Some of the most iconic features of modern Halloween traditions can be traced back to ancient rituals. The most influential of these appears to be the Celtic feast day, Samhain. However, alongside the date itself, the customs associated with the day including trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and apple bobbing, all have roots in ancient beliefs and practices.   The Feast of Samhain Modern-day revelers celebrate Samhain. Source: National Heritage Center   The Celtic calendar (influenced by the pastoral and agricultural year) began on November 1st. Traditionally, this was marked by the great feast of Samhain. Coinciding with the end of harvest season, livestock would be slaughtered and great bonfires lit. The association with the supernatural of modern Halloween festivities may also hark back to the tradition of ancient burial mounds being opened and spirits (aos si) were believed to walk the earth.   There are records of food being left as offerings and places being set at dinner for departed family members. In the 9th century, the western church endorsed Samhain renaming November 1st ‘All Saints’ Day’, making October 31st ‘All Saints’ Eve’ or ‘All Hallows’ Eve’ from which the term Halloween is derived. Despite Halloween having evolved since then, many still celebrate the festival of Samhain today.   The Jack- O’-Lantern Traditional jack-o-lantern carvings we now associate with Halloween. Source: HD Wallpaper   The earliest known use of the term Jack- O’-Lantern is in England in the 1660s.This is to refer to a light phenomenon also called Will o’the Wisp. This folklore term was used to explain the bright lights occasionally appearing above marshes or bogs that we now know as bioluminescence. The main story that seems to have given the Jack-O’-Lantern its name comes from a mid-18th century Irish folktale of Stingy Jack. In various versions of this legend, Jack is a blacksmith who cheats the devil in a wager. Sometimes trapping the devil in crosses, sometimes tricking him into turning himself into a silver coin.    In each variation, Stingy Jack has led a life of crime and so cannot go to heaven. However, as he has outsmarted the devil, he cannot be taken to hell either and so his spirit is doomed to wander the earth after death. When Stingy Jack asks the devil how he will be able to see which way to go, the devil throws Jack a fiery coal which Jack promptly puts in a carved-out vegetable (sometimes turnip or pumpkin). The ghostly firelit pumpkin being Stingy Jack’s ghostly lantern. And so, the legend of the Jack-O’-Lantern was created.   Love Rituals Lit candle on white candle holder. Photo by Gary Ellis. Source: Unsplash   Although associated with more ghoulish superstitions, there was also an ancient tradition of young girls hoping to see their future husband reflected in a candlelit mirror. It was then possible to discover his initial by throwing a complete apple peel over her shoulder – the letter formed would be that of her future beau.   Another popular Halloween tradition was to line a hot fireplace (or around a bonfire) with hazelnuts, giving each the name of a prospective husband and reciting “if you love me pop and fly; if you hate me, burn and die.” To guarantee a dream of her future love on Halloween, a young girl could place her shoes in the form of a ‘T’. a potent talisman representing the Norse god, Thor. she then said: ‘Hoping this night my true love to see, I place my shoes in the T.’ While less popular than some Halloween traditions, some do still carry out the traditional love rituals for their amusement.   Bonfires Bonfire night. Source: Wikimedia   Often witnessed as part of Samhain feasts, bonfires were also believed to have a cleansing and purifying property; a symbolic clearing of the year past to prepare for the year ahead. They may have also served the practical purpose of preparing the earth for the new agricultural year. A more superstitious purpose may have been to ward of spirits (driven away by the light). There are also some theories that suggest ancient pagans may have lit the fires to ensure the sun would return after the dark of the winter. Although bonfires are more commonly associated with Bonfire Night today, there are some who enjoy gathering around a fire at Halloween.   Trick or Treat Trick or treaters at Halloween. Source: Jennifer Crump   There are conflicting theories on the origin of this popular tradition. The truth is likely to be a combination of all of these. Firstly, during Samhain, food would be left out as offerings to wandering souls who walked the earth at night. In time, merrymakers began to dress as these spirits in exchange for small food offerings. The German-American tradition of belsnickeling also saw people dressing in ghoulish costumes and going door-to-door. In this tradition, those who answered would have to guess who was disguised and then give a small offering if they were wrong.    