A fever of censorship has seemed to descend upon the British Isles lately, and the world—especially the U.S.—finally may be waking up to it. Scotland began enforcing its new “hate speech” law on April Fool’s Day (of course), sparking defiance and ridicule by biological realist and Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling, who embarrassed the government when police announced she would not be prosecuted for her tweets. Ireland has pushed for a wide-ranging hate speech law that would criminalize the mere possession of material “likely to incite hatred,” including on the basis of “gender identity,” and flip the normal presumption of innocence to one of guilt. Ireland was embarrassed recently when the country, via referendum, rejected an amendment to its Constitution that would have revoked a special consideration supporting motherhood. The government was so red-faced by that loss that the prime minister stepped down. Yet it’s hard to think of a more embarrassing law than one that would lead to arresting people for silently praying on public streets. Such a law rightfully conjures up notions of “thoughtcrime” and dystopias such as in the movie “Minority Report.” Such a law should rightfully be ridiculed. But that is just what many in the United Kingdom seem to want. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a longtime pro-life leader with March for Life UK, was arrested in December 2022 for silently praying within an abortion clinic “buffer zone.” A widely shared video shows a Birmingham police officer asking Isabel, “Are you praying?” as she stands quietly within the buffer zone, to which she replies: “I might be praying in my head.” Immediately after, the officer informs her that she is under arrest. The prosecution of Vaughan-Spruce fell apart when a local magistrate court found her not guilty. That didn’t stop the harassment, however. She was arrested for the same “crime” only weeks later in 2023 and has been regularly interrogated on the street about whether she is “here to pray for the lives of unborn children.” Vaughan-Spruce isn’t the only person to be arrested over silent prayers. A Catholic priest, Father Sean Gough, was charged in February 2023 for praying silently, holding a sign reading “Praying for free speech,” and having an “unborn lives matter” sticker on his car. Gough later was acquitted. Adam Smith-Connor, who once paid for an abortion decades ago but regrets that decision, now prays for others to reconsider. He has been fined and will go to trial later this year. And in the past few weeks, the world watched newly released, viral footage of a pro-life advocate being fined merely for standing within a buffer zone for an abortion clinic. No signs, not even praying, just standing. The campaign against the merest hint that someone, somewhere might think there are better options for women and their unborn children than abortion has driven some jurisdictions in the U.K. mad, it seems. All of this activity to clamp down on the very thoughts and hidden intentions of pro-lifers is becoming an international embarrassment. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan agency tasked with reporting on the current state of religious freedom outside the U.S. The commission normally focuses on countries such as China, Iran, Nigeria, and Nicaragua, which have some of the worst violations of religious freedom occurring within their borders, often at the hands of the government. In its latest annual report, released in May, the U.K. found itself ignominiously within the crosshairs of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission cited Vaughan-Spruce’s case as the first example of “European governments target[ing] individuals for their peaceful religious expression.” Members of Congress are taking the U.K. to task as well. Speaking on Vaughan-Spruce’s case, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, last month said: “The rising tide of discrimination against Christians in Europe, including the U.K., is disturbing.” Responding to the U.S. condemnations, Vaughan-Spruce summed up well the international spotlight that the U.K. has placed itself under: “Arresting individuals for silent prayer has put Britain in a position of global embarrassment.” The United Kingdom still has a chance to redeem itself and place the rights to freedom of expression, thought, and religion back above ideologically driven mania. The U.K.’s Home Office is set to release guidance imminently regarding buffer zones and should make it clear that prayers and consensual conversations are permitted and don’t constitute harassment. If the international embarrassment from these silent prayer arrests can help turn the U.K. back to sanity, it also could have an impact on the growing censorship trends across Europe. Germany right now is considering buffer zone legislation that could outlaw peaceful prayer gatherings. In Finland, Päivi Räsänen, a member of that nation’s parliament, is being dragged to the Supreme Court for “hate speech.” Why? Because she tweeted a Bible verse opposing her church’s support of a Helsinki Pride Parade, even after two courts found the prosecution baseless. (The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has condemned the prosecution of Päivi.) As the tide of global censorship grows, Americans—and people everywhere who still believe in freedom of thought, speech, and religion—need to stand up and state what is plain: These censorship laws and harassment campaigns are an embarrassment to a free people. