thestream--2020-08-07--Reopened Since June, Museum of the Bible Overcomes Hurdles to Welcome Families

A two-mile landscaped public park that defines the nation ’ s capital city , the National Mall usually welcomes 30 million visitors every year .
On any other summer , after a light August rain , thousands of people emerge from under trees to resume volleyball and soccer games .
Families would rush to their next stop among thirteen Smithsonian museums , which line the Mall on either side .
Yet , on early Thursday afternoon , fewer than 10 people could be seen outside the usually bustling National Air and Space Museum .
It remains closed , like nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nothing !
” said Nasa Tecle , owner of a food truck parked nearby the Smithsonian flagship .
“ It ’ s a small fraction of the people we saw last summer .
And tourists are how we work.
” She has operated her food truck for six years in D.C .
This summer , most vendors remain parked at home due to lack of demand .
“ I want to work , ” said Tecle .
“ But , yesterday , I made $ 37 .
That ’ s not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truck.
” She continued : “ I tried to do DoorDash delivery for awhile , but that is hard when you have three kids.
” Washington , D.C. has instituted strict COVID-19 safety protocols including mandated face coverings when leaving home .
The city has also placed restrictions on travelers from 27 high-risk states , affecting tourism .
“ You ’ re not allowed to come and stay unless you quarantine for two weeks , ” said Harry Hargrave , CEO of the Museum of the Bible .
“ This has caused much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just not exist .
We are at about 25 percent of our normal attendance.
” Located two blocks from the U.S. Capitol , the $ 1 billion faith-based museum reopened on June 22 .
Capacity has been reduced , and staff have remained COVID-free according to Hargrave .
This weekend , to raise awareness of their reopening , Museum of the Bible has sponsored a national TBN telecast with Christian music performances .
Singer/songwriter Matthew West hosts the special , touring through the museum in segments as it cuts to songs from Mandisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This physical space was chosen as a strategic location , ” said Hargrave .
“ We are here for the sole purpose of encouraging people to pick up the Bible , read it , and get acquainted with it .
It ’ s an important mission , so we wanted to get back open as quickly as possible.
” Still , due to low attendance , museum staff has been temporarily reduced .
“ Last Friday , we had to furlough 42 of our employees , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
But it will enable us to continue forward with the museum.
” Two large privately-run museums in D.C. both reopened as soon as possible .
International Spy Museum joined Museum of the Bible in following standards that Hargrave called “ very difficult to comply with.
” “ Our team has really worked hard to make the museum a safe place , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve required masks since reopening , and added new hand sanitizer stations .
There have been no complaints , nor have we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
With 430,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits and experiences , the seven-floor museum is famously spacious .
“ Hallways in the museum are very large , so social distancing is easy , ” said Hargrave .
“ People have plenty of space to spread out.
” Interactive kiosks have had stylus pens added that are sanitized frequently .
Their wow-factor experience , a “ flying theater ” ride similar to one at Universal Studios , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re getting a lot of use out of the flyover ride , ” he said .
“ It showcases the fact that so many buildings built by our predecessors here in this city have scriptures engraved on them .
The truths taught in the Bible played a role in our nation ’ s opportunities and successes.
” Upon entry to the museum , visitors encounter The Ten COVID Commandments .
Not every area of the museum reopened in June .
A popular high-tech playground intended for elementary-age kids and younger remains closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Hargrave .
“ It ’ s important to keep every space as clean as possible , but it ’ s hard to do that with a children ’ s play area .
We think it ’ s wise to keep that closed until COVID-19 gets under control.
” Despite this year ’ s low attendance thus far , Museum of the Bible has nonetheless garnered new accolades .
In July , the Themed Entertainment Association presented the museum ’ s Hebrew Bible Experience with an Outstanding Achievement Award .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Hargrave .
“ It takes you from the beginning of creation all the way through to Moses , the kings of Israel , and the prophets .
This award recognizes it as an immersive experience that is worthy of global acclaim.
” Thea Awards commend creative , compelling design work in museums , theme parks , and other spaces .
In the award text , experts called the 30-minute walk-through “ powerfully emotional , profound and stirring — without ‘ preaching.
’ ” This follows surprisingly positive reviews from the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Pulitzer Prize winner , he called it “ rich in content [ and ] stocked with historic treasures.
” Gradually , the museum hopes to rebuild attendance .
Yet Hargrave has families with children in mind more so than academics .
“ A major focus in this next year is to make the museum a more fun place , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a lot of things currently : educational , informational , and historical , ” he added .
“ But if your children don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most adults are not going to force them to go .
Our play area will certainly reopen , but that ’ s just step one.
” Uncertainty about the future under COVID-19 affects enterprises both large and small , including food trucks .
“ I applied for unemployment months ago , but it has not come through , ” said Tecle .
Hargrave confirmed that Museum of the Bible has received a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program .
Treasury Dept .
data reports the museum loan is between $ 2 and $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400 evangelical ministries received loans exceeding $ 1 million .
“ We went ahead and applied for the PPP program through the federal government , ” said Hargrave .
“ That way we are able to maintain most employees and benefits .
We see an opportunity to prosper as the museum stays open.
” Both the museum CEO and food truck operator recognize the virus has many unknowns .
“ I understand city policies , ” said Tecle .
“ If cases are going up , there are risks .
But you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local people exercising and walking their dogs.
” As a difficult summer comes to a close , Hargrave hopes that families in the region consider Museum of the Bible as an option for a quick getaway .
“ People from every background and faith tradition are welcome at the museum , ” he said .
“ Our hope is that they gain a new perspective and find the Bible pertinent to their lives.
” Watch part 1 of the museum ’ s TV special below .
Part 2 airs this weekend on TBN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist .
Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

