If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a relentless bid to give some of the most authoritarian regimes in the world a run for their money where internet censorship is concerned‚ Australia’s government continues to come up with one dubious initiative after another. Recently‚ there was an attempt to censor content globally (related to two stabbing attacks in Australia)‚ and shortly after‚ the country’s intelligence chief Mike Burgess‚ and Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw addressed the National Press Club‚ to launch yet another attack on encryption by urging compliance with encryption backdoors legislation. Burgess chose to call this – “accountable encryption.” It isn’t “accountable” right now because‚ while Australia has passed laws to essentially break encryption‚ those who are supposed to implement them‚ technology companies‚ are not cooperating. “I am asking the tech companies to do more. I’m asking them to give effect to the existing powers and to uphold existing laws. Without their help in very limited and strictly controlled circumstances‚ encryption is unaccountable‚” he said. Burgess was careful to nestle his encryption backdoors plea among seemingly reasonable arguments‚ such as that encryption provides privacy and is “clearly a good thing” that “enables” transactions (he for some reason chose not to stress that it is in fact necessary for secure transactions). But‚ the Australian spy chief went on‚ encryption also “creates safe spaces for violent extremists to operate‚ network and recruit.” And it is their encrypted messages – and only theirs‚ governments around the world promise faithfully – that the authorities‚ as “good actors‚” would like to be able to access communications at will. However‚ what Burgess and his ilk choose not to take into account is that undermining encryption is a zero-sum game‚ where it becomes a matter of time before‚ once introduced‚ backdoors become available to “all actors” – including ordinary criminals‚ as well as governments‚ and other governments they don’t like. Commissioner Reece Kershaw made a point of Australia not being alone in its aversion toward secure and private internet communications and transactions‚ quoting a recent statement made by 32 European police chiefs who complained that “the way” end-to-end encryption is deployed “undermines their ability to investigate crime.” And Kershaw’s own “door is open‚” he told the gathering‚ “to all relevant tech CEOs and chairmen‚ including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.” But what would they discuss&;#63; “How to make our lives easier‚” the Australian police chief confessed. Oh and – allegedly‚ also how to make our lives “safer.” Kershaw also emphasized that his country already has the legal framework in place‚ but just needs tech companies to work with the authorities. “If a judicial officer decides there is reasonable suspicion that a serious crime has been committed‚ and it is necessary for law enforcement to access information to investigate that serious crime‚ tech companies should respect the rule of law and the order of a court‚ or independent judicial authority‚ and provide that information‚” he said. The post Australian Authorities Push for Encryption Backdoors After Internet Censorship Attempt appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

A Lone Arizona Rancher Lookin' to Fence Biden's Executive Pen Powers In

Colombia Severing Ties With Israel

CNN proved themselves to be biased fools in the summer of 2020 when they claimed the Black Lives Matter Riots were “fiery but mostly peaceful.” Well‚ ABC News told them to hold their beer Thursday morning as they had correspondent Trevor Ault assert that the anti-Semitic/pro-Hamas encampment at UCLA was “largely peaceful” with no sign of “fighting back” against police while admitting that they were throwing stuff and using fire extinguishers to gas them. The California Highway Patrol crackdown on the UCLA encampment‚ where they employed Nazi-style tactics against the Jews on campus‚ was already underway as ABC’s Good Morning America came on the air at 7:00 a.m. and was the first story they got to. Ault was live on the scene where he reported “So far‚ we haven't seen a lot of physical resistance other than standing their ground.” But he did admit: “If anything‚ we’ve seen a few demonstrators who were throwing bottles‚ tossing water‚ and you actually at some points see some smoke that we believe is from fire extinguishers.” According to Poison Control‚ the contents of fire extinguishers can be very harmful: People with lung conditions like asthma or someone deliberately sprayed at close range can have more serious respiratory effects and might need medical attention. Contact of these powders with the eyes‚ nose‚ throat‚ and skin can cause irritation‚ which should improve after rinsing the exposed area. Deliberate inhalation or ingestion can cause serious symptoms such as pneumonia‚ seizures‚ irregular heartbeat‚ and kidney failure.     