It’s been said that gratitude is the mother of all virtue and ingratitude the father of all vice. We do well to reflect on that this Thanksgiving.

We find ourselves in a social and political moment of great self-importance attached to impatience, and an inability to recognize the wisdom of others. We have example after example where ego trumps reason—and “my truth” is preferred over the truth itself. With our political tendencies trending toward the extremes, we diminish the greatest set of social relations ever gifted, as they were by our Founding and Constitution.

This Thanksgiving, on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary, let’s consider a prayer at our tables for our country and those who delivered us such a great gift with their lives, fortunes and sacred honor.

Let’s giving thanks for those who gave us so much.

Let’s give thanks to the God who showed His hand behind it all.

On behalf of Salem Media, I’m Seth Leibsohn wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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The US Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, recently delivered to the Ukrainian government a 28-point proposed agreement for cessation of hostilities and at least some promise of enduring peace between Russia and Ukraine.

First: You need to state clearly: Russia is the invading force and Russia is at fault.

We also have to say The American government has finally come to a realistic assessment that there is no plausible argument that, given its military situation, Ukraine is going to be able to dislocate all Russians from its claimed territory.

And that brings us back to the 28-point agreement and political realism:

Realism means that sometimes that the best that you can achieve is the least-worst option. And let’s be honest, that’s what we’re facing here.

Short of NATO going to war with a nuclear-powered Russia, what has been proposed here is pretty much where any intelligent person knew this was going to have to end. And honestly, we knew this at the beginning.

We should be hoping that the war does, in fact, end and praying for that end.

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This weekend, Israel targeted Hezbollah’s top military commander in Beirut. American media wondered what that meant for the ceasefire in Lebanon. That concern is directed at the wrong party.

Israel signed that ceasefire one year ago, which brought an end to conflict with Hezbollah – with the condition that Hezbollah disarm and leave the southern part of the country. Hezbollah has defied those terms ever since, and had begun rearming itself.

Israel has the same problem in Gaza. Donald Trump’s ceasefire also requires Hamas to disarm and relinquish control, which the terrorists refuse to do. Both proxy armies expect Israel and the West to ignore their violations and repudiations in order to preserve political gains from pauses in fighting on both fronts. It’s the strategy they’ve employed for years.

However, the October 7 massacres forced Israel and the US to change their strategies in dealing with terror. This time, we must see disarmament through to the end – or let Israel finish both jobs.

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Recent reports show that 48 new mosques have opened in Texas since 2023. Today, that brings the total to roughly 330—part of a 35-percent increase between 2010 and 2020.

The First Amendment protects every American’s right to worship freely. And no one should be denied that right.

But it’s also true that Islam isn’t just a religious tradition. In many parts of the world, it also functions as a political ideology—one that often conflicts with core American principles like freedom of speech, equal rights for women, and yes, freedom of religion itself.

America has always welcomed newcomers of every faith and background. But we’ve also been clear about one expectation: Those who come here must embrace our constitutional values and the civic culture that flows from them. That obligation applies to everyone—without exception.

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If you love America and want it to flourish—and most Americans do—it is necessary to understand that America’s most important ally is Israel. Period. Full stop.

In the 25 months since the invasion of Israel by Hamas and rampaging massacre by the terrorist army from Gaza—followed by IDF grinding battle on six other fronts—we saw American support for the Jewish state slip.

But support for Israel is rebounding now—and that’s great news for both the U.S. and Israel, and for the region and the world.

The reason is simple: Free states must balance the power of the world’s evil regimes—lest the latter overcome the former.

The United Kingdom was, for all the 20th century, America’s most important ally. Now, it is Israel, and it will likely remain Israel for decades to come.

I could sum it up this way: Israel is as inseparable from America’s future as America is inseparable from the future of the West.

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With all the resurgent antisemitism breathing its odious stench on us—in precincts both left and right—we do well to remember how un-American and anti-American it all is.

George Washington—America’s indispensable man, first in the hearts of his countrymen as children used to be taught—put this to rest long ago. In his letter to a Jewish synagogue in Rhode Island, he wrote that this is a country that “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” It was the first time a civil political leader ever addressed the Jews as his equals. That is no small part of the great beauty of our great country—dedicated to equal civil, natural and religious rights.

What we’re seeing and hearing today—in all of this politically-based Jew hatred and insinuation—is neither right nor left. It’s just un-American. We should view it as George Washington did. That is: A disgrace, a desecration and an ugly stain on the nation we love.

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Microsoft just made a quiet but meaningful shift, and it happened because someone showed up.

For years, Pregnancy centers were excluded from Microsoft's nonprofit discount program. Planned Parenthood qualified but pro-life centers that offer ultrasounds, prenatal care, and postnatal support - they were boxed out.

So we filed a shareholder proposal in conjunction with financial advisor, patron Partners, not to grandstand but to engage. We and Alliance Defending Freedom sat down with Microsoft explaining the inconsistency and asked for fairness, and they listened. Microsoft removed the discriminatory requirement.

That's a win, not just for pro-life pregnancy centers, but for the principle of viewpoint neutrality.

Your investments are a voice. Use them. Don't let your dollars be weaponized against your values.

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With mail-in voting on the rise – and elections more hotly contested than ever – the Supreme Court has stepped in. The justices will decide if states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, so long as they’re postmarked by it.

Federal law sets a single Election Day. But eighteen states – including Mississippi – still accept ballots that come later.

The Republican National Committee argues Mississippi’s law conflicts with federal law, which requires ballots to be both cast and received by Election Day. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed.

Mississippi’s GOP officials defend their law, warning that striking it down would create chaos. But late-arriving ballots risk can erode public trust – especially when they flip the apparent outcome after Election Day.

In a time when confidence in our elections is already fragile, the Court’s decision will matter.

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