In its early years, the Ottoman Empire was inspired by Persio-Islamic and Byzantine culture. This affected the style of Ottoman architecture, and Mosques, madrasas, hospitals, bazaars, and palaces reflected this rich cultural blend. Learn about ten architectural marvels from the Ottoman Empire below. 1. Ulu Camii: The Grand Mosque of Bursa Fountain in Ulu Camii. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I (d. 1402) commissioned architect Ali Neccar to build the massive Ulu Camii (Grand Mosque) complex between 1396 and 1399. With a surface area of 3,165.5 square meters (34,073.1 square feet), the complex accommodates around 5,000 people. The courtyard contains a sadirvan, a fountain over a water basin in which Muslims perform the ablution before prayer.   The mosque is significant because it represents a shift in Turkish architectural style. In contrast to beylik (principality) and Seljuk Period architecture, the Ulu Camii incorporated more Islamo-Persian structures and designs.   During its 600 years of existence, the mosque has seen several catastrophic events. In 1402, the Turco-Mongol conqueror—and Bayezid’s greatest rival—Tamerlane attempted to burn the mosque down. In 1412, the mosque was yet again targeted by Mehmed Bey, ruler of the Karamanid principality which had put Bursa under siege.   Earthquakes throughout the centuries also damaged the exterior and interior of the building, leading to a melange between earlier Ottoman and later Baroque-style paintings and patterns. Still, Islamic calligraphy and geometric motifs are dominant inside the mosque.   2. Rumeli Fortress:  The “Throat Cutter” The Rumeli Fortress situated along the Bosphorus Strait, Source: Wikimedia Commons   By the mid-15th century, the imperial Byzantine capital Constantinople had seen its fair share of failed sieges and conquests. The Bosphorus Strait, the waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, had protected the city from assailants and conquerors. That was until the arrival of the ambitious Ottoman Sultan Mehmed “the Conqueror” who conquered the city in 1453.   Like his great-grandfather Bayezid I who had commissioned the Anadolu Fortress, Mehmed understood that a strategic fortification was necessary. Construction of the Boğazkesen or “strait-cutter” was started in 1451. A chilling reminder of its role in the conquest, Boğazkesen’s literal meaning was “throat cutter,” from the Turkish boğaz, “throat,” and kesen, “cutter.”   Not only did this fortress station janissaries and artillery in preparation for the conquest but it controlled access to the waterway and entry to Constantinople; Venetian ships were forced to pay a toll when passing, and when they refused, were sunk to the bottom of the Bosphorus. Mehmed knew that with this new fortress, he could also prevent the Venetian and Genoese allies of the Byzantines from sending reinforcements from their colonies in the Black Sea.   The fortress, composed of three main towers and 13 smaller watchtowers, was built on a hilltop opposite the Anadolu Fortress. Houses for janissary troops and a small mosque were also built in the mid 15th-century, however, they have not survived to this day. In later centuries, it was called the Rumeli Hisari or “Fortress on the Romans’ land,” a nod to the Medieval name for Byzantine territories.   3. Topkapi Palace: Imperial Residence of the Ottoman Sultans Interior of Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, by Diego Allen. Source: Unsplash   Following Mehmed II’s conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the city became the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. Six years later, in 1459, he ordered the construction of a grand palace that would be home to the Sultan and a meeting place for imperial ministers until 1853.   The Topkapi (“Canon Gate”) Palace is a grand complex, consisting of kitchens, schools, storerooms, halls, treasuries, libraries, mosques, and more. Moving through several massive courtyards, one can reach the harem (women’s quarters), divan (council meeting chamber), and many pavilions and kiosks.   Throughout the centuries, various Sultans added their touches to the complex. During the reign of Sultan Süleyman “the Magnificent” (r. 1520-1566), the harem was built, and the Sultan’s family was moved into the palace. Sultan Ibrahim I “the Mad” (d. 1648) had a Sünnet Odasi (“circumcision room”) added to accommodate young princes after their traditional circumcision. In 1840, Sultan Abdul Mecid I had a kiosk built in European architectural style.   4. Istanbul University: The City’s Oldest-Running University The gates of Istanbul University. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Also built after the conquest of Constantinople, Istanbul University is the oldest-running academic institute in Turkey. It was initially founded as a medrese, a traditional institute of Islamic theology that also taught law, medicine, mathematics, and sciences like astronomy and cartography. While it functioned effectively in this way in the Medieval and Early Modern periods, by the 18th century the institute could not keep up with European advances in art and science.   In the 19th century, the declining Ottoman Empire instituted a series of reforms that were aimed at modernizing and liberalizing Turkey in the image of European nations. Changes to Istanbul University were part of these reforms; the school became a type of technical university in 1863. Like the Topkapi Palace, the architecture of the university was developed and refined over several centuries. Its final form is a melange of different styles: there are Ottoman shapes, like domed entrances, long rectangular structures and windows in 19th-century European style, and many modern buildings.   