Starting A Family “Once upon a time‚ two teenagers fell in love‚ graduated‚ got married‚ started life as a young military family‚ and had their first child—a beautiful daughter—at the young age of 21 years old. Our daughter‚ Abigayle‚ is so loved and cherished! She was the light of our lives and made us a perfect family‚ but we longed to give her a sibling to grow up with. In fact‚ our big wish was for a large family with many children‚ but that would prove to be a great challenge. Ever since I can remember‚ the one thing in life I wanted most of all was to be a mother. I imagined a house full of children‚ busy productive lives‚ and lots of love to go around. I had career goals and dreams of what I would do to earn income. I wanted to be educated and a role model for my own daughters‚ but it was always going to take a back seat to raising a family. However‚ after a first easily-attained pregnancy‚ secondary infertility took over our lives. Infertility &; Loss I had irregular cycles‚ multiple surgical procedures‚ hormone therapies‚ and (later) a diagnosis of PCOS. I had been a stay-at-home mom and ran an in-home daycare‚ but infertility treatments are expensive‚ so I took a job working outside the home. After 2 years of hormone treatments without success‚ it was time to take a break. Low and behold‚ I actually got pregnant on my own. We were overjoyed!This pregnancy was rough almost from the start. At the end of the first trimester‚ I began to bleed heavily. Certain it was a miscarriage‚ I was rushed to the ER with a diagnosis of placental abruption. (This happens when the placenta detaches from the uterine wall and then re-attaches.) My irregular bleeding was caused by a large clot that had formed. By some miracle‚ my baby girl’s heart was still beating and the rest of the pregnancy was spent dangerously and profusely bleeding throughout bedrest‚ trying to get to viability (25 weeks gestation). We made it there—barely—but my water broke and a nasty intrauterine infection set in and made me and my little babe so sick. She was born extremely premature‚ delicately beautiful‚ perfectly formed‚ and so tiny and frail. We named her Katelyn‚ a name that means ‘pure‚’ and it pains me greatly to say that she lived her short life in agony‚ fighting to survive. My heart shattered when nurses placed her in my arms so I could say goodbye. No parent should have to ever bury a child like we did‚ but the hardest thing to do was tell my precious Abigayle that her baby sister had died. It nearly broke me‚ so I did the only thing that made sense…I tried again.This next pregnancy was an utter shock and surprise. One day‚ precisely 3 months from losing baby Katelyn‚ we were planning an adventurous day at an amusement park with young Abigayle when I realized I wasn’t feeling quite right. Unfortunately‚ the not-quite-right feeling I was having was an omen. I was determined to enjoy the day with my little family‚ so I did my best to ignore this feeling until I couldn’t any longer. In the ER while going over my very recent history‚ the medical staff inquired if I could be pregnant again‚ but given the recent loss combined with the struggles we underwent trying to get pregnant the second time‚ I was certain that I COULD NOT be. To my utter shock‚ a positive pregnancy test emerged. Due to significant scar tissue and damage from Katelyn’s ill-fated pregnancy‚ however‚ this pregnancy had lodged itself in my left fallopian tube‚ where it grew until it ruptured‚ causing internal bleeding and intense pain (which I had tried to ignore). I nearly lost my life. Adoption Journey After some time passed‚ it seemed like a good idea to grow our family through adoption. My own father spent his childhood in an orphanage‚ sadly never being adopted into a family. (He is AMAZING. I love you‚ Dad.) I had always hoped to adopt in his honor‚ so we reached out to adoption agencies and told our friends and family our wishes‚ asking them to spread the news on our behalf. We had a close family friend consider placing her child with us‚ only to change her mind. A distant relative with an unwanted pregnancy became a possibility‚ only to change her mind. Another family friend went all the way through her pregnancy‚ planning for us to adopt and again changed her mind right after birth. Although it hurt my already broken heart tremendously‚ I am in total support of these women all choosing to keep their daughters. God knows it is impossible for me to imagine placing my child up for adoption and these women loved their babies enough to consider what was best for them. Ready to live life more meaningfully? Subscribe to our newsletter. Our Last Hope: In-Vitro Fertilization Soon‚ I went to a new fertility specialist and began undergoing treatment again. Was I crazy? Yes‚ the answer is yes. I was insanely determined to grow my family‚ no matter what it took. We also poured over photos of waiting children at an adoption agency and had our eye on a 7-month-old baby girl in an orphanage in the Mariana Islands‚ a U.S. Territory. I would later learn‚ however‚ that this adoption agency enacted a rule for prospective hopeful parents wishing to adopt barring them from simultaneously undergoing fertility treatments. The idea that we could go meet this beautiful baby girl and possibly adopt her ended. FOUR failed attempts at adoption are not for the faint of heart.If you are wondering how I survived all these losses and near losses‚ never forget that I had the blessing of my beautiful Abigayle. I am quite certain she is the only thing in this entire world that kept me from completely dying