There is a joyful epilogue to a story I’ve been covering about a young man named Brooks Warden. Specifically, the story has been about efforts to get the Supreme Court to clarify that “reverse discrimination” in public schools is prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Brooks Warden’s case didn’t get heard by the Supreme Court, but its filing got their attention. And with the coverage of Brooks’ case at The Federalist, Ace of Spades HQ, the Dr. Phil Show, and other outlets, it has received extensive national attention.

Brooks’ school days are well behind him now, and he’s moved on to his chosen career as a mechanic. He also sings. This past weekend he sang on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry with his father Monte Warden. Joining them were Brooks’ mother Brandi Warden and Federalist journalist Mollie Hemingway.

First, some quick background, and then further below is some video.

Brooks’ parents are personal friends of my wife and mine. Our friendship developed not because of politics, but because of shared musical passions. You don’t have to be friends of the Wardens to be repulsed at the abuse Brooks endured by the Austin Independent School District.

As I wrote back in April of this year following the filing of the writ of certiorari at the Supreme Court,

Among the abuses claimed by Brooks were a teacher calling him a racial slur; the Principal mocking Brooks and accusing him of listening to Dixie while wearing a headset; the Student Council President circulating a picture of Brooks as a Klansman; another student promising to kill Brooks and all Trump supporters; and a student beating Brooks up in a classroom while the teacher watched. That student is later alleged to have boasted about assaulting Brooks because of his race. As Brooks’ father documented, the Austin Independent School District never disputed or refuted any of this, they just chose to ignore the Wardens’ pleas to make it stop.

In July I reported on the disappointing news that the Supreme Court had denied certiorari, that is, it declined to hear the case.

When [Monte and Brandi] notified me earlier this week that SCOTUS had denied certiorari, they were obviously disappointed, but their disappointment was also mixed with an equal and offsetting pronouncement of patriotism and faith. They stressed that ultimately all of this is in the hands of a higher power, and they also know that Brooks’ ordeal, and the legal path they pursued, will help chip away at the ugly 21st century version of state-sanctioned racism.

The other song was a retro-rocking, jazzy gospel song called “Steadfast Love” that will get your feet moving and your soul pointed in the right direction.

Have a blessed weekend.

[buck.throckmorton at protonmail dot com]