WORLD LEADERS IN DISBELIEF: Brilliant French Visionary Solves Middle East Conflict By Erasing Hamxs From West Bank With Mind Power

Has the intelligence of gum

NEW YORK — French President Emmanuel Macron stunned the diplomatic world on Tuesday during his speech at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he courageously used the power of pure, unadulterated European sophistication to simply wish terrorism out of existence. Dolt.

Standing before the world's premier debating club for wealthy dictators, the French leader boldly unveiled a revolutionary geopolitical strategy: if you just pretend a ruthless terrorist organization does not exist in a specific geographic area, peace will instantly break out.

“Look at what is happening in the West Bank, where every day violations are committed. In whose name?” Macron asked the assembly, adjusting his impeccably tailored suit while presumably imagining a world where reality bends to French intellect. “Hamas has never operated in the West Bank!”

The groundbreaking declaration immediately sent shockwaves through Jerusalem, where Israeli leaders were forced to process the fact that decades of documented terrorist attacks, rocket caches, and intelligence reports were actually just a collective hallucination caused by a lack of fine wine and baguettes . . . unless Macron was either lying or is, what some Jewish people might call him, a schmuck.

Official sources in Jerusalem immediately pushed back against the French president's bold reality-warping experiment, pointing out that reality stubbornly exists regardless of what is said at a UN podium.

“The grotesque absurdity of Emmanuel Macron’s statement is staggering,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Israeli officials specifically referenced the tragic death of Netanel Shukrun, a French-Israeli citizen who was murdered earlier in the week in a terrorist attack that apparently occurred in a fictional dimension.

“On Sunday, the eve of Yom Kippur, just two days ago, Netanel Shukrun, a FRENCH CITIZEN and father of six, was murdered in his car by a Hamas terrorist in Judea and Samaria,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. [For those new to Israel geography, Judea and Samaria is what Arabs and their ilk call the West Bank.]

“With his final breath, he [Netanel] told his son to run.”

The Israeli government expressed deep frustration with Western leaders who insist on lecturing democratic nations about counterterrorism while operating with the historical awareness of a goldfish, or better still, a blowfish.

“Hamas terrorists carry out attacks against Jews almost every day,” the statement continued. “They have murdered countless Israeli civilians in Judea and Samaria.”

“Ignorance is NO EXCUSE for erasing their blood,” it concluded.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also jumped into the fray, taking to social media to offer a concise, direct peer-review of Macron's geopolitical thesis.

“President Macron is lying,” Smotrich wrote on X.

“This is just one attack out of hundreds of attacks led by Hamas, which fuels Arab terrorism in Judea and Samaria,” he added.

Undeterred by basic facts or recent events, Macron, ever the scumcrumpet, continued his passionate defense of moral clarity as defined by the French diplomatic core.

“What we need is respect for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, for their legitimate right to exist,” Macron said. “This is a necessary condition for the security of the people of Israel and for the very existence of their state, to which we are deeply committed.”

The French president went on to lecture Israel about its own national defense strategy, assuring the room that giving violent terrorists a sovereign state right next door is actually the best way to keep Israeli families safe.

“All those who claim that Israel’s security comes through violating the sovereignty of all its neighbors are making a fatal mistake,” Macron, a total liar said. “They are weakening Israel’s security.”

He also took time to scold critics who suggested that passing UN resolutions and issuing diplomatic statements might not actually stop armed militants who want to destroy the Jewish state.

“Last year, right here, there were about a dozen countries that recognized Palestine,” Macron said. “I hear the cynicism of some people: ‘Recognition on paper, look at the reality.’ But what is our credibility if we continue to remain inactive in the face of Gaza?”

At press time, French diplomats were reportedly working on Macron's next big UN address, which is slated to announce that ISIS was merely a performance art troupe and crime in Paris is completely solved because everyone agreed to stop talking about it.

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The DOJ sues NY for giving illegal aliens discounts on college tuition and the middle finger to US citizens

I asked Grok, the AI tool of X whether the above meme is factual as there are myriad false claims made on X, formerly Twitter. I was slightly surprised to discover the statement is true, except for the characterization that illegal aliens are living lavish lifestyles from the tax dollars.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed lawsuits on August 10th this year against New York, along with Connecticut and Vermont, regarding policies and laws that provide in-state tuition rates and related financial scholarships and aid to "illegal aliens" at public colleges.

As Grok explains: 

This is part of a broader Trump administration campaign that has now targeted around 17–21 states. The DOJ argues these policies violate federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1623(a)) and the Supremacy Clause because they confer residency-based postsecondary benefits on people not lawfully present while denying the same rates to U.S. citizens from other states.

nytimes.com

New York law (including provisions tied to the 2019 Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act) allows qualifying illegal immigrant students who attended a New York high school for a set period, graduated, and applied to college within a certain window to pay in-state rates at SUNY and CUNY campuses and access some state financial aid. 

Typical figures cited: roughly $7,070–$7,700 in-state versus $17,730 or more (sometimes much higher, e.g., over $30,000 at some campuses) for out-of-state students. Public colleges receive state taxpayer subsidies, so the discounted rate is a taxpayer-supported benefit.

