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Bernie Sanders warns Biden's support for Israel may sink his presidency and become his 'Vietnam'
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., defended student protests on college campuses across the U.S. against the Israel-Hamas war, arguing that President Biden is putting himself in a weak position politically and morally by his support of Israel.
"This may be Biden's Vietnam," Sanders said of the mass student protests against President Biden during an interview with CNN on Thursday.
"Lyndon Johnson in many respects was a very, very good president domestically and brought forth some major pieces of legislation," he continued. "He chose not to run in 1968 because of opposition to his views on Vietnam."
JEWISH DEMOCRAT CALLS OUT BERNIE SANDERS OVER OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL AID: 'NOW DO ANTISEMITISM'
"I worry very much that President Biden is putting himself in a position where he has alienated not just young people, but a lot of the Democratic base in terms of his views on Israel and this war," Sanders said.
Biden has been forced to attempt to placate pro and anti-Israel factions in the Democratic Party as his re-election campaign heats up.
Between Republicans and Democrats, political division over the Israel-Hamas war remains clear and consistent: Republicans still overwhelmingly approve, even if that approval dropped from 71% in November to 64% in March. Democrats, who mostly disapproved of the action even in November, saw support plummet to 18%, with 75% disapproval.
HELP CHAIRMAN BERNIE SANDERS AVOIDS AGREEING TO CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM HEARINGS
Sanders also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's leadership in the war against Hamas.
"I happen to believe, not everyone agrees with me, that the war policies of the Netanyahu government are a disaster," he said. They are causing unprecedented harm. They are in violation of international and absolutely in violation of American law by the law."
The senator argued that Biden should stop supporting Netanyahu and instead realize how politically weak the issue has made him at home.
"So I would hope very much that from certainly a policy point of view, from a moral point of view, that the president stops giving a blank check to Netanyahu," Sanders said.
"I would hope that they understand that from a political point of view this has not been helpful," he added. "Quite the contrary."
The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News' Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
7 things you need to pack on your European summer tour
The logistics of planning a multi-city tour of Europe might seem overwhelming, but preparation can lessen that and is key to success. The more you plan, the less likely any surprises will crop up and derail your vacation and budget. The first place you should start if you are planning a European tour this summer is to check if your passport is valid and won't expire while you are away.
Next, plan your itinerary. Research which cities you want to visit to determine if they are within your budget. You will want to consider the means of travel. While roundtrip tickets can sometimes offer cheaper fares, opting for a departure city closest to where you will be last might be better if you plan a multi-country tour. Travel sites like Kayak.com or Priceline can help you book multi-destination flights. Another option is to consider traveling by railway or snag a cheap flight with any of the numerous discount airlines that service big cities on the continent.
Like airfare, shopping for discounted hotel prices can help trim your budget and help you save money to spend on experiences. Find exclusive and unpublished hotel rates of up to 50% off on ShareItTravel's global hotel booking platform when you sign up for membership.
Packing for Europe requires careful consideration. If you plan to fly in and out of the same city, you may have the option to rent a locker to leave behind some luggage, but it is more likely that you will travel with your luggage throughout the visit. It might be better to plan to pack your gear on a carry-on, since discount airlines often charge a steep price for checked bags. Remember that you are usually allowed a personal item in addition to the carry-on.
This July carry-on suitcase priced at $245 is the lightest in the world. At just 3.9lbs, you can carry more without compromising what you expect: double wheel glides, proper handles and beautiful colors. Or you can try this budget-friendly, hard-sided carry-on from Amazon Basics for under $100.
Packing cubes will help you fit in more outfits and stay organized. The Monos Compressible Packing Cubes, available for $90, are an excellent option for keeping your clothes and other items neatly organized and compressed. Plus, these cubes are made to last with all-premium materials. Snag these Amazon Basics cubes for under $20, or you can try Vacuum Storage Bags, which are perfect for gifts you plan to travel back with.
These leak-proof travel bottles, which cost $10 on Amazon, have a three-layer leak-proof design and an opal shape that helps you get the last drop out of the bottle. They're TSA airline carry-on approved and come in small bottles perfect for shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. This six-piece set, which costs $6 at Walgreens, comes with a pouch.
A backpack is a great option to carry on and use while discovering new cities during your trip. The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack—Del Día, on sale for $190 is a 35-liter backpack system that can hold up to two weeks of clothing. It comes in unique color combos so you can easily track it. You can also grab this bestselling large travel backpack for $39.99 on Amazon.
Money belts are a way to keep your valuables secured next to your body. You can wear them around your waist or tucked under your clothes. This money belt, on sale for $24.97 on Amazon, gets top ratings for its easy-to-wear sleep design, which makes it comfortable for even sensitive skin. It is slim but easily holds all of your valuables. Or you could try this antitheft sling by Pacsafe for $64.95.
You may leave the hairdryer at home, but if you are traveling with any other electronics (think tablet, headphones, cellphone), you must pack an adapter to plug your various devices into European outlets. This Universal Travel Adapter is on sale for $19.99 on Amazon and can charge six devices simultaneously. The adapter comes with four USB-A ports, 1 USB-C port and 1 AC socket. It works with all USB-enabled devices, including iPhones and Androids, and can charge laptops, cameras, tablets and power banks. If it's just Apple products you will be traveling with, try this adapter kit for $41 at Best Buy.
