Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery
December 10, 2023 11:19pm
On December 16th, volunteers will lay wreaths at veterans' graves in national cemeteries throughout the country as part of the Wreaths Across America program. But today, family of a veteran buried at Arlington could place a single wreath at the relative's grave.
With this being the first Christmas since my father died, my mother wanted to personally place a wreath at his grave. So I, along with my mother, wife, and oldest son, placed the wreath against his headstone this afternoon. It was our first time at Arlington since the funeral on July 27th. The weather today was awful. But the pouring rain washed away many tears. Rest in peace, Dad. We love you and miss you.
Florida State Football Got Screwed
December 9, 2023 8:58am
Those vile, corrupt jackasses on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee who put one-loss Alabama into the championship series while leaving undefeated Florida State out are a disgrace.
The Power Five conferences have three undefeated teams. All three deserve to play for the national championship. Michigan EARNED a spot (if we ignore their cheating). Washington EARNED a spot. And Florida State EARNED a spot. Texas and Alabama each won their conference championships, but both have a loss. Because Alabama's loss was to Texas, Texas should get in over Alabama. Well, Texas is in. So the real question is why did Alabama get in over Florida State?
It makes no sense. Does what happens on the field mean nothing to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee??? That has never happened before. Never before has an undefeated Power Five team not gotten a berth in the top four to play for a Natty.
Oh, but Mike! It's different this year. Florida State ended the season with their third string quarterback! Yeah, and they won the conference championship anyway. And while people might say, "Yeah well, Brock Glenn sucked, it was the defense that won that game," they'd be correct. The Seminole defense did win that game. And Glenn did play poorly. But the team still won the game. And won the ACC Championship. And remained undefeated. And for the committee to pass them over for a team with a loss is a travesty of the highest degree.
Alabama absolutely, positively, does not belong in the final four playoffs. And Florida State absolutely, positively does belong there. But that's not what happened. Bama is in, and the Noles are out. And that is disgustingly unfair and atrocious. I went into detailed reasons why on today's radio show. That episode is now available online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231209
Video of the 2023 College Football Playoff Selection Committee's meeting where they screwed undefeated Florida State out of its rightful place in the playoffs was leaked. It can be viewed here (parody).
NOTE: The "robbed" image above is available on a t-shirt here.
The Jury System in the United States
November 25, 2023 1:51pm
I reported to the courthouse for jury duty this past Monday. But like about a third of us there, I never made it passed the assembly room into the courtroom for voir dire on a specific case. Although most people would be thrilled with a dismissal, I actually want to serve on a jury; not because I want to send someone to jail, but because it is a duty and an honor to serve as a juror. The only time I've served all the way to a verdict, we acquitted the guy.
On today's radio show, I discussed the history and importance of the jury system in America, the eight times I've been summoned for jury service, the reason I previously found a defendant "not guilty," and the controversial concept of jury nullification. If you'd like to hear it, it is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231125
The History of Thanksgiving in America and What It Means Today
November 18, 2023 9:54am
Today's episode of The Mike Bates Show was a fascinating hour about the history of Thanksgiving in America and what it means in today’s world.
The detailed story of the Pilgrims and that first Thanksgiving feast is far more interesting than what we learned in elementary school. It is truly miraculous that any of the Pilgrims survived. They had much to be thankful for, as do we today. The program has been archived online as a podcast which is now available at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231118. Happy Thanksgiving!
AAPEX/SEMA Show 2023
November 11, 2023 09:23am
I was in Las Vegas last week for the AAPEX/SEMA Show. AAPEX is the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, and SEMA is the Specialty Equipment Market Association. They're two different organizations. But they are very similar, and they coordinate their conventions to be held simultaneously.
Nearly 100,000 automotive professionals attended the four day convention that included speakers, education seminars, and exhibit halls. The event's keynote speaker was National Champions Florida Gators quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow. I attended his outstanding speech but did not conduct an interview with him. Products shown at the exhibit halls ranged from paint primers to hydraulic shop lifts and everything in between. Vendors included decades-old products, new products, and prototypes of products not yet available on the market. And cars. Thousands of cars. Exotic cars, modified cars, and beautifully restored cars were all on display.
My radio show today featured interviews I recorded with a few vendors at the AAPEX/SEMA Show along with legendary race car drivers Mario Andretti and Ricky Bobby. In the last segment of the show, I spoke with Eric Snyder, the Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs for SEMA. We discussed the REPAIR Act and how it is necessary to preserve the rights of automotive consumers to get their vehicles repaired at independent shops. It's an issue that should concern everyone who owns car. Because if the big auto manufacturers and new car dealers get their way, you will lose the ability to choose who fixes or modifies your car, and you'll be forced into paying far more money to get your car worked on.
Today's radio show is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231111
Nevada's Valley of Fire is Spectacular!
November 6, 2023 10:27pm
I've been in Las Vegas for two weeks reporting on the new Sphere entertainment venue (both the U2 concert and the "Postcard from Earth" film), interviewing Mark Hall-Patton (from The History Channel show "Pawn Stars”), and attending the AAPEX/SEMA Show.
What most people know about Las Vegas is its reputation as "Sin City." But there is so much more to this fabulous city. Of the 13 nights in Vegas on this trip, I only drank alcohol one night. And I didn't do any gambling at all. Yet it has been fun and memorable.
Outside the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street, this area boasts some incredible natural beauty at Red Rock Canyon National Park and Valley of Fire State Park. I've been to both many times. This trip, I only visited Valley of Fire, which I think is the better of the two.
