I wonder if President Donald J. Trump will honor it or call it some DEI holiday.
This is the fourth year for the celebration of liberation for the descendants of slavery. It took an additional two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation for enslaved Africans to be freed.
The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."
Despite this expansive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded from the United States, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal border states. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy (the Southern secessionist states) that had already come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised depended upon Union (United States) military victory.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.
From the first days of the Civil War, slaves had acted to secure their own liberty. The Emancipation Proclamation confirmed their insistence that the war for the Union must become a war for freedom. It added moral force to the Union cause and strengthened the Union both militarily and politically. As a milestone along the road to slavery's final destruction, the Emancipation Proclamation has assumed a place among the great documents of human freedom.
The original of the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, is in the National Archives in Washington, DC. With the text covering five pages the document was originally tied with narrow red and blue ribbons, which were attached to the signature page by a wafered impression of the seal of the United States. Most of the ribbon remains; parts of the seal are still decipherable, but other parts have worn off.
The document was bound with other proclamations in a large volume preserved for many years by the Department of State. When it was prepared for binding, it was reinforced with strips along the center folds and then mounted on a still larger sheet of heavy paper. Written in red ink on the upper right-hand corner of this large sheet is the number of the Proclamation, 95, given to it by the Department of State long after it was signed. With other records, the volume containing the Emancipation Proclamation was transferred in 1936 from the Department of State to the National Archives of the United States.
Juneteenth only became the newest national holiday in 2021 when then President Biden signed legislation formally recognize June 19th as a national day of observance. Known variously as Juneteenth (a combination of the words "June" and "19th"), Freedom Day, Emancipation Day or Jubilee Day, it is now marked by parades, rallies and cookouts in cities across the U.S.
The Dayton Police arrested a notorious tagger who has been vandalizing buildings, noise walls, street signs, traffic signals and left a unique calling card.
It was tagged over skyscrapers, abandoned homes, railroad tressels, bridges, abandoned businesses, noise walls, street signs, sidewalks, bus shelters and dumpsters.
SUPA.
The suspect is named Roman Baumer. The 19 year old has likely over $200,000 worth of property damage throughout Dayton, Trotwood, Riverside, Vandalia, Harrison Township, Jefferson Township, Clayton, Butler Township, Kettering and Moraine.
The tagger even went as far as Columbus and Springfield.
Oh he is gonna pay for this.
The city was waiting for the right moment to catch him slipping.
Since I don't give a fuck. Here is the image of the suspect.
Man from Englewood, Ohio caused thousands of dollars of vandalism and property damage.
After the tagging on Interstate 75 and Ohio State Route 4, the Ohio Department of Transportation used high definition cameras to catch him.
Also the city set up cameras in areas where he and the other tagger JK-47 were known to tag again.
The suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
It took almost a year.
What makes this a sad pathetic thing is the fact that Dayton looks bad.
It took a white man from the suburbs to deface the community.
He ain't sorry.
Matter of fact, he will likely do it again.
Dayton mayor Jeff Mims and police chief Kamran Afzal will eventually start getting tough on taggers.
This tagger lives in the suburbs. He intentionally destroyed Dayton for thrills.
There are three known taggers who have spread their tags in not only Dayton but the suburbs of Vandalia, Moraine, Harrison Township, Butler Township, Trotwood, Riverside and Kettering.
On North Main Street (Ohio State Route 48), Baumer has over 30 properties with his signature tag.
The other tagger has 50 throughout the community.
Tagging has plagued downtown as well and it has frustrated city leaders.
Maj. Brian Johns of the Dayton Police Department said, "He’s tagged areas near Columbus, there was an area on the overpass on I-70 near I-75 where it was tagged, there are just hundreds of tags in the city of Dayton and beyond from Supa."
The video evidence reportedly shows Baumer checking the area for bystanders before spray-painting the side of the building and leaving the scene. Authorities claim Baumer has defaced hundreds of properties throughout the city.
Police are working with affected businesses and areas to have Baumer repaint over his graffiti as a form of community service punishment.
They were too lenient. They should make him actually work at the businesses affected by the tagging.
They should put him in the county lockup for this.
For the first time, I actually starting to agree with Tucker Carlson. That smug bow tie, sandal wearing asshole confronts that no teeth having, do nothing, smug asshole, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on his undying support of Israel.
The civil war between MAGAland.
The civil war in the Democratic Party.
Both parties are useless as fuck. They allow one foreign country occupy their roles in government, leadership and policies. It's almost like all members who take AIPAC money have to suck the cock of some Israeli operative.
Even notable members are selling out.
Many people do not want to have another senseless war. Even President Donald J. Trump is shifting gears towards a conflict despite his promises to not engage in new wars.
Carlson and Candace Owens are like a damn broken clock. For one time, they are actually right.
No I am not becoming a conservative or embracing their nonsense. But the writing is on the wall. You can't just sit back and ignore the images of children being killed daily by an apartheid ethnostate.
Israel has doomed Trump, Joe Biden and George W. Bush.
Barack Obama may have been the only person willing to take on Benjamin Netanyahu despite his unwavering support for Israel. However, he at least acknowledged the plight of Palestinians. Yet, Obama had a role in regime change in Libya. Biden had a role in regime change in Syria. All at the behest of Israel.
Wow, that was so long ago.
I wished Kamala Harris would have shifted her position. She would have not been as chaotic as Trump. Sure as hell, the far right would demonize her for being a Black woman, claim she is soft on terror or whatever else they can vomit up.
If she would have called for a ceasefire, allow a Palestinian American speaker, talk to Rashida Tlaib, visit a mosque or even go on a podcast with a critic, man.
