Authored by Casey Carlisle via AntiWar.com,

Paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson, the natural progress of things is for prices to yield and for quality to gain ground.  Technology is what enables this natural progress.  Do televisions cost more now than they did in the early ‘90s?  What about mobile phones?  Same answer for both questions: both are better and less expensive today than they were in the early ‘90s, which is why one will conclude that something is awry when reading headlines like “Global Military Spending Has Almost Doubled Since the Early ‘90s.”

Why has military spending almost doubled since the early ‘90s?  Arguably for the same reason hospital services have: government intervention.  Those who ‘serve’ in government endlessly tax the present because they arrogantly claim to know what the future should be rather than allow the future to unfold via voluntary exchange between producers and consumers.  Against all reason and historical precedent, they claim that, in order to stay safe, ‘defense’ spending must increase.  But that’s like claiming that, in order for eggs to contain yolks, the cost of raising chickens must necessarily outpace the rate of inflation.

“But but but” the unthinking screech, “the world is much more dangerous today!”  Perhaps, but is warfare immune from technological advance?  No, as Jefferson’s actual quote helps explain: “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”  The world’s danger stems from governments’ interventions.  Wars aren’t cheap; governments don’t engage in them for fun.  The people would rather not fight, but instead of consulting with the people, governments conscript them.  Increased military spending is inversely proportional to market forces – the will of the people.

Military spending has almost doubled because the government that allegedly serves us trades our present liberty for its imagined, grotesque future.  Weapons manufacturing is one of the most regulated – if not the most regulated – industries in the “land of the free,” and that regulation paves the way for the most perverse incentive imaginable: though the maiming, killing, and destruction of “them” and their cities equates to the decimation of their economy, “our” business relies on it.Y

But work divided – not obliterated – is what enables the natural progress of things.  And when the number and duration of wars are unknown, and when that uncertainty is combined with the fact that war – at least its initial phase – is entirely devoid of market forces, weapons manufacturers can charge whatever they like, considering the governments that purchase their products spend their citizens’ money and not their own.  Governments have only what they’ve taken from the people they claim to serve, and they spend that money in the same way they obtained it: without consent.

There’s nothing natural about military spending nearly doubling; it’s a choice, just like inflation.  But these are not choices freely made by citizens; they’re choices imposed on citizens by those who claim to serve citizens.  Where citizens do have a choice, however, is whether to enlist, but increasingly more patriots have decided to abstain from military enlistment.  Why, then, would military spending increase while the number of those ‘serving’ decreases?  Because, again, military spending is not the product of billions of freely transacting individuals but of a handful who claim with a straight face that they know better than the billions engaging in voluntary exchange (the global economy).

“That’s just the way things are” is what the parasites hope you’ll keep chanting, but that song is better ascribed to things subjected to market forces.  “This is the way things will be” is why global military spending has doubled and will continue to increase.  As long as the government—not the people – decides which weapons will be purchased and which wars will be funded, the people will continue to fund the increasingly expensive suffering of others worldwide for the benefit of their governments.

Casey Carlisle writes in the Pacific Northwest.

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Nearly 100 people were sickened by an outbreak of an unknown gastrointestinal illness this week on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Radiance of the Seas, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said on Feb. 5 that about 89 of the 2,164 passengers on the ship were affected by the outbreak, or about 4 percent of the passengers. Two out of 910 crew members reported symptoms, the agency said.

The primary symptoms, according to the CDC, are vomiting and diarrhea. The “causative agent” was listed as “unknown,” the agency also said.

The Radiance of the Seas trip started on Feb. 1 and is scheduled to end on Feb. 8, while the outbreak was first reported on Feb. 5.

Sick passengers and crew members were isolated from the rest of the individuals on the cruise ship, the CDC said. The ship also has stepped up “cleaning and disinfection procedures” and collected samples for testing to determine the nature of the outbreak, the agency said.

Officials with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program are now “remotely monitoring the situation, including review of the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures,” it added.

While the cause of the outbreak wasn’t disclosed, the CDC noted that norovirus is generally the cause of outbreaks on cruise ships and that “finding the agent that caused an outbreak … can take time.”

