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For the first time in years, the Republican Party has momentum with America’s youth.

Charlie Kirk’s assassination jolted young voters into the political fight. Many students and teenagers first encountered politics through Kirk’s viral debate clips or the wave of conservative influencer content that followed.

The political landscape shifts as fast as internet memes. The era when a campaign could hire an intern to post twice a day is over.

Figures like Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, and even Alex Jones command more attention from Gen Z than most senators ever could. Ask a teenager about Mike Johnson or Ron Johnson and you’ll likely get a blank stare. Ask them about Charlie Kirk, and they can quote his videos word-for-word. Kirk was not only a cultural giant but also the leader of a network of influencers who connected conservatives with a rising generation.

Trump as proof of concept

Conservative politicians often struggle to overlap with their influencer counterparts. Donald Trump proved it can be done. His mastery of social media carried him to victory in 2024. Trump’s rapid-fire posts and fluency in internet culture convinced young voters he understood them.

Democrats tried their own version of “youth outreach” — with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz attempting to meme their way into relevance. The result? Cringe. Young voters walked away.

If Republicans want to sustain their surge, they must keep building para-social relationships. For Gen Z, politics is less about white papers and more about viral clips. Students rallied to Trump and Kirk because they were captivating, funny, and relatable. That matters more than policy minutiae.

Enter JD Vance

Vice President JD Vance may be the heir to Trump’s social media throne. He combines political stamina with influencer wit — a rare skill set.

Vance’s Yale Law pedigree and mastery of policy shine in debates and press conferences. He speaks clearly, with bold ideas on foreign aid and criminal justice. But Gen Z doesn’t tune in for long speeches. They want punchlines. Trump understood this. He may be the only president with “Funniest Moments” compilations on YouTube. Vance seems to get it, too.

When Kirk was assassinated, Vance was the first to host his show. That was no accident. A hole opened in the conservative influencer space, and Vance moved to fill it. By stepping into that role, he told young voters that Charlie’s vision of connecting with Gen Z didn’t die with him.

Kirk’s efforts helped Trump retake the presidency in 2024. His legacy may yet help Vance win in 2028. Vance has built his own digital reputation: His tweets mix humor and insight, his football posts feel genuine (unlike Walz’s forced fandom), and he has leaned into memes at his own expense. That kind of self-deprecation resonates with an online generation allergic to pretension.

RELATED: Holy defiance: Why Erika Kirk terrifies the feminist elite

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Keeping the energy alive

But Trump’s legacy is more than jokes. He delivers. He has nearly wiped out illegal immigration, shut down USAID, and pushed DEI out of government and corporate life. Winning has become a habit. Gen Z notices.

This generation didn’t grow up with the lethargic Republican Party of the 1990s and 2000s. Their political world began when Trump rode down his golden escalator in 2015. They expect leaders to win, not just talk.

If Republicans want to dominate the future, they must keep MAGA’s high-octane energy alive. The political landscape shifts as fast as internet memes. The era when a campaign could hire an intern to post twice a day is over.

Charlie Kirk understood it. Donald Trump proved it. If JD Vance keeps pace, he could lock down the youth vote for the next generation.

​Opinion & analysis, Donald trump, Jd vance, Charlie kirk, Gen z, Politics, Memes, Tim walz, Kamala harris, Cringe, Youth vote, Republicans, Democrats, Elections 

President Donald Trump early Sunday sent 300 federalized National Guard troops from California to Portland, Oregon, the New York Times reported, citing Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“This isn’t about public safety, it’s about power,” Newsom told the Times. “The commander in chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president of the United States.”

‘These violent riots are not about free speech. This is the rule of law vs. anarchy. We will win.

The Trump administration’s reported move to mobilize California National Guard members in Portland comes after a federal judge on Saturday blocked Trump’s attempt to mobilize 200 Oregon National Guard members in Portland, the Times said.

Democrat Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek told the Associated Press that 101 California National Guard members arrived in her state by plane Saturday night.

“This action appears … intentional to circumvent yesterday’s ruling by a federal judge,” Kotek said Sunday, according to the AP. “There is no need for military intervention in Oregon. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. Oregon is our home, not a military target.”

Blaze Media’s National Correspondent Julio Rosas posted the following video from the ground in Portland Saturday night, showing federal agents using tear gas to push a left-wing mob away from an ICE facility.

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

— (@)

Meanwhile, a Kotek spokesperson said Sunday he could not verify the National Guard members’ current location and directed questions to the Defense Department, the AP said, adding that the California National Guard also referred questions to the Defense Department. The outlet also reported that a department spokesperson declined to comment, and that the White House offered no immediate comment. The Defense Department is now called the Department of War.

As Blaze News previously reported, federal agents on Saturday clashed with a mob of Antifa-fueled, anti-ICE protesters in Portland, leading to numerous arrests.

Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in a Fox News interview Sunday morning described the attacks on ICE agents as “unprecedented.”

“Gangs, cartel members, and known terrorist organizations have placed bounties on the heads of several of our law enforcement officers,” Noem wrote on X. “These violent riots are not about free speech. This is the rule of law vs. anarchy. We will win.”

In addition to the chaos and violence in Portland, it’s been similar scene in Broadview, Illinois — a Chicago suburb — where leftist militants have been attacking ICE agents. The tensions only heightened there Saturday.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin on Sunday said he confirmed with several law enforcement sources that “Chicago police officers were instructed by their Chief of Patrol to NOT respond to Border Patrol agents[‘] call for help yesterday after they were reportedly surrounded by a large crowd of protesters following a ramming incident & shooting of an armed woman.”

The armed woman — a U.S. citizen and member of a mob that surrounded and “boxed in” federal agents’ vehicles outside the Broadview detention facility — was identified as Marimar Martinez and was named in a Customs and Border Protection intelligence bulletin, DHS wrote in a statement, Fox News said. Martinez also allegedly doxxed agents and posted online, “Hey to all my gang let’s f— those motherf—— up, don’t let them take anyone,” the cable news network added.

Fox News also noted that DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said no law enforcement officers were seriously injured during the incident, and that “the woman involved drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds.” The driver of another vehicle — whom DHS identified as Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz — allegedly was involved in the ramming and was apprehended, the cable news network also said.

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​Anti-ice, Broadview illinois, California, Donald trump, Gavin newsom, Governor newsom, Ice protests, National guard, Portland, Portland oregon, President trump, Tina kotek, Politics 

The contrast couldn’t be more severe: two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social justice, the other for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

America now stands at a crossroads. Which path will we choose: the broad path that leads to chaos and destruction, or the narrow path that leads to peace and life?

Out of Charlie Kirk’s death, lives are being changed forever. The gospel is advancing. The church is awakening.

On one side, you have the death of George Floyd. Within 24 hours of the video going viral, nationwide protests erupted. Students walked out of classrooms. Crowds poured into the streets. City blocks went up in flames. Businesses were ransacked. Stores looted. Police officers, in many cases, stood down and watched as precincts were burned to the ground.

And Floyd wasn’t the only flashpoint. In Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Michael Brown sparked weeks of violent rioting, leaving entire neighborhoods scorched. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the police shooting of Jacob Blake ignited nights of arson and looting, culminating in chaos that left the city smoldering.

In each case, Americans were told to understand the destruction as “the voice of the oppressed.” Politicians bent over backward to excuse the lawlessness, even pledging to bail out masked agitators who turned cities into war zones. Lives were lost in the name of “justice.”

And when the flames weren’t enough, activists decided to go further. They declared entire neighborhoods “autonomous zones” — police-free utopias where oppression was supposed to vanish and a new society would flourish.

The same voices behind the riots called for defunding the police. And what did that bring? More chaos. More crime. More death. Neighborhoods left vulnerable. Families abandoned. Chaos parading as justice.

The death of a true martyr

Now, set that against what followed the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

He was murdered for daring to give the biggest microphone not to his friends but to those who opposed him. He welcomed debate. He confronted hostile ideas head on. He refused to be silenced by intimidation. And for that, he paid with his life.

But look at the fruit that followed his death.

No buildings burned. No businesses looted. No cities reduced to ash.

Instead, only candles burned — vigil candles, lifted high in memory of a man who gave his life for truth. People gathered in churches. Prayers rose instead of Molotov cocktails. Instead of mobs demanding blood, thousands made decisions to follow Christ. Politicians who would never publicly declare the name of Jesus suddenly spoke openly about the need for the gospel. Instead of excuses for lawlessness, there were testimonies of salvation.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk showed us the lie at the heart of progressive culture

BENJAMIN HANSON/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

And yet — after Charlie’s death — all of the cowards found their courage. The very people who shrank from confronting him in debate while he lived now slander him when he cannot answer. They spit on his memory because they could not withstand his arguments. They malign his character because they could not overcome his convictions. Their attacks reveal not strength but weakness. Not courage but cowardice.

