"We were not fighting men. We were fighting something that had decided not to die." — SS Panzergrenadier officer Werner Kortenhaus, field journal, Ardennes, December 1944. "Kortenhaus had survived Kursk. He had held lines against Soviet and British forces for three years. He was not a man who ran out of frame of reference easily. But somewhere in the frozen forests outside Bastogne, he encountered the 101st Airborne Division — and wrote those words. "This is the account of what happened when five SS divisions, armed with tanks, artillery, and numerical superiority in every category that is supposed to decide battles, attempted to break a surrounded American parachute force in the worst winter in decades. The 101st had no winter gear. Inadequate ammunition. Almost no artillery shells. A perimeter fifty kilometers around. Encirclement completed December 21, 1944. "On December 22, Generalleutnant Heinrich von Lüttwitz sent a formal surrender ultimatum. Acting commander Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe's written reply was one word: "Nuts." The SS assaults that followed were full-scale armored attacks. They broke against the American lines again and again. "What the German after-action reports describe is not American firepower or material advantage. SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Dinse of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich — veterans of France, Kursk, three years on the Eastern Front — filed a captured tactical assessment calling it "psychologische Immovabilität." Psychological immovability. Major Herbert Büchs wrote that the paratroopers "defended every position as though retreat had been struck from their vocabulary." SS Unterscharführer Klaus Rademacher wrote home from a field hospital: "There is something wrong with them." "Men like Sergeant Layton Black, a combat medic from Harlan County, Kentucky, who held the entrance to a field aid station against a direct SS assault with a pistol and a borrowed carbine. Or PFC Vernon Haught from Columbus, Ohio, who stayed at his machine gun when a Panzer IV came for his position, broke the assault's cohesion, and got back up after the second round threw him several meters. "This is not a story about slow-motion flags. It is a story about what it takes to make an entire division decide, each man individually, that leaving was not an option."
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
MSNOW people, California leaders, Democrats, and the bitterness of Joy Reid: how much can this nation suffer and survive?
And this from Heritage Review: . . . "That is a position Democratic leaders can accept or reject. But they cannot ignore it. Reid may no longer have a cable show, but she has a podcast, a speaking circuit, and an audience that treats her pronouncements as marching orders.
"The increasingly extreme positions staking out the Democratic Party's left flank create a familiar problem: every concession to the base makes the general election harder. Every refusal to concede risks a primary challenge or a stay-home protest vote.
"Reid has chosen her side. The rest of the Democratic Party now gets to decide whether her litmus test is a fringe demand or a preview of where the whole coalition is headed.
"When a party's loudest voices start issuing ultimatums that most of its own elected officials cannot meet, that is not a sign of strength. It is a sign that the people who claim to speak for the base have lost interest in actually winning." . . .
Former MSNBC Host Joy Reid Faces Outrage After Claiming America Is Only “Marginally Better” Than Iran on Women’s Rights
Reid hopped online to declare that this year’s festivities will not feature her or her black friends, making sure to throw in that she believes it’s a “slaveholder” celebration anyway.
Joy Reid Says The Fourth Of July Isn't For Black People . . . "This time, Joy decided to explain what Black Americans supposedly think about the Fourth of July.
According to her, Black people don’t really celebrate Independence Day. She claims that Black Americans view the holiday as nothing more than a celebration of slaveholders and oppression.
The problem is simple.
She doesn’t speak for me.
And she certainly doesn’t speak for millions of other Black Americans.
A Patriot’s Take On The American Revolution
Richard Kirk - American Thinker
". . . those complaints are miniscule compared to the insight achieved by looking at the American Revolution, as Metaxas does, through the eyes of patriots like Washington and John Adams and not through the eyes of a Marxist like Howard Zinn " . . .
