On December 29, 2025 at 2:57 pm, Chris Davies wrote:
Mark,
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you and yours.
My notion of what is a nation is quite simple.
It is the accumulated culture, traditions and values of its history from formation. As a conservative, I'm keen for them to be preserved, rather than junked in favour of Egyptian wannabe online jihadis.
I'm really looking forward to hearing the opinions of the Steyn community of sages.
Stay unstable, stay safe, stay free.
Cheers Mark.
On December 29, 2025 at 2:57 pm, Frank Gallenstein wrote:
Hi Mark,
I'm looking forward to hearing more on your take of Vivek's American idea.
I suspect Vivek would think the Ruritanian plumber more British than those who imprisoned him, and an influx of more Ruritanians into the UK just what the doctor ordered.
P.S. Love the book and your narration.
On December 29, 2025 at 2:58 pm, Isabelle Fourier wrote:
Dear Mark--
I was going to ask you how we can employ Somali smugglers to bring in contraband buches de Noel, but you insist on less serious questions today, so here goes.
What if America actually were an idea, but an idea among a homogeneous people who had an unspoken understanding of a common culture? Viewed that way, the real problem now is the cargo-cult experiment of applying the idea to a gallimaufry of people who don't connect to the original culture and who have nothing in common with each other. Think of Jack Skellington trying to bring Christmas to Halloween Town.
If we must separate the idea from the unspoken cultural underlayment then we have two options: 1) Mr. Vivek, who seems uninterested in asking why no other cultures thought of the same idea; or 2) Mr. Fuentes, who apparently will oppose Mr. Vivek's campaign and doesn't care what ideas self-loathing white women impose on us, as long as they're white.
On December 29, 2025 at 3:00 pm, Travel Somaliland Agency (TSA) wrote:
Dear Mark,
I'm signing up for another twelve month membership and all I had to do was sell two ounces of silver!
Question: Now that Israel has formally recognized the Republic of Somaliland, does that mean Bibi and Trump now have a safe space to return the invaders ...migrants... when the brave agents of "ICE E.R.O." get the go-ahead to fuel the planes and chart a course?
I hope so. Maybe I can start a business to assist the Somalis in Minneapolis (who don't go to Twins or Vikings games, apparently - so much for cultural integration) to take a one-way trip back home.
Best wishes and Happy New Year!
On December 29, 2025 at 3:04 pm, Jonny Woodrow wrote:
Sorry, had to pop out for a few months. I know it's far-right to want to balance your household budget in Keir Stalin's UK, but I had to dabble with a spot of misogyny and scrutinise my spending. Back now.
Mark, as a white man who am I and where do I belong?
'Vivek and The Wokeys' tell me belonging is an idea, but we've all been taught that whiteness as an idea is bit evil—so I better not be going about having oppressive ideas like that —and that the West was really built by people whose skin colour was definitely not white but was definitely more than an idea.
So, am I a nasty idea that pitched up on some poor but real [non-white] person's land? I'm a refugee from nowhere—I'm an idea that must not be allowed to settle.
Happy new year
Jonny W
On December 29, 2025 at 3:08 pm, Ronald Larson wrote:
Mark, I appreciate your incise commentary on the follies of our elites. However, on the question of "Americanism" and ancestry, I believe that your view needs to be modified. My own ancestry includes Irish, who came to the US in the mid nineteenth century in large numbers, mostly as ne'er-do-wells, who contributed indirectly, and unflatteringly, such words as "paddy wagon" and "donnybrook" to the American lexicon.
While, a "Kennedy" was at one time viewed with suspicion, a name like "Reagan" no longer is, and those with Irish ancestry are, on average, as "American" as any other. Plenty of Mayflower descendants abhor Americanism, while many with shorter American pedigrees embrace it eagerly.