But here we are. Trump and Vice President JD Vance are drumming up for war.
It was first about nuclear weapons. Now it's about regime change. Put a pro Israel leader in and destabilize the Persian world.
Tucker Carlson had enough. This isn't America First.
He does a sit down interview with Cruz. It was not a friendly. It was heated.
Senator Ted Cruz demands regime change in Iran. He’s not interested in the details.
(0:00) Why Does Cruz Want Regime Change in Iran? (6:28) Is the US Currently Acting in Its Own Best Interest? (7:49) Was Regime Change in Syria Beneficial to the US? (12:31) Was the Iraq War a… pic.twitter.com/iIdENogQ2T
Cruz is infamous for his fleeing Texas during the winter storm and his failed presidential campaign. He was a headache to former president Barack Obama.
He has no real accomplishments as a senator. Cruz usually wins reelection despite his endless controversies.
I started to notice that Cruz has no upper teeth. He must have dentures or something is definitely wrong with his face.
Carlson asks Cruz, “How many people live in Iran by the way?” Cruz responds, “I don’t know the population.”
“You don’t know the population of the country you seek to topple?,” Carlson insists?
Cruz shot back, “I don’t sit around memorizing population tables.”
Carlson stated, “Well, it’s kinda relevant because you’re calling for the overthrow of the Government.”
The two men then argue about the “ethnic mix” of Iran, which leads to Cruz shouting, “I am not the Tucker Carlson expert on Iran!”
Carlson retorts, “No you’re a senator who is calling to overthrow the country and you don’t know anything about the country!”
Carlson asked Cruz why is Israel spying on Americans. Cruz deflected from it.
The whole interview is a total shitshow. Cruz deflected to Black issues quickly.
He votes against domestic spending and never flinches from defense spending.
The Boondocks made a parody of Tyler Perry by creating Winston Duke. The media mogul called Cartoon Network Studios and Sony Entertainment personality to ban the episode because it portrayed him in a negative light.
Aaron McGruder to this day was never proven wrong.
The Boondocks lasted four seasons. Technically three seasons because McGruder walked away from the final ten episodes that contributed. Adult Swim, the network that follows Cartoon Network had to call it a "fourth season."
Pause.
Perry is being sued for sexual assault, extortion and quid pro quo allegations.
The victim also revealed numerous text messages between the two that lasted for nearly a year.
Tyler Perry Studios is based in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New Orleans. His studio facilty is located at the old Fort McPherson military installation in Atlanta.
The actor who worked on the Tyler Perry-created TV drama “The Oval” has filed a lawsuit alleging Perry leveraged his industry power to repeatedly sexually assault and harass him while keeping him quiet.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by actor Derek Dixon, who appeared on 85 episodes of the BET series, seeks at least $260 million in damages.
“Mr. Perry took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon — initially promising him career advancement and creative opportunities, such as producing his pilot and casting him in his show, only to subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” the lawsuit says.
Derek Dixon accused media mogul Tyler Perry of sexual abuse.
The lawsuit was filed Friday and first reported Tuesday by TMZ.
Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, said its allegations are false.
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd said in a statement Tuesday. “But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
The lawsuit says that Perry first noticed Dixon in 2019 when Dixon was part of the event staff at a Perry party, and later offered an audition.
Dixon would first appear in a small role on the Perry series “Ruthless” before getting the bigger role on the political drama “The Oval.”
Perry soon began sending unwanted sexual text messages to Dixon, according to the lawsuit, which includes screenshots of several of them.
“What’s it going to take for you to have guiltless sex?” one of the messages says.
The lawsuit says Perry offered Dixon an increasingly prominent role on the show as his sexual advances became more aggressive.
The actor says he tried to remain friendly while maintaining boundaries.
“Dixon did his best to tiptoe around Mr. Perry’s sexual aggression while keeping on Mr. Perry’s good side,” the lawsuit says. “Mr. Perry made it clear to Dixon that if Dixon ignored Perry or failed to engage with the sexual innuendoes, Dixon’s character would ‘die.’”
The lawsuit says Perry eventually sexually assaulted Dixon on “multiple occasions,” including an instance where he “forcibly pulled off Mr. Dixon’s clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to force himself on Dixon.”
Dixon clearly told Perry “No,” but was initially ignored until he was able to de-escalate the situation and change the subject, according to the lawsuit.
The following day, Perry apologized, and told Dixon he would work with Dixon on a TV pilot Dixon was seeking to produce.
Dixon later received a raise that the lawsuit suggests was part of an attempt to keep him quiet.
He said the fear of his character dying kept him quiet as intended.
Perry also produced and bought the rights to the pilot, called “Losing It,” but the lawsuit alleges Perry had no intention of selling the show and was using it only for leverage over Dixon.
The lawsuit describes several other assaults, including one where Dixon was staying in a guest room of Perry’s house when Perry climbed into bed with him uninvited and began groping him, the lawsuit alleges.
Dixon would eventually move from Atlanta, home to Perry’s production studio, to Los Angeles to put distance between the two of them.
Dixon in 2024 filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and when that didn’t result in any action from the show’s producers, he quit.
The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Dixon has.
“The Oval” is one of many television series executive produced by, written by and directed by the 55-year-old Perry, who first became known as creator and star of the “Madea” films and has since built a major production empire in TV and movies. As an actor he has also appeared in the films “Gone Girl” and “Don’t Look Up.”
This is America. A woman who legally brain dead had to give birth to her child. Now the child and the sibling will face years of trauma.
A Black woman who was declared brain dead was forced to carry to term her pregnancy because of these stupid draconian white people laws.
