Category: That

A Homeschool Law That Could Criminalize Parents and Threaten Jail Time

Illinois bureaucrats are here to protect your kids... from you.

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People can’t get out of Illinois fast enough. Only two other states lost more residents between 2023–24, and the state has lost population for 10 years in a row. The tax burden, weather, heavy regulation, and crime levels all contribute to its residents seeking an exit. So, taking this mass exodus into account, you’d think the state would try to appeal to the families that remain. Well, think again. The Cubs (and maybe even the White Sox) are more likely to win another World Series before Illinois considers the plight of the family.

In an alarming move that should concern every freedom-loving American, Illinois lawmakers are advancing House Bill 2827, known as the “Homeschool Act.” It’s an ill-conceived piece of legislation that should be renamed “The Illinois Family Exit Act” because, no doubt, many families will be looking for an exit if this monstrosity is signed into law.

It appears Illinois officials are feeling the pressure, as they have turned out amendments over the last 24 hours in an attempt to make this bill appear more palatable. Please keep up the pressure and add your name to our petition: Stop Indoctrinating Our Kids. This bill is riddled with so many issues that it must be defeated. Here's what we know at this point.

This legislation directly threatens the rights of parents to educate their children, particularly those who choose homeschooling for religious or moral reasons. When the bill was introduced, it garnered a massive negative response among Illinois citizens. Homeschool families valuing their educational freedom signed witness slips in opposition to the tune of over 50,000 in 24 hours.

Advancing out of committee on an 8-4 vote, with one vote present, this bill is deceptively framed as a measure to ensure “safety” and “accountability” but would require all homeschooling families in Illinois to register with the State Board of Education or face automatic criminal penalties. Because the bill also contains a provision for “school inspections,” it opens the door to unprecedented state intrusion into the private decisions of families – most of whom are providing their children with a quality, values-based education out of deep and sincere convictions. Imagine surprise home inspections conducted against homeschool families at the whim of the state.

There is no credible evidence of widespread issues in the homeschooling community that would justify such sweeping government intervention. Yet that hasn’t stopped this legislation from moving forward. In fact, in big-government fashion, the bill’s sponsor, State House Representative Terra Costa Howard (IL-48), and other supporters are more concerned with government regulation than religious and educational freedom, justifying this overreach for Illinois by saying, “38 other states also have regulations.” My response: As with any legislation, the devil is in the details. Regulation is one thing; onerous burdens intended to drive out conservative homeschool families or imprison them – jail time for those who don’t timely comply – is quite another.

According to Focus on the Family’s Daily Citizen, “While 38 other states do require parents to sign a declaration to educate in their homes, none of them have criminalized those who do not. Illinois would be the first.” Overall, Rep. Howard’s arguments are uncompelling at best. And apparently, Rep. Howard wants to make sure home school families are keeping their children alive, proudly declaring in an interview that the bill is necessary to make sure “we know that kids are alive, where they are, we want to make sure that they are okay.”

Hear that, parents? Illinois bureaucrats are here to protect your kids. . . from you.

Legal experts and education advocates are raising concerns that this legislation creates a direct pipeline from the home to the criminal justice system. Families who fail to comply – whether intentionally or simply due to bureaucratic confusion – could face investigations, fines, or worse. This is not about improving education; it’s about treating parents like criminals.

Rather than comporting with public school regulations, parents choosing to homeschool their children would be subjected to unimaginable government intrusion. The Homeschool Act carves out a potential criminal penalty for parents for missing the filing deadline or the associated 10-day grace period. This sets up a two-tiered system of prosecution, as public school truants are not prosecuted to the extent Illinois would prosecute homeschool families under this law.

Section 60 outlines a process for triggering investigations and enforcement actions when a parent fails to file the required form, which results in the student being presumed truant. It grants regional education offices the authority to review a homeschooler’s file and refer findings of “educational neglect” or inadequate education to the State Attorney’s Office, Department of Education, or local law enforcement.

Page 40 of Amendment 002 contains an extremely problematic addition that would require a state official to interview a child, stating:

(b) The truant officer or county truant officer notified of a homeschool in violation of Section 30 of the Homeschool Act, shall meet with the child or children complained of and make an initial determination of whether there is cause to start a truancy investigation.

