Category: blaze media

A former sixth-grade teacher in Ohio recently pleaded guilty to sex crimes against an underage female.

As Blaze News reported in August, 41-year-old Stefanie Erin Kellenberger pleaded guilty to four counts of third-degree felony sexual battery and 17 counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

‘I know that during this time, you were just a child, and I was an adult in a position of trust.’

Kellenberger on Monday was sentenced to 15 years in prison for having an illicit sexual relationship with a minor, the Richland Source reported. Kellenberger may be granted a judicial release after a decade if she doesn’t commit any other offenses.

Judge Brent Robinson delivered a stern warning to Kellenberger.

“Don’t let anybody be confused, this is a 15-year prison sentence with the hope that you come back in 10 years, and you’ve been a model inmate — you’ve done everything you were supposed to do, you haven’t got in any trouble at all,” Robinson stated during the sentencing hearing.

Kellenberger must register as a Tier-3 sex offender. She also was ordered to have no contact with the victim or any other minors. The former middle school teacher also must forever forfeit her teaching license.

During the sentencing hearing, Kellenberger apologized to her victim — who was her daughter’s underage babysitter.

“I know that during this time, you were just a child, and I was an adult in a position of trust,” Kellenberger said, according to the Source. “I’m responsible for everything that happened between us.”

Kellenberger continued, “I’m so sorry for all of the emotional pain and hurt that I’ve caused you.”

“I hope that my guilty pleas and this sentence will provide some degree of closure for you as you move on with your life,” Kellenberger stated. “I fully accept the consequences of my actions and the sentence that I will be receiving today.”

RELATED: Ex-teacher pleads guilty to sex with 11-year-old at ‘play dates,’ blamed boy for advances, sent him hundreds of dollars: Cops

Photo by halbergman via iStock / Getty Images

Kellenberger formerly was a sixth-grade English teacher at Shelby Middle School.

According to the Mansfield News Journal, Robinson told Kellenberger during her trial that “you had been a teacher. She had been a student. But at the time these occurred, you were not her teacher, and she was not your student.”

Bryan Dove, an assistant prosecutor for Richland County, alleged that Kellenberger began grooming the girl when she was just 13 years old and that the child sex abuse began when the victim turned 14.

“The relationship continued until the age of consent,” Dove told the judge.

Ohio law declares that 16 years old is the age of consent.

Prosecutors noted that there was “no use of force” by Kellenberger.

James Mayer III, Kellenberger’s defense attorney, stressed that “consent was never an issue in this case. It’s an age thing.”

The sexual abuse allegations surfaced in February 2024, and school officials placed Kellenberger on paid administrative leave.

Shelby City Schools Superintendent Michael Browning sent a letter to parents in October 2024 regarding the eye-opening allegations against Kellenberger.

“As a follow-up to the communication sent on March 4, 2024, I have been informed that the staff member placed on administrative leave following serious allegations has been arrested, and criminal charges have been brought against them,” Browning stated, according to a separate story by the Source. “This news may be unsettling, especially for families with children in our schools.”

The Mansfield News Journal reported that Kellenberger resigned in October 2024 “due to personal reasons.”

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Daniel Keene did not expect a post on X to derail his life.

The small-business owner posted a video of an Indian block party taking over an entire street of his North Texas suburb and expressed his frustration at the rapid demographic and cultural changes sweeping through large swaths of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“We have to cancel the H-1Bs. I want my kids to grow up in America. Not India,” he wrote in the since-deleted post.

‘We feel your public stance doesn’t align with our core values of inclusivity and respect.’

The post went viral on X, and all hell broke loose. As previously reported by Blaze News, Keene and his family were subjected to doxxing and threats, his business was review-bombed, and someone claiming to have access to millions of Indian-American contacts apparently tried to extort him for $20,000.

Keene’s business, Boundaries Coffee, continues to weather the storm, and Google has shut down reviews for the business, putting a stop to the lies, threats, and insults that had flooded in.

The backlash was not contained to Keene’s professional life. In the midst of dealing with the attacks on his business, the owner of his gym decided to weigh in on the issue by revoking his membership.

Keene received a text from Ken Williams, the owner of CrossFit Prosper, telling him, “We feel your public stance doesn’t align with our core values of inclusivity and respect,” and “We’ll be ending your membership effective immediately,” according to a screenshot reviewed by Blaze News.

The text took Keene by surprise since Williams did not raise the issue when he visited the gym. “He didn’t say anything to me in person,” Keene told Blaze News. “… Not even a peep of conflict.”

In canceling the membership, Williams explained that “a large part of our community is Indian and inclusivity is central to who we are, we can’t overlook how this impacts our members and staff, and the culture we work hard to protect,” the screenshot showed. CrossFit Prosper advertises itself as LGBTQ+-owned and LGBTQ+-friendly, according to its Google Maps profile.

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

Things continued to get worse when Keene’s church decided to interrogate him on his immigration stance. The elders at the Trails Church called him about his initial post, telling him to repent and that the post was “uncharitable.” Keene, who deleted the post shortly after it went viral due to the stress it was causing his family, did not disavow his position on immigration and the H-1B visa in particular.

He said that’s when problems with the church really escalated.

RELATED: Trump to impose $100K fee on H-1B visa applications

Photo by Andrew Harnik / Contributor via Getty Images

Keene and his wife — who was eight months pregnant at the time — were called in for a meeting with “all the elders and staff who could be there,” he recalled. This time, they weren’t just concerned about one post. “They just hammered me for … hours,” he said.

The elders had apparently gone through the last three years of Keene’s X account, looking for problematic posts. Keene said they brought up two posts that they found “concerning.”

Keene described the meeting as confusing. “The goalposts got shifted significantly,” he said.

Keene claimed he was unable to get a straight answer from the elders on the actual substance of his offense. “On one hand, they are saying that the issue is not the position itself; it’s how I expressed it,” he said. “… But then we’ve had three hours of phone calls, and they’re just hammering me on the position itself.”

Keene requested that the elders put his offenses in writing to eliminate uncertainty, but they refused, he said. Keene expressed his confusion to the elders about the nature of his supposed offense and what he was supposed to do about it.

He offered to post clarifying messages on X and talk to anyone at the church who had found his posts offensive. The elders apparently were not satisfied with an offer to clarify things.

According to Keene, they wanted him to apologize for his original post showing the Indian block party on his street and abandon his position on Indian immigration. While he respected their right to disagree with him, Keene told Blaze News he did not think apologizing for the post was appropriate.

“As far as the content, I stand behind it. That’s the policy position I stand behind.”

When asked how serious this offense was, the elders told Keene he was on “the path of discipline,” meaning he would be removed from membership if he continued on his present course, he explained. Keene described the removal process as a very serious step in a Baptist church.

They are “basically saying, ‘We don’t think you’re a Christian any more because you haven’t repented of a sin,’” he said.

‘Why would you need to meet with my wife? What does my wife have to do with this?’

Keene left the meeting still confused. Shortly after, a friend sent him an episode of “The King’s Hall” podcast discussing immigration and H-1B visas. Keene found the episode insightful and posted a clip of it along with the following questions: “What would get you in more trouble at your church? Significant doctrinal error on the Trinity? Or opposing immigration to the harm of your neighbor?”

Keen said he knew the post would “upset” the church elders. He did try to reach out privately at first just to say, “Hey, hear me out on this.” After he posted the clip, the elders asked him to come in with his wife for another meeting, he claimed.

