Showing posts with label 250th Anniversary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 250th Anniversary. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Sunday, September 13, 2026
John Catsimatidis marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 with starry gala concert, raises $1.5 million
By Carlos Greer
Published Sep. 12, 2026, 2:27 p.m. ET
It was an evening to honor America’s heroes.
John and Margo Catsimatidis hosted WABC Radio and the George Pataki Leadership Center’s gala concert to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Friday night.
As well as the fallen, the event at honored the former governor, along with Cardinal Timothy Dolan and famed New York Post columnist Cindy Adams.
Adams kicked off the evening, introducing Dolan with a little racy comedy. After organizers told her she only had two minutes to speak, she quipped that the last she time she heard “just two minutes” it was on her wedding night.
John Catsimatidis and wife Margo hosted a 25th anniversary gala concert in and memory of 9/11 at Cipriani 42nd St.
PageSix
Cindy Adams and Cardinal Timothy Dolan were honored.
PageSix
Dolan opened the evening with a prayer, reading from Psalm 46. “God bless you and God bless this beautiful evening. God bless this city and God bless America. Amen! Hallelujah! Thank you,” he said.
Dolan opened the evening with a prayer, reading from Psalm 46. “God bless you and God bless this beautiful evening. God bless this city and God bless America. Amen! Hallelujah! Thank you,” he said.
Joe Piscopo performed Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.”
PageSix
Former Gov. George Pataki said 25 years seems like yesterday.
PageSix
Gov. Pataki reflected on Sept. 11, 2001, telling Page Six, “I think 25 years later, it’s important that we honor people who were so courageous on that day, and for the weeks and months thereafter. And as distant as 25 years seems, it’s like yesterday.”
“And the sense of loss – the sense of horror, the attacks that we suffered, we just have to honor the memory of those we lost, the memory of those who responded so courageously adnd never forget,” he added.
WABC host Cousin Brucie emceed the event and Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Gov. Pataki reflected on Sept. 11, 2001, telling Page Six, “I think 25 years later, it’s important that we honor people who were so courageous on that day, and for the weeks and months thereafter. And as distant as 25 years seems, it’s like yesterday.”
“And the sense of loss – the sense of horror, the attacks that we suffered, we just have to honor the memory of those we lost, the memory of those who responded so courageously adnd never forget,” he added.
WABC host Cousin Brucie emceed the event and Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Friday, August 21, 2026
THE NEHEMIAH ALLIANCE
THE NEHEMIAH ALLIANCE
Rebuild our walls, restore our homes, and renew our hearts through unified prayer, fasting & repentance
Sundown September 10th (9/10/26) to Sundown All Saints Sunday (11/1/26)
Nehemiah Alliance is a growing global grassroots movement of “We His People” for Spiritual Renewal.
Inspired by the example of Nehemiah in Sacred Scripture, who rebuilt the walls of his homeland in just 52 days, we have surveyed the spiritual condition of our own nations and recognize that the spiritual walls of blessing and protection are in need of rebuilding.
Likewise, we are seeking the official blessing of our governmental authorities, just as Nehemiah sought the blessing of his king, while gathering an Alliance of Leaders, as Nehemiah gathered the Gatekeepers, to mobilize “We His People” for 52 days of unified prayer, fasting, and repentance unto our merciful Father.
Together, we are crying out to God in One Voice to rebuild our walls, restore our homes, revive our hearts, renew Liberty and Justice for all, and reunite us one Nation, One Blood under God.
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Speaker Mike Johnson: God Is Not Done With America After 250 Years | ADF Summit 2026
Alliance Defending Freedom
Jul 19, 2026
Mike Johnson is the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a Republican member of Congress serving Louisiana's Fourth District. ADF Summit 2026 was a gathering of leaders from many different spheres, including law, public policy, media, business, education, and Christian leadership. The inspiring annual event focuses on advancing the right to live and speak the truth for all people, while offering a compelling vision of freedom and human flourishing. This year’s event, which celebrated the historic 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, explored why our founders held certain truths to be self-evident and what we must do to reclaim the spirit of 1776 today. It was organized by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the world’s largest legal organization advancing every person’s God-given right to live and speak the truth.
