Category: blaze media

One of the top contenders for the Democrats in the California gubernatorial race made a statement during a debate on Wednesday that astounded and bewildered viewers.

Rather than promise to protect Californians from non-English-speaking truck drivers, former Rep. Katie Porter said she would protect the truckers from the Trump administration.

‘The job of the Californian governor is to protect Californians, and right now that includes protecting them from Donald Trump.’

“Do you believe that English proficiency, language proficiency, should be strictly enforced for truck drivers?” the moderator asked.

“I would absolutely fight the Trump administration because the job of the Californian governor is to protect Californians, and right now that includes protecting them from Donald Trump,” Porter said.

“Protecting Californians also includes enforcing traffic laws, and we’ve seen sometimes a need for oversight in California,” she added. “For example, we have seen that the Department of Motor Vehicles was not enforcing rules around DUIs and drivers who had convictions for that.”

After not really answering the question, Porter then went on the attack against Republican candidate Sheriff Chad Bianco over his comments about immigration enforcement.

“I am stunned that Mr. Bianco would say to black and brown Californians and immigrants who are being terrorized and racially profiled that you have to ‘get over’ racism,” she said.

“It’s not something that you get over. It’s something that you fight, and if he doesn’t understand the importance of that, he has no business representing a state with the diversity of California,” she added.

Bianco defended himself and said Porter was misrepresenting his comments.

Video of the interaction was posted to social media, where Porter was widely ridiculed by many commentators.

“This is how you talk to a voting base when you know you can control them with fear and rage. You know they don’t care about policies or plans — if you just mention Trump, nothing else matters,” one user said on the X platform.

“Her strategy is anti-Trump and playing the racist card. Typical Democrat. They will keep doing this in CA as long as voters believe their drivel and vote for them,” another response reads.

RELATED: USC accused of racism after minority candidates don’t qualify for gubernatorial debate — so USC makes drastic decision

“Wow, what a wackjob, just another TDS sufferer who doesn’t care about American citizens and only plays into the get Trump game,” another critic replied. “If she had any brain cells she would have noticed long ago that it doesn’t work. She’s an angry clown.”

The latest polling shows Porter tied for fourth place behind Republicans Steve Hilton and Bianco and Democrat billionaire Tom Steyer after the ignominious exit of former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.

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​Katie porter, California governor’s race, English requirements for cdl, Racism in california, Politics 

Is legendary writer-director David Zucker worried about AI? Surely, you can’t be serious!

Zucker — the Hollywood veteran behind smash hits like “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun” series, as well as cult classics like “BASEketball” and “Top Secret!” — says he’s confident that no computer will ever take his job.

Zucker took some time out from preproduction on his new movie, film noir spoof “Star of Malta,” to speak to Align about the state of the biz.

‘We actually know what we’re doing.’

Unlike many of his peers in the film industry, Zucker doesn’t see technology as a threat — as long as you have talent.

“Certainly, AI is no good for writing scripts. You can’t write a funny script using AI,” he affirmed.

Cruise control

Nor can AI oversee a production from start to finish, said Zucker, citing Tom Cruise as someone “experienced and talented in their craft and dedicated to good work” and therefore able to shepherd a project from start to finish.

He allowed that there are some Hollywood executives who don’t mind taking shortcuts. “[That’s] fine for Seth MacFarlane,” he said, in a not-so-subtle dig at the “Family Guy” creator and producer of the recent “Naked Gun” reboot.

RELATED: ‘Trey didn’t have a car’: ‘Airplane!’ director David Zucker on humble origins of ‘South Park’ empire

Michael Buckner/WireImage/Getty Images

As for Zucker, he’s compelled to continue writing comedy because, “No one can write this stuff.” And when it comes to new projects, he would rather take up the task himself with his own team than take a gamble on someone else.

Zucker noted that he wrote “Star of Malta” in just 11 days.

“We actually know what we’re doing,” he said.

OK computer

Zucker’s faith in himself and his team makes him the rare Hollywood insider who remains sanguine about increasing AI use.

The recent AI resurrection of the late Val Kilmer? Zucker said that as long as permission is sought out, he does not have a problem with it.

He is also intrigued by the possibility of AI-powered de-aging.

“I think that’s a good use of it,” he said, adding that he’s open to using it in his own work. “If you have to cast somebody, and they happen to be older than you need, you can do it.”

RELATED: King of comedy: 1988 ‘Naked Gun’ tops list of 100 funniest flicks

Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Comedy challenged

Zucker, who also offers an online course in spoof comedy, isn’t afraid to call out an industry that’s out of touch with the taste of audiences.

“There’s 9% of people who just don’t have a sense of humor,” he said. “There’s like zero sense of humor. So the studios are being guided by those people.”

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​Airplane, Align, Artificial intelligence, Deaging with ai, Hollywood industry, Mark zucker, Seth macfarlane, The naked gun, Entertainment 

The Israel Defense Forces may have more explaining to do after one of its soldiers destroyed a crucifix with a sledgehammer in Debel, Lebanon, as more than half a dozen others looked on.

While the IDF tried to resolve the incident with a series of social media posts, more details have emerged in the aftermath of this story, raising more questions about the IDF’s account.

‘Are they playing us?’

Following the incident, the IDF announced that both the soldier who filmed the incident and the soldier who destroyed the crucifix would be jailed for 30 days, and the onlookers would be questioned. The IDF also posted a still photo of the supposed replacement crucifix that it claimed to have helped provide.

However, a conflicting version of events has emerged.

RELATED: IDF soldier caught smashing Jesus statue with sledgehammer — officials and critics react

Debel Municipality Facebook account

Photos posted to the X account called Hillbilly Catholic on Wednesday afternoon went viral, and the messages accompanying the photos claimed that the Italian forces of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon had replaced the crucifix.

Among those pictured in the photos are several soldiers with Italian flags on their uniforms that seem to match that of U.N. personnel, a few priests, and what appears to be the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Bishop Paolo Borgia.

In another post, Hillbilly Catholic included a screenshot of the IDF’s post with the crucifix it claimed “replaced” the one its soldiers had destroyed. The crucifixes in the IDF post and the Hillbilly Catholic posts differ in shape, color, detail, and style.

“Are they playing us?” Hillbilly Catholic asked.

The photographs posted by Hillbilly Catholic were part of a larger set of photos and video from what appears to be a local Debel account on Facebook called Debel Alerts.

On Tuesday, Debel Alerts made a post claiming an Italian priest named Father Claudio was coordinating with UNIFIL Commander General Diodato Abagnara to replace the crucifix in its original spot. The post added that Father Claudio revealed that “a gesture of support” was on its way from UNIFIL and expected to arrive within 48 hours.

There is also a video on the Debel Alerts’ timeline of the new crucifix statue being transferred.

Debel Municipality

On Wednesday, Debel Alerts posted several photos of the installation of the new crucifix with the help of UNIFIL. The photos show soldiers and priests standing side by side in front of the newly installed crucifix statue.

The new crucifix also appears to have been placed in the exact spot where the old one was destroyed, a comparison of the surroundings revealed.

An official account called Debel Municipality posted more photos confirming Bishop Paolo Borgia’s presence during the procession and installation of the new crucifix.

However, this account also revealed something unexpected.

Some online users scoffed at the IDF’s post of the new crucifix, claiming that the crucifix looked like a small wall crucifix or that the photo was manipulated.

Yet Debel Municipality posted a photo of what appears to be that crucifix during the procession. A man can be seen standing next to some priests and behind some servers while holding the much smaller crucifix that appeared in the IDF’s post.

Debel Municipality

While this photo seems to debunk the claims that the IDF’s post was fake or manipulated, other questions remain.

First, neither Debel Alerts nor Debel Municipality make any mention of the IDF’s alleged efforts to help replace the crucifix, despite the IDF’s claim that “Northern Command worked to coordinate the replacement of the statue from the moment it received the report of the incident.”

Similarly, the IDF did not make any mention of UNIFIL’s role nor Bishop Paolo Borgia’s presence in the town this week, despite their clear roles in the project.

Further, the IDF’s “replacement” is not the actual replacement. The crucifix that UNIFIL apparently provided was placed in the same place as the old one and has a similar size and style, while the IDF one, though apparently real, is significantly smaller and not installed in the same place.

Finally, the IDF has not posted any follow-up with a photo of the other crucifix that UNIFIL helped replace, suggesting that the other, smaller crucifix is the only “replacement” they are claiming to have helped with. It is not clear whether the IDF actually provided the smaller crucifix to the community, despite its claim.

