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Category: Culture

Salman Rushdie
April 15, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Culture

State-Protected Atheist Author Salman Rushdie Says Trump’s 2nd Term Makes America ‘Unlivable,’ Threatens to Leave.

Salman Rushdie has said the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House is “unbearable,” and he “might” return to London, England, if it happens.

India-born Rushdie is best known as the author of The Satanic Verses, a 1988 novel that earned a fatwa from the late Grand Ayatollah of Iran, Ruhollah Khomeini, for allegedly blaspheming Islam. He has enjoyed state protection in both the United Kingdom and the United States, but Hadi Matar, an Islamist born in California to Lebanese migrants, managed to stab him during an appearance at the Chautauqua Institution in New York in 2022.

However, Trump’s possible reelection seems to be a more pressing concern for Rushdie. The author told the British press the prospect is “unbearable” and “unthinkable.”

“[H]e’ll be much worse this time. He’ll be unleashed. He’s a liar and a bully, and cares about nothing except himself,” Rushdie said.

He added that Trump’s return would make the U.S. “unlivable” and that he “might” return to London, where most of his family resides.

Britain’s exit from the European Union gives him pause, however. He believes “the damage done to England, not just economically but culturally, is so awful that’s mad too.”

It is not the first time Rushdie has attacked Trump and Brexit. In 2023, he suggested ‘Make America Great Again’ is an inappropriate slogan, asking: “What is the date to which we are looking backwards? Was it, for example, when there was slavery? Was it before women had the right to vote? Was it before the civil rights movement?” He also called Brexit a “catastrophe.”

Rushdie made no mention of returning to his native India as a possible alternative to living in America or Britain.

 

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Salman Rushdie has said the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House is "unbearable," and he "might" return to London, England, if it happens. show more
Catholic Church
April 13, 2024
Ed Kozak
Culture
Data
Religion

DATA: Majority of Self-Identifying Catholics Reject Core Teachings of Catholic Church.

A majority of Americans who identify as Catholic are not — rejecting many of the core teachings of the Catholic Church.

A recent survey by Pew found that 60 percent of self-described Catholics in the U.S. believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Thirty-nine percent said it should be legal in most cases, while nearly a full quarter — 22 percent — said abortion should be legal in all cases. Just 28 percent of Catholics in America said abortion should be illegal in all cases.

The report also found that a substantial proportion of U.S. so-called Catholics advocate for more progressive changes within the Church, including acceptance of contraception, married priests, female priests, and same-sex marriage recognition.

Eighty-three percent of respondents said they want the church to allow contraception, 69 percent said priests should be able to marry, 64 percent said women should be allowed to become priestesses, and more than half — 54 percent — believe the Church should recognize same-sex marriage.

The new survey and its findings come on the heels of Pope Francis’s decision in December 2023 to allow priests to bless individuals in same-sex relationships — however such blessings are not marriage and cannot take part during Church services. Last year, the Catholic Church, which has become increasingly liberal under the guidance of Pope Francis, decreed that transgendered individuals could be baptized.

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A majority of Americans who identify as Catholic are not — rejecting many of the core teachings of the Catholic Church. show more
Transgender Teacher
April 13, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Culture
Education

Florida Judge Says School Must Allow Trans Teacher to Use Preferred Pronouns.

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a temporary injunction this week, halting the enforcement of a Florida law barring transgender teachers from using pronouns that do not align with their biological sex in schools.

“Once again, the State of Florida has a First Amendment problem,” Judge Walker wrote in his injunction.

“Of late, it has happened so frequently, some might say you can set your clock by it,” he continued. “This time, the State of Florida declares that it has the absolute authority to redefine your identity if you choose to teach in a public school… the question before this Court is whether the First Amendment permits the State to dictate, without limitation, how public-school teachers refer to themselves when communicating to students. The answer is a thunderous ‘no.’”

Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, often characterized as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill by opponents, was challenged in December by two trans teachers and one “non-binary” teacher, but only one of them, “Katie” Wood, was awarded a temporary injunction by Judge Walker.

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Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a temporary injunction this week, halting the enforcement of a Florida law barring transgender teachers from using pronouns that do not align with their biological sex in schools. show more
April 8, 2024
Culture
News

‘Most Challenged Book’ List Shows Parents Pushing Back Against LGBTQ+ Propaganda for Kids.

The American Library Association (ALA) list of the ten most challenged books of 2023 reveals the extent to which far-left extremists have promoted LGBTQ literature to children — and the extent to which parents are fighting back against those efforts.

The ALA noted a 65 percent increase in titles subject to removal or restriction efforts — marking the highest recorded number of challenged books in the organization’s history. Seven of the 10 most challenged books deal with LGBTQ topics, with the number one place held by Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, a graphic chronicling the author’s coming out as ‘nonbinary.’ Other targeted titles include George M. Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue, Juno Dawson’s This Book Is Gay, Mike Curato’s Flamer, and Matthew Nolan’s Let’s Talk About It.

“Pressure groups in 2023 focused on public libraries in addition to targeting school libraries. The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023; school libraries saw an 11% increase over 2022 numbers,” the group said in an official press release.

In total, the ALA found 4,240 individual book titles under aim for removal from public libraries and schools, substantially exceeding the earlier peak of 2,571 in 2022.

The increase reflects efforts by parents’ groups and conservative lawmakers to protect children from exposure to sexually explicit and other inappropriate LGBTQ-themed material. Subjecting children to such material has real-world consequences and can cause lasting harm to children. A recent report revealed that the number of Americans identifying as LGBTQ+ doubled over 12 years. Meanwhile, a recent landmark study showed that most gender-confused kids grow out of it.

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The American Library Association (ALA) list of the ten most challenged books of 2023 reveals the extent to which far-left extremists have promoted LGBTQ literature to children — and the extent to which parents are fighting back against those efforts. show more
April 8, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Culture
Immigration

WATCH: Muslims Chant ‘Death to America!’ at Michigan Rally as Feds Continue Crackdown on ‘MAGA Extremism.’

Demonstrators in the Muslim stronghold of Dearborn, Michigan, chanted anti-America and anti-Israel slogans during a speech by Islamist activist Tarek Bazzi at a Quds Day rally. Quds Day, which takes its name from the Arabic name for Jerusalem, was instituted by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran in 1979 and is held on the last day of Ramadan each year.

Tensions were high during the Quds Day rally in Dearborn, with Bazzi, tied to the Hadi Institute, declaring it is “not just Genocide Joe that has to go” — a reference to Joe Biden, accused of facilitating Israel’s war in Gaza — but “the entire system.”

“Any system that would allow such atrocities and such devilry to happen and would support it, such a system does not deserve to exist on God’s Earth,” he added.

At another point in his speech, he said, “Imam Khomeini, who declared the International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your chants and all of your shouts upon the head of America.”

“Death to America!” the crowd chanted.

Bazzi was still more explicit in his attacks, saying: “[W]hen these fools ask us if Israel has the right to exist, the chant ‘Death to Israel!’ has become the most logical chant shouted across the world today!”

This also prompted chants of “Death to Israel!”

Bazzi also had a small child take to the microphone to shout “Free, Free Palestine” and “From the River to the Sea,” widely recognized as a call for the destruction of Israel across its entire geographical extent, from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has doubled down on its persecution of MAGA-supporting Americans, recently prosecuting 71-year-old great-grandmother Rebecca Lavrenz for praying inside the U.S. Capitol. The Biden White House continues its outreach to Arab and Muslim Americans such as those depicted in the video below, many of whom have received direct outreach from the White House.

