In an effort to address a surge of violent incidents over the Independence Day weekend, Raleigh’s mayor is contemplating the introduction of a curfew for minors. This consideration follows a string of shootings and public disturbances, with nine individuals injured amidst widespread youth disruptions nationwide.

The unruly behavior during the holiday celebrations has led Mayor Janet Cowell of Raleigh to inform WRAL News that she is deliberating on implementing a curfew aimed at individuals 17 years old and younger.

Expressing her gratitude towards the Raleigh Police Department for their prompt response during the chaotic Fourth of July night and the subsequent morning, Cowell acknowledged to the news outlet, “It’s evident Raleigh is not immune to the wave of youth violence seen across the nation. Engaging with young people, their parents, educational institutions, and the wider community is crucial to uncover root causes and coordinate effective strategies.”

Cowell mentioned that a potential solution could be enforcing a curfew for those 17 and under, noting that similar measures have been implemented in other North Carolina cities.

The mayor also highlighted that city officials are evaluating “various approaches,” which are set to be deliberated during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Cowell’s office.

Around 5,000 teenagers showed up in Brier Creek and another 5,000 in Glenwood South, with half residing outside the city, the Raleigh Police Department said Sunday.

Raleigh police officers initially responded just after 10:05 p.m. Saturday to reports of a fight near a movie theater and nearby stores.

The incident stemmed from a “teen takeover,” a social media-driven phenomenon where massive crowds of youths coordinate to suddenly congregate at public spaces like beaches, malls, or restaurants.

A large fight broke out, followed by gunshots. One adult was shot and another was injured by shattered glass caused by the shooting, police said.

A juvenile was found with a gun and detained, but investigators don’t believe the teen was one of the shooters.

Hours later, at 1:35 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to multiple shootings.

Six people were shot but were expected to survive.

At around 4:30 a.m., two people were shot following a fight at a gas station, police said.

They were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests were made.

Investigations into the shootings are ongoing, police said.

In a Monday post on X, Cowell called teen takeovers a “disturbing national trend.”

“Now in #raleighnc. Grateful to @raleighpolice for bringing back order & protecting public. @raleighgov & whole community have work ahead to engage with youth to prevent future occurrences,” she wrote.

An Instagram post from Milk Bar, a bar in the Glenwood South area, said the actions of a few ruined the peace for patrons in the area.

“While we had zero safety incidents inside Milk Bar, we made the proactive decision alongside other businesses to close our doors, to protect our patrons and staff from the surrounding unrest,” the post states. “Gun violence and reckless behavior have no place in our nightlife scene. WE CAN DO BETTER, RALEIGH!”

PROVO, Utah — In an emotionally charged moment, the family of Charlie Kirk confronted his alleged killer for the first time during a preliminary hearing in Utah. This session, marking the start of a week-long legal examination, unfolded in a tense courtroom setting on Monday.

Tyler Robinson, 23, had already taken his place in the courtroom, awaiting the entry of media personnel shortly before 9 a.m. Clad in a gray suit paired with a pink shirt and black tie, Robinson sat shackled at the wrists and ankles. As the hearing progressed, video footage depicting the tragic death of Kirk was presented to the judge and attorneys. Robinson, however, remained impassive even as the shocking sound of the gunshot echoed through the room.

Agent David Hull from the Utah State Bureau of Investigation took the stand, providing evidence through various videos. These included harrowing visuals of Kirk’s demise, shown privately to the court but audible to those present. Notably, two videos captured the chilling moment a sniper’s bullet hit Kirk in the neck, accompanied by sounds that resonated throughout the courtroom.

During one particularly jarring video, Judge Tony Graf Jr. visibly recoiled, flinching at the sound of the gunshot. In stark contrast, Robinson did not display any outward signs of disturbance as the powerful footage played out.

Kirk’s family had already left the courtroom before they were played. They were expected to receive warnings before graphic evidence would be introduced and left twice ahead of mentions of the assassination itself.

For much of the rest of the hearing, Erika Kirk and her in-laws, Rob and Kathy Kirk, sat next to one another, watching the proceedings closely, occasionally exchanging looks or glancing down. Other relatives present included Erika’s sister, Tonya, and niece and nephew.