The Dobbs decision set medical freedom and women's rights back.
The Supreme Court has three women and six men. Of the court, five men who act like a bunch of punks and one woman who sucks their cocks.
Y'all voted for this.
John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanagh and Amy Coney Barrett: fuck you bastards. Selling out freedoms for a fictional ditty.
God does not exist. If there was God, why are there so many man made crises.
White supremacy, capitalism, Trumpism, Christian nationalism and Jewish nationalism has made the United States a declining nation.
The baby of a woman in Georgia who was declared brain dead and has been on life support since February was delivered early Friday morning, her mother said.
April Newkirk told WXIA-TV that 31-year-old Adriana Smith’s baby was born prematurely by an emergency cesarean section early Friday, the Atlanta station reported Monday night. She was about six months into her pregnancy. The baby, named Chance, weighs about 1 pound and 13 ounces and is in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“He’s expected to be okay,” Newkirk told the TV station. “He’s just fighting. We just want prayers for him.”
Newkirk said her daughter had intense headaches more than four months ago and went to Atlanta’s Northside Hospital, where she received medication and was released. The next morning, her boyfriend woke to her gasping for air and called 911. Emory University Hospital determined she had blood clots in her brain and she was declared brain-dead. She was eight weeks pregnant, according to WXIA.
Newkirk said Smith would be taken off of life support Tuesday.
The Associated Press called and emailed Emory Tuesday for comment. It is unclear why Emory decided to deliver the baby. The Associated Press has also tried to contact Newkirk.
Smith’s family said Emory doctors told them they were not allowed to remove the devices keeping her breathing because state law bans abortion after cardiac activity can be detected — generally around six weeks into pregnancy.
Georgia Republican Attorney General Chris Carr later issued a statement saying the law did not require medical professionals to keep a woman declared brain dead on life support.
“Removing life support is not an action ‘with the purpose to terminate a pregnancy,’” Carr said.
Newkirk said Smith loved being a nurse at Emory. She also has a 7-year-old son. Her family celebrated her 31st birthday Sunday with several advocacy groups. Newkirk did not speak at the event.
“I’m her mother,” Newkirk told WXIA. “I shouldn’t be burying my daughter. My daughter should be burying me.”
The state of Georgia won't cover the medical expenses, the funeral expenses, the child and sibling's support for years of trauma and of course they want the family to not take any assistance from the state.
George Carlin said it best. They're pro life when it comes to pregnancy but pro death when it comes to war, the death penalty, gun violence, famine and climate change.
They all in your business when it comes to your sex life, your pregnancy and your use of the safety net.
If it wasn’t for Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk, the 45th/47th President of the United States would have never won. Some of these folks thought he was going to reward them for putting him back in the White House.
Nah, he gonna always be that self serving narcissist who just can't take a slight ounce of criticism.
Donald J. Trump wants absolute loyalty.
It appears that Jesse Watters, Bill Ackerman, Mark Levin, Ari Fleschier, Rupert Murdoch and Sean "Softball" Hannity have the president's ear.
Trump is dottering old man who is cognitively declining before our eyes.
Trump had a disastrous G7 Summit in Calgary, Alberta. He has tensions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Many of the G7 nations want Israel sanctioned. Trump opposes it.
Tucker Carlson says that Trump’s support for Israel is not America First.
Carlson has been an outspoken critic of any U.S. involvement in a potential war in the Middle East, and he voiced frustrations after Israel late last week launched missile strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and killed multiple top Iranian military officials.
Carlson wrote that Trump was “complicit in the act of war” and said what occurs next in the region “will define Donald Trump’s presidency.”
In a post on the social platform X last week, Carlson called out “warmongers” who he said were calling on Trump to demand “direct US military involvement in a war with Iran.”
When he ran for the fourth time, he promise he would be the president of peace.
Let's not forget the violent insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. That was not peace.
But thanks to former president Joe Biden and his unilateral support for Israel, Democrats abandoned him and former vice president Kamala Harris.
Biden, Trump and George W. Bush will be regarded as the 21st Century's worst presidents.
Trump and his unilateral support for Israel has split up MAGAland. Where some on the far right are warning the president that if he takes the fight to Iran, they will abandon him and Republicans.
Trump has danced around the question of potential U.S. involvement moving forward. The administration said Israel’s strikes on Iran were unilateral, but the U.S. assisted Israel with intercepting retaliatory Iranian strikes.
Carlson has been a longtime media ally of the president. Carlson spoke at the Republican National Convention last summer and hosted Trump as part of a speaking tour during the 2024 campaign.
The former Fox News host’s opposition to U.S. involvement in any conflict in the Middle East underscores a looming divide among parts of Trump’s base over how to proceed toward Iran.
The second term curse came quickly for Trump.
Job approval at 37%.
Carlson who fired from Fox in 2022 became one of the far right's most prominent voices in independent media.
Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones, Candace Owens and numerous far right agitators are finding independent media suitable.
Joy Reid, Tiffany Cross, Mehdi Hassan, Alex Wagner, Terry Moran, Don Lemon, Roland Martin, Jim Acosta and numerous progressive agitators are moving to independent media too.
Allergic reaction. It is divine intervention calling Kristi Noem.
On a serious note, a food or animal allergy is extremely dangerous for anyone who is exposed to that.
Again, I will not offer any sympathy or well wishes to anyone in politics. This is the price of being a politician.
Homeland Security Security Kristi Noem was rushed to an area hospital after having an allergic reaction. They won't disclose it because of safety and the potential for an actor to attempt an assassination on her life.
