Pro-life activists are warning about “deceptive” ballot initiatives that could pave the way for unlimited abortion in red states if approved by voters in November.  The ballot initiatives employ deceptive language, like saying a measure would allow abortion up to the point of “viability” — but lets pro-abortion doctors determine what “viability” means. Other ballots would permit abortions for “mental health” reasons, another broad category that could be interpreted to expand abortion. “A lot of deception on the side of the [abortion] proponents because they know that if they were honest about their ultimate goal, which is to repeal not just the gestational limit but all these other laws like no taxpayer funding for abortion, like parental consent, like informed consent, that voters would never support that,” SBA Pro-Life America policy director Katie Glenn Daniel told The Daily Wire.  Pro-life activists face a massive funding disadvantage in the 10 states where abortion is on the ballot, including New York, Florida, and Arizona. The language on the Florida ballot says that there can be no pro-life protections “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”  In Montana, the language would block protections before “viability,” which is defined as “the point in pregnancy when, in the good faith judgment of a treating health care professional and based on the particular facts of the case.” Dr. Ingrid Skop, a researcher with the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute, said that allowing the doctor to define viability was dangerous. She said that since the abortionist’s goal is to end the life of the unborn baby, he will decide that the “baby will never be viable because I am going to end his life.”  “So we can see that this very ambiguous wording is going to lead to many abortions long after the time of viability for reasons most Americans would not consider to be a compelling reason for ending human life,” Skop told The Daily Wire. Other ballot initiatives de-emphasize abortion, to make voters think they’re only deciding on less controversial components. Missouri’s abortion ballot measure includes guarantees to things like miscarriage care and fertility treatments, which are not prohibited by any state law. This strategy paid off for pro-abortion activists in Ohio last year, where voters passed a ballot measure expanding abortion rights thanks in part to ambiguous language. “By making these ballot initiatives worded in such a deceptive way people think to themselves, ‘Oh I must have to vote for this in order to allow a mom to get emergency care,” Skop said.  Skop added that many of the ballot initiatives also include vague provisions on abortions that are necessary for “health of the mother,” once a defined medical category that has now grown to include mental, financial, social, and familial factors. Abortions measures in states including Missouri and and Nevada have “mental health” as a justification for an abortion.  “Many abortions way past the age of viability were performed with the excuse that this was needed for a woman’s health,” Skop said.  Abortion is on the ballot in Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, New York, and Maryland. So far, the pro-abortion side has reportedly raised around $108 million, while the pro-life side has raked in just $14 million.  Daniel said it made sense that the pro-abortion side was spending so much money on the races, as they were essentially making a business investment.  “The abortion industry has no guard rails on how much money they will spend on this because it’s an investment in their ability to run their business without any limits,” she said. “So of course they are going to open the wallets to spend money to lie to voters.” The pro-abortion groups have also used language typically associated with more conservative voters, with many talking about limiting government and using names like “Missourians for Constitutional Freedom” and “Floridians Protecting Freedom.” But pro-life groups are working to make their voice heard as Election Day nears. Live Action announced on Thursday a six-figure digital ad campaign to urge voters in Missouri and Florida to vote “no” on the abortion amendments.  “Abortionists and their collaborators are pouring tens of millions of dollars into propaganda to try to mislead voters and conceal the fact that these amendments would legalize abortions on babies through all nine months of pregnancy,” Live Action founder Lila Rose said. “Lives are on the line in Florida and Missouri like never before in state history.” Pro-lifers have seen a number of setbacks at the ballot box from Kansas to Kentucky to Ohio, but believe they can be successful if more Americans knew the full extent of the abortion agenda being pushed by Democrats. For example, pro-abortion activists in Michigan are suing to force taxpayer funding for abortion, which has long been banned by state law.  “The other side knows they have to be deceptive to get this across the finish line,” Daniel said. “What we see is that when voters are informed they reject that extremism.”

