How a spiritual awakening on a Birmingham football team turned hatred into love

Movie director Jon Erwin joined Glenn on radio Monday, to share some details about the new movie, Woodlawn, which will premiere on 8/28 in Birmingham as part of Glenn's Restoring Unity event.

"It's a story of a high school that was going to close from violence due to integration. 1973 Birmingham, my home town," Erwin said. "And nothing could fix the problem. Nothing could fix the hatred. You know, policy couldn't fix it. Police. And it was a spiritual awakening that happened on the football team. The entire team decided to make a decision together to love God and love each other."

Watch the Woodlawn trailer below.

Erwin also shared a few details about preparations now being made for the Restoring Unity march and stadium events.

"We have some surprises. We have a blimp that's going to be there to display Never Again Is Now. We'll do a lot of cool things," he said.

Watch the following clip of the segment or read the full transcript below.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors.

GLENN: Welcome back to the program. We have Jon Erwin with us. He is the director of Woodlawn which is this great new movie coming out in October. And we're actually doing the premiere of it on Saturday night. The world premiere is going to be in Birmingham, Alabama, because it is a story that happened in Birmingham, Alabama. Tell me the story, Jon.

JON: Oh, Woodlawn is incredible. I mean, it's timely. It's a story of a high school that was going to close from violence due to integration. 1973 Birmingham, my home town. And nothing could fix the problem. Nothing could fix the hatred. You know, policy couldn't fix it. Police. And it was a spiritual awakening that happened on the football team. The entire team decided to make a decision together to love God and love each other.

GLENN: And this happened -- the guy in the movie who plays it is Sean Astin. And you know Sean Astin, he played Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings. And so he's a big actor. And he just comes in during a program. Who is the real guy?

JON: You know, that's the amazing thing. Sean Astin's character is based in part on my father and one other minister that worked with -- so this is literally a family story that I've heard. My brother and I always wanted to make this into a movie. As we did the research, the story not only met what we had been told as kids, but far exceeded it. And it led to the largest game that's ever been played in Alabama, on a high school level. And it really was the way the city began to heal.

And it led to Birmingham's first African-American superstar, Tony Nathan, that was heavily recruited by Bear Bryant who is played by Jon Voight in the film. So it was a real treat. From Birmingham, as a die-hard Alabama fan, to have Jon Voight played Bear Bryant. And just to tell this story, it puts our city in a really good light. And I feel like it's needed. Because it's a story of love conquering hatred. And a commitment to love each other, you see the blatant effects of it. It's a true story. And I think there couldn't be anything more relevant.

GLENN: I just -- I was reading some of the things on Facebook this weekend. You know, people will say, yeah, Glenn, you know, I hear the love thing. I got it. I got it. I got it. But we need really solutions. And I keep saying in my head and keep saying it out loud, that is a real solution. In fact, that's the only solution. And people just for some reason don't take that one seriously.

JON: It works. That's my point. I love to study what works and find what works. And we need answers, you know. I remember when we were filming the video, you know, we didn't know what was going to happen. We decided to make this film last summer. We didn't know how timely it was going to be. And one of our actors was from Ferguson. And Ferguson was happening as we were shooting the movie. And we said, look, you need to go home. Like, we'll redo the whole schedule. He said, no, this is why we're here making this movie because this is the answer.

And I think, look, thousands of years ago, Christ said, love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. And that is a very real answer that produces very real results. And this is an absolutely true story at a public high school. This is what worked. And if it worked then, maybe it could work now.

GLENN: So we're doing the movie premiere. This is 7 o'clock on Saturday night. The same arena that we're doing the event. Jon Voight is coming. Tell us a little about -- because if we're asking people to come, you can be a part of all this. Who is coming for the movie premiere.

JON: I mean, that's the great thing. You know, my last film was Mom's Night Out. And we did a premiere in LA. And we've never done anything in Birmingham to say thank you to celebrate the city, to celebrate what we've done. And so this will be an incredible event. And I think it just ties so nicely to what you wanted to come to Birmingham to do. We're absolutely unified around your vision and your idea. It was an absolutely natural idea. You meet the cast. There's going to be red carpet. We'll rev up the film. You typically never do a premiere this big. So it's pretty cool. This will be one of the larger premieres that I've ever heard of. And I think it will be a lot of fun and I think it will be great to have your audience and also have Birmingham, get to have a sneak peek at Woodlawn six weeks before it's out in theaters.