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. The post UK Silent Prayer Arrests Prompt International Embarrassment appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Rumble, the growing free speech video-sharing platform, has launched a live-read sponsorship tool through its Rumble Studio tool. The delivery uses Rumble’s new patent-pending ad delivery technology and is a new way for creators to monetize their channels, and for brands to reach developing audiences. This development means advertisers can now use the Rumble Advertising Center (RAC) to get involved with this new direct format of advertising. The feature is currently available in the  US, Canada, and the UK, rolling out to more countries in the future. The Creator Sponsorship Marketplace could be a game-changer for the advertising world. It allows advertisers to precisely search, sort, and filter a diverse database of premium creators and exclusive podcasts. With a growing number of high-profile names on the platform, advertisers can tap into a broad and influential audience base. Furthermore, the marketplace extends beyond Rumble, encompassing creators with inventory across multiple platforms. Live ad reads are often more valuable to companies because they feel more authentic and engaging to the audience. When a creator integrates an advertisement seamlessly into their content, it comes across as a genuine recommendation rather than a traditional commercial break. This authenticity can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the advertisement, leading to higher engagement rates and better conversion metrics. Viewers tend to trust their favorite creators and are more likely to respond positively to products or services endorsed in this manner. Rumble’s Creator Sponsorship Marketplace enhances the potential of live ad reads by providing a structured yet flexible platform for these transactions. Advertisers can easily identify and collaborate with creators whose audience demographics align with their target market, ensuring that the ad reads are not only engaging but also highly relevant. The launch of this new marketplace marks a significant milestone for both creators and the platform. By offering a transparent, flexible, and efficient monetization tool, Rumble ensures that creators can be adequately rewarded for their work. The lack of effective monetization is one of the factors that prevents creators from joining new platforms and so this enhancement in monetization could attract more content creators to the platform, enriching Rumble’s content ecosystem and driving its overall growth. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Revolutionizing Monetization: Rumble Introduces Live-Read Sponsorship Marketplace appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

The Mainstream Media Is Worse Than Worthless

Portland Company Allegedly Overcharged Businesses to Board Up Broken Windows, City Shrugged

Almost two years after a far-left extremist attempted to assassinate conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, ABC’s The View invited author John Grisham on the show to fantasize about a follow-up to The Pelican Brief where even more justices would be assassinated. Of course, the liberal ladies rushed to his defense. He also pushed long-debunked conspiracy theories about the 2000 election being decided by the court. Being that their guest had written about the Supreme Court in the past, co-host Joy Behar teed him up to give his two cents about the current media smear campaigns. “I mean, let's take the Supreme Court right now. A lot of people have issues with them. There are some scandals plaguing the Supreme Court. Do you have any thoughts on that and maybe write a book or make a movie out of that?” she wondered. “I wrote a great book called The Pelican Brief… In which two Supreme Court justices were assassinated,” he boasted (it was also turned into a movie in 1993). “You sure did!” staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host Sunny Hostin (the descendant of slave owners) commended him. Seemingly inspired by Behar’s question about the current Supreme Court, Grisham then floated the idea of writing another book about justices getting assassinated, which immediately prompted the cast to jump to his defense: GRISHAM: And I thought about doing it again! BEHAR: No. No. No. No. [Crosstalk as they try to explain what he meant] WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Writing part two! He's talking about writing part two! GRISHAM: It's all fiction. HOSTIN: It's all fiction! GRISHAM: It’s all fiction. GOLDBERG: It’s all fiction! GRISHAM: Don't get upset. BEHAR: It's just fiction. It's made-up stories.     “The court has never looked this bad in my lifetime,” he proclaimed. “Some of the rulings, the ethical challenges…” Grisham dove into election denialism when he suggested the court started going “downhill in 2000 when five Republicans on the court chose to elect a president.” His debunked conspiracy theory got agreement from Behar as he doubled down on the false claim: BEHAR: Oh, yes. Al Gore. GRISHAM: That was the most political – Bush v. Gore and that's when it all started really going downhill. BEHAR: I agree with that. GRISHAM: The 5-4 decision and the court – it gets worse every term. It was a false claim because even with the court’s decision – for a case brought to them – George W. Bush had the votes to carry Florida. It was a fact even supported by a recount funded by the left-leaning The Miami Herald and USA Today. “So, I have no solution because you can't get rid of them,” Grisham added. “The solution is make them all retire at the age of 75. Every federal judge should have to retire at the age of 75.” And by total coincidence (not really), 75 was how old Justice Clarence Thomas was and how old Justice Samuel Alito would be next year. It’s worth noting that The View cast were among those in the liberal media who encouraged mobs of liberal radicals to assail the conservative justices at their homes and denounced calls for increased security after the assassination attempt. And a little over a year ago, far-left liberal extremist Jane Fonda was on the show and proposed “murder” as the final solution to the Pro-Life problem. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View May 29, 2024 11:50:36 a.m. Eastern (…) JOY BEHAR: You're art imitating life, really, I think is what you're doing. But life right now in a courtroom is getting a little scary. I mean, let's take the Supreme Court right now. A lot of people have issues with them. There are some scandals plaguing the Supreme Court. Do you have any thoughts on that and maybe write a book or make a movie out of that? JOHN GRISHAM: I wrote a great book called The Pelican Brief. SARA HAINES: Yes! SUNNY HOSTIN: You sure did! [Applause] BEHAR: Yep. GRISHAM: In which two Supreme Court justices were assassinated. BEHAR: I know. HOSTIN: Yes. GRISHAM: And I thought about doing it again! BEHAR: No. No. No. No. [Crosstalk as they try to explain what he meant.] WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Writing part two! He's talking about writing part two! GRISHAM: It's all fiction. HOSTIN: It's all fiction! GRISHAM: It’s all fiction. GOLDBERG: It’s all fiction! GRISHAM: Don't get upset. BEHAR: It's just fiction. It's made up stories. GRISHAM: The court has never looked this bad-- BEHAR: No. GRISHAM: -- in my lifetime. Some of the rulings, the ethical challenges, the -- It went downhill in 2000 when five Republicans on the court chose to elect a president. BEHAR: Oh, yes. Al Gore. GRISHAM: That was the most political – Bush v. Gore and that's when it all started really going downhill. BEHAR: I agree with that. GRISHAM: The 5-4 decision and the court – it gets worse every term. HOSTIN: Wow. GRISHAM: So, I have no solution because you can't get rid of them. The solution is make them all retire at the age of 75. Every federal judge should have to retire at the age of 75. BEHAR: How about term limits like everybody else? The president gets term limits. Why do they have these lifetime jobs? [Crosstalk] ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: I did want to ask about the book. (…)

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito informed Democrat Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island in a letter sent on Wednesday he will not be recusing himself from any cases relating to Donald Trump and the 2020 election over flags that were flown at his home.Democrats and the media have accused Alito of showing bias by having an upside-down American flag back in 2021 and an "Appeal to Heaven" flag on his property, claiming Alito was showing sympathy toward the rioters and protesters who were in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021. Both flags are not solely tied to January 6 and have deep historical connections to the United States dating back hundreds of years.'I am therefore duty-bound to reject your recusal request.'When it came to the upside-down American flag at Alito's Virginia residence, Alito said his wife made the decision to put it up over a neighbor being aggressive toward her. "My wife and I own our Virginia home jointly. She therefore has the legal right to use the property as she sees fit, and there were no additional steps that I could have taken to have the flag taken down more promptly. My wife's reasons for flying the flag are not relevant for present purposes, but I note that she was greatly distressed at the time due, in large part, to a very nasty neighborhood dispute in which I had no involvement. A house on the street displayed a sign attacking her personally, and a man who was living in the house at the time trailed her all the way down the street and berated her in my presence using foul language, including what I regard as the vilest epithet that can be addressed to a woman."Alito noted his wife is a private U.S. citizen who has the same right to freedom of speech as any other citizen. He added his wife flies different types of flags throughout the year on their properties."I was not familiar with the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag when my wife flew it. She may have mentioned that it dates back to the American Revolution, and assumed she was flying it to express a religious and patriotic message. I was not aware of any connection between this historic flag and the 'Stop the Steal Movement,' and neither was my wife. She did not fly it to associate herself with that or any other group, and the use of an old historic flag by a new group does not necessarily drain that flag of all other meanings," he explained."A reasonable person who is not motivated by political or ideological considerations or a desire to affect the outcome of Supreme Court cases would conclude that this event does not meet the applicable standard for recusal. I am therefore duty-bound to reject your recusal request," Alito concluded.