On October 7, 2023, the world didn’t just witness an attack; it saw the stark divide between good and pure evil. As the extent of the horrors unfolded, most people quickly united behind Israel, repulsed by the real-time videos that Hamas was posting of their own depravity. Some, however, including many in the legacy media and the despotic United Nations, would not budge from their decades-long anti-Israel bias. These reprobates refused to acknowledge that the atrocities were committed by stateless, Iran-backed terrorists who were, and continue to be, determined to wipe Israel off the map. Some in the press went so far as to suggest parallels between Israel and Hamas, even blaming the former for the tragedy it had just suffered. The Media Research Center has identified 195 times the media have spewed anti-Israel and anti-Semitic screeds since the Hamas attacks. Topping the list as the worst offender is CNN with 35 articles with anti-Israel bias. The Washington Post is next in line with 23 articles, but it should be noted that it won the top prize for the most number of writers with anti-Israel bias, employing ten who couldn’t resist exposing their troublesome hatred. The next is especially offensive since it uses taxpayer dollars to propagandize its views. NPR published no fewer than 19 biased articles against Israel. The remainder of the dozen worst outlets includes: ABC (15 articles), Reuters (14 articles), The Guardian (13 articles), The New York Times (11 articles ), BBC (11 articles ), CBS News (9 articles ), NBC News (8 articles), MSNBC (8 articles) and The Associated Press (7 articles). We also call out, with revulsion, the BBC, the AP and The Post for their refusal to acknowledge that Hamas is a terrorist organization, despite this designation by the U.S. State Department and most of the modern world. Instead, they refer to the sociopaths who committed these horrific acts as militants, fighters or even just gunmen. Unbelievably, the AP, Reuters, The Times and CNN even embedded photographers with the Hamas terrorists as they stormed across the border into Israel. The images created by these media outlets were indistinguishable from the pictures and videos created by Hamas for their propaganda purposes, begging the question whether they actually aided and abetted terrorism. The AP, like many other outlets, also minimized the barbaric attack, repeatedly referring to it as “the latest Gaza War.” It still prohibits their reporters from referring to Hamas as a terrorist organization, just like The Post characterizes Hamas as a militant group. George Achi of the Canadian Broadcast Company, instructed staff to avoid the term “terrorist” due to its “politicization,” showcasing a shocking moral cowardice. The distinction matters because terrorists are defined by their acts – those using unlawful violence targeted at civilians to kill, kidnap and intimidate. This isn’t just semantics; it’s a deliberate misrepresentation that undermines the very definition of terrorism and enables agenda-driven propaganda. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria provided an unchallenged platform for imprisoned murderer Mustafa Barghouti to justify genocide and blame Israel for Hamas’s brutal attack. Ali Velshi at MSNBC spun tales of collective punishment, crafting an alternate reality where Israel’s defense becomes a crime. Ostensibly, these media outlets want to maintain a patina of neutrality. But that neutrality evaporates as soon as they find a way to accuse Israel of war crimes, jumping to conclusions based on specious, and later rebutted, accounts from Al Jazeera, Hamas and the ever-inaccurate Gaza Ministry of Health. Recall the Oct. 11, 2023 bombing of a hospital in Gaza when the media breathlessly accused Israel of killing 500 innocent people, only to discover that an errant missile from within Gaza was the actual culprit. While a solid 80% of Americans stand with Israel, elements of the media are hijacking this narrative to push a Left-wing agenda. Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings faced ridicule for merely attempting a balanced discussion with a Palestinian advocate, revealing the media’s intolerance for objectivity. The media must rise above this tide of deception. The world deserves not just reports, but the truth. The atrocities committed by Hamas demand not just coverage but condemnation. It’s time for responsible journalism to reclaim its integrity, to tell the story of innocent lives shattered, not for political gain, but for the sake of history and humanity. * * * Dan Schneider is the vice president of Media Research Center’s Free Speech America.  Denise Cohen is an attorney and the founder of Bridge Post Communications, a member of the MRC-led Free Speech Alliance. The views expressed in this piece are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Classic NYT ...

'This is one of the best scripts I have seen in my career'

'It failed'

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'You are letting someone else set your agenda'

Whitmer seems like the weird one to me

'That could incrementally increase customer bills'

