Category: blaze media

President Trump was shocked at reactions from members of the press on Thursday while making an official proclamation about Columbus Day.

Appearing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the president spoke to the media about his landmark peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine. Before his remarks though, he made time to sign a document about the historic explorer Christopher Columbus.

‘We love the Italians.’

After a short history lesson from staff secretary Will Scharf about Columbus’ travels to the New World in 1492, Trump promptly summarized the document by stating, “In other words, we’re calling it Columbus Day.”

Shockingly, the press erupted in applause.

“Yes!” one person was heard saying as Trump looked off to his staff, puzzled.

“That was the press that broke out in applause,” the bewildered president pointed out. “That was — can you believe that? I’ve never seen that happen before. The press actually broke out in applause.”

Laughing, Trump then presented the newly signed document before delivering one of his famous one-liners.

RELATED: DEBUNKED: The left’s claims about Christopher Columbus are FALSE

“Columbus Day, we’re back!” Trump said, showing the document off. “Columbus Day! We’re back, Italians! OK? We love the Italians.”

The proclamation honors Columbus’ life, faith, courage, and perseverance while further cementing October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. It also discusses attempts by progressives to cancel Columbus with claims he is a controversial figure.

“Outrageously, in recent years, Christopher Columbus has been a prime target of a vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history, slander our heroes, and attack our heritage,” the document reads.

Describing “left-wing radicals” who have toppled statues and monuments of the explorer while tarnishing his character, Trump declared in the writings that “those days are finally over.”

“Our Nation will now abide by a simple truth: Christopher Columbus was a true American hero, and every citizen is eternally indebted to his relentless determination,” Trump wrote.

The shift in federal guidance comes after President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day — to be observed on Columbus Day — in 2021.

“For generations, Federal policies systematically sought to assimilate and displace Native people and eradicate Native cultures,” Biden wrote at the time. “Today, we recognize Indigenous peoples’ resilience and strength as well as the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society.”

RELATED: Saving History

A depiction of Genoese navigator Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) claiming possession of the New World, 1492. Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images

On Thursday, Trump further praised Italian Americans for their contribution to American culture.

“United States and Italy share a special bond rooted in the timeless values of faith, family, and freedom,” Trump explained.

Finally, the White House said it will direct the American flag to be displayed on all public buildings on Columbus Day to honor his legacy as well as “all who have contributed to building our Nation.”

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​Trump, News, Columbus, Columbus day, Press, Media, Woke, Left-wing, Statues, Politics 

I was sitting in a Starbucks the other day, typing away on the laptop open in front of me, pausing to look out the window and watch the cars roll by every few minutes, when a young guy walked over and just started talking to me.

Him: “Do you mind if I talk to you a bit? Would you like to have a conversation?”

In our day and age, sitting and talking with someone you’ll probably never see again is oddly refreshing. It just feels good.

Me: “Um, sure. Have a seat. Are you working on a project or something? Writing something?”

Him: “No. I’m just trying to talk to more people. I used to be really socially awkward, so a few years ago I decided that I should just talk to people when I have a few extra minutes.”

Channeling Albert

I thought it was a fantastic idea and said as much; then I asked if he came up with it on his own. He said that he had.

I told him that back in the 1930s the psychologist Albert Ellis did a similar thing for a similar reason. Basically Ellis — then a very shy young man in his 20s — would go to the park and talk to every single woman he saw. All ages, shapes, and sizes. He reported that it helped him immensely, essentially curing him of his crippling social anxiety.

I brought up Ellis not to undercut the creativity of his idea but to underscore the fact that he was on to something very real. Great minds think alike, you know.

I asked him if he thought it had helped him, and he, like Ellis, confirmed that it certainly had.

Stop me if you’ve heard this

He told me he was Catholic and was waiting for a Jehovah’s Witness who was meeting him for a debate. I didn’t ask him how exactly they set this debate or how they crossed paths, but I can only imagine that they were discussing theology online and decided to continue their argument IRL.

It really sounds like a good start to a joke, doesn’t it? A Catholic and a Jehovah’s Witness walk into a Starbucks for a theological debate.

I talked with him for about 15 minutes. He told me he was 18 and that he was in middle school during COVID, to which I responded, with my palm holding my forehead, “My God, you are so young and I am so old.” We talked a lot about his experiences speaking with people. How some were more open and others less so, and how he thought other people in his generation would benefit from doing something similar.

I told him that I think the Zoomers’ emotions were calibrated differently from their elders’ due to technology and the social isolation it has brought along with it. He agreed.

RELATED: What college students can learn from loneliness

Heritage Images/Getty Images

Communication breakdown

He also shared a theory about how we perceive one another in our technological age. He explained that in his opinion we tend to project the most extreme views onto those with whom we disagree before we even interact, with the result that we adjust our own views to be more extreme. Everyone is constantly doing this, which is why communication gets worse and worse.

I found this compelling. I had never thought of it that way, and while I need to ponder it more to know if I really agree or not, I think there must be some truth to it. I also think, due to his age, he has a more personal insight into his generation’s sense of the world than I. He is a native to his strange world, while I am only a documentarian noting the ways of these peculiar people we call Zoomers.

Listen up

I like talking to people. Truthfully, I like doing the listening more than the talking. It might be because I’m a writer and always looking for inspiration, or maybe it’s because I’m perpetually curious about everyone and everything. Whatever it is, I like sitting there, just listening, taking in what they have to share, trying to figure them out. If you ask people about themselves, they will just talk and talk, and you can learn about all these other corners in all these other lives.

Our world can feel very internal these days with the internet and all the text-based interaction we suffer through. It’s easy to feel alone and estranged from everyone else. In our day and age, sitting and talking with someone you’ll probably never see again is oddly refreshing. It just feels good.

I really enjoyed my time talking with Zoomer Albert Ellis. I was fairly uninspired when he sat down, and our discussion was invigorating in a way that only human interaction can be. I learned something about the Zoomers and their social struggles as seen through his eyes. And it was heartening to see this young guy trying to better himself in the real world. Perhaps the kids — or at least some of them — are all right.

After a few minutes, a big black truck pulled up and a slender guy in his 40s with graying hair hopped out. The Zoomer across from me concluded that this must be his debate partner and said goodbye. He met him outside on the patio, where they sat at a black table, across from one another, for quite some time. I went back to my work, writing. Every few minutes I glanced out the window to see the a spirited theological debate, politely raging, IRL.

​Men’s style, Conversation, Zoomers, Lifestyle, Strangers, Internet, Albert ellis, Anxiety, Shyness, The root of the matter 

Prior to his assassination, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk invited Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck to join him on his fall campus tour. Honoring his promise to his faithfully departed friend, Beck took the stage alone on Thursday to a packed house at the Chester Fritz Performing Arts Center on the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks.

— (@)

In addition to discussing American greatness and the moral complexity of U.S. history with the aid of artifacts from his vast museum collection — an American history collection he claims trumps all others in size with the exception to the National Archives and the Library of Congress — Beck shared a number of penetrating insights of both a professional and a personal nature.