President Donald J. Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Congress were notified.
“She is alert and recovering,” said the statement from department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, who said the hospital treatment was out of an “abundance of caution.” Noem, 53, heads a sprawling department with roughly 260,000 employees handling immigration enforcement, airport security, disaster response and other matters.
She has been among the more high-profile members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet, traveling extensively and maintaining a robust social media presence.
She is often the public face of his mass deportation effort, frequently goes out on immigration enforcement operations and has appeared in commercials encouraging immigrants in the country illegally to voluntarily leave the U.S.
She held a press conference last week in California where U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat, was forcibly removed as he tried to speak to Noem about immigration raids. Padilla recalled the incident during an emotional speech from the Senate floor Tuesday.
Homeland Security said the Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the secretary, “thought he was an attacker.” They also accused Padilla of “disrespectful political theater.” Video of the incident shows a Secret Service agent on Noem’s security detail grabbing Padilla by his jacket and shoving him from the room. In the hallway outside he was forced to the ground and handcuffed.
Noem told Fox LA afterward that she had a “great” conversation with Padilla after the scuffle, but called his approach “something that I don’t think was appropriate at all.”
Before being tapped to head Homeland Security, Noem was a two-term governor of South Dakota, a former member of Congress and a staunch Trump supporter.
She has said she specifically asked Trump for the Homeland Security portfolio because she knew it dealt with Trump’s top priorities.
Earlier this year Noem’s purse was stolen on Easter Sunday while she was out to dinner with her family. The purse reportedly contained about $3,000 in cash, her keys, driver’s license, passport and Homeland Security badge. The Homeland Security Department said Noem had cash in her purse to pay for gifts, dinner and other activities for her family on Easter.
A suspect was later arrested in connection with the theft and has been charged in federal court with aggravated identity theft, robbery and fraud.
You notice they are not calling this individual a terrorist.
They gonna say he had mental issues. He was a quiet guy. He was a family man who went to church, volunteered at events and even got close to the governor.
While the right has called this shooter a leftists, the reality is he held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion.
Minnesota authorities and the feds have found the shooter who assassinated two Democratic lawmakers on Saturday.
The authorities identified 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect and captured him a day later in the evening in Green Isle, Minnesota. He was federally charged with murder, stalking, and firearms offenses. The state charged Boelter with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, but Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced her intention to upgrade the charges to first-degree murder before a grand jury.
Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman was assassinated in a shooting at her home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States, on June 14, 2025. Hortman, the leader of the state house Democratic caucus, was killed alongside her husband, Mark. Earlier that morning, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot in their home in nearby Champlin, and were hospitalized. Police responding to the attack on the Hoffmans pro-actively checked on the Hortmans' home, where a man believed to be the attacker fired at them. The shooter escaped the scene, sparking the largest manhunt in Minnesota history.
According to federal prosecutors, Boelter arrived at the Hoffman residence shortly before 2 a.m. CDT (UTC−5) on June 14, 2025. He knocked on the door, shouting that he was a police officer. As the Hoffmans opened the door, he asked if they had weapons. John Hoffman shouted "You're not a cop" and attempted to push Boelter out the door; Boelter replied "this is a robbery" and shot both husband and wife repeatedly.
At 2:06 a.m., police in Champlin, Minnesota, responded to an emergency call from the Hoffmans' daughter; they found Hoffman and his wife Yvette injured by gunshot wounds. John Hoffman was shot nine times, while Yvette was shot eight times. According to their nephew, Yvette was shot while shielding her daughter from the shooter.
Republicans often call for violence against Democrats.
The acting United States Attorney for Minnesota, Joseph H. Thompson, said that Boelter went to two other homes after leaving the Hoffman residence. Boelter first went to state representative Kristin Bahner's house in Maple Grove, where he knocked on the door. Bahner, on vacation with her family, was not at home and Boelter left. Next, he parked near the residence of state senator Ann Rest in New Hope.
At 2:36 a.m., while he was parked, a police officer had an encounter with Boelter; the officer, believing him to be a colleague who had been sent to check on the senator, attempted to talk to him, but he did not respond. The officer called for backup and went to Rest's house. Boelter then left New Hope and went to the Hortman residence in Brooklyn Park.
Two Brooklyn Park police officers, alerted by their colleagues in Champlin to the shooting, proactively went to check on the Hortmans. They arrived at the Hortman home at 3:35 a.m. and saw what appeared to be a police vehicle in the driveway; Mark Bruley, the Brooklyn Park police chief, said the vehicle "looked exactly like an SUV squad car".
As the officers arrived at the residence, they witnessed a person who was later described as wearing a hyper realistic rubber mask (an old man disguise), a full police uniform (including body armor), a badge, and standard police gear. The attacker drew a gun and shot at the officers, and they returned fire. The attacker retreated into the house and the officers witnessed the attacker shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the house. The police moved Mark Hortman from the threshold of the home and he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. A drone was then used to enter the residence, where Melissa Hortman's body was found.
More officers were called to the scene, surrounding the house, and a SWAT team arrived. However the suspect escaped the police on foot after exchanging gunfire.
Friends and former colleagues interviewed by AP described Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for President Donald Trump. Records show Boelter registered to vote as a Republican while living in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to Minnesota where voters don’t list party affiliation.
Oh let's say he is a Democrat. Ignoring the fact gun violence is the biggest issue in the country. Democracy is coming second. Deadly diseases will be third.
Near the scene at Hortman’s home, authorities say they found an SUV made to look like those used by law enforcement. Inside they found fliers for a local anti-Trump “No Kings” rally scheduled for Saturday and a notebook with names of other lawmakers. The list also included the names of abortion rights advocates and health care officials, according to two law enforcement officials who could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Both Hortman and Hoffman were defenders of abortion rights at the state legislature.
