Copy of Morning Brief 2022-06-07

Top of Hour 2
GUEST: Alex Berenson
TOPIC: Discussing his lawsuit against Twitter for banning him for 'COVID misinformation.'

Top of Hour 3
GUEST: Brad Meltzer
TOPIC: Discussing his two newest books: 'I am Dolly Parton' & 'I am I.M. Pei'

CB, RR, JB, SK

Domestic News...

Biden's America: Germany airlifts baby formula to Texas
A plane carrying more than 110,000 pounds of specialty baby formula from Germany is expected to land in Fort Worth later this week.

From firebombing protesters to lying FBI agents, a two-tier justice system sharpens in focus
While holding firm in its promise to prosecute J6 offenders to the max, Biden's Justice Department made a curious move last week. It withdrew its own plea deal with two lawyers accused of using Molotov cocktails during George Floyd riots in NYC and allowed the defendants to plea to different charges that carried less prison time.

Proud Boys charged with ‘seditious conspiracy’ related to Capitol riot
Prosecutors said they had encouraged people to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally, obtained concealed tactical vests, protective equipment, and radio equipment, dressed “incognito”, lead the crowd onto Capitol grounds, stormed past barricades and “assaulting law enforcement officers.”

Adams calls NYC’s criminal justice system ‘laughingstock of our entire country’
Adams lashed out at prosecutors and judges Monday for cutting loose suspected shooters to unleash more gunfire on the Big Apple’s streets — saying the “bad guys no longer take them seriously.”

NY Gov restricts gun ownership to 21 and up, bars citizens from buying body armor, bulletproof vests
Unelected New York Governor Kathy Hochul also signed a law establishing a "task force on social media and violent extremism" which requires those suspected of "bias-related violence and intimidation" to be reported to authorities.

Pols ignore mass shootings we can do something about: gang violence
It doesn’t make any sense to strike a pose against gun violence in general without taking on this scourge in particular — unless striking the pose is the point.

New York Officials Fear Supreme Court Ruling Will Mean More Gun Crime
Across the city and state, authorities are bracing for a ruling, expected from the United States Supreme Court this month, which could strike down a century-old New York State law that places strict limits on the carrying of handguns.

Video shows man violently toss woman onto Bronx subway tracks
Newly released video captured the horrifying moment a man violently tossed a 52-year-old woman onto the subway tracks in the Bronx on Sunday.

Far-left Philly DA blames NRA for shooting
But the mayor says there is 'no price to pay for carrying illegal guns'

9 Big Things We Learned From The Michael Sussmann Prosecution
While we have learned much from the Sussmann prosecution, we still don’t know whether Durham intends to hold the Crossfire Hurricane team responsible.

Soros spent $40 million to elect 75 ‘social justice’ prosecutors: Report
Soros and his groups have helped to elect prosecutors in whose cities jailings have plummeted and crime has surged.

Babylon Bee: Emperor Palpatine Builds A Bigger, Even More Powerful Death Star Equipped With A 9mm
The Death Star's blast is now said to be so powerful it can blow the core out of a planet.

Politics...

Biden wants to get out more, seething that his standing is now worse than Trump’s
Frustrations are mounting and the window for a political revival is closing.

Radar Online: White House Refuses To Comment On Hunter Biden's Naked, Illegal Gun-Toting Pictures
According to Radar, the gun was illegally obtained as Hunter lied on an application about his past drug use. Making a false statement on a federal criminal background check, known as ATF Form 4473, is a violation of federal law under Section 922(a)(6) of the U.S. criminal code.

Definitely didn't slip his mind: Biden issues D-Day remembrance tweet hours after his bedtime
Biden issues D-Day remembrance tweet after skipping it his first year in office... late in the evening, as the day already passed in France.

Joe Biden on track to take more vacation days than most recent presidents
Biden is on track to take more vacation days than his recent predecessors and, if he continues at this pace, will spend more than 550 days on vacation.

Unrelated Movie Review: Weekend at Bernie's II
This time out, the inept trio pack themselves off to St. Thomas, in search of the $2 million Bernie embezzled.

Poll: Most Americans say Trump only somewhat to blame or not really to blame for Jan. 6
Only 45 percent of Americans say Trump was “solely” or “mainly” responsible for the rioting on Jan. 6, the new polls says, according to NBC News, adding that 55 percent say Trump was only somewhat responsible or not really responsible for the Capitol riots.

