In the 21st century, America’s public education system has emphasized one value over all others: inclusion. There is no more ubiquitous word in the public education system than this. Visit the campus or website of nearly any public school — whether it be an elementary school in rural Alabama or a university in California — and you will be inundated with references to the many permutations of the word. School administrators have spent billions of dollars on so-called inclusivity initiatives. In fact, most public universities have established departments dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. By the time students graduate from college, they will have been instructed on the importance of “inclusion” countless times. Yet, decades of institutional emphasis on inclusion has not made students themselves more inclusive. America is far more divided on almost every measure than we were 25 years ago. And our disagreements are marked by suspicion and animosity towards people who think differently. So, the question is: Why? Why did these efforts fail? The answer is simple: Actions speak louder than words. While mouthing the platitudes of inclusion, public school administrators have been simultaneously censoring, shutting down, and punishing anyone who expresses an opinion different than the school-approved orthodoxy. The examples are innumerable. Middle school student Liam Morrison arrived at his Middleborough, Massachusetts, school one day wearing a T-shirt saying, “There are only two genders.” While his school openly advances the idea that gender is a limitless spectrum — and they encourage students to wear clothing supporting that idea — Liam decided to take a peaceful stance that biology matters when it comes to human sexuality. For that, school officials first demanded that he remove his shirt. When he declined to take it off, they sent him home. Not long after, the school sent him to the principal’s office again when he wore a shirt saying, “There are [censored] genders.” Liam is currently pursuing an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit denied him the right to free speech. In 2022, Maggie DeJong was a graduate student in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s (SIUE) art therapy program. Like most college students in America, Maggie posted on her social media accounts to discuss a variety of hot topics, including religion, politics, COVID-19 restrictions, and more. Maggie also expressed her opinion on these topics in class discussions and private messages to her fellow classmates, often taking a different viewpoint than other students. Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you. It’s normal to have disagreements. And it’s not unusual to feel hurt by a disagreement, even if the other person has all the best intentions in the world. What is not normal is government officials punishing students for discussing their own opinions. Yet that’s exactly what SIUE officials did to Maggie when a student complained to the university, which then issued unconstitutional no-contact orders between Maggie and three other students. Alliance Defending Freedom, where I serve as a senior counsel and the director of the Center for Academic Freedom, helped Maggie sue the university. In the settlement in Maggie’s favor in 2023, the university agreed to change its no-contact rule policy and required three professors to undergo free speech training conducted by ADF attorneys. Punishing people based on their speech isn’t just limited to students. Dr. Allan Josephson is a distinguished child psychologist who once was employed by the University of Louisville. Not only is he well-respected in his field, but he also took the university’s struggling Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology in 2003 and turned it around. In 2017, Dr. Josephson was invited by The Heritage Foundation — in his own personal capacity — to speak about children struggling with gender dysphoria. Dr. Josephson cautioned against the rush to treat a child’s discomfort with their sex with irreversible medical procedures (a position that is increasingly being validated by health authorities throughout Europe). But, because his view clashed with other university officials’ positions, the school ostracized and ultimately fired Dr. Josephson. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit recently ruled in favor of Dr. Josephson, allowing the case to go on to the trial phase. Schools that preach “inclusivity” are some of the worst offenders when it comes to excluding people for their beliefs — from middle school to graduate school; from students to faculty alike. That is the textbook definition of hypocrisy. Our kids know what it is even if they don’t have the word to define it. And they can tell that it’s wrong. Kids learn the ABCs of civility from adults — always tell the truth, be open-minded, care for others — and then see their teachers act the exact opposite. This foments resentment and division, not unity. In other words, despite all of the emphasis on inclusion, America’s public schools are creating division, not inclusion. How do we turn down the temperature of this ever-increasing rage that’s widening the division in our country? It may seem like a large task, but the first step is relatively easy: School officials have to practice what they preach. Inclusivity applies to everyone, not just those who express the government’s approved message. If we must follow the science, then follow the science, even if science disproves your preferred narrative. And while all ideas must be open for expression (and equally open to question), appropriate boundaries must be drawn for how ideas are put to the test. Universities must enact and enforce rules that neutrally promote peace and civility, not a descent into violence and chaos. If school officials truly want to foster a culture of inclusivity and unity, they must lead by example. Tyson Langhofer is senior counsel and director of the Center for Academic Freedom with Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal). The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The movie premieres on Oct. 4.

It really doesn't look like he was talking to her

'We have not seen improvement'

'He's not going to just go away'

The recent discovery of Australia’s most endangered reptile surviving in colder temperatures has inspired conservationists in Perth to continue to try and save it. Introductions of the Western swamp tortoise to other areas are now on the cards as scientists look to find a suitable home for the animal as its natural habitat dries up. […] The post One of the Rarest Reptiles with Only 300 Found Surviving in Colder Temps–Sparking Hope for Western Swamp Tortoise appeared first on Good News Network.

