# 9-7-2023 - Proud Boys Leader Sentenced, Vietnam Vet Receives Medal of Honor, and The First Virtual Country

An episode of [Pray News](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1697158801), 7 Sep 2023, 15 min.

Audio: https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/ce9a673d-e313-4c0a-9df4-b4d6010c32c6/60af5b6e-73f2-49f7-bbea-b4d70010fb7c/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=992944cf-642c-431f-a11e-b4d6010c32cd

This is PrayNews, your Daily Christian news and beacon of hope in the stormy seas of current events. Sign up to receive PrayNews in your inbox every weekday: https://www.praynews.com/ Today’s Good News at a Glance: Proud Boys leader and chairman Enrique Tarrio is sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the January 6th insurrection. An 81-year-old Vietnam veteran is awarded the Medal of Honor for defying orders. The island nation of Tuvalu is losing its coast, forced to become a digital country. Pray News is your number 1 source for the top conservative news given to you daily. Download the Pray.com app and make prayer a priority in your life. Watch and listen to inspiring sermons, dramatized Bible stories, and relaxing Bedtime Bible Stories at Pray.com, the digital destination for faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

## Transcript

[0:00] Speaker 1: Greater love has no one than this, than somebody lay
[0:03] Speaker 1: down his life for his friends. John 15, 13. Dear Lord,
[0:09] Speaker 1: we are humbled and moved by the ultimate sacrifice of
[0:12] Speaker 1: love you made for us on the cross. Your willingness
[0:15] Speaker 1: to lay down your life, we have come to know
[0:17] Speaker 1: as the height and depth of true love. May this
[0:21] Speaker 1: transformative love inspire us to also live selflessly, to put others'
[0:25] Speaker 1: needs before our own, and to walk daily in self-sacrifice.
[0:30] Speaker 1: Help us to recognize the opportunities you give us every
[0:33] Speaker 1: single day to show love in both big and small ways.
[0:37] Speaker 1: Thank you for the gift of love, the example of selflessness,
[0:40] Speaker 1: and the calling to live out this love in our
[0:42] Speaker 1: own lives. And it is in your name, Jesus, we
[0:45] Speaker 1: look upon and we pray. Amen. Welcome to Pray News,
[0:50] Speaker 1: where hope is our only bias. Today's news at a glance,
[0:53] Speaker 1: Proud Boys leader and chairman Enrique Tarrio is sentenced to
[0:57] Speaker 1: 22 years in prison for his role in the January
[0:59] Speaker 1: 6th insurrection. An 81-year-old Vietnam veteran is awarded the Medal
[1:03] Speaker 1: of Honor for defying orders. And the island nation of
[1:07] Speaker 1: Tuvalu is losing its coast, forced to become a digital country.
[1:12] Speaker 1: Character is often tested and revealed under intense circumstances. Today's
[1:17] Speaker 1: stories show a range of ways people respond to adversity, power,
[1:20] Speaker 1: and loss. Being faced with adversity and loss can cause
[1:24] Speaker 1: us to become self-focused and bitter if we're not careful.
[1:27] Speaker 1: But our God calls us to something higher. He calls
[1:30] Speaker 1: us to respond to trouble and loss of dignity, selflessness
[1:33] Speaker 1: and perseverance. If you are struggling today, and those struggles
[1:36] Speaker 1: have caused you to look inward, let this be a
[1:38] Speaker 1: reminder to look upward. Upward towards the call of Christ,
[1:42] Speaker 1: His character and love, who carried the cross for you
[1:45] Speaker 1: and I. Take heart, my friends, for hope is alive
[1:49] Speaker 1: in anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus. We're
[1:54] Speaker 1: glad you're here. We pray today's news leaves you informed
[1:57] Speaker 1: and transformed. If you've enjoyed this take on the news,
[2:00] Speaker 1: consider sharing it with a friend. We want as many
[2:02] Speaker 1: people as possible to experience the hope of the gospel
[2:05] Speaker 1: and be informed on current events. Before we dive into
[2:07] Speaker 1: today's first story, let's hear a word from these sponsors.
[2:12] Speaker 1: Our first story of today comes from Washington, D.C. In
[2:15] Speaker 1: a landmark decision, Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the
[2:18] Speaker 1: far-right group Proud Boys, has been sentenced to 22 years
[2:21] Speaker 1: in prison. This is the longest sentence in over 1,000
[2:26] Speaker 1: criminal cases from the January 6, 2021 breach on the U.S. Capitol.
