Her obituary: Iryna Zarutska, 23, of Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away on Friday, 22 August 2025.

Obituary, Visitation & Funeral Information | Iryna Zarutska

"Born on 22 May 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Iryna was the beloved daughter of Anna Zarutska and Stanislav Zarutskyi. In August 2022, she emigrated from Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother to escape the war, and she quickly embraced her new life in the United States.

""A gifted and passionate artist, Iryna graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration. She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork. She loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit.

"Iryna also had a deep love for animals. She often cared for her neighbors’ pets, and many fondly remember seeing her walking them through the neighborhood, always with her radiant smile. She dreamed of pursuing a career as a Veterinary Assistant while also working toward her independence by learning to drive. Remarkably, she became fluent in English within a very short time, reflecting her determination and love of learning.

"Though she enjoyed adventures, sightseeing, and exploring new places with her close friends, Iryna was also a homebody at heart, happiest when surrounded by family and loved ones. Her mother lovingly recalls her ability to sleep for wonderfully long stretches—something she affectionately called an “artist’s gift.”

"Iryna is survived by her parents, Anna and Stanislav; her sister, Valeriia; her brother, Bohdan; her life partner, Stas Nikulytsia; aunt, Valeria Haskell (Frank Scott); her cousins, Vera Falkner and Viktor Falkner; and many cherished family members and friends.

"Iryna will be remembered for her kindness, her creativity, and the lasting impression she left on everyone she met. Her absence leaves a deep void, but her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her." . . .

Iryna’s murder and bad judges . . . "Why so much silence from the media?

She Fled the Ukraine War for Safety. America Delivered Her to a Killer.  

"Moreover, many Democrats decry “big business” and “billionaires” by echoing slogans like “eat the rich” while shrugging at the exploitation of cheap labor by illegal immigrants at your Home Depot. Meanwhile, hardworking, law-abiding immigrants like Zarutska, who came here seeking peace — and contribute to local commerce — are left to fall victim to violent criminals in a transit system lacking meaningful security."

. . . "A GoFundMe fundraiser was even launched for Brown, prompting outrage as the narrative pivoted toward pity for the killer instead of justice for the innocent woman whose life he stole. Instead of grappling with the implications of allowing a mentally unstable, repeat violent offender to roam free, media outlets have turned the story into a familiar script: another failure of the system, another man “failed by society.” They want you to believe that the system failed the killer, not the victim. This reframing ignores the hard truth; this was a preventable tragedy, enabled by a justice system more focused on rehabilitation and its political reputation than actual public safety." . . .

In shock and dying, Iryna wonders who and why this happened.

Iryna’s murder and bad judges   . . . "Why so much silence from the media?..."The media silence is an outrage.  What it tells us about our judges is far worse.  This young woman was murdered because this man was a free man.  Every judge who kept this murderer out of jail should explain what they did."  . . . "Put these judges on TV and have them explain how they gave a “get out of jail card” to a man who should have been locked up.  How many others are free as well?  How many other young women are in danger?" . . .

Liberal media accused of covering up Ukrainian girl's brutal murder in Dem-led city as video explodes online | Daily Mail Online 

" 'If you search MSNBC, CNN, NY Times or Washington Post, you won't find any mention of this news story about Iryna Zarutska,' one X user also wrote. 

'The Democrats on the Charlotte city council tried to block the release of the video footage. 

'Why are they avoiding the story of a Ukrainian white girl being so brutally kiIIed?'

'How can all these outlets have zero stories on a deadly attack and still claim to keep the public informed?' another person wrote. 

A third X user slammed the media for 'ignoring "black on white" crime'.

'Iryna Zarutska was brutally murdered, yet CNN, NYT, WaPo, BBC, Reuters said NOTHING.

'Zero coverage. If it were the other way around, the outrage would be everywhere.'  

Brown Jr. had a lengthy rap sheet and had been released by the Democrat-run police force several times before." . . .

After GoFundMe removes fundraiser for suspect who stabbed Ukrainian refugee on train, Trump slams democrats over law and order in North Carolina 

 . . . As per one of the fundraising page, Brown is just as much of a victim as the woman he fatally stabbed, and the money raised will be used "to stop the injustice against Decarlos Brown Jr." These people choose our congress reps.

