Heating Up

Plus: School integration, retribution for Iran, death to credentialism, and more...

Last night in Minneapolis, a Venezuelan immigrant who was evading arrest was shot in the leg by federal agents. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), immigration officials conducted a "targeted traffic stop" of a Venezuelan man believed to be here illegally just before 7 p.m. last night. The man reportedly fled the scene in his vehicle, crashed the car, then started to run away. Immigration enforcement pursued him, and while "the subject and law enforcement were in a struggle on the ground, two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle," per the report from the DHS.

"Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired defensive shots to defend his life. The initial subject was hit in the leg," added the DHS. The initial subject of the traffic stop is now in the hospital, along with the officer; the two other people who reportedly attacked the agent are in custody.

"City officials said the latest shooting occurred on the city's north side, in the 600 block of 24th Avenue North," reports The New York Times. "At a news conference, Brian O'Hara, the city's police chief, said his understanding was that a 911 call appeared to have been made from a house. He said the caller reported that the man was running from immigration agents and was driving toward the residence. Neighbors said they saw federal agents ordering people inside the house to come out with their hands up, and that several people, including children, walked out."

Protesters quickly showed up at the scene. They threw things—including fireworks—at both federal agents and Minneapolis police officers, which the agents met with flash bang grenades and pepper balls.

Tensions rise with Iran: Yesterday, U.S. military personnel were transferred away from Qatar's Al Udeid air base, the biggest American base in the region, due to "current regional tensions," reports Reuters. This, of course, refers to the possibility that President Donald Trump will order strikes on Iran, and it's reminiscent of the actions taken by the U.S. in June of last year, prior to Israeli and American strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

More than 2,000 Iranian protesters are now dead, possibly as many as 20,000 (estimates vary widely). What started on December 28 as a protest against massive inflation and economic turmoil has become a means of venting broader anger at the repressive regime. The regime has responded by killing protesters who foment any sort of political opposition and pose any sort of threat—most prominently, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was scheduled to be executed this week and for whom Trump has advocated, saying there would be "strong action" (retribution) if Iran followed through on this execution and others like it.

"We have been informed by very important sources on the other side: The killing has stopped and the executions won't take place," Trump told reporters yesterday afternoon. "I hope it's true. Who knows?" he added. It remains to be seen whether the U.S. and Iran will exchange strikes, or how Trump will continue to exert influence on the situation.

---

Scenes from New York: Mayor Zohran Mamdani just picked Kamar Samuels to be New York City's schools chancellor. Samuels is passionate about "integration"—something Mamdani seems to believe is sorely needed. What exactly does this mean? Having the same rough percentages of different minority groups absolutely won't happen if you continue to have schools that are somewhat tied to geography; different ethnic enclaves emerge, and school racial makeups correspond to this. But also, how strange to prioritize "integration" in the year 2026 over—oh, I don't know—performance?

---

QUICK HITS

• "Bilt is unveiling three new credit cards with interest rates capped at 10%, days after President Donald Trump threatened lenders that failed to do so," reports Bloomberg. "Bilt's response to Trump's jawboning contrasts with the pushback it has drawn from some of the biggest US banks. Citigroup Inc. doesn't support the proposed cap, which 'would likely result in a significant slowdown in the economy,' Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason said Wednesday, while Bank of America Corp. CEO Brian Moynihan said it would curtail credit and warned of 'unintended consequences.' A day earlier, JPMorgan Chase & Co. CFO Jeremy Barnum decried 'weakly supported directives to radically change our business.'"
• Trump really, really wants to take Greenland.
• Ridiculous (from a must-read Manhattan Institute report on school social justice indoctrination):

In 2022, 45% of high schoolers polled say they were taught that "America is built on stolen land" in class at school, and another 22% heard it from an adult there. pic.twitter.com/DfbzVAh9FP

— arctotherium (@arctotherium42) January 14, 2026

• Yes:

I've been watching this controversy unfold with some interest because what @xwanyex is saying here seems, at base, to be the same thing I was circling in this essay: that activists are misperceiving the stakes of these interactions in a way that made tragedy all but inevitable https://t.co/q4NOUyQlhC pic.twitter.com/HqDjwdFkzo

— Kat Rosenfield (@katrosenfield) January 14, 2026

• Many such cases, where the credential is useless or near-useless:

It would be reasonable if there were any evidence that education degrees made people better at teaching, but there isn't, and the opposite may be true. https://t.co/ITgmpeDaO4

— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) January 14, 2026

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

There has been a critical error on this website.

So we know that Reason uses Verizon as its ISP.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

At this point if ice kills every invader and ever person helping the invader, that would be a good thing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...a Venezuelan immigrant who was evading arrest was shot in the leg by federal agents.

Ah-HA! So they can just wing people!

[Ajsloss]

That's what I came here to say. Everyone can shut up now.

[Eeyore]

Wouldn't that be in the arm?

[mad.casual]

No. No. No. We have to know where the second or third shot landed before such a determination can be made.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Yesterday 2 legal observers left their apartment to attack ICE with weapons when he was making a lawful arrest of an illegal immigrant from Minnesota. Officer defended himself against the 3 v1. This led to riots.

During riots legal observers were destroying ice vehicles and stealing federal weapons from the car lockers.

Meanwhile Minnesota PD put out another statement they will not respond to the violence and theft by legal observers against ICE.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/left-wing-chaos-continues-minneapolis-federal-vehicles-looted

[Mickey Rat]

At this point, the legal observers are not beating the terrorist rap.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Apparently, not enforcing local laws against theft and violence is also federalism.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Yep. And all the feds can do is cut funding.