Blanket scarves like pashminas are an excellent option to pack because of their functionality. You can wear them on travel days to ensure you stay warm on the plane or the odd chilly evening of your trip. You can quickly transform a black dress into a stunning evening lick with a style like this Paisley Pashmina Silk Scarf Shawl, on sale for $13.99 at Amazon. You can grab this Calvin Klein blanket scarf for $48 at Macy's.
For more Deals, visit www.foxnews.com/category/deals.
Lee Greenwood on America's veterans and pride in our country: 'I have great faith'
In a compelling on-camera interview with Fox News Digital this week, country star and Grammy-winning artist Lee Greenwood discussed his unwavering commitment to America's veterans and his efforts to help provide new homes for those who served this country with distinction and honor. He also revealed how others can help.
"This is the 40th anniversary of me writing my song ‘God Bless the USA' — so that was the inspiration to have the number 40 represented in this musical presentation," he said of "An All-Star Salute to Lee Greenwood," a concert that was filmed in Huntsville, Alabama.
The DVD goes on sale Friday, May 3, for $25, at leegreenwood.com — with proceeds going to help America's veterans.
He wrote "God Bless the USA" in 1983 — and it became a hit in 1984. It has been voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America.
LEE GREENWOOD ON THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND HOW TO SUPPORT US MILITARY AND VETERANS AT A TIME OF WAR
"There are 40 different singers we invited to film this DVD. And these performances were a one-time thing. We had all of these people gathered for just one event, and it was very important to me that we were able to give away two homes to two veterans — two of America's wounded warriors — during the filming."
Those veterans are today living in those new homes.
Now, he said, he's putting the DVD on sale "so that if we could sell 50,000 of them — and of course we could sell much more than that — then [we'd have] the opportunity to build another home for another deserving veteran."
Among the performers included in the DVD of the concert are Michael W. Smith, Big & Rich, The Oak Ridge Boys, Sam Moore and Gavin DeGraw.
Greenwood said his interest in helping those who have served is "just instinct for me," he said.
"When I was a drum major for my high school band, I would march in the parades and I would either be in front of or near the National Guard that would be marching, or the United States Marines … My father served in the U.S. Navy. I did not serve in the military and I wanted to do something for our military.
ON MEMORIAL DAY, LEE GREENWOOD REMEMBERS AMERICA'S HEROES: ‘NEVER TAKE FREEDOM FOR GRANTED’
"I have a lot of friends who are of [Vietnam-era veteran] age. And I always say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ It's just been a passion of mine. And now, of course, the War on Terror has delivered so many of our soldiers home [who have been] wounded desperately.
"And so we've taken initiative over the past 15 years to build homes for wounded warriors. We've built over 220 homes, by the way, in 15 years. And so with this new DVD coming out," he added, "it's an initial project of mine to get [more] homes built for veterans."
Greenwood potentially will be included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living country singer to have a current Gold album, depending on the sales of this DVD, his team noted.
"I've been blessed with youth," Greenwood said.
"I was an athlete growing up — and into my 40s and 50s, I was still playing basketball and racquetball. So I've always been trim and [in shape]. So when somebody says, 'You're the oldest living country star to have a Gold record,' I'm like, 'How old am I? Oh yeah, that's right, I'm 81.'"
He went on, "And that's fine. You know, I'm blessed to be still singing and to have that kind of accolade. And that trophy, for me, is a great milestone in my career."
Fox News Digital asked Greenwood, "What does being an American mean to you?"
He replied, "As I wrote [in ‘God Bless the USA’], I'm proud to be an American."
He said that when people say, "'Well, you know, I'm an Italian American. I'm proud of my heritage.' Or, ‘I’m African American. I'm proud of my heritage.' Wait — we're all Americans. And so it really gives me honor to say that I'm proud to be an American.
"And that's the way I speak it and sing it for all those who are proud as well."
He said that when new immigrants taken part in the legal process of becoming Americans, many of them hear his song "God Bless the USA." And "when they hear my song ‘God Bless the USA,’ they understand what it means to be an American. And that's what it means to me as well."
Greenwood said, "We're a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. There are other countries that embrace freedom, but no other country has the ability to protect it, to go after those who would defeat it and destroy it."
"We have some conflict inside our borders, and we have people running across our borders who shouldn't be," he added.
"But I still believe that if America continues to live by the doctrines we started with — and that's the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights — if we live by those documents, no matter if the administration changes or not, then we can move on as an American public. And I have great faith in it."
Fox News Digital asked Greenwood if he would be active this year in any presidential campaigns if asked to take part.
COUNTRY STAR AND PATRIOT LEE GREENWOOD HONORS AMERICA'S VETERANS WITH MAJOR ‘ADOPT A VET’ INITIATIVE
"I'm a conservative Christian," he responded. "And if the doctrines and platform of the current running president does not appeal to me and yet the up-and-coming challenger [and his platform] does [appeal], I will support that challenger."