As Grok explains, "Living lavish off our tax dollars" is rhetorical exaggeration. In-state tuition is a discount relative to out-of-state rates, not free luxury living; the students still pay tuition.

So the legal issue highlighted by the DOJ is the unequal treatment of out-of-state U.S. citizens versus in-state illegal alien residents. New York residents who actually are citizens get the same in-state tuition rate.

There is another caveat: eligibility isn't automatic for all illegal aliens; they must meet specific high school and residential criteria.

The meme shows New York City Mayor and comrade  Zohran Mamdani and Attorney General Todd Blanche. While Blanche is involved in this issue, Mamdani is not, but probably wishes he was. The photo is only being used to politically frame rather than being a literal scene from the lawsuit.

New York officials have said they are reviewing the suit and expect the state's policies to be upheld. Similar cases in other states have produced mixed court results so far. The meme's wording is partisan and hyperbolic, but the underlying news event it describes happened.

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Democrat Sends ‘Condolences’ To Hasan Piker After Florida Primary Defeat

WASHINGTON, D.C. Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz celebrated defeating Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger Oliver Larkin by doing something rarely seen in modern Democratic politics: winning an election and then immediately sending his condolences to Hasan Piker.

Moskowitz offered his “condolences” to the far-left, anti-America, anti-Zionist streamer who had enthusiastically backed Moskowitz’s execrable opponent, apparently demonstrating that there are still Democrats who would prefer socialism remain a theoretical concept that works beautifully in countries that somehow still have capitalism to pay for it.

Larkin lost to the more moderate Moskowitz in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, proving that at least some Democratic voters remain reluctant to hand the controls of the American economy to people whose primary qualification is having memorized the word “oppressor.”

The heavily redrawn swing district is expected to be one of roughly two dozen House races that could determine whether Republicans retain their razor-thin majority in the midterm elections.

Naturally, Moskowitz knew exactly whom to thank for his victory.

"My condolences to @hasanthehun," Moskowitz wrote on X with the kind of graduate-level snark normally reserved for academic journals and congressional group chats.

Piker, apparently unable to witness a congressional election without immediately locating Israel somewhere inside it, responded:

"its pretty wild that his first thought was a prominent critic of israel, before even thanking his constituents lmao. really worried about his genocidal emotional support apartheid state."

Piker refused to capitalize Israel, apparently saving his capital letters for more important subjects, such as Islam.

Moskowitz eventually got around to thanking his constituents the following day, along with his wife, children and late father.

"I want to thank the voters of District 25 for continuing to have the faith in me to deliver results for Florida," he wrote. "I want to thank my wife and kids who I have spent a lot of time away from. My dad died of cancer 4 years ago. He would have enjoyed all of this. I miss him. Onward!"

So, to recap: Moskowitz won an election, thanked his voters and family, remembered his deceased father, and then apparently committed the unforgivable political sin of noticing Hasan Piker.

Moskowitz later argued that Democrats should stop treating Piker like the embarrassing relative who arrives at Thanksgiving, insults the host, declares the family business exploitative, and then gets quietly ushered into the garage whenever respectable guests show up.

"Democrats shouldn’t play hide the Piker now," Moskowitz said after his victory, according to Politico Playbook. "For all those people who thought it was a great idea to campaign with him, as Jay-Z once said, ‘Bring ’em out, bring ’em out.’ They shouldn’t be hiding him now."

Piker was not exactly thrilled by the invitation to step into the electoral spotlight.

"I’m genuinely concerned for his mental well-being."

In reality, Piker is not concerned about anyone's mental well-being. He's only concerned with hating on the American people.

"I think he should stop posting on the internet and focus on defeating the Republican in his newly redistricted congressional seat," Piker added.

Apparently, according to Piker, Moskowitz's mental health became endangered somewhere between winning an election and mentioning the guy who campaigned against him.

Moskowitz then called DSA members "anti-American at their core."

This presumably did wonders for the atmosphere at Piker's online headquarters, where the American flag presumably remains classified as hostile propaganda.

Piker has become something of a political flashpoint for Democrats, who are now wrestling with a fascinating strategic dilemma: Should they appeal to ordinary Americans, or should they continue taking electoral advice from a millionaire internet celebrity whose political worldview sometimes sounds like it was assembled from the comment section of a college freshman's TikTok video?

Piker has campaigned with several far-left candidates, including Francesca Hong, who lost her gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin, and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

Sen. Bernie Sanders has argued that Democrats should include people like Piker because the streamer reaches a large audience. Democratic strategist James Carville, meanwhile, has expressed considerably less enthusiasm about turning the Democratic Party into a group project with Piker.

This leaves Democrats facing the sort of strategic question that political consultants usually charge six figures to avoid answering: Is Hasan Piker an electoral asset, or is he what happens when a campaign accidentally gives the microphone to the internet?

Commentator Kaivan Shroff noted that Piker probably would have been celebrating loudly had Larkin won.

"One of the asymmetries in Democratic politics right now is that when a DSA candidate wins, it is immediately treated as evidence of some enormous ideological realignment in the party," Shroff said. "When a more moderate Democrat wins, there is usually much less hype and almost no corresponding narrative.