A two-mile landscaped public park that defines the nation’s capital city, the National Mall usually welcomes 30 million visitors every year.
On any other summer, after a light August rain, thousands of people emerge from under trees to resume volleyball and soccer games. Families would rush to their next stop among thirteen Smithsonian museums, which line the Mall on either side.
Yet, on early Thursday afternoon, fewer than 10 people could be seen outside the usually bustling National Air and Space Museum. It remains closed, like nearly all the Smithsonian museums.
“This is nothing!” said Nasa Tecle, owner of a food truck parked nearby the Smithsonian flagship. “It’s a small fraction of the people we saw last summer. And tourists are how we work.”
“Yesterday, I made $37 – not enough to even pay for gas in this truck.”
She has operated her food truck for six years in D.C. This summer, most vendors remain parked at home due to lack of demand.
“I want to work,” said Tecle. “But, yesterday, I made $37. That’s not enough to even pay for gas in this truck.”
She continued: “I tried to do DoorDash delivery for awhile, but that is hard when you have three kids.”
Bible Museum Navigates City Policies to Stay Open
Washington, D.C. has instituted strict COVID-19 safety protocols including mandated face coverings when leaving home. The city has also placed restrictions on travelers from 27 high-risk states, affecting tourism.
“You’re not allowed to come and stay unless you quarantine for two weeks,” said Harry Hargrave, CEO of the Museum of the Bible.
“This has caused much of the normal activity from tourists to just not exist. We are at about 25 percent of our normal attendance.”
Located two blocks from the U.S. Capitol, the $1 billion faith-based museum reopened on June 22. Capacity has been reduced, and staff have remained COVID-free according to Hargrave.
This weekend, to raise awareness of their reopening, Museum of the Bible has sponsored a national TBN telecast with Christian music performances.
Singer/songwriter Matthew West hosts the special, touring through the museum in segments as it cuts to songs from Mandisa, the Newsboys, and other artists.
“We are here for the sole purpose of encouraging people to pick up the Bible, read it, and get acquainted with it.”
“This physical space was chosen as a strategic location,” said Hargrave. “We are here for the sole purpose of encouraging people to pick up the Bible, read it, and get acquainted with it. It’s an important mission, so we wanted to get back open as quickly as possible.”
Still, due to low attendance, museum staff has been temporarily reduced. “Last Friday, we had to furlough 42 of our employees,” he said. “It was very painful for all of us. But it will enable us to continue forward with the museum.”
Safety Measures of Biblical Proportions
Two large privately-run museums in D.C. both reopened as soon as possible. International Spy Museum joined Museum of the Bible in following standards that Hargrave called “very difficult to comply with.”
“Our team has really worked hard to make the museum a safe place,” he said. “We’ve required masks since reopening, and added new hand sanitizer stations. There have been no complaints, nor have we had any problems.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
With 430,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits and experiences, the seven-floor museum is famously spacious. “Hallways in the museum are very large, so social distancing is easy,” said Hargrave. “People have plenty of space to spread out.”
Interactive kiosks have had stylus pens added that are sanitized frequently. Their wow-factor experience, a “flying theater” ride similar to one at Universal Studios, also receives regular cleaning.
“We’re getting a lot of use out of the flyover ride,” he said. “It showcases the fact that so many buildings built by our predecessors here in this city have scriptures engraved on them. The truths taught in the Bible played a role in our nation’s opportunities and successes.”
Upon entry to the museum, visitors encounter The Ten COVID Commandments.
Thanks for the feature on our reopening, @rollcall. With the COVID Commandments and other preventative measure, we are thrilled to welcome guests back safely to the #museum. Learn more about safety precautions here: https://t.co/qadQR62TUb. pic.twitter.com/3IQye6uL1H — museumofBible (@museumofBible) July 2, 2020
Not every area of the museum reopened in June. A popular high-tech playground intended for elementary-age kids and younger remains closed.
“Small children are germ carriers,” said Hargrave. “It’s important to keep every space as clean as possible, but it’s hard to do that with a children’s play area. We think it’s wise to keep that closed until COVID-19 gets under control.”
Museum Masters Recognize Immersive Experience
Despite this year’s low attendance thus far, Museum of the Bible has nonetheless garnered new accolades. In July, the Themed Entertainment Association presented the museum’s Hebrew Bible Experience with an Outstanding Achievement Award.
“It really is a terrific experience,” said Hargrave. “It takes you from the beginning of creation all the way through to Moses, the kings of Israel, and the prophets. This award recognizes it as an immersive experience that is worthy of global acclaim.”
“This exhibit is powerfully emotional, profound and stirring — without ‘preaching.’”
Thea Awards commend creative, compelling design work in museums, theme parks, and other spaces. In the award text, experts called the 30-minute walk-through “powerfully emotional, profound and stirring — without ‘preaching.’”
This follows surprisingly positive reviews from the Washington Post, including their museum critic. A Pulitzer Prize winner, he called it “rich in content [and] stocked with historic treasures.”
Gradually, the museum hopes to rebuild attendance. Yet Hargrave has families with children in mind more so than academics. “A major focus in this next year is to make the museum a more fun place,” he said.
“It’s a lot of things currently: educational, informational, and historical,” he added. “But if your children don’t want to go to the museum, most adults are not going to force them to go. Our play area will certainly reopen, but that’s just step one.”
Risks And Opportunities
Uncertainty about the future under COVID-19 affects enterprises both large and small, including food trucks. “I applied for unemployment months ago, but it has not come through,” said Tecle.
Hargrave confirmed that Museum of the Bible has received a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program. Treasury Dept. data reports the museum loan is between $2 and $5 million. MinistryWatch notes that over 400 evangelical ministries received loans exceeding $1 million.
“We see an opportunity to prosper as the museum stays open.”
“We went ahead and applied for the PPP program through the federal government,” said Hargrave. “That way we are able to maintain most employees and benefits. We see an opportunity to prosper as the museum stays open.”
Both the museum CEO and food truck operator recognize the virus has many unknowns. “I understand city policies,” said Tecle. “If cases are going up, there are risks. But you cannot run a food truck just from local people exercising and walking their dogs.”
As a difficult summer comes to a close, Hargrave hopes that families in the region consider Museum of the Bible as an option for a quick getaway.
“People from every background and faith tradition are welcome at the museum,” he said. “Our hope is that they gain a new perspective and find the Bible pertinent to their lives.”
Watch part 1 of the museum’s TV special below. Part 2 airs this weekend on TBN.
Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
/*


thestream--2020-08-07--Time for a Massive Reset in the Evangelical Church in America

We all know the saying , “ If it ’ s not broken , don ’ t fix it.
” But if something is broken , then by all means , we should fix it .
When it comes to the American evangelical church , what is broken and what needs fixing ?
A 2019 article in Christianity Today stated that , “ Evangelicals in the United States are holding steady at just under a quarter of the population , according to the latest biennial figures from the General Social Survey ( GSS ) , one of the longest-running measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in itself , would seem to be positive news .
Wikipedia , relying on respected Christian sources , states that , “ The annual growth rate of Evangelicalism in the United States is 0.8 % according to Operation World , which is higher than the growth rate of the general population ( 0.59 % in 2020 ) .
However , the United States ranks 30th in the list of countries where Evangelical growth is least.
” Has Society Changed the Church More Than the Church has Changed Society ?
Viewed in that context @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sluggish , surviving more than thriving , especially when compared to evangelical Christians in other parts of the world .
Worse still , it ’ s hard to deny that the society has changed us more than we have changed the society .
So , for example , rather than us bringing a purity revolution to our nation , pornography has flooded the church .
Or , less dramatically , but perhaps even more importantly , rather than setting an example of unity for America , we are deeply divided and fragmented , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media disputes .
The good news is that God doesn ’ t condemn His children .
Instead , He convicts us , calling to repentance and change .
Where is change most needed ?
Let ’ s Get Back to the Basics of Loving God First First , now is a perfect time to get back to the basics .
Back to deep personal devotions .
Back to committed corporate prayer .
Back to compassionate outreach in our communities .
The Great Commission , adorned with good works and empowered by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While praying with some Christian leaders recently , a pastor opened his heart to the Lord in a way that was deeply touching .
He asked God to help him ( and us ) go back to the things we used to do before we had successful ministries .
Back to sharing the gospel with those we met .
Back to all-night prayer meetings .
Back to relying on God rather than relying on ourselves .
That same day I tweeted , “ We know all about strategies and techniques and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our ministries ‘ succeed.
’ But we know about very little about the cross and very little about the power of the Spirit .
We need a fresh visitation , starting in the church , starting with the leaders.
” Let ’ s get back to our first love for the Lord .
Let ’ s simplify things .
Let ’ s major on the majors .
Let ’ s focus on being the church even more than on going to church ( although , for sure , our gathering together is important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for God to Move Second , this is a great time for spiritual desperation .
As I also tweeted , “ We are living in desperate times , but as followers of Jesus , we are not desperate .
Our nation is broken , but we are not broken .
We need prayers that bleed and hearts that cry .
We need God.
” Clearly , we are at a critical juncture in American history , and barring a national revival in the church that leads to an awakening in the society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandchildren are all teens now , the eldest going into her sophomore year in college , so it ’ s easy for me to think about the world in which my great-grandchildren will grow up .
What will we bequeath them ?
What kind of world will we leave them ?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Times like this call for fervent prayer that will not let up until the answer comes .
And with so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much uncertainty even in the church , now is the perfect time for deeper fervor and more intense spiritual hunger .
Throughout the Scriptures , God promises to fill the spiritually hungry while sending away those who are proud and self-satisfied .
But are we hungry ?
Really hungry ?
Have we gotten to the point of desperation expressed in Jacob ’ s words to the divine messenger , “ I won ’ t let you go until you bless me ” ( Genesis 32:27 ) ?
Are we there ?
Speaking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms , J. H. Jowett ( 1864-1923 ) wrote , “ I am so often ashamed of my prayers .
They so frequently cost me nothing ; they shed no blood .
I am amazed at the grace and condescension of my Lord that He confers any fruitfulness upon my superficial pains .
As soon as we cease to bleed , we cease to bless.
” Third , we must seize this moment to preach Jesus , not politics .
For many of us , Trump , not Jesus , has become the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being for him or against him , with evangelicals taking passionate stands on either side of the divide .
And much of America thinks of evangelical Christians in primarily political terms .
( That ’ s one reason I wrote my latest book . )
Of course , the leftwing media has caricatured American evangelicals , as if a few notable leaders speak for everyone , and as if the average evangelical pastor preaches a political sermon on most Sundays .
( The exact opposite is true .
Politically-based sermons are rare in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time , we have become way too politically-focused , often talking about President Trump ( in positive or negative terms ) with as much passion as we used to talk about Jesus .
This must change , and it must change now .
Our vote is certainly important , so we should carefully review the party platforms , evaluate the candidates and cast our votes accordingly .
But let us preach the Savior , not the president .
Let us point people to Jesus , not a political leader .
Let our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stickers exalt the Lord more than a person or a party .
And let us be far bolder in our proclamation of the gospel than we are in the proclamation of our political views .
We can redirect the narrative , but only with concerted effort .
Since the COVID-19 shutdown began , Christian leaders have been speaking about the need for a divine “ reset ” in the Church .
Let ’ s hit that reset button now .
And let ’ s hit it hard .
The clock is ticking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