Throwing things and spraying chemicals in the face of law enforcement doesn’t sound like what non-violent demonstrators do. And Ault might have had someone give him a strong talking-to about disclosing those facts because it was the last time they were mentioned all morning. In his 7:30 and 8:00-a.m. live shots‚ Ault dropped all mentions of the anti-Semitic mob throwing anything and using fire extinguishers. “They have said to me that their plan is never to fight back. That is not how they go about things‚” Ault defended them in the 7:30 live shot. “Although‚ at least from what I have seen on the ground‚ we haven't been seeing people fight back. It's more about standing their ground.” “So‚ they’ve been saying they're going to be peaceful‚” he reported around 8:00. “We haven't seen violent clashes but you have to anticipate at any moment law enforcement is going to begin making a lot of arrests.” Ault’s next report didn’t come until after ABC broke into The View to air President Biden’s address condemning the encampments. After the address‚ they went to Ault for an update on the situation at UCLA. Possibly in response to those calling him out online for his earlier ridiculous description of the peaceful violence‚ Ault tried to have it both ways: Now‚ I do want to specify from at least what we saw. This was a largely peaceful demonstration‚ at least in terms of the protesters not fighting back against the law enforcement presence that was there. But they also didn't necessarily give themselves up. “And what we've heard from California Highway Patrol so far is that at least 132 people have been arrested here for this unlawful gathering‚” he added. The transcripts are below. Click &;quot;expand&;quot; to read: ABC’s Good Morning America May 2‚ 2024 7:03:51 a.m. Eastern (…) TREVOR AULT: So far‚ we haven't seen a lot of physical resistance other than standing their ground. We’ve seen some of them very distressed but screaming that they don't have weapons but still not giving up their ground here. If anything‚ we’ve seen a few demonstrators who were throwing bottles‚ tossing water‚ and you actually at some points see some smoke that we believe is from fire extinguishers. But mainly we’re watching as these protesters are standing their ground after what has been many‚ many days here on campus of very intense situations that has escalated significantly just in the past 45 minutes or so. And this is probably one of the most intense clashes that we’ve seen as these campuses have been playing out all over the country. (…) 7:30:44 a.m. Eastern AULT: We have been watching over those several days as they’ve basically been preparing for this moment. You’ll notice‚ if you look closely‚ that a lot of these demonstrators have hard hats‚ a lot have gas masks‚ a lot have eye-protective wear‚ too. They have said to me that their plan is never to fight back. That is not how they go about things. But when I was asking them about it‚ it was largely about counter protesters; it could be a different thing with law enforcement involved. Although‚ at least from what I have seen on the ground‚ we haven't been seeing people fight back. It's more about standing their ground. The big question now is how does law enforcement move forward&;#63; (…) 8:02:51 a.m. Eastern AULT: Those protesters have been preparing for any kind of law enforcement tactics; they have hard hats; they have gas masks. So‚ they’ve been saying they're going to be peaceful. We haven't seen violent clashes but you have to anticipate at any moment law enforcement is going to begin making a lot of arrests. These are perhaps the most intense moments we’ve seen of what have been many days of tense moments at campuses across the country. (…) The View (Break in for President Biden’s address &; follow-up reports) 11:13:03 AULT: Now‚ I do want to specify from at least what we saw. This was a largely peaceful demonstration‚ at least in terms of the protesters not fighting back against the law enforcement presence that was there. But they also didn't necessarily give themselves up. And so‚ law enforcement basically pushed them up against that library till it was one on one. They pulled them apart‚ put them into zip ties and took them away. And what we've heard from California Highway Patrol so far is that at least 132 people have been arrested here for this unlawful gathering. (…)