[Spiritus Mundi]

DOJ should arrest the local leaders blocking the LEOs from doing their job for deprivation of rights under color of law.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

That would be mean!

[Longtobefree]

Much more insurrection-y than J6!
Where are the federal military, as required by the courts to precede the National Guard

[HorseConch]

Imagine instigating a shootout with federal agents to defend a guy that's almost certainly going to end up not being a good neighbor.

[CindyF]

Meanwhile,

A federal appeals panel on Thursday reversed a lower court decision that released former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil from an immigration jail, bringing the government one step closer to detaining and ultimately deporting the Palestinian activist.

A three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia instructed the lower court to dismiss Khalil’s habeas petition, a court filing that secured his release. The panel ruled that the federal district court in New Jersey did not have jurisdiction over the matter because immigration challenges are handled differently under the law.

The 2-1 ruling concluded that Khalil needed to channel his complaint through immigration courts and ultimately to the court of appeals — the standard process for immigration challenges — rather than take a habeas petition to district court.

https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-protester-immigration-appeals-court-deportation-2b6d321d5157632412a82fba14eb3bd4

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

I look forward to Reason’s update on the topic.

[HorseConch]

We'll be told that free speech isn't inhibited by private companies and that he is here enriching our cultural so there should be no limits on him whatsoever.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Inferior court judges are better than appeals or scotus - Damon Root.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...immigration officials conducted a "targeted traffic stop" of a Venezuelan man believed to be here illegally just before 7 p.m. last night.

And that man turned out to be Nicolás Maduro.

[Zeb]

So, turns out he was here legally?

[Fist of Etiquette]

I actually am surprised federal prosecutors aren't piling on charges of being in the country illegally.

[HorseConch]

It's a good thing they didn't take him to IA. There would be adders for failing to attach drug stamps on the boats that got blown up.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Nick Sortor investigates more Somali fraud. This time government funded transportation services. 1000 of these exist in Minnesota. 90% Somalian. Most business fronts don't even have signage. Or admit to being transportation services.

https://x.com/nicksortor/status/2011574298725736921

[Fist of Etiquette]

City officials said the latest shooting occurred on the city's north side...

Minneapolis' panhandle.

[Dillinger]

from Dallas all of Minneapolis is the north side

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Even from Michigan.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Wild ruling from the 9th circuit regarding California using race in their redistricting fight. All 3 appeals court judges agree the map was created by the legislature and consultant with a focus on race. 2 of the judges say that doesnt matter, because plaintiffs didn't prove the voters were actually racist. Wild ruling.

https://redstate.com/beccalower/2026/01/14/new-judicial-panel-upholds-californias-prop-50-redistricting-map-almost-assuring-trip-to-scotus-n2198150

[Spiritus Mundi]

9th circuit rules: No, water is not wet.

[Marshal]

There's never a question the left supports racism, only what justification they will use in any particular instance. I award bonus points when their justifications contradict each other.

[HorseConch]

Racism is always justified if you're fighting racists.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Intigration means mamdani thins criminal students are just as good as white students

[Fist of Etiquette]

...for whom Trump has advocated, saying there would be "strong action" (retribution) if Iran followed through on this execution and others like it.

We'll see if Trump's line is redder that Obama's.

[JFree]

Certainly Trump/Netanyahu are so concerned about Iranian protestors that it will soon become necessary to bomb them in order to save them.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Cite?

[JFree]

You'll know when they decide to tell you. You won't pay attention then either because you'll be so concerned about Iranian civilians.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Good. Maybe we can return to the policy of immigrants not being public charges.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-visas-79909bd01e9e1e3dedde144f865a1b9d

Immigration visas suspended for 75 countries where domestic immigrants have high welfare and assistance percentages.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Unfortunately, India was not included amongst those suspended.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Acting Venezuela president is releasing political prisoners and talking about orderly elections. Why didnt trump do more!

https://www.foxnews.com/world/venezuelas-acting-president-touts-new-political-moment-hints-further-release-political-prisoners

[Spiritus Mundi]

It has been days! DAYS!!! Why isn't Venezuela a libertarian paradise! Trump is a tyrannt!!!

[Longtobefree]

Because he was only arresting a drug lord, not instituting regime change?

[Social Justice is neither]

That is crazy talk. He was simultaneously doing too much and too little along every metric in existence, Reason writers told me so between crayon servings.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Mayor Zohran Mamdani just picked Kamar Samuels to be New York City's schools chancellor. Samuels is passionate about "integration"...

LET THE BUSING BEGIN

[Mike Parsons]

The only people who need to be integrated into all public schools are "people who read" as well as "people of numeracy".

The 2 most desirable and absent demos

[Fist of Etiquette]

Citigroup Inc. doesn't support the proposed cap, which 'would likely result in a significant slowdown in the economy...'

If Trump wants to curtail people's ability to spend on credit, he should start with Capitol Hill. AM I RIGHT PEOPLE?

[Zeb]

Yes.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Trump really, really wants to take Greenland.

He's going to turn it into an island prison slash resort.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Will there be girls? - W. Clinton

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

News from 1842

[Randy Sax]

Thing is, the Danes basically said the US can build whatever it wants on Greenland already. Trump de facto has what he wants, he just wants it to be official.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

100 year lease?

[Randy Sax]

Make it perpetual like gitmo.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

I’ll take it!

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Trump wants guarantees regarding the resources on the island. Which is why he is pushing.

