Here’s What Trump Supporters Had To Say At First Rally Since Biden Quit
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Biden demands more gun laws after 4 law enforcement officers are killed trying to enforce existing gun law
Four law enforcement officers were killed in North Carolina on Monday and several more wounded as they attempted to serve a warrant in connection with illegal gun possession.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, members of a U.S. Marshals Task Force arrived at a home on the east side of Charlotte, North Carolina, to serve a warrant. The subject of the warrant, 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., was wanted in connection with possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts of felony fleeing to elude out of nearby Lincoln County.
As officers approached the home, shots suddenly rang out, striking several members of the task force. Officers then returned fire as shots from inside the residence continued.
Hughes eventually emerged from the residence, still apparently shooting at the police. Hughes was then fatally shot by one of the officers on scene, and he died in the front yard. Even as Hughes lay dying, individuals from inside the home reportedly continued to shoot at the cops.
Three members of law enforcement who were shot during the gunfire died almost immediately: state Department of Adult Correction Officers Sam Poloche and William "Alden" Elliott and an unnamed deputy marshal with the U.S. Marshals Service. A fourth member of the task force, Officer Joshua Eyer of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, was initially wounded and was raced to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries later that day.
"Officer Eyer faithfully served the CMPD's North Tryon Division for six years and was a member of the 178th Recruit Class," said a statement from CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. "We are forever indebted to Officer Eyer for his bravery and ultimate sacrifice. His life and service will never be forgotten. Please say a prayer for Officer Eyer's loved ones during this difficult time."
In addition to the deceased officers, four other officers were wounded. Their current condition is unknown.
After the shoot-out, a standoff between CMPD's SWAT team and individuals inside the home began and continued for hours. Two females, one of whom is just 17 years old, were eventually removed from the home. They were taken in for questioning and are considered persons of interest. By 5 p.m., officers declared the area safe for normal road traffic.
Politicians at the local, state, and federal level immediately issued statements expressing their condolences and their support and admiration for law enforcement. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said: "An attack in Charlotte on our brave law enforcement officers who swore an oath to protect and serve us all. Susan and I are praying for everyone’s safety."
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) likewise offered prayers for the victims and claimed he'd "offered state resources to help."
President Biden also weighed in, calling the fallen officers "heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice." However, as is his wont, he then used the deadly incident to demand more gun laws. "Now," he said.
"Leaders in Congress need to step up so that we ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of guns, and pass universal background checks and a national red flag law," his statement continued.
"Enough is enough."
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Homeowner fed up with porch pirates leaves heavy surprise in box for next culprit — and one actually lugs it away
A North Carolina homeowner fed up with the plague of porch pirates over the Christmas holidays decided to play a little trick on the next culprit to steal from him — and one crook actually was caught on video lugging away the heavy surprise in a box.
What are the details?
The homeowner in question — who lives in southwest Charlotte but didn't want to be identified — decided to get back at those who steal packages from people's porches, Queen City News reported.
“I was at the hardware store and doing a little bit of Christmas shopping, and I said, ‘Let’s get something for people on the naughty list, too,’” the resident recounted to the outlet.
So ... "What's in the box?" you might be asking.
Well, Queen City News said it wasn't coal. Instead it contained something a lot heavier — and in all likelihood completely useless to the crook. Which was the idea.
The homeowner elaborated to the outlet: “Just took a box that a package had already come in, and I put the bricks in there with a little note saying, ‘We don’t appreciate you doing this,’ and waited and just went fishing for porch pirates, and I got one."
As you can see from surveillance video recorded of the hapless theft in question, it wasn't super easy for the crook to pick up and lug away the package — but hopefully the individual was thrilled at the prospect of the box's contents and equally dejected by what was revealed once the box was opened.
Queen City News said the resident realizes the crook probably won't stop stealing — but perhaps the faux pas will help him feel foolish about falling for the trick.
“I hope they enjoy their bricks for Christmas,” the resident added to the outlet.
Porch pirate greeted with surprise package in Charlotteyoutu.be
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Jewelry store owner has a little surprise for masked smash-and-grab thieves: 'It really p***es me off'
A North Carolina jewelry store owner had a little surprise for masked smash-and-grab thieves who targeted his store in Charlotte last week: a loaded gun he pointed right at them.
What are the details?
The crooks entered Ballantyne Jewelers off Johnston Road just before closing Friday, Queen City News reported.
