Is this just another cycle, or is it the END? Martin Armstrong of Armstrong Economics published an article this week about the so-called Socrates program and how [more…]
Long-serving mayor of idyllic Michigan island has just been re-elected — for the 50th time
Margaret Doud is celebrating a golden anniversary of sorts.
On Tuesday, Doud was re-elected as the mayor of Mackinac Island, the premier tourist spot of Michigan, a state known for tourism. Located in Lake Huron between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is barely four square miles and is well known for breathtaking views, stately Victorian structures, and tasty fudge.
‘When the time is right, I will step on.’
Notably, the quaint island about a four-hour drive from the Motor City followed by a 20-minute ferry ride is car-free, leaving its 8.2 miles of road open for horse, bicycle, and foot traffic only.
Over a million visitors from all over the globe travel to Mackinac Island each year, but only about 600 residents live there year-round. Doud is one of them.
In 1975, she took over the family business, the Windermere Hotel. That same year, she was also elected mayor.
And since the city charter requires the mayor to be elected annually, Doud has run for — and won — re-election every year since. She won the race Tuesday unopposed.
David Jurcak, president of the iconic Grand Hotel, was among the islanders who congratulated Doud on her 50th re-election as mayor.
“She continues to shape the future of Mackinac Island through her enduring leadership, steady presence, and deep commitment to our residents and businesses,” Jurcak said, according to MLive. “Grand Hotel thanks Mayor Doud for the unwavering support of island businesses and for all she does to keep Mackinac Island thriving.”
RELATED: 7 most underrated summer travel ideas in the US
Now entering her 52nd year in office, Doud keeps busy leading the city council and running the hotel. She participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 1, marking the official beginning of the Mackinac Island tourist season.
According to the Windermere website, one of Doud’s proudest achievements in office is maintaining the horse-and-buggy culture often associated with the Victorian Era.
“I’ve preached over the years I’ve been mayor that we cannot lose the ambiance of Mackinac,” she said. “The horse culture is certainly part of that uniqueness.”
RELATED: Ode to a 1984 Buick Skylark — and to all the other cars of my life
Photo of horse and buggy and Victorian building on Mackinac Island by Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
While 51 years makes Doud the longest-serving current mayor in America, she still has a ways to go to become the longest-serving mayor in American history. Hilmar Moore served as the mayor of Richmond, Texas, for an astonishing 63 years, from 1949 until his death in 2012.
Still, Doud, who turns 83 later this month, previously indicated retirement may still be a ways off: “Oh, you know what Kenny Rogers says, ‘I know when to hold them, and I know when to fold them.’
“When the time is right, I will step on, but I still have some projects I’d like to see completed.”
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Mackinac island, Michigan, Mayor, Margaret doud, Politics
‘Muslims only’ at a Texas water park? Sara Gonzales warns Islamic ‘segregation’ is happening in plain sight.
When BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales stumbled upon a flyer for a Muslim-run event at a water park in Texas, she quickly exposed it — only for organizers to change the flyer to reflect a more inclusive atmosphere.
However, Gonzales isn’t letting it go, pointing out that “screenshots are forever.”
“If you want to see how bad the Islamic invasion of Texas is getting, I’ve got to tell you, I didn’t have this on my bingo card. Now they’re taking over our water parks,” she says, pulling up the original flyer for the event.
Not only does the event boast a “private prayer area” and “modest dress code,” but it advertises that it is “closed to the public,” as it’s “Muslims only.”
“Guess segregation is alive and well in Texas. And the water park is, of course, it’s owned by the city of Grand Prairie, Texas. Taxpayers are paying for it,” Gonzales explains, pointing out that this is not the first time taxpayers have paid for this event.
“This is not the first, not the second, but the third annual ‘Muslim-only’ Epic water park,” she says, before reading testimonials from the first and second events.
“My daughter described it as ‘the best of her life.’ As a family, [sic] that values modesty finding a recreational activity that aligns with our principles can be challenging, however your event provided a safe respectful environment, where we could enjoy ourselves without compromise and the availability of a clean quiet prayer room allowed us to stay longer and enjoy,” one woman wrote.
“I loved the modesty and the Anasheed,” another event-goer posted.
