Category: blaze media

If you stumble onto any delusional radical left winger’s social media today, you’re likely to find them celebrating violence they view as revolutionary — and Jay Greene of the Heritage Foundation knows where it all begins.

“College courses routinely romanticize political violence by featuring violent revolutionaries, terrorists who are blood-drenched murderers, and featuring their works in course assignments and presenting their actions in favorable terms,” Greene tells BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere on “Stu Does America.”

“And so it’s not surprising that young people might get the idea that it’s justifiable for the advancement of justice, or some other worthy cause to engage in political violence, because in their college courses, they read works by people who did precisely that,” he continues.

Greene pointed out Angela Davis, Bill Ayers, and Assata Shakur, “each of whom were involved in revolutionary movements in the ’60s and ’70s” and “each of whom was accused of murder.”

Davis was a leader in the Black Panther movement who bought the guns used in the 1970 courtroom takeover in which the judge was killed, the DA was shot, and a member of the jury was seriously wounded.

“She managed to get off on the claim that she didn’t know what the guns were going to be used for,” Greene explains.

“She later became the vice presidential candidate for the Communist Party in the United States, and in Moscow, received the Lenin prize. That’s not the John Lennon prize, but the Vladimir Lenin prize, for her efforts to advance violent revolution in the United States,” he continues.

“Now, not only does she have books in over 2,000 syllabi in U.S. colleges, not only that, but she is regularly a distinguished speaker, gets paid between $30,000 and $50,000 per appearance at U.S. universities, and she herself is a professor out in the California public university system,” he adds.

Bill Ayers and Assata Shakur have similar stories, now “read in college and lauded in college despite their blood-drenched past.”

“It’s unbelievable how deep this goes,” Stu comments.

“If you think about it, if you go and shoot a health care CEO who’s a father in the back, as in, you know, in cold blood, you’re treated as a hero,” he continues while explaining there’s clear incentives for becoming a violent revolutionary on the left.

“We see lots of people celebrating Charlie Kirk’s murder. The incentives seem to be lined up to a certain type of leftist, particularly a young leftist who’s going to see this as something that maybe they just get praised for, if they do, and at the very least, they will be seen in the history books as this hero,” he says.

“That’s entirely true,” Greene agrees. “You know, the people that we lionize as heroes to our children throughout their entire educational development and personal development, including in their college courses, they’re going to want to imitate.”

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​Sharing, Free, Video, Camera phone, Video phone, Upload, Youtube.com, Stu does america, Stu burguiere, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Left wing political violence, Left wing violence, Charlie kirk, Angela davis, The black panthers, Bill ayers, The radical left, Assata shakur, Jay greene, The heritage foundation, College radicalization, College campuses 

BROADVIEW, Ill. — U.S. Border Patrol agents, under Commander at Large Gregory Bovino, dispersed protesters who were blocking the road that leads to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building near Chicago on Saturday.

The processing facility in Broadview has been heavily targeted in recent weeks by anti-ICE protesters in response to President Donald Trump ordering Operation Midway Blitz for the Chicago area. Until this past week, crowds have been able to form directly outside the facility, blocking the road and driveway in an attempt to prevent federal vehicles from entering or leaving.

ICE installed temporary security fencing down the road from the building to prevent protesters and rioters from getting close. On Saturday, another anti-ICE crowd formed by the security fence and had to be ordered to clear the road multiple times by Border Patrol.

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During a lull in the confrontations, one woman was seen passing out large and small Mexican flags to protesters. The woman told Blaze News that someone else had come by to drop off the flags.

RELATED: ‘Shoot the f**kers!’ Anti-ICE agitators caught on video apparently calling for violence in wake of deadly Dallas shooting

Photo by Blaze News

After it became clear the crowd was not going to disperse and stop their attempts to impede federal law enforcement, Bovino and his agents came out for one final time to clear the crowd from the road. Agents used multiple canisters of tear gas, shot pepper balls, and confiscated homemade shields from the anti-ICE agitators.

Border Patrol made multiple arrests as the formation moved down the road.

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President Trump shared Blaze News’ video of the confrontations on Truth Social and said, “Border Patrol will take no nonsense!”

There were no major confrontations between agents and protesters at the facility on Sunday, perhaps because of the show of strength by Border Patrol the previous night. Plus, the protests at the Broadview facility have typically occurred on Fridays, though the reason is unclear. It remains to be seen how anti-ICE groups will adapt to the reinforcements sent by the Department of Homeland Security as Operation Midway Blitz is still under way.

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​Politics 

Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny has been named as the next Super Bowl performer despite mocking the president just two months ago.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is known not only for music but outlandish outfits that often include dresses and women’s clothing.

‘… f**king ICE could be outside.’

The 31-year-old was named by the NFL as the performer for the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, which will take place on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Bad Bunny immediately declared the performance would be dedicated to his “people” and their history.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said, per the NFL. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown … this is for my people, my culture, and our history.”

He finished by saying, in Spanish, “Go tell your grandma we’re going to be the SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW.”

The announcement comes after Bad Bunny mocked President Trump in July over his immigration policies.

RELATED: Radio host makes insane complaint about Charlie Kirk tributes at NFL games — but actual players disagree

Bad Bunny attending the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty’ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Photo by Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

In his music video for “NUEVAYoL,” released on July 4, Bad Bunny not only draped a Puerto Rican flag over the Statue of Liberty, but he inserted a break in the video in order to play a parody of the president’s voice.

“I made a mistake. I want to apologize to the immigrants in America,” the Trump parody says over the radio. “I mean the United States. I know America is the whole continent.”

The voice continues, “I want to say that this country is nothing without the immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans.”

The men listening to the radio seemingly disregard the message and turn it off.

At the beginning of September, the musician said he excluded the United States from his upcoming world tour because he feared Immigration and Customs Enforcement would raid his concerts.

Although there were “many reasons” he did not “show up in the U.S.,” Bad Bunny explained, “there was the issue of — like, f**king ICE could be outside.”

“And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he said, according to the Guardian.

RELATED: NFL icon sends handwritten letter to Pope Leo XIV — here’s what he asked for

In January, the artist revealed that he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election because he was offended by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally. Hinchcliffe joked that Puerto Rico was a floating island of garbage, a play on the fact that the territory has an extreme waste management issue.

“I can understand that it’s a joke, but there’s people that doesn’t understand that it’s a joke. People who are going to agree with that joke,” Ocasio said at the time, per Yahoo.

Platinum recording artist Bruno Mars, who is part Puerto Rican, supported Bad Bunny with a post on X, quoting his words from the NFL press release while adding, “Go get em Bad Bunny!”

Rapper Jay-Z, who collaborates with the NFL for its halftime show through his company Roc Nation, called Bad Bunny “inspiring” for what he has done for Puerto Rico.

“We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage,” Jay-Z said.

Jon Barker, senior vice president of global event production for the NFL, added that Bad Bunny has a “unique ability to bridge genres, languages, and audiences,” which makes him a “natural choice to take the Super Bowl halftime stage.”

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​Fearless, Super bowl, Nfl, Football, Half time show, Trump, Kamala harris, Tony hinchcliffe, Puerto rico, Sports 

A political party in Japan is turning to a non-human leader after failing to gain any seats in a recent election.

The Path to Rebirth party was launched in January after a former small-town mayor, Shinji Ishimaru, shocked Japan by coming in second in Tokyo’s 2024 gubernatorial race.

‘Legally, the representative must be a natural person.’

Despite not having any policies, platforms, or member guidelines, the party had hoped to gain traction in Japan’s House of Councillors election. However, the Path to Rebirth party failed to pick up any of the 124 seats that were up for grabs in the election.

Ishimaru quit following the massive defeat, the Japan Times reported, and now a new leader has been installed.

Doctoral student Koki Okumura won the party’s leadership race, but decided he is not fit for the job, and last week he tapped a new party leader.

RELATED: Female avatar appointed as Europe’s first AI government official

Shinji Ishimaru, former mayor of Akitakata City, speaks during the WebX2024 in Tokyo, Japan. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“The new leader will be AI,” the 25-year-old declared.

Describing himself as the assistant to the artificial intelligence, the Kyoto University student said the AI will be a penguin avatar, a nod to Japan’s love for animals.

Okumura said that while the party will “entrust decision-making to AI,” he will be the formal figurehead because party leaders in Japan must be human.

“Legally, the representative must be a natural person, so formally, a human serves as the representative,” he explained.

In an interview with CNN, Okumura said he believes AI will eventually take over all the decision-making for the Path to Rebirth party.

“I believe it has the potential to achieve things with greater precision than humans. This approach allows us to carefully consider voices that are often overlooked by humans, potentially creating a more inclusive and humane environment for political participation,” Okumura added.

Perhaps surprisingly, the AI penguin is not the first major appointment for a non-human entity this month.

RELATED: Can these new fake pets save humanity? Take a wild guess

Albania’s new AI-generated minister “Diella” “speaks” during a parliamentary session. Photo by ADNAN BECI/AFP via Getty Images

Just a week prior, Albania announced that public tenders — bids made by companies to supply goods or services to the government — will be handled by an AI minister.

The AI, named Diella, meaning “Sun,” was already in use as a virtual assistant for Albania’s online public services website that deals with digital documents. Prime Minister Edi Rama boldly claimed that the AI will be “100% free of corruption.”

As for the penguin leader, Okumura said there is no timeline for its formal implementation, and its appearance has not been revealed.

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​Return, Artificial intelligence, Ai, Ai leader, Japan, Albania, Penguin, Tech 

Marrying a first cousin is presently legal in Britain. Conservative Member of Parliament Richard Holden has, however, introduced legislation that would ban the practice, which has been linked to genetic disorders, higher infant mortality, and mental retardation.

“This is not about faith or race,” Holden noted earlier this year. “It’s about integration, fundamental liberty, and health.”

The proposed ban has caused a great deal of hand-wringing among liberals and Pakistani activists, who figure it is “prejudiced” against the Pakistani community, where cousin marriage is widespread.

