Free Republic

What matters more to the maintenance of a free society: laws that support free speech, or a culture that supports it? To answer that question, take a look at these three speech protections, each of which is legally afforded to citizens by different countries: “Everyone shall be guaranteed freedom of thought and speech.” “Citizens are guaranteed freedom of speech, the press, assembly, demonstration, and association.” “Everyone has the right to express and disseminate his or her thoughts and opinions by speech, in writing or in pictures or through other media, individually or collectively.” These all sound like relatively principled, robust...

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Oct. 2, 2023, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

President Donald Trump is returning to New Hampshire on Monday, where he’ll be greeted by a cheering Granite State crowd and plenty of good campaign news. Both the latest polls and political events are headed in a positive direction for the former POTUS as he heads to Wolfeboro. Trump is making his fifth appearance of the year in a state where he has the support of 45 percent of GOP primary voters, according to the RealClearAverage polling average, and where his support has been trending higher for weeks. He’s about 31 points ahead of his closest challenger, Nikki Haley, who’s...

US lawmakers and Biden administration officials discussed increasing support for Israel at a briefing with House leadership on Sunday night, three people familiar with the call told CNN. Senior officials from the State and Defense Departments told the lawmakers they are moving as quickly as they can to deliver weapons and resources to Israel as part of already existing contracts, the sources said. That could help ensure that Washington provides some items as soon as possible, amid questions about how quickly Congress could act on a larger aid package. What the US may provide: Two people familiar said the briefing...

President Raisi also spoke over the phone with Esmail Haniyeh, the chief of Hamas political bureau, and Ziyad Nakhala, the secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad Movement. The Iranian president also issued a message on the situation in Palestine. He welcomed the Palestinian operation against the Zionist regime of Israel, saying that the operation frightened and startled the world of oppression. He said the Palestinians took the initiative and showed that the steely determination prevails over all kinds of weaponry. The Iranian president underlined that the Islamic Republic of Iran invites all the world to observe the truth that the accumulation...

“Barzini is dead. So is Phillip Tattaglia. Moe Greene. Stracci. Cuneo. Today I settled all family business, so don’t tell me that you’re innocent. Admit what you did.”— Michael Corleone, The Godfather (1973)The Godfather is a “mob movie” in roughly the same sense that Casablanca is a “World War II movie.” The mafia context of The Godfather is merely the background for a Greek tragedy about family loyalty and personal honor. Although Michael’s father had hoped to spare his youngest son from the family’s crime business, a series of crises makes it necessary — inevitable, a matter of fate —...

President Joe Biden said America will soon be “a minority-white European country,’ but encouraged his fellow Democrats to be “respectful.” “We’re going to be — very shortly — a minority-white European country,” Biden explained. “And sometimes my [Democrat] colleagues don’t speak enough to make it clear that that is not going to change how we operate.” Biden said, “It’s not so much the economic benefits; it is treating them with respect, treating them with respect.” SNIP

Update from Ukraine and Israel | Ukraine gets more ground | Israel still plans the Gaza operation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roS-BTGDUjU The summary of the situation of Russian re-invasion to Ukraine covering the recent developments on the battlefield, as of 4th October 2023 – 22:00 (Kyiv time). [NOTE: two summaries per week, released on Wednesday and Sunday] The weekly recap of the latest unit changes on our Deployment map. A collection of the most significant changes on our Deployment map during the past week. All information based on publicly available sources. https://militaryland.net/news/recap-deployment-map-changes-week-40/ *** Great interactive maps with viewer controlled Map magnification tool to...

New patriotic song Freedom by Jimmy Levy

In recent months Hamas refused to join the much smaller Islamic Jihad in launching rockets against Israel, which seems to have convinced Israeli leaders that, at long last, the leading terror group in Gaza had decided to prioritize the welfare of its subjects over more futile rocket attacks. Israel promptly reciprocated the de facto Hamas ceasefire by allowing thousands of Gazans to work in Israel—first 17,000, then 20,000, with the potential for many more. Their earnings were changing the lives of 100,000 family members with the possibility of even wider benefits. What was happening on the ground seemed to open...

A Man of Faith Who Changed HistoryColumbus's religious faith motivated his triumphant voyage.TToday, we celebrate the great legacy of Christopher Columbus. With a deep and abiding faith in God and against seemingly insurmountable odds, Columbus led a voyage of three ships across the Atlantic Ocean and discovered America. The result of his brave expedition led to subsequent expeditions to America and, ultimately, the formation of the United States.Slavery, war, and cannibalism were rampant in America before Columbus or the Spanish landed in the New World.Leftist activists seek to destroy Columbus’s legacy and, by extension, damage America’s moral legitimacy. Decrying racism...

