Free Republic

South African politician Julius Malema, the leader of the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, responded to President Donald Trump’s claims about “genocide” Wednesday by reiterating calls to kill white farmers. Earlier that day, Trump had shown visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa video of Malema leading rally chants of “Kill the Boer!”, “Kill the farmer!”, “Shoot to kill!”, and other incendiary slogans. Ramaphosa tried to argue that Malema’s rhetoric did not represent the government’s policies, but Trump countered that South Africa had passed a law allowing expropriation of land without compensation, that it had racially discriminatory laws, and that...

Are we still permitted to question and debate the mask and lockdowns, or is the new inquisition muzzling us in more than a figurative way? Many – including physicians and health-care workers of all stripes – have been skeptical of the mask (as well as the curfews and ‘stay at home’ orders) and their prophylactic efficacy: What do these layers of fabric do to stop a virus that is so small it almost obeys the rules of the quantum world? People speak of ‘particularates’ and ‘expectoration’ with solemn and grave tones, as though viruses could vector no other way, when...

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has disclosed that his record property tax hike plan entails significant cuts for nearly 300,000 homeowners, leaving Chicago businesses predicting they will face hikes of up to 50 percent. The second-term mayor last week proposed a $544 million property tax increase, the city's biggest ever, to help fix one of the worst-funded city pension systems in America ... Emanuel's office, which has said one in four dollars of the tax hike would come from the city's central business district, did not contest the 50-percent figure. But a mayoral aide insisted Emanuel's plan is his best effort...