The National Health Service’s Genomics Education Programme recently caused an uproar by adopting this framing and spinning incest as a possible social benefit.

In a Sept. 22 blog guidance that was recently deleted, the Genomics Education Programme noted that “marriage between first cousins, known as consanguineous marriage, has been practiced for centuries across many cultures — often seen as a way of preserving family wealth, strengthening social ties, and maintaining cultural traditions.”

The health authority acknowledged that because first cousins share around 12.5% of their genes, the linked likelihoods that they will both carry the same genetic variants and together have children born with a genetic disorder are greatly increased.

‘The NHS won’t say a word against cousin marriage.’

Congenital anomalies are a leading cause of infant death in the United Kingdom. In a 2013 study published in the Lancet, researchers investigated why rates of infant death were highest in children of Pakistani origin.

The researchers found that whereas less than 1% of babies of white British natives were born to first cousins, 38% of babies born of Pakistani residents were inbred. The researchers concluded that incest was associated with a doubling risk for congenital anomaly and that “31% of all anomalies in children of Pakistani origin could be attributed to consanguinity.”

A 2022 study published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Women’s Health noted that “presently, consanguinity is widely popular and respected in many communities, particularly in Muslims. Pakistan ranks amongst those countries, where the highest prevalence of consanguinity is still in vogue.”

RELATED: UK government makes digital ID mandatory to get a job: ‘Safer, fairer and more secure’

Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The study noted that over 63% of marriages in Pakistan were between blood relatives as of 2018 and that “the popularity of consanguineous unions is not declining in the country, because of social, cultural, religious, and economic advantages, which outweigh the disadvantages given the population.”

Pakistan is rife with genetic disorders largely as a consequence of inbreeding — a problem that appears to have been exported to the United Kingdom.

‘Incestuous arranged marriages apparently now represent the leading edge of progressivism.’

Professor Sam Oddie, a consultant neonatologist and researcher at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, told the BBC earlier this year that severe genetic disorders, in many cases fatal, were happening more often in Bradford, England — where over 25% of the population is Pakistani — than elsewhere.

Despite the health risks for the children of first cousins, the NHS’ Genomics Education Programme suggested in its deleted blog guidance both that the increased risk “is a small one” — an increase from a likelihood of 2%-3% to a likelihood of 4%-6% — and that first-cousin marriage has “various potential benefits, including stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages.”

In addition to painting a silver lining on incestuous marriages, the health agency concern-mongered about “stigmatizing certain communities and cultural traditions.”

Conservative Member of Parliament Claire Coutinho responded to the guidance, “The NHS tells you (a lot) not to smoke or drink during pregnancy. But the NHS won’t say a word against cousin marriage.”

Dr. Richard H. Ebright of Rutgers University wrote, “Incestuous arranged marriages apparently now represent the leading edge of progressivism. Almost as progressive as transvestite marriages.”

A spokesman for NHS England told the Telegraph in a statement, “The article published on the website of the Genomics Education Programme is a summary of existing scientific research and the public policy debate. It is not expressing an NHS view.”

“Some critics say a ban would infringe upon people’s freedom — but what freedom are we protecting? The reality for so many is a life predetermined by bloodline and birth order. We are not protecting a freedom; we are perpetuating oppression,” Holden said during a June debate in parliament. “Let us not forget that most cousin marriages are not one-offs. In some cases, they are multi-generational. With each generation, the chance to choose diminishes further. The net tightens and lives are lost in the gaps.”

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​England, Britain, United kingdom, Incest, Inbreeding, First-cousin, Cousin, Cosanguination, Nhs, National health services, Starmer, Pakistan, Pakistani, Politics 

Drone technology has been one of the most game-changing developments in the last 50 years of warfare. From US MQ-9 Reaper strikes in the Middle East to Russian Geran-3 attacks in Ukraine, drones have taken on a larger and larger role in modern warfare.

One of the more recent developments in drone warfare is the advent of small, first-person-view drones used in a hunter-killer capacity. These small drones, which can be equipped to drop small munitions, or simply detonate themselves like a 21st-century kamikaze, are one of the most terrifying forces on the modern battlefield.

One only has to watch a few of the videos coming out of the Ukraine war (I don’t recommend this; they are often disturbing) to understand the psychological toll that drone warfare takes on the human combatants. In such an environment, soldiers are desperate for any advantage they can get.

Thermal-cloaking materials provide one such advantage. Although the technology is still in its infancy, it could prove to be a crucial step in countering the dominance of small drones on today’s battlefields.

More advanced thermal cameras are strong enough to track a person by the heat of his footprints, under the right conditions.

Many drones use thermal cameras to locate the enemy. Thermal has obvious advantages over regular imaging. For example, a soldier hidden in thick brush might be invisible to a regular camera, but such a cover won’t hide him from a thermal camera. To combat this new threat, there is a rush to develop camouflage technology that can conceal its wearer from thermal as well as regular cameras.

Thermal cameras are very simple in principle. They detect heat, so a warm-blooded human stands out like a sore thumb amid his cooler, inanimate surroundings. Heat signatures from vehicles make them vulnerable as well. More advanced thermal cameras are strong enough to track a person by the heat of his footprints, under the right conditions.

Thermal-shielding camouflage already exists to some extent. Relv Camo sells products (only available to NATO militaries or U.S. citizens) that include some thermal-shielding elements. Their Eclipse camo line uses lightweight fabric, non-reflective materials, and other technology not publicly available to provide “a lightweight solution for signature management on the battlefield.”

These camo fabrics, which can be used as a sort of loose poncho to conceal a soldier on the battlefield, remain effective for stretches of about 13 minutes, according to Relv. The issue is when the fabric comes in contact with the human body underneath and heat is transferred. They are most effective when draped loosely for short periods of time or suspended from branches or posts so that air can flow between the fabric and the person underneath.

Solutions like those provided by Relv have obvious shortcomings. While they can be effective for hiding a sniper position or a radio transmitter, they are less helpful for soldiers trying to evade FPV drones while on the move. Companies on both sides of the Ukraine war are working on practical applications of thermal-cloaking technology for infantry.

RELATED: The world’s new cyborg weapons are less than half human

Photo by VCG / Contributor via Getty Images

Brave1, a Ukrainian defense conglomerate, has been fielding a thermal-shielding cloak since 2023. The PNM-1 insulates the natural heat of a person and reduces his thermal footprint. According to a Brave1 spokesman, “The cloak’s masking properties are preserved indefinitely as long as the person in the cloak moves very slowly.” Since the cloak works by insulating body heat, excessive heat caused by rapid or prolonged movement is problematic. The cloak is mostly useful for snipers, slow-moving recon units, and soldiers manning observation posts.

The Russian Federation is also working on thermal-shielding products. HiderX, a Russian defense contractor, announced last year that its thermal-shielding suit was in use on the frontlines in Ukraine: “About 600 of our camouflage ‘invisible suits’ that blur a human silhouette are employed in the special operation area.” The Russian tech currently has the same shortcomings as the Ukrainian version. It is mostly useful for stationary of very slow-moving soldiers.

Other countries are also jumping into the thermal-shielding arms race. The Swedish company Saab AB has developed the Barracuda Camouflage System. The system, which has some thermal-shielding elements, is used on vehicles as well as personnel. It has seen some use in Ukraine starting last year, largely with donated Swedish CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

The American company Fibrotex USA (a subsidiary of the Israeli company Fibrotex Technologies) has been working on its Nightwalker camo system since 2016. The system includes thermal-shielding elements and has contracts with both the U.S. military and the Israeli Defense Force.

All of these thermal-shielding systems share similar shortcomings. There is currently no ideal solution for soldiers when it comes to avoiding detection — particularly from FPV drones. The prevalence of drones on the modern battlefield and their use of thermal cameras to bypass traditional camo systems mean that a country that pulls ahead in the thermal-shielding arms race would gain a significant advantage in future conflicts.

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​Tech, Thermal shielding, Drones 

New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) dropped out of his re-election race over the weekend, potentially boosting Andrew Cuomo’s chances of defeating Zohran Mamdani.

“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” Adams announced on Sunday. “The constant media speculation about my future and the Campaign Finance Board’s decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.”

‘We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them.’

Adams warned New Yorkers about growing “extremism” in politics, seemingly referring to Democratic front-runner Mamdani.

“Our children are being radicalized to hate our city and our country. Political anger has turned into political violence,” Adams continued.

“Major change is welcome and necessary, but beware of those who claim the answer [is] to destroy the very system we built together over generations. That is not change; that is chaos.”

Adams has not endorsed any of the remaining candidates.

Mamdani is facing off against former New York Gov. Cuomo (D), who is running a third-party bid, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

RELATED: Trump slams Hochul’s endorsement of ‘communist’ Mamdani: ‘No reason to be sending good money’

New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

While Adams’ decision to drop out of the race has likely boosted Cuomo’s chances, it may not be enough.

In a July poll, Mamdani held a 23-point lead over Adams. While Cuomo had better odds than either Adams or Sliwa, the results still showed Mamdani winning by three points.

“Cuomo is the strongest candidate against Mamdani, but for him to have any chance of winning, he’ll need (a) Sliwa and Adams to drop out AND (b) to turn out moderate and conservative lower-propensity voters (who may have sat out previous mayoral general elections) at very high rates,” the poll stated.

Three other polls also showed Mamdani winning by a margin of four to 10 points. However, polls by Wick and HarrisX showed Cuomo securing a one- to 15-point victory.

RELATED: Is Trump meddling with Mamdani’s candidacy?

NYC mayoral candidate former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Cuomo reacted to Adams leaving the race, noting that it was “not an easy” decision.

“We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them,” Cuomo wrote in a post on X, also presumably referring to Democratic socialist Mamdani.

Mamdani stated that Adams’ decision would have little impact.

“I think it’s very much the same race,” he said, noting that he beat Cuomo by 13 points in the Democrat primary.