Suspect not believed to have made any public threats before attacks, official says
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said at a briefing on Sunday that Boelter is not believed to have made any public threats before the attacks. Evans asked the public not to speculate on a motivation for the attacks. “We often want easy answers for complex problems,” he told reporters. “Those answers will come as we complete the full picture of our investigation.”
Friends told the AP that they knew Boelter was religious and conservative, but that he didn’t talk about politics often and didn’t seem extreme.
“He was right-leaning politically but never fanatical, from what I saw, just strong beliefs,” said Paul Schroeder, who has known Boelter for years.
A glimpse of suspect’s beliefs on abortion during a trip to Africa
Boelter, who worked as a security contractor, gave a glimpse of his beliefs on abortion during a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2023. While there, Boelter served as an evangelical pastor, telling people he had first found Jesus as a teenager.
“The churches are so messed up, they don’t know abortion is wrong in many churches,” he said, according to an online recording of one sermon from February 2023. Still, in three lengthy sermons reviewed by the AP, he only mentioned abortion once, focusing more on his love of God and what he saw as the moral decay in his native country.
He appears to have hidden his more strident beliefs from his friends back home.
“He never talked to me about abortion,” Schroeder said. “It seemed to be just that he was a conservative Republican who naturally followed Trump.”
The church Boelter attended outside Minneapolis issued a statement Sunday condemning the shootings as “the opposite of what Jesus taught his followers to do.”
“This incident has devastated our church family and does not reflect our values or beliefs,” the Jordan Family Church said on its website, adding it was cooperating with law enforcement.
Seeking to reinvent himself
A married father with five children, Boelter and his wife own a sprawling 3,800-square-foot house on a large rural lot about an hour from downtown Minneapolis that the couple bought in 2023 for more than a half-million dollars.
He worked for decades in managerial roles for food and beverage manufacturers before seeking to reinvent himself in middle age, according to resumes and a video he posted online.
After getting an undergraduate degree in international relations in his 20s, Boelter went back to school and earned a master’s degree and then a doctorate in leadership studies in 2016 from Cardinal Stritch University, a private Catholic college in Wisconsin that has since shut down. While living in Wisconsin, records show Boelter and his wife Jenny founded a nonprofit corporation called Revoformation Ministries, listing themselves as the president and secretary.
After moving to Minnesota about a decade ago, Boelter volunteered for a position on a state workforce development board, first appointed by then-Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, in 2016, and later by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. He served through 2023.
In that position, he may have crossed paths with one of his alleged victims. Hoffman served on the same board, though authorities said it was not immediately clear how much the two men may have interacted.
Launching a security firm
Records show Boelter and his wife started a security firm in 2018. A website for Praetorian Guard Security Services lists Boelter’s wife as the president and CEO while he is listed as the director of security patrols. The company’s homepage says it provides armed security for property and events and features a photo of an SUV painted in a two-tone black and silver pattern similar to a police vehicle, with a light bar across the roof and “Praetorian” painted across the doors. Another photo shows a man in black tactical gear with a military-style helmet and a ballistic vest with the company’s name across the front.
In an online resume, Boelter also billed himself as a security contractor who worked oversees in the Middle East and Africa. On his trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, he told Chris Fuller, a friend, that he had founded several companies focused on farming and fishing on the Congo River, as well as in transportation and tractor sales.
“It has been a very fun and rewarding experience and I only wished I had done something like this 10 years ago,” he wrote in a message shared with the AP.
But once he returned home in 2023, there were signs that Boelter was struggling financially. That August, he began working for a transport service for a funeral home, mostly picking up bodies of those who had died in assisted living facilities — a job he described as he needed to do to pay bills. Tim Koch, the owner of Metro First Call, said Boelter “voluntarily left” that position about four months ago.
“This is devastating news for all involved,” Koch said, declining to elaborate on the reasons for Boelter’s departure, citing the ongoing law enforcement investigation.
Boelter had also started spending some nights away from his family, renting a room in a modest house in northern Minneapolis shared by friends. Heavily armed police executed a search warrant on the home Saturday.
‘I’m going to be gone for awhile’
In the hours before Saturday’s shootings, Boelter texted two roommates to tell them he loved them and that “I’m going to be gone for a while,” according to Schroeder, who was forwarded the text and read it to the AP.
“May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way,” Boelter wrote. “I don’t want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this. But I love you guys and I’m sorry for the trouble this has caused.”
If he was a Zionist, he would be allowed to live in the United States.
I wish the United States would arrest any Israeli who is responsible for crimes against humanity. The reasons why the people are not arrested is because they are white, Jewish and privileged.
But when it comes to Rwanda, the International Criminal Court and Interpol are still looking for actors who engaged in one of the African nation's worst incidents in modern history.
Other genocides are happening in Brunei, the Democratic People's Republic of the Congo and Palestine.
Vincent Nzigiymfura, who also goes by Vincent Mfura, was charged with visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud, the DOJ says.
Nzigiyimfura, 65, was a prominent businessman and shop owner in Rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began. He allegedly used his wealth and leadership position in Rwandan society to organize violence against and killings of Tutsis, the minority population persecuted in the genocide.
“The indictment alleges this defendant facilitated the killings of Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide and then lied about it on immigration applications in the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio. “This egregious conduct will not be tolerated.”
