Morning Brief 2025-10-03

TOP OF HOUR 3
GUEST: Bridget Phetasy
TOPIC: Phetasy: “I’m done with default illiberalism.”

News...

FBI had three informants reporting Biden corruption in Ukraine, but no record of real investigation
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley revealed three separate confidential sources tied Joe and Hunter Biden to Burisma money laundering schemes through Latvia, but FBI Director Patel says there’s no record the bureau ever tried to corroborate the evidence.

Unaccountable: The FBI’s strange refusal to fix key crime stat
Despite admitting past errors, the FBI continues to ignore dozens of cases where armed citizens stopped active shooters, leaving the public with skewed data that downplays defensive gun use and props up gun-free zone policies.

Data doesn’t lie: Political violence is an overwhelmingly left-wing problem
The rot in the so-called data pushed by leftist scholars studying political violence gets worse the deeper you dig.

FBI says its nationwide violent crime crackdown netted over 8,000 arrests in three months
The bureau conducted Operation Summer Heat from June 24 through September 20. Patel said the operation netted 8,629 arrests, and the seizure of 2,281 guns and 44,559 kilograms of cocaine. It also took 421 kilograms of fentanyl off the streets.

Mormons raise more than $330K for family of gunman who attacked LDS church in Michigan
"They will face financial hardship and psychological trauma as a result of this week's horrifying events."

12-year-old girl injured in horrific Minneapolis church shooting returns to school after 3 brain surgeries
Kaiser has been praised as a hero for protecting her friend during the shooting when she was injured. Two victims died, and another 23 were injured before the trans gunman killed himself.

Florida names highway after Charlie Kirk
Lake County commissioners unanimously approved renaming a stretch of Wellness Way near Orlando as Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway. Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the move, while TPUSA said it plans further dedications across the country.

Antifa whistleblower says group pushed members into violence and communism
An ex-member told Fox News he was recruited in high school, pressured into violent activism, and eventually left after facing threats and ostracization from within the now-terrorist-designated network.

‘Emergency’ naked bike ride plans underway after troops deployed to Portland
The organization, an offshoot of the World Naked Bike Ride group, made the announcement in an Instagram post on Wednesday, writing, “Emergency World Naked Bike Ride coming up in response to the militarization of our city. Plans are being worked on.”

Cracker Barrel parts with California-based firm behind logo, interior redesign
Restaurant chain Cracker Barrel on Thursday announced reorganizational and leadership changes that included dropping the consulting firm that was behind its controversial interior and logo changes.

Researchers are closer than ever to solving the Earhart mystery
Newly discovered aerial photos taken in 1938 of a mysterious anomaly on a remote island in the South Pacific provide “very strong” evidence that it may be Amelia Earhart’s missing plane, researchers claim.

Notorious 'South Hill Rapist' ordered released to group home
Kevin Coe, linked to dozens of assaults in Spokane in the late ’70s and ’80s, was unconditionally released despite never undergoing treatment, sparking outrage from victims and officials in Federal Way.

Woman accused of stealing motorized Publix shopping cart to drive herself to doctor appointment
The woman says she was just borrowing the cart and planned to return it — instead she was charged with grand theft.

Woman accused of trashing a Little Caesars, causing over $1,000 in damages after being told extra sauce would cost $1
Funny how the store pockets savings when you ask for less sauce, but suddenly it’s a surcharge if you want more.

Government shutdown...

Bedford: The dog that caught the car
Republicans played this role in 2013. Now, Democrats are learning the same lesson: Shutdowns don’t come with exits.

Yes America, Democrats really do want tax dollars for illegal immigrants
The Democrats' own proposal seeks to repeal the section of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that ends health care for aliens.

Aliens given parole instead of deportation now at center of Dems’ push for free health care
Biden’s DHS handed parole to millions of otherwise inadmissible aliens, and Democrats are blocking government funding to keep those same parolees eligible for federal benefits.

Trump mocks Democrats as shutdown hands him chance to slash agencies
"I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity," Trump added. "They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

WaPo: We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown
The Post’s poll finds significantly more Americans blame President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown than Democrats, though many say they are not sure.

The most embarrassing Democrat reactions to government shutdown
In the span of just a few days, they've delivered a series of over-the-top performances.