of a broken heart. At the Reproductive Endocrinologist‚ we learned that the best possible chance to achieve a healthy pregnancy would be to bypass my remaining fallopian tube and scar tissue by undergoing In-Vitro Fertilization‚ the most complex method of assisted reproductive technology. IVF has many steps‚ many medications‚ is expensive‚ has varying degrees of success‚ and is tailor-made per patient. In my case‚ the IVF journey began right after the New Year. The first step was ovulation induction‚ or taking medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. The Reproductive Endocrinologist then works to retrieve the eggs and mixes them with your partner’s sperm in a lab. On day 1‚ we had 15 fertilized eggs. Overnight‚ 7 quit growing and dividing; we were down to only 8. Then there were 5 remaining. Then there were only 2 remaining fertilized embryos on lab day 5. I remember being very sad and anxious that we didn’t have any remaining to freeze. The two remaining were my only chance‚ and they were both implanted in my uterus in an embryo transfer procedure around Valentine’s Day. I was out and about‚ running errands on day NINE after the embryo transfer procedure when I had a sudden specific food craving. I wanted Minestrone soup. I don’t even really like Minestrone soup‚ yet I ended up at IHOP because they had this soup on their menu. I placed my order and headed to the restroom‚ where I out of the blue became nauseated and had a very sudden urge to throw up. I did. In the disgusting IHOP bathroom stall‚ I sat back on the dirty floor and grabbed my tummy hugging so tight‚ not a care in the world‚ despite the direct circumstances. My little babes were in there and they took! I just knew it. I was pregnant! This was confirmed at the Reproductive Endocrinologist a few days later‚ and we set off the most nerve-wracking‚ terrifying‚ haunting‚ and anxiety-ridden 9 months of my life. It was extremely difficult to stop myself from being overwhelmed‚ afraid‚ and haunted by the memories of previous pregnancies and loss. It was difficult to imagine bringing a live baby home‚ no longer having the ability to be blissfully ignorant of a parent’s worst nightmare multiple times over. My mantra was KEEP GOING when sadly‚ baby #2’s little heartbeat fluttered to a stop at 11 weeks’ gestation. I pushed away the fear and anxiety. I begged and pleaded with God‚ ‘Please‚ Please‚ PLEASE let my baby live!’ ONE little baby remained. I had one more chance. And as it turns out‚ that one little baby is now Isabel Avery Hernandez. Celebrating Our Miracle I have a box that contains the many needles filled with medications that were jabbed into my thighs‚ stomach‚ and buttocks in extreme efforts to grow my family and give Abigayle a sibling. I saved this box. Every Christmas‚ I wrap a present for Isabel to open in this box. This box has survived twelve moves‚ a divorce‚ two flooded basements‚ a garage fire‚ mice‚ bugs‚ and other creepy things in storage units‚ a new marriage‚ an ever-growing family‚ and 24 years of being wrapped and re-wrapped as a Christmas present holder. Every year‚ as I wrap her a gift in this box‚ I get to sit and reflect on the miracle of Isabel Avery Hernandez and how she came to be. Isabel‚ you are a huge blessing to our family. My little miracle. A sister for a sister. The rainbow baby after a storm. I love you. You are worth it. I am so glad I tried again.” Have a story of love‚ kindness‚ or healing to share? Visit our submissions portal to submit today. Read more touching stories like this: Infertility Warrior Surprised With Miracle Twins After Miscarriage‚ Ectopic Pregnancy After Losing Daughter To SIDS‚ Mom Surprised With Miracle Twins To Heal Her Broken Heart Do you know someone who could benefit from reading this? SHARE this story on social media with family and friends.

In the first week of October 2022‚ 100 days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade‚ Joe Biden held a highly publicized meeting with his so-called “reproductive rights task force” in the state dining room of the White House. At the meeting‚ Biden announced a plan to subvert the Supreme Court’s ruling‚ to the extent that he could. He instructed Congress to pass legislation that would prevent any state from banning abortion. He also announced millions of dollars in federal funds to promote abortion‚ and threatened legal consequences for any university that tried to punish a student for killing her child.  What Joe Biden didn’t announce is that‚ as he spoke‚ his enforcers in the DOJ were planning a “shock and awe” style raid designed to intimidate and punish pro-life activists. Just hours after the meeting of Joe Biden’s “task force‚” at 7:00 a.m. on October 5‚ a team of heavily armed FBI agents arrived at the Centerville‚ Tennessee‚ home of Paul Vaughn. One of the agents apparently delighted in telling one of Vaughn’s children‚ who was waiting for him to drive them to school‚ that their father was going to jail. And indeed‚ agents arrested Paul Vaughn in front of his children and hauled him away as they refused to answer any of his wife’s questions. Here’s some of the footage she recorded from that morning: Video of the FBI's arrest of Paul Vaughn of Centerville‚ Tennessee. DOJ charged him with “conspiracy against rights secured by the FACE Act‚ and committing FACE Act violations" for blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic. Paul tells me the footage was taken by his wife. pic.twitter.com/KSDvLRSrlF — Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) October 7‚ 2022 What was Paul Vaughn’s crime? As I