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| Eric Metaxas, Amazon |
"Foremost among those distortions is the assertion that most of America’s founders were deists who rejected the idea of God’s post-creation activity in human affairs. As Metaxas clearly shows via the words of various patriots, especially John Adams and George Washington, the notion of God’s “providential” acts on behalf of the emergent nation was ubiquitous, a faith indissolubly linked to its adherence to biblical principles as articulated by ministers like George Whitefield. These “no King but Jesus” convictions spread by the ministerial “Black Robe Regiment” were often derided by British elites who denigrated colonials as, in today’s parlance, bible-bangers. A practical consequence of this gulf between British and colonial morals is illustrated by the humane treatment Americans typically provided captured troops versus the wretched fate most patriot soldiers faced who fell into British hands, an estimated 10,000 of whom died in captivity, outpacing the “less than 7,000” killed in combat.
"Metaxas further illustrates the decadence of Britain’s leadership under George III by providing detailed descriptions of gatherings in England by prominent members of the Hellfire Club who not only embraced hedonism but even mocked Christian beliefs. Later the author devotes several pages to General William Howe’s lavish farewell party in Philadelphia. By contrast, Washington is shown stressing the importance of discipline and moral conduct for himself and his troops in view of their “sacred” cause, a cause for which colonials officially beseeched God’s help by declaring days of fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving." . . .
Richard Kirk is a freelance writer and retired teacher living in Southern California. His book Moral Illiteracy: “Who’s to Say?” is also available on Kindle , as is his book Poetry with a Moral Edge.
Ghost of Alexis de Tocqueville Returns — What America Can Learn From Him
"From Tocqueville to the World Cup, outsiders keep discovering the same American superpower: turning strangers into neighbors."
"What we do know is that it has opened their world to our world, teaching both Europeans and ourselves what makes America truly exceptional: our people."
AfterMath - Home
"LUZERNE COUNTY, Pennsylvania — Over the Flag Day weekend in Pennsylvania, crowds gathered, and communities were formed in the most unlikely of places, under viaducts, along gravel-filled tracks, and at the base of some impressive Appalachian mountains, all just to watch as Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 rolled through northeastern Pennsylvania.
"The sheer presence of the locomotive drew crowds. Celebrations were formed among strangers for a couple of reasons: The locomotive is a reminder of what American workers, engineers, and laborers are capable of building. And continuing to honor that is part of the American ethos of exceptionalism.
"Also, Americans just love to be part of something bigger than themselves. Yes, we will fiercely defend our individualism. But we are also uniquely aspirational about what we can do together for the greater good. This is pretty much something that we do daily when no one is looking, but social media has placed our intuitive community gathering in the spotlight.
"The moment was just part of a phenomenon that European soccer fans have been delightfully experiencing as they travel across our country to support their country’s team in pursuit of the World Cup.
"Social media has been filled with fans such as “Freddy from Germany,” who unabashedly enjoys his discoveries of everyday American experiences, such as Waffle House, Walmart, and Buc-ee’s. He found out quite quickly that we love to form associations around everything, including people enjoying our country’s simple delights. (RELATED: The Spectacle Ep. 432: Foreign FIFA Fans Are Teaching Americans To Be Patriotic)
"Freddy’s colorful and joyful accounts are a dramatic reversal of the conventional wisdom that Europeans do not view America as an ally. A recent poll conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations shows only 11 percent of Europeans across 15 countries view the United States as a reliable partner.
"The same has happened with Scottish football fan Shaun Hamilton. His X account has been actively posting about American hospitality, kindness, and the embraces that he and countrymen have received. His posts showing the fans of the Scottish national football team taking over Boston, with thousands of kilt-clad Scots partying in Boston Harbor, attracted attention. So did his posts of the breathtaking scenes at Gillette Stadium or the George Washington statue at Fenway Park getting the classic Scottish treatment by getting crowned with a traffic cone.
"Perhaps my favorite moment has been watching the Scottish and Haitian fans having a dance-off in kilts ahead of the first match. . . More...
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
'Pride Night' backlash: LA Dodgers pitcher says MLB came down on him for Charlie Kirk tribute
"MLB Players Who Wrote Bible Verses On Pride Night Hats Won't Be Disciplined, Commissioner Says: The response was characterized by Hawley as MLB admitting the league was "wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses" Daily Caller
The Giants wore “pride” hats with a rainbow-themed "SF" logo.
"Starting pitcher Landen Roupp and relievers J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote a Bible verse on their hats to give the rainbow its proper context.