“As alleged, Vincent Nzigiyimfura directed and encouraged murders during the genocide in Rwanda and then lied to U.S. authorities to start a new life in this country,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The United States is not safe haven for human rights violators. Those, like the defendant, who commit immigration fraud to hide their violent pasts will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“ICE HSI is committed to pursuing justice for victims of genocide by ensuring that those who committed atrocities in foreign lands cannot hide in Ohio or any other community in the United States,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “No one wants a war criminal as their neighbor and these allegations paint a grim picture of the horror Nzigiyimfura inflicted on the Tutsi people. His indictment and arrest is a step toward justice for those victims.”
The skull factory. An infamous image of the Rwanda genocide.
Court documents detail that Nzigiyimfura applied for a visa to enter the United States and was granted lawful permanent resident status in 2008. In 2014, he submitted an application for naturalization. Nzigiyimfura allegedly lied to U.S. immigration officials in his immigration applications, including by falsely denying any involvement as a perpetrator of the Rwandan genocide.
Nzigiyimfura was arrested yesterday and is charged with one count of visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud. If convicted as charged, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit is investigating this case, with assistance from the interagency Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Painter of the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are representing the United States in this case.
“As alleged, Vincent Nzigiyimfura directed and encouraged murders during the genocide in Rwanda and then lied to U.S. authorities to start a new life in this country,” Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew Galeotti said. “The United States is not a safe haven for human rights violators. Those, like the defendant, who commit immigration fraud to hide their violent pasts will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The indictment says Nzigiymfura was a businessman and butcher in Rwanda, and helped lead the genocide against the Tutsis. Court documents claim Nzigiymfura provided weapons, transportation to other Hutus and planned the killings of Tutsis.
Nzigiymfura fled to Malawi after the genocide ended in 1994, according to the DOJ. Nzigiymfura allegedly submitted falsified documents saying he “left Rwanda in 1994 due to the Genocide.” Since then, Nzigiymfura reaffirmed his false statements to live in the United States.
If convicted, Nzigiymfura could spend 30 years in prison.
The suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
At Home is going out of business if they can't find a suitable buyer.
When Kmart closed their stores, At Home replaced most of them. Now who's gonna replace them?
At Home, the home decor and furniture retailer with more than 200 locations in the United States, is filing for bankruptcy.
Private equity firms are destroying American retail as we speak. This is a real issue that Congress and the president continue to ignore. The real possibility of a collapse in our economy is strong.
The popular retail chain announced Monday that it is entering Chapter 11 protection as part of a restructuring agreement intended to eliminate $2 billion in debt and provide $200 million in capital to aid with the restructuring process.
Owned by the private equity firm, Hellman & Friedman, the Plano, Texas-based company, which has been struggling for months amid rising tariffs, entered a forbearance agreement with lenders after it after it missed an interest payment on May 15, Bloomberg reported.
As part of the agreement, At Home said it expects to transition ownership of the company to its pool of lenders who are holding more than 95% of the company's debt.
Brad Weston, CEO of At Home said in a statement that the company is "operating against the backdrop of an increasingly dynamic and rapidly evolving trade environment as we navigate the impact of tariffs." He added that the steps they are taking "will improve our ability to compete in the marketplace in the face of continued volatility and increase the resilience of our business for the long term."
At Home did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment.
Originally named Garden Ridge Pottery, the company opened its first store in 1979 in Schertz, Texas. Since then, it has expanded to 260 locations in 40 states. The retail chain sells a variety of home goods items including rugs, furniture, bedding and kitchenware.
It was not immediately clear if the restructuring would coincide with any store closures, although the company states the majority of its stores will remain open and that the store will continue to serve customers "both in-store and online."
Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said in an email that debt is not the only obstacle for At Home. The company is also dealing with a slowdown in consumer demand for home furnishings, "which is partly a consequence of low consumer confidence and a sluggish housing market," he said.
"These dynamics are unlikely to change in the near term," Saunders added.
The voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings are taking place at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, the company said in its statement. At Home's Chapter 11 proceedings come amid a wave of financial turmoil for other large retailers. The Container Store and Big Lots filed for bankruptcy last year.
This is President Donald J. Trump's economy. He can't blame former president Joe Biden for his policies. Yes, Biden's policies did contribute to numerous companies going out of business, but since Trump came in 2017, it's been a downfall.
Trump’s incompetent chaotic second term is ruining America. As we are expected to defend Israel as it carries on its aggression in seven regions, the U.S. is dealing with chaos within its borders. With ICE rounding up immigrants and policies weaponizing police, we're becoming an authoritarian police state being led by a white collar felon who should have been rejected. A man who should of been criminally charged for the violent insurrection is back in the White House.
Spending money on Israel, his military parades, his golf courses, his family's security and self interests.
At Home probably backed Trump because they thought he is good on the economy.
Don't expect any sympathy when divine intervention happens to folks like this.
Bullets for Mike.
Free speech.
Republicans continue to ignore the threat of gun violence. They are still stuck on the motives of the Minnesota terrorist who assassinated state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband. The terrorist severely injured state senator John Hoffman. They were Democratic Farmer Labor Party members affiliated with the Democratic Party.
So here is the standard of free speech.
You can call for the destruction of countries that aren't Israel. If call for the destruction of Isrsel, someone could report you to the FBI and you may get a visit.
If you threaten the U.S. president, U.S. vice president, U.S. Representatives, U.S. Senators, presidential candidates, state governors or foreign leaders, expect a visit from the U.S. Marshals, U.S. Secret Service or FBI.
If they keep electing ineffective politicians, they continue to get ineffective results.
A state where 98% of its residents are Mormon. A majority of citizens are conservative or libertarian. Democrats have 30% of support in the state.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has gotten death threats, speaks unfettered nonsense and gets unnecessary media attention.