Wednesday, July 08, 2026
Fit for a pontiff: How the US Embassy to the Holy See prepared to host Pope Leo for a special July 4 celebration
The evening marked a historic visit to the U.S. ambassador’s residence as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.
When Pope Leo XIV accepted an invitation from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to celebrate the Fourth of July with a special dinner, a significant amount of effort went into making the occasion impeccable and memorable.
The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See posted a video to social media this week offering a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations that took place ahead of the July 4 occasion, saying dedicated teamwork was required.
“Hosting a July 4th dinner for the Holy Father doesn't happen by accident,” the embassy stated. “Behind every perfectly set table, every carefully prepared dish, and every seamless moment of the evening stood a dedicated team at Villa Richardson who spent weeks planning, preparing, and perfecting every detail. A huge thanks to our wonderful team!”
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch and his family welcomed Pope Leo the afternoon of July 4 at the ambassador’s residence in Rome, as Zeale News reported that day with exclusive comments from Burch.
>> Exclusive | Pope Leo XIV marks Fourth of July with historic visit to US ambassador’s residence in Rome <<
When Pope Leo XIV accepted an invitation from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to celebrate the Fourth of July with a special dinner, a significant amount of effort went into making the occasion impeccable and memorable.
The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See posted a video to social media this week offering a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations that took place ahead of the July 4 occasion, saying dedicated teamwork was required.
“Hosting a July 4th dinner for the Holy Father doesn't happen by accident,” the embassy stated. “Behind every perfectly set table, every carefully prepared dish, and every seamless moment of the evening stood a dedicated team at Villa Richardson who spent weeks planning, preparing, and perfecting every detail. A huge thanks to our wonderful team!”
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch and his family welcomed Pope Leo the afternoon of July 4 at the ambassador’s residence in Rome, as Zeale News reported that day with exclusive comments from Burch.
>> Exclusive | Pope Leo XIV marks Fourth of July with historic visit to US ambassador’s residence in Rome <<
Sunday, July 05, 2026
The left isn’t celebrating America anymore — what will they celebrate instead?
by Douglas MacKinnon, opinion contributor - 07/04/26 12:00 PM ET
The Hill's Headlines — July 4, 2026
Happy Fourth of July!
I wonder — how many Americans will be bothered or offended by that greeting today? And how many more Independence Days will we celebrate as a country? We have made it to 250, but it’s hard to imagine another hundred. It is much easier to imagine 20 or less.
A strong argument can be made that the left — via majority control of the media, academia, entertainment, science and medicine — is slowly but surely winning the messaging war. In fact, you might say they are crushing it.
Just look at the trend of stories online citing the fact that millions of Americans have little or no interest in celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation. Or look at the rise of so-called “democratic socialist” candidates, who look upon the country created by our Founding Fathers as something that needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the inside. Don’t forget about the alarming results of a recent poll showing that more than half of Americans under age 30 said believe “democracy isn’t essential to the country’s identity.”
It is little wonder. Many of those young Americans grew up believing, after years of being taught in school, that our Founding Fathers were White supremacists and evil slave-owners from the privileged class, whose vision, courage and sacrifice must now be reexamined, rewritten and largely swept into the dustbin of history.
But it’s not just young people. In a recent Beacon Research-Shaw and Company Research-Fox News poll, Americans were split over America 250. Fifty-one percent of registered voters said they were excited for the 250th anniversary, while 49 percent said they were not. It is a result that would have been shocking before the Trump era; now it is the accepted norm.
As this evolution in viewing the history and meaning of our nation continues, here is a logical question: What day, reason, or event will the left pick to replace the Fourth of July?
