Operation Northern Lights Saving Children at Christmas plus Santa Too White, Too Male

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: Operation Northern Lights Saving Children at Christmas plus Santa Too White, Too Male
Date: December 25, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson (Premiere Networks)

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Episode Overview

In this special Christmas Day episode, Ben Ferguson delves into two hot-button issues:

1. The triumphant rescue of 43 missing children in Florida—Operation Northern Lights—and the Trump administration’s role in combating child trafficking and abduction.
2. The growing cultural backlash against traditional depictions of Santa Claus, as a UK museum draws headlines with its call to "decolonize" Santa, branding him “too white and too male.”

Throughout, Ferguson provides his signature unapologetic conservative perspective, highlighting perceived ideological battles over faith, family, and American values.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Operation Northern Lights: Rescuing Missing Children

[03:16 – 08:45]

• Holiday Reflection: Ben opens by reflecting on the importance of spending holidays with family and the tragedy faced by parents whose children are missing or abducted.

  • “There are an awful lot, unfortunately, of people out there that they don't have their kids. They are kids that are lost. They are kids that have been abducted... forced into sex trafficking and slavery.” (04:00)

• Federal Action / Policy Critique:

  • Credits the current administration (Trump) for prioritizing the recovery of abducted children, contrasting it with previous administrations whom he accuses of neglect.
  • Ties the crisis to the southern border, claiming lax border policies and poor vetting heightened risks for children.
  • “A lot of this was because of minors that we released to people that we did not vet in this country with our wide open southern borders.” (04:30)

• News Coverage:

  • Plays a Fox 10 News segment on the recovery of 43 missing children in Florida as part of Operation Northern Lights.
  • Local news reports that rescued children ranged from 1.5 to 17 years old, with cases spanning across multiple states and involving potential child trafficking.
  • U.S. Marshals Representative: “This was the largest missing child operation ever conducted in northern Florida… 43 children will now be home safe for the holidays.” (05:51)
  • “The children that were saved were critically missing, meaning they were at risk of violent crimes or other serious harms like drugs, sexual exploitation, domestic violence or crime exposure.” (06:31)

• Parental Responsibility:

  • Authorities urge parents to stay vigilant and involved in their children’s lives.
  • “Always know what your child is doing, who they are associating with, and be involved in their lives.” (07:22)

• Ferguson’s Critique of Political Opponents:

  • Ben repeatedly chastises the previous administration for “looking the other way” and alleges their policies were politically motivated to expand their voter base.
  • “Why is it the last administration completely looked the other way?...They wanted to fundamentally change this country. They wanted to bring in as many illegal immigrants as humanly possible... so then they would gain power.” (07:42)

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2. The “Woke” War on Santa Claus

[08:46 – 16:07]

• The “Decolonizing Santa” Controversy:

  • Ben introduces a report from the Brighton Hub museums in the UK calling for a revision of Santa Claus, criticizing him as "too white and too male.”
  • Museums suggest “decolonizing” Father Christmas by featuring a more diverse Santa, equal partnership with Mrs. Claus, and abolishing the “naughty and nice list” as oppressive.
  • “Woke museum has now issued a guide to decolonizing Santa. They call it Father Christmas. If you thought the left was going to just sit by quietly as we try to celebrate the birth of Jesus and…just have a normal straight Santa Claus, yeah, you’d be wrong.” (08:46)

• Museum’s Recommendations (Satirically Summarized by Ferguson):

  • Santa should work “alongside” his elves as equals.
  • Mrs. Christmas should have a more prominent role.
  • The naughty/nice list perpetuates colonial attitudes by placing Santa as the moral judge of all children.
  • Advocate for Santa to learn about and celebrate global traditions.
  • “This is your tax dollars at work there. The post was written by the museum's joint head of cultural change and defines historical records…” (10:17)

• Ferguson’s Analysis:

  • Draws a parallel between the attack on Santa and attacks on faith or Christianity, suggesting this is part of a broader agenda against traditional values.
  • Accuses leftists of hypocrisy—simultaneously preaching tolerance while fostering division and resentment.
  • “Like there's a clear direct attack being made on faith and Christianity here. Like who are you to say what is right and wrong, what's good and evil? Let's undermine this and then we can undermine the rest.” (12:50)
  • Points out the significant government funding ($1.2 million) for the museum’s initiative and features pushback from British politicians.
  • “At a time of goodwill and festive cheer, it seems woke do-gooders would rather everybody was miserable…this is the worst possible use of taxpayers funds.” (14:52 - quoting MP Sir Alec Shelbrook)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Government Responsibility:

  “Thank goodness this administration is fighting hard to bring those kids back home… The Trump administration is making sure that other kids know we're not going to stop looking for you. We're going to find you and we're going to bring you to safety.”
  — Ben Ferguson (03:16)

• On Santa and Cultural Narratives:

  “Santa is not just a man that they say is too male. I'm not making this up. But they also say that Santa is just too white... If you want to know why London has fallen and the UK has fallen, this is why.”
  — Ben Ferguson (08:46)

• On Broader Social Attacks:

  “There’s a direct correlation…in the same type of criticism that you hear from people about Christianity, about believing in God... Like, who are you to say what is right and wrong?”
  — Ben Ferguson (12:50)

• On Use of Public Funds:

  “This is the worst possible use of taxpayers funds.”
  — Quoting MP Sir Alec Shelbrook (14:52)

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Important Timestamps for Segment Reference

• [03:16]: Ben introduces Episode and the two main stories.
• [03:57 – 08:45]: Comprehensive discussion on Operation Northern Lights.
• [05:37 – 07:22]: News audio on child rescue operation and analysis.
• [08:46 – 16:07]: Discussion on the “decolonizing Santa” initiative in the UK.
• [10:17]: Critique on taxpayer funding for cultural changes.
• [12:50]: Ferguson’s extended commentary on “attacks” on tradition, faith, and morality.
• [14:52]: Quote from MP Sir Alec Shelbrook on “woke do-gooders” and misuse of funds.

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Summary Flow and Tone

• Ferguson keeps a brisk, urgent pace, weaving news clips and his own commentary.
• Tone is openly partisan, combative, and peppered with sarcasm (“I wish I was joking…”).
• The host, while often editorializing, supplies news updates, outside audio, and reactions—blending reporting with culture war rhetoric.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The 47 Morning Update offers a blend of real-world reporting on child safety successes and fiery critique of culture war dynamics, especially as they escalate during the Christmas season. Ben Ferguson’s approach frames current events through the lens of traditional values activism, emphasizing vigilance on both policy and cultural fronts.

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Transcript

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

And what do you want from Santa?

[News Reporter]

A Kindle.

[Ben Ferguson]

Oh, wow. That's pretty good. Well, you must be a high IQ person. We need more high IQ people in the country, so we definitely need more high IQ.

[Ben Ferguson (Intro/Outro)]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, Merry Christmas. It's so nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. And we've got two big stories for you this morning. 43 missing Florida children have been recovered in what is being described as Operation Northern Lights. It is bringing children home for the holidays. And the Trump administration is making sure that other kids know we're not going to stop looking for you. We're going to find you and we're going to bring you to safety. We're also going to deal with a new problem with Santa. Apparently he's too white and too male. I wish I was joking, but this is what the left is doing to Santa on Christmas. It's a 47 morning update and it starts right now.

[Ben Ferguson (Intro/Outro)]

Story number one, during the holidays, we.

[Ben Ferguson]

All are about, at least I am. And I think probably the majority of you spending time with your family, right? Your kids, your grandkids, your loved ones, your family members. You may not realize, but there are an awful lot, unfortunately, of people out there that they don't have their kids. They are kids that are lost. They are kids that have been abducted. There are kids that have been forced into sex trafficking and slavery. There are a lot of parents out there that have kids that have been kidnapped, that are exploited. Thank goodness this administration is fighting hard to bring those kids back home to get them out of these horrible conditions. A lot of this was because of minors that we released to people that we did not vet in this country with our wide open southern borders. That's part of the problem and what many people should be very angry about. Now, I say that to play for you, some of the successes that we're having that aren't getting the coverage this is coming out of Fox 10 local news coverage talking about missing children that were found across Florida and what they referred to as Operation Northern Lights. This was not happening under the last regime, but this president has made it clear we will hunt you down and find you and we're going to Find the children. Well, they found 43 missing children in Florida so far in Operation Northern Lights. And here's how. The local media covering it, the national media not touching it. And you got to ask yourself the question why?