Blaze News contacted the IDF, UNIFIL, Debel Municipality, and the Nunciature of Lebanon via the Vatican Press Office but did not immediately receive a response.

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​Crucifix, Debel alerts, Debel municipality, Hillbilly catholic, Idf, Israel defense forces, Italian forces, Northern command, Politics, Priest, Sledgehammer, Unifil, Soldiers, Father claudio, Unifil commander general abagnara, Lebanon, Southern lebanon, South lebanon, Christians, Catholic, Apostolic nuncio, Bishop paolo borgia 

Conservatives have spent decades fighting government overreach. We have opposed IRS targeting of Tea Party groups, regulatory power-grabs, and agencies that treat the Bill of Rights as a suggestion. So explain this: Why are Republican leaders in Congress lining up to renew a surveillance law that lets the FBI read Americans’ private communications without asking a judge? Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expires on April 30. Intelligence agencies want an 18-month clean extension — no changes, no reforms, no warrant requirement. The intelligence community has joined former Biden administration officials in making the rounds on Capitol Hill, pressing members of Congress to fall in line.

Some of us are standing up for the Fourth Amendment by demanding, at the very least, fair votes on real civil liberties protections. Some are not, demanding that we shut up and not only reauthorize this powerful spying power, but also deny Americans a chance to see how their representatives in Congress vote on an issue that enjoys overwhelming, bipartisan support from their constituents.

Conservatives who believe January 6 defendants were treated unjustly by a politicized Department of Justice should be the first to demand a warrant requirement — because Section 702 is one of the laws that was wrongly used to go after those Americans.

Here’s what a “clean” reauthorization actually means. The government collects the communications of foreign targets overseas — emails, texts, calls. That part is unobjectionable. Foreigners have no Fourth Amendment rights. The problem is what happens next. When those foreign targets communicate with Americans, those American messages get swept into the database too — hundreds of millions of them. And then the FBI can search through those communications using your name or email address — with no warrant, no judge, and no probable cause. This is the “backdoor search.” This is not a hypothetical concern. In a single reporting period, the government conducted 278,000 searches that violated the rules. From 2018 to 2024, federal law required a warrant before the FBI could conduct backdoor searches in certain criminal cases. The bureau ran dozens of qualifying searches during that window. It obtained the required court order zero times.

Conservatives who believe January 6 defendants were treated unjustly by a politicized Department of Justice should be the first to demand a warrant requirement — because Section 702 is one of the laws that was wrongly used to go after those Americans.

RELATED: GOP hard-liners derail government’s spying power despite pressure from Trump

cbies/Getty Images

Congress responded in 2024 by passing minor reforms that mostly codified then-current practice — RISAA — which is to say Congress put into law the same rules that had already led to significant misuse. The FBI’s response was to quietly use a separate querying tool that bypassed those requirements. By March 2026, the FISA Court issued a classified opinion that found the issue spanned the entire intelligence community. And it isn’t just the FBI. We still don’t know whether the NSA analyst who searched Section 702 data for information about online dating matches kept his security clearance or job.

The fix is straightforward. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) has introduced the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act, while Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), and a bipartisan coalition have introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act, both of which require a warrant before the FBI can access an American’s private communications collected under Section 702. Conservative members blocked the clean reauthorization not to make FISA reauthorization impossible, but to create a path forward for a version that does not unjustly violate Americans’ privacy.

The argument that we must choose between national security and the warrant requirement is false. Warrants do not prevent surveillance. They require the government to convince a judge that the surveillance is justified, as the Constitution requires. Government agencies that cannot meet that standard are fishing — for you.

​Conservatives, Fbi, Government overreach, Section 702, Opinion & analysis 

The Epstein files may have largely disappeared from the 24-hour news cycle on this side of the Atlantic, but the damning revelations they contain nevertheless continue to haunt former associates of the dead pedophile, especially Microsoft co-founder and vaccine champion Bill Gates.

While maintaining that he “did nothing illicit,” Gates reportedly apologized to staff of the Gates Foundation at a town hall in February, acknowledging the negative impact that his ties — developed after Epstein’s conviction in 2008 for soliciting sex from minor girls — have had on the organization and stressing that it was a “huge mistake to spend time with Epstein.”

“Our work is very reputational sensitive,” said the billionaire. “I mean, people can choose to work with us or not work with us.”

‘He is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions.’

It appears the scandal-stunted organization has itself chosen to work with fewer people.

According to an internal email reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the Gates Foundation is poised to cut about 500 jobs, or about 20% of its staff, by 2030. The foundation reportedly plans to reduce its current headcount of 2,375 by 200 by the end of next year.

“This is a challenging time for our organization in many ways, but it also highlights the critical importance of taking the tough actions now,” Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman reportedly said in the letter.

RELATED: Epstein kept a detailed Google Calendar — and you can read all of his appointments

Fabrice COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

The foundation teased these layoffs earlier this year in a release detailing how the organization was planning to cap annual operating expenditures at $1.25 billion, roughly 14% of the foundation’s total budget.

In addition to slimming down, the Gates Foundation — which is set to shutter in December 2045 — is presently undergoing a desperate PR rehab.

The organization announced on Tuesday that it has “commissioned an external review to assess past foundation engagement with Epstein, and our current policies for vetting and developing new philanthropic partnerships.”

The foundation noted further that this review is underway and an update is expected this summer.

In addition to facing scrutiny from investigators tasked by his own organization, Gates is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee for a transcribed interview on June 10.

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) noted in a March 3 letter to Gates that the committee is reviewing:

the alleged mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation into Mr. Jeffrey Epstein and Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell, (ii) the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Mr. Epstein’s death, (iii) the operation of sex-trafficking rings and ways for the federal government to effectively combat them, (iv) ways in which Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell sought to curry favor and exercise influence to protect their illegal activities, and (v) potential violations of ethics rules related to elected officials.

Comer said that the committee suspects Gates has information that will help with this investigation.

A spokesman for Gates told Politico, “While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work.”

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​Bill gates, Gates foundation, Jeffrey epstein, Microsoft, Pervert, Elite, Billionaire, Charity, Pedophile, Sex offender, Congress, James comer, Investigation, Politics 

Somewhere between the 10,000th think piece about polarization and the hundredth talk on bridging divides, a strange consensus formed: Tribalism is democracy’s deepest disease, its most persistent poison.

Professors and pastors warn of it. Columnists mourn it. Podcasters monetize their mourning. The diagnosis is always the same: Humans clustering together with their own kind is dangerous, primitive, a malfunction of the civic mind.

The people most loudly condemning tribalism tend to be surrounded by people exactly like them, at universities exactly like theirs.

Fine. But what if they’re wrong?

Not partially wrong, but actually, foundationally, embarrassingly wrong — the way doctors were wrong about bloodletting or the way everyone was wrong about cargo pants being over.

Friendship by another name

Tribalism has an image problem. Many associate it with mob violence, ethnic cleansing, and mass unrest. But that’s not tribalism. Not really. The base ingredient — people who share values and show up for each other — predates democracy, predates government, predates trousers. We used to just call it friendship.

My life runs on tribes. Boxing buddies on Tuesday mornings — punching things together turns out to be exceptional social glue. Drinks on Friday evenings with people who know my views, share my basic read on how the world should work, and will tell me honestly when I’m being an idiot. Football on Sundays: same faces, same complaints about the same referee.

These groups form through proximity, repetition, and the steady accumulation of shared in-jokes about Tom’s terrible parking. Nobody recruits anybody. The politics surface eventually, the way they always do — not as a pitch but as a mutual nod. Oh, you also think that. Good. Pass the beer.

Condescending critique

The anti-tribalism crowd conflates the existence of a tribe with hostility toward outsiders. But the two aren’t the same thing, and they don’t have to travel together. A group of friends who share values is not automatically a firing squad aimed at people who don’t. The aggression that looks like tribalism is usually something else — fear, scarcity, manipulation by people with something to gain from the mob. The tribe itself is just the group chat.

There is also something condescending baked into the critique. The implication is that enlightened people transcend their loyalties. The sophisticated move is to float above any particular community, dispensing equal approval in all directions. This person does not exist. And if people like that do exist, nobody wants to live beside them, work with them, invite them to anything, or get stuck next to them at a wedding.

