Adoption can be a profound and life-altering journey that can take many forms‚ each with unique challenges and rewards. One area met with misconceptions is adopting teenagers‚ which results in an unfortunate loss to those needing support. Debunking common adoption myths will shed light on the rewards of embracing this misunderstood aspect of adoption. Common Teenage Adoption Myths The misconceptions of adopting teens often discourages prospective parents from considering this journey. Teenagers end up without adoptive families and ultimately miss out on that much-needed familial connection. Many teens end up aging out of foster care before finding that belonging. Myth #1: Teenagers Are Harder To Bond With A common belief exists that forming a strong bond with a teenager is more challenging than with a younger child. However‚ this myth overlooks the incredible capacity for connection that exists between adoptive parents and teenagers. The Truth Teenagers‚ like children of any age‚ yearn for a sense of belonging and security. While it may take time and patience to build trust‚ forming deep and meaningful connections is possible and transformative. Open communication‚ shared interests‚ and a commitment to understanding contribute to developing strong bonds between adoptive parents and teenagers. Myth #2: Teens Come With Too Much Baggage The misconception that teens come with insurmountable emotional baggage is a significant deterrent for prospective adoptive parents. In reality‚ every individual‚ regardless of age‚ brings a unique set of experiences to the adoption journey. Adoption trauma can occur regardless of age but will present itself differently in teenagers compared to younger children. The Truth Some teenagers may have faced challenges in the past. However‚ adopting parents can play a vital role in providing the support and stability needed for emotional healing. Teens are resilient‚ and understanding that they have the potential for growth helps dispel the myth that adopting a teenager means taking on an overwhelming emotional burden. Adoptive parents can foster a nurturing environment that contributes to the emotional well-being and positive development of their adoptees. Some teens may also have biological parents or birth family they wish to maintain a relationship with. This can be a deterrent for potential adoptive parents looking to add a new member to their family. Instead‚ understand that having support from multiple adults can be impactful to their growth. Myth #3: It’s Too Late To Make A Positive Impact A prevailing belief is that adopting a teenager is too late to make a positive impact on their lives. This myth undermines the potential for growth‚ change‚ and a brighter future that comes with the right support and guidance.  The Truth Everyone is capable of change at any age‚ and that’s certainly true for teenagers as well. Adoptive parents can make a lasting and positive impact on a teen’s life‚ regardless of when the adoption occurs. The teen years account for a small aspect of life. An adoptive parent coming in at the opportune time to help shape a teen’s next steps could be exactly what inspires them to become who they’re meant to be. Providing stability‚ love‚ and guidance‚ adoptive families can set teens on a path toward personal and academic success. What these teenagers are often lacking is support and guidance‚ and once they have that‚ they’re more likely to spark change. Courtesy of Karolina Grabowska (via Pexels) Mutual Rewards of Teenage Adoption While there are incredible benefits for teenagers once becoming adopted‚ it doesn’t end there. Everyone involved in the adoption can benefit from the experience‚ which can further strengthen the process. Benefits for Adopted Parents Adopting a teenager provides adoptive parents with a profound sense of emotional fulfillment and personal growth. The challenges and joys of navigating the teenage years alongside their adoptee contribute to the development of resilience‚ patience‚ and a deeper understanding of family dynamics. The emotional bond formed during this period often becomes a source of lasting satisfaction. Adoptive parents play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their adopted teenagers‚ whether it’s assisting with educational choices‚ career planning‚ or providing emotional support during adolescence. The joy that comes from helping them navigate through crucial life stages‚ make informed decisions‚ and witness their growth is a unique reward of teenage adoption. Benefits for Adopted Teenagers Teenagers greatly benefit from the opportunity to build strong‚ lasting connections with their adoptive families. During their transition to adulthood‚ the relationships formed in their teenage years provide support‚ understanding‚ and stability.  Teenagers who are never adopted often lack the privilege of celebrating their milestones and achievements. With an adopted family‚ there’s a shared sense of accomplishment that enhances the bond. Whether it’s excelling academically‚ pursuing passions‚ or overcoming personal challenges‚ this support contributes to the positive development and self-esteem of the adopted child. For teenagers‚ the need for support is even greater as they prepare to embark on adulthood. It’s worth considering the benefits of adopting teenagers as the experience can be transformative and incredibly rewarding for everyone. This article was written exclusively for Love What Matters by Kate Fann. Have a story of love‚ kindness‚ or healing to share? Visit our submissions portal to submit today. Read more stories like this: Child Abuse Survivor Adopted At Age 37 By Loving Family Who Took Her In As Teen ‘Sitting in a shelter‚ she’d given up on being adopted.’: Family adopt teen before she ages out of foster care system Do you know someone who could benefit from reading this? SHARE this story on social media with family and friends.

On Wednesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show‚” Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro interviewed a leading expert on the southern border crisis‚ Anthony Rubin‚ one of the only journalists to have ever traveled and documented the entire mass migration route from Quito‚ Ecuador‚ to the U.S. border. Asked about the route‚ Rubin‚ the founder of muckraker.com‚ stated‚ “The whole world is flying into Quito‚ Ecuador‚ because it’s got the easiest entry requirements basically of any country in the world. And then from there‚ they are crossing into Colombia illegally and trekking all the way up to the United States‚ country by country‚ crossing through the Darien Gap Jungle … making the way all the way up here aided by the United Nations and associated organizations along the way.” “Who actually is trafficking people?” Shapiro asked. “At what point do drug cartels take over? Is it individuals? Is it groups?” “A lot of people think when you when you’re talking to them about this that it’s like one continuous caravan all the way from Ecuador to the U.S. border‚” Rubin answered. “It doesn’t really work like that. You’re with a group that’s continuously changing. You’ll be with one group entering the Darien Gap‚ then you’ll pop out‚ and then that group kind of splits apart as people travel at their own pace. And then another group will form at the northern part of Panama and then a group will continue to gather and you’ll get another caravan that’ll form at southern Mexico.” “And so it’s always kind of shifting and evolving‚” he continued. “But as far as the groups that bring you through‚ the groups that brought us through the Darien Gap‚ there are many routes that you can take through there. The route that we took was the route that is used by special interest aliens. That would be anybody that’s coming from countries that perhaps harbor terrorists‚ that have state-sponsored terrorism.” “It could also be countries such as China‚ Russia‚ people that have a little bit more money‚” he said.  “And so this route‚ what happens is you actually have to get smuggled into Panama by boats. You actually are already starting in Panamanian territory. And then you actually trek east to west through the jungle until you hit Highway 1. And so that’s the route that we took. Along that route‚ it’s indigenous tribes that are guiding you through the jungle. You could still die in there. These indigenous tribes are still armed. “ “In Mexico‚ we ran into at least three cartels; we were going to cross into the United States‚ right where Elon Musk’s SpaceX is in Boca Chica‚ Texas. We were walking up this public Mexican beach‚ just public coastline right there next to the Gulf of Mexico‚  and we got picked up by this truck who told us we can’t go any further; it’s going to be trouble for you if you keep walking up there‚” he recalled. “This truck starts driving us back down south to where we came from and pulled up next to another pickup truck that was filled with three armed men. These are serious guys carrying assault rifles … they just start screaming at us. They order us out of this one truck into their truck‚ and they drive us inland. And about 10 minutes inland‚ they pull us out of the truck‚ lay out all the stuff where they can find our drone and our camera‚ and now they’re thinking that perhaps we are spying on them. They don’t know what’s going on. So they start searching us for wires. They put us on our knees‚ they take hostage-type photos.” “And during this time‚ another truck with four more armed men has pulled up with another seven armed men surrounding us‚” he continued. “It’s not looking good. I’m you know‚ I’m trying to keep my cool. But certainly you start to realize that this situation is long . … And what happens is they tie up our hands‚ they throw a blindfold on myself.” “Eventually the doors open up‚ the car stops and we’re in the middle of an empty field‚” he said. “And I’m not sure what’s about to happen‚ but it doesn’t look good‚ right? But they lay out all of our electronics and they take out a crowbar and they smash everything to bits and pieces‚ and then they load it into another car and drop us off at the port of entry and basically say‚ never come back here again.” “I’ve been down to the southern border myself; the drug cartels have total control over America’s southern border. I wonder if that was your experience as well‚” Shapiro commented. “Absolutely‚” Rubin answered. “And you know‚ it’s not just the southern border or the northern border of Mexico. It’s throughout Mexico. The drug cartels are in control of that entire route. And what’s incredible is you have the United Nations and associated organizations that are handing out maps‚ ‘migration route maps’ to say ‘Here’s where you need to cross into Mexico. Here’s the route you’re going to take or the routes you can take through Mexico. Here’s the different crossing points of the United States.’ And all of those points are controlled by the cartel. It’s known that if you’re going to cross at any of those points‚ you’re going have to pay a human smuggler that is associated with the drug cartel … that’s the only way you’re actually going to be able to pass through. And so these‚ quote-unquote‚ ‘humanitarian organizations’ are really lining or helping to line the pockets of the cartel with millions‚ perhaps billions of dollars. That’s not an estimate that I made up. Those are legitimate estimates by people who have studied this and crunched the numbers.” “For example‚ when we rode the Mexican train of death‚ that’s the train that runs across Mexico; it’s based like a freight train‚” he stated. “And you will see illegal aliens riding on the top of it. The men who loaded us up onto the top of that train were serious cartel men in the middle of the night. these are men that are entirely masked up. They’re wearing body armor. They actually had swords tucked behind their body armor … I wasn’t aware what the swords were for at first. And then later I find out that’s because if they need to kill somebody‚ they don’t want to make any noise. That’s why they have the sword. And of course‚ they’re carrying assault rifles or shotguns. And these are the men that are loading you up onto the train of death in the middle of the night. So there’s nothing humanitarian about it. And yet all of Mexico‚ at least the parts where this route is going through‚ it’s all controlled by the cartel.”

Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) — who was booted from his seat in early December following a scathing ethics report — blasted his former Republican colleagues in a group chat on Tuesday night after Democrat Tom Souzzi won the special election to replace him. According to reports from The Daily Beast and Semafor‚ Santos put some of his former colleagues in a group chat and texted them his disgust after Souzzi defeated Republican candidate Mazi Pilip. The Democrats’ win in the special election slimmed the GOP’s majority in the U.S. House from seven seats to six seats‚ with four vacancies in the 435-member chamber. “I hope you guys are happy with this dismal performance and your 10 million for futile Bull S*** cost the party‚” he reportedly said in a message sent to most of the New York Republicans who voted to expel him. “I look very forward to most of you losing due to your absolute hate filled campaign to remove me from Congress arbitrarily. Now go tell the Republicans Base what you f***ing idiots did and good luck raising money next quarter.” A screenshot of the text chain that Santos shared with Semafor showed that Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) responded to Santos’ message‚ writing‚ “Sorry new phone‚ who dis?” 🟡NEW via @kadiagoba: Ex-Rep. George Santos texted his former New York Republican colleagues to trash them for pushing to remove him from Congress after Rs lost NY03 seat. Rep. Andrew Garbarino responded: “Sorry new phone ‚ who dis?” https://t.co/6xr2SY2NHZ pic.twitter.com/XqICWLnc37 — Joseph Zeballos-Roig (@josephzeballos) February 14‚ 2024 Santos posted multiple times on social media about the Republicans’ election loss Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning‚ arguing that he “FLIPPED a 23 year Blue seat with the help of grassroots activists and by activating the base with retail politics.” He also said that Republicans disrespected former President Donald Trump’s loyal supporters during the race. “#NY3 is #MAGA country and since MAGA was disrespected‚ MAGA stayed home!” Santos added. Santos’ post echoed Trump’s take on the election. The former president posted on Truth Social Tuesday night that “Republicans just don’t learn” and called Pilip a “foolish woman” for not endorsing him. “I have an almost 99% Endorsement Success Rate in Primaries‚ and a very good number in the General Elections‚ as well‚ but just watched this very foolish woman‚ Mazi Melesa Pilip‚ running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to ‘straddle the fence‚’ when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America‚” Trump said. “MAGA‚ WHICH IS MOST OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY‚ STAYED HOME – AND IT ALWAYS WILL‚ UNLESS IT IS TREATED WITH THE RESPECT THAT IT DESERVES. I STAYED OUT OF THE RACE‚ “I WANT TO BE LOVED!” GIVE US A REAL CANDIDATE IN THE DISTRICT FOR NOVEMBER. SUOZZI‚ I KNOW HIM WELL‚ CAN BE EASILY BEATEN!” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The House voted on December 1‚ 2023‚ to expel Santos‚ with 311 representatives voting in the affirmative and 114 voting against‚ with two representatives voting present. Democrats‚ who remained mostly united in their vote for Santos’ expulsion‚ were joined by 105 Republicans. Santos faces 23 federal charges related to allegations of fraud‚ misusing campaign funds‚ and lying about his personal finances on House disclosure reports. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. The House Ethics Committee released a report in November that was heavily critical of the then-congressman’s conduct‚ saying that a “review of the allegations and charges” showed “overwhelming evidence of his misconduct.” Santos became the sixth U.S. House member to be expelled but made history as the first member expelled before being convicted of a crime or having fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War.

