The loud pro-Hamas protests that have unfolded across Europe and North America for the past few months are the latest manifestation of a transformation that has been going on for decades. Many protesters carried Islamic flags and chanted “death to the Jews” or “from the river to the sea‚ Palestine will be free.” They attempted to disrupt the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in New York City‚ with some shouting “burn it down.” They blocked roads‚ targeted shops‚ disrupted gatherings‚ and harassed Western leaders and politicians‚ from King Charles to Justin Trudeau‚ Keir Starmer‚ and Joe Biden‚ to name a few. The elites have instigated a demographic change‚ resulting in crime-ridden‚ divided‚ poorer‚ and less tolerant societies. In Montreal‚ thousands gathered to listen to a man masked with a Palestinian kufiyah in the style of Hamas chief terrorist Abu Obaida. He asked his audience what they wanted‚ and they replied: a revolution — “intifada.” The same slogan was repeated on January 13th at a demonstration in front of the White House. The Elite Universities and Terrorism While the world was reeling from the shocking brutality of the October 7th attacks‚ vocal groups in the West began praising Hamas and justifying its crimes. In a staggering display of callousness‚ 31 student organizations at Harvard University‚ consisting mainly of students from the Middle East and Asia‚ issued a lengthy statement indicting Israel for Hamas’s crimes‚ hours after the attacks. They stated that they “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for the unfolding violence.” A student group at Tufts University issued an even more disturbing statement‚ claiming that “Since Friday‚ Palestinians have been launching a historic attack on the colonizers. Footage of the liberation fighters from Gaza paragliding into occupied territory has shown the creativity necessary to take back stolen land.” Columbia University’s Students for Justice in Palestine claimed that Hamas’s actions were “a counter-offensive against their settler-colonial oppressor.” On January 23rd this year‚ during a pro-Hamas protest held at that university‚ the gathered students praised the violence and called (in Arabic) for the ethnic cleansing of Israeli Jews. From the Halls of Power to the Streets In contrast to Western governments‚ most of which condemned Hamas and supported Israel‚ two Muslim American congresswomen‚ along with 19 Muslim MPs in Britain‚ failed to denounce the terrorist organization‚ or even urge it to release the children and women they had kidnapped. Instead‚ they have raucously condemned Israel and the governments which support it. For instance‚ the British MP for Birmingham‚ Tahir Ali‚ accused the British Prime Minister of having “the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands.” Muslim American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib‚ who came to the U.S. as a refugee‚ defended posting the first half of the slogan: “From the river to the sea‚ Palestine will be free‚” claiming that it is a call for peace. In contrast‚ British PM Rishi Sunak affirmed that “Those who chant ‘from the river to the sea’ are either useful idiots who do not understand what they are saying or worse‚ people who wish to wipe the Jewish state from the map.” One Country but Not One Nation In France‚ a poll conducted a month after the Hamas attacks revealed that 50 percent of French Muslims under 25 years of age and 53 percent aged over 50 characterize Hamas atrocities as “resistance against colonization.” Nineteen percent of the questioned French Muslims affirmed that they support Hamas. This contrasts sharply with the French general public‚ 90 percent of whom view Hamas attacks as war crimes and terrorism. A similar disparity exists in most other European countries. The gap between immigrant societies and native communities in Europe encompasses a wide array of essential values‚ from views on homosexuality‚ women’s rights‚ human rights‚ freedom of expression‚ and the role of religion in daily life. Did the leaders of the Western world understand this disparity when drafting their immigration policies? Revolutionary Vision of the Mediocre The ruling political parties of western Europe oversaw a mass migration of people mainly from Africa and Asia to the West‚ aiming to improve the prosperous‚ peaceful‚ homogeneous‚ aging populations with multicultural‚ multi-ethnic‚ diverse communities. They argued that this would bring a surplus of laborers‚ progressive voters‚ more tolerance‚ and prosperity. Angela Merkel is a prominent example of a politician who pursued this policy. She argued that Germany should have no limits in accepting illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. In 2015‚ she reportedly asked then-Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to censor criticism of her decision to allow millions of illegal immigrants into Germany. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau is another staunch champion of multiculturalism and mass migration; he allowed over a million immigrants in the past three years and has repeatedly affirmed that “Diversity is Canada’s strength.” The newcomers were encouraged to maintain their cultures‚ beliefs‚ and social identities and to look down on the culture of the host societies. For instance‚ in 2006‚ Sweden’s then-Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said while visiting a town known for its large immigrant population that ‘Swedish indigenous culture was simple barbarism. Civilization had come from outside.” The number of Syrian-born individuals living in Sweden increased from less than seven thousands in 1990 to 197‚799 in 2023; Iraqi-born from 9‚818 to 146‚831; and Somali-born from 1‚441 to 69‚477. Over six million people immigrated into Germany alone between 2013 and 2022‚ and an additional 351‚915 individuals applied for asylum just last year: 104‚561 from Syria‚ 62‚624 from Turkey‚ and 53‚582 from Afghanistan. In France‚ the number of asylum applicants in 2023 was 142‚500‚ and in the UK‚ a further 93‚296‚ with Afghans constituting the largest portion. Criminal clans‚ grenade attacks‚ rape pandemic‚ no-go zones‚ mass shootings‚ honor killings‚ terrorism‚ and gang warfare became the new norms in Sweden‚ Norway‚ Denmark‚ Finland‚ among other European countries‚ with migrants and asylum seekers having been blamed for them. The Paris attacks of 2015‚ the Charlie Hebdo shooting‚ the Manchester Arena bombing‚ the Brussels bombings‚ the Berlin attack‚ the 2015-16 New Year’s sexual assaults in Germany‚ the 2010 Stockholm bombings‚ the 2017 truck attack‚ and the 2018 Freiburg gang rape are a few of the countless major crimes perpetrated by immigrants and asylum seekers. While steadfastly pursuing their agenda‚ the elites have demonstrated a striking disregard for the larger public’s opinion and the facts on the ground. They don’t tolerate dissenting voices and cast those who don’t conform to their ideas as evil‚ greedy‚ unwilling to share with others‚ and ignorant. The way Gordon Brown dealt with a Labor voter who confronted him about the economy and immigration policies during his 2010 election campaign exemplifies the elite’s mentality. Brown feigned compassion while listening to the sincere woman‚ but once in his car‚ was overheard calling her a “bigoted woman” whom he “shouldn’t have met with.” The elites have instigated a demographic change‚ resulting in crime-ridden‚ divided‚ poorer‚ and less tolerant societies. This change has caused immense harm to the natives‚ not just the many victims of terrorism and crimes but also all taxpayers‚ who bear the burden of supporting foreigners unwilling to contribute or assimilate into society. Legal immigrants eager to integrate might be the most adversely affected by illegal migration. Meanwhile‚ the elites‚ along with a portion of their supporters‚ have benefited from this transformation. The promise of improving Western societies by creating policies based on notions such as open borders‚ positive discrimination‚ equity‚ diversity‚ inclusion‚ and multiculturalism has been successfully employed to secure electoral victories‚ fame‚ and influence. Many corporations have made fortunes from lucrative government contracts dedicated to providing housing‚ healthcare‚ education‚ and other services for illegal immigrants. In 2023‚ Germany spent at least 48.2 billion Euros of taxpayers’ money on migrants.  (READ MORE: Georgetown University Stumps for the Muslim Brotherhood) The people who have instituted the societal transformation have largely remained sheltered from its negative effects. Angela Merkel was re-elected after she allowed the entry of millions of unvetted‚ illegal immigrants‚ including terrorists and rapists. Fredrik Reinfeldt‚ who played a significant role in changing the demographics of Sweden‚ remained in power for eight years. The demographic change has already occurred‚ at a price to the people on the ground‚ while benefiting the elites. The mass migration and demographic transformation will continue as long as the decision-makers are not directly affected by the adverse consequences. Until the elites are held accountable for what they have done‚ there won’t be any meaningful reform. READ MORE: American Muslims Must Repudiate Pro-Hamas Charities ‘Holocaust Envy’ and the New Anti-Semitism Islamist Academics and Activists Shill for Jailed Jihadists The post Hamas and the West’s Demographic Transformation appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