The people most loudly condemning tribalism tend to be surrounded by people exactly like them, at universities exactly like theirs, publishing in the same journals, citing each other’s footnotes, all nodding along in perfect, oblivious unison. The irony apparently doesn’t register.

Tribal to the bone

My ancestors were Irish. They were tribal to the bone, tribal by necessity, tribal the way people get when the alternative is disappearance. That tribalism — stubborn, clannish, occasionally violent, always inconvenient for the people trying to govern them — is precisely what produced the independence that eventually let them leave. Seven centuries of enthusiastic British imperialism tore Ireland apart. The tribe was the solution, not the problem.

America was the same story once. The founders were a tribe. So were the suffragettes, the labor organizers, the civil rights marchers. Every movement that actually changed anything was, underneath the rhetoric, a group of people who genuinely liked and trusted each other enough to take serious risks together.

As for the loneliness epidemic affecting the country, it didn’t arrive because people had too many tribes, but because tribes became harder to build and easier to lose. Jobs moved. Cities got expensive. The bowling leagues, union halls, and neighborhood associations that once knit people into groups of mutual obligation slowly disappeared, and we got LinkedIn as a replacement.

Against this backdrop, telling people their tribal instincts are dangerous is useful the way a fire safety lecture is useful during an actual fire.

RELATED: Parents: Let your kids out to play

Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images

Believe in belonging

What tribalism needs — contrary to the credentialed, conspicuously left-leaning, remarkably group-minded people writing op-eds about its dangers — isn’t elimination, but better PR and a little calibration.

Think of the happiest moments of your life. They almost certainly happened with the same handful of people, in the same handful of places. Some of those people aren’t around any more. That absence is its own argument — not for giving up on tribes, but for holding them closer while you can.

The alternative — atomized individuals, each navigating life as a fully independent unit, allegiant to nothing, accountable to no one — isn’t utopia. In truth, it’s just lonely, and loneliness radicalizes. Belonging stabilizes. This isn’t a controversial finding, but it’s certainly inconvenient for the people whose careers depend on pathologizing friendship.

​Democracy, Friendship, Loneliness epidemic, Polarization, Tribalism, Irish, Ireland, Lifestyle 

A former North Carolina guidance counselor faces decades in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing an underage girl, according to police. The ex-school staffer reportedly promised the victim that she would leave her family to be with her.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that an investigation was launched in February 2024 regarding accusations that a school guidance counselor was involved in an improper relationship with a student.

‘A predator was lurking behind the walls of the counseling office, waiting for a victim.’

The investigation resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Jessica Patrick Finley, a guidance counselor and volleyball coach at McDowell County High School.

Finley was charged with eight counts of indecent liberties with a child, six counts of statutory sex offense with a child, one count of sex act with a student, and one count of offenses involving a child under the age of 15.

“In April 2025, Finley declined a plea agreement and chose to proceed toward trial,” the press release read.

On Thursday, Finley pleaded guilty to all charges in superior court.

A judge sentenced Finley to a minimum of 28 years and four months and a maximum of 40 years and six months in prison, police said.

At the time of sentencing, Finley already had served 778 days in jail, according to McDowell News.

Finley is required to pay a fine of $30,000 and register as a sex offender upon release.

RELATED: Special-ed teacher accused of sexually assaulting students in her home, giving them alcohol; 1 victim said he ‘felt trapped’

The victim — now 17 years old — explained to the court that she originally sought counseling for anxiety and depression before her relationship with Finley began, according to McDowell News.

“I was seeking help during a time when I felt alone, and she took advantage of that,” the victim said in court.

The victim knew the guidance counselor because Finley was a volleyball coach and the student played volleyball, according to McDowell News.

“A predator was lurking behind the walls of the counseling office, waiting for a victim,” the teen’s older sister said in court, adding that “a day does not go by that we do not wonder what we could have done to prevent this nightmare for my sister.”

The victim’s mother told the courtroom, “We would have beat the door hinges off that building to save her from that monster” and that “children are off limits. Period. No excuses and no exceptions.”

A sobbing Finley told the court, “I would just like to say I am so sorry for my actions and the things I have caused, for pain I have caused, for the Carter family, my family, and my own children.”

The McDowell News reported that Finley’s attorney, Christopher Rumfelt, argued that Finley was suffering from postpartum depression and having marital issues around the time of the sexual abuse.

Rumfelt conceded regarding Finley, “This will follow her until the day she dies. She understands that and accepts that.”

Officials with McDowell Public Schools confirmed to WHNS-TV that Finley resigned in February 2024, once the school district was made aware of the child sex crime allegations.

WLOS-TV obtained warrants revealing that Finley had sexual conversations through text messages with the 14-year-old student.

“Finley and (Minor Child 1) discussed details of their sexual encounters, as well as acts they wanted to perform on each other in the future,” the warrants stated.

McDowell News reported, “Finley also had phone sex with the victim on one occasion.”

The victim told investigators that Finley performed sexual acts on her on multiple occasions in Finley’s guidance counselor’s office at McDowell High School, according to WLOS.

Finley also told the underage girl that she would leave her family for her, according to warrants.

“Finley made statements to (Minor Child 1) regarding Finley leaving her husband and children to be with (Minor Child 1),” the warrants said.

The teen told investigators that she thought she was dating Finley, WLOS reported.

McDowell News reported, “The victim said she tried multiple times to stop seeing Finley. The victim said anytime she tried to stop the interactions, Finley would threaten to quit her job or kill herself.”

The news outlet added that the victim said she felt trapped by the fear of being held responsible for Finley’s death.

Shanon Smith, a captain at the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the crimes being reported, told McDowell News that Finley’s father had been a deputy with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, and Finley’s mother had worked with McDowell CrimeStoppers.

With a potential conflict of interest, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office handed over the investigation to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

McDowell Public Schools did not immediately respond to Blaze News‘ request for comment.

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​Teacher arrested, Bad teacher, North carolina, Jessica patrick finley, Jessica finley, Teacher sex scandal, Teacher student sex scandal, Crime 

A Denver-area man running for the Colorado state Senate landed in handcuffs in the Florida Keys earlier this week after his 4-year-old daughter nearly drowned in a hotel pool — while he was allegedly at the bar.

Around 7:34 p.m. on Monday, a 911 call alerted first responders that a child was drowning at a hotel pool.

‘I will work to restore parental rights where government has overstepped.’

A witness told police that a young boy, later identified as the 6-year-old son of Frederick Alfred Jr., came to him because his sister was drowning. The witness claimed that when he saw the girl, later identified as Alfred’s 4-year-old daughter, she “was unconscious and foaming at the mouth,” so he pulled her out of the pool and began CPR, Colorado Politics reported, citing a police report.

Another witness on the scene confirmed this account, police said.

Thankfully, first responders were able to revive the girl. The boy had also reportedly swallowed pool water as he attempted to rescue his sister but otherwise appeared to be unharmed.

At 7:40, Alfred entered the scene, carrying an alcoholic beverage, police claimed. Alfred explained that he left his kids at the hot tub to go grab a drink at the bar and estimated he had been gone about five minutes, police further claimed.

Alfred’s breath reeked of alcohol, and a receipt from the bar showed he had purchased two alcoholic beverages during his time away from his kids, police added.

RELATED: Long-shot Democrat candidate in Florida allegedly threatens to kill ‘two elderly victims’ — possibly his parents: VIDEO

Pawel Kacperek/Getty Images

Though his kids appeared to be OK, first responders strongly recommended they be taken to the hospital just in case, but Alfred initially refused, reports said. After some more cajoling, Alfred eventually relented, and the children were taken to a local hospital.

At 8 p.m. that night, Alfred was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Detention Center. Jail records state that he has been charged with one count of felony child neglect and that he has an arraignment hearing on May 5.

The Department of Children and Families was notified, CBS News Colorado reported. Whether the children’s mother accompanied the family on this trip is unclear.

Originally from Florida, according to his campaign Facebook account, 38-year-old Alfred currently lives in Commerce City, Colorado, and is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for the District 21 state Senate seat. The primary is scheduled for June 30.

His campaign website lists “parental rights” first among his “legislative priorities.”

“Families not the state should guide their children. I will work to restore parental rights where government has overstepped and ensure schools partner with parents, not replace them,” the website says.

Elsewhere on the website, Alfred describes himself as a husband, a father, and the son of immigrants who wants to protect Colorado kids and parents from Democratic “policies that put government first and families last.”