"We saw that with David Crowley beating Francesca Hong in Wisconsin, and now Moskowitz has beaten a DSA-backed challenger in Florida," Shroff continued. "Imagine the coverage if the result had gone the other way, and imagine the victory lap Hasan Piker and the online left would be taking right now.

"I actually think there is value in Moskowitz picking this fight," he added. "Piker backed his opponent and made himself part of the race. By going after him publicly, Moskowitz is forcing people to tell the other side of this story, and, frankly, here we are talking about it because he did."

Indeed, Piker's involvement in Democratic politics has produced an electoral strategy that appears to have been designed by someone who believes America is simultaneously an oppressive empire and the most important audience on Earth.

After El-Sayed won his Michigan primary, Piker rejected calls for the candidate to repair relationships with skeptical Democrats ahead of the general election against Republican Mike Rogers.

"Like everyone being like, Abdul has a f--- ton of work to do mending bridges. Here's the f---ing take nuke for you, OK? You are all unbelievably Islamophobic pieces of s---, OK?" Piker said.

Which is certainly one approach to coalition building.

Nothing says “let's expand the Democratic coalition” quite like immediately informing large portions of the existing coalition that they are human garbage.

And now Piker has another Democratic primary loss to contemplate, along with the horrifying possibility that a Democratic congressman might actually want voters to know who his political allies are.

Moskowitz has apparently decided that if Hasan Piker wants to help Democrats win elections, Democrats should at least have the courtesy to introduce him to the voters.

"Everyone, this is Hasan. He thinks America is terrible, Israel is worse, capitalism is evil, and somehow we're supposed to believe he's helping us win Florida."

The condolences, it seems, were entirely appropriate.

In the strange new world of Democratic politics, apparently the most controversial thing a congressman can do is win an election, thank his constituents, remember his father, and then point out who was rooting for the other guy.

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Mayor DePeña Discovers the Two Official Languages of American Politics: “No Comment” and “God Bless You”

Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña is apparently having a difficult week.

First, the mayor was arrested over allegations that he misused more than $1.5 million in COVID-19 small-business relief loans. Then, when reporters tried to ask him about it, they apparently encountered a serious language barrier. Yes, he was elected mayor of a Massachusetts town and doesn't speak English.

Not between English and Spanish, mind you. Between English and “no comment.”

DePeña’s lawyer helpfully explained the situation.

"He doesn’t speak English. No comment," the attorney said.

Meanwhile, DePeña smiled at reporters and repeatedly offered the one English phrase he apparently had available for emergency situations: "God bless you," aka Dios te bendiga.

This is certainly one way to handle allegations that you used federal pandemic relief money for your mayoral campaign and personal debts. Why answer difficult questions when you can simply smile, wave, and outsource your constitutional right to remain silent to your attorney?

The video quickly went viral, leaving social media users wondering how someone who has served as mayor of an American city since 2021 somehow managed to conduct the job without speaking English.

Conservative influencer Libs of TikTok summed up the public reaction rather efficiently.

"OMG," the account wrote on X. "How is this real."

Conservative radio host Mike Gallagher was similarly impressed.

"‘He doesn’t speak English, no comment’ says the assistant of the mayor of an American city," Gallagher posted on X. "Our melting pot has completely melted."

Journalist Miranda Devine offered a modest suggestion that apparently needs to be controversial in 2026.

"English fluency should be a basic prerequisite for holding public office," Devine posted on X.

Then came another detail that really put the icing on this particular cake.

Shortly after the press encounter, video surfaced appearing to show DePeña's vehicle crashing into a parked car while attempting to leave.

So, to recap: allegedly questionable use of $1.5 million in federal COVID loans, a lawyer announcing that the mayor doesn't speak English, a mayor repeatedly saying "God bless you," and then an apparent parking lot incident.

At this point, the only thing missing is a federal investigator asking whether the parked car was also somehow eligible for an EIDL loan.

DePeña, 61, was born in the Dominican Republic and was elected mayor of Lawrence in 2021 before winning reelection in 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council. DePeña has also acknowledged that he was once an "undocumented immigrant," saying he came to the United States "without papers," before eventually becoming a U.S. citizen.

Federal prosecutors allege DePeña applied for the pandemic loans on behalf of Tenares Tire Services Inc., his Lawrence tire shop, and then used some of the money for purposes unrelated to helping the struggling business.

U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley wasn't laughing.

"Mayor DePeña was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence," Foley said. "He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies. Today’s arrest is just another example of our determination to root out fraud by anyone, even public officials, and hold elected officials accountable."

And if convicted, DePeña faces up to 30 years in prison.

Or, as they might say in Lawrence, la cárcel.

At least that phrase apparently doesn't require a translator.

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Covert Bot Army Boosting Mamdani on X May Be Traced Back to City Hall

The allegations coming out of New York City are so bizarre that they make the average political campaign look honest. [H/T The Jerusalem Post.]

According to The Jerusalem Post, dozens of suspected bot accounts flooding X with glowing praise for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his allies may have something rather awkward in common: cyber experts say they appear to trace back to City Hall's own internet infrastructure. Apparently, taxpayer-funded enthusiasm may be the hottest new renewable energy source.