Keene said declined to bring his wife. “Why would you need to meet with my wife? What does my wife have to do with this?” he wondered.

When he went into the meeting, the elders formally asked Keene to leave the church. Keene suspected he would be asked to leave and that posting the podcast clip almost guaranteed it. “I knew I was poking the bear a little bit,” he acknowledged.

Still, Keene said he does not regret posting the clip or maintaining his position on immigration. “I’ve been trying to draw out what the real issue is here,” he said. “… What are the values of your church? Are they doctrinal? Scriptural? Or is it public policy with regard to immigration?”

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

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When a judge’s home in South Carolina caught fire on Saturday, those on the left were quick to claim arson, blaming President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, for fueling right-wing extremism and violence.

However, since those initial reports, the South Carolina governor and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division have largely debunked this assertion by stating that the fire does not appear to be a result of arson.

‘At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set.’

Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein was out on a walk with her dogs when her home went up in flames on Saturday afternoon. Her husband, former South Carolina Sen. Arnold Goodstein (D), was inside the house and was forced to escape out a first-story window, resulting in multiple injuries. Mr. Goodstein and two others were hospitalized.

Democrat politicians immediately started suggesting that the tragic incident may have been the result of arson and, if so, by right-wing extremists.

“Trump, @StephenM and MAGA-world have been doxxing and threatening judges who rule against Trump, including Judge Goodstein,” Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) wrote in a post on X. “Today, someone committed arson on the Judge’s home, severely injuring her husband and son. Will Trump speak out against the extreme right that did this??”

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) made a similar connection between Miller and the fire.

“Just yesterday @StephenM called judges ‘terrorists.’ Now a judge’s home has burned after an explosion,” Ansari stated. “We need a full investigation, but it’s undeniable that this rhetoric is dangerous & it makes violence feel permissible. Is @realDonaldTrump going to say or do anything??”

RELATED: Judge’s family injured in devastating fire as Democrat slings right-wing arson claims despite unknown cause

Diane Goodstein. Image source: South Carolina Judicial Branch

Izzy Gardon, California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom’s director of communications, also appeared to blame Trump.

“A few weeks ago, one of Trump’s top DOJ officials publicly targeted this judge,” Gardon wrote. “Today, the judge’s home is on fire.”

On Monday, SLED provided an update on the ongoing investigation.

RELATED: Federal judges refuse to detain Rhode Island man indicted for alleged Trump assassination threats

Image source: St. Paul’s Fire District

“At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set. SLED agents have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion,” SLED Chief Mark Keel stated.

Gov. Henry McMaster (R) confirmed those preliminary findings.

“SLED Chief Mark Keel has announced that at this point in the investigation there is no evidence the horrific fire at Judge Goodstein’s Edisto home was intentionally set. I echo Chief Keel’s call for everyone to exercise good judgment and avoid sharing unverified information while the investigation continues,” McMaster said.

Blaze News contacted Goldman, Ansari, and Gardon to ask whether they plan to issue revised comments or clarification following SLED’s update.

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A paraplegic man in Oklahoma City said he’s been robbed twice in the space of a month and fears for his safety, KWTV-DT reported.

Alan Prudhome noted to the station he believes those who stole from him did so believing that his disability makes him an easy target.

‘I wake up to somebody trying to take my bag off me that I keep everything in.’

“Someone had pried the door open, went in and stole my TVs, my laptop, my computer,” Prudhome told KWTV regarding what went down at this apartment. “Took a bunch of random things.”

Also stolen were cash and medicine — and even Prudhome’s wheelchair, as well as hand controls he used to help him drive it, the station said.

Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Prudhome filed a police report believing it was a one-time incident, KWTV reported — but just a week later, an even worse incident occurred.

“I wake up to somebody trying to take my bag off me that I keep everything in,” Prudhome recalled to the station. “I was like, ‘What are you doing?'”

Prudhome told KWTV a second individual later identified as Johnny Johnson walked out of his closet with a box of his belongings.

“I said, ‘Why are you doing this to me?'” Prudhome noted to the station. “He said, ‘It happened to me,’ and I said, ‘You’re not paraplegic; you can do for yourself.'”

After Prudhome called police, officers arrested Johnson in the area but never located the second suspect, KWTV reported.

Prudhome told the station the two suspects from the second burglary live in the same apartment complex as him, but he wasn’t sure if they were involved in the first break-in.

Johnson was charged with one count of first-degree burglary and remained in custody Tuesday at the Oklahoma County Detention Center, jail records show. His bond is $15,000, and his next court date is Oct. 23, jail records also indicate.

Prudhome set up a GoFundMe to help him make up for his losses, and it’s raised just over $11,000 of a $16,000 goal.

Then over the weekend, more good news came his way.

After hearing Prudhome’s story, Stacy Reddig — owner of Wheelchairs for Veterans — told KFOR-TV, “I just cannot believe that somebody would steal this man’s medical equipment, so we jumped all over it.”

Redding’s organization donated a brand-new manual wheelchair to Prudhome, which will help him get around easier, KFOR reported.

“I can go where I need to go, and I don’t have to worry about not being able to get to appointments,” Prudhome added to KFOR.

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Democratic politicians are in lockstep in refusing to call on Virginia attorney general nominee Jay Jones to end his race despite the release of disturbing text messages advocating for violence against a Republican lawmaker and his children.

In the leaked text exchange with Republican House Delegate Carrie Coyner from August 2022, Jones presented a hypothetical scenario in which he had two bullets and had to choose between shooting then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, Adolf Hitler, and Pol Pot, the National Review reported on Friday. In this scenario, Jones declared he would shoot Gilbert twice.

Jones stated that, in the event his colleagues across the aisle died first, he would “go to their funerals to piss on their graves.” He also said that Gilbert and his wife should have to watch their children die, which he justified by claiming the couple was “breeding little fascists.”

‘I think it’s a test for Virginia.’

Coyner responded by asking Jones to “please stop,” stating that “it really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them.”

Jones did not deny writing the messages but issued an apology for his comments.

“Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry,” he stated in part. “I have reached out to Speaker Gilbert to apologize directly to him, his wife Jennifer, and their children.”

RELATED: Democrat’s vile texts wish death on GOP lawmaker — even MSNBC host demands AG nominee drop out of race

Jay Jones. Photo by Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post via Getty Images

However, the controversy did not end there for the AG nominee. Coyner shared on Monday more alleged disturbing comments by Jones.

She told the Virginia Scope that during a “pretty heated conversation” with Jones about the removal of qualified immunity for police officers, he stated that “maybe if a few [cops] died” they would stop “shooting” and “killing people.”

“He firmly believed that if you removed qualified immunity, that police officers would act differently, and I firmly believe that it would not result in good public policy, and it would put police officers and the public’s lives at risk if they have to second-guess themselves on a decision they’re making in a moment where someone is doing something violent,” Coyner said.

Jones denied making those remarks.

“I did not say this,” Jones told the Virginia Scope. “I have never believed and do not believe that any harm should come to law enforcement, period. Every single day, police officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities, and I am deeply grateful for their service and sacrifice. As attorney general, I will work hand in hand with law enforcement to support their work.”

RELATED: Texas National Guard deployed to Chicago amid increasing left-wing violence

Trevor Metcalfe/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Jones’ controversial statements advocating for violence prompted many Republicans to call for him to withdraw from the race. While some of his Democratic colleagues have rebuked his comments, none have insisted he end his campaign.