This is reminiscent of the Scottish practice of ‘guising’ (or ‘souling’). Mostly children (although poorer adults were recorded to have taken part also) would go door-to-door, in costume, offering prayers for the dead on All Souls’ Day. Over time, the prayers evolved into jokes, tricks, songs and other entertainment in return for money or food. The practice of trick-or-treating remains popular today, particularly in the United States.   Apple Bobbing Apple bobbing at Halloween. Source: Wikipedia   Also known as ‘ducking’ or ‘dooking in Scotland, or Snap Apple Night in Ireland and Newfoundland, apple bobbing is an ancient Halloween tradition. The likely origins are the merging of the Celtic Samhain with the Roman fruits and orchards goddess Pomona, whose symbol was the apple. When conquering Britain, Romans introduced the apple to British soil. Already a powerful symbol in Roman culture, when Celts cut the apple in half (lengthways) they observed that the seeds formed a pentagram; a symbol they associated with fertility.   From here, variations of bobbing for or spinning for apples were commonplace amongst young, unmarried folk. The purpose was one of divination: ‘Who would be the next to marry?’, ‘Who will my partner be?’, and other questions were apparently answered by whoever could first catch an apple or let an apple fall.

  Known in Tibet as the “Goddess Mother of the World” and “Goddess of the Sky” in Nepal, Mount Everest seems almost divine as it looks over the snowy landscape below. However, this stoic peak is not a benevolent deity. Luring adventurers from the world over, the massive peak has led to the deaths of hundreds since the first attempts to conquer it were made in the early twentieth century. How did Mount Everest become such an irresistible target for elite climbers and curious onlookers from around the globe?   Facts & Figures Mount Everest in 2020, photo by Zhang Weiguo. Source: CNN   Located in the Himalayan Mountain Range, Mount Everest is the tallest point on Earth. Rising into the sky at 29,032 feet, or 8,849 meters, the mountain looms between the neighboring countries of Tibet and Nepal. It was formed when India’s continental plate crashed into the Asian plate over 60 million years ago and continues to grow at a rate of 44 millimeters a year due to continuous plate action.   Mapping the Mountain A 2018 map showing the journey to Everest Base camp by Monika Brodmann Maeder. Source: Wilderness & Environmental Medicine accessed via ResearchGate   Although the Indigenous people local to the mountain have been familiar with it for centuries, the Western world did not become curious about Everest until the 19th century, when the British government began investigating it. While the mountain was not accessible from Nepal or Tibet at this time due to an isolationist policy and borders closed to foreigners, the British began observing the mountain from the Indian town of Darjeeling, about 140 miles away.   Historically, Tibetans call the mountain Chomolungma, and in Nepal, it is known as Sagarmatha, but the British bestowed it with the moniker “Gamma.” Gamma later became known as “Peak B” in 1847, and British scientists began to suspect that it may have been the tallest mountain on the planet.   Surveying, still from a distance and taking into consideration factors like light refraction, barometric temperature, and temperature, ensued. After a few years, it was determined that the height of the mountain, now referred to as “Peak XV,” was 29,002 feet, or 8,839,8 meters, though that measurement has been contemporarily adjusted using GPS and other modern survey technology.   A sign points the way to the Mount Everest base camp in Nepal. Source: Peak Climbing Nepal   In 1865, the mountain received its official and current western name from the Royal Geographic Society: Mount Everest. This name was suggested by India’s surveyor general, Andrew Waugh, who wanted to name the peak after his predecessor, Sir George Everest. Everest had been the original supervisor of the extensive surveying project that included Everest, investing 23 years into the endeavor. However, Everest did not want to name the mountain after himself, as he always preferred to use local names. Waugh protested that since the surrounding countries were closed, there was no way to know these names, and Everest remained the chosen title.   Sherpa people at a market. Paula Bronstein photo. Source: CNN   Several groups of Indigenous people lived near the mountain, including the Sherpa. The Sherpa are a Nepalese ethnic group who have become especially adapted to mountain survival, including an acclimation to low-oxygen situations. The Sherpa proved invaluable to the upcoming attempts to scale the mountain. From the beginning, they served as guides and porters, lending their unique local knowledge to precarious situations.   