Cognitive dissonance for Tucker Carlson?

Bob Weir  

"That’s why it’s a bit baffling to me that he would suggest he’s being deplatformed when someone wonders where his loyalties lie.  If he can pose questions about our ally’s motives, we should be able to question his."

"Just when it appears that the Republican Party has become unbeatable after the re-election of Donald Trump, and the attainment of majorities in the House and Senate, we’re seeing the beginnings of a fracture that could shatter the GOP’s hopes for the midterms and the 2028 campaign for president.  Tucker Carlson, once a highly rated conservate commentator with his Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, from 2016 to 2023, was canceled after Fox was sued by Dominion Voting Systems because of alleged defamation statements Carlson made on his show.  Fox ultimately settled with Dominion for $787.5 million.  Since leaving Fox, Carlson has hosted a very popular podcast, The Tucker Carlson Show.

"During the past few years, I’ve been an avid fan of his show, just as I was when he was on Fox.  Yet for several months lately, he seems to have made a U-turn in his support of our country’s strongest ally in the Middle East.  Although he contends to be a supporter of Israel, he refers to it as a “tiny, inherently insignificant country.”  He tells his viewers that the U.S. spends too much money in a foreign country that, geopolitically, is not at all important to our nation.  He goes on to say that China and India combined represent more than a third of the world’s population, and our relationship with them has gotten worse because of our relationship with Israel.

"While Tucker was smugly dismissing Israel’s importance because, according to him, the Israelis have no natural resources, Benjamin Netanyahu was announcing the approval of the largest export deal of liquefied natural gas in the country’s history with Egypt, valued at about $35 billion.  That deal occurred shortly after Israel made a deal to sell its Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany for $6.5 billion.  One wonders how Tucker can possibly conclude that Israel is insignificant." . . .

Muslim migration to Japan ‘doesn’t exist’

 D.H. Lee

"Thinking Westerners know that the response to declining Western civilization lies not in mimicking an exotic Eastern country, but in rebuilding their own homeland." 

. . . "Anyone awake since 9/11, or even within the past few weeks, will see that Muslim immigration to Western countries is an ugly counterpoint to the West’s religion of multiculturalism and diversity.

"There are those who laud Japan’s low-crime, high-trust society due in part to ethno-cultural homogeneity.  Thus, they say, there is no way that Japan will adopt the West’s destructive secular religion.

"However, most foreigners do not recognize that the Japanese have already embraced multiculturalism and diversity as tightly as any Western leftist.

"Indeed, Japan has allowed numerous Muslims to obtain citizenship.  Japanese media state that the number of mosques nationwide as of July 2025 is 160.  The number of Muslims in Japan has expanded almost fourfold over a 20-year period.  As of 2024, there are 420,000 Muslims in Japan, with the majority coming from overseas.  Indonesia sends the largest share of Muslims to Japan, followed by Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Malaysia.  The remaining number of Muslims are Japanese converts, mostly young Japanese women who converted on marrying a foreign male Muslim.  Muslims in Japan have stridently demanded that Japan adapt to their religious requirements." . . .  More...

Minnesota in the Civil War

 Minnesota played a significant role in the Civil War, contributing approximately 25,000 soldiers, which was about half of the state's eligible male population, and participating in key battles  across the country.

Troop Contributions  

"When the Civil War began in 1861, Minnesota was quick to respond to President Lincoln's call for volunteers. The state sent about 25,000 men to fight for the Union, which represented a substantial portion of its population at the time. This included the formation of 11 infantry units, 4 cavalry units, and 4 artillery units. Notably, the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment was the first regiment to offer its services to the Union, and it played a crucial role at the Battle of Gettysburg, helping to hold the line against a Confederate assault. 

Walk the Charge of the 1st Minnesota at Gettysburg, Resulting in 82% Casualties

Why isn't Minnesota's sacrifice at Gettysburg better remembered? (Audio)

Interesting to note that there was no Minnesota when any of her troops were born, yet this regiment made Minnesota historic. TD

Minnesota in 2025:

What Walz doesn’t want you to know about Minnesota

Women cheer the start of the caliphate and sharia law in New york.