The Post independently consulted the cyber experts involved, who said they are "100% sure" the IP addresses could be traced to City Hall. The report, however, does not establish who controlled the accounts or whether city officials directed their activity. [My money is on Mamdani.]

The findings were compiled by the World Zionist Organization's Department for Combating Antisemitism, which has been monitoring coordinated online campaigns amid rising anti-Semitism. Their cyber specialists examined IP addresses, posting habits, and account behavior that looked less like passionate grassroots activism and more like someone accidentally leaned on the "copy" button for several months.

According to the analysis, dozens, and possibly hundreds, of accounts displayed nearly identical characteristics. Many pumped out hundreds of posts every single day, rarely produced any original content, had virtually empty profiles, and spent their existence doing little more than enthusiastically repeating posts from Mamdani's official account, city accounts, and political allies.

One account reportedly averaged 955 tweets per day with a 100% repost rate. Another managed 864 daily tweets with the same flawless commitment to never having an original thought. Even the most terminally online political activist usually remembers to stop for coffee.

The researchers emphasized that posting at an absurd pace does not automatically prove automation. A determined human equipped with unlimited caffeine, no employment, and an alarming disregard for sunlight could theoretically accomplish similar numbers. Still, when dozens of accounts exhibit virtually identical behavior while reposting the same material around the clock, suspicion naturally grows.

The report found that Mamdani's account frequently served as the launch point for what appeared to be coordinated amplification. A post would appear on the mayor's account before rapidly spreading through networks of accounts displaying the same unusual characteristics. Some reportedly devoted between 98% and 100% of their activity to amplifying the mayor's content, proving once again that loyalty programs have come a long way.

Some accounts were only a few days old yet somehow managed to put out hundreds of daily posts almost immediately. One account, created just three days before researchers examined it, reportedly generated 201 tweets per day despite having virtually no followers or posting history. 

Researchers say this kind of amplification can dramatically increase visibility. The initial wave of coordinated reposts encourages algorithms to promote the content, attracting genuine users whose engagement then pushes the posts even farther. In other words, the internet's recommendation engine may have mistaken an echo chamber for public enthusiasm.

The report cited a July 27 video in which the anti-Semite Mamdani discussed why he could not arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while accusing Israel of killing thousands. The video ultimately received millions of views, with researchers saying the suspected bot network played a major role in expanding its reach.

The analysts stressed that the available evidence does not prove Mamdani, his staff, or his communications team instructed anyone to operate the accounts. Rather, they say the evidence raises questions about whether city officials were aware of the activity, whether it was reported internally, and whether any organizational relationship existed between those operating the accounts and City Hall.

In short, the evidence points to what researchers describe as significant signs of organized amplification, while leaving unanswered who was behind it, who funded it, and whether anyone in government knew what was happening.

The World Zionist Organization says it plans to ask Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the United States' Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, to forward the findings to federal law enforcement for further investigation.

"There is a need for a thorough, professional, and independent investigation into these hate-amplification operations," Yifat Ovadia-Luski, head of the WZO's Department for Combating Antisemitism, told the Post.

"Today's anti-Semitism begins online and then moves into the streets, and the spread of hatred on social media is a central driver of that incitement. This is a well-oiled influence machine designed to shape the international arena, and it is making Jews feel less safe in New York City and across the United States.

"We cannot stand by. We are calling for intervention by the US federal authorities."

Mark Goldfeder, CEO and director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, said his organization is referring the matter to New York City's Department of Investigation and the Conflicts of Interest Board while requesting access to City Hall server logs.

"City employees may not use public resources for political messaging, and public officials may not deceive the public they serve; that has been New York law since long before anyone wrote a bot," Goldfeder told The Jerusalem Post.

If the allegations are substantiated, New Yorkers may discover they weren't witnessing a spontaneous outpouring of public support after all. They may simply have been watching the world's most enthusiastic municipal fan club, one that never sleeps, never complains, and apparently tweets faster than any human who has ever lived.

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Socialist NYC Mayor Celebrates Tax On Rich People's Second Homes As City Braces For More Empty Buildings And Unemployed Doormen

In a development that surprised only those who sleep through city council meetings, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated the Kathy Hochul backed levy on second homes worth more than $5M and immediately reminded everyone why no one should ever hand a socialist the keys to the tax code.

New York City mayor comrade Zohran Mamdani is facing heat on social media after his post celebrating the state’s new pied-à-terre tax on New Yorkers with a second home."If you have a second home in New York City worth more than $5 million, check your mailbox when you’re back in the five boroughs, because you've got mail," Mamdani posted on X, touting the tax on specific second properties introduced by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that he supported going into effect soon.

"Today, we sent notification letters to property owners, letting them know that our new pied-à-terre tax is coming soon," the anti-Semitic comrade continued. "The best city in the world deserves the best parks, libraries, and schools in the world. That's only possible when we all pay our fair share."

As of Friday morning, Mamdani’s post had been viewed over 10 million times and conservatives on social media blasted the mayor and warned that the exodus of wealthy New Yorkers will only continue under this new plan.