It is not hard to detect almost a sigh of relief amidst the left-wing panic over the supposed attempt by so-called “Christian nationalists” to return American to a more religious time. At just the moment when progressivism is experiencing a political backlash for its anti-Semitic sympathies‚ its opposition to controlled immigration‚ and its costly net-zero agenda‚ the idea that a group of white‚ right-wing extremists are plotting a theocratic revival of the country must seem like … well … a Godsend. [T]he Christian nationalist measures the welfare of a nation by the extent to which its people are allowed to serve God’s will as they understand it. The left’s handwringing over this alleged conspiracy actually dates back to just before Covid. Ever since late 2019‚ America Magazine‚ the Center for American Progress‚ the New Yorker‚ NPR‚ and other liberal opinion makers have been breathlessly reporting every conceivable sign that the Christian right has mobilized to reverse the secular progress made possible by the New Deal and the Great Society. (READ MORE from Lewis Andrews: Fix the Economy and Conservative Values Will Follow) But the paranoia really kicked into high gear last November when the leftist press began claiming that Republican representative Mike Johnson’s ascension to the post of House speaker had been engineered by a secret network of Christian activists. If the election of a seeming unknown comes as a surprise to the larger world‚ the Nation warned its readers‚ it does not to the oil barons and other fundamentalist power brokers on the right: “They’ve been grooming Johnson for this position for many years.” And in a piece for Salon‚ former Playboy White House correspondent Brian Karem declared that the new speaker‚ working secretly with Christian nationalist allies‚ constituted a “bigger threat to America than Hamas could ever be.” More recently‚ we have the December announcement from liberal filmmaker Rob Reiner that his latest documentary‚ tentatively titled “God and Country‚” will be released to theaters in February. Describing his production as a look “at the implications of Christian nationalism‚” Reiner promises audiences it will show “what happens when a faith built on love‚ sacrifice‚ and forgiveness grows political tentacles‚ conflating power‚ money‚ and belief into hyper-nationalism.” The timing of the documentary’s release is likely not a coincidence. Having argued that the Republican party is under the influence of Christian nationalists and having identified the shadowy cabal’s agenda as returning the U.S. to a more explicitly and repressively religious era‚ Democrats clearly plan to hype the joint claims as much as possible before the November elections. The left is right about one thing: Christian nationalism does exist. Which is to say that it always has been‚ and continues to be‚ an important intellectual movement in U.S. history. But for Democrats to suggest that the heirs to this tradition would want to impose a more religious form of government today ignores the fact that even in more religious times Americans never had‚ or wanted‚ such a government. Early American Christians were sufficiently versed in the history of Europe’s Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) to know that any effort to make their Constitution and Bill of Rights overtly theological could well prompt an ugly struggle among the country’s various denominations to dictate the final draft. Even worse‚ it might produce the very kind of European state religion which had prompted so many religious minorities to seek freedom of worship in the New World. That is why‚ for the three centuries from the founding of Harvard until World War I‚ the Protestant clergy running nearly every U.S. college and university never used their influential platforms to advocate for a more overtly Christian government. Down though American history‚ the goal of Christian nationalists has always had much less to do with forcing the state to echo their religious convictions than with minimizing the ways the state might compel them to compromise those convictions. They especially wanted to make it possible for a Christian to serve or to work in government without having to violate his or her faith. The current progressive demonization of Christian nationalism would clearly have baffled those non-Christians in times past. Probably the best-known result of such efforts is the body of law surrounding conscientious objection to war. As far back as the American Revolution‚ states such as Pennsylvania allowed those who believed any killing immoral to avoid joining local militias in return for paying a fine equal to the time they would have spent drilling. During World War I conscientious objectors were permitted to serve the armed forces in noncombatant roles‚ such as ambulance driver‚ and eventually to become either auxiliary farmhands in the U.S. or relief workers in war-torn parts of Europe. (READ MORE: Progressivism Is Aggravating America’s Mental Health Crisis) With the Second World War came the option to join the Civilian Public Service (CPS) as a firefighter‚ mental health worker‚ conservationist‚ or in some other socially needed capacity. Religious civilians who objected to funding combat by buying war bonds were provided alternative savings