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​News, Andrew cuomo, Cuomo, Zohran mamdani, Mamdani, Eric adams, New york city, Nyc, New york, New york city mayoral race, Curtis sliwa, Politics 

President Donald Trump’s threats of new tariffs continued this week. Among his targets was one that he has set his sights on before: the movie industry.

On Monday, the president took to Truth Social to threaten tariffs on the movie industry, saying that movie-making has been “stolen” by foreign producers.

‘California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit!’

“Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.'”

President Trump singled out California and its governor, Gavin Newsom (D), in his post.

RELATED: Read it and weep: Tariffs work, and the numbers prove it

Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images

“California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit! Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Trump did not specify when these tariffs will take effect or how the tariff would be levied. Critics have pointed out that this is essentially the first time the Trump administration is attempting to impose a tariff on a service rather than a good.

This announcement is a renewal of a tariff threat on the industry that Trump made in May.

“On first blush, it’s shocking and would represent a virtually complete halt of production,” one industry insider told CNN in May. “But in reality, he has no jurisdiction to do this, and it’s too complex to enforce.”

Trump’s ability to levy tariffs has recently been challenged. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments challenging Trump’s tariffs on November 5.

In a separate post, Trump also announced that his administration plans to impose “substantial tariffs” on the furniture-making industry, pointing to the devastation of North Carolina’s industry by foreign manufacturers.

Blaze News reached out to the White House but did not receive a response by publishing time.

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​Politics, Tariffs, Hollywood, 100% tariff, Film industry, California, Trump, President trump, Supreme court, Truth social 

The disclosure of 274 FBI special agents at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 has set off a firestorm of controversy, with FBI Director Kash Patel insisting that the agents only did “crowd control” and President Donald J. Trump saying he wants to identify all of the agents, who he said were “probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists.”

After 56 months of not disclosing the scope of the FBI’s presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, a Sept. 25 leaked report from the House Select Subcommittee to Investigate the Remaining Questions Surrounding January 6 has turned into an online free-for-all — trying to assign blame and determine what the disclosure really means.

‘This was a mass entrapment scheme that was run and operated by the government.’

“It was just revealed that the FBI had secretly placed, against all Rules, Regulations, Protocols, and Standards, 274 FBI Agents into the Crowd just prior to, and during, the January 6th Hoax,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “… I want to know who each and every one of these so-called ‘Agents’ are, and what they were up to on that now ‘Historic’ Day.”

More than 360 FBI special agents and other staff from the Washington Field Office responded to the rapidly developing events at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, including 274 special agents and 89 intelligence analysts and support staff, the leaked report says. The professional staff did not deploy to the Capitol. A report issued in December 2024 reported 26 FBI informants at the Capitol on Jan. 6, including four who went into the building.

After that news garnered millions of views on social media, Patel went to Fox News to “clarify” that the 274 agents were only there for “crowd control.”

Crowd control?

“Agents were sent into a crowd-control mission after the riot was declared by Metro Police – something that goes against FBI standards,” Patel told Fox News. “This was the failure of a corrupt leadership that lied to Congress and to the American people about what really happened.”

Metropolitan Police broadcast declaration of a riot over police radio at 2:22 p.m.

Patel’s attempt to tamp down the online furor from former Jan. 6 defendants who tried to get this information in their criminal cases didn’t work, with many saying they don’t believe Patel’s explanation.

“Where is the film of one agent doing crowd control? Where is one affidavit in court?” asked former Jan. 6 defendant Larry Brock Jr. “This story doesn’t fly. You definitely need a better PR team. There are cameras everywhere in D.C. Show us the videos of the Hoover building emptying.”

While there is ample video evidence of SWAT teams from the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Park Police, and other agencies sweeping the Capitol after 3 p.m. and escorting lawmakers to the subways, that is not the case with plainclothes FBI personnel. Their presence was most noticeable after 6 p.m., when no protesters were left in the Capitol Building.

The Department of Justice Office of Inspector General said there were no FBI undercover agents in the crowds on Jan. 6. That category is distinct from agents who are described as plainclothes. In the field, plainclothes agents would normally wear their badges on a lanyard or their belts. Some wear blue FBI windbreaker jackets with “FBI” stamped in yellow on the back. Agents who patrolled hallways of the Capitol office buildings before Congress reconvened late on Jan. 6 wore body armor with FBI patches.

Patel’s answer seemed a far cry from the expectations he set up in a May 18 interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News.

RELATED: Judge allows Jan. 6 lawsuit alleging excessive force in DC jail to proceed

FBI Director Kash Patel promised a “trove of information” about Jan. 6 on May 18, but no report has been forthcoming since.Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

“We’ve got answers coming. We just found a trove of information, and it’s on its way to Capitol Hill right now,” Patel said. “And they’ve asked, and they’re getting them, and you’re getting answers on January 6.

“You’re getting answers on what sourcing was utilized, what money was utilized, how many assets were utilized, who made those decisions — you’re getting it,” he said. “We can only control the FBI. But you’re getting it from the FBI.”

When Bartiromo asked, “Were there FBI agents under cover egging people on?” Patel replied, “Like I said, that answer is coming, and it’s on its way to Congress.”

Assistant FBI Director Dan Bongino cautioned that people should make the distinction between FBI agents and “assets.”

“I just hope when people put that information out there, they make the distinction,” Bongino said. “Not that it’s better or worse, but there’s a distinction there.”

No “trove of information” has been released since Patel’s interview May 18.

‘FBI provocateurs in the crowd. Peaceful Americans framed. Lives destroyed.’

FBI tactical teams flowed into the Capitol through the Hall of Columns south entrance after the 2:44 p.m. shooting of Ashli Babbitt by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd.

Security video shows FBI SWAT medics entered the Capitol at 2:49 p.m., turned right, and met a Capitol Police SWAT team that was carrying the mortally wounded Babbitt. The FBI medics set Babbitt on the floor and began lifesaving aid at 2:50 p.m. Babbitt was declared dead at a hospital at 3:15 p.m.

According to Capitol Police CCTV video, an armored vehicle of ATF agents arrived through the Capitol’s south barricade at 2:46 p.m. That ATF tactical team entered the Capitol through the South Doors at 2:48 p.m.

FBI medics, SWAT

An FBI tactical team rolled into the House Plaza parking lot at 2:32 p.m. Off-duty FBI Special Agent Baker Doughty appeared to be waiting for the armored vehicle, as he approached and talked with tactical team agents for about five minutes, according to a court filing by former Jan. 6 defendant William Pope.

Doughty was with two other off-duty agents and former FBI Agent John Guandolo watching the protests from a crowd seated and standing on the House Egg. One of the active-duty FBI agents is seen on video clapping and cheering, “This is huge,” as protesters swarmed up the east steps to the Columbus Doors just after 2 p.m.

Guandolo, former FBI liaison to U.S. Capitol Police, said Doughty and the other FBI agents introduced him to several other off-duty FBI agents at the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to an affidavit Guandolo provided in a 2023 Oath Keepers case in Alaska.

Former Jan. 6 defendant William Pope disclosed the presence of several off-duty FBI agents with former FBI agent John Guandolo. They are shown here at 2:57 p.m.U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. District Court/Graphic by Blaze News

Pope said the FBI must have considered Doughty to be on duty that day, since he, Guandolo, and other other agents entered the government-defined “restricted zone.” Doing so off duty would have precluded him from participating in the FBI raid of the home of former Jan. 6 defendant Fi Duong and any other Jan. 6 cases, Pope contends.

The FBI SWAT team left the armored vehicle and headed for the South Doors at 2:53 p.m. That team, led by a plainclothes FBI agent wearing a blue FBI windbreaker, entered the Hall of Columns at 2:53 p.m.

The official U.S. Capitol Police Jan. 6 timeline makes no reference to FBI agents being requested or deployed to the Capitol.

In contrast, then-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund asked for backup from then-Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee at 12:58 p.m. A large group of MPD officers rushed onto the West Plaza at 1:12 p.m., began hosing the crowd with pepper spray, and set up new police lines.

Chief Sund asked for help from the U.S. Secret Service at 1:01 p.m., the timeline said. At 1:40 p.m., Sund asked for and received confirmation of help from ATF.

While the presence of non-uniformed FBI agents is scarce on security video, large numbers of plainclothes agents wearing body armor are seen on video securing hallways and buildings in preparation for the return of a joint session of Congress after 8 p.m. This happened only after the Capitol had been cleared of protesters.

RELATED: Bobby Powell gave his last breath working to expose Jan. 6 corruption

An FBI SWAT agent patrols the Longworth House Office Building on Jan. 6, 2021.Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

Former Jan. 6 defendants and attorneys found the 274-agent disclosure especially troubling because the DOJ and FBI refused to provide that information as part of case discovery in the nearly 1,600 criminal cases brought by the DOJ.

“I personally made over a dozen requests … for this stuff,” defense attorney Bradford Geyer, who represented Oath Keeper Kenneth Harrelson at his September 2022 trial, told Blaze News. “Many times, many times.”

Geyer said the failure of the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice to disclose this information during hundreds of cases taints the entire massive prosecution effort. It is more evidence that many or most cases should have been dismissed for withheld exculpatory evidence, he said.

“I’ve always thought that these cases should have just been dismissed en masse because of government conduct and Brady failures,” Geyer said, referring to the duty of prosecutors to produce exculpatory evidence as dictated in the landmark 1963 Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland.

“This was a mass entrapment scheme that was run and operated by the government,” Geyer said. “We know that that’s what happened, but we’re not quite there yet. If we established that that happened, I bet most people would agree that all cases should be dismissed.

“You could dismiss it on this failure,” Geyer said. “I asked for drone footage; I asked for logs from the U.S. Capitol Police control room; I asked for the video of people going and entering the control room. I asked for all the stuff about the [Columbus] Doors, about the electronic signaling systems to the doors. I never got any of that stuff.”