Security video caught the three thieves backing up their car near the front door, walking into the store armed with sledge hammers, and smashing several glass display cases, the outlet said.
But the store’s owner, Yuhan Tikan, wasn't having it.
Queen City News said Tikan grabbed his handgun, loaded it, and chased the suspects away while pointing the gun at them.
“It really pisses me off; it makes me upset,” Tikan told the outlet. “It quite honestly is a disgrace, and I hope that law enforcement can catch these guys and put them away for a long time.”
The store owner told WSOC-TV the crooks smashed 13 jewelry cases and got well over $100,000 worth of jewelry — and while it’s all insured, he said what was stolen in 30 seconds will take a long time to replace.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, Queen City News said, adding that there's a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.
What else?
WSOC's story didn't name the jewelry store owner, but the owner did tell the station the suspects knew exactly which cases to hit and had cased the business previously. WSOC added that the owner said the crooks went straight for the most expensive watches.
The owner also told WSOC that the thieves may have kept grabbing more loot had he failed to grab his gun after hearing the sound of shattering glass — and he didn't hesitate: “Without a second thought. I needed to protect my business, my family.”
He added to WSOC that "they are lucky they ran out. I was ready to shoot."
The owner added to WSOC that Ballantyne Jewelers is a family shop and that employees spend more time there than at home. What's more, he added to the station that working family members were the only employees in the store when the crooks struck.
“Hard work for us, easy money for them,” the store owner added to WSOC.
When he grabbed his gun, the store owner told the station he "put the clip in, cocked it, and charged the three guys" and that he was angry at them for "intruding on our family, intruding on our customers, and our personal business."
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Progressive actor Josh Gad rips fellow liberals for pushing anti-Semitism amid Israel-Hamas war
"Frozen" actor Josh Gad ripped fellow liberals for actions and rhetoric he deemed to be anti-Semitic following the Hamas invasion of Israel.
"I have always called myself a progressive," Gad wrote on the Threads social media platform. "The past 2 weeks have made me feel so desperately alienated & disheartened by what that seems to encompass."
"I’ll always stand for what’s right but to see people I’ve always identified with ripping down posters of hostages & say such horrific & uninformed things that truly resemble antisemitic tropes is very troubling to me & so many," Gad continued. "I stand with all those who want to protect innocent Palestinians. Why can’t that same attitude be expressed for Jews?"
Gad — who played the Olaf character in Disney's "Frozen" franchise — was responding to a post by progressive transgender activist Charlotte Clymer.
"It's been rather astonishing to watch just how badly much of the far-left is miscalculating this moment," Clymer said. "It has never been more clear how many of them are firmly ensconced in echo chambers, and it is doing them no favors. Quite the opposite."
Numerous liberals have been caught ripping down posters for Israelis who were missing or kidnapped by Hamas.
Over 300 celebrities signed an open letter to President Joe Biden thanking him for his leadership during the Israel-Hamas war and calling for the remaining hostages to be freed.
"Thank you for your unshakable moral conviction, leadership, and support for the Jewish people, who have been terrorized by Hamas since the group’s founding over 35 years ago, and for the Palestinians, who have also been terrorized, oppressed, and victimized by Hamas for the last 17 years that the group has been governing Gaza," the Hollywood elites said in the open letter to Biden.
"We urge everyone to not rest until all hostages are released," the letter reads. "No hostage can be left behind."
Earlier this month, "Stranger Things" actor Noah Schnapp slammed his followers on social media for siding with Hamas killing innocent Israelis, and he hammered progressives for being silent on atrocities committed by terrorists.
"I have also noticed a silence in social media like [I’ve] never seen before. The same people who love to jump on fashionable causes like supporting Ukraine and combatting climate change have been chillingly quiet," Schnapp declared. "The Jewish people are seeing your silence and we won’t forget it."
Kylie Jenner shared a now-deleted post from a pro-Israel account alongside the caption: "Now and always, we stand with the people of Israel!" The influencer lost approximately 800,000 Instagram followers in the two weeks after posting and deleting the pro-Israel message.
On Thursday, model Bella Hadid shared Instagram posts addressing the Israel-Hamas war.
"Forgive me for my silence," Hadid's post begins. "I have yet to find the ideal words for this deeply intricate and horrific past 2 weeks, weeks that have turned the world's attention back towards a situation that has been taking innocent lives and affecting families for decades."
