Rereads and Rewatches Terry Pratchett Book Club Terry Pratchett Book Club: Nation‚ Part II Emmet Asher-Perrin discusses chapters 5 through 8 of Nation. By Emmet Asher-Perrin | Published on March 8‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed We finally find out how to scare the shark away with a word. Well‚ it’s not a word‚ really. That’s the good bit. Summary Mau cooks yams and plantains in beer at the Women’s Place and brings that to a hog with babies so that he can get her drunk enough to take her milk for the baby. He has to do it again‚ and is not looking forward to it by any means‚ when another canoe shows up. In it are brothers Pilu and Milo; the latter’s wife‚ Cahle‚ is about to give birth. They’ve been searching the islands to find a proper place and people who know the rites. Mau tells them that Ataba will lead them to the Women’s Place and plans to send Daphne to help them. Ataba balks at this because she doesn’t know their ways‚ but Mau insists that there are no other options available to them. He goes to the Sweet Judy and manages to tell Daphne about the woman and the baby‚ but Daphne is horrified by the idea of having to help—she lost her mother in childbirth. She realizes that Mau has dealt with far worse and follows him. Pilu knows some English‚ and speaks to her‚ and Mau helps Daphne get Cahle into the Women’s Place. Daphne kicks Mau out of the hut and remembers that they said she needed to sing a song to welcome the baby. She begins to sing “Twinkle‚ Twinkle Little Star‚” which calms Cahle down. The men listen outside to the song Daphne sings‚ and Pilu translates best he can—they all believe it is a portentous song about a child who will be a guiding star‚ which they decide to name the child. Daphne tells the men to bring the Unknown Woman and her baby up to the hut to that the baby can be fed by Cahle. Two weeks pass‚ and Daphne is still helping the women‚ more people have arrived (an old woman and a boy named Oto-I)‚ and Cahle has been carefully teaching Daphne the ways of their women so that she can find a husband‚ while the men strip the Sweet Judy down for its timber and tools. Pilu and Mau talk as they work and Mau asks if he’ll teach him more of the trouserman language so he can talk to Daphne. Pilu recommends that he wear a pair of salvaged trousers‚ since that’s very important to her people‚ and they discuss their strange ways. (Pilu and Milo lived among them very briefly and learned a few things.) Daphne gets a grass skirt to wear from the Unknown Woman while Mau tries on the trousers. Mau makes Pilu cry by continually questioning the existence of the gods and where Pilu’s people went‚ and then he hears the thundering of the grandfathers‚ only it’s much louder this time. He tells Pilu that they want him to bring up the last of the god anchors‚ the one for the god of Water. Daphne makes the beer using a different song‚ and is encouraged to go to the beach. She and Mau see each other—her in the grass skirt‚ him in trousers—and the whole group laughs together. Milo spots sails and more people arrive. Now they number eleven women‚ eight men (not including Mau because he has no soul)‚ and three dogs. These people believe that the final god anchor needs to be brought up to protect them. Mau tells them he will do it. The water god anchor will not nudge from the lagoon‚ however‚ stuck under a piece of coral. Mau tells Ataba that he thinks there’s a fourth god and it is a trouserman; he gathers Pilu and Milo to help him free the god anchor with trouserman tools. Mau tells them that there is another stone down there‚ and Ataba heads down to try and smash the new stone with a hammer‚ almost drowning. He jumps back in and hits the coral‚ bleeding‚ which calls a shark. Mau uses Nawi’s advice to scare the shark off (shouting at it) and they bring Ataba back to the shore. He knows the reason that the old man tried to smash the new stone—it had trouserman marks on it‚ and Mau thinks that the god anchors may have been made by them. Mau asks Ataba who made the god anchors‚ but the old man insists that Mau is wrong to ask‚ and that he won’t like the answers. On the Cutty Wren‚ Mr. Black is informed about the tsunami and asked what they should do about finding the Sweet Judy. He decides to continue as their orders dictate and not veer off course to search the islands ahead of time. Daphne starts hearing voices of her own‚ but she’s unsure where they come from‚ or if she’s perhaps talking to herself. A voice tells her to go quickly and she finds Mau unresponsive—he appears to have succumbed to hypothermia and is comatose. Milo brings the two god anchors to shore despite Ataba being furious at the presence of the fourth. Pilu tells the story of how Mau saved Ataba from the shark and everyone is moved. Cahle believes that Mau is dying‚ but Daphne insists that he’s still there‚ so Cahle tells her to talk to the Sky Woman (the old woman Daphne has been calling Mrs. Gurgle in her head) because she is powerful and will know what to do. Mrs. Gurgle says Mau is caught in a shadow place between life and death‚ and Daphne volunteers to go get him. Mrs. Gurgle agrees to this‚ but says that the only way to get Daphne there is to poison her; she agrees. Mau is running from Locaha‚ who taunts him. Daphne arrives and pulls Mau in a different direction‚ toward life‚ though it is very hard to get back… Buy the