The October 7‚ 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel by Hamas revealed the Left’s free speech hypocrisy. Progressives who sat by as the Biden administration teamed with social media giants to censor Americans suddenly howled after Hamas apologists were “canceled.”  The free speech battles within Hollywood have been even more hypocritical‚ with or without the Hamas atrocities. An industry which praised free speech during the Bush years went silent as conservative stars were repeatedly punished‚ for their views‚ sensitivity readers ransacked beloved authors and comedians looked over their shoulders for sharing “problematic” jokes. Yet two actresses have been “canceled” for supporting the Palestinian cause‚ albeit in extreme fashion.Was that right? Should stars be able to share potentially abhorrent views sans punishment? Rising star Melissa Barrera of “Scream” fame lost a role in the next film in the horror franchise after her pro-Palestinian views went public. She didn’t just call for a ceasefire or express empathy for an impoverished people. She shared a story on Instagram suggesting pro-Israeli forces distort the Holocaust to boost the nation’s armed forces. Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Vulture She also suggested the media is controlled by Jews and that Israel’s war against Hamas amounted to “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing.” For that Spyglass Media Group‚ the studio behind the “Scream” franchises‚ cut her loose. Oscar winner Susan Sarandon’s agent severed ties with the superstar after she crudely compared the raging anti-Semitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks to what Palestinians endure in America. Both actresses hardly appear contrite. Sarandon’s X account is now a non-stop wave of pro-Palestinian propaganda. Barrera stood by her comments‚ sans apology. JNI/Star Max/GC Images Barrera‚ who recently marched in a pro-Palestinian protest during the Sundance Film Festival‚ contends her comments reflect mainstream views on the issues in play. “The people who know me in my family know the truth about me and where I stand‚ and I think most people in the world also do‚” she said.  Plus‚ Barrera has more gigs lined up‚ meaning her cancellation will be short-lived. Sharing ardently anti-Israeli rhetoric also cost CAA agent Maha Dakhil her gig. Dakhil‚ who has represented Tom Cruise‚ Madonna‚ and more‚ resigned from the agency’s internal board after she accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza. Other stars have shared aggressively pro-Palestinian‚ anti-Israeli views without overt consequences. John Cusack promotes those views ‘round the clock on his X platform but no longer works as regularly as he did in days gone by. Scott Heins/Getty Images Other stars rallied to promote an Israeli/Hamas ceasefire‚ often with little attention to either the Oct. 7 atrocities or the hostages still in the clutches of Hamas. A few media outlets suggested the Barrera/Sarandon cancellations amounted to a new Hollywood blacklist. It’s worth noting other stars have been canceled for far‚ far less. Roseanne Barr lost her signature sitcom‚ along with her Hollywood career‚ for one gross‚ racially charged Tweet in 2018 for which she immediately apologized. Actress Gina Carano’s cancellation proved even more cruel. The “Mandalorian” star lost her Disney+ showcase after suggesting American conservatives were being dehumanized in a similar fashion to Jews in Germany in the 1930s. Agree? Disagree? Either way‚ it hardly mentioned a reprimand‚ let alone a pink slip. Carano joined The Daily Wire’s “Terror on the Prairie” western after her dismissal but hasn’t worked in mainstream Hollywood fare since. And that’s the bigger problem afoot. Hollywood’s stance on free speech is all over the map‚ emotionally driven and progressive to the core. WATCH: “The Divided States Of Biden with Ben Shapiro” on DailyWire+ Carano’s commentary pales compared to that of her “Mandalorian” co-star‚ Pedro Pascal. The actor compared Trump voters to Nazis before deleting the post. He suffered no consequences for his ghastly comparison. Slamming Republicans is encouraged‚ after all‚ in La La Land. And let’s not forget the constellation of stars who wished for President Donald Trump’s death in recent years. The list includes Madonna‚ who dreamed of blowing up the White House‚ presumably with Trump inside‚ director Joss Whedon‚ Charlie Sheen‚ Johnny Depp and more. None suffered any professional blowback for sharing those views. Only Kathy Griffin‚ who infamously shared a photograph of her holding a bloodied Trump ahead aloft‚ felt professional pain for her views. Other repugnant celebrity comments also got ignored. Ellen Barkin pined for disgraced comedian Louis C.K. to be raped and shot via her then-Twitter account and nothing untoward happened to her career. Bette Midler repeatedly cheered on the neighbor who attacked Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). The Republican gadfly