[News Reporter]

This video taken by the Leon County Sheriff's Office in Florida shows federal agents and law enforcement officers working behind the scenes to rescue dozens of critically missing children.

[U.S. Marshals Representative]

This was the largest missing child operation ever conducted in northern Florida. And we're very proud to say that 43 children will now be home safe for the holidays.

[News Reporter]

According to the U.S. marshals, through Operation Northern Light, children ranging from 1 and a half to 17 years old were reunited with their families. Of Those include a 115 and 17 year old missing out of Okaloosa County. The 1 and 17 year old were rescued by U.S. marshals outside Jackson, Mississippi. The agency says one person was arrested for interfering with child custody. The U.S. marshals say the 15 year old and the child's abductor were found in Ocala. The adult was arrested and charged with interference with child custody. Greg Legedall, acting U.S. marshal for the Northern District of Florida, say the children that were saved were critically missing, meaning they were at risk of violent crimes or other serious harms like drugs, sexual exploitation, domestic violence or crime exposure.

[U.S. Marshals Representative]

During the course of the operation, we ended up recovering children from multiple states, including Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. We had a lot of these cases that could potentially lead to charges of human trafficking, of interference with child custody in just a lot of really, really bad situations that these children had found themselves in.

[News Reporter]

Lil Jadal says this wouldn't have been possible without the help of state law enforcement and local agencies, including Pensacola pd. Lil Jedal says the biggest takeaway from this operation is to always know what your child is doing, who they are associated associating with, and be involved in their lives.

[Ben Ferguson]

By the way, where was this help in the last administration? You think about this, 43 missing children that are now going to be reunited with their families for the holidays who are, as they described it, critically missing, meaning they were at risk of violent crimes, serious harm like drugs, sexual exploitation, domestic violence or crime exposure. Why is it the last administration completely looked the other way? They didn't care. They wanted to fundamentally change this country. They wanted to bring in as many illegal immigrants as humanly possible. And the reason why they wanted to bring them in is simple because then they would gain power and hopefully their votes one day they would gain the votes, their friends that can vote. That's also really, really important that you understand that. And this goes Back to, I think the President of the United States of America saying, we're going to find these kids. We're not going to look the other way. We will find them. We will protect them.

[Ben Ferguson (Intro/Outro)]

Now story number two.

[Ben Ferguson]