At another point with Kirk’s family out of the courtroom, Hull also testified about the autopsy report, which listed Kirk’s death as a homicide by a gunshot wound to the neck. During that testimony, Robinson’s mother leaned over to her husband and held her hand on his shoulder. 

The Kirks also had some high-profile supporters join them near the front — including Donald Trump Jr., his wife Bettina, and conservative commentators Jack Posobiec and Brandon Tatum.

Robinson’s parents, who usually sit in the front row, were in the fourth row Monday with other relatives.

The first witness of the day was Officer Christopher Bagley, now a member of the Spanish Fork Police Department. He was working at Utah Valley University when Kirk was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event there on Sept. 10, 2025.

He testified that he believed he heard a rifle shot — not a pistol shot — from the direction of the Losee Center. He said he reached that conclusion after seeing an empty handgun holster on the ground amid the early chaos and looking up to find that the Losee Center rooftop had a clear line of sight to where Kirk was speaking.

He went to the Losee rooftop, where he found a black and red screwdriver and impressions in the gravel that he described as what looked like a “sniper’s pad.”

He also said he reviewed surveillance video showing the suspect on top of the roof, and he found footprints in the grass where the suspect dropped down and scuff marks on the roof above them. Defense attorney Kathy Nester only got about 10 minutes of cross-examination in before the recess for lunch, but she asked Bagley if his police report from the day mentioned a direction the shot came from.

It didn’t, he said. He also didn’t know what happened to the handgun holster.

As prosecutors planned to show some UVU surveillance video, Robinson’s defense objected. While Graf had overruled most of their objections throughout the day, he sustained this one on the grounds that the video, due to edits including face blurs, zooms and red circles, had not been properly authenticated and could not be played.

The video is expected to be introduced later after prosecutors said they planned to provide an unedited version.

Hull was the second of four witnesses prosecutors said they planned to call to the stand Monday. He is expected to resume testimony Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. MT.

Other video shown Monday included a vehicle alleged to be Robinson’s coming and going from a house near the UVU campus after midnight on Sept. 11 — about 12 hours after Charlie Kirk’s murder on Sept. 10.

As News Media previously reported, Robinson also allegedly had an encounter with law enforcement in the area hours after the shooting.

At some point during the week, the court is expected to hear a previously recorded statement from Robinson’s former lover Lance Twiggs, who prosecutors allege received a written confession after the crime.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea. He could face the death penalty if convicted of the top charge against him, aggravated murder.

Belgium seized the opportunity to deepen the woes of the United States with a commanding World Cup win on Monday.

In the Round of 16 match held in Seattle, the Belgians overwhelmed Mauricio Pochettino’s squad with a convincing 4-1 victory, following a swirl of controversy.

The United States faced a World Cup setback that was further complicated over the weekend when news broke of Donald Trump’s involvement. He had reportedly urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to reconsider the one-match suspension imposed on American player Folarin Balogun.

Balogun was given a red card during the USA’s previous Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which should have barred him from playing against Belgium.

Despite strong objections from both the Belgian football federation and UEFA, FIFA ultimately permitted Balogun to participate in the lineup for Monday night’s game.

 However, ultimately, the intervention proved pointless as the USA suffered defeat with Balogun failing to find the back of the net. 

And Belgium seized the chance to ruthlessly mock the US over the controversy and subsequent defeat with a brutal social media post. 

Within 20 minutes of the final whistle, the Red Devils’ X account posted, ‘Overturn this,’ alongside a photo of Romelu Lukaku celebrating scoring the team’s fourth goal in the final minutes of the game. 

It was a savage nod to FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s ban at the apparent behest of the President. 

To add insult to injury, Belgium’s stars performed the ‘Trump dance’ – the hand-jerking, hip-shimmying moves made famous by the President during his 2024 election campaign –  following Lukaku’s goal. 

The Red Devils were seen on the broadcast gathering in a circle at the goalline and mimicking the moves following the stoppage-time strike.  

Belgium had launched an appeal on Sunday shortly after FIFA’s verdict on Balogun’s fate had been announced. 