Book Nation Terry Pratchett Buy Book icon-close Nation Terry Pratchett Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Commentary The philosophical musings just get deeper and gnarlier as we go‚ but it’s important that they’re being mused on in the wake of devastation. Because it’s different for Mau to make Pilu cry about the possibility of their gods and the afterlife being plumb made up when the young man is actively thinking of all the people he’s lost—which is everyone. And‚ pointedly‚ moments of active grief are often the only times people think of these things. It makes Ataba’s smugness hard to swallow because when he tweaks at Mau about people needing their faith‚ it’s not really a fair argument. Faith is a thing that people often fall back on in the wake of tragedy and the book keeps pointing this out—the ways in which people bury themselves in tradition and dogma when they’re afraid because the brain doesn’t know how to make sense of larger tragedy. Ataba says they need it‚ but it’s more accurate to say that they simply can’t help it. The alternatives are too horrible. The alternative is feeling the way Mau feels‚ and he’s furious and miserable. Daphne thinks this of Mau: He seemed angry all the time‚ in the way that Grandmother got angry when she found out that Standards were not being Upheld. And like… it’s genuinely the same thing. Standards not being Upheld isn’t really any different from Mau’s anger because they’re both anger at the same thing; The world being wrong. I dunno‚ it just seems important that you can draw that line between two people who couldn’t have less in common because that’s clearly what this book is about‚ on one level. Humanity loves to poke the “we’re not so different‚ you and I” button in a million different ways‚ but it’s always a little extra poignant when you can do it with two people like that. As always‚ Pratchett says the quiet part out loud with regard to religion and people. For example‚ here are thoughts on god(s): That’s what the gods are! An answer that will do! And then on people: It was a sacred place‚ and not because of some god or other. It was just… sacred‚ because it existed‚ because pain and blood and joy and death had echoed in time and made it so. Gods are what you rely on when you need an answer and can’t find one. Which is frequently‚ to be fair. Even the most learned members of our species don’t know all that much. It’s one aspect of the more virulent strain of atheism that I can never get behind—religion isn’t surprising or pathetic‚ even if it’s not your thing. We continually ask “why?” and sometimes we find an answer. When we don’t‚ we’re all going to cope with that differently. Conversely‚ Pratchett has both Daphne and Mau coming to terms with people being the point. People being really all there is. People making things sacred by feeling and existing in a place. Even with all the frustrations and difficulties they bring‚ the more people come to the island‚ the better Mau feels. Locaha can’t have him yet. Asides and little thoughts The fictional rule about cannibal raiders is that once you bring them up‚ they have to appear‚ right? That’s what’s going to happen‚ right? The most obvious and loaded Chekov’s Gun. I do love the bit with Mau trying on the pants and Daphne trying on the grass skirt because it’s that sort of scene that’s always used as a precursor to romance in a way that can often feel kinda icky? (Especially in this case because they’re very young?) But here it’s just so dang wholesome and ends with everyone laughing and feeling human and normal together for a moment. The bit with needing to sing to the beer reminds me of something I read that talked about how people used to recite prayers/hymns/rhymes/etc daily as a form of timing; meaning‚ if you needed to bake bread‚ you knew how long to knead the dough based on how many times you should recite the Lord’s Prayer. I assume that’s what’s going on here‚ too. Pratchettisms Without them I would be just a figure on the grey beach‚ a lost boy‚ not knowing who I am. But they all know me. I matter to them‚ and that is who I am. She felt better for all that. A good shouting at somebody always makes you feel better and in control‚ especially if you aren’t. They looked up at the dawn sky. The last of the stars looked back‚ but twinkled in the wrong language. People need time to deal with the now before it runs away and becomes the them. And what they need most of all is nothing much happening. He’s frightened of me‚ Mau thought. I haven’t hit him or even raised my hand. I’ve just tried to make him think differently‚ and now he’s scared. Of thinking. It’s magic. The newcomers seemed awkward about the chief who wasn’t a man‚ but a touch of demon got respect. Normally people tended to be very quiet in the parish church. Perhaps they were afraid of waking God up in case He asked pointed questions or gave them a test. Silence fell like a hammer made of feathers. It left holes in the shape of the sound of the sea. Next week we’ll read Chapters 9-12! [end-mark] The post Terry Pratchett Book Club: <;i>;Nation<;/i>;‚ Part II appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations Young Adult Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for March &; April 2024 The days are getting longer‚ the weather is warming up‚ and a new crop of spring releases are arriving! By Alex Brown | Published on March 8‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Spring is so close‚ I can almost taste it. The days are getting longer‚ the weather is warming up‚ and a new crop of spring releases are arriving. I’ve got for you 20 of my most anticipated young adult science fiction‚ fantasy‚ and horror novels for March and April. Thrills &; Chills Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis Temple Baker’s father is a notorious serial killer. When he claims to have killed her mother‚ Temple sets out to find her body. She joins a queer horror summer camp as a way to sneak onto her family’s old property and is shocked to find new corpses. Is there a new killer in town or is something else taking out the campers? (Amulet Books; March 26‚ 2024) The Black Girl Survives in This One: Horror Stories edited by Desiree S. Evans‚ Saraciea J. Fennell Fifteen spine-tingling stories putting a new twist on classic horror tropes. Haunted cornfields? Check. Space terror? Check. Werewolves? Check. Demon deals? Check. Authors: Erin E. Adams‚ Monica Brashears‚ Charlotte Nicole Davis‚ Desiree S. Evans‚ Saraciea J. Fennell‚ Zakiya Dalila Harris‚ Daka Hermon‚ Justina Ireland‚ L.L. McKinney‚ Brittney Morris‚ Maika and Maritza Moulite‚ Eden Royce‚ and Vincent Tirado. (Flatiron Books; April 2‚ 2024) The Future Sucks Fall of the Iron Gods by Olivia Chadha (The Mechanists #2) In the long-awaited conclusion to The Mechanists duology‚ we join Ashiva after successfully destroying the black site run by the South Asian Province. But she can’t take her victory lap yet. The Red Hand‚ the rebels who she helped take down the prison‚ are declared enemies of the state by the Planetary Alliance Commission. Now Ashiva‚ Synch‚ and Taru are tasked with finding the source of a strange beacon and stopping the Planetary Alliance Commission from getting ahold of a new‚ rare resource. (Erewhon; April 23‚ 2024) Magic with a Twist The Feast Makers by H. A. Clarke (Scapegracers #3) Sideways Pike just wants to graduate high school already. Before that‚ however‚ they have to get through the trial of Madeline Kline. After everything Madeline put Sideways through‚ they should want her punished‚ shouldn’t they? And then there are those wretched witchfinders they have to deal with. They can’t pass up the opportunity of a bunch of powerful witches all gathered in one place‚ but the witches aren’t about to let them get away with murder. (Erewhon Books; March 26‚ 2024) The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste Venus lives in an alternate‚ fantasy version of our world‚ cooking up moonshine love potions. After her mother’s murder‚ Venus is pressganged into brewing potions that will compel DC politicians into doing things they don’t want to do. Venus wants revenge on her mother’s killer‚ but getting it might mean unleashing the dark force‚ the It‚ that lurks in the shadows of her mind. (Sourcebooks Fire; March 26‚ 2024) Call Forth a Fox by Markelle Grabo In the isolated village of Sugar Maple lives Ro. She loves spending time in the forest and ignores the warnings to stay clear of the western wood. When she saves a fox from being attacked by a bear‚ she doesn’t expect that bear to turn into a boy who knows nothing except Ro’s name and that he must kill the fox. Ro and her sister Eirwyn must navigate fairy magic‚ deadly curses‚ and dangerous deals. A retelling of “Snow White and Red Rose.” (Page Street YA; April 2‚ 2024) Blood Justice by Terry J. Benton-Walker (Blood Debts #2) Clem and Cris fought hard to get their family justice. Now their family is back in power and the Savants are banished from power forever. Valentina will do anything to take back her family’s power and take the crown for herself. Also hunting the Trudeaus are a crooked cop who hates magic and a hungry god tethered to Clem. Cris and Clem’s fight is not yet over. (Tor Teen; April 23‚ 2024) Gods &; Monsters Darker by Four by June C. L. Tan (Darker by Four #1) “A vengeful girl. A hollow boy. A missing god.” Color me intrigued! Combat expert Rui desires nothing but to punish the creature that killed her mother. After a monster attacks Yiran‚ Rui’s magic is transferred into him‚ leaving her normal and him with unstable powers. They’re pulled into a larger conspiracy when Nikai‚ a Reaper‚ sets out to find the missing Fourth King of Hell. (Harperteen; April 2‚ 2024) Merciless Saviors by H. E. Edgmon (The Ouroboros #2) Betrayed and forced to kill‚ Gem has a new power and a growing anger. The pantheon is increasingly fractured and unstable. Gem‚ the Magician‚ is supposed to keep things balanced‚ not make things more chaotic. They‚ Rory‚ and Enzo will do anything to restore balance to the pantheon‚ no matter how much blood it takes. (Wednesday Books; April 16‚ 2024) Past Is Present Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger (Elatsoe #2) It’s the 1970s and Shane and her mother use their ability to summon ghosts to track down missing people. When her mother vanishes while tracking two lost siblings‚ Shane pulls on her friends and family to get her through and help her out. Themes touching on the loss of culture due to colonization and the importance of community run throughout. Shane will attempt something few have done before in order to save her mom‚ but she won’t do it alone. Although this story is about Elatsoe’s grandmother‚ you don’t need to have read Elatsoe in order to understand