Staff Reports
Supporters are rallying around the so-called “J6 Praying Grandma,” Rebecca Lavrenz, after her trespassing conviction stemming from a brief prayer walk inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This devoted grandma from Colorado has managed to raise nearly $125,000 via her GiveSendGo page to fund her appeal, all while setting her sights on a whopping $250,000 goal. One can’t help but wonder how many bingo nights it will take to reach that amount.
Following her conviction this past August, Lavrenz received a sentence that seems more fitting for a major criminal enterprise than for a faithful grandmother. Despite avoiding time behind bars, Lavrenz is now sporting an ankle monitor as she navigates a six-month sentence of house arrest. It appears the Biden administration has determined that a woman offering a heartfelt prayer poses a significant national threat. One must laugh; this level of disproportionate punishment raises the question: what’s next, house arrest for knitting too loudly?
At 72 years old, Lavrenz has insisted that she was moved by divine inspiration to enter the Capitol and speak to lawmakers. Exactly what she expected to accomplish in her ten-minute escapade remains unclear, but one could argue that she embodies the spirit of grassroots activism. Her intentions, however, were met with a hefty $103,000 fine—the largest misdemeanor fine in U.S. history. That’s a pretty steep price for a grandma trying to get a few politicians to listen. Grandma wants lawmakers to hear her out; they hit her with a bill that could put even the most seasoned politicians in shock.
Ankle bracelet and internet ban for ‘J6 Praying Grandma’
'This is meant to punish me for speaking my voice to the American people as a Christian woman who loves the country.'@RaheemKassam has the photo.https://t.co/Qo8zuE9Bd9 via @dcexaminer pic.twitter.com/3Hm71xJ6QY
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) August 27, 2024
While back at home, Lavrenz is grappling with restrictions that would embarrass even the most hardened criminals. The court has deemed that the first six months of her home detention come without the luxury of internet access, effectively rendering her voiceless on social media or through other modern communication channels. Sure, one could argue these measures are standard for severe offenders, but for a grandmother praying amongst the marble halls of the Capitol? That seems a bit excessive. Her lawyers noted that this level of scrutiny is typically reserved for serious criminal cases, not for someone trying to get a few lawmakers to open their ears.
This is just one testament to how far the so-called justice system has strayed from basic logic. It appears that Lavrenz, a Christian woman expressing her love for the country and the Constitution, is a casualty of a government that fears dissenting voices. After all, in a nation that prides itself on freedom of speech and the right to assemble peacefully, it raises eyebrows when a grandmother’s heartfelt act of prayer is met with an ankle monitor and isolation. The irony runs deep for those politically aware: the greatest threat, according to the powers that be, seems to come not from rioters, but from elderly individuals engaging in prayerful activism.
