NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce expressed his shock that Iowa's Caitlin Clark was able to beat a "bunch of black girls" from Louisiana State University.Pierce was speaking on FS1's "Undisputed" with NFL legend Keyshawn Johnson and host Skip Bayless when he reacted to Iowa's historic win over LSU during the NCAA women's basketball tournament.Clark is now viewed as one of the best female basketball players of all time and has recorded the most points in NCAA women's basketball history. The player has had a rivalry with LSU's Angel Reese leading up to their game in the Elite Eight‚ the quarterfinals of the tournament.After Iowa won 94-87‚ Pierce was in awe that Clark‚ a white woman‚ was able to beat black women."We saw a white girl in Iowa do it to a bunch of Black girls…that gained my respect‚" he told his cohosts. "That gained my respect! That’s like‚ oh she didn’t do this to some other little white girls that were over in Colorado or wherever. She did it to some girls from LSU who we thought were some dogs!"Pierce added that Iowa took LSU and "put 'em on their knee and spanked them. I didn’t expect that." "We saw a white girl in Iowa do it to a bunch of Black girls. That gained my respect...I didn't expect that." - Paul Pierce — (@) The LSU team garnered attention for all the wrong reasons following their disappointing loss. Fans quickly realized that LSU wasn't present during the national anthem after video circulated showing only the Iowa players present on the court‚ holding hands. Iowa players holding hands during the American National Anthem. LSU players left the court before the anthem was performed. — (@) LSU coach Kim Mulkey explained that the move wasn't intentional and claimed she didn't know when the Star-Spangled Banner would be performed."Honestly‚ I don't even know when the anthem was played‚" Mulkey said in the post-game press conference. "We kind of have a routine when they’re on the floor and they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don't know‚ we come in and we do our pregame stuff. I'm sorry‚ listen‚ that’s nothing intentionally done." Kim Mulkey said her team didn't intentionally leave the floor prior to the playing of the United States National Anthem. \n\n"Honestly‚ I don't even know when the anthem was played. We kind of have a routine [for leaving the court at a certain time]." — (@) LSU star Reese had her own controversial segment during the press conference and detailed how she has felt abused online and hasn't been able to stand up for herself."I don't really get to stand up for myself. I have great teammates‚ I have a great support system‚ I have my hometown‚ I have my family that stands up for me‚" she began."I don't really get to speak out on things because I just try to ignore. I just try to stand strong. I've been through so much‚ I've seen so much‚ I've been attacked so many times. Death threats‚ I've been sexualized‚ I've been threatened...I'm still a human. All this has happened since I won the national championship‚ and I said the other day‚ I haven't been happy since then‚" she added.Interestingly enough‚ minutes earlier‚ teammate Hailey Van Lith said that media and online criticisms do not affect Reese's psyche."Y'all do not get to her. Let me say it again. Y'all do not get to Angel Reese. You might want to throw the towel in because you're wasting your energy. Angel is one of the toughest people I've been around‚" Van Lith declared. — (@) While it is obvious that threats of physical violence are unwarranted‚ Reese's claims of being sexualized are indeed strange given that she posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 2023.It is equally strange given that after LSU's win in the previous round of the NCAA tournament‚ Reese spoke about how much she enjoyed modeling."Me being able to be on the court but also off the court‚ I like to model and do other things. I can do both‚" she said‚ according to Outkick. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@si_swimsuit) Reese still noted that she is "unapologetically" herself‚ with no plans to change."I wouldn't change anything‚ and I would still sit here and say I'm unapologetically me‚" she said. "I'm going to always leave that mark and be who I am and stand on that."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