[mamabug]

I was talking with my husband about this last night. If you put it in business terms - Trump basically appears to be saying 'we can do a hostile takeover OR you can sign this exclusive contract with us'.

[Fist of Etiquette]

In 2022, 45% of high schoolers polled say they were taught that "America is built on stolen land" in class at school, and another 22% heard it from an adult there.

We're going to have the first generation of Americans who hate America and have no desire to defend it or its values. And that's on purpose.

[Spiritus Mundi]

It bears repeating:

This is what happens when your lies fall on menatally unwell ears.

[Randy Sax]

There is a big difference between "stolen" and my preferred term "conquered".

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

But the Marxist's long march through the institutions was just a conspiracy theory.

[Marshal]

I'm reliably told anyone who opposes mass migration is a racist, so referring to migrants as thieves is doubly so.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...activists are misperceiving the stakes of these interactions in a way that made tragedy all but inevitable...

LARPing is all fun and games until it isn't.

[Longtobefree]

Public service announcement:
Cops have guns.
The guns have bullets in them. (yes, in a cartridge)
The bullets are real.

[Randy Sax]

Give the cops Gauss guns, then the bullets won't have cartridges.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Public service announcement:

I fought the law, and the law won. - Sonny Curtis.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"Ridiculous (from a must-read Manhattan Institute report on school social justice indoctrination)"

Are we surprised in the least that public schools are little more than leftist indoctrination factories? Virtually the entire staff top to bottom of any school consists of leftists who can barely do this job, let alone any "real" jobs.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It would be reasonable if there were any evidence that education degrees made people better at teaching, but there isn't, and the opposite may be true.

My best college professors were ones who came from the real world instead of spending their lives cloistered in academia.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Also none of them tried to touch my wiener like that sociology prof freshman year.

[Zeb]

I don't know that I had many professors that weren't career academics. But that was certainly true in high school. Probably my best teacher, teaching calculus and physics, was previously a nuclear engineer in the Navy.

[Idaho-Bob]

Probably my best teacher, teaching calculus and physics, was previously a nuclear engineer in the Navy.

I had a similar experience, except she, yes SHE, worked for NASA. She continued doing contract work while teaching calculus and physics to HS students.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Was she hot?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Out of this world.

[Mike Parsons]

Ive had excellent ones from both realms. But the point that needing an ed degree is silly is def a good one.

Especially since its widely considered the most 'free' major, the classes are all jokes and no one takes them, the students, or the profs serious except for themselves.

[SQRLSY]

I'm too lazy to look for a link for this, but I have heard and read that teaching degrees (even advanced teaching degrees) don't do crap for teaching skills. The one thing that seems to correlate the most, is that those who read the most books, for their own pleasure, make the best teachers.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Fair enough. I’ve found the best tend to have done work in that particular field they’re now teaching and have degrees specialized for those fields, i.e. physics for a physics teacher, math for a math teacher, etc.

[Alan Vanneman]

"In 2022, 45% of high schoolers polled say they were taught that "America is built on stolen land" in class at school, and another 22% heard it from an adult there."

Well, how about "America is built on conquered land"? Is that better? I mean, didn't we conquer the Indians? Weren't there a lot of "Indian wars"? And didn't we "win" them? And how about the Mexican War? Wasn't that an explicit war of conquest?

[Spiritus Mundi]

The Clovis people where only around for about 2000 years. Presumably replaced/genocided by other groups. Are other 'native' groups forced to say they have stolen the land?

[Zeb]

Yes, that is true. It's also true of most land where any kind of civilization exists. Including (as SM notes) the land occupied by various Indian tribes before Europeans showed up. That's pretty much how most of history is. And trying to rectify it would just be doing the same thing to people who are actually alive now.

[Mike Parsons]

"It's also true of most land where any kind of civilization exists."

This. The issue is making America some kind of stand out exception when it comes to conquering and taking land, and slavery. These 2 things were the norm for 100% of countries that existed, and the only difference is America just ended up being more awesome than all the other places that did it.

[Chuck P. (Now with less Sarc more snark)]

But the point is not to establish who did what first, it is to teach kids that private ownership is theft.

Without researching it, it should be safe to assume that the US has purchased more land than any other nation in history.

[HorseConch]

Much like the morons who were claiming SoCal was really Mexico last summer because they once occupied it.

[Chuck P. (Now with less Sarc more snark)]

That one really got me mad. The US made every occupant of the land ceded by Mexico an American citizen without question. Stupidest take ever to imply it was theft.

[Marshal]

Better. Now explain why North America is singled out since everyone alive lives on conquered land.

[mamabug]

Recency bias.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Teaching degrees mean a person was too stupid to major in sociology

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

A communications degree was for those too stupid for education.

[Idaho-Bob]

Those who can't - teach.

[Randy Sax]

And those who can't teach, teach PE.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Those who cant teach PE serve coffee.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"This is actually an excellent example of someone totally confirming Wayne's point, which is that leftists tend to see mundane disagreements as evidence of "moral" superiority."

Also, they thought they could flex their white privilege and girl privilege as get-out-of-jail free cards.

They forgot that they denounced their white privileges, and that they fought to make women and men equal.

[Ajsloss]

Also, they thought they could flex their white privilege and girl privilege as get-out-of-jail free cards.

They're cannon fodder, as far as Joy Reid is concerned.

[Medulla Oblongata]

White cannon fodder is the best kind for Joy Reid.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Imagine watching a show where the hosts openly hate you?

[Medulla Oblongata]

Shocked, shocked I say...

