Toronto Raptors issue apology for 'Women's History Month' video that suggested only women can have babies



The Toronto Raptors have taken steps this week to atone for the grievous error of suggesting that only women can have babies.

The NBA franchise posted a video Wednesday to celebrate "Women's History Month" featuring players Malachi Flynn, 24, Precious Achiuwa, 23, and Scottie Barnes, 21.

The now-deleted 13-second clip begins with the prompt, "Beyonce said girls run the world. Why do you think that's true?"

Flynn responded, "Girls run the world because ... they are the only ones who can procreate."

Achiuwa noted that women "birth everybody."

Barnes stated that "all women are great because they are queens."

\u201csaved this before the raptors inevitably deleted \n\na new candidate for the who-the-hell-approved-this-sports-team-account-tweet hall of fame\u201d
— Molly Morrison (@Molly Morrison) 1677711836

The Raptors, which are partnered with the You Can Play Project, an LGBT activist group pushing its agenda in sports, issued an apology, stating, "We’re an organization that prides itself on doing the right thing when it comes to inclusion and representation, and we made a mistake yesterday."

The organization added, "Our sincerest apologies to our players, our staff and our fans – we’ll work to do better today and every day after."

It appears the apology was prompted in part by a number of critiques from relative unknowns on Twitter.

One anti-police user with pronouns in his bio wrote, "If your entire Women Empowerment video has 8 seconds of footage, and the people involved can only come up with 'women can give birth' then maybe delete the footage and try something else."

Another tweeted, "The @Raptors should spend the next month providing education to their players on ways women are awesome beyond our biology. Not all women can, or want to, give birth."

Just as they were denounced for stating biological facts, the Raptors were subsequently ridiculed for apologizing.

Former NBA player Andrew Bogut tweeted, "Soft as butter @Raptors apologising because one of their players said only women can procreate, during Women History Month! I'll say it for you. Only WOMEN can have babies."

Per Sources, an online sports community, tweeted, "Toronto Raptors apologizing for this women's history month video is embarrassing. Apparently saying only women can be mothers is offensive in some countries..."

The Hodgetwins tweeted, "Men can’t naturally grow a damn human being inside of them, it’s literally impossible. Tell whoever is 'offended' by this to f*** off."

\u201c@TheNBACentral Men can\u2019t naturally grow a damn human being inside of them, it\u2019s literally impossible. \n\nTell whoever is \u201coffended\u201d by this to fuck off\u201d
— NBACentral (@NBACentral) 1677800158

@AGORACOM wrote, "What happened to NBA players being able to express themselves? Or is this Woke poker where some hands are more valuable than others? Transgender men beats Black NBA players praising their moms and wives."

YouTuber Toby Turner noted, "nothin wrong w/ giving props for the coolest thing a human can do."

The Toronto Sun reported that the Raptors are hosting a "Women's Empowerment Night" on March 14, in an effort to "elevate women" and empower them in sport "on and off the court."

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Celebrities melt down over Roe v. Wade decision: Barbra Streisand says Supreme Court is 'American Taliban,' Billie Joe Armstrong renounces citizenship, Jodie Sweetin shoved to ground at abortion protest



Celebrities suffered meltdowns while reacting to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Celebutantes from Hollywood, music, and television raged against the Supreme Court's decision to allow states to make their own abortion laws.

Singer and actress Barbara Streisand ranted, "The Court uses religious dogma to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. This Court is the American Taliban."

Actress Bette Midler blustered, "They did it. THEY DID IT TO US! #SCOTUS has overturned #RoevWade, enshrined in the Constitution as settled law for over 50 years. How dare they? This #SCOTUS is absolutely tone-deaf to the will and even the actual needs of the American people. Well, at least the enormous HATE *Christians* have for women who don’t toe the Nazi party line Children, Kitchen, Church, has finally been revealed. GET READY, GAYS. YOU’RE NEXT."

Comic book actor Mark Ruffalo said, "Time to fight like hell in any way you know how. The American Taliban has taken over the Supreme Court."

Singer Taylor Swift griped, "I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are - that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that."

Actress Busy Philipps flew off the handle and said, "It doesn’t end here. F*** this sham. F*** these people. If you’re a single issue voter and your issue is your taxes, f*** you too. This Supreme Court is on you."

"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane tweeted, "Not too long ago, this would have been dystopian sci-fi. But the legacy of the 2016 election and the indelible mark of the GOP is printed here in black and white. How much farther this will go once again depends on American voters. Blame extremism or apathy, but this is America."

Model Hailey Bieber said, "Wow…I'm speechless. What an extreme loss and disappointment. This is really really scary."

Actor Danny DeVito fumed, "Supreme Court my ass."

Monica Lewinsky lashed out, "F*** you roberts. F*** you thomas. F*** you alito. F*** you gorsuch. F*** you coney barrett."