A federal government agency tasked with promoting scientific progress and securing national defense is dumping nearly one million taxpayer dollars into an effort to make biology “inclusive” by denying that there are only two genders. The National Science Foundation is granting three institutions the large sum of money based on the claim that “biology courses often inaccurately categorize sex and gender as binary.” The study‚ titled “Collaborative Research: A qualitative inquiry into sex/gender narratives in undergraduate biology and their impacts on transgender‚ non-binary‚ and gender non-conforming students‚” hopes to make undergraduate biology classes more “inclusive” for transgender students‚ in part by denying the fact that sex is binary. The effort to deny biological reality with taxpayer dollars comes amid a broader push from the Biden administration to leverage the federal bureaucracy to advance far-left beliefs‚ with large grants flowing towards efforts to embed extreme ideologies in America’s institutions. The National Science Foundation calls the diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion (DEI) agenda a “high priority‚” and boasts that it has multiple identity-based employee resource groups‚ including one for “LGBTQ+ and Allies.” Three academic institutions‚ the University of Minnesota‚ Colorado State University‚ and Florida International University‚ have all received government funding to partake in the study‚ with a total of $905‚694 taxpayer dollars slated to go towards the effort‚ according to government funding disclosures. The government funding was awarded by the National Science Foundation‚ a federal agency tasked with promoting scientific progress and securing national defense. “The oversimplification of sex and gender into binary categories can make biology classrooms particularly challenging for TNG students‚” the award abstract reads‚ referring to those who identify as transgender‚ non-binary‚ and gender non-conforming. The description goes on to claim “early data suggest that how sex and gender topics are represented in the biology curriculum impacts TNG students’ sense of belonging and interest in biology.” The National Science Foundation did not directly answer a Daily Wire inquiry asking whether the federal agency believed that there are more than two genders‚ with a spokesperson instead doubling down on the federal agency’s financial support of the effort to deny the binary nature of sex. “There is a strong theoretical foundation on which the research questions are based‚” a foundation spokesperson told The Daily Wire‚ also boasting that its “merit review process is recognized as the ‘gold standard’ of scientific review.” The spokesperson added that the effort to make biology more inclusive for those who identify as transgender was “identified as having intellectual merit and broader impacts because the proposers made a strong case to the peer reviewers.” The study specifically intends to examine “how a more accurate curriculum about the diversity of sexes found across species‚ the role of the environment in sex determination‚ and the complex relationship between sex and gender can create a more inclusive environment for transgender‚ non-binary‚ and gender non-conforming (TNG) students in undergraduate biology courses.” Three primary goals are also articulated for the government-backed study‚ which hopes to “explore how sex and gender are currently represented in the undergraduate biology content‚” “describe the impact this content has on classroom climate and belonging for [transgender‚ non-binary‚ and gender non-confirming] students‚” and finally “characterize the current efforts of biology instructors to create a more inclusive climate for [transgender‚ non-binary‚ and gender non-conforming] students.” The government-backed effort also seeks to “support the design of interventions and curriculum inclusive of both TNG and intersex students” and will allegedly “help all biology students develop inclusive and scientifically accurate understandings of sex and gender.” Data collected via interviews with students and professors will be analyzed using “[f]eminist phenomenology‚ qualitative content analysis‚ and document analysis.” Carrie Hall‚ who works for the National Science Foundation’s Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM‚ was listed as the Program Manager for the effort. The individual universities did not respond to requests for comment on their ongoing studies. The foundation’s funding of the study is far from the only time that the federal government has used taxpayer dollars to push radical gender ideology and the diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion agenda. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)‚ for example‚ allocated just under $700k in taxpayer funds to an organization by HHS for the purpose of developing transgender-inclusive sex education programs for children as young as 14 years old‚ The Daily Wire revealed. While taxpayer funds have been repeatedly used to push extreme leftwing efforts on gender‚ the Biden administration was recently exposed for relying on just two pages of literature to support so-called “gender-affirming care.” Meanwhile‚ a growing number of studies have found that so-called “gender-affirming” medical interventions do not benefit patients. Various agencies within the federal government have aggressively pushed ideological initiatives under President Biden‚ who signed multiple executive orders intending to use the federal government to advance leftwing beliefs on race and the diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion agenda. Former Trump administration officials‚ as well as former President Trump himself‚ have advocated for plans to gut the administrative state under the next administration‚ intending to reign in and fire unelected bureaucrats who may obstruct the president’s objectives.