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/former-congressional-employee-arrested-indicted-theft-240-cell-phones

Christopher Southerland, 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was arrested Friday and charged in a federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court for stealing approximately 240 government cell phones, valued at over $150,000, from the U.S. House of Representatives, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

According to the government’s evidence, from approximately April 2020 until July 2023, Southerland worked as a system administrator for the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. As a system administrator, Southerland was authorized to order cell phones for Committee staff members.

From January 2023 through May 2023, Southerland allegedly used his position to cause 240 new government cell phones to be shipped directly to his home in Maryland. During that time, there were only approximately 80 staff members on the committee. Southerland then sold over 200 of the cell phones to a nearby pawn shop.

[Spiritus Mundi]

two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle...

This is what happens when your lies fall on menatally unwell ears.

Useful idiots getting shot to keep Walz out of jail.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Huh, so black folks CAN be racist?

But don't fret folks, because neither his "job or salary will not be affected by the punishment, but he will be required to attend trainings on “inclusive teaching practices” and “respectful engagement with students of all backgrounds.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/white-teachers-are-white-supremacists-education-professor-sanctioned-after-civil-rights-probe/ar-AA1UdnyB

An investigation revealed School of Education assistant professor Marcus Croom created a “hostile educational environment” for white students after a former student filed a complaint with the university’s civil rights office, according to The Herald-Times. The student accused Croom of making several comments about not wanting to associate with white people and declaring “white teachers are white supremacists.”

[Super Scary]

"he will be required to attend trainings on “inclusive teaching practices” and “respectful engagement with students of all backgrounds.”"

So he'll get a few atta boys and a pat on the back for doing the right thing by discriminating against white folk.

[Mike Parsons]

Honestly surprised it took this long for someone to do this, and needs to continue.

Professors say shit like this all the time, every based white student needs to report them for CRA violation.

Same goes for all workplace training and modules. Everyone needs to push back on this bullshit.

[Marshal]

We need to take a page out of the left's playbook here. Any institution employing, directly or indirectly, a person convicted of civil rights violations is ineligible to receive federal funds.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Is it time to use the Insurrection Act yet?

https://x.com/warclandestine/status/2011628944877883438?s=46&t=qeA47-JjK6vq0pfnxg60dA

⚠️IMPORTANT⚠️

I don’t say this lightly, but everyone needs to watch this.

I think we just witnessed Tim Walz incite an insurrection. He is trying to paint ICE as the equivalent to the Gestapo, claiming they are hunting down all “people of color” and “asking for papers”.

This is EXTREMELY dangerous stuff. Not only is he lying about what’s happening, but not once did he tell his constituents to stay out of the way of federal law enforcement officers. He is actively encouraging them to obstruct ICE agents, as a means to cover up the massive fraud and criminality in his state.

This is 1860’s type stuff we are dealing with here, and you can see it on Walz’s face, especially at the end. He knows the severity of what he just did.

The Dems are in open rebellion against the Trump administration, while harboring illegal aliens in their Unconstitutional “sanctuary cities”, which they use to steal elections. This is irregular warfare.

Things are about to get real. We are witnessing something historic.

With video.

And to think this man was considered Presidential material by the Democrat Party.

[Medulla Oblongata]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fear-anger-spread-another-immigration-054801374.html

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration's massive immigration crackdown.

The president's threat comes a day after a federal immigration officer shot and wounded a Minneapolis man who had attacked the officer with a shovel and broom handle.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

After the events of yesterday In Minneapolis and the refusal of local authorities to maintain order, Trump has everything he needs to use the insurrection act and that means bringing in the military. SCOTUS wrote the script and he will prevail in the courts.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Taking weapons and legal documents from a federal vehicle will definitely help the justification.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Livestreamed no less.

[Medulla Oblongata]

I sure am glad we have the mainstream media (and Snopes!) to clear that up for us...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/did-minnesotans-protesting-killing-of-renee-good-demand-higher-wages-here-s-the-truth/ar-AA1U9Nbf

"The Babylon Bee has a history of making up stories for shares and comments, which Snopes has repeatedly debunked.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

So Snopes is debunking what’s meant to be and obviously is satire and humor.

[Ajsloss]

So Snopes is debunking what’s meant to be and obviously is satire and humor.

In defense of Snopes, it is getting harder and harder to distinguish Babylon Bee from real life.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Only problem here is that Snopes is wrong and the Bee seems to be a good oracle of future events.

[Zeb]

Fortunately they have their not-the-bee site to help clarify that somewhat.

[Chuck P. (Now with less Sarc more snark)]

Has Snopes ever apologized for being so wrong about covid and the lab leak? If not they can continue to fuck right off.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Haha, good one.

[Chupacabra]

For proggies, there is no such thing as satire. There is only The Narrative and misinformation.

[Mike Parsons]

"Snopes has also confirmed that Lucy was always planning on pulling the football away, and Bruce Dickinson did not in fact ask for that much cowbell"

Jesus they have moved beyond self parody

[Bertram Guilfoyle]

How did the boomers get by without snopes to debunk all those MAD Magazine articles?

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

The leftist cult.

https://x.com/ofcrdeonjoseph/status/2011552435618398300?s=46&t=qeA47-JjK6vq0pfnxg60dA

This is perfectly explained. Well written, Sir.

“Projection as Ideology, Liberals are now a Cult
Article by Todd Chase

What you are seeing inside the modern liberal mind is not independent thought. It is projection stacked on top of projection until it becomes a worldview. Everything they accuse others of is exactly what they are doing themselves. Fascism, hatred, authoritarianism, extremism. None of these labels originate from observation. They originate from internal guilt and ideological insecurity.

