A federal appeals court has struck down a West Virginia law protecting the fairness of school athletics. In 2021‚ West Virginia passed the &;quot;Save Women's Sports Act‚&;quot; becoming one of the first states in the United States to protect the fairness of sports. The law requires that every student athlete must participate on the team or in the event congruent with their &;quot;biological sex as indicated on the athlete’s original birth certificate issued at the time of birth.&;quot; The law doesn't ban transgender-identifying students from participating in sports altogether. Rather‚ it bans biological boys from playing on teams with biological girls and vise versa. This is an important distinction. On Tuesday‚ the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2–1 decision that the law violates the Title IX rights of Becky Pepper-Jackson‚ a biological boy who identifies as a girl. The court ruled: The question before us is whether the Act may lawfully be applied to prevent a 13-year-old transgender girl who takes puberty blocking medication and has publicly identified as a girl since the third grade from participating in her school’s cross country and track teams. We hold it cannot. Pepper-Jackson and the American Civil Liberties Union‚ which represents Pepper-Jackson‚ have been litigating the law for years. The ruling is a clear win for them.But the ruling is also narrow because the circumstances of the case are unique. Pepper-Jackson has been living as a girl for more than half of his life‚ which includes years of taking puberty blockers and even having the sex on his birth certificate changed. Whether the court would have ruled differently in the case of a student athlete who only recently began identifying as transgender is unknown.Still‚ Judge G. Steven Agee wrote in a scathing dissent the majority's opinion has profound consequences.&;quot;The majority’s determination that transgender girls are similarly situated to biological girls regardless of any potential advantage‚ and therefore that separating sports teams by biological sex is discrimination against transgender girls‚ has far reaching implications under Title IX‚&;quot; he wrote.Agee continued:In short‚ it means that states cannot exclude transgender girls from biological girls’ sports teams even when the transgender girls have gone through puberty and it is even clearer that they have a significant physiological advantage over biological girls. And allowing transgender girls — regardless of any advantage — as participants in biological girls’ sports turns Title IX on its head and reverses the monumental work Title IX has done to promote girls’ sports from its inception.After the ruling‚ West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) vowed to continue the right to protect women's sports. That fight will presumably include an appeal to the Supreme Court.That appeal‚ Agee said‚ cannot come soon enough.&;quot;One can only hope that the Supreme Court will take the opportunity with all deliberate speed to resolve these questions of national importance‚&;quot; the judge wrote.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

A star-studded recruitment video meant to entice LeBron James to play for the New York Knicks was unearthed‚ which featured actor James Gandolfini reprising his role as Tony Soprano.At the time‚ James had just finished his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers‚ which was followed by a media circus as the NBA star pondered where to play next‚ ultimately landing in Miami. The celebrity video was made in hopes of luring the 6'9'' forward to New York.The video‚ rediscovered by journalist Pablo Torre on his podcast &;quot;Pablo Torre Finds Out‚&;quot; featured appearances by not only the lead characters from &;quot;The Sopranos&;quot; but also Donald Trump and Harvey Weinstein.James Gandolfini and Edie Falco continued their roles as Tony and Carmela for the 2010 bit‚ which was produced less than three years after &;quot;The Sopranos&;quot; ended.In the sketch‚ the couple is under police protection‚ alluding that Tony Soprano did not die in the finale of the television series but rather cooperated with law enforcement to stay out of prison.&;quot;Tony‚ I'm so glad we moved to New York. Life is so much better now‚&;quot; Carmela tells Tony‚ while looking at a laptop.&;quot;Yeah‚ life is good here now‚ even if we are in the witness protection program‚&;quot; Tony replies while reading a newspaper.&;quot;Now‚ we just have to find a place for your friend LeBron to live. What’s he like&;#63;&;quot; Carmela asks. &;quot;He's a modern guy‚ but he respects tradition‚&;quot; Tony states‚ before the two discuss the type of apartment James may like to live in.&;quot;Here's a place‚ it says it gets really loud‚ though‚&;quot; Carmela notes as Tony comes to investigate. The camera then shows Carmela's laptop screen‚ which displays Madison Square Garden‚ where the New York Knicks play.&;quot;That's it. That's gonna be perfect for him‚&;quot; Tony says before the two grin at the camera. The screen then cuts to text that says‚ &;quot;City of Winners‚&;quot; while the song &;quot;Public Service Announcement&;quot; by Jay-Z plays.The segment was reportedly filmed in Gandolfini's apartment‚ with the actor allegedly coming up with the idea himself.The podcast played a clip of Falco confirming how enthusiastic her costar was about the recruitment video.&;quot;Jim Gandolfini would rarely do these kinds of things‚ and‚ if he did‚ he would do them very begrudgingly‚&;quot; she explained. &;quot;Jim was into this‚ he was dressed as Tony‚ and he was like‚ 'Well‚ what if I came over this way and did ...' I was like‚ 'Are you kidding me&;#63; Really‚ this&;#63;' So‚ I guess he must have been a bigger basketball fan than I realized‚&;quot; she continued.&;quot;Then he had some idea for the way it ended or something‚ and I remember thinking‚ 'Geez Louise‚ whoever would have thought he'd be all in for this little‚ you know‚ weird thing that we're doing that no one's ever going to see.'&;quot;Trump's portion follows the fictional characters‚ in which the business mogul champions New York City as the place for &;quot;winners.&;quot;&;quot;Real winners of the world want to be here. They come here‚ they want to come to New York. Whether it's Wall Street‚ or whether it's fashion‚ or no matter what it is‚ this is the place the real winners want to be.&;quot;In another shocking appearance‚ infamous producer Weinstein remarks on how he had read James' book and that James' friends sounded &;quot;amazing‚ loyal‚ smart&;quot; and &;quot;bright.&;quot;The enticing language from Weinstein continues‚ promising that New York City could provide connections with &;quot;the guys who run the multi-billion dollar companies&;quot; that could get behind James and help fund his charitable initiatives. Other appearances in the video are made by New York Yankees legend Reggie Jackson‚ former New York Rangers hockey player Mark Messier‚ actor Robert DeNiro‚ and comedian Chris Rock.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