5. Koza Han: A Story of Cocoons and Silk Interior courtyard of the Koza Han, photo by Ayşe Key. Source: Pexels   The Koza (“Cocoon”) Han is a caravanserai located in Bursa, a historic city in Northwestern Turkey. The building was commissioned in 1491 by Sultan Bayezid II. Bayezid gave immense importance to the silk trade which happened to be a critical part of the Ottoman economy. As a city on the famous Silk Road, Bursa was not only a producer of fine textiles but was a hub for international merchants, traders, and craftsmen.   The Koza Han was built in a rectangular formation, with a two-story gallery encircling a large courtyard. A total of 104 rooms graced the caravanserai, used by merchants as lodgings, offices, and workshops. The Medici, a famous Italian political dynasty, even had a commercial agent and office at the Han.   Decorated in the traditional eastern style, Koza Han has geometric patterns and domed entranceways reminiscent of other Silk Road caravanserais. Today, it is used as a bazaar, with a leisurely area where visitors can enjoy the historic view with a cup of Turkish coffee!   6. Süleymaniye Mosque : A Sultan’s Legacy Aerial view of the Süleymaniye Mosque Complex. Source: Wikimedia Commons   The Süleymaniye, named after its patron Sultan Süleyman “the Magnificent,” is one of the largest mosque structures in Turkey. Desiring a mosque that would rival the Hagia Sophia, Süleyman had Sinan, one of the most prolific architects in history, build this grand structure in 1557. Standing at 59 meters (194 feet) long and 58 meters (190 feet) wide, the structure consists of a total of 15 domes, of which the highest and most central is 53 meters (174 feet) tall. Like most Ottoman mosques, the building was part of a complex that housed schools, soup kitchens for the poor, bathhouses, and medical centers. It also houses the tombs of Suleyman and his beloved wife Hürrem.   In its current form, the Süleymaniye is made up of both original and restored structures. A fire in 1660 and an earthquake in 1766 caused damage to the original building, which was restored in more contemporary styles. Due to its location in earthquake-prone Istanbul, the mosque is undergoing further restoration.   7. Hürrem Sultan Hamam: A Bathhouse Fit for a Queen Interior of the Hürrem Sultan Bathhouse. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Hamams, commonly known as “Turkish Baths,” were an important part of 16th-century Ottoman culture. They were not simply places where one would bathe or relax. The hamam also played the role of a social institute where people discussed life, marriage, politics, and religion.   Royal and elite figures often commissioned the building of a hamam as a sort of public service. In 1556, Hürrem Sultan, the powerful wife of Sultan Süleyman I and mother of Sultan Selim II, had this bathhouse constructed in Istanbul as a gesture of her charitability.   The building is split into separate sections for men and women. Each of these sections contains a dressing room, cooling room, and heating room decorated in beautiful white marble. The bathhouse was re-opened in 2007 after almost a century of disuse. It continues to attract foreign tourists looking to experience an authentic Ottoman spa treatment.   8. Stari Most: A Bridge in the Balkans Scenic view of the Stari Most, along with a nearby mosque and dwellings, photo by Gokhan Keskin. Source: Unsplash   One of the most recognizable structures in the world, Mostar Bridge (Stari Most) has an amazing tale to tell. Ordered by Sultan Süleyman in 1557, the bridge was built by Hayreddin—a pupil of the architect Sinan—in the city of Mostar, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to legend, the architect Hayreddin, believing that the massive structure would collapse, prepared for his funeral on the day that the scaffolding was to be removed.   Luckily for him, the ambitious project was a success! The bridge’s total height is 29 meters (95 feet) and was—at the time of its construction—the widest single-arch bridge in the world. The bridge was an important addition to the city, which although growing in economic importance, still sported a wooden suspension bridge that people feared to use.   Unfortunately, on November 9, 1993, the bridge was deliberately targeted by the Croat Defence Council commander and convicted war criminal Slobodan Praljak. After the destruction of this treasured historical monument, a temporary structure was put up in its place. In 1998, UNESCO assembled a team of experts to design and reconstruct Stari Most as close to the original structure as possible. The reconstructed bridge was completed in 2004 and has become a major tourist attraction since.   9.  The Blue Mosque: The Icon of Istanbul Elaborate interior of the Sultan Ahmet Camii or “Blue Mosque.” Source: Wikimedia Commons   Arguably the most iconic piece of Ottoman architecture, this UNESCO World Heritage Site attracts 4.5 million tourists per year.  Known as the Blue Mosque because of the beautiful blue Iznik tiles that decorate its interior, the Sultan Ahmet Mosque—as it is known in Turkey—was constructed between the years 1609 and 1617.   Sultan Ahmed I (d. 1617) ordered architect Sedefkar Mehmed Aga to create a structure that would invite the grace of God after his geopolitical defeat by the Habsburg Empire. The mosque was built near the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace and required the demolition of several palaces inhabited by Ottoman viziers and ministers.   