Liberals no longer argue ideas. They chant labels. They move as a mob, not as individuals. Once a belief becomes emotionally fused to identity, reason becomes irrelevant. At that point, disagreement is treated as evil rather than difference. This is how cult psychology forms. The individual dissolves into the group, and the group demands constant reinforcement through outrage and moral panic.

Projection is the fuel. By calling everyone else Nazis, they avoid confronting their own authoritarian instincts. By labeling dissent as dangerous, they justify silencing it. By declaring themselves morally superior, they excuse any behavior that would otherwise be indefensible. This is not intelligence. It is narcissism reinforced by group approval.

History is full of movements like this. Jim Jones did not start with poison. He started with moral certainty. He convinced his followers that everyone outside the group was evil, corrupted, and dangerous. Once that belief was locked in, the group no longer needed evidence or restraint. The same psychological mechanics are visible now, amplified by social media and political rhetoric.

A society cannot function when one side abandons reason and replaces it with projection and fanaticism. When people stop thinking and start chanting, they do not become righteous. They become dangerous.

The Truth is Hard”

[mtrueman]

"The leftist cult."

You don't know the meaning of the word. Cults have a charismatic leader. The article mentioned Jim Jones, a perfect example.

If there is one feature of today's Leftists, Liberals, Progressives, Democrats, etc, it is lack of leadership. Or will you insist that Joe Biden is the chosen one?

[Ron]

its a cult of TDS no need for a leader. Trump could cure cancer and they will call it evil. heck the left said to not take the Vaccine until after trump lost the election then it was suddenly okay and anyone who didn't take it was now the bad person

[mtrueman]

"its a cult of TDS no need for a leader. "

Then it's not a cult. Words have meanings. And Trump is more fitting the role of cult leader for MAGA. The impulse to label as TDS anything that denigrates or questions Trump in any way is a dead give away.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

So what would you claim a cult is, misconstrueman?

[mtrueman]

It's not such a tough problem. I suggest you look into the matter for yourself. You don't need my help, I promise you.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

I asked for what you think one is, not the dictionary definition.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

“anything that denigrates or questions Trump in any way”

Except he just used the example of being against something because Trump, then being for the exact same thing once it was not Trump. Sorry you still don’t understand what TDS means after almost a decade. But you’ve still got three more years so there’s still hope.

[mtrueman]

Why bring Trump into it? The original post I responded to made no mention of Trump, my response made no mention. Yet Ron whose thoughts never stray far from the dear leader, can't help himself, feels compelled to drag his name into the mix. Classic cult thinking.

"Sorry you still don’t understand what TDS means after almost a decade. "

You're not sorry. No need to pretend you are. If you can't respond in good faith, don't bother responding at all. Save us both time and effort.

[Sun Wukong]

The left is one charismatic leader away from committing mass suicide.

[mtrueman]

You seem to have a better idea of the meaning of the word cult than others here. Well done.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

We can only hope.

[Mickey Rat]

Look at how they behaved when Obama was President. They just do not have a charismatic leader now.

[mtrueman]

"They just do not have a charismatic leader now."

As I said, they have no charismatic leadership, ergo, not a cult.

And Obama? Charismatic? MLK, Fred Hampton and Malcolm X all had charisma and are remembered to this day. Obama is at best a second rate after dinner speaker. Have you actually listened to his speeches? And MLK et al were all leaders. Obama took orders, providing nothing of his own initiative. That continues today. What leadership has Obama given to the Palestinian cause? Or immigration? Or other issues of the day?

[Marshal]

There are 8 generally accepted characteristics of cults and the best dispute left wingers can find is that there is not an individual leader.

Weak.

[Medulla Oblongata]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/race-baiting-lawyers-claim-man-s-life-stolen-by-ice-turns-out-he-shot-at-officer/ar-AA1U9LV6

Civil rights attorneys frame the New Year’s Eve death of Keith Porter Jr., 43, as yet another example of federal overreach and racial injustice, but law enforcement sources and video evidence paint a different picture.

An off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Porter on New Year’s Eve. Los Angeles civil rights lawyer Ben Crump said Porter’s life was “stolen” by an ICE agent and pledged to “stand with Keith Porter Jr.’s family until there is justice, transparency, and answers.”

The Department of Homeland Security said the off-duty ICE agent heard gunfire near his Northridge apartment and went outside to investigate. Officials added that the agent encountered Porter armed with a rifle, ordered him to drop the weapon, and returned fire after Porter allegedly fired multiple shots, leaving the agent uninjured.

https://x.com/fleshsimulator/status/2011192298223046763

Bro he was shooting an AR in the air in a residential apartment complex

And when an off duty ice agent WHO LIVED THERE told him to stop firing an AR in the air, Porter instead aimed at the ice agent and fired at him multiple times lmao

…THEN he got shot by ICE.

[Sun Wukong]

There are usually around 20 or so people a year killed by celebratory gun fire. Firing a rifle in the air in city or town is about the most retarded and dangerous thing you can do. The only thing more retarded is then pointing the weapon at the cops.

White liberals are dangerous and delusional. Is it even possible to build enough insane asylums to house them?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

The left has come out literally defending this because it is "normal" to fire weapons on news years. The group who hates every gun defending it because of who is involved.

[Marshal]

Demand for police violence exceeds supply, so they have to make it up.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Couldn't happen to a nicer place...

https://x.com/chamath/status/2010215459522548184

Unfortunate update as of today:

More calls from friends. The total wealth that has left California is now $1T.

