Category: Events

Randy Barnett: A Libertarian Scholar’s Memoir and the Making of an American Originalist

Christy Kelly
Freedom Fest

FreedomFest is an annual largely libertarian conference that brings together people from various fields to discuss and promote ideas related to liberty, free markets, and individual freedom. This year in Las Vegas, The Arizona Sun Times interviewed Randy Barnett, whose memoir, “A Life for Liberty: The Making of an American Originalist,” offers an insightful look into his life, philosophy, and professional achievements. As one of the most influential legal scholars in constitutional law, Barnett champions liberty and originalism in his book. Originalism, he explains, is the judicial interpretation of the Constitution that aims to closely follow the original intentions of its framers.

Barnett, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, chronicles his journey from prosecutor in Chicago to intellectual scholar. When asked by The Arizona Sun Times what advice he gives to young scholars about pursuing originalism, he responded, “Stick to your principles but keep an open mind.” Barnett emphasized that he has changed his views when warranted and stressed the importance of being open to recognizing weaknesses in one’s views. “If you treat people with respect, they will reciprocate,” he added.

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Simon Conway Guest Host Matt Kittle Talks to Kari Lake About Upcoming Event in Iowa and America First Policies

Julie Carr

Live from Des Moines Tuesday morning on The Simon Conway Show with Matt Kittle – broadcast on Des Moines, Iowa’s, 1040 WHO (4p-7p weekdays) or in the Quad Cities on 1420 WOC (4p-6m weekdays) – host Kittle welcomed former Arizona Governor candidate Kari Lake to the show to promote her upcoming event in Iowa and America First policies.

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Kari Lake, Dennis Prager, Josh Hawley, and More Headline TPUSA’s AmericaFest 2022 on Sunday

Rachel Alexander

Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest continued its second day in Phoenix on Sunday, featuring a long lineup of well-known conservatives. Some of the standouts Sunday included Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who is currently fighting the results of a botched election in Arizona which resulted in Democrat Katie Hobbs being named the winner, co-founder of PragerU and talk show host Dennis Prager, and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). 

The theme of many of the speakers was to stay positive and avoid the negativity and self-centeredness of the left, see the good in the country, and the values and institutions like marriage and children which formed it. Lake’s speech focused on voter disenfranchisement that occurred in her race, declaring, “My pronouns are ‘I won’” and “election integrity is the single most important issue of our lifetime.” 

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Flags Unfurled: Presley O’Bannon – Tripoli Hero to Marine Corps Legend

Bethany Bowman

Growing up with the name O’Bannon I was vaguely aware that there was a famous person named Presley O’Bannon who was important in American History. When I got married 37 years ago to a Marine Corp veteran who has a degree in history, I was informed that not only was Presley O’Bannon an important figure in history, he was especially important to the Marines. The United States Marine Corps hymn opens with “From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country’s battles on the land and on the sea.” Presley O’Bannon was the man who led battles on the shores of Tripoli from whence the song lyrics came.

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Grammy Winner Rory Feek Celebrates Self-Reliance with First-of-Its-Kind ‘Homestead Festival’ in Tennessee

Admin

The Homestead Festival, a first-of-its-kind outdoor event, will make its debut on June 3-4, 2022, at Grammy-winning and New York Times best-selling author Rory Feek’s 100-acre historic farm in Columbia, Tennessee. Combining music and meaning, the two-day affair features musical performances, including headliner Kevin Costner and Modern West, as well as master-class lectures by prominent homesteading community leaders such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Joel Salatin, Justin Rhodes, and many others.

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Homestead Festival to Be Held June 3rd and 4th in Columbia, Tennessee

Bethany Bowman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Homestead Festival, a first-of-its-kind outdoor event, will make its debut on June 3-4, 2022, at Grammy-winning and New York Times best-selling author Rory Feek’s 100-acre historic farm in Columbia, Tennessee. Combining music and meaning, the two-day affair features musical performances, including headliner Kevin Costner and Modern West, as well as master-class lectures by prominent homesteading community leaders such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Joel Salatin, Justin Rhodes, and many others.