(c) The truant officer or county truant officer who determines there is no cause to start a truancy investigation shall report the reasons for the determination to their respective office, and shall assist the homeschool in submitting the homeschool notification form in whatever way practicable. (Emphasis mine.)

The language used here is “shall.” The verb choice is powerful in this context as it is a mandatory action, and there is no flexibility. If it were optional, the language would be “may” or “may as seemed/deemed fit or appropriate.” This is critically important.

The response from the public has been swift and unmistakable. Thousands of concerned citizens rallied at the Illinois Capitol in protest on the day of the committee hearing. Families, educators, and advocates stood together to defend their rights and their children’s futures – sending a loud and clear message: We will not be silent while the government attempts to take control of our homes. Many were turned away by law enforcement as there was no room left inside the Capitol.

This bill is not about safety. It’s about power – undermining parental authority and stripping away religious liberty under the cover of regulation. It sets a dangerous precedent that other states could follow if it succeeds. It’s a direct affront to parental rights and school choice and smacks of the worst kind of governmental paternalism – believing that the government and not the citizenry knows best how to conduct their lives.

At the ACLJ, we stand ready to engage in this fight. We’ve defended the rights of parents and homeschoolers for decades, and we won’t stop now. The Constitution is on our side. Parental rights are not negotiable. Religious liberty is not optional. Join us in this fight and add your name to our petition: Stop Sexualizing and Indoctrinating Our Kids.

Victor Davis Hanson: Zelenskyy Bites the Hand That Feeds Him Billions of Dollars

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy strolled into the White House using the same strategy he employed with President Joe Biden, which turned out to be his fatal flaw, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ I think Mr. Zelenskyy, in some ways, is a sympathetic character. He needs American weapons, but he kept arguing and arguing, and interrupting the president of the United States, who kept trying to remind him that without American weapons—and the number is disputed because it includes weaponry, economic assistance, and other types of U.S. aid. “ Without the United States, he would be nowhere. Europe talks a great game. All of Europe together, all 28, 29 nations of the EU, 32 nations of NATO have given less than the United States alone. And they will not come to his aid. “ He was flown in on a U.S. military jet. He met Democratic politicians. He met with union workers at a munitions factory and basically said to them, "These jobs are essential to us." Subtext: "You wouldn't want to lose your job by voting for Donald Trump, who might cut off aid." That was a terrible mistake.

Supreme Court Will Hear Case That Could Bankrupt the Palestinian Authority

“Pay-For-Slay” in the Limelight

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Two cases, to be heard jointly by the Supreme Court, which could potentially bankrupt the Palestinian Authority and the PLO, will be decided in the next few months. More on the cases, and their possible devastating effect on the Palestinian Authority’s finances, can be found here: “Supreme Court to hear case on Palestinian Authority’s ‘martyr’ payments,” by Marc Rod, Jewish Insider, February 10, 2025:

The Supreme Court is set to hear a case in the coming months to decide whether American victims of Palestinian terror attacks can sue the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority for damages based on support for such attacks through the “pay for slay” program that compensates individuals who have carried out attacks as well as their families.These cases raise the question of whether a 2019 act of Congress, asserting jurisdiction over the PA and PLO, is constitutional.

The Supreme Court cases — Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization and United States v. Palestine Liberation Organization, which the court will hear jointly — pertain to a decades-long series of litigation efforts by American terror victims and their families to sue the PLO and the PA.

In one case in 2015, a lower court awarded a group of victims more than $650 million. But the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has repeatedly ruled as unconstitutional multiple pieces of legislation passed by Congress to assert U.S. jurisdiction over the PLO and PA and enable such lawsuits….

Mark Pinkert, an attorney at Holtzman Vogel who filed the brief on behalf of the groups, told Jewish Insider that, through repeated legislation, Congress has made its intentions clear.

Congress said, ‘We want to make sure victims get access to justice, and we think that civil liability is a really important tool for fighting foreign terrorism,’” Pinkert explained, adding that creating such civil liability is part of Congress’ efforts to end the PA’s payment program….

Pinkert said that the justices’ decision will likely ultimately revolve around questions of whether the Fifth Amendment limits Congress’ ability to pass such legislation; the victims argue that it does not.

