Below is my column in The Hill on the recent controversies over enhanced images of Alex Pretti and his shooting in Minnesota. As seen throughout our history, Pretti has achieved mythic status — even having an ice cream invented after him by one of the founders of Ben & Jerry’s. Reality recedes when politics demand the perfect hero.
Here is the column: Continue reading “The Remaking of Alex Pretti: Imperfect Times Demand the Perfect Hero”
The decline of American mainstream media has long been obvious, with public trust and revenues plunging. Some companies are responding with the novel idea of restoring objectivity and neutrality to coverage. For years, news organizations have essentially written off half of the country. However, as news organizations struggle to avoid even greater layoffs, staffers are fighting efforts to bring balance to their networks. That was evident last week in meetings at CNN and CBS where staffers continue to fight to retain their bias rather than their jobs. Continue reading “The Circular Firing Squad: Staffers at CNN and CBS Denounce Efforts to Restore Balance”
I have long been a critic of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has been a disaster for my home city. From moronic proposed taxes to racist comments, Johnson has brought some of the greatest devastation to the city since the Great Fire. Deeply unpopular, he often uses race-baiting commentary or gimmicks to distract voters. The latest is his chest-pounding press conference where he declared “we are putting ICE on notice in our city.” The threat was that he was ordering the Chicago Police Department to move against ICE in the city. However, even a cursory examination reveals that, as before, there is less than meets the eye in Johnson’s theatrics. Continue reading “The Windy City: Chicago Mayor Johnson Puts “ICE on Notice” … of Meaningless Gesture”
In New York, a jury has now handed down what it viewed as the first successful lawsuit against doctors accused of malpractice over a gender transitioning surgery. The jury awarded $2 million to Fox Varian, 22, over the double mastectomy performed on her while she was a minor. Psychologist Kenneth Einhorn and surgeon Simon Chin were held responsible in Westchester County Supreme Court in White Plains for failing to follow the standards of care of reasonable doctors.
Continue reading “New York Jury Awards $2 Million in Malpractice Case Over Gender Transitioning Surgery”
On Tuesday, my new book for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Rage and the Republic, will be released. It is a book about revolutions, including our own. The book begins with a quote from the French writer Jacques Mallet du Pan, written in 1793: “Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children.” History has proven him right over and over again. Today’s revolutionaries often become tomorrow’s reactionaries as the mob turns on its former leaders. Continue reading “Devouring its Own: Liberal Columnist Ezra Klein Faces Protest at Sarah Lawrence” 
We have long discussed how educators are instilling viewpoint intolerance in students from the earliest grades. The latest example is the cancellation of a visit to McKinley Elementary School in Fairfield, Connecticut, by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The students had the opportunity to speak and interact with a cabinet member, but the school cancelled the event due to political opposition from parents. Continue reading “Cancel Culture 101: Connecticut School Cancels Event With Education Secretary Over Political Pressure”
A new video purportedly shows Alex Pretti spitting at federal agents and damaging a government SUV days before he was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. The video does not alter the analysis of whether the fatal shooting was justified. However, it raises some obvious questions, including why Pretti was not previously arrested on multiple grounds. The videotape also contradicts the family’s account of the earlier encounter.
In my book on our age of rage I explore how rage is addictive and contagious. What people do not want to admit in places like Minneapolis is that they like it, they need it. Politicians know that. Even after Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones was shown to have threatened to kill his political opponents and their children, other Democratic leaders continued to support him and he was elected to the highest law enforcement position in the state. Now, Ohio Democratic Attorney General candidate Elliot Forhan appears to be attempting to ride the same rage wave in a video in which he says, “…I am going to kill Donald Trump.” Continue reading ““I am Going to Kill Donald Trump”: Ohio Attorney General Candidate Runs on Rage”
Columbia PhD candidate, Anna Krauthamer, has caused a stir over her column in the far-left Nation on “Why I Didn’t Report My Rape.” The reason? Krauthamer is a prison abolitionist and wanted to protect her rapists, saying it would be “silly and strange” for her to subject these rapists to the carceral state. Instead, she allegedly allowed multiple rapists to potentially rape other women.
Some of us in the free speech community have been writing about the hypocrisy of many in the media and academia suddenly championing free speech values after years of silence (or support) over censorship of conservatives, libertarians, and contrarians. A good example can be found in the Chicago area, where a physical education teacher is on administrative leave and faces possible termination after posting two words (“Go ICE”) on Facebook in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Local leaders and groups are demanding that he be fired, even though a posting opposing ICE would likely have been heralded rather than condemned. Continue reading ““Go ICE”: Chicago-Area Teacher Put on Leave for Two Words Posted on Facebook”
In a significant victory for the Trump Administration, a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit lifted the injunction of U.S. District Judge Katherin Menendez, who prevented officers from arresting, detaining, pepper-spraying or retaliating against protesters in Minneapolis without probable cause.
Continue reading “Trump Administration Wins Appeal of ICE Injunction in Minnesota”
Below is my column in The Hill on the false “bait boy” story that went viral last week, the latest concoction of the left and an enabling media. It was an all-too-familiar pattern. Even after it was debunked, Gov. Tim Walz was still raising it late last week to paint ICE as soulless, depraved thugs. It simply does not matter that it is untrue in our post-truth political environment.
Here is the opinion: Continue reading “Clickbait: How a Five-Year-Old Boy Become the Latest Prop in Post-Truth Politics”
This year, there has been a race to the bottom as Democratic politicians fuel the rage in our streets against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. That continued this last week when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz again rushed to judgment after a shooting, adding that the public should not treat Border Patrol or ICE officers as real “law enforcement” officers. However, rock bottom was finally reached by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D), who not only said that she does not consider ICE officers to be “real law enforcement,” but raised the possibility of citizens shooting them under state law. Continue reading “Mobocracy: Democratic Politicians Compete in Race to the Bottom Over ICE Shooting”
There is a notable torts verdict in Maryland where a jury handed down a multi-million dollar verdict against Walmart for selling a shotgun to an employee who used it to commit suicide. The verdict raises difficult questions over Walmart’s responsibility for the suicide of Jacob Mace, who lied to store employees, under common law torts. Continue reading “Maryland Jury Rules Walmart Liable for Selling Shotgun Used in Employee Suicide”
In the last election, Democrats again campaigned as moderates, including Abigail Spanberger. Once in control of the Governor’s mansion and the legislature, however, Virginia Democrats have moved quickly to fulfill the worst stereotype of a tax-hungry, economy-crushing party. The Democrats introduced an array of new taxes on every aspect of life. At the same time, Spanberger moved to take control of Virginia universities and colleges after years of trying to move those schools to the center. Now, members are pushing rent control legislation and defining landlords as “gougers” if they raise rents by as little as 3%. Continue reading “With Control of Virginia, Democrats Go Into a Tax and Regulatory Frenzy”