Naturally, this caused controversy among the populace, which was exacerbated when the ulema (religious scholars) banned people from praying at the mosque because it was built with money from the treasury rather than from the spoils of war.   According to architectural historians, the Blue Mosque married elements of Byzantine architecture, such as large central domes, with Islamic features, such as courtyards, minarets, and stained glass windows. However, the mosque differs from earlier Ottoman structures in several ways; it has a more extravagant façade, a higher number of minarets and cascading domes which create a softer visual element.   10. Ishak Pasha Palace: An Eastern Gem The picturesque palace of Ishak Pasha contrasts with the lush green horizon. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Located in the city of Agri, Eastern Turkey, the Ishak Pasha Palace is a unique example of a mixture of Anatolian, Iranian, and Byzantine architecture. The palace was commissioned in 1685 by Çolak Abdi Pasha, a member of the aristocratic Çildiroğullari family. Inhabited by generations of the family, it was largely abandoned in 1840 after an earthquake caused extensive damage to the structure.   The Eastern façade of the building carries many medieval Islamic motifs and designs; three-dimensional muqarnas carvings that are seen in Abbasid, Persian, and Seljuk architecture grace the entryways of Ishak Pasha. Walls and doors are carved with floral and animal motifs, not unlike those seen in Byzantine ruins.   Construction of the palace took almost a century, ending around 1780. This may explain why gothic arches, Baroque-style carved columns, and checkered stone motifs are also present in certain areas of the palace.   Despite its semi-ruined status, the Ishak Pasa Palace is one of the only surviving Ottoman-era aristocratic palaces, making it an attractive destination for both local and foreign tourists.

Five Senate Democrats staged a Pride-themed night of “guerrilla theater” Monday at the Kennedy Center to protest changes to the institution under President Donald Trump. Nothing says “resistance” like secretly booking a Pride concert at the Kennedy Center and calling it a “talent show." ?Senate Democrats and Hamilton’s producer staged a Pride-themed protest at the @kencen Monday night to oppose Trump-backed reforms. Let me explain: pic.twitter.com/39XL5IXwb8— Elise McCue (@EliseMcCue) June 24, 2025 Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., booked a space at the venue earlier this month under the pretense of a “talent show,” failing to disclose the event’s true nature. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii were also part of the event. The 90-minute show was a gay pride concert, featuring performances of songs from Broadway shows and LGBTQ monologues. Notably, the show was produced by Jeffrey Seller—the Tony Award-winning producer of Hamilton—who previously canceled the hit musical’s engagement at the Kennedy Center earlier this year, citing “the partisan policies of the Kennedy Center as a result of [Trump’s] recent takeover.” A statement from Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller. pic.twitter.com/yTLlrzFAHW— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) March 5, 2025 “This is our way of reoccupying the Kennedy Center,” Seller said in an interview with the New York Times before Monday night’s event, titled Love is Love. “This is a form of saying, ‘We are here, we exist and you can’t ignore us.’ This is a protest, and a political act.” In response, Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the Kennedy Center—and an openly gay man—issued a statement criticizing the event, especially as it relates to the hypocritical nature of Hamilton’s involvement. “I cannot begin to understand what business it is of Mr. Seller or [Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda] how audience members vote or how it could possibly be relevant to the sacred relationship between performers and ticket holders, but they’ve made it clear that they won’t perform for audiences that might contain Americans who disagree with them on matters irrelevant to the arts.” Statement from Ambassador Richard Grenell, President of the Kennedy Center:I'm disappointed to learn that Hamilton Producer @jseller and Hamilton Creator @Lin_Manuel are working with Democratic Senators and the New York Times to boycott the Kennedy Center, refusing to perform…— The Kennedy Center (@kencen) June 23, 2025 The Kennedy Center was slated to host a weeklong “Tapestry of Pride” event earlier this month to coincide with the World Pride festival in Washington, D.C. but scrapped the entire event at the last minute. In February, Trump announced his plan to gut the President Joe Biden-appointed Kennedy Center board of trustees, appoint himself as chairman of the board, and purge woke performances from the institution’s lineup. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” Trump said in a February Truth Social post. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” The post Democrats Stage ‘Guerrilla Theater’ Pride Show Inside Kennedy Center in Protest of Trump appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Southern Baptist Convention—the largest Protestant denomination in the world—had their annual meeting this month in Dallas, Texas. The most internally controversial issues involved a potential amendment on female pastors, abolishing the Convention’s public policy arm, and a push for total financial transparency for SBC entities. All these initiatives were voted down, but one successful resolution is inviting national controversy.  