In fact, a man like Elon Musk understands Americanism better than many with deep roots here. I would say that no heritage remains unchanged by time, and that the renewal of American heritage by legal immigration of those eager to participate in the American dream is itself a key to retaining this heritage. After all, the country was established by such people, whose descendants are as likely as any to now disparage this heritage. The key is to control the pace and source of the immigration, and to slow or pause it when it threatens to overwhelm the ability of our society to absorb and harness it.
The immigration pause from 1920-1960 was needed, and a slow-down is definitely needed now. But, the view that older heritage is better for our country, seems inconsistent with my observations.
Best wishes, Ron
On December 29, 2025 at 3:10 pm, Karen Shapiro wrote:
My grandmother, mother and I were all proud members of the DAR, Mayflower Society and all the lineage groups. Our meetings were veteran support, American history lessons, charitable outreach and patriotism. Out on a limb, but thinking the local Somali tribal leadership doesn't start their meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance and the American's Creed. The stupidity and evil of the elites who brought these people here is staggering.
Mr. Steyn, I hope you are feeling stable and wish you and your family the best for 2026.
That's all I got. Happy 2026 to all.
On December 29, 2025 at 3:14 pm, Jan From Texas wrote:
Good afternoon, Mr. Steyn, and prayers for restoration of your good health in 2026.
My question is when did America become a metaphor for "Melting Pot"?
Americans started moving Westward into KY & TN early on and into the MS Valley and finally it was "CA or bust." When did robust individualism give way to tribalism? Did it start slowly and build up or did it pop up in 1965 with the New Immigration and Naturalization Act?
On December 29, 2025 at 3:17 pm, Drew Weber wrote:
Hello Mark,
So according to Mr Ramaswamy we should ignore contributions and sacrifices of the previous generations of today's Americans that shaped us, the citizens of United States. In effect, it is an effort to erase the past, and start the clock in the present. A frequent tactic of revolutionaries.
He waxes on about the "American Dream", but as our society fractures, his notion of the dream has become more a fantasy.
On December 29, 2025 at 3:19 pm, Toby Pilling wrote:
Is Alaa Abd el-Fattah British?
On December 29, 2025 at 3:22 pm, hugo miller wrote:
We in Britain are coming to a fork in the road: - we must either face civil (or religious) war; or we shall submit to becoming an Islamic state living under the Sharia within a surprisingly short time.
If anyone can cheer me up by proposing a third way I would be delighted to hear it.
Islam does not need numerical superiority. Islam is already the dominant force in British politics and throughout society in general. The government is clearly on the side of the Muslims, and our so-called king's position is at best ambivalent.
The Army takes its orders from the king. But if they decide our monarch has 'gone rogue', what then?
We live in interesting times.
On December 29, 2025 at 3:27 pm, Laurence Jarvik wrote:
Mark, I think your model may be correct for Europe, however, for the United States you seem to be missing the point...
What made America America was always "the American way" for what later became known as the American creed... Indeed we are a nation of immigrants - especially because the pilgrims were immigrants. The Dutch were immigrants. The Germans were immigrants and our founding fathers were descended from British immigrants, not to mention all the French, who came to new France, which was bought by Thomas Jefferson...
A true anti-immigration position would be consistent with those who wish to give the entire continent back to the Indies... What say you to this?
On December 29, 2025 at 3:31 pm, Peter wrote:
Greetings Mark,
You (correctly in my view) predict that western civilization as we've known it has 15 years left. What does year 16 look like for what remains of the average American family in your estimation?
Cheers,
Peter
On December 29, 2025 at 3:35 pm, Dale Owens wrote:
Mark,
The idea of a nation being based on a proposition or an idea is preposterous. Nations (or at least the durable ones) are based on an ethnos, a people, an ethnic group or groups with a shared history.
For example, you are a citizen of China because you are Chinese. And by the way, the fact of the matter is that the United States was originally founded by a certain ethnic group - the Anglo-Celts. Simple as that. Other groups came and, to varying degrees, were assimiliated into their culture. Obviously the groups that assimilated most easily and quickly were fellow Europeans.