“MashaAllah the event was very organized. Being with friends made it enjoyable and fun, Islamic-friendly, not crowded, and good food,” another testimonial read.
The organizers’ website even gave examples of what to wear to the event, with a page full of photos of burkinis — which is swimwear for Muslim women that covers them from head to toe like a burka.
“It seems like a bad idea to have a head covering when you’re going into water,” she says. “That doesn’t seem safe.”
Want more from Sara Gonzales?
To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Blazetv host, Epic water park, Grand prairie, Islamic invasion, Modest dress code, Modesty, Muslim run event, Sara gonzales, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Segregation, Taxpayers, Texas, Water park, Private prayer area, Islam, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network
‘Crawl’: Killer gators make for gruesome guests in overlooked creature feature
There’s nothing wrong with watching “The Silence of the Lambs” again, especially to honor the film’s 35th anniversary. With or without fava beans.
The same holds for other genre classics like “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Shining,” “The Exorcist” and “Halloween” (1978).
The unrelenting creature brought to life with lo-fi special effects makes this a fine example of ‘less is more storytelling.
What about horror films that slipped by our pop-culture radar, settling into streaming obscurity? The following five films got little attention on release. They may have underperformed at the box office or simply debuted on a streamer sans fanfare.
Each is well worth a look — maybe even while uncorking a nice Chianti.
‘Crawl’ (2019)
If you see just one killer alligator movie this year, make it “Crawl,” which Quentin Tarantino dubbed his favorite film of 2019.
Kaya Scodelario stars as a young woman checking in on her Dad (Barry Pepper) during a brutal Florida hurricane. She can’t find him at first, and his home has started to flood. Badly. That brings more than just the threat of black mold insurance claims. Some killer gators have decided to investigate the house, and Scodelario’s character would make a tasty snack.
Yes, it sounds “Sharknado”-adjacent, but the movie’s hokey premise is offset by first-rate direction from horror vet Alexandre Aja (“High Tension,” “The Hills Have Eyes” (2006)). The father-daughter dynamic is handled with care, giving gravitas to the story without diminishing the chill factor.
‘Hush’ (2016)
This Netflix original boasts a can’t-miss gimmick. What if the protagonist in a home invasion movie were deaf and couldn’t hear the intruder breaking into her home? Every step and crash fell on deaf ears. Literally.
Horror maestro Mike Flanagan (“Doctor Sleep,” “The Fall of the House of Usher”) takes it from there, maximizing that plot device for a pulse-pounding affair that skimps on horror’s usual eye-roll moments. Credit star/co-writer Kate Siegel for crafting a credible heroine, one who never falls victim to girlbossery.
Instead, the film finds new ways to explore the central hook while allowing Siegel’s character to flash her survival instincts.
Yes, it has some slasher film DNA, but the thrilling setup makes it far more than a blood-and-guts-a-thon.
RELATED: Killer bear flick ‘Backcountry’ puts big-budget thrillers to shame
IFC Midnight
‘Splinter’ (2008)
Shea Whigham is one of Hollywood’s busiest character actors. Think “Joker,” “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” “Boardwalk Empire,” and many more projects.
This micro-indie takes advantage of his screen presence, casting him as a crook on the lam with his reluctant gal pal. The duo abduct a couple while fleeing Johnny Law before the four run into an unexpected obstacle: a bizarre, stick-like creature that traps them in a convenience store.
The setting couldn’t be starker, forcing us to focus on the squabbling foursome. That, plus the unrelenting creature brought to life with lo-fi special effects, makes this a fine example of “less is more” storytelling.
The rest is up to Whigham, who proves his crooked character may have a redemptive arc lurking within.
‘Haunt’ (2019)
“From the writers of ‘A Quiet Place’” wasn’t the marketing draw the film’s studio imagined. Still, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ directorial effort delivers a straightforward horror film done just right.
The plot screams Genre Film 101, with a gaggle of attractive young people in search of Halloween high jinks. They stumble upon a haunted house attraction with terrible marketing but a decidedly creepy vibe.
Little do they realize the source of said vibes.