CNN Pollster Says Republicans Are In The 'Best Position' For Midterms In Over 80 Years
Enten collected public support for both parties at this point in the midterm cycle from 1938 to today and found Republicans are up by 2-points on the generic ballot. “It beats 2010 when Republicans were up a point...”

NY Times: Democrats Can Win This Fall if They Make One Key Promise
Polls show that roughly two in three Americans oppose overturning Roe and almost 60 percent support passing a bill to set Roe’s protections in a federal law. What’s more, polls showed a rising number of voters listing abortion as their top midterm issue.

California voters poised to decide primary races for governor, senator and 52 House seats
The most populous state in the nation has some competitive races to follow as well as some high-profile incumbents up for reelection.

Matthew McConaughey meets lawmakers as Capitol Hill talks guns
McConaughey expressed support for raising the minimum age to 21 nationwide to purchase so-called assault weapons, in particular AR-15s, and implementing a national red flag system. He also backs background checks and a national waiting period.

AOC calls out Dems who won’t say ‘Latinx’
Polling data indicates most Hispanics don’t use the term or virulently object to it.

Economy...

Gas Prices Have More Than Doubled Since Biden Took Office
According to AAA, the nationwide average for a gallon of regular fuel reached a new record of $4.87 on Monday, a 101 percent increase from the $2.42 when Biden was inaugurated in January 2021.

More states hit $5 a gallon gas prices
In total, more than one out of every five gas stations nationwide are now charging more than $5 a gallon for regular.

A record-high Social Security cost-of-living adjustment in 2023 may affect program’s depletion dates
The last time the federal agency announced a bigger annual bump was in 1981 when there was an 11.2% increase.

Housing wealth gains a record $1.2 trillion, but there are signs the market is cooling
In total, the nation’s so-called tappable equity stood at $11 trillion, or two times the previous peak in 2006.

Kim Dotcom Predicts ‘Great Economic Reset’, Is Crypto a Solution?
The internet entrepreneur and political activist took to Twitter with his predictions of economic collapse.

Punctuality Is Having a Moment
“Fashionably late” falls out of fashion after more than two years of remote work, when, for many people, there was no good reason to be tardy.

Border...

Up to 6K join new caravan through Mexico, call for Title 42 repeal
The caravan began its journey from Tapachula, less than 10 miles from Mexico’s border with Guatemala, a departure timed to coincide with the start of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles.

WAR News...

Top EU diplomat blasts Putin for airstrike on massive grain terminal in Ukraine
"Another Russian missile strike contributing to the global food crisis. Russian forces have destroyed the second biggest grain terminal in Ukraine, in Mykolaiv," EU Rep Josep Borrell said on Monday.

Guerrilla attacks deep inside Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory signal a rising resistance to Russian occupation
The Kremlin-backed mayor of the Ukrainian town of Enerhodar was standing on his mother’s porch when a powerful blast struck, leaving him critically wounded.

MONKEYVID-2219...

Australia leads the way on New World Order
“It has been revealed Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has a data agency to monitor Victorians’ everyday activities, including social media sentiment and credit card transactions. It was set up as part of the government’s Covid response in August 2020.

Here We Go Again: Biden’s CDC Recommends Masks For Monkeypox
The CDC upgraded the monkeypox alert to level 2 on Monday, advising travelers to practice enhanced precautions, including wearing a mask.

82 million COVID-19 vaccine doses discarded in US: Report
Nearly 11% of distributed doses in the United States have reportedly gone to waste from December 2020 through mid-May.

Entertainment...

Paramount sued over ‘Top Gun’ copyright
The family of the author whose article inspired the original 1986 “Top Gun” is suing Paramount, stating that the studio failed to reacquire the rights to Ehud Yonay’s 1983 article, “Top Guns.”

Suit claiming Kevin Spacey sexually abused teen can move forward, judge rules
When Rapp was 14, Spacey allegedly “grazed” his buttocks and laid his body partially across him before the teen was able to “wriggle out” of Spacey’s grip.

Media...

NY Times: Violent Crime Is Up as Cities Lose Police Officers. What Now?
What happened in Uvalde is especially bad for the reputation of the police because it dispels the machismo and heroism that are so often trotted out when law enforcement does something wrong, including killing someone who is unarmed.