"My heart is bleeding with pain from the trauma I am seeing unfold, as well as generational trauma of my Palestinian blood," said the daughter of Palestinian-American real estate mogul Mohamed Hadid. "Seeing the aftermath from the airstrikes in Gaza, I mourn with all the mothers who have lost children and the children who cry alone, all the lost fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, friends that will never again walk this earth."
Hadid added, "I mourn for the Israeli families that have been dealing with the pain and aftermath of October 7."
"Regardless of the history of the land, I condemn the terrorist attacks on any civilians, anywhere. Harming women and children and inflicting terror does not and should not do any good for the Free Palestine movement," she continued. "I believe deep in my heart, that no child, no people anywhere, should be taken away from their family either temporarily or indefinitely."
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Charlotte Pride gives 2023 Harvey Milk award to convicted sex offender
An LGBT festival that runs from August 19-20 in Charlotte, North Carolina, has conferred a top award to a convicted sex offender.
Charlotte Pride, which is sponsored by Bank of America, McDonalds, Bud Light, Lowe's, Nascar, and a host of other ESG-captive corporations, has given its 2023 Harvey Milk Award to Chad Sevearance-Turner.
According to the event's site, this award is given annually "to an individual to honor exceptional leadership, service to the community, and those who champion LGBTQ causes that impact the Charlotte community and beyond."
Sevearance-Turner was apparently awarded for his work as president of the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce — a role in which he has overseen the chamber secure "valuable partnerships with prominent organizations like Fifth Third Bank, NASCAR, Duke Energy, Wells Fargo, Sonoco, and Novant Health."
WBTV-TV reported that Sevearance-Turner had previously served as the president of Charlotte's LGBT Chamber of Commerce but resigned after his track record with young boys had been flagged as a possible discredit to any future work conducted by the group. At the time of Sevearance-Turner's resignation, the group had been pushing to allow transvestites to use women's bathrooms.
The North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry lists Charlotte Pride's new awardee as a registrant, noting he committed the offense for which he was convicted in July 1998.
Reduxx highlighted that Sevearance-Turner only served two years out of a 10-year sentence for molesting an adolescent under the age of 16 and was then released on parole.
Sevearance-Turner, formerly the music director at the New Harvest Church of God in Gaffney, South Carolina, had been found guilty by a jury in Cherokee County, South Carolina, of molesting a 15-year-old parishioner while the boy slept.
GoUpState.com reported in 2000 that Sevearance-Turner had been charged with three counts of lewd act on a minor but that two of the three cases would be tried separately.
One of the alleged victims, reportedly 14 at the time, indicated that Sevearance-Turner invited him over to his then-Bessemer City home and asked him "how he'd feel about a man performing oral sex on him," noting that he figured the music director had been joking at the time.
The same victim claimed that on an another occasion, during a sleepover at second alleged victim's house following a revival meeting, he awoke to find Sevearance-Turner molesting him.
The alleged victim noted why he hadn't come forward straight away: "I was ashamed. ... I thought there was something bad about me."
The victim who had been 15 when molested said that Sevearance-Turner had on another occasion invited him to his home and played a pornographic film for him. Following his molestation, the boy indicated Sevearance-Turner had told him that if he ever told the pastor, "he'd make me look like a fool and a liar."
Another boy, then-15, claimed the future Charlotte Pride awardee had fondled him several times.
Of the three cases, Sevearance-Turner was only convicted on one.
Since his conviction for molesting a minor, at least two LGBT activist groups have provided honors to Sevearance-Turner
Reduxx reported that the LGBT news site QNotes named him "Person of the Year" in 2015.
Sevearance-Turner also accepted the "N.C. Organization of the Year" award from the Human Rights Campaign, a powerful LGBT activist group, in 2016 on behalf of the Charlotte’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce just prior to his resignation as its leader.
Sevearance-Turner's latest award takes its name from Harvey Bernard Milk, a California politician who similarly preyed on boys.
Milk's biographer, Randy Shilts, noted in "The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk" that the politician, whose early campaign was funded by the notorious cultist Jim Jones of the Jonestown Massacre, "had a proclivity for male minors, who included 16-year-old Jack Galen McKinley. ... Milk would prime troubled, underage boys and young men with booze and drugs, then coerce them into sexual acts," reported the Federalist.
Shilts, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter and close friend of Milk, who died of AIDS in 1994, wrote, "Sixteen-year-old McKinley was looking for some kind of father figure. … At 33, Milk was launching a new life, though he could hardly have imagined the unlikely direction toward which his new lover would pull him."
