Amid intense political debates over gun violence‚ so-called red-flag laws and other gun control policies that impact the free exercise of our Second Amendment rights are the cause of the moment. While proponents argue that such policies foster public safety‚ restricting individual rights presents a dangerous slippery slope. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) recently highlighted the reality of restricted Second Amendment rights as he spoke about disarming our nation’s veterans. He explained how veterans are essentially being disarmed for nothing more than needing help managing their financial affairs — a disgraceful affront to constitutional rights that has been going on for years. Under current law‚ the Department of Veterans Affairs can report veterans to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System if they require an assigned fiduciary to help them manage their pension or disability benefits‚ flagging them as unable to purchase a firearm. This has stripped a constitutional right from law-abiding citizens who sacrificed for and served this nation. Yet very few Americans even knew it was happening until Kennedy went to bat to stop it. Consider how many Americans need assistance with financial planning and management and might meet the standard to be disarmed should such a practice spread from the V.A. This red-flag practice with veterans exemplifies one of the major dangers of red-flag laws. The danger lies in the subjective nature of deciding who poses a risk and the significant potential for misuse or overuse. Of particular concern is the potential to weaponize the subjectivity of red-flag laws for personal vendettas‚ political motivations‚ or simple misunderstandings‚ taking advantage of a slippery slope that may not seem all that concerning right now. The unintended — or perhaps completely intended — consequences for law-abiding citizens and the freedom this nation enjoys could be catastrophic‚ which is why appropriate concern is necessary. Second Amendment rights and the potential violation of them by the VA are especially concerning for Texas‚ which is home to America’s largest veteran population and first in gun ownership. With almost half of Texas adults reporting they have guns in their homes‚ the state is on the front line of the gun control issue. Unfortunately‚ the situation in Texas is also becoming worrisome. The Texas House earlier this year passed legislation across party lines that adds new NICS reporting requirements for gun purchases. While lawmakers may claim to have good intentions‚ we should be wary of any law that gives greater regulatory power to an increasingly authoritarian government — and any lawmaker who doesn’t see the danger in that. Such laws can set a dangerous precedent. If we allow the erosion of one fundamental right‚ where do we draw the line? We must tread carefully‚ considering not just the immediate or well-intentioned impact but also the long-term consequences for our nation. A society that willingly sacrifices individual liberties for the sake of supposed and subjective security may find itself in a perilous situation. As Benjamin Franklin famously said‚ “Those who would give up essential Liberty‚ to purchase a little temporary Safety‚ deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Our communities deserve representatives who will safeguard their rights and freedoms by recognizing laws and policies that would encroach upon them to serve activist agendas. We must do everything in our power to prevent carefully crafted narratives and slippery-slope policies from leading to dangerously authoritarian laws that undermine our freedoms. America was founded to guarantee and protect liberty‚ and we must uphold the core values that are fundamental to safeguarding our constitutional rights. They are the fabric of American greatness. The lives and futures of free and law-abiding American citizens might well depend on it.

