The Brew: Justice for Laken Riley, a Capitol Hill Victory for Women, and Karens at a Minnesota Hospital Cry Over Free Chick-fil-A
Happy Thursday!
Today’s Brew opens with the bittersweet taste of justice.
Laken Riley’s Killer Found Guilty
The illegal immigrant from Venezuela who was practically given a limo ride into the country by the Biden administration — and was literally flown by them to Georgia — has been found guilty on 10 counts in the savage murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, whose body was found in late February in the woods on the University of Georgia campus. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old gang member, now faces life in prison without parole after mushy Athens District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez ruled out pursuing the death penalty.
Can we agree that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, along with “border czar” Kamala Harris and the man who allowed them to fling open the border to the deadliest of criminals, are unindicted co-conspirators?
President-Elect Donald Trump celebrated the verdict on Truth Social Wednesday, adding, “Although the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this can help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for justice, and to ensure that other families don’t have to go through what they have. We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. “
Child-Killer Susan Smith Denied Parole
Meanwhile, another cold-blooded killer, Susan Smith of South Carolina, was denied parole in a unanimous decision by the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services board. Thirty years ago, Smith deliberately drowned her two sons, Michael, 3, and Alex, 1, in a lake.
Things You Never Would Have Needed to Say 10 Years Ago
During yesterday’s serving of Al’s Afternoon Tea, we discussed Rep. Nancy Mace’s new bill aiming to keep men out of women’s facilities on Capitol Hill, regardless of how they identify. It came a day after Mace pushed a bill or a rules requirement that would ban males from women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill.
On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson gave Mace the victory and said what nobody would have needed to say 10 years ago:
“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex.”
Speaker Johnson: “All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings – such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms – are reserved for individuals of that biological sex.” pic.twitter.com/r8lkOzafDU
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) November 20, 2024
This means newly elected transgender member Sarah McBride of Delaware will have to use the men’s room or the bathroom in his office. McBride has agreed to abide by the rule.
Expect to hear an uproar about this from the same people who don’t bat an eye when staffers film gay porn in congressional hearing rooms.
More Things You Never Would Have Heard 10 Years Ago
A hospital in Tim Walz’s Minnesota has profusely apologized to its staff for … wait for it … serving them a free meal from Chick-fil-A.
The senior vice president for regional operations at Essential Health wrote to the staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center after some staffers were offended by the choice of Chick-fil-A because the restaurant chain’s owners adhere to traditional values.
“We have received feedback from some colleagues who were concerned or offended by this occurrence, and we value colleagues feeling comfortable expressing their reservations,” Tammy Kritzer, senior vice president for regional operations at Essentia Health, wrote in an email obtained by The Daily Wire.
“We would like to thank our colleagues who had the courage to speak up to widen our lens of inclusivity, and we appreciate all colleagues continuing to live our values of respect and justice.
“In the words of Maya Angelou, when we know better, we do better,” the email concluded. “Thank you for giving us grace, as we work to be better, together.”
Giving them grace? The company gave the staff a delicious meal for free. If they didn’t like the restaurant, they could just as easily have chosen not to eat it.
U.S. Approves Landmines for Ukraine?
Right after giving Ukraine the green light to send U.S.-made long-range missiles deep into Russian territory, the Biden administration has approved Ukraine’s use of anti-personnel landmines.
So far, 164 countries have signed onto the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty prohibiting the use of landmines, and human rights groups are not pleased with Biden’s decision, citing the risk to civilian populations. However, one administration source told the Washington Post, “Russia uses them anyway.” (And everyone’s mom says, “If Timmy jumped off the roof, would you do it, too?”) Seriously, this is another sudden escalation of U.S. involvement in the war as Biden’s term runs down its final weeks.
Post Millennium makes a crucial point about Biden’s latest policy reversal in the Ukraine-Russian war: “During his time overseeing the war in Ukraine, Biden has promised that the US would not send F-16 fighter jets, Abrams Tanks, long-range missiles like ATACMS, cluster bombs or Claymores, or put US forces in Ukraine. All of these promises have since been broken.”
How much farther might we slide before January 20?
Trump Taps Matt Whitaker for NATO Ambassador
Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has been selected by Donald Trump as his administration’s new ambassador to NATO. Trump described the chrome-domed Whitaker as a “strong warrior and patriot” who will “strengthen relationships with our NATO allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to peace and stability.”
Make America Rock Again: Is Trump Peddling Guitars?
If you thought the Trump sneakers were something, check out the “Trump Guitar” the president-elect is now peddling. At first we thought it was a joke, but there it was, posted by the man himself on Truth Social. The guitars come in both electric and acoustic models. The “American Eagle” series is adorned with the flag and American bald eagle, with “Make America Great Again” inlaid “in authentic pearl” on the neck.
We’re sure the incoming president is getting a lot of requests for various things right now, but we didn’t think “Play ‘Freebird’” would be one of them.
Seriously, the season of playing sad ukuleles is over. America is plugging back in, strapping on a six-string and cranking it to 11.
For those about to rock, we salute you.
Along the Stream
Reflecting on the election results, Nolan Lewallen asks, “Was It a Red Wave, or a God Wave?”
Stream contributor Jules Gomes reflects further on “The Rise and Fall of ‘Woke Welby,’ The Arch-Virtue Signaler of Canterbury (Part 2).”
Al Perrotta is The Stream’s Washington bureau chief, coauthor with John Zmirak of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration, and coauthor of the counterterrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.