We all know the saying, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” But if something is broken, then by all means, we should fix it. When it comes to the American evangelical church, what is broken and what needs fixing?
A 2019 article in Christianity Today stated that, “Evangelicals in the United States are holding steady at just under a quarter of the population, according to the latest biennial figures from the General Social Survey (GSS), one of the longest-running measures of religion in America.”
That, in itself, would seem to be positive news.
Wikipedia, relying on respected Christian sources, states that, “The annual growth rate of Evangelicalism in the United States is 0.8% according to Operation World, which is higher than the growth rate of the general population (0.59% in 2020). However, the United States ranks 30th in the list of countries where Evangelical growth is least.”
Has Society Changed the Church More Than the Church has Changed Society?
Viewed in that context, the evangelical Church in America is sluggish, surviving more than thriving, especially when compared to evangelical Christians in other parts of the world. Worse still, it’s hard to deny that the society has changed us more than we have changed the society.
So, for example, rather than us bringing a purity revolution to our nation, pornography has flooded the church.
He asked God to help him (and us) go back to the things we used to do before we had successful ministries.
Or, less dramatically, but perhaps even more importantly, rather than setting an example of unity for America, we are deeply divided and fragmented, as evidenced by countless millions of vicious social media disputes.
The good news is that God doesn’t condemn His children. Instead, He convicts us, calling to repentance and change. Where is change most needed?
Let’s Get Back to the Basics of Loving God First
First, now is a perfect time to get back to the basics. Back to deep personal devotions. Back to committed corporate prayer. Back to compassionate outreach in our communities.
The Great Commission, adorned with good works and empowered by the Spirit, must be our great priority.
While praying with some Christian leaders recently, a pastor opened his heart to the Lord in a way that was deeply touching. He asked God to help him (and us) go back to the things we used to do before we had successful ministries.
Back to sharing the gospel with those we met. Back to all-night prayer meetings. Back to relying on God rather than relying on ourselves.
That same day I tweeted, “We know all about strategies and techniques and how to ‘grow’ churches and make our ministries ‘succeed.’ But we know about very little about the cross and very little about the power of the Spirit. We need a fresh visitation, starting in the church, starting with the leaders.”
Let’s get back to our first love for the Lord. Let’s simplify things. Let’s major on the majors. Let’s focus on being the church even more than on going to church (although, for sure, our gathering together is important).
Let’s Be Desperate for God to Move
Second, this is a great time for spiritual desperation. As I also tweeted, “We are living in desperate times, but as followers of Jesus, we are not desperate. Our nation is broken, but we are not broken. We need prayers that bleed and hearts that cry. We need God.”
Clearly, we are at a critical juncture in American history, and barring a national revival in the church that leads to an awakening in the society, I fear for our future.
My grandchildren are all teens now, the eldest going into her sophomore year in college, so it’s easy for me to think about the world in which my great-grandchildren will grow up. What will we bequeath them? What kind of world will we leave them?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Times like this call for fervent prayer that will not let up until the answer comes. And with so much chaos in our nation and so much uncertainty even in the church, now is the perfect time for deeper fervor and more intense spiritual hunger.
Throughout the Scriptures, God promises to fill the spiritually hungry while sending away those who are proud and self-satisfied. But are we hungry? Really hungry? Have we gotten to the point of desperation expressed in Jacob’s words to the divine messenger, “I won’t let you go until you bless me” (Genesis 32:27)? Are we there?
Speaking in deeply spiritual, rather than physical, terms, J. H. Jowett (1864-1923) wrote, “I am so often ashamed of my prayers. They so frequently cost me nothing; they shed no blood. I am amazed at the grace and condescension of my Lord that He confers any fruitfulness upon my superficial pains. As soon as we cease to bleed, we cease to bless.”
Let’s Preach Jesus Over Politics
Third, we must seize this moment to preach Jesus, not politics. For many of us, Trump, not Jesus, has become the dividing line. You are judged for being for him or against him, with evangelicals taking passionate stands on either side of the divide. And much of America thinks of evangelical Christians in primarily political terms. (That’s one reason I wrote my latest book.)
Of course, the leftwing media has caricatured American evangelicals, as if a few notable leaders speak for everyone, and as if the average evangelical pastor preaches a political sermon on most Sundays. (The exact opposite is true. Politically-based sermons are rare in most evangelical churches.)
At the same time, we have become way too politically-focused, often talking about President Trump (in positive or negative terms) with as much passion as we used to talk about Jesus. This must change, and it must change now.
Our vote is certainly important, so we should carefully review the party platforms, evaluate the candidates and cast our votes accordingly. But let us preach the Savior, not the president. Let us point people to Jesus, not a political leader. Let our hats and our t-shirts and our bumper stickers exalt the Lord more than a person or a party. And let us be far bolder in our proclamation of the gospel than we are in the proclamation of our political views.
We can redirect the narrative, but only with concerted effort.
Since the COVID-19 shutdown began, Christian leaders have been speaking about the need for a divine “reset” in the Church. Let’s hit that reset button now. And let’s hit it hard. The clock is ticking.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-08-07--NY Primary ‘Mess’ Seen as Omen for Big Problems With Mail-In Voting in November

The more than 84,000 mail-in ballots that were disqualified in the June 23 primary in New York — where two congressional nominations were just decided this week — underscore prospective problems posed by the universal mail-in voting being called for by liberal politicians for the November elections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The massive problems with the primary in New York ’ s 12th Congressional District raise alarms over the prospects for a debacle on a multistate level , not only in the presidential election , but in Senate and House races , governorships , and other elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t promptly processed , it could lead to a legal showdown in November , ” Jason Snead , executive director of the Honest Elections Project , told The Daily Signal .
“ It could certainly set things up for a contested election in November .
This is going to be a big problem , especially for whichever party loses.
” The New York primary on June 23 had more than 10 times as many absentee ballots cast as in a normal primary , The New York Times reported .
That came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued an executive order directing the state to send out absentee ballots with prepaid postage ( covered by state funds ) on the envelopes to make it easier to vote by mail .
On Wednesday , longtime Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , declared victory in her primary contest in New York ’ s 12th Congressional District against progressive insurgent challenger Suraj Patel , who hasn ’ t conceded the race and is litigating to get the votes counted .
Maloney outpolled Patel by 648 votes — 16,473 to 15,825 — out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-way race .
In the neighboring 15th Congressional District , New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres was certified the winner in a 15-candidate Democratic primary to fill the seat of retiring Rep. Jose Serrano .
The New York City Board of Elections received 403,103 mail-in ballots for the primary , but counted only 318,995 , leaving 84,108 — or 21 % of those votes — uncounted , The New York Post reported Wednesday .
The Post described the election as a “ mess.
” Some of those votes were not counted because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In other cases , people didn ’ t add their signatures .
Patel complained that ballots were disqualified if the envelopes were taped shut .
New York City officials said in federal court they were still mailing ballots the day before the election .
Even New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , a Democrat , said the city ’ s Board of Elections “ can do better and must do better , ” adding : “ I am certain they can learn from this and be prepared for the general election.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Meanwhile , in neighboring Connecticut , CNN reported , town and city election officials are mailing out some 20,000 absentee ballots just one week before the state ’ s Aug. 11 primary election .
That ’ s a “ major problem , ” said Anna Posniak , the president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association .
This comes on the heels of another problem , also in the Northeast , where 1 in 5 votes in May 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were disqualified amid allegations of voter fraud and voter intimidation — also tied to the all-mail balloting .
“ There was a massive increase in mailed ballots , but not the proper resources to prepare for it , ” Snead said of the New York primary on June 23 .
“ There is a general lack of capacity in states dealing with so many absentee ballots , and an inability of many states to build the capacity for mail-in voting.
” In 2000 , the presidential vote was so close in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor of Texas , and then-Vice President Al Gore that it led to 36 days of recounts and court battles before Bush won the state ’ s electoral votes and the presidency .
Snead is concerned about the prospects for a repeat of that — and not just in the presidential race .
That , he said , would be even more damaging for the country today .
“ One thing distinct about 2020 from 2000 is that things are more contentious and more divided now , ” he said .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sheer volume of voters in a presidential election , what happened in two New York congressional districts doesn ’ t bode well for November , said Hans von Spakovsky , a former member of the Federal Election Commission and a former member of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in 2017 .
“ It took six weeks to count ballots in a primary ” in one congressional district , von Spakovsky , now a senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation , told The Daily Signal .
“ So , imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be the largest voter disenfranchisement and longest wait for a presidential election outcome in history .
This could dwarf what happened in Florida in 2000.
” Election officials should encourage in-person voting and conduct the same sanitation procedures at polling places that occur at retail stores and other public locations , von Spakovsky said , adding : Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “ The Right Side of History ” podcast .
Lucas is also the author of Tainted by Suspicion : The Secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elections .
Send an email to Fred .