MSNBC hosts Chris Hayes and Alex Wagner used their respective Wednesday editions of All In and Alex Wagner Tonight to attack those who called in the police to end the illegal encampments and occupations on college campuses by claiming it was they who were escalating tensions and to prove their point‚ they pointed to those schools that surrendered to the mob. Hayes came out of commercial break wondering what the big deal about violently breaking into a building and occupying it is‚ after all‚ actor Samuel L. Jackson was involved in a similar episode in the 60s‚ “Now‚ I tell this story for two reasons. One to remind us that college activism has long been a part of college education. The other reason‚ though‚ is to get a sense of proportion‚ which seems lacking today as we watched disturbing imagery emerge from campuses at Columbia‚ UCLA‚ University of Texas‚ University of South Florida‚ so many others‚ where cops or‚ in some cases‚ mobs took down pro-Palestinian student encampments and protests‚ as well as professors and journalists and just random bystanders.”     Hayes didn’t mention that the altercation counter-protestors had with the “pro-Palestinian student encampment” at UCLA came about because the campers assaulted a Jewish girl and committed other acts of violence the school did nothing about. If violence sounds escalatory‚ Hayes was there to say that the real escalators are those who called in the cops‚ “The cumulative effect of this coverage‚ along with unverified assertions from police and politicians‚ has been to drive home the idea that student protests are basically a terrorist-level threat. That they have to be neutralized by battalions of cops armed like soldiers with MRAPs and sonic cannons. The reason this seems to me‚ a reaction that's out of proportion to the protests themselves.” This led Hayes to praise those who surrendered to the mob‚ “It seems especially true when you look at other campuses like Brown University‚ where administrators negotiated with protesters who took down their encampment. At Wesleyan University whose president said the protesting there was non-violent and non-disruptive‚ adding‚ ‘as long as it continues in this way‚ the university will not attempt to clear the encampment.’” Roughly 25 minutes later‚ Wagner played an NYPD video that did not sit well with her‚ “Sort of a half-promotional video for the NYPD‚ half a warning shot to future protesters. There's also a soundtrack‚ you may have noticed‚ and situation room footage as officers plan the Columbia sweep like it was‚ I don't know‚ the Bin Laden raid. It is not what you might call a tool for de-escalation.”     Violently occupying a building is not de-escalation either‚ but Wagner continued‚ and unlike Hayes‚ she actually mentioned what Brown agreed to‚ “But it is worth noting that some colleges have actually managed to do just that‚ to de-escalate the tension on their campuses this week. Both Brown and Northwestern University reached deals with student protesters this is week with protesters leaving encampments and the colleges agreeing to hear them out and to vote on divestment issues.” Wagner didn’t mention that Northwestern agreed to also hire more Palestinian faculty‚ subsidize scholarships for five Palestinian students‚ and allow the mob and their supporters to sit on an advisory committee on university investments. Both Brown and Northwestern’s response to the lawlessness and anti-Semitism was to give the anti-Semites more power and give their Jewish students and faculty nothing. Still‚ for Wagner‚ the bad guys in this situation are anybody who objects to this madness‚ “This is happening across the country with lots of individual actors making separate decisions and that makes this story complicated‚ and that is important to remember because we have actors in our national discourse right now who are very much trying to exploit this tension for fairly obvious political gain.” In related news‚ Northwestern is facing multiple lawsuits for its deal with the agitators.  Here are transcripts for the May 1 shows: MSNBC All In With Chris Hayes 5/1/2024 8:42 PM ET CHRIS HAYES: In the spring of 1969‚ a group of students at Morehouse College‚ a historically black college in Atlanta‚ were frustrated by what they said was the school’s slow progress on civil rights and they protested and had been rebuffed‚ so they locked the college trustees in their office for two days and essentially held them hostage. Now‚ one of the trustees was Martin Luther King Sr.‚ father of the recently slain civil rights leader. He began having chest pains and one of the students later said we let him out of there so we wouldn’t be accused of murder. That student and his classmates eventually gave up under a promise of amnesty from the college. The college reneged and he was expelled‚ it would be years before he was rehabilitated‚ decades before he became known the world over as actor Samuel L. Jackson. Now‚ I tell this story for two reasons. One to remind us that college activism has long been a part of college education. The other reason‚ though‚ is to get a sense of proportion‚ which seems lacking today as we watched disturbing imagery emerge from campuses at Columbia‚ UCLA‚ University of Texas‚ University of South Florida‚ so many others‚ where cops‚ or in some cases mobs‚ took down pro-Palestinian student encampments and protests‚ as well as professors and journalists and just random bystanders.  The cumulative effect of this coverage‚ along with unverified assertions from police and politicians‚ has been to drive home the idea that student protests are basically a terrorist-level threat.  