There’s little about “Haunt” that reinvents the horror movie template. It’s the efficient scares, imaginative twists, and capable cast that seal the deal. The film became Shudder’s most-watched movie premiere of 2019.
‘Rogue’ (2007)
If you see just one killer crocodile film this year, make it this smart Aussie thriller. Director Greg McLean (“Wolf Creek”) leverages his homeland’s stunning vistas and a better-than-expected cast for a slick terrorfest. Radha Mitchell (“Man on Fire”) stars as a tour guide steering vacationers through the country’s Northern Territory. The trouble starts when her jerk of an ex (“Avatar’s” Sam Worthington) interrupts the riverboat tour.
That’s nothing compared to what comes next. A massive croc terrorizes the boat, feasting on vacationers in the process. The serene setting lulls us into a false sense of security, but the creature feature scares prove as nasty as needed. Co-stars Michael Vartan (“Alias”) and a pre-fame Mia Wasikowska (“Alice in Wonderland”) provide the character beats, allowing us to invest in the dwindling band of survivors.
Don’t get too attached to them, though.
Entertainment, Movies, Culture, Streaming, Reviews, Crawl, Rogue, Splinter, Haunt, Hush, Recommendation
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Florida man accused of posting repeated threats on social media to assassinate Trump, Rubio, and Bondi
A Florida man is accused of posting repeated social media threats to assassinate President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida.
Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, of Miami Beach — who appeared in federal court Monday — used X and Instagram from at least January through April 2026 to make numerous posts threatening the lives of Trump, Rubio, and Bondi, officials claimed, citing court records.
‘When I get my hands on him, I’m gonna hurt him.’
Sanders is charged with threatening the president of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce, officials said, adding that he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
A criminal complaint from the Secret Service details a number of instances Sanders allegedly made threats on Instagram, the Palm Beach Daily News said.
Sanders allegedly said in an April 10 post directed at Rubio that “like a lot of people be forgetting they bleed just like everybody else. Like when I get my hands on him, I’m gonna hurt him. Simple as that,” the paper reported.
Sanders also allegedly posted that he would “bomb” the White House and added that “I mean it,” the Daily News reported.
RELATED: FAA contractor charged for allegedly threatening to ‘kill you — Donald John Trump’
The Secret Service claimed another post aimed at Trump suggests that the president should “come find me” so Sanders “can stomp you in the ground,” the paper said.
The complaint indicated that in another April post Sanders called Trump an “orange pedophile a** pervert” and allegedly added, “I’m going to kill you,” the Daily News said.
More from the paper:
The threats were posted between Jan. 28 and April 22, according to the complaint. Law enforcement officials attempted to interview Sanders in February after the initial posts surfaced, but he is described as calling them “pedophiles” and refused to talk.
The complaint says that Sanders posted numerous videos on his Instagram accounts in which he is depicted as “complaining and speaking angrily about his hatred” for Trump and other administration officials.
Sanders also appeared to address first lady Melania Trump in a video, the Daily News said: “I don’t know what to do, Melania, like, all I got is a gun. It’s the only thing I can use now is a gun.”
The paper, citing the complaint, said there’s no indication Sanders took steps to carry out an attack.
A bond hearing is set for Thursday, the Daily News said, adding that his arraignment is scheduled for May 18.
“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said. “They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the president of the United States and other senior officials. Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service, Miami Field Office, added that “making threats against the president of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time. It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate. We remain relentless in our mission to protect the president and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”
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Assassinate, Crime, Donald trump, Florida, Marco rubio, Miami beach, Miami beach man, Nathaniel sanders ii, Pam bondi, Threats, Us secret service, Politics
Utah Valley University is working VERY hard to hide the truth about Charlie Kirk’s assassination
Utah Valley University has given excuse after excuse in response to public records requests for the UVU Police Department in the months since Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated on the UVU campus on September 10, allegedly by Tyler Robinson.
‘I got you covered.’
Like other concerned Americans, Blaze News wanted to better understand the security measures that were put in place in the lead-up to the TPUSA college tour event that fateful day. Our concerns were heightened after Kirk’s former head of security, Brian Harpole, suggested to podcast host Shawn Ryan in November that UVU police, including Chief Jeff Long, had failed to implement certain security measures before Kirk’s murder and then went dark after it.
