Nationalism

Detroit residents gathered along the riverfront Friday morning to mark 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, pausing at 8:46 a.m. — the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center's North Tower. Among those present was Kenny Zillis, who recalled that all three Zillis brothers served their country that day: two as New York City firefighters at Ground Zero, and Kenny helping secure New York's airspace from the air. The ceremony also recognized law enforcement and Homeland Security personnel currently serving across Michigan.

Republican Congressman John James, an Army veteran and current candidate for Michigan governor, spoke of the unity that followed the attacks, saying tragedy did not discriminate by party, race, religion or background. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson, Michigan's Secretary of State, did not attend but issued a statement honoring first responders and reaffirming national unity. The event closed with a moment of silence, underscoring that for survivors and families, the memory remains deeply personal a quarter-century later.

A resurfaced 2025 video of Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, has drawn criticism from conservatives including Sen. Ted Cruz. In the clip, Talarico, a Christian seminarian, called a Texas curriculum requiring biblical references in early education "insidious," arguing it presented Bible stories as historical fact to young children and amounted to "propaganda" and "indoctrination."

Texas Values and First Liberty Institute defended the Bluebonnet English Language Arts curriculum, saying it uses biblical references to build reading comprehension and was widely supported by parents and officials, including Ben Carson. Talarico's campaign said he opposes politicians using scripture for political ends and pointed to his broader stance favoring separation of church and state, citing past comments about protecting students of other faiths from government-imposed religious messaging. The controversy adds to scrutiny of Talarico's positions ahead of his Senate bid, following earlier criticism over his views on transgender youth policy.