According to recent reports‚ a gay Spanish politician who belongs to the country’s left-wing governing party has been forced to resign after pictures surfaced of the municipal councilor eating his own excrement. While disgusting‚ the existence of yet another degenerate politician would be unremarkable‚ if not for the fact that he was defended by an unlikely ally: Peter Boghossian. Boghossian has made a name for himself in the conservative sphere as a non-woke classical liberal willing to stand against the corruption of academia. The former professor of philosophy felt a bizarre compulsion to take to Twitter and ward off those who would question the Spanish politician’s behavior‚ urging his followers to “mind your own business and leave the guy alone.” As expectations for political leadership go‚ not eating excrement is a pretty low bar. When Boghossian received pushback for his strange reaction‚ he attacked his critics for their “pervasive normative rigidity that comes from Christian fear of judgment.” Many were confused at this absurd reaction from a man who a portrayed himself as a champion of returning rational standards to the university system. But Boghossian’s outburst reveals an important contradiction that lies at the heart of liberalism and makes it incompatible with those who seek to return order and civilization to the West. Like many non-woke liberals of our era‚ Boghossian began his political journey as a militant New Atheist progressive who spent much of his academic career attacking religion. The philosopher joined forces with prominent atheists like Richard Dawkins and Michael Shermer‚ hosting debates with Christian apologists to drive out the last vestiges of religious dogma from the enlightened West. As New Atheism waned‚ many public intellectuals involved with the movement discovered a new target for their acerbic deconstruction: wokeness. The social justice warriors who dominated college campuses in the late 2000s had grown up and taken positions as professors or administrators in the university system. Woke dogma was threatening the liberal order in academia‚ and the New Atheists framed this successor ideology as the next in a long line of religions that needed to be defeated. Boghossian’s most famous salvo against wokeness in academia came in 2017 when he teamed up with fellow New Atheists James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose to submit a series of fake scholarly papers to peer-reviewed journals. The papers were filled with a jumble of critical theory jargon designed to draw the adoration of woke academics despite saying nothing of substance. Some of the papers drew praise from reviewers‚ and a few even got published before the hoax was uncovered. Peer review is the linchpin of legitimacy for modern academic expertise‚ and discrediting the process threatened to deal a huge blow to the foundations underlying the power of our managerial elite. This revealing glimpse into the absurd system that had come to dominate many scholarly fields won Boghossian a fair amount of credit among conservatives and classical liberals who were not interested in joining the woke revolution. As I have written previously‚ conservatives have a nasty habit of immediately accepting and even elevating to leadership liberals who hate them simply because they agree on a few issues. Many disgruntled liberal atheists have suddenly found themselves on the side of the conservative Christians they loathed for decades in the fight against wokeness‚ but that does not mean they have had a change of heart. “I didn’t leave the left‚ the left left me” is the refrain most often uttered by these liberal castoffs‚ and they rarely take any responsibility for what their movement became. Despite his temporary embarrassment with the pace at which progressivism accelerated‚ Boghossian is still an unrepentant revolutionary who clings to every belief that inevitably led to the very woke order he now claims to oppose. As expectations for political leadership go‚ not eating excrement is a pretty low bar. It would be nice if we demanded more from those who rule over us‚ but asking them not to be so degenerate that they literally consume their own feces seems reasonable. This appears to be a bridge too far for Boghossian‚ who sees any standard for sexual behavior as an absurd relic from our religious past. Like most liberal atheists‚ Boghossian refuses to connect his purposeful deconstruction of spiritual and moral sentiments with the dysfunctional world in which he finds himself. The philosopher’s radical commitment to individual freedom dissolved every barrier to wokeness‚ but he simply refuses to own the consequences of his beliefs. When asked to place even the slightest restrictions on personal freedom‚ Boghossian reflexively strikes out at Christianity‚ which he still perceives as his true enemy.Boghossian is not ignorant of the fatal flaws residing in classical liberalism‚ and to his credit‚ he is willing to discuss them at length. I had a cordial discussion with the philosopher during which I laid out the reasons why liberalism could not defend itself from hostile ideologies and why a more robust tradition was required to ground Western society. I went in expecting a knock-down‚ drag-out fight‚ but to my surprise Boghossian spent most of the hour-long discussion conceding every one of my points. But despite the posture of general retreat‚ Boghossian still insisted that liberalism remained the only way forward. Recent events have clearly shaken his faith‚ but ultimately the academic cannot imagine a world where liberalism does not reign supreme. Although they adopt the moniker of classical liberals‚ the leftists ejected from progressivism share very little with the historical movement. The father of classical liberalism‚ John Locke‚ famously wrote that atheism was immoral and that its adherents could not be trusted‚ especially with political power. In the face of overwhelming evidence that the lack of religious and moral conviction in public life has destroyed Western civilization‚ liberal atheists like Boghossian simply cannot admit the failure of their ideology. In theory‚ liberalism holds that rational discourse can resolve all issues in the public square. In practice‚ the advocates of liberalism have proven impervious to that discourse. The faith of the spurned liberal is‚ in fact‚ as dogmatic as the religious doctrines they sought to undermine. The unrepentant liberal cannot take ownership over the consequences of his ideology and will always return to his core hatred for the religious traditions it displaced. The West must embrace a tradition that can make demands of its citizens and uphold standards for its leaders. If the liberals cannot even summon the moral fortitude to demand that their leaders refrain from eating s**t‚ then they simply have no place in a conservative coalition.