[2:31] Speaker 1: Tarrio was convicted earlier this year on charges of seditious conspiracy,
[2:34] Speaker 1: a significant step taken by the Justice Department to delineate
[2:37] Speaker 1: the Proud Boys' influence on the events leading up to
[2:40] Speaker 1: the Capitol riot. Prosecutors had initially asked for a 33-year
[2:44] Speaker 1: sentence for Tarrio and substantial prison time for the other co-defendants.
[2:49] Speaker 1: A rarely used terrorism enhancement applicable to the Proud Boys'
[2:52] Speaker 1: defendants would accompany this. While other Proud Boys' leaders received
[2:56] Speaker 1: significant prison terms ranging from 10 to 18 years, U.S.
[3:00] Speaker 1: District Court Judge Timothy Kelly gave Tarrio a sentence considerably
[3:04] Speaker 1: below federal guidelines. Judge Kelly explicitly emphasized that the Capitol
[3:09] Speaker 1: breach should not be considered on par with acts of
[3:12] Speaker 1: lethal terrorism, such as bombings. Nonetheless, the judge imposed a
[3:16] Speaker 1: stiff penalty on Tarrio due to his leadership role, and
[3:19] Speaker 1: the number of Proud Boys members involved on that day. Nonetheless,
[3:22] Speaker 1: the judge imposed a stiff penalty on Tarrio due to
[3:24] Speaker 1: his leadership role, as well as a number of Proud
[3:27] Speaker 1: Boys members involved on that day. Mr. Tarrio was the
[3:30] Speaker 1: ultimate leader, said Judge Kelly. That conspiracy ended up with
[3:33] Speaker 1: about 200 men amped up for battle encircling the Capitol, unquote.
[3:38] Speaker 1: In his defense, Tarrio's attorney argued that his client was
[3:41] Speaker 1: a misguided patriot, not a terrorist. Tarrio himself issued an
[3:45] Speaker 1: apology to law enforcement, D.C. residents, and Congress members. Prosecutors
[3:49] Speaker 1: highlighted that Tarrio's leadership style was, quote, about violence and manipulation, unquote.
[3:55] Speaker 1: His actions contributed to a more polarized public environment and
[3:58] Speaker 1: had a corrosive effect on the democratic norms and institutions.
[4:02] Speaker 1: During the trial, Tarrio's fiancée, mother, and younger sister tearfully
[4:05] Speaker 1: requested leniency from the court. The family portrayed him as
[4:08] Speaker 1: a man led astray by ideology rather than a calculated
[4:12] Speaker 1: orchestrator of violence and insurrection. This case sets a precedent
[4:17] Speaker 1: and a legal consequence of orchestrating violence with political aims.
[4:21] Speaker 1: It also raises questions about how the law categorizes and
[4:24] Speaker 1: handles politically motivated acts that fall short of traditionally defined terrorism.
[4:29] Speaker 1: There are a lot of mixed reviews on this moment,
[4:31] Speaker 1: but we want to take this moment to reflect on
[4:34] Speaker 1: the importance of a word called meekness. Jesus said, Meekness
[4:38] Speaker 1: is not weakness, but rather strength under control. Meekness is
[4:44] Speaker 1: not an admission of frailty or letting people walk all
[4:47] Speaker 1: over you. Rather, meekness is the ability to wield power
[4:51] Speaker 1: and influence with wisdom, restraint, and tact. It is a
[4:54] Speaker 1: virtue that could have altered the course of events that
[4:57] Speaker 1: led up to the capital attack and could inform our
[4:59] Speaker 1: understanding of leadership in the future and in complex times.
[5:04] Speaker 1: All too many people perceive life as one gigantic struggle
[5:07] Speaker 1: for dominance. Yet Jesus, being God, foregoed his ability to
[5:11] Speaker 1: dominate over people and instead served with the people around him.
[5:14] Speaker 1: Meekness is a form of humility and gentleness that stands
[5:17] Speaker 1: in contrast to pride and arrogance. Leaders are called upon
[5:21] Speaker 1: to exercise their authority wisely and humbly. This doesn't just
[5:25] Speaker 1: go for CEOs or people in government. This goes for
[5:28] Speaker 1: people who are leaders of organizations like the Proud Boys.
[5:31] Speaker 1: The tragedy of this case and others like it lies
[5:33] Speaker 1: in the failure to act meekly, using one's strengths in
[5:36] Speaker 1: a way that are tempered, controlled, and ethical, thus reflecting
[5:39] Speaker 1: the character of Christ. In a society fraught with divisions
[5:43] Speaker 1: and rising tensions, the virtue of meekness is more relevant
[5:46] Speaker 1: than ever. It serves as a reminder that leadership is
[5:49] Speaker 1: not about exercising power, but using it wisely and ethically.