Brave, strong girl. Yet liberal women say nothing and you have some stupid, liberal women in NYC welcoming Sharia. They don't have a clue...

Women cheer the start of the caliphate and sharia law in New york.

"Former hostage Romi Gonen is speaking out about the sexual abuse she endured while held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.
"She was assaulted by 4 different men, including a doctor assigned to treat her injuries & a cameraman who filmed her for propaganda
"Feminist & human rights… pic.twitter.com/z8aLvfAkof

— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) December 26, 2025

Victor Davis Hanson: The West Is Slouching Toward Open Season on Jews

In this episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Victor Davis Hanson and Sami Winc dissect Australia’s reaction to the Hanukkah massacre and how the West flicks aside antisemitic violence.

Witness to President Abraham Lincoln's Assassination Speaks

Freyzel Productions

"Here is a walking tour of Fords theater in Washington DC, and we will be listening to an eyewitness account of what happened the night of the Lincoln assassination. #abrahamlincoln #history"

Witness to President Abraham Lincoln's Assassination Speaks:

"This is a video filmed in 1930 of a man who was in Ford's Theater when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. He was sitting in what was known as the orchestra section, which was the ground floor seating section. He was also standing on the porch to the Petersen House when Lincoln was carried inside."

Another account by this witness: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17qL7bc9y2/

British observer with Lee's army said Southern women spoke with the magnolia accent while the men spoke with a British accent. Later videos of aged veterans at reunions seem to bear this out., The Tunnel Dweller

Muslims in Indonesia Show Christians What They Think of Them

 Robert Spencer 

. . . "It can happen here, and it will, if Muslim migration into the West continues, for among those migrants will inevitably be some Muslims who believe that they must express Islam’s violent, aggressive, supremacist, expansionist character in their new land."

"Indonesia has a reputation for being a “moderate” Muslim nation, but the wind in the Islamic world as a whole is blowing in the opposite direction, as a group of Christians has just discovered."

"Morning Star News, which tracks the persecution of Christians worldwide, reported Tuesday that “as police looked on, Muslims in West Java Province, Indonesia on Dec. 14 formed a human wall to block Christians from attending a Christmas service, according to local media.”

"Notice that it has now been nearly a quarter-century since 9/11, and while we have seen heroic individual Muslims such as Ahmed al-Ahmed, who tackled one of the Bondi Beach jihadis, we have never seen any large-scale Muslim action against terrorism. We have never seen Muslims form a human wall to block an Islamic jihad attack, or to stop a woman from being abused in accord with the direction to “beat” disobedient women in the Qur’an (4:34). But forming a human wall to prevent Christians from celebrating Christmas? No problem.

"Morning Star News noted that Muslims “from outside Jayasampurna village, Serang Baru Sub-District, Bekasi Regency near Jakarta blocked the congregation of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestant Church (Huria Kristen Batak Protestant, HKBP) from celebrating Christmas at a prayer post near the Green Cikarang housing complex.”

"Local cops and a goggle-eyed crowd watched as “dozens of Muslim men and women holding hands to form the human chain, making anti-Christian comments and shouting the jihadist slogan ‘Allahu Akbar [God is Greatest).’” One of the most mistranslated phrases in the entire world, “Allahu akbar” does not actually mean “God is greatest,” or the difficult-to-contest alternative “God is great,” which is the establishment media’s favorite way of misrepresenting what is actually being said." . . .

Muslims allied with Democrats and Tim Walz will likely go from being the "oppressed" to the "oppressor" with help from all liberals who feel the weight of guilt over being "white".  Does this woman frighten you a little bit?  TD

Gabbard suggests prominent Muslim group wants Shariah law, New Jersey city fires back   "Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard claimed at a recent Turning Point USA AmericaFest event that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called for Sharia Law in the U.S. 

" 'Earlier this year, there was a conference that was held representing organizations like the Council on American Islamic Relations, also known as CAIR, which issued a call to action to use American legal and political systems to implement Sharia law," she declared.

