Crying out against the big wigs in the White House. The post ‘On the Border’: The Eagles song used to mock Richard Nixon first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

If you’d like to see a movie about a saint utterly gutted of religious meaning this Lenten season‚ piqued by a perverse curiosity of what such a spectacle might look like‚ then go see Cabrini. It’s quite the marvel: a film about the first American citizen to become a saint‚ a woman who did everything for her dear Jesus‚ that somehow completely ignores the very Jesus Christ who inspired her. RELATED: Modern Italians Are Worshiping Juno‚ Minerva‚ and Jupiter. The US Isn’t Far Behind. I didn’t hear a single mention of Jesus in Cabrini. If there was‚ I could be easily forgiven for missing it. After all‚ this is not a religious movie. Then what is Cabrini? Its message is thoroughly modernized‚ a 21st-century American tale. It’s a feminist movie‚ pure and simple‚ about a woman who — always — looks exclusively to herself rather than to God for her inspiration and ability to overcome every obstacle. These are obstacles placed by men who don’t like her and sometimes hold her in outright contempt because she is a woman. And there’s a second obstacle: Frances Xavier Cabrini‚ born in July 1850 in the town of Sant’Angelo Lodigiano in Italy’s Lombardy region‚ was Italian. Thus‚ Cabrini is based on three overriding themes: discrimination‚ discrimination‚ discrimination. That is‚ discrimination against women and against Italians in the era when Mother Cabrini came to New York. To be sure‚ women and Italians faced much discrimination in that era. I say this as an Italian American. My last name is Polish‚ but my mother is 100 percent Italian (according to my DNA test‚ I’m 55–65 percent Calabrian). My family came to America at precisely the timeline identified at the opening of Cabrini. In fact‚ indulge me‚ if you will‚ as I relate a few items from what my family experienced so that readers will understand that I’m not coldly shrugging off this film’s hyperventilating focus on bigotry toward Italians. My great-grandfather‚ Pietro Giovinazzo‚ set sail to America from Reggio Calabria in October 1906 — as a stowaway. As the ship approached Ellis Island‚ he dove into the Hudson River and swam ashore. He probably ventured to an area similar to the one fascinatingly recreated by the Cabrini film. Ultimately‚ he managed to make his way to the hills of Latrobe‚ Pennsylvania‚ and then Emporium‚ Pennsylvania.  One day at the family farm‚ surrounded by his wife‚ Rose Maria‚ and many little children‚ he got a visit from the KKK. A local Protestant pastor spoke for the angry group. “We’re going to burn you out‚” he informed Pete. Pete‚ a tough man who had fought in the Italy–Ethiopia war and carried a loaded .44 (and was wanted by police back in Italy)‚ snapped at the Klansmen: “No touch! No touch! I shoot! I shoot!” All of which is to say that I’m not unsympathetic to Cabrini’s focus on discrimination. Though I shudder to think what these filmmakers would do if they had to make a movie about my great-grandfather. His entire life would be distilled into a two-hour cinematic litany about bigotry. I actually never once heard my grandfather (Pete’s son) talk about discrimination. I guess my grandfather wasn’t woke. Mercifully‚ my Italian ancestors didn’t obsessively bellyache about bigotry the way this film does. Pietro would have never jumped off that boat. He would have sat in the hull moaning and whining and barking‚ “Racists!” at the crew‚ demanding the assistance of a DEI officer. That said‚ to its credit‚ the best thing about Cabrini is its wider capture of Italian culture during that period. The film delivers beautiful imagery of the old country‚ Rome‚ and the Vatican. The cinematography‚ scenery‚ the language (39 percent of the dialogue is in Italian) are all terrifically done. The re-creation of 19th-century Italy and early Italian New York evokes The Godfather Part II‚ with the young Vito Corleone. It’s mesmerizing. I found myself repeatedly whispering to my wife‚ “I love this. The kids need to see this movie.”  But once Mother Cabrini (played by Cristiana Dell’Anna) settles in New York‚ the film slides downhill‚ aiming to please less the Christian faithful than the woke. The moments of divine inspiration that everyone is expecting in a steady buildup never‚ ever come. To that end‚ the film could have been easily salvaged at multiple junctures if‚ just once‚ in one of her many “dark night of the soul” moments‚ this Mother Cabrini could have turned to a crucifix‚ pleaded to Jesus‚ and prayed. Alas‚ she doesn’t. She relies on her own will‚ perseverance‚ inner strength‚ determination‚ resolve‚ and refusal to accept no for an answer. She puts her faith only in herself‚ as a woman. The film is so filled with hackneyed feminist claptrap that it’s an insult to our intelligence‚ and certainly an insult to Mother Cabrini’s memory. I would hope that even progressives watching all the