It is difficult not to see the parallel with Stephen, the first Christian martyr. In Acts 6–7, Stephen stood before the religious leaders of his day — and make no mistake, progressivism is a worldly religion — and he proclaimed the truth with boldness. Scripture records that “they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10). And when they could not defeat his arguments, they killed him.

So it is with Charlie. When the world could not overcome his courage, when they could not silence his voice in life, they silenced him in death. But like Stephen, his testimony will outlive his assassins. His words will echo longer than their slander. His life will bear fruit that their hatred cannot erase.

Two different spirits

What explains this radical difference?

On one hand, you have a spirit of rage. A spirit that justifies destruction as expression. A spirit that sees justice as vengeance. That spirit has turned too many American cities into ruins.

On the other hand, you have the Spirit of God. A Spirit that produces repentance instead of riots. Worship instead of war. Candles instead of chaos. When the world lost Charlie Kirk, a true martyr, the response revealed something deeper — something eternal.

The battle lines of our culture are not political but spiritual. The evidence could not be more clear.

The apostle Paul reminds us that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). What we are seeing is not merely two different sets of political responses but two different kingdoms on display.

One kingdom demands chaos and calls it justice.

The other kingdom meets tragedy with truth, grace, and hope in Christ.

Which one will define the future of this nation?

History teaches us that rage consumes itself. Cities burned in Ferguson and Kenosha are still rebuilding years later. Families who lost businesses in Minneapolis never recovered. Violence devours its own.

But the fruits of the Spirit endure. Out of Charlie Kirk’s death, lives are being changed forever. The gospel is advancing. The church is awakening.

The call to Christians

The contrast forces every Christian to make a choice.

Will we be swept into the mob’s logic — that vengeance and destruction are the only way forward? Or will we align ourselves with the way of the cross — the way of sacrifice, prayer, and truth proclaimed without fear?

The stakes are high. What America witnessed in the days after George Floyd’s death and the days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination is the clash of worldviews, the collision of kingdoms.

One worldview justifies destruction in the name of oppression. The other proclaims that true freedom is found only in Christ.

One kingdom burns buildings. The other lights candles.

Riots or revival?

The Charlie Kirk Memorial last month was not just a gathering. It was a glimpse into the kind of nation we could be if truth, courage, and the gospel were once again at the center of public life. It was a reminder that even in death, the witness of one faithful man can ignite a movement more powerful than any protest.

The flames of rage consume cities. The flames of faith light the world.

The choice is clear: Riots or revival? Chaos or Christ?

RELATED: Charlie Kirk’s legacy exposes a corrosive lie — and now it’s time to choose

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

And for those who haven’t seen the Charlie Kirk Memorial, hear this from someone who was there in person: No video could capture the palpable power in that room. Politician after politician rose — not to promote themselves but to proclaim Christ’s gospel.

Testimonies poured out of the life Charlie lived, giving himself to students across this country, loving his wife and children faithfully, and modeling what it means to live for something greater than yourself, what it means to truly submit and boldly follow Christ Jesus our Lord.

The video screens could show faces but not the depth of what we felt inside that hall. The sheer numbers of people. The dignitaries. The everyday Americans. All united as we sang, listened, cried, mourned, and celebrated our friend Charlie Kirk.

I cannot remember a time when I was more inspired to tell the truth, to oppose the lies, and to stand for Christ more boldly — and I am now wasting no time in doing so.

We’ve all got work to do. We’ve got a civilization to save. We have a King to proclaim, Jesus Christ.

So Charlie, rest in heaven — we’ll take it from here.

This article is adapted from an essay originally published at Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center.

​Charlie kirk, Charlie kirk assassination, Charlie kirk legacy, Christian, Christianity, George floyd, God, Jesus, Jesus christ, Riots, Faith 

A well-known Christian pastor was physically blocked from entering an airport chapel last week.

Tom Ascol, the president of Founders Ministries, was returning home after visiting the family of Voddie Baucham Jr., a popular American pastor who recently passed away.

‘Beyond the entry were two stalls with water faucets for ablution.’

While awaiting his flight home at the Dallas-Forth Worth airport, Ascol said he heard a public address across the airport that Terminal D was offering a prayer service and that “all are welcome.”

With very minimal expectations, Ascol proceeded in hopes that “someone might read Scripture during the service.”

Upon his arrival, the pastor found the “interfaith chaplaincy” to be completely ensconced in Islamic tradition.

— (@)

“My departure gate was near there, so I walked over and saw the entry lined with Muslim prayer mats,” Ascol told Rikki Ratliff-Fellman, executive producer for Glenn Beck.

“Beyond the entry were two stalls with water faucets for ablution. They had signs saying that the stalls were not to be used for showers. The main room had several men kneeling on mats, with a Muslim imam in the far corner and a man praying aloud a Muslim prayer near the door,” Ascol explained.

Ascol said he looked through the door and realized that the prayer service the public was invited to was, “in fact, Muslim prayers.”

Still, Ascol waited until the audible prayer was finished to try and enter the room and observe. Despite the sign outside the door declaring “all are welcome,” the man who was praying out loud allegedly determined he was within his rights to stop Ascol from entering.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk and the dragon

Photo by Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

“He quickly came and blocked my entrance as the imam started speaking about the prophet Muhammad,” Ascol told Ratliff-Fellman. “He said there was a chair in the back for me but that I must take off my shoes.”

Ascol explained that when he tried to step farther toward the door, the man shifted to stand directly in front of him. The pastor said it felt like he was not welcome in the interfaith chapel unless he abided by Islamic rules and “removed his shoes.”

“I had no energy to press the issue of the dishonesty of the announcement,” Ascol said, adding that he simply took pictures and walked away.

Ratliff-Fellman reached out to DFW Interfaith Chaplaincy, which said it had recently become aware of a “disheartening claim posted on social media that a traveler was allegedly denied entry, or felt unwelcome, during a Muslim prayer service held in one of our airport chapels.”

“We take that claim seriously,” Reverend Greg McBrayer told Ratliff-Fellman.

The executive director said that those at the chaplaincy “never refuse others from observing any service, or place requirements or restrictions on entering the space during any services.”

McBrayer said his group immediately investigated the claims with an unnamed Muslim cleric, who is their “longest-standing chaplain and a person who upholds our shared values of inclusive, shared spaces.”

But the director said the cleric was not aware of the incident and that it was not brought to his attention until after the post was made online.

“Our cleric was shocked and saddened at this claim,” McBrayer stated.

RELATED: How feminism fuels America’s rebellion against God

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

The reverend went on, “Had he been made aware of the alleged encounter, he would have made clear that the space is open and available to all people with no restrictions on entry.”

McBrayer added that the chapel has been used for five decades, offering various services that are “brief and all inclusive.”

“We want our airport community to know that we are shaken by this incident, which would run counter to our core mission, values, and beliefs that all are welcome in our spaces,” he noted in his comments.

In his remarks to Ratliff-Fellman, the reverend did not deny the incident, nor was the Muslim cleric named.

Following the events, Ascol said it has only provoked him to pray more diligently.

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​Faith, Dallas, Dallas-fort worth, Dfw, Airport, Chaplain, Muslim, Islam, Christianity, Religion 

Every February, the Super Bowl becomes more than a game. It’s a uniquely American spectacle — the moment when the world watches what we celebrate, what we believe, and who we are. The halftime show is not filler. It’s a centerpiece of that narrative, an opportunity to showcase unity, pride, and national identity.

That’s why the NFL’s decision to give this year’s stage to Bad Bunny is a disgrace. He isn’t just a pop star. He’s an artist who has vilified U.S. border enforcement and openly smeared ICE. Handing him the most symbolic stage in American culture doesn’t just miss the mark. It betrays the very values the Super Bowl is supposed to represent.

This isn’t a minor misstep. It’s a deliberate statement. Put an anti-ICE performer on America’s biggest cultural stage, and you endorse his hostility.

This isn’t about musical taste. It’s about message. In interviews, Bad Bunny admitted he skipped U.S. tour dates because he feared “f**king ICE could be outside [my concert].” He has filmed himself blasting ICE raids in Puerto Rico, cursing agents for doing their jobs. That isn’t subtle criticism of policy. That’s contempt for American law and the people sworn to enforce it.

And when the NFL hands him the halftime show, the league tells the world that contempt is acceptable — even worthy of reward. The institution that sells itself as America’s game is now propping up someone who spits on American institutions.