The most unmistakable voice in Hollywood, James Earl Jones, recently passed away in his home at the age of 93. For the children of the Millennial and X generations, his voice was an ever-present feature in their homes, thanks to the popularity of Star Wars, and The Lion King.  Though often remembered for his roles as various […] The post Remembering James Earl Jones – The Voice of Millennials’ Childhood and Titan of the Theater appeared first on Good News Network.

Blog cover reveal Revealing Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Calella If Ell wants to keep the life she’s stolen, she’s going to have to roll up her sleeves and rescue herself… By Reactor | Published on September 12, 2024 Photo credit: CJ Leede Comment 0 Share New Share Photo credit: CJ Leede We’re thrilled to share the cover of Liar’s Kingdom, a new twist on Cinderella from author Christine Calella—available January 14, 2025 from Page Street Publishing. Ell has spent years toiling away for her cruel stepfamily. So when Prince Bayard—who seems to have difficulty recognizing faces—shows up at her door with a glass slipper, Ell allows him to believe she danced with him at the ball. There’s just one problem: Ell didn’t attend the ball and she’s never met the prince before in her life. But if it’s a choice between moving to the royal palace or staying home, Ell is willing to say anything to escape.However, Ell finds that being royalty comes with its own problems. Bayard’s sister, the princess, has gone missing. The king is preparing for war against the fae. And Maxim, Bayard’s treacherous (and handsome) best friend, appears to know Ell is lying.If Ell wants to keep this life she’s stolen, she’s going to have to roll up her sleeves and rescue herself. Cover art by Fernanda Suarez; Design by Rosie Stewart Buy the Book Liar’s Kingdom Christine Calella Buy Book Liar's Kingdom Christine Calella Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Christine Calella lives in a place she refers to as “New York City-adjacent.” She spends her spare time singing show tunes in the shower, drinking more chai lattes than is strictly necessary, and either over- or under-watering an unfortunate string of houseplants named after sitcom characters. The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray is her debut novel. The post Revealing <i>Liar’s Kingdom</i> by Christine Calella appeared first on Reactor.