He said that he "leans more to the conservative values than anything. So I will support that candidate."
Greenwood told Fox News Digital that "unequivocally, no," he is not retiring this year from performing and touring.
That, he said, would take place at some time in the future — but not now.
"I mean, it's a tunnel, and I can see the end of the tunnel."
But considering that he's in "good health," and considering the current political landscape in this country, he said he has "tabled" the idea of retiring this year.
"With President Trump running — and if he was to be elected — I believe that I would stand by him and I would go ahead and work the next four years as an artist, as a touring artist. I have a great band. I don't think there's any reason to think that I should end my career at this point."
LEE GREENWOOD ON THE BIBLE, FAITH AND 9/11
Greenwood in the past has performed at Trump's rallies.
"It's common knowledge that the former president and I have worked together at quite a few events, and he does use my song at his rallies. And I did sing at his inauguration at the Lincoln Memorial when he was elected."
In terms of his musical career, "I'd like to quit when I'm healthy and when I decide to quit, but not at a point where I get sick and I have to quit."
He said that when all of the singers who "supported me for my recent 40-year salute … and [so] many more who all came out to help me with this project — when they were all there singing at the end with ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ behind me as I'm singing it on stage, which is on this DVD, my heart was just exploding with gratitude, and love for the country."
Every one of those artists, he said, at one time or another in their careers, "have filled up arenas, every one of them. And so that's a that's quite a [group of] alumni."
LEE GREENWOOD DISCUSSES MEMORIAL DAY AND ‘REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SERVED’
He added, "I think people realize that I am still of musical persuasion. I love to be a musician, a singer — and I will continue to do as long as I can."
Greenwood said he stays so positive and motivated in his life because of his family.
"My wife and I have been married 32 years now. Kimberly was a former Miss Tennessee USA, and she is a pageant director for Miss Universe in three states in the South. We have two wonderful sons."
"Dalton, our older son, got married last year and lives in Chicago now. He's a Vanderbilt graduate with a PhD, and he is a biotech analyst. Our younger son is a brilliant musician and he is at the University of Miami. And he is pursuing his career and master's in musical engineering and producing."
Added Greenwood, "We all spend as much time as we can together now that we're all sort of in different places. I've got one [son] in Chicago, one in Miami, and we live in Nashville. And so, we take enough time for each other. That's the inspiration for me.
"My wife certainly is an inspiration for me. She's my best advocate and friend. And she's a brilliant representation of a woman, of womanhood. And she was a double major in college in English and communication and helps me. And so, all of that keeps me positive and it keeps my energy flowing."
He added, "And of course, I am naturally quick. I was an athlete. I was a shooting guard in basketball and really quick, and [played] racketball, and my game was baseball when I was very young. So I think all of those things just make my mind work really quickly. And I like to be positive.
"I go in the morning and meet people down by the post office when I'm there gathering the mail, and everybody goes, ‘Hey, Lee, how are you doing?'
He continued, "I've never been controversial. I don't think I've been."
He said that "even when I support a president," people understand that it's his choice to do so.
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"That's not their choice. I don't think people condemn me for that, nor do they criticize me. I think because my music is not controversial — and all of the lyrics in my songs are either romantic or very positive. Happy, if you will.
"And all the people that I meet daily, when we have conversations about world events or national events, it usually turns to family — and that's the best thing.
"Because your heart is where your home is. And if your heart is with your family, that's your home no matter where you live."
Fox News Digital asked Greenwood what lasting message he'd like to share with America's veterans.
He said he often thinks "of our wounded warriors, and I've become friends with many of them. And we talk almost weekly, about their struggles, you know — and they can be very positive."
All of them, he said, "would go back to war if they had to [in order to protect this country]."
He added, "But, you never know, in the dark moments, when they lay down to go to sleep, what gremlin might be in their head.
"So my encouragement to veterans is just know this. I've toured this country now for 40 years, and all of America believes in what you have done. You have worn and are wearing the uniform of America. We are all proud of our veterans."
As he works to build homes for more deserving veterans through the sale of his new DVD, Greenwood noted, "We can never do enough for our veterans."
Anyone can go to leegreenwood.com for more information.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Lewiston bowling alley to reopen months after Maine's deadliest mass shooting
It's a dilemma no business owner should have to face: whether to reopen after a mass shooting.
The answer didn't come easily to Justin and Samantha Juray. But when they did decide to reopen their Maine bowling alley, they didn't hold back.
When patrons return Friday, six months after the gunman opened fire, they will see inspiring pictures at the end of each lane, bright paint on the walls, and new floors. The Lewiston venue has undergone a complete makeover, giving it a vibrant, airy feel.
MAINE'S 'YELLOW FLAG' LAW INVOKED OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE LEWISTON SHOOTING SPREE
Samantha Juray gets emotional when recalling the events of Oct. 25, when the gunman killed eight people at the bowling alley before driving to a nearby bar and pool hall where he killed 10 more during the deadliest shooting in the state's history. He later died by suicide.