Excerpts Fantasy Read an Excerpt From Cecy Robson‘s Bloodguard One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise… By Cecy Robson | Published on October 10, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from Bloodguard, a new romantic fantasy novel by Cecy Robson, out from Red Tower Books on October 18th. Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie.Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena—vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive—would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose.He was wrong—and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity.All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day.Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard—and his freedom.But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap.Nor will his ultimate revenge… Sudden drumbeats echo around the stadium, and my pulse quickens. The time has come to announce the matches. A few of the fighters ease their postures, feigning courage that’s long gone, and we all turn to head back to the wagon. Typically, we’re routed to the stables to wait for our match. As though the games aren’t cruel enough, we never know who or what we’ve been matched to fight or the order until we are called. But today, before we can reach the wagon, the gate of the cage is swung closed. The other gladiators murmur to one another at this change in protocol, but we don’t have long to wait. From the top tier of the arena, four messenger hawks, their bodies twice the size of my head and their wingspan twice my height, swoop into the center with large sacks gripped in their talons. Their dull auburn plumage flutters as they drop their sacks, and their wings flap furiously as they take to the sky again. Two large ogre guards lumber to the fallen sacks and work together to dump out their contents. Weapons and shields clatter to the gray sand. Just as they finish, more hawks soar toward them and dump even more sacks with dull thuds in the middle of the arena. Sullivan and I exchange glances, a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. The piles of weapons are larger than we’re used to…large enough for every gladiator here to choose their starting weapons. And instead of being herded back to the pens, a row of gladiators is nudged forward by the guards, toward the center of the arena. Their heavy feet stomp in the sand, puffs of dust floating away on the wind like funeral ash. “Next row,” the human guard calls, and my chest tightens. “We’re not being paired off.” Sullivan ignores the command, his expression bleak. “It’s all of us. Everyone for themselves.” Buy the Book Bloodguard Cecy Robson Buy Book Bloodguard Cecy Robson Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget My breath leaves in pained bursts. We’re not just fighting a single opponent of their choosing—whether man or beast—we’re also fighting one another to the death. The sun is high in the sky and burns along the deep axe wound on my back, but I barely feel it, my insides twisting. “Next row!” the guard bellows again. I take a step forward. Sullivan follows me, spitting into the sand. He’s very sick. I’m injured. But we won’t slow down for anyone. In the arena, there is no slowing down. There is only victory or death. The moon horses squeal as they are hurried toward the exit, the rickety wagon clattering behind them, making the wizard jump. Death thickens the air, more tangible than the coat of sand settling onto our skin. In the piles of weapons, I spot a sword and a dagger I can use. There’s a metal chest plate that would protect me more than the meager leather one I’m wearing now, but the seconds it takes to put the armor on could cost me my life. Suddenly, the drums speed up, almost catching my racing heart and silencing the crowd, and then the percussion abruptly stops. “Halt!” a guard shouts. “And turn!” As one, we pivot to face the royal box, my mind racing with thoughts of which fighter I should kill first, who will be best to get out of the way quickly. Anyone but Sully, I argue. Anyone but my friend. Just then, High Lord Vitor rises. “One hundred years,” he bellows, the magic within the royal box amplifying and reverberating his voice across the massive structure. The crowd shrieks with excitement. “One hundred!” they echo. “Thousands of gladiators,” he shouts. The spectators cheer louder, enlivened by the thought of ten more. “And today,” Vitor continues, “we have a special match.” He gestures to the bet makers rushing up and down the stands and then to the pile of weapons in the center. “There are two potential Bloodguards before us, and therefore there should be…two times the payouts!” The crowd goes wild. Holy hell. This son of a bitch is spinning it so this crowd can make a fortune—not lose one. And we’re the ones expected to make or break their status. “Well, shit,” Sullivan mutters. Neither of us saw this coming. People are screaming with delight and still trying to catch the ear of the harried bet makers scribbling on pads and tossing out tickets as fast as they can. They’re not even waiting to see the drop of the banner that will reveal our final odds. The High Lord lifts his hand and pauses for the arena to quiet again. “In these final moments of betting, take in what awaits, my friends, and choose wisely, for those who thirst for water today, tomorrow may demand wine!” The crowd’s thrill escalates, their calls for action mounting. Then something roars, the menacing sound extinguishing all others. Even the vultures circling the skies flee. We still. The air around us shifts, growing thick with dread. Sullivan and I exchange one final glance. We know what it is long before it lands. Webbed wings the size of ship sails stretch out as talons the length of my arms slam against the arena floor. The brown dragon chuffs, the fire brewing in its belly hot enough to shoot steam from its nostrils. The elf rider on its back is covered with enchanted leather that protects his flesh from the heat. The dragon’s body is the length of three moon horses. Not as large as they come, but large enough to easily squash us. My mouth goes dry. This dragon is a young male—I can see the pair of claspers under the base of his tail as he thrashes. The only thing more ravenous than an old dragon is a young male. They need more energy to fuel their rapid growth spurts. “Only one will rise,” Vitor shouts over the gasps of the crowd. His smile takes on a malicious edge. “Will it be gladiator—or shall it be beast?” The dragon roars once more, and the final betting bell is barely audible above the crowd’s screams and cheers. We all shift around to face the pile of weapons as fast as we can. Sully breaks away from me. He crouches and shakes out his hands. We don’t exchange farewells. After three years of watching out for each other, it all comes down to this. I lean forward and get ready to run, my focus on the pile of weapons and not on the man who was—dammit, is—my friend. The moment the horn blasts, I charge.  Excerpted from Bloodguard by Cecy Robson. Reprinted with permission from Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing. All rights reserved. The post Read an Excerpt From <i>Cecy Robson</i>‘s Bloodguard appeared first on Reactor.