"I'm shocked at this. I can't even understand or fathom the decision at all. There's no rationale for it," he says.

The New York Archdiocese on Saturday condemned the “scandalous behavior” at a funeral held Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for transgender community activist Cecilia Gentili. In a statement Saturday‚ Rev. Enrique Salvo said the Cathedral was not made aware Gentili was reportedly an avowed atheist and that it had not known about her identify before the service. “The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic‚ and had no idea our welcome...

Transgender activists who held a funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City allegedly deceived church officials when making the request for the service‚ according to video footage. Activists and supporters held a funeral Thursday for a man identifying as a woman‚ Cecilia Gentili‚ a well-known advocate who lobbied for pro-transgender legislation at the state level. The iconic Catholic cathedral faced intense criticism after images and clips of the service circulated online‚ according...

The funeral of a renowned transgender activist in a New York cathedral elicited a denunciation of the event by a senior church official‚ who called the Mass a scandal within one of the preeminent houses of worship in U.S. Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York condemned the funeral of Cecilia Gentili‚ which was held in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan and drew a large audience on Thursday. Gentili was known as a leading advocate for other transgender people‚ as well...

Finally. The seriously out-of-control far-leftist Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron‚ he who has taken upon his Trump-hating self to fine the former president for $355 million for supposedly inflating his net worth‚ is finally getting some comeuppance. The New York Post front-paged the news: Trump-supporting truckers vow their boycott could ‘shut New York City down’ after $355M fraud ruling The Post reports: Truckers supporting Donald Trump are warning that their refusal to deliver to the Big Apple could paralyze New York City — as more drivers vow to join the boycott following the bombshell ruling in the former president’s civil fraud case. “It could shut New York City down‚” said Jennifer Hernandez‚ a trucker who has joined in the protest against Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s decision to fine Trump $355 million for inflating his net worth by billions to dupe banks and insurers. “I’m not trying to hurt the people of New York‚ that’s not what I’m trying to do‚” Hernandez insisted on NewsNation Monday morning. “But if New York loses just 10% of the trucks that go in there‚ their prices are going to skyrocket on everything — from milk to eggs‚ to any type of goods that the consumer needs. When that happens‚ it’s going to cost everyone more money‚” she warned. Well‚ exactly. READ MORE from Jeffrey Lord: Trump: The New Eisenhower on NATO What’s of serious significance here is that finally the out-of-control authoritarian and decidedly corrupt New York legal establishment is being taken on — in this instance‚ by truckers. One question that comes out of this is: Just why did it  take truckers to take on these people? Which is to say: Where is the New York Bar? Whether it’s Judge Engoron or New York Attorney General Letitia James — the latter openly campaigning on a vow to use her office to get Trump — the corruption each have brought to the New York legal system is vividly self-evident. Along with the truckers‚ New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik has also stepped up to the plate. As reported over at ABC News‚ Stefanik has sent a letter to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct‚ saying this of Engoron: Judge Engoron’s bizarre and biased behavior is making New York’s judicial system a laughingstock.…Simply put‚ Judge Engoron has displayed a clear judicial bias against the defendant throughout the case‚ breaking several rules in the New York Code of Judicial Conduct. Similarly‚ Stefanik has filed a complaint against James‚ the New York attorney general. Writes Stefanik‚ per NBC: Stefanik‚ R-N.Y.‚ alleges that James is “conducting a biased investigation and prosecution” of Trump and “attacking” him through “extrajudicial statements‚” her letter to the New York Committee on Professional Standards says. She also argues that James made “highly inappropriate and prejudicial comments on social media” and asks that the Attorney Grievance Committee investigate James and issue consequences‚ such as disbarring or suspending her. Bingo. Now come the truckers‚ who are turning to economic action in taking on the corrupt Engoron. In its own way‚ the truckers’ action is symbolic of the general revolt by millions of Americans against a political establishment that they see as decidedly corrupt. It is that belief that has so vividly animated the Trump movement‚ well on display at the former president’s decidedly energized rallies filled with enthusiastic thousands. So‚ as the former president once said‚ stand back and stand by. It seems to be forgotten that the heart of commercial New York City is Manhattan — a literal island. If truckers refuse to transport the most basic of goods into Manhattan‚ there will be serious economic problems. As mentioned‚ prices in the city will skyrocket. And in the larger sense‚ there is a decided lesson here for those paying attention. Which is to say‚ Americans have awakened to the reality that their once-honored legal and political establishments — here personified by Judge Engoron and Attorney General James — have been corrupted. And they will be looking closely at those unwilling to call out the corruption — and do something about it. The truckers are standing up for America. And‚ for that‚ they should be congratulated. The post Truckers Target Trump-Hating New York Judge appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