“I think it’s a test for Virginia. It’s now no longer right versus left in Virginia. This election’s about, in my opinion, right versus wrong,” Jones’ opponent, Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, told Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on Tuesday.

Miyares addressed Democrats’ silence.

“You had a few liberal columnists that have said this is beyond the pale, he shouldn’t be in the race. But, to right now, [Democrats are] either dead silent or this sense of, ‘We condemn the text messages. It’s not acceptable, and Jay Jones should be held accountable for this,'” Miyares continued. “But they don’t say what that means, and, by all accounts, they’re continuing to campaign.”

When asked whether he had any plans to call on Jones to withdraw from the race, Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Blaze News, “There is nothing that can justify these indefensible words, and they are contrary to all I’ve known about Jay Jones for decades. With hundreds of thousands of Virginians already having voted, it’s up to Virginians to decide.”

Blaze News asked the same question of Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, the Virginia Democratic Party, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D), U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Democratic Virginia U.S. Reps. Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Bobby Scott, Suhas Subramanyam, Eugene Vindman, and James Walkinshaw.

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​News, Jay jones, Virginia, Carrie coyner, Todd gilbert, Political violence, Jason miyares, Tim kaine, Abigail spanberger, Virginia democratic party, Ghazala hashmi, Mark warner, Don beyer, Jennifer mcclellan, Bobby scott, Suhas subramanyam, Eugene vindman, James walkinshaw, Politics 

Tensions are escalating between Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D), and the Trump administration.

With Trump’s White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller delivering strong remarks as of late and promising to rid American streets of crime, liberal cities have been put on notice that the federal government finally wants to put an end to the dangers of gang activity and criminality.

‘Being a welcoming city means being a city that embraces people equally with open arms.’

Chicago has been known as a dangerous city for decades, but now that the feds are stepping in, Democrats are getting in the way. Chicago has a detailed history of supporting illegal immigrants on the municipal level. Here’s how:

The beginning of sanctuary city policies

Chicago’s sanctuary city status dates all the way back to 1985, when Mayor Harold Washington (D) signed an executive order that stated city workers could not ask people about their immigration status.

The city joined other liberal strongholds like Cambridge, Massachusetts; St. Paul, Minnesota; as well as California cities Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Francisco, and Berkeley.

That year, an estimated 80,000 people from Guatemala and El Salvador lived in San Francisco.

The Welcoming City Ordinance

In 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) all but officially made Chicago a sanctuary city with the Welcoming City Ordinance. Using careful terms, the ordinance implemented protections for illegal aliens “who have not been convicted of a serious crime and are not wanted on a criminal warrant.”

Ironically, Emanuel said the city was “welcoming those who play by the rules,” but forced Chicago police to train with “immigrant advocacy groups to build trust within immigrant communities.”

The ordinance is still promoted today, with Chicago boasting that it prohibits city employees from assisting in the investigation of a person’s immigration status, absent a federal or court order.

RELATED: Texas National Guard deployed to Chicago amid increasing left-wing violence

People lock arms as residents of Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood confront ICE agents in 2025. Photo by OCTAVIO JONES/AFP via Getty Images

Lori Lightfoot blocks cops from helping ICE

In 2021, Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) updated the Welcoming City Ordinance to target police activity and even limit their ability to assist in federal investigations.

According to the Chicago Police Department, the update declared that police could no longer detain, arrest, or hold anyone based on their immigration status or civil immigration warrants. It also prevented police from transferring criminals into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for immigration enforcement.

The update even removed the use of the word “citizen” from official city forms, replacing it with “person” or “resident.”

“Being a welcoming city means being a city that embraces people equally with open arms, where no one has to fear being their authentic self, walking down the street, doing business, earning a living and taking care of their family,” the mayor said at the time, per ABC 7.

City council blocks effort to deport gang members and drug dealers

In January 2025, Chicago’s city council voted 39-11 to prevent a vote on allowing police to cooperate with federal authorities in apprehending individuals accused of certain crimes.

Police would have been allowed to work with ICE in relation to gang-related activities such as intimidation, loitering, and recruitment; drug dealing; prostitution; and sex crimes involving minors.

The measure was tabled, though, and Mayor Johnson supported the decision with the claim Chicago emphasizes community safety and trust.

Campaign to inform illegal aliens

That same month, Mayor Johnson launched an informational campaign for illegal immigrants to “Know Your Rights.”

Written in foreign languages like Spanish and Chinese, the city targeted public transit with ads to help illegal residents know their way around legal situations.

Mayor Johnson said he was rejecting intimidation tactics from the Trump administration and reaffirmed that Chicago would remain a “welcoming and sanctuary space.”

RELATED: Chicago mayor creates ‘ICE-free zones’ meant to impede federal agents — White House fires off brutal response

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson at a news conference to address President Donald Trump’s plan to send National Guard troops into the city on August 25, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

Work permits for illegal aliens?

Mayor Johnson asked President Biden in 2024 to help him secure work permits for illegal aliens in Chicago.

This was one of Johnson’s priorities on the first anniversary of taking office. Johnson worked with activist groups to attempt to extend permits to those who the city claimed have paid taxes in the U.S. for decades, not new arrivals.

While it was unclear whether the taxes referred to sales taxes or income tax paid through fraudulent identities, Johnson said he wanted to “extend the same economic opportunities to our long-term undocumented brothers and sisters.”

Thankfully, his bid was unsuccessful.

Suing the Trump administration

Chicago and Illinois sued the Trump administration just this week over plans to deploy the National Guard to the city. The “deployment of federalized troops to Illinois is patently unlawful,” the lawsuit stated, per CNN.

The plaintiffs further asked the court to put a stop to the “illegal, dangerous, and unconstitutional federalization of members of the National Guard of the United States, including both the Illinois and Texas National Guard.”

Trump deployed 400 troops from the Texas National Guard to Chicago recently, as ICE agents have been under attack during ongoing protests and riots outside ICE facilities. The lawsuit also asked the court to declare the federalization of National Guardsmen illegal.

President Trump, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth were all named as defendants.

‘ICE-free zones’

Stunningly, Mayor Johnson announced “ICE-free zones” in October 2025, allegedly aimed at “reining in” the Trump administration.

“The order establishes ICE-free zones. That means that city property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for [ICE] raids,” the mayor claimed.

Johnson said ICE agents would not be allowed to “rampage” through the city. The mayor also said he wished to strengthen Chicago’s role as a “welcoming city.”

The mayor claimed the move was in reaction to ICE using Chicago Public Schools’ parking lots as staging sites for enforcement operations, though whether federal immigration agents have used schools during operations is unclear.

In remarks to Blaze News, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that Mayor Johnson’s demonization of ICE agents has increased assaults against them by “1,000%.”

She added, “Mayor Johnson has shown time and time again he does not care about the safety of our federal law enforcement officers or Chicagoans. … His reckless policies not only endanger our law enforcement, but public safety.”

Blaze News has reached out to Johnson’s office for comment.

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Amid rising tensions in Illinois as Operation Midway Blitz — ICE’s deportation initiative in and around Chicago — carries on, law enforcement arrested suspected Latin Kings “ranking member” Juan Espinoza Martinez on Monday and charged him with a single count of murder for hire after he allegedly put a hit out on a Border Patrol chief, according to Fox News.