RELATED: Restoration of military honors for Ashli Babbitt strikes back against a tide of Jan. 6 lies

An armored ATF tactical vehicle arrives through the U.S. Capitol south barricade at 2:46 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021.U.S. Capitol Police CCTV

After Blaze News disclosed the number of special agents at the Capitol in an article late Sept. 25, battles erupted on social media on the significance of the information.

Some viewed the disclosure as validation of long-held suspicions that Jan. 6 was a “fedsurrection,” while others dismissed the report as nothing more than a standard response to violence and rioting at the Capitol.

“Christopher Wray concealed this from us for four years,” U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), wrote on X. “This is a big deal.”

“J6ers need some reparations,” wrote the Hodgetwins comedians, responding to a Blaze News post on X Thursday night

“If the FBI were smart, they would start selectively releasing some documents to reveal the other agencies that were involved in January 6,” said Pope, who exposed the presence of several off-duty FBI agents at the Capitol Jan. 6. “Why take all the heat yourself?”

John Strand, who went to prison on Jan. 6 charges after his trial in Washington, D.C., said the disclosures need to spark action.

“Today’s revelations prove it: Jan 6 wasn’t justice, it was entrapment,” Strand said on the “The Benny Show.” “FBI provocateurs in the crowd. Peaceful Americans framed. Lives destroyed. The real criminals are those who weaponized our government. They must be investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable.”

No national security event

Former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin told Blaze News he was allowed to take leave on Jan. 6, since the events at the Ellipse and Capitol that day were not designated a National Security Special Event by the Department of Homeland Security. Otherwise, he said, he would likely have been doing countersurveillance at the U.S. Capitol. Instead, he was doing training with Maryland State Police that day.

Seraphin said a report on total federal law enforcement assets at the Capitol Jan. 6 is needed to better understand the full Jan. 6 picture. Federal agencies use a system called the Android Team Awareness Kit to track personnel and give real-time data on movements of agents and other employees.

Seraphin recalled an instance in summer 2020 when his team was ordered to the White House.

“Everybody showed up wearing overt body-armor markings and belts showing a badge. That’s how you show up,” Seraphin said. “You show up as a team, and then you get sent somewhere by some sort of central command unit. … You don’t just show up randomly and then flash a badge and join a skirmish line.”

Pope disclosed in his criminal case that nearly 50 agents from the FBI and various agencies attached to it were working on Jan. 6 and later wrote affidavits of probable cause to support arrest warrants in Jan. 6 cases.

Pope developed a spreadsheet of FBI special agents and other officers from the bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, including a U.S. Army counterintelligence agent from Colorado; an NCIS special agent; FBI special agents from New York, Nashville, Memphis, Newark, Philadelphia, and Albany, New York; and an agent from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service, Pope’s motion stated.

‘The real criminals are those who weaponized our government.’

“There is now ample evidence that the FBI had a heavy presence at the Capitol on January 6, which is even more alarming considering the fact that we now know they had intelligence that was not shared with other agencies,” Pope wrote in a 2024 court filing. “This constitutes outrageous government conduct.”

RELATED: The New York Times rewrites history while Jan. 6 families pay the price

Two undercover Metropolitan Police Department officers watch the crowds on the west side of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.William Pope via U.S. District Court

Pope also disclosed the presence and activities of undercover Metropolitan Police Department officers, some of whom are on camera inciting protesters and helping them climb over barricades to get to the Capitol. There were dozens of MPD officers on Capitol grounds as part of the Electronic Surveillance Unit. Only a small percentage of the video they shot Jan. 6 has been made public.

Geyer said even if FBI agents did nothing nefarious on Jan. 6, their presence gave protesters a false sense of security.

“If you take the FBI agents and the Homeland Security agents — and there was a DEA agent who was badged that Will Pope found walking down Pennsylvania Avenue — and all the federal employees in plain clothes and looked very respectable, that had a psychological effect and influenced the crowd,” Geyer said.

“It gave people a false sense of assurance that the areas that they were in, it was okay to be there because intermixing with the crowd were these very respectable-looking people. So even if none of them got out of hand and they were there for good-faith reasons, it still influenced the crowd.”

The FBI did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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President Donald Trump announced on Saturday — just days after a radical opened fire on an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas — that per Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s request, he was directing War Secretary Pete Hegseth “to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.”

Trump, who on Sept. 17 designated Antifa as a “MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” noted further that he was “authorizing Full Force, if necessary.”

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon indicated that as of Sept. 8, a total of 26 defendants had been charged with federal offenses allegedly committed at the ICE facility in Portland since June 13.

Hegseth took action on Sunday, federalizing 200 members of the Oregon National Guard for a period of 60 days.

Democrats, enraged by the prospect that the Trump administration will swoop in to protect federal agents and assets from “domestic terrorists” in the City of Roses — as it has in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — are desperately attempting to gloss over anti-ICE violence in the city and to portray federal action as unnecessary.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson (D) said in a statement, “President Trump has directed ‘all necessary Troops’ to Portland, Oregon. The number of necessary troops is zero, in Portland and any other American city.”

Within hours of state Attorney General Dan Rayfield filing a lawsuit on Sunday aimed at preventing the U.S. government from federalizing and deploying the Oregon National Guard, Governor Tina Kotek (D) said in a video statement that “Portland is not war-ravaged, there’s no insurrection, there’s no threat to national security, and there’s no need for military troops.”

The governor shared footage showing her walking in the city with her lesbian partner, Aimee Wilson, early in the day — footage that managed to leave out visual evidence of the radicals teeming in the streets near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building and chasing law enforcement officers, as well as the multitudes of homeless persons occupying the sidewalks and other signs of late-stage societal decay.

— (@)

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) took a page out of California Democrats’ playbook and characterized the federal intervention as an “attempt to incite violence” in the supposedly “peaceful city.” He proceeded to share a carefully curated montage of nonviolent scenes in Portland, stating, “Every single one of these clips was taken today in downtown Portland. Portland doesn’t want or need a federal takeover.”

Those responsible for Kotek’s and Wyden’s videos were gambling with their safety.

Portland has a rating of 1 on Neighborhood Scout’s crime index, where 100 is safest. The likelihood of becoming a victim of a violent crime is 1 in 138, and the likelihood of becoming the victim of a property crime is 1 in 17.

According to Portland Police Bureau statistics, the city of 640,000 people had 68 homicides last year; 3,059 reported aggravated assaults and 6,025 simple/intimidation assaults; 70 kidnappings or abductions; 560 sex offenses; and 46,635 property offenses. Already this year, there have been 25 homicides, a 50% year-over-year increase in kidnappings; an increase in all types of assault; a 25% spike in arson; and a 226% increase in drug offenses.

While the city has a general crime problem, the Trump administration is responding specifically to the violence outside the ICE facility and to leftists’ attacks on federal agents following the Sept. 24 sniper attack on the ICE field office in Dallas.

RELATED: ‘Shoot the f**kers!’ Anti-ICE agitators caught on video apparently calling for violence in wake of deadly Dallas shooting

Democratic Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek. Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon indicated that as of Sept. 8, a total of 26 defendants had been charged with federal offenses allegedly committed at the ICE facility in Portland since June 13. The charges include assaulting federal officers, arson, possession of a destructive device, and depredation of government property.

— (@)

The attorney’s office noted that one radical, Julie Winters of Portland, allegedly attempted to place an incendiary device next to the guard shack at the ICE office on June 24. When confronted by Federal Protective Service officers, Winters allegedly pulled a large knife from her backpack, threatened officers, then threw the knife at an officer.

The Department of Homeland Security highlighted how on June 24, a rioter also allegedly pelted a federal officer with a smoke grenade. Days later, another rioter who had been caught allegedly attempting to damage equipment at the ICE facility “resisted arrest, grabbed an officer in the genitals, and kicked officers in the groin and legs,” said the DHS.

In addition to Antifa-linked individuals sending death threats to ICE agents in the city, Rose City Antifa has reportedly doxxed ICE officers, publishing their personal information and home addresses.

A White House official told Blaze News that “despite the crime and neighborhood pushback caused by the months-long protest, Oregon Democrats still refuse to do anything about it, with state and local law enforcement rendered unable to intervene due to sanctuary laws and Gov. Tina Kotek calling President Trump’s offer to deploy National Guard troops in Portland ‘absurd, unlawful and un-American.'”

“President Trump is using his lawful authority to direct the National Guard to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following months of violent riots where officers have been assaulted and doxxed by left-wing rioters,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to Blaze News. “The president’s lawful actions will make Portland safer.”

Blaze News has reached out to the DHS for comment.

Oregon’s lawsuit against the Trump administration, which seeks to block the deployment of the National Guard to Portland, claims that the planned intervention is “provocative and arbitrary” and threatens “to undermine public safety by inciting a public outcry.”

The complaint, which makes no mention of anti-ICE radicals apparently rolling out a guillotine at a Sept. 1 riot, downplays the attacks on the ICE facility and federal agents, suggesting that the rioting outside the facility has “been small in recent weeks” and “less energetic” than earlier in the summer.

Liberal media outfits appear keen to help Democrats gaslight about the continued threat posed by the anti-ICE radicals in Portland.

CNN, for instance, characterized the mob actions outside the ICE facility as mostly “peaceful.” While Politico acknowledged “the sporadic violence between protesters and federal law enforcement,” it reassured readers that “there have been no fatalities at protests this year.”

Editor’s note: This article has been edited after publication to include comment from the White House.

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After Jimmy Kimmel was fired for his comments regarding Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assassination, the talk show host was promptly reinstated by Disney — despite the show’s lack of viewership before his firing.

“Everyone at ABC and Disney knows who’s watching. They know the numbers better than we do. And all the advertisers know, too, that the phones aren’t ringing — ‘buy advertising on Jimmy Kimmel.’ They know this,” BlazeTV host Steve Deace explains on the “Steve Deace Show.”

“So why is making $20, $30, $40 million a year, whatever it is? Why? Because it’s not about the money. It’s about sending a message. He’s there to be a vessel of propaganda. That’s why. There’s no marketplace of ideas for that. There’s no one to bang on for that. It really would not matter if we all stopped watching,” he continues.