The question is: can non-Europeans be assimilated in the same way. Personally I do not think so. What do you think?
On December 29, 2025 at 3:39 pm, Jackie F wrote:
Dear Mark: Thank you for another enjoyable Christmas lineup and may I wish you a Happy and Healthier New Year. I am shall we say on the downside of my heydey and while I stay current on the happenings in the world the utter corruption in this nation and inaction by the so called party in charge is so discouraging that I reach my maximum intake by noon and am forced to tune out. That is until the next day when the cycle repeats.
I am sickened by the lack of honor and decency as there are too many citizens who are either ignorant of the goings on or complicit with this feeling that somehow the government is responsible for their well being. This is not going to end well as you have been saying for over twenty years. The ease at which this transition is occurring is mind boggling. Sorry that this is more of a comment than a question. Just wanted to thank you for your perserverance in sounding the alarm. God bless.
On December 29, 2025 at 3:43 pm, Elisa Angel wrote:
Why is tribalism incompatible with rugged individualism?
On December 29, 2025 at 3:45 pm, Ian Salathiel wrote:
I am here for Mark Steyn. Is he making an appearance this week?
On December 29, 2025 at 3:49 pm, Our Man Obsidian wrote:
Mr. Steyn,
Your posing of the question "What is a Nation?"seems similar in some ways to the question "What is a Family?". A family is based on blood linage, with the additional option of adoption. A nation can be said to consist of those born there, with the addition of those "adopted" by immigration. With both the great struggle is to maintain a sense of coherence and loyalty.
As you have stated on several occasions maintaining a strong sense of identity hinges so much on a robust sense of civilizational confidence, something now in short supply. In a bizarre twist, today's trendies see flat out contempt for their own culture as a mark of cool. A culture wired to self-destruct has issues.
On December 29, 2025 at 3:52 pm, Scott Schertzer wrote:
Dear Mark:
When it comes to immigration here in the United States I am of two minds. My grandparents and great grandparents came to this country from Europe. Being Jewish, had they not been welcomed here odds are they would have perished in the concentration camps. They came here with nothing but learned to speak English rather quickly and assimilated. My parents were as American as anyone, and I am as well.
I suppose it was much easier for Europeans to meld into Americans for reasons you have stated several times. When they arrived, there was no welfare state, and they had to work if they wanted to eat. Public schools at that time only taught in English and it was imperative that foreigners learned the language. The schools also, for lack of a better word, indoctrinated students on what it meant to be American and what was unique about this country. And, if I'm not mistaken, there was no such thing as dual citizenship at that time. Once you swore allegiance to the United States you were no longer a citizen of the country you had left behind.
Our elites have since soured on the idea of assimilation. Able to receive benefits, being taught at public school in their native language and having ballots printed in multiple languages, immigrants are under little pressure to become American in the traditional sense.
Getting to your question and Vivek Ramaswamy's take on the matter. I believe that being an American is more than being granted citizenship. It is adopting not only our system of government, but our history and customs. As to whether those families that arrived on the Mayflower, or come from Anglo-Saxon stock are more American than relatively new arrivals... I would answer yes and no. It sems to be that it is many who come from that background that are at the forefront of trashing American in particular and the West in general. Those that have benefitted so much because of their background have, for one reason or another, turned their backs on what made that possible. On the other hand, there are numerous newcomers who love this country and its traditions.
Should we be making citizens of people who come here and show no affinity for America? No. Should we be limiting immigration from third world and Muslim countries? Yes. Should we be putting severe restrictions on all immigration for the foreseeable future? Yes. What this country needs most at this time is a new elite.
Happy New Year!
Scott Schertzer
Miami Beach.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:00 pm, Queen of the Jungle wrote:
Greetings Mark and best wishes for your health and prosperity as we close out this quarter century.