Democracy Dies At The Hands Of Taylor Lorenz And Every Other Bad Hire At The Washington Post
The Washington Post is doubling down on its lie-ridden articles and supporting problematic staff like disgraced doxxer Taylor Lorenz.

Washington Post suspends reporter without pay for retweeting joke
David Weigel had shared a tweet that said, "Every girl is bi. You just have to figure out if it's polar or sexual," after which, fellow reporter Felicia Sonmez said it was "fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed."

Europe...

Boris Johnson Survives ‘No Confidence’ Vote
Johnson carried the vote 211-148 — a majority of 63 — despite needing only a simple majority to retain his office.

Middle East...

Israel’s Government Teeters Again, Losing Vote on Law that Supports West Bank Settlers
The vote’s failure — from defections within the governing bloc and a power move by usually pro-settler opposition lawmakers — could topple the government and throw a lifeline to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

South America...

Colombia’s presidential race will decide if the country goes the way of Venezuela
“My political awakening came in the late 1960s when I saw my father cry over the death of Argentine revolutionary leader Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara,” recalls Gustavo Petro, former urban guerrilla and hard-left candidate who could become Colombia’s next president.

Environment...

Biden to invoke Defense Production Act for clean energy
The upcoming announcement said Biden would "take steps to provide U.S. solar deployers the short-term stability they need to build clean energy projects."

Biden Waives Solar Tariffs In Massive Win For Chinese Industry
The move came in response to complaints from the green energy industry and Democratic lawmakers that an active Commerce Department probe into Chinese companies’ tariff violations was slowing the admin’s clean energy goals.

I Rented an Electric Car for a Four-Day Road Trip. I Spent More Time Charging It Than I Did Sleeping.
Our writer drove from New Orleans to Chicago and back to test the feasibility of taking a road trip in an EV. She wouldn’t soon do it again.

LGBTQIA2S+...

The 100 Most Influential Queer Books of All-Time
Today, transphobia is rampant among the queer community, and there are still plenty of issues (biphobia, acephobia), histories, and experiences that the best-educated queer person needs to be willing to open themselves up to and learn more about.

Texas lawmaker to bring bill to BAN minors from drag shows
"The events of this past weekend were horrifying and show a disturbing trend in which perverted adults are obsessed with sexualizing young children."

I’m in a relationship with my 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo - and our sex life is so special
Nathaniel suffers from objectophilia, whereby individuals develop strong sexual or romantic feelings for a specific inanimate object. Some academics have theorized that the condition could be linked with autism.

Education...

WSJ: Biden’s decision on student loan forgiveness is likely to come in July or August
There’s no precedent for such a move.

Facebook Factcheckers Are Wrong: An Illinois School Is Changing Grading Based On Race
There is a very clear reason school administrators are implementing these changes, and it has everything to do with race.

Health...

Volcano burn survivor removes face mask for first time
Stephanie Browitt was one of 47 tourists exploring the volcano on Dec. 9, 2019, when it erupted, spewing gases, rock and ash. Twenty-two of the tourists were killed, including Browitt’s father and younger sister.

Technology...

Musk accuses Twitter of ‘resisting and thwarting’ his right to information on fake accounts
“Mr. Musk reserves all rights resulting therefrom, including his right not to consummate the transaction and his right to terminate the merger agreement”

Why Elon Musk and Bill Gates, two of the world’s richest men, can’t help but feud over Twitter
“Bill is an opinionated guy and so is Elon. So [the spat] doesn’t surprise me. But I don’t think Bill particularly likes it.”

Apple announces editable text messages
Apple also announced that it is bringing multiple notable updates to its Messages app. These include an edit button and the ability to unsend a message and mark threads as "unread."

Science...

Glenn's Tarot Card Reading For June 7, 2022
Aquarius - Life can be all rainbows and sunshine for you. You have so many things that you are optimistic about and ought to be for good reason. There's nothing you cannot accomplish.

NASA reveals new, next-gen spacesuits
“When we get to the Moon, we will have our first person of color and our first woman that will be wearers and users of these suits in space,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

UFO spotted during the Queen's Jubilee celebration?
“Just watched the BigJetTV angle again, this goes WAY too fast to be a drone or balloon in the wind. I'm inclined to say this is a genuine [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena]."