The more than 84,000 mail-in ballots that were disqualified in the June 23 primary in New York — where two congressional nominations were just decided this week — underscore prospective problems posed by the universal mail-in voting being called for by liberal politicians for the November elections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The massive problems with the primary in New York’s 12th Congressional District raise alarms over the prospects for a debacle on a multistate level, not only in the presidential election, but in Senate and House races, governorships, and other elected offices as well.
“If ballots aren’t promptly processed, it could lead to a legal showdown in November,” Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project, told The Daily Signal. “It could certainly set things up for a contested election in November. This is going to be a big problem, especially for whichever party loses.”
The New York primary on June 23 had more than 10 times as many absentee ballots cast as in a normal primary, The New York Times reported. That came after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order directing the state to send out absentee ballots with prepaid postage (covered by state funds) on the envelopes to make it easier to vote by mail.
On Wednesday, longtime Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., declared victory in her primary contest in New York’s 12th Congressional District against progressive insurgent challenger Suraj Patel, who hasn’t conceded the race and is litigating to get the votes counted.
Maloney outpolled Patel by 648 votes — 16,473 to 15,825 — out of 39,635 votes that were counted in the four-way race.
Wow. Over 84,000 New Yorkers did not have their voices heard in the June 23rd primary — many due to no fault of their own. This is unacceptable. On this 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we as New Yorkers must commit to fixing this. Who’s with me?! https://t.co/qTfeP6ySCv — Suraj Patel #CountEveryVote (@surajpatelnyc) August 6, 2020
In the neighboring 15th Congressional District, New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres was certified the winner in a 15-candidate Democratic primary to fill the seat of retiring Rep. Jose Serrano.
The New York City Board of Elections received 403,103 mail-in ballots for the primary, but counted only 318,995, leaving 84,108 — or 21% of those votes — uncounted, The New York Post reported Wednesday. The Post described the election as a “mess.”
Some of those votes were not counted because the prepaid ballot envelopes were not postmarked. In other cases, people didn’t add their signatures. Patel complained that ballots were disqualified if the envelopes were taped shut.
New York City officials said in federal court they were still mailing ballots the day before the election.
Even New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, said the city’s Board of Elections “can do better and must do better,” adding: “I am certain they can learn from this and be prepared for the general election.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Connecticut, CNN reported, town and city election officials are mailing out some 20,000 absentee ballots just one week before the state’s Aug. 11 primary election. That’s a “major problem,” said Anna Posniak, the president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association.
This comes on the heels of another problem, also in the Northeast, where 1 in 5 votes in May 12 municipal elections in Paterson, New Jersey, were disqualified amid allegations of voter fraud and voter intimidation — also tied to the all-mail balloting.
“There was a massive increase in mailed ballots, but not the proper resources to prepare for it,” Snead said of the New York primary on June 23. “There is a general lack of capacity in states dealing with so many absentee ballots, and an inability of many states to build the capacity for mail-in voting.”
In 2000, the presidential vote was so close in Florida between candidates George W. Bush, then governor of Texas, and then-Vice President Al Gore that it led to 36 days of recounts and court battles before Bush won the state’s electoral votes and the presidency.
Snead is concerned about the prospects for a repeat of that — and not just in the presidential race. That, he said, would be even more damaging for the country today.
“One thing distinct about 2020 from 2000 is that things are more contentious and more divided now,” he said. “There is far more partisan animosity.”
Given the sheer volume of voters in a presidential election, what happened in two New York congressional districts doesn’t bode well for November, said Hans von Spakovsky, a former member of the Federal Election Commission and a former member of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in 2017.
“It took six weeks to count ballots in a primary” in one congressional district, von Spakovsky, now a senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal. “So, imagine what could happen in November. This could be the largest voter disenfranchisement and longest wait for a presidential election outcome in history. This could dwarf what happened in Florida in 2000.”
Election officials should encourage in-person voting and conduct the same sanitation procedures at polling places that occur at retail stores and other public locations, von Spakovsky said, adding:
The New York election demonstrates all the vulnerabilities that could occur if we switch to an all-mail-in election in November, or if there is a huge increase in absentee voting.
Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “The Right Side of History” podcast. Lucas is also the author of Tainted by Suspicion: The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections. Send an email to Fred.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-08-07--Children Rarely Spread Coronavirus to Each Other or Adults, Multiple Studies Show

Several studies show that children are not important drivers of coronavirus , according to an article published by the American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP ) .
The article , which was published in the AAP ’ s August issue , examined multiple studies worldwide from France to Australia .
The article concluded that American schools should seriously consider reopening to minimize potential social and developmental costs that would come from failing to do so .
“ Almost 6 months into the pandemic , accumulating evidence and collective experience argue that children , particularly school-aged children , are far less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the article said .
“ Therefore , serious consideration should be paid toward strategies that allow schools to remain open , even during periods of COVID-19 spread.
” The article comes as the topic of reopening schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic continues to be hotly debated in school districts across the country .
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in March as the virus spread rapidly around the world .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of reopening schools saying Wednesday that kids are “ virtually immune ” to the virus .
House Speaker Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi said in July that “ we shouldn ’ t even be thinking ” about reopening schools .
Meanwhile , just 19 % of U.S. adults surveyed think schools should open for in-person classes five days a week , according to a Pew Research study released Wednesday .
The study found that Republicans are more likely to favor a return to in-person instruction than Democrats .
However , the studies highlighted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to school would be less dangerous than many Americans fear .
A study conducted in February and published in the August edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases found that a 9-year-old infected with coronavirus didn ’ t spread the virus .
The boy came into contact with a “ large number ” of peers in multiple schools , but there were no additional infections .
Despite the failure of coronavirus to spread , influenza did spread during that same period , which suggests that the school setting was not immune to respiratory virus transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The occurrence of a case in a child , co-infected with other respiratory viruses , who did not transmit the disease despite interactions with his classmates suggests that children might not be an important source of transmission of this novel virus , ” the study concluded .
Six Australians , four students and two staff , with coronavirus had 521 close contacts with other students and staff in their respective schools — two high schools , three primary schools and one early childhood education center — but did not spread the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance ( NCIRS ) study .
Health officials tested nearly 70 % of the close contacts using either nose swabs or antibody testing , according to the study , which was done in conjunction with the New South Wales government .
“ With community awareness , implementation of hygiene and mitigation strategies , staying at home when symptomatic , early testing and contact tracing , transmission can continue to be limited in these settings , ” the study said .
A Switzerland study conducted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AAP examined 40 children under the age of 16 who tested positive for coronavirus .
In the vast majority of cases , the children developed symptoms after other family members , suggesting an adult-to-child spread .
The study could not confirm that any child-to-adult transmission occurred .
The study suggests “ that the child was not the source of infection and that children most frequently acquire COVID-19 from adults , rather than transmitting it to them , ” according to the AAP .
Three Irish students and three Irish adults with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals in separate school settings , according to an Ireland Department of Public Health study published by Eurosurveillance in May .
There was no evidence of a single secondary transmission .
“ Examination of all Irish paediatric cases of COVID-19 attending school during the pre-symptomatic and symptomatic periods of infection ( n = 3 ) identified no cases of onward transmission to other children or adults within the school and a variety of other settings , ” the study concluded .
“ These included music lessons ( woodwind instruments ) and choir practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for transmission .
Furthermore , no onward transmission from the three identified adult cases to children was identified.
” American teachers unions , however , have come out in strong opposition to reopening schools in the coming weeks .
The American Federation of Teachers ( AFT ) and the National Education Association ( NEA ) , which together have 4.5 million members , have publicly opposed school re-openings .
“ But , as coronavirus cases surge , we are insisting that officials not reopen school buildings without appropriate conditions and protections in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a July 19 column .
The AFT and NEA joined the Florida Education Association in suing Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis and Richard Corcoran , commissioner of the Florida Department of Education , over the state ’ s plan to reopen schools , according to a July press release .
“ The coronavirus pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the inequities facing our most vulnerable students — particularly for black , brown and students living in poverty , ” said NEA president Lily Eskelsen García in the press release .
García added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — not push for school reopenings that will harm those students the most — and that requires equitable tools and resources from the federal government , which has failed to act.
” Meanwhile , several teachers in Iowa wrote their own obituaries and sent them to Gov .
Kim Reynolds who has ordered schools to reopen in some capacity , according to CNN .
“ Sarah loved her friends and family with her whole heart .
She had a laugh that was infectious and could always be counted on for an off-hand remark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah Backstrom wrote in her obituary , CNN reported .
“ She was known for finding sunshine even in the darkest of times.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Several studies show that children are not important drivers of coronavirus, according to an article published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
The article, which was published in the AAP’s August issue, examined multiple studies worldwide from France to Australia. The article concluded that American schools should seriously consider reopening to minimize potential social and developmental costs that would come from failing to do so.
“Almost 6 months into the pandemic, accumulating evidence and collective experience argue that children, particularly school-aged children, are far less important drivers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission than adults,” the article said.
“Therefore, serious consideration should be paid toward strategies that allow schools to remain open, even during periods of COVID-19 spread.”
The article comes as the topic of reopening schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic continues to be hotly debated in school districts across the country. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in March as the virus spread rapidly around the world.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Trump has come out in support of reopening schools saying Wednesday that kids are “virtually immune” to the virus.
House Speaker Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi said in July that “we shouldn’t even be thinking” about reopening schools.
Cases up because of BIG Testing! Much of our Country is doing very well. Open the Schools! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2020
Meanwhile, just 19% of U.S. adults surveyed think schools should open for in-person classes five days a week, according to a Pew Research study released Wednesday. The study found that Republicans are more likely to favor a return to in-person instruction than Democrats.
However, the studies highlighted in AAP’s article suggest returning to school would be less dangerous than many Americans fear.
France
A study conducted in February and published in the August edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases found that a 9-year-old infected with coronavirus didn’t spread the virus. The boy came into contact with a “large number” of peers in multiple schools, but there were no additional infections.
Despite the failure of coronavirus to spread, influenza did spread during that same period, which suggests that the school setting was not immune to respiratory virus transmission, according to the AAP article.
“The occurrence of a case in a child, co-infected with other respiratory viruses, who did not transmit the disease despite interactions with his classmates suggests that children might not be an important source of transmission of this novel virus,” the study concluded.
Australia
Six Australians, four students and two staff, with coronavirus had 521 close contacts with other students and staff in their respective schools — two high schools, three primary schools and one early childhood education center — but did not spread the virus to a single additional individual, according to a National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) study.
Health officials tested nearly 70% of the close contacts using either nose swabs or antibody testing, according to the study, which was done in conjunction with the New South Wales government.
“With community awareness, implementation of hygiene and mitigation strategies, staying at home when symptomatic, early testing and contact tracing, transmission can continue to be limited in these settings,” the study said.
Switzerland
A Switzerland study conducted by the University of Geneva and published by the AAP examined 40 children under the age of 16 who tested positive for coronavirus.
In the vast majority of cases, the children developed symptoms after other family members, suggesting an adult-to-child spread. The study could not confirm that any child-to-adult transmission occurred.
The study suggests “that the child was not the source of infection and that children most frequently acquire COVID-19 from adults, rather than transmitting it to them,” according to the AAP.
Ireland
Three Irish students and three Irish adults with coronavirus came into contact with more than 1,000 individuals in separate school settings, according to an Ireland Department of Public Health study published by Eurosurveillance in May. There was no evidence of a single secondary transmission.
“Examination of all Irish paediatric cases of COVID-19 attending school during the pre-symptomatic and symptomatic periods of infection (n = 3) identified no cases of onward transmission to other children or adults within the school and a variety of other settings,” the study concluded.
“These included music lessons (woodwind instruments) and choir practice, both of which are high-risk activities for transmission. Furthermore, no onward transmission from the three identified adult cases to children was identified.”
Teachers Unions
American teachers unions, however, have come out in strong opposition to reopening schools in the coming weeks. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), which together have 4.5 million members, have publicly opposed school re-openings.
“But, as coronavirus cases surge, we are insisting that officials not reopen school buildings without appropriate conditions and protections in place,” said AFT president Randi Weingarten in a July 19 column.
The AFT and NEA joined the Florida Education Association in suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Richard Corcoran, commissioner of the Florida Department of Education, over the state’s plan to reopen schools, according to a July press release.
“The coronavirus pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the inequities facing our most vulnerable students — particularly for black, brown and students living in poverty,” said NEA president Lily Eskelsen García in the press release.
García added: “We must address these inequities now — not push for school reopenings that will harm those students the most — and that requires equitable tools and resources from the federal government, which has failed to act.”
Meanwhile, several teachers in Iowa wrote their own obituaries and sent them to Gov. Kim Reynolds who has ordered schools to reopen in some capacity, according to CNN.
“Sarah loved her friends and family with her whole heart. She had a laugh that was infectious and could always be counted on for an off-hand remark or a joke,” Iowa teacher Sarah Backstrom wrote in her obituary, CNN reported.
“She was known for finding sunshine even in the darkest of times.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-08-07--Time for Trump to Smoke Joe out of His Basement