We don’t expect the halftime show to deliver a sermon. But we should expect performers who respect the country giving them the stage. Past acts at least tried. Bruce Springsteen gave us working-class grit. U2 turned a song into a national act of mourning after 9/11. Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, and the Rolling Stones bridged generations with rock. Even pop stars like Beyoncé, Garth Brooks, and Shania Twain managed to balance identity with national pride.

What they all shared was basic respect: They performed for Americans without tearing down the place that gave them that platform. The NFL’s choice this year shreds that tradition. It rewards an artist whose hostility to ICE has been central to his public image. It signals to others that the way to get the halftime show is to insult the country that made the stage matter in the first place.

And the excuse? “Global appeal.” But football doesn’t need imported validation. The NFL is already global because football is ours — our game, our culture, our spirit. We don’t sell the Super Bowl by erasing what makes America unique. We sell it by putting American values — freedom, family, and faith — at the forefront.

RELATED: Trump administration issues warning after Bad Bunny named to Super Bowl halftime show: ‘We will deport you’

Photo by Gladys Vega/Getty Images

If the NFL truly wanted broad appeal without controversy, the choices are obvious. Carrie Underwood could unify audiences across generations. Luke Combs or Chris Stapleton bring authenticity and humility. Bon Jovi, the Eagles, or Kenny Chesney can fill stadiums with American anthems. None of them tear down American law enforcement. None of them spark culture wars just by stepping on stage.

So my family will boycott the halftime show. We’ll refill our plates, toss a football in the yard, and talk about the game. Because we won’t sit quietly while the NFL hands America’s stage to someone who openly derides American sovereignty and law.

This isn’t a minor misstep. It’s a deliberate statement. Put an anti-ICE performer on America’s biggest cultural stage, and you endorse his hostility. The world will be watching. We can show them unity, strength, and pride. Or we can hand them a spectacle that undermines it.

We choose. My family has chosen. I hope many others will too.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Bad bunny, Illegal immigration, Border crisis, Ice, Deportations, Deport bad bunny, Super bowl, Super bowl halftime show, Immigration and customs enforcement, Anti-american, Crime, Entertainment, National football league, Nfl, Woke sports 

​Women in combat, Culture, Humor, Quick draw 

Sexual liberation has been packaged and sold as just that — “liberating” — despite BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey seeing it as having the opposite effect on women, especially younger women.

“Aren’t we more, especially young girls it seems, more depressed than ever, more anxious than ever, even more suicidal than ever? And there are a lot of different factors, I think, that play into that,” Stuckey asks author Louise Perry.

“Young women especially are berated on social media with ‘Just love yourself’ … ‘Just discover yourself,’ ‘You are your own truth,’ ‘You’re enough for yourself,’ you would think that in an age where that kind of message is primary for women that we would be happier if that were the solution,” she continues.

While Perry agrees, she does believe there’s a resistance growing to the sex-positive, self-interested movement that’s taken over the youth.

“I think it’s a bit of a complicated picture, because you’ve got among Gen Z, for instance, you’ve got a combination of some members of Gen Z who are really into the sex positive stuff, and then you’ve also got some who are, I think, reacting against it, and there is a bit of a sexual counter-revolution brewing,” Perry says.

“For instance, there are a lot of young men who are reacting against porn and who are swearing off using porn at all. They generally are not doing so out of any kind of ethical motivation at all,” she continues.

Perry explains that one of the primary reasons appears to be that porn “is really destructive for the consumer” and “tends to have a really negative impact on your own mind” and “sexuality.”

“When something is bad for society, it tends to be bad for the individual and vice versa, and so to me, it just is another piece of evidence … that the mind and the heart and the soul and the body are connected,” Stuckey agrees.

“It might be self-interested, but as you said, the consequences are good of that kind of self-control,” she adds.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, 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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Once an outspoken atheist, Stanford bioengineering professor Annelise Barron was deeply influenced by Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens — before rediscovering God through personal tragedy and the limits of science.

“I lost someone super close to me in a very shocking way to suicide two and a half years ago. And because he had killed himself, I suddenly became super anxious — like, is he in hell? You know, because this is what you vaguely hear, like, if you kill yourself, this is a cardinal sin,” Barron tells BlazeTV host Nicole Shanahan on “Back to the People.”

“So I started researching it and reading the Bible, and I just, you know, had an incredible revival of my own faith based on thinking about that question,” she explains.

And when Barron began hearing the testimonials of other believers who survived tragic circumstances that science couldn’t explain, her faith deepened further.

“What’s astonishing is, like, from one moment to the next, if you ask for help in a sincere way, you ask for healing, it can be given. And whether it’s an addiction or a disease or, you know, a habit that you’re not happy with — so I am just 100% certain that God is real and that He does love each one of us,” Barron tells Shanahan.

“All He wants from us is to be in closer relationship with Him. And I think it’s extraordinary how that can help your personal happiness,” she adds.

Shanahan couldn’t agree more, explaining that the healing she’s “found in full faith of Jesus as savior” can’t be replicated “through any other bioengineered mechanism.”

“I believe that,” Barron agrees.

Want more from Nicole Shanahan?

To enjoy more of Nicole’s compelling blend of empathy, curiosity, and enlightenment, 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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Hillary Clinton just proved what leftists truly fear.

Two weeks after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Clinton went on national television to pour salt in the wound. Instead of offering a reconciliatory message to the country, Clinton used the moment to attack conservative white Christian men, painting them as the true threat to America.

Leftist elites have trained our culture to believe that white Christian conservative men are villains, oppressors, and enemies of progress.

“The idea that you could turn the clock back and try to re-create a world that never was, dominated by, you know, let’s say it, white men, of a certain persuasion, a certain religion, a certain point of view, a certain ideology, is just doing such damage to what we should be aiming for,” she said.

Read that again.

Clinton didn’t denounce left-wing violence or condemn the twisted culture that openly celebrated the death of Christians like Charlie Kirk. Instead, she seemed to point the finger at conservative white Christian men who support President Donald Trump and believe that our country and culture should be ordered around biblical principles.

Clinton seems to believe that the real threat to America isn’t godlessness, violence, and hatred, but people of faith who dare believe in biblical truth and traditional values.

RELATED: Why Charlie Kirk’s death feels personal — even if you never met him

What she said is shocking. But what she left unsaid is even more so.

If white Christian conservative men are damaging the country and leading us down the wrong path, then, according to Clinton’s logic, she believes America would be better off without white conservative Christian men.

That’s not just offensive. It’s reckless — and dangerous.

Imagine for one second if Clinton had singled out any other demographic. What if Clinton had targeted black women, Jews, Muslims, or immigrants and called them the force doing “such damage” to America? The outrage would be deafening, and there would be wall-to-wall media coverage about her “bigotry” and “hate speech.”

But few people noticed Clinton’s remarks — and that’s just as alarming.

Here’s the truth: The media ignores Clinton’s comments because she seemed to target white Christian, MAGA-supporting men. Nearly every other demographic is untouchable, but because this target is the vilified “oppressor,” white conservative Christian men can be vilified without consequence.

The irony and double standard are nauseating.

Worst yet, rhetoric that constantly demonizes Christians sends a message: Hostility toward them is acceptable. Were you confused why so many leftists openly cheered the murder of a Christian leader like Charlie Kirk? Well, this is how we got there. Leftist elites have trained our culture to believe that white Christian conservative men are villains, oppressors, and enemies of progress.

And once you’ve branded them as the enemy, “fascists,” and “Nazis,” what the next logical step? Violence always follows dehumanization.

Perhaps most interesting is that Clinton’s words reveal more than contempt — they reveal fear.

Contrary to their claims, leftists don’t attack white Christian men because they are violent or oppressive. They attack white Christian men because they know strong and bold men stand in the way of their godless agenda. Christian men unapologetically uphold the values the left wants to erase: faith, family, freedom, moral clarity, and biblical truth.

The timing of Clinton’s attack says it all.

Clinton wants to intimidate Christians with her attack, but it won’t work.

As the nation mourns Charlie Kirk — the exact type of person Clinton seems to have targeted — Clinton appears to have singled out the group most committed to defending faith, family, freedom, moral clarity, and biblical truth. It’s not a critique, but an admission of fear. She fears people like Charlie Kirk, Christian men who stand in the left’s way, refuse to bow the knee, and will die defending what is good and true.

Let’s be clear: Christian men are not America’s problem. They are its best hope.

What truly damages America is not faith in Christ but contempt for Him, not traditional families but the collapse of the family, not biblical morality but the moral vacuum left when leftists erase God from public life.