Here are just some of the comments posted on X:

"Never elect a politician who: (1) sees your money as his slush fund, (2) loves Karl Marx, or (3) uses French words like ‘pied-à-terre’ to disguise new, confiscatory taxes he wants to impose to redistribute wealth," Republican Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT).

"Socialism - Florida’s best real estate agent," Republican Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL).

"NYC’s pied-à-terre tax hasn’t even started and brokers already say owners are calling to sell," GOP strategist and attorney Mehek Cooke posted. Apparently, owners who can afford a luxury pied-à-terre are smart enough to get out of the cauldron on the stove before it starts to boil.

"Empty units don’t tip [doormen] or pay supers. You’re not taxing the rich. You’re firing the working class that depended on them." Communists are too busy virtue signaling to realize this fact.

"More incitement," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton posted. "Communist @NYCMayor celebrates a confiscatory tax targeted at a select few."

"What will the excuse be when literally nothing improves after all these tax increases?" New York City Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino posted. "Will they just demand even more, or will they tell us to ignore our own eyes as they insist they’ve actually fixed everything? Both? "

"The condescension towards the people who already pay a ton of property taxes to NYC," Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross posted.

Critics, including billionaire Ken Griffin whose luxury New York City home was featured in Mamdani's controversial video announcing the tax, argue the tax will only drive more wealthy New Yorkers out of the state and bring jobs and investments with them.

And while comrade Mamdani is a communist cum jihadi, he loves himself some capitalism, as does his family, in spite of their spouting the opposite.

Mahmood Mamdani, the father of Zohran, is a Herbert Lehman Professor of Government and a professor of political science where he preaches communist ideas, anthropology, and African studies at Columbia University. He makes somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000; probably more.

Mira Nair, his mommy, is an independent filmmaker, director and producer and while she doesn't receive a fixed salary, her income from directing and producing fees, royalties, residuals, grants and her production company (Mirabai Films) rakes in a lot of capital, bringing he capital estimated to be between $20-$40 million or more. While this is unverified, it's likely quite a reasonable estimate. In addition, she and her professor hubby own a 5-bedroom, four-bathroom villa on two acres in the tony Buziga Hill neighborhood and for the past 8 years have rented it out as an Airbnb for roughly $330-$350 per night.

Zohran Mamdani publicly acknowledged that he lived in a rent-stabilized apartment in Astoria, Queens with his semi-ordinary wife in a one-bedroom apartment.

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New York Professor, Ibrahim Zabad, Celebrates Lindsey Graham's Death, Then Discovers Compassion Before Breakfast

One of the more revealing features of modern academia is not merely its ideological conformity, but the astonishing confidence with which some of its members mistake moral outrage for moral seriousness. The latest example comes from St. Bonaventure University, where political science professor Ibrahim Zabad briefly demonstrated that for certain intellectuals, even death is not enough to suspend political tribalism.

According to Campus Reform, a social media account identified as belonging to Zabad published a late Saturday evening tirade celebrating the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., before deleting it less than 12 hours later.

Graham, who died Saturday at the age of 71, was described by the professor as "a certified anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, anti-Muslim bloodthirsty bigot. He personified belligerence and evil. He supported every savage war Israel launched against the Palestinians and the Lebanese and the Syrians and the Iranians and the Iraqis and the Yemenis."

The post continued with an even more extraordinary denunciation.

"He genuinely endorsed Israel's genocidal war and unabashedly supported the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians from their native lands. He wholeheartedly and passionately supported the project of Greater Israel along with all the massacres, occupation, dispossession and savagery and barbarism that this entails. He was a merciless warmonger and bigot. Rest in Hell."

One is entitled to disagree with a senator's foreign policy. One is even entitled to despise it. What ought to concern any civilized society is how readily some academics abandon the elementary standards of decency that they so frequently insist everyone else observe. It is difficult to lecture students about empathy while publicly rejoicing at another person's death.

By 5:09 a.m. the following morning, according to Campus Reform, the post had disappeared. In its place was an apology.

"I want to sincerely apologize for the post regarding the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham. My words were inappropriate and disrespectful and failed to show compassion during time of loss and grief. I regretted the post and the words I used."

Whether this represented genuine reflection or simply an appreciation for the consequences of public exposure is something only the professor himself can answer.

St. Bonaventure University, to its credit, did not attempt to defend the remarks under the fashionable banner of free expression or academic freedom. Instead, the university made clear that the professor's comments violated the institution's principles.

"We are aware of the post and subsequent apology by Dr. Zabad. His post about Sen. Graham was clearly not aligned with our university mission and values and we will be addressing the situation with him to ensure that Franciscan values are maintained and lived out at St. Bonaventure."

The incident serves as another reminder that America's universities face a crisis extending well beyond politics. Increasingly, institutions entrusted with cultivating wisdom produce people who confuse ideological fervor with intellectual rigor, and personal hatred with moral courage.

Meanwhile, Washington continued mourning Graham's passing. The longtime South Carolina senator died Saturday evening at age 71. An autopsy performed Sunday suggested he died from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, although officials said further toxicological and microscopic testing remains pending before a final cause of death is certified.