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday visited the Harlem deli where a worker fatally stabbed an attacker in self-defense in 2022 — and the crowd that greeted Trump turned in a pretty loud &;quot;four more years&;#33;&;quot; chant.Check out the greeting Trump gets in the clip below just after the 25-second mark: Trump visits NYC bodega where employee stabbed man youtu.be Trump‚ of course‚ was in town for the headline-grabbing Stormy Daniels trial that came to fruition after far-left Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg leveled 34 felony charges against the former president.Turns out Bragg's fingerprints were all over the deli worker case‚ too — a fact that surely had to be on Trump's mind when he visited the store on 139th Street and Broadway.What's the background&;#63;Video showed 35-year-old Austin Simon going behind the counter of the deli on July 1‚ 2022‚ and physically attacking a worker there‚ Jose Alba. Simon was angry that Alba took potato chips from the 10-year-old daughter of Simon's girlfriend‚ whose benefits card failed to work in the transaction.Video also shows Alba pleading with Simon‚ &;quot;I don't want a problem‚&;quot; before Simon aggressively shoved Alba into store shelves and grabbed him by the neck. Simon then began to walk Alba from the area behind the counter.“He wanted me to come apologize to the girl‚” Alba told a New York City police detective‚ according to the New York Daily News. “I took the knife we use to open boxes‚ and I stabbed him.” The Daily News said Alba stabbed Simon at least five times in the neck and chest.Simon died‚ and Bragg's office charged Alba with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon‚ sent him to notorious Rikers Island prison‚ and set his bail at $250‚000. The DA took quite a bit of heat for those decisions — one of Alba's defenders‚ in fact‚ was Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams‚ who called Alba &;quot;innocent.&;quot;Soon‚ Alba was released on a reduced $50‚000 bail and maintained he was defending himself against Simon. Bragg's office soon dropped all charges against Alba in the face of continued public pressure. Ex-bodega worker suing NYC over ‘racial equity policies’ youtu.be As we know‚ Trump is no Bragg fan. WPIX-TV noted Trump's open criticisms of the DA — calling him a “thug” and “degenerate psychopath&;quot; — and his policies.As for Bragg‚ his fight against Trump never seems to lose steam. On Monday Bragg filed a contempt motion against Trump‚ alleging that the former president violated a gag order.What did Trump have to say during his deli visit&;#63;WPIX-TV reported that Trump met with deli workers to discuss how their businesses are suffering due to what they characterize rising crime. The station said Trump promised resources to combat crime if he wins the 2024 presidential election.“We’ll work with the mayor‚ and we’ll work with the governor‚ and we’ll bring in a lot of federal money‚ but we have to straighten our New York‚” Trump said‚ according to WPIX.Political analyst Basil Smikle noted to the station that &;quot;this sort of very localized campaigning is always very valuable. Not everybody’s good at it‚ but he’s hoping that this tends to wrest some of the narrative away from Democrats about why he’s on trial to say ‘I am being persecuted and I’m doing this for you‚’ which has been his larger campaign messages to bigger audiences. Now he wants to take it to smaller audiences closer to their homes.&;quot;Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