The Convention passed a resolution titled On the Harmful and Predatory Nature of Sports Betting. The resolution speaks to the moral evils of gambling and sought to “condemn sports betting in all its forms.” It cited the “biblical principles of stewardship, work, and integrity.” And likewise called for gambling corporations to cease their work and even for the government to “curtail” the practice. The resolution passed with a large majority and little debate—and rightly so.  While gambling is an ancient practice, with the advent of online sports betting, the SBC resolution is timely—and necessary. In 2024 the legal sports betting industry generated $13.71 billion in revenue, taking in nearly $150 billion worth of bets, according to the American Gaming Association’s annual report. Both these numbers represent a significant increase from the previous year.  But the volume of online bets is not the only concern. Sports betting also preys disproportionately on young men. In 2023 the National Council on Problem Gambling, citing an NCAA study, reported that 58% of 18- to-22-year-olds had engaged in sports betting. Furthermore, a study by the Lancet medical journal found that over 26% of adolescents who bet on sports “exhibited gambling disorder symptoms.”  The Guardian calls this the “normalization of a taboo.” But Southern Baptists are right to go further in their language. Sports betting poses threats not only to churches but to society at large and ought to be abolished.  The recent boom in online sports betting can be traced back to 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that banned commercial sports betting in most states. This ruling paved the way for online markets to emerge legally. Such markets have come to dominate the sports industry, even having entire stadium complexes named after them. One can scarcely make their way through any televised sporting event without being bombarded with ads begging them to place money on their favorite team or players.  Betting is not only advertised aggressively, these gaming companies also seek to incentivize that first bet—what they hope will be the first of many. The Wall Street Journal reports: “Online sports betting companies enlist celebrities, offer free bets and dole out perks to promote a tantalizing possibility: winning.” The Journal is right. That possibility of winning is tantalizing—just out of reach.   Though most bettors think they will at least break even over time, the statistics say otherwise. In fact, sports bettors lose an average of 7.5 cents per dollar. This adds up. It also helps to fuel a dangerous addiction, leading to riskier bets and even greater losses over time. The old adage is right: The house always wins. The predatory nature of this industry is exactly why Southern Baptists call for its abolition. This industry doesn’t just affect individuals, but breaks up marriages and families, harming churches and communities. Though the SBC urges “compassionate support and counseling to those struggling with gambling addiction and its consequences,” it nevertheless acknowledges that the government has a decisive role to play to protect individuals.  The resolution urges “our leaders at all levels of government to curtail sports betting and to address its disastrous effects through policy and legislation.”  The sports betting industry is in fact evil, preying on young people and causing addictions that lead to financial strain that breaks up families. Gambling has long been recognized as morally dangerous. It is the government’s role to step in and put an end to this predatory market.  But the responsibility also falls on individuals. The resolution calls upon “Southern Baptists and all other followers of Christ to repent where needed, mourn the ubiquitous presence of sports betting in our culture, and refuse to participate in the sin of gambling.” One messenger to the SBC proposed that this resolution be amended to speak of individuals who “sin through gambling” rather than the close-minded “the sin of gambling”—insisting that betting is not inherently sinful. This is a common sentiment among many Christians and conservatives. The view argues that putting $5 on your favorite sports team and losing is no different from wasting that same $5 on a latte or cheeseburger.   While this argument makes sense on the surface, it ignores the predatory nature of gambling. When one spends $5 on a latte, they receive a good in exchange for their money. When one spends $5 on a bet, they do so in hope that they will make more money. However, this other money comes from the losses of others. Both as an industry and as an individual practice gambling preys on others. Your gain is another’s loss.  Southern Baptists rightly argue that this is a violation of the Golden Rule—to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. No one wants to be taken advantage of, but that’s exactly what the sports betting industry does. It takes advantage of individuals, addicts them to the rush of the game, and soon destroys all that is in its path. In rejecting sports betting, Southern Baptists are not only defending Christian ethics but the social bonds that hold families, churches, and communities together.  We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Southern Baptists Get Sports Betting Right appeared first on The Daily Signal.