We spoke to Roger Kaplan‚ the regular American Spectator tennis correspondent‚ on the subject of Presidents Day‚ who admitted to feeling peeved by the lack of response from the White House to the offer from his organization‚ the East Side Athletic and Social Club‚ to give the First Couple some much needed PT on the tennis courts‚ with special attention to foot work‚ at a special sale price of only $225 per hour. His remarks (edited): It is Feb. 19‚ 2024‚ Adar I 10‚ 5784‚ and two questions occur to me that shouldn’t to someone my age: Why is “Presidents Day” celebrated with paid leave for federal workers and all manner of others who pattern their terms of employment on the feds’‚ spreading sloth and incompetence? And why are there two months of Adar? I can see the value of honoring George Washington’s birthday or marking the date of his passing with respectful remembrance‚ or Abraham Lincoln’s‚ or in fact any other’s — different states and localities even might want to decide which ones to observe — why not? — but an abstract “Presidents Day” is empty‚ even sinful — a kind of idolatry. READ MORE: Who Is the WOAT President? Stronger cases can be made for Memorial Day and Veterans Day‚ for they underscore the debt all Americans owe to the veterans who fought in all the wars that preserved our country. We are saddened by the lives lost but strive the rationalize the bitter necessity or understand the shoddy policies that brought them about in the hope of preventing others. And yet‚ even here‚ I think it is far more meaningful — and emotional — to remember specific wars and specific veterans. We mark Nov. 11‚ Armistice Day‚ to remember the horror and meaning — if we can ever find it — of World War I. We mark Pearl Harbor Day and the V Days ending World War II in Europe and Asia to ponder the enormity of that fight. Being specific is always good advice. The perverse effect of these abstract holidays is not that they turn into “gimme” frenzies‚ with commercial establishments using the occasion to promote sales. Actually‚ there is nothing wrong with hucksterism‚ and we should not denigrate the commercial reflex in a land that was founded by commercial men and owes its greatness in so many fields‚ from space exploration to medical breakthroughs to great music and writing‚ to the culture of business‚ aka the spirit of enterprise‚ and the work ethic. You cannot blame a store owner for luring idlers into his shop; on the contrary‚ if they are idling instead of working‚ whose fault is it? It is the fault of the wannabe tyrants downtown (I’m writing from Washington) who grab every opportunity to buy votes for their awful policies. Unpaid leaves are ways to buy off‚ or at least demoralize‚ the people‚ but they are borrowing against their children and grandchildren. The other question is why there are two months called Adar‚ but I can ask a rabbi‚ or better‚ my friends on Long Island‚ who unlike me were yeshiva bochers in the day. However‚ the short answer is simple: the additional month occurs when there is a leap; in other words‚ it is a holy (and practical‚ the two go together) way to recognize the greatness of creation‚ which made the solar system such that there are leap years. Adar is a time of rejoicing‚ so it’s good to have two from time to time. It is the time of Purim — more on that from our resident sages as we get nearer‚ but basically it is another time to remember God’s rescue of the Jewish people‚ something quite germane these days‚ and as such a time for an extra drink. Just by way of short preview‚ the bad guy was a greedy and power mad scoundrel called Haman‚ who wanted to wipe out the Jews because they preached and tried to practice virtue as defined by the Higher Power‚ which went against his own preferences. But the king whom this sociopath was supposed to serve but against whom he plotted was‚ to use an anachronism‚ something of a philosemite since he was in love with a Jewish princess‚ Esther‚ crazy love at first sight like — I am not trying to be silly — Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Purim‚ in other words‚ is specific‚ as is the next holiday‚ Passover. Purim and Passover are not “deliverance days” (as in “Presidents Day”); they are there to remember specific people and events. And as for us‚ today‚ Americans in America‚ we must stop the futile effort to get to Nowheresville while obsessing over old rich guys running for president‚ consumed by their own distasteful vanity‚ nothing there but suits overstuffed with bile and mouths full of feet. We should be talking about young(er) guys — or even dolls — willing to serve the Republic and worthy of the voters’ gamble. We need specific names. It is not too late. On the contrary‚ it’s a long time to November. I say draft a few good men and women to make competitive teams‚ draw the starting line‚ and get a real‚ honest‚ exciting‚ patriotic race going‚ a race for America‚ and totally ignore the others. It will work. (And‚ yes‚ my vote will be influenced — not bought! — by an honest offer‚ such as managing the White House tennis court.) The post This Tennis Reporter Rejects Presidents Day appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.