For the first time in recorded history, statistics indicate that more young men are attending religious services than young women, according to R. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  The Heritage Foundation hosted Mohler on May 26 to deliver a talk titled “Young Men Turning to Religion.” Mohler discussed the cultural and theological reasons behind the rising numbers of young men who go to church and want to get married and have a family. While “mainline Protestantism” has embraced woke and liberal movements and consequently has received less attention and lower church attendance, Mohler noted that denominations that uphold “thick Christianity” and orthodox beliefs are seeing an increase in the attendance of young men aged 18 to 29.  “Young men are going in three primary directions, which I think are understandable,” Mohler argued. “Those primary directions are Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Confessional Protestantism. So, I want to make the argument that even as young men are showing up in larger numbers, they’re not just showing up in churches. They’re showing up in churches that are predictable in terms of the fact that they have substantial, historical, doctrinal engagement, that they are representing very solid beliefs.” What sets these three branches apart is their ontology, or their understanding of “creation order” and human morality as intrinsically bound into human nature, according to Mohler. The fact that young women not only have become less religious but are also less eager to have children indicates that women have rejected ontology and the proper order of nature. “In the beginning of the 20th century, Pitirim Sorokin, the Russian, made the observation that every society has faced a crisis in turning boys into men, but basically no society had faced a crisis of turning girls into women in terms of functionality,” Mohler said. “I think Pitirim Sorokin would have to revise that understanding, not to say that we’re in a time in which civilization does not face a crisis of turning boys into men. But we now face a crisis, I think unique to Western civilization, in terms of convincing young women to move ahead, in terms of the hallmarks of what it means to embrace the female role, and in particular in terms of marriage and the bearing of children.” For young men, their inclination to raise families might stem from a desire to give what they never had. “I think a father hunger is producing in a lot of young men a wonderful fulfillment of the role of a father,” Mohler said. It doesn’t seem that men are just acting out of “tribalism” or a need to be accepted, according to Mohler, because they’re making hard decisions and changing how they live. “I just don’t think ‘tribal’ gets you that far,” Mohler said. “I think tribal gets you to the interesting event and the food that follows. I don’t think tribal gets you to, ‘I’m going to commit my life to this, I’m going to restructure my entire value system to this.’”

Memorial Day is a special time on the American calendar when we take a moment to think about and pay tribute to those who gave their lives for this wonderful country we call home. It’s a wonderful and venerated tradition. But the Left isn’t too interested in that. They have higher priorities. Whatever it is you decided to do this Memorial Day, it was almost certainly time better spent than what the typical Democratic official was doing over the weekend. If they just said “have a nice day, enjoy the weather” as former Vice President Kamala Harris did in 2021, it would have been better than what a whole host of them decided to do this year. This Memorial Day they didn’t just ignore the occasion, many focused their energy on making cheap partisan talking points, joining mobs on behalf of illegal aliens, and showing how generally disconnected they are with the traditional values of this country. It was a perfectly Democrat way to kick off the summer. Let’s have a quick roundup. The Partisan Cheap Shot at the Expense of Fallen Soldiers The first and maybe the most egregious example of bad behavior this Memorial Day came from the Democratic National Committee. “Today, we honor the American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in [President Donald] Trump’s war with Iran,” the official Democrat X account said on Monday. Using the death of these soldiers to take a shot at the president didn’t go over very well on social media. Some commentators called it “repulsive” and “appaling. Democrat Leadership is absolutely repulsive for doing this! The Democratic Party under fire for using Memorial Day to take a political swipe at President Trump after the DNC posted a tribute to Americans “who have died in Trump’s war with Iran.”The post featured photos of… pic.twitter.com/sIWuyDBY1u— Michelle Maxwell (@MichelleMaxwell) May 25, 2026 Memorial Day is about honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country and standing with the Gold Star families who carry their memory every day.It is appalling that the Democratic Party used Memorial Day and the sacrifice of fallen servicemembers for a… https://t.co/Q4jcZLutkb— Congressman Zach Nunn (@ZachNunn) May 26, 2026 The post was bad enough that one Democrat rightly spoke up. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who represents Illinois, chimed in to denounce the post. “It is incredibly distasteful to use our heroic dead for a political attack on Memorial Day,” she wrote on X. “I’m a Democrat and I condemn this post by the DNC.” It is incredibly distasteful to use our heroic dead for a political attack on Memorial Day.I’m a Democrat and I condemn this post by the DNC. https://t.co/Qv6SGR6YWn— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyDuckworth) May 25, 2026 The DNC then deleted the post and added a generic tribute to fallen troops. Skipping the Parade, Joining the Mob Instead of honoring Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, top New Jersey Democrats decided to fight for criminal illegal aliens who’ve broken our laws. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim, both Democrats, showed up at the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark on Monday to protest on behalf of those detained there. They claimed that the illegal aliens being detained had been mistreated and were on a hunger strike. Both these claims have been denied by the Department of Homeland Security. Whatever the accusation, this ended up being more of a riot than a mere protest as the mob tried to block the ICE facility and threw bottles at the employees. WATCH: Protesters clash with law enforcement officers outside an ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, just a day after their initial demonstration turned chaotic.ICE agents in riot gear arrived Monday afternoon to clear protesters blocking Delaney Hall’s entrance over concerns… pic.twitter.com/78P0BzfdOR— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 26, 2026 Federal agents eventually deployed pepper spray to disperse the crown. Sam Stein at the Bulwark threw a completely out of context post up on X saying merely that “ICE pepper sprayed a US Senator today.” In journalism that’s called burying the lede. DHS said in a statement that nobody had been struck by the pepper spray balls and that it had been used because “rioters refused to follow law enforcement commands and continue to obstruct the exit route.” In a video of the incident Kim appeared to be dissuading the crowd from attacking the facility, but he was jeered and clearly ignored. Kudos to my colleague Andy Kim for trying to convince the ICE protesters to do the right thing—and stop obstructing vehicles from coming into and leaving the ICE facility https://t.co/r1K8inl6xD— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) May 26, 2026 ICE later posted a quick roundup of occupants in the Newark detention center. “Jose De La O Lainez, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, arrested in Plainfield, New Jersey. His criminal history includes homicide.” “Jhan Martinez-Valverde, a criminal illegal alien from Peru, arrested in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His criminal history includes sex offense against a child.” “Sergio Marques Abrantes, a criminal illegal alien from Portugal, arrested in Newark, New Jersey. His criminal history includes enticement of a minor for indecent purposes.” I’ve got an idea. Here me out, New Jersey Democrats. Instead of rushing to the aid of murderers, rapists, and pedophiles, I have a list of names they may want to consider taking a small moment of their precious time to honor next year. Here’s a local boy they may want to consider. Marine Corps. Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone grew up in Raritan, New Jersey and earned the Medal of Honor for valiant action at the Battle of Guadalcanal when he held off a Japanese attack with his pistol. He saved the lives of many men and continued to serve with distinction through the Pacific War. Basilone was later killed at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Just a suggestion for next year. Grumbling About Military Spending Among the pettier moments this Memorial Day weekend were the barbs aimed at military displays. Fake Somali-run “daycares” siphoned off billions of dollars from state and federal treasuries and it hardly registered a shrug on the Left. But briefly flying a military helicopter over a car race to pay homage to the troops? *Gasp* Waste! I don't want to ever hear a conservative mention the term wasteful spending again. Ever. https://t.co/kjtTVw1Jmv— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) May 26, 2026 Here’s California Gov. Gavin Newsom telling Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that all we want is “lower gas prices.” Sir, we just want lower gas prices https://t.co/8IGWIpg2Fr— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 25, 2026 Keep in mind, if the governor cared about the highest-in-nation gas prices in his state, he could have done something about them years ago. Newsom clearly doesn’t mind using astronomical amounts of taxpayer dollars on projects to appease and enrich the state’s social justice warrior class. Or himself. George Floyd Finally, we come to another true “hero” Democrats spent time honoring this Memorial Day: George Floyd. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey decided to pay special tribute to Floyd. Today, we remember George Floyd, who was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer six years ago. That moment changed our city forever.— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) May 25, 2026 We are committed to honoring this place both as a memorial with global significance and as a neighborhood where people live, work, gather, and heal,” Frey said of George Floyd Square. “The work ahead is bigger than any one moment or administration.” Fox News host Lisa Boothe called it a “disgrace” to honor a “criminal” on Memorial Day. It is Memorial Day, and the Mayor of Minneapolis is honoring a criminal. Disgrace. https://t.co/mBN0FSITl6— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) May 25, 2026 “Patriotic Americans spend today remembering those heroes of our armed forces who gave their lives in service of this country, not praying at the altar of a felon druggy who died of a fentanyl overdose, you moronic sniveling coward,” radio host Buck Sexton wrote on X. Here’s Waltz dancing at the George Floyd Square ceremony instead of attending Memorial Day ceremonies. Tim Walz was a no-show at a Memorial Day event for the troops, but decided to dance at George Floyd Square.A governor, who campaigned as VP partly on his illustrious military career, who can't even feign respect for our fallen heroes.Pathetic.pic.twitter.com/8wwfQxNVrT— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) May 26, 2026 If there was any doubt how Democrats and the Left will respond to this year’s 250th anniversary celebrations on the Fourth of July, I’d say this has been an enlightening preview of what’s to come.