According to the complaint obtained by Fox News, Martinez, 37, allegedly sent Snapchat messages that read, “2k on information when you get him,” and, “10k if you take him down.”

RELATED: ‘War from within’: ICE agents descend from helicopters to nab suspected TDA gangsters in Chicago apartment

Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

“Putting a price on the life of a law enforcement officer is an attack on the rule of law,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros said in a statement to Fox News. “The defendant’s actions in this case demonstrate a profound contempt for human life and public safety. Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will hold defendants accountable for their grave criminal actions and ensure that no federal officer has to fear for their life for doing their job.”

The Department of Homeland Security identified the targeted official as the commander at large of the U.S. Border Patrol, Chief Gregory Bovino. Bovino was instrumental in the eye-catching operation in Chicago’s South Shore at the beginning of the month, during which agents rappelled down from Black Hawk helicopters to secure an apartment complex.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously warned on Sunday about these plots, saying, “These people are organized. They’re getting more and more people on their team as far as attacking officers, and they’re making plans to ambush them and to kill them. We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their heads. It’s been $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them. They’ve released their pictures.”

“This is the rule of law vs. anarchy. We will win,” she added in the same social media post.

Martinez’s initial court appearance date has not yet been set.

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Filmmaker and mother Jessica Solce was frustrated by the difficulty of finding healthy, all-natural products for herself and her family. To make it easier, she created the Solarium, which curates trusted, third-party-tested foods, clothing, beauty products, and more — all free of seed oils, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and other harmful additives.

In this occasional column, she shares recommendations and research she’s picked up during her ongoing education in health and wellness.

Last year, I went to Palestra’s Age of Light conference in San Salvador intending to deepen my understanding of how light and health intersect. As I expected, I heard compelling speakers like Jack Kruse, Sol Brah, and Erwan Le Corre discuss red-light therapies, photobiology, and the urgency of restoring our relationship with natural light.

I did not expect someone to be announcing a new tablet.

Daylight’s LivePaper screen is gentle on young eyes, free of blue light and flicker. Kids can read, draw, and learn — even in bright sunlight — without glare.

Then Daylight Computer founder Anjan Katta did just that, boldly positioning his new DC-1 tablet as a radical rethinking of how tech, light, and human health might integrate. “The hope,” Katta told us, “is a healthier, more humane computer that can help you build a better foundation for your life.”

What does that even mean? Why take on the Goliaths of tech? We already have Apple, Android, and Kindle. Clearly, Katta’s motivation wasn’t just practical.

iPad kids

It might surprise you to learn that Apple founder Steve Jobs didn’t let his own kids use iPads because he feared they were too addictive. A wise move, considering that more than a decade after its release, “iPad kid” has become shorthand for children glued to screens and prone to meltdowns when deprived of them. Adults aren’t immune, either — after all, our kids only mirror what we model.

Research shows direct links between screen exposure and developmental delays. One study found that 1-year-olds who logged four or more hours of screen time per day showed delays in communication and problem-solving by ages 2 and 4. Missed milestones are not minor; they’re signs of neurological disruption.

Technology’s long-term effects on the brain and body are profound — and Katta knew this firsthand. The 2016 Stanford engineering grad had spent his life in front of computer screens and suffered from eye strain, disrupted sleep, migraines, ADHD-like symptoms, and mood swings.

Once he traced these issues back to light, the problem became clear. The cure, however — a truly healthy kind of screen, one that doesn’t overload our systems with blue light, flicker incessantly, and keep us indoors — did not yet exist.

Katta made it his mission to invent it. Six years later, the DC-1 was born.

Light as nutrient

If you follow health circles online, you’ve likely heard about light’s impact on well-being — from Andrew Huberman’s discussions of morning sunlight and circadian rhythm to the basic idea that blue light at night disrupts sleep. You probably also know that sunlight helps us produce vitamin D and that darker winters can bring on the blues.

Light should be considered alongside diet, exercise, and sleep as a fundamental pillar of health. It is our most constant environmental input — the very energy base of our ecosystems. It governs circadian rhythm, cellular function, and energy production. It influences how well we sleep, move, and even metabolize nutrients.

From infrared to ultraviolet, the full spectrum of sunlight benefits our health. But problems arise when we isolate parts of that spectrum — especially blue and UV light.

(For an in-depth look at the effects of light on the body and brain, especially in children, I encourage you to read my three-part series on blue light.)

Blue-light blues

Blue light dominates not just our phones, tablets, and computer screens but our indoor environments, too. Because blue light signals “daytime” to the brain, it suppresses melatonin and raises cortisol. Constant exposure disrupts circadian rhythm, contributing to insomnia, mood disorders, obesity, diabetes, and even certain cancers.

These aren’t minor issues — and they’re growing worse each year. We must confront our relationship with light itself. No amount of “biohacking” can replace a healthy light environment. Solutions like the DC-1 and better indoor lighting are essential stopgaps while we reorient our lives toward nature.

The DC-1’s display solves the blue-light problem by using ambient light — or gentle red light — as its backlight. The screen resembles E-Ink but refreshes far faster thanks to its patented LivePaper technology.

It also eliminates screen flicker. Unlike natural sunlight or incandescent bulbs, LEDs flash on and off imperceptibly fast, straining the eyes and nervous system. The result? Headaches, fatigue, and anxiety. Daylight restores stability.

RELATED: Hello, darkness, my old friend: How to get your body’s circadian rhythms back on the beat

Caroline Seidel/Getty Images

Screen saver

If we want to reverse the damage done by technology, we’ll need large-scale reform. But meaningful change begins with individuals. Light affects mitochondrial function — and mitochondrial DNA, passed through the maternal line, is heritable. We — and future generations — are shaped not just by what we eat, but by the light environments that feed our cells.

Simply stepping outside, away from screens, can do more for your health than any pill or supplement.

After six years of development, Katta built a device that acknowledges both science and nature — technology that harmonizes with our biology rather than fighting it.

Daylight’s LivePaper screen is gentle on young eyes, free of blue light and flicker. Kids can read, draw, and learn — even in bright sunlight — without glare. Stylus support makes it feel like pen and paper, encouraging creativity and handwriting. Its distraction-free interface promotes focus and calm. In short: technology without neurological mayhem.

Adults benefit too — less eye strain, fewer headaches, less fatigue. The paper-like display reduces the dopamine-driven scroll reflex that keeps us addicted to our devices.

Connection without addiction

The Daylight Computer mission statement offers a refreshing and much-needed change of priority. As Katta said, “The questions that motivate us are: What are the base defaults of an operating system that sets you up for better habits — for better health?”

When he introduced the DC-1, Katta hinted that the company would also be developing a phone. I can’t wait for that — especially for kids. They deserve communication tools that foster connection without addiction.

I’m excited for the continued growth of Daylight Computer and hope that it inspires other entrepreneurs to create technology built not just for productivity, but for human flourishing.

​Daylight computer, Dc-1, Blue light, Circadian rhythms, Andrew huberman, Red-light therapy, Tech, Lifestyle, Provisions, The solarium 

A Florida mother is up in arms with her son’s elementary school — Floral Avenue Elementary School in Polk County — after she claims a teacher’s approach to celebrating her son’s birthday was “offensive” and racist.

The mother, Desarae Prather, was sent a video of the birthday party by the teacher, where the teacher was singing a birthday song to the 6-year-old boy.