mentioned on the show yesterday‚ a full year and a half before that FBI raid — in March of 2021 — Paul Vaughn participated in a protest at an abortion facility in Mount Juliet‚ Tennessee‚ along with several other pro-life activists. These activists sang and prayed in a hallway outside of the facility. Local police arrived‚ told these activists to leave‚ and they refused. So a handful of them were arrested for misdemeanor trespassing. To add some dark irony to the situation‚ one of the protesters was booked for “contributing to the delinquency of a minor‚” because the protester brought a child to the demonstration. So‚ taking your kid to pray and sing at an abortion facility is “contributing to their delinquency.” But killing your kid at the abortion facility is great‚ apparently. And this is in Tennessee‚ a state that’s controlled for the most part by the Republican Party. WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show Interestingly enough‚ Paul Vaughn himself wasn’t arrested by local police that day‚ because he was outside‚ functioning mainly as a liaison between the police and the demonstrators. They didn’t see any reason to arrest him because he wasn’t even trespassing in the hallway. And really‚ the whole situation was obviously overblown anyway. At a press conference following the arrests‚ a reporter asked the police spokesman why they were bothering to clog the court system with trivial trespassing cases like this. It wasn’t exactly the crime of the century‚ and everyone knew it. In case you need a reminder‚ here’s what it looked like: BREAKING: Six pro-life activists were just found guilty in federal court after being prosecuted by Biden's DOJ under the FACE Act for protesting outside a Nashville abortion clinic. Here's a snippet of the protest‚ which occurred on March 5‚ 2021. For the crime of praying and… pic.twitter.com/UPzZvtZebM — Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 30‚ 2024 Watching these people praying and singing‚ the Biden administration saw an opportunity. They decided to make an example out of Paul Vaughn and everyone else who protested at that abortion facility. In all‚ the DOJ arrested 11 people for participating in the demonstration‚ including an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor named Eva Edl. They charged these protesters with violations of the federal “Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act‚” (or FACE Act)‚ which carries penalties of up to a decade in prison. There was never any way to justify this charging decision‚ even using the standards of Joe Biden’s attorney general‚ Merrick Garland. Prior to the arrests‚ Garland stated under oath in the Senate‚ “We prosecute without respect to ideology‚ but we do focus on the most violent acts‚ the most dangerous actors and the cases most likely to lead to danger to most Americans.” No part of that statement was true‚ as it turns out. Not only does the DOJ prosecute explicitly on the basis of ideology‚ but they’re also focusing on the least violent and dangerous acts imaginable — namely sitting and praying in front of abortion facilities. And their strategy appears to be working.  Yesterday‚ a federal jury convicted six pro-life activists‚ including Paul Vaughn‚ of FACE Act violations‚ as well as engaging in a “conspiracy against rights”. The jury apparently agreed with the DOJ that Paul Vaughn and another demonstrator‚ simply by negotiating with police‚ were really engaging in a “delaying tactic.” And therefore‚ they’re just as guilty as the demonstrators in the hallway. And now all of these defendants are facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines‚ and up to a decade in prison. Unfortunately‚ in the federal system‚ cameras aren’t allowed in the courtroom. So we can’t show you video footage of what the prosecutors said. But thanks to reporter Leif Le Mahieu from The Daily Wire‚ we do know that in closing arguments the prosecutor stated these demonstrators were not in fact peaceful protesters simply by virtue of the fact that they committed a crime. As The Daily Wire observed: “During her final statements to the jury‚ Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Klopf likened the actions of the six pro-lifers to that of a group of people attempting to convince someone not to vote‚ and blocking the entrance of a polling location. She said that‚ ‘something is not peaceful if laws are broken.'” That’s actually what Joe Biden’s assistant U.S. attorney said. Her argument is that all crimes are inherently violent simply by virtue of the fact that they involve breaking the law. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Whatever we think of that reasoning‚ it’s obviously insanely inconsistent with Joe Biden’s own stated goal to release “nonviolent offenders” from jail. That’s why he pardoned all of those marijuana offenders‚ supposedly. It’s also why the DOJ paid out a massive settlement to those BLM rioters who occupied Lafayette Square near the White House‚ even though some of them threw frozen water bottles and rocks at police officers. And it’s why the DOJ dropped more than a third of the criminal cases against BLM rioters who sieged a courthouse in Portland. We’re told all of these offenses were nonviolent and therefore no charges should be brought. Apparently it’s only when you pray silently outside an abortion facility that you go to prison. That’s the only nonviolent offense that cannot stand. So there’s no denying this argument from Joe Biden’s DOJ is hypocritical. But that’s not the point‚ really. Everyone knows that. The point is that under the U.S. Constitution‚ the government isn’t allowed to be hypocritical when it comes to enforcing the law. We have something called the Equal Protection Clause. We have Due Process. And if that means anything‚ it’s that the government can’t selectively enforce laws‚ depending on which ideology it wants to punish. That’s the problem here.  