I encourage you to visit Las Vegas sometime because the city offers a one-of-a-kind experience. If you do visit, be sure to allocate enough time to see the natural beauty that awaits within easy driving distance of the casinos. Viva Las Vegas!
Well, That Was Fast! Biden's Betrayal of Israel
November 1, 2023 8:05pm
As I predicted on October 18th, Joe Biden has called for a ceasefire in Gaza. But even I am surprised it happened so soon.
Eleven days after the horrific attack in southern Israel by Hamas terrorists, I praised Joe Biden for saying the United States supported Israel's military response to being attacked. But I also predicted "the day will certainly come when Joe Biden will demand that Israel cease its attacks on Gaza. And that day will certainly arrive long before Israel achieves its proper goal of eradicating the terrorists in Gaza whose stated reason for existing is to kill the Jews and to destroy Israel."
Well that day was today. At a fundraiser in Minneapolis, Biden said there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the 26 day old Israel-Hamas war in order to get “prisoners” out.
Well, first of all, Joe, your euphemism "pause" is really a pro-terrorist cease-fire. And secondly, if that so-called "pause" is to last until the so-called "prisoners" get out, then they'll be held forever. Besides, they are not at all "prisoners." They are illegally held "hostages." And for you to call them "prisoners" plays right into the hands of Iran and their terrorist proxies who would love for the world to think those innocent civilians kidnapped on October 7th are somehow prisoners of war. Words matter, Joe. And your words are not only despicable; they are dangerous.
I knew this disgusting betrayal by Joe Biden would one day come. I just thought he wouldn't have done it so soon. He is a disgrace.
Sphere Las Vegas Is the Ultimate Theater Experience
October 31, 2023 10:23pm
I took my wife to see Darren Aronofsky's "Postcard from Earth" at Sphere Las Vegas today because I wanted her to see the incredible new entertainment venue in the world's greatest entertainment city. Having seen U2 in concert there a few days before, I already knew how spectacular Sphere is. But I also knew that all the sensory enhancements at Sphere were not utilized at the concert, and that "Postcard from Earth" would utilize it all because it was produced specifically for that venue.
So was the film outstanding? Yes and no. I'll start with the "yes" reason. The film was outstanding because the cinematography was superb. Every inch of Sphere's near wrap-around 16K LED video screen was filled with unbelievably beautiful and life-like images of Earth and its inhabitants. From our planet's immense natural beauty to the dominating architecture of human civilizations, the film presented the artistry of Earth as no other venue in the world can. I won't get into the details of Sphere's state-of-the-art theatrical technologies in this post, but you can read what I wrote about that last week at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/blog/231028-1712
Now for the reason "no." I fully expected the film to be a propaganda piece about how humans are destroying our planet via anthropogenic climate change. What I didn't expect was for it to be so direct, deceptive, and defenseless. The entire premise of the film is that, at some unspecified date in the future, mankind has destroyed Earth to the point that the planet cannot heal if there is even one human left on it. So all humans left Earth to populate other planets. The number of people evacuated from Earth was never specified in the film. But billions would be unrealistic even with the future's space travel technology. Presumably, we killed off most human life through our destruction of Mother Earth. I won't give away the ending in case you plan to see it yourself and want to hold on to at least some suspense. But suffice it to say that the plot was too unrealistic and preachy, even for a climate activist's science fiction piece.
Do I recommend going to an event at Sphere? Yes, I absolutely do. The one-of-a-kind entertainment venue offers a spectacular sensory experience that isn't available anywhere else. Concerts that incorporate Sphere's potential to enhance the performance will be amazing. The resident "Postcard from Earth" film is also amazing; visually, audibly, and physically (because the haptic seats vibrate with appropriate timing synchronized to the sound). Just know before you go that the film's message is a disgusting one; that "humans are evil, and Earth would be better off without us."
But the irony of that message is that, while the film's narrator describes how humans have ALWAYS destroyed everything we've touched, the planet is somehow still here. And so are we; the homo sapiens that, without any explanation of the non sequitur, somehow managed to survive on the planet we supposedly destroyed multiple times already. But if anything is consistent among the climate change alarmists, it is never having to explain when they err.
U2 Live at Sphere Las Vegas!
October 28, 2023 5:12pm
Sphere is the latest and greatest entertainment venue in Las Vegas. Uh, make that "Sphere is the latest and greatest entertainment venue on Earth." The $2.3 billion structure is a massive, spherical building located behind the The Strip's Venetian Hotel & Casino. It stands 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide.
The exterior surface is covered with LEDs, making its 580,000 square feet of fully programmable video the largest video screen on the planet. Its physical size, while huge, does not dominate the Las Vegas skyline. But its bright, ever-changing, colorful display attracts attention like no other building in the world can.
On September 29th, U2 opened Sphere at The Venetian Resort with the first performance of their 21 week “U2 UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere” residency. I wasn't at Sphere for opening night. But I did attend last night's U2 concert there. It was indescribably incredible.
Along with my friends Rob Ade and Dave Whittaker, I saw U2 perform live at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, Ireland on August 8, 1987. It was the band's final European show of their Joshua Tree Tour. That concert was typical for arena concerts of the era. It was festival seating on the grass pitch of the stadium. Being young then, we were happy as pigs in mud partying in the dense crowd just a few feet from the stage.
Last night's concert was far more agreeable for a man of my age. The luxurious assigned seats were not only comfortable, they offered unobstructed views of the performers and the astonishing videos that enhanced the visual experience.