– YouTube
Harpole claimed that the UVU amphitheater setting was too exposed and that UVUPD neglected to reach out to other local law enforcement agencies to ensure that they had enough officers on the ground and resources like drones to secure the area, especially considering the anticipated size of the crowd.
According to an alleged text exchange between Harpole and Chief Long — an image of which can be seen at the 56:19 mark of the podcast episode — Harpole had also identified specific concerns about “roof access” two days prior to the deadly shooting, but Long had assured him, “I got you covered.”
After the shooting, Harpole claimed that he and his team reached out to Long, but “he’s never called us back.”
So long ago and so much effort: UVU can’t be bothered
Harpole also suggested that individuals and/or the media submit public records requests under the federal Freedom of Information Act for all the messages Long sent and received on state-issued devices. Blaze News took that advice — but has been stonewalled at every turn.
On November 24, Blaze News first submitted a FOIA request — called GRAMA in Utah, for the Government Records Access and Management Act — for all of Long’s messages on any messaging or social media platform between September 3 and September 11, 2025. That request was denied on December 4 because a “person’s name; mailing address; email address; and daytime telephone number” from Blaze News was allegedly not included.
Of note, Blaze News has a GRAMA account for UVU with that information stored, though when it was stored cannot be verified.
‘The time frame “September 3, 2025, to September 11, 2025” passed a considerable time ago.’
Blaze News then resubmitted the request on two occasions. The first was received on January 14. On February 5, UVU claimed it needed “additional time to fulfill” the request because of the “extraordinary circumstance” but that the request would be fulfilled within 10 business days.
On February 19, UVU said it needed an additional 10 business days.
On March 5, UVU said it needed yet another 10 business days.
Finally, on March 17, Blaze News received 14 heavily redacted Microsoft Teams messages, most of which were not useful. None of the speakers are identified by name, so it is unknown whether any of these statements can be attributed to Chief Long.
The most insightful exchange came at 9:15 a.m. on September 10, the day of the shooting.
A person identified as 63G-2-305(11) says: “Let the fun begin! The turning point group is wondering if they can have access to drive under the hall of flags to drop off their equipment? There is a gate there that needs to be unlocked.”
Part of the response from person 63G-2-305(12) is redacted, but 63G-2-305(12) continues, “The two GOP guys whi [sic] visited yesterday really stirred the pot!”
63G-2-305(11) then says with unwitting foreboding: “Really?! Oh no! It was weird the way they came on campus. Let’s hope nothing crazy happens.” The person believed to be responder 63G-2-305(12) replies: “It’s all good!”
Screenshot of documents sent to Blaze News
Even though UVU had granted itself three extensions for this request, in its response, UVU refused to provide Blaze News with any text messages from Long’s phone between September 3 and September 11 on the grounds that too much time had passed since the shooting and that finding the messages would involve too much work:
For the University to conduct a search for text messages, the employee would have to open and review each text message thread on their phone to see if that thread includes the date range you specified. Then the employee would have to determine if it was a personal text or public record. If the text was a public record, the employee would have to screenshot the entire thread for the period and compile those screenshots to a form that can be shared. In addition, seeing as the time frame “September 3, 2025, to September 11, 2025” passed a considerable time ago, this search process would be a time-consuming interference from the employee’s day-to-day operations and responsibilities to maintain the safety of the University.
UVU gave the same reason for denying the request for Long’s texts Blaze News submitted on April 1. When Blaze News reminded UVU that all of Long’s messages are presumed public unless a specific GRAMA exemption applies and that inconvenience and the personal nature of some messages were not exemptions under the statute, two weeks later, Blaze News received 19 screenshots — of almost no investigatory value.
Eight of the screenshots were of text alerts about the shooting that were presumably sent campus-wide.
One was a message from a reporter from a local Utah outlet requesting an interview with Chief Long.
Three screenshots contain expressions of concern about people, presumably Long or other members of UVUPD, who had to endure the stress of the event, both in the planning stages immediately before it and in the aftermath of the shooting.
Three others relate to a single conversation about U.S. Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and John Curtis (R-Utah) possibly attending the event.
