All posts tagged: freedom

Zendaya and Scott Peeley’s Newfound Freedom

Zendaya and Scott Peeley’s Newfound Freedom

Published by Daniella Wilson

LOSER: 60 Minutes: Scott Pelley arguably deserved to be canned for that rant against his new 60 Minutes boss Nick Bilton. It doesn’t matter if your job is on Wall Street or at a Wendy’s. Try telling your manager at a staff meeting they have “slender qualifications” and “will never be welcomed here” and the person who hired them is “murdering” the company and see how well that goes for you. Reportedly earning $5 million per year, Pelley had f-you money and that’s essentially what he told the new boss. But also: 60 Minutes has become a total mess, and that’s squarely on Paramount chief David Ellison and CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss. Leaks, drama, quitting, firings, pulling a topical segment about the Trump administration at the last minute, allegations of pressure to insert factual errors or political bias, and, now, bringing on print veteran and documentarian Bilton — a fine journalist, but somebody Ellison and Weiss had to know would spark more internal uproar as he lacks TV experience. 60 Minutes isn’t …

For 2 centuries, Latter-day Saints have revered religious freedom – but their definition is evolving

For 2 centuries, Latter-day Saints have revered religious freedom – but their definition is evolving

Published by Sam Flores

(The Conversation) — On July 5, 2026, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is encouraging its American members to participate in a special fast: a day to “express gratitude for religious liberty and to pray that it be strengthened throughout the world,” in the words of its top three leaders. The fast will coincide with the United States’ semiquincentennial celebrations. For Latter-day Saints, the 250th anniversary commemorations are not merely a historic milestone for the country, but an opportunity to reflect on their faith’s relationship to the American experiment. In the church’s early decades, that relationship often tested the boundaries of religious liberty – and the church’s own understanding of that principle has been evolving ever since. Divine plan From the faith’s beginnings in the 1830s, founder Joseph Smith frequently emphasized the significance of religious liberty. In one 1843 sermon, for example, Smith explained that “civil and religious liberty … were diffused into my soul by my grandfathers,” both of whom had fought in the war of independence. Joseph Smith published the Book …

What Freedom of the Press Really Means

What Freedom of the Press Really Means

Published by Daniella Wilson

Even in an age of unintended metaphors, few can compare to the scene that unfolded one winter morning five years ago on a street corner in downtown Washington, D.C. A group of men gathered in front of the seven-story building at Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street Northwest, just a short walk from the Capitol, and prepared for an act of careful destruction. Their task was to do away with the colossal facade overhead. Slab by slab, they removed the Tennessee pink marble. The 45 words of the First Amendment had been there for years, giant letters carved in stone. Now that message was gone. Explore the July 2026 Issue Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read. View More Although the symbolism was impossible to ignore, the backstory bordered on mundane: The Newseum, a museum devoted to the history of journalism, had run out of money and closed. So down went the tribute to the First Amendment, sent in pieces to Philadelphia. The marble was reconfigured by the National Constitution …

Trump Says ‘Cancel It’ About Freedom 250 Concert Series

Trump Says ‘Cancel It’ About Freedom 250 Concert Series

Published by Daniella Wilson

After making a post on Saturday morning against the “third rate artists” who have dropped out of Donald Trump‘s Freedom 250 concert series, the president is sharing his updated thoughts on the event, blatantly saying, “cancel it.” Trump made a second Truth Social post about the Freedom 250 event that has seen a plethora of musical artists drop out of its lineup on Saturday evening. There, he suggested instead having a Make America Great Again rally, before also sharing additional thoughts on U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruling Friday that his name must be removed from the Kennedy Center building. “We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain,” he wrote. “Cancel it, just like I canceled my involvement with the failing and unsafe to be in Kennedy Center, because a Highly Conflicted, Crooked Federal Judge, said that I should not be allowed to spend my time and money in order to MAKE …

Trump Slams Freedom 250 Concert Dropouts, Compares Himself to Elvis

Trump Slams Freedom 250 Concert Dropouts, Compares Himself to Elvis

Published by Daniella Wilson

President Donald Trump is speaking out about the “third rate artists” who have dropped out of his Freedom 250 concert series, suggesting that he may invite “the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis,” referring to himself, to take their place with a speech. Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday, where he argued that he draws larger crowds that the King of Rock and Roll “in his prime.” He wrote, “I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate ‘Artists,’ and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!” …

