Happy Wednesday!

Grab those travel cups and let’s make a quick run to the border before we circle back to one of the most iconic photos in American history.

But first, most of the Super Tuesday results are in. We’ll have more later today, but Donald Trump made a huge move toward securing the GOP nomination last night. He wasn’t able to light up the victory cigar at press time, but he’s gotten close enough to take off the wrapper.

We included some other campaign-related news in our Resolute preview, “Super Tuesday is Underway While Michelle Obama Says ‘No Way’ to 2024 Run.”

White House Admits to Flying More Than 300,000 Illegals Around the Country to Lessen Border Crossing Numbers

There are a couple of ways to reduce the number of people illegally crossing the border into our nation: One is to secure the border. That’s what sane countries do. (A 10-year-old can figure that one out. “Why can’t you just put up a fence or something?”) Or you can do what the Biden administration now admits to doing: Simply arrange flights for “refugees” from foreign countries. That way they don’t even have to get their feet wet in the Rio Grande.

According to the Daily Mail, a new FOIA noncompliance lawsuit against Customs and Border Patrol reveals the CBP One app has been used to secretly fly at least 320,000 undocumented aliens into at least 43 U.S. airports.

So while Americans can’t get anywhere thanks to the dysfunctional domestic air travel industry, illegal immigrants have smooth flights. Will someone in the White House take seriously our suggestion to have Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg switch jobs?!

Meanwhile, Biden’s former U.S. Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz dropped a bomb on Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes, saying that in the two years he spent in that role, with 21,000 people under his command, “I’ve never had one conversation with the president or the vice president. That’s a problem.”

If he wanted to talk to The Big Guy, maybe he should have said he was one of Hunter’s foreign business associates.

Department of Education Fines Christian School for Safety Violations While Jewish Students Fear for Their Lives on Campuses Nationwide

Who just got fined $14 million by the U.S. Department of Education for safety-related infractions? The university where a student was just savagely murdered by an illegal immigrant? The Ivy League schools where Jewish students and guest speakers fear daily for their lives because of threats from pro-Hamas, pro-genocidal mobs? Or a top Christian university which had some problems with paperwork?

You know the answer.

The Education Department is fining Liberty University $14 million for safety violations as part of a settlement agreement, including a failure to properly report crime statistics. Liberty thinks they’ve been railroaded.

School administrators admit there were “numerous deficiencies” in the past, and that it has spent more than $10 million since 2022 on corrective measures and ensuring compliance with statistical report requirements, timely warnings, and emergency notifications.

However, Liberty insists:

In the report, many of the Department’s methodologies, findings, and calculations were drastically different from their historic treatment of other universities. Liberty disagrees with this approach and maintains that we have repeatedly endured selective and unfair treatment by the Department.

Christians unduly targeted by this administration? Next you’ll be telling me they’re jailing pro-lifers just for singing hymns.

Meanwhile, just last week, a raging mob of 200 at UC Berkeley shut down a Jewish guest speaker and assaulted attendees and organizers. As the American Enterprise Institute noted, attacks on Jewish students on campus continue unabated, despite not being widely reported.

Unbelievable: VA Tried to Cancel Historic V-J Day Photo

More than 111,000 Americans died or went missing in four years of combat with the Japanese in World War II. In the same time span, another 253,142 were wounded.

On August 15, 1945 — better known as V-J Day — Japan surrendered and World War II officially ended. Euphoria erupted nationwide. When the news hit Times Square, Americans threw whatever they were holding into the air and hugged anyone within reach. A young sailor grabbed a young nurse for a celebratory smooch, a moment photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captured to create one of the most iconic and evocative images of the era — a kiss symbolizing our fighting men returning home to their loved ones.

Who would mess with that?

Last month, the Veterans Administration tried to erase the photo from VA facilities nationwide. Why? Because the sailor hadn’t asked the young lady’s permission beforehand. VA administrative head RimaAnne Nelson wrote in a memo:

The photograph, which depicts a nonconsensual act, is inconsistent with the VA’s no-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and assault. To foster a more trauma-informed environment that promotes the psychological safety of our employees and the veterans we serve, photographs depicting the “V-J Day in Times Square” should be removed from all Veterans Health Administration facilities.

A group called EndWokeness discovered the memo, tweeting it Tuesday:

EXCLUSIVE:

The Department Of Veterans Affairs just BANNED the V-J Day kiss photo from all department facilities.

"To promote a culture of inclusivity and awareness… your cooperation is vital." pic.twitter.com/MZfNHbpV76

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 5, 2024

The uproar was from conservatives was instantaneous. And in the fastest military retreat that doesn’t involve the French, Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough reversed the decision. “Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities – and we will keep it in VA facilities.” VA officials added the predictable declaration that the memo should not have been sent out.

Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities – and we will keep it in VA facilities. pic.twitter.com/dYSikLxHAJ

— Secretary Denis McDonough (@SecVetAffairs) March 5, 2024

Kudos to EndWokeness for getting hold of the memo and helping the VA return to their senses.

Along The Stream

As promised, our new capo di capi Karla Dial has posted a letter to readers. It’s called “Editor’s Letter: Aiming The Stream.” She ends by saying, “Let me know how you think we’re doing as we go along. You can reach me anytime at [email protected].”

If you missed the news of her arrival Friday, here’s our welcome.

Coming up at 9 a.m. Eastern, barring any surprises, Timothy Furnish looks deep at Dune: Part 2. “What Good is a Messiah Without a God?”

 

Al Perrotta is managing editor of The Stream, coauthor with John Zmirak of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and coauthor of the counterterrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.