UFO at the Miami Air and Sea Show?
In the clip, a jet plane is seen flying over a large crowd of people at the beach. Then something small seemingly emerges from the water, and shoots straight up at a great speed.

Sports...

First 'trans' cheerleader in NFL to make debut with Carolina Panthers
While NFL cheerleading squads had allowed men to join the roster starting in the late 90's, Lindsay will be the first man who claims he's a woman to join.

Walmart heir expected to purchase Denver Broncos for record-setting $4.5 billion
If the final purchase price ends up being $4.5 billion, that would smash the American record for most money ever paid for a sports team. The record is currently held by the Nets, who sold for $2.35 billion in August 2019.

Pickleball is the Hamptons’ hottest amenity
It is a cross between, tennis, ping-pong and badminton, and its the trendy 'sport' to play.

Animals...

Video: Cow Causes Chaos On Oklahoma Interstate, Cowboys Save The Day
A local TV helicopter captured footage of cowboys taking down the cow on the streets of OKC.

2007: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, cu labores definitionem mel, ex nisl conclusionemque sed

2012: Ea sed ocurreret disputando, amet salutatus pri ex, dico facer nec ea. Ad nonumy insolens eos, sed cu facete ornatus urbanitas, ut euripidis dissentiunt eum.

2020: Nam diam saperet accumsan ea, id tacimates dignissim cum, id mea audiam ceteros.

What our response to Israel reveals about us

JOSEPH PREZIOSO / Contributor | Getty Images

I have been honored to receive the Defender of Israel Award from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The Jerusalem Post recently named me one of the strongest Christian voices in support of Israel.

And yet, my support is not blind loyalty. It’s not a rubber stamp for any government or policy. I support Israel because I believe it is my duty — first as a Christian, but even if I weren’t a believer, I would still support her as a man of reason, morality, and common sense.

Because faith isn’t required to understand this: Israel’s existence is not just about one nation’s survival — it is about the survival of Western civilization itself.

It is a lone beacon of shared values in the Middle East. It is a bulwark standing against radical Islam — the same evil that seeks to dismantle our own nation from within.

And my support is not rooted in politics. It is rooted in something simpler and older than politics: a people’s moral and historical right to their homeland, and their right to live in peace.

Israel has that right — and the right to defend herself against those who openly, repeatedly vow her destruction.

Let’s make it personal: if someone told me again and again that they wanted to kill me and my entire family — and then acted on that threat — would I not defend myself? Wouldn’t you? If Hamas were Canada, and we were Israel, and they did to us what Hamas has done to them, there wouldn’t be a single building left standing north of our border. That’s not a question of morality.

That’s just the truth. All people — every people — have a God-given right to protect themselves. And Israel is doing exactly that.

My support for Israel’s right to finish the fight against Hamas comes after eighty years of rejected peace offers and failed two-state solutions. Hamas has never hidden its mission — the eradication of Israel. That’s not a political disagreement.

That’s not a land dispute. That is an annihilationist ideology. And while I do not believe this is America’s war to fight, I do believe — with every fiber of my being — that it is Israel’s right, and moral duty, to defend her people.

Criticism of military tactics is fair. That’s not antisemitism. But denying Israel’s right to exist, or excusing — even celebrating — the barbarity of Hamas? That’s something far darker.

We saw it on October 7th — the face of evil itself. Women and children slaughtered. Babies burned alive. Innocent people raped and dragged through the streets. And now, to see our own fellow citizens march in defense of that evil… that is nothing short of a moral collapse.

If the chants in our streets were, “Hamas, return the hostages — Israel, stop the bombing,” we could have a conversation.

But that’s not what we hear.

What we hear is open sympathy for genocidal hatred. And that is a chasm — not just from decency, but from humanity itself. And here lies the danger: that same hatred is taking root here — in Dearborn, in London, in Paris — not as horror, but as heroism. If we are not vigilant, the enemy Israel faces today will be the enemy the free world faces tomorrow.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about truth. It’s about the courage to call evil by its name and to say “Never again” — and mean it.

And you don’t have to open a Bible to understand this. But if you do — if you are a believer — then this issue cuts even deeper. Because the question becomes: what did God promise, and does He keep His word?

