard time recognizing Harlem today. Lastly, the most horrific emotion is . . . .nostalgia. I'm a victim of nostalgia for better times past as well.
I was born and raised in Manhattan. It's a travesty what has happened to this glorious city. Ppl are so indoctrinated and fail to see just how in decline the city is. Also as you mentioned if they live day to day it's not as stark but there's a little willful ignorance going on. I have hope my city will come back. It is New York after all! Keep doing what you're doing! Getting the msg out there is helping wake ppl up! Sabrinalabow.substack.com
Daughter left NYC a month before Covid struck. She’s going back to visit in a couple weeks. Will be interesting to hear her report. Very familiar w/the areas you described-heartbroken to learn their current state. Demons are real. Agree this is the time of Satan. You’ve got the title of your next book: Days of Shadow!
Funny, in apartheid South Africa we grew up not understanding the languages most of the people around us were speaking. SA has 11 official languages. We were taught only 2 in school. For me that's always been my world and for you it's a brand new world. I did try learn Madiba's language (Xhosa) when I got to university (he was in prison at the time) but only those who grew up on farms are naturally multilingual because black and white kids play together on the farm. I was sad to hear Chinatown has gone. As a raw fooder that's where we bought all the most unusual vegetables and kitchen supplies. Many thanks for the New York updates Naomi. I appreciate your taking time out to keep us updated with first hand accounts of the changing culture. You're the Samuel Pepys of our day.
Great compliment. That is a goal
Satan wants a desensitized world. And we are cooperating.
Eph 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.