However, FIFA had rejected their appeal on Monday just hours before the Round-of-16 clash kicked off. 

Belgian bosses ominously suggested that the decision ‘leaves all further actions open’ if Balogun was named on the United States team sheet, which he ultimately was, making Pochettino’s Starting XI. 

In a statement, the Belgian FA said: ‘The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has received the decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee, signed by its member Mr Salman Al-Ansari, which declares the RBFA’s case inadmissible and confirms the earlier decision allowing United States player Folarin Balogun to play.

‘To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure id est a copy of the decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee’s report. Which is a breach of FIFA regulations.

They added that: ‘The RBFA has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee’s team sheet. This leaves all further actions open.’

According to sources close to the team, Belgium are considering taking legal action and referring the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Moments after Sunday’s announcement, President Trump , who has become close friends with Infantino, wrote: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’

White House sources confirmed to the Daily Mail that Trump took the extraordinary step of reaching out to Infantino, ahead of FIFA’s staggering decision to suspend the ban, before the President confirmed the news himself at a Monday press conference.

‘Yeah, I did, I spoke to Gianni. I asked for a review by FIFA,’ Trump said. ‘That’s all I did. And, you know, again, I’m good at this stuff. That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other.

‘He (Balogun) didn’t do anything wrong, and he’s our best player, or one of our best players, a very vital player and they gave him a red card. I didn’t think it meant much. Then I started hearing that it means you can’t play in the next game, at least in the next game.

Following Trump’s admission that he had called up Infantino over the matter, the FIFA chief offered clarity over the matter through another statement on Monday.

He said: ‘Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.

‘During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.’

However, Belgium boss Rudi Garcia offered a brutal assessment on the matter during a press conference later in the day.

He said: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th July is now April 1st and is now April Fool’s Day. We are defending football – its ethics and history. It’s the first time in WC history that such a decision has been taken…’

When asked about allegations that Trump influenced FIFA’s decision, Garcia added: ‘Don’t waste your time talking about that… if you have any football questions we will answer that but for the rest please go to the [FA].’

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) — In a harrowing and unsettling case, the family of Dalewayne Turner finds themselves engulfed in mourning and confusion. The recent charges against Turner’s wife and half-brother have only added to the weight of their grief as they face the painful uncertainty surrounding his tragic death.

According to Illinois State Police, Turner, who was 38, resided in Plainfield with his wife, Robin Turner, aged 62, and his half-brother, James Adams, 26. Their quiet home has since become a focal point of a disturbing investigation, as highlighted in court records.

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The community’s shock deepened when boaters made a grim discovery of body parts in Lake Mattoon, located more than 160 miles from Turner’s home. Subsequent investigations confirmed these remains as Dalewayne Turner’s, prompting further actions by the authorities.

Robin Turner and her half-brother appeared before a judge on Monday, each facing charges of dismembering a human body and concealing a homicidal death. As co-defendants, they now stand together in the shadow of these grave allegations, according to court records.

During the detention hearing, prosecutors advocated for Robin Turner’s detention ahead of the trial, considering her a potential threat to public safety. They emphasized a detailed narrative of how she allegedly took extensive measures to hide Dalewayne Turner’s death, painting a chilling portrait of the events following his demise.

According to prosecutors, investigators recovered multiple bags containing dismembered human remains from Lake Mattoon after recreational boaters spotted part of a human arm in the water. Authorities said the remains were found in black trash bags that also contained weights and concrete and were secured with tape. The remains were later identified as Dalewayne Turner through tattoos and other identifying features.

Prosecutors told the court that surveillance footage, license plate reader data and store records helped investigators connect Adams and Robin Turner to the case. Court records allege Adams purchased weights and duct tape at a Mattoon Walmart, while investigators also recovered evidence showing Adams and Robin Turner purchased concrete days earlier.

The hearing also focused on statements made by Steven Turner, Dalewayne Turner’s brother. According to court filings, Steven Turner told investigators that Adams said he “grabbed a knife and stabbed Dalewayne several times.” Court records further state that “James and Robin both recounted that Dalewayne was stabbed several times, bled out, and succumbed to his injuries.”