GLENN: Tell me a little bit -- because you are actually on the ground. And I come on Thursday to start doing -- start looking at the program and everything else that we have on Saturday. Tell people what we're planning on.

JON: Yeah, yeah. Well, I think that -- first of all, I think that when I heard just of the idea of Restoring Unity, it was something that I had to be a part of. And I think it's time -- it's absolutely time for those of us who believe in the same values to come together and show it. And it's time for a blatant public display of unity. And the fact that you would step forward and do that is incredible.

But I think some of the things that we'll do is just going to be awesome. I mean, the people that are going to be there. We have some surprises. We have a blimp that's going to be there to display never again is now. We'll do a lot of cool things. But we'll march. And that was your vision. And I think that's important. And I think it's timely. And it's something that I have to be a part of and I want to help empower. And then the program that you have, you know, the whole day in taking a break and revving the red carpet and showing people Woodlawn. That night, I think it will just be a blast. And I think anybody that would -- we have to stop complaining. And we have to start taking action. And we have to start taking action together. And we have to start unifying beyond our differences. And I think that Restoring Unity can be a big part of something that can last years. It's more than one event and it's something I'm happy to be a part of.

GLENN: I was in church yesterday. And I was in a men's meeting at church. And one of our -- one of our dear friends and fellow church members has cancer quite horribly just ravaging him. And he's just one of the nicest, most optimistic guys you've ever met. And we were sitting there, and what was nice was, all of us just took action at the time. You know, he was really down. So we just all gathered around him and prayed. And I think that that needs to start happening outside of our churches as well. We just need to not be afraid. And in the South, it's different than it is up North. It's not as unusual in the South. But it's still -- it's still something that people don't do enough. And in the North, they certainly don't. You just don't talk about God.

JON: Yeah. I think we've become more lonely. I think the people that you can call upon in the event of a life crisis has been steadily declining since the '50s. We've gotten so connected. We've gotten so lonely. And I think a lot of us feel that. And I think a lot of us want to see beyond. I mean, we can look all day at the things that divide us and we can let those things separate us, or we can transcend those and look at the things that unite us. And we can champion those together in a very public way, and I think anybody that believes that should come to Birmingham.

GLENN: You're really a great example because you're Southern Baptist. Aren't you?

JON: Yeah. Born and raised.

GLENN: Yeah. I'm LDS. And those two are not supposed to get along. And you came to my ranch when I was on hiatus and told me you wanted to volunteer your services and your team wanted to help produce this. And at one point, we started talking about our faith. And how our faiths are supposed to be at war with each other. We're supposed to disagree with each other. And we do disagree theologically on things. But that doesn't mean we can't work with one another on big things.

JON: That's exactly right. That's the beauty of something like this. I just think today, culturally, we're in this unify or lose territory.

GLENN: We are.

JON: And I feel, are there differences between myself as a Southern Baptist and yourself as a LDS? Of course there are. Is there a time to talk about those differences openly and debate them? Absolutely. But I don't believe that time is today, at least not at the public square. And I think that it's time for evangelicals, Catholics, Mormons, our Jewish friends, to take cultural opportunities to unify around what we value. And to do that in a very, very loud way. And I think Birmingham is a chance to do that. And I would just challenge everybody that is listening. If you believe in the same things that we believe in, why are we sitting in this place of inaction on the sidelines? And when someone like you steps up and says, let's do this. Let's do something. I can't sit idly by. And I have to do that. And I've come to deeply respect both your friendship and your -- and your beliefs and I think God is doing a great work in your life as he is in mine. And I'm glad to be able to do something together and make a statement together and I challenge everyone listening to come make that statement with us.

GLENN: I knew that when you were doing Woodlawn and you needed a place to show it here in the Dallas area, and we opened up the movie studio doors immediately to you guys for the same reason because anybody who is on the same path -- you're on the same path, man. Anybody who is trying to make a difference for good, we have to stand together.

JON: That's right. I just think unity is our problem.

GLENN: It is.

JON: And unity is our answer.

GLENN: That's why we're being divided right now. That's why everyone is trying to divide us. Between black and white, rich and poor, Republican/Democrat, North and South. No matter what it is, they're all trying to divide. Because they know, we're not scary if we're divided. If we stand together, that's when we have real power.