Sphere's seats have built-in haptic technology that vibrates the seats with the beat and intensity of the music. Although they were not used for the U2 concert, the "Postcard from Earth" film does use them, so the audience can "feel" the music. By design, the music can be literally felt in the seat of your pants at Sphere. I plan to see that this Tuesday.
Sphere's spatial audio system consists of 1900 speakers strategically placed throughout the venue to create the ultimate acoustic experience. Three hundred of those speakers move as necessary to maximize the sound quality throughout the arena. Sphere's 167,000 computer-controlled loudspeaker drivers carefully control precisely where the sound goes. The result is that the front row audience doesn't have to get overblown and distorted sound just so the audience in the back can hear the music like what concerts used to do... well, until a month ago when Sphere opened.
Sphere is visually stunning both inside and out. The curved interior walls are illuminated with LEDs that form a fully immersive concert experience. While viewing the band from my seat in Section 208, the entirety of my left, right, and upper peripheral vision was filled with the ever-changing dazzling scenery created by those LEDs. Remember the first time you saw an IMAX film? Think that times a thousand. But because the spherical screen has no corners or edges, visual cues that it's only a video just don't exist.
Furthermore, the massive high-resolution LED screen that wraps around the entirety of the interior, except where the seats themselves are located, is 16K. That means it uses 256 million pixels (16000 x 16000) in its 1.2 million light modules, with each module divided into 48 LED diodes capable of displaying 256 million different colors. It is the highest resolution LED screen on Earth. The interior display measures 160,000 square feet. The resolution of state-of-the-art 4K home television screens is so vivid that it is difficult to discern video from real life. Well, Sphere's video screen is sixteen times better than that!
Sphere creates an experience that transcends reality. At one point during the concert, the LED screen displayed an in-motion image of the Las Vegas Strip behind the band. It was so realistic that, if you didn't know it was LED, you'd think it was an outdoor concert. At another time during the concert, the ceiling collapsed onto the audience; except that it didn't. But the effect was convincing. With Sphere's stunning 360° imagery filling the full peripheral vision, it was easy to feel as if the arena was flying. Before U2 came on stage, news helicopters appeared overhead. As their searchlights swept the interior, vibrations from the rotors shook the arena. But of course, the helicopters and their intense sounds were all digital effects.
The stage itself also had built-in LEDs that not only changed colors but featured live video of the concert embedded in the stage floor. Attendees in the general admission area right in front of the stage probably couldn't see that. But for those of us in the elevated seats, the stage itself was alive.
Not every song was accompanied by intense video graphics. But even the songs without the high tech pizzazz were elevated by Sphere beyond the normal concert experience. The concert was great. Of course it was great. It was U2. How could it be anything else? But the venue... oh, the venue! Sphere has changed what a concert is. A concert can now be a full body experience.
The Life & Times of George Washington
October 28, 2023 12:20pm
We see him on the one dollar bill. He's on the 25 cent coin. Our nation's capitol is named for him. He is the father of our country. He was a farmer, a distiller, a surveyor, an author, and an entrepreneur. As a young man, he served with the British Army during the French & Indian Wars. Although once loyal to the King, when the colonies declared independence from The Crown, he lead the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War. Despite his attempt to retire after the Treaty of Paris ended that war, he again answered his country's call to preside over the Constitutional Convention. He was later unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States. Twice.
But George Washington is so much more than that. The significance of Washington's contribution to the Revolutionary War and to the establishment of this nation cannot be overstated, and the details of his accomplishments are worth knowing. So I sat down with Jeremy Ray, the Director of History Interpretation at Mount Vernon, to discuss the life and times of the man who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
Our conversation aired on my radio show in a two-part documentary. In last week's episode, we discussed Washington's life from birth through the end of the Revolutionary War. Today, we covered his life from his presidency through his death in 1799. Both episodes are now archived online as podcasts. Part 1 is at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231021. Part 2 is at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231028.
My Attempt to Hijack the Terrorists’ Rally
October 22, 2023 6:33pm
This afternoon, I attended a pro-terrorist, anti-Israel rally held in downtown Pensacola. No, I did not go there to support their hate; I attended to condemn it.
For about 45 minutes, in addition to shouts of "Allahu Akbar" and "Free Palestine," about a hundred people chanted the usual anti-Semitic tripe:
"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!"
"Stop the killing, stop the hate. Israel is a terrorist state!"
"Hey, hey, ho, ho. The occupation's got to go!"
"Netanyahu, you can't hide. We charge you with genocide!"
"Not another dollar, not another dime; no more money for Israel's crimes!"
and "Free! Palestine!"
Most carried Palestinian flags or held signs proudly proclaiming their ignorance and hate with such slogans as "Free Gaza!", "Stand with Palestinian resistance! Stop U.S. funding of Israel's apartheid," "America funds genocide," "End all U.S. aid to Israel," "Free all Palestinian political prisoners," "End Israeli occupation," and "Resistance against occupation is a human right." Some of the signs displayed an affiliation with the Party for Socialism and Liberation or ANSWERCoaltion.org.
About a half hour into the rally, the Terrorist-in-Charge who was leading the hate group asked if anyone wanted to lead a chant. That was the open mic moment I was hoping for. So I told her I'd like to help lead a chant. But she responded with a firm "No!"
So I hovered around her. And every time a hater would finish a chant and hand back the microphone, I would reach my hand out to accept my turn. But the mic was not handed to me. After a few unsuccessful attempts to have my turn at the mic, one of the terrorist goons got in my face and firmly said, "You will not be given the mic!" I asked, "Why not? I want to talk about the Zionists."