Steven Turner told investigators he left the residence after hearing the alleged admissions and called 911. Police later detained Robin Turner and Adams.

Court records further state that Adams declined to give a full statement after being advised of his rights but allegedly made a spontaneous statement to investigators, saying, “The one thing I will say is that I did it, but I did it out of self-defense. I will tell you guys that.”

According to prosecutors, Robin Turner gave investigators a different account. Court filings state, “Robin stated that on Sunday, June 21, 2026, sometime in the morning, James and Dalewayne had a verbal argument about sports cards.” Prosecutors said Robin Turner told investigators that Adams later admitted to stabbing Dalewayne Turner multiple times after the argument and placing his body in a freezer.

Investigators executing a search warrant at the Plainfield home said they found a locked freezer in the basement covered by a blanket and topped with cinder blocks. According to court records, officers found Dalewayne Turner’s head, neck and torso inside the freezer. Prosecutors also alleged investigators observed signs of recent remodeling, including freshly painted walls and stairs, a painted front door, replacement carpeting and removed wood paneling.

Court documents also detail text messages between Robin Turner and Adams discussing carpet cleaner, bleach, a dolly and moving heavy objects. Prosecutors highlighted one message from Robin Turner that said, “Be sure to fully delete everything.”

Chrystal Mann, Dalewayne Turner’s cousin, said the allegations have left the family devastated.

“Literally made me sick to my stomach,” Mann said.

Mann said she spoke with Robin Turner shortly before her arrest.

“I was on the phone with her 10 minutes before she was arrested. And I said, ‘Robin, what’s going on? Why am I hearing all this crazy stuff? I’m hearing rumors going.’ She says, ‘well, he’s still in treatment. And she said, Let me call you right back.’ I never talked to her again,” Mann said.

Mann described Turner as a devoted family member, and a Chicago sports fan who was always willing to help others.

“I remember Dalewayne always being there. If I needed help with anything around my yard, anything, he would be there to help,” she said.

According to Mann, Turner and his wife took custody of Adams when he was 13 after Adams’ father killed the boys’ mother.

Mann said she has struggled with the realization that her cousin was gone while family members believed he was safe.

“My heart breaks because I never reached out to him. I feel bad because I go he telling lies that she told our family and we thought he was safe in a place where he should have been safe, but he wasn’t even in his own home he wasn’t safe,” Mann said.

Mann said the family is now focused on planning Turner’s funeral and seeking justice.

Robin Turner and James Adams are scheduled to return to court later this week.

Jackie Tranquill, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, seems to have luck on her side.

Accompanying her husband Drue, Jackie attended the star-studded nuptials of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. During the glamorous event, she happened to win a Chanel handbag in a raffle—a memorable highlight of the evening.

By Monday, Tranquill had taken to Instagram to proudly display her new luxury accessory. The elegant purse is identified as a black Chanel 25 small handbag, crafted from grained calfskin and adorned with gold-tone hardware. According to the designer’s website, the bag carries a hefty price tag of $6,700.

Her Instagram post also featured moments from her dynamic Fourth of July celebrations.

Capturing the vibe of the weekend, Tranquill captioned her post, “Freedom, Friends & fútbol.” The snapshot selections included images of her wearing a stunning full-skirted gown for the wedding, cherished family photographs, and a sneak peek of the World Cup broadcast playing on TV.

She added, “Congrats to the newly weds 💍” and “Happy 250th America 🎇 & of course, let’s go USA! 🇺🇸.”

“WHAT A WEEKEND, WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!” she concluded.

The comments of Jackie’s post were split between congratulation messages and compliments about her wedding attire, but one person called winning prizes at a wedding “tacky.”

Swift and Kelce raffled off several high-end products, including designer bags, at their extravagant wedding reception on Friday night. Guests received raffle tickets by participating in games, including skee-ball, miniature golf and a football ring toss.

Page Six Hollywood exclusively reported Avril Lavigne also won a Chanel bag at the party.

Other prizes reportedly included Cartier watches and even a 1970 classic Chevy.