Ukraine’s military released video from a drone attack this week that it says sunk a Russian warship in its Black Sea Fleet off the coast of Crimea. Ukraine said the Wednesday attack on the Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov was carried out by MAGURA V5 drones‚ which blew open holes in the side of the vessel. The 370-foot ship had a crew of approximately 90. The attack was carried out by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the country’s “Group 13” intelligence unit in Ukraine’s territorial waters near Alupka‚ the country said in a statement. The ship had been at a location loading up with weapons and other military hardware to ship to Russian forces in Ukraine when it was hit. “Ukraine has disabled a third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet during the large-scale invasion‚” Ukraine’s military said. “That aligns with Ukrainian claims last week that they had disabled about 33% of Russia’s warships‚ amounting to 24 disabled ships and one submarine‚” CNN reported. “The landing ship Caesar Kunikov would be the 25th disabled ship‚ according to Ukraine’s count.” Ukraine’s shift to using drones to level the playing field against Russia has proved to be highly effective‚ as the country has been able to reopen grain exports to the world market since Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been forced to move back hundreds of miles. “It is these unmanned systems – such as drones – along with other types of advanced weapons‚ that provide the best way for Ukraine to avoid being drawn into a positional war‚ where we do not possess the advantage‚” said Ukraine’s former top general‚ Valerii Zaluzhnyi. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP A pilot of one of the drones told CNN that they are a considerable advantage for Ukraine because they are “quite difficult to see” and they are agile‚ meaning that even if they are spotted‚ they are hard to shoot down. “No warship can be as maneuverable as these drones‚” the pilot said. At this rate‚ the Russian Black Sea Fleet won’t have any warships left soon. Ropucha-class large landing ship Cesar Kunikov hit and apparently sunk by Ukrainian naval drones overnight. pic.twitter.com/yUJDmtKYgA — Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) February 14‚ 2024

New York Democratic Mayor Eric Adams says he is limited in what he can do to address the migrant crisis that has crippled the city’s welfare system. Adams suggested that New York’s sanctuary city laws and other policies that have allowed migrants to take advantage of the city’s welfare system have curbed his ability to act‚ according to Fox News. “We’re not just saying we’re out of room as a soundbite. We’re out of room‚ literally. People are going to be eventually sleeping on the streets‚” he told FOX 5 New York’s Rosanna Scotto. When asked what Adams could do about the flood of migrants entering the city‚ the mayor demurred. He said the legal system has restricted his options and forced his decisions on key issues. “The law states that we cannot notify [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. I cannot break the law and enforce the law. I can’t deport. I can’t stop people from coming in‚ repeated criminal behavior‚ I can’t report to ICE for deportation. So‚ there’s certain things I can’t do‚” Adams responded. Adams said the migrant crisis that is straining the city’s infrastructure is “unfair to New Yorkers.” “Our hearts are endless‚ but our resources are not‚” Adams said. “It’s not like New York is not saying we are not a city of immigrants. We are. We have a rich history of immigrants‚ but we can’t take the global problem and it become our problem. That is unfair to New Yorkers‚ and is unfair to migrants.” Adams was hit with a lawsuit on Wednesday as New York City has struggled to house tens of thousands of homeless immigrants. A new law‚ put in place after the city council overrode a veto from Adams‚ expands the city’s housing voucher program as thousands of people are looking for space in the city’s shelters‚ according to The New York Times. Legal Aid Society‚ a group that represents low-income New Yorkers‚ filed a class action lawsuit against Adams accusing the mayor of not expanding the voucher program as the new law requires. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “The Adams administration’s refusal to implement the law is unacceptable‚ and the City must take immediate action to ensure that the thousands of New Yorkers who are experiencing or are on the brink of homelessness and who are now eligible for CityFHEPS can secure safe‚ long-term and affordable housing‚” Legal Aid attorney Robert Desir stated. Adams said in a press conference on Tuesday that the city cannot afford to pay for the reforms to the expanded voucher program.