Actor Josh Gad wrote on Twitter, "You don’t need 280 characters today. Just one word: Rage."

Alec Baldwin's daughter Ireland Baldwin said, "F*** this absolutely disgusting country. I am ashamed to be an American."

Author Glennon Doylewrote, "Comfort to every human being who feels afraid right now. I feel afraid too. it is okay to feel afraid and tender now. soon, the anger returns and we fight like bloody hell. first the pain, then the mother f***ing rising."

Filmmaker Michael Moore seethed, "This is one of the worst abominations ever committed by this country. And if we don’t act, RIGHT NOW, they will get away with it. So, on this day of infamy, I ask, I beg, I IMPLORE you — MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! FLOOD THE STREETS! ... Remove all Republicans in November."

Singer Finneas said, "I don’t even know what to say other than absolutely f*** this."

Kim Kardashian shared a graphic that read, "In America, guns have more rights than women."

During a concert in London, Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong yelled, "F*** America," then declared he was "renouncing" his U.S. citizenship and moving to the U.K. The pop-punk singer added, “There’s too much f***ing stupid in the world to go back to that miserable f***ing excuse for a country."

During a performance at Glastonbury, singer Lorde shouted, "F*** the Supreme Court!"

Singer Olivia Rodrigo, 19, told the crowd at the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K., "I'm devastated and terrified. So many women and so many girls are going to die because of this. I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have showed us that at the end of the day, they truly don't give a s**t about freedom. The song is for the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you! We hate you!"

(WARNING: Explicit language)

\u201c.@oliviarodrigo 4 the win \n\n\u201d
— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1656183242

"Full House" actress Jodie Sweetin was shoved to the ground by police during a pro-abortion protest on a freeway in Los Angeles, California.

\u201cBREAKING: Footage from this morning's protest in Los Angeles, with Jodie Sweetin (@JodieSweetin) among the protestors.\u201d
— BNN Newsroom (@BNN Newsroom) 1656266989


Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer gets tip of pinky finger stitched back on after injury, but faces risk of infection and possible need for amputation



Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota recently had the end of his pinky finger stitched back on after suffering an injury, and he now faces the risk of getting an infection and potentially needing to have the end of his finger amputated.

"While working in the yard over the weekend, I sustained a serious injury to my right hand, which required immediate surgery. I continue to remain in North Dakota close to medical care as there is a high risk of infection and the possible need for finger amputation," Cramer said in the statement. "I am alert and in good spirits. Although I am missing this week of votes and hearings, I am monitoring Senate business closely and in constant contact with my colleagues and staff. I plan to return to Washington, after the Independence Day state work period and expect to be doling out a lot of left-handed fist bumps."

Forum News Service reported that the senator said as he was attempting to move a big rock, it rolled onto his pinky finger and ring finger, tearing the tip of the little finger off and crushing the other finger.

"Right when I looked at it I knew it was severe," the lawmaker said, according to the outlet. "It was pretty nasty."

The end of the little finger was stitched back on at the hospital. The senator said the possibility for infection is high and he could potentially need to have the end of the pinky finger amputated.

He remarked that he is grateful that the incident did not inflict more harm and that "the worst-case scenario isn’t that bad."

Cramer's communications director Molly Block tweeted that the lawmaker was joking "that his future @NFL career is over."

\u201c@mollyerinb @NFL Part of one little finger.\u201d
— Molly Block (@Molly Block) 1655914012

Cramer has served in the U.S. Senate since 2019 and had previously served several terms as the representative for North Dakota's at-large congressional district.

President Joe Biden is pushing for a federal gas tax holiday, urging Congress to suspend the tax on gas as well as the tax on diesel for 90 days.

"Suspending the gas tax is nothing more than a knee-jerk political stunt providing minimal relief while blowing a hole in our infrastructure funding," Cramer said in a statement. "Asking Congress to suspend the 18-cent-per-gallon gas tax is a feckless motion to Americans paying $5 at the pump to drive to work and take their long-delayed vacations," he said. "If the Biden Administration is serious about combating inflation and lowering gas prices, they need to take a complete 180 on their energy policies and pro-regulation agenda."

The federal gas tax is a bit higher than 18 cents per gallon, while the diesel tax is slightly over 24 cents per gallon. A gas tax holiday would offer little relief, as the AAA national average price for a gallon of regular gas is $4.955 as of Wednesday, while the AAA national average for diesel is $5.812.

"The President is also calling on Congress to make sure that a gas tax holiday has no negative effect on the Highway Trust Fund," according to the White House. "With our deficit already down by a historic $1.6 trillion this year, the President believes that we can afford to suspend the gas tax to help consumers while using other revenues to make the Highway Trust Fund whole for the roughly $10 billion cost. This is consistent with legislation proposed in the Senate and the House to advance a responsible gas tax holiday."

