The Lead
Mediocrity or Magnifica Humanitas?
by Dennis Speed (EIRNS) — Jul. 22, 2026
We of the trans-Atlantic sector, who have refused to learn the lessons of history—in particular the true history of World War Two, and the assassination of JFK—are, as a result, now being plunged, as of this moment, into a thermonuclear World War Three. Though there are individuals of standing who intend otherwise, there is presently no efficient strategic factor which would reverse the narcissistic self-destruction, of Europe and the United States by the “Epstein Class,” and treasonous-to humanity mascot, Britain’s pre-Satanic, Malthusian, foolish King Charles.
As part of his 1980 Presidential campaign, when the world faced a similar civilizational threat, economist and statesman Lyndon LaRouche wrote an article in March of 1979 called “Why Your Family Died in World War III. “
“On the basis of a series of developments during the past week, it is fair to estimate the odds as being approximately nine to one that you and your family will soon be dead in World War III. Granted, that war could still be prevented. Unfortunately, neither you nor most other citizens have shown the combination of mental and moral qualities required to do what is necessary to prevent the war from occurring. Assuming that you continue to behave as most of you have behaved during past years to date, you and your family will soon be dead.”
People needed then, as they do now, to face the truth. Annie Jacobsen, author of “Nuclear War: A Scenario,” responded in an interview on Tuesday to a question regarding the role of nuclear weapons in the two conflicts (actually one) now under way in Ukraine and Iran. “I believe that nuclear threats are extremely dangerous. This is because I know from looking at Pentagon war games involving nuclear war, that everybody in the Defense Department knows that nuclear war, no matter how it begins, only ends in one way, and that is total apocalyptic annihilation.” There was no follow-up from the interviewers. “Well, Annie, as always, thank you so much for joining us.…”
It is this inaction, including frozen thinking borne of terror, which must be reversed immediately. It is deadly to continued human survival. As Pope Leo XIV says in an opening essay in his just-released book, “To those who risk falling into the temptation to despair before so many ongoing wars in the world, I direct the invitation that Pope Pius XI extended to the whole Church: “Let us thank God that He makes us live among the present problems. It is no longer permitted to anyone to be mediocre.”
To transcend mediocrity requires proposing solution concepts to the present crisis that leave the realm of geopolitics and enter the realm of statecraft and physical economy. The Ten Principles for A New Security And Development Architecture, and the Extended Oasis Plan for Southwest Asia put forward by the Schiller Institute, are now being coupled with actions by individuals and associations that must be focused to be effective. For example, in the just-concluded first round voting on the National Defense Authorization Act in the United States Congress, Reps. Thomas Massie, a Republican, and Democrat Ro Khanna were defeated in their attempt to force a vote on Section 219 of the National Defense Authorization Act, dubbed by organizers of The LaRouche Organization the “Jonathan Pollard U.S.-Israel War Technologies Cooperation Initiative.” The vote was 214 against the Massie-Khanna initiative, and 211 for. Two votes more would have secured victory. But only a handful of people—former Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Independent Presidential Candidate Diane Sare, Bronx Congressional Candidate Jose Vega and a host of bloggers and journalists—mobilized effectively. Others did not. There were excuses: “the Zionist Lobby runs the Congress,” or “look what they did with $30 million to Thomas Massie,” or “the cyber-Wall Street-Silicon Valley-reptilians can’t be beaten.” There was mostly the fear of associating with Lyndon LaRouche even years after his death. Is refusing to associate with Lyndon LaRouche and his ideas worth losing winnable battles like this?
On July 31, Executive Intelligence Review will hold an Emergency Roundtable, “Solve the Immigration Crisis with Development; What You Need to Know About the Strategic Significance of Pope Leo’s Encyclical.” That encyclical’s name is “Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.” The solution concept for stopping nuclear war, and for solving “the immigration problem,” is in starting from the magnificence of human creativity, and its responsibility in the universe. If the mission of humanity—not one part of humanity against another, but humanity as a whole—to transform itself through a polyphonic dialogue with human and non-human nature, is the standpoint from which we approach all elements of the present crisis, then we will find a path out of the otherwise inevitable end that all empires have brought upon themselves. It is a choice that can sometimes rest on the decision of one person acting with the conscience of the entire human race, to inspire the best from humanity. That is what we hope for in presidents, popes and people, and it should be our mission in this moment to rise above ourselves to our true “magnifica humanitas.”
Contents
New World Paradigm
- Lavrov Will Meet With Rubio on the Sidelines of ASEAN Conference (↓)
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Meets with Sec. of State Rubio on Sidelines of the ASEAN Meeting (↓)
- Pope Leo: ‘How a Single Person's Conscience Can Save the World’ (↓)
Strategic War Danger
- Iranian Interior Minister in Pakistan (↓)
- Britain Rejoins the War Against Iran (↓)
- Yemen's Houthis Close Southern End of the Red Sea (↓)
Collapsing Imperial System
- Prison for Hamas Militants To Be Surrounded by a Moat Filled with Crocodiles (↓)
- Israel Heading to a Reset in Upcoming Elections? (↓)
U.S. and Canada
- Mayor Mamdani Says He Cannot Execute Netanyahu Arrest Warrant, but Calls on Federal Government To Do So (↓)
Collapsing Imperial System
Harley Schlanger Update
Watch The Daily Update with Harley Schlanger, a short video update available every weekday morning from The LaRouche Organization.
