How could we have allowed things to deteriorate this badly? For a moment, I want you to imagine that you have just arrived in a major city in a foreign country. Unfortunately, instead of the shiny new buildings and beautiful homes that you expect to see, there is trash, filth and the sound of police sirens everywhere that you go. After walking a few blocks, you stumble upon one of the dozens of open air drug markets that are freely operating in that particular city. Many addicts are lying on the ground wherever they suddenly passed out, others with visible gaping wounds are staggering around like zombies, and you even spot one enterprising addict that has decided to take a dump right in the middle of the street.
Of course there are used needles scattered everywhere, and you try not to step on them. You decide that it is time to leave, but it is already too late, because protesters behind you and in front of you have started to clash with the police. Moments later a police car is set on fire, and you can smell tear gas in the air. Thankfully, you are able to scramble to safety, and eventually you find your way back to your hotel room and lock the door. When you turn on the news to see what they are saying about the chaos in the streets, you are amazed to discover that it is being reported that the protests were “mostly peaceful” and that everything is just fine.
Sadly, what I have just detailed is not a description of a major city in a foreign land.
Rather, it is a description of what daily life is now like in many of the largest cities here in the United States.
For example, just consider what conditions are currently like in the center of Philadelphia. An extremely potent drug known on the street as “tranq” is causing hordes of addicts to literally wander around like zombies…
Doctors in Philadelphia have been given new guidance to help them deal with an influx of patients addicted to animal tranquilizer xylazine – known on the street as ‘tranq’.
An outreach charity is warning that the drug – a muscle relaxant intended for large animals like horses – is leaving users ‘unable to walk’ and with ‘gaping wounds’.
Philadelphia has become the epicenter for xylazine, which has rapidly made its way into the city’s drug supply as a cheap and very potent cutting agent.
One neighborhood in Philly in particular has become world famous for the open air drug market that operates there, and for some reason authorities refuse to shut it down.
And so addicts “are shooting up in broad daylight” right now, and many of them literally have “raw, gaping wounds in desperate need of medical attention”…
The Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia – known as ‘ground zero’ for the city’s drug epidemic – is in crisis due to widespread abuse of an animal tranquilizer called xylazine.
Addicts are shooting up in broad daylight, hunched over in a stupor or passed out on the streets. Many have raw, gaping wounds in desperate need of medical attention. And there are needles, syringes and garbage littered across the sidewalks.
‘I’ve never seen human beings remain in these kinds of conditions,’ said Sarah Laurel, who runs outreach organization Savage Sisters.
Yes, this is really happening in the city of Benjamin Franklin.
What would he think about all of this if he could see us today?
At this point, a whopping 90 percent of the heroin in Philly contains “tranq”, and one study has found that the drug has already spread “to 36 states and D.C.”…
Now more than 90 percent of the heroin now found in Philadelphia contains xylazine. A June study found the drug has spread to 36 states and D.C.
The drug, also known as ‘tranq’, causes a blackout stupor. It also leads to skin damage so severe it resembles chemical burns, plus deep festering wounds that frequently result in amputations.
Some cities have decided that one way to deal with the drug crisis is to start legalizing some of the less potent drugs.
But what the politicians didn’t anticipate is that the illegal trade would continue to operate alongside the legal trade.
In fact, at this point the number of “unlicensed” marijuana stores in New York City far exceeds the number of “licensed” stores…
It’s hard to miss the marijuana shops on almost every block in New York City.
According to the NYPD, more than 1,300 illegal marijuana stores are selling pot without a license.
“I admit, I don’t think we ever talked about this scenario happening,” St. Senator Liz Krueger said.
As drugs, crime, violence and chaos take over in our largest cities, some big corporations are deciding that now is the time to move out.
For instance, we just learned that the city of Seattle has just lost “its downtown Nike flagship store and multiplex movie theater”…
Crime-ridden Seattle has lost its downtown Nike flagship store and multiplex movie theater as crime runs rampant and the number of homeless people dying soars.
The Rain City’s downtown area suffered its latest blow on Friday when the popular Nike store, located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pike Street, shut its doors for good.
Nike’s exit came right after Regal Cinemas announced it would reject the lease of the Meridian 16 multiplex located on Seventh Avenue and Pike Street.
Many years ago, my wife and I visited downtown Seattle during the middle of the day.
It was a little sketchy, but we watched our backs and stayed out of trouble.
Sadly, I would not make a similar trip today.
And if you go into the heart of many of our major cities at night, you are literally taking your life into your hands.
Over the weekend, extremely violent clashes in Atlanta between police and Antifa activists made headlines all over the nation…
On Saturday night, Antifa members took to the streets of Atlanta to throw rocks at and light fires outside of the Atlanta Police Foundation after the now-suspended Atlanta Forest Twitter account called for a “night of rage” following the fatal shooting of one of their members, 26-year-old Manuel Esteban Paez Teran.
The Post Millennial Editor-at-Large Andy Ngo tweeted, “Breaking: Far-left extremists & #Antifa gathering for revenge against law enforcement in #Atlanta over the killing of their gunman at their autonomous zone smashed up businesses & set an @Atlanta_Police vehicle on fire.”
This sort of thing has become increasingly common, but we keep being told that all of this is perfectly normal.
And even though we were literally watching footage of the police vehicle that Antifa had just set on fire, the mainstream media just kept insisting that what we were witnessing in Atlanta were “mostly peaceful” protests.
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1617168065908834305
"Largely peaceful protest"
Ignore the cop car on fire in the background pic.twitter.com/mcRl0musaX
— AntifaWatch (@AntifaWatch2) January 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1616994446352187394
Yes, it was all so very peaceful.