The song went: “Happy Birthday to you. You live in the zoo, you look like a monkey, and you smell like one, too.”

While the song was meant to be funny and has long been sung to children of all races for the purpose of making them laugh, Prather did not find it funny.

“I automatically said that’s unacceptable and I don’t feel, I don’t think nothing’s funny about it,” the mother said.

“My skin is boiling. I don’t even like racism and to know where we come from and our ancestors and for us to be labeled like that because when they call us monkey, they basically saying that we’re ugly, we act like a monkey and all this and that. I don’t like that at all,” the mother added.

In a letter to the school board, Prather asked for an apology, immediate disciplinary action, and counseling for her son. After receiving no response, she decided to show up in person.

“You can’t make this up,” BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock says, laughing.

“Yes,” BlazeTV contributor Shemeka Michelle agrees. “I’m thinking, where is the dad? Is he just quiet? Does he not want to be on camera? Is he in the child’s life? Because if he isn’t in the child’s life, he would need counseling more for that than being sung a happy birthday song.”

“It’s crazy,” she continues. “It’s the usual suspects. Always offended, never ashamed.”

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​Free, Upload, Video, Camera phone, Sharing, Video phone, Youtube.com, Jason whitlock harmony, Fearless with jason whitlock, The blaze, Jason whitlock, Fearless, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Florida mom, Racist teacher, Florida mom monkey song, Happy birthday song, Racism, Leftism 

Scrutiny over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case continues, and in the last couple of months, people have been increasingly worried that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted partner in crime, may have her case reconsidered.

However, the Supreme Court just shut down Maxwell’s appeal on Monday, the first day of the term.

Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 28, 2022, after being found guilty of multiple charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, on December 29, 2021.

Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for multiple charges, argued to no avail that some of her charges should be dropped on a technicality with regard to Epstein’s case.

Specifically, according to SCOTUSblog, Maxwell’s appeal requested that the Supreme Court review a decision regarding a 2007 non-prosecution agreement between Epstein and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The agreement protected Epstein from future charges, presumably in that district, but it also mentioned “potential co-conspirators” in part of the deal.

“If Epstein successfully fulfills all the terms and conditions of this agreement, the United States also agrees that it will not institute any criminal charges against any potential co-conspirators of Epstein,” it said.

RELATED: DOJ reaches out to one major Epstein witness everyone’s been afraid to talk to

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.Photo by Andrew Savulich/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Because the deal specifically mentioned “the United States,” Maxwell argued that the clause was binding on all federal courts and therefore should have potentially protected her from some of the charges brought against her by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York that led to her conviction.

According to SCOTUSblog, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer called this clause “highly unusual” in the government’s response to Maxwell’s petition for certiorari.

Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 28, 2022, after being found guilty of multiple charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, on December 29, 2021.

At the beginning of August, Ghislaine Maxwell was moved from a prison in Florida to the lower-security Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas. This transfer was arranged following a two-day interview session with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

She also previously offered to testify before Congress on several conditions, including immunity. Thus far, her offer has been rejected.

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​Politics, Ghislaine maxwell, Supreme court, Scotus, Jeffrey epstein, Todd blanche, Florida, New york, Texas, D. john sauer 

Attorney General Pam Bondi sparred with Democrats during her congressional hearing on Tuesday, and she did not back down.

Bondi testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where the attorney general ripped into Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) over the legality of deploying the National Guard. Durbin challenged Bondi about President Donald Trump’s legal authority to deploy the Texas National Guard to Chicago, the crime-ridden city in the Democratic senator’s jurisdiction.

‘If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will.’

Over the weekend, protesters and agitators clashed with law enforcement in Chicago, with some apparently ramming their vehicles into federal cruisers. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem even said that cartels have placed bounties on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Despite this dramatic uptick in violence, Durbin questioned the rationale for deploying additional resources.

RELATED: Trump reportedly sends 300 National Guard members to Portland from California — and Democrats are seething

Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

“I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump,” Bondi said in response. “And currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago.”

“If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will,” Bondi added.

Even without the recent escalation in crime, Chicago has consistently been one of the nation’s most dangerous and crime-ridden cities. In response to the high crime, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officers.”

“You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it,” Abbott said in a post on X.

RELATED: VIDEO: Federal agents clash with mob of Antifa-fueled, anti-ICE protesters in Portland

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

“Your city has a murder rate five times higher than New York’s,” Bondi told Durbin. “571 homicides last year. If you were serious about protecting your people, you would be asking this administration for help.”

“We’re there to help make America safe and Illinois safe, whether or not you want to,” Bondi added.

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​Pam bondi, Senate judiciary committee, Dick durbin, National guard, Donald trump, Chicago, Portland, High crime, Crime crackdown, Senate democrats, Kristi noem, Ice, Ice raids, Dhs, Politics 

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) revealed on Monday that the FBI under the Biden administration obtained private cellphone information from nine GOP lawmakers, including Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.). All of the targeted lawmakers are Republicans.

‘We were surveilled simply for being Republicans.’

In breaking the news with an internal FBI document, Sen. Grassley wrote on X, “BIDEN FBI WEAPONIZATION = WORSE THAN WATERGATE.”

Commenting on the news, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who was also named in the document, said, “We were surveilled simply for being Republicans. … It should shock every American.” He called the surveillance “an outrageous abuse of power” and “blatant political persecution.”

The surveillance took place as part of the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation into the 2020 election. Operation Arctic Frost, launched in April 2022, was handed to special counsel Jack Smith in November of that year, who used it as the basis for the charges filed against President Trump in August 2023.

The FBI document detailing the surveillance of GOP lawmakers is dated September 27, 2023, though it is unclear when the actual surveillance took place.

RELATED: Democrat’s vile texts wish death on GOP lawmaker — even MSNBC host demands AG nominee drop out of race

Photo by Virginian Pilot/Getty Images

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump weighed in, writing, “Deranged Jack Smith got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. A real sleazebag!!!”

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), in commenting on the surveillance during a committee hearing on Tuesday, said, “I find this breathtaking.” He also pushed for a hearing on the matter: “I don’t want to wait 24 years to get an answer.”

In a GOP press briefing, Sen. Johnson pointed out that “this is not the first time I was targeted by the FBI. Under the Obama administration, the same thing happened to both Senator Grassley and I.”

In addressing the issue, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X, “The abuse of power ends now. Under my leadership, the FBI will deliver truth and accountability, and never again be weaponized against the American people.”

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It has been almost a month since the assassination of Charlie Kirk. However, for anyone immersed in TikTok and Instagram Reels, he is still very much alive. The archive of years of recordings of debates and appearances today circulates more widely than ever.

Kirk’s heroism is suddenly obvious to many who did not pay close attention to him when he was alive. His project generally is now much clearer. Kirk was an evangelical, but he was a new type of evangelical whose faith was encoded into political activism. In a less immediately obvious way relative to the new wave of digitally driven religious conversions, but perhaps in a more consequential way, Kirk is the inventor of a new form of religious activity for the age of digital reproduction.

Rather than being frozen or sterile, Kirk’s memory and work are in fact profoundly alive and fecund.

It is notable that for all the calls to assemble new groups of men to engage in political work, Kirk actually did it and was able to put into action what so many could do only online. He did not abandon the digital for the material, instead synthesizing them into a powerful persuasion feedback loop.