That they have to be neutralized by battalions of cops armed like soldiers with MRAPs and sonic cannons. The reason this seems to me‚ a reaction that's out of proportion to the protests themselves. It seems especially true when you look at other campuses like Brown University‚ where administrators negotiated with protesters who took down their encampment. At Wesleyan University whose president said the protesting there was non-violent and non-disruptive‚ adding “as long as it continues in this way‚ the university will not attempt to clear the encampment.”  *** MSNBC Alex Wagner Tonight 5/1/2024 9:06 PM ET ALEX WAGNER: Sort of a half-promotional video for the NYPD‚ half a warning shot to future protesters. There's also a soundtrack‚ you may have noticed‚ and situation room footage as officers plan the Columbia sweep like it was‚ I don't know‚ the Bin Laden raid. It is not what you might call a tool for de-escalation. But it is worth noting that some colleges have actually managed to do just that‚ to de-escalate the tension on their campuses this week. Both Brown and Northwestern University reached deals with student protesters this is week with protesters leaving encampments and the colleges agreeing to hear them out and to vote on divestment issues. Whether or not that can be replicated elsewhere at this point is totally unclear. This is happening across the country with lots of individual actors making separate decisions and that makes this story complicated‚ and that is important to remember because we have actors in our national discourse right now who are very much trying to exploit this tension for fairly obvious political gain.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel is back to preaching and has issued a powerful new sermon in defense of free speech and the natural rights of man. On April 28‚ Bishop Emmanuel made his first public appearance after being viciously attacked by a knife-wielding assailant who left the bishop with only one eye. The bishop delivered a sermon in which he defended the right to freedom of speech as a fundamental human right and referred to the Australian government’s recent attempts to suppress the video of his stabbing on social media platforms such as X. Bishop Emmanuel expressed dismay at attitudes that dismiss or outright attack freedom of speech‚ saying‚ “Every human being has the right to their freedom of speech and freedom of religion…and for us to say that free speech is dangerous‚ that free speech cannot be possible in a democratic country … I’m yet to fathom this.” Bishop Emmanuel also lamented the state of the Western world and the increasing prevalence of a nihilistic viewpoint that fails to uphold universal moral truths or recognize basic human worth.  “I’ll say it again‚ the Western world has succeeded exceedingly in giving value to everything‚ but I’ll say this with utmost sadness in my heart‚ the Western world has failed miserably in giving purpose to everything‚ but until we find the purpose of the thing‚ we can never give it value… Human rights is human value‚” Bishop Emmanuel argued.  The bishop contrasted this modern view with the attitudes of Australia’s forebears‚ who fought for human rights.  “I am very proud of these great ANZAC warriors who gave their life up to the very human rights‚ to the very freedom of speech and freedom of religion‚” Bishop Emmanuel said. “They died to keep and preserve the human identity.” In recent weeks‚ the bishop has been the center of a controversy between the Australian government and Elon Musk.  The head of Australia's eSafety commission‚ Julia Grant‚ issued an order on April 16 to X demanding that the platform take down the video of the stabbing of Bishop Emmanuel that had been proliferating on the platform.  The order even prohibited users outside of the country from viewing the content. X’s Global Government Affairs Team refused to ban the content for users outside Australia‚ saying that the order was unnecessarily broad and outside the legal authority of the Australian government.   Musk and X’s refusal to toe the line of the Australian government has attracted the criticism of numerous Australian politicians such as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.  “By and large‚ people responded appropriately to the calls by the [eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant]‚” Albanese recently commented. “They stand‚ I think … I find it extraordinary that X chose not to comply and trying to argue their case.” Australian Senator Jacqui Lambie even threatened Musk with prison time for not complying. “Someone like that should be in jail‚ and the key be thrown away‚” Lambie asserted. “That bloke should not have a right to be out there on his own ideology platform and creating hatred‚ you know‚ showing all this stuff out there to our kids and all the rest.” Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on so-called hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us at the Media Research Center contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.   