Sheine Lende. (Levine Querido; April 16‚ 2024) Saint-Seducing Gold by Brittany N. Williams (Forge &; Fracture Saga #2) Let’s travel back to Shakespearean London with siblings Joan and James Sands‚ a fight choreographer and actor‚ respectively‚ for the King’s Men acting company. They’re also able to channel the powers of the Orisha. The siblings are facing battles on multiple fronts‚ from the sinister spymaster Robert Cecil to the duplicitous Fae queen Titanea. To rescue their godfather‚ Joan and James will have to risk it all. (Amulet Books; April 23‚ 2024) Court Intrigue The Encanto’s Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz (The Encanto’s Daughter #1) King Vivencio Basilio of the Sirena Court is dead‚ and now it’s Southern California teen MJ’s problem. MJ is half-human and half-encanto‚ but despite living her life in the human world‚ she’s now the heir to the throne. She’ll have to win over snobby members of the council‚ learn the complicated traditions of the court‚ and stop the same dangerous magic that killed her father from taking her‚ too. The realm of Biringan is a parallel fairy world near the Philippines‚ and Filipino mythology permeates this story. (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers; March 5‚ 2024) The Smoke That Thunders by Erhu Kome The last thing ​​Naborhi wants is her fate. On the cusp of going through the rites of passage that will mark her a woman—and sentence her to a life of childbearing and tending to a man’s house—a new path opens up. Naborhi encounters a magical animal and the son of an Oracle‚ and they decide to head out on a great adventure to find the mysterious boy she keeps dreaming of. That boy‚ a missing prince‚ heralds a war looming on the horizon. (Norton Young Readers; April 9‚ 2024) Love Is in the Air The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le (The Last Bloodcarver Duology #1) Called a bloodcarver by those who fear and hate her‚ Nhika can change the human body with her touch. A criminal gang captures her and sells her off to a wealthy family. There‚ she must heal the dying person who is the only witness to a terrible death. She also meets Kochin‚ a boy who claims to be a physician’s aide but is something much more. Corruption runs deep in the city of Theumas. (Roaring Brook Press; March 19‚ 2024) Otherworldly by F. T. Lukens Ellery doesn’t believe in magic. Not when the goddess their family prays to has forsaken their crops and left them in a frozen winter the last five years. Knox‚ an immortal familiar‚ is delaying returning to the Other World where he’s doomed to have his memories erased…assuming his queen and homeland even still exist. The two teens decide to help each other—Ellery will contract with Knox to keep him in the human world and Knox will help them break the winter curse. (Margaret K. McElderry Books; April 2‚ 2024) Set Sail Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier It’s been a while since we’ve been blessed with a Makiia Lucier fantasy romance. Hanalei’s father commits a terrible sin: stealing a seadragon egg intended for a dying princess. While in exile‚ she spends her time learning everything she can about seadragons. A chance encounter with Samahtitamahenele‚ the prince and brother of the princess who caused Hanalei’s exile‚ leads the two teens on a quest to find a new dragonfruit. (Clarion Books; April 9‚ 2024) The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella Sisters Ophelia and Betsy couldn’t be more different. After their mother‚ a notorious pirate‚ is executed‚ Ophelia runs away from home to join the navy using her sister’s identity. Betsy learns of Ophelia’s scheme and ventures out to save her before she’s found out and given the same fate as their mother. (Page Street YA; April 9‚ 2024) Outcasts‚ Outlaws‚ &; Rebels King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness Eli has no memory of his past while Malcolm would love to forget his deadbeat dad. Eli uses his magic to help and heal while Malcolm uses his to raise the dead. In London’s underground magical scene‚ these two boys go after a magical totem while trying to steer clear of a duppy king and the daughter of Death. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers; April 16‚ 2024) Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin Xue‚ an apprentice qin player‚ loses the only family she has left when her poet uncle is killed by bandits. Now an indentured musician‚ she has no hope of a future‚ not until she meets Duke Meng. He whisks her away to his grand‚ distant estate and reveals he’s really the Duke of Dreams of the Celestial Realm. He offers her a deal she can’t refuse: if she helps him root out what is threatening the Six Realms‚ he’ll free her from her contract. (Feiwel &; Friends; April 23‚ 2024) To a Darker Shore by Leanne Schwartz Alesta‚ a lowly shepherdess in Soladisa‚ tries to prove her worth to spare her from being sacrificed to the monster Teras‚ it backfires so spectacularly that her best friend is sentenced in her place. Alesta descends into Hell—in a clever take on Dante’s Inferno—only to discover Kyrian alive and well‚ if by “well” you mean turned into a monster. The friends realize there is a dark conspiracy surrounding the tithings. (Page Street YA; April 30‚ 2024) [end-mark] The post Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for March &; April 2024 appeared first on Reactor.