The real audience, Deace explains, is the alternative media on the right, who have been playing Kimmel’s clips in order to expose the left.

“Same thing with ‘The View.’ ‘The View’ will generate way more engagements and reactions from us than they can on their own. And that’s pretty much true of all of their media outlets and all of their content,” he says.

“That’s what Jimmy Kimmel is. … His god is making sure that his message gets out there, ratings and numbers be damned, because it’s a shibboleth of the damned. That’s the point,” he continues.

Which is why Disney continues to produce “all these flops.”

“They’re not dumb. Like we keep saying, they are well aware of what they are doing. They’re nihilists. They’re deconstructionists. They’re iconoclasts. They’re here to smash the stained-glass windows. They’re doing this on purpose,” he says. “They want to inject what we call ‘rotgut’ into the culture because it’s doctrine to them.”

But Deace has solutions, like using the FCC to pull shows like Kimmel’s.

“We will either do that, or new voices will emerge, and they’re already emerging,” he says, “who will demand we start playing by the left’s more nihilistic rules now.”

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A cellphone video began going viral about a week ago showing a young male knocking down an elderly worker at a Kansas City concert venue and delivering well over a dozen blows to the worker’s face and head.

The brutal attack took place two Sundays ago during a rap concert featuring NBA YoungBoy at the T-Mobile Center. Police confirmed to Blaze News that the suspect is under the age of 16.

‘I was raised with morals and values. You can’t act like that, especially to our elders.’

The victim of the attack caught on video — 66-year-old Thomas Schlange — is seen on the clip trying to push away the teenager who towers over him, but Schlange has no chance. The teen begins delivering a flurry of lefts and rights as Schlange is flat on his back and trapped on the floor between two rows of seats.

RELATED: Viral video: High schooler physically attacks teacher in front of other students — then cop gives kid brutal wake-up call

Finally a man is seen on the clip pulling the teen off the victim, who appears dazed, and blood is seen around his mouth as others try to help him up.

That man — the only person who stepped up and stopped the brutal beating — is Antonio Clayter, and he told WDAF-TV what he saw in that moment and why he intervened.

Clayter told the the station that Schlange was “just doing his job” when “the kid just pushed him; he just spazzed out, and he pushed him.”

Before long, the teen suspect was hovering over Schlange and pummeling him in the head with his fists. Then suddenly Clayter appears in the camera frame and pulls the attacker off Schlange.

“I had to,” Clayter recalled to WDAF. “It wasn’t even a feeling; it was something that had to be done. Like, I have family members that are that age. This isn’t right. … I was raised with morals and values. You can’t act like that, especially to our elders.”

Clayter also offered a warning to the teen, the station said: “You can’t grow up with that type of mentality, because you’re not gonna get far in life at all. … I’ve been in trouble, and I know what road that you can go down. … You’re not gonna get anywhere good besides prison or dead that way, bro.”

RELATED: Male, 19, accused of hitting girlfriend’s baby in head so hard that little girl had to go on ventilator. Now she’s dead.

WDAF in a previous story said the suspect also assaulted a security guard who ejected him from the venue.

A T-Mobile Center spokesperson told Blaze News that the staff members “sustained serious injuries. After receiving prompt care from on-site first aid personnel, they were later treated at a local hospital for their injuries.”

Officer Alayna Gonzalez of the Kansas City Police Department told Blaze News that the “juvenile male was detained and subsequently released to his guardian pending further investigation.”

Police also told Blaze News that detectives on Friday submitted a case file to juvenile court “for consideration of applicable charges” against the teen suspect. The station also said police were expected to meet Friday with Schlange — who is at home and recovering — as part of their investigation.

As for Schlange, he told WDAF in a follow-up story that “I went down and had blows to my head” and that his priority in those moments was “just getting him off, getting him off of me … because he was so enraged, so we were just, in essence, trying to protect the fans.”

So what allegedly set off the suspect?

Witness and local pastor Robert McDaniel told the station the attack commenced after the suspect was told his ticket didn’t match the seat he was in.

“He was asked to move to another place because his ticket wasn’t where he was sitting, and immediately he just completely lost it,” McDaniel recounted to WDAF.

McDaniel also remarked to the station that the disturbing video underscores the inability of some teens these days to control their emotions.

“But there is something going on in his heart that needs to be fixed, and what that is is his emotions,” McDaniel added to WDAF. “He needs to learn how to operate and work through and process those emotions.”

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​Physical attack, Brutal beating, Teenager, Elderly man, Kansas city, Rap concert, Viral video, T-mobile center, Crime 

If you’ve spent any time in politics, you know progressives contradict themselves so often that exposing their double-talk could keep conservative commentators busy for several lifetimes.

At first, young conservatives may find it thrilling to point out those blunders and imagine that the liberal across from them will be persuaded. But here’s the hard lesson: Only people with integrity change their minds when they find contradictions in their own thinking.

The goal isn’t to win the argument but lose your integrity. It’s to speak truth with courage and charity.

Progressives don’t stumble into incoherence by accident. They wield it like a smokescreen. The confusion keeps conscientious conservatives chasing their own tails. Conservatives, by temperament, want coherence, so they expect others to want it, too. But the record shows otherwise.

Take Hillary Clinton. Last week on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” she urged Americans to stop finger-pointing — before immediately blaming Republicans for the country’s problems. A Yale degree didn’t inoculate her against incoherence. As Charlie Kirk once observed at Cambridge, high IQ is no guarantee of wisdom. Clinton didn’t notice the contradiction, and even if she did, it wouldn’t matter. She is paid handsomely to talk, and truth never slows her down.

Moments later in the same appearance, she called for a return to “truth-based reality,” insisting that facts and evidence must matter again. This from the same woman who affirms that a man can become a woman. Truth wasn’t invited to that party. Now, she tells us it must rule the day.

The effect is dizzying, and that is the point.

What should concern us isn’t simply the logic game. It’s the condition of her soul. What happens to a soul shaped for decades by falsehood and injustice?

Clinton also revealed her deepest fear. She does not fear God. She fears the people of God — especially white, male Christians. She said so on national television just weeks after Kirk was assassinated by a trans-supporting terrorist who bought into rhetoric spewed by politicians like her. And yet, here she is again, pouring fuel on the fire.

The irony didn’t stop there. She wondered aloud how today’s politics could be “so contrary to the founding principles and values this country was built on.” This from the same politician who treats the Constitution as a “living document” to be reshaped whenever it confounds her political prejudices. She wasn’t concerned with founding principles when Donald Trump was banned from Twitter or prosecuted by the Biden Justice Department.

But pointing out contradictions only goes so far. The deeper warning is this: Hillary Clinton is what happens when you spend a lifetime saying whatever advances your career. She is willing to contradict herself publicly — and attack Christians — for money and applause. My own university, Arizona State, paid her $500,000 to host the Clinton Global Initiative.

Socrates put it best: The true philosopher, the lover of the good, doesn’t chase political power, money, or fame. He wants only this — that when he leaves this life, his soul is not defiled by injustice.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk thrived on truth and virtue over grievance-mongering

Photo by Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images

That’s the lesson for young conservatives. Exposing contradictions is fine. It can even be fun. But don’t forget what matters more: Never let your soul become like Hillary Clinton’s.

G.K. Chesterton once wrote that the modern mind cuts down the signposts and then complains no one knows the way home. That is the progressive project in our time: Deny first principles, denounce those who keep them, and demand the comforts those principles once secured.

So take this counsel seriously:

Guard your soul more than your timeline. Social media glory is cheap; a clean conscience is priceless.Pursue coherence because it is true, not because it is clever. Wit is garnish; truth is the meal.Fear God more than fashion. Today’s trends are tomorrow’s embarrassments; the fear of the Lord endures.

The goal isn’t to win the argument but lose your integrity. It’s to speak truth with courage and charity, to resist compromise with evil for the sake of applause, and to leave this world with a soul unstained by injustice.

That victory is higher than anything Hillary Clinton will ever claim — and it is the only victory that lasts.

​Opinion & analysis, Hillary clinton, Morning joe, Conservatives, Truth, Msnbc, Liberals, Arguments, Courage, Charity, Charlie kirk, Facts, American founding, Principles, God, Soul, Christians, Arizona state university, Clinton global initiative, G.k. chesterton 

While leftists accuse the Trump administration of censorship after comedian Jimmy Kimmel was fired, and then promptly reinstated, for his vile commentary regarding Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assassination — the real censorship bully has been revealed.

Google has finally disclosed that the Biden administration pressured the company into widespread censorship and will reportedly be reinstating YouTube accounts that were censored years ago for voicing the wrong opinions.

According to the House Judiciary Committee, the company admitted that “the Biden administration pressured Google to censor Americans and remove content that did not violate YouTube’s policies.”

Those opinions ran counter to the Biden administration’s official narrative surrounding COVID and election integrity.

“Wow, you mean to tell me that it wasn’t just YouTube who decided to find all of these accounts of these creators, these doctors in some cases, these scientists, these experts who lost their YouTube accounts, lost their livelihoods due to COVID quote ‘misinformation’ that turned out to be true?” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says.

“They admitted the Biden administration’s pressure to censor Americans was ‘unacceptable and wrong’ after the fact. … Thanks for the news flash in 2025,” she continues.

“Now all of a sudden they’re like, ‘Oh, actually, government pressuring a private company to censor Americans’ voices is actually, as it turns out, unacceptable.’ Now, it took us five years to get there. It took us five years to formulate that opinion. It took us Donald Trump’s election,” she says. “Because remember, things didn’t really start changing until they realized there was going to be a new sheriff in town.”

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The U.S. Department of State is too bureaucratic, insular, and disconnected from the American people to meet today’s global challenges. For those reasons, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a “reduction in force” and a broader reorganization of the department in July.

These reforms should inspire hope in those wishing to enter a career in diplomacy and international relations. Above all, they need to be worthy of the American people’s trust and confidence. One hopes this is just the beginning of reforms that will create a State Department that is prepared for conflict around the world, agile in crisis, deliberate in strategy, and effective in delivering results for the American people.