Kirk’s clips — a more immediately engaging medium than the typical sermon — now mark a kind of living archive that will presumably continue to circulate for some years to come.

Understood within this new religious context, Kirk appears as an authentic representative of the Christian faith in a media market offering all kinds of gurus. The broad perception of his martyrdom lends a new poignancy to his work. It also highlights a fundamental shift in how modern societies experience death. With some time having passed since his slaying, Kirk’s omnipresence in the algorithm has replaced, for the average viewer, his absence.

RELATED: How Charlie Kirk’s popularity exposes the cost of silent pulpits

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Baudrillard speaks in “Symbolic Exchange and Death” of the erasure of death in the contemporary world. This isn’t to suggest that Kirk’s killing has not shifted the political paradigm (although the full extent of this change remains to be seen), but rather that internet media has virtually eliminated absence for those without personal connection to the subject.

The proliferation of information and the suffusion of telepresence suggest an artificial intimacy, such that nobody ever really truly disappears. For many, their relationship to Charlie Kirk is the same as it ever was.

Baudrillard presented his theory in a typically hyperbolic manner, saying: “Our societies’ true necropolises are the computer banks or the foyers, blank spaces from which all human noise has been expunged, glass coffins where the world’s sterilized memories are frozen.” The dramatic expansion of engagement with Kirk’s digital media material in some sense disproves the pessimism articulated by Baudrillard. Rather than being frozen or sterile, Kirk’s memory and work are in fact profoundly alive and fecund. His continued presence on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok is still reshaping sympathetic viewers at this very moment, or bolstering the convictions of those already converted.

Such martyrdom in the Information Age oddly reflects what Christians know to be metaphysically true: that the faithful reposed only become more alive in their souls’ passing from this earth. The surge in appreciation of and encounter with Kirk’s work animates a new level of engagement, propelling it farther and faster across our algorithms, calling us to real action and new life ourselves. In his own words: “Good men must die, but death can’t kill their names.”

Today, not only can death not take the names of good men, it cannot take their presence in the daily lives of their followers. Whether flitting through clips on the bus commute or visiting Instagram one last time before bed, many Americans will meet again a Charlie Kirk who, on repeat, preaches the gospel forever.

​Tech, Culture 

A champion cardplayer was reportedly banned from an upcoming tournament for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat at previous events.

Joe Brennan has won at least four Magic: The Gathering tournaments in 2025, but allegedly was prevented from playing in an upcoming tournament in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this week. The fantasy-based card game is over 30 years old and has also been played online since 2002.

‘… can we kick Joe Brennan out of eternal magic?’

The North American “Eternal Weekend” put on by company Card Titan is now entering its 11th competition and recently posted on X about its “core values.”

The company started by saying it wishes to maintain an environment where “all attendees can feel safe.”

“Unfortunately, from time to time conduct of a community member fails to meet our expectations and we have to make tough choices in order to preserve a positive event experience,” the company said.

The company added that any attendees that engage in “conduct detrimental” to the values would have their badges revoked and be asked to leave the premises. This post was believed to be in reference to Brennan, with countless commenters taking his side.

One man named Conor Clarke, who started a petition to have Brennan reinstated, claimed in an open letter that the player was banned simply for having worn the MAGA hat to events in the past.

RELATED: Exclusive: China behind massive nationwide SIM farm network that directly threatens American critical infrastructure

— (@)

Clarke posted on X the letter from a group of Magic: The Gathering players with “differing political views” who wrote to express their disagreement with Card Titan and said the alleged ban “raises serious concerns” for the community.

The letter noted that Brennan has been “banned from many game stores and Magic events for wearing the MAGA hat,” including the Eternal Weekend, despite already having allegedly paid for entry and accommodations. It added that Brennan was told that the ban stemmed from “multiple reports” regarding his “behavior” in 2024.

While Card Titan did not respond to a request from Blaze News to clarify whether Brennan was banned — and the reason for it — progressive complaints about Brennan have circulated online for years.

RELATED: Taliban accused of shutting off internet to ‘prevent immorality’: ‘An alternative will be built’

Photo by AMY OSBORNE/AFP via Getty Images

In 2023, a Reddit post showed an X thread that complained about Brennan wearing “his MAGA hat to every tournament, knowing it irritates people.”

The post went on to say Brennan “cannot be a good person” and that “MAGA represents” denying women equal rights and the idea that “Black Lives Don’t Matter.”

In 2024, a different Twitter post asked, “With Nazi s*** finally being cancellable can we kick Joe Brennan out of eternal magic?”

An Oct. 3 X post took issue with people sharing Clarke’s open letter online, with the author worried that when detractors shared the letter to criticize it, they were still letting “more s***ty people see it and support it.”

Reporter Lewis Brackpool told Blaze News that in his experience, card and board game communities in general have been “dominated by progressives for a long time.”

“Ironically, nearly all of the leftist fanbase and players of Magic: The Gathering cannot seem to differentiate between fantasy and politics. This is due to not having the brain capacity to comprehend that consistent idol worship of a card game will inevitably lead to fusing the hobby with their identity,” Brackpool remarked.

In reference to Brennan “wearing merchandise that differs from Che Guevara or a hammer and sickle,” Brackpool said, “the progressives cannot ever give it a pass, as it threatens their self-identity and knee-jerks them into an insecure frenzy.”

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​Return, Maga, Make america great again, Card game, Hobby, Magic the gathering, Tech 

Last month, Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the American Tech Workforce Act — legislation aimed at curbing abuses in the H-1B visa program and protecting American workers. One key provision would restrict remote work by foreign nationals employed in the United States under H-1B visas.

Yes, you read that right. Foreign workers can enter the country and “work remotely,” often from locations nowhere near the companies that hired them. A foreign national can take a tech job with a firm in San Francisco or Dallas, then live and work from Peoria or Plattsburgh. The arrangement makes little sense — unless your goal is to undercut American wages.

Congress should demand that US companies use remote work to employ Americans — not to offshore jobs inside our own borders.

The H-1B program was sold to Americans as a way to fill gaps in “specialty occupations” that supposedly lacked qualified domestic talent. In practice, it became a pipeline for cheap, compliant foreign labor. Vague definitions of “specialty occupation” and toothless wage protections made it easy for corporations to game the system and drive down costs.

Workers from India, China, and the Philippines accept lower pay for two simple reasons. First, they see the H-1B as a path to permanent residence and eventual citizenship. Many arrive and immediately ask their employers to petition for green cards. They believe that if they keep quiet and work long hours for less money, they’ll earn the right to stay.

Second, even when underpaid by American standards, they make far more than they could at home. A senior computer engineer in India earns roughly $16,000 to $28,000 per year. In the United States, even a low-paid engineer makes about $58,000. The math works for them — but not for American graduates struggling to enter the same field.

Depressing wages, rewarding compliance

The results have been devastating for American STEM professionals. The National Bureau of Economic Research found that between 1994 and 2001, the flood of foreign tech workers suppressed wages for U.S. computer scientists by as much as 5% and reduced domestic employment in the field by up to 10%.

And because so many H-1B workers hope for green cards, they rarely complain about long hours, weekends, or holidays. Employers know it. The system rewards docility. Today, about 19% of the STEM workforce is foreign-born — higher than their share of the total U.S. workforce. Cheap, compliant labor is now baked into the model, while American graduates are being priced out.