Sports games have always been great for gamers. You don’t have to be super knowledgeable to get into them. I’ve never gotten into half of the games on this list. But playing them has made me understand why they are important. The PlayStation like other consoles has quickly become home to some great sports games. To find out what the best sports games are on the PS4 and PS5 in 2024‚ you should read this list. Top 10 best sports games you can play on the PS5 and PS4 in 2024 Many of the games on this list are accessible‚ and while some stand out better than others‚ you’ll still have an easy time diving into them. The following games are ones that I’ve played and have enjoyed even though I’m not a huge fan of the sport itself. Note that this list is not ranked‚ it should treated as a guide to get you into a new game. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 and 2 Screenshot: Vicarious Visions I could never skateboard as a kid growing up‚ so the next best option was playing the To...

Are you coughing? Well‚ you might as well be dead already. Here is how to cure and stop Bloody Flux‚ Measles‚ and Holy Fire plagues in Crusader Kings 3. Crusader King 3: How to cure and stop Bloody Flux‚ Measles‚ and Holy Fire With the new update for Crusader Kings 3 we have now three new illnesses that can become deadly plagues for your realm. These are Measles – especially deadly to children -‚ Bloody Flux – also known as Dysentery -‚ and Holy Fire – which is Ergotism‚ a poisoning effect after consuming ergot‚ a fungi. Now we have all types of medicine and scientific advances to prevent and treat these‚ but during Medieval times? No luck there‚ buddy. Don’t get discouraged though‚ there are still some things we can do to cure and even stop these plagues from spreading and obliterating your realm. Use your Physician Image: Paradox Development Studio Having a specialized go-to man to help control the mitigation of plagues will benefit your realm b...

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2‚ called Myths &; Mortals‚ is filled with new bosses‚ Mythics‚ and collaborations. There is a lot we know about what is coming this season thanks to leaks and datamining‚ so here’s what you can expect. All Mythics coming in Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 Image: Epic Games Chain of Hades Fire Hammer of Hephaestus Waterbending Wookie Bowcaster Thanks to Shiina and HYPHEX on Twitter (or X)‚ we have a good idea as to what Mythics‚ bosses‚ and collabs to expect in Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2. We know we are getting a Chain of Hades Mythic which reminds me of Kratos’ Blades of Chaos‚ a Fire Hammer of Hephaestus Mythic‚ a Waterbending Mythic‚ and a Wookie Bowcaster Mythic. All of these Mythics will be added to the game later‚ but you can still enjoy the Mythics currently in the game. We could also get more Mythics throughout the season that aren’t included in this list‚ so keep your eyes peeled. All bosses coming in For...

Fort Condor can be a tough game to both understand and beat. If you’re not so sure how to beat all stages of Fort Condor in FF7 Rebirth‚ we’ve got you covered. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: How to beat Fort Condor stages In the Junon Region‚ you can begin to play the fun minigame Fort Condor through Phenomenon Intel 1: The World Of Fort Condor‚ which will slowly unlock the rest of the Fort Condor stages as you progress. Each stage will get progressively tougher‚ but if you want to nab that Protorelic‚ learn how to beat all stages of Fort Condor in FF7 Rebirth. Screenshot: PC Invasion Fort Condor Stage 1 formation and solutions Since this is the easiest of the stages‚ it shouldn’t be too difficult for any of the unit formations to take down the enemy. But if you’re still struggling‚ here’s how I ran my first game. Hero UnitsCloud‚ BarretAlly UnitsOffense Focused Place two Enforcers on the right side. Place an Elite Vanguard on the left l...