I always make the mistake of thinking that things can't get any worse and then we start out the new year with a Bang, not a whimper as evidenced in the latest news regarding the Somalian colony of Minnesota, where the plunder continues with estimates of fraud now up to $9 billion.
Luckily 23 year old boy wonder, Nick Shirley was on the case and was able to document over $100 million in payments to phony Somali "child care" centers. Still waiting to see how the MSM scum will treat the story, not to mention the Trump Justice Department.
Even more shocking is that in the city of Minneapolis, Muslims elected a Jewish mayor, Jacob Frey, for a third term over a Muslim opponent. Omar Fateh. ( he was supported by fellow grifter, US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Mogadishu).
My one question for today: Please step into the sandals of the Oracle of Delphi and give us your predictions for the coming year.
Thanks for everything from your friend in Nueva York.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:02 pm, Patrick Geagan wrote:
Hello Mark, Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you and all of your listeners.
Has anyone asked the question how these Somalis know how to come up with a billion dollar scam in Minnesota?
I'm sure some guy in Somalia with no education didn't just come up with some dream that he would come to the US and open up a bunch of day care centers?
Someone has to help these people, most of them can't even spell their own names?
Something stinks to high heaven here.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:05 pm, Robert Bridges wrote:
An historian on an episode of an up north blogger on prepping said that the mass immigration of Middle Eastern (Asian!) men ... and women... was primarily the result of Trump's war on the ME. What a relief for Starmer and fellow national treasures that the EU is off the hook I guess the entire Somali simoleons scam is a Trumpster reaction also. What is a nation? Borders, culture and language as per Michael Savage. Three strike offs and exactly what is the UK... or any Western nation there or going there. Yes, there are immigrants who have more value as "Americans" than many who born here...plenty. Maybe a fair exchange is needed. For every good "American" immigrant... a worthless native born loser is offered a fresh start in central Africa. It's the penguin on the ice flow.... who gives the shove is the question.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:10 pm, Fred Jones wrote:
Fearless Mark
Do hope the ticker is still ticking. We need you in 2026, which will be exactly 20 sod-bollocking years in which our governing elites have ignored your prescient demographic warnings. However, thanks to X and facsimile machines that (currently) remain free of Ursula Cruela & Co., We The Masses Demanding Mass Remigration finally share your 2 decades dream.
And speaking of fantasies, even if Vivek's dreamy notion of citizenship had any merit, forget recent arrivals -- a significant proportion of those with deep Western heritage no longer share their ancestors' aspirations. As the former Tory PM What's Her Name recently stated, the Left want to end Western Civilization altogether. Wish she employed that kind of straight talk at 10 Downing Street.
The Left's socially engineered nightmare not only justifies but requires all dastardly means to impose it -- NGO and Deep State fraud for needed funds, lawfare and international censorship to silence opposition, educational indoctrination for another generation of pliable citizens, and corporate-sponsored media willing to cover (for) it all.
While a nation's identity is of course tied to its historic peoples, in the dreams of the Left we would all — new arrivals and heritage-based citizens, alike — sleep-walk our way onto Elm Street. Perhaps we should forgo the "blood" versus "idea" debate just long enough to focus our attention on the guy with scissor fingers hell-bent on shredding the bed of Western Civilization?
On December 29, 2025 at 4:12 pm, Erick Redmon wrote:
Just another DemonRat gambit: $imoleon$ For Somalians!