Mark Wahlberg said that COVID caused a “disconnect” between Americans and called for people to come back together through the “power of prayer.” The 52-year-old actor talked to Fox News about leaving Los Angeles for Las Vegas recently with his family and how excited he was for the city to host Super Bowl LVIII‚ saying the event will be a great way for people to connect once again. “We’re having fun‚ we’re connecting with people‚” Wahlberg said ahead of the Super Bowl weekend. “We’re in Vegas‚ we’re bringing people together.” “This is a time for people to reconnect with one another‚” he added. “COVID has created such a disconnect; it’s time to bring people back together.” Mark Wahlberg on Lent: “It’s about trying to do more. To be better‚ to grow as a person‚ as a servant to God‚ as a father‚ as a husband‚ to grow as an example. What better than to have Ash Wednesday fall on Valentine’s Day because where do you get more love than with the Lord?” pic.twitter.com/6c3omZL0dP — Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 14‚ 2024 During an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Ash Wednesday‚ the “Uncharted” star and devout Catholic talked about how people can become closer to God through prayer with the Hallow app. “We just want to be able to do more‚ and I think‚ what better than to have Ash Wednesday fall on Valentine’s Day?” Wahlberg told the hosts about the start of the 40 days of Lent‚ commemorating the 40 days Jesus Christ spent in the desert before he began his public ministry. “Because where do you get more love than with the Lord and… in a time where there’s such a disconnect?” he added. “We need things to bring people together and the power of prayer is doing that.” During his appearance last year on the “Today” show‚ the superstar actor opened up about his faith and being part of Hollywood. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “It’s a balance‚” Wahlberg told the host. “I don’t wanna jam it down anybody’s throat‚ but I do not deny my faith. That’s an even bigger sin. You know‚ it’s not popular in my industry‚ but‚ you know‚ I cannot deny my faith. It’s important for me to share that with people.” “But I have friends from all walks of life and all different types of faiths and religions‚ so you know‚ it’s important to respect and honor them as well‚” he added. Later‚ the host asked the actor to explain what his faith meant to him. “[I]t’s everything. It’s afforded me so many things‚” the “Shooter” star shared. “… God didn’t come to save the saints‚ He came to save the sinners … We want to be better versions of ourselves‚ and through focusing on my faith‚ it’s allowed me to do that.” Wahlberg and his wife‚ Rhea Durham‚ have been married since 2009 and share four children together. Related: Mark Wahlberg Says Once He ‘Started Putting My Faith And Focus On God‚ Good Things’ Happened To Him

One pattern that has emerged over the past four presidential elections — ever since Barack Obama — is that the national conversation‚ as directed by the media‚ shifts back to race right around the time that the primaries are wrapping up. Of course‚ the primaries are technically still happening on the GOP side if you count Nikki Haley as a real presidential candidate. When you realize that she is‚ at this point‚ simply running to be the next overpaid CNN contributor‚ you understand the primaries ended weeks ago‚ which means it is now time for the race cycle to begin anew. Right on cue‚ MSNBC released a new special this month called “Black Men In America: The Road to 2024.” Now‚ based on the title‚ based on the timing‚ based on the fact that it’s MSNBC‚ you might assume that the show automatically is going to consist of a bunch of mindless race-baiting. You might make that presumption without seeing a single second of it. You might write it off‚ without giving it a chance‚ under the assumption that it’s going to be nothing but idiotic‚ dim-witted racial grievance mongering. You might assume all of that. And you would of course be entirely correct. Yet‚ as you’ll see in the clip I’m about to show you‚ it still manages to limbo its way under the incredibly low bar that you have set for it in your mind. Watch:   As you could see‚ that’s Ben Crump pretending to shoot pool with Al Sharpton. In other words‚ it’s neo-Al Sharpton with old Al Sharpton. It’s broadband Al Sharpton with Dial-Up Al Sharpton. Ben Crump is what happens if you clone Al Sharpton but you remove his hair and his three brain cells. Because that’s the thing you notice about Crump. He is‚ objectively speaking — and I say this in a medical sense‚ and not as an insult — a moron. In fact‚ his very existence single-handedly‚ and ironically‚ disproves systemic racism. There is simply no way that a black guy this aggressively mediocre‚ this consistently unimpressive‚ this simple-minded and ridiculous‚ could ever achieve the success he has achieved in a country that was systemically racist against black guys. Sure‚ even in a country with systemic racism you could still end up with brilliant and