“When an outbreak occurs, people whose symptoms met the case definition are asked to provide stool or vomitus samples. These samples are tested to determine the causative agent,” the CDC said.

Since the start of 2025, the CDC has reported six outbreaks on cruise ships, including the Radiance of the Seas trip. Three of the outbreaks were caused by norovirus, while one was caused by E. coli and other was “presumed” to have been caused by ciguatera fish poisoning, according to the agency.

Cruise ships are required to report cases where individuals report diarrhea or vomiting, along with other symptoms, to the CDC, the agency has said.

Norovirus Case Updates

Cases of norovirus started surging in parts of the United States over the winter, according to government data.

The most recent numbers from the CDC show there were 97 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Jan.9, although that was down from the 128 outbreaks reported a week earlier. Numbers from the past few years show a maximum of 65 outbreaks reported during that first week of December 2024.

A norovirus infection is characterized by sudden vomiting and diarrhea. Outbreaks are often seen on cruise ships, in congregate living situations such as nursing homes and jails, and in schools and places where people are close together.

In a normal year, according to the CDC, norovirus causes between 19 million and 21 million cases of vomiting and diarrhea, 109,000 hospitalizations, and 900 deaths across the United States. The virus also is associated with about 495,000 emergency department visits, mostly in younger children, the CDC says. Most outbreaks occur between November and April.

If there is a new strain of the virus, there can be upward of 50 percent more norovirus illness. the agency said. Norovirus outbreaks often occur in health care facilities, long-term care facilities, restaurants, child care centers, schools, and cruise ships.

The Epoch Times contacted Royal Caribbean for comment on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Via The Cradle

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam officially announced the formation of a new government for Lebanon on Saturday, naming 24 ministers to his cabinet, including five allied with the so-called “Shia duo” of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.

“Reform is the only path to salvation, and the government will work to restore trust between the citizen and the state,” Salam said during a short speech from Baabda Palace following the announcement. “The government will work in harmony among its members, and diversity will not be a source of disruption. I envision establishing a state of law and institutions, and we are laying the foundations for reform and rescue. No government formation will satisfy everyone, but we will work in unity,” the premier added.

Salam also stressed his government would “complete the implementation of [UNSC] Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement” with Israel, stressing that Israeli occupation troops must “withdraw to the last inch of Lebanese territory.”

Lebanese officials revealed that the first Cabinet session will be held on Tuesday at Baabda Palace, following the official group photo. The successful formation of Salam’s government comes one day after US special envoy to West Asia Morgan Ortagus declared during a news conference that Hezbollah would not be a part of the Lebanese government and that its “reign of terror” was “over.”

“We have set clear red lines from the US that they won’t be able to terrorize the Lebanese people, and that includes by being a part of the government,” Ortagus said while alongside Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Despite Washington’s interventionist statements, the country’s new cabinet is split evenly between Christian and Muslim sects, including five ministries headed by allies of Hezbollah and Amal.

The new Lebanese Government. Hezbollah-Amal have 5 ministers and for the first time the FPM will not be represented https://t.co/lNxIqUrWzL

— Hassan Ridha (@sayed_ridha) February 8, 2025

According to local reports, these are: Minister of Interior Ahmad Hajjar; Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber; Minister of Health Rakan Nasereddine; Minister of Labor Mohammad Haidar; and Minister of the Displaced Kamal Chehade.

“After all the threats and arrogance, the [Shia duo] entered the government in full partnership. Not a single name has changed after Ortagus’s words, and the duo ultimately approved the appointment of the fifth minister,” Lebanese journalist Hosam Matar said via social media, referring to a reported dispute between Salam and the Shia parties over their representation in government.

“Lebanon announces the birth of a new 24-Ministers government and did not exclude Hezbollah.” – Elijah Magnier

According to a statement issued by the Lebanese president’s office, the new cabinet members “are nonpartisan,” and Salam’s government was formed “based on competence, experience, specialization, CV, and good reputation.” Saturday’s cabinet formation also marked the end of the caretaker government of long-serving prime minister Najib Mikati.