Will it be May 1, International Workers’ Day? That is the day chosen by communist leaders and countries to honor the labor movement, the working class, and the ideological triumph of socialism. Will some on the left want to switch out the names of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin to celebrate instead Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro or Pol Pot?
Or will those who are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome lean toward Jan. 20, 2029, because that will be the last day of the Trump presidency?
As the Fourth of July and the history of our Founding Fathers — one I wrote about in my book, “The 56” — continues to wither under the constant smears from the left, it is natural to wonder what those who revile the the birth of our nation and the dead white men behind it will glorify in their place? If the current trend continues, we may find out much sooner than later.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.
The Hill's Headlines — July 4, 2026
Happy Fourth of July!
I wonder — how many Americans will be bothered or offended by that greeting today? And how many more Independence Days will we celebrate as a country? We have made it to 250, but it’s hard to imagine another hundred. It is much easier to imagine 20 or less.
A strong argument can be made that the left — via majority control of the media, academia, entertainment, science and medicine — is slowly but surely winning the messaging war. In fact, you might say they are crushing it.
Just look at the trend of stories online citing the fact that millions of Americans have little or no interest in celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation. Or look at the rise of so-called “democratic socialist” candidates, who look upon the country created by our Founding Fathers as something that needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the inside. Don’t forget about the alarming results of a recent poll showing that more than half of Americans under age 30 said believe “democracy isn’t essential to the country’s identity.”
It is little wonder. Many of those young Americans grew up believing, after years of being taught in school, that our Founding Fathers were White supremacists and evil slave-owners from the privileged class, whose vision, courage and sacrifice must now be reexamined, rewritten and largely swept into the dustbin of history.
But it’s not just young people. In a recent Beacon Research-Shaw and Company Research-Fox News poll, Americans were split over America 250. Fifty-one percent of registered voters said they were excited for the 250th anniversary, while 49 percent said they were not. It is a result that would have been shocking before the Trump era; now it is the accepted norm.
As this evolution in viewing the history and meaning of our nation continues, here is a logical question: What day, reason, or event will the left pick to replace the Fourth of July?
Will it be May 1, International Workers’ Day? That is the day chosen by communist leaders and countries to honor the labor movement, the working class, and the ideological triumph of socialism. Will some on the left want to switch out the names of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin to celebrate instead Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro or Pol Pot?
Or will those who are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome lean toward Jan. 20, 2029, because that will be the last day of the Trump presidency?
As the Fourth of July and the history of our Founding Fathers — one I wrote about in my book, “The 56” — continues to wither under the constant smears from the left, it is natural to wonder what those who revile the the birth of our nation and the dead white men behind it will glorify in their place? If the current trend continues, we may find out much sooner than later.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.
Saturday, July 04, 2026
Macy's 4th of July Fireworks in NYC
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LIVE: Fireworks Across America for America250 Celebrations
Pope Leo Jabs Trump in 250th Birthday Message to Americans
HEAVENLY SHADE
The first U.S.-born pope congratulated Americans while stressing the importance of welcoming immigrants.
Tomas Thor
Breaking News Intern
Updated Jul. 3 2026 6:54PM EDT Published Jul. 3 2026 3:02PM EDT
Pope Leo XIV used America’s 250th birthday celebration to deliver a not-so-subtle reminder to President Donald Trump that immigrants helped build the United States.
In a message released Friday, the first American-born pope praised the nation’s founding ideals of liberty, equality, and democracy. But he also devoted a significant portion of the letter to defending immigrants, a subject that has become one of the sharpest points of tension between the Vatican and the Trump administration.
The first U.S.-born pope congratulated Americans while stressing the importance of welcoming immigrants.
Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
Tomas Thor
Breaking News Intern
Updated Jul. 3 2026 6:54PM EDT Published Jul. 3 2026 3:02PM EDT
Pope Leo XIV used America’s 250th birthday celebration to deliver a not-so-subtle reminder to President Donald Trump that immigrants helped build the United States.