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Faith and Freedom Rally Protests Mayor Cooper Rule of 8: ‘Make America Godly Again’

Corinne Murdock

Monday afternoon in downtown Nashville, a rally of just over 100 people protested the latest gathering limit from Mayor John Cooper. None of the police were present at the Legislative Plaza steps where everyone gathered.

Cooper coined the term “Rule of 8” for the city’s latest pandemic-related order ahead of Thanksgiving. The event description on Facebook described the rule as “ridiculous and unconstitutional.”

Pastor Greg Locke hosted the protest. Locke announced the event during the third “Stop the Steal” rally last Saturday – Trump supporters have pledged to gather every weekend until the general election lawsuits are resolved.

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‘Stop The Steal’ Rallies a Second Time in Nashville with Double the Numbers

Corinne Murdock

At a second Nashville-based “Stop the Steal” rally, hundreds of Trump supporters descended on the Tennessee State Capitol grounds downtown. Every person wore the hallmark shade of MAGA red. American flags waved alongside deep blue “Trump 2020” or “Keep America Great” flags. Cars decked out with patriotic and pro-Trump flags, stickers, and signs looped the capitol, blaring their horns as they passed. Some wore masks while others chose not to.

All throughout the event, the crowd would chorus chants of “Stop the steal!”, “We love Trump!”, or “Four more years!” Despite the reason behind the rally, the atmosphere was cheerful and confident. The organizers would pause between scheduled speakers to announce they’d found a lost license, or to hand out free copies of the Constitution to teenagers in attendance.

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All Republicans, Conservatives of Virginia Invited to ‘March for Trump’ Washington Rally

Corinne Murdock

Virginia’s Republicans and conservatives are invited to join the March for Trump in Washington, D.C. this Saturday. A bus will depart from Richmond on Saturday morning for the event, also called “Million MAGA March.”

City of Richmond Republican Committee member Jennifer Anderson came up with the idea to bus Virginians to the rally. In an interview with The Virginia Star, Anderson shared that the widespread mistrust in election integrity inspired her to take action.

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Over 200 ‘Adorable Deplorables, Chumps, and Uglies’ Show Up to Virginia Beach Trump Rally

Corinne Murdock

Well over 200 people showed up on a rainy, gray Sunday to a Trump Rally supporting their Republican candidates: Scott Taylor for Congress and Daniel Gade for Senate. The rally took place inside the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach. 

Virginia Beach attorney Tim Anderson hosted the rally, with The Star editor-in-chief and Trump Virginia Delegation Chairman John Fredericks emceeing.

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More Tennessee Counties Re-Issue Mask Mandates and Public Health Emergencies

Corinne Murdock

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased this month, more Tennessee counties are re-issuing mask mandates. Tennessee has nearly 250,000 confirmed cases, 88 percent of which have recovered.
Montgomery County issued the most recent mask mandate on Tuesday. Other counties with mandates include Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, and Sumner. These mask mandates adhere to guidelines issued under Governor Bill Lee.

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The 2020 National Constitution Bee Grand Champion Declared

Corinne Murdock

This year’s annual National Constitution Bee Grand Champion was senior high school student Jackson Carter. He received the $10,000 educational scholarship from the Star News Education Foundation. Carter plans on attending the University of Alabama, where he hopes to double major in communications studies and economics.

The event took place at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Brentwood, Tennessee. 23 students ranging from eighth to twelfth grade arrived to compete. The Tennessee Star Report host and Guide to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights for Secondary Students co-author Michael Leahy served as the emcee.

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Turning Point USA Hosts Debate Watch Party with Speakers Including John Rich, Tomi Lahren, and Dr. Carol Swain

Corinne Murdock

Ahead of the third and final presidential, Turning Point USA of Nashville hosted a debate watch party downtown. Speakers included country star John Rich, “Final Thoughts” political commentator Tomi Lahren, First Liberty Institute President and CEO Kelly Shackelford, Students For Trump co-founder Ryan Fournier, pro-life advocate Victoria Robinson, world-renowned eye surgeon and public speaker Dr. Ming Wang, and famed conservative public intellectual Dr. Carol Swain. 
The idea for the event came about three to four weeks ago, according to Turning Point USA Belmont President Jeffrey Seraphine. Ahead of the debate, Seraphine told The Tennessee Star that the speakers volunteered their time when asked.