The remote work loophole

If companies truly wanted to cut costs, they could use remote work to hire American workers from lower-cost regions. A Boston tech firm can employ skilled programmers in West Virginia or Alabama without having to build new offices. Everyone wins: The company saves money, the workers get good jobs, and local economies benefit.

So why import foreign workers for jobs that can be done anywhere with a Wi-Fi signal? The answer is simple — because they can. Without limits on remote work for H-1Bs, corporations will exploit the system further, hiring foreign workers who are cheaper still. An Indian programmer working remotely from South Carolina costs less than an American one, even after relocation.

RELATED: The H-1B brouhaha: Here’s what you need to know

Photo Illustration by Manish Rajput/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

America First means Americans first

The H-1B program has always benefited foreign nationals and corporate bottom lines at the expense of American citizens. It’s long past time for Congress to reverse that and adopt an America First position to protect U.S. tech workers.

Lawmakers should pass the American Tech Workforce Act as a first step. But reform shouldn’t stop there. They should demand that U.S. companies use remote work to employ Americans — not to offshore jobs inside our own borders.

If tech firms want to save money, they can hire young American graduates eager to work. What they shouldn’t be allowed to do is import cheaper labor under a visa meant for skills we already have. Remote work should expand opportunities for citizens, not serve as another back door for replacing them.

​Opinion & analysis, Immigration, H1-b, Big tech, America first, Jobs, Skilled labor, Remote workers, Remote work, Unemployment, American tech workforce act 

Harvard University has decided to lean even more into the LGBTQ agenda, announcing the hiring of a new visiting gender and sexuality professor who happens to be a drag queen — and goes by the name of “LaWhore Vagistan.”

The professor, Kareem Khubchandani, will be teaching two courses on “queer ethnography” during the fall semester and “RuPaulitics: Drag, Race, and Desire” during the spring semester.

“I don’t know why anyone would ever send their children to Harvard, especially as much as it costs,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says.

“When you see something like this going down, I want conservatives to really understand what they are up against when it comes to academia. Not only just how rotten it is — most importantly, the role that the government has in subsidizing it,” BlazeTV contributor Eric July says.

“Obviously, this drag queen is going to teach fake classes; 90% of the degrees are fake. They’re useless. Especially in this … age of ever-growing technology, a lot of what they teach is obsolete. Effectively, academia right now is a Ponzi scheme,” he continues.

And according to July, academia is more than just a Ponzi scheme. It’s also responsible for the path of degeneracy many in our country have taken.

“If you’re looking at the direction that this country is going in, which is to crap, you cannot separate academia’s involvement from it. It is right there, core, right at the center of it. And we not only continue to subsidize it, we have people voluntarily allowing, actually paying for in some cases … their children to be indoctrinated by drag queens like that,” he says.

“And it ain’t just happening in Harvard,” he adds.

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​Video phone, Free, Upload, Video, Camera phone, Sharing, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Drag queen professor, Harvard, Academia, Ivy league, Drag queen harvard, Queer ethnography, Rupaul, Lgbtq indoctrination 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gave an encouraging update on the Trump administration’s efforts to uncover those who may be funding Antifa attacks in the U.S.

President Donald Trump previously ordered his officials to use the power of the government to root out who might be funding Antifa.

‘We will continue to get to the bottom of who is funding these organizations in this organized anarchy against our country and our government.’

Leavitt said Monday during the White House media briefing that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent had joined the effort and explained how he would be able to help the cause.

“The financial backing of these groups, particularly Antifa, is certainly something the administration is looking into aggressively,” she said.

“The federal government has never really been mobilized or tasked with doing that. So we’re kind of kick-starting that into gear,” she added. “The FBI is working on it alongside the White House’s Homeland Security Task Force. We have our intelligence community looking into this as well. And even the secretary of treasury is involved with these matters since they are financial in nature.”

On Friday Leavitt said that the administration was looking into the possibility of cutting off all federal funding to Portland after violence continued to increase at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

“We will continue to get to the bottom of who is funding these organizations in this organized anarchy against our country and our government,” she continued in her statement Monday. “It’s a question the American people have been begging the answer for, for many years, and we’re committed to uncovering it.”

RELATED: Liberal nonprofits are panicking over threats from Trump after Kirk killing

— (@)

Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas issued a statement of support for the development.

“Good,” wrote Roy on social media. “Congress can, and should, back up the Trump administration’s efforts by forming its own select committee to investigate who is funding these groups. Enough is enough.”

Liberal critics claim that Trump is misusing the powers of the government to punish and persecute his political opponents.

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​Karoline leavitt, Scott bessent, Antifa funding, Antifa violence, Politics 

The Charlie Kirk shooting investigation turned surreal when 71-year-old George Zinn claimed he was the shooter — before his pants dropped to his ankles in front of witnesses.

When police realized Zinn wasn’t armed, they later charged him with obstruction — which is one of many crimes on his lengthy record.

According to law enforcement, Zinn now has been accused of keeping “graphic” sexual photos of children on his phone and was charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in September after finding more than 20 images of kids as young as 5 on his phone.

BlazeTV host Pat Gray is not impressed with the old man.

“Apparently he was just helping out whoever shot him by claiming that he did it so that it would distract police from the actual shooter,” Gray comments. “And I don’t think that was coordinated between the two of them.”

“And yes, his pants fell down around his ankles,” he continues, explaining what happened after the shooting of Charlie Kirk. “Police had to carry him away from the scene.”

“But yes, he’s well-known to police. He obstructs justice on a regular basis,” he adds, noting that Zinn’s arrests date back 25 years and also include criminal trespass, obstruction, and disturbing the peace. In addition, he was once charged with sending an email bomb threat to the Salt Lake City Marathon in 2013.

“So, he’s a real winner,” Gray says.

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An Indiana man reportedly with a staggering number of arrests under his belt allegedly stabbed a 69-year-old man at a gas station amid an argument late last month.

Just before midnight Sept. 26, officers with the Lawrence Police Department were dispatched to the gas station. Lawrence is about 15 minutes northeast of Indianapolis.

‘When you’re arrested 99 times, I think it begs the question: “What’s the number?”‘

Citing court documents, WXIN-TV reported that a family member of the victim told police that the victim — a 69-year-old man — exited a vehicle to separate people amid an argument involving 41-year-old Courtney Boose.

The documents indicate that’s when Boose stabbed the 69-year-old victim with a pocketknife and walked to the rear of the gas station, the station said.

Court documents indicate Boose did not comply with officers who were attempting to detain him, after which an officer tased Boose, the station said.

Officers then searched Boose — now handcuffed — and reportedly found a pocketknife with blood on it and a bag of cocaine, WXIN said, adding that court documents allege he attempted to head-butt an officer while being placed in the police vehicle.

The station said the victim was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Citing court documents, WXIN added that Boose was arrested on preliminary charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, possession of a narcotic, attempted battery on a police officer, and resisting law enforcement.

RELATED: Blaze News original: Check out these 12 infuriating decisions by trio of prominent, ultra-progressive district attorneys

However, Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police President Rick Snyder last week told WIBC-FM that Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears downgraded Boose’s attempted murder charge to aggravated battery, which greatly reduced the possible prison sentence.

Snyder blasted Mears and the “woke, broke” criminal justice system.

“That means this case, without even taking its first breath in the court system, has automatically been downgraded and reduced, cutting the possible sentencing range from an attempted murder and 20 to 40 years of imprisonment all the way down to three years to 16 years,” Snyder explained on “The Hammer and Nigel Show.”