Pinkert said that given the court’s current originalist bent, it may favor that interpretation of the intent of the Fifth Amendment, though Supreme Court decisions are often difficult to predict.

He added that, although the Supreme Court is independent, it will be “hard for them to ignore” the strong bipartisan support for PSJVTA and efforts to hold the PA and PLO civilly liable.

“It’s a big deal to strike down a federal statute, and not just any federal statute, but one that has been passed over and over again with bipartisan support and with so many amicus groups supporting the petitioners,” Pinkert said. “On a practical level, I think that’s going to be in the back of the Supreme Court justices’ minds.”

If the Supreme Court decides that the Fifth Amendment does not limit Congress’ ability to pass such legislation, so that the 2019 law, the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (PSJVTA), is declared constitutional, the effect will be to allow lawsuits by relatives of victims of Palestinian terrorism against the PA and the PLO, first for supporting terrorism with its “Pay-For-Slay” program and second for being a designated terrorist organization, which would likely bankrupt both. The Court’s conservative majority is almost certain to declare the legislation constitutional.

PM Netanyahu: “Who kidnaps a little boy and a baby and murders them? Monsters.

“Today is a tragic day. It’s a day of boundless sorrow, of indescribable pain. Four-year-old Ariel Bibas, his baby brother one-year-old Kfir and 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz were brutally murdered by Hamas savages. Their bodies will return home to a nation in mourning. A nation that will never forget or forgive the evil that cut down these beautiful souls. Since that black day on October 7th, when Hamas butchered and burned 1,200 of our families and friends, Israel waited with bated breath, hoping beyond hope that our hostages would survive the Hamas hell. Against all odds, we succeeded in bringing many home. Some we rescued. Some we tragically couldn't. The Bibas children in particular became the symbol of who we are, and who we're fighting against. Here is a photo of the Bibas brothers. These "perfect children," again, were four years old and less than one year old when the Hamas savages snatched them from their mother's arms. She fought like a lioness to protect her boys. Just imagine their horror. Imagine their confusion. Perfect little children who never hurt a soul. A baby, for the love of God. They languished in captivity until Hamas murdered them in cold blood. Who kidnaps a little boy and a baby and murders them? Monsters. That's who. These Hamas monsters also cynically refused to bring back the boys’ mother, Shiri, and sent the body of a Gazan woman instead, in brazen violation of the agreement. Today the heavens shake. The entire civilized world should condemn these horrific murders.The entire civilized world should join Israel in demanding the immediate release of all the hostages. All of Israel is united in grief. And as the prime minister of Israel, I vow that I will not rest until the savages who executed our hostages are brought to justice. They do not deserve to walk this earth. Nothing will stop me. Nothing. Ariel, Kfir and Oded: I am so sorry we couldn't save you from the monsters who did this. We honor your kind and loving souls, so tragically cut down by evil terror. May your memory forever be a blessing and a reminder to all of us that we must fight this evil and eradicate it from the face of this earth”.

Two Cases That Pam Bondi Should Revisit

Ammoland Inc. Posted on  by 
Justice iStock-1245041394
Many cases could be reviewed, but a few stand out above the rest. IMG: iStock-1245041394

On Friday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order demanding Attorney General Pam Bondi review any litigation that might have violated an American’s Second Amendment rights. Many cases could be reviewed, but a few stand out as violating not only someone’s right to bear arms but also free speech and entrapment.

The first case that the Department of Justice might review is the AutoKeyCard case. The case involves Kristopher Justin Irvin, who sold a novelty metal card with an image of a lightning bolt to inspire conversations about gun laws. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) saw the card and decided it was a machinegun conversion device (MCD). The ATF would arrest Mr. Irvin and charge him with violating the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA).

After Mr. Irvin was arrested, Matthew Hoover started raising money for his defense. Mr. Hoover ran a successful YouTube channel CRS Firearms. During Irvin’s time in business, he contracted Hoover to advertise the item on his YouTube channel. At no time was Mr. Hoover in business with Irvin, but the ATF didn’t appreciate actions to help Irvin defend himself in court.

The ATF would issue and execute an arrest warrant for Hoover, claiming that he and Irvin had entered a conspiracy to distribute machine guns. ATF attorney Laura Coffer Taylor contended that the fundraising for Irvin’s defense was the two trying to defeat the government so the two could continue to profit from selling machine guns. Mr. Hoover was also accused of distributing machine guns even though Irvin only sponsored his channel, and Hoover in no way sold the item.