"It's never going to leave my head," Juray said this week, as she made final preparations to reopen. "I think if we don't move forward — not that there was a point to this whole thing anyway — but we're just going to allow the people that have taken so much from us win."
Justin Juray initially was dead-set against reopening and they also got some negative outside feedback. But that all changed, she said, as people in Lewiston rallied behind them. Within weeks, they knew they had to reopen, Samantha Juray said.
They decided to keep the same name: Just-In-Time Recreation. They call it that because when they bought the venue three years ago, the owner was days away from shutting it down. It also fits with Justin’s name.
MAINE SHOOTING: LEWISTON POLICE WERE WARNED ABOUT ROBERT CARD WEEKS BEFORE MASSACRE
Across the country, people have taken varied approaches after mass shootings. Barbara Poma, the former owner of the Pulse nightclub in Florida where 49 people were killed in 2016, said every situation and community is different.
"You are suddenly thrown into a state of shock, and emotions dictate your thoughts," Poma said in an email. "Eventually you are forced to make a critical business decision based on how it will impact others emotionally and publicly. There just is no easy or right answer."
The City of Orlando last year agreed to buy the Pulse nightclub site to create a memorial.
In Aurora, Colorado, a movie theater where 12 people were killed in 2012 later reopened under a new name. Buffalo’s Tops Friendly Market reopened in 2022, two months after 10 Black people were killed.
In Newtown, Connecticut, Sandy Hook Elementary School was razed, and there also are plans to bulldoze Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
In Lewiston, Kathy Lebel, who owns the second business hit by the gunman, Schemengees Bar & Grille, also hopes to reopen at a different venue.
At the bowling alley, Tom Giberti said people are "so excited to get us back."
Giberti, who has worked at the bowling alley for 20 years, is credited with saving the lives of at least four children the night of the shooting. He ushered them along a narrow walkway between the lanes to an area behind the pins. Before Giberti could get to safety himself, he was shot in both legs and hit with shrapnel.
After undergoing surgery, it wasn't long before Giberti stopped using the mobility walker he'd been given. These days, he enjoys playing golf and shows few physical signs of his injuries as he strides about the bowling alley.
A lot of people in Lewiston have helped get the venue reopened, he said.
"The community has been phenomenal," Giberti said. "They’ve been right here for us, they’ve been supporting us."
The makeover of the bowling alley includes a new scoring system and many tributes, including a table featuring pictures of the eight who died at Just-In-Time, and bowling pins with the names of the 18 shooting victims from both venues.
Among those killed were two bowling alley staff members. Most of the staff who survived are returning to work at the venue.
Samantha Juray said they are fully prepared to serve customers again and can’t wait to see the familiar faces of regulars as they get used to a new normal.
Among those planning to speak at a ceremony Friday afternoon is Maine's governor, Janet Mills, a Democrat.
"I’m excited about opening," Juray said. "I know it’s definitely going to be a very long day, and probably an emotional day."
Catholics' support swings for Trump over Biden by significant margin: poll
Catholics in the United States have swung dramatically against President Biden in recent years, now boasting a significant statistical break towards his GOP challenger.
Pew Research released on Apr. 30 a report exploring support for presidential candidates sorted by religious affiliation.
The poll found that 55% of Catholics support or lean towards supporting former President Donald Trump in a head-to-head against Biden.
Conversely, only 45% of Catholics support Biden in the same one-on-one pairing.
The 12% margin of support in favor of Trump marks a significant shift from 2020, when he held an extremely narrow lead — 50% to 49%.
Biden currently leads among Hispanic Catholics with a narrow 49%-47% split, but the close contest marks a major shift rightward for the demographic. In 2020, a similar poll from Pew Research found Hispanic Catholics preferred Biden to Trump with a staggering 67%-26% split.
BIDEN 'DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE CATHOLIC FAITH,' BISHOP SAYS: 'I'M NOT ANGRY AT HIM, HE'S JUST STUPID'
Approximately 60% of protestants expressed support for Trump, according to the April survey. Conversely, about 38% said they leaned toward Biden.
Atheists, agnostics, and the religiously unaffiliated broke in favor of Biden by a large margin — approximately 69% said they would back the Democratic incumbent while only 28% voiced support for Trump.
Biden has leaned into his Catholic identity in his presidential campaigns, asserting himself as a devout believer despite blatant disregard for non-negotiable church teachings.
However, Catholic leaders have pushed back on this self-characterization and pointed out his support of policies utterly contrary to the faith, such as pro-choice deregulation and affirmation of gender ideology.
Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington D.C. previously called Biden a "Cafeteria Catholic" — saying he "picks and chooses dimensions of the faith to highlight while ignoring or even contradicting other parts."
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: Columbia calls NYPD, fraternity goes viral for defending US flag
Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
- NYPD bodycam video shows officers breaching Columbia University building taken over by anti-Israel protesters
- UNC student who defended American flag from campus mob 'honored to give back to the nation'
- ‘Shark Tank’ star warns student protesters are 'trashing' job chances by fighting police, vandalizing school
TOP STORY: Video taken from New York City police officers' body-worn cameras shows authorities forcing their way inside a Columbia University building this week that had been overtaken by anti-Israel protesters. Watch the shocking footage here.