He did not respond verbally, but he kept himself physically between the mic and me for the duration of the rally. As I moved, he moved. I am disappointed I did not achieve my goal of speaking to the rally on mic. But in hindsight, it was my own damn fault. I should have put more thought into how I presented myself.
I made the mistake of wearing khaki pants and a blue shirt. Although the shirt did not display a Star of David, it was the shade of blue that is on Israel's flag. I intended no message with that shirt; it just happened to be what I grabbed from the closet. I should have worn the green, red, and black colors of the terrorist's flag. I also wasn't holding any anti-Israel, pro-terrorist sign. And I wasn't chanting along with the crowd. It must have been obvious that I did not support their pro-genocide message of anti-Semitic, anti-Israel hate.
Had I gotten the microphone, I had prepared remarks that were designed to fool the crowd into thinking I was on their side before suddenly revealing the truthful message I wanted them to hear. This is what I was prepared to say if I got the mic:
"If you have any moral decency, you cannot support the killing of innocent civilians! If you have any moral decency, you cannot support attacking people in their homes! If you have any moral decency, you cannot support genocide!" Up to this point, I think they would have cheered me. But then I would have continued with "If you have any moral decency, you cannot support Hamas! If you have any moral decency, you MUST support Israel's right to exist and its right to respond militarily to being attacked by Palestinian terrorists. Israel is the victim here. If you have any moral decency, you must condemn Hamas, condemn terrorism, and support Israel!"
I'm certain they would have tried to seize back the microphone physically - perhaps violently - immediately after the word "Hamas." But that would have been OK with me. I would have made my point. I'm disappointed in myself for not planning my subterfuge more carefully. It's obvious I've never been to Spy School.
#StandWithIsrael
Biden Says the United States Supports Israel
October 18, 2023 1:54pm
Today in Tel Aviv, Joe Biden told the Israeli people that America is "going to stand by your side" in this conflict with Hamas. He promised that "the United States isn't going anywhere either. We're going to stand with you. We'll walk beside you in those dark days."
While I appreciate him speaking those words of support for the correct side in this conflict, I also know that support will not last. The day will certainly come when Joe Biden will demand that Israel cease its attacks on Gaza. And that day will certainly arrive long before Israel achieves its proper goal of eradicating the terrorists in Gaza whose stated reason for existing is to kill the Jews and to destroy Israel.
I must add, however, that I'm pleasantly surprised Joe Biden didn't express his empathy with the Israelis by speaking about that time his son Beau was killed by Hamas terrorists while attending a music festival in southern Israel. His handlers kept him on script.
Why All Morally Decent People Must Support Israel
October 14, 2023 11:23pm
Since 1948 (and really before that), there has been an easy litmus test to determine if a person is good or bad. I don't mean behaviorally on an individual basis in terms of politeness or etiquette. I mean in terms of one's worldview. That litmus test has been how someone views Israel. If someone believes Israel is a proper nation with decent people who have an absolute right to exist, then that person is good. If someone believes Israel is a pariah nation with bad people who are living on land stolen from innocent Palestinians, then that person is bad.
With the Middle East dominating the news in the aftermath of Hamas' most recent terrorist attack on Israel, it has become even easier to judge someone's intellect and morality. If someone expresses support for Israel and its military action against Hamas, that is an indication the person has a sense of decency. But if someone condemns Israel's actions and expresses support for the terrorists, then that person is an evil and despicable human being who is no better than the Hamas terrorists themselves.
During last week's attack, Hamas terrorists killed more than 1300 Israelis. It was the largest single day terror attack in Israel’s history. The largest number of deaths in the United States due to terrorism was the 2977 killed on September 11, 2001. The population of Israel is only about 9 million. The population of the United States in 2001 was 281 million. So those 1300 Israeli deaths would be the percentage equivalent of 40,500 Americans being killed on 9/11. That's how massive the Hamas attack was.
America's response to those 2977 deaths was to engage in a massive global war against Islamic terrorists. If you think Israel should not go to war over the 1300 deaths inflicted by Hamas, then you've got a serious problem with your intellect and morality. Or you're a disgusting anti-Semite. But neither is acceptable. If you have any decency about you whatsoever, you will condemn Hamas for the attack, and you will support Israel in its response to it.
Joe Biden has publicly denounced Hamas' attack and has expressed support for Israel. That is good. He should express America's support for Israel. And he should denounce Hamas. He said America's support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering. And I'm glad he said it. But don't believe that support for Israel will last. It's early. I am one-hundred percent certain that, as living conditions in Gaza deteriorate and civilian deaths mount, Biden will demand that Israel cease its military actions against the terrorists. And he will make that demand long before Israel completes its justified response to being attacked.
Yet it is Hamas, not Israel, that is responsible for every civilian death in Gaza. Hamas teaches their children pretty much from birth that the reason for their existence is to kill as many Jews as possible; that the best way to please Allah is to kill Jews. And they train the children of Gaza to become terrorists - not just via propaganda to support Hamas, but by training them in the use of weapons to literally kill as many Jews as they can. Such is the disgusting level of hate that Hamas promotes in Gaza.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said it best when she said "Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us." Golda Meir also said, "When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons." Where did she get such decency about her to say that? Where does Israel get such decency?
The Islamic terrorists have no such decency. They WANT their sons and daughters to be killed. Because they think it pleases Allah. And because it helps create anti-Israel propaganda. It is quite clear that the Muslim terrorists hate Israel more than they love their own children. How pathetic is that, huh?
Even Benjamin Netanyahu, who is certainly no peacenik, described the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel."