A statement from Graham's office noted, "The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized, and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death."

In the end, the most striking aspect of this episode is not that an academic harbored intense political views. Universities have always been homes to passionate disagreement. Rather, it is that a professor entrusted with educating future citizens publicly celebrated the death of a political opponent, only to rediscover the virtues of compassion once daylight, and public scrutiny, arrived.

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Mamdani Discovers Crime Stats Improve Dramatically If You Explain Them Long Enough

New York City Mayor comrade Zohran Mamdani found himself taking incoming fire Monday after offering what may become the Left's newest crime-fighting strategy: explaining away bad statistics until everyone forgets why they were worried in the first place. That tactic is known in the military as "baffle them with your bullsht."

During an interview with PIX11 News, Mamdani was asked about concerns over rising rape and felony assault numbers raised by New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin. Rather than promising tougher enforcement or more police, the mayor reached for a familiar progressive comfort blanket, context.

"And what I think is important to know is a lot of the increase in rape also comes from an expanded definition of what counts as rape, as well as survivors coming forward for acts that took place years prior," Mamdani said. "And we are thankful for them coming forward, the courage and the bravery it takes, but just to provide New Yorkers with that context."

Translation: don't believe your lying statistics.

To be fair, Mamdani also pointed out that murders and shootings remain among the lowest on record. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, that reassurance landed about as well as telling someone their apartment fire isn't so bad because the kitchen is still standing.

Even some Democrats were less than thrilled with the explanation.

New York City Council member Susan Zhuang wrote on X, "Expanding the legal definition of rape was an important step toward recognizing more survivors under the law. But it should never be used to deflect from the responsibility to reduce sexual violence. Survivors deserve leadership, action, accountability, and justice. They don’t deserve deflection."

Women's sports advocate Riley Gaines summed up the reaction with a question many were already asking: "HOW did women vote for this guy?"

Rep, Chip Roy (R-TX), offered his own assessment: "Rapes are up. Rents are up. Foreign diseases and parasites spreading. Historic Churches burning left and right. Elect the third world, get the third world."

OutKick founder Clay Travis piled on with, "Sure, New York City rents hit an all time record high today, but at least the mayor is still very eloquent on social medi…whoops!"

RedState writer Bonchie simply observed, "Going great."

Pro-Israel activist Lizzy Savetzky added, "Didn’t realize rape had a dynamic definition."

Substack writer Jim Treacher quipped, "No wonder these guys saw no problem with Platner."

Mamdani's reference to an "expanded definition" appears to point to New York's Rape is Rape Act, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2024. The law broadened the legal definition of rape to include forms of nonconsensual sexual assault beyond vaginal penetration.

That explanation, however, leaves one awkward detail. The law took effect in September 2024, yet the NYPD's latest CompStat report still shows rapes up 6.6 percent compared with the same period last year, well after the legal definition had already changed.

Apparently, in progressive governance, reality is just another statistic waiting for the proper explanation.

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Trump Announces America Will Start Collecting Toll Booth Money From World's Most Expensive Shipping Lane

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After spending weeks reminding Iran that the U.S. Navy is considerably larger than a collection of speedboats with delusions of grandeur, President Donald Trump has apparently decided it's time for the rest of the world to start chipping in [see NATO].

Why should American taxpayers foot the bill for keeping one of the planet's most important shipping lanes open while everyone else sails through like it's Costco handing out free samples?

On Monday, Trump announced that the United States will begin charging a 20% fee for cargo passing safely through the Strait of Hormuz while officially resuming America's blockade of Iran. The message was simple: if Uncle Sam is providing the security, Uncle Sam expects to see the receipt.

Trump explained the new arrangement on Truth Social, the baby brother of X.

"The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait."

That distinction is important. According to Trump, the blockade isn't aimed at the rest of the world's commerce. It's aimed squarely at the regime that keeps trying to turn international waterways into its own personal hostage situation.

He then unveiled what might be history's first "Freedom Isn't Free" surcharge for global shipping.

"The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,' [aka GOTHS] but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately."

Some foreign governments reportedly reacted with horror after learning that military protection, unlike climate conferences, does not come with unlimited complimentary snacks.

Meanwhile, economists spent the day debating the long-term implications of a global toll booth, while American taxpayers reportedly asked the obvious question: "Wait, we're actually making other countries pay for something instead of us?"

Iran condemned the announcement as illegal, provocative, and deeply unfair, which is roughly the diplomatic equivalent of a shoplifter complaining about anti-theft cameras.

At press time, sources said the first cargo ship entering the Strait had been greeted by a U.S. sailor holding what looked suspiciously like an EZ-Pass scanner and asking, "Cash, card, or freedom?"

UPDATE: The following day, Trump did a reverse on the 20% toll, so forget the above.

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Iran's "New" Supreme Leader, Who Is Definitely Alive And Not Just A Voice-Over From A Bunker, Vows Revenge In Unhinged Social Media Meltdown

TEHRAN - In what Iranian state media is calling a "powerful display of leadership from our vibrant new Supreme Leader," Mojtaba Khamenei took to X on Saturday morning to furiously demand payback for his father's demise, all while experts quietly wonder if the guy has been room temperature since last Tuesday.

