A cursory examination of history reveals that the United States is mired in the same process that precipitated the collapse of the great empires of the past. The foibles and failures of human nature and their impact on the rise and fall of empires is amazingly consistent and the end result always inevitable. Can this nation avoid a similar fate?

Empires are defined as great military and economic powers encompassing large occupied or controlled land areas. Although they vary greatly, they average around 250 years in duration. The United States will be celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026.

In 1976, Sir John Glubb, a distinguished British diplomat and general, wrote an essay on the fate of empires throughout history. He enumerated, based on 3,000 years of historical data, the six various stages in the rise and fall of empires.

These stages and how they apply to the United States are as follows:

The Age of Pioneers: (The Revolutionary War and the founding of the Nation)

The Age of Conquests: (The Western Expansion to the Pacific Ocean)

The Age of Commerce: (Industrialization and evolution of a dominant middle class)

The Age of Affluence: (The meteoric rise of the standard of living in the 20th Century)

The Age of Intellect: (Global domination in the arts, medicine and technology)

The Age of Decadence: For 30+ years America has been increasingly mired in this age)

The Age of Decadence is marked by debauchery, defensiveness, pessimism, materialism, a significant weakening of religion, frivolity, a welfare state, and a massive influx of unassimilated foreigners. These symptoms of national decadence are the end product of long periods of prosperity and power, love of wealth and status, and self-obsession by the ruling elites leading to fateful government corruption and instability.

Sir John Glubb is definitive in stating that in all ancient and modern fallen empires, “there does not appear to be any doubt that money is the agent which causes the decline of strong, brave and self-confident people.”

An examination of various empires from the Persian Empire to the Roman Empire to the British Empire confirms Glubb’s hypothesis that pursuit and accumulation of money or wealth is the portal through which power over the masses is achieved. The amassing of wealth and thus power evolves into a quasi-religion that over time triggers the descent into the age of decadence and corruption that inevitably leads to the collapse and conquering of empires by their external enemies.

In the early stage of the age of decadence, materialism becomes a driving force in society, inducing many in the upper classes to indulge in excessive, often conspicuous consumption as an absurdly wealthy elite emerges. Far too many societal elites and non-elites become convinced that increased consumption and social status is the key to happiness, but in its pursuit they become demonstrably more pessimistic and less happy and fulfilled.

The search for happiness and fulfillment leads to imprudence and voyeurism becoming central to the culture. Unhappy people searching for diversion became fixated on celebrities and captive to evolving voyeurism. And voyeurism takes on a more sinister aspect as people in both ancient and modern empires become increasingly desensitized to graphic images and willing spectators or participants in violence and debauchery.

Debauchery is an oft-recurring theme in the demise of empires. Societies develop an abnormally immature obsession with sex. An obsession that requires increasing deviancy to satiate coupled with concurrent abuse of children and the marginalization and exploitation of women. Meanwhile, the use of drugs and alcohol expands exponentially. Debauchery is a symptom of the absence of meaning in people’s lives leading to the self-destruction of society and concomitantly a loss of a sense of duty and patriotism.

Other symptoms common among many empires in the last stages of decline include:

• Massive and growing disparities between rich and poor and an undisciplined and over-extended military.

• An intensification of internal political hatreds and a corresponding inability to reconcile in order to save the empire.

• An ever increasing level of self-serving corruption and patronage among the ruling class.

• A massive influx of unassimilated foreigners whose allegiance and cultural ties are with their native lands and not the host nation and who do not feel obligated to defend the empire.

• Severe financial and economic crises linked to the unending debasement of the currency.

• An ongoing and irreversible decline in monotheistic religions that emphasize self-sacrifice, temperance, a sense of duty as well as honor and integrity.

Additionally, while the decline of empires is precipitated by internal factors, the final collapse is marked by defeat at the hands of powerful external enemies. The United States is presently facing an implacable and powerful external enemy, Communist China. A foe this nation’s elites, in their self-indulgent pursuit of wealth, essentially created by willfully intertwining the American economy with a ruthless and dictatorial communist regime.

Unfortunately, the vast bulk of the American citizenry is not aware of the historically precarious situation this nation finds itself. Nor are they aware that the policies and actions of the Marxist controlled Democrat party over the past 20 years is a window into what will happen to this nation if they continue in power. Another four to eight years of Democrat Party rule will permanently embed:

• Unchecked corruption in government and America’s corporations and institutions.

• The ongoing debasement of the currency, uncontrolled spending and economic instability,

• The continued massive influx of unassimilated foreigners,

• The intensification of political animosity and the persecution of any political opposition,

• An undisciplined, ideologically driven and feckless military incapable of confronting China,

• Drug-addled and crime-ridden dystopias in America’s major urban and suburban areas,

• Continued and accelerated mainstreaming of decadence and sexual debauchery As the last three years have amply proven, decadence and sexual debauchery will continue apace. All forms of deviancy, including but not limited to pedophilia, will be forcefully mainstreamed. Religious liberties will be denigrated and curtailed. Infanticide and state-sponsored euthanasia will be legalized. Materialism and voyeurism will become the new state religion. And virtually all drugs will be legalized and easily available.