First Attempts A view of the Tibetan Plateau, from which the first exploration set out. Matteo Colombo photo. Source: Matteo Colombo Travel Photography   Now that the mountain had been mapped, British explorers were eager to get access to it and determine what secrets the mountain might hold. This proved difficult, as both countries surrounding the mountain blocked outsiders from entering. However, diplomacy ensued, and in 1921, the British government got special permission from the Dalai Lama to enter Tibet and begin exploration.   Starting in May, a group of mountaineers, surveyors, and naturalists set off across the Tibetan Plateau toward their destination. They spent four months studying the mountain and exploring potential approaches. The team’s oxygen expert, Dr. Kellas, died on the trip, and others suffered ill health as a result of the conditions. The team did not make a successful foray up the slope but gathered a great deal of information that proved useful in future attempts. George Mallory, standing second from left, just before his third and last Everest expedition. Source: Durham University Library   The following year, a voyage led by George Leigh Mallory, who had attended the first trip, set out to tackle the mountain, hoping to complete an actual ascent. Two men in the party, Geoffery Bruce and George Ingle Finch, made it to the altitude of 27,000 feet, a historic accomplishment. However, that meant there was still a mile to go to reach the summit. Mallory made a second relay toward the top on this trip, but it was interrupted when an avalanche swept the group away. Seven Sherpa porters were killed in this event, and the ascension attempt was concluded.   Gone Mallory and Irvine at base camp in 1924. Source: Royal Geographical Society Photo   Though George Mallory had failed in 1922, he wasn’t ready to give up on Everest. He tried again in 1924 with a new group, of which two men made it over 28,000 feet. Mallory followed their trek with an attempt at the final ascent, accompanied by student Andrew “Sandy” Irvine. With supplemental oxygen in tow, the pair set out on June 8 and were not seen again for decades.   A shot of George Mallory’s body taken by Thom Pollard. Source: Climbing Magazine   In 1999, George Mallory’s body was discovered and identified by a group of climbers, battered as if he may have died from a fall. Since Mallory’s disappearance, there has been some discussion as to whether he and Irvine may have reached the summit, becoming the first to the top of Everest, and then experienced a tragic accident on their descent.   Some pointed out that Mallory was not in possession of his wife’s photo, which he always carried and had promised to leave on the summit. He was also not wearing his goggles, which indicated that he may have been moving at nighttime. Irvine’s body has never been located, though it is suspected that a Chinese climber spotted it in 1975.   Summiting Success Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Source: AP Photo via National Geographic   The first documented ascent of Mount Everest was completed in 1953. Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay succeeded in their attempt. They were part of a large group of ten climbers and 320 porters. Norgay had almost completed the summit the year before, as part of a Swiss group that was eventually forced to turn back at 28,210 feet, and had been involved in five Everest expeditions before that. The pair spent about fifteen minutes at the summit, taking photos to prove their accomplishment. They gained international fame even before they left the mountain and remained friends until Norgay’s death in 1986. Hillary passed away in 2008.   Other Notable Adventures (and Tragedies) Everest climbers featured in a promotional video for an exhibit at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago. Source: Museum of Science & Industry Chicago   When Hillary and Norgay completed their trek, they believed efforts to summit Mount Everest would cease. They couldn’t have been more wrong. Since their climb, over 6,000 people have successfully summited the peak. About 800 adventurers attempt the trip each year, with hundreds more visiting the base camp area as tourists. Well over 300 of these climbers have perished on the slopes since 1922. This is clearly not a climb for novices, and the price tag is astronomical, coming in at about $50,000 for permits and supplies.   Junko Tabei in a photo provided by her family to Outside Online. Source: Outside Online   Junko Tabei became the first woman to successfully summit in 1975, following the same route as Hillary and Norgay. In 1978, Rheinhold Messer and Peter Habler, an Austrian pair, made the trip as it had never been made before: without the use of supplemental oxygen. Messer made the trek a second time two years later, again forgoing oxygen and becoming the first person to ascend solo, establishing a new route on the North Face of the mountain.   A climber is rescued after an Everest Avalanche in 2014, Baddhabir RAI photo. Source: CNBC   Not all journeys up the mountain have resulted in achievements; others have resulted in disaster. In 1974, a French team fell victim to an avalanche, resulting in the disappearance of the expedition’s leader and five Sherpas. No remains were ever found.   