When I say that I won't condone or condemn the incidents that politicians, I mean it.
Democrats and Republicans have for years continued this outrage peddling to score political points.
Utah elected this Mormon idiot who has little value other than noise.
Name one thing Lee's done for that the damn state?
Well?
Gun violence is the biggest threat in the United States.
Capitalism is making America poorer.
Israel is the only country in the world that creates chaos.
If you’re upset over it, cope harder.
It was less than a day after saying Lee condemned all “political violence” in America after a fatal shooting at a protest in his home state, appeared to mock the Minnesota tragedy, calling it the “Nightmare on Waltz Street” in an X post, an apparent misspelling of the governor’s name.
He also suggested that left-wing ideology had caused the shooting. “Marxism is a deadly mental illness,” he wrote. “This is what happens,” he wrote in a caption for a photograph of the alleged Minnesota shooter, “When Marxists don’t get their way.”
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio took a similar tack, writing on X: “The degree to which the extreme left has become radical, violent, and intolerant is both stunning and terrifying.”
Former White House adviser Elon Musk — who amplified conspiracy theories surrounding the 2022 hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Nancy Pelosi — again waded into the fray.
“The far left is murderously violent,” he wrote on X the same day he said he was working to reprogram X’s AI program Grok because it was spreading “leftist indoctrination.”
Lee is pushing for a nationwide ban of pornography and adult entertainment in video games. He wants make it a federal crime for adult entertainment.
They won't call this terrorism. But the incidents in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Washington, DC and Boulder were.
Calls for peace and unity....
Why ain't they calling this an act of terrorism?
The Jan. 1 truck incident in New Orleans.
The Jan. 1 Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas near Trump International.
The May 3 attack where an Ohio dad intentionally killed a Ohio deputy.
The May 22 attack on two Israeli operatives in Washington, DC.
The June 1 attack where a man throw immolation devices at pro Israel supporters.
Those were called acts of terrorism by the president, Congress and the junk food media. But what is this incident? Isolated or a political assassination.
The latest mass shootings. Over 190 mass shootings in the United States. In Bold means multiple incidents.
Detroit, MI
Jacksonville, FL
Canton, OH
Elkhart, IN
Nashville, TN
Dover, DE
Kansas City, MO
Reno, NV
Columbus, OH
Brooklyn Park, MN
Augusta, GA
Washington, DC
Milwaukee, WI
Cleveland, OH
LaGrange, GA
Benton Harbor, MI
Portsmouth, VA
Sanford, NC
Cheneyville, LA
Columbia, SC
Dallas, TX
Minneapolis, MN
Asheville, NC
Danville, VA
Hickory, NC
Snellville, GA
Fayette, MS
Chicago, IL
Clarksville, IN
Marion, SC
Haubstadt, IN
Waianae, HI
Lakewood, WA
Atlanta, GA
Waterbury, CT
Philadelphia, PA
Alexandria, VA
Little River, SC
Oak Ridge, TN
Jackson, TN
Colorado Springs, CO
Albuquerque, NM
Savannah, GA
Chester, PA
McKinney, TX
Rayville, LA
St. Louis, MO
Macon, GA
Glenville, GA
Seattle, WA
Jackson, MI
Las Vegas, NV
Valdosta, GA
Kalispell, MT
Florence, SC
Los Angeles, CA
Paramount, CA
Arvin, CA
Kelso, WA
Hartford, CT
Memphis, TN
Keithville, LA
North Charleston, SC
Sharon, PA
Oklahoma City, OK
Denver, CO
Glendale, AZ
The political violence towards elected leaders is on the rise. I am not condoning it or condemning it. It is a man made crisis that our elected leaders failed to stop.
Nah, do not fall for this bullshit. The Zionists, Republicans and Democrats in U.S. politics are full of shit. They will not lower the tension. So thus, expect more of this.
Coming to the year when President Donald J. Trump, then former president and Republican presumptive nominee was nearly assassinated.
Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed by a 57-year old white man who left a manifesto and a motive. Hortman was the former Minnesota House Speaker and chairwoman of the caucus for the Democratic Farmer Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party.
Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman were victims of a targeted assassination.
Authorities searched a vehicle on a rural road outside Minneapolis on Sunday that they believe had been used by the man wanted in the shootings of two Democratic lawmakers, as a state on edge struggled to make sense of the brazen political violence that left one leader dead.
Authorities named 57-year old Vance Boelter as a suspect, saying he wore a mask as he posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car.
More than 24 hours after authorities first confronted him outside Hortman’s home, Boelter was still on the loose after fleeing on foot. The FBI issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. They circulated a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings.
Investigators found a cowboy hat near the vehicle and were working to determine whether it belongs to Boelter. Law enforcement officers were searching the area, including nearby homes. The officials could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The search was happening in rural Sibley County, roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Minneapolis, where Boelter had a home with his wife and five children. Residents in the area received an emergency alert about the located vehicle that warned them to lock their doors and cars.
A crowd of officers were seen congregated on a dirt road near the abandoned dark sedan believed to have been used by Boelter. Doors on both sides of the car were splayed open, with discarded items scattered near the vehicle. Some officers broke off and walked into a wooded area off the road. The car was later towed away.
“We believe he’s somewhere in the vicinity and that they are going to find him,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But right now, everyone’s on edge here, because we know that this man will kill at a second.”
The shootings come as political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions. Lawmakers said they were disturbed by the attacks as Twin Cities residents mourned.