WATCH:

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Demonstrators in the Muslim stronghold of Dearborn, Michigan, chanted anti-America and anti-Israel slogans during a speech by Islamist activist Tarek Bazzi at a Quds Day rally. Quds Day, which takes its name from the Arabic name for Jerusalem, was instituted by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran in 1979 and is held on the last day of Ramadan each year. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
Oh how I wish somebody had tried to warn America of what was coming down the pipeline…
for exclusive members-only insights
Oh how I wish somebody had tried to warn America of what was coming down the pipeline… show more
for exclusive members-only insights
April 7, 2024
Culture

North Face Sponsors LGBTQ Camp Where 12-Year-Olds Perform in Drag Shows.

Outdoor recreation company The North Face is among several organizations supporting an LGBTQ camp called Camp Brave Trails — with locations in California and New York — the produces drag shows featuring children as young as twelve.

Camp Brave Trails appears to be primed to attract child sexual predators. Besides encouraging children to perform in sexualized activities like drag shows, it also exercises a “genderless” approach to housing and restrooms. In addition to putting children at obvious risk of exploitation and abuse, Camp Brave Trails provides its campers with an extremist left-wing “education” that includes  “LGBTQ+ history” and “anti-racism.”

Aside from The North Face, Camp Brave Trails also receives financial backing from shoe companies Brooks, Chaco, and Toms.

This is not the first time The North Face has been in the news for promoting extreme LGBTQ and gender identity ideology to children. Last year, the company released an ad to promote children’s clothing that featured a homosexual drag queen yelling, “come out!”

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Outdoor recreation company The North Face is among several organizations supporting an LGBTQ camp called Camp Brave Trails — with locations in California and New York — the produces drag shows featuring children as young as twelve. show more
April 7, 2024
Culture

Rapper J. Cole Accused of ‘Transphobia’ After Kendrick Lamar Diss.

Amid the release of his new album ‘Might Delete Later,’ hip-hop artist J. Cole has been hit with accusations of inserting “transphobic” content in his new song “Pi,” where he raps lines that some listeners interpret as derogatory towards so-called transgender individuals.

The incident is part of a long-running “beef” between Cole and rapper Kendrick Lamar, which also involves Canadian R&B artist Drake.

The lyrics state:

Is you a demon or is that demeanor for the ‘Gram?, tell us;

They plead the fifth, I’m seeing hints of a trans fella;

In cancel culture’s vicinity, he’s no killer, trust me

Beneath his chosen identity, there is still a p***y, period.

J. Cole’s track “7 Minute Drill” has already made waves for its direct criticisms of Lamar’s latest album. This controversy adds to previous instances where the rapper’s work has been debated for its stance on LGBTQIA+ issues. Notably, in 2013, J. Cole’s song “Villuminati” provoked controversy for its handling of homosexuality.

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Amid the release of his new album 'Might Delete Later,' hip-hop artist J. Cole has been hit with accusations of inserting "transphobic" content in his new song “Pi,” where he raps lines that some listeners interpret as derogatory towards so-called transgender individuals. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
Honestly, there have been some pretty interesting and iconic rap beefs in history
for exclusive members-only insights
Honestly, there have been some pretty interesting and iconic rap beefs in history show more
for exclusive members-only insights
April 5, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Culture
Election 2024

ROCK BOTTOM: Dwayne Johnson Regrets 2020 Biden Endorsement, Slams ‘Woke’ and ‘Cancel’ Culture.

Actor and wrestling star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has expressed regret over his endorsement of Joe Biden in 2020, and has vowed not to repeat the error. His comments came in an exclusive interview with Fox News aired Friday morning. Johnson also used the opportunity to blast “woke culture” and “cancel culture.”

“Am I happy with the state of America right now? Well, that answer is no,” Johnson said.

“The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one I thought was the best decision for me at that time,” he explained, saying he felt it was his duty to use his influence and his position to share his preferred candidate with the public.

“Am I going to do that again this year? That answer’s no,” he confirmed.

TEARS ME UP.

“What I realize, what that caused back then was something that tears me up in my guts back then and now, which is division. That got me. The takeaway after that, months and months, I realized, that caused division in our country. I realize now going into this election, I will not do that, my goal is to bring this country together.