Bernie Sanders blames ‘megalomaniac’ Trump for shutdown and predicts mass death
"Well, you’ve got a president who is acting in an unprecedented way — who is a megalomaniac, who wants more and more power for himself and his oligarchic friends. And I want everybody to understand that ... one of the key aspects of this whole shutdown debate is the Senate rules."

White House briefing room plays nonstop meme loop during shutdown
The White House played a loop of different memes on Thursday in the briefing room mocking congressional Democrats over the shutdown. The memes feature various slogans, including, "Don't be dumb. Fund the government."

Economy...

Trump floats sending $1K or $2K tariff rebate checks to Americans
Trump told the OAN television network that tariff revenues are just now starting to kick in and that he would be spending some of that revenue on paying down the federal debt. But he said other parts of the revenue could go to Americans.

Biden judge rules SEC case against Elon Musk must remain in Washington, DC
Musk said that he was too busy to properly defend himself in D.C., and asked for the case be moved closer to his home in Austin. The Biden-appointed judge rejected the request and said that Texas judges have heavier case loads than she does, which means she can oversee the case with "reasonable alacrity."

I went to El Salvador to see if the country really gave up on Bitcoin
The government may have bowed to the IMF by ending tax payments in crypto, but from McDonald’s to beach shacks, Bitcoin is still used more widely there than anywhere else on earth.

Intel stock is up 50% over the last month, putting US stake at $16 billion
The Trump administration negotiated an $8.9 billion investment in Intel common stock in August.

Immigration...

Apple removes ICE tracking apps from its online store over law enforcement safety concerns
The removal comes shortly after the suspect in a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility last month allegedly researched the app before the Sept. 24 shooting. The suspect, who allegedly intended to target ICE agents, killed two detainees.

Illegal migrant school chief’s sordid past revealed: Sex, lies, and DEI payouts
Former colleagues claimed to the Post that Roberts was a sketchy figure and pathological liar. They said they felt he was hired because of his DEI bona fides — and claimed once on the job, he did little work.

ICE agents targeted in car attacks during Chicago crackdown on illegal aliens
Two illegal immigrants allegedly rammed vehicles into officers during Operation Midway Blitz, which has led to over 900 arrests, as assaults on ICE surge more than 1,000%.

Middle East...

Hamas slated to respond ‘positively’ to Trump Gaza plan, but request changes: Report
It’s not clear whether the U.S. will be willing to discuss Hamas’ proposed amendments, as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff refused to do so the last time the terror group responded with a “Yes, but.”

Hamas military chief rejects Trump’s ceasefire plan, aims to keep fighting: Report
The terror chief, who holds the fate of the 48 hostages in his hands, called on negotiators in Qatar to reject the deal, reportedly telling the team that he plans to continue the war with Israel.

Gazan civilians urge Hamas to accept Trump’s disarmament-for-ceasefire deal
Interviews show widespread support in Gaza for the president’s plan to end the war by disarming Hamas and freeing hostages, with residents saying the terror group has dragged them through “hell.”

Europe...

Manchester synagogue attacker named as British citizen of Syrian descent
Two people were killed and four others were injured in the car and knife attack, which took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

British Jewish leaders lament that Manchester attack was only a matter of time
U.K. chief rabbi and Board of Deputies of British Jews call on country’s leadership to take more aggressive action against anti-Semitism.

Asia...

Kim Jong Un ordered emergency crackdown on ‘anti-socialist’ breast augmentation surgeries: Reports
Pyongyang City’s Ministry of Public Safety issued the emergency orders against the “rotten capitalist” implants with perpetrators facing harsh sentences in the dictatorship’s labor camps, U.K. outlet Metro reported.

Entertainment...

Disney’s image tanks among Republicans, Democrats after Jimmy Kimmel controversy
Polling shows views of Disney and Disney+ dropped to multiyear lows after the company yanked Kimmel’s show over his Charlie Kirk remarks, angering both parties while also rolling out new subscription increases.

'It's Easier to Talk Here Than It Is in America': Dave Chappelle Takes Shots at US from Saudi-Censored Riyadh Festival
American comics cashed big Saudi checks after signing gag orders barring jokes about the kingdom. Some, like Shane Gillis, declined.