On the professional side, Beck revealed that prior to Sept. 10, he had been preparing to tell Kirk that he would turn over his national radio slot to the Turning Point USA founder years down the road when he retires.

“I was grooming Charlie to replace me,” said Beck.

‘You are a divine daughter and son of God with all of the rights and privileges that go with that.’

“He didn’t know that because I wanted to say that to him as a surprise: ‘I’ve watched you. You’ve surpassed me. You have worked so hard. You’ve done everything you’re supposed to do. I haven’t seen anyone like you. I will turn my radio, my internet, whatever you need, over to you because you deserve it.'”

Referencing lessons learned from Kirk as well as his own life, Beck — wearing the same kind of black-on-white “Freedom” shirt that his friend was murdered in — also discussed nine things he regards as truths “that will shape you into the person you are born to be.”

1. Question everything

“Question everything. Everything. Anyone who tells you, ‘Don’t ask that question’ — run from them,” said Beck.

The Blaze Media co-founder emphasized that this principle should be universally applied, especially when it comes to matters of theology. After all, Beck noted, God gave man the ability to reason, furnished him with curiosity, and left signs of Himself in and throughout creation, altogether affording the questioner everything he needs to become a firm believer.

“God wants you to find Him,” said Beck. “He is your Father.”

RELATED: Leftists try to shut down Turning Point USA at Rutgers for criticizing Antifa professor

— (@)

2. The truth will set you free

Although acting forthrightly and speaking truthfully was a recurrent theme throughout Beck’s address, Beck suggested that being truthful about sin and confessing sin is liberating and that there is freedom in the understanding that “you are a divine daughter and son of God with all of the rights and privileges that go with that.”

3. Choose your thoughts

Beck noted that the human mind traffics multitudes of thoughts every day and that these thoughts have the power to define who we are. Therefore, it is incumbent upon free, thinking beings to exercise agency over their thoughts and be judicious about which thoughts to entertain or prioritize.

“The most powerful words in any language is ‘I am.’ Be careful what you follow that with,” said Beck. “Why would you let the world tell you who you are? You are the only one that decides that. Life doesn’t happen to you. Are you going to be acted upon, or are you somebody that acts?”

4. You will ‘serve something.’ Choose carefully.

Beck stressed that every person will invariably “serve something,” recognizing something or someone at the summit of their hierarchy of values.

“You will serve something in your life. Guarantee it,” said Beck, citing addiction and God as possibilities. “Choose your master because if you don’t, your master will choose you.”

— (@)

5. Forgiveness is essential

Beck, who would later discuss the competing elements of good and bad in persons and nations alike, noted that “without forgiveness, everything else falls apart.”

Citing the recent example of Erika Kirk forgiving her husband’s murderer, Beck acknowledged that forgiving others can be “crippling hard” but nevertheless important, in part because retaining animus toward trespassers could prove corrosive.

Beck noted further that it is important also to forgive oneself and to “put on the helmet of salvation.”

6. Discipline is freedom

Reflecting on an incident where antagonistic forces in media apparently sought to tear him down, Beck noted that “no one can trap” those who live virtuously, are transparent about their failings, and emulate righteous people.

7. Faith is for realists

Beck hinted that faith, especially of the kind Kirk exhibited, is not a temporal remedy but an eternal connection; the confession of which is not self-serving but God-centric.

“Charlie had the faith that … if I’m doing what I’m asked by the Lord to do, it will all be fine,” said Beck. “It doesn’t mean that it works out for you in the end, but it works out for God. Because Charlie was so faithful, because he worked so hard, because he built what he built in the name of God, somebody comes in and takes him and out — and look what God has done with that.”

— (@)

8. Gratitude changes everything

Continuing to strike against the worship of comfort in today’s day and age, Beck underscored the importance of gratitude not only as an antidote for envy, a force he suggested courses through the left, but as the proper response to life’s many hardships.

“Gratitude changes everything. It doesn’t erase the hardship. It doesn’t. But failure is fertilizer. It’s fertilizer for something great that is about to grow,” said Beck.

Beck noted further that Kirk’s family, friends, and followers exemplified gratitude by the way in which they responded to his murder.

“You had a choice: Choose death, choose anger, choose vengeance, or choose life, choose charity, choose peace, choose forgiveness — and look how you’ve already changed the world,” said Beck.

RELATED: Turning Point USA to offer ‘All American Halftime Show’ alternative to NFL’s woke Super Bowl spectacle

— (@)

9. Community is oxygen

Beck finally cautioned about becoming siloed both on and offline, stressing the importance of hope-driven community: “You must have people around you.”

Echoing Benjamin Franklin, Beck noted that “the best way to serve God is to serve our fellow man” and that societal transformation is necessarily social.

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​Glenn beck, Beck, Turning point usa, University of north dakota, Faith, Religion, Christ, Christianity, Tpusa, Campus tour, Charlie kirk, Politics 

Katie Porter, a Democrat candidate for governor of California, was the most favored candidate to replace Gavin Newsom. However, her recent meltdown during a basic interview may have cost her everything.

“What do you say to the 40% of California voters who you’ll need in order to win who voted for Trump?” a reporter asked Porter.

“How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter asked, laughing.

“Well, unless you think you’re going to get 60% of the vote. You think you’ll get 60%? Everybody who did not vote for Trump will vote for you. That’s what you’re saying,” the reporter continued.

“In a general election, yes. If it is me versus a Republican, I think that I will win the people who did not vote for Trump,” Porter responded.

When the reporter asked what she would do if it was another Democrat that she was running against, Porter answered that she didn’t “intend that to be the case,” which confused the reporter even more.

“How do you not intend that to be the case? Are you going to ask them not to run?” the reporter asked.

As the interview went on, Porter continued to refuse to answer the initial question, which was “What do you say to the 40% of California voters” whom she’ll need to win, calling the reporter “unnecessarily argumentative.”

Porter then said, “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it.”

“You’re not going to do the interview with us?” the reporter said, stunned.

“Nope. Not like this. I’m not. Not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask,” Porter said.

“Every other candidate has answered —” the reporter responded, before Porter cut her off again, and then fought her on her attempts to keep the interview going, calling herself a “leader.”

Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck and BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere are stunned by the interview.

“Didn’t go well,” Glenn says.

“She’s never had to deal with follow-up questions before. … We sometimes don’t appreciate what a great life it must be on the left. … You never have to deal with anything. No one ever asks you a follow-up. No one ever pushes you on anything,” Stu comments.

“She asks one minor follow-up question that isn’t adversarial at all, and she pulls the plug on the interview,” he continues, shocked.

“That’s not even a follow-up question. It’s like, ‘Do you want more voters?’ That’s the hard question she walked out of an interview for,” he adds.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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A female ex-teacher and cheerleading coach in Alabama has been indicted after allegedly having sex with a student, a local report states.

Citing court documents, 1819 News reported that police arrested 32-year-old Makaela Caldwell Hodgins of Woodland on a $30,000 bond.

Students under 19 cannot consent to sexual relations with school employees in Alabama.

