Free Republic

All told, seven people died in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6. But only Ashli Babbitt’s death was directly caused by violence that day. She was a rioter killed by a Capitol Police officer, who fired the only shot by any person during the 4½-hour siege. Yet the story of who he is and why he opened fire remains shrouded in mystery.More than six weeks after Babbitt succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the upper chest, authorities are keeping secret the identity of the officer who fired the fatal round. They won’t release his name, and...

I was just given the following bullet points from one of the individuals who got briefed at the staff level on John Boehner’s proposal: On background if you would please, just left the meeting on the Boehner deal. Some highlights: 1. Outlay reduction for FY 12 – $25 billion cut in discretionary spending. 2. Debt limit increase right away – $1 trillion 5. Joint Select Cmte Created – 12 Members, if Commission recs pass on entitlement reform, then Pres gets another debt limit increase 6. Budget Authority in FY 12 is $ 7 billion less than FY 11 in discretionary...

Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell's recent proclamation of Confederate History Month provoked a firestorm of criticism, with many accusing him and those who commemorate their Southern ancestors' bravery of ignoring or even defending slavery. But the cruel and evil institution of slavery was not the sole or even primary reason for the South's secession from the Union, nor was it a significant motivating factor for individual Confederate soldiers. Yet many of us in the South, including those descended from old Jewish families of the Confederacy, still struggle to expose the truth about why Southern soldiers fought, the courage they showed...

A 6-year-old's extreme allergy is pitting concerns about the boy's safety against the right of his schoolmates to enjoy an American classic -- a peanut butter sandwich. A nationwide increase in peanut allergies is prompting a debate playing out in his small elementary school in Seymour and across the country. But while some school districts have decided to bar anyone from bringing peanut products to school, Seymour and others say such rules are unfair to the rest of the students. "I think more and more people are looking for protection from cradle to grave, and I really don't believe that's...