Yes‚ the people who gathered inside that hallway did violate the letter of the FACE Act. They apparently convinced someone not to kill their baby that day‚ and go home instead‚ and as the law is written‚ that’s a crime. These peaceful activists did violate federal law. That law‚ however‚ happens to be atrocious and unconstitutional for many reasons‚ one of which is that the law is being unevenly enforced to an extreme degree. The White House isn’t even attempting to hide this. Joe Biden announced his pardon of nonviolent marijuana users literally a day after the FBI raised Paul Vaughn’s home‚ just to underscore the message he’s sending. They are absolving one class of nonviolent criminals while hunting down another class of nonviolent criminals like they’re an Al Qaeda cell. But they’re not terrorists‚ or even close to it. These pro-lifers — a collection of elderly retirees and parents with young children — were engaged in an act of nonviolent civil disobedience. Sending these demonstrators to prison for 11 years for that civil disobedience — which harmed no one and caused no damage to property — is both cruel and clearly unjust. Maybe it could be explained on some theoretical level if the administration had established a precedent of bringing the hammer down on everyone who violates the law for the sake of making a political point‚ but that is obviously not the case here. BLM rioters who torched police stations have gotten a fraction of the time. People who harassed Supreme Court justices at their homes haven’t even been arrested‚ to my knowledge. The administration is punishing political disobedience depending on the politics of the people involved. It’s hard to imagine a more Soviet system of “justice.” But it’s the approach that the Biden administration is now committed to. They aren’t just going after these pro-life demonstrations in Tennessee. They tried to do the same thing to Mark Houck‚ who was arrested in September of 2022 for an incident that occurred a year earlier‚ in October of 2021. Houck’s alleged crime‚ as I’ve discussed previously‚ was shoving a volunteer at an abortion facility‚ after the guy started harassing Houck’s 12-year-old son. This was such an absurd non-crime that local police didn’t pursue any charges‚ similar to the case of Paul Vaughn. But the DOJ decided to revive the case‚ around the same time that Joe Biden needed to convince his base that he’s going to wage a domestic war against pro-lifers. Notice the pattern here. An incident happens involving pro-lifers. Nobody thinks its a big deal. Local law enforcement isn’t that worried about it. Nobody is harmed. Everyone moves on. Then the federal government comes back around months or years later and decides to literally make a federal case out of it. This is the very essence of a political witch hunt. There are many more cases like these. For example‚ there’s the case of five pro-life activists who were convicted by a Washington‚ D.C.‚ jury last year for FACE Act violations. One of the activists is a woman named Lauren Handy. Handy began to attract the DOJ’s attention when she found the bodies of five preemie-sized aborted babies in a box outside an abortion facility in the D.C. neighborhood of Foggy Bottom. According to The Daily Signal‚ the box “also contained over a hundred pulverized remains of first-trimester babies.” One of the doctors at that clinic‚ Live Action had previously reported‚ admitted on a hidden camera that he would allow babies to die if they were accidentally delivered during abortions: This is the abortionist currently under fire for the mangled baby bodies recovered right here in DC. Live Action recorded him saying years ago that he would let babies die if they were accidentally delivered during abortions. pic.twitter.com/Lqb9cOYdwE — Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) April 5‚ 2022 So Lauren Handy and several others decided to protest this butchery. They looked into this abortion facility. And of course‚ D.C. police and the DOJ took the side of the people who are murdering babies for profit. Again‚ they pursued a 10-year sentence for activists engaging in peaceful protest. To give you an idea of how incomprehensible all of this is‚ they don’t even treat pro-life activists this badly in one of the most godless places on the planet‚ the United Kingdom. Around a year ago‚ police in Birmingham arrested a woman for praying silently outside of an abortion clinic. But the case was so absurd and so wildly unpopular that within a few months‚ they apologized to her and dropped the charges. Even in Britain‚ this was too far. But in this country‚ conservatives are allowing this purge of pro-lifers to take place‚ with barely any pushback. You’ll hear more from conservatives about Taylor Swift than you will about this ideologically driven‚ unconstitutional attack on civil liberties in this country. What this means is that if these tyrants get another four years in office‚ there is no doubt that they will ramp up their political persecution. There will be absolutely no one to stop them. Should that come to pass — especially if you care about things like human life and stopping child sacrifices — then before long‚ there’s a very good chance they’ll be knocking on your front door as well.