vehicles. Today‚ the spirit of Christian nationalism is very much alive in events like last October’s sixth annual conference on “Christianity and National Security” in Washington‚ DC. Sponsored by the Institute for Religion and Democracy‚ it brought together Georgetown professor Matthew Kroenig‚ Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Rebeccah Heinrichs‚ former U.S. Special Envoy J. Peter Pham‚ and other experts to discuss the intersection of Christian ethics and American foreign policy. Among the topics they addressed were how to live one’s faith while representing the U.S. government in a country with different values‚ what policymakers can learn from the Christian concept of a “just war‚” and what individual Americans can do to help other peoples displaced by war. Because of their desire to preserve the believer’s ability to express his or her sense of God’s calling‚ no matter how it may differ from what is most convenient for the state‚ Christian nationalists generally share in social conservatism’s advocacy of small government‚ free markets‚ and traditional morality. But whereas the social conservative tends to stress the need for large institutions to reflect and promote that morality‚ the Christian nationalist places a greater emphasis on the simple freedom to go wherever the spirit leads‚ regardless of what others might believe. Just as the seventeenth-century Puritan radicals understood that everyone’s life has the potential to help incarnate a better — if unforeseeable — world‚ so the Christian nationalist measures the welfare of a nation by the extent to which its people are allowed to serve God’s will as they understand it. A very old idea in American history‚ indeed the one idea that all the early Christian colonies would have either subscribed to or at least respected‚ despite their denominational differences. The current progressive demonization of Christian nationalism would clearly have baffled those non-Christians in times past who understood that the freedoms it created in the U.S. could not only be enjoyed by citizens of all faiths but even guide other countries in how to better reconcile religion and government. When it was learned‚ for example‚ that First Dutch Reformed Church pastor and U.S. Congressman Julius Hawley Seelye would stop in Bombay on his 1872–73 around the-world tour‚ educated Hindus prevailed upon him to deliver a series of lectures which were published widely throughout India. Twenty years later‚ Chicago hosted the World’s Parliament of Religions as the centerpiece of its four-hundred-year anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World‚ in part to satisfy the growing curiosity about Christian nationalism in places as far away as China. The event attracted seven thousand participants representing faiths from every part of the world and was covered for seventeen days on the front pages of U.S. newspapers from coast to coast. In our own time‚ the journal Providence carries on the Christian nationalist tradition of seeking ways to maximize spiritual freedom in the political realm‚ both at home and abroad. Its contributors include journalist Fred Barnes‚ who most famously appeared as a regular panelist on TV’s McLaughlin Group‚ and the Wall Street Journal’s Global Views Columnist‚ Walter Russell Mead. (READ MORE: Meet the Suburban Parents) All this is not to say that Christian nationalism has ever represented some kind of one-world philosophy or followed the Enlightenment tendency to see all religions as the same. Self-declared Christian nationalists are‚ and always were‚ Bible believing followers of Jesus. But unlike their current progressive attackers‚ they have long understood that it is far more dangerous for government to command a better society than to allow its citizens to build it by their own lights. Dr. Andrews is president of the Children’s Educational Opportunity Foundation. His latest book is Living Spiritually in the Material World (Fidelis Books). The post Christian Nationalism Benefits All Americans appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Mercantilism 2.0‚ the economic manifestation of multipolarity‚ is streaking across the geostrategic firmament.  The sun has set on globalization‚ the economic manifestation of a unipolar world order reflecting American primacy.  The transition to a new economic order of the emerging multipolar world is occurring against the backdrop of Cold War 2.0 which has been ushered in by the Ukraine — Russia War.  For those thinking in time‚ Feb. 22‚ 2022 will serve as a useful marker of the tectonic shift in the world’s trajectory. In a decoupling scenario‚ the U.S. would cease buying goods and services from China and instead buy the same or comparable goods and services from India. So‚ what is Mercantilism 2.0?  