VIDEO: UCLA medical student blasts school for allowing "absolute insanity" by anti-Israel agitators.
FLAG WAS STILL THERE: A University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill student spoke out about defending an American flag on the quad that protesters were trying to replace with a Palestinian flag. The student said he is "honored to give back to the nation that has given me and my family countless opportunities."
HOUSE VOTES: The House voted to expand the legal definition of antisemitism used to enforce anti-discrimination laws at a time when anti-Israel protests are raging at college campuses across the country. Like most issues in Israel's war on Hamas, the vote divided the Democratic Party.
SHARK'S WARNING: "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary said that student protesters should be concerned about their job prospects. "If you‘re burning down something, or taking a flag down, or fighting with police — I‘m sorry, you‘re trashing your personal brand," O'Leary said of students caught on camera protesting.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "In the face of violence, harassment, and intimidation, as masked cowards smash windows and barricade doors, assault the truth and manipulate history, together, we stand strong," Israel's President Isaac Herzog.
UP NEXT:
- Looking for more on this topic? Find more antisemitism coverage from Fox News here.
- Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe to additional newsletters from Fox News here.
House-passed antisemitism bill may violate First Amendment warn critics: 'Misguided and harmful'
Critics railed against a bill recently passed in the U.S. House intended to crack down on antisemitism, asserting that it goes too far and will result in a violation of all Americans’ free speech rights.
The bill, dubbed the Antisemitism Awareness Act, passed in the House on Wednesday by a 320-91 vote, with overwhelming bipartisan support from lawmakers.
The bill, which comes as anti-Israel demonstrations roil university campuses nationwide, would mandate that the Department of Education legally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination rules.
However, the bill’s bipartisan critics argued that this new standard of anti-discrimination violates the First Amendment.
POLICE AT UCLA MOVE TO BREAK UP ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT
While debating the bill ahead of the vote, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued, "This definition, adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance or IHRA, includes, quote, ‘contemporary examples of antisemitism,’ close quote. The problem is that these examples may include protected speech in some context, particularly with respect to criticism of the state of Israel."
Across the aisle, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said the bill threatens language found in the Bible. Ahead of the vote, the lawmaker posted to X, "Antisemitism is wrong, but this legislation is written without regard for the Constitution, common sense, or even the common understanding of the meaning of words. The Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of this bill!"
He provided an example of one of IHRA’s definitions of antisemitism, which includes "claims of Jews killing Jesus," asserting that the Bible would fall under the definition.
"The Bible is clear. There is no myth or controversy on this. Therefore, I will not support this bill," Gaetz added.
Newsweek opinion editor and Israel supporter Batya Ungar-Sargon blasted the bill on X. She wrote, "It's nice to see bipartisan support for Jews but this congressional bill to expand the definition of antisemitism is bad for the U.S. and bad for Jews. This country was literally founded on the idea that there should be no government reprisals for speech, including hate speech."
She slammed the bill’s standards for deeming what is antisemitic as well, writing in the thread, "the IHRA definition of antisemitism is awful—vague, overly broad, and reliant on examples. It's useless."
"We don't protect American Jews from hate by turning on the values this great nation was founded on. We do so by embracing a country that has always protected us, by embracing what makes this country unique, a big part of which is the First Amendment!" the journalist added.
Christopher Anders, director of the ACLU’s Democracy and Technology Policy Division, railed against the legislation as well, stating, "The House’s approval of this misguided and harmful bill is a direct attack on the First Amendment."
He added, "Addressing rising antisemitism is critically important, but sacrificing American’s free speech rights is not the way to solve that problem. This bill would throw the full weight of the federal government behind an effort to stifle criticism of Israel and risks politicizing the enforcement of federal civil rights statutes precisely when their robust protections are most needed."
He concluded that the U.S. Senate "must block this bill that undermines First Amendment protections before it’s too late."
Independent journalist Tim Pool warned of the bill’s alleged opposition to language found in other major religions, like Islam for example. He posted, "Speaking from the Hadith and Quran is illegal under the antisemitism bill lol."
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., weighed in on the subject, declaring, "The rise of antisemitism in America and especially on college campuses is abhorrent and disgusting, but I will not violate my constitutional principles to vote for a bill that tramples on the First Amendment and won’t make a positive impact on this issue."
On the other side, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who led the bill, told Fox News Digital, "When people engage in harassment or bullying of Jewish individuals where they justify the killing of Jews or use blood libel or hold Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government — that is antisemitic. It's unfortunate that needs to be clarified, but that's why this bill is necessary."
China sees resurgence of rap music as emerging musicians find their voices
In 2018, the censors who oversee Chinese media issued a directive to the nation's entertainment industry: Don't feature artists with tattoos and those who represent hip-hop or any other subculture.
Right after that well-known rapper GAI missed a gig on a popular singing competition despite a successful first appearance. Speculation went wild: Fans worried that this was the end for hip-hop in China. Some media labeled it a ban.