James O’Keefe released new video Wednesday from a sting operation in which he talked to a White House official who offered insight into private White House deliberations about myriad issues concerning President Joe Biden and the 2024 election‚ including the mental decline of the president and widespread dissatisfaction with Vice President Kamala Harris. The guerrilla journalist said he met with Charlie Kraiger‚ a cybersecurity policy analyst and Foreign Affairs desk officer in the Executive Office at the White House‚ earlier this month while “under cover” with his hair dyed and fake eye glasses. The two were at a restaurant in the Washington‚ D.C. area‚ with drinks on the table on what appears to have been premised as a date. “Not only did he not recognize me‚ he sang like a bird‚” O’Keefe said in presenting his roughly 13-minute video published to X on Wednesday. He also noted that Kraiger had begun to scrub his social media footprint after their meet-up‚ although a LinkedIn page with his name was still active as of press time showing employment in the Executive Office of the President since December 2020 and prior experience working at the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Cameras that captured their conversation appeared to have been positioned with a group sitting a couple tables away and on O’Keefe’s wrist. In response to questioning by O’Keefe‚ Kraiger acknowledged concerns about Biden’s mental health and suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris is being kept on as his 2024 running mate because of her sex and race despite low approval numbers. Asked by O’Keefe if Biden will indeed end up being the nominee‚ Kraiger said‚ “Yes‚ and [Kamala Harris] will be the vice president nominee‚” adding‚ “There was a debate about removing her from the ticket‚ but sadly they didn’t.” “She’s not popular‚ but you can’t remove the first black lady to be vice president from the godd*mn presidential ticket‚” said Kraiger. “Like what kind of message are you going to send to like African-American voters? How would you spin that? People would be like what the f***? Like she’s a woman and she’s multiracial.” When O’Keefe pressed Kraiger about Biden suffering from what O’Keefe described as “dementia‚” Kraiger said‚ “He’s definitely slowing down.” “I think they need to get rid of him or her‚” Kraiger said. “But no one in modern history has ever said‚ like‚ ‘We’re not going to renominate the president for a second term.’” BREAKING VIDEO: Top White House Cyber Official tells O’Keefe in Disguise “they can't say it publicly” the White House wants to replace Kamala Harris and Confirms President @JoeBiden mental decline: “Biden is definitely slowing down.” “I'm just telling you what I've heard…… pic.twitter.com/75Wdw03DHs — James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) January 31‚ 2024 Kraiger also talked about being an intern in the White House‚ which appears to have been in 2011‚ and overhearing a discussion in which then-first lady Michelle Obama was asked if she would ever run for office. He said the First Lady “emphatically” responded with disinterest because of what she witnessed her husband‚ President Barack Obama‚ go through. The end of the video report shows the moment when O’Keefe took off his glasses and revealed his identity. He then pressed Kraiger to answer the question of what sort of message is sent to the American people that a cybersecurity-focused official was speaking with the founder of Project Veritas‚ known for its sting hits. Although Kraiger insisted‚ “We’re running a good cyber security operation‚” O’Keefe fired back‚ asking whether Kraiger did his research before the meet-up and what kind of “clown show” is being run at the White House. O’Keefe teased a follow-up report for Thursday showing him continuing to confront Kraiger outside. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP O’Keefe parted ways with Project Veritas amid a clash with the board of directors last year and went on to found another operation called O’Keefe Media Group (OMG). In posts to X earlier this week meant to advertise part 2 of his “DC SWAMP EXPOSED” series and gin up support for OMG‚ O’Keefe said he was “not suicidal” but also “not afraid to die” while talking about how it was time for people to “raise the stakes” with 2024 just getting started.