“I believe in a better path for Senate District 21, one that trusts parents, supports strong energy policies that grow jobs and opportunity, and embraces innovation to secure Colorado’s future,” he adds.

Alfred did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News or from Colorado Politics, Denver7, or CBS News Colorado.

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​Frederick alfred, Colorado, Denver, Florida keys, Republican, Gop, Politics 

The Senate worked overnight to advance the GOP’s budget resolution to fund immigration enforcement to the tune of $70 billion in an effort to end the Democrat-induced shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

From Wednesday afternoon to the early hours of Thursday morning, senators voted on a slew of amendments to advance Republicans’ legislation to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as Customs and Border Protection.

‘Democrats will once again demonstrate to the American people their support for open borders.’

This legislative marathon comes amid the ongoing DHS shutdown that began in mid-February. In March, the Senate approved a funding package to fund all of DHS except ICE and CBP in a 2:00 a.m. voice vote, but it was rejected by the House. The House passed its own 60-day continuing resolution to fund the department in its entirety, but it was not advanced in the Senate.

The Senate budget ultimately advanced mostly along party lines in a 50-48 vote just before 3:30 a.m., with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voting with Democrats against the immigration funding.

RELATED: Senate approves DHS funding — but there’s a catch

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) lashed out at Republicans for funding “rogue agencies,” claiming they are out of touch with everyday Americans.

“What kind of bubble are they living in?” Schumer asked. “How apart are they with people’s real needs?”

Despite the Democrats’ predictable disapproval of the funding bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) remains optimistic that the House will cooperate with the Senate to fund these key agencies. Earlier this month, both Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) agreed on a “two-track approach” that would partially reopen DHS while funding immigration enforcement separately.

“In following this two-track approach, the Republican Congress will fully reopen the Department, make sure all federal workers are paid, and specifically fund immigration enforcement and border security for the next three years so that those law-enforcement activities can continue uninhibited,” a joint statement between Thune and Johnson reads. “In return, Democrats will once again demonstrate to the American people their support for open borders and keeping criminal illegal immigrants in America.”

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​Cbp, Chuck schumer, Criminal illegal immigrants, Customs and border patrol, Department of homeland security, Dhs, Donald trump, Ice, John thune, Mike johnson, Open borders, Border security, Dhs shutdown, Demacrat shutdown, Lisa murkowski, Rand paul, Politics 

An American company is pushing science fiction to its limits by introducing a mind-reading product, backed by a controversial investor from India.

The product falls under the new category called brain-computer interface technology, with the investor saying he sees his product as the best path to push people into using the brain-tapping gadgets.

‘Securely and wirelessly, understands your thoughts and what you attempt to speak.’

The Silicon Valley startup is backed by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, an AI and software investor from Bombay State, India. The new company is called Sabi, and it is developing the Sabi Cap, a beanie that reads the wearer’s thoughts and puts them into text on a connected device.

In remarks to Wired, Khosla said that a noninvasive wearable device was the only way to get a lot of people to use the BCI technology.

“The biggest and baddest application of BCI is if you can talk to your computer by thinking about it,” Khosla explained. “If you’re going to have a billion people use BCI for access to their computers every day, it can’t be invasive.”

The technology works by using metal disks placed on the wearer’s scalp that can record their brain’s electrical activity through a technology called electroencephalography. The process is called decoding “imagined speech.”

RELATED: Is Trump’s new White House app unsafe for your security and privacy?

– YouTube

Given that the sensors on the beanie (or a planned baseball cap product) would have to work through hair, skin, and bone, the company plans on increasing the amount of sensors to piece together the required data; 70,000 to 100,000 miniature sensors per beanie have been suggested.

“Given that high-density sensing, it pinpoints exactly what and where neural activity is happening. We use that information to get much more reliable data to decode what a person is thinking,” said CEO Rahul Chhabra.

Sabi’s website describes the “brain reading” process as starting with “brain imaging” with “neuroimaging sensors.”

The company notes that it collects “a lot of brain imaging data” and maps signals into thoughts.

“Securely and wirelessly, understands your thoughts and what you attempt to speak,” the website boasts, touting how one could connect his or her brain to AI.

“AI agents do whatever you can think of. Literally.”

RELATED: Yes, smart TVs are spying on you — and one state is finally fighting back

Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Investor Khosla has been vocally opposed to President Trump on his X page while having a public feud with Elon Musk, who is in the same field with his product Neuralink.

Khosla claimed that Musk wanted to make “white America great again” while saying Musk finds racism “desirable.”

This was in response to Musk stating that white people are a diminishing population.

“Vinod, you’re not just such a pompous asshole that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, you’ve also gone full retard,” Musk replied.

At the same time, entrepreneur Palmer Luckey mocked Khosla for saying that “decent whites should quit” Tesla and SpaceX and join his own company.

Khosla has also called Trump “not fit to be President” and advocated against his anti-DEI positions by championing a “dire US need” to bring in international students.

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​Ai agents, Brain decoding, Brain imaging, Elon musk, Mind reading, Neuralink, Return, Science fiction, Technology, India, Tech 

Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick (R) introduced legislation on Wednesday aimed at turning Virginia red by offloading liberal jurisdictions back onto the District of Columbia.

D.C. was established in 1790 through the Residence Act on 100 square miles of land ceded by Virginia and Maryland to the federal government. In 1846, however, Congress passed a law retroceding “and forever relinquish[ing]” present-day Arlington County and the City of Alexandria to Old Dominion, thereby limiting D.C. to the Maryland side of the Potomac.

‘Democrats have spent years manipulating maps and boundaries to rig elections.’

McCormick cast doubt on the legality of the 1846 retrocession, noting in a release that “Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the U.S. Constitution, commonly referred to as the Enclave Clause, grants Congress authority over a federal district ‘not exceeding ten miles square’ made up of territory ceded by state governments to serve as the seat of government. The Constitution does not enumerate any power to retrocede such territories back to state governments.”

The congressman is hardly the first to question the legality of the retrocession.

Radical Republican Sen. Benjamin Wade of Ohio introduced a bill in April 1866 that would have nullified the retrocession. Wade asserted that all jurisdiction over the once-ceded territory was “vested in Congress, whose duty it was then, and forever after, to preserve unviolated and free from all control whatsoever, save that of Congress.”

RELATED: Judge BLOCKS Virginia referendum to gerrymander more Democrats into office

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Nearly a decade later, the U.S. Supreme Court broached the question of the retrocession’s legality in Phillips v. Payne without, however, ruling on its validity.

McCormick maintains that the retrocession of Arlington and Alexandria “has warped the system since then” as evidenced by the recent Virginia redistricting referendum.

Virginia voted on Tuesday in favor of adopting gerrymandered congressional maps.

If the gerrymandering campaign ultimately proves successful — a Tazewell Circuit Court judge blocked the state on Wednesday from certifying the results of the vote, and the Virginia Supreme Court is set to weigh in on the referendum’s legality next week — then 10 out of the state’s 11 congressional seats are all but guaranteed to go to Democrats.

McCormick noted, however, that by dumping Arlington County and Alexandria inside D.C.’s borders — along with their estimated 250,000 “votes that belong to Washington DC” — the political dynamic will dramatically shift in Virginia.

The City of Alexandria voted overwhelmingly in favor on Tuesday — 78.89% to 21.11% — of allowing the General Assembly to adopt the gerrymandered congressional maps. It was the same story in Arlington County, where 79.9% of voters supported the proposed constitutional amendment to adopt the gerrymandered maps.

“Democrats have spent years manipulating maps and boundaries to rig elections,” said the congressman. “The Make DC Square Again Act restores the original ten-mile-square District and ends the artificial advantage Virginia Democrats have recently gained from all the federal bureaucrats moving into Virginia.”

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​Virginia, Democrat, Blue state, Rich mccormick, District of columbia, D.c., Columbia, Make dc square again, Residence act, Retrocession, Land, Arlington county, Alexandria, Politics 

A 2006 video of Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom has resurfaced and is going viral on social media. The footage shows a 38-year-old Newsom, who was at the time the San Francisco mayor, angrily storming off during an interview after being asked about allegations that he provided alcohol to his 19-year-old girlfriend, Brittanie Mountz, at a public event.

BlazeTV hosts Stu Burguiere and Dave Landau called the video comedic gold. On this episode of “Stu and Dave Do America,” they play the clip and tear into it with hilarious, nonstop banter.