A 1996 blizzard stranded seventeen mountaineers, of which only half returned alive.   In 2006, climber David Sharp froze to death after ascending, passed by numerous people as he sat in distress.   Controversy Ngima Tashi Sherpa carries a Malaysian climber who collapsed in the death zone in 2023. Gelje Sherpa photo. Source: CNN   Despite its popularity as a climbing destination, Mount Everest has become the root of contemporary controversy. A main concern surrounding the mountain is the rights and exploitation of the Sherpa people, who have been historically paid less than white guides. Their jobs in relation to the mountain have a high death risk, with little compensation. In addition, the Sherpa people who are not directly involved in the mountain business have found their way of life disrupted by constant tourism.   Pollution has become a big concern for the mountain as more and more people attempt to ascend every year. Also left behind are dozens of bodies that are unable to be retrieved, forcing climbers to travel past them as they move up the mountain. The increase in the mountain’s popularity in recent years has resulted in crowds waiting to reach the top, congesting the trails. More specifically, these trails are located in what is known as the “death zone,” and standing around here can be deadly. A climbing suit worn by Aussie Geoff Bartram to summit Mt. Everest in 1984. Source: National Museum Australia   The ultimate destination for mountaineers from around the world, Mount Everest has proven that she may be ascended but never conquered. The peak’s history demonstrates that the challenges it offers are far from surmountable, even as climbing technology has increased.

Often when we’re tired and don’t feel like going to church, praying, or spending time in God’s Word, the enemy can come against us and try to deter us from taking the first step. But if we’ll take that first step, we almost always find the next one is a bit easier.

12 days remain to Election Day, and that means there are 12 days left in this election cycle for ABC News to continue to distinguish themselves as the most comically sycophantic pro-Harris network evening newscast. Watch as anchor David Muir introduces Mary Bruce’s campaign roundup, with a lengthy brief that could serve as its own report: DAVID MUIR: We turn now to the race for The White House. Just 12 days now until Election Day but tonight, this number: more than 30 million Americans have already voted in early voting. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump tonight in the key battleground states. And tonight, former President Trump vowing, if elected, he will fire Jack Smith, who is prosecuting Trump for allegedly trying to overthrow the results of the last election, and the horror on January 6th. And after CNN invited both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump to a debate or to a town hall, Trump saying no to both, Harris showing up to make her case in front of undecided voters in Pennsylvania. And what she promised. Here's ABC's Mary Bruce. Two things Muir wants to embed in the audience’s heads before going to Mary Bruce: that Trump wants to fire Jack Smith, and that Kamala Harris made “a promise”to the American public. After driving those points home, Muir tosses to Mary Bruce, the former Chief Apple Polisher to the Biden White House. Bruce proceeds to repeat what Muir just said, before rehashing the John Kelly allegations. After reading them into the record, Bruce focuses on suggesting that Trump is a coward for not accepting CNN’s invitation to attend a debate or town hall: MARY BRUCE: That town hall held in place of a proposed debate. Harris had agreed to participate, but Trump refused. Today, Harris taking note. KAMALA HARRIS: Yet again, Trump not showing up, um, refused to be part of a CNN debate. BRUCE: And zeroing in on her campaign's closing message that Trump is a danger to the country. HARRIS: Either you have the choice of a Donald Trump, who will sit in The Oval Office, stewing, plotting revenge, retribution, writing out his enemies list, or what I will be doing, which is responding to folks like the folks last night, with a to-do list. After aiding and abetting Harris’s efforts to present Trump as a danger to Democracy™, Muir jumps back in and sets Bruce up for her big reveal of The Promise: MUIR: This has been extraordinary, Mary. A slew of new national polls and battleground state polls both showing this is a dead heat. Some showing Harris is ahead, some showing Trump is ahead, but I wanted to ask you about this CNN event last night, they had invited both Harris and Donald Trump to a debate, or to a town hall. Donald Trump saying no to both. Kamala Harris showing up, in front of those undecided voters in Pennsylvania, and she made a promise. BRUCE: She did, David. Kamala Harris promising those voters at last night's town hall that she will be a president for all Americans, Democrats, Republicans, and independents. And tonight, she's going to be here in Atlanta, appearing alongside former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen. Tomorrow night, she'll be in Houston with Beyonce. The Senate race in that state, of course, razor close. Meanwhile, Donald Trump tomorrow appearing with superstar podcaster Joe Rogan, hoping to appeal to his massive audience of young men. A group Donald Trump is counting on to win this race, David. Bruce here sounds like a campaign comms person explaining Harris’s “promise” and hyping the celebrities coming to her joint event with former President Barack Obama.  