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These five flags prove the importance of celebrating Flag Day

June 14, 2024
Photo 12 / Contributor | Getty Images
Zane Johnsen

On this day 247 years ago, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution of 1777 making the "Stars and Stripes" the official flag of the United States of America.

Symbols are a vital part of the identity of a nation. They speak of the values and origins of the country, where they are going, and where they have been. They serve as a benchmark by which to measure the condition of the present society—are we closer to being the people our forefathers imagined all those years ago? They tell a story of the struggles and hardships of the men who first bore those symbols and what they stood to protect.

This Flag Day, we are taking the opportunity to reflect upon the rich history and symbolism of American Flags and the conflicts that shaped them. From the earliest colonial rebellions to modern military operations, here are five flags that symbolize America:

Pine Tree Flag

Encyclopaedia Britannica / Contributor | Getty Images

Despite the media's claims, this flag is not a Christian Nationalist banner, nor a banner of any other extremist group. The origin of this flag well predates any of those modern groups as it was first created during the Revolutionary War.

The flag comprises two items: the pine tree and the text, "An Appeal to Heaven." The pine tree has long been a symbol of New England, even before Europeans landed in North America. The pine tree was an important symbol of peace to the Native tribes of New England after a great war between five tribes ended with the members settling their differences and burying each other's weapons under a pine tree. After the Europeans arrived, the pine tree remained significant. A large part of colonial New England's economy was based on shipbuilding using the tall pine trees local to the area.

The other portion of the flag, the text that reads "An Appeal to Heaven," is a quote from the English philosopher John Locke's famous book, The Second Treatise of Civil Government. In this particular passage the quote is referring to, Locke outlined the right of people to revolt against a tyrannical government. Locke argued that once you have exhausted your ability to appeal your grievances through the available government channels, you can make an appeal to heaven and throw off the shackles of tyranny through a revolution. As you can imagine, this particular passage was critical to the philosophical justification for the American Revolution.

Francis Hopkinson Flag

Encyclopaedia Britannica / Contributor | Getty Images

Everyone knows the tale of Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress who was presented—by none other than George Washington himself—with a sketch of the flag that would come to represent the fledgling nation. After convincing Washington to reduce the points on the stars from six to five, Ross got to work sewing the first stars and stripes together. Before long, she was presenting George Washington with the first American flag with its iconic ring of stars.

Unfortunately, that story is more legend than fact. Betsy Ross did exist. She was a seamstress from Philadelphia, and she most likely did make some of the first American flags. But did she collaborate with George Washington to create the very first American flag? Not likely. Modern historians now tend to credit a man named Francis Hopkinson.

Francis Hopkinson, like many of our founding fathers, was a very interesting man. Along with serving as one of New Jersey's first congressmen, Hopkinson signed the Declaration of Independence and was a lawyer, poet, musician, and artist. It was his skill as an artist that led to him to design the flag. However, the journals of the Continental Congress suggest that he was not the only person consulted during the process. While it is unclear who these other people were (perhaps it was Besty Ross), it is known that Hopkinson would be credited with the creation of other important symbols and devices, including the Great Seal of the United States of America.

Fort Sumter Flag

In April of 1861, the nation split itself in two. The attack on Fort Sumpter in South Carolina marked the beginning of the Civil War, and for many people, it must have felt like the end of the republic. This flag, bearing 33 stars for the 33 states, flew above Fort Sumpter during the assault and was lowered when the fort was surrendered to Confederate forces. After the battle, President Lincoln had a decision that no president before or since has been faced with: would he keep the flag as it was or would he remove the stars that represented the states that had seceded?

Lincoln's mission was to preserve the union—to reform what had been broken—so he decided to keep the stars on the flag. This flag, with all 33 of its stars, came to represent what the Union troops were fighting for. They were defending the Union for which the flag had become the sacred symbol. As such, the flag was imbued with the religious and moral values that were violently clashing along the Mason-Dixon line. For many, the flag represented the abolition of slavery, and for many newly freed black Americans, the flag represented a brighter future and an opportunity to participate in the American Dream.

When the Stars and Stripes were once again flown over Fort Sumpter in February of 1865, just two months before the end of the Civil War, all 33 stars were present—plus two more to represent the new states that had joined the union during the war. While it would take decades for the wounds of the Civil War to heal, President Lincoln was successful in his mission to reunite America.

D-Day Flag

D-Day was the largest amphibious invasion in military history with over 156,000 Allied troops deployed to liberate Europe from the Nazi regime. America bore a significant portion of the burden, with sending 75,000 of the total 156,000 Allied troops. Moreover, most landing craft and support vehicles were manufactured in the United States. It was aboard one such landing craft, the L.S.T. 493, that the flag above was carried into the chaos. The L.S.T. 493 was one of the largest vessels to make an appearance in Normandy, and it was tasked with running supplies to the different beachheads along the coastline, which it did from June 6th, 1944 (D-Day) until the Battle of Normady's completion at the end of August 1944.

Despite being manufactured by the U.S. and carrying an American flag, L.S.T. 493 was operated by the British during the Battle of Normandy, which was not an unusual arrangement at the time. The vessel served until April 1945 when it was sent from Portland, UK, to Plymouth, UK, for routine maintenance. During this trek, the ship's navigation lights were turned off as per wartime procedures, and consequently, it was badly damaged by large concrete pyramids installed in the breakwater. These pyramids were called "dragonteeth" and were used as a defense against invasion. The ship was abandoned, and the crew was safely evacuated, but L.S.T. 493 was deemed too damaged to repair and was left behind.