suffered serious injuries as a result‚ but Midler kept on working (even for Disney+‚ for what it’s worth). CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Employers have the right to terminate employees who break the law or disgrace the company with their actions. No one is calling what Spyglass did to Barrera illegal in any fashion. Hollywood’s lack of free speech logic‚ let alone moral clarity‚ is disturbing. Stand for absolute free speech or judge stars who say egregious things in something close to a reasonable‚ consistent manner. Pick a lane. The current mania regarding the Israel/Hamas war could have one result that has little to do with free speech or Cancel Culture. Will Jewish actors‚ or anyone who cares about the Jewish people‚ rush to work alongside someone like Barrera? What about Cusack? The actor recently shared a post featuring “Egypt’s Jon Stewart‚” Bassem Youssef‚ saying the Oct. 7 attacks didn’t happen. That’s despite video after ghastly video‚ sharing across the globe‚ confirming the atrocities. This goes beyond free speech. Actors can opt in‚ or out‚ of a given project for any number or reasons. Some may start choosing their co-stars more carefully. * * * Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist‚ movie critic and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at @HollywoodInToto. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) announced Friday that it would launch an investigation into information provided by Israeli authorities regarding the alleged involvement of several of the agency’s employees in Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7‚ which resulted in the deaths of over 1‚200 Israelis. “The Israeli Authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on 7 October‚” Philippe Lazzarini‚ the UNRWA’s commissioner-general said in a statement. “To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance‚ I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay.  Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable‚ including through criminal prosecution.” The State Department also issued a statement Friday announcing that it would pause additional funding for the agency due to the allegations. The department’s statement noted that 12 UNRWA employees so far have been accused of involvement in Hamas’ attack. “The United States is extremely troubled by the allegations that twelve UNRWA employees may have been involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.  The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them‚” the statement from department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. The UNRWA has a well-documented history of anti-Israel bias. UNRWA facilitates the spreading of anti-Semitic propaganda via many avenues‚ the most troublesome of which is perhaps its production of educational materials for children inciting hatred of Jews. Other examples include Nazi-like cartoons shared on social media by its staff and promoting terrorist-supporting flotillas and violence against Israel. UNRWA has also allowed Hamas to use its facilities and has employed its members as staff. Hillel Neuer‚ the Executive Director of UN Watch‚ told a congressional hearing back in November that “Teachers and schools at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency‚ which runs education and social services for Palestinians‚ regularly call to murder Jews‚ and create teaching materials that glorify terrorism‚ encourage martyrdom‚ demonize Israelis and incite antisemitism.” “In 2022 alone‚ UNRWA received $344 million in U.S. funding‚” Neuer continued. “Yet a March 2023 report by UN Watch and Impact-SE identified 133 UNRWA educators and staff who were found to promote hate and violence on social media‚ and an additional 82 teachers and other staff affiliated with 30 UNRWA schools who were involved in drafting and distributing hateful content to students.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Neuer previously pointed out in 2017 that the agency had attempted to pass off a picture of a little girl standing amid rubble in war-torn Syria in 2015 as a girl living in the Gaza Strip. “Left: UNRWA photo‚ Jan. 27. 2015‚ of girl in Syria Right: Same UNRWA photo‚ May 29‚ 2017‚ but now she’s “Aya from Gaza” oppressed by Israel‚” he posted on Twitter. “No organization exemplifies the UN’s nurturing of Palestinian grievances at the expense of Palestinians better than UNRWA‚” Jonathan Schanzer‚ the Senior Vice President for Research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies‚ said during the same hearing in November. “The agency has over 30‚000 employees. UNRWA doesn’t screen them for ties to terrorist groups‚ meaning that many employees are members of or affiliated with Hamas‚ Palestinian Islamic Jihad‚ or other violent groups‚” Schanzer pointed out. The House Foreign Affairs Committee had already scheduled a hearing for Tuesday to examine UNRWA’s links to Hamas terrorists as well as the attack on Oct. 7‚ according to Jewish Insider.