Obituary, Visitation & Funeral Information | Iryna Zarutska 

Gravy Train Derails at MSNBC: Top Anchors Face Huge Pay Cut After Comcast Severs Ties With Left-Wing Network

Gravy Train Derails at MSNBC: Top Anchors Face Huge Pay Cut After Comcast Severs Ties With Left-Wing Network (Nov, 2024)

Not a syllable there about the stabbing murder of the young Ukrainian woman.TD

"Comcast is finally cutting ties with MSNBC, the media conglomerate announced Wednesday. That's bad news for the exorbitantly compensated and increasingly unhinged personalities who call the left-wing network home (for now). MSNBC and other declining television assets—but not the reality TV powerhouse Bravo—will be spun off into a new publicly traded company by the end of next year. That means MSNBC will soon be divorced from the ostensibly more serious and less overtly partisan NBC News, which routinely shares reportage, fact-checking (if you can call it that), and contributors with its sister network. Comcast brass on Wednesday told MSNBC staffers that the network's name and peacock logo might not survive the breakup. The outrageously inflated salaries of the network's top anchors almost definitely won't.

"The move suggests Comcast executives can no longer justify to shareholders the enormous incomes of "star" hosts such as Rachel Maddow, Joe Scarborough, and Joy Reid. MSNBC and other Comcast-owned cable networks continue to make money, but those profits have declined substantially in recent years. That explains why executives and investors are eager to rid themselves of the "declining assets." Comcast's stock price rose in after-hours trading on Tuesday after news of the decision was leaked to the press. MSNBC's hosts have had a good run, earning sizable fortunes preaching partisan hysteria to a dwindling audience of elderly viewers. In the week following this year's election, the network drew just 65,000 primetime viewers in the coveted 25-54 age demographic, less than 10 percent of total viewers." . . .    

Pictured: MSNBC commentator: all others there cut from this same mold. TD

 Much more here...

Why the Democrats Really, Really Hate RFK Jr.

 Joseph Ford Cotto  

"That is why Robert F. Kennedy Jr. draws the same fury as Donald Trump, and why his defiance may yet prove more dangerous to Democrats than any policy fight. He is living proof that the age of managed politics is cracking, and that ordinary citizens are not content to be ruled. They demand to be heard."

"Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has become the rare figure who draws as much raw hostility from Democrats as Donald Trump ever has. That fact alone is remarkable.

"Democrats once celebrated Kennedy as the scion of a legendary political dynasty. They now treat him as a menace to society. His break from the blue ranks last year, and the populist movement he has built, mirrors Trump’s earlier rebellion against establishment Republicans. That similarity explains why both men are uniquely loathed by Democratic insiders.

"The fury stems not just from Kennedy’s decision to leave the Democrat party, but from how he left. He accused party leaders of rigging 2024 presidential primaries against him, echoing the language Trump used in 2016 and 2020 about elections being stacked against outsiders.

"Those accusations landed hard with many Americans who already believed Democratic elites, at best, manipulate the rules to protect their favorites and, at worst, utilize election fraud. By later considering a unity ticket with Trump, Kennedy didn’t simply criticize Democratic leadership. He rejected its authority outright.

"That is why Kennedy, now history’s most powerful Health and Human Services secretary, stands in a category almost by himself. Like Trump, he represents a brand of populism that does not map neatly onto traditional left-right divisions. His campaign drew in voters alienated by Democratic elitism, people less concerned with ideology than with authenticity and choice.

"That unpredictability terrifies blue strategists, who, most charitably put, prefer elections to be controlled exercises in coalition management. Kennedy’s rise signaled that many voters want an alternative to being told what options they’re allowed to have." . . . More...

Dr. Joseph Ford Cotto hosts and produces News Sight, speaking the data-driven truth about economic and political issues that impact you. During the 2024 presidential election, he created the Five-Point Forecast, which correctly predicted Trump's national victory and the outcome in all swing states. The author of numerous nonfiction books, Cotto holds a doctorate in business administration and is a Lean Six Sigma Certified Black Belt. During 2014, HLM King Kigeli V of Rwanda bestowed a hereditary knighthood upon him. It was followed by a barony the next year.

How To Pronounce Common (and Commonly Confused) Irish Names

 Word Smarts

"While traditional Irish names can be tricky to sound out, they are very popular — so let’s take a closer look at the correct pronunciation for some names that may be difficult for those outside of Ireland to pronounce."

"Around 4.5 million Irish immigrants entered America between 1820 and 1930, and with them came an influx of lasting Irish culture. Case in point: In 2023, the Irish name Liam became the most popular baby boy name in the U.S. Other Irish names including Connor, Claire, Riley, Nora, Logan, and Rowan also have risen through the ranks.