McKinley later committed suicide.
Per California's current statutory rape law, instituted in 1970, having sex with a 16-year-old is statutory rape, rendering Milk a rapist.
Despite his criminal pederasty, Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama.
Concerning his recognition by Charlotte Pride, Turner said in a LinkedIn post, "I am honored to be to be chosen as the 2023 Harvey Milk Award recipient! I am also humbled to be listed with these amazing humans who do so much great work for our region. Charlotte Pride, thank you for your daily work and advocacy for the LGBT and community and beyond!"
Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that Turner's receipt of the award is "a testament to his unwavering commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity in the workplace and marketplace," and thanked him for "making a positive impact."
Reduxx indicated that Charlotte Pride has yet to comment on whether it knew of Sevearance-Turner's background prior to conferring the award to him.
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Watch: Pillar supposedly holding up roller coaster is clearly severed at the top, shifting every time a train whips by
The Fury 325 roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, is touted as the "tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America." It whips the daring down 1.25 miles of track and up 325 feet into the air at speeds of up to 95 mph for well over three minutes.
It suffices to say the ride was originally built to take the thrill seeker's breath away. However, a park visitor with a keen eye noticed Friday that the ride as it now stands is poised to take a great deal more away from riders.
The New York Times reported that Jeremy Wagner, visiting the park with his daughter, son, and niece Friday, observed a massive crack in the coaster's pillar and captured it on camera.
"I was trying to shoot the video, and my hands were shaking because I knew how quick this could be catastrophic," said Wagner, who noted his 14-year-old daughter had already been on the ride eight times that day.
The park claims to inspect its rides daily, but had allegedly neglected to report or acknowledge the chasm between the support pillar and the joint holding the track in place, reported the Charlotte Observer.
Wagner told CNN that his thinking at the time was, "I'm not an engineer, but that's not right."
Wagner's video shows the two sections of the pillar part ways as a train whips by with riders.
— (@)
Wagner turned over the footage of the ostensibly free-floating coaster curve to park officials and later learned they had shut down the ride.
Shelby resident Tiffany Collins Newton posted a photograph taken on June 24, which appears to show the beginnings of the fracture.
"I just hope this leads to MORE inspections and extensive safety checks in the future," wrote Newton, who hadn't noticed the detail until prompted by the news of Fury's closure.
Courney Weber, a spokesman for the park, told the Observer, "The park’s maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection, and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed. ... Safety is our top priority, and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process."
Fox News Digital indicated that state investigators scrutinized the ride on Monday.
Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor's Amusement Device Bureau, did not reveal what investigators had found, but confirmed that they "already came and went."
The agency said in a statement, "We will be able to make a full assessment and provide further information as it becomes available. Safety always has been and always will be our top priority."
It's been a particularly bad couple of weeks for roller coaster fans.
TheBlaze previously reported that the Jetline roller coaster at Gröna Lund park in Stockholm, Sweden, went off the rails on June 25, killing one rider and injuring several others.
The Jetline travels at 55.9 mph, pulls 4.5 g, hits a height of 90 feet, and runs a track length of just over 2,624 feet.
The front car separated from the train, then came to an abrupt halt, sending its passengers crashing to the ground some 26 feet below.
The independent accredited inspections company Dekra allegedly examined the ride at the beginning of June, noting, "Result: No flaws. Offers reassuring safety."
A roller coaster at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wisconsin, got stuck upside down Sunday, leaving thrill seekers helpless and inverted for three hours until emergency responders could extract them, reported WJFW.
According to Capt. Brennan Cook of the Crandon Fire Department, "The ride was recently inspected by the state of Wisconsin here on site, and at this time we don’t have any other information."
Here is what the shuttered Fury 325 looks from a rider's point of view:
Fury 325 Official On-Ride POV youtu.be
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Unintended Consequences: Vaccine Mandates Are Flipping Voter Registrations And Driving Political Change
'I thought we ought to do something to fight against these policies and funnel people toward politicians who were freedom-minded.''Well, that brought tears to my eyes': Singer's microphone fails during 'The Star-Spangled Banner' — so about 75,000 Charlotte fans take over
It just seems to keep happening.
Lately, whenever a national anthem singer's microphone malfunctions during a sporting event, the crowd faithfully steps in, picks up the slack, and steals the show — finishing "The Star-Spangled Banner" like no single vocalist ever will.