In its simplest form‚ Mercantilism 2.0 is characterized by trading with friendly countries while avoiding and abstaining from commercial intercourse with unfriendly countries that are viewed as actual or potential national security threats. The driving force of Mercantilism 2.0 is national security‚ which is symbolized by the inextricably intertwined trinity of military security‚ political security‚ and economic security.  The unchanging reality of the economic world is scarcity of resources and unequal endowment of such resources‚ so absolute autarky is an impossibility for a state and‚ therefore‚ resource imbalances must be intermediated through trade among states.  In a multipolar world‚ such trade is deliberately fragmented and restricted to a subset of friendly states rather than conducted freely among the universe of all states. The core objective of Mercantilism 2.0 is to forge resilient and secure supply chains binding together a group of countries with converging vital national interests and converging perceptions of the threats to such interests. Accordingly‚ the foundation of Mercantilism 2.0 is economic security within the framework of a symbiotic geostrategic ecosystem. (READ MORE: Biden’s ‘Buy American’ Requirement Will Hurt Domestic Broadband Providers) By contrast‚ the driving force of globalization was comparative advantage‚ not national security.  In the erstwhile unipolar world‚ national security was not the determinant of world trade as no other state had accumulated sufficient power to mount a credible challenge to America’s position as the sole superpower with global reach.  With no threats to its national security on the horizon‚ the United States could focus on nurturing economic prosperity reflecting the logic of comparative advantage‚ i.e.‚ exporting goods and services that the U.S. could produce at a lower economic cost than other countries‚ while importing goods and services which could be produced by other countries at a lower economic cost. The end of globalization does not mean the end of world trade — it simply means the end of world trade based on comparative advantage.  Mercantilism 2.0 heralds the reordering and rearrangement of world trade to reflect a new pattern based on national security considerations. Given the recognition that China is likely to be America’s greatest national security threat for the foreseeable future‚ the U.S. would like to counterbalance China by forging a security partnership with India to address the Middle Kingdom’s ambition to be Asia’s hegemon.  Likewise‚ India increasingly views China as its greatest national security threat for the foreseeable future.  So‚ Mercantilism 2.0 would prompt a recalibration and rebalancing of the trading pattern among China‚ India‚ and the United States reflecting geostrategic priorities. Accordingly‚ the U.S. could shift its imports away from China and instead redirect them to India.  Similarly‚ India could shift its imports away from China and redirect them to the U.S.  For example‚ reflecting comparative advantage‚ in 2022 U.S. imports of goods from China amounted to $536.3 billion‚ while U.S. imports of goods from India amounted to only $85.5 billion. Likewise‚ for the comparable period India’s imports of goods from China amounted to $98.5 billion while India’s imports of goods from the U.S. were $50.2 billion. In a decoupling scenario‚ the U.S. would cease buying goods and services from China and instead buy the same or comparable goods and services from India. Similarly‚ India would cease buying goods and services from China and instead buy the same or comparable goods and services from the U.S.  China’s loss would be gains for India and the U.S. respectively‚ but the total amount of world trade would remain the same. (READ MORE: The US Needs Help for Its China Addiction) Enlisting Mercantilism 2.0 as a Cold War 2.0 instrument to resuscitate U.S. primacy as has been suggested by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is likely to be a detour to a dead end. Ultimately‚ the real challenge for America is to shape the transition from unipolarity and globalization to multipolarity and Mercantilism 2.0 with realism and restraint so that it reflects pragmatic flexibility rather than ideological rigidity. Instead of being part of the problem‚ Mercantilism 2.0 can be part of the solution for a modus vivendi that facilitates a pathway from Mutual Assured Destruction to Mutual Assured Survival. Samir Tata is founder and president of International Political Risk Analytics‚ an advisory firm based in Reston‚ Virginia‚ and author of the book‚ Reflections on Grand Strategy (Palgrave Macmillan‚ 2022).  The post Cold War With China Requires Mercantilism 2.0 appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

by Mac Slavo‚ SHTF Plan: ​What Powell Said On January 24th‚ NATO began a drill called Steadfast Defender 2024. One week later‚ I have hardly seen media coverage about it‚ so I want to make sure that you aren’t left out and know exactly what’s happening. Comprised of 90‚000 soldiers‚ 50 ships‚ 1‚100 combat vehicles‚ and […]