President Joe Biden’s former political rival Andrew Yang delivered a scathing review of the current polls — particularly in swing states — and told South Carolina primary voters that if the election were held today‚ Biden would likely lose to former President Donald Trump. Yang‚ who has endorsed Biden’s 2024 challenger Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN)‚ told Fox News Digital that he had been approached by a number of voters who all had the same question: “Do you really think Joe could lose to Trump?” The Forward Party founder did not mince words when he replied‚ saying‚ “Not only could he lose to Trump‚ but if the election were held today‚ he would lose to Trump‚ and the poll numbers are generally getting worse‚ not better.” Yang also directed some criticism toward the Democratic National Committee‚ which he said was ignoring polling data and simply propping up the incumbent President Biden. “The most extreme thing the DNC has done to stifle democracy is canceling the primaries in Florida and North Carolina and attempting to do so in another state or two. I mean‚ it’s ridiculous to talk about championing democracy on one hand and then literally canceling primaries on the other‚” Yang protested. “So if Democrats want to practice democracy‚ that would involve having debates. That would involve having genuine competitive primaries. That would involve giving the people a choice.” Yang continued in that same vein with a two-part post on X‚ showing poll after poll that showed just what a challenge the 2024 election would be for a president whose popularity has been consistently waning. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “I’m sure the Democrats have a secret plan to re-elect the unpopular 81 year old incumbent with a 38% approval rating … or they are simply ignoring the 70+ polls that have Biden losing to Trump‚” Yang posted‚ sharing a number of swing state polls that showed Trump leading Biden by three‚ four‚ even ten points. pic.twitter.com/cCIUddZrz6 — Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) January 31‚ 2024

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sued the NCAA on Wednesday‚ accusing the organization of antitrust violations related to its name‚ image‚ and likeness (NIL) policies. According to the lawsuit‚ filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on Wednesday‚ the NCAA has been “artificially depressing” the amount of compensation prospective student-athletes can earn through NIL deals and their ability to negotiate those deals. “This is all about protecting student athletes and prospective student athletes in making sure that they have market sources available to properly value their name‚ image‚ and likeness rights [because] the NCAA has a structure that artificially restricts the market in a way that hurts the student athletes‚” Skrmetti told The Daily Wire. “Student athletes are the heart of college sports and everybody else in college sports is getting rich‚ and the student athletes are getting left behind because of the lack of competition for their name‚ image‚ and likeness rights. That’s illegal and it’s not fair. It’s not right‚” he added. The lawsuit is aimed at rules from the NCAA that limit the ability of prospective student athletes to negotiate NIL rights. According to the suit‚ these rules harm athletes “at a critical juncture in the recruiting calendar.” The lawsuit says that the rule “bans prospective college athletes (including current college athletes looking to transfer to another school who are in the ‘transfer portal’) from discussing potential NIL opportunities before they actually enroll. It’s like a coach looking for a new job‚ and freely talking to many different schools‚ but being unable to negotiate salary until after he’s picked one (the depressive effect on coaches’ wages in such a dysfunctional market is obvious).” The NCAA has said the rules act as necessary protections for student athletes after they were first allowed to pursue such deals in 2021. Skrmetti said that the issue came to his attention last year after there was concern that the NCAA might institute a postseason ban for the University of Tennessee football team after recruiting violations that occurred under a former coach. He said the bowl ban would have harmed the NIL rights of the students who were not connected to the infractions. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “Student-athletes generate massive revenues for the NCAA‚ its members‚ and corporations within the college sports industry‚ especially in football and basketball‚” Miyares said in a statement. “Student athletes should have more freedom over negotiating and earning money for their skills and ability. Colleges and universities benefit dramatically from the success of their student athletes — it’s only fair that student athletes also get the full picture of how they may benefit from their choice of school as well.” Skrmetti said that the suit wasn’t directed to protect any specific institution‚ but was about the rights of student athletes and the principle that “concentrated power causes harm.” “I’m not for‚ necessarily‚ the Wild West of unregulated college sports‚ but what we have now is such an inconsistent and arbitrary and unfair system‚ there has to be some deep change to make sure that it both comports with the law and is doing right by student athletes‚” he said.