Oklahoma will now prosecute abortionists performing non-medically necessary abortions



On Tuesday, Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law that bans abortion in nearly all cases.

The legislation, SB612, which passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives last week and the Oklahoma Senate last year, makes performing an abortion a felony.

NBC News reported Stitt signing the bill into law as “part of an aggressive push in Republican-led states across the country to scale back abortion rights.”

The Oklahoma House voted to pass the bill 70-14, and it passed in the Senate 38-9.

Any individual convicted for carrying out or attempting to carry out an abortion would face up to 10 years in prison and up to a $100,000 fine.

At the time, Republican State Rep. Jim Olsen noted that the legislation is focused on punishing medical professionals who perform abortions and not the women who receive them.

He said, “The penalties are for the doctor, not for the woman.”

The bill specifically states that it does not “authorize the charging or conviction of a woman with any criminal offense in the death of her own unborn child.”

However, Olsen noted that the legislation would allow doctors to perform abortive procedures should it be necessary to save the life of an expectant mother.

“Obviously, I’m thrilled because we have the potential of seeing many lives of babies saved — part of that depends on future court rulings.”

Gov. Stitt announced via Twitter that he would sign SB612 into law.

He said, “I intend to make Oklahoma the most-pro life state in the country.”

I intend to make Oklahoma the most-pro life state in the country.\n\nThis morning I will sign SB612 into law. \n\nTune in live at 9:00am CT here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0gVm9l2Z-M\u00a0\u2026
— Governor Kevin Stitt (@Governor Kevin Stitt) 1649770007

Stitt said, “As Governor, I promised to sign every piece of pro-life legislation that hit my desk. Today I kept that promise by signing SB612 into law, once again showing the world that Oklahoma is the most pro-life state in the country.”

Pro-abortion political figures were quick to reprimand Oklahoma for the steps it took to protect life.

California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Oklahoma for protecting the life of an unborn child who was conceived in rape and inaccurately said that the law makes it so that “doctors performing reproductive care should be bounty-hunted.”

Now law in Oklahoma:\n\n- A woman who is a victim of rape or incest must give birth to a child.\n\n- Doctors performing reproductive care should be bounty-hunted.\n\nShameful.https://apnews.com/article/abortion-oklahoma-law-87880e9f3c7bde2ae634cb2f02839e6e\u00a0\u2026
— Gavin Newsom (@Gavin Newsom) 1649812782

Molly Jong-Fast, a leftist author at the Atlantic, lamented that SB612 marks an end to easy abortion access. She said, “This is not a drill. This is the end of Roe [v. Wade].”

Oklahoma banned abortion today if left in place, Women will no longer be able to get abortions in the state of Oklahoma starting in August. This is not a drill. This is the end of Roe.pic.twitter.com/PDAGnldwKL
— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1649778650

Planned Parenthood Action — a political advocacy group affiliated with the country’s largest abortion provider — referred to pro-life members of the Oklahoma legislature as “extremist politicians” who are “willing to turn their own constituents into medical refugees.”

JUST NOW: Oklahoma lawmakers passed a total abortion ban, pending the Governor\u2019s signature.\n\nThese extremist politicians are willing to turn their own constituents into medical refugees. \n\nAbortion is health care. And we'll keep fighting for your care, no matter what.pic.twitter.com/tRNgH9O89z
— Planned Parenthood Action (@Planned Parenthood Action) 1649179906

Leftists lash out at 'cowards' in RNC for threat to prohibit Republican candidates from participating in presidential, VP debates due to bias against GOP



After the Republican National Committee on Thursday threatened the Commission on Presidential Debates that it would "prohibit future GOP nominees from participating in future CPD-sponsored debates" over what the RNC sees as unfairness and bias against Republicans, leftists predictably lashed out.

Who said what?

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison tweeted that “Republicans can’t win a fair fight and they know it":

Republicans can't win a fair fight and they know it. Regardless of the RNC\u2019s tantrum, voters can count on hearing from President Biden and Vice President Harris who are proud of their records.https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/us/politics/presidential-debates-rnc.html\u00a0\u2026
— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair) 1642106460

Joy Behar — loyal leftist co-host of "The View" — asked in a tweet, "Are they afraid that their candidates can’t keep up?"

Are they afraid that their candidates can\u2019t keep up?https://twitter.com/maggienyt/status/1481665695322681350\u00a0\u2026
— Joy Behar (@Joy Behar) 1642098655

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki — when asked for a reaction to the news — quipped that "it's a question best posed to the RNC on what they’re so afraid of":

\u201cIt\u2019s a question best posed to the RNC on what they\u2019re so afraid of.\u201d\n\n\u2014 WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki on RNC threatening to prohibit GOP presidential candidates from participating in debates sponsored by the non-profit commission that has hosted the debates for three decades.pic.twitter.com/tS2Mk3vIzn
— The Recount (@The Recount) 1642108057

Veteran Democratic politico Jon Cooper asked, "Who agrees these Republican cowards FEAR THE TRUTH?"