The current demonstrations on college campuses against Israel remind some of the unrest on college campuses during the 1960s. But the comparison is not a good one. The unrest of the 1960s was defined by the war in Vietnam and by the Civil Rights Movement. Both had practical‚ personal impact on young Americans in their own country. American soldiers were fighting and dying in Vietnam. There was real‚ life-and-death impact on all Americans‚ and certainly on young Americans. The military draft was still operative then. Despite various deferments‚ including deferment for university attendance‚ the draft was still a reality and was a looming presence for all college-age Americans. They knew they could be drafted and had friends and friends of friends who were. The official number of American soldiers killed in Vietnam stands at 58‚220. Although there were legitimate moral concerns about American involvement in this war‚ the moral concerns were accompanied by young Americans having real skin in this game. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s also had real personal moral impact on all Americans. And youth are always highly sensitive to the moral failings around them. The reality of segregation and Jim Crow started getting national attention with the Civil Rights Movement‚ the activism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other more violent groups in the movement. In contrast to the woke activism of today‚ which is totally political in character‚ the Civil Rights Movement was led by a charismatic and articulate Black pastor and had a religious‚ moral tone rooted in the Christian church. Anyone that questions this should read‚ or reread‚ King’s “I Have a Dream” speech from 1963. But King’s moral appeal was to an America very different than today. In 1965‚ per Gallup‚ 70% of Americans said religion was personally “very important” to them. In 2023‚ by contrast‚ only 45% of Americans say religion is “very important.” In 1962‚ per Gallup‚ 46% of Americans said they attended religious services over the last seven days. In 2023‚ this was down to 32%. During this period there were two major wars involving Israel and the surrounding Arab states. In 1967‚ Israel prevailed in the Six-Day War‚ which began with preemptive action by Israel against the Egyptian army mobilized for attack‚ and subsequent aggression by Syria in the North and Jordan in the East. In 1973‚ Israel again prevailed against attacks on these same fronts. In 1967‚ per Gallup‚ 45% of Americans supported Israel against 4% who supported the Arab states‚ with 26% with no opinion. In 1973‚ 48% of Americans expressed support for Israel versus 6% expressing support for the Arab states and 24% with no opinion. Support for Israel among Americans during this period was one-sided and clear. But‚ again‚ America today is very‚ very different. Our young people in the 1960s understood what personal responsibility is about. On a national level‚ in the 1960s‚ all young Americans faced the reality of military conscription. Today‚ regarding national obligation and service‚ there are virtually no demands on our youth. Now President Joe Biden is even erasing their student loan obligations. On a religious‚ moral level‚ religion then held a much stronger hold on the nation. Religion teaches and inspires a culture where individuals have a sense they belong to and have obligation to something beyond their own egotistical inclinations. Nature abhors a vacuum‚ and as religion has weakened and disappeared from our culture‚ it has been replaced by politics and the welfare state. The end of it all is we now have a generation of youth insulated from all sense of national and religious and moral personal responsibility. So now they demonstrate in support of terrorists and against the only free country in the Middle East that shares the very values that made our own country great.