Hezbollah has taken over the ministries in the new government in Lebanon, this is how they celebrated it when some of their ministers arrived.pic.twitter.com/pwVfCXiyvd

— Azat (@AzatAlsalim) February 8, 2025

Following general elections in 2022, Lebanon was mired in a years-long presidential deadlock. This impasse was broken late last year after the implementation of a one-sided ceasefire deal with Israel. Under heavy US and Gulf pressure, the Lebanese parliament elected former armed forces commander Joseph Aoun as President. He elected former chief judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Nawaf Salam to head the government as Prime Minister.

The Hims & Hers Super Bowl advertisement is “illegal” due to the lack of a required disclaimer, according to a former consultant for major food and pharmaceutical companies, adding the ad’s theme ripped off RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement while promoting GLP-1 medications.

Calley Means, the founder of TrueMed, a company that enables tax-free spending on food and exercise, wrote on X:

This ad is illegal. Ads pushing drugs must communicate the risks of the product. This drug has pronounced side effects – but this ad promotes easy prescriptions for millennials as some kind of counter-cultural moral good. A patient advocacy group should sue – happy to help.

This ad is illegal.

Ads pushing drugs must communicate the risks of the product.

This drug has pronounced side effects – but this ad promotes easy prescriptions for millennials as some kind of counter-cultural moral good.

A patient advocacy group should sue – happy to help. https://t.co/XlyAevchMY

— Calley Means (@calleymeans) February 8, 2025

The Hims & Hers ad is themed around “Sick of the System” and criticizes the $160 billion weight loss industry. The ad shows a “life-changing” solution: affordable weight-loss drugs while completely ignoring the true core pillar of MAHA: eating clean, healthy food and exercising. 

Means continued: 

The fact that they are co-opting MAHA messaging is cynical BS. We don’t have an obesity crisis because of a lack of Ozempic. It is because pharmaceutical companies have rigged out incentives to profit when we are sick.

The fact that they are co-opting MAHA messaging is cynical BS.

We don’t have an obesity crisis because of a lack of Ozempic.

It is because pharmaceutical companies have rigged out incentives to profit when we are sick.

Bad move @wearehims

— Calley Means (@calleymeans) February 8, 2025

On Friday, the New York Times reported that Senators Richard Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, and Roger Marshall, Republican of Kansas, sent a letter to the acting head of the Food and Drug Administration warning the ad “risks misleading patients.”

“Nowhere in this promotion is there any side-effect disclosure, risk or safety information as would be typically required in a pharmaceutical advertisement,” the senators wrote. 

However, a Hims & Hers spokesperson told CNBC in a statement:

“We are complying with existing law and are happy to continue working with Congress and the new Administration to fix the broken health system and ensure that patients have choices for quality, safe, and affordable healthcare.”

Hims & Hers’ marketing department quite possibly made a bad move by attempting to hijack the MAHA movement by promoting weight-loss medications. MAHA advocates for clean, nutritious food—not low-cost, experimental weight-loss drugs as a solution to America’s broken healthcare system

Let’s not forget this about Hims & Hers…

We wonder what MAHA’s Nicole Shanahan has to say about this ad… 

Authored by Andrew Thornebrooke via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A bipartisan pair of congressmen are introducing a bill to prohibit the use of China’s DeepSeek AI on government-issued devices.

Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) are expected to introduce the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act” on Feb. 6.

The pair serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and hope the bill will help prevent Americans from sharing sensitive, proprietary information with DeepSeek which could then be stored on servers in China accessible by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

“The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans,” Gottheimer said in a prepared statement.

He added that the CCP could leverage its control over servers in China to steal American contracts, financial records, and other business documents commonly uploaded to DeepSeek’s chatbot.

“We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek’s malign activities. We simply can’t risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security.”

Texas has already banned DeepSeek from government devices in the state, and Taiwan, Italy, and Australia have done the same.

“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors.”

DeepSeek has sparked data privacy concerns following the launch of its free open-source AI model in January. The app is controlled by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, according to its privacy policy webpage.