Country music stars Morgan Wallen and Eric Church have purchased the rights to the Field &; Stream brand and magazine‚ per an announcement made on Thursday‚ USA Today reported. The magazine was founded in 1871 and has been online-only since 2020. Wallen and Church have plans on reviving the paper version of Field &; Stream‚ plus will be hosting an outdoor music festival featuring the brand in the fall. Church said in a press release that the magazine was an important part of his childhood‚ which makes this acquisition extra special. “I can remember my grandfather kept a few of his favorite Field &; Stream magazines on the dash of his truck‚” he said in an announcement posted on X.  I can remember my grandfather kept a few of his favorite Field &; Stream magazines on the dash of his truck. That truck took us on hundreds of outdoor adventures and I all but memorized every story and every picture on every page. They were my Bible. It is the honor of my life to… pic.twitter.com/yN0kyCI2tr — Eric Church (@ericchurch) January 25‚ 2024 “That truck took us on hundreds of outdoor adventures and I all but memorized every story and every picture on every page. They were my Bible. It is the honor of my life to make sure that legacy carries on. It is both this responsibility to an American Icon and also to a young boy in his papaw’s truck that will be the compass that guides our steps‚” he added. Wallen also chimed in‚ saying his outdoorsmen lifestyle draws him to the brand. “There’s nothin’ I love more than being with friends around a campfire‚ on a boat or in a deer stand – and Field &; Stream represents all of those to me. … Being part of its future is incredible and we want to keep bringing people together outdoors‚ makin’ memories‚ for generations to come‚” the country star said. Doug McNamee‚ former president of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ lifestyle brand‚ Magnolia‚ will be heading up the effort to refresh Field &; Stream. “We are committed to reinforcing Field and Stream’s legendary status as the authoritative voice of the American outdoors‚” McNamee said in a statement‚ per USA Today. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The company refresh will include an updated website‚ new merchandise‚ the Field &; Stream music festival featuring “some of country music’s biggest stars‚” and outdoor activities such as “on-site camping‚ rafting‚ shooting sports‚ fishing‚ hiking‚ ATV off-roading‚ and more.” There’s also a membership club touting perks for fans of the brand.

A group of Republican senators led by Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced a bill on Thursday that would ensure that illegal immigrants are not included in the population count for the Electoral College or congressional districts.  The bill‚ titled the “Equal Representation Act‚” would require the Census Bureau to ask a citizenship question so that Electoral College votes would only be apportioned based on U.S. citizens living in the state. Former President Donald Trump attempted to have the question added to the 2020 census but was blocked after he faced a bevy of lawsuits from Left-leaning groups.  “It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map. While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities‚ desperate Democrats are back-filling the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress or their electoral votes for the presidency‚ hence artificially boosting their political power and in turn diluting the power of other Americans’ votes‚” Hagerty said.  According to a draft of the legislation‚ the bill would require a citizenship question to be asked during the decennial census‚ and it would ensure that representatives would be designated based on the number of citizens living in a state and not the total population.  “Blue states may be losing citizens over their liberal policies‚ but they’re making up for it by welcoming illegal immigrants. Democrats have admitted the quiet part out loud as they continue to justify their open border policies: they just need a higher headcount to help them acquire more seats in Congress and more dollars from the federal government. This is wrong and un-American‚” Sen. Marsha Blackburn‚ a co-sponsor of the bill‚ said.  In 2019‚ the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the census in a 5-4 decision after groups claimed that the question was discriminatory. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Other co-sponsors of the bill included Sens. Mike Braun (R-IN)‚ Katie Britt (R-AL)‚ Ted Budd (R-NC)‚ Bill Cassidy (R-LA)‚ Kevin Cramer (R-ND)‚ Mike Crapo (R-ID)‚ Steve Daines (R-MT)‚ Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)‚ James Lankford (R-OK.)‚ Mike Lee (R-UT)‚ Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)‚ Roger Marshall (R-KS)‚ Pete Ricketts (R-NB)‚ Jim Risch (R-ID)‚ Mike Rounds (R-SD)‚ Eric Schmitt (R-MO)‚ John Thune (R-SD)‚ Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)‚ and J.D. Vance (R-OH). The legislation comes as a record number of illegal immigrants have crossed the southern border under President Joe Biden.