Hodgins pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance, 1819 News reported.

Mike Segrest — district attorney of Alabama’s 5th Judicial Circuit — told Blaze News the grand jury indictment occurred Sept. 12, Hodgins turned herself in Sept. 15, and her next court date is Oct. 28 in Randolph County. Segrest told Blaze News he believes Hodgins posted bond. She is not listed in the Randolph County Jail roster.

The former teacher is accused of sexually abusing a male student under the age of 19, the outlet reported, citing charging documents, adding that the alleged victim’s age was not disclosed. Segrest told Blaze News he couldn’t disclose the juvenile student’s age but noted that there would have been additional charges against her if the student was younger than 16.

According to Alabama state law, school employees are prohibited from engaging in sex acts with students under the age of 19, and students under 19 cannot consent to sexual relations with school employees in Alabama.

In Alabama, the charge of a school employee engaging in a sex act with a student who is under the age of 19 years is a Class B felony, and it carries a minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.

RELATED: Ex-middle school teacher — guilty of 21 counts of sex crimes against daughter’s underage babysitter — learns her fate

Hodgins reportedly had been a teacher at Randolph County High School in Wedowee. However, she’s no longer employed with the Randolph County School System, a school official stated.

“Ms. Hodgins began working for Randolph County School System on August 2, 2021. Her last day in the classroom was November 15, 2024. We will cooperate with local authorities as requested,” Randolph County Schools Superintendent John Jacobs told the New York Post.

However, Segrest told Blaze News her departure from the school was unrelated to the allegations against her.

In March 2022, Randolph County High School announced on its official Facebook page that Hodgins was named cheerleading coach.

“Mrs. Hodgins grew up here in Randolph County and was a cheerleader for six years at Woodland. She served as captain her senior year. She is an alumna of the University of West Alabama, where she cheered on a scholarship from 2011-2013,” the announcement reads. “She will graduate with her Master’s of Education from UWA in May.”

The Facebook post adds that “she has been involved in many aspects of coaching cheer for the past ten years through judging try-outs, conducting cheer camps, and choreographing routines.”

The announcement also says Hodgins is “married to her college sweetheart” and has two children.

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​Teacher arrested, Bad teacher, Teacher sex scandal, Teacher student sex scandal, Makaela caldwell hodgins, Makaela caldwell hodgins teacher, Crime, Alabama, District attorney, Mike segrest 

As fear spreads that those with “dark skin” will be targeted at the 2026 Super Bowl after halftime show headliner Bad Bunny was announced, “The View” co-hosts Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg had some suggestions for illegal immigrants thinking of attending.

“One thing I thought of, though — you know, Kristi Noem, the one who killed the dog. She killed Cricket, yeah. Who does that? Who shoots a puppy? Only her. Anyway, she’s threatening to go to the Super Bowl when Bad Bunny is there and round up all these people that are illegal immigrants,” Behar said.

“Do you think that she would go if it was Garth Brooks or Eminem or Taylor Swift or any other white person?” she asked.

“How’s she going to know who’s who?” Whoopi Goldberg asked.

“Because the Supreme Court has given permission to question anyone who has a Spanish accent, who has a dark skin,” Behar answered.

That’s when Whoopi handed out some unsolicited advice to those illegal immigrants who may plan on attending the Super Bowl.

“Everybody, get a little cocoa butter. Sit in the sun. That’s the first thing. And then — and this is the only time you can probably ever do this — give yourself a Latin accent,” Goldberg explained.

“During the Nazi occupation, there was one country — I believe it was Denmark or Norway, one of those — where everybody put the Jewish star on, and they didn’t know who was Jewish and who was not,” Behar added.

“I mean, this is why they’re on our unfunniest wanted list,” BlazeTV co-host Jeff Fisher says on “Pat Gray Unleashed.”

“It’s unthinkable that they’re on the air still,” BlazeTV host Pat Gray agrees.

“It started out sucking,” he continues, “and it’s gone downhill since.”

“It’s gotten worse,” executive producer Keith Malinak laughs.

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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Politicians, celebrities, and billionaires who lecture ordinary people about their carbon footprints live by another set of rules. They travel by private jet, dine in excess, and retreat to mansions powered by the very energy sources they want banned. It’s a spectacle of hypocrisy so pervasive, the media barely blinks.

Even scientists who scold the public about emissions fly thousands of miles to United Nations climate conferences — racking up the same greenhouse gases they claim will destroy the planet. This is two-tiered climate morality: Those with power indulge, while everyone else is told to sacrifice. Preaching austerity from a private jet has become the “let them eat cake” of our age.

Hypocrisy that pays

The real question isn’t whether the hypocrisy exists but why it’s so tolerated. The answer, in part, is that too many people have found ways to profit from it — through subsidies, grants, and the ever-expanding green grift.

Families pay more and travel less, while the jet-setters congratulate themselves for ‘saving the planet.’

According to data from Yard, celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Leonardo DiCaprio emitted between 3,000 and 4,400 tons of carbon dioxide in 2022 from private jet travel alone — hundreds or even thousands of times the annual emissions of an average citizen.

For perspective: Bangladesh emits about 0.71 tons of carbon dioxide per person annually. Ghana emits 0.74, Ethiopia 0.13, and Kenya 0.4. A single year of indulgence by an American climate icon outweighs the lifetime footprint of entire villages in the developing world.

The climate elite

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who condemns “climate deniers” as morally deficient, has a carbon footprint equivalent to nearly 280 average Americans or more than 2,200 Indians. DiCaprio built his global brand on climate activism — then took a private jet from Europe to New York to collect an environmental award.

If the hypocrisy of celebrities is glaring, the behavior of politicians is worse.

Records show that Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign spent over $221,000 on private jets in just one quarter — even as the Vermont socialist voted for laws that punish fossil fuel use and floated the idea of criminal charges for energy executives.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Fighting Oligarchy tour, meant to challenge wealth and privilege, relied on carbon-intensive travel of its own. The Bronx Democrat later scaled back her private jet use after criticism — by switching to first-class flights instead.

The priesthood of carbon

At United Nations climate conferences, the hypocrisy reaches liturgical heights. The gatherings are usually held in luxury destinations like Dubai, Glasgow, or Sharm El Sheikh. Each transcontinental flight emits roughly 2 tons of carbon dioxide per traveler — the annual output of a citizen in many poorer nations.

Yet these same scientists and bureaucrats push for energy restrictions in developing countries, demanding that millions forgo affordable electricity to meet arbitrary “net-zero” targets. Their supposed moral authority rests not on sacrifice but on self-congratulation.

RELATED: Airlines and banks admit net-zero promises were pure fantasy

Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images

A reckoning awaits

The hypocrisy would be merely irritating if the consequences weren’t so destructive. The push for “net-zero emissions” — a fantasy that defies both physics and economics — is driving up the cost of gasoline, electricity, and food while shrinking personal freedom. Families pay more and travel less, while the jet-setters congratulate themselves for “saving the planet.”

They’re not leading an energy transition. They’re entrenching a new aristocracy — one in which elites keep their privileges while the working class bears the pain in the name of the “greater good.”