Major security concerns about DeepSeek center on its censorship rules, possible copyright infringement, and compliance with Chinese regulations and laws that compel individuals and companies to cooperate with Chinese authorities in their intelligence work, such as by handing over data collected both inside and outside the country.

To that end, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Jan. 28 that the government is looking into the potential national security implications of the DeepSeek AI app.

Founded in 2023 by Chinese businessman Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek stated the company adheres to Chinese laws and regulations, as well as “socialist core values.” Similarly, social media accounts linked to Chinese state agencies pushed narratives favoring DeepSeek prior to its mass proliferation through the U.S. marketplace earlier this month.

DeepSeek is not the first technology platform to export the CCP’s censorship and revisionist propaganda.

Social media giant TikTok came under fire for the same thing back in 2020, when it was found that the company’s platform suppressed content related to the CCP’s human rights abuses.

Nor is Gottheimer and LaHood’s bill the first legal response to DeepSeek in the U.S. government.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) filed his own Senate initiative in the wake of DeepSeek’s release. That effort aims to stop U.S.–China cooperation on AI development in toto by prohibiting AI products from being exported to or imported from the communist regime. The bill would also ban U.S. companies from investing in Chinese AI development.

Gottheimer and LaHood’s joint statement said that DeepSeek’s code shared user data with China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications company that was banned in the United States for its ties to the CCP’s military wing.

“The national security threat that DeepSeek—a CCP-affiliated company—poses to the United States is alarming,” LaHood said.

“DeepSeek’s generative AI program acquires the data of U.S. users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP. Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data,” he added.

Submitted by QTR’s Fringe Finance

Jim Acosta — best known for acting like a spoiled infant refusing to give up a rattler during a Q&A with President Trump during his first term — was recently rewarded for his “journalistic integrity” by being relegated to the midnight shift on CNN.

The network, fresh off watching its preferred Presidential candidate get blown out while the entire podcasting and “new”/alternative media world laughed and ridiculed it, is apparently rethinking its priorities. Long overdue.

And, well, Acosta would have been relegated to the midnight slot — except, in true “you can’t fire me, I quit!” fashion — he took his ball and went home, leaving the network and announcing on air to the world he was quitting.

The man who helped peddle both the Russian collusion hoax and “the science” during Covid on the network that outright lied to the public on multiple key issues the last decade, left with the ironic parting words:

“Don’t give in to the lies, don’t give in to the fear.”

That flaccid declaration was then followed by Acosta declaring he was going out on his own and moving to Substack. Acosta said on his new Substack account:

“Let me just say this, I have had quite the day. I am going independent, at least for now. This is just the beginning, but I wanted to invite you to join me here on this platform as we talk about the day’s news, talk about politics, and so on.”

A good friend of mine told me the other day that the world “bends to the truth.” In context, he meant that no matter what people are saying, the truth always finds a way of seeping out and imposing its will on the world.

I couldn’t help but reflect on that while reading the news about Jim Acosta.

It’s hilarious that over the last few years, Substack has been written off as a home for only conspiracy theorists and renegade journalists that supposedly don’t belong in the mainstream. Of course, for years, I’ve been arguing that Substack is just the opposite: a fertile breeding ground of critically thought-out ideas, raised by a collective of people who, for the most part, are interested in getting to the objective truth of matters more than anything else.

And if I had to bet money on it, I would guess that at some point during his on-air career or off-the-air discussions, Jim Acosta joined a long chorus of people—like Chelsea Clinton—who lashed out at Substack and even, in one instance, called us Substack authors “grifters.”

But the truth has a funny way of dishing out karma. It was arguably CNN’s inability to tell the objective truth that helped put Donald Trump into the White House this go-round. It also arguably helped accelerate the shift toward alternative media sources for people near the center of the political aisle who just have an interest in, at the very least, hearing both sides of a story.