Capcom is taking this RPG to the next level with NPC perma-death. Dragon’s Dogma 2 NPCs can die permanently if you’re not careful enough. The lives of the characters around you seem to really matter in this game. Capcom activated perma-death for Dragon’s Dogma 2 NPCs In an interview with Automaton‚ the director of Dragon’s Dogma 2‚ Hideaki Itsuno‚ revealed that there are a plethora of unique NPCs in the world‚ but their lives aren’t trivial. Itsuno explained that they wanted to create a “fantasy world simulator”‚ so NPCs dying would feel like a natural occurrence. He continued to say that since perma-death is a thing‚ you’ll start to care for town NPCs and feel the need to fight and protect them during a town raid. You can even hold them and run away! Image: Capcom Dragon’s Dogma 2’s producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi popped in to say that there is still a way to resurrect beloved NPCs. If you get an item like a Wake...

What follows is a lightly edited transcript of the Republican response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address‚ as delivered Thursday night by Sen. Katie Britt‚ R-Ala. Good evening‚ America. My name is Katie Britt‚ and I have the honor of serving the people of the great state of Alabama in the United States Senate. However‚ that’s not the job that matters most. I’m a proud wife and mom of two school-age kids. My daughter‚ Bennett‚ and my son‚ Ridgeway‚ are why I ran for the Senate. I am worried about their future—and the future of children in every corner of our nation. That’s why I invited you into our home tonight. Like so many families across America‚ my husband‚ Wesley‚ and I just watched President Biden’s State of the Union address from our living room. What we saw was the performance of a permanent politician who has actually been in office for longer than I’ve even been alive. One thing was clear: President Biden just doesn’t get it. He’s out of touch. Under his administration‚ families are worse off. Our communities are less safe‚ and our country is less secure. I wish he understood what real families are facing around kitchen tables just like this. This is where our family has tough conversations and where we make hard decisions. It’s where we share the good‚ the bad‚ and the ugly of our days. It’s where we laugh together. It’s where we hold each other’s hands and pray for God’s guidance. And‚ many nights‚ it’s where Wesley and I worry. I know we’re not alone. Tonight‚ the American family needs to have a tough conversation‚ because the truth is‚ we’re all worried about the future of our nation. The country we know and love seems to be slipping away. It feels like the next generation will have fewer opportunities—and less freedom—than we did. I worry my own children may not even get a shot at living their American dreams. My American dream allowed me‚ the daughter of two small business owners from rural Enterprise‚ Alabama‚ to be elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of 40. Growing up sweeping the floor at my dad’s hardware store and cleaning the bathroom at my mom’s dance studio‚ I never could have imagined what my story would entail. To think what the American dream can do across just one generation‚ in just one lifetime‚ is truly breathtaking. But right now‚ the American dream has turned into a nightmare for so many families. The true‚ unvarnished State of our Union begins and ends with this: Our families are hurting. Our country can do better. And you don’t have to look any further than the crisis at our southern border to see it. President Biden inherited the most secure border of all time. But minutes after taking office‚ he suspended all deportations‚ halted construction of the border wall‚ and announced a plan to give amnesty to millions. We know that President Biden didn’t just create this border crisis. He invited it with 94 executive actions in his first 100 days. When I first took office‚ I did something different. I traveled to the Del Rio sector of Texas‚ where I spoke to a woman who shared her story with me. She had been sex trafficked by the cartels starting at age 12. She told me not just that she was raped every day‚ but how many times a day she was raped. The cartels put her on a mattress in a shoebox of a room‚ and they sent men through that door‚ over and over again‚ for hours and hours on end. We wouldn’t be OK with this happening in a third-world country. This is the United States of America‚ and it’s past time we start acting like it. President Biden’s border crisis is a disgrace. It’s despicable. And it’s almost entirely preventable. From fentanyl poisonings to horrific murders … there are empty chairs tonight at kitchen tables just like this one because of President Biden’s senseless border policies. Just think about Laken Riley. In my neighboring state of Georgia‚ this beautiful‚ 22-year-old nursing student went out on a jog one morning. But she never got the opportunity to return home. She was brutally murdered by one of the millions of illegal border crossers President Biden chose to release into our homeland. That could’ve been my daughter. It could’ve been yours. Tonight‚ President Biden finally said her name. But he refused to take responsibility for his own actions. Mr. President‚ enough is enough. Innocent Americans are dying. And you only have yourself to blame. Fulfill your oath of office. Reverse your policies. End this crisis. And stop the suffering. Sadly‚ we know President Biden’s failures don’t stop there. His reckless spending dug our economy into a hole and sent the cost of living through the roof. The worst inflation in 40 years. The highest credit card debt in history. Hardworking families are struggling to make ends meet today. And with soaring mortgage rates and sky-high childcare costs‚ they’re also struggling to