We had $2T of billionaire wealth just a few weeks ago. Now, 50% of that wealth has left - taking their income tax revenue, sales tax revenue, real estate tax revenue and all their staffs (and their salaries and income taxes) with them.

In other words, by starting this ill conceived attempt at an asset tax, the California budget deficit will explode. And we still don’t know if the tax will even make the ballot.

California billionaires were reliable tax payers - 13.3% every year. They were the sheep you could shear forever. Now California will lose this revenue source FOREVER.

[Mike Parsons]

Aside from the obvious easy step of just moving, there are certainly going to be tons of tax loopholes to not pay anything.

"Would you look at that, actually all of my assets are attached to my home in Costa Rica, and my yacht stays parked there now"

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Greaseball Newsom is scrambling to stop this tax but it probably won't matter. Once the billionaires move out they have little incentive to move back.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

California is stupid enough to try to implement out of state resident taxes next.

[Ron]

they tried that before and lost but they will try again even this proposed tax is back dated which is illegal.
Mentioned on the radio today another tec company is leaving California with its 600 employees.

Notice Newsom proposed this wealth tax and is now fighting it to look presidential

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

At least Boehm will.be happy woth the temporary drop on employment numbers. Blaming it on tariffs instead of California democrats.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

That dumb commie said it doesn't matter.

[Marshal]

Why would leftists care? They believe the solution to any deficit is to raise taxes and the Feds will bail them out if necessary.

On the bright side they are providing a powerful economic lesson to everyone else.

[Medulla Oblongata]

FWIW:

Reports by CBS News state that [Goode shooter ICE officer] Ross was treated at a hospital for internal injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, and the resulting internal bleeding triggered imaging, monitoring, and medical intervention. This sequence only follows a serious physical impact.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Sullum was still arguing it was unclear the car made contact yesterday.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Sullum is a shill and a retard.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

JS;dr.

[Sun Wukong]

Since being a shill implies that you know better and are lying, it is actually pretty difficult to be both a shill and a retard at the same time. Yet, Sollumn is that rare retard who manages to pull it off.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

He’s a propagandist for globalist authoritarians. His coverage of Minnesota is in support of destabilization and insurrection.

[Sun Wukong]

Reason, a magazine founded to promote libertarianism, is now a full time mouth piece for a leftist movement trying to create a global totalitarian government. Irony is pretty ironic sometimes.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

PE will be here shortly to ask you about the acceleration of a European swallow to debunk this.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Minnesota "neighbors" being defended by protesters...

https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2010101496034074739

ICE has provided
@FoxNews
a list of the most egregious criminal aliens they've arrested during their surge in the sanctuary state of Minnesota, & it's the most disturbing list I've ever seen, including numerous convicted child rapists/sodomizers & ten convicted killers, most with deportation orders going back many years. Several from Laos, Somalia, and Sudan.

WARNING GRAPHIC - Highlights below:

Sriudorn Phaivan, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy & strong-arm sodomy of a girl with a deportation order since 2018.

Tou Vang, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under age 13 and procuring a child for prostitution with a deportation order since 2006.

Chong Vue, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of the strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl and kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her, with a deportation order since 2004,

Ge Yang, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of strong-arm rape, aggravated assault with a weapon, and strangulation with a deportation order since 2012.

Pao Choua Xiong, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of rape and child fondling with a deportation order since 2003.

Kou Lor, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of rape, rape with a weapon, and sexual assault with a deportation order since 1996.

Hernan Cortes-Valencia, Mexican illegal alien convicted of sexual assault of a child and DUI with a deportation order since 2016.

Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somalian illegal alien convicted of homicide.

Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, a Salvadoran illegal alien convicted of three counts of homicide with a deportation order since June 2025.

Gabriel Figueroa Gama, a Mexican illegal convicted of homicide who has been previously deported in 2002.

Galuak Michael Rotgai, a Sudanese illegal alien convicted of homicide.

Thai Lor, a Laotian illegal alien convicted of two counts of homicide with a deportation order since 2009.

Mariana Sia Kanu, an illegal alien from Sierra Leone convicted of two counts of homicide with a deportation order since 2022.

Aldrin Guerrero Munoz, a Mexican illegal alien convicted of homicide with a deportation order since 2015.

Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, a Somalian illegal alien convicted of manslaughter with a deportation order since 2022.

Mongong Dual Maniang Deng, a Sudanese illegal alien convicted of attempt to commit homicide, weapon possession, and DUI.

Aler Gomez Lucas, a Guatemalan illegal alien convicted of negligent homicide with a vehicle and DUI with a deportation order since 2022.

Shwe Htoo, a Burmese illegal alien convicted of negligent homicide.

ICE says all of these criminal aliens were roaming freely in the sanctuary state of Minnesota prior to arrest, and that these are the type of people that politicians and activists are referring to as their “neighbors” as they attempt to interfere with ICE.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

It’s no wonder Shrike prefers Democrats.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Unimportant if just one Minnesota father gets detained. - Reeeeason.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

I just see fine upstanding Minnesota father's in your list.

[Medulla Oblongata]

No surprise there...

NY Post:

Radical leftist groups, including one financed with $7.8 million from progressive billionaire George Soros, are behind the anti-ICE protests in Minnesota, The Post has learned.

Indivisible Twin Cities, which describes itself as a grassroots group of volunteers, has led many of the protests against ICE raids in Minnesota, where Renee Nicole Good was shot dead Wednesday after allegedly trying to mow down an ICE agent with her vehicle.

