Latest news with #Spaulding
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
3,600 pairs of new license plates to be replaced after printing error
Jun. 6—The state will replace thousands of newly issued license plates after a printing error, the Department of the Secretary of State said. About 3,600 pairs of license plates were printed with the wrong amount of space between numbers and letters, office spokesperson Jana Spaulding said on a Friday evening phone call. She said the erroneous license plates were printed within the same time frame. "It could potentially cause an issue with E-ZPass and other things that do that character reading," she said. "Obviously an inconvenience, which is unfortunate, but was caught quickly." The new plates, which feature a pine tree reminiscent of the 1901 state flag, are being manufactured in Canada. They began replacing Maine's time-honored chickadee plates last month. The 3,600 drivers who were issued the faulty plates are being notified by letter, Spaulding said. The office will mail impacted drivers replacement plates and sticker tags at no cost. In the meantime, drivers are asked to use the errant plates and notify the Bureau of Motor Vehicles of any issues related to scanning, Spaulding said. "It's a relatively minor, short-term error," she said, adding that the issue affected only "3,600 out of a few million" the agency intends to distribute this year. Those who receive replacement plates can return the faulty ones to the BMV or hold onto them as a keepsake, but they should not be used on a vehicle, Spaulding said. Copy the Story Link
Gulf Today
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Are liberals destroying the image of America's ideals?
The opening paragraph of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 wrote, 'America is now divided between two opposing forces: woke revolutionaries and those who believe in the ideals of the American Revolution.' What a perfect example of fake news. By taking on the mantle of American values and attacking their opponents as destroying those values, the Heritage Foundation has done what Trump and his allies always do: They accuse their opponents of doing what they themselves have actually done. In truth, it is the MAGA-Right that perverts and destroys our founding values. This distorted view of our founding documents was formalised in Matthew Spaulding's 2009 book 'We Still Hold These Truths.' Spaulding is a former Director of American Studies at the Heritage Foundation. In the book, Spaulding faults liberals for perverting the vision of the Founding Fathers and calls liberalism the enemy. For example, in speaking of the 'certain unalienable truths' proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, he states that liberals have 'rejected the idea of self-evident truths and enduring principles.' How bizarre. It is liberals, i.e., Democrats, who embrace the words of the Declaration of Independence. Given the MAGA-Right's assaults on immigrants, people of colour, and women, it is clear that it is the MAGA-Right that has rejected these truths. As I stated in my 2004 book 'We Still Hold These Truths: An American Manifesto,' the position that support for conservative arguments can be found in our founding documents is not without basis. But the MAGA-Right disavows traditional conservative positions. They advocate instead the dismantling of the Federal government to conform more to the anti-Federalist view — a weak and limited national government — that was the basis of the Articles of Confederation, rather than the view that was adopted by the Founding Fathers after the failure of the Articles and was the basis for the Constitution — a strong and multi-faceted Federal government with proscribed checks and balances. True, some of the Founding Fathers, such as Jefferson, were concerned that a strong federal government would constrict citizens' rights, so he proposed what became the Bill of Rights. But for the MAGA-Right, there is no recognition, appreciation, or tolerance for the point of view of the rights of others. For example, as MAGA Christians in what they consider a Christian country, they believe they can forbid gays to marry and demand that women act in accordance with MAGA beliefs. This is not protecting MAGA's freedom of religion. This is imposing MAGA's religious views on others, violating others' rights. They pursue the denial of liberty to others. If you read Spaulding's book — if you didn't read it carefully — you could come away thinking he is a reasonable man who respects our founding documents and history. He has, for example, a section on equality and equal rights that is a powerful exposition, which one would think would presage support for all civil rights legislation as well as the DEI efforts of government. He certainly talks the talk. But when it comes to the implementation and interpretation of these words, he doesn't walk the walk, but distorts their meaning to suit his own political ends. He and the MAGA-Right have a one-sided view of liberty. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are profoundly liberal documents for their era, relying on the balancing of powers and rights. What the MAGA-Right is attempting to do, and in the short term is succeeding in doing, is to destroy that balance, whether it's between the branches of government or the rights of people. Their goal is to create a government and system of laws that radically depart from our historic ideals and values. This destruction of American ideals can only be stopped by the people, by their realising what the Trump administration is doing and how it affects them and their children. Only by their votes can this perversion of America be stopped. Given the massive misinformation campaign by the MAGA-Right, for this to happen, the Democratic Party must mount a counter-campaign to inform the public about America's true ideals — what our founding documents and the Founding Fathers said — how the Trump administration cynically perverts those ideals, and how that perversion impacts us all. That is the focus of my book, 'We Still Hold These Truths: An American Manifesto.' The MAGA-Right and Spaulding speak of equality, freedom of religion and speech, and