The rise of Donald Trump and other skeptics has interrupted this march toward a green oligarchy, but the climate faithful persist. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s alliance with the Vatican to “terminate” global warming is only the latest display of moral vanity.

Eventually, voters will see through this 21st-century version of aristocratic corruption. The public may not wield guillotines, but the electoral version will do just fine. Off with their subsidies!

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Climate, Climate change, Climate hypocrisy, Leonardo dicaprio, Aoc, Bernie sanders, Un climate goals, Un, Alexandria ocasio-cortez, Environment, Carbon emissions, Austerity, United nations 

“This is an Orwell nightmare coming to life right in front of our face. And no one’s flinching.” In a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Rogan raised the alarm about the onrushing global implementation of digital ID, singling out the over 12,000 U.K. arrests due to officially unsavory internet posts.

London states that the British digital ID will simply be used to “curb the prospect of work for illegal migrants, a significant factor driving small boat crossing.” For students of that old conspiracy theory standard the Hegelian dialectic (or the Problem-Reaction-Solution model, whereby the conspirator creates a problem in order bring about a previous unpalatable “solution”), this is solid gold. It’s textbook.

The good news? Polling of U.K. citizenry suggests resounding resistance to implementation of digital ID. Yet the U.K., along with governments around the world, seem to be less concerned with worn-out notions of rights and more interested in redoubling their efforts to establish digital surveillance.

If accomplished at the state level, it’s a short leap to full acceptance.

The September 26 U.K. government press release stating the intent to roll out digital ID touts similar measures established in Estonia, Denmark, India, and Australia. Even though the release suggests the U.K. needs digital ID for immigration purposes, the benefits of such a tool are different for each of the above countries. We can assume that once a tailored excuse for each region has been established and the ID rolled out, the rest of the pieces will fall relatively swiftly into place.

For the British, however, there is no clear answer to the issue of integration into the so-called EUID, the parallel scheme run by the European Union. It’s about centralized data collection and analysis. It will be shared to whatever degree and for whatever purpose government (or its corporate sponsors) deem necessary, and once again, it’s designed to coordinate across systems. Ecosystems. Ecosystems of finance and taxation, plus others cobbled together from salable health or habit data. All with zero guarantees about how this is handled in the future.

Europe goes dark

In Europe, an enormous rollup of private comms is a sneeze away, with the crucial firewall country Germany now wavering. The German government is poised to drop its free-speech stance and cave to the so-called Chat Control policy, driving representatives from the hugely popular chat app Signal to issue a stern press release: “Under the guise of protecting children, the latest Chat Control proposals would require mass scanning of every message, photo, and video on a person’s device, assessing these via a government-mandated database or AI model to determine whether they are permissible content or not.”

It’s estimated that 57 countries already have digital ID in rollout phase. Couple this with the 93 countries that have digital payment systems in place. And consider that 103 countries have installed cross-sectional, national-level, active data exchange systems installed. It isn’t a stretch to see how close we are, at a global level, to Rogan’s “nightmare.”

RELATED: Arizona’s AI policing tool threatens civil liberties

Photo by Bloomberg / Contributor via Getty Images

This nightmare has zombies too. Consider that all those monsters that the MAGA coalition ostensibly fought and vanquished are still pushing for digital ID, from international corporate behemoths like Cisco and Google to “non”-governmental organizations like the World Economic Forum.

Imagine digital ID is mandated. Algorithms coordinate with phone data. Everything is processed through one gov/corp-AI or another. Would the stock market be even a little bit legitimate? No. Would consumer information ever be reliable? No. Could checks and balances of any sort ever make it through bought politicians and corporations with access to every trend down to the minute? No. Most versions of digital ID seek to coordinate all personal information into a central, individualized hub available to government and, of course, corporate partners with government.

On to the US?

In America, Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) has been, according to his own website, “one of the leading advocates in Congress for enhanced federal participation in digital identify ecosystems.” What exactly would possess Foster to love digital ID, especially when its parameters are so uncertain and its anecdotal favorability rankings are so low? It might be worth examination. Patterns detectable elsewhere may appear.

In the U.S., digital ID has already been pushed at the state level. Twenty-one states have adopted some form of “mobile” (digital) driver’s license, Real ID, and so forth. If accomplished at the state level, it’s a short leap to full acceptance. The Department of Homeland Security has already built, funded, and set into motion the Fusion Centers concept. Here we have the federal government vacuuming up (criminal and related) information from state, local, and county-level sources. Recall that the federal government is, by any standard, furiously divided. What seems fair to 50% of the nation today will not, in circumstances where incompatible ideologies and opinions are in contest, seem fair when a new administration takes over.

We’ll soon have to decide: Do we need digital ID today to crush cartel and domestic terrorist activity in the United States? With top-tier Trump backers like Oracle’s Larry Ellison fully in favor of digital IDs, citizens may soon be asking whether American greatness in the digital age requires a greater sacrifice than they could have imagined.

​Tech, Digital id, Europe, Usa 

This week, free speech is once again on the line before the U.S. Supreme Court. At stake is whether Americans still have the right to talk about faith, morality, and truth in their private practice without the government’s permission.

The case comes out of Colorado, where lawmakers in 2019 passed a ban on what they call “conversion therapy.” The law prohibits licensed counselors from trying to change a minor’s gender identity or sexual orientation, including their behaviors or gender expression. The law specifically targets Christian counselors who serve clients attempting to overcome gender dysphoria and not fall prey to the transgender ideology.

The root of this case isn’t about therapy. It’s about erasing a worldview.

The law does include one convenient exception. Counselors are free to “assist” a person who wants to transition genders but not someone who wants to affirm their biological sex. In other words, you can help a child move in one direction — one that is in line with the state’s progressive ideology — but not the other.

Think about that for a moment. The state is saying that a counselor can’t even discuss changing behavior with a client. Isn’t that the whole point of counseling?

One‑sided freedom

Kaley Chiles, a licensed professional counselor in Colorado Springs, has been one of the victims of this blatant attack on the First Amendment. Chiles has dedicated her practice to helping clients dealing with addiction, trauma, sexuality struggles, and gender dysphoria. She’s also a Christian who serves patients seeking guidance rooted in biblical teaching.

Before 2019, she could counsel minors according to her faith. She could talk about biblical morality, identity, and the path to wholeness. When the state outlawed that speech, she stopped. She followed the law — and then she sued.

Her case, Chiles v. Salazar, is now before the Supreme Court. Justices heard oral arguments on Tuesday. The question: Is counseling a form of speech or merely a government‑regulated service?

If the court rules the wrong way, it won’t just silence therapists. It could muzzle pastors, teachers, parents — anyone who believes in truth grounded in something higher than the state.

Censored belief

I believe marriage between a man and a woman is ordained by God. I believe that family — mother, father, child — is central to His design for humanity.

I believe that men and women are created in God’s image, with divine purpose and eternal worth. Gender isn’t an accessory; it’s part of who we are.

I believe the command to “be fruitful and multiply” still stands, that the power to create life is sacred, and that it belongs within marriage between a man and a woman.