innovative people who manage to succeed in spite of it. The existence of successful black people doesn’t in and of itself disprove systemic racism. A million other things disprove it‚ but not that. But Ben Crump‚ specifically? This guy? You want to tell me this guy rose to the top despite having the entire system arrayed against him? No‚ the truth is obviously quite the opposite. The system favors guys like Crump‚ which is the only reason anyone knows his name. By all rights the pinnacle of this dude’s career should be a position no higher than shift manager at Wendy’s — with no disrespect intended to shift managers at Wendy’s. The point is that his wealth and success is entirely a product of a system designed to move mediocre half-wits like himself to the front. WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show As if to prove my point‚ what does he say? What’s the great insight he offers the world? Well‚ he says that we can get rid of all the crime in America overnight by changing the definition of crime. He’s right‚ of course. “Crime” is a legal designation. If you stop applying that legal designation to things‚ then it will not be applied to thing‚ and therefore you have gotten rid of the designation. Stop calling murder‚ robbery‚ and rape “crimes‚” and — just like that‚ presto chango — the crimes of murder‚ robbery‚ and rape have disappeared. This is evidently what Crump‚ a guy who somehow earned a law degree‚ wants to see happen. Of course‚ the problem is that by getting rid of the crimes of murder‚ robbery‚ and rape‚ you have not gotten rid of the actions of murder‚ robbery and rape. People are still being murdered‚ robbed‚ and raped — at what seems to be an even higher rate now — but it doesn’t count in the books. The assailants aren’t being brought to justice. The victims have nowhere to turn for redress. All the bad things are still happening‚ but the law is covering its eyes and plugging its ears and pretending that it’s not. That’s what happens when you “get rid of crime‚” as Crump suggests. In fact every major city in America has adopted a strategy like this‚ to one degree or another. Every major city‚ thanks in large part to Soros-funded Marxist DAs‚ has decided to reduce crime by not fighting it. They’ve decided to create fewer criminals by not calling the criminals “criminals.” As a result‚ most of these places are unlivable hellscapes. Which is not a problem for Crump‚ whose firm rakes in tens of millions of dollars a year. He’s not living in these crime-infested sewers that ambulance-chasing con artists like himself have helped to create. Crump then goes on to claim that laws have the effect of “criminalizing black culture.” He gives the example of Eric Garner‚ who died while police attempted to take him into custody for selling loose cigarettes. Now‚ the law against loose cigarettes isn’t as important or essential as laws against murder and robbery‚ but the policy does make perfect sense. You aren’t allowed to buy a pack of cigarettes from the convenience store and then stand outside the convenience store selling each individual cigarette to people walking by on the street. Why? Well‚ that’s not very fair to the convenience store‚ for one thing. For another‚ there are all kinds of additional laws governing the sale of tobacco products — laws that cannot be enforced if people are allowed to walk around hawking individual cigarettes on the street corner. It’s not the most important law‚ but it is a law‚ and it’s one that makes plenty of sense. The question in this case is why Eric Garner couldn’t just follow the law. Is it “black culture” to simply disregard whatever law you personally find inconvenient? That seems to be the claim Crump is making. But all of that is irrelevant anyway. Garner didn’t die because he sold loose cigarettes. Cops didn’t show up and stage a public execution as a penalty for selling loosies‚ as they’re called. No‚ they tried to arrest him‚ he resisted‚ and in the struggle he lost his life. Why resist? What is that going to achieve? What possible good can come from it? Even if you disagree with the law you broke. Even if you didn’t break a law at all. Even if you’re being falsely accused. Even if you’re innocent. No matter the situation‚ how does resisting arrest help your case at all? What good will it do you? What is the plan? Walk me through the steps: Step 1) Resist arrest. Step 2) Unknown. Step 3) You get to go home and have a pleasant day. What happens in that second step? What did Eric Garner‚ or any of these BLM martyrs‚ think that second step would be? Did he think that if he declined to be arrested‚ the cops would just say‚ “Oh‚ you don’t want to be arrested? You’d prefer not to be arrested this particular afternoon? Well‚ never mind then‚ good sir. Please be on your way. Our apologies.” Was that the idea? Well‚ we know the answer. There was no thought process behind it. He didn’t have any ideas at all. He was acting in a totally thoughtless‚ self-destructive manner‚ and responding to a situation in a way that was guaranteed