He was released and IMMEDIATELY went back to protesting?!

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the agency is launching a campaign to encourage Americans to utilize wearables. “Wearables put the power of health back in the hands of the American people. We’re launching one of the largest HHS campaigns in history to encourage their use—so every American can take control of their health, one data point at a time,” RFK Jr. said. “It’s a key part of our mission to Make America Healthy Again,” he added. WATCH: Wearables put the power of health back in the hands of the American people. We’re launching one of the largest HHS campaigns in history to encourage their use—so every American can take control of their health, one data point at a time. It’s a key part of our mission to Make… pic.twitter.com/H2ZY9NiTfN — Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) June 24, 2025 From POLITICO: The wearable devices have raised ethics concerns, particularly over how the technology tracks and monitors personal health data. This data is often stored in the cloud and could be sold to companies, advertisers or researchers without an individual’s knowledge or consent, according to the Brown University Center for Digital Health. The health information the devices can store is also associated with a high risk of data breaches and identity theft. And doctors and health experts have mixed views on the potential health benefits of using wearable technology. While some see benefits in monitoring health and empowering patients to take control of their health, some practitioners are concerned about the devices fueling medical anxiety, self-diagnosis and self-medication. The health secretary faced immense backlash for the massive advertising campaign. Unless they have a strict airplane mode which some devices do, where it has no EMF, then absolutely NOT. I know that I’ve interviewed you multiple times about the dangers of EMF and we’ve made a couple dozen Films on the subject over the years. :( — Erin Elizabeth Health Nut News (@unhealthytruth) June 24, 2025 I still remember when apple put a tracer on iPhones to track Covid cases via temperature and “contract tracing” and here we are smh — Lucy, nurse for the people not profits. (@LucciaorLucy) June 24, 2025 C'mon man. This is nonsense. — Toby Rogers (@uTobian) June 24, 2025 bad move. This is more exposure to EMFs, not to mention these devices can be connected to the Internet of Things control grid. — Derrick Broze (@DBrozeLiveFree) June 24, 2025 Bio-surveillance is a hard no @RobertKennedyJr.This is horrifying – I will NOT comply. https://t.co/0VY3jMEyUk — Shannon Joy (@shannonjoyradi0) June 24, 2025 Data mining and surveillance tracking. Nope. Just another huge disappointed by @SecKennedy https://t.co/Llpss9xl6T — Kelly DNP Functional/Integrative Medicine (@kacdnp91) June 24, 2025 Our next Surgeon General @CaseyMeansMD has a wearables company. https://t.co/pils7gdssB — Mary Talley Bowden MD (@MdBreathe) June 24, 2025 “My vision that is every American is wearing a wearable within four years." RFK Jr This is definitely not my vision. I wonder who is influencing his vision. You do not need wearables to MAHA. https://t.co/m9IRwIcYje — Dr. Kat Lindley (@KLVeritas) June 24, 2025 Detailed real-time biometric monitoring of everyone in the United States is a “key part” of the Make America Healthy Again mission https://t.co/YR9KmRgT3u pic.twitter.com/NMX1EooBWr — 12 Ball (@BoltzmannBooty) June 24, 2025 Unbelievable. This is about data gathering, surveillance and control. https://t.co/O4pDrCdkrR — Taylor Hudak (@_taylorhudak) June 24, 2025 Per Becker’s Hospital Review: He contrasted the expense with Ozempic — a diabetes and weight-loss medication that costs over $1,000 per month — and argued that wearables could be a more cost-effective solution. “If you can achieve the same thing with an $80 wearable, it’s a lot better for the American people,” he said. Still, experts have flagged concerns about the privacy risks and uneven health benefits of wearable devices. The Brown University Center for Digital Health warns that personal health data collected by these tools can be stored in the cloud and potentially sold to advertisers, companies or researchers without the user’s knowledge. This data can also be vulnerable to breaches and identity theft.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) criticized Fox News and political commentator Mark Levin for comments he directed at her on social media. “Marjorie Taylor Green, shameless nitwit,” Levin said following Greene’s comments about the strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites. “How incredibly dumb is this Marjorie Taylor Green? She doesn’t know anyone in America who has been a victim of crime or killed by Iran? You mean the thousands of Americans, especially military personnel, killed and maimed by the Iranian terrorist regime?” he added. Marjorie Taylor Green, shameless nitwit. How incredibly dumb is this Marjorie Taylor Green?  