In the video, a reporter asks Newsom for comment on a recent attack of Yale students in San Francisco over New Year’s, to which he replies, “It’s a good reminder how important it is to remind our parents to be good stewards of underage drinking.”

The reporter then pivots to a San Francisco Chronicle column by Philip Matier and Andrew Ross raising questions about whether Newsom’s then-19-year-old girlfriend, Brittanie Mountz, had been drinking alcohol.

“It hasn’t been a very easy week for you, and I wonder whether you have any comment on the Matier and Ross story about the drinking?” he inquires.

“Thank you very much. That was a great cheap shot,” Newsom retorts, before storming off. As he walks away, he adds, “Just know, for the record, it’s increasingly impossible to have a conversation with you. … Just know it’s not personal when I walk by you. If you just send some other reporters, it’s going to be a lot easier.”

“Seems like a pretty rational thing for a reporter to ask, actually,” says Stu.

Dave points out that Newsom’s initial response about underage drinking was at least honest. “Gavin Newsom did say it is important to be a good steward when giving alcohol to minors, which is essentially a male flight attendant that gives alcohol to people.”

“A lot of people are saying there are some signs with Gavin Newsom’s mannerisms and behavior in that interview that indicate to some that maybe alcohol is not the only substance he may have been using at that time,” says Stu. “Would you say that’s accurate?”

Dave, who’s been very candid about his past alcohol and drug abuse, says, “As an expert, I would say yes. He is probably on cocaine.”

While the duo note that this is nothing more than “speculation,” as Newsom has never had any drug charges brought against him, they have a strong suspicion that Newsom’s behavior in the video points to “guilt.”

Dave mocks, “He’s like, ‘This is why it’s getting harder to have a conversation. People keep bringing up stuff I did to teenagers. Maybe if you didn’t bring it up, I could sit there and talk to you.”’

To see the resurfaced clip and hear more of Stu and Dave’s hilarious banter, watch the episode above.

Want more from Stu and Dave?

To enjoy more of Stu and Dave’s lethal blend of wit, humor, and insightful commentary subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Andrew ross, Blaze media, Blazetv, Brittanie mountz, Comedic gold, Dave landau, Gavin newsom, Phillip matier, Resurfaced video, San francisco chronicle, San francisco mayor, Social media, Stu and dave do america, Stu burguiere, Underage drinking, Viral video 

A 17-year-old faces five counts of attempted murder in connection with Sunday’s mass shooting near the University of Iowa, in which five people were wounded — including three students.

Iowa City Police said Damarian M. Jones, 17, of Cedar Rapids, engaged in a fight around 1:45 a.m. in the 100 Block of East College Street in the Downtown Pedestrian Mall reportedly involving as many 40 people.

‘Their lives have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence.’

Police said over the course of the fight, Jones obtained a firearm from another individual. During a break in the fight, police said Jones walked away from the other combatants, drew the weapon, and fired six times into the crowded Pedestrian Mall.

Police said five people were struck by gunfire:

One victim suffered a life-threatening wound to her head and remains in critical condition.One victim was struck in the arm and chest, causing serious injuries requiring surgery.One victim was struck in the leg, causing serious injuries requiring multiple surgeries.One victim was struck in the side of the stomach, causing bodily injury.One victim was struck in both legs, causing bodily injury.

Police said of the five victims struck by gunfire, two remain hospitalized.

RELATED: 5 wounded, including 3 students, in shooting near University of Iowa; police release photos of persons of interest

“Their lives have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence,” Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said. “We pray for their full recovery and stand ready to support them in any way possible during this difficult time.”

Police said “none of the victims were the target of this shooting, and there is no reason to believe they were otherwise affiliated with this incident.”

By 3:05 a.m., investigators obtained images of Jones and other persons of interest in connection with the incident.

RELATED: Male, 31, fatally shoots 8 children execution style; 7 were his own kids: Report

Image source: Iowa City Police

Over the course of the investigation, police said they recovered three firearms, numerous firearm accessories, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Police added that investigators received more than 150 tips and served nearly three dozen search warrants.

Jones — who hasn’t been located, police said Wednesday — faces the following charges:

attempted murder (five counts)willful injury assault causing serious injury (three counts)willful injury assault causing bodily injury (two counts)going armed with intent

Officials confirmed to Iowa’s News Now that Jones is number three in the persons of interest photos sent out earlier this week.

RELATED: Masked men open fire after storming into Chick-fil-A; 1 dead, 6 injured; manhunt under way

Image source: Iowa City Police

Police said they are asking the public for assistance and that those with information are asked to contact the Iowa City Police Department at 319-356-5275. In addition, police said those in the area of the shooting with security cameras are asked to review their recordings and contact police with any potential video or information.

Iowa City Area Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information about this incident that leads to an arrest, police said. Crime Stoppers tips can be submitted via the P3 Tips app, online at iccrimestoppers.org, or by phone at 319-358-TIPS (8477), police said. All tips and calls are held in strict confidence and anonymity is guaranteed, police said, and individuals providing information are not required to reveal their identity to collect a reward.

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​Iowa city, Attempted murder charge, Going armed with intent, Mass shooting, Police, Suspect at large, Suspect named, University of iowa, Willful injury assault, Crime 

Jon Stewart routinely derides President Donald Trump on his Comedy Central infotainment show. This week, however, the cynical liberal found himself reluctantly celebrating the president over a new mental health initiative that could greatly impact afflicted veterans.

Trump signed an executive order on Saturday aimed at accelerating research and removing barriers to psychedelic drugs — including hallucinogenic ibogaine compounds, psilocybin, and LSD — as potential treatments for serious mental illnesses, including PTSD and depression.

‘Credit where credit is due.’

In addition to tasking Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary with reducing product application review times for psychedelic drugs that have received breakthrough therapy designations for treating mental illnesses, Trump ordered the FDA and Drug Enforcement Agency to create a pathway for eligible patients to access investigational psychedelic drugs.

Per the order, the Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA must also work with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the private sector “to increase clinical trial participation, data sharing, and real-world evidence generation regarding psychedelic drugs, and shall prioritize drugs that have received a Breakthrough Therapy designation.” Fifty million dollars will also be provided for state-level research into ibogaine.

The White House noted in a fact sheet that over 14 million American adults suffer from a serious mental illness; suicide rates remain alarmingly high; and the suicide rate among veterans is more than double that of the nonveteran adult population.

RELATED: 4 marijuana facts the pro-pot lobby doesn’t want you to know

Jim WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Afforded an opportunity to speak at the signing ceremony on Saturday, podcaster Joe Rogan revealed that the ball got rolling on the executive order after he “sent President Donald Trump some information” about ibogaine.

Trump confirmed the genesis of the initiative, noting that Rogan “wrote me a little note about this, and I had it checked out. I didn’t just do it. … I went to [HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] and [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz] and went to some of the people that work for you, real pros, and everybody came back with the same answer.”

“Everybody thought it was incredible, and I told Bobby, I said, ‘Bobby, let’s just do it, and get Oz involved,” added Trump.

The president noted at the EO signing that “these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans.”

On the April 20 episode of his show, Jon Stewart alerted his liberal audience that he wanted to “give credit where credit is due. We don’t, obviously, often do this.”

“The president did a solid over the weekend,” said Stewart. “President Trump signed an executive order in front of his fraternity brothers fast-tracking the FDA process for novel psychedelic drug treatments for veterans suffering from all forms of PTSD and other psychiatric conditions, including addiction.”

After playing tape from the EO signing and reflexively attacking the president over his unscripted remarks, Stewart stopped himself and said, “I’m sorry. I’m falling into old habits. It’s good. You did a good thing. I’m nitpicking. I apologize.”

Stewart noted further, “A lot of the people are going to get the help they need.”

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​Department of veterans affairs, Depression, Donald trump, Drug, Drug enforcement agency, Drugs, Executive order, Food and drug administration, Jon stewart, Medicine, Psychedelics, Ptsd, Suicide rates, Veterans, White house, Oz, Kennedy, Makarty, Politics 

As artificial intelligence drives fresh excitement in the tech world, major figures such as Elon Musk are reviving an old political fantasy: universal basic income. The idea has drawn support from a strange coalition, from progressive politicians like Andrew Yang to libertarian thinkers like Charles Murray.