So there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
In fact, if you live in Atlanta you may want to try one of the downtown restaurants for a late dinner tonight.
To me, the kicker was that some of the rioters that were arrested actually had explosives on them…
A protest in downtown Atlanta over a police shooting turned into a riot on Saturday night, as hooligans attacked the office tower home to the Atlanta Police Foundation, damaged other structures, and torched a police vehicle. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told reporters police arrested six people — and some of the ones arrested had explosives.
Since they are leftist protesters, they have likely already been released on bail, and the charges against them will probably be quietly dropped in a few weeks when nobody will notice.
But the even bigger story is how rapidly our society is degenerating now.
We have been warned for years that our major cities were degenerating into crime-ridden, drug-infested hellholes, and at this point no rational person can deny what is happening.
The United States was once a beacon of light for the rest of the world, but now we have become a cautionary tale.
We are showing everyone precisely what not to do, and conditions in our streets just continue to get even worse with each passing day.
***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***
About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com. In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned) When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends. Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.
I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.
I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.
Article cross-posted from End of the American Dream.
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Starting the Day With a Scripture-Inspired Roast Helps Center Your Thoughts on Eternal Truths Amid Temporal Pressures
The world can seem chaotic, especially right after we wake up. Many believers start their mornings reaching for something familiar — a hot cup of coffee — yet end up settling for mediocre brews that do little more than deliver a caffeine jolt. The daily grind of life, with its endless distractions, news cycles, and responsibilities, can leave even the most faithful feeling spiritually parched alongside their physical fatigue. What if your morning ritual could do more than wake you up? What if it could ground you in truth, nourish your body with exceptional quality, and quietly advance a kingdom purpose at the same time?
That’s the promise — and the reality — behind Promised Grounds Coffee. This Christian-founded company doesn’t just roast beans; it approaches every step as an act of worship and discipleship. By selecting only the top 10% of specialty-grade beans, ethically sourced from dedicated farmers in Central and South America, and small-batch roasting them with reverence in Austin, Texas, Promised Grounds delivers what many describe as the best coffee available — never burnt, never bland, but rich with origin stories and layered flavors that honor God’s creation.
From the vibrant Psalm 27 Roast (a light, bright medium option) to the bold yet peaceful 2 Timothy 1:7 Decaf, each bag carries a Scripture verse that turns your daily pour into a gentle reminder of faith. And through their Ounce Per Ounce Promise, every ounce of coffee you enjoy provides an equal ounce of clean water to families in need via partnership with Filter of Hope — literally brewing hope for body and soul, one cup at a time.
The challenge for today’s Christians runs deeper than finding a decent cup. In an age of convenience-driven consumerism, it’s easy to support companies that dilute values or remain silent on matters of faith. Many believers want their everyday choices — from what they drink to how they spend — to reflect discipleship rather than just convenience. Promised Grounds solves this by weaving Christian excellence into the entire process: beans nurtured with prayerful stewardship by farming families, roasted as an offering rather than a commodity, and packaged with Bible verses to encourage a mindset of gratitude and purpose from the first sip. Reviewers consistently praise the smooth, rich profiles — whether enjoyed black in a drip maker, iced on a warm day, or shared in fellowship — noting how the quality stands toe-to-toe with premium secular brands while delivering something far more meaningful.
This integration of faith and flavor addresses a real need in Christian households and ministries. Busy parents, church leaders, and remote workers alike report that starting the day with a Scripture-inspired roast helps center their thoughts on eternal truths amid temporal pressures. The coffee’s exceptional character — bright citrus notes in lighter roasts or deep chocolate undertones in bolder ones — comes from meticulous selection and careful roasting that respects the bean’s natural gifts rather than masking them. It’s the kind of coffee that elevates a simple quiet time, fuels productive workdays, or sparks meaningful conversations when shared at Bible studies or outreach events. And because it’s ethically sourced with integrity, every purchase supports sustainable livelihoods for farmers who treat their crops like family harvests.
For those leading churches or small groups, the impact multiplies. Promised Grounds offers bundles and options perfect for hospitality ministries, turning ordinary coffee service into an opportunity to point people toward the living water of Christ. Imagine greeting visitors with a warm cup whose very bag carries God’s Word — a subtle yet powerful witness that aligns with the Great Commission. The company’s Texas roots and commitment to “brewing hope” resonate especially with believers who value American enterprise paired with global compassion.
Of course, quality alone isn’t enough if the experience feels out of reach. Promised Grounds keeps it accessible with practical perks like free shipping on orders over $40, sample sets for discovering favorites, and thoughtful add-ons such as faith-themed mugs. Whether you prefer whole beans for fresh grinding, grounds for convenience, or even bulk options for larger households and ministries, the result is consistently superior coffee that makes discipleship feel integrated rather than added on.
As you consider how to align even the smallest habits with your walk with God, Promised Grounds Coffee stands out as a refreshing solution. It tackles the dual problems of subpar daily sustenance and disconnected consumption by offering a product that genuinely excels in taste while advancing a mission of clean water, farmer dignity, and scriptural encouragement. Believers who make the switch often describe it as more than a beverage upgrade — it becomes part of their rhythm of gratitude, a daily invitation to remember that every good gift comes from above.
If you’re ready to transform your mornings (and perhaps your church gatherings) with coffee that honors both exceptional craftsmanship and Christian values, I encourage you to explore what Promised Grounds has to offer. One sip at a time, you’ll be nourishing your body, refreshing your spirit, and participating in something far greater — all while enjoying what truly is among the best coffee available.