Two Colorado counties filed a lawsuit on Monday against the state over its sanctuary policies that they argue “create dangerous conditions” for residents and migrants.Over the past 16 months‚ roughly 40‚000 illegal migrants have relocated to Denver.The lawsuit was filed by El Paso and Douglas Counties‚ both located south of Denver. It stated that Colorado House Bills 19-1124 and 23-1100 are “illegal and unconstitutional” because they undermine federal immigration laws and regulations.“The Colorado General Assembly enacted Colorado House Bills 19-1124 and 23-1100‚ which prohibit local governments from cooperating with the federal government in immigration matters‚” the complaint read. According to the suit‚ the legislation prevents local law enforcement authorities from arresting or detaining illegal migrants. It also prohibits state judicial officials from sharing information regarding illegal migrants with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Additionally‚ the bills ban local law enforcement from entering into immigration enforcement agreements with federal agents. “The nation is facing an immigration crisis. The nation‚ the state‚ and local governments need to cooperate and share resources to address this crisis‚” the lawsuit read.The counties claimed the bills “prohibit the necessary cooperation and create dangerous conditions for the State and migrants.”Douglas County commissioners stated during a Monday news conference that other Colorado counties may be interested in joining the lawsuit‚ the Denver Gazette reported.District 2 Commissioner George Teal told KNUS‚ “We’re in the middle of an illegal immigration crisis.”“Terrorist are infiltrating our southern border‚” Teal told the “Jeff and Bill Show” on Monday. “You know who’s catching them&;#63; It’s not the federal authorities. It’s local law enforcement.”Teal explained that the lawsuit will start in Denver District Court because it challenges laws passed by the state legislature. However‚ he anticipates the complaint will be challenged. “We have a laundry list of counties and municipalities across the state who are just aching to join us on this‚” Teal said‚ referring to the suit. “Their police operations have been affected as well.”He anticipates that the lawsuit will take up most of the year and even bleed into the following year if the appeals process is launched.Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly called the legal action &;quot;absolutely necessary to allow law enforcement to work with our federal partners to help keep all of Colorado safe.&;quot;John Fabbricatore‚ a retired ICE Denver Field Office Director and current Republican congressional candidate for Colorado’s 6th District‚ told Blaze News‚ “Sanctuary policies‚ especially those that create confusion and conflict between local and federal law enforcement agencies‚ prioritize the well-being and rights of illegal aliens over the safety of American citizens.”“By shielding criminal offenders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and possible deportation‚ these policies allow them to remain in communities where they may continue to pose a threat to public safety. This not only puts American citizens at risk but also undermines the rule of law and the authority of ICE‚” Fabbricatore added.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

A surprising number of Catholics in the United States believe abortion should be legal.The Catholic Church's teaching on the issue of abortion is clear. The catechism of the Catholic Church states:Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion‚ that is to say‚ abortion willed either as an end or a means‚ is gravely contrary to the moral law.Participation in abortion‚ then‚ is a grave offense in the Catholic Church worthy of excommunication.But according to data collected by the Pew Research Center‚ the majority of Catholics in the U.S. — 61% — believe that abortion should be legal‚ a figure that mirrors all U.S. adults.Of that high percentage‚ more than one-fifth (22%) believe that abortion should be legal in all cases‚ while 39% said that abortion should be legal in most cases. Just 38% of Catholics believe abortion should be illegal‚ including 11% who think it should be legal in all cases.Interestingly‚ there is a correlation between abortion views and Catholics who attend mass regularly.Pew Research found that Catholics who attended mass on a weekly basis were much less likely to support abortion: only 34%. Catholics who attend mass on a monthly basis or never‚ on the other hand‚ were much more likely to support abortion: 68%.The data‚ then‚ is clear: There is a connection between congruence with Christian ethics and regular participation in the faith community. Meanwhile‚ the new data represents a significant shift in Catholic views in just a handful of years.In 2018‚ Pew Research found that only 48% of Catholics believed that abortion should be legal. It's not immediately clear what is driving the dramatic shift toward abortion acceptance‚ except for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and greater cultural acceptance of abortion.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