He told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” He promised to make Abraham the father of many nations and to give him “the whole land of Canaan.” And though Abraham had other sons, God reaffirmed that promise through Isaac. And then again through Isaac’s son, Jacob — Israel — saying: “The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I give to you and to your descendants after you.”

That’s an everlasting promise.

And from those descendants came a child — born in Bethlehem — who claimed to be the Savior of the world. Jesus never rejected His title as “son of David,” the great King of Israel.

He said plainly that He came “for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And when He returns, Scripture says He will return as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” And where do you think He will go? Back to His homeland — Israel.

Tamir Kalifa / Stringer | Getty Images

And what will He find when He gets there? His brothers — or his brothers’ enemies? Will the roads where He once walked be preserved? Or will they lie in rubble, as Gaza does today? If what He finds looks like the aftermath of October 7th, then tell me — what will be my defense as a Christian?

Some Christians argue that God’s promises to Israel have been transferred exclusively to the Church. I don’t believe that. But even if you do, then ask yourself this: if we’ve inherited the promises, do we not also inherit the land? Can we claim the birthright and then, like Esau, treat it as worthless when the world tries to steal it?

So, when terrorists come to slaughter Israelis simply for living in the land promised to Abraham, will we stand by? Or will we step forward — into the line of fire — and say,

“Take me instead”?

Because this is not just about Israel’s right to exist.

It’s about whether we still know the difference between good and evil.

It’s about whether we still have the courage to stand where God stands.

And if we cannot — if we will not — then maybe the question isn’t whether Israel will survive. Maybe the question is whether we will.

America’s moral erosion: How we were conditioned to accept the unthinkable

MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND / Contributor | Getty Images

Every time we look away from lawlessness, we tell the next mob it can go a little further.

Chicago, Portland, and other American cities are showing us what happens when the rule of law breaks down. These cities have become openly lawless — and that’s not hyperbole.

When a governor declares she doesn’t believe federal agents about a credible threat to their lives, when Chicago orders its police not to assist federal officers, and when cartels print wanted posters offering bounties for the deaths of U.S. immigration agents, you’re looking at a country flirting with anarchy.

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic.

This isn’t a matter of partisan politics. The struggle we’re watching now is not between Democrats and Republicans. It’s between good and evil, right and wrong, self‑government and chaos.

Moral erosion

For generations, Americans have inherited a republic based on law, liberty, and moral responsibility. That legacy is now under assault by extremists who openly seek to collapse the system and replace it with something darker.

Antifa, well‑financed by the left, isn’t an isolated fringe any more than Occupy Wall Street was. As with Occupy, big money and global interests are quietly aligned with “anti‑establishment” radicals. The goal is disruption, not reform.

And they’ve learned how to condition us. Twenty‑five years ago, few Americans would have supported drag shows in elementary schools, biological males in women’s sports, forced vaccinations, or government partnerships with mega‑corporations to decide which businesses live or die. Few would have tolerated cartels threatening federal agents or tolerated mobs doxxing political opponents. Yet today, many shrug — or cheer.

How did we get here? What evidence convinced so many people to reverse themselves on fundamental questions of morality, liberty, and law? Those long laboring to disrupt our republic have sought to condition people to believe that the ends justify the means.

Promoting “tolerance” justifies women losing to biological men in sports. “Compassion” justifies harboring illegal immigrants, even violent criminals. Whatever deluded ideals Antifa espouses is supposed to somehow justify targeting federal agents and overturning the rule of law. Our culture has been conditioned for this moment.

The buck stops with us

That’s why the debate over using troops to restore order in American cities matters so much. I’ve never supported soldiers executing civilian law, and I still don’t. But we need to speak honestly about what the Constitution allows and why. The Posse Comitatus Act sharply limits the use of the military for domestic policing. The Insurrection Act, however, exists for rare emergencies — when federal law truly can’t be enforced by ordinary means and when mobs, cartels, or coordinated violence block the courts.

Even then, the Constitution demands limits: a public proclamation ordering offenders to disperse, transparency about the mission, a narrow scope, temporary duration, and judicial oversight.

Soldiers fight wars. Cops enforce laws. We blur that line at our peril.

But we also cannot allow intimidation of federal officers or tolerate local officials who openly obstruct federal enforcement. Both extremes — lawlessness on one side and militarization on the other — endanger the republic.

