'If something seems too good to be true, it probably is'

THE WASHINGTON STAND—They say “hindsight is 20/20,” and really, only time will tell just how Thomas Matthew Crooks’ attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump stirred (or hardened) the hearts of the American people. It would seem the immediate reactions to the shooting Saturday evening at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania are a mixed bag. In the most tragic of circumstances, some have heinously wished the bullet that grazed Trump’s right ear had taken his life. On the other hand, and arguably in the majority, are those who are indescribably grateful Trump walked away alive and well. These same people deeply sympathize with the family and friends of the man who “took Trump’s bullet,” firefighter Corey Comperatore. But as USA Today’s Dace Potas wrote, “Generation Z, spanning from 1997 to 2012, is entering politics at a tumultuous time—and no other single event highlights that more than the assassination attempt on Trump.” What happened Saturday was more than just a shocking and spontaneous event. Rather, it was a changing of the tides, a shift in the sand. By God’s grace, Trump survived this attempted murder, but these actions have consequences. These ill-willed motives have ripple effects that, while noticeable now, may not take full effect right away. As many probe the effects this may have on the presidential election, and as political and religious leaders declare their sentiments, the question remains: What is Gen Z’s reaction to such a monumental moment in history? “This may sound awful,” a friend said to me during dinner the other night, “but I’m glad I was alive to experience this event.” But really, he has a fair point. The last time a U.S. president’s life was threatened in this way was well before the lifetime of Gen Z. Even 9/11 was an event the majority of Gen Z was not alive for, or too young to thoroughly remember. There are countless other historical events that have dramatically changed American society, and yet, Gen Z missed them all. But on Saturday, many saw the circumstances unfold through their screens, and they continue to watch as a tsunami of opinions flood headlines, social media, and everyday discussion. Gen Z not only witnessed the near-death of a former president, but they seem determined to be involved in the debate of what it means for America. My friend at dinner was merely emphasizing what’s on many minds concerning the individuals who make up this young generation: “I saw history happen.” And from what I’m seeing, there’s a question that seems to commonly follow: What does this mean for the future? Well, as one user on X shared: “Millions of children around the world just witnessed an example of raw masculinity and heroism. The first political memory of an entire generation.” Indeed, this is the “first political memory” for countless Americans. “I’m 26 years old,” one user said in a post on X. “It’s the first time in my entire life that I’ve seen heroic action taken by a public figure that’s reminiscent of what I’ve read in history books about figures like Caesar or Napoleon.” Another user, regarding his son, wrote: “[I] was watching live with my little boy. He was inches away from watching the most disturbing thing he’s ever seen, but by the grace of [G]od, he instead watched a man being made into a real-life hero. Incredible.” Similarly, someone else posted: “My seven-[year-old] was even asking about it. Truly is the first political memory for a generation.” But beyond the social media posts, The Washington Stand dug deeper and received personal testimonies to what Gen Z is experiencing right now. In one comment, Melia Ross, an intern for Family Research Council’s Brand Advancement department, said, “Gen Z is responding to the event of the assassination attempt on Saturday with great respect for former President Trump.” Ross explained how she has seen “multiple reposts” from her friends’ social media accounts of the iconic image of “Donald Trump holding his fist in the air, while blood [was] dripping down his face” from the wound that almost took his life. A lot of Gen Z, she added, “are proud that Trump” was quick to bounce back and encourage the crowd toward patriotism. However, Ross noted that Gen Z seems to be handling Saturday evening’s event in many other ways as well. For instance, some have referenced other political issues such as the conversation about gun laws. Others, she highlighted, have responded with “humor” and memes that either praise Trump’s bravery or mock President Joe Biden. Ross said it seems these circumstances may be drawing in significant support for Trump among the younger crowds as Gen Z doesn’t look to Biden as someone worthy of their respect and honor. “Gen Z wants someone who is courageous and who is willing to take a bullet for their country,” Ross urged. Riley Lang, a former FRC intern, also shared her reaction. “As a recent college grad at a very large and liberal university, I am a first-hand witness of students like Thomas Matthew Crooks,” Lang said. She noted that while it’s true the media “has not put out information about the shooter’s motivation,” it seems probable this attack was “the result of a systemic problem.” “In my university classes,” Lang said, “Trump is called a racist, misogynistic, and evil person almost daily. And as a young person in this environment, if you support Trump in any capacity, you identify as all these characteristics as well.” Notably, she said, “The shooter was only 20 years old, and for the past seven years has heard Trump being compared to the likes of Hitler.” For Lang, this is likely “the result of a child spending his teen years in [a] divisive political environment, with Marxist professors and teachers and the media painting Trump as a villain. He is the result of being made into an activist.” What Lang went on to say is that the gunman, who was shot killed by the Secret Service, was only “one year younger” than she is. He was a member of Gen Z who was angry and took his anger out in this despicable and irreversible way, she said. “I see his anger towards Trump all around those my age,” Lang lamented. “America really needs to ask the question of what we are doing to our youth with education through the media, and the lack of faith.” Adam Opp, an intern in FRC’s Policy and Government Affairs department, stated in a comment to The Washington Stand that regardless of how people process the attack, “The shooting this past weekend was a flagrant violation of the constitutional system and processes guiding our electoral system for years.” Opp added: “The past decade has seen media censorship and biased reporting increase tremendously, but now an attempt to silence political opposition holds an ominous warning to future elections. As the political landscape becomes more divisive, Americans need to truly consider their political ideology and why they hold their political beliefs.” He said the most important step moving forward is “a reintroduction of biblical Christian principles into American society,” especially to “push back on the tension of our culture and promote a lasting unity for American culture.” Perhaps the polls and the surveys soon will give us a more in-depth understanding of how Gen Z is responding to this calamity. But within minutes of Trump shaking his fist in the air and chanting, “Fight!”—well, it became obvious many Americans are prepared to do just that. Americans, including the young people of Gen Z, want a true leader. No candidate will be perfect, but it’s time to get a true captain to the White House. Despite the fact of some negative reactions to Trump’s survival, I’d have to agree with swimmer-activist Riley Gaines, who said, “The surge of patriotism is stronger than ever.” And the younger generation appears to be no exception to that. As Opp concluded: “Living in 2024 is inspiring and encouraging, as it is a reminder of the need to stand up for biblical Christian truth and principles in a politically divisive environment.” “As a young adult,” he said, what happened Saturday evening in Pennsylvania “is a call to action and necessitates the courage to stand up for what is right to protect our nation and safeguard our government and God-given civil liberties.” Originally published by The Washington Stand The post How Gen Z Responds to Attempt to Kill Trump appeared first on The Daily Signal.