Media...

Gallup poll shows Americans’ trust in media hits record low
Fewer than three in 10 Americans say they trust newspapers, TV, or radio to report fairly, with GOP confidence collapsing to single digits after years of legacy outlets pushing debunked hoaxes.

CNN and MSNBC collapse to record ratings lows
CNN averaged 538,000 primetime viewers with 87,000 in the key demo, while MSNBC pulled 802,000 primetime viewers with 66,000 in the demo — its lowest since 1998.

Bari Weiss to lead CBS News as part of major Paramount Skydance shakeup
Weiss — a 41-year-old former New York Times opinion writer who has built the Free Press into a buzzworthy site with a contrarian bent — is expected to be named to the top post in a Monday announcement, although the talks are in flux and the timing could change.

LGBTQIA2S+...

Emails show evidence gender transition providers for kids hid what they do, misled journalists
Leaked communications show UCSF and CHLA removed pediatric surgery info after Tucker Carlson’s questions, concealed that a 9-year-old was on puberty blockers in an NIH study, and withheld negative mental-health findings to protect the industry.

Kash Patel fires FBI agent trainee for displaying gay pride flag
The FBI employee was fired on the first day of the government shutdown as President Trump threatened more terminations.

Would-Be Kavanaugh Assassin Should Be Let Off Easy Because He Identifies As Transgender, Family Says
"Sophie has so much to offer the word," Roske's sister insists, "and I ask that you allow her to live that out fully."

Education...

Newsom threatens to cut state funding for schools that accept Trump’s academic compact
The California governor vowed to strip billions from universities that sign the president’s plan requiring merit-based admissions and hiring.

Student-run show at Biden’s alma mater under fire for ‘special thanks’ to ‘Charlie Kirk’s killer’
The University of Delaware’s campus TV network inserted the reference into comedy show credits before removing it.

Health...

Trump administration approval of new abortion drug infuriates the right
The FDA has little latitude to reject generic versions of approved drugs, but that hasn’t stopped an outrcry from abortion opponents.

How I Drank My Way to Sobriety
It’s called the Sinclair Method, and it flips abstinence-based recovery on its head: Instead of never touching alcohol, you keep drinking, but first take an opioid blocker.

Iranian ‘Uranus Star’ bottled water banned after killing 2
Two people died in Oman after drinking the Iranian bottled water brand, leading authorities to recall it nationwide and halt all bottled water imports from Iran.

Religion...

Pope blesses ice at ‘climate justice’ event as Christians face slaughter worldwide
Instead of addressing growing persecution of Christians, Pope Leo joined left-wing activists and Arnold Schwarzenegger at a Vatican climate conference steeped in Gaia-style rituals and U.N. talking points.

AI...

Gavin Newsom loves AI satire now!
Thank goodness that judge struck down the legislation he supported.

China trials 'energy-saving' underwater data centers
"Underwater facilities can save approximately 90% of energy consumption for cooling."

College student trash-talks ChatGPT after allegedly confessing to mass vandalism
Minutes after smashing 17 cars, the student typed out a sloppy confession to ChatGPT, even asking if campus cameras would catch him. When the AI urged him to stop, he lashed out with profanities — messages police later found on his phone and used as evidence.

Sports...

Jon Gruden wins bid to keep lawsuit against NFL in open court
The Nevada Supreme Court denied the league’s attempt to force the case into private arbitration, rejecting the NFL’s push to keep the email-leak dispute behind closed doors.

Wrestler hauls 700-ton ship with teeth, then drags two more totaling 1,150 tons
“I pulled them both, thanks to God, to prove to my friends and the whole world that God blessed me by being the strongest man in the world,” Ashraf Mahrous proclaimed.

Oct. 3, 2008 - Glenn and Stu discuss Palin-Biden VP debate... Relax, don't freak out... Pat Gray calls in... Guest Stanley Kurtz on the Obama-Bill Ayers connection... Guest Kelsey Grammer...

Russell Vought’s secret plan to finally shrink Washington

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

Trump’s OMB chief built the plan for this moment: Starve pet programs, force reauthorization, and actually shrink Washington.