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‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Protestors Appear Ahead of Third and Final Presidential Debate

Corinne Murdock

In the hours preceding dawn, five women dressed in long red cloaks and white bonnets gathered on a street corner by Belmont University. These “Handmaid’s Tale” protestors held up a spray-painted bedsheet: “PRO-LIFE IS A LIE. TRUMP LET 222K DIE.” One woman held a plastic coat hanger.
Handmaid’s Tale protestors were inspired by the book and subsequent television series of the same name. In the fictitious world of the series, women trapped in reproductive slavery wear red cloaks and white bonnets. In our world, Handmaid’s Tale protestors commonly appear to protest pro-life bills and “oppressive” legislators. 

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National Tribute to Law Enforcement Virtual Event Will Celebrate and Honor Police

Corinne Murdock

Next Saturday, Be The People Project is hosting “National Tribute to Law Enforcement,” a virtual event to celebrate and honor police officers.

Civil rights activist Robert L. Woodson Sr. will serve as the keynote speaker. The event will also feature speeches from active and retired law enforcement professionals Kenneth Harms, James Smallwood, Lt. Randy Sutton, and Republican Senate candidate Bill Hagerty.

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U.S. Attorney’s Office Drops Charges Against Visiting Chinese Scientist Accused of Trade Secret Theft

Corinne Murdock

The Charlottesville U.S. Attorney’s office dropped all charges of trade secret theft and computer intrusion against visiting Chinese scientist Haizhou Hu. The prosecution determined that some of the trade secrets were within Hu’s authorized access while at University of Virginia (UVA).
Hu has ties to the Chinese military. The researcher works for the Chinese Key Laboratory for Fluid Dynamics at China’s Beihang University, which the Chinese government and military both fund.

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Minnesota Mayors Endorse Trump Following Biden Announcement of In-Person Campaign to Minnesota

Corinne Murdock

Six Democratic mayors from Minnesota’s Iron Range presented a letter in support of President Donald Trump during Vice President Mike Pence’s Duluth visit on Friday. They announced their support after presidential candidate Joe Biden shared his plans to campaign in Minnesota and other battleground states.

“Today, we don’t recognize the Democratic Party. It has been moved so far to the left it can no longer claim to be advocates of the working class,” wrote the mayors. “Lifelong politicians like Joe Biden are out of touch with the working class, out of touch with what the country needs, and out of touch with those of us here on the Iron Range and in small towns like ours across the nation.”

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Song Suffragettes Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment

Bethany Bowman

Because August 2020 is the time we celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, the Listening Room’s Song Suffragettes hosted a month-long special live-stream event with their talented singer/songwriters along with some very special female guests.

The women-led singer-songwriter collective enlisted special guests in August for weekly shows sponsored by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission (WSCC), a federal organization tasked with curating digital programming to commemorate August as National Women’s Suffrage Month.

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‘Unacceptable and Misguided’: Richmond Protest Explodes Into Riot, Damaging Buildings and Hurting Support for Demonstrations

Sam Medley

Protests in the City of Richmond took a turn for the worse late Tuesday night as vandalism and violence broke out, damaging multiple city buildings.

The James Center, Sun Trust building, John Marshall Courts Building, and other city buildings in Richmond had their windows smashed in by a group of roughly 50 people, the Washington Post reports

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President Trump and Prime Minister Morrison Celebrate ‘Promises Made, Promises Kept’ in Wapakoneta

Beth Lear

Two countries played a key role in the building of the new Pratt Industries plant in Wapakoneta – Australia and the United States. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and President Donald J. Trump, visited that new plant on Sunday. The opening of the recycled paper and cardboard plant represents, “Promises made, promises kept,” on the part of President Trump and Pratt Industries, which is owned by Aussie billionaire Anthony Pratt.

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