Here’s latest on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at MSG:

More details are slowly emerging from the star-studded event, including the top-secret invitation that went out to their guests as well as what the two said during their 20-minute vows.

For those not lucky enough to win raffle prizes, guests were given embroidered handkerchiefs that contained a nod to Swift’s 2014 hit “Blank Space,” which came in handy for those wiping away tears.

While highlights of the wedding are still gradually coming out, Travis’ mom, Donna Kelce, described it as “magical.”

During the Independence Day festivities in San Francisco, passengers had a frightening experience when their Waymo autonomous car drove toward ignited fireworks positioned on the street.

A video captured the moment as the driverless vehicle edged nearer to the fireworks, leaving the occupants visibly alarmed as the fireworks prepared to launch.

As the autonomous car advanced, a bystander attempted to stop it by frantically gesturing with their hand.

Amidst the chaos, a passenger can be heard urging the vehicle with escalating concern: “No, no, no, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go,”.

The autonomous vehicle then passes over the colorful flames and sparks.

“Our Waymo just drove into a firework,” a passenger says in the clip.

“Are we on fire, dude?” a fellow passenger asks.

A Waymo spokesperson told News Media that the company “is committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate.”

“We take situations like this seriously and are committed to evaluating and learning from these events,” the statement continued.

No injuries were reported to either the passengers or the vehicle, and the company reached out to the riders after their trip. The possession of fireworks, even “Safe and Sane” explosives, is illegal in San Francisco, the city’s fire department said.

One woman was killed and two other adults and a child were injured Saturday in a separate fireworks explosion, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Elsewhere in San Francisco, some Waymo vehicles were towed when their batteries died after vehicles became stuck in traffic for hours.

“Our priority is keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations,” the Waymo spokesperson said. “On the Fourth of July, extreme traffic congestion in northern San Francisco disrupted normal operations for several Waymo vehicles.”

“In coordination with local authorities and emergency services, our roadside assistance team worked quickly to clear our vehicles from the area,” the statement continued.

While orchestrating an extravagant wedding at Madison Square Garden with Taylor Swift for an audience of 1,000 guests, Travis Kelce was simultaneously managing a confidential legal battle just before exchanging vows.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Kelce, along with Kansas City Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes, is entangled in a lawsuit in a New York federal court. The dispute revolves around their Kansas City eatery, 1587 Prime, being challenged by a sneaker company with a nearly identical brand name.

New developments reveal that Kelce and his legal team were vigorously defending against the lawsuit in the critical days preceding his high-profile marriage ceremony at MSG.

As reported by TMZ, Kelce and Mahomes contend that their minimal connections to New York should exempt them from being summoned to court there, given their football careers and restaurant operations are rooted in Kansas City.

1587 Sneakers, however, disputes this claim, maintaining that the duo’s regular presence in nationwide marketing endeavors justifies legal proceedings in New York City.

Kelce, of course, does now spend plenty of time with his new wife, who has a plush penthouse apartment in Tribeca.

The two Chiefs superstars – who are also best friends off the field – opened their 1587 steakhouse back in September 2025, and the name is a blend of their two NFL jersey numbers.

1587 Sneakers, meanwhile, is a Boston-based company that claim their name is a nod to the year Filipino sailors first arrived in America, according to TMZ’s reporting. 

The company also claims it trademarked ‘1587’ before Kelce and Mahomes, and is requesting that the NFL pair no longer use the number sequence at their restaurant.

While it may not have been top of Travis’ agenda in recent weeks, it represents a significant issue for the multi-millionaire NFL star as he continues to build his global brand off the field.  

The Chiefs tight end is now basking in the success of a remarkable celebration at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, after 1,000 of the couple’s nearest and dearest turned out for the ‘wedding of the century’. 

The celebration, which closed off the streets around Midtown Manhattan, featured a who’s who of the A-list world, such as Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg and Jay-Z, with guests from Hollywood, the music industry, fashion and sports colliding.

There were also plenty of stars in the NFL who have befriended and faced off against Kelce over the years.

This includes many of his Chiefs teammates and coaches, led by Mahomes and his wife Brittany, who have become two of Travis and Taylor’s closest friends. 