The government is shut down again, and the usual panic is back. I even had someone call my house this week to ask if it was safe to fly today. The person was half-joking, half-serious, wondering if planes would “fall out of the sky.”

For the record, the sky isn’t falling — at least not literally. But the chaos in Washington does feel like it. Once again, we’re watching the same old script: a shutdown engineered not by fiscal restraint but by political brinkmanship. And this time, the Democrats are driving the bus.

This shutdown may be inconvenient. But it’s also an opportunity — to stop funding our own destruction, to reset the table, and to remind Congress who actually pays the bills.

Democrats, among other things, are demanding that health care be extended to illegal immigrants. Democratic leadership caved to its radical base, which would rather shut down the government for such left-wing campaign points than compromise. Republicans — shockingly — said no. They refused to rubber-stamp more spending for illegal immigration. For once, they stood their ground.

But if you’ve watched Washington long enough, you know how this story usually ends: a shutdown followed by a deal that spends even more money than before — a continuing resolution kicking the can down the road. Everyone pretends to “win,” but taxpayers always lose.

The Vought effect

This time might be different. Republicans actually hold some cards. The public may blame Democrats — not the media, but the people who feel this in their wallets. Americans don’t like shutdowns, but they like runaway spending and chaos even less.

That’s why you’re hearing so much about Russell Vought, the director of the United States Office of Management and Budget and Donald Trump’s quiet architect of a strategy to use moments like this to shrink the federal bureaucracy. Vought spent four years building a plan for exactly this scenario: firing nonessential workers and forcing reauthorization of pet programs. Trump talks about draining the swamp. Vought draws up the blueprints.

The Democrats and media are threatened by Vought because he is patient, calculated, and understands how to leverage the moment to reverse decades of government bloat. If programs aren’t mandated, cut them. Make Congress fight to bring them back. That’s how you actually drain the swamp.

Predictable meltdowns

Predictably, Democrats are melting down. They’ve shifted their arguments so many times it’s dizzying. Last time, they claimed a shutdown would lead to mass firings. Now, they insist Republicans are firing everyone anyway. It’s the same playbook: Move the goalposts, reframe the narrative, accuse your opponents of cruelty.

We’ve seen this before. Remember the infamous "You lie!” moment in 2009? President Barack Obama promised during his State of the Union that Obamacare wouldn’t cover illegal immigrants. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted, “You lie!” and was condemned for breaching decorum.

Several years later, Hillary Clinton’s campaign platform openly promised health care for illegal immigrants. What was once called a “lie” became official policy. And today, Democrats are shutting down the government because they can’t get even more of it.

This is progressivism in action: Deny it, inch toward it, then demand it as a moral imperative. Anyone who resists becomes the villain.

SAUL LOEB / Contributor | Getty Images

Stand firm

This shutdown isn’t just about spending. It’s about whether we’ll keep letting progressives rewrite the rules one crisis at a time. Trump’s plan — to cut what isn’t mandated, force programs into reauthorization, and fight the battle in the courts — is the first real counterpunch to decades of this manipulation.

It’s time to stop pretending. This isn’t about compassion. It’s about control. Progressives know once they normalize government benefits for illegal immigrants, they never roll back. They know Americans forget how it started.

This shutdown may be inconvenient. But it’s also an opportunity — to stop funding our own destruction, to reset the table, and to remind Congress who actually pays the bills. If we don’t take it, we’ll be right back here again, only deeper in debt, with fewer freedoms left to defend.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

U.K. forces digital IDs on workers—Is the U.S. next in line?

OLI SCARFF / Contributor | Getty Images

From banking to health care, digital IDs touch every aspect of citizens’ lives, giving the government unprecedented control over everyday actions.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stood at the podium at the Global Progressive Action Conference in London and made an announcement that should send a chill down the spine of anyone who loves liberty. By the end of this Parliament, he promised, every worker in the U.K. will be required to hold a “free-of-charge” digital ID. Without it, Britons will not be able to work.

No digital ID, no job.

The government is introducing a system that punishes law-abiding citizens by tying their right to work to a government-issued pass.

Starmer framed this as a commonsense response to poverty, climate change, and illegal immigration. He claimed Britain cannot solve these problems without “looking upstream” and tackling root causes. But behind the rhetoric lies a policy that shifts power away from individuals and places it squarely in the hands of government.