“The world is tough‚ it's getting tougher‚ and therefore we need a sanctuary‚ a place where it doesn’t feel like you’re just getting by or surviving life‚ but really living.” So went Waystar RoyCo scion Kendall Roy's pitch for luxe assisted living community Living+. Like many of the vaguely dystopian ventures dreamed up by the "Succession" writing staff‚ Living+ took inspiration from reality: plans by the Walt Disney Company to expand its parks and resort experience to residential and retirement communities under the brand Storyliving. Imagine the best of Disney World mixed with the pleasing aesthetics and predictability of Seahaven Island in Jim Carrey’s “The Truman Show.” Doesn’t that sound magical? I grew up in Chatham County. Pittsboro‚ the county seat‚ has a population of just 4‚537. This is an area where the town’s police department is supported by fewer than a dozen patrolmen and officers. Not much is going on there‚ and people there like it that way. It depends whom you ask. Disney chose the California desert for its first Storyliving community. Named Cotino‚ the project is currently in presales. The company will be heading east for the sequel‚ which it calls Asteria. When Disney announced its plan to break ground in Pittsboro‚ a quaint town in North Carolina’s Chatham County‚ local developers reacted with enthusiasm. Chatham County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Dasher’s statement is exemplary: We are excited to learn that Storyliving by Disney selected Pittsboro‚ North Carolina‚ for its second residential community in the United States. Chatham County looks forward to working with the Town of Pittsboro‚ Disney‚ Chatham Park‚ and DMB Development as the Asteria community comes to life in the coming years‚" Dasher continued‚ "This announcement is the latest major economic development project to choose Chatham County. We are thrilled about the innovative and unique lifestyle that this community will offer our residents as well as a variety of great jobs for our local and regional workforce.Another win for the region Dasher’s optimism makes sense. North Carolina has been notching a lot of wins lately in the nationwide race for jobs‚ economic development‚ and new residents (primarily disenchanted blue-state refugees seeking the southeast’s lower taxes and cost of living). The Raleigh-Durham area alone (Pittsboro is about 30 miles from Raleigh-Durham Airport) has attracted investment from Wolfspeed (semiconductors)‚ VinFast (EV cars)‚ Boom Supersonic (aviation)‚ Toyota‚ and Apple. With Disney’s addition to the list‚ the future seems bright indeed. Moreover‚ the pitch for Storyliving makes it sound like just the kind of development an up-and-coming area like Chatham county should encourage. Disney promises a blend of metropolitan amenities with a small-town atmosphere‚ complemented by ample parks and extensive trails for walking and biking. The development will feature over 4‚000 units for single-family and multi-family homes‚ with designated neighborhoods for residents ages 55 and up. Sales for homes within this Disney utopia are expected to commence by 2027 and cover 1‚500 acres in Pittsboro‚ Chatham County‚ forming part of the larger Chatham Park community. Magic or tragic? For the people who will actually live with Asteria‚ the story is more complicated. I grew up in Chatham County. Pittsboro‚ the county seat‚ has a population of just 4‚537. This is an area where the town’s police department is supported by fewer than a dozen patrolmen and officers. Not much is going on there‚ and people there like it that way. Take my high school friend Eileen‚ who lives in Pittsboro and is far more pessimistic about the Mouse House coming to town. “We [already] have a huge issue with water pollution‚ mostly from Greensboro‚ N.C. There are also several upscale housing developments here that are unpopulated – with a great need for affordable housing.” Asteria is unlikely to fill that need. While residents of Pittsboro can expect ample opportunity to work within the community‚ owning a piece of it will be out of reach for most. The county’s median annual income sits around $50‚000-$75‚000; a house in a Asteria should go for 20 times that figure‚ if the $1-2 million price tags for Cotina living are anything to go by. Nosy neighbor Disney may also bring with it the same baggage it brought to Florida: contentious politics. The state’s solidly Republican legislature will have a skeptical eye on this utopian community so near the state’s capital‚ and government watchdogs should be tracking any efforts by the state to subsidize Disney’s new colony. North Carolina participated in the rat race for Amazon HQ2 by offering up $2.2 billion in subsidies for the corporation‚ but in the end‚ it did not outbid NYC and Northern Virginia. These days‚ of course‚ Disney’s controversies extend well beyond matters of municipal tax policy. Will the same obsession with DEI and “woke” that tarnished Disney+ and Disney parks come to Asteria? Recent SEC filings show that the company knows all too well that it has been alienating its fan base: “Consumers’ perceptions of our position on matters of public interest‚ including our efforts to achieve certain of our environmental and social goals‚ often differ widely and present risks to our reputation and brands.” But that doesn’t necessarily sound like the company has plans to change course. And including “fostering a culture of lifelong learning” in its goals for Asteria does sound an ominous note‚ given what passes for “learning” in 2023. At the very least‚ locals might want prepare themselves for some truly epic HOA-type battles.

When the #MeToo movement swept the Left‚ celebrities and politicians came out of the woodwork to show their support. They filmed videos for their millions of online followers‚ walked the streets with their fists in the air — they brought attention to the movement. Now‚ as Israel faces unspeakable tragedy after unspeakable tragedy‚ they are completely silent. “Many of the same voices‚ many of the same feminist groups‚ many of the same members of Congress who said they were appalled by all this have either been silent or sort of have done a hit-and-run on what literally took place in Israel and what happened to women‚” Mark Levin observes. And the feminists should care‚ as “Hamas and its terrorists Nazis” decided to “not only slaughter everything in its path” but “rape the women and brutalize the women.” However‚ there have been more and more citizens standing up despite the lack of support. “Citizens who have some moral clarity and are outraged by what’s going on‚ unlike most of the American media‚ which has moral equivalency between terrorists who rape and slaughter and people who seek to defend themselves against terrorists who rape and slaughter‚” Levin says. One question Levin wants people to consider is how many of the civilians in Gaza support Hamas. “How many of them have children‚ sons and daughters‚ working for Hamas?” he asks. “How many of these civilians were executed by Israeli soldiers? How many of them were mutilated by Israeli soldiers? How many were raped by Israeli soldiers? None‚” Levin says. Yet our president refuses to acknowledge that. “Joe Biden is not only the enemy of the American people as far as I’m concerned with his policies and his programs — he’s clearly an enemy of the Israeli people‚” Levin says.“Others better wake the hell up before it’s too late.” Want more from Mark Levin?To enjoy more of "the Great One" — Mark Levin as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

In the early 1900s‚ Jean Libbera performed in sideshows with his brother Jacques‚ a parasitic twin who was attached to Jean at the chest and stomach. The post The Life Of Circus Performer Jean Libbera‚ The Man With A Parasitic Twin Growing Out Of His Torso appeared first on All That's Interesting.

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