On Thursday‚ MRC President Brent Bozell appeared on the Fox Business’s Varney &; Company to break down how the leftist media are failing to properly cover the student protests. Bozell and Varney also had a good laugh over the Trump trials backfiring on the left and MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace’s “end of democracy” fear-mongering.   The segment began with Bozell admonishing network and cable coverage (with the exception of Fox News) for ignoring three key elements of the protests.  First up‚ Bozell noted the lack of coverage of the protest backers: “The agitators‚ the professional people who are causing trouble funded by radical left-wing groups. How is that not a story&;#63;” Bozell then called out the censorship of the ugly slurs on display: “Second‚ the comments that are being made. The chants&;#33; ‘Hamas‚ we love you‚ we support your rockets too&;#33;’ Putting up signs that say ‘Final Solution.’ ‘From the river to the sea.’ All these messages that say kill Israelis. Not political‚ kill Israelis.”   Bozell continued: “And then the third element. The big one that’s been missing here. Is this is all couched under a pro-Palestinian‚ it is not pro-Palestinian‚ it is pro-Hamas. And they’re not saying it. They’re not saying that this is endorsing a radical terrorist movement that slaughters thousands of Israelis.”     Later on in the segment‚ Varney and Bozell chatted about the left’s strategy of keeping Trump tied-up in the courtroom and how it has backfired.   Bozell observed: “Why is Donald Trump going up in the polls&;#63; Because the public is seeing the puppet trials that are taking place right now….They’re saying this is fundamentally unfair. This guy is being kept off the campaign trail through these ridiculous lawsuits that are being thrown at him….and it’s backfiring on the left.” Varney and Bozell then had a good laugh over MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace’s claim that a “free press” may no longer exist if Donald Trump wins in November. The following is a complete transcript of the Fox Business Varney &; Company segment that aired on May 2:  Fox Business Varney &; Company May 2‚ 2024 HOST STUART VARNEY: The president of the Media Research Center is Brent Bozell and he joins me now. Brent studies the media and what they are up to. So I got two questions for you‚ Brent. Number one. How is the media covering the campus unrest and then deal with how the media is covering Trump trials&;#63; Start with the campus unrest please. L. BRENT BOZELL: Ok‚ campus unrest. There’s a rule‚ a normal rule about reporting. Which is the analysis before an event or after an event is where you see real bias but when it’s hard news of an event it tends to be pretty good. Well there are exceptions to the rule and we’re talking about an exception to the rule.  There are three things — elements of this in the hard news phase that Fox is covering. They should all be covering but they’re not.  The first one‚ we just heard. The agitators‚ the professional people who are causing trouble funded by radical left-wing groups. How is that not a story&;#63;  Second‚ the comments that are being made. The chants&;#33; “Hamas‚ we love you‚ we support your rockets too&;#33;” Putting up signs that say “Final Solution.”  “From the river to the sea.” All these messages that say kill Israelis. Not political‚ kill Israelis.  Second‚ Donald Trump. VARNEY: Yeah.  BOZELL: You’re seeing recent surveys that are showing this. Why is Donald Trump going up in the polls&;#63; Because the public is seeing the puppet trials that are taking place right now. I think they’re saying this is fundamentally unfair. This guy is being kept off the campaign trail through these ridiculous lawsuits that are being thrown at him. When he’s up‚ when he is going up two‚ three‚ four‚ five‚ six points in the polls while he’s sitting in a courtroom‚ that tells you that the public is fed up with this and it’s backfiring on the left.  VARNEY: Next one‚ Brent. I want you to listen to what MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace said about the threat Trump poses to democracy. Roll it please. CLIP OF MSNBC HOST NICOLLE WALLACE: Depending what happens in November — seven months from right now — this time next year‚ I might not be sitting here. There might not be a White House Correspondents Dinner or a free press. While our democracy won’t exactly fall apart immediately without it‚ the real threat looms larger. A candidate with outward disdain not just for a free press but for all of our freedoms and the rule of law itself.  VARNEY: Okay‚ Brent. Wallace thinks Trump will destroy democracy. Do you think the media is destroying democracy&;#63; BOZELL: Those same people that are chanting that Trump is trying to end democracy had nothing to say when there were attempts in 36 of  the 50 states of the United States to keep Donald Trump off the ballot‚ and the Supreme Court by a unanimous 9-0 vote declared it was unconstitutional. That it was — in fact — an attack on democracy. It’s these same hypocrites who are doing this. Welcome to today’s world.  VARNEY: It never changes. Great stuff‚ Brent. Come and see us again. Don’t be a stranger‚ okay&;#63; BOZELL: Thanks Stuart.