Many uninformed people are citing the Geneva Conventions as they pertain to civilians in war zones. But just because people are identified as civilians doesn't mean they aren't legitimate military targets. The Geneva Convention IV governs the protection of civilians. Under Geneva IV, if civilians engage in hostilities without clear, visible identification associating them with a militia force, they lose the protections they would otherwise be entitled to receive.
Geneva Convention IV, Article 5 says, "Where, in the territory of a Party to the conflict, the latter is satisfied that an individual protected person is definitely suspected of or engaged in activities hostile to the security of the State, such individual person shall not be entitled to claim such rights and privileges under the present Convention as would, if exercised in the favour of such individual person, be prejudicial to the security of such State."
In other words, if person in civilian clothes engages in combat and is engaged, killed, or caught by the enemy, they are NOT entitled to the protections enumerated in the Geneva Conventions. Israel is well within its rights to kill anyone in Gaza who is engaged in warfare against them. Even so, most civilian deaths in Gaza are collateral damage from the perspective of the Israel Defense Forces. Civilian deaths are INTENDED damage from the perspective of Hamas. Hamas WANTS civilian deaths. It is part and parcel to their tactics, strategies, and objectives.
It is Hamas, not Israel, that uses its people as human shields. Hamas hides behind women and children. Hamas seizes humanitarian supplies and uses them to create ways to attack Israel. Hamas uses concrete intended for the construction of schools and hospitals to instead construct tunnels in which terror operations are conducted. Hamas uses ambulances intended to provide medical services to instead transport weapons. Hamas uses money given to it for humanitarian purposes to instead build rockets and other weapons they use to attack Israeli neighborhoods. Hamas places their weapons inside civilian homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques knowing that Israel is a nation of decent people who won't attack those places - although they're attacking those places now; and rightfully so.
Hamas demands that Gazans remain in buildings they know Israel has targeted for destruction. How does Hamas know what buildings Israel has targeted for destruction? Because Israel usually announces beforehand what buildings they will destroy. They do that so the people in those buildings can evacuate. Israel gives that advanced notice because they don't want to kill innocent civilians.
But Hamas WANTS civilian deaths so they can cry to the propaganda press about how evil Israel is. And that fake news gladly amplifies those cries without reporting that Israel warned the residents to flee those buildings before they attacked. Hamas wants civilians to be killed so they can blame the deaths on Israel and get sympathy they don't deserve. By announcing their targets in advance so civilians can evacuate, Israel is also giving Hamas terrorists the opportunity to evacuate and to remove weapons from the targeted locations. But Israel is such a decent nation that they would rather the weapons of their enemies be moved and used against them in the future than for the children of their enemies to be killed. Where does a nation get such decency? I wouldn't do it. The U.S. doesn't do it. But Israel does. Israel goes out of its way to preserve innocent human life even when those lives are the lives of people who support the acts of terrorism being conducted against Israel.
It is Hamas, not Israel, that is responsible for EVERY death in this war. Whether the death is of an Israeli, a Gazan, or anyone else caught in the crossfire, there is only one party responsible for it. And it ain't Israel. It's Hamas.
Hamas exists for one reason and one reason only. That reason is to destroy Israel. Jew hatred and the destruction of Israel is not the outcome of Hamas' existence; it is the raison d'être. The Hamas Charter calls for the total destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian State from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. These excerpts are directly from the Hamas Charter:
"(We) the Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realization of Allah's promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said: "The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him."
"Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes."
The Hamas Charter goes on to deny the Two-State Solution with, "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with."
"Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Moslem generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Moslem generations till Judgement Day? This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Moslems have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Moslems consecrated these lands to Moslem generations till the Day of Judgement."
"Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight."
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith: 'The people of Syria are Allah's lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation."
"The day the enemies conquer some part of the Muslim land, jihad becomes a personal duty of every Muslim. In the face of the Jewish occupation of Palestine, it is necessary to raise the banner of jihad. This requires the propagation of Islamic consciousness among the masses, locally [in Palestine], in the Arab world and in the Islamic world. It is necessary to instill the spirit of jihad in the nation, engage the enemies and join the ranks of the jihad fighters"
"The Islamic Resistance Movement - proceeding from these general concepts which are in harmony and agreement with the laws of nature, and following the current of divine destiny towards confrontation with the enemies and jihad against them in defense of Muslims, Islamic civilization and Islamic sanctities, primarily the Al-Aqsa mosque - calls on the Arab and Islamic peoples and their governments, and on their NGOs and official organizations, to fear Allah in their attitude toward the Islamic Resistance Movement and in their treatment of it. They should act towards it as Allah wants them to, namely back it, support it, assist it and continuously reinforce it, until Allah's word is fulfilled. Then the ranks will all be united, jihad fighters will join other jihad fighters, and the masses all over the Islamic world will rush out and answer the call of duty, shouting: "Hasten to jihad!" This call will penetrate the clouds in the sky and continue to ring out, until liberation is accomplished, the invaders are defeated and Allah's victory is revealed."
The Hamas Charter even states how Palestinian children are to be trained as Jew-killers: "The woman in the jihadist home and family, as mother or sister, has the primary role in managing the household, raising the children according to the moral ideas and values inspired by Islam, and teaching them to perform the religious duties in preparation for the jihadist role that awaits them."