Our country needs more conservative Christian men — not fewer. We need Christian men willing to lead with courage, humility, and conviction, who won’t apologize for their faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to biblical truth. The future of America belongs to them: bold and courageous Christian men who lead strong families, build flourishing communities, and sacrifice themselves for others.

Clinton wants to intimidate Christians with her attack, but it won’t work. We will not be silenced or shamed into submission.

So let the elites rage. Let them mock and condemn, for we know the truth: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). And in the end, Christ wins.

​American christianity, Christian, Christianity, Conservative, Conservative christians, Hillary clinton, Racism, Faith 

Corporate America is bending to conservatives’ market influence. Not out of sudden ideological sympathy, but because conservatives have more economic power than the left — and they’ve stopped pretending not to notice.

For years, corporations ignored conservative concerns. Worse, they often went out of their way to antagonize them, stripping away team mascots like the Redskins and Indians, embracing diversity quotas, and saturating entertainment with left-wing tropes. The squeaky wheel got the grease, and the left made all the noise.

Free markets punish bad bets more effectively than Washington ever could. Let them.

Conservatives, meanwhile, were taken for granted. Corporate leaders assumed they would keep buying no matter how many insults were thrown their way. For a long time, they were right.

That ended when conservatives started fighting back. Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney stunt turned into a disaster. Victoria’s Secret collapsed under its “new image” campaign. Cracker Barrel’s woke makeover backfired so badly its chairs stopped rocking. And when employees mocked Charlie Kirk’s assassination, corporations finally began to realize that “the customer is always right” still applies.

Numbers don’t lie

Corporations aren’t embracing conservatives because they’ve had a change of heart. They’re doing it because they need to survive.

The 2024 election was a wake-up call: Conservative voters outnumbered liberals 35% to 23%. Add moderates, and non-liberals outnumbered liberals more than three to one.

Conservatives overwhelmingly vote Republican. Ninety percent cast ballots for Trump. Pew data shows a majority of middle- and upper-middle-income Americans lean Republican — and 51% of Americans identify as middle class. That’s a lot of disposable income.

Family size makes the math even stronger. The Institute for Family Studies reports that counties where Trump won big also have higher birth rates: 1.76 compared to the national average of 1.63. Harris counties, by contrast, averaged just 1.37. Republicans also want bigger families: half want three or more kids, compared to only 31% of Democrats.

Bigger families and higher incomes mean bigger market clout. And the left’s most extreme advocates — the loudest drivers of corporate wokeness — are a small minority inside an already shrinking ideological bloc.

Why the shift happened

So why did corporations bow to the left for so long? Two reasons.

First, executives themselves lean left. Pew Research found upper-income Americans tilt Democrat, and CEOs have marched steadily leftward over the last two decades. Second, conservatives tolerated it. They didn’t punish woke messaging, making it appear costless for companies to indulge their leadership’s politics.

That illusion is gone. Conservative consumers are awake. And companies are finally capitulating to reality.

RELATED: The right message: Justice. The wrong messenger: Pam Bondi.

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Don’t let government ruin it

This is why Republicans should resist the urge to meddle. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr made a mistake threatening ABC over Jimmy Kimmel. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way”? Let’s not.

That kind of government action obscures the real shift — a market correction, not a political one.

Markets speak louder than regulators. If conservatives let economics do the work, corporations will continue adjusting out of necessity. But if government steps in, companies will chalk the change up to political coercion, not consumer demand, and drift back toward the left as soon as administrations change.

Already the left is trying to spin it that way, casting Jimmy Kimmel as a martyr for “free expression” instead of what he is: a bad business decision. The left wants companies to believe government, not consumers, forced the pivot.

Conservatives know better. Free markets punish bad bets more effectively than Washington. Let them.

​Opinion & analysis, Consumers, Boycotts, Bud light boycott, Victoria’s secret, Redskins, Indians, Brands, Woke capital, Woke corporations, Conservatives, Liberals, Diversity equity inclusion, Cracker barrel, Middle class, Democrats, Republicans, Pew research center, Abc, Jimmy kimmel, First amendment, Fcc, Brendan carr, Free expression, Dylan mulvaney 

Loneliness has become an epidemic in America. Millions of people, even when surrounded by others, feel invisible. In tragic irony, we live in an age of unparalleled connectivity, yet too many sit in silence, unseen and unheard.

I’ve been experiencing this firsthand. My children have grown up and moved out. The house that once overflowed with life now echoes with quiet. Moments that once held laughter now hold silence. And in that silence, the mind can play cruel games. It whispers, “You’re forgotten. Your story doesn’t matter.”

We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

It’s a lie.

I’ve seen it in others. I remember sitting at Rockefeller Center one winter, watching a woman lace up her ice skates. Her clothing was worn, her bag battered. Yet on the ice, she transformed — elegant, alive, radiant.

Minutes later, she returned to her shoes, merged into the crowd, unnoticed. I’ve thought of her often. She was not alone in her experience. Millions of Americans live unseen, performing acts of quiet heroism every day.

Shared pain makes us human

Loneliness convinces us to retreat, to stay silent, to stop reaching out to others. But connection is essential. Even small gestures — a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a shared meal — are radical acts against isolation.

I’ve learned this personally. Years ago, a caller called me “Mr. Perfect.” I could have deflected, but I chose honesty. I spoke of my alcoholism, my failed marriage, my brokenness. I expected judgment. Instead, I found resonance. People whispered back, “I’m going through the same thing. Thank you for saying it.”

Our pain is universal. Everyone struggles with self-doubt and fear. Everyone feels, at times, like a fraud. We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

We were made for connection. We were built for community — for conversation, for touch, for shared purpose. Every time we reach out, every act of courage and compassion punches a hole in the wall of isolation.

RELATED: What fatherhood has taught me as my children move on

Photo by oatawa via Getty Images

You’re not alone

If you’re feeling alone, know this: You are not invisible. You are seen. You matter. And if you’re not struggling, someone you know is. It’s your responsibility to reach out.

Loneliness is not proof of brokenness. It is proof of humanity. It is a call to engage, to bear witness, to connect. The world is different because of the people who choose to act. It is brighter when we refuse to be isolated.

We cannot let silence win. We cannot allow loneliness to dictate our lives. Speak. Reach out. Connect. Share your gifts. By doing so, we remind one another: We are all alike, and yet each of us matters profoundly.

In this moment, in this country, in this world, what we do matters. Loneliness is real, but so is hope. And hope begins with connection.

Want more from Glenn Beck? Get Glenn’s FREE email newsletter with his latest insights, top stories, show prep, and more delivered to your inbox.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Loneliness, Loneliness epidemic, Digital age, Social media 

In an age of madness, we need fearless people. The United Kingdom, a country that has slowly slipped into authoritarianism, has found a maverick in British comedian and political commentator Katie Hopkins. Her unapologetic truth-telling and hilarious politically incorrect jokes have gotten her deported from Australia, detained in Africa, threatened with jail time in England, and nearly beheaded by jihadi terrorists. But Katie remains unbowed.

“I choose all of it and more. If I’m arrested when I return home, please know I choose it because this is the time, and we will be dragged through more coals, but this is the time to be alive,” she says.

On a recent episode of “The Glenn Beck Podcast,” Katie shared the wildest stories from her extraordinary life and explained why she refuses to stay silent.

South Africa, 2018

After realizing that the genocide of white South African farmers at the hands of black gangs was going unreported, Katie did what most would never even consider: She moved to South Africa and lived on white farms for three months.

With a trustworthy camera and security crew, Katie filmed a documentary capturing the truth about the horrendous plight of white farmers in South Africa — a place she says is a far cry from the “multicultural glory pot” the media and global governments pretend it is.

“At night in South Africa on white farms is where the monsters come,” she tells Glenn.

“Gangs of black men armed with weapons that were laid down by whites during the time of apartheid” come to torture and kill white farmers and their families in ways Katie says are too barbaric to describe. The entire “targeted campaign” is “aided and abetted by black police forces.”

Although she entered the country “securely and secretly,” a month into her stay, Katie began releasing the documentary footage. “Because I was determined to be heard,” she says. The African National Congress, privy to her whereabouts and purpose, then began “chasing” her as she traveled between farms.

“By the time I went back to the airport, the ANC had caught up with me,” she tells Glenn.

When she tried to board the plane back home, she found that her passport had been flagged. Airport officials confiscated it and detained Katie. Knowing that if she was taken to a South African jail, she would never come out again, Katie’s security detail was prepared to “open fire on the South African police.”

But luck or divine providence was in her favor that day. The police chief was off duty, and Katie was eventually allowed to board the plane and return home.