Just what kind of cynical game are Democrats playing in keeping Joe Biden on their presidential ticket when everyone can see he is slipping ?
How long can this ruse continue ?
The real news is not that Biden is failing .
It ’ s the Democrats ’ fraud in pretending otherwise .
They know he is not mentally up to the job , and they ’ re trying to ride it out , using the coronavirus as a cover to keep him hidden in the basement and exercising damage control each time he is flushed out .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angrily asking a black interviewer if he is a junkie when the interviewer questioned whether he ’ d ever taken a cognitive test .
Then there was his assertion that Latinos are more diverse in their attitudes than blacks .
That alone would have ended any Republican candidate .
To quote Joe back to himself , “ Come on , man !
” These regrettable remarks are part of Biden ’ s long history of racially tinged comments , such as that you can ’ t go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accent , or that any African Americans who don ’ t support him aren ’ t black .
Anyone paying attention has to know something is seriously wrong .
Ironically , Biden benefits somewhat from his reputation as a gaffer .
It allows his protectors to claim that what we ’ re seeing now is just the same old avuncular Joe occasionally mixing up his words or saying ridiculous things he doesn ’ t really mean .
But do you think Biden would have a chance at remaining on the ticket if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his decline ?
Just imagine if President Donald Trump were displaying such obvious signs of mental confusion .
It would be headline news all day every day until he was forced out of his bunker and his mettle could be tested .
Seriously , folks .
This is no laughing matter .
The coronavirus is no excuse for Biden not to personally campaign and show himself to the people .
Any other presidential candidate would be clamoring for face time to present his case to the American people .
Actually , any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to demand media attention , because they would give the candidate wall-to-wall coverage to increase his exposure .
But Biden remains in the shadows .
This is rich , considering that the Democrats and the media have been railing about the integrity of “ our democracy ” for the last four years .
Their shameless scheme to shield Biden from the public eye puts the lie to their professed concern for the integrity of our system .
The media used to boast of their essential function of informing the electorate , but now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being informed .
This level of deceit should horrify people .
It should also make us wonder what the Democrats and the media establishment know that we don ’ t about their future plans for control of the presidency should Biden win .
He simply is not fit for the job and will be progressively less so with each passing day .
This is shaping up to be one of the biggest scandals of our time .
What ’ s equally bizarre is that Biden ’ s handlers are hiding him in plain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are doing it , and few are talking about it — publicly , at least .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
By contrast , everyone knows where Trump stands — on everything .
He ’ s the most transparent public figure in our lifetime .
He speaks off the cuff and lets the chips fall .
Like him or not , he ’ s front and center , the exact opposite of Biden .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceedingly unpopular , and that political conservatism is on the decline .
Indeed , the oppressively monolithic leftist message from the media and our culture create the impression that progressivism is the majority view today , so shouldn ’ t Democrats jump at any chance to distinguish their candidate from Trump and their policies from those of the Republicans ?
Don ’ t be too sure .
Do you really think that most people — even most African Americans — support the lawlessness of Black Lives Matter and antifa ?
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of Americans are law-abiding and are probably alarmed , even appalled , at this level of unrest .
They ’ ve Gone Too Far The left has gone too far .
Americans fear for their safety and their country .
And the left owns the Democrats .
Democrats know they must not be seen as too closely aligned with this madness we ’ re seeing every day .
Otherwise , they will lose any chance of presenting themselves as the sober alternative to a supposedly unstable President Trump .
Democrats must walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , showing just enough support for the America-hating anarchists to keep their base onboard without tainting themselves as anti-American cheerleaders .
Presently , COVID-19 is playing into the Democrats ’ hands by harming Trump ’ s boom economy , reducing Biden ’ s displays of incompetence and taking the spotlight off of Democrats ’ association with violent mobs .
But time is running out on them .
They can run ( and Biden is supposedly running ) , but they can ’ t hide forever , not if Donald Trump and the Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So what are they waiting for ?
They must smoke Biden out and force the public to see the stark differences between him and Donald Trump .
Then we ’ ll see how long he stays ahead in the polls .
Enough of this nonsense .
It is disgraceful and dangerous .
Americans deserve better .
David Limbaugh is a writer , author and attorney .
His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity : Why the Democrats Must Not Win .
Follow him on Twitter @ davidlimbaugh and his website @ @ @