Widely celebrated American author and philosopher Henry David Thoreau once said‚ “The true price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” Jase Robertson from “Unashamed” uttered a similar sentiment when a friend asked him for some advice on a potential career opportunity. When he told Jase that this new job would earn him “way more money” but also keep him “away from [his] family five days a week‚” Jase’s first question was: “You have enough money to live‚ right&;#63;” His friend responded with: “Oh‚ I got plenty‚ but this would be a lot more.” “As God’s man of your household … especially with teenagers in your house‚ if you walk in there and tell them that you had this promotion offered to you‚ there’s way more money‚ but because your primary goal is to see them in heaven‚ you’re turning that down‚” was Jase’s response. “Just that statement is really going to help your relationship with your teenage kids‚” he said‚ adding that “it’s going to be hard to be involved in their life if you’re gone five days a week.” To hear more‚ watch the clip below. Want more from the Robertsons&;#63;To enjoy more on God‚ guns‚ ducks‚ and inspiring stories of faith and family‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

NBA power forward Jontay Porter has been banned from the NBA for allegedly engaging in sports betting and limiting his participation for gambling purposes.The NBA issued a press release about the 24-year-old Toronto Raptors player‚ detailing how a league investigation found that the player violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors.The league also said that Porter limited &;quot;his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes&;quot; and also bet on NBA games.For a game on March 20‚ 2024‚ Porter allegedly told a bettor about his health status. The bettor then placed an $80‚000 parlay proposition with an online sports book to win $1.1 million dollars.The bet was that Porter would underperform in certain statistical categories.Speculation outside official NBA sources stated that Porter left the game with with an undisclosed illness‚ which set off alarm bells to gambling bodies.NBA statistics showed Porter played just two minutes and 43 seconds during the game in question‚ recording just two rebounds.The unusual betting activity meant that the $80‚000 wager was frozen by the betting company and wasn't paid out.Porter was also accused by the NBA of placing at least 13 bets on NBA games using &;quot;an associate's online betting account.&;quot;Bets ranged from just $15 to upward of $22‚000. The bets totaled $54‚094 and had a payout of $76‚059; the net winnings were $21‚965. None of the bets involved a game in which Porter played‚ however. He did bet on the Raptors three times though‚ and lost all three bets‚ the NBA said.The league's investigation remained opened‚ and the NBA said it will share information with federal prosecutors.&;quot;There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans‚ our teams and everyone associated with our sport‚ which is why Jontay Porter's blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment‚&;quot; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.&;quot;While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity‚ this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place‚ including the types of bets offered on our games and players. Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry‚ we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.&;quot; The following has been released by the NBA. — (@) Speculation of Porter's alleged wrongdoing was circulating online for weeks ahead of the league's announcement. In addition to the March 20‚ 2024‚ game‚ just days later YouTube channel SL Breakdown reported on another suspicious performance by Porter.During a January 26‚ 2024‚ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers‚ Porter played just four minutes and 24 seconds before reportedly coming out of the game after reaggravating an eye injury. In that game‚ he recorded just three rebounds and one assist.The analysts questioned whether this was one of the other games that NBA investigators alluded to as being a game where Porter was &;quot;limiting&;quot; his participation.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

Fallout is the name on everyone's lips at the moment‚ following the success of Amazon's TV adaptation. So‚ if you're on the prowl for anything Fallout-adjacent to play while we wait for news about season two‚ you might want to give Rauniot a look. It's a Finnish indie game set in a much darker version of 1975‚ and it has strong OG Fallout vibes. Continue reading This post-apocalyptic adventure game has intense classic Fallout vibes MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best adventure games‚ The best indie games on PC‚ The best games like Fallout

Planned Parenthood abortions came in behind heart disease (695‚547)‚ cancer (605‚213)‚ and Covid (416‚893) as a leading cause of death.