In a message released Friday, the first American-born pope praised the nation’s founding ideals of liberty, equality, and democracy. But he also devoted a significant portion of the letter to defending immigrants, a subject that has become one of the sharpest points of tension between the Vatican and the Trump administration.
ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images
“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants,” Leo wrote.
“In every generation, those who have arrived seeking freedom, opportunity and a place to belong have helped to shape the nation’s character.”
His pointed message comes as Trump continues to make his immigration crackdown a centerpiece of his second term.
“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants,” Leo wrote.
“In every generation, those who have arrived seeking freedom, opportunity and a place to belong have helped to shape the nation’s character.”
His pointed message comes as Trump continues to make his immigration crackdown a centerpiece of his second term.
The pontiff’s message repeatedly returned to themes that have put him at odds with the White House, including the dignity of migrants and the responsibility to care for society’s most vulnerable.
“To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity,” Leo wrote of immigrants, “but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person.”
The letter highlights the growing divide between Pope Leo and the Trump administration. Last month, Leo criticized policies that remove migrants without addressing why they fled their home countries in the first place.
“To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity,” Leo wrote of immigrants, “but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person.”
The letter highlights the growing divide between Pope Leo and the Trump administration. Last month, Leo criticized policies that remove migrants without addressing why they fled their home countries in the first place.
Friday, July 03, 2026
Monday, June 29, 2026
As nation turns 250, many Americans say the Stars and Stripes is now a red flag
The American flag: To some, it’s Old Glory. To others, it’s a MAGA hat on a stick.
June 29, 2026, 6:01 AM EDT
By Corky Siemaszko
To fly or not to fly an American flag? That was never a question for Bruce Watson, who has put his national pride on display for years — and nudges neighbors in his small New England town to do the same.
“I’m very proud of our flag,” the writer said. “It’s the symbol of ‘We, the People.’”
But as the polarized nation marks its 250th birthday, Watson, 72, worries his Stars and Stripes may now need an asterisk. “If we do fly the flag, we will also put out signs to make it clear that we are not MAGA,” he said.
NBC News asked readers to share their feelings and practices around the flag in a moment, polls suggest, when patriotism, national pride and optimism for the country’s future are all fraying. Like Watson, some say the flag can be taken as an endorsement of the current administration. For others, it isn’t tied to any one party but is a way of life.
But as the polarized nation marks its 250th birthday, Watson, 72, worries his Stars and Stripes may now need an asterisk. “If we do fly the flag, we will also put out signs to make it clear that we are not MAGA,” he said.
Bruce Watson, at his home with his dog, Mavis, in Montague, Mass., says he plans to put a disclaimer next to his flag. Hannah Beier for NBC News
The American flag is a symbol striped with many meanings, whether it’s hung on front porches, waved in parades, protests and World Cup matches, or stamped on lapel pins and boxing trunks. Like so much else in American life, it has also been tangled up in politics and the policies of President Donald Trump.
The American flag is a symbol striped with many meanings, whether it’s hung on front porches, waved in parades, protests and World Cup matches, or stamped on lapel pins and boxing trunks. Like so much else in American life, it has also been tangled up in politics and the policies of President Donald Trump.
NBC News asked readers to share their feelings and practices around the flag in a moment, polls suggest, when patriotism, national pride and optimism for the country’s future are all fraying. Like Watson, some say the flag can be taken as an endorsement of the current administration. For others, it isn’t tied to any one party but is a way of life.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Religious liberty ‘is not a sword to harm others,’ Laser says
(National Constitution Center)
News Jeff Brumley | June 17, 2026
Religious freedom is a radical invention that allows all Americans to believe or not believe as they choose, but on the condition that others are not harmed, said Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
“That’s what religious freedom is. Here’s what it’s not — it’s not a sword to harm others. It’s not a license to discriminate. It’s not a permission slip for the government to favor one set of religious views or to impose those views on all its workers. It’s not a trump card to play when someone else’s views are politically inconvenient.”
