🎧 Intro (00:00:00–00:00:27)Good morning. It’s Tuesday, September 16th, and my name is Marlena. This is The Record.Today is all about silence, repression, lawsuits, and war. We’re talking about two men found hanging in Mississippi; J.D. Vance and Elon Musk escalating McCarthy-era tactics; Trump suing the New York Times for $15 billion; and Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza. This isn’t chaos — this is the news. So let’s get into it.
🗞️ 1: Two Men Found Hanging in Mississippi (00:00:27–00:01:39)What’s happening: Delta State University student Trey Reed, 21, was found hanging from a tree on campus. Police say no foul play is suspected. In Vicksburg, 36-year-old Corey Zeketis was also found hanging in a wooded area near a casino.Note: Since posting, I’ve seen one credible source suggesting Cory was white, not Black. That doesn’t change the point — the outcome is unacceptable. No one should ever be hung.
What to know: Two men, two hangings in Mississippi in less than 24 hours. Both deaths remain under investigation, although police are quickly leaning toward suicide.
My take: History tells us these cases get dismissed way too quickly. “No foul play” isn’t the same as truth. Black lives deserve more than silence and sanitization. Especially now — in the wake of flags at half staff — we owe the entire country to treat every death, especially every violent death, as what it is: a violent attack on the person and on democracy itself.
⏸ Memorial Pause (00:01:39–00:01:56)May their memory be a blessing. May their memories be a revolution. May their memories drum up change and make more people aware of what’s going on.
🗞️ 2: Vance, Musk, and Trump Escalate Repression (00:01:56–00:02:55)What’s happening: Vice President J.D. Vance backed mass doxxing campaigns against people accused of insufficient mourning for Charlie Kirk. Elon Musk told his 226 million followers to, quote, “fight or die,” demanding critics be deplatformed or jailed and blaming schools and media for “programming people to murder.” Trump’s allies are pushing for federal probes into left-leaning nonprofits.
What to know: Advocacy groups warn of McCarthy-era crackdowns on dissent; UK leaders have condemned the rhetoric as dangerous and authoritarian.
My take: When grief is weaponized into repression, that’s not patriotism — it’s policing thought. It’s a slippery slope toward silencing everyone who resists.
🗞️ 3: Trump Sues the New York Times (00:02:55–00:03:37)What’s happening: Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation suit against the New York Times, accusing it of being a Democratic mouthpiece and interfering with elections.
What to know: This joins a string of lawsuits Trump has launched at media outlets — widely seen as attempts to chill scrutiny rather than to win in court.
My take: It’s not about the $15 billion. It’s about fear. Trump wants journalists second-guessing their reporting. That’s how truth dies — not with a ban, but with intimidation.
🌍 International: Israel Launches Gaza City Offensive (00:03:37–00:06:33)What’s happening: Israel has begun a major ground invasion of Gaza City, combining ground and air operations to dismantle Hamas’s stronghold.
What to know: The UN has accused Israel of genocide. Millions are displaced. Netanyahu faces accusations of prolonging the war for political survival. The U.S. continues military and diplomatic support.
My take: Civilians are starving, cities are rubble, and yet the war grinds on. This isn’t just about the war — it’s about how power and politics make the world look away. People in Gaza are treated like pawns; I’d argue hostages are being treated like pawns, unfairly so. Bring the hostages home. End this war. End the weaponization of food.
If there weren’t starvation tactics, you’d probably see more pro-Israel content from me — honestly. The starvation, children risking everything to find food, kids losing families and homes reduced to rubble — it feels like October 7th every day. I want to pause and send love to the families dealing with so much pain. Bring your loved ones home. Netanyahu is making this worse; that pain is connected to the rise in antisemitism. We can’t pretend it’s not all connected.
🧠Gut Check (00:06:35–00:07:32)Thank you for listening. Two men found hanging. Leaders demanding obedience about the specifics of how you are allowed to grieve. A lawsuit aimed at silencing the press. A war machine the U.S. is backing. These aren’t separate stories — they’re all about control.
The gut check: Power protects itself by demanding silence, obedience, fear, or blood. And every time, ordinary people are forced to pay. May Trey and Corey’s memory be a blessing. May war and violence end. May gun violence end. May the people rise up.
💡 Funding & Closing (00:07:32–00:08:09)If you can support me in any way I really, really appreciate it — one-time donations or tips via Venmo (@MarlenaGeller) help keep this independent. If you’re a brand interested in working together, let’s talk — ongoing partnerships can help amplify this work.
Don’t let Trey or Corey’s lives end in vain. Say their names. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.
🔚 Sign-offThat’s The Record🗞️. No permission required. See you tomorrow.
founder, redefining the recordsubstack | podcast | daily news@marlenabeautydotcom | RTR Instagram: @redefiningtherecord
Substack: Redefining the Record
✨tip jar✨venmo: venmo.com/marlenagellerbuy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/redefiningtherecord
hosted by Marlenarecorded in California with one dog, zero filters, and no coffee (yet)
⛓️‍💥 ready to untangle systems, social media, or tech stacks that keep working against you? get my portfolio here.