Snyder said the prosecutor’s actions are a “dereliction of duty,” especially since the suspect had been arrested 99 times prior to the alleged stabbing.

“When you’re arrested 99 times, I think it begs the question: ‘What’s the number?’ What’s the number of times where somebody in a black robe finally says, ‘You know what, I don’t think this guy is getting it,'” Snyder said.

WIBC said previous charges against Boose include trespassing, theft, battery, and drug crimes and that the vast majority of the cases either were dismissed or concluded with a plea deal. What’s more, the station said records also show Boose has never served time in prison.

Snyder added, “We’re really confronted by our after-the-fact, ‘Billy Badass’ prosecutor and our ‘woke, broke’ criminal justice system.”

Snyder said in the radio interview that there were reports that the stabbing victim was visiting Indianapolis to attend a funeral for a person who was murdered — after which the FOP president pointed out the ramifications of the stabbing on Indianapolis tourism: “Visit for one murder and stay for your own.”

Snyder wrote on X that a “broken system” allows a “revolving door” for criminals.

Snyder added that it amounts to an “attack from within” in Indianapolis and that the city is now averaging a homicide every 53 hours — outpacing Chicago by 10%.

“The daily headlines show that mass shootings, mass murders, and mass carnage keep going up,” Snyder stated. “This shows the devaluing of the sanctity of life here in our capital city.”

Townhall said it “reached out to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office about the downgraded charges via phone. No one answered, and the voicemail was full, so we could not leave a message. An email was also sent to the Prosecutor’s office, and Townhall is awaiting a reply.”

The Lawrence Police Department and the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

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​Stabbing, Career criminal, Indiana, Indiana crime, Attempted murder, Crime, Downgraded charge, Woke culture, Prosecutor 

President Donald Trump has finally named the enemy: Mexican drug cartels. Declaring them unlawful combatants and recognizing a “non-international armed conflict” marks one of the most consequential national security shifts in modern history.

For decades, Washington treated cartel violence as a crime — a problem for prosecutors, not generals. Indictments were filed, assets seized, and sanctions imposed. But the cartels fought a different kind of war, one that combined terror, intelligence, and territorial control. Calling it “crime” guaranteed defeat.

We refused to define the cartels as belligerents — and fought the wrong fight.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, Mexico ranks among the world’s most violent conflict zones — behind only Palestine, Myanmar, and Syria. It is also the second-most dangerous country for civilians. Those numbers are not from a failed state overseas. They come from our southern border, where cartel wars spill into American communities daily.

The old paradigm failed

For decades, federal authorities insisted on using a law-enforcement lens. Agencies operated under Title 21, Title 50, and limited “detect and monitor” authorities. They punished crimes but never broke campaigns. The narrow scope bred strategic blindness. While U.S. prosecutors filed indictments and built cases, cartels corrupted institutions, coerced populations, and built empires.

As the Marine Corps teaches: How you define the environment determines how you operate in it. We refused to define the cartels as belligerents — and fought the wrong fight.

Hybrid belligerents, not gangs

By every operational measure, cartels are hybrid threats. They control territory, command loyalty through terror, and run parallel governments. They tax, adjudicate, and even “protect” local populations. Their power rests on corruption and espionage: bribing officials, infiltrating agencies, and compromising law enforcement through human networks that resemble intelligence tradecraft.

Cartels operate across land, air, maritime, subterranean, cyber, and electromagnetic domains. They deploy drones, tunnels, jammers, and encrypted systems. They are multi-domain actors running hybrid campaigns.

Weaponized migration

Cartels don’t just smuggle — they destabilize. Mass migration has become a weapon of war: overwhelming institutions, hiding operatives, and masking foreign infiltration. Millions of illegal entrants from more than 170 nations have crossed under cartel supervision. The intent is not just profit. It’s demographic disruption.

Under federal law, terrorism includes violence intended “to intimidate or coerce a civilian population” or “influence government policy.” By that definition, Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation qualify as terrorist organizations.

A war of sovereignty

At the Texas Public Policy Foundation, I have testified before the Texas legislature and the U.S. Congress, warning that Mexico’s cartel conflict meets the Geneva Convention’s definition of a “non-international armed conflict.”

I described cartels as hybrid insurgents — foreign terrorist organizations that combine paramilitary violence, illicit economies, and political corruption to dominate populations. In March 2025 testimony, I stated plainly:

Mexico today is more accurately described as a state where governance has collapsed in key regions and foreign terrorist organizations dominate political and economic life, much like Afghanistan.

The president’s declaration confirms what many of us have argued for years: This is not a border problem — it is a war of sovereignty.

Against global networks

Cartel operations now span 65 countries. Chinese networks provide chemical precursors and launder money. Hezbollah and Iranian agents exploit the same smuggling corridors. Russia and Venezuela supply logistics and protection. Europol has confirmed joint cartel-European production of methamphetamine and cocaine. This is global insurgency — hybrid warfare waged through proxies.

The Western Hemisphere’s stability now hangs on whether the United States accepts that this is a war, not a criminal nuisance.

America has seen this pattern before. In Afghanistan, we failed not because we lacked strength but because we enabled corruption. We funded partners already captured by our enemies. The special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction documented how U.S. aid sustained the very system it sought to reform.

The parallels with Mexico and Venezuela are striking. Elements of their governments shelter cartels through impunity and contracts. Continuing to fund or legitimize such partners would repeat the Afghan mistake — this time on our own doorstep.

The new designation’s power

Trump’s declaration resets U.S. strategy. Recognizing cartels as unlawful combatants unlocks interagency coordination — treasury targeting financial networks, the IRS auditing tax-exempt fronts, and the Justice Department prosecuting to the “maximum extent permissible by law.” It is a full-spectrum approach that finally matches the enemy’s scale.

RELATED: Latin American leaders react to report that Trump will use US military against cartels

Photo by David Dee Delgado/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The new framework clarifies rules of engagement and intelligence sharing. We can now strike at the networks themselves, not just their accountants.

The cartels serve as convenient cutouts for America’s adversaries. China supplies chemicals, Iran and Hezbollah move cargo, Russia and Venezuela launder proceeds. These regimes use cartels as proxy forces — deniable, flexible, and brutal. The Western Hemisphere’s stability now hangs on whether the United States accepts that this is a war, not a criminal nuisance.

Peace through strength revisited

With this declaration, Trump restores the Reagan principle: peace through strength. As Secretary of War Pete Hegseth put it last week, “Our number-one job is to be strong so that we can prevent war in the first place.” Matching threats with capabilities sends a message not just to cartels, but to the nations behind them: Challenge us, and you will lose.

To borrow Hegseth’s phrasing: “Should our enemies choose foolishly to test us, they will be crushed by the violence, precision, and ferocity of the War Department. In other words, to our enemies: FAFO.”

The war has been declared. The only question now is whether America has the will to win it. State legislatures, Congress, and the public must rally behind this strategy. Half-measures have failed. The moment demands unity, clarity, and resolve.

America is under attack. The commander in chief has drawn the line. Now the nation must stand behind it — and fight to victory.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Drug cartels, Cartels, Drugs, Drug smuggling, Smuggling drugs, Armed combatants, Unlawful combatants, Drug war, Donald trump, Pete hegseth, Department of war, Department of justice, Department of homeland security