Just two screenshots reveal interesting information. In one conversation that took place only a half-hour before Kirk was fatally shot, someone, presumably Long, estimated that the crowd had swelled to 3,000.
“Woah! That is pretty good! Is it okay?” the interlocutor replied.
“Do you think there are more in support or against,” the interlocutor added, but to no reply.
Then 15 minutes after the shooting, someone asked what they should tell the “people calling.” “She said shes even gotten the new York times [sic],” the person added.
“Don’t give any statements,” was the reply, presumably from Long.
The text messages Harpole claimed to have exchanged with Long were not included in any of the documents UVU sent to Blaze News. Efforts to reach Harpole for comment were unsuccessful.
RELATED: Elderly man who falsely confessed to shooting Charlie Kirk sentenced to prison
Screenshot of documents sent to Blaze News
In its response to Blaze News, UVU justified not disclosing other messages on Long’s phone because doing so:
“could reasonably be expected to jeopardize the life or safety of an individual”;”would jeopardize the security of public property, buildings, or systems”; and”would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
Even the suspected murderer gets a say?
Blaze News is apparently not the only outlet frustrated by UVU’s limited compliance with public records requests about Kirk’s murder.
In an article titled “Utah Valley University continues to deny request for documents in Charlie Kirk shooting” dated February 17, KSTU reported not only the denials from UVU but that suspect Tyler Robinson and his attorneys had even weighed in on its GRAMA request. The outlet said it received “a letter from Tyler Robinson and his attorneys in support of the university’s decision to deny the release of the security plan.”
KSTU appeared unfazed by the denials for public records from UVU, claiming that they are “typical of the public records process.” However, the outlet noted that this letter from the suspect and his legal team was “unusual.”
Back in April, the Daily Caller News Foundation similarly reported that in response to its public records request, UVU had “heavily redacted files and withheld others entirely.”
UVUPD did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News about this lack of transparency.
‘These things … unfortunately they happen’
Long joined the UVUPD as deputy chief in 2022 and was named chief in December 2024. Government disclosure documents show that Long earned more than $125,000 in wages and benefits from taxpayers in 2024 alone.
And the most popular conservative activist in America was shot and killed on his watch.
Just hours after the shooting, Long and other officials appeared at a press conference, where Long professed to be “devastated” and described the deadly shooting as “a police chief’s nightmare.”
“We train for these things, and you think you have things covered, and um, you know, these things, um, you know, unfortunately they happen,” he continued. “You try to get, you try to get your bases covered, and unfortunately today we didn’t. And because of that we had this tragic incident.”
Long has not made any public comments about the shooting since.
Harpole indicated to Shawn Ryan that Long bears considerable responsibility for the ongoing questions and speculation about UVU security that day.
“Why he won’t stand up like a man and admit this, I don’t know,” Harpole said of Long, “but he’s watching a bunch of men lose their careers.
“And he’s okay with it.”
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Charlie kirk, Utah valley university, Public records, Brian harpole, Tpusa, Shawn ryan, Utah, Jeff long, Politics
ICE’s new smart glasses promise surveillance superpowers. Will they be used against citizens next?
Big Tech is betting big on XR glasses — that’s “extended reality” — as the hot new thing that will captivate users around the world. Meta was among the first to introduce smart glasses in collaboration with Ray-Ban, and now Apple, Google, and Samsung are expected to unveil their competing products soon. Although smart glasses have yet to gain the same mass public appeal as the smartphone, ICE thinks XR is exactly the tool it needs to speed up illegal alien identification and deportation.
DHS prepares to put smart glasses on ICE
ICE agents are reportedly tapping into the newest cutting-edge technology to aid in the fight against illegal immigration. Predictably, the deportation agency’s biggest critics are up in arms. According to independent left-wing journalist Ken Klippenstein, DHS is planning to outfit ICE agents with extended-reality smart glasses by September 2027. Instead of choosing an option off the shelf from a Big Tech brand that’s already in the space, DHS has notified Congress that it wants to develop its own solution, complete with features designed to help agents in the field.
This same technology could be used and abused to surveil the American public at large.