And I believe that when we abandon these principles — when we treat sex as recreation, when we dissolve families, when we forget our vows — society fractures.

Are those statements controversial now? Maybe. But if this case goes against Chiles, those statements and others could soon be illegal to say aloud in public.

Faith on trial

In Colorado today, a counselor cannot sit down with a 15‑year‑old who’s struggling with gender identity and say, “You were made in God’s image, and He does not make mistakes.” That is now considered hate speech.

RELATED: Free speech is a core American value

stellalevi via iStock/Getty Images

That’s the “freedom” the modern left is offering — freedom to affirm, but never to question. Freedom to comply, but never to dissent. The same movement that claims to champion tolerance now demands silence from anyone who disagrees. The root of this case isn’t about therapy. It’s about erasing a worldview.

The real test

No matter what happens at the Supreme Court, we cannot stop speaking the truth. These beliefs aren’t political slogans. For me, they are the product of years of wrestling, searching, and learning through pain and grace what actually leads to peace. For us, they are the fundamental principles that lead to a flourishing life. We cannot balk at standing for truth.

Maybe that’s why God allows these moments — moments when believers are pushed to the wall. They force us to ask hard questions: What is true? What is worth standing for? What is worth dying for — and living for?

If we answer those questions honestly, we’ll find not just truth, but freedom.

The state doesn’t grant real freedom — and it certainly isn’t defined by Colorado legislators. Real freedom comes from God. And the day we forget that, the First Amendment will mean nothing at all.

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​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Freedom of speech, Conversion therapy, Conversion therapy supreme court case, Censorship, First amendment, Free speech, Supreme court, Freedom of religion, Sexuality, Gender ideology, Psychology, Same-sex attraction, Gender transition, Transgender agenda, Biblical sexuality, Biblical worldview, Chiles v. salazar 

Joe Rogan mocked and ridiculed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his presidential aspirations, and the Democrat tried to defend himself in a post on social media.

Newsom has appeared to be increasing his national exposure and fueling speculation that he is looking to mount a presidential campaign in 2028 after being termed out of the California governor’s office.

‘Everybody’s leaving! You have the highest unemployment. You have the highest homelessness. Money’s missing. You killed Hollywood. Like, Hollywood doesn’t exist anymore. It’s literally gone!’

Rogan hammered Newsom on his podcast while interviewing Jack Carr, a retired Navy SEAL and author.

“[Democrats] don’t have any faith in Gavin Newsom, which is kind of funny because he wants to be president so bad,” Rogan laughed.

“You can’t ruin a city and then go on to ruin a state and say, ‘Guys, that was just practice. Once I get in as president, I’m gonna fix it. Fix it all,'” he added.

Carr called it “crazy” but added that Newsom was a “great politician,” to which Rogan immediately disagreed.

“No, he’s not. … He has low competition. There’s no one who’s good that’s competing against him. There’s no sincerity,” Rogan responded.

Carr reframed his characterization and called Newsom “smooth” instead.

“He’s a good bulls**t artist. … The things that he says when he gets confronted with anything — ‘We have the highest this and the highest that!'” Rogan replied.

“Like, everybody’s leaving! You have the highest unemployment. You have the highest homelessness. Money’s missing. You killed Hollywood. Like, Hollywood doesn’t exist anymore. It’s literally gone!” he continued. “You mandated vaccines for kids that didn’t need them. You guys, he did horrible s**t!”

Video of the exchange was posted to social media, where it garnered more than 10 million views.

The governor didn’t seem to appreciate the comments, and he challenged Rogan on social media.

“Joe Rogan is too [chicken] to have me on his show and expose his listeners to the truth, so I’ll put it here,” Newsom posted on social media.

RELATED: Gavin Newsom threatens California universities that ‘bend to the will’ of Trump after latest demand

Newsom listed several indicators of success from the state of California:

4th largest economy in the world #1 in manufacturing #1 in farming #1 in new business starts#1 for tech and VC investments #1 for Fortune 500 companies #1 public higher education

“I could continue … invite me on any time,” he added.

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After more than two years of brutal fighting in Gaza, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have begun the “first phase” of a peace plan that could finally free long-suffering hostages.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!”

Trump is trying to bring order abroad and at home. His enemies are trying to keep the disorder alive.

He added: “This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

If hostages are released as early as Sunday, as Trump predicts, it would mark a major breakthrough for Middle East stability — and for his presidency. But it also raises an uncomfortable question: What happens here at home?

From peace abroad to chaos in America

When the Gaza war began two years ago, protests erupted across the United States. Many of those demonstrations, billed as calls for “peace,” quickly devolved into violent riots. Jewish Americans and police officers were assaulted. Property was destroyed. The protests became less about peace and more about rage.

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that even Trump’s announcement of a potential peace deal triggered more unrest.

Just hours after his statement, hundreds of demonstrators flooded Boston Common for a pro-Palestinian rally that turned violent quickly. Police said the mob blocked traffic and attacked officers who tried to clear the streets.

“When officers attempted to move the group to the sidewalk to allow emergency vehicles to pass, protesters surrounded police cruisers, kicked vehicle doors, and resisted dispersal efforts,” the Boston Police Department reported. “Several officers were assaulted during this period, including one struck in the face. Protesters also ignited smoke devices and flares, further endangering officers and bystanders.”

Thirteen people were arrested. Four officers were injured.

The wider pattern of defiance

This violence echoes what’s happening in other cities like Chicago and Portland, where anti-ICE protesters have targeted federal officers. To restore order, Trump has authorized National Guard deployments in several hot spots — moves that have sparked fierce pushback from Democrat governors and mayors.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have ordered local police not to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Their defiance has grown so extreme that Trump recently suggested their obstruction may warrant arrest.

A confrontational presidency

Since returning to office, Trump has pursued an aggressive agenda at home and abroad: expelling violent illegal aliens, curbing lawlessness in major cities, and now, moving toward peace in one of the world’s most volatile regions.

Yet his critics respond with fury — often literally. They claim he’s a threat to democracy, even as they assault police and terrorize neighborhoods in the name of “justice.”

RELATED: Hamas agrees to Trump Gaza deal, plans to release all Israeli hostages

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Have whatever opinion you want about Trump; it’s a free country. But a protest that ends with bloodied officers and burning streets isn’t a statement — it’s a tantrum.

The real test of peace

Time will tell whether the Gaza ceasefire holds or whether protests at home will fade. But the pattern is clear: Whenever Trump achieves stability, the same voices that demand peace erupt in chaos.

Trump is trying to bring order abroad and at home. They’re trying to keep the disorder alive.

You don’t have to like him. But you can’t pretend not to see the difference.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Trump gaza, Trump israel, Israel, Gaza, Israel gaza ceasefire, Peace in the middle east, Israel hamas war, Hamas, Oct 7, October 7, October 7 attacks, Hostages 

We all remember the 2023 Drag March in New York City where a horde of rainbow-clad people chanted that they were coming for our children. Founder of the NYC Drag March, Brian Griffin, flippantly dismissed the chant as an attempt to reclaim and defuse anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and stereotypes through provocative satire.