"But some Irish names aren’t as easy for Americans to pronounce. This is perhaps most notable in the case of Irish American actress Saoirse Ronan. The Oscar-nominated star playfully jokes about her name (pronounced “SUR-sha,” which rhymes with “inertia”) in interviews, and acknowledges that Americans have trouble saying it correctly. While traditional Irish names can be tricky to sound out, they show no signs of waning in popularity — so let’s take a closer look at the correct pronunciation for some that might be difficult for those outside of Ireland to pronounce." . . . Full article

Remember Hurricane Caitríona?

Colonel Custer should have learned how to scream Irish names: half of the Seventh Cavalry killed at Little Bighorn were Irish immigrants.

Liberal media and the murder of Iryna Zarutska

 Axios Hits New Low, Bent That Iryna Zarutska's Murder Validates MAGA Crime Message – RedState

A Democratic Mayor's Disgraceful Reaction to an Avoidable Murder in Her City   . . . "An appalling reaction.  She failed to even mention the name of the actual victim, whose life was stolen from her, while lecturing people not to "demonize" homeless people like the killer.  No mention of his many previous arrests.  She said nothing in the way of specific steps to enhance crime prevention, but talked about "compassion" and "commitment" for the homeless population while pleading to "improve services" for them.  As we saw from Democrats in Tennessee and Minnesota in the immediate aftermaths of deadly school shootings by trans people who targeted Christian children, the instant impulse is to scold the public against blaming the murderers' identity groups." . . .  

If her killing does not disgust you, perhaps this will:  BLM Activist Suggests 'Black Vigilantes' Choke, Kill People in Response to Daniel Penny Acquittal  

Mainstream media turns a blind eye to vicious stabbing of young Ukrainian woman  . . . "Sadly she couldn’t survive the Democrats’ criminal justice system," [Charlie] Kirk added. "Yet you wouldn’t shut up or stop villainizing Daniel Penny, a hero, who probably stopped a murder just like [hers]. Why? Because he was a straight white American male and the perp was black. Shame on you. Genuinely."

Heritage: Axios: Worst Part About Gruesome N.C. Train Stabbing Is People Noticing ... "The problem with sharing horrific footage is that people might see it, share it, and start asking questions about how Democrat-run cities are being managed. People might start asking why suspect DeCarlos Brown Jr., who had previously been convicted of with armed robbery, breaking and entering, shoplifting, and felony larceny, was arrested 14 times." . .

A Woman Was Brutally Murdered and the Corporate Media Is Miffed You Noticed  . . . "In both cases, the media emphasized that it was a black victim and a white perpetrator."The answer to this double standard, of course, is that they wanted to spark a “national debate” about “systemic racism.” So, their coverage was wall to wall.

"Now that there’s a murder case that goes against their narrative on crime, they want nothing more than to ignore it, or grumble that alternative media is strong enough to break into a “national conversation” without their blessing." . . .

Media Blackout Regarding Charlotte Murder Is Pure Evil  . . . "The line "our media partners" is chilling here. What happened to a media/journalist class that speaks truth to power?

"The mayor's lengthy blah, blah, blah, comments about the killer's mental health struggles and homeless people were so off base they bordered on victim-shaming. Matt has more on that here. As his headline says, "The Democratic Party Is a Threat to Our Safety."

Third-World Corruption: The FireAid Scandal Exposes Democrats - and Republicans Need to Wise-Up

RedState  

"Just looking at the networks of a handful of these organizations begins to paint a clear picture of Gavin Newsom using his power and influence to redistribute money, which people believed was going to victims of the Palisades and Altadena fires, to the coffers of NGOs whose work is to bring out the vote for California Democrats."

"Questions and outrage have swirled around what happened to the estimated $100 million FireAid raised, which was advertised as going to help victims of the Palisades and Altadena fires. A look into just a handful of organizations that received the money exposes a network of wealthy NGOs, all connected to Democrat politicians like Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass. It’s not just that the $100 million of FireAid money got sucked into nonprofits and never reached victims of the fires; it’s darker than that. The powerful elite, elected to serve the people of California, sat back and let entire neighborhoods burn to the ground. They then swooped in and took hundreds of thousands of dollars meant to help those victims and funneled it right back into their political organizing machinery. The web of government money, public-private relationships, and NGOs gives a window into how California Democrats use public money to maintain their control over the state.

One of the most influential and well-connected organizations to receive a FireAid grant is the Latino Community Foundation (LCF). LCF describes its mission as “supporting Latino-led organizations and mobilizing political participation of Latinos in the state.” . . .

