Virginia and SPLC Hate You| 4/23/26

In this high-energy episode of The Steve Deace Show, host Steve Deace and guest Todd Erzner deliver a blistering critique of both the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the political landscape in Virginia, framing them as emblematic of a broader cultural war. Deace argues that the SPLC, once a respected civil rights organization, has become a Marxist instrument of social engineering, now operating as a modern-day Stasi through its watch lists and cultural condemnation. This is underscored by a federal indictment against the SPLC on 11 counts of fraud, which Deace sees as proof of the enemy's willingness to go to extreme lengths. He contrasts this with the recent Virginia referendum, where he claims the left flooded the airwaves with pro-referendum messaging while the Republican Party remained silent, resulting in a narrow loss. Deace asserts that the social compact has been broken and that Christians must now fight back with the same ferocity their opponents display. The episode then pivots to a deep dive into just war theory, applying it to Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Deace and Erzner analyze whether the war meets the criteria of just cause, legitimate authority, right intention, last resort, reasonable hope of success, and proportionality. While they affirm the war’s just cause and legitimacy, they express deep skepticism about the reasonable hope of success due to America’s lack of national resolve and the absence of a clear post-regime plan. The episode concludes with a call to action: the American people must reclaim their moral and strategic courage to win the war against ideological tyranny.