JON: Oh, I'm brokenhearted for my culture. I'm brokenhearted for a generation. I'm brokenhearted for what my business of entertainment is doing to a generation. And, you know, in the evangelical church, you know, millennials are leaving faster than before. We're losing an entire generation, and I'm brokenhearted for that. And so anyone that will help take back the microphone to get to a generation --

GLENN: How daunting was it for you to do a movie -- you know, because your idea is, I'm not just going to do a little faith-based movie. I want a blockbuster. You're like, why can't we have a blockbuster?

JON: That's the goal. That's the idea. I think it's time that we stop trying to compete with each other, with other Christian films or other faith-based films. We have to start competing with 50 Shades of Gray and Jurassic World and all these things that get the attention of a generation, not only in America, but worldwide. And I'm asking the question, why can't we? There's enough of us. We have enough resources. I mean, there's enough evangelical wealth in Dallas, Texas, to change the world ten times. We have plenty of money. We just have not had a unified strategy, and we have not had the will. And I believe it's possible to make something a lot bigger.

So, yes, we put together $25 million to do Woodlawn both to make and market. And it seems like a lot of money. But the way I look at it, it's less than half of what 50 Shades of Gray spent to get to a generation, to get the attention of a generation. So we have to ask how much we care. And I'm passionate about making really entertaining movies that people will love. And this is an inspirational sports story that you will love. But I am also passionate about sharing what I believe is true, and ultimately sharing the gospel of Christ with as many people as I can. And movies are an incredible way to do that.

So we're saying is, we have to put the gospel on a bigger stage. We have to put truth on a grand stage. We have to earn a message, not use it as a crutch. If you haven't been to the studios, you get creative just walking in the door. So that's why I wanted to bring some of the top leaders in America here because it's a great tangible manifestation of truth, but with scale and with excellence. You know, it's a great place. So I was happy to come here and it was incredibly effective. And it's just a great friendship that built.

GLENN: This is Jon Erwin. His new movie is Woodlawn. It opens up in October. We'll tell you more about it when we get closer to October. But they're premiering it with all the stars, including Jon Voight Saturday in Birmingham at our event. And it's kind of a way to cap the night off and say thank you to everybody. And we want you to come. You can find out more about it. Just go to now.mercuryone.org. Now.mercuryone.org.

Jon, thank you very much.

JON: Oh, thanks for having me.

Is the U.N. plotting to control 30% of U.S. land by 2030?

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A reliable conservative senator faces cancellation for listening to voters. But the real threat to public lands comes from the last president’s backdoor globalist agenda.

Something ugly is unfolding on social media, and most people aren’t seeing it clearly. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) — one of the most constitutionally grounded conservatives in Washington — is under fire for a housing provision he first proposed in 2022.

You wouldn’t know that from scrolling through X. According to the latest online frenzy, Lee wants to sell off national parks, bulldoze public lands, gut hunting and fishing rights, and hand America’s wilderness to Amazon, BlackRock, and the Chinese Communist Party. None of that is true.

Lee’s bill would have protected against the massive land-grab that’s already under way — courtesy of the Biden administration.

I covered this last month. Since then, the backlash has grown into something like a political witch hunt — not just from the left but from the right. Even Donald Trump Jr., someone I typically agree with, has attacked Lee’s proposal. He’s not alone.

Time to look at the facts the media refuses to cover about Lee’s federal land plan.

What Lee actually proposed

Over the weekend, Lee announced that he would withdraw the federal land sale provision from his housing bill. He said the decision was in response to “a tremendous amount of misinformation — and in some cases, outright lies,” but also acknowledged that many Americans brought forward sincere, thoughtful concerns.

Because of the strict rules surrounding the budget reconciliation process, Lee couldn’t secure legally enforceable protections to ensure that the land would be made available “only to American families — not to China, not to BlackRock, and not to any foreign interests.” Without those safeguards, he chose to walk it back.

That’s not selling out. That’s leadership.

It's what the legislative process is supposed to look like: A senator proposes a bill, the people respond, and the lawmaker listens. That was once known as representative democracy. These days, it gets you labeled a globalist sellout.