Do those quotes from the Hamas Charter sound like the beliefs of a decent, sane people? No. They're the beliefs of crazy, devil-worshipping Muslims who believe that the key to pleasing Allah and achieving eternal life in paradise is to murder infidels. And they define infidels as all non-Muslims. So don't think for a minute this is just about killing Jews. Oh, sure, the Muslims want the Jews dead. But they just want the Jews dead first. They want all of us dead eventually. They want everyone except fellow Muslims dead. The Koran says that's what they're supposed to want and what they're supposed to do.
The Koran's Sura 9:5, known as "The Verse Of The Sword" says, "And when the sacred months have passed, kill the Infidels wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and pay jizyah (taxes levied upon Infidels), let them go on their way. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
Some Muslim apologists will claim Sura 9:5 is quoted out of context, and that there are many verses in the Koran that instruct Muslims to be peaceful. There are peaceful verses in the Koran (i.e. Sura 6:151 says, "Do not take a human life made sacred by Allah, except with legal right. This is what He has commanded you."
But context and scholarly knowledge is important. The Koran has two categories: the Meccan verses and the Medinan verses. Although they are interspersed in what appears to be a random order, the Meccan verses were written first. They are largely peaceful. They were written in the early years of Islam when Mohammad lived in Mecca with one wife and had to tread carefully so as not to annoy the political leaders. He was a teacher and prophet who encouraged worship of Allah via prayer, fasting, and good works. The peaceful Sura 6 is part of those Meccan verses. The violent Sura 9 is part of the Medinan verses.
The Medinan verses were written after Mohammad was forced to flee Mecca, and he relocated to Medina. In Medina, he was the political and military leader, so he had no fear of persecution and no need to seem like a nice guy. It was in Medina that he took on multiple wives and forced people to convert to Islam by the sword. The Medinan verses, because they were "revealed" more recently than the Meccan verses, are considered to be in greater effect than the Meccan verses in much the same way that Christians believe the New Testament is in greater effect than the Old Testament.
So did Mohammad say not to kill people? Yes. He did. And then he later said to kill, enslave, or tax all Infidels who won't convert to Islam. It is indisputable that the Koran and the Hadiths are replete with instructions to commit acts of violence in the furtherance of Islam to please Allah. To state otherwise is to deny the truth.
What drives all this hate? Why do Muslims so despise the Jewish people? It isn't because the Muslims have any legitimate claim to Jerusalem, although that's the lie you've been fed. But Jerusalem is not really a holy place for Muslims. They just want it so the Jewish People can't have it. Muslims claim that Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam (behind Mecca & Medina) because of the story that Mohammad rode the winged horse from Mecca to Jerusalem on his “night journey” (Isra and Miraj). It is claimed that he then ascended into Heaven from the location of the Al-Aqsa Mosque accompanied by the Angel Gabriel.
The problem with this nonsensical story is obvious. The night journey to Jerusalem (referred to in the Hadith as “the farthest mosque”) supposedly took place in 621. But there was no mosque in Jerusalem in 621! Umar bin al-Khat'tab built the first mosque in Jerusalem during the Rashidun Caliphate, which didn't begin until 632 following the death of Mohammad. But Jerusalem was not conquered by Muslims until 637, so the likely date for construction of the first mosque in Jerusalem was 637. That is 16 years AFTER Mohammad's Night Journey! So clearly Islam's religious claim to Jerusalem is complete rubbish.
But Jewish connection to Jerusalem goes back to at least 1300 BC. Jews believe that the rock below the Dome of the Rock is the Foundation Stone from which all creation began. It is also believed to be the site where God instructed Abraham to slay Isaac. And it is unquestionably the site of the Jewish Temple.
Jerusalem (al-Quds) is not mentioned at all in the Koran - not a single time. It is mentioned 806 times in the Bible (660 in the Old Testament and 146 in the New Testament). Interestingly, the Koran does state that the Holy Land was written by Allah to Israel. "Oh, my people, enter the holy land that God has written for you, and do not turn your backs, or you will become losers." - Sura 5:21. "And we said after him to the Children of Israel: dwell in the land, then, when the time of the second promise comes, we will bring you all together as a mixed crowd." - Sura 17:104.
So who has the legitimate claim to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount? The Jewish People. Only.
Israelis are mostly good. Palestinians are mostly evil. But it's important to note that the Palestinians are not inherently evil. They are taught to be evil from the moment of birth. It's sad, really. Because if the Palestinians put half the effort into being decent that they put into being evil, they would prosper AND have their own State.
I say that "Palestinians are mostly evil" because it's true. They are not ALL evil any more than ALL Israelis are good. But generalizations are generally true. Palestinians are generally bad.
Hamas is a terrorist group. Hamas was ELECTED by a MAJORITY of the Palestinians in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is less evil than Hamas. But even Fatah calls for the destruction of Israel.
Hamas claims they want a peace deal with Israel that includes a Palestinian state. But they really don't. What they want is the total destruction of Israel. The stated desire for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel would just be a step toward Israel's complete destruction. Don't forget that the PLO was offered 98% of what they wanted, yet they turned down the deal because the deal didn't include the eradication of Israel and the Jews.
Hamas was given Gaza in a "land for peace" deal in 2005 when the Israel Defense Forces pulled out of Gaza. The IDF even forced Israeli Jews to leave Gaza. So Gaza was left for the Palestinians to run. Although the people of Gaza are so obsessed with prioritizing their fight with Israel that they have little concern for anything else. Consequently, Gaza relies on Israel to provide it with food, electricity, gasoline, and pretty much everything else it needs to survive. Through the years, while Hamas has been either gearing up to attack Israel, actually attacking Israel, or rebuilding its forces to re-attack Israel, Israel has provided Gaza with what is needed to live in modern society. But did that result in peace with Gaza? No. Egypt was given back the Sinai in a land for peace deal. Has there been peace in the Sinai? Yes. Because the Egyptian Muslims are not as hateful as the Palestinian Muslims.