[5:53] Speaker 1: Responsible conduct and restraint, especially when in positions of power
[5:57] Speaker 1: and influence, are among the highest values we can aspire
[6:00] Speaker 1: to in a democratic society, serving the people around us
[6:03] Speaker 1: instead of dominating over them. If we are able to
[6:07] Speaker 1: do that in our own lives, we are exercising the
[6:10] Speaker 1: character of Christ in beacons of hope and pillars of
[6:13] Speaker 1: peace in our communities rather than shaking things up in
[6:17] Speaker 1: a vie for dominance and power. So let's lift this
[6:21] Speaker 1: entire story up in prayer. Lord, we pray for wisdom
[6:24] Speaker 1: and meekness in our leaders and in ourselves. May we
[6:27] Speaker 1: strive for restraint and ethical conduct in everything we do,
[6:30] Speaker 1: particularly when we are in positions of influence over other people.
[6:34] Speaker 1: We ask for a healing society fractured by division and
[6:37] Speaker 1: and that we may find ways to restore democratic norms
[6:39] Speaker 1: and mutual respect among all people. We pray these things
[6:43] Speaker 1: with trust, knowing that it's an uphill battle, but it's
[6:46] Speaker 1: a battle that can be won. In Jesus' name, amen.
[6:50] Speaker 1: Our second story of today is a heartwarming one. In
[6:52] Speaker 1: a solemn and emotionally charged ceremony at the White House,
[6:55] Speaker 1: President Joe Biden presented the Medal of Honor to retired
[6:58] Speaker 1: Army Captain Larry Taylor, recognizing his act of unprecedented courage
[7:03] Speaker 1: during the Vietnam War. The tale of Captain Taylor's audacity
[7:06] Speaker 1: and bravery takes us back to June 18th, 1968, a
[7:10] Speaker 1: night of desperate calls for help and a daring rescue
[7:12] Speaker 1: that forever etched its name into the annals of American heroism.
[7:16] Speaker 1: On that fateful night, a long-range reconnaissance patrol team of U.S.
[7:20] Speaker 1: troops found themselves enveloped by enemy forces outside Ho Chi
[7:23] Speaker 1: Minh City. The situation was grim, with their escape route
[7:26] Speaker 1: becoming a death trap. As the team took heavy fire,
[7:30] Speaker 1: Captain Taylor, then a first lieutenant, took to the sky
[7:33] Speaker 1: in his Cobra attack helicopter. Though running low on fuel
[7:36] Speaker 1: and ammunition, he made multiple low-level attack runs, keeping enemy
[7:40] Speaker 1: forces at bay. As if pulled by a force more
[7:43] Speaker 1: powerful than his commanding officers, Captain Taylor radioed his trapped
[7:47] Speaker 1: soldiers with a new extraction point. According to the White House,
[7:51] Speaker 1: when his helicopter touched down, he did so with complete
[7:53] Speaker 1: disregard for his personal safety. The chopper, a two-seater, had
[7:57] Speaker 1: no room for extra passengers. Undeterred, the rescued men clung
[8:01] Speaker 1: to the outside of the aircraft and were lifted out. Meanwhile,
[8:04] Speaker 1: orders came from above, returned to base, but Captain Taylor's
[8:08] Speaker 1: retort was immediate and momentous. He said, I'm getting my
[8:12] Speaker 1: men out, defying his orders and saving them. President Biden,
[8:16] Speaker 1: visibly moved during the ceremony, emphasized the significance of Captain
[8:20] Speaker 1: Taylor's disobedience of a direct order. He highlighted how the
[8:24] Speaker 1: rescue was not coming. Yet Taylor chose to perform the
[8:27] Speaker 1: extraction himself, which was an act never before executed on
[8:31] Speaker 1: a Cobra. In the face of peril, with his aircraft
[8:34] Speaker 1: hit multiple times during the rescue mission, Captain Taylor's indomitable
[8:37] Speaker 1: spirit prevailed. He refused to give up and he refused
[8:40] Speaker 1: to leave his fellow Americans behind, President Biden noted. By
[8:44] Speaker 1: his actions, Lieutenant Taylor rewrote the fate of four families
[8:47] Speaker 1: for generations to come, the president added, encapsulating the far-reaching
[8:51] Speaker 1: impact of a single act of heroism, Out of the
[8:54] Speaker 1: 40 million U.S. military personnel who served since the Civil War,
[8:58] Speaker 1: only 3,515 have received the Medal of Honor. Today, Captain