The world isn’t waiting for the State Department to get its act together. Foreign adversaries are watching — and exploiting — our division.

Rubio’s reforms reflect the spirit of President Harry S. Truman, namesake of the State Department’s headquarters. The last U.S. president without a college degree, Truman was born in the rural Missouri Ozarks in the small town of Lamar and raised outside Kansas City, Missouri. From humble beginnings, he learned the value of grit, service, and earning one’s keep — a reflection of Midwestern values.

Truman is remembered for the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, recognizing Israel, and helping to found the United Nations — policies and actions that helped shape the Cold War order that is now giving way to a new era.

Like many from his background, he harbored a deep dislike for Washington, D.C., often feeling unwelcome despite years of service, professional success, and lasting friendships. I maintain a similar love-hate relationship with our nation’s capital.

The irony is unmistakable: The State Department’s headquarters bears the name of a man whose kind it has long resisted serving, defending, or hiring. Today, however, we face a rare moment — driven by global urgency — that offers an opportunity to finally change this paradigm.

It’s critical that Rubio’s reforms expand across the entire department. By embracing PEACE — professionalism, excellence, accountability, community, and empowerment — and elevating the builders within the State Department, internal resistance can be overcome, credibility can be restored, and America’s ability to lead in an era of global conflict can be strengthened.

Status quo by design

For decades, the State Department has been experiencing bureaucratic resistance, which takes many forms. As outlined by organizations like DemocracyAID, tactics include “quiet quitting,” withholding or limiting information sharing, excluding certain personnel from key meetings, stonewalling paper clearances, and conflict avoidance, including brushing off individuals who are perceived to be unaligned with specific political imperatives. These are not simply ideological acts of opposition — though politics plays a role — but are symptoms of a much deeper problem: decades of poor management, a lack of accountability, and a culture that prioritizes equal outcomes over equal opportunity and merit-based advancement.

Long before the Biden-Harris administration’s short-sighted, politicized approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the department had already grown insular, disconnected, and unrepresentative of the citizens it serves. Persistent derogatory attitudes toward Republicans, working-class Americans, people of faith (including Christians), rural communities, and those without a college degree have harmed employees from these backgrounds and eroded the department’s ability to represent the broader American public and our national interests.

This includes Main Street’s interests — not just those of Hollywood, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and the ivory tower. Many colleagues, peers, and even mentors from these groups came to believe this hostility was meant to drive them out. They were likely right.

This culture has taken a heavy toll on morale and execution. Even under the previous administration, senior Biden officials quietly questioned whether the State Department was truly capable of conducting modern diplomacy. It was not uncommon for colleagues at the White House to ask without irony, “Does State do diplomacy?”

RELATED: State Department cuts ties with Armed Queers-affiliated NGO

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Washington Post via Getty Images

The department was viewed as bloated, unresponsive, and incapable of fulfilling its core constitutional responsibilities. While officials may deny this publicly — federal employees remain a core political constituency — many would privately acknowledge deep dysfunction and a need for reform.

The challenge now is whether political leadership on both sides of the aisle is willing to act. Rubio has signaled his intent to make the difficult decisions necessary to modernize the department. That task will be far more effective — and more lasting — if it is met with bipartisan support. Fixing the State Department should not be a partisan issue. It is a national security imperative.

One place to start is returning to Missouri-inspired values like the ones Truman brought to the White House. The State Department should look to model its reforms on the College of the Ozarks, a federally recognized work college that grounds its mission in five core areas: academics, religion, culture, vocation, and patriotic growth.

These values reflect the beliefs of a broad swath of Americans — many of whom have too often been dismissed or ignored by the national security establishment. They have served the Ozarks well and could serve the nation well in a time of need.

Ensuring that the State Department effectively and objectively serves the American people while moving at the “speed of relevance” requires creating a new code and new core values. This is our moment to forge a department guided by the character of the American statesman.

Professionalism

U.S. diplomats should be patriots who conduct themselves with competence and respect while faithfully advancing U.S. national interests and exemplifying the highest standards of public service at home and abroad.

State Department leaders must model integrity, discipline, and openness to differing viewpoints; evaluate and communicate their teams’ perspectives objectively and without bias; and foster a culture of candor. By encouraging constructive conflict and providing space for grievances to be aired, leaders create an environment where people feel heard — one that ultimately strengthens the team’s effectiveness and finds the best solutions.

Excellence

The builders and doers who are delivering every day (and not just on non-mental health days) for the secretary and the president should be the model for all personnel. I firmly believe these individuals represent the majority of my colleagues serving at home and abroad.

These are the innovators and patriots, and they deserve internal and public recognition. Restarting the internal awards process while partnering with the Ben Franklin Fellowship to launch privately funded recognitions, as the State Department has done for other groups, would be a powerful way to reignite excellence.

Accountability

Leadership at the top — especially from the seventh floor — needs to direct senior career officials to hold underperformers accountable. This may require overcoming reluctance from officials who are waiting for future career opportunities or avoiding their core responsibilities.

Meanwhile, reform-minded employees — the silent majority — remain under scrutiny, and little accountability is exercised for those who leak, underperform, or resist implementing the policies of the president. The seventh floor must not only authorize reform but also drive it forward with urgency.

Community

It is time to rebuild a culture that is anchored in the renewed core values that can sustain the department’s authority as the premier foreign affairs agency, one that is worthy of the trust and confidence of our diplomats and their families serving abroad. Equally important is restoring the State Department’s credibility by confronting its insular, ineffective, and often disconnected approach to domestic concerns and the interests of the citizens we serve.

One way to develop our community is a limited relaunch of employee organizations aligned with administration priorities. When managed well, these groups boost morale, encourage dialogue with leadership, and showcase the department’s commitment to all Americans, including working-class families, Christians, and veterans.

My experience founding FirstGens@State in 2022 — which has grown to 700 members and has advanced recruitment, mentorship, and retention — proves the value of such employee organizations. Unlike identity-based models, FirstGens@State members bring unique American experiences, grit, and patriotism that better inform discussions around U.S. national interests and strengthen the understanding of the global majority.

Empowerment

Great leadership means giving your team the freedom to act without offloading responsibilities. Therefore, power should be delegated to subordinates to make decisions, and they — as well as leadership — should be held accountable for outcomes.

The seventh floor should actively promote a culture that rewards courage, leadership, hard work, teamwork, innovation, and calculated risk-taking. That includes expanding access to professional development, senior responsibilities, and face time with department and White House leadership. The seventh floor must become comfortable providing the authority to act, but never shed the responsibility for the mission’s success or failure — otherwise, the status quo will return.

The way forward

External stakeholders play a significant role, should they choose diplomacy and collaboration around shared interests. Together, the American Foreign Service Association, the American Academy of Diplomacy, the Ben Franklin Fellowship, and other similar organizations can speak with a unified voice to drive change at the department. But division prevents these ideas from reaching fruition.

So far, public statements from some of these groups’ members have reflected vitriol and incivility. Academy member and former American Foreign Service Association President Eric Rubin said the following about the Ben Franklin Fellowship on Trailing House’s Facebook community page: “Foreign Service friends and colleagues: know thy enemy. ‘All enemies, foreign and domestic.’” (This post appears to have been taken down since it was posted earlier this year.)

RELATED: America First foreign policy gets an Office of Natural Rights

Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images

How can U.S. Foreign Service members take your organization seriously if you do not set a tone for constructive dialogue and demonstrate a willingness to engage in good faith? The silent majority within the department needs establishment senior diplomats and civil servants to step up and perform far better. It’s time to grow up.

Long-term reform

In our present environment, high-performing State Department professionals — and ultimately the American people — bear the heaviest burden. They compensate for obstructionists while navigating subtle relational aggression and peer surveillance. This includes staff who increasingly face reputational attacks, doxxing, and tactics that are more typical of civil conflict than a workplace.

The world isn’t waiting for the State Department to get its act together. Foreign adversaries are watching — and exploiting — our division. Reform cannot be parked on the runway. We have to fly the plane, fix it in mid-air, and be ready for the long-haul journey ahead.

Editor’s note: This article was published originally at the American Mind.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, State department, State department reform, Marco rubio 

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump released a letter to be given to new citizens upon their naturalization. The message was lofty and inspiring: “America has always welcomed those who embrace our values, assimilate into our society, and pledge allegiance to our country. By taking this oath, you have forged a sacred bond with our Nation, her traditions, her history, her culture, and her values.”

The letter should be applauded for setting an aspirational standard for what citizenship should mean. But it is not an accurate reflection of today’s reality. The United States faces a deep assimilation crisis.

Tougher tests, stricter reviews, and heightened scrutiny must replace the laughably weak process we have today.

To its credit, the Trump administration — through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow — has tried to address the problem by revamping the path to naturalization. The changes include restoring a more rigorous version of the citizenship test. Today, the English portion can be passed simply by writing one memorized sentence, such as: “The president lives in the White House.”

Other reforms include social media screening and neighborhood checks to determine whether applicants are civic-minded, engage in anti-American behavior, or have a history of trouble with the law. These commonsense steps move naturalization closer to what it should be: a process that ensures new citizens merit the honor of joining the American republic.

Numbers that tell the story

America’s foreign-born population has topped 50 million, driven by mass immigration policies that have prioritized large inflows from countries with steep barriers to assimilation, including Mexico, India, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam. Legal immigration at this scale has created far more strain on assimilation than even the inflow of illegal aliens.

One of the clearest measures is English proficiency. According to Pew Research, only about half of immigrants ages 5 and older speak English well. Rates vary widely by country of origin; among Central American immigrants, only one in three is proficient.

Worse, proficiency has declined over time. Immigrants who arrived before 2000 had about a 10-point advantage over those who arrived later. Census data shows that 22% of Americans older than 5 speak a language other than English at home — and a third of them admit they speak English “less than very well.”