by Mike LaChance‚ The Gateway Pundit: Last week‚ insane left wing activists threw soup at the Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum in Paris. This has become a common tactic for climate cultists because it gets them the attention they so clearly can’t live without. It does nothing to advance their cause‚ but that’s not their […]

from BANNED.VIDEO:  TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

by Peter Schiff‚ Schiff Gold: Amidst rampant peso inflation and his scathing pro-free market speech at Davos‚ new Argentine president Javier Milei has taken office with radical proposals to overhaul the country. While his brief month and a half in Argentina’s Casa Rosada isn’t long enough to know if his bark will really match his bite‚ here’s a […]

In 1891 it was announced that Chicago‚ Illinois‚ had been chosen to host the World’s Columbian Exposition. This was a cultural and social event celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America.  It would take place from May to October of 1893‚ and likely attract millions of people from all around the world.  As word of this momentous event spread throughout Chicago‚ a man calling himself “H.H. Holmes” saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He knew there would be an influx of visitors searching for lodging near the fairgrounds. They had just completed construction of a three-story high-rise on the corner of South Wallace Avenue and West 63rd Street in Englewood. It was originally intended as a mixed-use building. It would house retail shops on the first‚ offices and apartments on the second‚ and apartments exclusively on the third.  When he heard about the coming of the World’s Fair‚ he told his investors and creditors that he intended to use the entire building as a hotel. He’d make a fortune—and be able to pay off all his debts. Soon after tourists began arriving at the Expo fairgrounds‚ Holmes put his bigger plan into motion. While advertising his hotel in the local newspapers‚ he began working the fairgrounds. He approached women traveling alone or in pairs. Described as charming and charismatic‚ Holmes managed to lure as many as 200 women to his hotel.  Many of whom were never seen again.  Herman Webster Mudgett (1861–1896)‚ better known under the alias of Dr. Henry Howard Holmes. Between mid 1880s and early 1890s Dark Beginnings Herman Webster Mudgett was born on May 16‚ 1861‚ in Gilmanton‚ New Hampshire.  The future “H.H. Holmes” was the third child born to Levi Horton Mudgett and Theodate Page (née Price). They were both descended from the first English immigrants to settle in that part of the country; and both pious Methodists.  Mudgett’s father was from a respected farming family. At various times‚ he worked as a farmer‚ trader‚ and house painter. His mother‚ prior to marriage‚ was a teacher. Although little is known about the early years of Mudgett’s life‚ there are a number of stories associated with him. If true‚ they would seem to provide insight into the man who transformed himself in “H.H. Holmes.”  Mudgett was born into what most would consider an affluent family. He lived a privileged life with few responsibilities. Due to his family’s devout Methodist background‚ his parents demanded absolute obedience from all their children.  His father is said to have been a strict disciplinarian who drank heavily and often physically abused his family. His mother was “cold and distant.” According to one source‚ his father would hold kerosene-soaked rags over the children’s mouths to quiet them when they cried. Showing signs of superior intelligence from an early age‚ Mudgett was resented by children his age. He was frequently the victim of bullying.  According to Mudgett’s own account‚ on one occasion his classmates dragged him into an unlocked doctor’s office they passed on their way to school. They forced him to stand face-to-face with a skeleton.  Years later‚ Mudgett would say of this event‚ “It was a wicked and dangerous thing to do to a child of tender years and health‚ but it proved an heroic method of treatment‚ destined ultimately to cure me of my fears‚ and to inculcate in me‚ first‚ a strong feeling of curiosity‚ and‚ later‚ a desire to learn‚ which resulted years afterwards in my adopting medicine as a profession.” Early Signs Mudgett was continually targeted by his parents and neighborhood children. He chose to spend much of his time alone‚ taking refuge in the forest near his home.  This is where he is said to have trapped and dissected animals‚ and developed an obsession with death. At age 11‚ Mudgett‚ reportedly‚ was suspected of killing a neighborhood boy who’d mysteriously disappeared. Added to this‚ while still a young boy‚ Mudgett’s mother developed a terminal illness that completely devastated family stability. Some speculate that she suffered a mental disorder that may have been passed on to her son. This was perhaps the underlying cause for the psychotic behavior he would display throughout life. Education As a boy‚ Mudgett attended Gilmanton Academy. He was later remembered as a “small‚ odd‚ but unusually bright boy.”  