politically correct poppycock would have had enough at some point. To not even show a literal saint invoking Jesus is appalling‚ a gross injustice‚ downright unbelievable‚ and obviously inaccurate. It’s a sin of omission. Julia Attaway‚ the executive director of the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in New York City‚ says this of the real Mother Cabrini: “All of her charitable works‚ all of her perseverance‚ everything that she ever did was driven by the desire to draw people to the heart of Jesus. That was her sole reason for doing anything.” Attaway told the National Catholic Register‚ “[H]er trust in Jesus became absolute.” That’s indeed the real Cabrini‚ but you will not see her in Cabrini. This film’s “Cabrini” trusts absolutely and solely in herself. She doesn’t need Jesus‚ even as she carries her cross. Said Attaway: “To her‚ every cross was an opportunity to become more like Christ.” As for those dark night of the soul moments‚ Attaway (who is very charitable in her assessment of the film) adds: You see those scenes in the movie … and wonder‚ “How is it that she didn’t wear out?” The answer is that her heart was so much like Jesus’ that it was his compassion flowing through her…. The answer is‚ the boldness and compassion we see in her is Christ. Again‚ you don’t see that in the movie. You don’t see Christ. Worse‚ the movie goes out of its way to excise Christ. A striking example is a rare “prayer” moment in the film‚ when Cabrini and her sisters say grace. The traditional table blessing (spoken in Latin) was reduced to only: “Benedic‚ Domine‚ nos et haec tua dona … Amen.” This translates to: “Bless us‚ O Lord‚ and these Thy gifts … Amen.” But as every Catholic knows‚ the full version of this standard prayer is: “Benedic‚ Domine‚ nos et haec tua dona quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi‚ per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.” The full prayer ends with: “through Christ‚ Our Lord. Amen.” Quite egregiously‚ the filmmakers yanked Christ out of the prayer‚ which I’ve never heard done by anyone‚ ever. Imagine nuns doing so! Sadly‚ this secularization of Mother Cabrini‚ including the lack of showing her in prayer‚ was “deliberate‚” as those who made the film candidly concede (watch this very revealing interview with the executive producer‚ particularly at the 17:00 mark).  This is a secularized Cabrini. It’s a shocking portrayal of a sainted nun who doesn’t go to God. This saint goes to herself‚ to her femaleness. I dare say that if we exhumed Mother Cabrini’s body in her tomb on the Hudson‚ we might find it flipped over. Much was made of the filmmakers’ decision to release Cabrini on International Women’s Day‚ which‚ of course‚ is a secular socialist holiday. I was hoping that the filmmakers were turning the tables on the IWD folks‚ redeeming this secular day by offering an example of a saintly woman inspired by faith‚ akin to how Pope Pius XII turned May Day into the day of St. Joseph the Worker‚ splendidly infuriating socialists and communists. Quite the contrary — this “Cabrini” is the worst of what IWD is. She’s an IWD poster girl. This film of a saint honored not the Lenten season in which it was released but‚ rather‚ the secular International Women’s Day. That’s very sad.  Fittingly‚ Mother Cabrini’s final words in the film are a nauseating gut-punch‚ driveling some pabulum about women being better than men‚ or some such childish silliness that I didn’t even bother jotting down on my notepad. At that point‚ I was in too much agony to lift my pencil. If I may‚ I’ll finish with an inspiring quote from the real Mother Cabrini: “Jesus‚ I intend to offer each suffering as if it could remove a thorn from your heart and gain one more soul to give you glory.” That was truly Mother Cabrini. Too bad you won’t find a line like that from Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini anywhere in this film. The post Gutting Jesus: Feminist <;i>;Cabrini<;/i>;‚ Secular Saint appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

I woke up with unusual energy‚ as if I had fallen straight out of a Michael Jackson music video. I grabbed my notebook‚ my sunglasses‚ and a coffee to go‚ then went to write in the sun by the sea. After annoying politicians in my articles‚ driving expensive cars at high speed‚ and toasting with expensive rum late at night‚ sunbathing‚ or tanning‚ is my favorite activity. READ MORE from Itxu Díaz: Thank You‚ Globalist Elites‚ for This Week’s Display of Talent My friends say that I live fairly well just because I don’t have to work in an office. What they don’t know is that while they are dancing at a nightclub in the wee hours of the night‚ I‚ although I might be with them‚ am actually doing field work. The writer is working all the time‚ every minute. That’s exhausting. Actually‚ not so much‚ but half of my job is complaining.  