Is the AutoKeyCard an MCD? The ATF told the court it was even though they could not get the device to function as a lightning link. When cut out along the lines, the ATF failed to get the device to fire automatically. This failure was due to the image not having the correct dimensions. The ATF materially altered the card by cutting outside the lines. That means their argument was based on the card being metal and how it was advertised. They argued that it didn’t matter that it didn’t work. They said the men thought they would, and that was intent.

The ATF never got the card to work correctly, even after cutting it out. They did get a hammer follow, which is a malfunction that causes the hammer to follow the bolt carrier back into battery after a shot is fired. This malfunction can happen for many reasons and does not indicate automatic fire.

The men’s lawyers were also prohibited from making a Second Amendment defense. The court limited their arguments, which adversely affected their defense. State’s Attorney Laura Coffey Taylor also filed an order to try to gag this reporter from reporting on documents that AmmoLand News legally received. Gun Owners of America (GOA) defended my right to freedom of the press. Ultimately, the ATF dropped their motion to gag me after a show of force in the courtroom by GOA attorneys.

Both men were found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison for a piece of non-functional art resembling an MCD. There is an ongoing appeal. The Department of Justice (DOJ) can step in and stop the violation of the men’s Second Amendment rights and their First Amendment rights.

The second case involves a Navy Sailor named Patrick Tate Adamiak. Mr. Adamiak served in the Navy with pride and also sold firearms part kits part-time. A confidential informant (CI) working for the ATF contacted Adamiak for help brokering a deal for a demilled machine gun parts kit being sold on Gun Broker. Mr. Adamiak believed the kit was demilled correctly since it was on Gun Broker. He purchased the kit and resold it to the CI.

The ATF determined the kit wasn’t properly demilled since it was cut with a bandsaw, not a torch. They raided Adamiak’s home and arrested him. During the search, they found power tools the sailor claimed to use to remodel his home. The ATF took a different view, arguing that the tools had to be used to make guns. The ATF also found a demilled RPG that Adamiak had purchased at a flea market in California.

The RPG did not have a fire control group and had a large circular hole cut in its side. The ATF welded the hole shut, claiming it wasn’t big enough, and installed a fire control unit. With the RPG rebuilt and rewelded, the ATF was able to get it to work. They would charge Adamiak with multiple NFA violations. Mr Adamiak was found guilty and is currently appealing the ruling to the Circuit Court.

The two cases show that the ATF can be overzealous in its prosecution of Americans instead of concentrating on real criminals. Under Trump’s executive order, the DOJ has an opportunity to make things right.

You Must Know About The Study That DESTROYED The Anti-Fat Myth

You Must Know About The Study That DESTROYED The Anti-Fat Myth Are you tired of hearing that butter will send you straight to the cardiologist? As a doctor, I’m here to tell you there’s more to the story. In this video, we’re comparing two pivotal studies: Ancel Keys’ Heart Hypothesis (the one that blamed saturated fat for heart disease) and the Minnesota Coronary Experiment (the study that might just blow the anti-fat narrative out of the water). You’ll Learn: Why the Minnesota Coronary Experiment was buried for decades How its findings contradict the popular belief that saturated fat clogs your arteries Why sugar—not saturated fat—may be the real villain in the heart disease saga The difference between observational data (like in Ancel Keys’ Seven Countries Study) and randomized controlled trials (like the Minnesota study) Sprinkled throughout the video, expect a bit of humor, some doctorly wisdom, and yes, a cameo from the infamous “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!” saga. By the end, you’ll know why I say, “I can’t believe people are still eating ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!’”—especially after what these studies revealed! Call to Action: Start: Smash that LIKE button if you’re ready to separate fact from fiction. End: SHARE this video with anyone who thinks margarine is heart-healthy, and SUBSCRIBE for more myth-busting nutrition content!

Why the Spending Bill Fight is PROOF that DOGE is Working

Is the Republican Party’s “unity” collapsing? The legacy media insists that Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Rep. Chip Roy are tearing each other apart over the continuing resolution spending bill. But Glenn and fellow BlazeTV host ‪@lizwheeler‬ argue that this isn’t the truth: “How lucky are we that 2 months ago, we were debating ‘good vs evil.’ And now, we’re debating ‘good vs better.’ It also shows you that the DOGE process is working.” Glenn and Liz break down what’s happening with the spending bill debate and why Republicans disagree over the debt ceiling.