On December 29, 2025 at 4:13 pm, Rachel Aranoff wrote:
Dear Mark,
The last time I listened to Vivek Ramaswami was on October 9th, 2023 when he was interviewed by Tucker Carlson two days after the October 7th massacre. He and Tucker had no sympathy rather they spent the hour saying "America First" and that countries like Israel or Albania, I believe, should not be a priority for the United States. While I was a huge Tucker fan for many years, I had always had hunch he no fan of the Jewish people (shame on me for liking him nonetheless) and Vivek was always too slick for me. But their conversation about the irrelevance of Israel while there were still dead bodies laying on the ground made it clear to me that I will never support Vivek or Tucker. I have felt validated in the two plus years since then as Tucker and Vivek continue to go to darker places. For some reason they don't scare me. Maybe I'm in denial? I never met anyone like them until I went to parent's weekend at my daughter's conservative college and one of her classmates stood up to mockingly ask keynote speaker Ted Cruz if he would recommend a trip to Cancun or to Tel Aviv. Here I had thought I found a college with shared values and unfortunately some of the sharp-toothed young men sound very much like Tucker and Vivek. Makes me think of Barbara Streisand singing "There's a Place For Us". Is there a place for us?
On December 29, 2025 at 4:15 pm, Steve from Manhattan wrote:
Mark, If I may turn to something in the West that is more permanent and possibly more enduringly recognizable, in 2026, Chicago will celebrate the opening of the Obama Presidential Center. The supreme ugliness of this abominable structure has puzzled observers. Do you think it might just be a subtle salute to Western architecture's most recognizable element in the 21st century—might it simply be a giant bollard?
On December 29, 2025 at 4:15 pm, Ketil Haarstad wrote:
Tried to copy with pictures but didn't work....
Pic of two strong maines. Picture of Golda
US MARINES GOLDA MEIR
Who would you hire to wage a war? The US Marines on the left have lost all their wars since the 50-ties. The one on the right never lost a war. It is obviously not about pushups but motivation. When are we going to get motivated again?
On December 29, 2025 at 4:15 pm, Nicola Timmerman wrote:
Used to be four colley birds (blackbirds) symbolizing the Four Gospels.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:15 pm, Bill Bradshaw wrote:
Dear Mark,
What did you think of the recent TPUSA event and the recriminations being thrown around by the some of the speakers? Is there a rift developing or is it just a ploy to get ratings or clicks?
I've noticed a consistent anti-Israel sentiment among the youths in the crowd at these events and that is very disheartening.
Best wishes for full stabilization in 2026!
Bill
On December 29, 2025 at 4:16 pm, mike jacobs wrote:
Mark-
Bardot is gone. The Bonnie to Gainsbourg's Clyde. THE fifteen year old's French fantasy. The woman ONLY god could create.
Of course because of her stance on immigration among other issues, all the bigwig newspapers had to take a dump on her "FROM 60'S SEX SYMBOL TO RIGHT WING MANIAC" or some such crapola they all bleated, (but don't dare besmirch Rob Reiner!!)
In any event she was a living doll in my book, I seem to remember you mentioning her in one of the Songs of the Week episodes, did you ever have the good fortune to spend time with her?
On December 29, 2025 at 4:17 pm, Dana from Ruperts Land wrote:
Hi Mark, glad to hear you sounding chipper!
Zerohedge reports: Canadian Judge Reduces Sex Offender's Sentence Over Race
It's a bipoc privilege, the inevitable end of White society following the success of the long march through the institutions. The corrupt liberal regime (Trudeaus I & II, Chretien, Mulroney, Martin and Pearson.) and their appointed judges (all dedicated to DEI) have all but guaranteed the bloodshed that will include them and theirs.
Does any reasonable person not understand now why Alberta and Saskatchewan et al want out of the post national state.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:19 pm, JC of Weston-super-Mare wrote:
Those who called for the release of Alaa Al-Fathead reads like the usual suspects from the board of Libtard Inc, though Paul Mason (former BBC Newsnight commie) must feel flattered to be in such exalted company.
On December 29, 2025 at 4:20 pm, JC of Weston-super-Mare wrote:
Hi Mark, apologies my brain must be in a festive fog. My earlier submission was just a comment not a question so please disregard.
All the very best for you & yours & the MS Club team for 2026.
John Creasey
On December 29, 2025 at 4:20 pm, Teresa Maupin wrote:
Go Mark!!