plan for tomorrow. The American people are scraping by while the president proudly proclaims Bidenomics is working! Bless his heart. We know better. I’ll never forget stopping at a gas station in Chilton County one evening. The gentleman working the counter told me that after retiring‚ he had to pick up that job in his 70s so he didn’t have to choose between going hungry or going without his medication. He said‚ “I did everything right‚ everything I was told to do—I worked hard‚ I saved‚ I was responsible.” He’s not alone. I hear similar concerns from fellow parents when I’m walking with my friends or at one my kids’ games. But let’s be honest—it’s been a minute since Joe Biden pumped gas‚ ran car pool‚ or pushed a grocery cart. Meanwhile‚ the rest of us see every day that our dollar doesn’t go as far. And despite what he tells you‚ our communities are not safer. For years‚ the left has coddled criminals and defunded the police—all while letting repeat offenders walk free. The result is tragic but foreseeable—from our small towns to America’s most iconic city streets‚ life is getting more and more dangerous. Unfortunately‚ President Biden’s weakness isn’t just hurting families here at home. He’s making us a punchline on the world stage. Where I’m from‚ your word is your bond. But for three years‚ this President has demonstrated that America’s word doesn’t mean what it used to. From abandoning allies in his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan to desperately pushing another dangerous deal with Iran‚ President Biden has failed. We’ve become a nation in retreat. And the enemies of freedom see an opportunity. Putin’s brutal aggression in Europe has put our allies on the brink. Iran’s terrorist proxies have slaughtered Israeli Jews and American citizens. They’ve targeted commercial shipping. And they’ve attacked our troops nearly 200 times since October‚ killing three U.S. soldiers and two Navy SEALs. Meanwhile‚ the Chinese Communist Party is undercutting America’s workers. China is buying up our farmland‚ spying on our military installations‚ and spreading propaganda through the likes of TikTok. The CCP knows that if it conquers the minds of our next generation‚ it conquers America. And what does President Biden do? He bans TikTok for government employees‚ but creates an account for his own campaign. You can’t make this stuff up! Look‚ we all recall when presidents faced national security threats with strength and resolve. That seems like ancient history. Right now‚ our commander in chief is not in command. The free world deserves better than a dithering and diminished leader. America deserves leaders who recognize that secure borders‚ stable prices‚ safe streets‚ and a strong defense are the cornerstones of a great nation. Just ask yourself‚ are you better off now than you were three years ago? There is no doubt we’re at a crossroads. We all feel it. But here’s the good news: We the People are still in the driver’s seat. We get to decide whether our future will grow brighter‚ or whether we settle for an America in decline. Well‚ I know which choice our children deserve—and the choice the Republican Party is fighting for. We are the party of hardworking parents and families. We want to give you and your children the opportunities to thrive—and we want families to grow. It’s why we strongly support continued nationwide access to in vitro fertilization. We want to help loving moms and dads bring precious life into this world. Wesley and I believe there is no greater blessing in life than our children. And that’s why tonight‚ I want to make a direct appeal to the parents out there—and in particular‚ to my fellow moms. Many of whom will be tossing and turning at 2 a.m.‚ wondering how they are going to be three places at once tomorrow and somehow still get dinner on the table. First of all‚ we see you‚ we hear you‚ and we stand with you. I know you’re frustrated. I know you’re probably disgusted by most of what you see going on in Washington. And I’ll be really honest with you—you’re not wrong for feeling that way. Look‚ I get it. The task in front of us isn’t an easy one. But I can promise you one thing: it is worth it. So‚ I am asking you‚ for the sake of your kids and your grandkids‚ get into the arena. Every generation has been called to do hard things. American greatness rests in the fact that we always answer that call. It’s who we are. Never forget‚ we’re steeped in the blood of patriots who overthrew the most powerful empire in the world. We walk in the footsteps of pioneers who tamed the wild. We now carry forward the same flame of freedom as the liberators of an oppressed Europe. We draw courage from those who bent the moral arc of the universe. And when we gaze upon the heavens‚ never forget that our DNA contains the same ingenuity that put man on the moon. America has been tested before‚ and every single time‚ we’ve emerged unbowed and unbroken. Our history has been written with the grit of men and women who got knocked down. But we know their stories because they did not stay down. We are here because they stood back up. So now it’s our turn—our moment to stand up and prove ourselves worthy of protecting the American dream. Together‚ we can reawaken the heroic spirit of a great nation. Because Americans don’t just have a rendezvous with destiny—we take destiny’s hand‚ and we lead it. Our future starts around kitchen tables just like this. With moms and dads just like you. And you are why I believe with every fiber of my being that despite the current state of our union‚ our best days are still ahead. May God bless you‚ and may God continue to bless these United States of America. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Let’s Prove Ourselves Worthy of Protecting the American Dream appeared first on The Daily Signal.