To its advocates, UBI is the obvious answer to a future in which machines displace human labor. But beneath the sleek language of innovation lies the same old welfare-state promise: material comfort in exchange for dependence. Its supporters speak as though it were the natural companion of progress. In reality, it threatens to rob millions of the work, structure, and purpose that give life meaning.

UBI attracts supporters for very different reasons. For Andrew Yang and others on the left, it promises relief from poverty through guaranteed cash transfers. For Charles Murray, it has represented a simpler and more streamlined alternative to the sprawling welfare state. For Elon Musk and many AI boosters, UBI solves the problem of those with too little cognitive ability to compete, left behind in an increasingly IQ-based economy.

Their motives differ, but they share a revealing assumption: that UBI is an inevitable response to progress rather than a political choice with deep moral and social consequences. In each case, the individual is treated less as a citizen with duties and aspirations than as a materialist problem to be managed.

Welfare for all

A version of UBI basically already exists in the United States. With the vast web of interlocking welfare programs offered by the state for things like disability, poverty, child care, minority status, and educational attainment, most people can find a way to qualify for assistance with food or housing. It might not provide a comfortable or desirable life, but if someone doesn’t want to work to survive in America, they often do not have to.

For many people, the state has become not a temporary backstop but a long-term provider. That arrangement may keep some households afloat, but it has not produced a flourishing class of free and self-governing citizens. It has more often produced dependence, passivity, and bureaucratic management.

The case for UBI made by many AI enthusiasts bears a familiar resemblance to the old socialist dream. Human labor may become unnecessary, they say, but machine-driven abundance will replace what is lost. Freed from drudgery, ordinary people will devote themselves to art, philosophy, travel, community, and self-cultivation. The nation will become a republic of fulfilled and creative souls, all liberated from economic necessity. It is an attractive vision. It is also the same old fantasy that material abundance can dissolve the harder facts of human nature.

The idea that AI can produce the predicted level of abundance is itself a huge, untested assumption.

Man is not a machine

AI is well-suited to handling many managerial tasks and repetitive interactions. It is far less capable in situations that require judgment, responsibility, dexterity, trust, and adaptation to messy reality. Even the systems that do work require expensive hardware, enormous energy consumption, and a dense supporting infrastructure. A country that struggles to maintain basic institutional competence should be wary of fantasies about a nearly labor-free future sustained by flawless technical systems. Before promising a world beyond work, the advocates of UBI should first show that the machinery behind that world can actually exist.

Even if one grants the premise that AI could replace most labor and generate enough abundance to meet material needs, UBI would still collide with basic truths about human nature. Men do not work merely to eat. Work gives shape to the day, imposes discipline, teaches competence, and anchors identity. People on welfare in the current system are not known for their high propensity to churn out great American novels or breathtaking sculptures. Instead, welfare recipients tend to watch television, play video games, and do drugs with their free time. Idleness, not unleashed creativity, is the fruit most often produced by removing the human need for labor.

Undoubtedly, some genuinely talented people who are trapped in unfulfilling jobs would benefit from this UBI scenario, but for the average person, it would be a disaster. For most people, even imperfect work provides something essential: structure, routine, responsibility, and a recognized place in the world.

Slaves to the tech plantation

A humanity freed from the necessity of labor would see the Pareto Principle run wild, with a small number of talented and driven people benefiting greatly as the rest fall into idleness. The mortality rate of men spikes when they retire because they lose the structure and meaning that had previously defined their lives.

UBI advocates also have a habit of addressing only the survival aspects of economic behavior while ignoring one of its most important functions — status. The status hierarchy is one of the most important aspects of how humans order our societies, and to determine our place within that hierarchy, we play status games.

Occupations can be extremely desirable for the status they confer, not just the resources they provide. A plumber may earn more than a professor, yet many people would still prefer the title and standing that come with academic life. If AI makes a base level of abundance available, people will compete over something to obtain status. Maybe artisanal, hand-manufactured items will become the new marker of status. The point is that these behaviors are hardwired into humans, and we should not expect them to disappear even if we solve the problem suddenly that they initially addressed.

AI enthusiasts rarely consider the consequences of disconnecting the entire production process from humans. Markets currently seek to maintain an equilibrium between human production and human consumption. There are artificial signals and plenty of distortion, but markets are still human-centered. If you decouple the system from human input by placing everyone on UBI, you create a closed techno-commercial feedback loop that no longer needs to be restricted by human concerns. In such a system, the citizen is no longer a participant but a dependent end user. That is not merely an economic shift. It is a transformation in the meaning of social life.

The danger grows sharper once one considers the political power UBI would concentrate in the state. The U.S. government already plays favorites, denying business loans, college scholarships, mortgage assistance, and other benefits to races, religions, or political affiliations that it finds undesirable. Every payment can become a point of pressure. Every dependency can become a tool of compliance.

It should be obvious that the state would become even more abusive if it became the only distributor of economic goods and services. Incredibly, socialists, libertarians, and techno capitalists can all make the same mistake, though it is not that surprising once you realize the underlying error. Their ideologies differ, but all are tempted by the same thin view of man as a creature defined mainly by material needs. But man is not a machine to be provisioned. We are more than just inputs and outputs; we are creatures who require meaning and purpose. That is something that a universal basic income can never give.

​Abundance, Ai, Auron macintyre, Labor displacement, Ubi, Welfare, Opinion & analysis 

The Southern Poverty Law Center was formally incorporated in 1971 by a pair of Alabama lawyers keen on handling anti-discrimination cases and advancing the cause of civil rights in the United States.

The SPLC morphed over time into a smear- and fear-mongering racket, raking in millions of dollars in contributions — over $106.47 million in fiscal year 2024 alone — and paying its executives gargantuan salaries while both attacking law-abiding conservatives and allegedly funding the very extremism it purportedly seeks to curb.

On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced that a grand jury in Alabama returned an indictment charging the SPLC with 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.

The organization is accused of secretly dumping over $3 million in donated funds to individuals linked to various extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and National Socialist Party of America — groups the SPLC was supposedly fighting against.

‘The SPLC hate group label will almost undoubtedly make it into press reports about future events.’

While liberal donors might now be waking up to the fact that the SPLC is a radical and rotten organization, conservatives have long recognized it as a menace and for good reason: The SPLC’s mischaracterizations and alarmist rhetoric helped set the stage for at least one shooting.

The Family Research Council is a conservative think tank that promotes family, marriage, and the rights of the unborn and speaks forcefully against divorce, pornography, and sexual deviancy. By maintaining orthodox and principled biblical stances on various social issues, the FRC found itself on the SPLC’s radar.

The liberal hate racket listed the Family Research Council as an “anti-gay group” in a winter 2010 report and put it on the same list of extremist groups as the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations — groups that allegedly “have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.”

RELATED: SPLC indictment BOMBSHELL: Charlottesville violence allegedly was a leftist-funded ‘false flag’

Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Heidi Beirich, then-research director at the SPLC, said there was no difference between the FRC and the KKK in the eyes of the SPLC; that “what we’re saying is these [anti-gay] groups perpetrate hate — just like those [racist] organizations do.”

The SPLC’s hate-mongering ultimately set the stage for a terrorist attack against the Family Research Council.

Floyd Lee Corkins II stormed into the office of the FRC in Washington, D.C., armed with a gun on Aug. 15, 2012. Corkins later told investigators that he got the name of the conservative organization from the SPLC’s list of alleged anti-gay groups and that he intended to kill as many FRC employees as he could.

‘They’d love nothing more than to see TPUSA in the crosshairs.’

The terrorist proved unable to execute his massacre thanks to the bravery of Leonardo Reno Johnson, the unarmed security guard on duty that day.

Despite catching a bullet to the arm, Johnson managed to disarm and subdue the shooter.

“Floyd Corkins was responsible for firing the shot yesterday that wounded one of our colleagues and our friend Leo Johnson,” said Tony Perkins, president of the FRC, “but Corkins was given a license to shoot an unarmed man by organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center.”

The SPLC displaced any and all blame for the attack, stating the day after the shooting that “Perkins’ accusation is outrageous” and that the FRC “should stop the demonization and affirm the dignity of all people.”

As evidenced by its serial demonization of other conservatives and conservative groups, including Turning Point USA and its founder Charlie Kirk, the hate racket clearly did not learn anything from the incident.

The SPLC’s “Year in Hate and Extremism 2024” report contained a lengthy section titled “Turing Point USA: A Case Study of the Hard Right in 2024.”