The genre had just experienced a banner year, with a hit competition-format TV show minting new stars and introducing them to a country of 1.4 billion people. Rappers accustomed to operating on little money and performing in small bars became household names. The announcement from censors came at the peak of that frenzy. A silence descended, and for months no rappers appeared on the dozens of variety shows and singing competitions on Chinese TV.
PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA WORKS TO BRIDGE US AND CHINA THROUGH MUSIC
But by the end of that year, everything was back in full swing. "Hip-hop was too popular," says Nathanel Amar, a researcher of Chinese pop culture at the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China. "They couldn’t censor the whole genre."
What had looked like the end for Chinese hip-hop was just the beginning.
Since then, hip-hop’s explosive growth in China has only continued. It has done so by carving out a space for itself while staying clear of the government’s red lines, balancing genuine creative expression with something palatable in a country with powerful censors.
Today, musicians say they’re looking forward to an arriving golden age.
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC HEADING TO CHINA FOR 5 CONCERTS THIS SUMMER
Much of the energy can be found in Chengdu, a city in China's southwestern Sichuan region. Some of the biggest acts in China today hail from Sichuan; Wang Yitai, Higher Brothers and Vava are just a few of the names that have made Chinese rap mainstream, performing in a mix of Mandarin and Sichuan dialects. While hip-hop in Chengdu started out with the very heavy sounds of trap, its mainstreaming has meant artists have broadened out to lighter sounds, from R&B to the trending afrobeat rhythms popularized by Beyonce.
Although Chinese rap has been operating underground for decades in cities like Beijing, it is the Sichuan region — known internationally for its spicy cuisine, its panda reserve and its status as the birthplace of the late leader Deng Xiaoping — that has come to dominate.
"There’s a lot of rhymes in rap. And from a young age, we were exposed to language with a lot of rhymes. And I feel like we’re its origin," says Mumu Xiang, who is from Sichuan and attended a rap concert recently held in the city.
The dialect lends itself to rap because it’s softer than Mandarin Chinese and there are a lot more rhymes, says 25-year-old rapper Kidway, from a town just outside Chengdu. "Take the word ‘gang’ in English. In Sichuanese, there’s a lot of rhymes for that word ‘fang, sang, zhuang,’ the rhymes are already there," he says.
Chengdu is also welcoming to outsiders, says Haysen Cheng, a 24-year-old rapper who moved to the city from Hong Kong in 2021 to work on his music at the invitation of Harikiri, a British producer who has helped shape the scene and worked with Chengdu’s biggest acts.
Part of the city’s hip-hop lore centers around a collective called Chengdu Rap House or CDC, founded by a rapper called Boss X, whose fans affectionately call him "Xie laober" in the Sichuan dialect. The city has embraced rap, as its originators like Boss X went from making music in a run-down apartment in an old residential community to performing in a stadium for thousands. At Boss X’s performance in March, fans sang along and cheered in Sichuanese. Even with a ban on the audience standing up, standard at all stadium performances in China, the energy was infectious.
"When I came to mainland China, they showed me more love in like three or four months than I ever received in Hong Kong," Cheng says. He got to collaborate with the Higher Brothers, one of the few Chinese rap groups who also have global recognition. "The people here actually want each other to succeed."
The price of going mainstream, though, means the underground scene has evaporated. Chengdu was once known for its underground rap battles. Those no longer happen, as freestyling usually involves profanity and other content the authorities deem unacceptable. The last time there was a rap battle in the city, rappers say, authorities quickly showed up and shut it down. These days it’s all digital, with people uploading short clips of their music to Douyin, TikTok’s Chinese version, to get noticed.
Kidway says he learned to rap from going to these battles and competing against other rappers his age. He once worked at a renovation company but ditched it to pursue rap full time.
But even though the rap battles are gone, the field has more rappers than ever. That's a good thing. "The more players there are," he says, "the more interesting it is."
Rarely can a single cultural product be said to have originated a whole genre of music. But the talent competition/reality TV show "The Rap of China" has played an outsized role in building China's rap industry.
The first season, broadcast on IQiyi, a web streaming platform, brought rap and hip-hop culture to households across the country. The first season’s 12 episodes drew 2.5 billion views online, according to Chinese media reports.
In the first season, the show relied on its judges’ star power to draw in an audience — namely Kris Wu, a Chinese Canadian singer and former member of the hit K-pop group EXO. At that point in time, Wu was at the height of his fame, and his comments as a judge that season even became internet memes. "Do you have freestyle?" he asked a contestant, dead serious, on Episode One — a moment that went on to live in internet infamy because people doubted Wu's rap credentials.
Two winners emerged from the first season: GAI and PG One. Shortly after their win, the internet was awash with rumors about the less-than-perfect doings of PG One’s personal life. The Communist Youth League also criticized one of his old songs for content that appeared to be about using cocaine, very much violating one of the censor’s red lines.
Then came the 2018 meeting where censors reminded TV channels of who could not appear on their programs, namely anyone who represented hip-hop. PG One was finding that any attempts to release new music were quickly taken down by platforms. The platform, IQiyi, even took down the entire first season for a while.