Social media stars Gritty the mascot and Wally the emotional support alligator are officially friends‚ and they met in the most fitting of ways. Gritty‚ who represents the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes‚ brought Wally out for a meet and greet during a recent matchup between the Hurricanes and the Philadelphia Flyers. For the big introduction‚ the furry orange creature lifted Wally high above his head for the “Lion King Cam” segment. Following the debut‚ Gritty spent some time getting to know the 4-foot-6-inch alligator while adoring fans cheered him on. Then‚ the mascot sat and petted Wally for a while before the two danced around for the crowd. Gritty also gave Wally a giant smooch—square on the mouth. Instagram Wally became a viral sensation this past September when staff refused to let him into a Philadelphia Phillies game citing a policy that only allows “guide dogs‚ service animals or service animals in training” into the stadium. Shocked fans saw Wally slithering away from the entrance and stopped to pet and interact with him‚ which led to some major social media fame. Wally the Alligator is ‘Like a Little Puppy’ However‚ the alligator first made news in 2019 when the York Daily Record caught wind of his day job—supporting senior citizens and kids with disabilities. Owner Joie Henney takes Wally to schools and senior centers so he can comfort those in need. Instagram According to Joie‚ Wally is fully domesticated and acts “like a little puppy dog … He wants to be loved and petted.” While we appreciate the little guy and fully support his plight to bring joy‚ we’ll take his word for it and enjoy him from afar. Watch Wally and Gritty surprise fans in the video below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gritty (@grittynhl) Share this story and give Wally and Gritty more well-deserved social media fame! You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Two Stars Collide: Wally The Emotional Support Alligator Meets Gritty! appeared first on InspireMore.

It’s best to stay off the roads during a snowstorm‚ whenever possible. But when a soon-to-be-newborn makes it clear that they’re ready to enter the world‚ you don’t have much choice. Still‚ when Analysia Beck of Wisconsin started to feel contractions as she slept‚ she assumed they were Braxton Hicks. At that point‚ she had no idea she’d give birth just hours later‚ much less that her baby would be born at a McDonald’s. But before that happened‚ Analysia attempted to sleep in her bed… until her water broke. That was the moment she realized they needed to take action immediately. As soon as her own mom arrived to watch over her other kids‚ she and her husband‚ Daniel‚ rushed to the hospital. That was their plan‚ at least. Facebook While on the ride over‚ Analysia realized that their baby was going to arrive much sooner than she initially thought. “We were in the car for like two minutes when I was like‚ ‘Daniel‚ you have to pull over‚ I feel like I’m sitting on the baby’s head‚'” Analysia recalls. “At that point‚ I knew he was coming‚ and we weren’t going to make it the hospital.” Facebook The best place for the couple to park at was a McDonald’s. Here‚ Daniel called 911 while Analysia got in the SUV. Meet Micah Daniel Beck‚ the Baby Born at a Wisconsin McDonald’s According to Analysia‚ three pushes was all it took for Micah to enter the world. In fact‚ the paramedics barely arrived in time to catch him. Facebook “It was terrifying‚ traumatizing‚ and painful giving birth all natural with no meds/doctors and seeing him come out completely blue because it happened so fast and literally in the snow‚” Analysia shares on Facebook‚ “but he’s doing very well now and all we can do is praise and thank God for protecting us.” What a way to enter the world — and what a great way to earn yourself a hilariously fitting nickname! Facebook “Micah was born in our trunk in the parking lot of McDonald’s during a blizzard and appropriately earned the nickname ‘McFlurry‚'” Mom explains. “And yes‚ we also realize the irony of his name being able to be shortened to ‘MICkey Ds.'” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Baby Born In McDonald’s Parking Lot: “He Decided He Wanted To Make A Quick Stop.” appeared first on InspireMore.

