There is sadness that comes from feeling isolated in your own community. It is the loneliness of keeping your mouth shut. Of nodding. Of editing yourself because you already know the social cost of candor. Over the years, I have come to a difficult realization: Seattle thinks it is inclusive but may very well be the least inclusive city in America. The WNBA incident was a very typical Seattle moment and didn’t come as a surprise to those of us who live here. This city has remarkable qualities. It is beautiful, economically vibrant, and filled with talented people. But a city is more than its skyline or its natural beauty. A home is where you feel free to be yourself—where you can speak honestly without wondering whether your neighbors, colleagues, or even friends will quietly decide you are a black sheep among swans. I no longer have that feeling here in Washington State. As someone who holds political views outside the prevailing consensus and who openly identifies as a Zionist, I often feel that parts of my identity are not merely disagreed with but are disdained. There is a profound difference between disagreement and exclusion. I welcome debate and expect criticism; what I will never understand is the sense that certain beliefs automatically place someone outside the bounds of what is considered “acceptable” in society. That realization has changed how I think about my future. For the first time, I know I will not spend the rest of my life in Seattle. That is not because I stopped loving the mountains, the water, or the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. It is because I no longer feel welcomed by a culture that believes there is only one way to think; a city cannot truly call itself inclusive if inclusion depends on ideological conformity. I do not write these words out of anger. I write them out of sadness. I wanted Seattle to remain a place of innovation, kindness, and opportunity — I wanted it to succeed. But it needs to rediscover something just as important: the ability to welcome people whose convictions differ from the majority’s. A confident society does not fear dissent. It invites it. That just isn’t the case here, and it starts at the top. From the embarrassing behavior of Seattle Storm owner Celeste Keaton to the inability to confront the problems around homelessness, public drug use, and soft-on-crime policies, the disintegration of this once great city is palpable. When one party controls every lever of state government for decades, it all but eliminates accountability. And anyone who speaks up is branded a bigot, racist, or, in my case, an AIPAC monster and baby killer. Until that happens, many will continue to live as quiet dissenters — carefully measuring our words, concealing ourselves, and wondering whether there is still a place for us in a city that prides itself on celebrating diversity while vilifying diversity of thought. My hope is not that Seattle conforms to my views. My hope is that it becomes more curious. More considerate. More willing to believe that thoughtful, decent people can disagree without becoming enemies. If Seattle truly wants to be known as one of America’s most welcoming cities, it should ask itself a simple question: Is everyone welcome — or only those who think the right way? For me, the answer to that question has become painfully personal. It is why, despite everything I once loved about this city, I know I will never call Seattle my permanent home. *** Jessica Piha is the Senior Communications Director at USAFacts, a nonpartisan not-for-profit civic organization committed to making government data easy for Americans to understand. She resides in Kirkland, Washington, with her dog Evee.

Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio prompted laughter at his Thursday morning press conference, taking a jab at former White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fangio opened his press conference with a reference to Fauci’s grilling on Capitol Hill one day prior — during which the former White House official had repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights — saying that maybe he shouldn’t have to answer any questions either. “Vic, what’s the plan at safety?” one reporter asked. “Is that Marcus’ [Epps] job to lose?” “I’m gonna be like Fauci and just take the Fifth Amendment on all questions,” Fangio laughed, as did several around the room. “Did you guys see that? Oh my God.” After a brief pause, Fangio took on a slightly more serious tone and asked, “What was the question?” The room immediately erupted in laughter again as one reporter, feigning outrage, jokingly accused Fangio of having the Fauci jab “lined up” as his first response regardless of the question. Throughout Wednesday’s hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right in response to every direct question, whether it was a substantive question about the draconian policies he’d foisted on Americans during the COVID pandemic or a simple question about the color of his tie or the rights provided under the Fifth Amendment. At one point, under direct questioning from Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Fauci even refused to turn and face the group of people in the gallery who said they had faced ridicule, cancellation, firings, and worse for daring to question the accepted orthodoxy — largely dictated by Fauci himself — throughout the pandemic.