If it weren’t for Regime Media, we’d have none at all. Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Thursday, October 24th, 2024: ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT 10/24/24 6:38 PM DAVID MUIR: We turn now to the race for The White House. Just 12 days now until Election Day but tonight, this number: more than 30 million Americans have already voted in early voting. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump tonight in the key battleground states. And tonight, former President Trump vowing, if elected, he will fire Jack Smith, who is prosecuting Trump for allegedly trying to overthrow the results of the last election, and the horror on January 6th. And after CNN invited both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump to a debate or to a town hall, Trump saying no to both, Harris showing up to make her case in front of undecided voters in Pennsylvania. And what she promised. Here's ABC's Mary Bruce. MARY BRUCE: Tonight, Donald Trump declaring that if he's re-elected, one of his first orders of business will be to fire the special counsel prosecuting him for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump saying getting rid of Jack Smith will be, quote, “one of the first things addressed.” DONALD TRUMP: It's so easy. I would fire him within two seconds. BRUCE: In an interview later today, Trump saying Smith should be, quote, thrown out of the country. Tonight, Kamala Harris's campaign hitting back, saying, "Donald Trump thinks he's above the law, and these latest comments are right in line with the warnings made by Trump's former Chief of Staff that he wants to rule as a dictator with unchecked power." That former Chief of Staff, retired four-star General John Kelly, told The New York Times Trump fits the definition of a fascist, and would love to rule as a dictator himself. JOHN KELLY: Oh, I think, you know, I think he'd love to be -- I think he'd love to be just like he was in business. He could tell people to do things and they would do it and not really bother too much about whether -- what the legalities were. BRUCE: As a retired general, Kelly doesn’t endorse candidates, but he says he's speaking out now, because Trump has vowed to go after his political enemies using the military if necessary, calling them the enemy within. At a CNN town hall, Harris urging voters to heed his warning. KAMALA HARRIS: I think one has to think about, why would someone who served with him, who is not political, a four-star Marine general, why is he telling the American people now? And frankly, I think of it is -- he's just putting out a 911 call to the American people. Understand what could happen if Donald Trump were back in The White House. And this time, we must take very seriously those folks who knew him best, and who are career people, are not going to be there to hold him back. BRUCE: That town hall held in place of a proposed debate. Harris had agreed to participate, but Trump refused. Today, Harris taking note. HARRIS: Yet again, Trump not showing up, um, refused to be part of a CNN debate. BRUCE: And zeroing in on her campaign's closing message that Trump is a danger to the country. HARRIS: Either you have the choice of a Donald Trump, who will sit in The Oval Office, stewing, plotting revenge, retribution, writing out his enemies list, or what I will be doing, which is responding to folks like the folks last night, with a to-do list. BRUCE: Today, in North Carolina, Harris' running mate, Tim Walz, telling young voters to beware of Trump's threats to go after his enemies. TIM WALZ: Look. I recognize I'm on the top of his list, but don't kid yourself. You are somewhere on this list, too, if you disagree with these people. That's who they are. BRUCE: And late this evening, Trump lashing out at John Kelly, who was his longest serving Chief of Staff, and before that, his Secretary of Homeland Security. DONALD TRUMP: I realize I didn't like him, you know, pretty quickly, and was stopping paying attention, but he was a bully who made up stories. BRUCE: Minutes later, Trump firing up a crowd of supporters in Tempe, Arizona. TRUMP: This is going to be the biggest and most important election ever, it's going  to be the biggest political event, I believe, in our country's history. We have to win. And we don't need it for the big political event, we need it to save our country. MUIR: This has been extraordinary, Mary. A slew of new national polls