UFC light-heavyweight Anthony Smith said that some fans are &;quot;stupid&;quot; in response to questions as to why he‚ in particular‚ is given a hard time for his commentary.Smith‚ a former contender for the 205-pound belt‚ has had a long and storied career in the UFC‚ amassing a record of 37-19 in MMA. The 35-year-old has not only been successful in the cage but the broadcasting booth‚ as well.Smith routinely appears on broadcasts as an analyst‚ on ESPN‚ and other networks and podcasts for his insight on fights. However‚ Smith was recently on the receiving end of questions from reporters ahead of his UFC 301 bout against Vitor Petrino.The Nebraska native was asked why fans have such intense reactions to some of the comments he makes about other fighters.&;quot;Why do you think people are so hard on you specifically&;#63;&;quot; a reporter asked at a press conference.&;quot;Some of it is the position I put myself in as an analyst. Fans are stupid ... they are&;#33;&;quot; Smith explained. &;quot;You guys [the media] write an article‚ and they don’t read the article‚ they just read the headline and just make up the rest in their head. If they actually read it‚ almost everything I say makes a lot of sense. Every once in a while‚ maybe I’ll have some crazy takes‚ but it’s not that often‚&;quot; Smith said in his own defense.The fighter then described a game he and his friends like to play called &;quot;what kind of crazy s*** can I say to see what the fans will say&;#63;&;quot;&;quot;They just play into it‚ so it is what it is‚&;quot; he said.Smith has faced criticism for his remarks about light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira when he showered praise on the fighter but noted that he has &;quot;a limited skillset.&;quot;While still calling Pereira a &;quot;legitimate threat‚&;quot; Smith added that &;quot;because of the matchups&;quot; the UFC has given him‚ things have &;quot;really worked in his favor.&;quot;&;quot;He's very‚ very‚ very dangerous at one thing and he’s mediocre at the rest‚&;quot; Smith added. &;quot;He\u2019s very‚ very‚ very dangerous at one thing and he\u2019s mediocre at the rest.&;quot;\n\nAnthony Smith stands by his analysis of Alex Pereira‚ saying it's &;quot;impressive&;quot; what Pereira has been able to do with a &;quot;limited skill set.&;quot;\n\n(via @DamonMartin) — (@) Smith went on to state at the press conference that he has felt that fans have an issue separating his comments as an analyst from his comments as an athlete. Particularly‚ this happens when talking about an opponent‚ which he admitted can be a little exaggerated. &;quot;When I’m talking about someone as an analyst‚ I don’t put myself into that. I can talk about Alex Pereira all I want. I wouldn’t talk about how it’d be with me‚ I’m not even saying I’m better than he is‚ how I feel about myself personally has nothing to do what I'm talking about.&;quot;&;quot;As soon as I say it‚ since I’m still competing‚ [fans] have a problem with it. I’ve just gotten to the point where I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter … the fighters know that I’m speaking the truth. You don’t see anyone coming up to me in hallways to fight about it‚ they know I’m right&;#33;&;quot; he declared.Smith's fight at UFC 301 will be his 21st fight with the UFC; he is currently ranked 10 in the light-heavyweight division.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

A man was reportedly stabbed on Wednesday outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City‚ Fox News Digital reported.The New York Police Department told the news outlet that the 23-year-old man was brutally attacked near the historic hotel in Manhattan. The victim suffered stab wounds to the back of his neck.Authorities stated that he walked to Mount Sinai West Hospital to receive care. The victim is expected to recover from the assault.Police told Fox News Digital that no individuals have been arrested for their connection to the attack but noted that two suspects were believed to be involved. Investigators are still canvassing the area for possible surveillance camera footage.The Roosevelt Hotel‚ owned by state-run Pakistan International Airlines‚ was converted into a shelter for illegal aliens last year after being closed down in 2020 amid the government shutdowns in response to COVID-19.Scott Markowitz of Tarter Krinsky &; Drogin‚ attorneys for the hotel’s owner‚ told WNBC last May that opening up the historic hotel to illegal immigrants made financial sense‚ noting that it would generate “substantially more revenue” than the hotel’s typical operations.New York City taxpayers have shelled out $220 million to provide housing to illegal aliens at the hotel for three years.According to a New York Post report from February‚ the owners of the Roosevelt Hotel are now considering replacing the hotel with a multi-use mega-tower after the illegal immigrants have vacated the property.Peter Riguardi with JLL‚ a brokerage‚ told the Post‚ “Pakistan hired us to evaluate the property’s potential as a mixed-use project combining retail‚ offices‚ a new hotel‚ condo apartments and event space all in a single building.”“We expect all the major developers and global capital sources to be interested. It will attract the greatest architects. The Roosevelt location is in the hottest part of New York City‚ close by Grand Central Terminal‚” Riguardi added.Violent attacks at or near shelters used to house illegal aliens have become increasingly more common. From May through August 2023‚ 41 individuals were arrested at the Roosevelt Hotel‚ the Post reported. One illegal immigrant residing at the shelter was accused of hitting a worker with a “No Parking” sign after he was removed from the property. The worker suffered a six-inch gash on his head.On Monday morning‚ an illegal immigrant allegedly attacked a security guard at the Randalls Island shelter when the worker attempted to break up a fight between the 24-year-old man and his wife‚ Blaze News previously reported. The aggressor bit‚ punched‚ and scratched the guard during the altercation. The security guard fought back against his attacker‚ hitting the man in the face. Both refused medical attention.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;