Spencer Pratt, a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, is accusing incumbent Karen Bass of violating election law by electioneering within 100 feet of a ballot box.  In a video posted to Bass’ social media, she is seen giving a speech to an audience of supporters and casting her ballot while being cheered on.  You can drop off your ballot at voting centers and drop boxes throughout the city. Voting early is easy, even Babies for Bass agree! pic.twitter.com/aVw3WuPLwB— Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) May 25, 2026 Pratt responded to Bass’ post on X, stating that his lawyers had filed a formal complaint. “Karen Bass just violated election law here. She is so accustomed to breaking the law with no accountability, she even filmed herself doing it. Well, those days are over. We just filed a formal complaint for illegally gaming the election. We must protect our democracy.” Pratt’s legal team is claiming that Bass violated Article B, Section 815 of the Elections Code of the City of Los Angeles, which outlines that “no person shall do any electioneering, solicit a vote, or speak to a voter on the subject of marking the voter’s ballot on Election Day within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling place.”  While Pratt has filed a formal complaint, it is not guaranteed that charges against the mayoral incumbent will follow. If Bass were found to have intentionally violated California electioneering laws, she could face consequences such as a warning, fines, misdemeanor charge, and in rare cases, time in county jail.  It is unclear whether Bass’ actions meet the legal threshold for electioneering, as legal experts usually distinguish between appearances near voting locations and voter solicitation.    Pratt’s complaint comes as he continues to grow more popular in polls, with the most recent data from Cygnal Political showing 22% support for Pratt compared to Bass’ 25%, and Nithya Raman at 18%.  A spokesperson for Bass did not immediately respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment. 

Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for the Daily Signal.   This Monday was Memorial Day. It commemorated all the Americans who died on behalf of the United States from its beginning to the present. It started out as Decoration Day. It was a phenomenon that grew out of the horrific Civil War in which 650,0000—700,000 Americans, North and South, died.  And people in that post-war era felt that their graves should be commemorated. And once people started to decorate the graves or put flowers on them or flags, that custom spread to the North, and each state then started to commemorate it. And it was finally federalized as an official holiday not until 1971.  I can remember when I was a senior in high school, it was announced that from now on, the last Monday coinciding with a three-day weekend would be commemorated as Memorial Day. I found a lot of students confuse it, or they do not even know what it is. They think that Veterans Day, which always falls on November 11, is the same.  No, it commemorates anybody, everybody who served in the armed forces, whether they were wounded, killed, or survived. And that is always on November 11 for a reason. It grew out of Armistice Day, and that was the ending of the First World War. It was decided to make it an iconic time or date, so it was the eleventh month, November, on the eleventh day, at the eleventh hour of the day when the fighting stopped.  And then to memorialize it further, that name morphed into Veterans Day to commemorate not just World War I’s ending, but all the people that served.   How many people have died fighting for America? About 1.2 million, and that includes 20,000 to 25,000 in the Revolutionary War if we count disease as well, maybe 20,000 in the War of 1812.  The Mexican War, 1848, there were probably 5,000. The big number, of course, was 650,000 to 700,000 in the Civil War since everybody on both sides who died was an American. And note the first great battle in April 1862, Shiloh, more people died in the initial big battle of the war at Shiloh than had perished in all the wars prior to Shiloh.  And then, of course, there was the Spanish-American War, World War I, where 117,000 died. My grandfather was farming. He was 26. He was minding his own business. He was drafted, and he went over to Belgium and France. The next thing he knew, he was at the Meuse-Argonne and was gassed and invalided out after two years and came back severely disabled.  And then, of course, World War II, where somewhere between 405,000 to 450,000 died, depending on how we count those who were sick, whether it was battle-related or whether they were in the United States or overseas.   I can remember, I am named after Victor Hanson, who was killed with the 6th Marine Division on May 19, 1945, in the last hour of fighting on Sugar Loaf Hill.  And then, of course, Korea with another 35,000, and then we had 58,000 in Vietnam and 7,000 in Iraq and Afghanistan and on, and on.   The singularity, though, we commemorate or are depressed by or awed by the numbers in two wars, the 430,000 that died in World War II and the 650,000 or 700,000—that is almost a million Americans who died—and I think people should recognize that.   We are now a country—we have never been on this frontier before in terms of percentages or the actual numbers of foreign-born. We have about 53 million Americans who were not born in the United States, and that is about 16.2% of the current population.  