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Karl Rove, a career political strategist, is calling out the Biden campaign for a "stupid mistake."On Tuesday, the Biden campaign held a surprise press conference outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump's hush money trial is taking place. The campaign used actor Robert De Niro and two former Capitol Police officers — Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone, who both worked on Jan. 6 — to do the campaign's anti-Trump messaging.'Under Sheppard v. Maxwell ... the Supreme Court has long held that a defendant’s right to an impartial jury can be violated by extensive publicity about the case that creates a circus atmosphere.'The mistake, according to Rove, is the Biden campaign aided the perception that Trump's trial is political."Stupid mistake by the Biden campaign," Rove said on Fox News."While all the cameras were there, they wanted to get their moment in the sun — and it was a big mistake. It politicizes the trial," he explained.At the press conference, De Niro claimed that Trump will "destroy America" and "destroy the world" if he wins the election. According to Rove, that type of rhetoric won't win the support of undecided voters — and it could push them away."This was so over-the-top as to simply be useless, and what a stupid mistake on the part of the Biden campaign," Rove exclaimed.‘Stupid Mistake!’: Karl Rove Torches Biden Campaign for Holding Bizarre Robert De Niro Press Conference pic.twitter.com/LUfk2WbLH1— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 28, 2024 Not only was the stunt a potential political mistake, but attorney Dan McLaughlin thinks it may have been a legal one, too.In his view, McLaughlin said that prosecutors may have violated Trump's Sixth Amendment rights. — (@) "Under Sheppard v. Maxwell ... the Supreme Court has long held that a defendant’s right to an impartial jury can be violated by extensive publicity about the case that creates a circus atmosphere," McLaughlin wrote at National Review."This is a nationally known celebrity acting as a representative of the president of the United States, at the very site of the trial, on the day before the jury will begin to deliberate, declaring that 'everybody in the world' knows that the defendant is guilty and that he has previously gotten out of too many thing," he added, referring to De Niro."Sure, Trump has had his surrogates out there (including the speaker of the House), but the prosecution doesn’t have a constitutional right to an impartial jury; the defendant does," he explained. "If this isn’t over the line, what is?"Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was recently accused of saying "the quiet part out loud" when she refused to answer a question about Speaker Mike Johnson (R) speaking outside Trump's trial by citing the upcoming election."I don't want to comment, obviously, as this is related to 2024 elections," she said.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Twin basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder praised WNBA star Caitlin Clark as a generational player, going against the grain as WNBA players and critics attempt to bury Clark in controversy.The basketball sisters recently announced they would play a fifth and final NCAA season with the Miami Hurricanes, and despite it being popular to downplay Clark's popularity, the Cavinders remarked that she is growing the footprint of the sport worldwide."What she's done for the game over the last year is insanely good for women's basketball and just the viewership and the revenue. People are way more intrigued by it," Haley said.The 22-year-old added that Clark's absence from college basketball will likely leave a void."You could tell by the March Madness, the viewership compared to the men. So I think what she's done as a whole, everyone will miss her. I mean, she's fun to watch. Everyone wants to watch her," she told Outkick. "I think the game is growing, and I think it's a good sport for the younger generation to look up and being able to just inspire them.""I think she's a once in a lifetime player," she continued. "She's amazing, and that's why people want to watch, that's what grows the game, the women's game.""What she's doing for the game is great for women's basketball," Haley concluded.Clark's popularity is rarely questioned given her ability to inflate ticket prices at any arena she steps foot in, but that hasn't stopped accusations of race-favoritism and consistent complaints from other WNBA players.Las Vegas Aces player A'ja Wilson claimed that race has played a "huge" role in the popularity of Clark and blamed racism for her lack of endorsement deals (she would later sign with Nike and Gatorade)."The View" host Sunny Hostin claimed that Clark's fame had a lot to do with her having the "privilege" of being white and pretty.Other WNBA players like Sophie Cunningham