Split allegiances compound the problem. A 2012 Pew Research poll found that only 21% of Hispanics primarily identified as “American.” Meanwhile, naturalized U.S. citizens from Mexico can still vote in Mexican elections, an arrangement that blurs civic loyalty.

The money tells a similar story. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that $200 billion leaves the United States annually in remittances to immigrants’ home countries, including Mexico, India, Guatemala, the Philippines, and China. These untaxed transfers amount to a substantial portion of the GDP of many Central American nations — and a permanent drain on American wealth.

Cultural decay in plain sight

The cultural effects of weak assimilation are obvious. Earlier this summer, Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) told a foreign audience, in Spanish: “I’m a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American.”

She is not alone. Last year, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) declared in Somali: “We are an organized society, brothers and sisters, people of the same blood, people who know they are Somalis first, Muslims second.”

A Gallup poll from June reflects the larger trend: 92% of Republicans say they are extremely or very proud to be American, compared to just 36% of Democrats. As Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies recently observed, much of the blame lies with America itself. When national culture, language, and tradition are purposely eroded, what is left for newcomers to assimilate into?

RELATED: Patriotic assimilation is the cure for America’s identity crisis

Photo by SimpleImages via Getty Images

Acknowledge the problem

The assimilation crisis has no quick fix. With more than 800,000 people naturalized last year, the math guarantees that tens of thousands of new citizens each year will have only weak attachment to American identity. Unless naturalization standards change, the problem will compound.

Short of drastically reducing legal immigration, the least America can do is raise the bar. Clearer tests, more rigorous reviews, and tighter scrutiny must replace today’s lax process.

But first comes honesty. President Trump’s letter should be read for what it is — not a reflection of our current affairs, but a call to restore the meaning of citizenship. It points toward the America we ought to be.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Assimilation, Naturalization, Immigration crisis, Immigration 

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is looking especially attractive for car buyers.

For the first time in decades, taxpayers can deduct up to $10,000 in auto loan interest for new vehicles assembled in the United States. Welcome relief after being stretched thin by high borrowing costs and inflation.

A family financing a $40,000 SUV can save several hundred dollars in the first year, depending on their tax bracket.

Bonus: It helps strengthen American manufacturing.

Above the line

Unlike most tax deductions, this one is above the line, which means taxpayers can claim it without itemizing. That simplicity makes it available to millions of middle-class Americans.

To qualify, buyers must purchase a new personal-use vehicle. Cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, or motorcycles under 14,000 pounds qualify, but the final assembly has to be completed in the United States. This is a direct remedy for the skewed global competition and supply chain pressures that have been hurting many car companies that build in the USA.

The law requires lenders to issue a new IRS form, the 1098-Q, reporting interest paid on qualifying loans. Borrowers will also need to provide their vehicle identification number on their tax return to confirm eligibility. If a loan is refinanced, the deduction typically still applies, provided the vehicle meets the original requirements. These safeguards give taxpayers the benefit of American-assembled vehicles. And I’ll leave a list of all the vehicles that should qualify below.

The deduction is targeted at middle-income car buyers. For single filers, it begins phasing out at $100,000 in income and is fully eliminated at $150,000. For couples, the phase-out starts at $200,000 and ends at $250,000. That structure puts the greatest benefit in the hands of households struggling most with high interest rates. With the average new car loan now topping $42,000 at more than 7% APR, first-year interest charges alone can reach $1,600 or more. For those families, the deduction can provide a meaningful tax refund without pushing them anywhere near the $10,000 cap.

Crucial savings

Dealerships have wasted no time highlighting this change. Sales teams are using the tax break as a tool to overcome sticker shock. A family financing a $40,000 SUV can save several hundred dollars in the first year, depending on their tax bracket.

For buyers weighing whether to purchase now or wait, that savings often makes the decision. This could especially benefit dealerships unloading mid-range U.S.-built vehicles like Ford, Chevrolet, and Tesla’s American-assembled models.

By designing loans to capture the greatest benefit from the law, dealerships also get to emphasize their role in saving the buyer money — a way to build trust at a time when consumers are increasingly cautious about debt.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also includes other provisions, such as restoring 100% bonus depreciation for qualified business property through 2028. This helps small-business owners and independent contractors (like rideshare drivers) who can now deduct vehicle interest while expensing their assets. It also helps dealerships manage inventory more efficiently.

RELATED: EV mandate killed in ‘biggest day of deregulation in American history’

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

EV rider

One of the most consequential changes, however, is the phase-out of federal electric vehicle tax credits. As of September 30, 2025, the long-standing subsidies that handed buyers $7,500 for new EVs and $4,000 for used EVs will be gone. For years, EV sales have been artificially boosted by taxpayer-funded incentives. That era is ending. Buyers who want an EV will now need to evaluate them on real-world value, just like gas-powered vehicles. U.S.-assembled EVs will still qualify for the auto loan interest deduction, but the days of federal handouts at the point of sale are coming to a quick end.

This change creates urgency. Dealers are moving EV inventory quickly before credits expire, while at the same time promoting the deduction for all qualifying vehicles. For buyers, the message is clear: If you want a subsidized EV, act quickly. If you want lasting tax savings, look to U.S.-assembled cars, trucks, or SUVs under the new deduction.

Because the auto loan deduction sunsets after 2028, buyers and dealers are preparing for a surge in purchases over the next two years. The goal is to drive a temporary spikes in auto sales; this incentive will create a wave of demand for a short period of time. The difference this time is that the benefit is tied to supporting American factories and workers, not just moving inventory off lots.

Straightforward steps

For buyers, the steps are straightforward. Confirm that your vehicle is new, assembled in the U.S., and purchased after December 31, 2024. Check income limits, work with your lender to ensure proper reporting, and keep the VIN on hand for tax filing. With interest rates high and the average new vehicle price pushing past $48,000, the potential savings are substantial. Over the course of a multiyear loan, some buyers could save thousands of dollars in taxes while keeping more of their household budget intact.

The law’s auto loan deduction is more than a line in the tax code. It rewards those who buy American, gives relief to the middle class, and reduces reliance on subsidies that distort the marketplace. For car buyers balancing inflation, high interest rates, and everyday expenses, it delivers something rare in Washington: practical help that makes life a little easier.

These cars meet the requirements for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act loan deduction.

Acura: Integra, MDX, RDX, TLX, ZDXBMW: X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, XMBuick: Enclave, Encore GX, EnvistaCadillac: Celestiq, CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade IQ, Lyriq, Vistiq, XT4, XT5, XT6Chevrolet: Colorado, Corvette, Express, Malibu, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado EV, Suburban, Tahoe, TraverseDodge: DurangoFord: Bronco, Escape, Expedition, Explorer, F-150, F-150 Lightning, Mustang, RangerGenesis: GV70, GV80GMC: Acadia, Canyon, Hummer EV SUT, Hummer EV SUV, Savana, Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Yukon, Yukon XLHonda: Accord, Civic, CR-V, Odyssey, Pilot, RidgelineHyundai: Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Tucson, Ioniq 5, Ioniq 9Jeep: Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, WranglerKia: EV6, EV9, Sorento, TellurideLincoln: Aviator, Corsair, NavigatorLucid: Air, GravityMazda: CX-50Mercedes-Benz: EQE SUV, EQS SUV, GLE, GLS, Sprinter 2500, Sprinter 3500Nissan: Altima, Frontier, Pathfinder, Rogue, LEAFPolestar 3Rivian: R1S, R1TSubaru: Ascent, Impreza, Legacy, OutbackTesla: Cybertruck, Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model XToyota: bZ4X, Camry, Corolla, Corolla Cross, Grand Highlander, Highlander, Sequoia, Sienna, TundraVolkswagen: Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, ID.4Volvo: EX90, S60Heavy-Duty Vehicles (8,501–13,999 lbs GVWR)Ford: Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350 (SRW configurations), Transit 350 HDChevrolet: Express 3500, Silverado 3500HD (select configurations under 14,000 lbs)GMC: Savana 3500, Sierra 3500HD (select configurations under 14,000 lbs)

​Lifestyle, One big beautiful bill, Auto industry, Buy american, Align cars 

The image was unforgettable.

A grieving widow, standing before thousands, chose not to curse the darkness before her. Erika Kirk spoke words of grace instead of vengeance, forgiving the man who allegedly gunned down her husband. Days earlier in California, the family of slain pastor Felipe Ascencio had done the same, turning the other cheek even as sorrow filled the air.

This is not politics guided by conscience. It’s ideology married to contempt, unmoored from God, and unashamed of evil.

Two funerals. Two acts of radical mercy. In an age of rage, such restraint is astonishing.

Forgive, but resist

This deserves respect. In a culture where cruelty passes for cleverness and malice poses as morality, forgiveness stands out like a candle in the night. It is not weakness but strength, drawn from God and lived in public. It recalls Saint Stephen praying for his killers and Christ forgiving from the cross.

To forgive when the mob demands fury is its own form of defiance. It unsettles a culture addicted to vengeance. But forgiveness is not a shield. Mercy eases the wound, but it does not stop the next bullet.

That’s the truth conservatives must face.

We are not dealing with decent opponents who stumble now and then. We are dealing with a godless left that sees mercy as impotence. Leftists do not mourn their enemies; they mock them. Scroll through their comments after a killing — laughter, sneers, excuses. Watch their pundits explain why the victim had it coming.

This is not politics guided by conscience. It’s ideology married to contempt, unmoored from God, and unashamed of evil.

Forgiveness is holy. But when it’s met with ridicule, it signals that more blood can be spilled without cost. A movement that forgives but never fortifies will not survive. A church that turns the cheek but never guards the body will be broken. This age does not admire meekness; it exploits it. And those who delight in Charlie Kirk’s death will not be moved by hymns or prayers. They will be encouraged by them if nothing else follows.

So what next?

First, vigilance. Christians can no longer assume that sharing a country means sharing values. That illusion has been broken for years. Many Americans share a land, yet dream of different nations. In media, schools, and politics, hostility to faith, family, and country is open and unapologetic. The hatred is plain, and the influence is real.