BREAKING: The RNC says it will require all presidential candidates to pledge to NOT participate in any debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates, breaking a decades-long tradition.\n\nWho agrees these Republican cowards FEAR THE TRUTH?
— Jon Cooper \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Jon Cooper \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1642094303

Journalist David Leavitt concluded that GOP candidates "don’t want to answer critical questions":

The RNC wants to stop all Republican candidates from participating in presidential debates because they don\u2019t want to answer critical questions.
— David Leavitt (@David Leavitt) 1642097606

New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen surmised that the GOP "wants out" of "a common world of fact, about which candidates for president can be questioned":

Ominous sign. The debates are full of problems and quadrennially a disappointment, but they do carry forward one key idea: there exists a common world of fact, about which candidates for president can be questioned. The RNC wants out of that.https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1481665661139140616\u00a0\u2026
— Jay Rosen (@Jay Rosen) 1642103604

Columnist Tim O'Brien tweeted that the RNC's move is "another example of Republicans’ antipathy toward public institutions and civic processes leading them to just…walk away. Doesn’t bode well for accountability or transparency":

Another example of Republicans\u2019 antipathy toward public institutions and civic processes leading them to just\u2026walk away. Doesn\u2019t bode well for accountability or transparency.https://twitter.com/maggienyt/status/1481665695322681350\u00a0\u2026
— Tim O'Brien (@Tim O'Brien) 1642092529

Comedian Titus attempted to summarize the RNC's stance like so: "Alright guys, our candidates can’t form complete sentences, answer questions or think on their feet, so instead of finding good candidates, let’s refuse to let the morons speak, cool?"

\u201cAlright guys, our candidates can\u2019t form complete sentences, answer questions or think on their feet, so instead of finding good candidates, let\u2019s refuse to let the morons speak, cool?\u201d\nRNC Signals a Pullout From Presidential Debates - The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/us/politics/presidential-debates-rnc.html\u00a0\u2026
— Titus (@Titus) 1642109927

Writer Molly Jong-Fast said the RNC's decision "makes me think the GOP is doubling down on its anti-democratic instincts":

The RNC deciding it won\u2019t do debates anymore makes me think the gop is doubling down on its anti-democratic instincts.
— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1642094860

Nick Knudsen, executive director of nonprofit DemCast, echoed Jong-Fast's sentiments: "The GOP is fully withdrawing from democracy":

Wow. \n\nThe RNC is going to require that presidential candidates pledge to not participate in presidential debates.\n\nThe GOP is fully withdrawing from democracy.https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/us/politics/republican-presidential-debate-dispute.html?referringSource=articleShare\u00a0\u2026
— Nick Knudsen \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Nick Knudsen \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1642091905

Anything else?

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted in regard to her letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates said that "for years" the organization that's supposed to be nonpartisan "has shown bias against Republicans. Since they continue to stonewall commonsense reforms, the RNC is leveling the playing field to make debates fair for future nominees."

Among the reforms the RNC wants:

  • term limits on the CPD's board of directors;
  • hold at least one debate prior to the start of early voting;
  • create a code of conduct for CPD officials prohibiting them from making public statements about candidates or taking part in political activities with candidates;
  • establish criteria for disqualifying debate moderators with conflict of interest regarding candidates; and
  • establish a code of conduct for debate moderators in regard to what extent they will interact with nominees.

In the 2020 debates between then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden and then-President Donald Trump, it would seem that the moderators made more headlines than they should have.

In the first debate, moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News asked Trump to condemn "white supremacists and right-wing militia" even though Trump had done so repeatedly and even vowed the week before to designate the Ku Klux Klan as a terrorist organization. However, Wallace didn't ask Biden to condemn Antifa — and Biden, in fact, actually claimed during the debate that the violent leftist group is "an idea, not an organization." Interestingly, Wallace announced last month his departure from Fox News to join CNN.

The CPD tapped Steve Scully — then-political editor for C-SPAN — to moderate the second Trump-Biden debate, but it was soon reported that Scully had served as an intern for then-Sen. Joe Biden in college and later worked on the late Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy's staff. What's more, C-SPAN suspended Scully after he admitted he lied about his Twitter feed being hacked in regard to a question he posted to former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci after Trump accused Scully of being a "nevertrumper." Soon the second debate was canceled after Trump complained about the format being changed to a virtual event due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And despite a report that the third debate moderator, Kristen Welker — chief White House correspondent for NBC News — has deep ties to the Democratic Party, she won high praise from both sides of the aisle for her job moderating the third debate.