But by late summer 2018, fans were excited to hear that they could expect a second season of "The Rap of China," though there was a rebrand. The name in English stayed the same, but in Chinese it signaled a new direction. The show’s name changed from "China Has Hip-Hop" to "China Has ‘Shuochang,’" a term that also refers to traditional forms of storytelling.
Regulators had given the go-ahead for hip-hop to continue its growth, but they had to follow the lines set by the government censors. Hip-hop was now shuochang and a symbol of youth culture; it had to stay away from mentions of drugs and sex. Otherwise, though, it could proceed.
"It was a success for the Chinese regulators. … They really succeeded in coopting the hip-hop artists," Amar says. "It’s like a contract: If you want to be popular, if you want to be on TV shows, you have to respect the red line."
With tight censorship on the entertainment industry and a ban on mentions of drugs and sex in lyrics, artists have reacted in two ways. Either they wholeheartedly embrace the displays of patriotism and nationalism, or they avoid the topics.
Some, like GAI, have fully taken on the government’s mantle in the mainstreaming of hip-hop. He won "The Rap of China" with a song called "Not Friendly" in which, in classic hip-hop fashion, he dissed other rappers that he didn't name. "I’m not friendly. I can break your pen at any moment. Tear down your flashy words. … My enemies you better pray for you to have a good end."
Just a few years later, Gai is singing about China’s glorious history on the CCTV’s Spring Festival New Year’s Gala broadcast, a tightly scripted entertainment show with comedy sketches, songs and dance performances that is watched by families while celebrating Chinese New Year.
"Five thousand years of history flows past like quicksand. I’m proud to be born in Cathay," he sings, wearing a Qing Dynasty-inspired Tang jacket.
The red lines have also pushed artists to be more creative. For Chinese rap to thrive, artists have to find original voices, they say. 32-year-old rapper Fulai describes his own music as chill rap or "bedroom music" — not in the euphemistic sense, but the type of music you listen to as you lay in bed. His upcoming album, he says, is about ordinary things like fights with his wife and washing dishes.
Still, Fulai says he talks about sex a lot in his lyrics. Chinese is a language with countless sayings and a strong poetic tradition: "There’s nothing you can’t touch," he says. "You just have to be clever about it."
Developing a genuine Chinese brand of rap remains a work in progress. Hip-hop got its start from New York’s boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx, where rappers made music out of their tough circumstances, from shootouts to crime to illegal drug dealing. In China, the challenge is about finding what fits its context. Shootouts are rare in a country where guns are banned, and the penalties for drug use are high.
The rap crews in Chongqing, another mega-city in the Sichuan region, had a taste of gang culture reflected in their music as artists wrote about fights and vows of brotherhood. But most of today's biggest acts don’t rap about topics like knifing someone or drug use anymore.
Wang Yitai, who was a member of Chengdu’s rap collective CDC, is now one of the most popular rappers in China. His style has infused mainstream pop sounds.
"We’re all trying hard to create songs that not only sound good, but also topics that fit for China," Wang says. "I think hip-hop’s spirit will always be about original creation and will always be about your own story."
Alabama Gov. Ivey signs bill to ensure President Biden appears on November ballot
Alabama officials on Thursday approved legislation to ensure President Joe Biden will appear on the state’s November ballot, mirroring accommodations the state made four years ago for then-President Donald Trump.
The House of Representatives voted 93-0 for the legislation. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill into law the same day, a spokeswoman said.
"This is a great day in Alabama when in a bipartisan manner, we passed this legislation to ensure that President Joe Biden gains access to the ballot in Alabama," Democratic state Sen. Merika Coleman, the bill's sponsor, said. The Republican-dominated Alabama Legislature approved the bill without a dissenting vote.
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The issue of Biden’s ballot access has arisen in Alabama and Ohio because the states’ early certification deadlines fall before the Democratic National Convention begins on Aug. 19. Republican secretaries of state warned that Biden might not appear on state ballots.
"Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states. Election after election, states across the country have acted in line with the bipartisan consensus and taken the necessary steps to ensure the presidential nominees from both parties will be on the ballot," the Biden campaign said in a statement.
Alabama has one of the earliest candidate certification deadlines in the country, which has caused difficulties for whichever political party has the later convention date that year.
Trump faced the same issue in Alabama in 2020. The Republican-controlled Alabama Legislature passed legislation to change the certification deadline for the 2020 election to accommodate the date of the GOP convention.
"This is nothing new. We just need to fix this so the president can be on the ballot, just like our nominee can be on the ballot," Republican House Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle said during the brief debate.
The Alabama legislation will defer the state’s certification deadline from 82 days before the general election to 74 days to accommodate the date of the Democrats’ nominating convention.
Litigation was almost a certainty if Alabama Republicans had declined to grant Biden ballot access after making accommodations in the past for GOP nominees. The Biden campaign asked Alabama to accept provisional certification, saying that has been done previously in Alabama and other states. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said he would not accept provisional certification because he didn’t think he had the authority to do so.
