January 22, 2026
Publisher’s note:
I regret that I did not prepare notes to comment on the outrageous invasion of the Minneapolis Baptist Church. It will have to wait until next week. I will just say this attack is beyond unlawful, demanding immediate investigation and prosecution. Don Lemon has made himself even more toxic, if that were possible.
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A special note:
Watching Russians murdering innocent Ukrainians by the hundreds of thousands for the past 4-years, and Ukraine beating Russia back, has only strengthened my respect for Ukraine. It is a strong, beautiful, peaceful, Judeo-Christian country with unmatched will power and stamina. I have no doubt Ukraine will finally exhaust Russia to death – if given the weapons it needs.
In order to be always mindful of this heroic struggle I’ve decided to commemorate the life of one little Ukrainian girl, 4-year-old Kristina. Kristina was murdered by Vladimir Putin on Christmas Eve of last year when he fired a missile into her family’s high-rise apartment, killing the whole family. I just can’t get her picture, that pure spirit of innocence, out of my mind.
Her picture will remain in every edition of the Gazette while I am publisher, that we never forget that once this innocent spirit of light was snuffed out in an evil war of greed.
Slava Ukraini!
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I have 3 letters to respond to this week. I would like to answer the shortest first, which is from Art Sanford.
Art – you’re back again, with another load of personalized, misdirected hate! This week you appear to have put your editorial pants on backwards.
For one thing “The Nobel Pacifier Prize” was not awarded to “the president of the United States.” “In an unprecedented moment in Nobel history, Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado presented her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a White House meeting - a gesture meant to honor his role in Venezuela’s political upheaval. While Trump accepted the physical medal and called it a “gesture of mutual respect,” the Nobel Committee reiterated that the Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked - the award remains Machado’s forever.” Thank God! Trump’s eager acceptance of the prize amounts to a variant of stolen valor. Though I am a supporter of Trump’s domestic policy, I reject and oppose most of his foreign policy, especially his treatment of Ukraine.
In my opinion this Nobel caper is the most utterly disgusting event in Trump’s second term, so far. I continue to classify Donald Trump as an idiot savant. Though I continue to support him, his “savant” side seems to be quickly vaporizing.
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Hello Kelly,
As you say, I must be “quite facile for an octogenarian,” to tackle three determined liberals at the same time. Your admiration for my ability to “pivot seamlessly” is well taken, so I’m sure you will understand why I now pivot away from several of your issues which we have discussed many times before. The facts in the Capitol shooting case overflow online. No point in debating those facts. Had the case gone to trial (was set for 2026) damages could have been many times the $5-million awarded. Your outrage over the Babbitt outcome is misplaced. Her shooting was clearly caused by gross (read criminal) negligence, in line with Capitol Police Officer Michael Byrd’s service history.
I am bothered by many of Trump’s allegedly inappropriate statements but see no grounds for impeachment. As the curtain goes up on a multi-sided World War III you will see why even highly offensive personal statements by Trump are virtually irrelevant.
I am, however, alarmed by senseless talk about attacking Greenland, which is threatening NATO cohesiveness. We are, I believe, already into that world war – with the free world unprepared. America, together with Europe, will pay a ferocious price for our failure to support Ukraine with all she needs to defeat Russia.
The Capitol riot again: I disagree with your description of “insurrection.” Even GOOGLE admits: “courts generally see it [insurrection] as more than civil commotion, involving an organized group seeking to seize governmental power.” Is it true that a few hundred rioters had no chance of overturning the government, nor intention of doing so.
The end of Capitol riot debate!