Vincent Pastore, the veteran character actor best known for portraying Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s acclaimed crime drama “The Sopranos,” has died at the age of 80. Pastore was found dead Saturday at his home in the Bronx after friends became concerned when they had not heard from him for several days, according to multiple reports. His longtime manager, Robert Attermann, confirmed his death in a statement, remembering the actor as both a devoted performer and a loyal friend. “I had the privilege of representing Vinny for more than 30 years, long before ‘The Sopranos’ made him a household name,” Attermann said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable ‘Big Pussy,’ but to those of us who knew him, he was so much more.” Authorities have said there were no signs of criminal activity in the death. Although Pastore built a lengthy career playing gangsters, police officers and other tough-guy characters, he became a television icon through his role as Bonpensiero, one of Tony Soprano’s closest friends whose secret cooperation with the FBI became one of the defining storylines of the series’ early seasons. His character’s death at the end of Season 2 remains one of the show’s most memorable moments, though Pastore later returned in flashbacks and dream sequences throughout the series. Before landing the role that made him famous, Pastore appeared in a number of crime films, including “Goodfellas,” “Carlito’s Way,” “Gotti,” “The Jerky Boys: The Movie,” and “Men of Respect.” He also made appearances in television series including “Law & Order,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Practice,” “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live,” “Hawaii Five-0,” and later competed on reality programs such as “Celebrity Apprentice” and “Dancing With the Stars.” Born in the Bronx on July 14, 1946, Pastore served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War before studying drama at Pace University. He came to acting later in life after working as a nightclub owner, bouncer and chauffeur, eventually building a steady career in film and television. In recent years, Pastore continued acting, appearing in the crime drama “Gravesend” and making a guest appearance on “Yellowjackets.” Pastore and his fellow Sopranos cast members received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2000, with another nomination the following year. Tributes from former co-stars quickly followed news of his death. Actor Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos, remembered Pastore as “a kind hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends.” “This is a hard one for us,” Imperioli wrote on Instagram. “We did lots of work together and traveled all over the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times. Lots of laughs. I will miss him always.” Pastore is survived by his daughter, Renee Pastore.

A heroic bystander jumped into the fray on Saturday, shooting back when someone opened fire in the drive-thru at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho. In video that circulated after the shooting, the gunman was walking in the drive-thru firing at cars as he approached the window. Within a few seconds, a second gun could be heard engaging the shooter, who quickly ran for cover in some nearby bushes.

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White dropped the ball when pressed on whether biological males belong in women’s sports, offering up a classic corporate-style dodge while her own star player, Sophie Cunningham, continues to throw down pure common sense. Asked point-blank about her personal stance on biological men competing in female athletics, White punted faster than an NFL punter on fourth-and-long. “I don’t know that I would say that I’m educated enough from a scientific standpoint. I don’t ever believe that exclusion is an answer. I just don’t,” White hemmed and hawed, falling back on her childhood days of playing with boys because “there weren’t girls’ sports.” Pressed further on whether she would welcome a biological male onto a WNBA roster, White doubled down on the tap-dance: “Again, it’s like, I don’t know… I’m not educated enough in terms of transgender and transitioning to give you a smart answer.” Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White weighs in on the debate over transgender athletes following Sophie Cunningham's comments about keeping biological males out of women's sports, which has sparked rallies ahead of recent games. Asked if she would welcome a biological male into… pic.twitter.com/p7N9g6rJpr — Fox News (@FoxNews) August 1, 2026 White’s soft answer on a hard-hitting issue is irritating, especially when her own locker room features one of the most outspoken defenders of women’s sports in the entire league. At the same press conference, two other players from the team were being interviewed when they were asked about Cunningham’s comments. One of the women, Aliyah Boston, immediately shut down the questions, getting up to leave and muttering, “Have a good day.” A representative for the team interposed, “We’re going to wrap up here.” The Indiana Fever shut down a question about Sophie Cunningham's comments on women's sports before abruptly ending a postgame press conference. After Aliyah Boston answered a separate question, an OutKick reporter attempted to ask Boston about Cunningham's recent remarks on… pic.twitter.com/M80LLCn9jZ — Fox News (@FoxNews) August 2, 2026 While her coach claims she needs more “layered conversations,” Fever guard Sophie Cunningham isn’t hiding behind press-release jargon. Cunningham has spent the past several months cutting through the noise with straightforward reality checks, starting last November when she bluntly agreed with NBA star Michael Porter Jr. that elite eighth-grade boys could likely outplay pro women. “Men are just stronger, bigger, athletic,” Cunningham declared on her podcast. “They just are a different build. So if you put them up against females… yeah, they’re gonna win, duh.” Fast forward to July 2026, and Cunningham hasn’t backed down an inch. In the midst of a league and players’ union heavily leaning into transgender inclusion, she laid it all on the line to ESPN, saying, “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men. … “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest.” Days later, refusing to cave to online critics, she posted a saluting emoji on Instagram with a simple warning to the mob: “I said what I said.” Cunningham’s bold, common-sense stance earned high praise from female sports advocate Riley Gaines and even White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who slammed left-wing critics for being “out of touch” with average Americans on an “80/20 issue.” The battleground over Cunningham’s stance turned downright ugly in late July during a Fever road trip to Seattle. While the WNBA loves to preach about “inclusion,” Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was caught allegedly launching an expletive-laden tirade against two 16-year-old female fans sitting in the stands wearing XX-XY Athletics gear in support of Cunningham. The wild confrontation left one teenager in tears after the adult owner screamed at them and dropped bizarre religious jabs, while nearby fans turned their backs despite sitting under arena banners reading “No Hate in these United States.” The Storm was forced to issue an apology for the owner’s unhinged behavior, which completely overshadowed the action on the hardwood. While coach Stephanie White remains sidelined by political correctness, Cunningham keeps calling it like it is.