The Biden land-grab

To many Americans, “public land” brings to mind open spaces for hunting, fishing, hiking, and recreation. But that’s not what Sen. Mike Lee’s bill targeted.

His proposal would have protected against the real land-grab already under way — the one pushed by the Biden administration.

In 2021, Biden launched a plan to “conserve” 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030. This effort follows the United Nations-backed “30 by 30” initiative, which seeks to place one-third of all land and water under government control.

Ask yourself: Is the U.N. focused on preserving your right to hunt and fish? Or are radical environmentalists exploiting climate fears to restrict your access to American land?

  Smith Collection/Gado / Contributor | Getty Images

As it stands, the federal government already owns 640 million acres — nearly one-third of the entire country. At this rate, the government will hit that 30% benchmark with ease. But it doesn’t end there. The next phase is already in play: the “50 by 50” agenda.

That brings me to a piece of legislation most Americans haven’t even heard of: the Sustains Act.

Passed in 2023, the law allows the federal government to accept private funding from organizations, such as BlackRock or the Bill Gates Foundation, to support “conservation programs.” In practice, the law enables wealthy elites to buy influence over how American land is used and managed.

Moreover, the government doesn’t even need the landowner’s permission to declare that your property contributes to “pollination,” or “photosynthesis,” or “air quality” — and then regulate it accordingly. You could wake up one morning and find out that the land you own no longer belongs to you in any meaningful sense.

Where was the outrage then? Where were the online crusaders when private capital and federal bureaucrats teamed up to quietly erode private property rights across America?

American families pay the price

The real danger isn’t in Mike Lee’s attempt to offer more housing near population centers — land that would be limited, clarified, and safeguarded in the final bill. The real threat is the creeping partnership between unelected global elites and our own government, a partnership designed to consolidate land, control rural development, and keep Americans penned in so-called “15-minute cities.”

BlackRock buying entire neighborhoods and pricing out regular families isn’t by accident. It’s part of a larger strategy to centralize populations into manageable zones, where cars are unnecessary, rural living is unaffordable, and every facet of life is tracked, regulated, and optimized.

That’s the real agenda. And it’s already happening , and Mike Lee’s bill would have been an effort to ensure that you — not BlackRock, not China — get first dibs.

I live in a town of 451 people. Even here, in the middle of nowhere, housing is unaffordable. The American dream of owning a patch of land is slipping away, not because of one proposal from a constitutional conservative, but because global powers and their political allies are already devouring it.

Divide and conquer

This controversy isn’t really about Mike Lee. It’s about whether we, as a nation, are still capable of having honest debates about public policy — or whether the online mob now controls the narrative. It’s about whether conservatives will focus on facts or fall into the trap of friendly fire and circular firing squads.

More importantly, it’s about whether we’ll recognize the real land-grab happening in our country — and have the courage to fight back before it’s too late.


This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

URGENT: FIVE steps to CONTROL AI before it's too late!

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By now, many of us are familiar with AI and its potential benefits and threats. However, unless you're a tech tycoon, it can feel like you have little influence over the future of artificial intelligence.

For years, Glenn has warned about the dangers of rapidly developing AI technologies that have taken the world by storm.

He acknowledges their significant benefits but emphasizes the need to establish proper boundaries and ethics now, while we still have control. But since most people aren’t Silicon Valley tech leaders making the decisions, how can they help keep AI in check?

Recently, Glenn interviewed Tristan Harris, a tech ethicist deeply concerned about the potential harm of unchecked AI, to discuss its societal implications. Harris highlighted a concerning new piece of legislation proposed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz. This legislation proposes a state-level moratorium on AI regulation, meaning only the federal government could regulate AI. Harris noted that there’s currently no Federal plan for regulating AI. Until the federal government establishes a plan, tech companies would have nearly free rein with their AI. And we all know how slowly the federal government moves.

  

This is where you come in. Tristan Harris shared with Glenn the top five actions you should urge your representatives to take regarding AI, including opposing the moratorium until a concrete plan is in place. Now is your chance to influence the future of AI. Contact your senator and congressman today and share these five crucial steps they must take to keep AI in check:

Ban engagement-optimized AI companions for kids

Create legislation that will prevent AI from being designed to maximize addiction, sexualization, flattery, and attachment disorders, and to protect young people’s mental health and ability to form real-life friendships.