On February 14‚ 2018‚ 17 individuals needlessly lost their lives to 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland‚ Florida. Two fathers‚ Andrew Pollock and Ryan Petty‚ lost children in the massacre and have dedicated their lives to fighting for legislation that actually makes sense in combating school shootings. While their loss is devastating‚ they aren’t on board with the Biden administration’s latest policies that they believe would hurt more than help — like the now federalized red flag system. “In Parkland‚ the sheriff’s department was out to my daughters’ murderer’s house over 40 times and never arrested‚” Pollock tells Sara Gonzales. “Red flag gun laws only work if they’re enforced. If these people commit crimes and nothing ever gets put on their background‚ it’ll never show up‚” he continues‚ noting that you can’t entrust the police with just taking innocent civilians' weapons — there has to be due process. “We don’t need any more laws. We need to enforce the laws that are on the books right now. Arrest criminals‚ put them in jail‚ hold them accountable where they learn a lesson‚ and don’t put them back on the street to hurt innocent children.” As for the Democrats‚ Pollock and Petty agree — they’re focused on the wrong thing. “They’re so simple-minded they can’t look at anything in the facts or in the past. ... They spew this gun control BS‚ which really kills me and Ryan‚” Pollock says. Gonzales is disturbed by the lack of real action on the government's part concerning these mass shootings. “The majority of these mass shootings‚ whether it be at school or somewhere else‚ it’s like‚ well‚ this person was on someone’s radar. Whether it be FBI‚ federal‚ or local law enforcement‚” Gonzales says‚ adding‚ “Sounds like they’re not actually connecting the dots here all the way or they don’t want to.” Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Republicans in the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill that would eliminate the vaccine requirements for students in virtual public schools and enable private schools and parochial schools to set their own policies. Requirements would‚ however‚ remain in place for students participating in sanctioned athletic events organized by the West Virginia Secondary School Athletics Commission. While House Bill 5105 passed the House of Delegates in a 57-41 vote and then the state Senate in a March 20-12 vote‚ Gov. Jim Justice (R) killed it last week. Justice indicated he was swayed by the "overwhelming majority" — not in the state legislature but in the Mountain State's "medical community." The governor noted in his veto letter that medical professionals who reached out to him had suggested the legislation would "do irreparable harm by crippling childhood immunity to diseases such as mumps and measles. West Virginia historically has seen very few instances of these diseases‚ specifically because the vaccination requirements in this State are so strong." Children entering schools or state-regulated child care centers in West Virginia must be immunized against chickenpox‚ hepatitis-b‚ measles‚ meningitis‚ mumps‚ diphtheria‚ polio‚ rubella‚ tetanus‚ and whooping cough. The state does not currently provide a religious exemption. "I have always and will always defend our freedoms as West Virginians and as Americans‚" added Justice. "I hear how strongly people believe in one side or the other on this subject‚ and I respect all opinions. But I must follow the guidance of our medical experts on this subject. ... Their wisdom should not be ignored–especially when it comes to the health and safety of our children." Clay Marsh‚ the vice president of West Virginia University who served as COVID-19 czar for the state during the pandemic‚ was among those who had Justice's ear ahead of the veto‚ reported the Associated Press. The ACLU of West Virginia also opposed the bill‚ stating‚ "Vaccines actually further civil liberties. They protect the most vulnerable in society – those with disabilities and fragile immune systems and those who are too young to get vaccinated." The legislature does not presently have the power to override Justice's veto. WCHS-TV noted that the veto has some parents fuming. Krystle Perry‚ a Fayette County mother who removed her second-grade daughter from virtual school to avoid the mandated vaccinations‚ said‚ "That's my choice. I birthed her." "I got a phone call a couple months ago stating that if she wasn't up to date on her immunizations that she wasn't allowed to attend anymore‚" continued Perry. "To me‚ I mean‚ she's not in public classes whatsoever. She's behind a laptop." "I feel to me it's religious exemptions why I don't have her up to date on vaccines‚" added Perry. The bill's lead sponsor‚ Del. Laura Kimble (R)‚ originally suggested the bill was about buttressing individual freedom of choice‚ reported the Charleston Gazette-Mail. "When I found out that virtual public-school students also were required to have all of the mandated immunizations‚ I thought the absurdity in the policy was evident‚" said Kimble. "That is how this bill came to be." "We acknowledge that we're guaranteed the right to religious liberty‚ yet our West Virginia government has attempted to infringe on this right‚" added Kimble. "I'm not anti-vaccine. I do believe‚ however‚ that the role of the government is not to give a false sense of security‚ but is to defend and protect individual rights." The reception of the veto appears to be mixed in Charleston. Officials associated with the West Virginia Sate Medical Association are pleased with Justice's decision‚ reported WOWK-TV. "The governor looks at the data and the numbers‚" said Dr. Lisa Costello‚ a pediatrician. "Preventable disease outbreaks can cost state governments millions of dollars. Further‚ they can disrupt daily activities by closing offices‚ schools‚ and childcare facilities." State Sen. Mike Moroney (R) underscored that historical context is important‚ stating‚ "Most diseases have been eradicated or so minimized that people don’t realize the rage that they went through the communities with‚ and the countries‚ and our states and countries‚ just the whole world." For critics of the veto‚ liberty appeared to be at issue contra public health. "I'm big on parents having a choice when it comes to the decision they make for their children‚" said Del. Chris Pritt (R). "A lot of parents‚ based on religion and other reasons‚ feel that they don't need to vaccinate their children." Rep. Alex Mooney‚ a West Virginia Republican running against Justice in the U.S. Senate primary‚ suggested the veto was "[a]nother sign of Liberal @JimJusticeWV disregarding religious freedom &; parental rights. He's always supported longer shutdowns than even @JoeBiden. Once again‚ this is further proof that Justice is what he has been all long: a big government RINO." State Sen. Mike Stuart (R) noted on X that "'IF' there is an unfortunate veto of the minor immunization bill‚ it is but one small battle in the war for freedom. Next year there will be many more conservatives in the Legislature and next year's bill won't be so small. We will go for full religious exemptions." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Although I was delighted to see all the responses to my recent column on polarization‚ it was also unsettling to discover how many readers misunderstood my meaning. For the record‚ I do not deplore the polarization I discussed. I view it as a fortunate response to the intolerant cultural left‚ a runaway administrative state‚ and the anti-discrimination regime under which we’re living. I’d be far more concerned if‚ like in Canada or Germany‚ the populist response to the left’s power-grabs had little or no effect. The polarization in question is not between the Republican and Democratic Parties as they existed 50 years ago. Since then‚ a major realignment has occurred throughout most of the Western world in which the predominantly white working class has become the vanguard of a transformed political right. Trump‚ to his credit‚ has upset the entrenched left and its media handmaidens‚ while unifying normal Americans. Meanwhile‚ much of the professional class‚ corporate capitalist executives‚ educators‚ and government administrators have united with the underclass and‚ more recently‚ illegal aliens to form a new leftist bloc. Although this now-prevalent left embraces cultural radicals and supporters of increased administrative and judicial power‚ its power brokers are not socialists in any historical sense. But they do promote green energy policies that benefit Democratic Party donors. Crony capitalists who finance the Democrats are making a fortune through “alternative energy‚” “alternative autos‚” and “alternative heating.” Unfortunately‚ these costly‚ usually ineffective innovations are causing hardship for working-class Americans and small businesspeople while they further enrich the already rich. While the Democratic Party operates as the mouthpiece of this woke alliance‚ the Republican Party is still working to redefine itself. Although Trump has become the most prominent advocate of a rising populist cause‚ his brash‚ impromptu speaking style does not express the populist position in a coherent manner. Trump‚ to his credit‚ has upset the entrenched left and its media handmaidens‚ while unifying normal Americans. Even those who deplore Trump’s venting and verbal looseness can appreciate his contribution to a populist movement that calls for a renewed national identity and restraints on our runaway administrative regime. Given what the Democratic Party has already done to destroy the life and confiscate the possessions of the Republican presidential candidate‚ and given its ready use of violence and riots to advance its power‚ I’ve no idea what returning to bipartisanship means‚ other than delaying a necessary struggle. The idea that one can go back to the era of Ronald Reagan and House Speaker Tip O’Neill (D-Mass.)‚ who ground out congressional deals while exchanging Irish jokes‚ is pure fantasy. Some congressional Democrats may be willing to hammer out an agreement with a Republican colleague on some commercial issue or about aid to Israel or Ukraine. But this hardly brings us back to the the bipartisanship of an earlier age. By now the left is working to remove even the possibility of effective opposition. No‚ I don’t oppose running “moderate” Republicans in swing districts‚ assuming the price for allowing them to be competitive is to have them sound minimally different from their Democratic opponents. Although it would please me if all Republican candidates came out with guns blazing‚ I certainly know that’s not possible everywhere. Moreover‚ unless the Republicans can elect more of their candidates to high office‚ they’re not likely to wield much power for any end. One might nonetheless hope that Republicans who get elected in swing districts behave like “moderate” Democratic officeholders. There are no moderate Democrats once elected‚ even if John Fetterman‚ my senator‚ has turned out to be less wacky than I expected. Robert Casey Jr.‚ our other U.S. senator from Pennsylvania‚ ran as a centrist Democrat‚ but his voting record in Congress is hard to distinguish from that of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). I wish our moderate Republicans became more conservative in office‚ just as Casey lunged to the left after his election! Finally‚ I didn’t mean to suggest that the populist right has no path to political victory. But that path consists of extracting as many votes as possible from sympathetic electorates. Salena Zito in a recent commentary laid out this useful strategy for winning back Pennsylvania from the Democrats. According to Zito‚ Republicans should try to win overwhelmingly small red counties rather than exhausting their energy in pursuit of making inroads in strongly Democratic urban electorates. If Republicans wish to attract any more black voters‚ then they must sound reasonable. Pace Fox News‚ there is no evidence that black voters are rushing in droves to change their party affiliations. Moreover‚ there is no reason to call Biden and his party “racists” for supporting the 1994 crime bill or for opposing busing supposedly to achieve more racially diverse schools. Both parties took those positions and were entirely justified in doing so. Black voters likewise overwhelmingly backed the crime legislation that Congress passed in 1994. Further‚ congressmen from both parties negotiated bills with Southern Democrats who voted against civil rights legislation in the 1960s. What was the alternative at the time? Attacking as racist what were once sensible bipartisan positions won’t entice anyone to flip parties.

Making an aid bill tougher for Democrats and GOP Ukraine supporters to swallow may be the best way to get it through Congress.

U.K. prime minister Rishi Sunak defended Rowling’s right to observe ‘simple facts on biology.’

BOMBARDA! J.K. Rowling DESTROYS Horde of Hate-Filled Heifers Claiming History Won't Be Kind to Her

AP Tees Up Question for Karine Jean-Pierre About Immigrants Helping the Economy

WATCH: RFK Jr. Says BIDEN Is Bigger Threat to Democracy Than Trump

'Second Class Citizenship': Jan. 6 Defendant 'Lectern Guy' on His Former Fed Prosecutor's Road Rage Trial