On Monday night, CNN’s coverage of the Republican National Convention included liberal commentator and former Obama advisor Van Jones being upset about Donald Trump’s vice president choice, JD Vance. To Jones, this choice was a “horror,” as Vance is an even more “dangerous virus.” Jones began the segment by describing what a traditional conservative Republican looks like to him: “A traditional conservative Republican would not support an insurrection. A traditional conservative Republican would not say he's going to pardon traitors and treasonous people who attacked our government.”     Jones professed that Vance being Trump's running mate means that Republicans are “cementing a kind of nationalism.” Besides his explanation of Trump being “an instinctive, impulsive, intuitive nationalist,” Jones went on to define Vance as “an ideological nationalist – that’s a much more dangerous virus.” His reasoning for calling Vance a “virus” was because he “can polish this stuff and make it seem palatable to people. He can sell this stuff to Silicon Valley. He can sell this stuff to other places and what it does is it locks the Republican Party on a pathway that I think is dangerous for the world.” He went on to complain that Trump “could’ve gone with Nikki Haley,” which would have “signaled to the world ‘hey, listen, I got to give stuff to my base, but I'm not going to abandon the world.’” Jones concluded that “this pick is a horror on the world stage” and Trump is “pointing the Republican Party in a very scary direction for the long term.” After former Biden advisor Kate Bedingfield chimed in agreement “here, here” to Jones remarks, former Mitch McConnell and George W. Bush advisor Scott Jennings decided to clear some things up for Jones. “Vance is actually running against Kamala Harris -- who not popular. I don't know if you've guys checked the papers today, not popular very unpopular” he stated. Further, Jennings stated, “The principal reason Biden is still in the race is because no Democrats want Harris to be at the top of the ticket. I think right now, they're afraid of how unpopular she is.” He concluded “it's not going to make a ton of difference on people's votes, but on the margins, if you wanna discuss the relative popularity and extremism of VPs I’ll take it. I’ll take the debate.” Unsurprisingly, Jones continued to bash Vance on Tuesday during CNN News Central, repeating, “This is an ideological nationalism. That's, I think, a much more dangerous form of the virus because he can go try and explain this stuff and recruit all these people and make it seem kind of polished and make it seem like it's great.” So, much for dialing down the heated rhetoric. Click "Expand" to view the transcript:   CNN Republican National Convention 7/15/2024 4:21:11 – 4:23:28 PM ET VAN JONES: You know what, I agree with you because a traditional conservative Republican would not support an insurrection. A traditional conservative Republican would not say he's going to pardon traitors and treasonous people who attacked our government. You're correct, he's not, he's worse – he’s worse, he's much worse. But I think, you know, part of the reason that J.D. Vance matters isn't for these, kind of, short-term electoral calculations. He matters because of what he means to the Republican Party long term. This is cementing a kind of nationalism. Now Trump, to your point I agree with you, he’s an -- he's an instinctive, impulsive, intuitive nationalist. J.D. Vance is an ideological nationalist -- that's a much more dangerous virus because he can make this, he can polish this stuff and make it seem palatable to people. He can sell this stuff to Silicon Valley. He can sell this stuff to other places and what it does is it locks the Republican Party on a pathway that I think is dangerous for the world. Again, the Ukrainians are now in deep trouble. NATO is now in deep trouble. Trump is – he could’ve gone with Nikki Haley and signaled to the world ‘hey, listen, I got to give stuff to my base, but I'm not going to abandon the world.’ This pick is a horror on the world stage. So, J.D. Vance matters because Donald Trump is pointing the Republican Party in a very scary direction for the long term. KATE BEDINGFIELD: Here, here. [Laughter] SCOTT JENNINGS: Let me -- let me – let me – VANCE: How do you see it? JENNINGS: Well, here's how I see it. Number one: the idea that Biden is now running against Vance – Biden is running against Trump and he's currently losing to Trump. BEDINGFIELD: No, I’m not saying that -- JENNINGS: Vance is actually running against Kamala Harris -- who, not popular. I don't know if you've guys checked the papers today, not popular very unpopular, and so if you want to have a debate about which ticket is more politically nimble, which ticket is more politically palatable right now, I'm not certain that elevating the conversation about well, let's -- let's really focus on the vice presidents is going to help the Democratic Party because I mean, the principal reason Biden is still in the race is because no Democrats want Harris to be at the top of the ticket, I think right now, they're afraid of how unpopular she is. And so I’m --  I’m -- you know what I think, ultimately, it's not going to make a ton of difference on people's votes, but on the margins if you wanna discuss the relative popularity and extremism of VPs I’ll take it. I’ll take the debate.