and battleground state polls both showing this is a dead heat. Some showing Harris is ahead, some showing Trump is ahead, but I wanted to ask you about this CNN event last night, they had invited both Harris and Donald Trump to a debate, or to a town hall. Donald Trump saying no to both. Kamala Harris showing up, in front of those undecided voters in Pennsylvania, and she made a promise. BRUCE: She did, David. Kamala Harris promising those voters at last night's town hall that she will be a president for all Americans, Democrats, Republicans, and independents. And tonight, she's going to be here in Atlanta, appearing alongside former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen. Tomorrow night, she'll be in Houston with Beyonce. The Senate race in that state, of course, razor close. Meanwhile, Donald Trump tomorrow appearing with superstar podcaster Joe Rogan, hoping to appeal to his massive audience of young men. A group Donald Trump is counting on to win this race, David. MUIR: Mary Bruce live in Georgia tonight. Mary, thank you.    

America’s foreign policy is backfiring again in a region with key geostrategic importance, the South Caucasus. This mountainous landscape is traditionally viewed in the Western hemisphere as the easternmost…

Donald Trump is doing a whirlwind of interviews with independent media in the homestretch of the 2024 election. As the Republican presidential nominee pulls ahead in crucial swing state polls, he’s…

A stepping stone to good health.

Foreign Affairs Western Policy in the Caucasus Is Backfiring Policymakers in Washington and Brussels fundamentally misunderstand Georgia’s geopolitical position. Credit: image via Shutterstock America’s foreign policy is backfiring again in a region with key geostrategic importance, the South Caucasus. This mountainous landscape is traditionally viewed in the Western hemisphere as the easternmost bastion of European civilization, on the frontiers of Asia and Europe, Islam and Christianity, a battleground for contesting powers such as Russia, Turkey, and Iran. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, however, local states have regained their independence, and space has opened for their democratic development and integration into the free world. Georgia has emerged as an invaluable partner—an outpost so to speak—for Western foreign policy. This cooperation, however, is in jeopardy because of recent controversies in the West over Georgian legislation on “foreign agents” and cultural issues. The core of this geopolitical impasse is a misunderstanding of Georgia’s relations to Russia and its place within the Euro-Atlantic sphere. The Georgian government is not pro-Russian. It doesn’t even have diplomatic ties to its northern neighbor and has condemned Russia’s aggression in Ukraine in every possible way. Indeed, Georgia is under partial Russian occupation since the deadly wars in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the early 1990s, which effectively prevents any bilateral political cooperation or even dialogue between Tbilisi and Moscow. The governing Georgian Dream party has been in power since 2012 and has since proven to be a valuable and trustworthy partner of its American and European friends. Georgia is committed to its North-Atlantic and European perspective. It was the Georgian Dream government, now under Western fire, that codified the country’s NATO and EU accession in the Georgian constitution in 2017. The government has been a forerunner among EU candidate states in fulfilling accession criteria. The EU-Georgia Association Council has welcomed the progress made with regards to human rights, freedom of expression, and gender equality. Georgia is a regional leader in anti-corruption measures, as evidenced by Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, in which Georgia outpaced several EU member states. The Georgian state budget is the most transparent globally. The government has even changed the overpowered super-presidential system to a parliamentary democracy and has introduced a fully proportional parliamentary voting system in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission. Georgia, however, can not change geography or overwrite history. It was under the Russian yoke for over two centuries. It is forced to maintain pragmatic ties with its neighbors, especially when one of them is a nuclear power. Retaining trade ties with Russia is key to ensuring Georgia’s economic stability and energy security, especially when Georgia’s Western partners failed to provide alternatives to Georgia’s traditional export markets and the Caspian fossil fuels from Russia and Azerbaijan. Today, Turkey is Georgia’s largest and the Commonwealth of Independent States the second largest economic partner. Key development projects, such as the establishment of a deep seaport in Anaklia, are set to be carried out by China, and this is largely due to a lack of Western engagement and investment. Decoupling and deglobalization are major threats to the