It’s funny now to see people like Acosta, former mainstream left-wing journalists like Taylor Lorenz, and a couple of people from The Washington Post embrace what Substack has to offer: free speech and a platform that isn’t going to censor them. If the libertarian and right-wing desire for free speech and autonomy doesn’t make sense to them—now that they are finding refuge in it—they’re never going to get it.

🔥 50% OFF FOR LIFE: Using this coupon entitles you to 50% off an annual subscription to Fringe Finance for life: Get 50% off forever

I’ll always think Jim Acosta is a clown for how he’s acted, but I welcome him onto the platform. After all, I acted like a infantile imbecile through most of my teen years and 20s, too. In my 30s, I committed to trying to reform my behavior actively. In my 40s, I’m seeking sobriety and even further personal growth. Maybe Jim is on a similar journey. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

And hey — I’ve said many times over, I have no desire to hear only one side to any story, regardless of what my personal opinion is and what the topic is. I’m always interested in hearing all of the facts and then making my decision accordingly. And so, for that reason, I’ll tell you what I don’t need to if you’re already my subscriber: vibrant free speech is a beautiful thing.

But the irony of this move isn’t lost on me and shouldn’t be lost on you either.

Substack is a desirable place to be a journalist not just because it makes one’s individual work easy to monetize and provides a wonderful direct-to-reader experience, but because it welcomes all opinions and the company had the foresight to understand that being accepting of everybody—even those people that may have cast off the platform in days prior—is better as a long-term asset than a short-term, prideful sticking point.

I hope it’s no secret to my subscribers that I’m immensely appreciative of having you as readers. This blog has been cathartic for me in so many ways, and I couldn’t possibly imagine the kindness that you have all shown me as I work to express my opinions and curate content. That gratitude extends to Substack as well, and I’ve told them as much privately.

And now, publicly, I want to congratulate them—not just on the platform’s success, but in how it was made manifest: by having confidence in free speech and a shared pursuit of the objective truth, and then letting the world bend around Substack instead of Substack bending around the world. Congratulations to the Substack team… and even to you, Jim Acosta. I hope this is a new chapter in a journey where you begin to truly find your voice.

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Iran’s top cleric who oversees the state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appears to have shut the door on opening new negotiations with Washington in the wake of fresh Trump-ordered sanctions intended to disrupt Iran’s oil network and to take exports “down to zero”.

“First, negotiations with the US have no effect on solving [Iran’s] problems. The reason? Experience!” Khamenei said on Friday. He explained that during the Obama presidency, “we sat down and negotiated with the US for about two years, and an agreement was formed. In this agreement, the Iranian side was very generous and gave many concessions to the other side.”

During Trump’s first term, he unilaterally pulled the US from the ‘bad’ JCPOA nuclear deal, which happened in April 2018 – after which a “maximum pressure” campaign was imposed on Tehran. Trump this week revived this pressure campaign via ramped-up sanctions.

Khamenei continued, “But the US did not carry out that agreement. The same person who is now in office tore up that agreement. We must learn from this experience.”

He then emphasized, “One must not negotiate with a government like the US government. Negotiations with it is not wise, it is not intelligent, and is not honorable.”

Many critics of Trump’s Iran policy back in 2018 warned that the Iranians would never be able to trust Washington again if a deal to end the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program is dangled in front of Tehran.

The basics of the JCPOA were that Iran would limit its nuclear energy program, agree to routine inspections, and in return US-led sanctions would be lifted.

The US is now worried that given last year’s tit-for-tat exchange of major strikes with Israel, Tehran leaders are more incentivized than ever to secretly develop a nuke.

However, the CIA has long assessed, even recently, that Iran’s leadership has not yet ordered the pursuit of a bomb. The Ayatollahs throughout the decades have also condemned atomic weapons as ‘unIslamic’.

Supreme Leader Khamenei seems to be favoring the hardliners, who’ve long argued that dealing with Washington is futile…

#Khamenei: Negotiations file closed
▪︎ Friday speech to #Iranian military
▪︎ “Reformists” appear not to be present#Iran #Trump #Sanctions #JCPOA #Nuclear ☢️💣 pic.twitter.com/8iTm7Fhg6k

— Shivan Mahendrarajah (@S_Mahendrarajah) February 7, 2025

Officially at least, Iran’s nuclear program remains for peaceful energy purposes for the needs of the domestic population. But Israel has long charged that this is but a cover, and US Congressional hawks agree with this allegation.