An utter lack of class was on full display on MSNBC Tuesday night as they were kicking off their coverage of Night Two of the Republican National Convention. In his opening monologue for The Beat, host Ari Melber suggested that former President Trump’s bandaged ear – injured after he was shot in the head during a failed assassination attempt – was “a prop” and “a spectacle” being “mine[d]” by Republicans purely for political purposes. Melber’s rant started off respectful enough. He described Trump’s arrival on the convention floor Monday night a “stark proof-of-life moment.” “And the reality is, this is a human being who was almost shot to death on live TV in front of his supporters and family this weekend,” he stated.     But things immediately took a turn when he added that it was “also showmanship by a politician known for his mastery of what they call unscripted reality TV.” He highlighted the ramblings of New York Times chief TV critic James Ponewozik, who said Trump’s bandaged ear was “a prop”: Here's how The New York Times put it: “On the first night of this convention, Trump was his own biggest prop. He entered the VIP box, a large white bandage on his injured right ear, the result of a close call on Saturday with a would-be assassin’s bullet. A reminder of mortality, a badge of survival – it was a blank rectangle on which the crowd could read what it wished, and that made it the most potent placard in the hall.” “A placard for delegates to fill in, an image for political mobilization, a spectacle for this candidate who we know is – by his own admission – obsessed with assorted spectacles,” Melber expanded. The bloviating continued as he said the voters would decide if Trump was “overextending” his effort to “mine” the injury for sympathy votes: These aren’t normal times. This is not a normal convention. Whether that makes it abnormal in a way that is either special or abnormal in a way that is bad, is what voters will assess because many are watching over the course of these nights; along with you and our team here. There is a political quest here to mine and use Donald Trump's injury. And whether his allies and Republicans, or the candidate himself do that in a way that overextends their credibility will be decided by the voters. That is one good thing we hope we can still agree on in this country, because this is – as I said – a scary reality we all lived through this weekend and a political project. So, it's a question for voters and for time itself. “But the RNC has certainly begun intensely,” he concluded before going to soundbites from the previous night. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: MSNBC’s The Beat July 16, 2024 6:01:58 p.m. Eastern (…) ARI MELBER: You could hardly script a more stark proof-of-life moment as what you see here when he stepped out. And the reality is, this is a human being who was almost shot to death on live TV in front of his supporters and family this weekend. And yet this is also showmanship by a politician known for his mastery of what they call unscripted reality TV. Taking this supremely visible seat in the VIP box with his new running mate and party leaders and a long-time TV personality, Tucker Carlson up there as well last night. Here's how The New York Times put it: “On the first night of this convention, Trump was his own biggest prop. He entered the VIP box, a large white bandage on his injured right ear, the result of a close call on Saturday with a would-be assassin’s bullet. A reminder of mortality, a badge of survival – it was a blank rectangle on which the crowd could read what it wished, and that made it the most potent placard in the hall.” That's fair. A placard for delegates to fill in, an image for political mobilization, a spectacle for this candidate who we know is – by his own admission – obsessed with assorted spectacles. These aren’t normal times. This is not a normal convention. Whether that makes it abnormal in a way that is either special or abnormal in a way that is bad, is what voters will assess because many are watching over the course of these nights; along with you and our team here. There is a political quest here to mine and use Donald Trump's injury. And whether his allies and Republicans, or the candidate himself do that in a way that overextends their credibility will be decided by the voters. That is one good thing we hope we can still agree on in this country, because this is – as I said – a scary reality we all lived through this weekend and a political project. So, it's a question for voters and for time itself. But the RNC has certainly begun intensely. (…)