Establish basic liability laws

Companies need to be held accountable when their products cause real-world harm.

Pass increased whistleblower protections

Protect concerned technologists working inside the AI labs from facing untenable pressures and threats that prevent them from warning the public when the AI rollout is unsafe or crosses dangerous red lines.

Prevent AI from having legal rights

Enact laws so AIs don’t have protected speech or have their own bank accounts, making sure our legal system works for human interests over AI interests.

Oppose the state moratorium on AI 

Call your congressman or Senator Cruz’s office, and demand they oppose the state moratorium on AI without a plan for how we will set guardrails for this technology.

Glenn: Only Trump dared to deliver on decades of empty promises

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The Islamic regime has been killing Americans since 1979. Now Trump’s response proves we’re no longer playing defense — we’re finally hitting back.

The United States has taken direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program. Whatever you think of the strike, it’s over. It’s happened. And now, we have to predict what happens next. I want to help you understand the gravity of this situation: what happened, what it means, and what might come next. To that end, we need to begin with a little history.

Since 1979, Iran has been at war with us — even if we refused to call it that.

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell.

It began with the hostage crisis, when 66 Americans were seized and 52 were held for over a year by the radical Islamic regime. Four years later, 17 more Americans were murdered in the U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut, followed by 241 Marines in the Beirut barracks bombing.

Then came the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996, which killed 19 more U.S. airmen. Iran had its fingerprints all over it.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, Iranian-backed proxies killed hundreds of American soldiers. From 2001 to 2020 in Afghanistan and 2003 to 2011 in Iraq, Iran supplied IEDs and tactical support.

The Iranians have plotted assassinations and kidnappings on U.S. soil — in 2011, 2021, and again in 2024 — and yet we’ve never really responded.

The precedent for U.S. retaliation has always been present, but no president has chosen to pull the trigger until this past weekend. President Donald Trump struck decisively. And what our military pulled off this weekend was nothing short of extraordinary.

Operation Midnight Hammer

The strike was reportedly called Operation Midnight Hammer. It involved as many as 175 U.S. aircraft, including 12 B-2 stealth bombers — out of just 19 in our entire arsenal. Those bombers are among the most complex machines in the world, and they were kept mission-ready by some of the finest mechanics on the planet.

   USAF / Handout | Getty Images

To throw off Iranian radar and intelligence, some bombers flew west toward Guam — classic misdirection. The rest flew east, toward the real targets.

As the B-2s approached Iranian airspace, U.S. submarines launched dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Iran’s fortified nuclear facilities. Minutes later, the bombers dropped 14 MOPs — massive ordnance penetrators — each designed to drill deep into the earth and destroy underground bunkers. These bombs are the size of an F-16 and cost millions of dollars apiece. They are so accurate, I’ve been told they can hit the top of a soda can from 15,000 feet.

They were built for this mission — and we’ve been rehearsing this run for 15 years.

If the satellite imagery is accurate — and if what my sources tell me is true — the targeted nuclear sites were utterly destroyed. We’ll likely rely on the Israelis to confirm that on the ground.

This was a master class in strategy, execution, and deterrence. And it proved that only the United States could carry out a strike like this. I am very proud of our military, what we are capable of doing, and what we can accomplish.

What comes next

We don’t yet know how Iran will respond, but many of the possibilities are troubling. The Iranians could target U.S. forces across the Middle East. On Monday, Tehran launched 20 missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar, Syria, and Kuwait, to no effect. God forbid, they could also unleash Hezbollah or other terrorist proxies to strike here at home — and they just might.

Iran has also threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — the artery through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil flows. On Sunday, Iran’s parliament voted to begin the process. If the Supreme Council and the ayatollah give the go-ahead, we could see oil prices spike to $150 or even $200 a barrel.

That would be catastrophic.

The 2008 financial collapse was pushed over the edge when oil hit $130. Western economies — including ours — simply cannot sustain oil above $120 for long. If this conflict escalates and the Strait is closed, the global economy could unravel.

The strike also raises questions about regime stability. Will it spark an uprising, or will the Islamic regime respond with a brutal crackdown on dissidents?

Early signs aren’t hopeful. Reports suggest hundreds of arrests over the weekend and at least one dissident executed on charges of spying for Israel. The regime’s infamous morality police, the Gasht-e Ershad, are back on the streets. Every phone, every vehicle — monitored. The U.S. embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place warning for Americans.

