A Message from Kareem

"So I'd like to make a promise and I'd like to make a vow/That when I've got something to say, sir, I'm gonna say it now." --Phil Ochs

It’s been a little over a year since I started my Substack newsletter and in that time we have grown to be a vibrant and passionate community. Thank you for that.

I recently won my eighth journalism award for Best Column of the Year and I couldn’t help thinking at the time that none of that would have been possible without the support of my loyal subscribers. I thought of all of you reading my thoughts, sharing them with others, commenting on them, and it gave me a very warm and satisfying feeling far greater than any award.

Each of my newsletters is read by enough people to fill the largest NBA venue five times over. That’s a lot more pressure than any basketball game I ever played. When I tossed up a skyhook, I knew I was successful when I heard the ball swoosh through the net. When I write an article, I can only hope it scores because there’s no way of knowing for sure. Which is why I do so much research and why I keep polishing until I think every word is the right one.

The good news is that we have many thousands of subscribers. And I am grateful for that. But the problem is that the vast majority are free subscribers. While I greatly value you free subscribers, in order to keep my Substack newsletter coming, I also need paid subscribers. I don’t do this column alone. I have a small staff that helps me with my research, editing, photos, and constantly tell me, “Your good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it people like you!”  (That person gets paid the most.)

So, here’s the pitch: For the price of a McDonald’s double quarter-pounder you can get a full month of my exquisitely chosen thoughts and words about politics, sports, and pop culture. As a paid subscriber you get exclusive material (including podcasts), you get to share your own opinions in the Comments, and you get to ask me questions in my regular “Ask Kareem Anything” feature. Most important, you’re keeping my newsletter alive. Thanks for clicking on the following:

P.S.

The quote in my title is from folk singer and songwriter Phil Ochs, whose protest songs of the sixties still resonate today. “There But for Fortune,” which he wrote and performs below, embraces the heart and soul of what I write about: We are all on a journey together and must do our best to help our fellow travelers in every way we can.