And that's exactly what happened Saturday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, when nearly 75,000 soccer fans gathered in a sold-out Bank of America Stadium for Charlotte FC’s home opener against LA Galaxy.
What are the details?
Sure enough, the singer's amplified effort went bad early in the national anthem, but the North Carolina collective knew just what to do. The Charlotte Observer called it a "beautiful moment":
The microphone went out for the National Anthem ahead of Charlotte FC\u2019s home opener & this happened. Wow. Chills. This crowd is amazing.\n\n@wcnc | #ForTheCrownpic.twitter.com/KIDqBGJuZL— Ashley Stroehlein (@Ashley Stroehlein) 1646528962
Charlotte lost the contest 1-0, but it appears most everybody will remember the atmosphere at the stadium rather than the final score.
“Today I believe that I am the happiest coach in the world,” Coach Miguel Angel Ramirez told the Observer. “It was amazing. I cannot describe the energy ... It really was a party.”
What did others have to say?
Commenters on the video of Charlotte fans singing the national anthem in one voice were taken aback by the collective spirit of patriotism — which for many these days seems like a fuzzy memory:
- "Well, that brought tears to my eyes," one commenter said. "Reminded me of the old days, when we used to get along."
- "This is fantastic," another user wrote. "The American people want to stand for our country as a whole, not a divided nation, God Bless America."
- "As a veteran that made me tear up," another commenter confessed. "Maybe it doesn’t to some, but [in] my mind the national anthem & our flag is absolutely sacred. I better not actually see someone step on it or disrespect it in my presence. It’s their right to & my right to kick their ass."
- "The moment alone is nothing short of amazing, but the cohesion of the crowd (they nailed the fermata and restart near the end) is incredible," another user noted. "It’s as if they had a conductor."
- "I'm British, and I got goose bumps and a bit emotional watching this," another commenter revealed.
Indeed, when Americans together have it mind to begin singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," it doesn't matter if the setting is a college softball game when fans are told the national anthem won't be played or inside a Walmart on Independence Day weekend, they ain't gonna be denied.
(H/T: The Daily Wire)
Second former aide accuses Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment
A second woman has come forward to accuse New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. Charlotte Bennett told the New York Times that the Democratic governor of New York asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life.
The 25-year-old former aide claimed that Cuomo sexually harassed her last spring.
"I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared," Bennett told the New York Times. "And was wondering how I was going to get out of it and assumed it was the end of my job."
Bennett, who graduated from Hamilton College in 2017, informed Cuomo that she was giving a speech at the school to students about her experience as a survivor of sexual assault.
"The way he was repeating, 'You were raped and abused and attacked and assaulted and betrayed,' over and over again while looking me directly in the eyes was something out of a horror movie," Bennett wrote in a text message to a friend. "It was like he was testing me."
Bennett, who founded a sexual misconduct task force at Hamilton College, alleges that Cuomo was "grooming" her.
Another time while she was alone in Cuomo's office after being asked to take dictation, the governor allegedly asked intimate questions about her personal life. Bennett alleges that Cuomo asked her if she was romantically involved with someone, if she was monogamous in her relationships, and if she had ever had sex with older men.
Bennett texted a friend about the encounter, which she described as "like the most explicit it could be."
She claims that Cuomo told her he was lonely, and said he wanted "a girlfriend, preferably in the Albany area."
"He asked me if I believed if age made a difference in relationships and he also asked me in the same conversation if I had ever been with an older man," Bennett told the New York Times, which published the interview on Saturday night.
Bennett alleges that he noted that "he's fine with anyone above the age of 22."
When Bennett talked about getting a tattoo, she said Cuomo suggested that she get the ink on her buttocks so people couldn't see the tattoo if she wore a dress.
This is the second former aide to accuse Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment in less than a week. Lindsey Boylan accused the governor on Wednesday, claiming that he kissed her on the lips without consent. She claimed that Cuomo harassed her for years, including touching her legs and joking about playing strip poker.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that there should be an independent investigation into the accusations against Cuomo.
The Twitter account belonging to Charlotte Bennett retweeted Boylan's Twitter post accusing Cuomo of sexual harassment, and she added, "For those wondering what it's like to work for the Cuomo admin, read @LindseyBoylan's story."
For those wondering what it’s like to work for the Cuomo admin, read @LindseyBoylan’s story. https://t.co/PfWhTJgHuU— Charlotte Bennett (@Charlotte Bennett)1614184252.0
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