Peace cannot happen as long as one of the parties (the Palestinians) continues to call for the total destruction of Israel. If the Palestinians would renounce terrorism, abolish their anti-Semitic charter, and show that they can actually get along with their Jewish neighbors, there would be peace. Unfortunately, the chance of that happening any time soon is zero. In the meantime, Israel must continue to defend herself from Islamic aggression. And they should pull no punches in doing so.
Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not stop its military operations in Gaza until it eliminates the ability of Hamas to attack Israel and eliminates Hamas' ability to govern the Gaza Strip. Those two are related, of course. It is by governing Gaza that Hamas is able to build up enough military supplies that it can attack Israel. Hamas has been attacking Israel nearly nonstop for decades. Those attacks on Israel from Gaza are so common that they don't usually make the news. What made last week's attack so newsworthy was its size and its success.
Israel needs to respond to last week's attack with overwhelming and unrelenting force. And they need to get it done as soon as possible. Because while Israel currently has the support - at least the publicly stated support - of most of the world, we all know that support won't last. The day will come when most of the world - including the United States, sadly - will say that Hamas has been punished enough and that Israel needs to stop attacking Gaza.
But the fact is that Hamas, Hezbollah, and its benefactors in Iran will settle for nothing less than the total destruction of Israel. Israel and all decent nations need to make sure that doesn't ever happen.
But it isn't going to be easy. Israel is engaged in serious warfare with Gaza to its south. Iran backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon are a threat to Israel's north. And if The Fatah Palestinian Authority in the West Bank decides it's time to make a move, Israel will find itself getting attacked from its east also. With the Mediterranean Sea to its west, Israel could find itself surrounded not just by people who hate Israel, but by terrorists actively engaged in attacking Israel. And that doesn't include what Syria, Iran directly rather than through its proxies, and perhaps even Russia may decide to do if it senses an opportunity to exploit the chaos.
Israel needs to prepare for that possibility. Israel needs to engage in all-out war against those who attack it. This is no time for pulling punches. Israel has always pulled punches. Israel has always allowed enough of its enemies to survive that they re-group, re-arm, re-strengthen, and re-attack. But just like a cancer, if you don't eradicate all of it, it will grow back with a vengeance and kill. Well, Israel's enemies are a cancer. And they need to be eradicated by whatever means are necessary to ensure the survival of Israel and its citizens.
The Unites States and the rest of the decent world need to let Israel do what needs to be done. I'm not advocating we engage American forces in direct warfare. But I am saying we need to let Israel do what needs to be done without condemnation or demands for restraint or proportional responses. And we need to supply Israel with whatever conventional weapons it will take to pulverize Hamas and every single person in Gaza who supports Hamas. Remember, Hamas is the ELECTED government of Gaza.
My advice to Israel is this: "Kill 'em all. Let Allah sort them out."
America’s Greatest Air & Space Museum
October 7, 2023 10:15am
Mankind achieved powered flight on December 17, 1903 when the Wright Brothers successfully got airborne at Kitty Hawk on North Carolina's outer banks. Less than a quarter century later, Charles Lindbergh made his solo flight across the Atlantic. Twenty years after that, Chuck Yeager flew faster than the speed of sound. And on July 20, 1969, man walked on the Moon. From the sandy beach in North Carolina to the Lunar surface took less than a century. A lot less, actually; just 65 years, 7 months, and 3 days to be exact.
The history of that incredible accomplishment - plus what has happened since - is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum. When most people think of the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum, they think of the one on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Well, that museum is great. But the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum also includes the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia about 20 miles west of our nation's capitol. And frankly, I think the Udvar-Hazy Center is the better of the two facilities.
On today's radio program, I visited that museum and spoke with historian Jeremy Kinney, the center's Associate Director for Research and Curatorial Affairs. Our conversation is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231007
The History of Fort Pickens
August 26, 2023 9:19am
To many people in Pensacola, Fort Pickens is just an old fort at the far end of Pensacola Beach. But to those who appreciate history, it is an interesting structure that, along with Fort McRee and Fort Barrancas, defended Pensacola's deepwater port from attack.
On today's radio program, I interviewed Park Ranger Cas Rosiecki about Fort Pickens. We discussed the fort's construction, Civil War activities, and its recently discovered role in the Underground Railroad. He also explained Geronimo's imprisonment at the massive island structure along with its current status as part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Our conversation is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/230826
The Flagrantly Unconstitutional Indictment of Donald Trump in Georgia
August 19, 2023 9:22am
I read the entire 98 page indictment of Donald Trump and associates issued by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The charges against him are entirely political and are one hundred percent unconstitutional. Of the 161 acts the prosecutor lists in her indictments as felonious, Donald Trump is accused of committing 43. That's about 25%.
This is the summary of his so-called offenses:
12 were tweets.
2 were nationally televised public speeches (one was on November 4th, and the other was the January 6th speech at the Ellipse in Washington).
1 was an official statement released by the Trump Campaign.
9 were meetings or telephone conversations that occurred somewhere outside Georgia's borders and that had absolutely nothing to do with Georgia.
12 were meetings or telephone conversations that occurred somewhere outside Georgia's borders but did pertain to Georgia.
6 were meetings or telephone conversations that occurred somewhere outside Georgia's borders in which no state was specified in the indictment.