As an opinion columnist‚ the key to my work is understanding human behavior‚ perhaps in order to try to understand the behavior of the masses. In my experience‚ that’s a simple thing to do once you understand pig behavior‚ but sometimes you get surprises.  Human beings can be extremely idiotic — look at me. They can also be extremely intelligent‚ like Maria Sharapova (although I don’t want my flirtatious objectives to be too obvious). And‚ sometimes‚ they can be both at the same time‚ like Alf‚ although I’m not sure Melmac counts as human: Don’t forget that he was smart enough to easily unhinge Willie Tanner and dumb enough to feed on cats. Human beings can be right all the time‚ like any of my girlfriends. Or they can be wrong all the time‚ like me against any of my girlfriends. Human beings can be harmless fools‚ like the inventor of Hubbard’s electrometer‚ which measured the degree of suffering tomatoes undergo when you slice them. (Spoiler: They suffer. A lot‚ according to Hubbard.) Or they can be dangerous fools‚ like Michael Moore‚ who just told Jews that they should attack “white European Christians”; you can’t expect much from a guy who’s more in love with Ben &; Jerry’s than his own intellect.  The press used to be a good gauge of social intelligence levels. If the newspaper was full of events like: “Man loses arm after putting it in blender‚” or “LGBT protesters pay tribute to Republic of Iran‚” you knew that common sense was absent in the streets. If the press was full of remarkable and meritorious facts‚ you could still have a little faith in humanity. That was because journalists would write what they saw‚ nothing more‚ and the rest of the time they were completely drunk. Now journalists are teetotal‚ vegan‚ and sustainable‚ and they use Michael Moore’s soporific documentaries as a historical source on European Christianity. Maybe it’s because too many journalists now try to think before they write‚ and that’s killing the profession faster than clickbait. Here’s an example: I returned home from the beach with pink skin‚ charged batteries‚ and a finished article. In my books it was turning out to be a perfect day. For some reason‚ I decided to mess it up. I mean‚ of course‚ that I opened the Washington Post. There I came across a particularly annoying headline: “‘I’d rather die hot than live ugly’: Tanning mania returns.” Every time I open progressive mainstream press‚ I’m struck by the following question: Are we doing anything right?  Journalism‚ as I said‚ used to be an informative activity. Sometimes analytical. And‚ at other times‚ a source of entertainment. Postmodern journalism is mom getting mad about something random and sending you to sleep without dinner no matter what time it is.  As for my day in the sun‚ I can only tell Mommy Post one thing: I will do it every day for the rest of my life. No‚ I’m not addicted to tanning. And her theory that social networks are causing a wave of sun addicts is the stupidest thing I’ve ever read: Precisely‚ since there are social networks‚ there’s no need to get sunburned on the beach; if anything works well now‚ it’s filters to look better tanned than someone from the Congo. But whatever. I’ve decided that this spring I’m going to stop being the most cantankerous columnist in the universe. I’m going to make an effort to try to understand all the stupidity that surrounds me (my own stupidity already has too many analysts). I will become one of those journalists who berate you for what you eat or don’t eat‚ who publish pieces like: “This is why you’ve been opening milk cartons wrong all your life‚” and who call anything they don’t like‚ whether it’s sunbathing‚ participating in a foam party‚ or smoking at the gas station‚ a “dangerous and deadly addiction.” Perhaps humanity of our times is divided in two: the happy and the unhappy. I have already made my choice. I like the sun‚ and I always chase after happiness. My only problem is that happiness is faster than me. Translated by Joel Dalmau. Buy Itxu Díaz’s new book‚ I Will Not Eat Crickets: An Angry Satirist Declares War on the Globalist Elite‚ here today! The post The <;i>;Washington Post<;/i>; Has Attacked Tanning ‘Addiction.’ That Won’t Do. appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Fifty years ago‚ March 1‚ 1974‚ marked the beginning of the end of Richard Nixon’s presidency. That’s the day the grand jury’s indictment was made public‚ naming seven of Nixon’s top aides in the alleged cover-up of those responsible for the Watergate burglary. Included were John Mitchell‚ Nixon’s attorney general; Bob Haldeman‚ his chief of staff; and John Ehrlichman‚ his head of Domestic Council. The indictment detailed 45 overt acts in furtherance of the cover-up. While few involved actions of these top aides‚ the law of conspiracy is such that‚ once a conspiracy is shown to exist‚ it takes virtually no additional evidence to add additional co-conspirators‚ other than the prosecutors’ allegation. There also were 19 unindicted co-conspirators (including Nixon)‚ but their names did not become public until months later.  