I remember learning about democracy back in grammar school. We learned about it in the context of the American Revolution: Britain’s King George III may have ruled as a capricious monarch‚ but the intrepid Colonists fought for the then-novel concept of democratic self-government. A cursory glance at Merriam-Webster is instructive. That venerable dictionary defines “democracy” as “government by the people” or‚ more elaborately‚ as “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.” Simple enough. But someone ought to remind our nation’s liberal elites and the foot-soldier activists of today’s Democratic Party. On Monday‚ the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous rebuke of the recent Colorado chicanery that rendered former President Donald Trump ineligible for the state’s GOP presidential primary ballot. That all nine justices agreed with Trump’s core legal argument—state actors cannot strike from the ballot alleged “insurrectionists‚” absent specific implementing legislation from Congress—is nothing short of remarkable. For months‚ liberal pundits and anti-Trump legal “experts” assured us that the 14th Amendment “insurrection clause” argument for Trump’s ballot disqualification was ironclad. Who can forget how‚ after the Colorado Supreme Court legitimized Trump’s removal in December‚ one-time conservative judicial stalwart-turned-Trump Derangement Syndrome patient zero J. Michael Luttig opined that the court’s logic was “masterful‚” “brilliant” and “unassailable.” Left-wing cable news outlets platformed countless other guests who ceaselessly pushed the same argument. In the end‚ the argument garnered zero votes at the Supreme Court. Even Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson didn’t debase themselves by going along with such a half-baked‚ anti-democratic ruse. So much for “unassailable” logic! One of the great ironies of our present age is that democracy’s would-be eponymous outfit‚ the Democratic Party‚ has become an enemy of democracy itself. The fact that party activists across numerous states pursued the extraordinary tactic of literally banning their leading opponent from the ballot is emblematic. But the anti-Trump criminal prosecutions and other unsavory lawfare tactics Democrats are also now weaponizing give the game away: Democrats hate democracy and harbor immense disdain for normal Americans’ beliefs. Put simply‚ they don’t want to leave the country’s fate in our hands. Hence‚ the current bizarre spectacle of Democrats ostentatiously bragging about the need to save “our democracy” while simultaneously pursuing some of the most anti-democratic stratagems in modern American history. Anything‚ it seems‚ to prevent the American people themselves from deciding the 2024 election. To the warped Democratic mind‚ nothing is more “democratic” than preventing the actual demos from having its say. The horror! An on-air MSNBC panel during the left-wing network’s Super Tuesday coverage was paradigmatic. Analyzing exit polling from Virginia‚ hosts Rachel Maddow and Jen Psaki could not believe voters ranked immigration as their top issue. “Well‚ Virginia does have a border with West Virginia‚” Maddow quipped‚ as the others guffawed along with her. Liberal elites to Americans suffering the myriad consequences of a wide-open southern border: Drop dead. That’s literally “drop dead‚” actually‚ in the case of Laken Riley‚ the former nursing student tragically killed two weeks ago by an illegal alien in Athens‚ Georgia. (Say her name‚ liberal media.) That’s literally “drop dead‚” as well‚ for the majority of the 110‚000-plus Americans who died of drug overdoses in 2022—70% of which were caused by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids trafficked across the border. The reality is that during Joe Biden’s presidency‚ which has overseen the most illegal immigration and the most beleaguered southern border in American history‚ every town is a “border town.” The MSNBC clowns might delude themselves to the contrary‚ as they retire at night to their gated communities‚ driven by their chauffeurs. But that reality is still reality. Those Americans who want their border secure‚ their communities safe and their wages spared suppression by illegal alien labor are the “rubes” whom liberal elites are so passionate about denying from the democratic process that they will invert democracy itself to do so. Destroy democracy in order to save it — don’t you see? COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Liberal Elites Against Democracy appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Biden’s State of the Union Address Was an Alternate Reality Campaign Speech