To look away is to invite defeat.

Second, unity. The left thrives on division within the right, and too often it prevails. Grudges, disputes, and rivalries weaken those who should be standing shoulder to shoulder. A fractured right is an easy target.

RELATED: How Erika Kirk answered the hardest question of all

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Third, cultural strength. Politics follows culture, and culture is where the left has won most ground. Leftists control classrooms, newsrooms, and streaming services, the feeds in every young person’s pocket. They shape imaginations before ballots are ever cast. To counter this, those on the right cannot retreat into nostalgia. They must build schools that teach truth, create art that uplifts, and support media that speaks with honesty about faith, family, and country.

Culture shapes politics, and if culture is lost, the future is lost.

Fourth, law and governance. Forgiveness mends hearts, but law restrains hands. A society that refuses to punish evil guarantees more of it. Prayers for the dead are not enough. There must be laws that protect churches, policies that guard families, courts that resist ideological pressure. To love an enemy does not mean allowing him to wage war.

This is not a call to violence but a call to clarity.

Steadfast in mercy — and might

History shows that kindness alone cannot conquer wickedness. Rome admired the martyrs, yet still threw them to the lions. Emperors preached justice while crucifixions lined the roads. Popes spoke of humility while selling indulgences. Dictators praised virtue while locking believers in prisons. Across ages and empires, evil has never yielded to gentle words. It retreats only before courage, conviction, and steadfast resistance.

Forgive your enemy, but do not let him rule your household. Pray for his soul, but do not let his ideology shape your child’s classroom. Bless those who curse you, but do not hand them the levers of power they would use to curse your grandchildren.

Erika Kirk’s words lifted eyes to heaven and shamed a culture of retribution. But if her forgiveness is mistaken for a strategy, we will see more widows, more orphans, and more funerals. Forgiveness is a balm, not a barricade. The barricade must be built by all decent Americans — through faith, family, unity, vigilance, and cultural strength.

Two thousand years ago, Christ carried the cross and conquered death. Today, his followers are called to carry their own. Sometimes that means granting grace where none is earned. Sometimes it means resisting a culture sinking into decay.

Always, it means standing firm — steadfast in mercy, steady in might — until right overcomes wrong and heaven defeats hell.

​Forgiveness, Christianity, Christian mercy, Progressivism, Leftists, Christian, Erika kirk, Charlie kirk, Faith 

Could be some awkward times in Hollywood moving forward.

We recently saw nearly 4,000 Hollywood stars sign an open letter pledging to boycott Israeli-based film groups and productions. The who’s who of Hollywood included Emma Stone, Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, and many more.

Emma Watson became a star for one reason and one reason only — JK Rowling.

Now, roughly 1,200 actors are firing back.

A group including Debra Messing, Mayim Bialik, Liev Schreiber, Gene Simmons, and Howie Mandel signed a dueling open letter attacking that cultural boycott.

“We know the power of film. We know the power of story. That is why we cannot stay silent when a story is turned into a weapon, when lies are dressed up as justice, and when artists are misled into amplifying anti-Semitic propaganda.”

Imagine if some of these warring factions meet on a film or TV set moving forward. Yikes …

Sorry not sorry

Jimmy Kimmel is back after falsely claiming MAGA killed conservative icon Charlie Kirk. You’d think with all that “free speech” he’s once again enjoying, he could’ve spared a few words for a sincere apology.

After all, Kimmel didn’t like it when Aaron Rodgers falsely alleged that he might be on a certain pedophile’s list.

In fact, as Megyn Kelly points out, Kimmel lectured the NFL star on his manners for never saying he was sorry.

“And when I do get something wrong, which happens on rare occasions, you know what I do? I apologize for it. Which is what Aaron Rodgers should do, which is what a decent person would do.”

Good advice all around. We’re waiting, Mr. Kimmel.

RELATED: Mission: Impossible (to sit through); Final Dud-stination; RIP Joe Don Baker

Mike Malloy/Damon Packard/Cinerama/Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images

Moranis plays ‘Balls’

You can’t keep a good Dark Helmet down.

Rick Moranis, the Canadian comic who brought the Darth Vader-esque villain to life in 1987’s “Spaceballs,” is ending his semi-retirement.

He’ll play Dark Helmet once more for the “Spaceballs” sequel, set for a 2027 release. The studio behind the film sent out a black-and-white cast photo, not unlike the still that triggered the media machine behind 2015’s “The Force Awakens.”

This time, the photo features returning franchise stars like Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, and, of course, Moranis.

The busy actor took a knee on his Hollywood career following the death of his wife, Ann Belsky, from breast cancer. Being a dad took top priority, and he mostly left Hollywood behind. He’s done a modest amount of acting work since then, including voice-over appearances. The “Spaceballs” sequel will be his biggest gig in years.

Let’s hope the comedy sequel is more “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and less “Caddyshack II” …

He’s a man, man!

Media outlets have spent years telling us who the next 007 will be. It was never based on, you know, actual facts, just rumors, wish-casting, and clickbait.

That’s journalism in 2025! (Hard news coverage is no better.)

Now, we’re getting our first real information about the next James Bond. It’s … no one you’ve ever heard of. Ta-dah!

Director Denis Villeneuve and his team crave a “fresh face,” AKA an unknown star, to step into the iconic role. That’s the best news out of 007-ville in some time. The only other clues? The next Bond will be male and British.

Dylan Mulvaney need not apply.

Millions of woke voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced …

JK ok with Emma

Don’t call it a comeback. Maybe just a backpedal.

Emma Watson became a star for one reason and one reason only — J.K. Rowling. The British author wrote the “Harry Potter” books, and Watson snagged the role of Hermione for the movie adaptation back in 2001.

It’s that simple.

Yet, when Rowling dared to disagree with the actor on some trans-related issues, Watson indirectly scorched her views on social media. So did some of her “Harry Potter” cast mates.

That was then — 2020 — when the woke mind virus rampaged Hollywood and elsewhere. Post a black square for BLM … or else.

Now, Watson is singing a more sympathetic tune.

I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have means that I can’t and don’t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with. … It’s my deepest wish that people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with.

With age comes wisdom. It’s also safer to praise Rowling today following woke’s significant decline and the author’s refusal to bow to the cancel culture mob.

That’s courage, Hollywood-style.

​Hollywood, Culture, Entertainment, Jk rowling, James bond, Toto recall 

We were promised a “green” utopia, free of fossil fuels, powered by sunshine and breezes. However, the net-zero hobbits living in this imaginary Shire were blissfully ignorant of hard realities dictated by physics, engineering, and economics.

Once trumpeted by corporate giants and governments alike, the vision of a world without greenhouse gas emissions is crumbling. It’s pseudoscience coupled with false assurances incapable of sustaining the weight of one reality after another. Major airlines, energy companies, and financial institutions are abandoning net-zero commitments that were always destined to clash with the demands of business imperatives and people’s needs.

Becoming mainstream again is the understanding that affordable and reliable energy, prosperity, and human freedom are inextricably linked — a non-negotiable connection.

Anti-fossil fuel crusaders assured the public that jet travel could be reshaped through “green” fuel and futuristic aircraft. But in 2024, Air New Zealand shattered that illusion by declaring its 2030 emissions target impossible to achieve.

Another blow to the green version of a Middle-earth fantasy came from Airbus, which pushed into never-never land fantasies with its plans to deliver a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035.

The necessary technology simply does not exist — neither for airplanes nor so-called sustainable fuels in commercial quantities.

The airline industry’s capitulation is not an isolated incident. It’s a major domino falling in a long line of corporate and governmental U-turns signaling a great awakening.

Over the past 24 months, major banks and investment firms have staged an exodus from climate alliances, no longer willing to bear the costs or regulatory risks of practices that discriminate against enterprises such as traditional energy companies.

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance, once a beacon of green aspirations, has lost some of its largest members, including HSBC and UBS, and all the largest U.S. banks, among them J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup.

The climate industrial complex, through its organs at the United Nations, sought to impose anti-fossil fuel goals on the global shipping industry via the International Maritime Organization. However, in 2025, the United States took a bold stand by formally opposing the IMO’s position.

Across the Atlantic, Scotland made headlines in April 2024 by abandoning its ambitious target to cut emissions by 75% by 2030. At Germany’s Munich Motor Show in 2025, Stellantis — parent company of brands like Jeep, Peugeot, and Vauxhall — declared it would no longer aim to produce only electric vehicles by 2030.

The company called the European Union’s 2035 zero-emission mandate “unrealistic.” Others have cut back or canceled production of EVs, most recently Acura’s ZDX, which was sent packing shortly after the Japanese manufacturer and General Motors ended a joint EV venture.

RELATED: Trump’s climate policy shift could save American farmers from disaster

Photo by JamesBrey via Getty Images

The Science-Based Targets initiative was supposed to be the gold-standard arbiter of net-zero commitments. Yet energy giants like Shell, BP, and Enbridge have quit advisory groups linked to the Science-Based Targets initiative, recalibrating their strategies toward pragmatism in the development of oil and natural gas. BP, for example, slashed future spending on net-zero ventures while upping investments in traditional hydrocarbons by nearly 20%.

All these reversals share a common cause: the profound disconnect between activist goals and economic reality. On paper, it sounds charitable to promise emissions cuts and decarbonized operations by mid-century. However, these pledges assume nonexistent technology, rely on unaffordable energy sources, and require disruption to economic activity that no rational executive team can tolerate. Financial institutions have realized that lending to developers and users of fossil fuels is vital for national security, especially in times of geopolitical uncertainty. Oil and natural gas continue to be essential for infrastructure, industrial processes, and the daily lives of billions. “Green” lending strategies that sounded good at climate summits failed to deliver returns under market pressure.

Becoming mainstream again is the understanding that affordable and reliable energy, prosperity, and human freedom are inextricably linked — a non-negotiable connection. The great climate scare is not ending with a bang, but with quiet, commonsense calculations.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Net zero, Carbon emissions, Carbon footprint, Green energy, Climate change