"Gabbard said the group’s ideology is “antithetical to the foundation that we find in our Constitution."

"Gabbard specifically criticized the city of Paterson, New Jersey, which calls itself the first Muslim City. Gabbard said the town is working to implement Islamic principles in the local government. 

"Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh disputed Gabbard’s claims and asked her to apologize. 

"Selaedin Maksut, the executive director of CAIR's New Jersey chapter, also disputed the remarks and said they place Muslim residents at risk.

" 'We condemn Tulsi Gabbard’s remarks as dangerous and inflammatory lies. By falsely portraying Islam and Muslim communities as threats to American freedom, she engages in reckless fearmongering that endangers real people," he said." . . .

2025 Rear-View Awards

 American Thinker  

"If hindsight is 20/20, then 2025 was a year where irony is produced by algorithms and politicians think diplomacy is a TikTok trend.  To toast our survival is the annual Rear-View Awards, the only column where irony is not just a category, it is the entire piece."

. . . "Metaphor of the year: Hollywood director Rob Reiner, the onetime foil to Archie Bunker, was apparently murdered by his son, proving that sitcom dysfunction can mirror life and be “All in the Family.”

"Best market correction: Hunter Biden is no longer getting $400,000 for his artwork. He is down to $100 bucks to spray-paint obscenities on a Tesla.

"Stat of the year: The New York Times ran a story on how foreign travel to the U.S. is down due what the Gray Lady calls the Trump Slump. This is believable when you consider that for the last four years our number one tourist attraction was the Rio Grande.

"Question: When will scientists admit that the climate has been changing long before humans invented SUVs, plastic straws, or had opinions?

"Cover-Up: Jake Tapper’s book, “Original Sin” exposes the media’s four-year whitewash of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.  The canard that Biden was sharp, the border secure, Trump colluded with Russia, and Hunter’s laptop was fake, Tapper reveals what Washington long knew: Biden was unfit for office as early as 2017. The book recounts one particular moment of confusion when at a Beverly Hills fundraiser, Biden failed to recognize George Clooney and told Obama how much he loved him in Driving Miss Daisy.

"The Oxford Word of the Year is actually two words: “rage bait” because apparently “click bait” wasn’t emotionally ruinous enough. Linguists use “rage bait” for anything that divides or offends.  Last year’s phrase was “brain rot,” the term for scrolling ourselves into mental mush. Together, they sum up digital life: outrage sparks engagement, algorithms fan the flames, while burning a hole in your cornea.

"All in a name: As of this writing, the U.S. Navy destroyed its 5th Venezuelan drug boat. The boat didn’t have a chance with its name: Coke Zero.

"Best laugh: During warm‑ups for the 2025 WNBA All‑Star Game, players wore shirts stitched by Asian slave labor that read: “Pay Us What You Owe Us”, a bold slogan for a league so cash‑strapped it can barely afford the thread." . . .

. . . "The Confirmation Cup: In 2025, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner ditched a 140‑year ritual and refused to toast the president, an unexpected move that validated Donald Trump’s longtime complaints about media bias." . . .

More...

Victor Davis Hanson: DEI Is the Most ‘Toxic Ideology’ We’ve Ever Experienced

 Victor Davis Hanson   

"All of these scandals have that one thing in common, that when you’re on the BART, and you’re in San Francisco and you assault somebody and you are on the oppressor side, BART will say we’re not going to release the video of what you did because you’re oppressed, and it might discourage people from being nice to you. And that will encourage violence."

Victor Davis Hanson: I think everybody out there of any nationality or ethnic background has to understand something. DEI is the most toxic ideology we’ve ever experienced because it gave exemption to people to do things on the assumption that they could do things and not be held accountable because of their race, sexual orientation, or gender, or whatever.

And we’ve seen it in spades with the multibillion-dollar fraud in California. Mandami is going to select for one of his interior offices, I think economic justice, Julie Su, who was the labor secretary in California that oversaw $40 billion in Medi-Cal or unemployment fraud

And we’re seeing a multibillion fraud in Somalia. [Note: Fraud in Minnesota committed by Somalis.] We’re looking at truck driver fraud. We’re looking at violence. They all have one thing in common.