Also in attendance was Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who has been at the helm in Kansas City since 2013.

Two days after the wedding, Reid opened up on Adam Sandler’s words of advice to Travis and Taylor during the service as he helped the couple tie the knot.

‘Adam Sandler conducted the service there and he told them to “keep kissing,” in its simplest form. That’s a good thing,’ Reid told reporters on Sunday.

‘It’s hard to argue when you give your wife a kiss or your wife gives you a kiss… And make sure you do it every day, every minute that you have an opportunity to. Knock it out, and you won’t have any problems.’

Kelce landed a cameo role in Sandler’s Happy Gilmore sequel last year, while he also invited the comedian onto his and brother Jason’s New Heights podcast in 2024.

During that podcast appearance, Sandler left the Kelce brothers in stitches when he explained how much Swift means to his family.

He said: ‘You guys being together, I mean… when you guys first started dating, my god was my family like, “Yes! Look how good they are together, he’s a gentleman! And she’s having so much fun with him!” Like any time Taylor is laughing with you, my whole f***ing family is like high-fiving.’

A wave of frustration has swept through certain circles on the American left, as they grapple with the resolution of a glaring controversy at the World Cup.

In last week’s Round of 32 clash, the US national team was stunned when their star forward, Folarin Balogun, received a red card after an opponent fell during an aggressive play from behind for possession of the ball.

This incident initially threatened to bench Balogun for the crucial knockout match against Belgium. However, in a turn of events on Sunday, FIFA postponed the enforcement of the striker’s suspension.

The ensuing discontent from the Belgian side appeared pitiable, and the backlash from some disillusioned Americans even more so.

Former Obama staffer, Tommy Vietor, expressed delight over Balogun’s return to play, but also voiced concerns that his reinstatement might fuel perceptions of tournament rigging across the globe.

Husband from hell and fifth-place primary finisher George Conway called the episode “revolting” and that it might “end up tarnishing the team.”

Richard Hanania deemed Bolgun’s reinstatement “a depressing sign of how far we’ve fallen,” comparing the Stars and Stripes to “a backwards, third world country.”

Trump’s ‘ask’

Meanwhile, actual third-worldists like Mehdi Hasan sided with Hanania, calling on Balogun to “refuse to play” in protest of the “unfair” development.

Some of the teeth-gnashing can be chalked up to a particularly nasty strain of Trump Derangement Syndrome.

By all reports, Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask that the body give the matter a second look.

According to Axios’ Marc Caputo, though, Trump made no “specific ask” and was told the matter was being “independently reviewed.”

That’s irrelevant to the Trump haters: “Even FIFA is engaged in Trump crime family corruption,” former congressman Adam Kinzinger frothed.

It should come as no surprise that those who have allowed Trump’s existence to warp their minds beyond recognition are upset that he may have played some role in securing this remedial action.

But the irrational hysterics are the fruit of the destructive, distinctly anti-American worldview of the ascendant progressive left.

No pride

Balogun never deserved the punishment doled out to him by a single referee — and FIFA itself, long dogged by allegations of bribery and similar sleaziness, has made other exceptions to allow certain red-card recipients, including Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, to circumvent suspensions they were supposed to serve.

No worthwhile principle compels the functioning conscience to demand Balogun serve out the sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. Yet the Blame America First crowd is demanding exactly that.

Because for the self-assured moral relativist, true north is neither what is just, nor what is in their country’s best interest, but what is fashionable.

The question isn’t “What is right?” but, “What will my brunch mates think?”

And what they think is whatever Howard Zinn and John Oliver told them to.

That’s why they drooled over New York City Mayor Mamdani’s unpatriotic assault on the adoptive nation to which he owes so much on the occasion of its 250th birthday.

That’s why DNC Chairman Ken Martin compared the government of Iran, which massacred tens of thousands of its civilians in a matter of days earlier this year, to his own.

That’s why fewer and fewer Democrats feel any pride at all in being an American.

But to everyone outside of their privileged, conformist bubble, they appear only to be degrading themselves in service to an ignoble cause.

Isaac Schorr is a columnist and former senior editor at Mediaite.