""Two Christian San Francisco Giants pitchers protested Pride Night on Friday night vs Chicago Starting pitcher Landen Roupp wrote Genesis 9:12-16 on his Pride hat
- Relief pitcher Sam Hentges refused to wear the hat at all (just like Blake Treinen) Well done, gentlemen" Jon Root
Reflecting Pool Partisanship
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| “Reflecting Pool Partisanship,” editorial cartoon by Tom Stiglich for The American Spectator on Jun 22, 2026. |
Rosie O’Donnell to Replace Jimmy Kimmel as Late Night Host for the Summer
This is a fight Kimmel started. Rosie will win if Mr. Trump responds in kind, and you know he will have to. At least her appearances will keep vandals away from Trump's beautification projects such as the reflecting pool, monuments and the like. Leftist poster makers will have new doors open to them soon. TD
With O’Donnell now joining Kimmel’s summer guest-host rotation, their long-running feud appears poised to once again take center stage on late-night television during the coming weeks.
Mayor ignores 39 shot in Chicago to push fake trans violence — gets brutalized online...
"Are the people of Chicago okay with mass shootings and drive-bys as long as the reported “15 trans” people who were killed in Chicago over the past ten years are prioritized?
A Democrat Called for Imprisoning American Zionists – Her Party Blamed the GOP
How can pro-Hamas indoctrination be so effective among a generation of our "best and brightest"? Between Ilhan Omar and the videos of Hamas on that Oct 7th, we have all seen who they have stood by, TD
She did not emerge from nowhere. She emerged from a political ecosystem that has made anti-Zionist rhetoric increasingly normalized within Democratic coalition politics. Jeffries knows this. His statement does not engage it.
• Her post continued: “It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists.”
"• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated: “This vile language by her is disqualifying and has no place in American politics, and certainly not in the Democratic Party.”
• Jeffries and DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) issued a joint condemnation, but in the same statement blamed Lead Left PAC, a group whose metadata PunchBowl News linked to a Republican fundraising platform. Who controls the PAC has not been independently confirmed.
• As of publication, Galindo has not withdrawn from the runoff." . . .
The Bottom Line
A congressional candidate proposed ethnic imprisonment. The party leader called it disqualifying, blamed an outside group, and moved on. The candidate is still running.
Condemning the words is not the same as answering for how she got there. The Democratic Party owes its voters that answer. So far, it has not given one.
Douglas Murray: The New York Times feeds anti-Jew hatred with a horrific lie "Nicholas Kristof raped my dog. At least that is what I have heard, from an anonymous source. A source who is intensely hostile to the New York Times columnist. And that’s good enough for me. Now I come to think of it, my pet pug has had a strange look on his face lately.
"As it happens, the rumor that I have just attempted to spread is far less lurid and fanciful than the one that the New York Times chose to spread around the world this week.
"In a piece that has already been widely debunked, Kristof claimed that Israeli prison guards routinely use rape as a method of torture on Palestinian prisoners. The piece portrayed Israeli prison guards and soldiers as rapists, sadists and akin to Nazi prison camp guards. Perhaps even worse.
"Kristof’s most grotesque claim is based on an anonymous source who is described as a “journalist” from Gaza. According to this source, while being held in an Israeli prison in 2024, the Gazan man was stripped naked, blindfolded and handcuffed. Then “a dog was summoned.” The dog’s handler — who we are helpfully told was speaking Hebrew — then encouraged the dog to “mount him.” . .
.Meantime, I am sure we can all look forward to the Gray Lady’s next piece pondering the inexplicable rise of Jew-hatred in the United States.They might find the causes are closer to home than they know.
How Shiri Bibas, sons Ariel and Kfir were 'brutally murdered' by Hamas in Gaza
Silenced no more: The Israeli women who documented Hamas's October 7 sexual crimes
"Israel must rebuild support among Democrats
The mystery of Palestinian publicity: Why Jews are losing in the court of public opinion "Fair is fair. When it comes to publicity, to verbiage, to shaping world opinion, to swaying college campuses, to harvesting votes at the United Nations, Iran, the Palestinians, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis run rings around the Israelis in particular and the Jews in general.