Axios Plants the Seeds to Help Media Excuse Non-Reporting of Ukrainian Woman’s Murder

 Legal Insurrection 

I can’t wait to see how the media will respond now that Axios has given them a way out.

 "Yes, we’ve entered the “Republicans pounce” phase concerning the brutal murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, NC.

 "They aren’t mad that a young woman with the rest of her life ahead

 of her is gone.  "They are mad that “MAGA influencers” noticed.

"Zarutska fled to America to escape the war. She wanted a new beginning.

"Axios has taken the lead for all other mainstream media to make excuses as to why hardly any of them have covered Zarutska’s murder.

The gruesome video of the fatal knife attack on Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of violent urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases. https://t.co/OIj3FYfDLE . . .  Stabbing video fuels MAGA’s crime message."From Axios:

"MAGA influencers are drawing repeated attention to violent attacks to elevate the issue of urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases.

• Shocking video of the fatal Aug. 22 knife attack on 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte, North Carolina, dominated weekend conversation on Trump-friendly social media.   pic.twitter.com/ynRSSfZxkf" .  

  The gruesome video of the fatal knife attack on Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of violent urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases. https://t.co/OIj3FYfDLE

  — Axios (@axios) September 8, 2025

As Muslims advance their openly-stated goal of colonizing Texas, they are already making sharia-compliant demands

 BareNakedIslam  “Ban alcohol-consumption. Ban sales of lottery tickets. Ban pork products from stores and restaurants.”

• TEXAS Governor Greg Abbott is right to oppose a proposed sharia-controlled MUSLIMS-ONLY community near Dallas
• Muslims in America discuss how they will bypass U.S. housing discrimination laws to ensure that no non-Muslims will ever live in their city
• In the ‘liberal” city of Houston, Texas, Muslims are allowed to hold rallies calling for the murder of all Jews
• TEXAS: Ex-Muslims kicked out of a Starbucks and threatened with arrest if they return just for wearing a shirt that says “I am an Ex-Muslim”
• Reeling from last week’s Muslim slaughter of five U.S. Servicemen in Tennessee, outraged Texas residents step up opposition to Muslim cemetery

This isn’t the first ‘Sharia-adherent’ residential and commercial complex operating in Texas, but it will represent a massive new ‘Muslims Only” No Go Zone just outside Dallas

HAMAS leader says he doesn’t want to waste his time killing Jews in Israel

"Instead, he wants to kill every last Jew in the world. After all, a dead Jew in Israel is only worth about 5 shekels (29 cents). Time to strap on your suicide belts to ensure mass casualties."

Horrid video of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska’s slaughter on Charlotte train is met with deafening silence from Dem leaders, media

 NY Post

"Liberal media and politicians have been accused of staying silent on the savage murder of a young Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina train — after a career criminal with no fewer than 14 arrests was charged with her murder.

"Iryna Zarutska, 23, was stabbed to death on a light rail train in Charlotte, with horrifying surveillance footage showing the moment the unsuspecting young woman was brutally attacked.

"Decarlos Brown Jr., 35, is allegedly shown pulling out a pocket knife and getting out of his seat behind Zarutska before the video cuts just as he prepares to plunge the blade into her, footage shared by police shows.

"Zarutska is totally unaware of the killer behind her, fiddling with her phone as Brown allegedly unfolds the knife and prepares to attack.

"After the killing, the attacker can be seen wandering through the Lynx Blue Line train — dripping blood across the floor as he carries the weapon.

"Bystanders barely seem to notice that a young woman has just been knifed to death right behind them." . . .

                                          He calmly leaves the train trailing her blood. TD

. . . "But in the wake of the monstrous killing, which took place on Aug. 22, mainstream outlets and politicians have largely stayed silent.

"Charlotte’s Democratic mayor (Mayor Vi Lyles pictured, right) even thanked publications that chose to keep the video from the public."  

"Former DOGE secretary Elon Musk called out what he said was a lack of coverage of the killing by mainstream media, resharing a post counting how many articles the outlets had written about the stabbing, along with the comment, “Zero.”The alleged murder of a white woman by a black man also drew many responses from the far right.At the same time, those who knew Zarutska have spoken of their horror that a young woman who escaped the war in her country in 2022 could have met such a sickening end in the US."

(More at the link above.) How will Joy Reid and MSNBC/ NOW cover this?   Here: MSNBC top stories as of 9/8, 2025 at 11:30 CDT; Nothing on stabbing  

GoFundMe pulls horrific fundraisers for ex-con Decarlos Brown Jr. accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee on train.... Liberal media and politicians have been accused of staying silent on the savage murder of a young Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina train — after a career criminal with no fewer than 14 arrests was charged with her murder.