RELATED from Geoff Shepard: The 18½ Minute Gap in Watergate Recording It was quite a public spectacle‚ with Chief Judge John Sirica demanding the entire grand jury appear in person so that he could poll them individually. To the complete surprise of Nixon’s Watergate defense team‚ prosecutors produced a sealed “presentment‚” which they asked be forwarded to the House Judiciary Committee‚ then considering Nixon’s impeachment. With great drama‚ Sirica “unsealed” the 55-page document‚ noted its contents‚ resealed it‚ and deferred any ruling. The sealed document‚ along with a briefcase stuffed with additional materials‚ was quickly nicknamed the “Road Map‚” since it was said to detail a clear path to Nixon’s impeachment. Later that afternoon‚ Sirica named himself to preside over the trial of these defendants‚ as he had over the earlier burglary trial.  Shortly thereafter‚ Haldeman’s defense counsel wrote a one-paragraph letter to Sirica‚ copying “all counsel‚” asking if he had been meeting with prosecutors (he had‚ but these meetings did not become known for 40 years). Sirica never responded to the letter itself but did announce in open court that his actions could not be questioned‚ since everything he had done was in furtherance of his authority as chief judge. On March 18‚ Sirica ordered the Road Map’s transmittal to the Congress. Defendants appealed to the D.C. Circuit‚ asking for an evidentiary hearing to explore any meetings between prosecutors and Sirica. The ACLU joined in this request‚ but it was denied in a one-sentence order‚ without even allowing the opportunity for oral argument. Nixon’s being named an unindicted co-conspirator in that March 1 indictment did not become public until June 6‚ to devastating effect. Nixon’s lawyers claimed he was immune from such action‚ which became an issue before the Supreme Court in U.S. v. Nixon‚ but the court avoided reaching any decision on this issue as it upheld Leon Jaworski’s subpoena for 64 additional tapes on July 24. Nixon resigned on Aug. 9‚ 1974‚ and his top aides were convicted on all counts in the cover-up trial that ended on Jan. 1‚ 1975. There matters stood for the next 45 years‚ until Jaworski’s confidential Watergate files were retrieved by our National Archives from Jaworski’s alma mater‚ Baylor Law School‚ in Waco‚ Texas. They were first made public in 2013‚ in response to my FOIA request. What those files showed was that Jaworski had‚ indeed‚ been meeting in secret with Sirica — and even detailing their discussions in a series of his own memos. The top four special prosecutors‚ including Jaworski‚ had secretly met with Sirica on Dec. 14‚ 1973 — just three days after turning over transcripts to key tape recordings. One of those prosecutors urged a second meeting with Sirica to pre-clear the idea of a grand jury presentment. That meeting occurred on Feb. 11‚ with Jaworski promising a memo justifying the whole idea of such a presentment. That memo is dated Feb. 15 and‚ again‚ presented to Sirica in secret. The senior prosecution staff was subsequently informed that Sirica had approved the Road Map’s format. Finally‚ because the March 1 proceedings were rather complicated‚ Jaworski met secretly with Sirica that morning to rehearse their respective roles. (READ MORE from Geoff Shepard: Yesterday and Today: Judicial Bias in Washington‚ DC) Each of these secret meetings between Jaworski and Sirica were in flagrant violation of our Fifth Amendment’s due process guarantees. If they had been known at the time‚ defendants’ convictions would have been vacated‚ and Sirica and offending prosecutors would have been removed from the case. As for the Road Map itself‚ it was not unsealed until Oct. 11‚ 2018‚ in response to my court petition. Only then‚ some 45 years after Nixon’s resignation‚ did we first learn of the specific allegations the prosecutors had secretly lodged against the president — which‚ once public‚ are easily refuted. Still‚ what grand jurors were actually told by prosecutors in convincing them to name Nixon a co-conspirator remains sealed under grand jury secrecy laws. This is in spite of several attempts to have this unsealed. On June 10‚ 1974‚ Nixon’s lawyers moved Sirica: to disclose to the President any and all transcripts‚ tapes and recordings of Presidential conversations‚ grand jury minutes and exhibits‚ and any and all other matters occurring before the grand jury which pertained to grand jury action in naming or authorizing the Special Prosecutor to identify Richard M. Nixon as an unindicted co-conspirator. Sirica denied this motion on June 18‚ but it was then renewed before the Supreme Court on June 19. As stated earlier‚ the motion was not acted upon by the court in reaching its decision in U.S. v. Nixon.  Almost four decades later‚ I urged the same action as a part of my petition for the Road Map’s unsealing. While that part of my petition was successful‚ Judge Beryl Howell unsealed the Road Map itself but declined to unseal any additional grand jury materials. Thus‚ to this day‚ we do not know what grand jurors were specifically told to convince them to name Nixon as a co-conspirator.  