Solving the problem they created

This is progressivism in action. Leaders open their borders, invite in mass illegal immigration, and refuse to enforce their own laws. Then, when public frustration boils over, they unveil a prepackaged “solution” — in this case, digital identity — that entrenches government control.

Britain isn’t the first to embrace this system. Switzerland recently approved a digital ID system. Australia already has one. The World Economic Forum has openly pitched digital IDs as the key to accessing everything from health care to bank accounts to travel. And once the infrastructure is in place, digital currency will follow soon after, giving governments the power to track every purchase, approve or block transactions, and dictate where and how you spend your money.

All of your data — your medical history, insurance, banking, food purchases, travel, social media engagement, tax information — would be funneled into a centralized database under government oversight.

The fiction of enforcement

Starmer says this is about cracking down on illegal work. The BBC even pressed him on the point, asking why a mandatory digital ID would stop human traffickers and rogue employers who already ignore national insurance cards. He had no answer.

Bad actors will still break the law. Bosses who pay sweatshop wages under the table will not suddenly check digital IDs. Criminals will not line up to comply. This isn’t about stopping illegal immigration. If it were, the U.K. would simply enforce existing laws, close the loopholes, and deport those working illegally.

Instead, the government is introducing a system that punishes law-abiding citizens by tying their right to work to a government-issued pass.

Control masked as compassion

This is part of an old playbook. Politicians claim their hands are tied and promise that only sweeping new powers will solve the crisis. They selectively enforce laws to maintain the problem, then use the problem to justify expanding control.

If Britain truly wanted to curb illegal immigration, it could. It is an island. The Channel Tunnel has clear entry points. Enforcement is not impossible. But a digital ID allows for something far more valuable to bureaucrats than border security: total oversight of their own citizens.

The American warning

Think digital ID can’t happen here? Think again. The same arguments are already echoing in Washington, D.C. Illegal immigration is out of control. Progressives know voters are angry. When the digital ID pitch arrives, it will be wrapped in patriotic language about fairness, security, and compassion.

But the goal isn’t compassion. It’s control of your movement, your money, your speech, your future.

We don’t need digital IDs to enforce immigration law. We need leaders with the courage to enforce existing law. Until then, digital ID schemes will keep spreading, sold as a cure for the very problems they helped create.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

The West is dying—Will we let enemies write our ending?

Harvey Meston / Staff | Getty Images

The blood of martyrs, prophets, poets, and soldiers built our civilization. Their sacrifice demands courage in the present to preserve it.

Lamentations asks, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?”

That question has been weighing on me heavily. Not just as a broadcaster, but as a citizen, a father, a husband, a believer. It is a question that every person who cares about this nation, this culture, and this civilization must confront: Is all of this worth saving?

We have squandered this inheritance. We forgot who we were — and our enemies are eager to write our ending.

Western civilization — a project born in Judea, refined in Athens, tested in Rome, reawakened in Wittenberg, and baptized again on the shores of Plymouth Rock — is a gift. We didn’t earn it. We didn’t purchase it. We were handed it. And now, we must ask ourselves: Do we even want it?

Across Europe, streets are restless. Not merely with protests, but with ancient, festering hatred — the kind that once marched under swastikas and fueled ovens. Today, it marches under banners of peace while chanting calls for genocide. Violence and division crack societies open. Here in America, it’s left against right, flesh against spirit, neighbor against neighbor.

Truth struggles to find a home. Even the church is slumbering — or worse, collaborating.

Our society tells us that everything must be reset: tradition, marriage, gender, faith, even love. The only sin left is believing in absolute truth. Screens replace Scripture. Entertainment replaces education. Pleasure replaces purpose. Our children are confused, medicated, addicted, fatherless, suicidal. Universities mock virtue. Congress is indifferent. Media programs rather than informs. Schools recondition rather than educate.

Is this worth saving? If not, we should stop fighting and throw up our hands. But if it is, then we must act — and we must act now.

The West: An idea worth saving

What is the West? It’s not a location, race, flag, or a particular constitution. The West is an idea — an idea that man is made in the image of God, that liberty comes from responsibility, not government; that truth exists; that evil exists; and that courage is required every day. The West teaches that education, reason, and revelation walk hand in hand. Beauty matters. Kindness matters. Empathy matters. Sacrifice is holy. Justice is blind. Mercy is near.