Musk Offers Cash to Voters in Swing States that Support Second Amendment

Ammoland Inc.Posted on by

 

Elon Musk is offering $47 to registered voters in swing states for each signature referred to other registered voters who pledge support for the First and Second Amendments.

Presidential Candidate Donald Trump held a return rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to show his resolve in the face of two nearly successful assassination attempts. Elon Musk, a staunch supporter of the First Amendment and a genius entrepreneur, spoke in support of the First and Second Amendments. Elon made this generous offer:

In appreciation for your support, you will receive $47 for each registered voter you refer that signs this petition.

Our goal is to get 1 million registered voters in swing states to sign in support of the Constitution, especially freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. The program is exclusively open to registered voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Expires October 21.

The petition requires first and last name, email address, cell phone number (to confirm the signer’s identity only), and mailing address. Once a person has signed the petition, they can refer others to sign.

The petition is available online. For the petition to be valid, the signer must be a registered voter in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, or North Carolina. You do not need to show who referred you to sign the petition.  This correspondent has signed the petition.

Elon Musk has placed himself squarely against former President Donald Trump in this election. It is a simple act of defense of the Republic of the United States of America. Elon is a naturalized citizen of the Republic. When Elon purchased X (formerly Twitter) in order to protect free speech and to fight censorship, he placed himself, and his fortune, in extreme jeopardy.

Elon Musk has been relentlessly attacked by the Biden administration. The current administration has used their power to hinder his operation of Space X by delaying permission for his launches. When the Biden administration held a conclave of electric vehicle manufacturers, Musk owned Tesla, the foremost electric vehicle manufacturer, was not invited.  When Elon Musk proffered a low bid for rural broadband delivery with Starlink, the bid was accepted by the FCC, then rejected by the Biden administration. Leftist influencer Keith Olberman has called for the Biden administration to deport Elon Musk.

Elon Musk has seen how this authoritarian abuse of power proceeds in other countries. If a Harris administration is placed in power, the enterprises owned by Elon Musk will be either be destroyed or co-opted by the government. The Biden/Harris administration has repeatedly ignored the rule of law. They have censored the opposition and conspired to illegitimately jail opponents. They have weaponized the Department of Justice to prosecute the opposition candidate, Donald Trump. They have been the most anti-Second Amendment administration in the history of the USA.

If candidate Harris becomes president with the Democratic Party in control of Congress, the election process will be altered to make a win by a supporter of the Constitution impossible. The Supreme Court will be neutered and/or packed with far-left Harris supporters. The current censorship will be magnified many times.

The Trump administration has already shown it will allow Elon Musk to maintain control of his enterprises and will encourage him to succeed in free market competition.

This correspondent believes those who sign the petition will be encouraged to vote. If you wish to show this correspondent, who is a registered voter in Arizona, as the person who referred you, you may put the email address of isherllc@gmail.com in the referral box.

About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten is a peace officer and a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.

Dean Weingarten

STOP Investing in Woke Companies That HATE You; Invest in MAGA etf stock

Are you tired of giving money to woke corporations that hate your values? Point Bridge Capital founder Hal Lambert has you covered with MAGA ETF, the definitive index of companies that align with conservative values. Lambert also says Republicans need to invest in Donald Trump’s campaign, while applauding Elon Musk for donating $75M to @America PAC

Christian Denominations that Don’t Vote

There are some eligible people who do not vote, and some of those do so because that’s the position that their church takes.

Should Christians Vote for Trump? | Detailed Breakdown

As evangelical Christians, we all assign various weights and measures to come to a decision on whether or not we can vote for Trump. What makes up those weights and measures for you? Why do you ascribe more weight to some topics and less to others? Join Fortis Institute Fellows Todd Friel and Dr. Andrew Walker along with Dr. Tom Buck as they break down key issues surrounding the upcoming election and guide you toward making the most biblically informed choice when you head to the polls. Wretched TV and Radio are hosted by Todd Friel. On the show, you will see and hear live witnessing encounters, discussions of tough theological issues, and Christian commentary on current events. We might even make you laugh.