Australia, 2021

In 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Katie was granted a special visa exemption to appear as a contestant on the reality TV show “Big Brother VIP.” Upon arrival in Sydney, she was placed in mandatory 14-day quarantine in accordance with the country’s lockdown mandates.

They sent “Australian military men to get me off the plane to put me in a quarantine prison for 14 days,” she says.

The rules enforced upon her were beyond severe: “I was not allowed a key. I was not allowed to touch the front door of my hotel room. I was not allowed to come out for food,” she tells Glenn.

“When they delivered the food, they would knock on the door. I was given a little egg timer. … I had to turn the egg timer, wait six seconds (because obviously COVID would know), and then I was allowed to go to the door to get my food.”

Three days into her quarantine, Katie had reached her limit. She went “full-blooming Winston Churchill mode” and livestreamed a YouTube video to 3 million viewers, calling for the Australian people “to rise” up against the country’s COVID tyranny.

Being a comedian, Katie joked, “I am going to strip myself naked. I’m going to cover myself in vegetable oil, and I’m going to make a run down the 29th floor, and I’m going to grab a member of that military, and I’m going to drag him into my room, and I’m going to do terrible things to him.”

Even though no such thing happened, major media outlets, including Al Jazeera, CNN, and BBC, reported that Katie indeed violated a military officer.

“Within a moment, my life went very dark indeed. So they turned off the water, the lights, no more food,” she says, adding that the Australian government then denied having issued her a travel visa, framing her as “an illegal immigrant.”

“Eventually two minibus full of men came, rounded me up, put me in the back of a white van, took me to the airport, and walked me onto the plane,” she recounts, noting that her passport now has a giant red “DEPORTED” stamp on it.

But the craziest part came next. After her deportation, Katie went to a tattoo shop and had the red deported stamp tattooed on her rear end. “And then I sent the picture of my ass to the deputy prime minister of Australia,” she laughs.

To hear more of Katie’s wild tales and her take on the Pakistani rape gangs in the U.K., Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Donald Trump, and other topics, watch the full interview above.

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​The glenn beck podcast, Glenn beck, Katie hopkins, Uk, England, Britain, Tommy robinson, Covid tyranny, Blazetv, Blaze media 

California, your days driving U.S. emissions policy are numbered.

That’s the message behind House Bill H.R. 4117, the Fuel Emissions Freedom Act — and it’s shaking up the automotive world.

Even if it clears Congress, lawsuits are certain. California has never been shy about using the courts to defend its regulatory turf.

First introduced on June 24, 2025, and now under review by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the legislation seeks to repeal federal and state motor vehicle emission and fuel economy standards under the Clean Air Act and related laws.

Its stated goals? Lower costs for consumers, simplify compliance for automakers, and revive U.S. competitiveness. But behind the legal jargon lies a direct challenge to one of the most powerful forces in U.S. auto regulation: California.

Game changer

The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas and co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Michael Cloud (Texas), Brandon Gill (Texas), and Victoria Spartz (Ind.), takes aim at Section 202 of the Clean Air Act (federal emissions standards) and portions of Title 49 of the U.S. Code (CAFE standards).

But the sharp end of H.R. 4117 is pointed directly at state-level mandates like California’s Advanced Clean Cars II program, which requires 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. If passed, the bill would prevent California — and any other state following its lead — from setting their own emission or fuel rules, putting Washington and Sacramento directly at odds.

FEFA fix

Supporters argue the current system of EPA rules layered with California’s mandates and CAFE standards create a regulatory maze that raises costs and limits choice.

The Fuel Emissions Freedom Act promises to fix this by:

Lowering prices for drivers: Meeting the EPA’s 2023 rules, which require a 49% emissions cut by 2032, could raise new car prices by thousands. Repealing these standards would ease costs for buyers and keep more affordable gas-powered vehicles on the market.Simplifying regulations: Automakers currently juggle federal requirements and California’s dictates, plus a patchwork of states copying California. The result? Confusion, higher compliance costs, and supply chain strain. H.R. 4117 promises a single, unified system.Strengthening U.S. industry: Instead of funneling billions into forced EV development, manufacturers could refocus on consumer demand, job growth, and homegrown production.Restoring choice to consumers: With California mandating EV adoption, critics argue consumers are losing the freedom to buy the cars they actually want — trucks, SUVs, or traditional sedans. This bill restores that choice.

RELATED: The Stop CARB Act: A bold move to rein in California’s control over emission rules

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Waiver goodbye?

Crucial to that power is the state’s unique authority under the Clean Air Act to set its own emission standards, with other states free to follow its lead. For decades, this waiver has allowed California to dictate national auto policy by sheer market size.

H.R. 4117 would revoke that authority, ending California’s role as the de facto regulator for the entire U.S. auto market. Supporters call this a win for fairness and consumer freedom; opponents call it an assault on states’ rights and climate progress.

As of September 2025, the Fuel Emissions Freedom Act sits in committee, facing heavy opposition from Democrats, environmental groups, and California lawmakers. Even if it clears Congress, lawsuits are certain. California has never been shy about using the courts to defend its regulatory turf.

The sheer viciousness of the fight ahead is a testament to how much is at stake: this is about nothing less than who controls America’s automotive future — Washington, Sacramento, or the free market.

​Gavin newsom, Lifestyle, Carb, Emissions, California, Ev mandate, Fuel emissions freedom act, Auto industry, Align cars 

A large protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Portland has been heating up Saturday, and the escalation in resistance is aimed at pushing back against the possibility of President Donald Trump sending National Guard troops there to quell left-wing violence and unrest that’s been ongoing on at the city’s ICE facility.

A social media post claims Trump’s stated aim to protect the facility and law enforcement is “nothing more than fear mongering and an intimidation tactic meant to stop Portland from resisting ICE and all of Trump’s repressive policies. Portland will not stand down, and we will not be quiet. We must follow in the footsteps of Chicago and firmly reject federal troops, and stop them from coming here in the first place.”

‘I hope your children f**king hate you!’

Blaze Media’s National Correspondent Julio Rosas has been on the ground Saturday — right in the middle of the protest outside the Portland’s besieged ICE facility — and he recorded exclusive video.

Rosas reported that federal agents deployed tear gas to repel the anti-ICE crowd blocking the ICE facility’s driveway. Check out his clip below:

RELATED: Portland police spark outrage after ‘wrongful’ arrest of journalist Nick Sortor, allegedly victimized by Antifa; DOJ to investigate

Content warning: Language:

— (@)

Rosas added that agents also hit the Antifa mob with “pepper balls” and the leftists threw “tear gas canisters back” at the agents — who finally had enough and “rushed into the crowd to make arrests.”

Some members of the potty-mouthed militant crowd could be heard frequently dropping F-bombs upon the agents.

As the agents advanced and cleared away many anti-ICE protesters, one individual — apparently on a bullhorn and attempting to frustrate law enforcement — could be heard sarcastically hollering, “Okay, congratulations! You’ve conquered an intersection! Good for you!”

In another one of Rosas’ videos, he reported that agents at the ICE facility made an arrest after forcing the Antifa-fueled crowd blocking a driveway to retreat; indeed numerous agents are seen piling on top of the arrested militant:

— (@)

In another one of Rosas’ videos, he reported that arrests continued as the crowd kept trying to heckle and badger a line of agents.

Content warning: Language:

— (@)

One of the leftists — apparently a female with an unquestionably powerful voice — can be heard screaming over and over for the arresting agents to “get off of her!”

A screaming leftist also added to the agents that “I hope your children f**king hate you!” Another asked them, “You go home to your wife, and you brag about this s**t?”

On Thursday night, journalist Nick Sortor was on the ground in Portland documenting Antifa militants harassing federal agents at the ICE facility — and Sotor said the far-left crowd attacked him, and Portland police even arrested him.

In response, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Friday that the “Antifa-affiliated” militants in Portland as well in Chicago would feel the presence of “the Department of War” in the “next 24 hours.” Noem noted there would be “backup from our military … so what we saw happen to that journalist will not happen again.”

Indeed, there is reportedly “chaos” in Chicago on Saturday as well. DHS said Saturday morning that “Border Patrol agents were conducting a routine patrol, near the intersection of 39th Place and S. Kedzie Avenue, when they were attacked and rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars. The officers exited their trapped vehicle, when a suspect tried to run them over, forcing the officers to fire defensively. This is an evolving situation. FBI is on the scene.”

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon also announced that a full investigation into the Sortor’s arrest is underway.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a media briefing Friday that “President Trump will end the radical left’s reign of terror in Portland once and for all. The president has directed Secretary [of War Pete] Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland and any ICE facilities under siege from attack by Antifa and other left-wing domestic terrorists.”