Russia and China both condemned the strike. On Monday, a senior Iranian official flew to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin. That meeting should alarm anyone paying attention. Their alliance continues to deepen — and that’s a serious concern.

Now we pray

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell. But either way, President Trump didn’t start this. He inherited it — and he took decisive action.

The difference is, he did what they all said they would do. He didn’t send pallets of cash in the dead of night. He didn’t sign another failed treaty.

He acted. Now, we pray. For peace, for wisdom, and for the strength to meet whatever comes next.


This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Globalize the Intifada? Why Mamdani’s plan spells DOOM for America

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If New Yorkers hand City Hall to Zohran Mamdani, they’re not voting for change. They’re opening the door to an alliance of socialism, Islamism, and chaos.

It only took 25 years for New York City to go from the resilient, flag-waving pride following the 9/11 attacks to a political fever dream. To quote Michael Malice, “I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.”

Malice is talking about Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist assemblyman from Queens now eyeing the mayor’s office. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state representative emerging from relative political obscurity, is now receiving substantial funding for his mayoral campaign from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

CAIR has a long and concerning history, including being born out of the Muslim Brotherhood and named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror funding case. Why would the group have dropped $100,000 into a PAC backing Mamdani’s campaign?

Mamdani blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone.

Perhaps CAIR has a vested interest in Mamdani’s call to “globalize the intifada.” That’s not a call for peaceful protest. Intifada refers to historic uprisings of Muslims against what they call the “Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Suicide bombings and street violence are part of the playbook. So when Mamdani says he wants to “globalize” that, who exactly is the enemy in this global scenario? Because it sure sounds like he's saying America is the new Israel, and anyone who supports Western democracy is the new Zionist.

Mamdani tried to clean up his language by citing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which once used “intifada” in an Arabic-language article to describe the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. So now he’s comparing Palestinians to Jewish victims of the Nazis? If that doesn’t twist your stomach into knots, you’re not paying attention.

If you’re “globalizing” an intifada, and positioning Israel — and now America — as the Nazis, that’s not a cry for human rights. That’s a call for chaos and violence.

Rising Islamism

But hey, this is New York. Faculty members at Columbia University — where Mamdani’s own father once worked — signed a letter defending students who supported Hamas after October 7. They also contributed to Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. And his father? He blamed Ronald Reagan and the religious right for inspiring Islamic terrorism, as if the roots of 9/11 grew in Washington, not the caves of Tora Bora.

   Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

 

This isn’t about Islam as a faith. We should distinguish between Islam and Islamism. Islam is a religion followed peacefully by millions. Islamism is something entirely different — an ideology that seeks to merge mosque and state, impose Sharia law, and destroy secular liberal democracies from within. Islamism isn’t about prayer and fasting. It’s about power.

Criticizing Islamism is not Islamophobia. It is not an attack on peaceful Muslims. In fact, Muslims are often its first victims.

Islamism is misogynistic, theocratic, violent, and supremacist. It’s hostile to free speech, religious pluralism, gay rights, secularism — even to moderate Muslims. Yet somehow, the progressive left — the same left that claims to fight for feminism, LGBTQ rights, and free expression — finds itself defending candidates like Mamdani. You can’t make this stuff up.

Blending the worst ideologies

And if that weren’t enough, Mamdani also identifies as a Democratic Socialist. He blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone. But don’t worry, New York. I’m sure this time socialism will totally work. Just like it always didn’t.

If you’re a business owner, a parent, a person who’s saved anything, or just someone who values sanity: Get out. I’m serious. If Mamdani becomes mayor, as seems likely, then New York City will become a case study in what happens when you marry ideological extremism with political power. And it won’t be pretty.

This is about more than one mayoral race. It’s about the future of Western liberalism. It’s about drawing a bright line between faith and fanaticism, between healthy pluralism and authoritarian dogma.

Call out radicalism

We must call out political Islam the same way we call out white nationalism or any other supremacist ideology. When someone chants “globalize the intifada,” that should send a chill down your spine — whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, atheist, or anything in between.

The left may try to shame you into silence with words like “Islamophobia,” but the record is worn out. The grooves are shallow. The American people see what’s happening. And we’re not buying it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.