Everything That Goes On in the Muslim Middle East Has to Do with Islam

That little problem of all those Qur'anic verses commanding jihad.

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SEE: https://www.frontpagemag.com/everything-that-goes-on-in-the-muslim-middle-east-has-to-do-with-islam/; republished below in full, unedited, for informational, educational, & research purposes:

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Do people in the West have a negative view of Islam because of a campaign of “Islamophobia”? That’s the assumption of an old article that remains relevant, and that we have been accordingly revisiting: “Obsession with Islam blinds West to real problems,” by Omer Taspinar, Asia Times, 

The result has been to reinforce the tendency in the West to look at the Middle East through the prism of religion. From Turkey’s transformation under Recep Tayyip Erdogan to what has been called the Sunni-Shiite sectarian conflict, the focus invariably is on Islam, at the expense of almost all other economic and political drivers of conflict. The verdict this delivers is ominous: Islam is not compatible with democracy, secularism, modernity and many other progressive achievements. Islam also is perceived as an autocratic, intolerant, violent and belligerent religion.”…

But everything that goes on in the Muslim Middle East has to do with Islam. Erdogan’s transformation of Turkey has focused on undoing the Kemalist reforms that have helped to secularize a large part of the Turkish urban population; Erdogan is doing what he can to re-Islamize the country. Between 2006 and 2009 Erdogan built 9,000 new mosques. How many more has he built in the decade and a half since? He has also built more than 4,000 Iman Hatip schools, which were originally founded to educate young men to be imams and preachers, but now accommodate a curriculum for both boys and girls that is heavy, but not exclusively, religious in nature. Why shouldn’t discussion of Turkey focus on religion, when that has been the focus of the Turks themselves? As for “what has been called the Sunni-Shia sectarian conflict,” is Taspinar suggesting that it really doesn’t exist (but is merely “what has been called…”)? Several hundred million Muslims, in dozens of countries, apparently think otherwise

Taspinar thinks that Western “obsession” with Islam can lead to some very wrongheaded conclusions: that Islam is seen as an “autocratic, intolerant, violent and belligerent religion.” What could have given anyone that idea? Could the treatment of non-Muslims, who, according to the Sharia, must either convert to Islam, or die, or submit to the onerous conditions imposed on the “tolerated” non-Muslims known as dhimmis, possibly lead to that view? Could 1,400 years of history, right up to the present day, suggest an intolerant religion because non-Muslims — Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Buddhists — have all been persecuted and tens of millions killed by Muslims? Might Islam be perceived as “violent” because of its long history of conquest of many lands and the forcible subjugation of their peoples? Or could that perception also be prompted by intra-Islamic violence that has pitted Sunnis against Shia, Salafists against mainstream Muslims, Deobandis against Barelvis, orthodox Muslims against Ahmadis? Could Islam be thought a “belligerent” religion because of all the verses commanding jihad — mainly through war — in the Qur’an, and all the wars that Muslims have engaged in to spread their faith?

There is not so much a “Western obsession with Islam,” though it is certainly merited — too little attention has been paid in the West both to Islamic history, and to Islamic doctrine — as there is an obsession among Muslims about the Infidel West. In the lands of the enemy Infidels, Muslims have now been allowed to settle in great numbers. But they seldom integrate, for they are taught in the Qur’an to regard those Infidels as “the most vile of created beings,” and are instructed not to take Christians and Jews as friends, “for they are friends only with each other.” How is the West supposed to persuade Muslims to ignore those Qur’anic verses and to integrate into their societies? And Muslims in the West cannot help but recognize that, despite being peopled by “the most vile of created beings,” the advanced West seems to be thriving. It is maddening for Believers to compare that success with the Muslim world, which stagnates politically, economically, and socially. Politically, monarchs, despots, and generals rule in more than half of the Muslim countries. Economically, the Islamic world’s only important source of wealth consists of the revenues from the sale of oil, that is, wealth that results not from industriousness or entrepreneurial flair, but only from an accident of geology. Socially, the mistreatment of women and of minorities continues to hold back, in many Muslim lands, more than half of the population. This sense of failure maddens Muslims, who have been told in the Qur’an that they are “the best of peoples.”