"This is a puzzle. The Jews are the “People of the Book,” a phrase that connotes learning, intelligence, creativity. Relative to their numbers, they are wildly overrepresented in literature, fiction, film, theater, philosophy — every craft devoted to persuading an audience. By every measure of talent and training, this is a contest they ought to win walking away. Instead, in the war of words that surrounds the shooting war, they are being routed.
"What does their handiwork look like? Consider the evidence." . . .
"One of the reasons for the Jewish loss in the area of verbiage is that quite a few Jews themselves are on the other side. The most famous one of all is perhaps Sanders, a U.S. senator. But there are others:" . . . (Emphasis mine, TD)
Where Does Israel Go to Get Their Apology? . . . "The reality is that almost without exception, anybody labeled a "journalist" in Gaza is associated with Hamas. They have to be, because Hamas will kill anybody who would report anything they dislike. Many of them are active members with combat or leadership roles.
"It's difficult to believe that anyone familiar with the situation is unaware of it. It's not a secret, after all. The Associated Press shared offices with Hamas for years in Gaza, and has been censoring its stories about Gaza because the alternative is having its stringers killed. " . . .
"June 1: Hamas admitted that Abdullah Breis was a commander posing as a “journalist”— it is no longer “Israel says so” evidence."
Maher mocks Obama presidential library: 'Who's going to go to this?'
"Comedian Bill Maher during his latest show mocked the Obama Presidential Center, which opened in Chicago last week.
“It looks like something aliens built in Dubai,” Maher remarked on the Friday episode of HBO’s “Real Time” while talking with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Politico journalist Jonathan Martin.
“It cost $850 million,” he added later. “I don’t understand why progressives like this. Couldn’t that, you know, money be better spent on something else. Who’s going to go to this?”
The Obama Presidential Center, based in former President Obama’s hometown of Chicago, had a grand opening ceremony last week. The campus features a prominent large gray building with a hexagon-like shape.
Khanna defended the center, saying that “at a time that Elon Musk is talking about sending people to Mars, you’re telling me that spending up to a billion dollars, $1 billion, on commemorating the first and only African American who’s ever been president isn’t worth it?”
On Thursday, the former president took a veiled swipe at President Trump while celebrating the center’s opening.
Obama referenced the U.S.’s founding by echoing the words of the Declaration of Independence, saying that it declared there “will be no kings or lords, no serfs or subjects, but only citizens, each of us free to pursue our own version of happiness and able to determine our collective faith to an elected representative government.”
Trump has previously portrayed himself as a king in AI-generated social media posts.". . . .More...
Monday, June 22, 2026
Nancy Guthrie ransom note to her family included rambled 'apology' for accidentally killing her, bombshell report says
As the investigation into Nancy's disappearance continues, federal authorities are re-examining the letters for any clues about the captor's identity, according to Air Mail.They note that the ransom letters show that the captor is articulate and knowledgeable about the intricacies of cryptocurrency.
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| A masked man was caught on camera on April 29 driving up to a home in the Catalina Foothills in Arizona, the same neighborhood where Nancy Guthrie was abducted |
Read More
Hidden clues in Nancy Guthrie suspect video: Getaway car and shocking new abduction theory
"One of the disturbing ransom notes received by Nancy Guthrie's family included a chilling apology for accidentally killing her, according to a new report.
A bizarre blackmail letter sent February 6 offered to return the 84-year-old's body in return for money, a source familiar with the investigation told Air Mail.
The memo followed an earlier note to TMZ from the same sender, which correctly described what Guthrie was wearing on the night she was abducted, and included information about a damaged floodlight in her backyard.
Guthrie, who is the mother of NBC News Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on the night of February 1.
Initial messages from the sender said Guthrie was 'safe but scared', and agreed to return her if the family paid $4 million in Bitcoin by 5pm on February 5.
They added that if the ransom was not paid by February 9, this would increase to $6 million, 'or else', according to Air Mail, a digital weekly newsletter.
The 'apology' note, which came from the same IP address as these initial, seemingly credible emails, arrived at the Guthrie family's home on February 6.
It said that Guthrie had been accidentally killed, and offered to deliver her body back to the family for a sum of $4 million.