Indivisible is an offshoot of the Indivisible Project in Washington, DC, which bills itself as a movement to defeat the “Trump agenda,” and received $7,850,000 from Soros’ Open Society Foundations between 2018 and 2023, according to public records.

https://nypost.com/2026/01/08/us-news/heres-whos-really-behind-the-minneapolis-ice-resistance-movement/

[Spiritus Mundi]

Citigroup Inc. doesn't support the proposed cap, which 'would likely result in a significant slowdown in the economy...

Banks demand low interest and easy money policies to stimulate the economy. But giving that to their customers will slow the economy down?

[Ajsloss]

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!

[Zeb]

Or is the problem that they are unwilling to give that to their high risk customers? Though I don't think it would be a terrible thing if people who can't handle credit have a harder time getting it.

[Sun Wukong]

It would definitely in the short term put a dent in consumer spending. In the long term, I am with you. I don't think allowing people who can't handle it to run up huge credit card debt is a good thing for anyone.

The other thing about this is that you can discharge your credit card debts in bankruptcy. So, the really bad risks almost certainly never pay that money back. Yet, banks are able to absorb the costs of default and keep issuing credit cards. That tells you the obscene amount of money they make from the people who do pay and from what the people who default pay them before defaulting. They borrow that money from the fed at 1% and then loan it out to consumers at 20% or more. This may be a bad idea, but if it is, it isn't a bad idea because the banks would be a little less profitable. I am sorry but that is obscene.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Its good for the people buying concert tickets and travel on credit then shamelessly declaring bankruptcy.

[Sun Wukong]

I used to think it was shameful to not pay your debts. I still do pay my debts. The banks taking a trillion dollars or whatever it was of my tax money under TARP greatly reduced my sympathy for the banks when someone rips them off.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Fair observation.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Many of the banks wanted nothing to do with TARP loans but were forced by regulators to take them to avoid "stigmatizing" the banks that claimed they needed them. Pretty much every bank paid back their TARP loans as soon as regulators allowed them too.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Problem is democrats will force the banks to give the high risk customers the same deal. Which is the current issue.

[BYODB]

Subprime mortgage crisis 2.0 anyone?

[Medulla Oblongata]

But that's racist.

[CindyF]

Somin's favorite terrorist supporter may have to go!

"Appeals court reverses decision that freed pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil"

A federal appeals panel on Thursday reversed a lower court decision that released former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil from an immigration jail, bringing the government one step closer to detaining and ultimately deporting the Palestinian activist.

A three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia instructed the lower court to dismiss Khalil’s habeas petition, a court filing that secured his release. The panel ruled that the federal district court in New Jersey did not have jurisdiction over the matter because immigration challenges are handled differently under the law.

The 2-1 ruling concluded that Khalil needed to channel his complaint through immigration courts and ultimately to the court of appeals — the standard process for immigration challenges — rather than take a habeas petition to district court.

https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-protester-immigration-appeals-court-deportation-2b6d321d5157632412a82fba14eb3bd4

[Sun Wukong]

Large numbers of people wanting to murder and terrorize Jews is just local flavor. The price of modernity and diversity. It is all part of the big libertarian moment man.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Interesting. We've seen multiple article 3 judges bypass the immigration courts with these habeas petitions. They are out of their lane.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

This is what, the tenth time inferior Courts have been told this?

[Sun Wukong]

Over the years, Reason has to its credit covered a lot of stories involving government and taxpayer fraud. The Somali fraud story is by volume and monetary value the biggest government fraud case in history. Oddly, Reason seems totally uninterested in it. It is almost like Reason never really cared about fraud and only pretended to care about it when it could be used to advance leftist politics or something.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Immigrants > government fraud - Reeeeason

[Sun Wukong]

Imagine Reason's coverage if it came out that a bunch of rural Pentecostal Ministers in Kansas had stolen $9 billion from the federal government. I think Reason might be more interested in covering that story for some reason.

[mtrueman]

The Clergy have assumed positions of moral and community leadership. They are thieves, but also hypocrites.

[Sun Wukong]

Then make it a bunch of white farmers in Kansas. The point is that reason doesn't care if immigrants rob the country blind and will do anything to avoid talking about it when they do.

[mtrueman]

"Then make it a bunch of white farmers in Kansas."

That is an entirely different kettle of fish. White farmers are assumed to be lazy, grifting and sexually perverse. Kansas is home to some of the worst of the breed.

[Chuck P. (Now with less Sarc more snark)]

White farmers are assumed to be lazy, grifting and sexually perverse. Kansas is home to some of the worst of the breed.

I love it when the POS lefty shills post stupid shit that reveals that deep down they are chock full of prejudice and bigotry.

[Dillinger]

the sexually perverse grifters are all in Oklahoma

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

So does that make it ok that the Somalis did it anyway, even though they’re not paragons of moral or community leadership?

What about the elected officials who allowed the fraud to happen and seemingly profit off it?

[mtrueman]

"So does that make it ok that the Somalis did it anyway, even though they’re not paragons of moral or community leadership?"

It means they're not hypocrites.

"What about the elected officials who allowed the fraud to happen and seemingly profit off it?"

When you continually elect officials who don't know right from wrong, what else can you expect? You remind me of the famous cartoon character Charlie Brown, falling for the same trick again and again.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Interesting you refused to answer his questions.

[Its_Not_Inevitable]

Classic deflect and redirect.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Christian Nationalism is the greatest threat to humanity in the history of civilization. Except for ICE of course.