Trump says he could replace Freedom 250 artists himself

Trump says he could replace Freedom 250 artists himself

Published by Sam Flores

Just days after organizers unveiled a star-studded entertainment lineup for Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., a growing number of performers have withdrawn from the event, with several saying they were misled about its political associations. Among the artists who have publicly backed out are Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Young MC, Morris Day and the Commodores. Several said they had agreed to participate in what was presented as a nonpartisan celebration of America’s 250th anniversary but later became concerned about the event’s political overtones. McBride said she had been offered an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event celebrating all 50 states, but later concluded that characterization was misleading. Michaels similarly said the event had evolved into “something much more divisive” than what had originally been presented to his team. Other performers cited concerns about being publicly affiliated with a political movement or party. Start your day with essential news from Salon.Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. Roughly two-thirds of the originally announced lineup has now withdrawn. Critics have …

Vanilla Ice defends performing at Trump’s Freedom 250 after other artists drop out

Vanilla Ice defends performing at Trump’s Freedom 250 after other artists drop out

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Vanilla Ice has expressed his excitement about performing at the Great American State Fair after multiple artists dropped out. The stars-and-stripes-palooza — organized by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership established by President Donald Trump — is part of the nationwide celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. However, shortly after the Washington, D.C., event was announced last week, many singers backed out of their planned performances, including Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC and Morris Day. Vanilla Ice, on the other hand, is thrilled to take the stage next month. During a Friday interview with TMZ, he said he wasn’t going to get “dragged into” the political controversy about the concert. “I’m here to party with America, man. Music is made to bring people together, and that’s what we are here to do. And we’re just gonna represent …

Bill Maher Mocks Trump’s Freedom 250 Concert

Bill Maher Mocks Trump’s Freedom 250 Concert

Published by Daniella Wilson

Bill Maher poked fun at the many artists who have dropped out of President Donald Trump‘s forthcoming Freedom 250 concert series during his monologue on Real Time Friday night. “We’re having a big 250th birthday party for America, a concert. They announced the lineup. Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Morris Day, Bret Michaels,” he said. “I think this is very admirable about the president, it shows he’s concerned for the unemployed.” Maher continued, “And then, after they announced this all-star lineup, a lot of them said, ‘No, what are you talking about? We’re not playing.’ That’s got to hurt a lot when you can’t close the deal with Milli Vanilli.” On Friday, Bret Michaels and The Commodores joined a group of musical talent who announced they were dropping out of the concert series. In a statement on his website, the Poison lead singer explained that “unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of.” “Concerns have also been raised …

Freedom 250 vs. America250, explained

Freedom 250 vs. America250, explained

Published by Sam Flores

Celebrations are taking place across the country leading up to the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, including concerts, fairs and sporting events, with two main groups responsible for the largest festivities. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. One of them, America250, is the nonprofit supporting the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which was established 10 years ago through an act of Congress and is led by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and private citizens. The other, Freedom 250, was established by the Trump administration as a public-private partnership by which to fund and plan events celebrating this summer’s historic anniversary. This week, confusion about the difference between the two groups reached a fever pitch after some of the artists who were billed as performing at Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair backed out, saying they were misled about the nature of the event. “The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event,” rapper Young MC wrote in a social media …

Anti-Trump Entertainers Bolt From Freedom 250 Celebration

Anti-Trump Entertainers Bolt From Freedom 250 Celebration

Published by Jenni Sidey

Several entertainers abruptly backed out of President Donald Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts this week after learning more details about the patriotic celebration planned for the National Mall. As American Greatness reports, the cancellations add to the long-running tensions between Americans and the politically progressive entertainment industry. Young MC, Morris Day, the Commodores, Bret Michaels, and country singer Martina McBride were among the performers who announced they would no longer appear at “The Great American State Fair,” a series of concerts and events scheduled for June 25 through July 10 in Washington, D.C. The event is being organized by Freedom 250, a group launched by Trump late last year that describes itself as a “national, non-partisan organization leading the celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday.” Trump selected former State Department official Keith Krach to serve as the organization’s CEO. The cancellations came just one day after organizers unveiled the first wave of performers. McBride said on social media that she initially agreed to participate because she believed the event would remain politically neutral. “Yesterday things started changing and …