Mudgett then attended Phillips Exeter Academy‚ graduating with honors at age 17. Just after graduation‚ Mudgett changed his name to Henry Howard Holmes‚ and in later life only used the moniker‚ “H.H. Holmes.” Holmes studied medicine for a short time at a small school in Vermont before being accepted into the University of Michigan Medical School. While a medical student‚ Holmes perpetrated what is thought to be the first in a long line of schemes based on his growing fascination with death. Holmes is known to have robbed graves and morgues for bodies to study‚ dissect‚ and sell to medical schools. He then turned his fascination into a money-making scheme. He would steal cadavers (which he would burn or in other ways disfigure to make them unidentifiable) and then plant them so that it would appear they’d been killed in an accident. But prior to planting the bodies‚ he’d take out life insurance policies on these individuals‚ naming himself the beneficiary.  Once the bodies were discovered‚ he’d collect the benefits.  Marriage #1 On July 4‚ 1878‚ just after graduating high school‚ the 17-year-old Holmes married Clara Lovering. She was the daughter of a wealthy farmer from Alton‚ New Hampshire.  He was known to have been physically violent with Clara. He would later desert her after just one year of marriage. They had a child together‚ a son they named Robert‚ born on February 3‚ 1880.  Before deserting Clara‚ Holmes scammed enough of her inheritance to attend medical school. Crime and Career  After graduating from medical school in 1884‚ Holmes moved to Mooers‚ New York.  Shortly afterward‚ a rumor spread that he’d been seen with a little boy who subsequently disappeared. When questioned by authorities‚ Holmes claimed the boy’s family moved back to their home in Massachusetts. With no other leads‚ the investigation was dropped. Leaving Mooers immediately‚ Holmes made his way to Philadelphia‚ Pennsylvania. There‚ he was hired as an attendant at the Norristown State Hospital; a job he quit after just a few days.  He was then hired at a drugstore—where just a short time later he was questioned about the death of a boy who’d died after taking medicine purchased at that store. Holmes denied any involvement in the child’s death and immediately left Philadelphia.  Dr. Henry H. Holmes By 1885‚ Holmes had made his way to Chicago‚ Illinois. Misrepresenting himself as “Dr.” Henry H. Holmes‚ he was hired as a pharmacist apprentice at a neighborhood pharmacy in Englewood. When the owner of the drugstore unexpectedly passed away a short time later‚ Holmes convinced his widow to let him buy the store. Weeks later‚ the widow went missing and was never heard from again.  Holmes claimed she moved to California‚ but there was no evidence of that. “The Castle” and Marriage #2 Once Holmes became the legal owner of the drugstore‚ he set his sights on purchasing the empty lot across the street. He used his drugstore as leverage to convince bankers to extend sizable loans. He also persuaded local businessmen to invest heavily in a two-story building that would provide retail space for new businesses on the first floor‚ and apartments or office space on the second. The building would be in a prime location so he had no trouble attracting interested parties. In late 1886‚ while still legally married to Clara‚ Holmes married 24-year-old Myrta Belknap‚ in Minneapolis‚ Minnesota. He filed for divorce from Clara a few weeks later–alleging infidelity and abandonment.  Documents show that Clara was never served divorce papers and their was divorce never finalized. Holmes had one child with Myrta‚ a daughter they named Lucy Theodate Holmes‚ born on July 4‚ 1889. Once construction of the new building began in 1889‚ Holmes hired and fired a series of construction crews. He didn’t want anyone to have a complete picture of what he was actually planning.  By 1890‚ he was being sued by a number of tradesmen for non-payment and breach of contract. But still‚ the work continued. Holmes was able to persuade unsuspecting tradesmen into applying their skills to the project locals were now referring to as “The Castle.”  World’s Fair Hotel‚ better known as H. H. Holmes Castle. When construction was complete in 1891‚ Holmes placed ads in newspapers offering jobs for young women. He advertised “The Castle” as a place of spacious lodging.  Unbeknownst to his wife Clara‚ he also placed ads representing himself as a wealthy businessman looking for a wife.  In 1892‚ Holmes added a third floor to “The Castle” in anticipation of the upcoming World’s Columbian Exposition.  