This section stated that:

“Charlie Kirk’s TPUSA is a well-funded, hard-right organization with links to Southern Poverty Law Center-identified hard-right extremists and a tremendous amount of influence in conservative politics”;TPUSA under Kirk was “emblematic” of the American political right’s supposed embrace of “aggressive state and federal power to enforce a social order rooted in white supremacy” against a backdrop of “patriarchal Christian supremacy dedicated to eroding the value of inclusive democracy and public institutions”;TPUSA was advancing a “narrow vision” that fights for “white, male, Christian dominance in America” and results in the demonization of nonconforming men, women, and “nonbinary people”; andKirk framed Christianity as superior and Christians as persecuted to justify TPUSA’s “extreme, authoritarian vision for the country that threatens the foundation of our democracy.”

Kirk knew full-well what the hate racket was up to, stating on May 25, 2025, “The SPLC has added Turning Point to their ridiculous ‘hate group’ list, right next to the KKK and neo-Nazis, a cheap smear from a washed-up org that’s been fleecing scared grandmas for decades.”

“Their game plan? Scare financial institutions into debanking us, pressure schools to cancel us, and demonize us so some unhinged lunatic feels justified targeting us,” continued Kirk. “Remember the Family Research Council? An SPLC-inspired gunman went after them. They’d love nothing more than to see TPUSA in the crosshairs.”

The day before Kirk’s Sept. 10, 2025, assassination at Utah Valley University, the SPLC Hatewatch newsletter named Kirk and TPUSA as extremist, according to testimony entered into the congressional record in December.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), chairman of the House subcommittee on the Constitution and limited government, said during the same hearing, “As with FRC, in the aftermath of Charlie’s assassination, there have been no retractions, no accountability, and no acknowledgment of the risks inherent in branding mainstream political figures as existential threats. These incidents, separated by 13 years but linked by the same targeting architecture, underscore a sobering reality. The SPLC’s designations don’t merely stigmatize. They can serve as ideological permission slips for individuals already willing to commit political violence.”

Unlike Corkins, Kirk’s alleged assassin does not appear to have made any mention of the SPLC’s smears against his victim.

FRC president Tony Perkins welcomed the charges against the SPLC on Tuesday, noting that “for years, the SPLC has used its platform to label and target organizations with whom it disagrees, often blurring the line between legitimate concern and ideological attack. That kind of reckless characterization doesn’t just damage reputations, it has put lives at risk.”

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​Southern poverty law center, Splc, Charlie kirk, Family research council, Frc, Terrorism, Terrorist, Shooting, Attack, Leftism, Liberal, Fraud, Incitement, Radical, Liberalism, Conservative, Turning point usa, Politics 

Today is April 20, a day of celebration for marijuana enthusiasts everywhere. But did you ever wonder how it came to be?

It’s 1971 in Northern California, and a bunch of kids at San Rafael High School are on the hunt for a vast treasure: a secret patch of marijuana plants hidden in the backcountry of nearby Point Reyes.

Chinese organized crime has come to dominate the illegal marijuana trade across the country.

See, an older guy they know has been growing it, but now he’s worried that he’s going to get busted. So he tells the kids they can harvest it all and keep it — free of charge. He even draws them a map.

Every day after classes, they meet at the statue of Louis Pasteur to continue the search — always around 4:20 p.m. They begin using this as code to talk about the project. First “Louie 420,” later shortened to just “420.”

One of the kids has an older brother who is friends with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. They all start hanging out with the band, and “420” catches on as a sort of all-purpose slang for stoner culture. Later some genius figures out that “420” looks like the date 4/20, i.e. April 20, and here we are.

Oh, and those kids never did find the magical weed farm. And 55 years later, I think I know why. Ready to have your mind blown?

There was no marijuana crop. The guy just thought it was funny to send some dumb high-schoolers on a wild goose chase — complete with a corny treasure map. He and his buddies probably laughed about it once, then forgot about it. Meanwhile, these scrubs are combing through the poison oak in search of their dank El Dorado for weeks.

So when you think about it, 420 is a monument to how gullible and dumb smoking weed makes you.

Also, I’ve just been informed that today is April 23.

Sorry. Ever since they legalized weed out here in California, you can’t roll down your car window without being forced to inhale some sickly sweet cannabis vapors. Everyone in Los Angeles has caught a secondhand high, whether they want to or not.

That’s why I don’t know what day it is, and that’s why it just took me three hours — as well as two “Columbo” episodes and a bag of Funyuns — to write the preceding paragraphs.

Here are some other reasons legalization was a bad idea.

1. This isn’t your parents’ marijuana

Sorry, libertarians, but the whole legalization debate was built on a product that barely exists any more. In the 1970s, levels of THC (the chemical that makes you enjoy jazz music) hovered around 2%-3%. Today, it’s routine to find 15% to 20% THC in your classic “flower” — that green stuff Cheech and Chong smoked.

And nowadays we have a whole new lineup of cannabis concentrates, which can contain up to 60% to 80% THC levels. One minute you’re trying to make “The Dark Side of the Moon” sync up with “The Wizard of Oz”; the next you’re having a vision quest in the Vons frozen food aisle.

2. The psychosis link is real — and better established now

When it came to pot, former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson was firmly in the “it’s just a plant” camp — where any suggestion that marijuana could trigger serious mental health issues was treated as laughable “reefer madness” scare tactics.

Until his wife, at the time a senior psychiatrist at a facility for the criminally mentally ill, made an offhand comment about the latest violent offender she was treating: “Of course he’d been smoking pot his whole life.”

Of course?

That was the moment that sent Berenson digging, ultimately leading to his 2019 book, “Tell Your Children.”

What he found wasn’t a fringe theory, but something closer to a quiet consensus inside psychiatry, supported by study after study: Heavy cannabis use is linked to psychosis, and the link gets stronger with potency and frequency.

None of this means marijuana will cause psychosis in most users. But the fact remains that legalization normalized a product that, for a meaningful minority of users, can trigger something serious — and sometimes irreversible.

This is a trade-off that rarely makes it into the cultural conversation — and never into the marketing.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk urges Trump to reconsider reclassifying marijuana: ‘Protect public spaces for kids’

White House photo

3. Legalization didn’t replace the black market

One of the simplest arguments for legalization was also one of the most intuitive: If you make marijuana legal, the illegal market disappears.

But that didn’t happen.

Take California, the country’s largest legal cannabis market. State analysts and industry observers still estimate the illicit trade to be as large as or larger than the legal one. The reasons aren’t mysterious.

Illegal sellers don’t test, tax, or restrict — so they can move faster and sell cheaper. They can also use banned, highly toxic pesticides to maximize crop yields. This tainted weed often ends up on dispensary shelves right next to regulated dope.

Because enforcement focuses on still-illegal drugs like meth and heroin, the marijuana black market offers an attractive opportunity for criminal networks. Chinese organized crime in particular has come to dominate the illegal marijuana trade across the country — trafficking Chinese nationals to work the farms.

4. ‘Not addictive’ is not really true

“Weed isn’t addictive” has become one of the most repeated — and least examined — claims in the legalization era.

It’s true in a narrow, clinical sense: Marijuana doesn’t typically produce the kind of severe physical dependence associated with opioids or alcohol. But that’s not the only way habits take hold.

What is more common — and easier to miss — is behavioral dependence, building routines around use that are hard to break, even without dramatic withdrawal symptoms.

Research from agencies like the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that roughly three in 10 users develop cannabis use disorder — a figure that rises with daily use and higher-potency products.

It’s a widespread crisis that is all the more insidious for how undramatic it is: a gradual narrowing of motivation, attention, and energy.

​Legalized weed california, Thc levels increase, Chronic cannabis use, Drugs, Lifestyle 

Pope Leo XIV wants Christians and Muslims to focus on what unites them.

That was the clear message of his remarks last week inside a mosque in Algeria. But by highlighting common ground, the pope may be downplaying something just as important: the big and enduring differences — not to mention a long, uneasy history — that continue to shape relations between the two faiths.

Speaking at the Grand Mosque of Algiers on April 13, the pope emphasized mercy, solidarity, and what he called “concrete fraternity.” He urged believers to reject violence, warning that religion without compassion loses sight of human dignity. It was a gracious, carefully calibrated message, one that reflects decades of Catholic outreach to the Muslim world.

Real dialogue, if it is to be more than symbolic, requires more than shared language about peace and dignity. It requires clarity.

But it’s only part of the story.