The aforementioned 48-star American Flag was removed well before L.S.T. 493 wrecked and made its journey throughout the years before finding itself in Glenn's collection in the American Journey Experience museum. Glenn had the following to say regarding his acquisition of the flag:

“When I first saw this flag I was overwhelmed with the struggle and the power of the human spirit. While the human experience is itself exceptional, those who deny the will to endure and the willingness free mankind from those who wish to control and oppress miss what makes the average American truly exceptional throughout the world"

America's Flag of Valor

This last flag is a reminder that the fight for freedom is never over. There will always come a time when brave men will be called upon to lay down their lives in the pursuit and preservation of liberty, to fight on behalf of those who can't fight for themselves.

Imagine—it's March 2003, America is still recovering from the horror of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and a group of young men full of courage and determination board a plane in Germany bound for Kuwait City to engage in the initial attack of the Iraqi Freedom Campaign. These Marines, most of whom were fresh out of BootCamp and had never faced battle before, were asked to sign this flag by Flight Attendant Sarah Carruthers.

Susan Irvin, the custodian of this incredible artifact, is working on tracking down the fate of these brave soldiers. One can assume that many of the signees didn't make it back to the United States. The same spirit and determination that motivated our forefathers to fight for liberty were in these men as well, and that spirit still isn't lost amongst us today.

Here are just a few of the notes those brave men wrote a mere couple of days before they engaged in the Iraqi Freedom Campaign:

1. LCPC Christensen 3rd PLT C. Co 1/24
“I’m doing this so my Stars, Stripes and Eagle will fly Forever.”
2. LEPL Wright
“I’m proud to be an American whatever the cost - know I’m There”
3. LEPL (Deputy) Edelski
“For the Love and Safety of my Wife and Family.”
4. PFC Myers Weapons Co 1/24
“Semper Fi ‘Always Faithful’ “
5. LEPL Koshis GP II
“For the Pride and Honor of my Country and the Love of my Family. Semper Fi”
6. Sgt Hamper M.B USMC 1/24 Detroit Mi.
“Not every Man Can fight. We do what we must for our country, I am proud to have the opportunity for Freedom and the American Way of Life.”
7. LEPL B Leain, M.J. C/co 1/24
“So that our Families will live free from fear. God Bless”
8. Don H Stevens Jr. USMC SSP 1/24
“Because I stand on a wall and say nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.”
9. SGT Dano, Michael Scout Sniper PLT.
“When you care to send the very best. Send USMC”
10. SSGT Ian M. Perry Scout Sniper Det “C” Co. 1/24 USMC
“Americans Sleep Peaceably at Night knowing that Rough Men Stand By To Do Violence on their Behalf…”
11. Leut Lawson SSP 1/24
“For America.”
12. CPT Valler E. R “C” Co 1/24
“The more we do today the less our children will have to do tomorrow.”
13. LCPL Council SSP/ “C” Co 1/24 USMC
“For God, my Loved Ones & America!! We’ll Fight the Good Fight!!”
14. CPT Povedn R. H.
“For My Family and my Country, Mission Accomplished
15. LCPL D? Kellerman “C” Co 1/24
“HIGHLY MOTIVATED – TRULY DEDICATED… TO GOD… TO THE CORPS… TO OUR COURNTRY… TO MY FAMILY… AND TO OUR FREEDOM! ‘SEMPER FI’ “.
16. LCPL Powers J.M
“WE FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T OR WON’T… AND SO OUR CHILDREN WILL NOT NEED TO.”
17. LCPL Safko SSP 1/24
“I don’t know what will happen when I die but I am not gonna find out before my target!”
18. LCPL Christensen
“If they don’t like my Flag they can kiss my American Butt.”
19. LCPL Damon “C” Co. 1/24
“Doing my part every day that I can! Semper Fi”
20. LCPL Cowdry, Nick 1/24 “C” Co.
“Godspeed”
21. LCPL Tong
“Showing my blood for my country! Semper Fi”
22. CPL Kinnick WPNS “C” Co. 1/24
“Death before dishonor.”
23. SGT Jim Shabelski
“Semper Fi Fortune favors the Bold.”
24. Cpt. Don Valdivia “Mr. Clean” USMC Scout Sniper PH. 1/24
“I will defend my country and make the enemy DIE for his.”
25. LCPL Forshee JAV 1/24 WPNSRO
“Mess with the best, Die like the rest. ‘Goonie for life’ “
26. SSGT White Javelin PLT Commander
“Semper Fi! God, Country Corps!
27. Cpl. Deak C ”Co” 1/24
"I am proud to be a marine, But even more proud of that I am an American, that has a choice to be a Marine."
28. HM2 “Doc” MeElfresh
“Serving the Corps, my country & my family.
Giving My Best; For the Best. Semper Fi!
29. CPL Inman E.O.K
“You can run but you’ll only die tired----”
30. CPL Jason Spoelm
“Your friendly neighbor, terrorist killers. LET’S ROLL”
31. SGT Dover, Matthew 1st Scout Sniper PLT
“If it positively has to be Destroyed overnight U.S. Marines.
RUN AND DIE TIRED!”
32. 1stSGT T.J. Pattok Semper FI
“What we do We do for You
33. Cpl Dawson
“What I do, I do for my Family”
34. CPL I Keagle
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” MLK Jr.
35.LCPL Piechawski, Nick
“PEACHES” I’ll be back for my beer”

Special thanks to Susan Irvin for sharing and preserving the story of these brave young men.

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

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

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!

MANAURE QUINTERO / Contributor | Getty Images

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

Tasos Katopodis / Stringer | Getty Images

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

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

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.