“[With] this level of influence, I’m going to keep my politics to myself; I think it’s between me and the ballot box,” he said, adding he would support whoever the American people choose.

Johnson also said he was not planning to enter the political arena himself “as of now.”

WATCH:

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Actor and wrestling star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has expressed regret over his endorsement of Joe Biden in 2020, and has vowed not to repeat the error. His comments came in an exclusive interview with Fox News aired Friday morning. Johnson also used the opportunity to blast "woke culture" and "cancel culture." show more
April 5, 2024
Culture
UK

Taxpayer-Backed Non-Profit Declares Words ‘Mother’ And ‘Father’ Oppressive.

Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA), funded by the Scottish government, has unveiled an ‘inclusive language guide’ suggesting the terms ‘mother’ and ‘father’ foster oppression.

The organization views the traditional family terminology as potentially “reinforcing existing power structures,” and argues for a change to ‘parent’ and ‘guardian.’

SIDA also recommends eschewing terms like ‘girls’ and ‘guys’ in favor of ‘colleagues’ or ‘everyone’ and replacing ‘chairman,’ ‘spokeswoman,’ and ‘manpower’ with genderless alternatives.

“With this language guide we hope to ensure our language is contributing to — not getting in the way of — the fundamental changes we are looking to make in the world: equality, inclusion, fairness, decolonisation [sic], and global justice,” the document proclaims.

SIDA’s guide also contends terms like ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’ are insufficiently urgent, proposing ‘climate crisis’ and ‘climate emergency’ as replacements, and denounces ‘third world’ and ‘the West’ as “problematic phrases.”

A spokesman for the Free Speech Union argued, “the real reason these red-pencil wielding zealots want to ban words like mother and father is to enforce radical progressive dogma. “

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Scotland's International Development Alliance (SIDA), funded by the Scottish government, has unveiled an 'inclusive language guide' suggesting the terms 'mother' and 'father' foster oppression. show more
April 4, 2024
Culture
Politics

No, DEI Hasn’t Helped U.S. Firms, Despite McKinsey’s Claims.

A recently published paper casts doubt on the legitimacy of multiple studies from global consulting firm McKinsey & Company that suggested a positive correlation between corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and companies’ financial performance. The authors of the Econ Journal Watch study describe McKinsey’s conclusions as ‘junk research.’

The Econ Journal Watch research evaluated several studies conducted by McKinsey, concluding that neither conceptually nor empirically could it be established that large public firms in the U.S. could expect higher financial returns through increasing racial or ethnic diversity within their executive team.

“Our results indicated that despite the imprimatur often given to McKinsey’s 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2023 studies, McKinsey’s studies neither conceptually (in terms of the correct definition of causality) nor empirically (in terms of their set of large US public firms) support the argument that large US public firms can expect on average to deliver improved financial performance if they increase the racial/ethnic diversity of their executives.”

McKinsey’s studies have been referenced by institutions such as the U.S. Navy, being incorporated into the Navy’s 2021 ‘Task Force One’ report, advocating for a diversification of their forces.

Elaine Donnelly, president of The Center for Military Readiness, recently said that the Pentagon’s prioritization of DEI programs has led to an ongoing recruitment crisis. “Race-conscious ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) policies are making personnel shortages worse,” Donnelly said. “Minority recruitment has remained steady or increased, which is fine, but a steep decline in white recruits almost entirely accounts for the ongoing recruiting crisis.”

The research from Econ Journal Watch is likely to add to growing concerns over the consequences of DEI initiatives. Last month, it was reported that DEI initiatives are costing UK taxpayers at least half a billion pounds a year, or roughly $632.5 million.

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A recently published paper casts doubt on the legitimacy of multiple studies from global consulting firm McKinsey & Company that suggested a positive correlation between corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and companies' financial performance. The authors of the Econ Journal Watch study describe McKinsey's conclusions as 'junk research.' show more