The aptly named “ICE Glasses” will include cameras that can record video, analyze data in real time, and display useful information to the wearer through an eye lens. The glasses will search for key biometric information that can identify a suspected illegal alien or criminal, including facial features and their walking pattern. These details are then sent to a federal database that contains known information on illegal aliens and criminals, cross-referenced for matches, and then a final determination is relayed back to the agent to either make an arrest or let the person go free.
The goal of ICE Glasses is to provide real-time awareness to agents by helping them identify illegal entities and deport them faster than ever. Unfortunately, as civil libertarians have warned broadly for decades, there are some potential consequences to using this kind of tech in public. Let’s zoom out and take a broader look.
3 reasons ICE Glasses are a good thing
First, let’s dive into the benefits of outfitting ICE agents with smart glasses.
Deportation fast lane: Agents can expedite deportations by identifying illegal aliens in seconds. The big benefit here is that agents don’t have to take the time to check federal databases themselves; it all happens automatically.Agent safety: ICE Glasses will keep agents safer by marking known dangerous illegal aliens and criminals in the heads-up display, letting agents know when they need to be more cautious or vigilant when approaching a suspect.Safer streets: If this initial test goes well, the technology found in ICE Glasses could be beneficial to local law enforcement. Police officers could wear similar glasses to identify wanted criminals and other dangerous entities roaming their streets, leading to a safer America.
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images
3 reasons ICE Glasses are bad for the American public
Now that the good stuff is out of the way, let’s get into several reasons why the ICE Glasses could be a problem for the American people.
Citizen surveillance: First and foremost, there’s a high likelihood that ICE Glasses will scan the faces of illegal immigrants and American citizens. After all, the only way to confirm a suspect’s status is to run their information. In this way, ICE Glasses could become a mass surveillance tool that captures and processes the biometric data of every American citizen that passes by an agent.User errors: There will likely be some mistakes. If a person is marked down incorrectly in the federal criminal database, ICE Glasses may erroneously flag a suspect, possibly leading to false arrests.Abuse of power: With great power comes great repsonsibility … and the potential for abuse. ICE Glasses would give agents immense power to record, document, and analyze vast swathes of data. Yes, illegal immigrants are the target, but these smart glasses can technically “see” and monitor anything the agent sees. While we may trust the current administration to do the right thing with this technology, leftists will return to power in the future, and a left-wing government will have the ability to target its own idea of a national threat, such as white males, traditional homemakers, and Christians.
ICE Glasses are as useful as they are problematic. On one hand, it’s good to have intelligent resources that expedite the identification and deportation of illegal aliens and criminals. So far, the Trump administration has fallen behind past administrations on deportation totals, and these glasses could help.
On the other hand, you can see how this same technology could be used and abused to surveil the American public at large. While it’s true ICE Glasses will empower agents to arrest more domestic threats, they do so at the expense of American citizens’ privacy.
Is it worth it?
Tech, Ice, Immigration and customs enforcement, Smart glasses, Ice glasses, Extended reality
Sara Gonzales exposes ‘MUSLIMS ONLY’ event at city-owned site — and Gov. Greg Abbott is taking action
A report from BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales exposing a Muslims-only event at a water park in Texas has led to a threat from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
The event was to celebrate a religious event called Eid and was scheduled for June 1 in Grand Prairie. Gonzales posted an ad from the event clearly marking it as excluding non-Muslims.
‘That’s religious discrimination. It’s unconstitutional.’
The event included halal food and a private prayer area, despite the Epic Waters indoor park being city-owned.
On Wednesday, the governor issued a threat to pull the city’s public safety grants unless the park shut down the event.
“A city-owned water park in Grand Prairie openly advertised a ‘MUSLIMS ONLY’ event — closed to the general public. That’s religious discrimination,” Abbott said in a statement on social media.
“It’s unconstitutional. I signed HB 4211 into law — banning Muslim only no-go zones in Texas,” he added. “The City must cancel the event and commit to never allowing something like it again by May 11th, or lose $530,000 in state grants.”
He pointed out that one of the red flags involved the planners asking women to wear “burkinis” rather than bikinis.
“Let this be a lesson to local officials: Facilities funded by ALL taxpayers are not just for a subset of Texans,” Abbott added.