Inside “The Castle” Of the more than 200 guests believed to have checked into “The Castle” during the Expo‚ none who survived apparently had any clue as to the inherent dangers they’d escaped. Unbeknownst to anyone but the madman himself‚ Holmes had designed the building to accommodate the fate he had in mind for his victims. This was even before the announcement of the Expo.  In addition to the many rooms‚ his design included an operating room‚ a torture chamber‚ a mortuary‚ and a room for conducting human experiments.  The guest rooms were arranged in a maze-like fashion. They incorporated corridors leading nowhere‚ concealed passages behind walls‚ sliding panels‚ and secret staircases.  Each room was built with peepholes allowing Holmes to watch his guests. There were trapdoors concealing metal chutes connected to the elaborately-designed torture-chamber-like basement.  According to one report‚ there were huge acid vats in the basement to dissolve his victims’ remains.  After the Expo ended and Holmes’ diabolical murder spree was discovered‚ “The Castle” was renamed by locals for what it actually was: “Murder Castle.” Marriage #3‚ Escape‚ Capture‚ Incarceration  On January 17‚ 1894‚ Holmes married Georgiana Yoke‚ in Denver‚ Colorado. He was still married to both Clara and Myrta.  During this time he befriended a like-minded man named Benjamin Pitezel (who was married and had 3 children). It was with him that Holmes would plot his next scheme. Benjamin Pitezel‚ longtime associate of H. H. Holmes After the World’s Columbian Exposition ended‚ Holmes and Pitezel left Chicago. They were intent on perpetrating an insurance fraud scheme across the country.  Their crime spree ended‚ however‚ in mid-1894. Holmes was arrested for attempting to swindle a St. Louis pharmacy.  While incarcerated‚ Holmes met fellow inmate Marion Hedgepeth‚ with whom he hatched an insurance scam involving faking Benjamin Pitezel’s death.  But once released from prison‚ Holmes decided it was easier to simply kill Pitezel–and his entire family. This resulted in a $10‚000 life insurance payout for Holmes.  Hedgepeth read about Pitezel’s death and realized he’d never see his cut of the money. So he directed authorities to Holmes‚ forcing him to run. In November of that year‚ Holmes was again arrested. This time by Pinkerton detectives in Boston‚ Massachusetts. He was charged with “conspiracy to cheat and defraud” the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Company. Found guilty‚ he was sent to Moyamensing Prison in Philadelphia. Clues Leading to Discovery Meanwhile‚ Frank Geyer‚ a Philadelphia police detective was assigned to investigate Holmes (and find the 3 missing Pitezel children).  He discovered the gruesome decomposed bodies of 13-year-old Alice Pitezel and 9-year-old Nellie Pitezel in the cellar of a Toronto‚ Canada‚ house. The house in which Holmes (and his unsuspecting wife) had used as a hideout.  Following the trail‚ Detective Geyer then found a cottage Holmes had rented in Indianapolis‚ Indiana. There‚ he discovered the teeth and bones of 7-year-old Howard Robert Pitezel in the fireplace.  The trail then led to a local pharmacy where Holmes had purchased the drugs used to kill the boy. And also the repair shop where he’d had the knives sharpened that he used to dismember the boy’s body before burning it.  In 1895‚ while still in custody at Moyamensing Prison‚ Holmes was tried and convicted of the Pitezel murders (including the three Pitezel children).  During his trial‚ Holmes went on record as having committed 27 murders. He later told his attorney that he’d actually killed 133 people.  These outrageous claims gained credibility when Chicago Police discovered the remains of approximately 100 bodies scattered throughout “Murder Castle.”  Between the times of Holmes’ arrest and conviction for the Pitezel murders‚ “Murder Castle” was mysteriously destroyed by arson. The fire is believed to have been intentionally set by neighbors wanting to keep the building from becoming a tourist attraction. References biography.com.‚ “H.H. Holmes‚” H.H. Holmes – Childhood‚ Crimes &; Facts (biography.com)  britannica.com.‚ “H.H. Holmes‚” H.H. Holmes | Biography &; Facts | Britannica  pracitcalpie.com.‚ “H.H. Holmes‚” H. H. Holmes (Serial Killer Biography) – Practical Psychology (practicalpie.com)  pbs.org.‚ “World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893‚” https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/chicago-worlds-columbian-exposition-1893/ legendsofamerica.com.‚ “H.H. Holmes and the Murder Castle of Chicago‚” https://www.legendsofamerica.com/h-h-holmes/ biographics.org.‚ “America’s First Serial Killer—H.H.Holmes‚” America’s First Serial Killer – H. H. Holmes – Biographies by Biographics  csp.edu.‚ “H.H. Holmes: One of America’s First Recorded Serial Murderers‚” https://www.csp.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Forensic-Scholars-Today-1.2-H.H.-Holmes-One-of-Americas-First-Recorded-Serial-Murderers.pdfThe post The Dark and Disturbing Life of H.H. Holmes: America’s First Documented Serial Killer first appeared on History Defined.