A photojournalist at a major news outlet is reportedly afraid that the iconic image of former President Donald Trump after the assassination attempt is "dangerous" because it's being used too much. The comments were included in a report from Axios that also collected concerns from other photojournalists about the use of the photo. Law enforcement officials have not released any conclusions about the possible motivation of the alleged shooter.The image from Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci shows Trump surrounded by Secret Service members with blood streaming down his face from his ear and a defiant fist in the air while a large U.S. flag flutters in the wind above him. It went immediately viral on social media and showed up instantly on T-shirts sold around the world. The report from Aïda Amer said that multiple photographers worried privately that the stunning image could turn into "photoganda," a mashup of the words "photograph" and "propaganda." None of them spoke on the record for fear of losing work if their thoughts were known openly. The report quoted a photographer from a mainstream news outlet who said the "amount that publications have been using Evan's photo is kind of free P.R. for Trump in a way, and its dangerous for media organizations to keep sharing that photo despite how good it is." Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford was also carrying a GoPro camera during the incident and captured his movement toward the dais as Secret Service officers surrounded the former president. Photographers also complained that with all the hours they put into their job, they likely make less than minimum wage. Another freelance editorial photographer said that the crowd at the rally started screaming at the media and flipping them the middle finger after Trump was shot. Law enforcement officials have not released any conclusions about the possible motivation of the alleged shooter. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Jim Banks: If You Came Here Illegally Under Biden, You're Going Back

That Settles That: Georgia Court of Appeals Formally Sets Oral Argument on Fani Willis DQ for December

Exclusive: David Bossie Says Trump Is Ready for 2nd Term: 'He Is So Dialed in and Focused'

How Will the Assassination Attempt Against Trump Affect Biden's Campaign?

  The bust of Nefertiti, a 3,400-year-old artifact valued at around 400 million euros, has been in Germany for over a century, displayed at the Neues Museum Berlin. The artifact's continued presence in Germany raises questions about cultural ownership and historical justice. The circumstances of its removal from Egypt in 1912 reflect the colonial context of the time, when Egypt was under British control and subjected to antiquities laws that favored foreign archaeologists. The Mysterious Disappearance of Nefertiti, Ruler of the Nile “Nefer Say Nefer” - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? German entrepreneur James Simon funded the excavation that led to the bust's discovery by Ludwig Borchardt. The artifact was taken to Germany under an agreement that divided excavated finds between Egypt and the excavators. Some speculate the bust was intentionally obscured to ensure it left Egypt, though this theory lacks concrete evidence. Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsVideosRead Later