She doesn't know anyone in America who has been a victim of crime or killed by Iran?  You mean the thousands of Americans, especially military personnel, killed and maimed by the Iranian… https://t.co/eqx3ztGUHr — Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) June 23, 2025 “I don’t know anyone in America who has been the victim of a crime or killed by Iran, but I know many people who have been victims of crime committed by criminal illegal aliens or MURDERED by Cartel and Chinese fentanyl/drugs. Almost everyone in our country can relate to this fact,” Greene said. “However America has not dropped bunker busters on the Cartel’s sophisticated drug tunnels, launched tomahawks on massive cartel poisonous drug operations, or gone to war against the cartels international terrorists networks,” she continued. “Neocon warmongers beat their drums of war and act like Billy bada***s going to war in countries most Americans have never seen and can’t find on a map, but never find the courage to go to war against the actual terrorists who actually do kill Americans, invade our land, and make BILLIONS doing it day after day, year after year,” she added. My thoughts on bombing Iran. I don’t know anyone in America who has been the victim of a crime or killed by Iran, but I know many people who have been victims of crime committed by criminal illegal aliens or MURDERED by Cartel and Chinese fentanyl/drugs. Almost everyone in our… — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) June 22, 2025 Full text: My thoughts on bombing Iran. I don’t know anyone in America who has been the victim of a crime or killed by Iran, but I know many people who have been victims of crime committed by criminal illegal aliens or MURDERED by Cartel and Chinese fentanyl/drugs. Almost everyone in our country can relate to this fact. However America has not dropped bunker busters on the Cartel’s sophisticated drug tunnels, launched tomahawks on massive cartel poisonous drug operations, or gone to war against the cartels international terrorists networks. Neocon warmongers beat their drums of war and act like Billy bada***s going to war in countries most Americans have never seen and can’t find on a map, but never find the courage to go to war against the actual terrorists who actually do kill Americans, invade our land, and make BILLIONS doing it day after day, year after year. I’m 51 years old. I’m GenX. I’ve watched our country go to war in foreign lands for foreign causes on behalf of foreign interests for as long as I can remember. I was in 10th grade when Desert Storm started and my father before me was sent to Vietnam, another senseless foreign war. America is $37 TRILLION in debt and all of these foreign wars have cost Americans TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS of dollars that never benefited any American. American troops have been killed and forever torn apart physically and mentally for regime change, foreign wars, and for military industrial base profits. I’m sick of it. I can easily say I support nuclear armed Israel’s right to defend themselves and also say at the same time I don’t want to fight or fund nuclear armed Israel’s wars. Nor any other country for that matter. I’m sick of funding foreign aid and foreign countries and foreign everything. I want to fund American interests and issues. I want GREAT trade deals so American businesses and people can afford goods and be successful. I want low inflation and low interest rates. I want American construction, housing, and manufacturing to BOOM. I want Americans to be rich and have security in their future. I want my children’s generation to HAVE A GREAT FUTURE!!! My kids are 22, 25, and 27. It pisses me off beyond comprehension that my children’s generation can’t afford to buy a house, can’t afford insurance, and have little hope for their future!!! Americans are exhausted by all of this and rightfully so. I can also support President Trump and his great administration on many of the great things they are doing while disagreeing on bombing Iran and getting involved in a hot war that Israel started. That’s not disloyalty. Critical thinking and having my own opinions is the most American thing ever. Because contrary to what brainwashed Democrat boomers say, Trump is not a king, MAGA is not a cult, and President Trump has surrounded himself with people who once disagreed with him and even ran against him for President. Also the same Democrats in Congress that are all of sudden clutching their pearls about Trump bombing Iran FULLY SUPPORTED AND VOTED TO FUND Dementia ridden Biden’s proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and stood by Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Hypocrites is all they are and they are just desperately trying to find solid ground to oppose Trump on because so far they’ve failed at grasping anything yet. Now what has been done is done and Americans now fear Iranian terrorists attacks on our own soil and being dragged into another war by Netanyahu when we weren’t even thinking about any of this a week ago. We don’t know what the future holds and I pray for the safety of all people and an end to the constant demand for America to go to war. Enough is enough. “MTG, God are you stupid. And you keep banging your head against the wall. Thankfully, POTUS ignored you and hit the Iranian nuclear sites. You seem very upset about it.  