Relations between the papacy and Islam stretch back more than 1,300 years to the era of Pope Donus in the 7th century, when the rapid expansion of Islam transformed the Christian world. What followed was not primarily dialogue, but conflict. Muslim armies swept through formerly Christian lands in North Africa and the Middle East. Europe responded with the Crusades. Constantinople fell. Naval battles like Lepanto became defining moments of civilizational struggle. For much of history, Christianity and Islam encountered each other not in shared spaces of worship, but on opposing sides of war.

That history does not dictate the future, but ignoring it doesn’t lend clarity to the present.

The Catholic Church’s modern approach to Islam largely dates to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Its declaration, Nostra Aetate, marked a turning point, stating that the Church “has a high regard for the Muslims,” who worship the one, merciful God. It called for both sides to move beyond past hostilities and work together for justice and peace.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church builds on that framework. It teaches that Muslims, “together with us, adore the one, merciful God” and are included in God’s plan of salvation. That’s pretty remarkable language, especially when viewed against centuries of conflict. They reflect the Vatican’s deliberate effort to emphasize common ground and reduce religious hostility.

But they do not erase fundamental differences.

Islam rejects the Christian understanding of God as Trinity, denies the divinity of Jesus, and does not accept the central claim of salvation through the cross and resurrection. These are not minor disagreements. They go to the heart of what each religion believes about God and humanity’s relationship to Him. Any serious discussion of Christian-Muslim relations must grapple with that reality.

Previous popes have approached this tension in different ways.

Pope St. John Paul II became the first pope in history to enter a mosque when he visited the Great Mosque of Damascus on May 6, 2001 — a groundbreaking moment in interfaith relations just months before 9/11. That same year, he sparked controversy by kissing the Koran. Supporters saw it as a sign of deep respect. Critics saw it as a confusing gesture that seemed to honor a text at odds with core Christian beliefs. Either way, it highlighted the risks that come with symbolic outreach.

Pope Benedict XVI took a more cautious approach. While committed to dialogue, he stressed that it must be grounded in truth and reason, not just goodwill. He argued that peace requires honesty about differences, including disagreements over religious freedom, an issue that remains unresolved in parts of the Muslim world where Christians face legal or social restrictions.

Pope Leo’s remarks in Algeria clearly point to the Vatican’s emphasis on unity. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. In a fractured world, a call for peace and mutual respect is not only understandable, but it’s also necessary.

There is, however, a difference between emphasizing shared values and presenting an incomplete picture.

Leo spoke movingly about fraternity but said little about the theological differences that define Christianity and Islam. He called for peace but did not address the question of reciprocity — whether Christians are afforded the same freedoms in Muslim-majority countries that Muslims enjoy in the West. He highlighted what unites while leaving largely unspoken what divides.

That move may be diplomatically prudent. It may even be pastorally appropriate in a mosque setting.

But for a global audience, it risks creating the impression that the differences are smaller, or less significant, than they really are.

Real dialogue, if it is to be more than symbolic, requires more than shared language about peace and dignity. It requires clarity. It requires acknowledging that agreement on some moral principles does not erase profound disagreements about truth. And it requires confronting difficult realities, including the uneven state of religious freedom worldwide.

The Catholic Church’s own teaching reflects this balance. It calls for respect toward Muslims, rejects hatred and violence, and encourages cooperation where possible. But it also insists on the uniqueness of Christ and the truth of the gospel. Those elements are not in conflict.

The challenge is maintaining that balance in practice.

Pope Leo XIV’s visit to an Algerian mosque was a powerful symbol of goodwill. It showed a church willing to engage, to listen, and to seek peace across religious boundaries. But symbols, however compelling, are not the whole story.

If interfaith dialogue is to have real substance, it must be rooted not only in what is shared, but also in what is true — and in a clear-eyed understanding of history, theology, and the world as it is.

That is the harder message. It is also a far more necessary one.

​Christians, Divinity, Gospel, Muslims, Pope leo xiv, Theology, Opinion & analysis 

There’s an old saying: If they didn’t make you, they can’t break you.

But when you start living for the applause or fearing the critics, you have already lost your way. Eric Swalwell used to love the spotlight and ignore the noise, but eventually, that borrowed protection always falls apart.

Now, he’s standing there on his own, having to answer for it all. People don’t just wake up and decide to ruin their lives. It happens through tiny, bad choices that feel like no big deal at the time — mostly because nothing seems to go wrong immediately.

Judas didn’t just end up where he did by accident. It started with small compromises he thought he could handle.

If you think you’re above a fall like this, you’re already kidding yourself. This isn’t just about one man’s mistake; it’s a pattern. These things build up long before anyone sees them. By the time the truth comes out, the damage is already done.

We live in a world that loves the idea of “my truth” or “your truth,” but reality isn’t that flexible. The truth doesn’t care if you’re ready for it; it just is. When it hits, everything changes. The room gets quiet, confidence turns into defensiveness, and things start to unravel fast.

Most people see this happen and think one of two things: “That’s what you get for living that way” or “I’m just glad I’m not that guy.”

Both of those look like safe responses, but they aren’t. Those thoughts show up quietly, sounding like common sense or discernment rather than pride. That’s why we trust them. But if we think this is only about someone else, we’ve missed the point. It’s easy to judge and say he deserved it, but the Bible warns us not to celebrate when an enemy falls — not just to be polite, but because it reveals our own hearts. Wanting justice for him while expecting mercy for ourselves is exactly what keeps us from seeing our own need to make things right.

RELATED: Democrats’ ‘Sergeant Schultz strategy’ on Chavez and Swalwell

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc./Getty Images

This isn’t just something to gossip about; it’s a warning. Judas didn’t just end up where he did by accident. It started with small compromises he thought he could handle. That’s the big lie: that you can manage guilt without it costing you anything.

I’ve seen crowds scream the lyrics to AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” like the whole idea is just a joke. The music feels good, and the moment hides the reality. Until it doesn’t.

Eventually, the music stops, and the voices fade. There comes a moment when you can’t shout over the truth any more. The Bible shows us that when that first happened, no one needed an explanation.

They knew. They tried to hide. Nothing has really changed since then. When that moment comes for us, there won’t be any point in comparing ourselves to others. We’ll just stand there as we are — covered, or not.

There’s no spin and no audience to back you up. If we’re just relying on our own efforts, we’re completely exposed. But there is hope: Jesus Christ.

He doesn’t argue that we are innocent. Instead, He invites us to turn around and trust Him. He gives us His own goodness to stand in. There really isn’t a middle ground.

​Jesus christ, Eric swalwell, Common sense, Christian living, Opinion & analysis 

Alabama police are investigating the brutal murder of a mother, her pregnant daughter, and her son, who were all found tied up in separate rooms of their home in Wilmer.

Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said officers responded to the residence at about 2:30 a.m. Monday and found the “brutal scene” of murder.

‘I hope and feel comfortable we’ll have this animal or animals off the streets soon.’

Lisa Gail Fields, 46, was stabbed, her 17-year-old daughter Keziah Arionna Luker was shot, and her 12-year-old son Thomas Cordelle Jr. had his throat cut and was nearly decapitated, according to Burch.

“It was a brutal scene,” Burch said. “If you’ve got a beef with an adult … there’s nothing worth killing over, but to murder two children brutally. … I hope and feel comfortable we’ll have this animal or animals off the streets soon.”

Police also found an 18-month-old baby in the home who was unharmed.

“At this point, we don’t suspect any kind of domestic or family-type situation,” Burch said.

He went on to say the home was in a state of disarray, which could mean the perpetrators were searching for something. Police also believe there was more than one suspect involved because the three people had been subdued.

“It tells me that they had a plan coming in to bring zip ties or flex cuffs with them, so they had a plan,” Burch added.

A family member found the horrific scene after the father of the unborn child could not reach Luker. The victims were all found with their hands tied behind their backs.

Police said they have some positive leads in the case.

RELATED: Homeless man found tied up in vacant home was brutally beaten with signs of torture, police say

“It’s a senseless murder,” Luker’s father said to WALA-TV.

“She was a bubble of sunshine. A person that makes you smile,” he added, “a person that’ll make you laugh whenever you’re down. She had empathy for everybody. She loved her brothers; she loved her mom; she loved all of us.”

He added that she had just gotten her GED equivalent.

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​Alabama family murdered, Pregnant woman murdered, Brutal murders, Crime, Wilmer quadruple homicide