Just what kind of cynical game are Democrats playing in keeping Joe Biden on their presidential ticket when everyone can see he is slipping? How long can this ruse continue?
The real news is not that Biden is failing. It’s the Democrats’ fraud in pretending otherwise. They know he is not mentally up to the job, and they’re trying to ride it out, using the coronavirus as a cover to keep him hidden in the basement and exercising damage control each time he is flushed out.
Regrettable Remarks
It’s undeniable, as shown by his angrily asking a black interviewer if he is a junkie when the interviewer questioned whether he’d ever taken a cognitive test. Then there was his assertion that Latinos are more diverse in their attitudes than blacks. That alone would have ended any Republican candidate. To quote Joe back to himself, “Come on, man!”
These regrettable remarks are part of Biden’s long history of racially tinged comments, such as that you can’t go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have an Indian accent, or that any African Americans who don’t support him aren’t black. Anyone paying attention has to know something is seriously wrong.
Biden’s Protectors
Ironically, Biden benefits somewhat from his reputation as a gaffer. It allows his protectors to claim that what we’re seeing now is just the same old avuncular Joe occasionally mixing up his words or saying ridiculous things he doesn’t really mean.
But do you think Biden would have a chance at remaining on the ticket if the liberal media weren’t actively concealing his decline? Just imagine if President Donald Trump were displaying such obvious signs of mental confusion. It would be headline news all day every day until he was forced out of his bunker and his mettle could be tested.
In the Shadows
Seriously, folks. This is no laughing matter. The coronavirus is no excuse for Biden not to personally campaign and show himself to the people. Any other presidential candidate would be clamoring for face time to present his case to the American people. Actually, any other Democratic presidential candidate wouldn’t have to demand media attention, because they would give the candidate wall-to-wall coverage to increase his exposure. But Biden remains in the shadows.
This is rich, considering that the Democrats and the media have been railing about the integrity of “our democracy” for the last four years. Their shameless scheme to shield Biden from the public eye puts the lie to their professed concern for the integrity of our system. The media used to boast of their essential function of informing the electorate, but now they conspire to prevent the public from being informed.
The Democrats’ Deceit
This level of deceit should horrify people. It should also make us wonder what the Democrats and the media establishment know that we don’t about their future plans for control of the presidency should Biden win. He simply is not fit for the job and will be progressively less so with each passing day. This is shaping up to be one of the biggest scandals of our time.
What’s equally bizarre is that Biden’s handlers are hiding him in plain sight. That is, everyone knows they are doing it, and few are talking about it — publicly, at least.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
By contrast, everyone knows where Trump stands — on everything. He’s the most transparent public figure in our lifetime. He speaks off the cuff and lets the chips fall. Like him or not, he’s front and center, the exact opposite of Biden.
We are led to believe that Trump is exceedingly unpopular, and that political conservatism is on the decline. Indeed, the oppressively monolithic leftist message from the media and our culture create the impression that progressivism is the majority view today, so shouldn’t Democrats jump at any chance to distinguish their candidate from Trump and their policies from those of the Republicans?
Don’t be too sure. Do you really think that most people — even most African Americans — support the lawlessness of Black Lives Matter and antifa? I don’t, because I believe the overwhelming majority of Americans are law-abiding and are probably alarmed, even appalled, at this level of unrest.
They’ve Gone Too Far
The left has gone too far. Americans fear for their safety and their country. And the left owns the Democrats. Democrats know they must not be seen as too closely aligned with this madness we’re seeing every day. Otherwise, they will lose any chance of presenting themselves as the sober alternative to a supposedly unstable President Trump.
Democrats must walk a fine line between now and November, showing just enough support for the America-hating anarchists to keep their base onboard without tainting themselves as anti-American cheerleaders.
Presently, COVID-19 is playing into the Democrats’ hands by harming Trump’s boom economy, reducing Biden’s displays of incompetence and taking the spotlight off of Democrats’ association with violent mobs. But time is running out on them.
They can run (and Biden is supposedly running), but they can’t hide forever, not if Donald Trump and the Republicans demand that Biden emerge from his shelter. So what are they waiting for? They must smoke Biden out and force the public to see the stark differences between him and Donald Trump. Then we’ll see how long he stays ahead in the polls.
Enough of this nonsense. It is disgraceful and dangerous. Americans deserve better.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity: Why the Democrats Must Not Win. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-08-08--‘Give Me Liberty. Or Don’t. Whatever.’

‘Give Me Liberty. Or Don’t. Whatever.’

Back in 1996 I spent a week in Hong Kong , speaking at a number of churches and seminaries .
It was nine months before what ’ s commonly called “ The Handover ” occurred , when control of the territory was transferred from the United Kingdom to China .
Knowing China ’ s less than stellar track record on religious liberty , I wondered what impact the transfer would have on Hong Kong ’ s churches .
When I asked local pastors and leaders about this , I ’ d get one of two answers : “ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can work with the government , ” or “ We ’ re praying about how to go underground if we need to.
” The difference in answers was , without exception , determined by the kind of church leader I was speaking with .
Those with a high view of scripture were the “ praying and ready ” type , preferring an underground church to one controlled by the state .
Those with more liberal views were in the “ not worried ” class , ready and willing to comply .
Spreading Tyrannies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No surprise there .
When believers hold the Bible as authoritative , study it accordingly , and live it out , then there ’ s both a keen love for freedom and a determination to preserve it .
Otherwise , personal and religious liberties are seen as nice , but optional , and certainly not a hill to die on .
Which brings me to my biggest complaint about the tyrannies spreading through America .
It ’ s not the insatiable cravings our universities have to control speech and thought , the heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule of cities taken over by force or the trend to tell Christian pastors and leaders what they may or may not say , all of which is horrible .
My biggest complaint , though , isn ’ t that bullies are dismantling liberty .
It ’ s that they are being allowed to .
We ’ re losing what used to be a hallmark of American thinking : a generally agreed upon reverence for freedom as a non-negotiable , life or death issue .
This wouldn ’ t have sat well with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these modern injustices with a defiant tone : Former slave and trailblazing freedom fighter Harriet Tubman wouldn ’ t have sat still for them , either : Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Patrick Henry would have concurred .
When he proposed forming a militia to defend Virginia against the power of the Crown he declared what ought to be tattooed on our national conscience : Compare then to now .
Look how easily tyrants can requisition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians at the highest levels condone them , how many Americans will not only tolerate but even choose socialism , and how many Christians respond to the dismantling of religious liberty with a feeble “ Give me liberty .
Or don ’ t .
Whatever.
” Our value of liberty has become like that of the Laodicean church ’ s spirituality : present , maybe , but lukewarm .
I think there ’ s a reason , and I think it has a lot to do with the degree to which modern Christians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ?
Then Live It !
It starts with us .
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. noted that This hearkens to Jesus reminding us we are the salt of the earth ; the light of the world .
( Matthew 5:13-16 ) The modern church ’ s willingness to not only be present , but prophetic , will determine whether we are relevant influencers or , as Dr. King noted , irrelevant social acquaintances .
I have to wonder , then , if a lack of zeal for personal freedom creates a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out into the culture as a lack of zeal for freedom in general .
Invested in Our Own Slavery If many of us are content to be in bondage to pornography , or chemicals , or greed , bodily appetites , materialism or bitterness , then we are believers who are invested in slavery .
If many of us are likewise content to go through the motions of the faith through church attendance and a nice Christian identity , yet seldom invest in the study of the Word , prayer , personal evangelism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the flesh and Yes to the Spirit , then we may not be invested in slavery , but we ’ re hardly invested in liberty , either .
It ’ s inescapable : if we love something , we live it out .
If we are not living out our individual freedom in Christ , we can hardly expect to persuade the world that freedom is valuable .
If freedom is something we hold in high esteem , we will strive to see it manifest in all ways — spiritually , socially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fight For It !
All of which leaves me with some choices today .
First , I can choose personal freedom by daily examining my life by the Word and in prayer , asking , as David did , for both my conscious and hidden faults to be exposed and rendered powerless .
( Psalm 19:12-13 ) Second , I can be a loving encourager to Christian friends and family who have their own battles to fight .
I can listen , exhort , pray with and be there for the church .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for freedom by fighting for it , both in myself and my culture .
I can protest tyrannies , vote responsibly for people who share my respect for liberty and refuse to be intimidated from speaking my mind and heart just because what I ’ m speaking is out of fashion .
There will be a price to pay , maybe heavy , maybe minor .
But choosing freedom over life itself still works , because no one can really be at peace knowing she or he is witnessing the erosion of freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On this point , let ’ s take a cue from playwright Lillian Hellman who , when pressured by the House on Un-American Activities Committee to name names , famously replied : Joe Dallas is the Program Director of Genesis Biblical Counseling and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors .
His daily blog is Joe Dallas Online .
He is the author of Desires in Conflict , The Game Plan , and When Homosexuality Hits Home .
His latest book is Five Steps to Breaking Free from Porn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