That is a huge number. And unfortunately, those large influxes occur at a time when we have lost confidence in the American system or experiment because we do not have civic education anymore. We do not have classes from K-12, much less in university, where people know about the iconic events, what the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is, what caused the Civil War, what was Iwo Jima, what was Pearl Harbor.  Nobody seems to have any reference, any knowledge of that. And so what we need to do is to—one of the ways, the best way, I think, to assimilate legal immigrants is to remind them that they wanted to come to this country. We did not force them to come. In most cases, we did not invite them to come.   They chose to come here because they felt, in terms of security, personal freedom, and economic viability, they would be better off than they were in their home countries.  So when they arrived in this fully developed 250th year of America this year, they should ask themselves, and we should help them understand why this was such a prosperous, great nation, why it is the oldest constitutional republic in the world today, and why it has been so successful.   And the answer is that from time to time in its 250-year history, it has called on young people 18, 19, 20 [years old] to go far overseas in almost every case except the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812, and fight enemies, whether they were German militarists or Austro-Hungarian militarists or Nazism in Germany or fascism in Italy or Japanese militarism or during the Cold War in Korea to stop communist aggression in Vietnam, same thing.  But they were uprooted from a very comfortable existence, and they gave their lives so that the United States today would be what it is. And if we do not tell people that, there is no appreciation that they came late to a country in which 1.2 million people had died to make it the attractive nation that enticed them to come in the first place.  And it is not just legal immigrants that need to relearn the lesson of American sacrifice, it is our own youth. They grow up with iPhones, they grow up with sophisticated automobiles, they grow up as beneficiaries of 21st-century medicine. All of that is a result, a dividend, of the sacrifice of people that we do not even know anymore.  And sometimes we do not even know the places or the circumstances in which they gave their fullest and their last sacrifice. And they were all young, and they never had a chance as the rest of us did to mature. So on Memorial Day, think of the dead and what they did for us and try to commemorate it.  We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal.

First on the Daily Signal — Defending Education uncovered that Simmons Law School at Southern Illinois University threatened students who did not attend a mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training with a “letter of reprimand,” which would be placed in a student’s permanent file and potentially shared with the bar. “Those who cannot attend in person typically fulfill the make-up expectations without issue,” one of the school’s associate deans wrote to a student who did not want to attend the training, according to an email obtained by Defending Education. “If a student misses a required session and does not complete a make-up within a reasonable period of time, we typically issue a letter of reprimand.” “That letter is placed in the student’s permanent file and would be shared with the bar if the file is requested as part of the character and fitness process,” the email, which the parental rights group uncovered through multiple Freedom of Information Act requests, added. Other emails showed that the school focused their training on how the legal field is racially discriminatory. For instance, the first portion of the training focused on bullying in the legal profession. One slide read, “bullying disproportionately affects traditionally underrepresented groups.” Another added that “lawyers of color were bullied more often than white lawyers.” Defending Education also uncovered that the students lacked information about the purpose of the session but discovered a “mandatory DEI meeting sign-in sheet” when they arrived at the training. In a statement to the Daily Signal, Erika Sanzi, senior director of communications at Defending Education, called the school’s threat toward students “indefensible and embarrassing.” “Threatening law school students with a letter of reprimand if they refuse to attend a DEI session they were deceived about is indefensible and embarrassing,” a statement from Defending Education said. This move at Southern Illinois University mirrors similar attempts from other law schools who have mandated DEI trainings for their students in recent years, as reported by The College Fix. Sarah Parshall Perry, senior legal fellow at Defending Education, told The College Fix in April that “law school is a time for real intellectual development, not infusing race-based programs into these legal paradigms.” “In addition, 72 law schools appear to maintain DEI offices—or rebranded versions of them—that remain in operation,” she added. “They are instead ensuring race-based perspectives in legal education at the cost of excellence in legal education.” Last year, a different College Fix article noted that a Goldwater Institute report found that DEI requirements in at least 30 states cost students and taxpayers at least $1.8 billion per four-year period. Meanwhile, the current undergraduate population at public universities will spend “at least 40 million hours” fulfilling these mandates in order to graduate, the report noted by The College Fix added.