liberty being dependent on a respect for both rights and responsibilities—these are indeed America's ideals — but they just mouth the words; their implementation of those concepts limits and perverts the Founders' meaning. And that meaning comes from the Enlightenment — the words were aspirational — not from the facts on the ground at that time. For example, in saying that all 'men' are created equal, the Founders meant that all mankind have certain unalienable rights. Their 'self-evident' came from the fact of creation — that 'we were all of the same species; made by the same God' — not what they saw looking around them. These rights don't belong just to white men or the MAGA-Right. The traditional meaning of 'balance of rights and responsibilities' is that someone exercising his rights has the responsibility not to interfere with the rights of another. However, the MAGA-Right's interpretation is that others have the responsibility not to interfere unjustly with the practice of their rights, such as by regulating business. They aggressively interfere with the rights of others because, again, they do not acknowledge their rights. But beyond this information campaign, the Democratic Party must rediscover the source of its policies and communicate that source to the people. This source is not 'liberal' thinking or progressive 'woke' thinking. Instead, the foundation of all its policies is the Declaration of Independence. To this end, I have proposed a domestic Mission statement for the Democratic Party: 'To build a country of greater opportunity for all, where: • Each and every American has a real chance to experience the promises made in the Declaration of Independence ... 'that all men (mankind) are created equal, that their Creator endows them with certain unalienable Rights ... Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness;' • Government meets its responsibility as outlined in the Declaration... 'to secure those rights'... within the constraints of fiscal responsibility; and • All citizens have a shared responsibility to support the government's efforts to secure those rights and promote the public good, each according to their ability, and to not, through the exercise of their rights, impinge on the rights of others.' This statement is the moral philosophy, the heart, the soul of American democracy. This is, or was, America's common faith. I believe this is the path out of the abyss of Trumpism and back to a government and policies that will make America great again—government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Seacoast Students of the Week for April 28 are leaders and high achievers
A student leader president and member of the National Honor Society who volunteers at an animal rescue center. A top 5% student honored as a scholar-athlete who contributes to a respectful, engaging school environment. A talented musician and singer and an accomplished student always ready to help her classmates. Meet the Seacoast Students of the Week for April 28. This week's students of the week represent Spaulding, Dover and Oyster River High Schools. Seacoast Students of the Week are nominated by local principals, teachers and guidance counselors and, as you'll see below, they reflect a broad range of achievements in their schools and communities. It is our pleasure to introduce you to these outstanding students, and we look forward to sharing the stories of so many more of our wonderful students in the weeks ahead. All Seacoast-area public high schools have been invited to highlight their students' achievements each week. Here are the Seacoast Students of the Week for April 28, as described by the school leaders who nominated them: Emmaline Morin is an outstanding senior whose leadership, academic dedication, and passion for helping others make her a true role model within the school community. She has served on Class Council for all four years and currently leads as President of Student Leadership, demonstrating her commitment to making a positive impact. Emmaline is also a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers as a science tutor, helping fellow students succeed in their studies. Outside of school, she serves as president of her youth group and volunteers regularly at local elementary schools and an animal rescue center, showing her deep care for both people and animals. A dedicated athlete, she has participated in track for four years and indoor track for two, balancing her many commitments with grace and determination. This fall, Emmaline will attend Rivier University in Nashua, where she plans to study biotechnology, continuing her journey as a thoughtful, driven, and compassionate leader. This week, Dover High School recognizes senior Maggie Berry. Maggie is an outstanding student. She has challenged herself with a rigorous schedule of honors and advanced placement classes and is in the top 5% of her class. Along with her academic prowess, she has participated in soccer, unified basketball, and lacrosse. This combination led to her being recognized by the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) as a scholar-athlete. Maggie participates in the Latin Club and has been a member of the Red Cross Club. She is a positive leader whose actions help cultivate a respectful, engaging school environment. Paige has always been a cheerful, wonderful addition to any classroom. Full of energy, she works hard to succeed and takes on challenges without fear. She is an independent problem solver and never misses a chance to help someone in need. Paige loves hands-on classes and often brings questions about current topics from around the state and the country. She is curious and loves to know how things connect in the world. Paige has found her niche and has explored ways to show her artful side. She is a talented musician and participated in live performances with the Guitar Ensemble class, playing beautifully, she also stepped forward to sing lead vocals for the concerts. She has taken most of the art and music classes we offer. Artistic and creative, she is a free spirit who continues to grow and learn. Paige consistently puts forth tremendous effort and has the courage to take on challenging situations. A talented and courageous individual, Paige strives to help others without question and imbues kindness. She always asks how she can help and volunteers whenever she sees a need. She is a member of The Pearl Literary Magazine, on the Yearbook staff, in the Book Club and a member of the Bio Builder Team. She is a wonderful student, deserving of any and all accolades that commend her success! We look forward to hearing about her successes after graduation. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast Students of the Week are leaders and high achievers