The mainstream media echoed Griffin’s remarks, framing the creepy refrain as a tongue-in-cheek response to conservatives’ faulty claims that the LGBTQ+ community recruits and grooms children.

But now that a 35-year-old drag queen has been charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a 13-year-old boy, perhaps we should’ve taken their “satirical” chant at face value, says Sara Gonzales, BlazeTV host of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

Last month, Aubrey Ghalichi, whose real name is Michael Browder — a drag queen from Phoenix, Arizona — allegedly admitted to police that he had had sex with the boy, who, according to official documents, pretended to be 18 years old on a dating app.

“Once again, when they tell you who they are, believe them,” says Sara.

But she makes an excellent point: The infamous phrase “we’re coming for your children” isn’t even necessary to pinpoint the sinister intentions of the drag world. Just look at the fact that it’s now common to host “family-friendly” and “all-ages” drag shows, which still feature grown men in sexually suggestive attire and full-faced makeup dancing provocatively on stripper poles.

This alone should clue anyone with half a brain into what their intentions are.

Glenn Beck’s head researcher, Jason Buttrill, can’t help but make fun of the people who act shocked when news like Browder’s case airs. “Why would we take our kids to ‘family’ [drag shows] … and then be like, ‘Oh, my lands — he ended up being a pedophile!’ No s**t!” he laughs.

“Stupid people will fight with you on social media about it, like, ‘You bigot. You suspect [pedophilia]?’ I’m like, ‘You don’t?!”’

“I feel like the first instinct that you should have had to think something was amiss was the fact that he wanted to twerk in front of a young child,” adds Sara.

To hear more, watch the episode above.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

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A homeless man was arrested outside of a high school in Texas after he allegedly injected a student with an unknown substance and tried to kidnap the boy, according to prosecutors.

The harrowing incident began when staff members from Aldine High School noticed a student “stumbling and walking off-balance” at a shopping center near the campus on Oct. 1, according to a statement from the school district.

‘God only knows what would have happened to him if he would have actually followed through and had been able to actually kidnap him as well.’

The staff called police, who immediately detained a male who was acting suspiciously and approaching the student. One staff member reportedly recorded video of the man pulling the student away.

The student was found to be nonresponsive and was treated by EMS to help him regain consciousness. When he did so, the student told police that the man had injected him with an unknown substance.

The man was identified as Ted Fleming and charged with kidnapping, failing to register as a sex offender, and entering school grounds without notice. Fleming has an extensive criminal history with at least 38 prior arrests, including deadly conduct, various counts of terrorist threats, numerous counts of indecent exposure, evading, and trespassing.

A Crime Stoppers victim’s advocate speculated to WTHR-TV that the student was likely rescued from an even more horrible fate.

“This is the first time I’ve seen or heard of a case where somebody was actually injected,” Andy Kahan said.

“God only knows what would have happened to him if he would have actually followed through and had been able to actually kidnap him as well,” he added.

A booking photo shows Fleming smiling after his arrest.

RELATED: Family tracks cell phone of missing veteran mom to horrifying discovery at homeless encampment, LAPD says

“The Aldine ISD Police will increase patrols around the Aldine High School area,” the district said. “The safety and well-being of our students and staff will always be our top priority.”

The prosecutor’s office asked for bail to be set at $250,000 after citing Fleming’s criminal history, but the judge settled on $150,000 after the suspect’s public defender asked for a $17,000 bail.

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A child murderer who was scheduled to be released from prison after only serving a portion of his sentence is facing an additional charge after public outrage.

Ronald Exantus snuck into a home in Versailles, Kentucky, on Dec. 7, 2015, and stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton in the head, killing him. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity but was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2018 for assaulting the boy’s family members.

‘I told the court — if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man.’

His case inspired outrage across the country after Exantus was scheduled to be released after serving only seven years of his sentence for good behavior. The Kentucky Justice Cabinet said in a statement that the parole board recommended Exantus finish out the rest of his term but that he had fulfilled the requirements to be released on mandatory re-entry supervision based on Kentucky state law.

“He will stay on [mandatory re-entry supervision] under probation and parole supervision until the expiration of his sentence. The Department of Corrections does not have discretion in determining release dates, which are governed by state law,” a statement from the cabinet reads.

The public outrage caught the attention of the White House, which released a statement on Saturday.

“I can confirm the White House is looking into this. It’s wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote.

Five days later, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office was taking action to keep Exantus behind bars.

“My office has been working with State Attorney Gladson’s office in Marion County since we were alerted that this dangerous individual who murdered a child by repeatedly stabbing him in the head was in Florida,” he wrote in a post on social media.

“This afternoon, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and 5th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office obtained a warrant for the arrest of Ronald Exantus for failure to register as a convicted felon,” he added. “State officials are now working to send him back to Kentucky. I want to thank Sheriff Woods and State Attorney Gladson for keeping our communities safe from this dangerous felon.”

RELATED: Man shot and killed couple out of jealousy and then did something evil to their 1-year-old child, police say

The case also received national attention after the father of the victim said that he would kill Exantus on the spot if he ran into him in public.

“I’ve had my talks with God ’cause I’m not afraid to tell you all, I told the court — if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man,” Dean Tipton told WLKY-TV. “I will kill him where he stands.”

If Uthmeier is successful in prosecuting Exantus, Tipton won’t need to put his own freedom at risk to avenge this son.

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Islamists have been swarming the streets of New York City, flying Palestinian flags and calling for terror attacks “stronger than … the first October 7.”

“We did not act enough,” the protesters chanted. “If we acted enough, the headline behind me would read, ‘Gaza has been liberated.’”

“Our work is not done. We must show up stronger than we did the first October 7. To make it clear that we are not going anywhere. We will keep fighting until Palestine is free,” they yelled.

“If he hadn’t referenced October 7 … you could say he’s just making a benign statement. No, no, actually. This is clearly, clearly a terroristic threat. … And my opinion, I would hope that Pam Bondi and Donald Trump share that same opinion,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“You should not be allowed to come into my country and spew terroristic threats and not expect to get denaturalized and deported,” she says.

Gonzales points out that 9% of the residents in New York City are Muslim — which comes out to be nearly a whopping 750,000 Muslims.

“We’re almost to the point where we can’t put the genie back in the bottle. I think it’s time that we start talking about this and stop being afraid to hurt people’s feelings, especially when you talk about how they are infiltrating at the highest levels,” Gonzales says.

“How it is a fact that we have a Muslim Democrat socialist — which don’t get me started on how that all works — Zohran Mamdani, who is about to win the mayoral race in New York City in November. I mean, there’s basically no way he doesn’t win,” she continues.

“And the problem is that the tenets of Islam, the tenets of their holy book, completely contradict the tenets of this country and the tenets that this country was founded on,” Gonzales explains. “They are not compatible with one another, and it should not be controversial to say that.”

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Last month, Ted Barham, a Christian pastor and longtime resident of Dearborn, Michigan — the city with the largest Arab population in the U.S. — bravely spoke out at a city council meeting about the ceremonial naming of two intersections after Osama Siblani.