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​Anti-ice, Arrest, Department of homeland security, Dhs, Federal agents, Ice, Ice facility, Ice protests, Julio rosas, Nick sortor, Oregon, Portland, Violence, Politics 

The sudden wave of grief and admiration from young people after Charlie Kirk’s death caught many parents and grandparents off guard. High-schoolers and college students didn’t just know his name — they were fans. They followed him closely, quoted him, and saw him as a guide in confusing times.

But why? Kirk was not a movie star, athlete, or pop-culture influencer. He didn’t set fashion trends or headline concerts. What made him connect so deeply with a generation?

Silence does not comfort the searching. It leaves them adrift.

The answer is simple: Charlie Kirk had answers.

While America’s pulpits too often fell silent about cultural issues, Kirk spoke plainly about them. And young people, desperate for clarity and confused about the way forward, finally had a leader.

Silence in the pulpit

I once interviewed a 19-year-old in Madison Square Park who was visibly frustrated. He insisted he didn’t hate women or minorities and wasn’t extreme politically. He simply wanted the chance to live his life without being branded a “bigot” because of his identity as a white male. His frustration wasn’t anger — it was despair.

What struck me was not just his words, but the hopelessness behind them.

If he attended most evangelical churches in America, he would not have found answers. Many churches, even when disagreeing with progressive ideas, avoid speaking against them. Instead, they sidestep controversy, hoping silence will win them credibility.

But silence does not comfort the searching. It leaves them adrift.

What young people face

Several years ago, a megachurch youth pastor asked me what challenges high-schoolers face. I told him this generation is drowning in questions of identity. They don’t know who they are, how to discern truth, or how to recover from failure. Depression and suicidal thoughts are widespread.

He dismissed my concerns until days later, when both gender-identity questions and suicidal struggles appeared in his ministry. Even then, when I offered to help equip his students, he rejected the offer — in anger.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk’s legacy exposes a corrosive lie — and now it’s time to choose

WoodyUpstate/Getty Images Plus

This isn’t an isolated story. For decades, many youth leaders have minimized cultural and moral questions, reducing Christianity to behavior management and vague encouragement. Students are left unprepared for the real battles they face.

Of course, I’m grateful for the pastors and leaders who reject this trend, but make no mistake: The trend was very real. Students needed answers. Charlie was giving them.

A hunger for clarity

That’s why Kirk struck a chord. He didn’t shy away from questions about gender, identity, politics, and morality. Agree or disagree with his conclusions, young people heard in him something they rarely heard from pastors: conviction.

When I was once given 50 minutes to “equip” high-school seniors for college with apologetics, I found the proposition laughable. You’ve had services twice a week for four years, and you think 50 minutes of apologetics is enough to prepare them for the lies and untruth they will face day in and day out?

But it illustrates the deeper problem — leaders who thought silence is safe. They were told by all the church gurus that if they were silent, somehow that would turn into gospel opportunities.

Big mistake. It isn’t until people know the truth that the truth will set them free. Silence brings slavery. And into that vacuum stepped Charlie Kirk.

The lesson for the church

Kirk’s popularity among young people should encourage us: This generation’s young people are hungry for answers, and they are not turned off by clarity.

At the same time, it should warn us: If pastors will not equip the next generation with biblical truth about cultural issues, someone else will step in to fill the void.

Charlie Kirk did not captivate young people because he was trendy. He did it because he was clear. And that is precisely what too many pastors have been unwilling to be.

I’m thankful for the exceptions. Men like Rob McCoy, Jack Hibbs, David Engelhardt, and many others have been faithful to equip their congregations.

The challenge is before us now. Will the church continue in fearful silence? Or will it recover the courage to declare what scripture says — not just about heaven and hell, but about identity, morality, truth, and life in the public square?

Young people are listening, and they are desperate for your voice. Let’s learn from the life of Charlie Kirk and boldly speak truth in love.

​Church, Pastors, Charlie kirk, Charlie kirk legacy, Christianity, Christians, Bible, God, Truth, Faith 

Inbreeding is bad, actually.

You’d think that would go without saying. Not in the United Kingdom, where the Genomics Education Programme of NHS England recently published guidance touting the supposed “social advantages” of cousin marriages.

In Redbridge, East London, one in five child deaths was linked to consanguineous parents.

This is what happens when a subject becomes so controversial that no one dares to speak plainly. For years, journalists avoided discussing rampant cousin marriage for fear of alienating the Pakistani population. Even right-leaning newspapers mostly looked the other way.

Imported dysfunction

Last year, however, the Daily Express broke ranks, running a story headlined: “Pressure mounts for marriage ban for first cousins over birth defect fears.” The paper urged Britain to follow Scandinavia’s lead and outlaw the practice. Conservative MP Richard Holden even proposed legislation to that effect.

But both efforts skirted the central truth: The overwhelming majority of cousin marriages in Britain occur within the Pakistani community. Pakistan itself has one of the world’s highest rates — up to 65% — and immigrants have carried the custom with them.

Scandinavia, by contrast, is moving decisively in the opposite direction. Sweden’s nearly 150-year-old law permitting cousin marriage is about to be repealed. Denmark has announced similar plans. Norway went first, declaring its own ban earlier this year. These changes were spurred by rising rates of cousin marriage among Pakistani immigrants and the health risks — and forced marriages — that accompany the practice.

RELATED: UK health service says inbreeding has ‘potential benefits,’ ban would stigmatize Pakistani community

HANNAH MCKAY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Honor violence

The situation in Britain is no less alarming.

Academic Patrick Nash estimates that about half of British Pakistanis are married to their first cousins. In Bradford, the figure is closer to 75% — compared to just 1% among white Britons in the same town.

The costs are not only medical but social. Consanguineous marriages often entrench cultural isolation, fuel inter-family conflicts, and spark honor violence when women refuse to comply.

Consider the case of Somaiya Begum, a 20-year-old biomedical science student at Leeds Beckett University. At age 16, her father threatened her with violence if she refused to wed her cousin in Pakistan. She resisted and obtained a court order blocking the marriage.

Years later, her defiance led to atrocity. On June 25, 2022, Somaiya vanished from her Bradford home. Her body was found weeks later, wrapped in a rug, a four-inch metal spike driven into her back. Her uncle, Mohammed Taroos Khan, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Somaiya’s story is not an isolated horror. In 2022 alone, police recorded 2,594 cases of honor-based abuse — including rape, forced marriage, and assault — a 60% rise since 2020 and nearly triple the number reported in 2016.

Tribal ties

Cultural relativists insist that we must not judge other traditions by Western moral standards. Yet the evidence shows otherwise: Not all practices are equal, and some import measurable harm.

History proves this point. Afghanistan, with one of the world’s highest rates of cousin marriage, remains a rigid tribal society. When kinship ties dominate, democracy fails. By contrast, in early medieval Europe, the Catholic Church’s ban on incest and cousin marriage broke down tribal barriers, fostered cooperation, and laid the groundwork for national identity and democracy itself. That prohibition was abandoned in England with the Marriage Act of 1540 — nearly five centuries ago.

It is time to revisit it.

Preventable harm

A modern ban would protect women from coercion, reduce genetic disease, and strengthen social cohesion. The medical evidence is stark: Children of first cousins face double the risk of congenital defects, rising from 3% to 6%. In Redbridge, East London, one in five child deaths was linked to consanguineous parents.

The Guardian itself reported that one-third of birth defects among Bradford’s Pakistani population stemmed from cousin marriages. Children born into such unions are ten times more likely to suffer from conditions such as heart disease, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, and missing limbs.

Cousin marriage is not just antiquated — it is indefensible. Britain should follow Scandinavia’s example and end the practice. How many more preventable tragedies will it take before the law catches up with reality?

​Honor killings, Immigration, Culture, Cousin marriage, Pakistan, Health, Letter from the uk 

For most people, haunted houses sound like the stuff of folklore or movies and television. Naturalists, as well as a number of Christians, doubt that houses or people can be haunted.

But for those who have experienced it firsthand, it’s a very real and frightening phenomenon — and it’s also more widespread than most people realize.

An infestation is often the result of a door that has been opened, giving the demonic permission or authority to do their work.

A 2022 YouGov poll found that one in four Americans say they’ve lived in a house they believe was haunted. Thousands of YouTube videos purport to show people recording paranormal activity in their homes. At the same time, there is a deluge of bad advice online and in print of what to do when you discover negative spiritual activity in your home.

I want to offer advice from a Christian perspective on how best to respond if you ever find yourself in a haunted house while also discussing what shouldn’t be done.