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ex-liberal comedian urges Americans to fight their media-driven demoralization and mental health crisis
Comedian and pro-Israel activist Daniel-Ryan Spaulding thinks America needs to get in touch with itself again to help address the nation's mental health crisis. The Canadian stand-up star told Fox News Digital that he is alarmed at what he has seen after recently moving to the United States, pointing out the demoralization, political division, and mental health crisis he believes are causing the implosion of society. "If you have been raised your whole life to think that America is evil and that the president of your country is the most horrible person in the world, and men are evil, and the military is evil, and all the systems and the history of your country is evil, you know, you're gonna end up really weird, and you're not gonna necessarily know the difference between right and wrong," he said. Larry David Mocks Bill Maher's Meeting With Trump As 'My Dinner With Adolf' In Nyt Satire Spaulding is a gay comedian who has gone viral in recent years for his social media posts mocking leftists that call for the downfall of Israel. In one of his most liked videos on Instagram following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack, the comedian mocked LGBTQ protesters for thinking that Hamas would appreciate their help in condemning the Jewish state. In addition to his concerns about Israel, the comic expressed worry about the cultural state of the West, particularly of the United States, where he believes many people have been taught to hate their own country and its ally, Israel. Read On The Fox News App "I believe that we've been so demoralized, the West has been so demoralized. Like, if we can get to the point where Jews are like on the side of Hamas, if we get to the point where gay people are on the side of Hamas, if we get to the point where young college kids are on the side of a terrorist regime, this is a big, big problem," he told Fox News Digital. "This is a level of perversion and self-hate, that is like, my mind can't even comprehend it," he added. He accused the mainstream media of greatly contributing to America's moral crisis. "And the way things are covered in the news – like the way the New York Times reports something versus the way the New York Post covers something – like, you'll see the same photo with a completely different write-up and headline, and people are just living in these little echo chambers, and no one is seeing the crap on the other side, you know?" "They're always focused on being angry at someone else. So, it's sort of this rage culture that's been developing," Spaulding added. Audience Walks Out On Dave Chappelle After He Criticizes Israel During Show In Boston: Report The comedian also pointed out the poor physical and mental health that many Americans are in, thanks to their poor diets, appetite for prescription drugs, and the "rage culture" he said the media's been amplifying. "But I think that from my time in America, having never lived in America and then moving there as an adult, like there's some real problems with health, like mental health, first of all," he said. "There's like full-on schizophrenic people everywhere in New York. People are nuts. And then also people seem like they're on medication. Like a lot of people are weird. Like I think a lot of people are on pills." "And then, also, yeah, the food," he continued, "Like you can get good food, but there's also just like a lot of crappy food as well. And the crappy food is cheaper than the healthy food. So I think that to get all those chemicals out of the food, like this is very important, this is important." Spaulding recently underwent a dramatic weight loss, having dropped 220 pounds over the course of three years, so he knows how important good health is and that it should be a priority for Americans. He praised new U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for targeting Americans' unhealthy diets and childhood obesity, saying if he makes progress on his agenda, "that will be a game-changer for the United States." When asked more about his thoughts on the nature of the country's mental health crisis, Spaulding pointed to the intersection between the pharmaceutical industry agenda and that of the media. Influencer Warns Gen Z Is Becoming 'Gen Terrorism' As Tiktok Takes 'Ominous Turn' After Oct 7 "Well, I think that, like, definitely the pharmaceutical industry makes money off of getting everyone anxious and getting everyone upset. I think the news in a lot of ways and the way the news is framed – like I can't even watch CNN or MSNBC or any of those programs anymore because it's just constant, 'Fear, fear, fear. Anger, anger, anger.' And it's not real." "So it's sort of this rage culture that's been developing," he added. The comic, who says he has always considered himself a liberal until seeing the radicalism of fellow liberals, says he sees hope for the future and senses a shift to a "hyper-patriotism" that will inspire people to love their country and its allies again. "So, I think that we need to move towards reclaiming patriotism, stop hating each other so much, learn from each other, take care of each other. You know? Have pride in your country, have love of country. I think if all of these things – success, patriotism – if we start to reprogram ourselves to enjoy that, 'America! Top Gun! Yeah!' sort of – but people really want that again."Original article source: Ex-liberal comedian urges Americans to fight their media-driven demoralization and mental health crisis