Brightly colored flowers and small American flags were placed Sunday on the gray marbled stone of the Minnesota State Capitol along with a photo of the Hortmans. People scrawled messages on small notes including, “You were our leader through the hardest of times. Rest in Power.”
Pam Stein came with flowers and kneeled by the memorial. An emotional Stein called Hortman an “absolute powerhouse” and “the real unsung hero of Minnesota government.”
“She had a way of bringing people to the table and getting things done like no one else could do,” said Stein, a retired lawyer.
The Hoffmans were recovering from surgery, according to their nephew, Mat Ollig.
No details on motive
Authorities have not yet given details on a motive.
A list of about 70 names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle that was left at the crime scene, the officials said. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about healthcare facilities, according to the officials.
A Minnesota official told the AP that lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.
The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway, including one that drew tens of thousands to the State Capitol in St. Paul. Authorities said the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car.
Law enforcement agents recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect’s vehicle, and he was believed to still be armed with a pistol, a person familiar with the matter told AP. The person could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The suspect
Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other.
Around 6 a.m. Saturday, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn’t say what he had done.
“I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. … I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused,” he wrote in messages viewed by the AP.
Two Democrats targeted
Police first responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffmans’ home shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday and found the couple with multiple gunshot wounds.
Local police from Brooklyn Park were assisting with the call and decided to proactively check on Hortman’s home nearby, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said Saturday.
I doubt Trump called Gov. Tim Walz. The president still holds a grudge with the former vice presidential candidate.
There, they encountered what appeared to be a police vehicle and a man dressed as an officer leaving the house. Officers confronted him, he fired at them and officers returned fire. The suspect then retreated back into the home and fled on foot, Bruley said. He left behind the vehicle designed to look like a police car where authorities later found writings.
Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a three-week walkout at the beginning of this year’s session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power-sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita.
Hortman used her position as speaker in 2023 to champion expanded protections for abortion rights, including legislation to solidify Minnesota’s status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions — and to protect providers who serve them.
The couple had two adult children.
Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and was chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one adult daughter.
So back to the calls for unity and peace. No. No. No.
There is no condolences. No condoning or condemnation. It is divine intervention.
Yesterday, Israel continues its aggression on Iran.
Canada is preparing for protest with Trump appearing for the G7 Summit.
The No Kings protests had three individuals try to use violence against those attending.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is angry over the unnecessary use of military in the city in the wake of ICE arrests and protests.
Tucker Carlson is feuding with former allies Rupert Murdoch, Mark Levin and Sean "Softball" Hannity dangling Trump to go into Iran.
The situation is getting worse. Over 190 mass shootings in the United States.
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Congress and the junk food media are provocateurs of violence in the United States. They are the reasons for America's downfall.
This disaster of a president.
By the way, former vice president Mike Pence, former president George W. Bush, former president Joe Biden, former vice president Dick Cheney and former vice president Kamala Harris caused chaos too. Their support for Israel and refusal to listen to the American voters led to the downfall as well.
These murderers don't have mental illness. They are calculated and prepared. It happened to be a moment where they have the opportunity to take out lives.
There's no sickness in the head. Most mass shooters legally obtain their assault rifles without little background checks. They have likely no criminal history and they are willing to use the assault weapon in the only thing it's good for: Killing numerous lives.
I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns.
Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases.
Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.
According to the far right: White shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant thugs and criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants. According to the far right, almost all white [or non-white] mass shooters are registered Democrats [or some progressive activist] because they have liked or done one thing common to the left. Of course, they often share or post disinformation by using the "Sam Hyde" meme or make bogus social media platforms with the shooter's image as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white or associated with conservative causes. The far right says a white person should "protect" themselves from thugs, terrorists or protesters. They believe the use of firearms are "justified" if they are protesting or even instigating a conflict. The far right believes if a shooter is a police officer, an active military member, a veteran or a citizen who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens in urban communities, the far right automatically assumes the gunmen are Black.
The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, Twitter and they force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican legislators who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms.
This terorrist was masked up, literally.
The far right and Republicans exploit gun violence in the Black community for culture wars and racism.
Holding these lawmakers accountable is not just a pledge, but a promise. You need to learn who represents your community. Your local community member, your school board member, your mayor, your state representative, your state senator, your governor, your U.S. Representative, your U.S. Senator and the president need to be held accountable for their actions.
Israel must be held accountable for war crimes and the U.S. must end its aid. Our taxpayer money should not help Israel any further.
Israel is the red line. If any lawmaker, entertainer, athlete or social media influncer backs the apartheid ethnostate, they will face a boycott.
Regardless of political affiliation, if you are supporting Israel, you are not getting donations or a vote from me.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend's social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline's website or the Crisis Text Line's website.
The call number to the White House and US Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police.
Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to", blaming "illegal immigrants" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable. Let them know that you are tired of going to war at the behest of Israel or Urkaine. You want our American military out of the Middle East and every fucking international conflict in the world. You want legislation to focus on ending gun violence, lowering costs, improving healthcare and building relationships with other nations. Let them know that we are tired of police officers using immunity when committing death of suspects in custody. Let them know that you are tired of private equity firms getting away with destroying small businesses and long established companies. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel. You are tired of hearing about "Israel having a right to..." and the bogus claims of being anti-Semitic or in support of terrorism.
We have bigger issues at home and our tax dollars should solve the housing crisis, lowering food prices, fixing roads, bridges, helping reinvest in struggling urban and rural communities. We don't want any more wars on behalf of Israel. We have hospitals closing, big box retailers leaving communities and television programs dying. There are bigger issues in the country than Israel. You want an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and legislators avoid influence from lobbyists.