The Left has told us these people are all victims, not on any imperial evidence, just because DEI says that they’re not white. They’re not Christian in some cases, or whatever the DEI rubric is, not heterosexual, male, whatever, white.

But basically, they’re not white, and therefore, they’re the oppressed, and you have to give them special compensation. And when you do that to anybody for any reason, whether you’re a Russian in 1942 and you say you’re a communist and you’re a commissar, it doesn’t matter. To end that will help this country recover from its insanity." . . . More...

Tomi Lahren Slams Eric Swalwell for Cringe-Worthy Political Stunts

 American Association of Retired Republicans  

"The segment paints a picture of a party grappling with its identity and messaging, unable to find footing in a political landscape where authenticity and strength are valued by many. Lahren's commentary suggests that these missteps are not isolated but part of a larger pattern of ineffective outreach that could cost  

"Eric Swalwell Under Scrutiny for Embarrassing Behavior

"Tomi Lahren, host of 'Tomi Lahren Is Fearless,' recently took aim at Congressman Eric Swalwell in a scathing critique of his latest public antics. In her YouTube video posted on June 4, 2025, Lahren calls out Swalwell for what she describes as desperate and cringe-worthy behavior, particularly highlighting a video he shared that has drawn widespread mockery. The segment focuses on Swalwell's apparent struggle to connect with voters through awkward and poorly received content, positioning him as a symbol of Democratic missteps in leadership.

"Lahren does not hold back in her assessment, emphasizing that Swalwell's actions are not just embarrassing on a personal level but reflect poorly on the Democratic Party's efforts to resonate with the American public. She points out that Democrats seem to be turning to figures like Swalwell for leadership despite these public relations misfires, a move she finds baffling and counterproductive.

Jeremy Hunt Weighs In on Swalwell's Missteps

"At around the 2:42 mark of the video, Lahren is joined by Jeremy Hunt, Chairman of Veterans On Duty, to discuss Swalwell's recent appearance on 'The Breakfast Club.' Hunt reacts to Swalwell's comments and demeanor, agreeing with Lahren that the congressman's approach lacks the gravitas expected of someone in his position. They delve into how such appearances fail to project strength or relatability, instead coming across as forced attempts to appeal to younger or diverse demographics.

"Hunt and Lahren both express concern over the broader implications of Swalwell's behavior, suggesting it underscores a disconnect between Democratic leaders and the everyday concerns of Americans. Their conversation highlights a perceived desperation within the party to find figures who can effectively communicate their message, only to falter with choices like Swalwell." . . .  More here...

Eric Swalwell ignores sage wisdom in Tropic Thunder and goes ‘full retard’

"Maybe Eric Swalwell never saw Tropic Thunder, because if he had, he would have remembered that Robert Downey Jr.’s character gave some sage advice while speaking to Ben Stiller’s character about the latter’s portrayal of a retarded man named Simple Jack: “Never go full retard.” In fact, Eric Swalwell couldn’t have seen the movie, because he just went full retard on X:" . . .

Trump wins ruling on White House ballroom

UK Daily Mail

Trump wins ruling on White House ballroom  "A federal judge has declined to halt construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, allowing demolition and below-ground work to continue while the legal challenge proceeds.

"U.S. District Judge Richard Leon denied the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request for an emergency temporary restraining order, finding the group had not demonstrated imminent irreparable harm.

"The judge cautioned the administration against taking actions that could predetermine future construction. Republicans and preservation advocates have clashed over whether the project has complied with federal review requirements." . . .

. . . "Leon said he plans to hold another hearing in January while considering the Trust’s request to pause the project.

"The Trump administration has argued that the Trust lacks legal standing and that continued work is necessary for national security. Government lawyers also said outreach to federal planning bodies has begun.

"Trump welcomed the judge’s comments and said the ballroom’s projected cost has increased. Carol Quillen, president and chief executive officer of the National Trust, said the organization will continue pressing for legal compliance.