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Liberal, pro-Israel comedian says there's a double standard for celebrities who back the Jewish state
To stand-up comedian and pro-Israel activist Daniel-Ryan Spaulding, it seems like people think it's "too political" if celebrities defend Israel, but normal and acceptable when they support Palestinian causes and condemn the Jewish state. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Spaulding discussed his pro-Israel activism as well as his frustration over the double standards in how famous people talk about Israel's war with Hamas. "Like, if we talk about being 'too political,' you're only 'too political' when you're being pro-Israel… When you're against terrorism, that's when you're 'political,'" he said. Ivy League Anti-israel Ringleader Mahmoud Khalil Denies Allegations As Judge Awaits Deportation Evidence The comic called out several high-profile comedians who have pushed anti-Israel talking points or who have condemned the country's response to Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre. "Trevor Noah and Jon Stewart and Dave Chappelle and Rami Youssef – they say horrible things about Israel, and they blood libel Israel all the time," he said. "And there's no consequences for them. And no one ever accuses them of being too political. They don't face any consequences for it." Read On The Fox News App On the other hand, Spaulding, who is not Jewish himself, noted how pro-Israel figures are considered controversial for speaking out. "I don't understand when Michael Rapaport or I or Amy Schumer or Jewish comedians who are actually, like, terrified to even say anything – we're 'too political' because we're against terrorism? That's bizarre to me." Spaulding, a gay Canadian who is currently in Israel connecting with the Israeli hostages who have been freed from Hamas, described himself to Fox News Digital as an "accidental activist." Though he has built a stand-up career and toured the world, he recently settled in the United States and began using his comedic powers to spread awareness about antisemitism. Audience Walks Out On Dave Chappelle After He Criticizes Israel During Show In Boston: Report "And since I arrived in New York, I ended up getting involved in advocacy work for Israel and for the hostage families and speaking out against Jew hatred," the comic said. Spaulding went viral in the days after Hamas' terror attack in Israel, calling out leftist anti-Israel agitators. In one of his most liked videos on Instagram, the comedian mocked LGBTQ protesters for thinking that Hamas would appreciate their help in condemning the Jewish state. "Maybe you should reserve your anger for the radical Islamic Nazi death cult that started this war by massacring 1,500 innocent people and doesn't give a s--- about its own people and uses them as human shields. But that's a little scary to say, right? Because those are the people that will actually come and kill you," Spaulding said in the clip. He captioned the Nov. 1 post with the declaration, "Hamas is a Terrorist organization, not a resistance movement. You can support the Palestinian People, and NOT support Hamas, and NOT be an Antisemetic[sic] piece of s--t. Call for Peace, not Hate!" Influencer Warns Gen Z Is Becoming 'Gen Terrorism' As Tiktok Takes 'Ominous Turn' After Oct 7 Spaulding told Fox News Digital about what led him to share those first pro-Israel/anti-Hamas videos. "Oh, I was horrified at seeing people support Hamas. It horrified me. I couldn't believe it. And I thought it was hilarious seeing these lesbians I knew in Brooklyn defend them. And so, that was sort of my first viral video." The comedian explained why he believes people in America have come to have such a backwards view about Israel and Hamas. "Well, it's really 20 or 30 years of this, like, festering in academia and festering online. And it's this taboo thing that we're never supposed to talk about. And so, people never got the truth and got the information," he said, adding that "a lot of Americans don't travel." The other reason he gave is that "people just hate Jews." "Antisemitism is a very powerful thing, and, like, Israel is sort of the Jew. Like, if we think about what antisemitism means now, it is Israel as the Jew and people turning against Israel and hating Israel." Ivy League Anti-israel Ringleader Mahmoud Khalil Withheld Details Of Foreign Ties From Visa Application: Feds Famous Jewish-American figures, like "Friends" star David Schwimmer or "Saturday Night Live" legend Jon Lovitz, have wondered why more Jewish people haven't defended Israel since the terror attack. When asked why he believes people aren't speaking up, Spaulding said it's because they're scared. "After October 7, there were a number of Jewish celebrities that spoke out, but they got shut down, and they got hit with bot attacks, and they get scared, and got threatened," he said. "So, sometimes people get scared, and they want to ignore a problem. I know what that was like. I was over 400 pounds," he continued, referring to his mindset before his recent major weight loss. "It's very easy to just shut your brain off and disconnect and pretend that a problem isn't there when it's right there in your face." Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Spaulding said these threats didn't get him to shut up. "They try. Like, especially if you're going to talk about Israel, like, people will try to smear you and character assassinate you and do whatever they can to get you to not talk about Israel. But yeah, you can't stop me." The comedian also mentioned he was surprised when he saw who did stand up for Israel. "And where the societal support was coming from was Christians and people on the right and Republicans like Mike Huckabee, and all of these people that – most Jews are, like, Democrats and are liberal," he said, adding, "And I certainly had never really met a Republican before or talked to a Republican. But I heard Mike Huckabee speak about Israel and I was like, 'Oh my God, what a kind man.'" "I never thought I would like Mike Huckabee more than Jon Stewart." Click To Get The Fox News AppOriginal article source: Liberal, pro-Israel comedian says there's a double standard for celebrities who back the Jewish state