The natural state of mankind is … freedom. And the proof is the length to which a man, woman or child will go to regain it once taken. (from the film “Amistad”)
Back in 1996 I spent a week in Hong Kong, speaking at a number of churches and seminaries. It was nine months before what’s commonly called “The Handover” occurred, when control of the territory was transferred from the United Kingdom to China.
Knowing China’s less than stellar track record on religious liberty, I wondered what impact the transfer would have on Hong Kong’s churches. When I asked local pastors and leaders about this, I’d get one of two answers: “We’re not worried, we think we can work with the government,” or “We’re praying about how to go underground if we need to.”
The difference in answers was, without exception, determined by the kind of church leader I was speaking with. Those with a high view of scripture were the “praying and ready” type, preferring an underground church to one controlled by the state. Those with more liberal views were in the “not worried” class, ready and willing to comply.
Spreading Tyrannies Aren’t the Worst of It
No surprise there. When believers hold the Bible as authoritative, study it accordingly, and live it out, then there’s both a keen love for freedom and a determination to preserve it. Otherwise, personal and religious liberties are seen as nice, but optional, and certainly not a hill to die on.
Which brings me to my biggest complaint about the tyrannies spreading through America.
It’s not the insatiable cravings our universities have to control speech and thought, the heavy handedness of social media, the mob rule of cities taken over by force or the trend to tell Christian pastors and leaders what they may or may not say, all of which is horrible.
My biggest complaint, though, isn’t that bullies are dismantling liberty. It’s that they are being allowed to. We’re losing what used to be a hallmark of American thinking: a generally agreed upon reverence for freedom as a non-negotiable, life or death issue.
Where’s the Outrage?
This wouldn’t have sat well with Thomas Jefferson, who would have met these modern injustices with a defiant tone:
…for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
Former slave and trailblazing freedom fighter Harriet Tubman wouldn’t have sat still for them, either:
I had reasoned this out in my mind, there were two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Patrick Henry would have concurred. When he proposed forming a militia to defend Virginia against the power of the Crown he declared what ought to be tattooed on our national conscience:
Give me liberty or give me death.
Compare then to now.
Lukewarm Love of Liberty
Look how easily tyrants can requisition a city, how readily so many politicians at the highest levels condone them, how many Americans will not only tolerate but even choose socialism, and how many Christians respond to the dismantling of religious liberty with a feeble “Give me liberty. Or don’t. Whatever.”
Our value of liberty has become like that of the Laodicean church’s spirituality: present, maybe, but lukewarm.
I think there’s a reason, and I think it has a lot to do with the degree to which modern Christians value our liberty in Christ.
Love It? Then Live It!
It starts with us. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. noted that
The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.
This hearkens to Jesus reminding us we are the salt of the earth; the light of the world. (Matthew 5:13-16) The modern church’s willingness to not only be present, but prophetic, will determine whether we are relevant influencers or, as Dr. King noted, irrelevant social acquaintances.
I have to wonder, then, if a lack of zeal for personal freedom creates a lack of zeal for religious freedom, spreading out into the culture as a lack of zeal for freedom in general.
Invested in Our Own Slavery
If many of us are content to be in bondage to pornography, or chemicals, or greed, bodily appetites, materialism or bitterness, then we are believers who are invested in slavery.
If many of us are likewise content to go through the motions of the faith through church attendance and a nice Christian identity, yet seldom invest in the study of the Word, prayer, personal evangelism and the day-to-day sanctification of saying No to the flesh and Yes to the Spirit, then we may not be invested in slavery, but we’re hardly invested in liberty, either.
It’s inescapable: if we love something, we live it out. If we are not living out our individual freedom in Christ, we can hardly expect to persuade the world that freedom is valuable. If freedom is something we hold in high esteem, we will strive to see it manifest in all ways — spiritually, socially, politically.
Living It? Then Fight For It!
All of which leaves me with some choices today.
First, I can choose personal freedom by daily examining my life by the Word and in prayer, asking, as David did, for both my conscious and hidden faults to be exposed and rendered powerless. (Psalm 19:12-13)
Second, I can be a loving encourager to Christian friends and family who have their own battles to fight. I can listen, exhort, pray with and be there for the church.
Third, I can express my love for freedom by fighting for it, both in myself and my culture. I can protest tyrannies, vote responsibly for people who share my respect for liberty and refuse to be intimidated from speaking my mind and heart just because what I’m speaking is out of fashion.
There will be a price to pay, maybe heavy, maybe minor. But choosing freedom over life itself still works, because no one can really be at peace knowing she or he is witnessing the erosion of freedom yet saying and doing nothing about it.
On this point, let’s take a cue from playwright Lillian Hellman who, when pressured by the House on Un-American Activities Committee to name names, famously replied:
I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashion.
Joe Dallas is the Program Director of Genesis Biblical Counseling and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. His daily blog is Joe Dallas Online. He is the author of Desires in Conflict, The Game Plan, and When Homosexuality Hits Home. His latest book is Five Steps to Breaking Free from Porn. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeDallasTGP and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
Originally published at JoeDallas.com. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-08-08--Would We Know Good Without Evil?

Would We Know Good Without Evil?

Would we know good without evil ?
Could good exist without evil ?
Can God truly be good if he can ’ t choose evil ?
These are interesting questions I received from a reader : First , as Christians , we know good can exist without evil because God is self-existent and was good without the existence of any evil .
Next , would we know good if there were no evil ?
I ’ ll answer this in terms of God ’ s goodness , since he is the foundation and standard of all goodness : The answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would know and appreciate much of God ’ s goodness if there had never been evil in the world .
Goodness is objectively beautiful , and that can be seen and appreciated regardless of the existence of evil .
God ’ s love , beauty , kindness , wisdom etc .
would have been seen without the presence of any evil — and was seen and enjoyed by the persons of the Trinity .
( Think also , for example , of a child who has good , loving parents .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad parents in order to apprehend and enjoy the goodness of his own parents .
He apprehends the objective goodness of goodness regardless . )
However , there are aspects of God ’ s good character that we wouldn ’ t have seen if evil had never existed — for example , his wrath against sin , his justice , and most importantly , his grace .
This is why I think , in the end , we will know God more fully having lived in a fallen world than we would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s simply because , in this world , we have seen and experienced his grace , power , justice , love for enemies , etc .
in ways we wouldn ’ t have otherwise .
This doesn ’ t mean evil has changed God in any way .
It merely means it has revealed aspects of who he is that we wouldn ’ t have seen otherwise .
So it serves a purpose in helping us know God ’ s goodness — not by way of contrast ( as if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see its opposite ) , but merely because its existence reveals God ’ s reaction against evil through his actions in history — his justice as well as his grace .
See these posts for more : Pain Now , the Land of Happy Later Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
God Is Who He Is As for whether God can be truly good if he only ever chooses the good — and only ever can choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — I do not think that negates his goodness .
In fact , I think that ’ s the essence of what it means to be good .
He is praiseworthy precisely because his character is perfectly good .
It would be a defect in him if any part of him wanted to choose evil yet resisted .
The more a person naturally chooses to do what ’ s good out of his or her own character , the more we praise that person as being truly good .
God is the ultimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside of him that leans towards anything less than the perfectly good .
This isn ’ t rightfully described as being “ bound ” by something , as if his character is something outside of himself that controls him .
His character is not outside of himself .
His character is him .
He is who he is .
He does what he does because of who he is .
And who he is is perfectly good ; therefore , everything he does is perfectly good .
Amy K. Hall is a Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reason , an organization that trains Christians to think more clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed , incisive , yet gracious defense for classical Christianity and classical Christian values in the public square .
Originally published at Stand to Reason .
Reprinted with permission .

Would we know good without evil? Could good exist without evil? Can God truly be good if he can’t choose evil? These are interesting questions I received from a reader:
My question centers around Taoist Dualism. Under this premise there cannot be good without evil. However, as a Christian, God is purely good and he exists. My question is: would we know good if there was no evil? Can good truly exist without evil? How can God exist as purely good when he cannot choose evil as he is bound by his own character? Would that really be considered good?
First, as Christians, we know good can exist without evil because God is self-existent and was good without the existence of any evil.
God’s Goodness
Next, would we know good if there were no evil? I’ll answer this in terms of God’s goodness, since he is the foundation and standard of all goodness: The answer is yes and no. Yes, we would know and appreciate much of God’s goodness if there had never been evil in the world. Goodness is objectively beautiful, and that can be seen and appreciated regardless of the existence of evil.
God’s love, beauty, kindness, wisdom etc. would have been seen without the presence of any evil — and was seen and enjoyed by the persons of the Trinity. (Think also, for example, of a child who has good, loving parents. That child doesn’t have to see bad parents in order to apprehend and enjoy the goodness of his own parents. He apprehends the objective goodness of goodness regardless.)
God’s Character
However, there are aspects of God’s good character that we wouldn’t have seen if evil had never existed — for example, his wrath against sin, his justice, and most importantly, his grace. This is why I think, in the end, we will know God more fully having lived in a fallen world than we would have known him in an unfallen world. That’s simply because, in this world, we have seen and experienced his grace, power, justice, love for enemies, etc. in ways we wouldn’t have otherwise.
This doesn’t mean evil has changed God in any way. It merely means it has revealed aspects of who he is that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. So it serves a purpose in helping us know God’s goodness — not by way of contrast (as if we have to see evil in order to see its opposite), but merely because its existence reveals God’s reaction against evil through his actions in history — his justice as well as his grace. See these posts for more:
Evil and the Cross
Pain Now, the Land of Happy Later
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
God Is Who He Is
As for whether God can be truly good if he only ever chooses the good — and only ever can choose good because that is who he is — I do not think that negates his goodness. In fact, I think that’s the essence of what it means to be good. He is praiseworthy precisely because his character is perfectly good. It would be a defect in him if any part of him wanted to choose evil yet resisted.
The more a person naturally chooses to do what’s good out of his or her own character, the more we praise that person as being truly good. God is the ultimate expression of that. There is nothing inside of him that leans towards anything less than the perfectly good. This isn’t rightfully described as being “bound” by something, as if his character is something outside of himself that controls him. His character is not outside of himself. His character is him. He is who he is. He does what he does because of who he is. And who he is is perfectly good; therefore, everything he does is perfectly good.
Amy K. Hall is a Christian worldview and apologetics blogger at Stand to Reason, an organization that trains Christians to think more clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed, incisive, yet gracious defense for classical Christianity and classical Christian values in the public square.
Originally published at Stand to Reason. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-08-08--4:30 Movie: Poetry and Holy Cinema