"We pledge to avenge your pure blood and the blood of all the martyrs of these two [recent] wars by taking revenge against the criminal, disgraceful murderers. This vengeance is what our nation is demanding, and this must definitely be done," Khamenei wrote, or at least someone with access to his account wrote while the actual Mojtaba was presumably busy decomposing.

The 86-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei met his end on February 28 in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that turned his compound into a very expensive parking lot. His gay son, now supposedly in charge, followed up with another gem. "The criminal, disgraceful murderers of the martyred Leader, whose names are fully documented from the highest to the lowest ranks, will carry their dream of a peaceful death in bed to the grave," the new supreme leader allegedly added in his social media screed.

Iran rolled out the official funeral pageant for Ali Khamenei last week, with state media breathlessly claiming that more than 40 million people showed up to weep [by pulling out their nose hairs], wail, and pretend this was all very organic.

Mojtaba, or his social media intern, made sure to thank the crowd. "I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible, enemy-shattering, and historic turnout of tens of millions of people across Iran and Iraq," he wrote. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is playing a lively game of "Is Mojtaba Even Breathing?"

Mojtaba while he was clearly alive along with his "adoring followers"

Western intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they do not want to get vaporized by a regime that may or may not still have a functioning head of state, described the new ayatollah as "looking remarkably still these days" and "possibly enjoying a very long nap."

Global oil demand in 2026 is set to decrease for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, due largely to impacts from the Iran war, but U.S. demand continues to increase, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report published Friday. While global production fell by an average of one million barrels per day (mb/d), U.S. consumers actually gobbled up more oil, increasing usage in the second quarter of 2026, according to the report.

Despite gas prices surging 50% since May, U.S. consumers bucked global trends to keep buying. “Even though it’s a really political price that people pay a lot of attention to, if you are in the higher quintiles of income in the U.S., you might grumble about it, but you’re not really driving less just because of that increase in prices,” Daniel Sternoff, senior fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, told the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, back in Tehran, the mullahs are reportedly still arguing over whether to prop Mojtaba up with wires like a weekend at Bernie's sequel or just admit the whole supreme leadership thing is now being run by a WhatsApp group.

Either way, the revenge plot thickens. Or at least the Twitter account does.

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IRGC Boldly Warns World to Stay Out of Its Strait of Hormuz, Denounces Big Bad American 'Adventurism'

AI generated

TEHRAN—In what military analysts are calling "peak Persian tough-guy theater," the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps took to the airwaves Thursday morning to flex its nautical muscles over the Strait of Hormuz, reminding everyone that the world's most critical oil chokepoint now belongs to them and their speedboats.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy warned Thursday that foreign powers have “no stake” in the Strait of Hormuz and said U.S. involvement in determining traffic routes through the key waterway would draw a “crushing response.”

In a statement, the IRGC Navy accused Washington of “adventurism and interference” as tensions rise over commercial shipping in one of the world’s most important oil corridors. Because nothing says "legitimate maritime power" like a theocratic regime that treats international waters like its personal driveway.

American bases in the region would be targeted if what the IRGC called “U.S. aggression” is repeated, according to state media. This threat lands with all the intimidating force of a guy yelling at clouds while hiding behind his mullah.

The IRGC also claimed Iran had increased vessel transit through the strait over the past two weeks, but said recent U.S. actions had seriously disrupted the process of reopening the route. Transit capacity under Iran's supervision had recovered to about 50% of pre-war levels over the past two weeks, the IRGC claimed, adding that transit capacity was only being expanded for vessels granted permits to use routes designated by Iran. Translation: "Please ignore the burning tankers and our history of piracy. We're very good at this."

The warning comes as the U.S. and Iran trade strikes and threats over maritime security in the Gulf, with Washington saying its military operations are aimed at protecting commercial vessels and civilian mariners. You know, that crazy outdated concept called "freedom of navigation" that used to matter before we decided strong countries aren't allowed to act strong anymore.

Tehran has since taken effective control of the strait, allowing it to force a stalemate in its confrontation with the world's most powerful military. Nothing quite like a regime that can't feed its own people lecturing the U.S. Navy on naval strategy."The U.S. has yet to learn that bullying and breaking its commitments no longer come without a cost. Let me be clear: If you strike, you will be struck back," Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, wrote Wednesday night on X."The Strait of Hormuz will be reopened only under Iranian arrangements, not through U.S. threats."

Meanwhile, the U.S. military continues polishing its very large arsenal, wondering if the mullahs have ever seen what happens when America stops pretending these threats are serious.

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Another Democrat Meltdown: Sexual Assault Allegation Explodes in Platner’s Campaign Right Before the Deadline, Because of Course It Does

Throws Up In His Mouth After Smelling His Own Breath

Oh, how shocking. Another glowing progressive champion finds himself wrapped up in the kind of scandal that would end a Republican’s career in about five minutes flat. 