A 10-year-old boy got the best present any aspiring author could ever receive: his published book! Landyn Ford recently wrote an adorable children’s book about a hockey-playing dog‚ titled Bailey’s Special Stick. This holiday season‚ the young boy’s mom surprised him by having the story illustrated and published without him knowing. When he opened his Christmas present to find a copy of his own book inside‚ Landyn was overcome with emotion! His family caught the sweetest video of his reaction. “You’re a published author‚” said the proud mom. “It’s on Amazon. You’ve sold over 120 copies.” Landyn burst into happy tears and gave his mother a big hug. Another family member asked the 10-year-old author to sign their copy of Bailey’s Special Stick. Screengrab from TikTok A TikTok video of Landyn’s book reveal has been going viral online‚ receiving over 2 million views. The young writer has also gotten a huge outpouring of support from commenters! “Just ordered!!” wrote one user. “My wife is a first grade teacher and is going to read it to her class and add it to her classroom library.” Another added‚ “Going to buy my copy now because I will always support a kid in his dreams.” It’s always so inspiring to see creative kids achieve their goals at a young age! If you want to pick up a copy of Bailey’s Special Stick‚ you can do so on Amazon. Watch the video below to see the moment this 10-year-old found out that he’s a published author! @rykerford Landyn Ford‚ age 10‚ author of “Bailey’s Special Stick” available on Amazon. Surprise Christmas reveal. #surprise #childrensbookauthor #baileysspecialstick #hockey #dogsplayinghockey #youngauthor Bailey’s Special Stick https://a.co/d/gQsgIZB ♬ original sound – rykerford10110 You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Mom Surprises Son‚ Secretly Publishes The 10-Yr-Old Author’s Book! appeared first on InspireMore.

Every once in a while‚ something so amazing happens that it seems like a miracle. This is one of those times. This unbelievable event took place in India. Here‚ the quantity of potholes‚ as well as their often dangerous size‚ is widely discussed. And yet‚ when a dead man comes alive‚ it seems that a pothole is the hero. Before this event took place‚ 80-year-old Darshan Singh Brar had been in a hospital. Even worse‚ he had been on a ventilator for four whole days. Then‚ one morning‚ doctors shared that his heartbeat had stopped. Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels Darshan was declared dead and taken off the ventilator. Naturally‚ their friends and loved ones began to mourn. Balwan Singh‚ one of his grandsons‚ recalls that day. “My brother in Patiala informed us around 9 am on Thursday about our grandfather’s death‚ and he was getting him to Nising in an ambulance for his last rites‚” Balwan says. “We had informed our relatives and other local residents who knew him and they had already gathered to mourn his passing. A tent had been set up and food had also been arranged for the mourners. We had also got wood for the cremation.” Dead Man Comes Alive Thanks to Pothole rüveyda / Pexels On the ride‚ the ambulance hit a significant pothole. In doing so‚ Darshan’s grandson noticed his grandfather’s hand move. This prompted the grandson to check for a heartbeat. When he found one‚ he urged the ambulance to take them to the nearest hospital. Here‚ the doctors confirmed that Darshan was‚ in fact‚ still alive. Although the 80-year-old is still in critical condition‚ he is recovering. And just like that‚ the mourning turned into celebration! 'Dead Man' Comes Alive After Ambulance Hits Pothole In Haryana: Family https://t.co/cGIIFM8ijV pic.twitter.com/r38XST9Zno— NDTV (@ndtv) January 12‚ 2024 The second hospital says that since they weren’t around for the moment Darshan was declared dead‚ they can’t confirm for certain if he ever really died or if a mistake was made. In any case‚ this man’s family feel that a miracle happened. “It is a miracle‚” Balwan says. “Now we are hoping that my grandfather recovers soon. Everyone who had gathered to mourn his death congratulated us‚ and we requested them to have the food we had arranged. It is God’s grace that he is now breathing and we are hoping he will get better.” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Man Declared Dead Comes Back To Life When Ambulance Hits Pothole. appeared first on InspireMore.

'I did not hear him say that‚' Granholm said

The lead is also far above Trump's record for the last two cycles