Elmo did it. He opened the can of worms. Elmo‚ as you may know‚ is the red‚ furry Muppet from Sesame Street. He made a big booboo yesterday. He went on X and tweeted‚ “Elmo is just checking in. How is everybody doing?” And then the world unleashed its hellfire on Elmo‚ with users from all across the political spectrum immediately unloading on Elmo to tell him how disappointed‚ upset‚ and depressed they were. Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing? — Elmo (@elmo) January 29‚ 2024 One user replied‚ “Elmo‚ I’m suffering from existential dread over here.” Another replied‚ “Every morning‚ I cannot wait to go back to sleep. Every Monday I cannot wait for Friday to come. Every single day and every single week for life.” Rachel Zegler‚ the actress from “Snow White” — a film that was reshot after she made obnoxious comments about how terrible Snow White was — tweeted that she was “resisting the urge to tell Elmo that I’m kind of sad.” This was going on everywhere. And it’s a funny joke because a Muppet asking how everybody is doing and then everybody responding to a Muppet that they are experiencing existential angst and are upset is really funny. Elmo then replied‚ “Wow‚ Elmo is glad he asked. Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check again soon‚ friends. Elmo loves you. #EmotionalWellBeing.” WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show Then Joe Biden came in from the wings with a chainsaw to massacre the joke. He tweeted‚ “I know how hard it is somedays to sweep the clouds away and get to sunnier days. Our friend Elmo is right: We have to be there for each other‚ offer our help to a neighbor in need‚ and above all else‚ ask for help when we need it. Even though it’s hard‚ you’re never alone.”  So here’s my question today: What the hell happened to our sense of humor? Why can’t we just laugh at this? It’s really funny. Why can’t we just laugh when Elmo asks X how everyone is doing and people answer with their angst-ridden thoughts? It’s ok for us to laugh at things‚ but it seems as though‚ in this country‚ it’s now not ok to laugh at pretty much anything anymore. Comedy really died during the Obama administration‚ when all of our comedic leaders decided they were actually politicians and Barack Obama was actually a celebrity. The complete merger of celebrity and politics that occurred when Obama became president was a total comedy because comedians decided they were going to effectively become spokespeople for Obama’s administration.  Chris Rock suggested that Obama was like his father‚ that he was like a father figure to all of us. Comedians suggested that it was impossible to make fun of Obama because there was nothing funny about the man — which‚ of course‚ is in and of itself pretty funny. Barack Obama was a highly marketable character. He thought he was a transformative figure when in fact he was just a corrupt Chicago politician with delusions of grandeur. But because comedy decided it could not stay separate from politics‚ one of the common spaces we had as a society was undermined — when comedy was once a space we shared as a society. No matter where you stood politically‚ funny was just funny. That was the basic idea for decades in American life. It didn’t matter where you were on the political spectrum. Richard Pryor was funny. George Carlin was funny. Johnny Carson was funny. Jay Leno was funny. But as the social fabric breaks down‚ it is very difficult to laugh. Laughter becomes incredibly difficult because if you believe the person who’s making the joke is laughing at you‚ you are no longer laughing along. And if you believe the person who is making the joke is actually not joking‚ that underneath that joke is failure and rage and wrath‚ that’s not funny either. Sadness‚ depression‚ anger. These are not emotions that can coexist with laughter. As a society‚ we’re having a kind of mental breakdown. That’s what’s happening because we should all be able to laugh at the Elmo gambit. This is part of what I found hilarious about the rap song that Tom McDonald and I released‚ which hit number one on the charts. The number one song. That’s hilarious. It’s the best cultural troll of all time. I don’t need to explain the joke‚ but look at me: I am not a rapper. I have no ambitions to be a rapper. In fact‚ if two weeks ago you had polled people who knew my name and asked‚ “What is the thing Ben Shapiro is least likely to do‚” their answers would probably have been that song. That’s why it’s funny. And yet‚ people are already starting to get angry at the song‚ people who can’t laugh at the very idea. It’s a joke. It’s funny. I’m going to attribute their anger to the fact the social fabric is breaking down and that’s having some really deleterious effects on all sides of the political aisle. A prime example: the weird cultural breakdown we are now having over Taylor Swift. The idea that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s romance is a plant by the NFL or her stage managers or whomever is a funny idea. It’s funny. It’s a joke. We can all laugh at that because Swift has spent her entire life in music writing and singing songs about her horrible history with men and breakups with very famous people. If she really is in a sincere romance at this point‚ we all wish the best for her. If Swift actually does marry Kelce and they end up having babies‚ there will be a Swift baby boom because that’s how stupid our culture is. People take pop culture too seriously. I’ve been making jokes about it since the NFL started showing her in the skybox as she acted like‚ “Oh‚ I love football now.” It’s just so ridiculous. It’s super silly‚ but the joke can never just stay the joke because people hate each other too much. So you can’t even joke about Swift. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Members of the Trump campaign are reportedly angry about Swift. They’re suggesting Swift is a plant‚ as if 20 years ago the CIA figured‚ “We’re going to make Taylor Swift a star. You know what else we’re going to do? We’re going to craft an entire football league and then breed an incredibly talented tight end. And then we are going to fix up these two in perfect alignment just in time to reelect a doddering old man.” Let’s just laugh. Politics and life in general are tragicomedy. Politics is hysterically funny when viewed from one lens and then deeply tragic when viewed from another — because politics can have such an impact on all of our lives. But if you lose the comedy‚ you are not losing it because all this isn’t funny. You’re losing the comedy because you don’t like the people who are around you. You don’t like the country you’re in; you don’t like the people who are existing. This may be the funniest time in the history of American politics. We have Donald Trump‚ a real estate magnate who was president of the United States once and is acting like a stand-up insult comic running against a vegetable. And in the middle of this‚ we have projected it all onto a football star dating a pop star in the middle of the NFL playoffs while pretending this has world-shaking historical importance‚ which it does not. Perhaps the predicate for us rebuilding a social fabric in this country is to be able to laugh at funny things. But nobody’s laughing. Biden doing the “trust me” routine when it comes to politics no longer helps. Comedy requires trust‚ and so does political success.

An anti-ship cruise missile fired by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists this week reportedly came within a few seconds of hitting a U.S. warship in the Red Sea. “On Jan. 30‚ at approximately 11:30 p.m. (Sanaa time)‚ Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship cruise missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Red Sea‚” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “The missile was shot down by USS Gravely (DDG 107).” CNN subsequently reported that the missile “came within a mile” of the ship before it was shot down by the ship’s Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS)‚ which the U.S. Navy describes as a fast-reaction‚ detect-through-engage‚ radar guided 20-millimeter gun weapon system. “In the past‚ these missiles have been intercepted by US destroyers in the area at a range of eight miles or more‚” the report said. “But the USS Gravely had to use its Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) for the first time since the US began intercepting the Houthi missiles late last year‚ which ultimately succeeded in downing the missile.” Given that cruise missiles travel at hundreds of miles per hour‚ the fact that it came within a mile of the ship means that it was at maximum only a few seconds away from impact. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Wow‚ the USS Gravely had to use its Phalanx CIWS against a Houthi cruise missile per a U.S. official to CNN. This is essentially the ships last layer of defense against any incoming attacks. (The video below shows one in action!) pic.twitter.com/I1SYYydbbZ — Global: Military-Info (@Global_Mil_Info) January 31‚ 2024 The incident comes after three U.S. soldiers were murdered‚ and nearly three dozen more were injured‚ in a suicide drone attack on a U.S. Military base in Jordan on Sunday. Biden has said that he intends to respond to the deadly attacks over the weekend but no military response has happened yet.