Siblani is the publisher of Dearborn’s Arab American News and a prominent community leader.

Barham took issue with the city’s honoring of Siblani given his past remarks praising Hezbollah and Hamas as “freedom fighters.” At the meeting, he calmly but pointedly made his case, arguing that the city might as well have named the streets “Hamas Street” and “Hezbollah Street.”

Dearborn’s Muslim mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, however, was enraged. He called Barham an “Islamophobe” unfit for the city, declaring him “not welcome here” and quipping that he would personally throw a city parade upon his departure.

On a recent episode of “LevinTV,” Mark Levin played the clip of the heated interaction.

“This is sick,” says Levin, condemning the lack of media coverage on this story.

The Arab takeover of Dearborn, he argues, mirrors the swell of Palestinians in places like Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and Hebron, the burial site of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“It wasn’t that long ago that Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, was 80% Christian. Today … less than 15% of the population of Bethlehem is Christian. It’s Palestinian,” says Levin.

“Some time ago, many [in Hebron] were slaughtered by the Palestinians. The Palestinians took over the area, so the IDF has a significant force there to protect the 85 Jewish families who are still there,” he adds.

Levin recalls traveling to Hebron with his family: “We had to go there in a vehicle with a driver. The vehicle was armored, the driver was armed, and we had to stay close.”

He then connects Dearborn’s controversy to broader historical shifts, arguing that the biblical regions of Judea and Samaria, named in the Bible for their significance to the ancient Israelites, are improperly called the West Bank of Palestine today. He rejects this modern term, asserting it erases Jewish historical ties, much like the street naming in Dearborn overlooks problematic associations.

The “Islamists” in Dearborn stand with Hezbollah and Qatar, says Levin.

That means “they want the annihilation of Israel and the Jews and the annihilation of the United States.”

To hear more of Levin’s analysis, watch the video above.

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YouTube announced in an official blog post on Thursday that it will give second chances to some users who had their channels terminated.

In late September, banned creators got the impression that they would be reinstated on YouTube after Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wrote on X that Google had committed to allowing “ALL creators previously kicked off YouTube due to political speech violations to return to the platform.”

When controversial commentators Alex Jones and Nick Fuentes tested out the claim by starting new YouTube channels, they were promptly removed from the platform.

‘We may take action to protect the community.’

YouTube quickly responded by saying it had not yet rolled out the new pilot program, while a spokesman for Rep. Jordan told Blaze News that the new program would only “extend at a minimum to any users banned for policies no longer in effect,” such as policies pertaining to alleged misinformation about COVID-19 and elections.

In YouTube’s new blog post, the company wrote that it has heard from creators “loud and clear” that they want more options to return to the platform.

“So we’re happy to share that we’re introducing a pilot program to offer some qualified creators an opportunity to rebuild their presence on YouTube,” the blog stated. “Starting today, some previously terminated creators will have the opportunity to request a new YouTube channel.”

The platform noted that “not every type of channel termination” will be eligible, however, starting with only those who have been banned from the platform for at least one year.

RELATED: YouTube bans Alex Jones and Nick Fuentes AGAIN immediately after saying it would support ‘free expression’

— (@)

YouTube went on to say it would “consider several factors” when evaluating which excommunicated creators could apply for a new channel.

This included whether or not the creator has “committed particularly severe or persistent violations” of YouTube’s community guidelines, or whether the creator’s “on- or off-platform activity harmed or may continue to harm the YouTube community, like channels that endanger kids’ safety.”

YouTube also revealed that the latest pilot program would not be available to anyone banned for copyright infringement, or those who have violated the “creator responsibility” policies.

This area is likely the most contentious portion of the new program rules, as it covers a wide swath of undefined activity that extends to the content creator’s personal life and conduct outside of YouTube.

YouTube states that a creator could be in violation of the responsibility code if his or her behavior “harms” YouTube’s “users, community, employees or ecosystem.”

“We may take action to protect the community,” YouTube explains. An attached video added that conduct that loses the platform ad revenue can also be considered a violation.

“YouTube and advertisers don’t want to be associated with that level of craziness,” the video host said sternly. “And when advertisers pull their spend, everybody loses.”

“Inappropriate” behavior can also include the intention to cause malicious harm to others, or “participating in abuse or violence, demonstrating cruelty.”

RELATED: Reddit founder groans website wouldn’t exist if immigration law was enforced

– YouTube

By now, creators know that such vague terminology can and will be used against them in the court of YouTube appeals, with the appeal process throwing up a whole other barrier within the new program.

If banned creators lose an appeal, they will also have to endure the mandatory one-year period before applying through the second chances program.

Another hurdle arises if a creator deleted his or her own channel. “Creators who deleted their YouTube channel/Google account will not be able to see the ‘request a new channel’ option at this time,” YouTube wrote.

Creators will know they are eligible for the second chances program simply by seeing an option to request a new channel when they log into the YouTube Studio on their computer through their previously deleted channel.

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Tyler Robinson, the homosexual leftist accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, claimed in advance of the fatal Sept. 10 shooting at Utah Valley University that the Turning Point USA founder was “spreading hate,” charging documents say.

Leftists have now leveled the same accusation against the TPUSA student chapter at Rutgers University, using a pressure campaign in hopes of shutting down speech deemed hateful.

How it started

Mark Bray is an assistant teaching professor at Rutgers University who has not only seemingly championed the terrorist group Antifa and its use of violence but wrote the 2017 book “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.”

Within hours of stating that “only mass antifascism, legal or not, can save us,” Bray claimed on the liberal X knockoff Bluesky that he received “multiple death threats + doxing” following alleged harassment from Turning Point USA.

It appears he was referring to the attempt by the Rutgers chapter of TPUSA to get him fired.

The petition started by the TPUSA student chapter’s treasurer, Megyn Doyle, states, “We, the students of Rutgers University, are deeply concerned to learn that an outspoken, well-known antifa member, Dr. Mark Bray, is employed by the university.”

RELATED: Trump praises Blaze News reporting during Antifa roundtable at White House — and slaps down MSNBC, CNN

Mark Bray (left) peddling his book on ‘Meet the Press’ in 2017. Photo by: William B. Plowman/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images.

“With the current trend of left-wing terrorism, having a prominent leader of the antifa movement on campus is a threat to conservative students on campus,” continues the petition. “Dr. Bray has regularly referred to mainstream conservative figures such as Bill O’Reilly as fascist while he calls for militant actions to be taken against these individuals. This is the kind of rhetoric that resulted in Charlie Kirk being assassinated last month.”

In addition to flagging Bray’s apparent defense of political violence and incendiary rhetoric, the petition highlighted a note in the professor’s book that indicates 50% of the proceeds would go to the International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund, which supports Antifa activists around the world.

After Bray was called out for his radicalism — with receipts provided — the leftist professor presented to the liberal media as a victim, suggesting he intended to flee to Europe but proved unable.