A powerful earthquake has been reported in the Caribbean Sea. According to USGS data, the 7.6-magnitude quake struck about 125 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands. Tsunami alerts have been issued for multiple coastlines along the Caribbean Sea.

NOAA posted the latest tsunami map. 

“This was a lateral “strike-slip” quake; minimal up/down motion, so very low tsunami threat,” meteorologist Matthew Cappucci wrote on X.

NEW: A very strong magnitude 7.6 #earthquake just occurred in the northwest Caribbean about 125 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman.

It was shallow, with a depth of barely 7 miles.

This was a lateral “strike slip” quake; minimal up/down motion, so very low tsunami threat. pic.twitter.com/D9nwRHMqQj

— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) February 8, 2025

*Developing… 

Authored by Christian Milord via The Epoch Times,

Folks with common sense likely were pleased when a recent executive order came down from the Trump administration to ban DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs from all federal agencies. One wonders why it has taken so long to discard such an un-American system from the government.

What is DEI? It is a Marxist secular construct that claims to embrace diversity and justice in our society. Critical Race Theory (CRT) makes up a part of the DEI vision. Purveyors of CRT and DEI believe that ethnic minorities in America are victims of discrimination at the hands of the majority population and deserve to receive special favors to make up for this alleged oppression. The DEI apparatus doesn’t take into account that minorities in a free society have the same rights under the law as everyone else, and they don’t require extra rights.

The DEI apparatus also attempts to implement quota systems for minorities regarding higher education enrollment slots as well as in occupational positions whether individuals are qualified or not. In other words, it discriminates based on color, gender, and race instead of seeking to enroll or hire folks based on character, experience, and merit. Martin Luther King, Jr., would likely be disgusted at the DEI apparatus as he believed that people should be evaluated based on character, not physical characteristics. He also noted that, “darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.” The best disinfectant to expose the reverse racism of DEI is the light of transparency.

Folks who promote the DEI worldview also believe that competition and success should be devalued in favor of the equity of prearranged outcomes. In other words, education must be watered down so that less ambitious students can somehow get a leg up as they move through the educational process. The result of lowered standards is declining test scores, intellectual poverty, grade inflation, and social promotion. Is it any wonder that at least 40 percent of California public school students require remediation in language arts and math when they enter higher education?

Unfortunately, DEI has permeated businesses and key institutions in our society, and it won’t be easy to dismantle. It tends to punish folks who work hard and want to compete on a level playing field. It also hurts minorities because it creates a blanket generalization that certain minorities are victims and need special assistance in order to succeed. That broad brush claim is insulting to the intelligence of minority communities, and many will tend to believe that they can’t succeed through merit and their unique talents.

Consequently, DEI has generated soul-crushing damage in our society due to a lowering of standards in academia and the workplace. Visualize for a moment the outcomes that can unfold if an air traffic controller, architect, dentist, doctor, engineer, mechanic, pilot, professor, etc., are hired primarily due to color, gender, or race rather than competence and experience. Lives can be placed at risk if folks who lack the requisite abilities are chosen over others based on gender or skin tone.

DEI, which includes affirmative action and identity politics, breaks the law when it intentionally targets minorities for college enrollment or career positions instead of marketing to all eligible students and workers regardless of ethnicity and gender. 

Moreover, DEI attempts to censor folks who question its discriminatory practices. DEI influencers forget that America was founded on the constitutional principle of freedom of assembly, the press, religion, and speech for everyone, not the freedom from these activities.

Now let us turn to equality of opportunity, which is a principle that is very American in nature. 

In America, anyone can compete and pursue opportunities regardless of ethnicity and gender. Any individual can also create opportunities that can generate ideas, products, and services to benefit society.