Rachel Laser
In other words, religious liberty is the opposite of what the Trump administration and other Christian nationalists claim it is, Laser said during a June 16 discussion hosted by Center for American Progress, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Interfaith Alliance and American Humanist Association.
The Washington, D.C. event served as the launch of “Religious Liberty for All: Celebrating This Founding Freedom at America 250,” a new report by the four organizations featuring 20 prominent elected officials, faith leaders, historians, legal experts and theologians making the case for religious freedom and diversity rooted in the U.S. Constitution.
“We are correcting the record here with Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, agnostics, humanists and many lawmakers,” Laser explained. “We are correcting the record about what the true foundational values of this country are, and we’re proudly reminding America that religious freedom means we are all free to live as ourselves and believe as we choose.”
The release of “Religious Liberty for All” was timed to pre-empt the anticipated publication of a report by the Religious Liberty Commission, which President Donald Trump formed in 2025 to promote a Christian nationalist view of religious freedom, Interfaith Alliance President Paul Raushenbush said.
“We have every reason to believe it will offer a perspective of religious freedom that privileges one narrow experience. However, the report we are launching today intentionally features a range of experiences of religious freedom from voices that include diverse religious traditions as well as non-religious traditions. Religious freedom for all recognizes how religious freedom benefits all the people when it is applied equally and fairly.”
Money and power
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Alleged Ringleader of UFC Terrorist Plot is a Mexican Illegal Alien
Release Date: June 18, 2026
This illegal alien was granted DACA by the Obama Administration
WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement announcing that the suspected ringleader of the failed terrorist plot against UFC Freedom 250 is a Mexican illegal alien who overstayed a B2 visitor visa.
According to local reporting, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican illegal alien, in Omaha, Nebraska on June 14, for his alleged involvement in the plot to carry out a mass-casualty attack against government officials and other attendees at Sunday’s event at the White House. Four other co-conspirators were arrested over the weekend in Ohio, Missouri, and California.
Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez
On June 16, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced federal charges for the five suspects, including Alvarez, who went by the alias “Shepherd.” The FBI assessed that Alvarez was responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the planned attack. Alvarez detailed the plot in an encrypted group chat, including the planned use of “counter sniper(s) and drones,” with the explicit intention of being “as deadly as we can get.”
Alvarez and his co-conspirators face federal charges of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer for Alvarez.
“This illegal alien from Mexico should never have been allowed in our country. He was the ringleader of a failed terror attack targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “He and his co-conspirators now face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds. He will face justice and swiftly be removed from our country.”
Alvarez entered the United States on a B2 visitor visa and failed to depart before it expired in December 2001. The Obama Administration granted him Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2014.
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Sunday, June 14, 2026
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026
The Trump administration is planning a prayer event on the National Mall...
The Trump administration is planning a prayer event on the National Mall. All but one of the speakers is Christian
Work continues on the stage for the Rededicate 250 celebration on the National Mall in Washington.Alex Brandon/AP
(RNS) —Cabinet members, Catholic bishops, evangelical influencers, and an actor who plays Jesus are a few of the speakers and performers scheduled to participate in "Rededicate 250," the Trump administration's daylong prayer celebration happening on the National Mall this weekend.
Advertised as a "rededication of our country as One Nation Under God" and a "once in a lifetime national moment," the Sunday event is intended to reflect on the faith of America's founders and to appeal to God to bless and guide the nation.
It's an initiative of Freedom 250, a White House-backed, public-private campaign staging patriotic events to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday. Supporters welcome the event as a tribute to America's roots, while critics say the Christian-saturated, MAGA-heavy festival casts an exclusionary vision of America's past and present. Americans United for Separation of Church and State suggested the event advances Christian nationalism rather than religious freedom. (Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a financial supporter of NPR.)
Saturday, May 16, 2026
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