The demonic truth

Two important points of clarification. First, the kind of haunting I’m referring to is one in which the phenomena being produced cause fear and distress for the people in the home. Some people report mild experiences, like the occasional feeling of a presence.

But the type of haunting I’m addressing is characterized by frightening and sometimes violent activity. These include banging or scratching sounds, disembodied voices, foul odors, sudden drops in temperature, objects disappearing or moving on their own, dark figures or other apparitions, and physical attacks, to name a few.

Second, I believe this type of haunting is always the work of demons. It does seem to be the case that God allows some human spirits to linger or make appearances on earth. In my view, these may be the souls of the unsaved whose punishment in the intermediate state includes spending additional but distressing time on earth.

But the phenomena mentioned above, which are aimed at inflicting psychological distress, are always, in my view, perpetrated by the demonic. This accords with scripture and reflects the experiences of Christians who work in this area.

What not to do

First, don’t hesitate to talk to people you trust about your experiences.

Most people understandably fear being labeled “crazy” or “attention-seeking” if they reveal what they’re dealing with. But this serves the purposes of the demonic, who want to isolate an individual or family so that they suffer alone and don’t receive help. Share your circumstances as soon as possible with trusted family and friends, and especially seek out mature Christians and clergy.

On the other hand, there are people it’s best to avoid talking to. This includes nearly all paranormal investigators and books or articles by non-Christians on the paranormal.

Some paranormal investigators or ghost hunters are charlatans, while others are well-meaning. Even with the latter, there is nothing these folks can do to help. They can try to capture paranormal activity on cameras or other devices, but that does nothing to help someone under demonic attack. These teams often include people who describe themselves as mediums or psychics who can convey false information demons want them to relay.

As I’ve written about previously, when a medium was called in to help with the real-life Annabelle doll case, the demon concocted a story about being a 7-year-old girl who had died. This was a ploy to gain the sympathy of the doll’s owner, and it led to the owner giving the demon permission to inhabit the doll.

Talk to trusted pastors or other mature Christians who can actually help fight the enemy. Non-Christians will have endless mistaken theories about what’s happening and what should be done, but only those steeped in scripture who walk closely with Christ can help.

What to do

I’ve been saying that it’s important to talk to Christian clergy, but I also have to offer the warning that some will not believe you or will you tell you they can’t help.

There are a few reasons for this. Some clergy don’t believe that Satan exists but instead believe he’s a symbol or just the product of a superstitious ancient culture. Others will be too fearful to help, or think they lack the necessary training or experience. Some will think it will damage the reputation of their church if word gets out that they’re in the business of dealing with demons.

As a result, it may be necessary to talk to several different pastors or priests before you find one who is willing to help.

This is an important step, because the ideal solution to a demonic infestation is for a Bible-believing, spiritually mature pastor to come and bless the home and cast the demons out. This usually involves prayers and reading scripture passages and sometimes the use of holy water or anointing oil, along with commanding the demons to leave by Christ’s authority. It may take multiple visits and blessings to fully rid the home of the infestation.

If a pastor can’t be found to help, a strong, devoted, spiritually mature Christian can also perform the blessing. This should never be taken lightly, however, because whoever does it will enter into serious spiritual warfare and likely face attacks in their own lives.

RELATED: The Annabelle doll tour is a demonic death trap — but nobody’s taking it seriously

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Another important step is to try to determine why a particular person, family, or home is under attack.

An infestation is often the result of a door that has been opened, giving the demonic permission or authority to do their work. Probably the most common way a door is opened is through activities related to the occult.

Attempts to interact with the spiritual world in ways forbidden by scripture (see, for example, Deuteronomy 18:10-12) can easily open doors to the demonic. One pair of Christians who did work in this area said that 70% of their cases involved someone using an Ouija board.

In some cases, there doesn’t seem to be a clear reason why a particular family or home is targeted. But if the occult is involved, whoever has participated must ask God’s forgiveness and turn away from it. This includes doing away with any occult objects.

Finally, ultimate deliverance from the demonic will only come through a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This involves acknowledging that one has sinned against God and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross in which he took the punishment for our sins (1 Peter 2:24). It also requires making Jesus the Lord of one’s life (Luke 9:23-24).

One of the chief reasons Christ came was to “destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8) and to rescue people from “the dominion of darkness” and bring them into his kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). The born-again follower of Christ is given authority to “overcome all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19).

Christians will sometimes face dark spiritual battles, but through Christ we can emerge victorious (Ephesians 6:11-13).

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One of the least understood but most consequential aspects of American government is the United States Federal Reserve System. Bankers, investors, and even the president sit with bated breath, waiting to see how the Fed will manage interest rates.

The Fed is so important to the world economy that the president sometimes may feel the need to voice his administration’s position and hope the chairman of the Federal Reserve will acquiesce to his wishes. Sometimes, however, he may point out issues with the chairman’s performance, puncturing the claim of central bank independence. President Donald Trump recently accused Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell of being too late with interest rate cuts “except when it came to the Election period when he lowered [interest rates] in order to help Sleepy Joe Biden, later Kamala, get elected.”

Powell was clearly willing to play political games that cost Americans their businesses and their ability to feed their children.

Americans had suffered through continued elevated inflation, in part, because Jerome Powell wanted to keep his job.

With the president’s attempted firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook, Powell has jockeyed himself a position as the white knight of central bank independence. He alleges that tariffs, which have no connection with monetary policy on their own, are the cause of an increase in inflation. He seems intent on keeping interest rates high.

Whether that is a good decision is a different subject altogether (the Mises Institute’s Ryan McMaken takes on that idea). But what is clear is that Jerome Powell is not the principled opponent to Trump he claims to be; he is just as much a political actor as the president and Congress.

Powell’s politicization

Powell’s politicization is clear in how the Fed functions today. Economists and political scientists stress the importance of central bank independence as a hedge against what is called “political business cycles.” These cycles occur when monetary authorities pump the economy full of easy money to suppress employment problems and create an illusion of prosperity. This eventually results in higher inflation. Politicians reap the benefits of this illusion and blame inflation on something else: energy shocks, supply shocks, disasters, tariffs, etc.

The root of the problem is when new money is created to push down interest rates. Politicians who have control over the monetary authorities are incentivized to push for easier monetary policy to relieve unemployment in the face of elections. If they lose, their opponents reap the consequences; if they win, rates might be allowed to rise to fight inflation, and the illusion is dispelled.

By insulating the central bank from political pressure, the Fed is supposed to be able to pursue its mandates such as low and stable inflation or low unemployment. While this appears sound at first glance, reality shows that the Federal Reserve has never truly been independent.

A history of faux independence

The crowning moment that defines U.S. central bank independence is the Treasury-Fed Accord of 1951, which severed the support the Fed had given the Treasury Department in financing World War II and the Marshall Plan. But as Jonathan Newman has uncovered, this accord was a declaration of independence in name only.

The chairman of the board of governors, Thomas McCabe, by all accounts did appear to favor the separation of the Federal Reserve’s functions from that of the Treasury’s. Yet McCabe was not present at the Accord meetings. Moreover, McCabe resigned in protest soon after they concluded.

Treasury stooge William McChesney Martin Jr. was then appointed Fed chairman. Martin paid lip service to the idea of an independent Fed but ultimately revealed his cooperation with the Treasury Department in a 1955 interview. President Kennedy even renominated him for having “cooperated effectively in the economic policies of [his] administration.”

The Treasury and the Fed have had a revolving door ever since. Martin had chaired the Export-Import Bank in addition to serving as assistant treasury secretary. G. William Miller left his role as Fed chairman to serve as the secretary of the treasury. Paul Volcker served in Nixon’s Treasury Department before joining the Fed.

Particularly egregious was Janet Yellen, who served on President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers and then was appointed to the Federal Reserve by both Clinton and later President Barack Obama. She ultimately would become secretary of the treasury under President Joe Biden. Even Jerome Powell served in President George H.W. Bush’s Treasury Department before returning to the private sector. Barack Obama appointed Powell to the Federal Reserve Board, and President Trump later nominated him as Fed chairman.

The constant revolving door between the CEA, the Treasury Department, and the Federal Reserve is no different from agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, and Department of Energy. It reeks of corruption and political influence and certainly proves the Federal Reserve is not truly independent.

Playing political games

Examining Jerome Powell’s own actions when his job was on the line shatters the illusion of so-called central bank independence.

In 2021, as inflation began to climb, Powell dubbed the phenomenon “transitory.” The Biden administration had just taken office a few months prior, and rampant inflation was likely to stick around for the midterm elections. Thus, blame had to be cast elsewhere. It’s also noteworthy that Powell’s four-year term was set to expire in 2022. If you are up for a performance review, you might choose to kiss up to your boss so that you aren’t fired. Central bankers are no different.