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro discussed his views on billionaire Elon Musk and the principles of free speech‚ specifically regarding Alex Jones‚ during an interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday. Shapiro recently visited Auschwitz‚ Nazi Germany’s largest concentration camp‚ with Musk‚ and interviewed the Tesla CEO for his show‚ “The Search.” “Elon Musk is definitely not an anti-Semite‚” Shapiro responded. “And for people who are sort of jumping on various Twitter comments to suggest that he is‚ I would suggest that you look at the full corpus of everything that he’s had to say on anti-Semitism‚ on Israel‚ on what’s going on in the world post-October 7. It’s very hard to come to that conclusion.”  Shapiro went on to discuss how Musk sometimes tweets what he’s thinking in real time‚ and then expounds on his thoughts to give people a fuller view. “He sort of puts out whatever he’s thinking in the moment‚ unedited — that’s one of the benefits; that’s one of the drawbacks‚” the conservative explained. “Very often‚ he will come back and sort of fill out exactly what he meant to say.” “That also means that he’s considering things in real time‚” Shapiro continued. “Interviewing him is really interesting in that way. You’ll ask him a question and‚ unlike most people who are asked interview questions‚ he actually sits and considers the actual question. He’ll take it in‚ and you’ll actually see him shift his opinion in real time as he processes the question. It makes him a fascinating person.” Morgan revealed that he “courted” Musk for about a year to do an interview with him‚ but it fell through just two days before Morgan was set to travel to Texas and conduct the interview. According to Morgan‚ Musk sent him a clip of the host criticizing the Tesla CEO for permitting Alex Jones back on X‚ and told Morgan the interview was off. “[Musk] said he lost all respect for me because I would do that‚ and the interview was summarily canceled‚” Morgan told Shapiro. “So I never got the chance to interview him‚ which is a great regret‚ because I think he’s probably the most fascinating guy in the world right now.” Morgan then asked Shapiro if he agreed that Jones should have been allowed back on X. “So my general belief is that Alex Jones should not have been banned from Twitter in the first place‚ because he did not actually violate‚ on Twitter‚ their terms of service‚” Shapiro responded. “My belief is that you should have a consistently applied set of terms of service.” “I’ve actually never called for anyone to be banned on Twitter‚ including many people who despise me‚ hate my guts‚ and probably would like to see me dead‚” he continued. “I actually don’t even block people on Twitter. Just on principle‚ I refuse to block people on Twitter. It’s also why‚ for example‚ I don’t delete old tweets — tweets that I disagree with‚ that I wrote in 2008‚ 2009; I leave those up for the public record. I tend to be in favor of radical transparency on X.” .@benshapiro and @piersmorgan discuss Alex Jones: "Alex Jones and I do not get along… but my general belief is that Alex Jones should not have been banned from Twitter in the first place because he didn't actually violate on Twitter their terms of service." pic.twitter.com/hAd4Htci03 — Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) January 31‚ 2024 Morgan went on to say that he agrees with almost everything Musk has said and done‚ and called the billionaire a “force for good.” “I totally agree with that‚” Shapiro answered. “The world requires audacious thinkers. Elon Musk is an audacious thinker. The world requires people who have high aspirations for humanity. Elon Musk has high aspirations for humanity.” “Having sat with him for a while‚ I think Elon is a person who likes to solve problems‚” Shapiro said. “And if the problem is in front of him‚ he really wants to expend all of his energy solving it‚ which is why he will sleep on the factory floor of one of the companies he’s working with or starting.” “The guy’s the wealthiest guy on earth‚ he certainly doesn’t have to go and sleep on the floor over at Tesla while he’s redesigning their product‚ or have to go sleep in the offices of X‚ as he did when he first acquired Twitter‚” he said. “That is something that only a really dedicated person would do‚ and I think that’s beyond argument.” “What Elon is trying to do‚ even when I disagree with him‚ is truly an audacious thing — it’s a deeply American ideal to shoot for the stars‚ and he’s literally doing that‚” Shapiro said. Related: Ben Shapiro Sits Down With Elon Musk For Exclusive Wide-Ranging Discussion On DEI‚ Space‚ Religion

“Wheel of Fortune” fans claim that a contestant gave the correct answer and got snubbed by the show‚ losing out on winning the grand prize of $40‚000. The controversy stemmed from the show that aired Tuesday‚ when Megan — a high school choir director from California — made it to the final round of “Wheel of Fortune” and ended up getting into the bonus puzzle round as well‚ TMZ reported. Megan got through to the final round after winning $14‚000 where she chose “Living thing” for her final puzzle. With the given letters to start out being “RSTLNE” the puzzle looked like  “_ _N_  _R_ _ _ _.” She then got the chance to add three more letters and the final puzzle read‚ “P_N_  _RC_ _ D.” “Wheel of Fortune” fans are OUTRAGED over THIS $40K prize ruling! pic.twitter.com/BMVDZ2XrQN — E! News (@enews) January 31‚ 2024 Fans of the show are convinced that Megan either said what sounded like “something” or “pink” “orchid” leading them to believe she gave the correct answer which was “Pink Orchid.” They then took to social media to make it clear that they were disgusted that the contestant had lost and to push the idea she was robbed. “There is no question‚ she absolutely said ‘pink orchid‚’ one fan wrote on X. “Please give this girl her winnings! Rooting for you‚ Megan!” Another added‚ “Okay Wheel of Fortune if you play tonight’s episode again for the final puzzle‚ the one that just aired‚ you will hear clearly that she said ‘pink orchid‚’ You did not properly credit the winner. Go and play it back. Seriously‚ she said exactly that! ‘Pink Orchid!'” While a third person wrote‚ “Wheel of Fortune We listened 5 times at high volume and will swear that Megan said ‘pink orchid’ for her first guess in the prize round Jan. 30th. Anyone else?” Listening to the clip it’s clear Megan said “Pony Orchid” at one point‚ but unclear if she said “pink.” Plus‚ the fact that when the host Pat Sajak revealed the answer was “Pink Orchid‚” it appeared that the contestant was surprised to learn the answer. In 2023‚ the longtime host of the show announced he would be leaving at the conclusion of the current season. “Well‚ the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season‚ which begins in September‚ will be my last‚” Sajak tweeted on June 12. “It’s been a wonderful ride‚ and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else‚ it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)” Related: New Host Chosen To Succeed Pat Sajak On ‘Wheel Of Fortune’