Georgian economy, which relies on pragmatic economic cooperation in Central Eurasia. The reformation of power blocs in the international arena and the escalation of military conflicts in its neighborhood are existential threats for Georgia. It is an isolated country on the frontiers of great and emerging middle powers; it can not risk a major confrontation with its mighty neighbors, especially when its Western partners have failed to provide security guarantees since the Russo–Georgian War in 2008. Many Georgians ask, “without the economic and defensive umbrella of the West, what is left of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic partnership?” They see that it all comes down to the American exports of liberal democracy, wokeism, and the culture war. Georgia is a very conservative society, one of the most religious Christian nations on earth, proud of its long history, ancient culture, and social values. Discourses that have traditionally been marginal, such as wokeism, are artificially generated by certain spheres of civic activism in Georgia. One example was Tbilisi Pride, financed by the American National Endowment for Democracy, the UN, and the Dutch government, which has caused public outrage in Georgia. Concerning same-sex relations, the Georgians have the most conservative public opinion in Europe, with 84 percent saying it is always wrong. This is one of the reasons why distrust towards NGOs in Georgia has increased from 17 to 32 percent since 2008. Another reason why Georgian NGOs lose the trust of both the public and the state is their obvious dependence on foreign powers, both politically and financially. Some 90 percent of these organizations depend fully or partially on foreign—primarily European and American—aids, and, as the EU Roadmap for Engagement with Civil Society in Georgia has warned, only half of them prepare annual financial declarations. A mere 26 percent publish them. There are some 26,000 registered NGOs in Georgia—that’s one NGO for every 143 citizens in a country of 3.7 million people, an extremely high number by global standards. Neither the public nor the government knew for decades who pays these organizations or how they spend their money. There were some extreme examples uncovered that have raised serious concerns in Georgia, such as when an NGO offered a “DIY revolution workshop” with USAID money for opposition activists, inviting Serbian revolution experts to Georgia in 2023. This was one of the final straws that drove the Georgian Dream government to the conclusion that transparency needs to be established in civil society. The Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence—the so-called “Russian law” or “foreign agent law”—stands for a fundamental democratic value, transparency, but it has been condemned as anti-democratic. It is hardly comparable with the Russian legislation on foreign agents that has effectively curbed the operation of several NGOs, media outlets, and even individuals; the Georgian law merely imposes a one-off fine of some $9,000 on those organizations that receive more that 20 percent of their funds from abroad and refuse to register on the list of such organizations. Another piece of legislation that has caused outrage in the West and resulted in renewed sanctions against Georgian officials is the law on “family values and the protection of minors” passed this September. It restates an existing ban on same-sex marriage and bans gender reassignment surgery, and opens the ground for outlawing Pride events and the public display of the rainbow flag and censoring books and movies with LGBTQ propaganda. This legislation is widely supported by the Georgian public and serves as the foremost argument in Western criticism of the Georgian government for media censorship and endangering freedom of expression. In retaliation, the EU Parliament has recently called on the Commission to freeze all the funds Georgia receives from Europe, while the U.S. imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on government officials. The sanctions regime, however, is destined to backfire. No U.S. or EU sanctions will ever change the Georgian government’s policy on defending Georgia’s sovereignty and conservative social values. Moreover, when Georgians find that their hard-earned candidacy for EU membership has been frozen by Germany, and that the U.S. has indefinitely postponed joint military drills with Georgia despite a looming Russian aggression in the post-Soviet space, they will lose whatever trust they have left for their future in the Euro-Atlantic bloc. It is time for decision-makers in Washington to remember the lessons of history, and how sanctions on Cuba, Iraq or Iran, has previously failed to achieve their ends and pushed real or imagined adversaries of the U.S. into the hands of the Soviet Union, post-Soviet Russia, and China. Let’s not make the same mistake in the South Caucasus. The post Western Policy in the Caucasus Is Backfiring appeared first on The American Conservative.