to make the situation worse‚ no matter what. Is that black culture‚ according to Crump? CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Crump also mentions George Floyd. He says Floyd was another man arrested for participating in black culture. What was the culture in that case? Floyd was trying to pass off a forged $20 bill. Is that black culture? He was overdosing on fentanyl. Is that black culture? I’m not asking these questions rhetorically. I would really like to hear Crump answer. I would like to know what he considers “black culture” to be. I would not personally call any of that black culture‚ but I will say that if it was black culture‚ then the culture needs to change. If your culture — as Crump seems to think — involves disregarding the law‚ being self-destructive‚ making decisions that are guaranteed to introduce more chaos and violence into your life and your community‚ then your culture is deeply flawed‚ terminally sick‚ and needs to change. The law doesn’t need to accommodate your culture. Your culture needs to accommodate the fact that it exists in a civilized society with laws. Naturally‚ Crump only talks about the laws against loose cigarettes and milk cartons and baggy pants — as if anyone is actually being arrested for having baggy pants. He completely ignores the obvious fact that black men are arrested every day‚ in every city in America‚ for committing actual violent crimes. Young black men aren’t landing in prison because of their milk cartons and ill-fitting pants. But Crump‚ of course‚ doesn’t want to acknowledge that. Because he is a liar‚ and he’s evil‚ and he doesn’t care how many people die‚ or how many black men get themselves killed by making the worst possible decisions‚ as long as he can personally profit off of it. I began this by saying that Crump is stupid. And he certainly is. You can’t listen to him for more than five seconds without arriving at that conclusion. But like any other race baiter‚ he also knows exactly what he’s doing. He pretends to speak up for “black culture” — whatever he thinks that is — while at the same time doing everything he can to make black communities more dangerous‚ poorer‚ bleaker‚ more miserable. It’s not the white man keeping black communities down. It’s men like Ben Crump. And he deserves to be held accountable for it.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly drafted plans to release thousands of illegal migrants and lower its capacity to detain them. The move comes after Congress tanked a bipartisan border deal that was expected to correct an urgent $700 million budget deficit at ICE. An internal proposal from ICE officials suggests releasing thousands of migrants and slashing detention beds from 38‚000 to 22‚000 to deal with the budget problem‚ The Washington Post reported. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security blamed Congress for failing to pass the border bill. “Most recently‚ Congress rejected the bipartisan national security bill out of hand‚ which will put at risk DHS’s current removal operations‚” the spokesperson said in a statement. “A reduction in ICE operations would significantly harm border security‚ national security‚ and public safety.” Meanwhile‚ illegal crossings are expected to spike soon — crossings usually spike starting in the spring and remain high over the summer. The border crisis has become a thorn in the side of Democrats as the election cycle heats up. President Biden’s approval rating on immigration hit an all-time low of 32% last month‚ and his overall approval rating remains low as well. Also on Tuesday‚ House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border. Border authorities have already reportedly encountered more than a million illegal migrants since the fiscal year began in October‚ the soonest they have ever hit that milestone. In December‚ authorities encountered 302‚000 migrants at the border‚ the highest monthly total on record and the first time the total has ever topped 300‚000. Overall last year‚ 2.5 million migrants were apprehended crossing or trying to cross the southern border‚ according to the CBP. Meanwhile‚ more than 96‚000 “known gotaways‚” migrants who were detected but not caught‚ have reportedly crossed the southern border since October 1. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Meanwhile‚ Texas has sent at least 100‚000 migrants to sanctuary cities including New York City‚ Chicago‚ Denver‚ Philadelphia‚ and Washington‚ D.C.‚ which are struggling to provide resources for them. New York City is scrambling to metabolize the nearly 175‚000 migrants who have arrived since spring 2022. Last week‚ a group of migrants was arrested‚ but then quickly released for allegedly beating NYPD officers near Times Square. In Chicago‚ Democrats are warning Mayor Brandon Johnson that the migrant crisis could “flip the state of Illinois purple.” Chicago has seen more than 35‚000 migrants arrive in the city over the last year and a half. Denver is in the process of booting 800 families from overcrowded shelters.