Democratic Senate candidate Graham "HH" Platner is now embroiled in controversy over his past behavior, including allegations of abuse from ex-girlfriends and that charming Nazi-linked tattoo he used to sport. Speculation is swirling on social media about the future of this scandal-plagued Nazi-loving far-left Democratic nominee after several of his events were mysteriously canceled over the Fourth of July weekend. Then, naturally, Politico dropped an explosive report on Monday afternoon accusing him of sexual assault, timed perfectly ahead of a key deadline. 

How convenient for the party that always lectures us about believing all women, until the woman in question becomes politically inconvenient. Just ask Hillary Clinton about that factoid.

Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Herr Platner denied in the story. Additionally, the report says that a man Racicot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist. 

"I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot told the outlet, which allegedly took place while Platner was 'almost blackout drunk.' "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, 'This is no longer my choice.'"

Platner and his wife with whom he was unfaithful

Racicot said in the report that "one of the reasons" she didn't come forward until now was the "huge moral conflict" she had between her support of Platner's politics and not supporting him "as a person." In other words, she was torn between being a Democrat puppet or a victim of a Democrat.

"I just want the truth out there," Racicot said. "I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person."

In a statement to Politico, the Nazi tattoo-wearing Platner said, "These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue." 

The Platner campaign posted a video on X shortly after the Politico story published where Platner again called the allegations "false" and that he was going to "reflect" on the best path forward. The idea that he is capable of reflecting is questionable since vampires cast no reflection.

"So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," Platner says in the video. "Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today."

Translation from conservative ears: The political reality of voters finding out who you really are is proving rather inconvenient for your communist cosplay tour. As for this writer, I am ashamed that you were a US Marine.

Over the last few days, multiple Platner events over the 4th of July holiday weekend and Monday were mysteriously canceled. There was no official explanation or comment from the campaign, Bangor Daily News reported on Monday, other than one event organizer saying that an event in Gorman was canceled due to Platner "not feeling well." 

Sure, comrade; must be that sudden case of "the voters might actually hear what I stand for" flu.

The news of the canceled events led conservative outlets and pundits to speculate throughout the day on Monday, before the Politico report was published, about whether there was an underlying reason for the cancellations. Turns out their instincts were spot on, as usual.

"Graham Platner cancels MULTIPLE scheduled town hall events as progressive allies tease another scandal is about to hit his campaign," the Maine Wire news outlet posted on X. "Augusta town hall for last night - CANCELED Gorham town hall tonight - CANCELED Sanford town hall tonight - CANCELED. There are no other upcoming events listed on his FB page, or on Mobilize."

"Graham Platner no-showed Fourth of July celebrations across Maine," the National Republican Senatorial Committee posted on X in response to the Maine Wire post. "Now, he's canceling everything else. We wouldn't want to be seen in public either… "

"A well-placed source told us that Graham Platner is dropping out of the Maine Senate race this week," the Washington Reporter posted on X. "Note that Platner has yet to release his Q2 fundraising totals, a sign he may have underperformed expectations." It seems as if Maine voters are hesitant to vote Nazi/Communist this year, but give them time because, hey, you never know.

Susan Collins with her 'banky' and a new lease on Senate?

In addition to the online rumors circulating on Monday, bets on the online prediction market Polymarket surged over the weekend, with users betting that Platner would drop out before the midterms. Even the betting markets know a sinking ship when they see one and soon the rats will also depart, I suspect.

Platner has been at the center of multiple controversies since launching his campaign, including infidelity, alleged physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend, a Nazi-linked tattoo, disparaging comments about the military, referring to himself as a "communist", scrutiny over his working-class bonafides, and a variety of inflammatory posts on a deleted Reddit account. But sure, he’s definitely the man Maine needs in the Senate. What could possibly go wrong that isn't already going wrong in places like New York City?

Despite the controversies, many polls in recent weeks showed that Platner had a lead on Collins. However, a Fox News poll published last week showed Collins with a small advantage, along with more than half of respondents saying that Platner lacks the judgment to serve as a U.S. senator. 

That level of bad judgment deserves its own participation trophy . . .  and a therapist.

Now that Platner has won the Democratic primary, the next key date is 5 p.m. on Monday, July 13. Under Maine law, if Platner formally withdraws as the Democratic nominee by that deadline, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.

"These allegations are very serious and Graham vigorously denies them," a Platner campaign mouthpiece told Fox News Digital. "They are also coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives. For a year, opponents of this campaign have thrown everything they can at Graham – calling him a Nazi, a war criminal, and a communist. None of it has been true and this is no different." 

"It is not a coincidence that this story comes a week before the ballot deadline, just as the previous false allegations came a week before the primary. Graham began this campaign to fight for a Maine where everyone is treated with dignity and where Mainers are put first, and no amount of desperate smears will stop this movement from seeing that vision through."Of course it’s all a vast right-wing conspiracy. It always is, until the next scandal drops.

In fact, the Democratic Party has perfected the art of dropping last minute bombs on GOP candidates and nominees, if memory serves. [See Brett Kavanaugh.]

Meanwhile, Susan Collins continues doing her job while the Democrats tear their latest “working class hero” to shreds. Business as usual in the party of decency, decorum, and implying that Republicans are a danger to the nation and must be dealt with . . . use your imagination, Antifa et al.

Thank you for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to simply check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

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