and Angel Reese have joined a caucus of athletes who have complained that their chartered flights aren't as big as Clark's plane when flying with the Indiana Fever."We are so grateful to be able to start chartering, but with that, there's a lot of things that need to be adjusted," Cunningham said, adding that players couldn't fit all their bags on the charter.'There is nothing more important than family and the bond I share with my Twin sister.'Any praise Clark has received has typically come from outside her league from the likes of retired players like Charles Barkley or former NFL star Antonio Brown, for example."You women out there, y'all petty, man! Hey, LeBron, you are 100% right on these girls hatin' on Caitlin Clark. Y'all petty girls!" Barkley said on TNT. "I expect men to be petty 'cause we're the most insecure group in the world. Y'all should be thanking that girl for gettin' y'all ass private charters, all the money and visibility she's bringing to the WNBA. Don't be petty like dudes!"NFL champion Brown had similar sentiments when he spoke to BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock."I love Caitlin Clark," Brown told Whitlock. "She's one of the best athletes in woman sports right now. She's one of the best."The Cavinders are stars in their own right and are already noted to be millionaires from their numerous endorsements. Their popularity off the court has helped them achieve what was never possible before the NCAA allowed its athletes to profit off their likeness.After initially retiring from basketball, Haley had announced in November 2023 that she would be joining Texas Christian University in the 2024 season.However, after sister Hanna announced her return to Miami University, Haley decided to join her. "There is nothing more important than family and the bond I share with my Twin sister. Being presented the opportunity to play together one more time is something i cannot pass up," she said in a statement."We'll continue to grow, and continue to do our part [to grow the sport]," she explained to Outkick.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A notorious land developer in southeastern Texas has pled guilty to drunk driving even as his company faces continued scrutiny from state and federal officials.On Tuesday, William "Trey" Harris, who co-owns Colony Ridge with brother John Harris, pled guilty to two counts of driving while intoxicated in connection with two separate incidents that occurred within the past seven months.Harris headed out to turn himself in for the unknown infraction, but along the way, he ran into some of his 'law enforcement buddies,' who then escorted him to jail.The first incident occurred on November 3, when Harris was arrested for misdemeanor DWI. In this case, he was assessed a class A misdemeanor, the most severe, because his blood alcohol level exceeded .15, or more than twice the legal limit.Three months later, Harris was arrested and charged with misdemeanor DWI once again. However, this time, he was assessed a class B misdemeanor because his blood alcohol level was likely not as elevated.After both arrests, Harris quickly paid bail and was released from jail. He was then arrested a third time on May 17, one day after his bail for those DWI cases was revoked. The Houston Landing suggested that the sudden bail revocation may have come because Harris "failed to appear for a court appearance or violated the terms of his release."His lawyer, Bryan Cantrell, told the outlet that on May 16, Harris headed out to turn himself in for the unknown infraction, but along the way, he ran into some of his "law enforcement buddies," who then escorted him to jail. He has remained in jail ever since.Harris' plea agreement with prosecutors sentences him to 45 days in jail including time already served. He must also pay a $12,000 fine and avoid driving a car at least until November. County Court at Law Judge Tracy Sorensen has since approved the agreement."He just wanted to get this resolved," Cantrell told the Landing.While Harris' DWI trouble may soon be over, the lingering lawsuits against Colony Ridge aren't going away anytime soon. Located about a half-hour from Houston and dubbed "the world's largest trailer park," residents in and around Colony Ridge have complained about inadequate infrastructure and unsafe living conditions in the development for about a decade, as Blaze News reported earlier this year.Though local and county officials have done little to address the problems at Colony Ridge, the development now faces lawsuits from the U.S. Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Both lawsuits claim that the Harris brothers and others affiliated with Colony Ridge have engaged in predatory and fraudulent lending practices that have particularly victimized illegal aliens, who comprise at least 50% of the Colony Ridge population, according to some estimates.Trey Harris' brother, John, spoke with Blaze Media cofounder Glenn Beck in a Blaze Originals documentary about Colony Ridge. To see that and other Blaze Originals episodes, subscribe to BlazeTV here. A trailer to the Colony Ridge episode can be seen below:Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Pollsters are skeptical that the outcome of the trial will move the needle on voter perceptions of a man who has dominated the media for years.