I believe that‚ whenever we do find out‚ we will see — as with the Road Map — that Nixon was falsely accused. Geoff Shepard came to Washington in 1969 as a White House fellow after graduating from Harvard Law School. He served on President Richard Nixon’s White House staff for five years‚ including a year as deputy counsel on the president’s Watergate defense team. He has written three books about the internal prosecutorial documents he’s uncovered‚ many of which are posted on his website‚ www.shepardonwatergate.com. The post The Conspiratorial Beginning of the End of Nixon’s Presidency appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

'I a hundred percent am gonna listen to the people back home who I represent in this house‚' says rising GOP rep. Republican South Carolina State Representative Adam Morgan delivered a fiery speech from the state capitol this week‚ slamming his peers for bowing to pressure from Washington‚ D.C. lobbyists and bureaucrats. Discussing a bill being voted on by the state legislature‚ Morgan told his colleagues‚ “I get that the people in Columbia‚ that the lobby wants me to either not vote or vote green on this‚ but my constituents want me to vote red and they want their tax money spent on core government functions‚ on their roads‚ on their schools‚ that’s what they want their money spent on.” South Carolina Rep Adam Morgan Blows The Whistle On Washington– Dark Money Entities Are Created Targeting Those Who Vote Red– Representatives Are Blatantly Being Encouraged To Ignore Their Voters– Multi-billion International Corporations Come First– Lobbyists Come First-… pic.twitter.com/D2ApBFclCt— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 12‚ 2024 Democrat South Carolina State Rep. Todd Rutherford pressed Morgan on his stance by claiming the politicians know more than the people in his district because they have experience in making major deals. Rutherford told Morgan he shouldn’t listen to the people in his district because they “may not have ever brokered a deal‚ may not understand what it means being a project‚ may not understand incentives.”Winter Sun Plus is NOW 40% off! Boost your natural defenses with this powerful vitamin D3 and K formula! “So‚ what you’re suggesting is we should listen to the people back home in your district rather than the people at commerce that have been successful at bringing these mega deals to South Carolina?” the out-of-touch representative asked Morgan. The GOP rep. scoffed and told Rutherford he couldn’t disagree with him more fundamentally‚ saying‚ “I a hundred percent am gonna listen to the people back home who I represent in this house and you should go listen to the 40‚000 people in your area and not the bureaucrats at commerce and not the lobbyists and not the multi-billion dollar international corporations. YOU should listen to your constituents like I am.” He added‚ “So‚ yes‚ I will always fall back on the common sense of the wonderful people from Taylors and Greenville East Side far more than I will ever listen to you unelected bureaucrats‚ other representatives in here who have been here for far too long and have maybe managed a whole lot of these deals and far more than I will ever listen to any member out there in the lobby.” Morgan is the Chairman of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus and is currently challenging Rep. William Timmons (R-SC) for his House seat. 

Learn the truth behind Boeing's airplane failures and why John Barnett was suicided. Alex Jones breaks down the shocking story of a Boeing whistleblower’s suspicious death amid frightening revelations that the airplane manufacturer is shirking safety protocols in its assembly process as aircraft incidents during flight accelerate.

from Birch Gold Group: This week‚ Your News to Know rounds up the latest top stories involving precious metals and the economy. Stories include: Gold notches another all-time high over $2‚180‚ analysts are acknowledging that gold’s surging price confuses them and understanding bitcoin vs. gold comparisons. TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/ Gold hits new all-time high‚ $2‚186 at […]

from Stew Peters Network: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

by Lew Rockwell‚ Lew Rockwell: Leftwing academics claim that blacks in America are oppressed. They call for reparations and affirmative action programs to help them. But these people are hypocrites and liars. How do we know this? When a black person doesn’t share their views‚ they act ruthlessly. Such people have to be eliminated. The […]

by Ron Paul‚ Ron Paul Institute: Last week President Biden delivered a dark and angry speech meant to convince the low percentage of Americans who still feel positive about his presidency that everything is fine and will only get better if he is re-elected for a second term. Unfortunately we have come a long way […]