The tomb of a courtesan who seduced the elite 'during Alexander the Great's campaigns' has been discovered after 2,300 years.Found south of Jerusalem, Israel, it contained the cremated remains of a young woman, and a rare box mirror that looks 'as if it was made yesterday'.Experts say she was a hetaira – a high-class escort from ancient Greece, who offered elite clients not only sex, but also companionship and intellectual stimulation.And she may have plied her trade accompanying the armies of Alexander the Great, or those who warred for his vast empire after the conqueror's demise.The discovery, which is detailed...

Ukraine supports 90% of anti-Israel decisions in the United Nations, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky told Ukrainian outlet ZN.UA. "This is unusual considering Kyiv often turns to the Israeli authorities for various requests," he said. "If Ukraine sees Israel as a friendly nation and makes requests from it, then it needs to support us in the matters that are important to us just as Israel works with Ukraine on matters important to it." In a UN vote in January on referring Israel to the International Court of Justice for its “occupation, settlement and annexation of Palestinian territory”, Ukraine voted...

Russian nationals may have been among those captured by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi has claimed. The diplomat made the remarks to TASS news agency on Sunday, explaining that the militants had taken a “large” number of hostages during the incursion from Gaza into southern Israel.

At 06:30 on October 7th Hamas launched several thousand Rockets with various levels of sophistication from the Gaza Strip toward the Israeli Urban centers of Ashalon Rovat and Tel Aviv which is 60 miles away. The number of rockets overwhelmed Israel's missile defense system and damage on the ground was much more extensive than normally seen during these sorts of attacks.At 07:40 Hamas launched a coordinated air sea land offensive into Israel, using bulldozers to breach physical barriers, assault craft to land on the Mediterranean beaches and paragliders to attack from the air.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against a company and a business deal that directly involves President Joe Biden's brother, James Biden. The complaint was filed last week in the Southern District of Florida against Third Friday Management and a James Biden associate, Michael Lewitt. The Commission alleges the company and Lewitt participated in “fraudulent conduct and gross breaches of fiduciary duty” to their clients, investors and the fund. They said Lewitt failed to inform investors that he had taken $30 million from the fund and put it in companies that invest in distressed healthcare companies that...

Along with anybody civilized, I have been horrified by the video and photos coming out of Israel in the wake of the Hamas attacks. Hamas. an Iranian proxy, have gone all in trying to sow terror, showing no regard for noncombatants, be they elderly, children, women, Israeli or foreign. They apparently have kidnapped and killed foreign tourists attending some goofy peace concert, dragging them back to Gaza and parading them naked through the streets. No animal does this; only human scum of the sort that belongs on death row. Hamas, in my view, have adopted a Tet Offensive strategy. Before...

After more than 300 Israelis were murdered in an unprovoked attack by Hamas, operating out of the Gaza Strip, Magen David Adom could certainly use your help in providing medical care and other relief to the more than 2200 Israelis wounded in the attack. Magen David's figures differ from that in the general news; they are claiming 600 Israelis were murdered, which could be from some of the wounded succumbing to their wounds. "Magen David Adom is Israel’s national paramedic and Red Cross service. A leader in mass-casualty response and EMS technology, MDA treats and transports almost 1 million people...

A leaked email purportedly written by CBC's director of journalistic standards instructs reporters not to call those involved in the current attacks on Israel "terrorists." The email, dated Oct. 7, written by CBC's director of journalistic standards George Achi, says: “Do not refer to militants, soldiers, or anyone else as 'terrorists.' The notion of terrorism remains heavily politicized and is part of the story.” “Even when quoting/clipping a government or a source referring to fighters as 'terrorists,' we should add context to ensure the audience understands this is opinion, not fact. That includes statements from the Canadian government and Canadian...

Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have stopped insurance companies from charging more than $35 for insulin. The bill would have banned health plans and disability insurance policies from imposing any out-of-pocket expenses on insulin prescription drugs above $35 for a 30-day supply. That would have included deductibles and co-pays. The California governor, a Democrat, said earlier this year that the state would soon start making its own brand of insulin. California has a $50m contract with the non-profit pharmaceutical company Civica Rx to manufacture the insulin under the brand CalRx. The state would sell a 10-milliliter vial...