RELATED: Sara Gonzales confronts owner of alleged H-1B visa & autism center scam — whistleblower tells all
The Dallas Morning News reported that the event’s organizer, Aminah Knight, said she did not intend to exclude anyone when the event was labeled “Muslims only.” She said the flyer has been changed to include everyone.
“As Muslims, we have a modest dress code. Going to a water park can be a challenge,” Knight said, noting that this was the third year of the event. “This is a way to have fun and make sure our children and community feel seen.”
A spokesperson for the city did not respond to a request for comment from the Morning News.
The event was expected to draw about 600 attendees.
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Allie Beth Stuckey issues stern warning to Christian right: Mocking Erika Kirk is a ‘soul sickness’ and a risky gamble with your soul
In the several months since Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s death, his widow, Erika Kirk, has faced consistent and intense online harassment, mockery of her public grief, egregious accusations, and threats from both sides of the political aisle.
Allie Beth Stuckey, BlazeTV host of “Relatable,” has been deeply disturbed by all the vitriol unleashed against Erika — especially when it comes from the “Christian” right.
No matter what Erika does, says Allie — smile, cry, stay home, or go out into public — there awaits a host of people ready to mock and accuse her.
The latest example of this occurred following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which was cut short due to a would-be assassin rushing a security checkpoint and firing multiple shots in an attempt to kill President Trump and other administration officials. A video of Erika crying and expressing a desire to go home after the incident went viral on social media, with many accusing her of faking tears and performing.
Many of those accusers, Allie points out, identify as conservative Christians.
“You are just playing this very dangerous game with your soul; you’re gambling here,” says warns. “Like this is such a dangerous thing for you to have to bring before the Lord one day — that you found it to be an entertaining sport to mock someone’s widow.”
It’s OK to “criticize a public figure” and express hesitation about “the official law enforcement story,” Allie concedes, as long as you do these things “without relentlessly and mercilessly mocking.” Those unable to refrain from mockery and hatred are suffering from “a soul sickness,” she argues.
“If you do feel good about [mocking Erika] and you’re like, ‘Well, I don’t really feel any conviction. I think that this is fine,’ that’s not an indication that what you’re doing is OK,” she declares. “That’s an indication that you are callous; that you worship the god of self; you worship the god of money; you worship the god of entertainment; you worship the god of sensationalism — not the God of scripture.”
“If you keep feeling good about and finding joy in the mockery of a widow, that is an indication of the absence of the Holy Spirit in your life. It just is,” she continues, “and that’s not Allie Stuckey’s judgment, OK? That is the nature of the Holy Spirit because he is the convictor.”
Many of the most horrific injustices in the history of the world, she reminds, happened because callousness to the suffering of others became normalized.
“It takes one person being willing to go out there and consistently dehumanize and consistently deride, and then it takes a few people being entertained by it, and then more people being entertained by it, and then it becomes less of a person that you’re talking about, and it just becomes this abstract thing,” says Allie. “These people talking about Erika, I don’t even think they see her as a person.”
“When someone’s humanity in your mind goes away, you can justify anything,” she warns.
And when we become numb to widows’ suffering specifically — that’s even more dangerous territory, at least spiritually, Allie argues.
Citing Isaiah 1:17, Psalm 68:5, and Exodus 22:22-24, she says, “It seems like [widows are] something that’s super important to God.”
For the people who may not be mocking or deriding Erika but are constantly criticizing her role as TPUSA’s CEO, claiming she should be at home with her kids instead, Allie has a blunt message: “I promise you that Erika loves her kids more than you do. … I promise you that she thinks about their well-being and thinks about what is best for them more than you do.”
If anyone is concerned about Erika or her children, the best thing they can do is to pray, she says.
When it comes to Erika Kirk or any public figure, Allie stresses that she’s “not even asking for us to all agree” because “we can all have opinions.”
“I’m asking for some humanity here, right?” she says, “And I’ve just been super disappointed in some people who used to be in my audience who have just become so merciless when it comes to this woman.”
“This is like a huge indication of just very dark spiritual sickness, and it grieves me. I’m really praying about it.”
To hear more, watch the video above.
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