Inflation continued to rise through November, climbing to 7% year over year. Americans demanding relief could not turn to Jerome Powell, who kept the Federal Funds Rate at 0%, attempting to hide the real state of the economy for Biden, who renominated him that same month. It was only then that Powell dropped the term “transitory” to describe inflation.

The first rate hike of 0.5% happened in May 2022, after the Senate Banking Committee had advanced Powell’s nomination. Soon after, with rates still low, Powell was confirmed by a Democrat-controlled Senate. Only two months after his confirmation, the Fed finally began to hike interest rates at historic speed. Inflation had peaked in June at 9% year over year. Americans had suffered through continued elevated inflation, in part, because Jerome Powell wanted to keep his job.

RELATED: Ron Paul exposes how the Federal Reserve keeps up its scam

Photo by Laura Segall/Getty Images

A Fed that was hawkish on inflation would have raised interest rates higher and faster than Powell did, not allowing inflation to run rampant. Powell was clearly willing to play political games that cost Americans their businesses and their ability to feed their children.

The Fed has never been independent — it has always been political. Economists would do well to admit this and argue their case rather than pussyfoot around the question of what interest rates should be or if interest rates should be set at all.

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

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Federal reserve, Federal reserve board chairman jerome powell, Jerome powell, Interest rates, Politics, Ron paul, 1951 accord, Fiat currency, Joe biden, Kamala harris, Donald trump, Economy, Business, Inflation, Lisa cook, Independence, Export-import bank, Paul volcker, Bill clinton, Council of economic advisers, George h.w. bush, Barack obama, Deep state 

My friend and journalist Ben Kawaller went cruising the streets of Manhattan for “sex workers.”

To talk to. Just to talk.

You can tell that Mamdani truly believes that sex work is work, because, like actual work, you can’t find any on his resume.

In a video filmed for the New York Post, Ben gets a stripper, an OnlyFans model, and some hookers — see, there’s a spectrum of sex work — on camera to give their thoughts on mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s support for the decriminalization of sex work. (Stripping ’round the pole and on screen are already legal, so what we’re really talking about is decriminalizing prostitution.)

The video is worth the watch, but if you don’t have two minutes and 52 seconds to spare, spoiler alert: The sex workers Ben spoke to will be voting for Mamdani.

No Cuomo

I don’t know how many members of the skin trade are registered to vote in the five boroughs or what their johns will do at the polls — like, are you allowed to vote against your dominatrix? — but it doesn’t bode well for Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign.

Cuomo can take off his shoes in every mosque in the city and attempt to publicly shame Mamdani for holding supposedly contradictory fundamental beliefs in Islam and the “fundamental belief that sex work is work,” but I don’t think it’s going to harm Cuomo’s 33-year-old opponent.

When it comes to delivering this message of hypocrisy to the faithful, Cuomo is no Angel Jibrīl. No, Andrew is a heavily flawed politician, who looks like a successful funeral director who decides to open a diner.

Forget the blood he has on his hands from the COVID years. On the issue of sex work, Cuomo is the New York governor who “signed a repeal of a prostitution loitering law,” which made it easier for streetwalkers to set up shop on the corner than hotdog vendors.

What’s ironic is that while Cuomo never paid with money for his scandals of inappropriate touching, he paid big-time with his career. And unfortunately, New Yorkers are going to pay an even bigger price when their city is under the control of Mamdani, the comically “African-American” chic communist who wants to seize the means of production and pimp the most productive members of society like cheap whores.

Collectivist ’em all

I’m not the one to make an argument for or against sex work, but I am the one to imagine Mamdani’s future New York City, where sex work is legalized and his collectivist policies are written into law.

Let’s be honest: The goal of decriminalization is eventual legalization — just like the goal of socialism is communism. Mamdani might call himself a Democratic Socialist on “The View” — and the ladies are dumb enough to fall for the rebranding — but we all know that Democratic Socialism is simply socialism on Lupron.

You can tell that Mamdani truly believes that sex work is work, because, like actual work, you can’t find any on his resume. Now while I don’t see him joining any brothel co-ops, decriminalization will lead to more taxpayers for the government to squeeze, and thanks to the world’s oldest profession, no one will have an excuse to be unemployed. If you have a body — in whatever condition it’s in — no doubt there’s a freaky customer out there for you.

But with all the new sex workers, competition will be tight (or loose?), so I see sex work becoming yet another genital in the gig economy. In addition to migrants zipping down avenues on e-bikes for UberEats, you’ll now have them delivering flesh takeout against traffic. Just think what this will mean for congestion pricing!

RELATED: Socialist Mamdani’s $65M plan to turn NYC into ‘gender-affirming’ sanctuary for ‘transgender youth’

Noam Galai/Getty Images

Breast equity

But the expanded tax base could help fund Mamdani’s promise to provide $65 million in funding for gender-affirming care. That means prostitutes of all gender identities can get the bodies they need to better serve the public. But to maintain NYC’s breast equity, top surgeries and breast implants will have to balance out.

Phasing out the city’s gifted-and-talented programs in government schools is going to hurt public education, and replacing the school-to-prison pipeline with a school-to-whorehouse pipeline is going to make for some awkward conversations between educators and students.

Imagine being a high-school guidance counselor having to break the news to a student, “You don’t have the grades for college or the work ethic for trade school — but there’s always the corner.”

The barriers to entry are low to nonexistent in sex work. For now. But when the state seizes the means of reproduction, licensing will ultimately follow, and in order to combat corporate greed, there will need to be price controls. Your body, your choice — except when it comes to price-gouging.

Laid off

Until Mamdani decommodifies housing, you’ll be able to exchange sex for rent, right? But the specifics will have to be ironed out to protect tenants’ rights. No one wants to be evicted from their home because a landlord snuck a kissing clause into the lease.

The first time I heard “sex work is work” was in a sex-and-gender studies class I took as an undergrad at NYU. Supporting sex work between consenting adults has been the hip stance to take. But any time I offered minimum wage to a date sympathetic to the cause, she’d get offended. Even though I agreed to pay for the full hour — even if I didn’t use it all.

I also learned that marriage is a form of sex work — which I didn’t stop believing until I actually got married. In short: There are so many things I put up with with my wife that I would never put up with a ho. Neither a pimp nor a john I be. Plus, no guy has ever thought, “I really want to get this hooker pregnant!”

My family and I no longer live in New York, but I come in often to work. It’s an expensive commute, and I may need to take on a side hustle to afford it. As the saying Karl Marx popularized goes, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”

If sex work is work, then the same applies. And under Mayor Mamdani, everyone is f**ked.

​New york city, Lifestyle, Culture, Comment, Zohran mamdani, Socialism, Trans, Sex work, Prostitution, Vice, Only fans, Letter from fun city 

Camp Lejeune was a Marine Corps base in North Carolina where Virginia Robinson dedicated 25 years of her life to working and raising her family — unaware that they were drinking, bathing, and living with poisoned water the entire time.

But the government knew, and despite the sickness that plagued the inhabitants, they never told them.

“I had three cancers I was fighting at one time,” Robinson tells BlazeTV host Nicole Shanahan on “Back to the People.”

Robinson not only had three cancers at the same time, but she also survived leukemia, colon cancer while pregnant, and two separate diagnoses of breast cancer. And she wasn’t the only one in her family affected.

Her husband passed away in 2014, her daughter followed shortly after, and her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Another daughter of hers was born with a spinal tumor and died young from bladder cancer.

All of them were exposed to Camp Lejeune’s water.

“What kind of levels of toxicity were in the water? Was it trace amounts or were there periods where there were large dumps and increases of contamination?” Shanahan asks.

“There was dumping involved, because there’s some videos. I don’t know where they’re at. My brother told me about them because he’s been doing a lot of research about this, and he said there was sites where there was trucks going on base and dumping from the laundromat,” Robinson explains.

“We’re talking about levels, Nicole, that are 10 times, 30 times, 50 times, 150 times EPA limits. We’re not talking about trace amounts of these chemicals. We’re talking about, as you would expect, the kind of amounts that are causing way elevated risks of a whole host of conditions,” she continues.

And unfortunately, when Robinson has gone to the government for help, it has turned her away.

“I have no doubt that they caused your cancer, your pain and suffering, the deaths, just horrific lives, right? Because they’ve done it to millions of Americans through faulty vaccines,” Shanahan says, adding, “I don’t know if there is justice in this country or we have a real justice system.”

Want more from Nicole Shanahan?

To enjoy more of Nicole’s compelling blend of empathy, curiosity, and enlightenment, 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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