[9:02] Speaker 1: Larry Taylor joins this elite group of American heroes. Jesus
[9:07] Speaker 1: in John 15, 13 reminds us that greater love hath
[9:10] Speaker 1: no man than this, than to lay down his life
[9:12] Speaker 1: for his friends. The narrative of Captain Taylor's valor aligns
[9:16] Speaker 1: most miraculously with this scripture. His decision to put his
[9:19] Speaker 1: life on the line to act when action seemed almost
[9:22] Speaker 1: foolhardy embodies the highest form of love, sacrifice. This is
[9:27] Speaker 1: the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us and
[9:29] Speaker 1: the love we are called to embody as believers. His
[9:32] Speaker 1: selflessness in saving his comrades set a precedent and served
[9:36] Speaker 1: as a living testament to the virtues of courage, duty,
[9:39] Speaker 1: and above all, love. Captain Larry Taylor's story is a
[9:43] Speaker 1: profound reminder that when guided by love and duty, human
[9:47] Speaker 1: beings are capable of extraordinary things, even rewriting the fate
[9:51] Speaker 1: of families for generations. In a time when the world
[9:54] Speaker 1: often seemed fraught with division and despair, the story of
[9:57] Speaker 1: Captain Larry Taylor shines as a beacon of what it
[10:00] Speaker 1: means to be guided by love, sacrifice, and an unwavering
[10:04] Speaker 1: sense of duty. He is a hero in every sense
[10:06] Speaker 1: of the word, and a man whose actions give credence
[10:09] Speaker 1: to the belief that greater love is embodied in sacrifice
[10:12] Speaker 1: and selfless service to the people around us. By courageously
[10:15] Speaker 1: defying a direct order for the greater good, Captain Taylor
[10:18] Speaker 1: not only earned the Medal of Honor, but has also
[10:21] Speaker 1: gained an eternal place in the hearts of those saved,
[10:23] Speaker 1: and indeed, the entire nation is grateful for his service.
[10:27] Speaker 1: Let's lift this up in prayer. Heavenly Father, we give
[10:30] Speaker 1: thanks for the courage and sacrifice displayed by Captain Larry Taylor.
[10:34] Speaker 1: May his actions serve as a timeless example of love, duty,
[10:38] Speaker 1: and bravery to us all. We pray for all those
[10:41] Speaker 1: who put themselves in harm's way to protect others and
[10:44] Speaker 1: to ask for your grace and guidance in troubled times.
[10:46] Speaker 1: In Jesus' name. Amen. The notion of losing one's homeland
[10:50] Speaker 1: to encroaching waters is a horrific thought. Yet for the
[10:54] Speaker 1: residents of Tuvalu, a tiny Pacific island nation, it's an
[10:57] Speaker 1: imminent reality that has caused them to look toward unprecedented solutions. Tuvalu,
[11:02] Speaker 1: an archipelago of three coral islands and six atolls, is
[11:06] Speaker 1: expected to be one of the first nations to vanish
[11:10] Speaker 1: entirely due to climate change. Lily Tiafa, a 28-year-old resident,
[11:14] Speaker 1: recalls growing up in a community where her uncles would
[11:17] Speaker 1: return from fishing with a hearty catch. The times have changed.
[11:20] Speaker 1: Fish are scarce, and a significant portion of the island
[11:22] Speaker 1: has washed away. Fear is the predominant emotion. Now we're
[11:26] Speaker 1: afraid of the future, said Tiafa. The loss extends beyond
[11:29] Speaker 1: just land. The very fabric of daily life is unraveling
[11:32] Speaker 1: as houses, churches, and community halls huddle at the island's center,
[11:36] Speaker 1: having been forced inland due to the rising sea. Even here,
[11:39] Speaker 1: residents stand knee-deep in seawater as it bubbles up through
[11:42] Speaker 1: the porous ground. Residents are having to shift tombs next
[11:46] Speaker 1: to their homes as cemeteries erode. The culture, identity, and
[11:49] Speaker 1: memories rooted in the land face obliteration. About a fifth
[11:53] Speaker 1: of Tuvalu's population of 12,000 have already relocated, primarily to
[11:57] Speaker 1: New Zealand. Kelesoma Sawala, a Tuvaluan who moved to New
[12:02] Speaker 1: Zealand more than a decade ago, expresses the struggle of
[12:05] Speaker 1: preserving one's culture in a foreign land. Coming from a
[12:08] Speaker 1: self-sufficient society to a commercialized society is so difficult, says Siloa.