We have squandered this inheritance. We forgot who we were — and our enemies are eager to write our ending.

If not now, when? If not us, who? If this is worth saving, we must know why. Western civilization is worth dying for, worth living for, worth defending. It was built on the blood of martyrs, prophets, poets, pilgrims, moms, dads, and soldiers. They did not die for markets, pronouns, surveillance, or currency. They died for something higher, something bigger.

MATTHIEU RONDEL/AFP via Getty Images | Getty Images

Yet hope remains. Resurrection is real — not only in the tomb outside Jerusalem, but in the bones of any individual or group that returns to truth, honor, and God. It is never too late to return to family, community, accountability, and responsibility.

Pick up your torch

We were chosen for this time. We were made for a moment like this. The events unfolding in Europe and South Korea, the unrest and moral collapse, will all come down to us. Somewhere inside, we know we were called to carry this fire.

We are not called to win. We are called to stand. To hold the torch. To ask ourselves, every day: Is it worth standing? Is it worth saving?

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Pick up your torch. If you choose to carry it, buckle up. The work is only beginning.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Stop coasting: How self-education can save America’s future

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

Coasting through life is no longer an option. Charlie Kirk’s pursuit of knowledge challenges all of us to learn, act, and grow every day.

Last year, my wife and I made a commitment: to stop coasting, to learn something new every day, and to grow — not just spiritually, but intellectually. Charlie Kirk’s tragic death crystallized that resolve. It forced a hard look in the mirror, revealing how much I had coasted in both my spiritual and educational life. Coasting implies going downhill. You can’t coast uphill.

Last night, my wife and I re-engaged. We enrolled in Hillsdale College’s free online courses, inspired by the fact that Charlie had done the same. He had quietly completed around 30 courses before I even knew, mastering the classics, civics, and the foundations of liberty. Watching his relentless pursuit of knowledge reminded me that growth never stops, no matter your age.

The path forward must be reclaiming education, agency, and the power to shape our minds and futures.

This lesson is particularly urgent for two groups: young adults stepping into the world and those who may have settled into complacency. Learning is life. Stop learning, and you start dying. To young adults, especially, the college promise has become a trap. Twelve years of K-12 education now leave graduates unprepared for life. Only 35% of seniors are proficient in reading, and just 22% in math. They are asked to bet $100,000 or more for four years of college that will often leave them underemployed and deeply indebted.

Degrees in many “new” fields now carry negative returns. Parents who have already sacrificed for public education find themselves on the hook again, paying for a system that often fails to deliver.

This is one of the reasons why Charlie often described college as a “scam.” Debt accumulates, wages are not what students were promised, doors remain closed, and many are tempted to throw more time and money after a system that won’t yield results. Graduate school, in many cases, compounds the problem. The education system has become a factory of despair, teaching cynicism rather than knowledge and virtue.

Reclaiming educational agency

Yet the solution is not radical revolt against education — it is empowerment to reclaim agency over one’s education. Independent learning, self-guided study, and disciplined curiosity are the modern “Napster moment.” Just as Napster broke the old record industry by digitizing music, the internet has placed knowledge directly in the hands of the individual. Artists like Taylor Swift now thrive outside traditional gatekeepers. Likewise, students and lifelong learners can reclaim intellectual freedom outside of the ivory towers.

Each individual possesses the ability to think, create, and act. This is the power God grants to every human being. Knowledge, faith, and personal responsibility are inseparable. Learning is not a commodity to buy with tuition; it is a birthright to claim with effort.

David Butow / Contributor | Getty Images

Charlie Kirk’s life reminds us that self-education is an act of defiance and empowerment. In his pursuit of knowledge, in his engagement with civics and philosophy, he exemplified the principle that liberty depends on informed, capable citizens. We honor him best by taking up that mantle — by learning relentlessly, thinking critically, and refusing to surrender our minds to a system that profits from ignorance.

The path forward must be reclaiming education, agency, and the power to shape our minds and futures. Every day, seek to grow, create, and act. Charlie showed the way. It is now our responsibility to follow.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.