We don’t know about you, but we’ve found it a little trickier than usual to summon a spirit of uncomplicated, leave-it-all-on-the-dance-floor, red-white-and-blue patriotism these days. But after a magical few days for America to close out the Winter Olympics—from Alysa Liu’s breathtaking gold-medal figure-skating performance to the gold-medal hockey wins for the American men and women (both in overtime!)—we were fist-pumping along with Mike Tirico’s Olympics signoff for NBC yesterday: “For all the young people out there, those dreams are formed now. Go chase them and go get them, because our country loves sports and it brings us together unlike anything else.”

Plenty of time ahead to get jaded again. But first, just once more, with feeling: USA! USA! USA!

Now we return to the bleaker parts of our reality. Happy Monday.

At Alex Pretti’s Memorial

by Sam Stein

One of the more unsettling elements of the Alex Pretti memorial site in Minneapolis is how unexpectedly it arrives on you. Driving down Nicollet Avenue, you see few indications it’s near save for subtle atmospherics: The streets seem more bare, and pedestrians offer the occasional nervous glance around for nearby agents.

When you get to the site, you find just a slab of street, no longer than two parking spots, blocked off by traffic cones and tape. Flowers are strewn across the sidewalk, some falling onto the pavement. There are posters and signs and mementos. A nurse’s uniform with a stethoscope looped over it has been affixed to a wall, with “Freedom is not free – Alex Pretti” written in black marker on the front. A black banner stretches between two lampposts; its inscription, in a biblical-looking white block font, says “REST IN POWER ALEX / ANY RIGHTEOUS PERSON WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME.” An American flag hangs sluggishly off the rope anchoring one corner of the banner, as if it was burdened by what happened that day in January. There are crosses and beads and a window in the background that is covered in post-it notes. So many post-it notes.

“I hope people at my school don’t feel scared to come to school :(“ reads one in pink.

“I pray (and I don’t normally do that) that we will have an ounce of the courage and compassion of Mr. Pretti,” reads a yellow square. “Alex, thank you for