One of Trump's alleged felonies was for the "crime" of meeting in the Oval Office with officials from the Pennsylvania legislature to discuss possible Pennsylvania actions; something that had absolutely nothing to do with Georgia!
Trump's only so-called "offense" that does not meet one of those parameters was Act #108, which was a court filing in Atlanta contesting Georgia's election results. Willis wants Trump sent to prison for exercising his First Amendment Right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Seriously. Every single charge against Trump in her indictment is specious, unconstitutional, and should be dismissed by the Court before going to trial.
So to summarize, EVERY allegation against Donald Trump is for something that is a CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT guaranteed by the First Amendment. Some of Willis' listed acts do allege actual crimes by some Trump associates. Those may survive judicial scrutiny and be sent to a jury. But almost all are certainly not crimes, and all are definitely politically-motivated charges intended solely to destroy Trump's chance of getting elected in 2024.
Every single act the indictment says Donald Trump did was a completely legal act. But taken together, Willis claims, they constituted overt acts in furtherance of a conspiracy. In simple terms, Donald Trump committed no criminal acts at all. But together, they were all criminal. Yeah, that really is the best summation of the 98 page indictment. Don't believe me? Go read it yourself. Because the fake news sure as hell ain't gonna tell you that truth.
Any convictions of Trump in this case will certainly be thrown out by an appellate court. But that will happen long after Donald Trump loses the 2024 election. The Democrats' weaponization of government against Donald Trump is disgusting. And dangerous. That the DemonRats are celebrating the indictment shows just how evil and un-American they are.
I reviewed the charges on my radio show today. It is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/230819
If you only have time to listen to one of the four segments, listen to segment 3. But unless you're a partisan hater, be prepared to get angry. Because the unjust weaponization of government against Donald Trump is far worse than you know.
And remember, I do not want Trump back in The White House. So what I said is not pro-Trump. What I said is pro-America. Because if the Democrats can get away with unconstitutionally destroying Donald Trump, they will get away with destroying the United States as a free, constitutional Republic.
Thomas Jefferson & Monticello
July 29, 2023 9:30am
Thomas Jefferson's gravestone at the Monticello Plantation states these accomplishments: "Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia." But among other significant achievements, he was also the third President of the United States. Why isn't that included? Because Jefferson didn't want it there.
Jefferson wrote his own epitaph along with a very specific drawing of what he wanted his obelisk tombstone to look like. So omitting his presidency of eight years was deliberate. He instructed that he wanted those specific words to be inscribed "and not a word more... because by these, as testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered." But Thomas Jefferson's life was far more than the three things listed on his tombstone. His revolutionary words, effective diplomacy, and visionary ideas continue to inspire and lift civilizations around the world.
On today's radio program, I interviewed historian John Ragosta, the Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello. We discussed how Jefferson held contradictory views about human freedom while owning hundreds of slaves. We talked about how he fathered six children with his slave Sally Hemings, which is a far more complicated story than most people understand. And we examined how, almost two hundred years after his death, he still influences American society and politics.
Our interview is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/230729
Misconceptions About the Tuskegee Airmen
July 22, 2023 11:18am
Do you know the story of the Tuskegee Airmen? Don't be so quick to answer "yes" to that question. I thought I knew the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. But upon reading Daniel Haulman's new book, "Misconceptions About the Tuskegee Airmen: Refuting Myths About America's First Black Military Pilots," I learned that much of what I knew was false.
And I bet much of what you think you know about the Tuskegee Airmen is also not true. So to clear things up, I invited Daniel Haulman onto my radio show to discuss it. Our conversation aired this morning on The Mike Bates Show and is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/230722
The myths and misconceptions are too numerous to list here. But Daniel and I covered many of them in our conversation. You can listen to learn some of them, or you can buy the book to learn them all. In it, Daniel Haulman tells the true story of America's first Black military pilots whose truth is better than the fiction.
The History of Arlington National Cemetery
July 15, 2023 10:24am
On March 22nd, I visited Arlington National Cemetery to record an interview with ANC historian Tim Frank. That interview aired this morning on The Mike Bates Show.
From how Robert E. Lee's land was illegally taken for creation of the cemetery, to well-known Americans who are buried there, to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to the meaningful choreography of the Changing of the Guard ceremony, we covered it all.
Upon conclusion of our production, I put my recording gear back in the rental car, and then walked through the cemetery for a few hours. I've been to Arlington more than a dozen times, but I still feel the importance, serenity, and reverence of those hallowed grounds each time I visit.
The Changing of the Guard ceremony I attended was followed by a changing of the wreath ceremony at the Tomb that was just as stirring as the Changing of the Guard - perhaps more so because the wreath ceremony included a lone bugler playing Taps. When I was on the west side of the cemetery, horses pulling an artillery caisson with a casket rolled by. I did not follow it all the way to the grave site so as not to intrude on the grieving family.
The interview is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/230715
What REALLY Happened on The Cross?
April 8, 2023 8:33am
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Do you know what REALLY happened on the Cross?
That's not a trick question. Most people - even most Christians - do not.
On today's radio program, Reverend Carl Gallups shared the surprising and irrefutable explanation for what Jesus meant when He said “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Whether you're already a Christian or not, you'll want to hear segments 3 and 4 of the program because it will probably stun you with the shocking explanation of what really happened on Calvary's Cross. It did me.
I promise you won't regret the 25 minutes it'll take to listen to it. It may even change your life forever. And by "forever," I mean that literally. It may change your eternal life. I think today's message is THAT powerful.
The episode is now available online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/230408 (segments 3 & 4).