As the United States descends into insolvency, societal chaos and upheaval, Communist China, with which the Democrat party is intertwined, will actively abet and promote the dissolution of this country as it will be waiting vulture-like to feast on the carcass.

The inevitable can perhaps be mitigated if a significant majority of the populace acknowledges the current plight of the nation and initiates a return to the nation’s founding Judeo-Christian principles. Additionally, it is imperative that either Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis wins in November of 2024 and for a populist Republican Party to control both the presidency and Congress for a minimum of two presidential terms.

Republican primary voters must also acknowledge reality and not be captive to cultlike sycophancy for either Trump or DeSantis. They need to ask themselves: who can win against a corrupt and devious Democrat party reliant on voter fraud and manipulation in the battleground states of Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada and Pennsylvania? Who has the coattails to assure the capture of both Houses of Congress? And can that person can either serve a second term or make certain another Republican will win in 2028?

It is not hyperbole to say the upcoming election cycle is the most determinative in American history. If the Republicans fail to win the presidency and Congress in 2024, this nation will have passed the point of no return and a new chapter in the annals of the decline and fall of great nations will be written.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various author’s articles on this Opinion piece or elsewhere online or in the newspaper where we have articles with the header “COLUMN/EDITORIAL & OPINION” do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints or official policies of the Publisher, Editor, Reporters or anybody else in the Staff of the Hemet and San Jacinto Chronicle Newspaper.

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It’s time to celebrate colorful falling leaves and cooling weather with fun seasonal activities. The good news? You don’t have to travel far from home to get your fall fix.

Here are a few ways to get into the spirit of autumn close to home:

Be Crafty

DIY decorate your home with seasonal flair, using items found in nature. Welcome guests with a wreath decorated using acorns and berries. Indoors, string a garland made of pinecones to the banister, or hang it from the mantle. Paint mason jars in favorite fall hues — orange, sienna, black and red — and then, fill them with candy or flowers in complementary colors to use as a table centerpiece.

Experience Fall Flavors

To fully take advantage of this flavor-packed season, be sure to try limited-time fall menus at your favorite local dining spots. For example, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading national fast-casual cafe, fall menu items feature delicious seasonal twists on classics.

The line-up, available through November 19, includes the returning fan favorite — Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, made with real pumpkin, Ghirardelli white chocolate, cinnamon and non-fat yogurt — as well as two new menu items. Try the Salted Caramel Smoothie, made with Ghirardelli sea salt caramel, roasted bananas, dates, non-fat yogurt and cinnamon or the Jerk Chicken Quesadilla, which is freshly prepared with grilled chicken, pineapple salsa, and black beans. For locations and menu details, visit tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.

Get Outdoors

With colder weather on the not-too-distant horizon, you’ll want to make the most of the outdoors all season long. From harvest festivals to pumpkin patches, this is the best time of year to celebrate the outdoors and enjoy the crisp air. Check local community listings for free fairs, arts and music festivals and more that abound during autumn, or visit a local farm that gives visitors an opportunity to pick fall produce like apples and pumpkins.

Don’t let fall pass you by without enjoying all the flavor and fun the season has to offer.

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(Show Up and Support

School has started all around the valley, and soon it will be Fall. That means it’s time for High School sports. I know everybody is excited for football, but a few other sports are going on during Fall your child might be interested in participating in, or maybe you are an alumnus of one of the schools and want to show up to show your support. Boys and Girls cross country is starting up, so if your kid loves to run this is the perfect spot for them. They can get their running in and be a part of their high school team. If they participate in track during spring, this is a great sport to sign up in order to stay in shape. 

Next is Girls Golf; this is a great chance to earn a varsity patch and convince grandpa to spend a little bit more time with you on the weekends. Who knows he may take you out for a 5:00 Teatime and tell you all about his war stories while you kick his butt at golf. 

Girls Tennis is also available during Fall sports, make sure to check out the opportunity to compete on the tennis team. Girls Volleyball is one of the bigger sports during Fall and it’s competitive in this valley many of the schools offer Freshman, JV, and Varsity levels for Volleyball so this is a good chance to try something out to see if you like it or not.

Finally Boys and Girls Water Polo. Watching water polo, it is hard to get an understanding of what exactly is going on, but if you have ever played it, you would know it’s one of the most violent and roughest high school sports there is. The pool is definitely not a “Safe Space,” and you are liable to get wet if you are spectating too close to the pool. 

Show up any of the games at the local high schools this season to support their sports and school. These programs rely on spectators in order to continue. So if you could show up to a volleyball game or two this year please do. If you have kids or grandkids who play football, Volleyball, or one of the sports listed, but they aren’t in high school, this is an excellent chance for them to see what high school sports is like and root on the school that they will be attending in the coming years. Schedules are available online at Maxpreps.com, Just type in the school you are looking for and select the sport. For more information on how you can help the schools in the local area email me at VCsportsKyle@gmail.com.

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