Horrifying. Career Felon Murders Young Woman on Video and Mayor Blames ‘Homelessness and Mental Illness’ – RedState

Liberal media accused of covering up Ukrainian girl's brutal murder in Dem-led city as video explodes online - UK Daily Mail;  "Horrific footage of a career criminal stabbing a Ukrainian refugee from behind on a North Carolina train has prompted a national uproar - but you won't find it on any liberal media websites." (Emphases in original) 

RedState Weekly Briefing: Exposing Loons, Leftists, Leakers, and Liars

 RedState  "Welcome to the RedState Weekly Briefing  — where we take a quick look at the week’s most viewed stories in case you missed any of them. What do you suppose caught people's attention in this latest whirlwind week? Grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger if you're so inclined), and sit down with this 21st Century Weekend Edition of your favorite (online) publication — here we go!" ...

Branco toon added by TD

#1 - Ben Shapiro's Wild CNN Appearance Exposes the Psychosis of the Left — by Bonchie   "Kasparian starting her commentary with "I totally reject," only for her to totally reject reality, is about what you'd expect. I understand that she hates Israel and loves Middle Eastern terrorists, and don't kid yourself, that's undergirding all of what she says there, but that doesn't mean she's entitled to her own statistical facts. "

#2 - Classified Navy SEAL Mission Leaked to Damage President Trump Harms National Security Instead — by streiff   "The real target here is President Trump. The NYT story starts with the premise, "The Trump administration did not notify key members of Congress who oversee intelligence operations, before or after the mission." . . .

#3 - Brainwashed Leftist Is Offered 1-Way Ticket to Communist Country of Her Choice—the Result Is Fabulous — by Becky Noble   . . . "Bet-David then lays a hard truth on her, saying, "If you lived in North Korea, you wouldn't be able to do what you are doing right now. You wouldn't have a voice."

#4 - Ilhan Omar Challenges People to Dig Into Her Financial Records, Immediately Regrets It   . . . "I'm not sure how it works in Somalia, but in America, that's not how marriage works. Omar is obviously privy to the cash her husband, Tim Mynett, brings in, given the lifestyle she and her crazed daughter live. Here's the thing, though. One of his company's biggest benefactors is Omar's campaign.

#5 -  Monumental Media Malpractice: CBS Deceptively Edits Sec. Kristi Noem Interview   — by Ward Clark   "Sometimes, the legacy media's bias is so open, so shameless, that it's jaw-dropping. ' . . .Case in point: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, on Sunday, appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation," and they did an absolutely shameless edit of her statement about the illegal alien, Kilmar Abrego Garcia."

 This morning, I joined CBS to report the facts about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Instead, CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety.

Watch for the part of my interview that @CBS tried to… pic.twitter.com/28fsGZug48

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) August 31, 2025

Chicago: a picture of how Democrats govern

Chicago: morally and economically bankrupt  

"Chicago has many bills coming due and no money, certainly not from Illinois, which is facing a $3.2 billion dollar deficit. Brandon Johnson is as popular as a festering boil, yet Chicagoans keep electing festering boils." 

Broc Smith

Whose side is the left on?    "It’s infuriating to listen to leftists’ rhetoric, where they defend vicious drug cartels, illegal aliens, and rising crime in American cities.  By doubling down on policies that embolden lawlessness and threaten communities, they’re prioritizing political expediency over public safety.  The Democrats went from owning the slaves, starting the Civil War, forming the KKK, and passing Jim Crow laws to claiming they are “for the little guy.”  Now they’re casting the members of the party specifically founded to fight slavery as oppressors." . . .

The Progressive Pantheon of Pathetic Heroes  

"The left also went gaga over the wealthy, aristocratic, and supposedly charming young Luigi Mangione, the assassin of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson. Not since the terrorist and mass murderer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev adorned the cover of Rolling Stone has the left so romanticized a stone-cold psychopath."

Victor Davis Hanson: . . . "Why does the left make martyrs out of monsters?

"One, in postmodern America, there are too many victims for too few victimizers. So to distinguish the one from the many requires all the more psychodramas and grammar-school dramatics. Violence and claims of racism add to the hero’s mystique.

"Two, the heroes are mere pawns in a larger game of “social justice” in which both useful idiots and ruthless criminals alike can advance the cause." . . .