[12:13] Speaker 1: Losing the island is inevitable. Work, though, is underway to
[12:19] Speaker 1: preserve Tuvalu's heritage and its history online. The mission is
[12:24] Speaker 1: to make Tuvalu the first wholly digitalized nation existing in
[12:27] Speaker 1: the metaverse, laying a blueprint that can inform future efforts
[12:31] Speaker 1: to save another endangered land and culture. This monumental digital
[12:34] Speaker 1: endeavor is about... far more than just replacing the nation's
[12:38] Speaker 1: physical attributes. It aims to embed Tuvalu's societal norms, cultural values,
[12:43] Speaker 1: and communal living systems within a digital framework. For a
[12:46] Speaker 1: population already dispersed across the globe, digital Tuvalu could serve
[12:51] Speaker 1: as a common ground, preserving the spiritual essence of the nation.
[12:54] Speaker 1: Tuvalu has unveiled the Future New Project, a three-pronged approach
[12:58] Speaker 1: to save its identity. This involves an international cooperation, the
[13:01] Speaker 1: establishment of maritime boundaries under international law, and the development
[13:05] Speaker 1: of a digital nation. The digital clone would offer government
[13:09] Speaker 1: services and even allow elections to continue to be held
[13:12] Speaker 1: in a displaced setting. Simon Coff, Tuvalu's Minister of Justice, Communications,
[13:16] Speaker 1: and Foreign Affairs, expressed the importance of the project. If
[13:20] Speaker 1: we have a displaced government or population dispersed across the globe,
[13:23] Speaker 1: we would have a framework in place to ensure that
[13:26] Speaker 1: we could continue to coordinate ourselves. In the Bible, Noah
[13:30] Speaker 1: built an ark to preserve life from the impending flood.
[13:32] Speaker 1: While the people of Tuvalu can't prevent their country from submerging,
[13:35] Speaker 1: their innovative idea of a digital ark is a modern-day
[13:39] Speaker 1: means of preserving their culture and history. The story of
[13:42] Speaker 1: Tuvalu teaches us that when facing insurmountable challenges, the human spirit, creativity,
[13:47] Speaker 1: and power of community can offer at least a glimmer
[13:49] Speaker 1: of hope. It's a lesson on the importance of preservation
[13:52] Speaker 1: as well, not just of land, but also the spirit
[13:55] Speaker 1: and culture that makes us who we are. In these
[13:57] Speaker 1: dire times for Tuvalu, it's a stark reminder to care
[14:00] Speaker 1: for our common home, the earth. and ponder upon the
[14:04] Speaker 1: calling to be stewards of this creation. At this crossroads,
[14:06] Speaker 1: the community of nations have a role to play. Will
[14:09] Speaker 1: we pass by on the other side, or will we
[14:12] Speaker 1: be a good Samaritan, aiding Tuvalu and other countries like it,
[14:15] Speaker 1: and collectively seeking sustainable solutions to a warming planet? It's
[14:19] Speaker 1: a challenge that tests our values, faith, and indeed our
[14:21] Speaker 1: humanity when we look upon these things. So let's pray
[14:25] Speaker 1: and end our time together lifting these things up to
[14:27] Speaker 1: the Lord. Dear Lord, we lift up the people of
[14:29] Speaker 1: Tuvalu as they face the devastating reality of losing their homeland.
[14:33] Speaker 1: Grant them courage, wisdom, and collective will to preserve their
[14:37] Speaker 1: unique culture and community in these trying times. May their
[14:40] Speaker 1: struggle awaken a conscience of the world to make immediate
[14:43] Speaker 1: and meaningful action to combat climate change and to protect
[14:46] Speaker 1: the beauty and sanctity of your creation. We pray these
[14:49] Speaker 1: things with trust, knowing that even in the most dire
[14:52] Speaker 1: of circumstances, your love can shine through. In Jesus' name, amen.
[14:57] Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us today on Pray News. It
[14:59] Speaker 1: is our aim to be informed and transformed. We pray
[15:02] Speaker 1: today you would proceed with hope, love, and determination to
[15:04] Speaker 1: be a force for good. If you've enjoyed this take
[15:06] Speaker 1: on the news, write us a review and share your experience.
[15:08] Speaker 1: We would love to hear from you. You can sign
[15:10] Speaker 1: up for our newsletter at PrayNews.com. There you will find
[15:13] Speaker 1: sources to all of our reporting. And be sure to
[15:15] Speaker 1: download the Pray.com app to make prayer a priority in
[15:17] Speaker 1: your life and experience the Bible in new and exciting ways.
[15:21] Speaker 1: God bless.

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