While most folks value natural cultural diversity and fairness in the big tent that is America, they bristle if an immoral quota-based DEI is coerced upon them. Any form of diversity should never make folks feel guilty for injustices of the past in which they did not participate. Genuine diversity would not pick and choose winners and losers in human endeavors based on superficial characteristics.

Americans believe that no special interest group should receive extra rights merely due to some cultural, linguistic, or religious differences. Yet DEI demands that minority groups receive preferences over the majority population which undermines the concept of a level playing field for all. Yet DEI can be inconsistent, as witnessed by the rampant anti-Semitic behavior targeting Jews on campuses and in the streets following the heinous ambush perpetrated by Hamas against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

By contrast, equality of opportunity offers the same rights to all folks who want to pursue training for a career. Is equality of opportunity perfect? By no means. It doesn’t guarantee success for everyone who seeks opportunities, because nothing in life is guaranteed. What it does is provide options for those willing to study hard and work diligently. If one opportunity doesn’t pan out, other opportunities arise, and folks can revise their academic and career goals.

The beauty of equality of opportunity is that it leads to limitless opportunities through competition and innovation. People tend to rely on communities and personal initiative to reach their dreams rather than government handouts. While DEI treats people like children forever with its mentality of unearned entitlement, equality of opportunity encourages maturity, merit, and the development of genuine virtues. While the inverted reasoning of DEI would be normal under autocratic rule, it has no place in a representative democracy.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

The leftist freakout over government accountability has escalated to open calls for the doxxing and imprisonment of the “arrogant little pricks” working for Elon Musk’s DOGE, who over the past two weeks have descended upon the US Treasury, USAID, and most recently the US Department of Education in order to uncover waste, fraud and abuse. And boy have they found that in spades.

In a Friday episode of NY Magazine Editor-at-Large Kara Swisher’s “Pivot” podcast with guest Scott Galloway, the two leftists outlined their ideal response to the Trump administration’s recent moves.

Galloway called DOGE’s actions “illegal” and a “coup,” and called for Democratic governors to throw Musk’s team in prison.

“I want to know who their names are, and I want to see Democratic governors saying ‘I’m gonna do everything I can in my power to use the full faith, to the letter of the law, to put you folks in prison,” said Galloway, adding “I think what you’re doping is trespassing. I think this is a coup. And be clear – just because the new insurrectionist who was elected… I don’t believe this is legal. And I’m gonna hold the people accountable who are trespassing and part of a coup, accountable.“

🚩 Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway Are in Full Panic Mode Now Calling for the Arrest of the @DOGE Engineers

“I want to see Democratic governors … use the full faith and the letter of the law to put you folks in prison … This is a coup … We need to go gangster here.” pic.twitter.com/RT5qiBRbFR

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 8, 2025

“To just sit back and say this is horrible and this is unlawful – we need to go gangster here and say ‘look, we are not negotiating around this stuff. This is illegal. This is a coup. This is the unlawful seizure of power. We are not gonna engage in these bullshit ridiculous arguments over Gaza and Greenland. We are going to hold the people accountable. Here are their names, here are their faces, and we have contacted the local authorities where these kids live – these young adults, and we are going to hold them accountable.”

Swisher suggested that they don’t have that ability, telling Galloway that she’s told concerned leftists; “You actually don’t have the means to do so, because these poor people are in these agencies, and when these idiots come in. These children. These arrogant little pricks come in and say ‘we’re going to call the federal marshals or the president has ordered you to step aside,’ they kind of have to. You have to be resistant and be walked out by security. And then security doesn’t know which one to listen to, right?

Galloway then called on Congress to stage what the left has defined as an insurrection at a federal building, saying: “I’d like to see all, 48 or 49 US Senators and any Republicans who want to join. I’d like to see a couple hundred members of Congress go to the building where this is, and demand to go in, and physically stop this and let them arrest you.”

Swisher elaborated on how she thinks the media is downplaying what’s going on, insisting “It’s a coup!” before suggesting that DOGE employees are “so typical … of the juvenilization of men.”

Amazing.

We are entering the civil war phase, brought to you by the American left https://t.co/sM2VbfGSXF

— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) February 8, 2025