[Zeb]

I think it's less about advancing leftist politics and more about avoiding being lumped in with dirty right-wingers.

[MollyGodiva]

Everyone needs to defend their community against these fascist thugs. 2A nuts have been raving about their need to defend themselves against a tyrannical government. It is here and it is time for them to stand up.

[Use the Schwartz]

How does it feel to advocate for a civil war in order to keep your cheap labor?

[MollyGodiva]

Nothing to do with cheap labor. We have rednecks for that. It is about fighting tyranny and standing up for freedom. Our freedom.

As Republicans told us they would, the US will fall as a free country and the Republicans will be the ones cheering the demise.

[Use the Schwartz]

"Nothing to do with cheap labor."

That's what Democrats said just before the first Civil War.

How does it feel to be on team "Just as Bad?"

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Normally the side importing millions of non citizens against current laws would be assumed to be the aggressors. Youre aware of that right china tony?

[Medulla Oblongata]

Democrats in 1860: But who will pick our cotton?
Democrats in 2026: But who will wipe our asses?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJl7acUIvjk

Ok, technically that was 2025...

[Sun Wukong]

Deporting illegal aliens is not a tyranical government. It is the government doing one of its most basic and essential functions. You lost the election. Every single one of the millions of criminals, welfare cheats, and fake votes that the Democratic party imported are going back where they came from. Scream and cry about it all you want, but that isn't going to change anything.

[MollyGodiva]

Murdering and disappearing protesters is.

[Ajsloss]

Cool story, bro.

[damikesc]

Remember your words under the next Dem President.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Fuck off commie scum.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

How is enforcing the INA (passed by congress, upheld by SCOTUS), tyrannical china tony?

[Moonrocks]

Ironic how the same crowd that was cheering the Biden regime's use of government force to harass and arrest its political opposition is now crying Fascism!!1! over the arrest and deportation of aliens illegally residing in the country.

[Super Scary]

"2A nuts have been raving about their need to defend themselves against a tyrannical government."

"Oh woe is me! Why won't the people that I have tried to denigrate and disarm for decades not help me?! Help me you stupid racist gun-toting morons!"

No. Actually, not just no. Fuck no.

[Dillinger]

>>Samuels is passionate about "integration"—something Mamdani seems to believe is sorely needed. What exactly does this mean?

it means you reside in the middle of the American Caliphate how's that going?

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

*American Communist Caliphate

[Ajsloss]

Cal and Stanford are in the ACC now, so that checks out.

[Sun Wukong]

When the American Caliphate comes will McArdle making her husband Suderman wear a burka relieve her of the legal duty to wear one? Anyone familiar with Sharia law? What is the ruling on that?

[Dillinger]

>>Yes:

no! you & Kat are both still quislings there is no "misunderstanding" there is (D) sending out unarmed foot-soldiers to die on the front lines

[Dillinger]

>>Trump really, really wants to take Greenland.

misspelled "secure" ... really really wants to secure Greenland

[Zeb]

Against what? I guess Russia is the obvious answer. I know Russia has been doing a lot to consolidate control of the arctic. Not sure if they have any specific designs when it comes to Greenland.

[Dillinger]

you ever read Red Storm Rising?

[Zeb]

I have not.

[Dillinger]

tongue-in-cheek but Tom Clancy was always relatively correct and Red Storm Rising is his only scenario that hasn't yet happened

[Chuck P. (Now with less Sarc more snark)]

Tom Clancy is the reason I knew 9/11 was an attack the first moment I heard about it.

[Medulla Oblongata]

I think "obtain" is the word. Would like for Denmark to just hand it over, but is willing to pay for it. Not seen anything where he's said he would take it (by force).

[Dillinger]

>>"Bilt is unveiling three new credit cards with interest rates capped at 10%, days after President Donald Trump threatened lenders that failed to do so,"

Bloomberg does it too maybe this is where you get the idea ... "days after President DT suggested lenders do so"

[Dillinger]

>>We have been informed by very important sources on the other side: The killing has stopped and the executions won't take place

"let me bank my money in Qatar ... and gimme three steps" ~~ Ayatollah Assahola

[Sun Wukong]

The Ayatollah is going to escape to Moscow where he will bunk in with Assad. They are going to have the weirdest reality show ever.

[Dillinger]

guess who's coming to dinner? Chechen separatists.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Lower illegal alien population tending towards lower housing costs

From ‘Breitbart’:

In 14 of the top 20 metro areas with the largest illegal migrant populations, home list prices DECLINED year-over-year in December. The three metro areas that saw modest price increases are all “sanctuary cities.”

[Sun Wukong]

You mean the laws of supply and demand apply to the housing market? That is amazing. Next thing you are going to tell me that the laws of supply and demand apply to the labor market. That is just crazy talk.

[Chuck P. (Now with less Sarc more snark)]

Couldn't sell my house in TX all last year. It is now being rented to Korean nationals working on the Samsung plant in Taylor. Legal immigration FTW!

[mad.casual]

Kat Rosenfeld: "activists are misperceiving the stakes of these interactions in a way that made tragedy all but inevitable"

Jacob Sullum: "The FBI is wrong to think that Renee Good's Anti-ICE activism is relevant in deciding whether killing her was justified"

If activists misunderstood the stakes, where did they get the mistaken impression and, if both sides are wrong, which one is doing the introspection and which one is opposing anyone asking any questions?

Again, Brian Sicknick, Ashli Babbett, Renee Good... badges, no badges... all just grease for the treads of the outrage machine.