“I’ve never been part of an antifa group, and I’m not currently,” Bray told the New York Times. “There’s an effort underway to paint me as someone who is doing the things that I’ve researched, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Radicals circle the wagons

Leftist students and faculty members at Rutgers rushed to Bray’s defense.

The Rutgers chapters of the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers joined the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union in condemning the attempt by the TPUSA’s student chapter to get Bray canned over his apparent support for Antifa terrorists. The unions further smeared the student chapter, suggesting it was responsible for the threats Bray has supposedly received.

“The threats against … Bray are a predictable consequence of Turning Point’s campaign to distort Dr. Bray’s views,” said the unions’ joint statement. “Silence in the face of these assaults will only embolden the far right.”

A Change.org petition that had over 3,500 signatures at the time of writing appeared on Sunday in the wake of Bray’s recent claims of victimhood, demanding that the university disband the Rutgers chapter of TPUSA.

RELATED: Anarchy doesn’t start with firebombs — it begins with excuses

AMY OSBORNE/AFP via Getty Images

“The Rutgers chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) has been continuously promoting hate speech and inciting violence against our community,” said the petition, reportedly created by a former student from the Rochester Institute of Technology. “This disturbing behavior has created a toxic environment that has already led to tragic consequences.”

‘Any opinion that challenges their worldview is immediately branded as “hate speech.”‘

“We urge Rutgers University to immediately disband the Turning Point USA chapter from its campus,” continued the petition. “By doing so, we will not only be upholding our commitment to educational excellence but also ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for every individual within our community.”

“The petition to disband our Turning Point chapter is blatantly defamatory,” Ava Kwan, outreach coordinator for the Turning Point USA chapter at Rutgers, said in a statement.

“The accusations of ‘inciting violence’ and ‘making threats’ are complete lies,” continued Kwan. “The same people claiming we’re suppressing their free speech are actively trying to silence us for speaking the truth. It’s not just ironic, it’s hypocritical and absurd. Any opinion that challenges their worldview is immediately branded as ‘hate speech,’ a meaningless term weaponized to control dissent and protect their false narrative.”

Blaze News has reached out to TPUSA for comment.

When asked whether Rutgers is considering disbanding the TPUSA student chapter, the university said in a statement to Blaze News, “The university does not comment on specific personnel or student conduct matters.”

The university noted further that it is “committed to providing a secure environment — to learn, teach, work, and research, where all members of our community can share their opinions without fear of intimidation or harassment. Rutgers is committed to upholding the rights of students and faculty to free speech and academic freedom as fundamental to our community.”

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After a trial lasting two years and one month, Ontario Justice Heather Perkins-McVey on Tuesday handed down conditional sentences to Freedom Convoy organizers Chris Barber and Tamara Lich.

Barber received 12 months of house arrest followed by a six-month curfew.

‘I told Lawrence that day that I’ll serve 100 years in prison before I will ever apologize.’

Lich was sentenced to twelve months of house arrest and an additional three and a half months of curfew — reduced from six months because she has already spent 74 days in custody. Both must complete 100 hours of community service.

The judge granted exceptions allowing Barber to continue his trucking work.

‘Absence of remorse’

Perkins-McVey rejected an absolute discharge for either defendant, citing “an absence” of remorse. At the same time, she averred that the years-long prison sentences sought by prosecutors — eight for Barber and seven for Lich — would be “unfit.” The pair had been found guilty April 3 of mischief charges.

In a video posted to X, Barber thanked supporters:

We’re still here, and I just wanted to reach out to everybody and say thank you very much for all the support.

I’ve officially lost control of the inboxes on all accounts. I cannot keep up with the messages of support, but I will do my best on the way home to respond to each and every one of you. I just had to come on here and say thanks.

I’m going to sum up what my mother said to me yesterday after court:

“Son, I would rather have you home safe for 18 months than have you sit in a jail cell for six.”

I agree with her. I can still work. I can still do the farm duties. I mean, there’s worse places to be than on the farm, where I have property and I can get some work done and I can still truck.

So again, thank you very much everyone for the support out there. We really appreciate it. It’s been quite the ordeal, and I think we’ve woke a lot of people up around the country, and we continue to wake these people up to … exactly what happened and how the government acted and is still acting.”

No regrets

Lich later posted on X:

Lawrence and I discussed remorse in a meeting at his office prior to our sentencing hearing in July. I told him I would not, and could not, express remorse as it would be dishonest and disingenuous.

To whom shall I apologize? The thousands of Canadians who stopped planning to take their own lives when the convoy started? To the thousands … who were able to return to their jobs? Or should I apologize to all the Canadians who can kiss their dying loved ones or have their families over for Thanksgiving?

I told Lawrence that day that I’ll serve 100 years in prison before I will ever apologize.

RELATED: Canada still bent on seizing Freedom Convoy symbol ‘Big Red’

Chris Barber

‘Lawful protest’?

Official opposition leader Pierre Poilievre took to X to comment on the verdict:

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber peacefully protested the imposition of emergency measures that the Federal Court found to be unlawful and unconstitutional. Instead of pursuing rapists, drug dealers and other monsters, the Crown sought lengthy prison sentences. Justice Perkins-McVey rightly rejected the Crown’s request, and sent Tamara and Chris home to their families. We must get to a justice system that ensures the security and freedom of all Canadians.

Perkins-McVey said she relied heavily on victim-impact statements to determine the extent of the convoy’s disruption of business and day-to-day life in downtown Ottawa. She was careful to stress the nonviolent and accommodating nature of the protest.

​Culture, Freedom convoy, Canada, Vaccine mandate, Protests, Covid, Truckers, Chris barber, Tamara lich, Big red, Letter from canada 

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted on a fraud charge by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, according to two sources who spoke to CNN.

President Donald Trump has been in a feud with James since she sued him and the Trump Organization for allegedly overvaluing properties in order to secure favorable loans and other financial benefits.

A report about the grand jury indictment indicated that Halligan herself presented the case against James.

After regaining office, Trump pounced on allegations from Bill Pulte, the Federal Housing Finance Agency director, that James had improperly declared a Virginia home her primary residence in order to secure financial advantages.

On Monday a report from MSNBC indicated that prosecutor Elizabeth Yusi had told acquaintances that she believed there was not enough evidence to prosecute James. The sources of the report also believed that Yusi might be fired after presenting her recommendation to interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan.

A report about the grand jury indictment indicated that Halligan herself presented the case against James. The AP reported that James has been indicted on one count of fraud.

RELATED: Trump calls on ‘wacky crook’ Letitia James to resign after troubling fraud allegation surfaces

Trump has excoriated James on social media and at one point referred to her as a “wacky crook.”

Critics have accused the president of abusing the powers of government to persecute his political enemies. A judge in the fraud case against Trump ordered him to pay $355 million in penalties, but an appeals court later dismissed the fine, ruling in August that it was “excessive” and unconstitutional.

“This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself,” Trump testified during the case. “You believe this political hack back there and that’s unfortunate.”

This is a developing story.

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​Grand jury indictment, Letitia james, Letitia james vs trump, Mortgage fraud, Politics