I’m not going away. You’re on my radar,” Levin said. MTG, God are you stupid. And you keep banging your head against the wall. Thankfully, POTUS ignored you and hit the Iranian nuclear sites. You seem very upset about it.  I’m not going away. You’re on my radar. — Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) June 24, 2025 “This is extremely sick and disturbing. Please read to the end. Mark, you have the exact same tone and language that the psychopaths use that send me death threats every single day. You should be fired from Fox News. And shame on Fox if they condone this. Let me introduce you to my friend Jesus,” Greene responded. This is extremely sick and disturbing. Please read to the end. Mark, you have the exact same tone and language that the psychopaths use that send me death threats every single day. You should be fired from Fox News. And shame on Fox if they condone this. Let me introduce you… https://t.co/twsWLwkQU3 — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) June 24, 2025 Full text: This is extremely sick and disturbing. Please read to the end. Mark, you have the exact same tone and language that the psychopaths use that send me death threats every single day. You should be fired from Fox News. And shame on Fox if they condone this. Let me introduce you to my friend Jesus. He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” Jesus is the messiah. Jesus is the one and only son of God. Jesus was put to death on a Roman cross and died as a one time sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is the lamb of God. You can read about Jesus in Isaiah 53:5-12. Jesus will return one day and the those that did not recognize him will mourn. He will bring everlasting peace to all the Earth and his kingdom will have no end. Jesus also says, “pray for your enemies.” I will do my best to pray for you. But I will be watchful now. There was once a great President that the American people loved. He opposed Israel’s nuclear program. And then he was assassinated. I am for peace. I oppose war including wars Israel wages. Should I feel that my life is in danger now too? What about President Trump who strongly rebuked Israel this morning for continuing to attack Iran? Greene also criticized Levin and Fox News during an appearance on OAN’s The Matt Gaetz Show. Per Mediaite: Reacting on OAN’s The Matt Gaetz Show to Levin’s repeated rants against her, Greene complained, “I can’t believe that Fox News allows one of their hosts to go around and call me names on his social media. That is so unprofessional and it really speaks to what kind of media company Fox News is.” She continued: Mark Levin, obviously, he was a NeverTrumper from the beginning. He hated Donald Trump. He was totally against him and tried to stop him from becoming president, but yet now somehow Mark Levin is the voice of MAGA? I don’t think so, Matt. You and I, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, all of us have been fighting hard to stay on these America First policies and stay out of foreign wars. We’re MAGA, we’re the voice of MAGA, and the people totally agree with us. So, you know, it doesn’t matter what Mark Levin actually has to say. People don’t watch his show. I don’t know anyone that watches his show, and his screeching is absolutely unbearable, but I think Fox News needs to reel him in, although I won’t expect much out of them. Greene concluded, “I think that’s a media company that would love to share propaganda on their network all day long because it brings in the views. Nothing like scaring the American people with another foreign war to get people to watch the news 24 hours a day.” Watch Greene’s full interview with Matt Gaetz: MUST WATCH: I joined @MattGaetz to break down the regime change push in Iran and the poison pill AI moratorium buried in the One Big Beautiful Bill. I stand with President Trump, oppose foreign wars, and won’t vote to strip states of their rights to protect jobs from AI. pic.twitter.com/WQrDf2TAtu — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) June 24, 2025

Why Aerosmith Kicked Megadeth Off Tour

Karmelo Anthony, the now 18-year-old who admitted to fatally stabbing student Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet, has been indicted by a grand jury with first-degree murder.