Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Sarah McLaughlin

“The result press freedom and human rights advocates feared has arrived: 78-year-old media tycoon, Chinese Communist Party critic, and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai was found guilty in Hong Kong this week. After five years in detention, much of it in solitary confinement, a West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court found him guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign forces on Monday morning. He will be sentenced at a later date. Lai, who has suffered deteriorating health amidst his detainment, may very well die in prison. It’s a page straight out of the authoritarian playbook: Censorship after a crisis to protect the interests of the state from the fallout. Unfortunately, authorities in Hong Kong are not straying away from this strategy.” (12/17/25)

https://www.thefire.org/news/blogs/free-speech-dispatch/repression-deepens-hong-kong-jimmy-lais-guilty-verdict-and

Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff

“Many Americans feel buffeted by a cycle of tit-for-tat political rhetoric, whipsaw policymaking, and norms breaking. A recent poll found that 82% of voters believe the way people talk about politics contributes to violence. Only one-third say it is possible to lower the temperature on political rhetoric. Yet, in recent weeks, more voices are calling for civic civility. They are based on a mix of political principles as well as moral and religious values. On Dec. 9, for example, two governors – a Democrat and a Republican – clasped hands after modeling respectful political dialogue at the National Cathedral in Washington. Democrat Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Republican Spencer Cox of Utah both often share how their faith traditions imbue their public service. Speaking to The Washington Post, Mr. Cox noted, ‘Bridge-building is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It takes … strong faith and strong courage’.” (12/16/25)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2025/1216/An-America-yearning-for-the-sacred-in-civic-life

Source: Law & Liberty
by Juliana Geran Pilon

“Western civilization is inconceivable without the biblical proposition that all humans were created in God’s image (Tzelem Elokim [צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים] in Hebrew; imago Dei in Latin). But over time, paradoxically, the idea turned humanity against its own Maker. So argues Tomer Persico of the Shalom Hartman Institute in his ambitiously titled In God’s Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Revolutionary Idea, recently translated from the 2021 Hebrew version.” (12/17/25)

https://lawliberty.org/book-review/a-story-of-liberal-deicide/

Source: New York Post
by Karol Markowicz

“Do you know what a ‘neopronoun’ or a ‘xeopronoun’ is? The teachers’ unions want to make sure your little kids do. Earlier this month, the National Education Association held an ‘Advancing LGBTQ+ Justice’ event. Documents obtained by the education watchdog group Defending Education (full disclosure: I am on the group’s board) contained slides illustrating these neo- and xeopronouns. Neopronouns are ‘new’ ‘pronouns’ such as ‘xe/xem/xyr’, and other letters randomly shoved together. Xeopronouns are for ‘conceptual identities’ such as ‘cat/cats/catself’. Got it? No? But our kids are being force-fed this garbage in America’s public schools.” (12/16/25)

https://nypost.com/2025/12/16/opinion/teachers-union-pushes-neopronouns-but-claims-name-america-is-a-problem/

Source: The Hill
by Mandy DeRoche

“The rapid growth of AI data centers has become a major election issue, emerging as a flashpoint in statewide races in November and a central theme in candidates’ platforms. Once-overlooked state public service commissioners — utility regulators — drew unprecedented attention this cycle, with Democrats in Georgia unseating two Republican incumbents criticized for raising rates and expanding fossil fuels for data centers. Why the growing voter interest? Because our energy bills are skyrocketing. … utilities are relying on unreliable, often inflated data center demand forecasts, which may never materialize. They are offering data centers sweetheart deals and states are greenlighting them in opaque, fast-tracked proceedings. We deserve to know how big these discounts are.” (12/17/25)

https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/5651351-utility-bills-ai-growth/