In Ohio, the state elections chief has said the Republican-led Legislature has until Thursday to approve an exemption to the state’s 90-day rule, which sets this year’s ballot deadline at Aug. 7. No bill appears to be forthcoming, but leaders of both parties haven’t entirely ruled one out. The state House and Senate both have voting sessions scheduled for Wednesday.
War-scarred village in Ukraine finds solace in vibrant new church
This Orthodox Easter season, an extraordinary new church is bringing spiritual comfort to war-weary residents of the Ukrainian village of Lypivka. Two years ago, it also provided physical refuge from the horrors outside.
Almost 100 residents sheltered in a basement chapel at the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary while Russian troops occupied the village in March 2022 as they closed in on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, 40 miles to the east.
"The fighting was right here," the Rev. Hennadii Kharkivskyi said. He pointed to the churchyard, where a memorial stone commemorates six Ukrainian soldiers killed in the battle for Lypivka.
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"They were injured and then the Russians came and shot each one, finished them off," he said.
The two-week Russian occupation left the village shattered and the church itself — a modern replacement for an older structure — damaged while still under construction. It’s one of 129 war-damaged Ukrainian religious sites recorded by UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural organization.
"It’s solid concrete," the priest said. "But it was pierced easily" by Russian shells, which blasted holes in the church and left a wall inside pockmarked with shrapnel scars. At the bottom of the basement staircase, a black scorch mark shows where a grenade was lobbed down.
But within weeks, workers were starting to repair the damage and work to finish the solid building topped by red domes that towers over the village, with its scarred and damaged buildings, blooming fruit trees and fields that the Russians left littered with land mines.
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For many of those involved — including a tenacious priest, a wealthy philanthropist, a famous artist and a team of craftspeople — rebuilding this church plays a part in Ukraine's struggle for culture, identity and its very existence. The building, a striking fusion of the ancient and the modern, reflects a country determined to express its soul even in wartime.
The building's austere exterior masks a blaze of color inside. The vibrant red, blue, orange and gold panels decorating walls and ceiling are the work of Anatoliy Kryvolap, an artist whose bold, modernist images of saints and angels make this church unique in Ukraine.
The 77-year-old Kryvolap, whose abstract paintings sell for tens of thousands of dollars at auction, said that he wanted to eschew the severe-looking icons he’d seen in many Orthodox churches.
"It seems to me that going to church to meet God should be a celebration," he said.
There has been a church on this site for more than 300 years. An earlier building was destroyed by shelling during World War II. The small wooden church that replaced it was put to more workaday uses in Soviet times, when religion was suppressed.
Kharkivskyi reopened the parish in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and set about rebuilding the church, spiritually and physically, with funding from Bohdan Batrukh, a Ukrainian film producer and distributor.
Work stopped when Russian troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Moscow's forces reached the fringes of Kyiv before being driven back. Lypivka was liberated by the start of April.
Since then, fighting has been concentrated in the east and south of Ukraine, though aerial attacks with rockets, missiles and drones are a constant threat across the country.
By May 2022, workers had resumed work on the church. It has been slow going. Millions of Ukrainians fled the country when war erupted, including builders and craftspeople. Hundreds of thousands of others have joined the military.
Inside the church, a tower of wooden scaffolding climbs up to the dome, where a red and gold image of Christ raises a hand in blessing
For now, services take place in the smaller basement, where the priest, in white and gold robes, recently conducted a service for a couple of dozen parishioners as the smell of incense wafted through the candlelit room.
He is expecting a large crowd for Easter, which falls on Sunday. Eastern Orthodox Christians usually celebrate Easter later than Catholic and Protestant churches, because they use a different method of calculating the date for the holy day that marks Christ’s resurrection.
A majority of Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the church is divided. Many belong to the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, with which the Lypivka church is affiliated. The rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church was loyal to the patriarch in Moscow until splitting from Russia after the 2022 invasion and is viewed with suspicion by many Ukrainians.
Kharkivskyi says the size of his congregation has remained stable even though the population of the village has shrunk dramatically since the war began. In tough times, he says, people turn to religion.
"Like people say: ‘Air raid alert — go see God,’" the priest said wryly.
Liudmyla Havryliuk, who has a summer home in Lypivka, found herself drawn back to the village and its church even before the fighting stopped. When Russia invaded, she drove to Poland with her daughters, then 16 and 18 years old. But within weeks she came back to the village she loves, still besieged by the Russians.
The family hunkered down in their home, cooking on firewood, drawing water from a well, sometimes under Russian fire. Havryliuk said that when they saw Russian helicopters, they held hands and prayed.
"Not prayer in strict order, like in the book," she said. "It was from my heart, from my soul, about what should we do? How can I save myself and especially my daughters?"
She goes to Lypivka’s church regularly, saying it’s a "place you can shelter mentally, within yourself."
As Ukraine marks its third Easter at war, the church is nearing completion. Only a few of Kryvolap’s interior panels remain to be installed. He said that the shell holes will be left unrepaired as a reminder to future generations.
"(It’s) so that they will know what kind of ‘brothers’ we have, that these are just fascists," he said, referring to the Russians.
"We are Orthodox, just like them, but destroying churches is something inhumane."