Two white and two male. Woke museum has now issued a guide to decolonizing Santa. They call it Father Christmas. If you thought the left was going to just sit by quietly as we try to celebrate the birth of Jesus and, you know, just have a normal straight Santa Claus, yeah, you'd be wrong. Santa is not just a man that they say is too male. I'm not making this up. But they also say that Santa is just too white. There are just three of the major accusations of a Woke museum that is made about Father Christmas and a bizarre guide to decolonizing the man in red, white and, well, he's a dude. So that just immediately he's already in trouble. It is also demanding that Santa be more understanding and nicer to naughty children lest they they'll quote, unquote oppress. I'm not making this up. It's truly awesome. The sun reports that the Brighton Hub museums in the UK is the same people arresting people for putting out tweets right now that are not like terroristic threats or just straight up like words against. The government published a new report on its website suggesting that Santa, okay, should work alongside his elves on the presents production line to show that they are equals. If you want to know why London has fallen and the UK has fallen, this is why. Mrs. Christmas should also emerge from the shadows and take her place at his side at a time when Christmas is being reassessed in many parts of the world as a symbol of everything. It was never designed to be a part of the group, granted. Over 1.2 million of taxpayer cash in October says Santa's naughty and nice list is teaching children the colonizers has the power to judge all people. And the time has come to right the wrongs of centuries of disinformation and hurtful attitudes. So this is your tax dollars at work there. The post was written by the museum's joint head of cultural change and defines historical records which show Father Christmas first appeared in English folklore is a spirit of winter and universal good cheer in the 15th century. So having a naughty list now apparently changes all that. So you're white, that's a strike against you. You're male, that's a strike against you. And the fact that you're applying that there's like some sort of good or evil or good and bad or naughty or nice. Yeah, you're done. We can't have any of that now. He is was referencing the carols of Sir Christmas. But the character, they say became a distinct personification of Christmas feasting in the 17th century, notably, and they say in pamphlets and plays as a symbol against Puritan bands on Christmas. The mystical figure when then evolved into the modern gift giver in the Victorian era when merging with the American Santa Claus figure. The Woke post redefined Santa and points out a host of quote, problems with the accepted character. Reading the tale of a white western Santa who judges all children's behavior has problems. This is literally from their website. I wish I was joking. I'm not. Quote, as he visits each nation, he determines if the children deserve presents based on being naughty or nice. But who decided Santa should be the judge of children's behavior in every community? Now, let me just pause there and explain to you that sentence and what the real underlying issue is here. You notice there's a direct correlation that we're witnessing in the way that this is being described in the same type of criticism that, that you hear from people about Christianity, about believing in God, believing in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. This is the same type of undermining and attacks that you hear in this scenario. And why, right? Like why would this be a thing, right? Like why would this actually be said the way that it was said? Because these are the same people that say there is no God and that there is no right and wrong and that you just always find your own way as they describe it, right? Everyone finds their own way that you can do whatever you believe in, you can do whatever you want to do, you can do whatever you think is, is, is your right, your truth. Right? Right. It's, it's, it's all that, right? Over and over and over and over and over again. We see this. Now what's also interesting is while this is happening, we see the left do what they do when it comes to hateful rhetoric towards law and order, hateful rhetoric against ICE agents, for example, in this country or law enforcement UK or those that are standing, securing our borders, right? Like the left has no problem going just like pure rage and has no problem going pure, just anger, like, just like genuine, genuine anger and bigotry and hatred. Like the list goes on and on. That, that is something that I think is really important part as well for people to understand is that this is the future of these bigots and they go Santa. Because it's pushing their bigger agenda moment. It's, it's it's, it's pushing bigger just hatred towards anyone that believes in faith or in God and that's why they describe it this way. Quote as he visits each nation, he determines if the children deserve presence based on being naughty or nice. But who decides Santa should be the judge of children's behavior in every community? Like there's a clear direct attack being made on faith and Christianity here. Like who are you to say what is right and wrong, what's good and evil? Let's undermine this and then we can undermine the rest. Now they also this group who got over 1.2 million of taxpayer doll tells parents Santa should be a more diverse character who celebrates cultural exchange, quote unquote. Have Santa learn about different cultures rather than judge them. Stories could show him experiencing their traditions. Santa should include some Mother Christmases with the posted adding patriarchy and colonialism went hand in hand. The sun report noted that senior Tory MP said one of them, Sir Alec Shelbrook said, quote, at a time of goodwill and festive cheer, it seems woke do gooders would rather everybody was miserable then went on to say, quote this is the worst possible use of taxpayers funds. Like I could not agree more. Why should $1.2 million go to a group that is this angry and this hateful and say and again, it's attack on men that are white. It is attack on men in general. So that's another problem. Like it's not just it's men in general as well. So it's white men, men in general. And the list goes on and on. And this is what they believe. Like this is the whole ball game for them. 1 877-38-1388 1118773813811 this is why I always tell people, watch where your tax dollars go. Watch what your tax dollars are being used for. Watch what your tax dollars are funding. Because the easiest way for your tax dollars to be abused against what we believe in is to do exactly what you just heard there. Like this is the easiest way for that to become a reality.

[Ben Ferguson (Intro/Outro)]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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Pressure is coming down.

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