The only way out is the Constitution itself. Protect civil liberty. Enforce the rule of law. Demand transparency. Reject the temptation to justify any tactic because “our side” is winning. We’ve already seen how fear after 9/11 led to the Patriot Act and years of surveillance.

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic. The left cannot be allowed to shut down enforcement, and the right cannot be allowed to abandon constitutional restraint.

The real threat to the republic isn’t just the mobs or the cartels. It’s us — citizens who stop caring about truth and constitutional limits. Anything can be justified when fear takes over. Everything collapses when enough people decide “the ends justify the means.”

We must choose differently. Uphold the rule of law. Guard civil liberties. And remember that the only way to preserve a government of, by, and for the people is to act like the people still want it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

In the quiet aftermath of a profound loss, the Christian community mourns the unexpected passing of Dr. Voddie Baucham, a towering figure in evangelical circles. Known for his defense of biblical truth, Baucham, a pastor, author, and theologian, left a legacy on family, faith, and opposing "woke" ideologies in the church. His book Fault Lines challenged believers to prioritize Scripture over cultural trends. Glenn had Voddie on the show several times, where they discussed progressive influences in Christianity, debunked myths of “Christian nationalism,” and urged hope amid hostility.

The shock of Baucham's death has deeply affected his family. Grieving, they remain hopeful in Christ, with his wife, Bridget, now facing the task of resettling in the US without him. Their planned move from Lusaka, Zambia, was disrupted when their home sale fell through last December, resulting in temporary Airbnb accommodations, but they have since secured a new home in Cape Coral that requires renovations. To ensure Voddie's family is taken care of, a fundraiser is being held to raise $2 million, which will be invested for ongoing support, allowing Bridget to focus on her family.

We invite readers to contribute prayerfully. If you feel called to support the Bauchams in this time of need, you can click here to donate.

We grieve and pray with hope for the Bauchams.

May Voddie's example inspire us.

Loneliness isn’t just being alone — it’s feeling unseen, unheard, and unimportant, even amid crowds and constant digital chatter.

Loneliness has become an epidemic in America. Millions of people, even when surrounded by others, feel invisible. In tragic irony, we live in an age of unparalleled connectivity, yet too many sit in silence, unseen and unheard.

I’ve been experiencing this firsthand. My children have grown up and moved out. The house that once overflowed with life now echoes with quiet. Moments that once held laughter now hold silence. And in that silence, the mind can play cruel games. It whispers, “You’re forgotten. Your story doesn’t matter.”

We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

It’s a lie.

I’ve seen it in others. I remember sitting at Rockefeller Center one winter, watching a woman lace up her ice skates. Her clothing was worn, her bag battered. Yet on the ice, she transformed — elegant, alive, radiant.

Minutes later, she returned to her shoes, merged into the crowd, unnoticed. I’ve thought of her often. She was not alone in her experience. Millions of Americans live unseen, performing acts of quiet heroism every day.

Shared pain makes us human

Loneliness convinces us to retreat, to stay silent, to stop reaching out to others. But connection is essential. Even small gestures — a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a shared meal — are radical acts against isolation.

I’ve learned this personally. Years ago, a caller called me “Mr. Perfect.” I could have deflected, but I chose honesty. I spoke of my alcoholism, my failed marriage, my brokenness. I expected judgment. Instead, I found resonance. People whispered back, “I’m going through the same thing. Thank you for saying it.”

Our pain is universal. Everyone struggles with self-doubt and fear. Everyone feels, at times, like a fraud. We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

We were made for connection. We were built for community — for conversation, for touch, for shared purpose. Every time we reach out, every act of courage and compassion punches a hole in the wall of isolation.

You’re not alone

If you’re feeling alone, know this: You are not invisible. You are seen. You matter. And if you’re not struggling, someone you know is. It’s your responsibility to reach out.

Loneliness is not proof of brokenness. It is proof of humanity. It is a call to engage, to bear witness, to connect. The world is different because of the people who choose to act. It is brighter when we refuse to be isolated.

We cannot let silence win. We cannot allow loneliness to dictate our lives. Speak. Reach out. Connect. Share your gifts. By doing so, we remind one another: We are all alike, and yet each of us matters profoundly.

In this moment, in this country, in this world, what we do matters. Loneliness is real, but so is hope. And hope begins with connection.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.