Books Science Fiction Five Classic SF Books About Rival Nation-States in Space Classic science fiction authors loved to project present-day tensions between existing nation-states into the future… and especially into SPAAACE! By James Davis Nicoll | Published on September 12, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share I am now the proud owner of the recent 2300 2nd edition Bundle of Holding1. I already owned and had played the 2300 AD science fiction tabletop2 roleplaying game (mentioned in an earlier Reactor essay). Looking it over again, I was struck by the way that the game assumed that the Westphalian nation-state would persist far into the future. Where other SF TTRPGs feature planetary governments or even interstellar governments, 2300 offers nation-states3, many with familiar names, playing the same tired games on a much larger board. Nation-states are comforting and familiar to readers struggling to absorb a new setting. More important, their present-day rivalries and conflicts can be projected into the future, making for instant plots readers will easily grasp. GDW (and now Mongoose), the publishers of 2300 AD, were by no means the first people to see the plot potential of nation-states in SPAACE. Consider the following (pre-2300 AD) SF novels. The Outward Urge by John Wyndham (1959) The US and USSR are the only superpowers, but Britain sees itself as the top second-tier nation. Thus, while most nations leave the space race to the Americans and the Russians, the United Kingdom develops first a space station, then a moonbase, both equipped with the latest in interplanetary ballistic missiles. The UK will do its part to preserve the delicate balance of power and thus global peace. After a brief cataclysm, peace prevails in the northern hemisphere: Billions of radioactive corpses cannot have conflicting national agendas. Brazil sees an opportunity and claims all space as a Brazilian province. It’s a bold gambit sure to succeed…unless Brazil has rivals amongst the surviving nation-states in the southern hemisphere who resent Brazilian effrontery. Of course there are rivals. The Outward Urge is a fix-up, with four or five sections depending on the edition. All feature a member of the Troon family. Most of them feature a moral: one should under no circumstances send Troons into space4. With a single exception, spacefaring Troons are doomed. The exception is the Troon who plays a role in depopulating the northern hemisphere. After Doomsday by Poul Anderson (1962) Rather than present a unified front when aliens contacted Cold War Earth, the nations of Earth collectively shrugged their shoulders and continued with business as usual. None of the starfaring aliens seemed interested in terrestrial entanglements beyond trade. Humans were free to pursue their independent destinies. American starship Benjamin Franklin returns to a dead Earth. Off-world trade has, it seems, provided the means for global suicide. An excess of caution led America to staff its ship with men. Humanity is a dead clade walking… unless the Benjamin Franklin can join the women-crewed Europa. But how can two starships find each other in a galaxy the size of the Milky Way? Protagonists who need to find each other would do well to avoid being Poul Anderson characters, as Anderson has a rare grasp of scale. I’ve often ear flicked Anderson for his treatment of women characters. However, in this specific case I cannot help but notice that the strategies pursued by women do not produce human corpses at anything like the rate that the men’s bold schemes do. Good thing men are not the bottleneck on reproductive rates. Key Out of Time by Andre Norton (1963) Not all of America’s tampering with alien technology has been disastrous. Some has been calamitous. Nevertheless, if America does not colonize the stars using technology appropriated from the alien Baldies, the Commies definitely will. Thus, America has no option but to forge ahead. Hawaika seems to be a paradise world: vast seas dotted with idyllic little islands. However, old Baldie maps make clear that some monumental event reshaped the planet. It’s only prudent for the Americans to use their time-viewing technology to see what that event was, in order to avoid repeats. Less prudent: getting swept back through time to witness the disaster in person. The Time Trader series, of which Key Out of Time was the fourth book, is a rare exception to a common pattern in SF. Faster-than-light plus relativity should equal time travel. Generally speaking, SF authors prefer to ignore that. Not only does Norton embrace it, the US got time machines before it swiped star drives from the Baldies. Hammer’s Slammers by David Drake (1979) The development of starflight presented Earth’s nation-states with another venue for national glory. For the price of a national airline, countries could plant colonies on other worlds. Because pride was a factor but economic prudence was not, the result is an abundance of dismal worlds whose deficits include an inability to co-exist in the face of any significant difference. What is misfortune for the colonist on the street is a golden opportunity for mercenaries like Col. Alois Hammer and his Slammers. In a galaxy filled with mutual loathing, greedy imperialists, and reluctant victims, there is always demand for skilled soldiers-for-hire. Fortune awaits! For the mercenaries who survive, at least. For the most part, mercenary career paths involve dying on the job, being too horribly injured to continue, or burning out from the endless horror. Not sure what the pension plans look like. Hammer does considerably better, promoting himself to dictator for life of a developed world. Hammer might last as long as António de Oliveira Salazar! Or if he is less lucky, as long as Hezekiah Ochuka. Eon by Greg Bear (1986) Seven years after the Little Death, the Cold War is enormously complicated by the appearance of an asteroid-sized spaceship. Nicknamed “the Potato” by the Russians, the craft takes orbit around Earth. Then… nothing. The vessel appears empty, available for some ambitious nation to commandeer. By 2005, certain facts have been discovered about the Potato. It comes from the future, or at least a future. The Potato’s history books document 1993’s Little Death, with its scant four million dead. Those texts also mention 2005’s Death, which killed 2 ½ billion people and nearly ended civilization. Will history repeat itself? Or should the Americans and Russians be worried about an even more existential threat from the distant future? This being a Greg Bear novel, it is almost a guarantee that as bad as current circumstances are, things can always get much worse. However, as the setting clearly features alternate universes, even if this timeline’s humans are expunged, they die knowing that other timelines may have fared better5. These are only a few examples of the plot potential inherent in assuming nation-states will survive into the future. There are many such stories out there. Ambitious commentors may feel free to provide examples in comments below.[end-mark] Which was an astonishing deal—just over $30 USD for almost $260 USD worth of PDFs—so it’s too bad the offer will almost certainly be over by the time you see this. I wish I’d thought of this two weeks earlier. ︎Yes, I too am annoyed that I have to specify “tabletop.” Surely video games lack the essential elements needed to qualify as legitimate RPGs? ︎Modern players might wonder what halted the progression of international trade agreements into transnational arrangements like the EU. At least as far as the original 2300 is concerned, the answer is straightforward: nuclear war. 2300 is a sequel to GDW’s Twilight 2000, in which mistakes were made and instead of getting a re-unified Germany in a European Union, Earth got a few billion dead. Because NATO and the Warsaw Pact declined to kill half the planet in 1995, 2300 AD very quickly became an alternate future history. Thus, while the current edition from Mongoose Publication does feature some sort of undesirable event in its past, the current edition is pointedly vague about the Unpleasantness. I would guess that this has been done to fend off a repeat of that particular issue. ︎Troons are British, Brazilian, and Australian but never American. Otherwise, if Hollywood adapted The Outward Urge to film, they could have each protagonist played by Matt Damon. Pity Sean Bean is a bit too old now… ︎While others presumably somehow did even worse. ︎The post Five Classic SF Books About Rival Nation-States in Space appeared first on Reactor.

Is The Migrant Invasion Part Of The Cloward-Piven Strategy To Collapse The Nation?