"Quillen said the group is “fully committed to upholding the interests of the American people and advocating for compliance with the law, including review by the National Capital Planning Commission and an opportunity for the public to provide comment and shape the project.”

"In the interim, the administration must submit formal plans to federal review bodies, including the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.". . . 

Justice Department’s heavy-handed redactions leave no one happy in the 'Epstein files' saga

 

Issues & Insights

Just can’t win:Justice Department’s heavy-handed redactions leave no one happy in the 'Epstein files' saga   "Thousands of (Jeffrey Epstein) files still aren’t public. The redactions are extensive, at times going beyond what was called for in the law passed by Congress last month.

"The Justice Department said it made the decision on its own to withhold information in the files under executive branch and legal privileges, to be extremely cautious not to expose victims, and to re-release files that had been redacted previously by the federal government under broader guidelines before the law was passed.

"In the past four days, the approach has put the Trump administration, and especially its leadership at the Justice Department, on the defensive. Inside the Justice Department headquarters, lawyers are still scrambling to correct mistakes made in redacting files and working through thousands more documents that still aren’t available, according to sources familiar with the work and statements DOJ leadership have made since Friday.

"And despite their efforts to defend the work of hundreds of lawyers working through the Epstein records, the Justice Department’s leadership hasn’t been able to silence critics from all corners who now say they aren’t being transparent enough.
………….
"Criticism of the Justice Department for failing to be transparent with its Epstein records has dogged the department’s leadership throughout Trump’s second term. Bondi was previously panned for touting transparency while re-releasing records that were already in the public sphere.
………….
"The Epstein files released Friday contain hundreds of photos that hadn’t previously been seen, as well some grand jury and interview transcripts that were previously secret and a few other notable filings and internal files.

"But by and large, the massive and incomplete trove posted on the Justice Department’s website comprised of records that people could have already found — if they knew where to look.

"In many ways, a primary audience for the Epstein files’ release has been an increasingly wide swath of the public, representing both conservatives and liberals across the country, especially those who are active online.

"Attempts by Trump officials to defend the release on social media were met with sharp rebuttals. Users on X added “community notes,” flagging inaccuracies, to at least 13 posts from official Justice Department accounts or Bondi and Blanche’s accounts.

"The community notes feature on X allows users to add fact-checks or context underneath posts that are misleading. If a critical mass of other users gives the note a positive rating, it will be permanently attached to the original post.

"Bondi and Blanche have posted a combined five times on X since the Epstein files dropped on Friday, and every post drew a community note.

"In one post, Bondi said, “President Trump is leading the most transparent administration in American history.” In response to this and other claims, a community note stated that the Epstein drop was “full of redactions and deleted pages” and that images of Trump “were removed … to protect him.' ” . . .

When a Christian Professional Is Punished for His Faith

  Dr Rich Swier  

Professional licensing bodies, originally created to ensure competence and protect consumers, are increasingly used to enforce ideological conformity.

"And What One Quiet Victory in Montana Signals Nationwide. 

For four years,r expect to face.

Not because he mistreated a client.

Not because he violated real estate law.

Not because of anything he did in his professional work.

Huber, a pastor and licensed Realtor in Montana, was targeted because of a religious sermon, and someone decided that sermon should cost him his livelihood.

The case began in 2021, when Huber’s church ended its partn Brandon Huber lived under a shadow most Americans neveership with a local food bank after discovering LGBTQ-themed materials in children’s lunch bags.

Huber publicly explained the decision, calmly and explicitly, as a matter of biblical conviction. He also made clear that the church would continue feeding children through its own program.

That explanation was labeled “hate speech.”

A third party, not a client and not connected to any real estate transaction, filed a complaint with the Missoula Organization of Realtors, alleging Huber had violated the Realtors’ ethics code.

Local officials agreed, even though the speech occurred entirely outside his work as a Realtor.

The consequences were severe.

Huber was fined $5,000.

He was ordered to complete diversity training, which he declined.

When he did not comply, his access to the MLS database was revoked.

For more than four years, he was effectively locked out of his profession." . . . More...