4:30 Movie: Poetry and Holy Cinema

4:30 Movie , a collection of poetry by Donna Masini , is a good book for our times .
First published in 2018 and recently released in paperback , it explores two themes .
One , the illness of Masini ’ s sister Karen , who died from cancer in 2014 .
Two , how escaping to the movies provided Masini with relief as she grieved the loss of her sibling .
4:30 Movie was not written with the COVID pandemic in mind .
But its imagery of illness and deep praise for the magic of movies — a mystical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that has been painfully lost in recent mask-wearing months — makes these poems poignant and powerful .
Masini is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship , New York Foundation for the Arts Grant and a Pushcart Prize .
She is a Professor of English at Hunter College , where she teaches in the MFA Creative Writing program .
4:30 Movie is poetry written with great skill .
It will hold personal meaning for those of us who have worked at movie theaters or who just love going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a movie-loving house , and worked in a movie theater in Maryland when I was in college .
It was called the Bethesda Cinema and Drafthouse .
The Drafthouse had originally been the Bethesda Theatre .
It was designed and built in 1938 by the firm of the John Eberson , dean of American Theatre Architect .
The theater was was designed in the historic Streamline Moderne style , and still has some of the art deco illustrations — spinning stars , planets , suns — on the deep blue walls .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cinema and Drafthouse .
We featured “ second-run ” movies , that is films that were no longer in wide release but had yet to come out on VHS video .
The interior had been reconfigured , the old rows of seat removed and replaced with round tables and low , comfortable swiveling chairs .
The Drafthouse served beer , wine , and food ( pizza , nachos , sandwiches ) .
I saw hundreds of films over and over again .
Like Quentin Tarantino working in the video store , I learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand good music cues and the tragedy of bad editing .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
I still remember seeing Blood Simple , the Cohen Brothers ’ first film , as well as Back to School , Top Gun , Blue Velvet , Broadcast News , Aliens , Little Shop of Horrors , Harold and Maude , To Live and Die in L.A. , Big Trouble in Little China , and Beverly Hills Cop , among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gingerly walked around the wagon-wheel-sized platters where the film spun out in the projector booth ( really more of a large room ) , and once mounted a new marquee that only required two letters : F/X — a cool ( and now forgotten ) thriller .
Once I witnessed a film actually snap during a showing — American Anthem , the cheesy 1986 vehicle for gymnast Mitch Gaylord .
When the film broke , the screen flickering then going blank , the audience actually applauded .
I give this backstory because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as reading a lot of books about movies , I have never come across anything that captures the spiritual immersion and restorative magic of going to a movie as well at this poem from 4:30 Movie : The Lights Go Down at the Angelika and you press into the dark , imagine the stranger two rows back , that fragile chance you ’ ll forget in the second trailer .
Now it ’ s quiet , still this burden of being watcher and screen and what floats across it–light pouring out its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What a relief to yield to the EXIT sign red “ I ” blinking like a candle .
Soon the enormous figures moving across rooms , the emphatic narrative arcs .
( There ’ s the thrum of the subway , its engine of extras . )
Here now the beginning of trivia tests .
Warning puppets with brown-bag faces and fringy hair .
You ’ re almost here .
But what you want is the after .
How yourself you are now walking into the night , full moon over Houston Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the yellow mums .
Here you are : Woman with Cilantro listening to the rattle of the wrap , the paper sound paper makes after you have heard movie paper .
Apples are more apples .
Paper more paper .
Cilantro , its sweaty green self .
Masini understands that movies are not only escapism , but a heightened , often horrifying close-up of our spiritual and biological fears — fears that can can become real .
Here is the first short poem that opens 4:30 Movie : The confluence of the subconscious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality of hospital gowns , and cold metallic testing are the two reels that give 4:30 Movie its momentum .
Life , like a movie , is miraculous and over too quickly .
“ Trailer ” is a script of a coming attraction , featuring Philip Glass music .
It ’ s a medical drama that reflects the reality Masini is living in in hospitals where her sister is being treated .
“ The Extra ” explores an actress preparing for her tiny role , her process a meditation on The Tibetan Book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s poems are sharp and defiant .
Avoiding the bathos or kitsch that was so prevalent in the art surrounding the AIDS epidemic and which mars so much of the discussion of illness in the popular culture ( “ I ’ m kicking your butt , cancer !
” ) , Masini rages against the dying of the light .
“ What Didn ’ t Work ” is a laundry list of things that could not stop her sister ’ s end : Chemo Tarceva prayer/mediation affirmation Xanax/Avastin Nebulizer Zofran/Zolof Vicodin/notebooks.
” It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a word : “ lists.
” Still , 4:30 Movie , that is to say Masini ’ s book of poetry itself , is a creation that was born out of loss .
In other words , she produced a beautiful prayer-like book as a result of her suffering .
Now we have the COVID , which is like the Blob , the rolling , quickly expanding purple goo that almost absorbs America alive in the 1958 film .
( “ It creeps !
It crawls !
It eats you alive !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the condition found a matinee analog in a horror movie classic : Mark Judge is a writer and filmmaker in Washington , D.C .

4:30 Movie, a collection of poetry by Donna Masini, is a good book for our times. First published in 2018 and recently released in paperback, it explores two themes. One, the illness of Masini’s sister Karen, who died from cancer in 2014. Two, how escaping to the movies provided Masini with relief as she grieved the loss of her sibling.
4:30 Movie was not written with the COVID pandemic in mind. But its imagery of illness and deep praise for the magic of movies — a mystical, dreamlike experience, born in America, that has been painfully lost in recent mask-wearing months — makes these poems poignant and powerful.
Masini is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts Grant and a Pushcart Prize. She is a Professor of English at Hunter College, where she teaches in the MFA Creative Writing program. 4:30 Movie is poetry written with great skill. It will hold personal meaning for those of us who have worked at movie theaters or who just love going to see films.
How I Learned to Love Movies
I grew up in a movie-loving house, and worked in a movie theater in Maryland when I was in college. It was called the Bethesda Cinema and Drafthouse. The Drafthouse had originally been the Bethesda Theatre. It was designed and built in 1938 by the firm of the John Eberson, dean of American Theatre Architect. The theater was was designed in the historic Streamline Moderne style, and still has some of the art deco illustrations — spinning stars, planets, suns — on the deep blue walls.
In 1983 the Bethesda re-opened as the Bethesda Cinema and Drafthouse. We featured “second-run” movies, that is films that were no longer in wide release but had yet to come out on VHS video. The interior had been reconfigured, the old rows of seat removed and replaced with round tables and low, comfortable swiveling chairs. The Drafthouse served beer, wine, and food (pizza, nachos, sandwiches). I saw hundreds of films over and over again. Like Quentin Tarantino working in the video store, I learned about movies by watching movies. I understand good music cues and the tragedy of bad editing.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I still remember seeing Blood Simple, the Cohen Brothers’ first film, as well as Back to School, Top Gun, Blue Velvet, Broadcast News, Aliens, Little Shop of Horrors, Harold and Maude, To Live and Die in L.A., Big Trouble in Little China, and Beverly Hills Cop, among others. I worked the popcorn machine, gingerly walked around the wagon-wheel-sized platters where the film spun out in the projector booth (really more of a large room), and once mounted a new marquee that only required two letters: F/X — a cool (and now forgotten) thriller. Once I witnessed a film actually snap during a showing — American Anthem, the cheesy 1986 vehicle for gymnast Mitch Gaylord. When the film broke, the screen flickering then going blank, the audience actually applauded.
Immersion and Restoration
I give this backstory because in all of that experience, as well as reading a lot of books about movies, I have never come across anything that captures the spiritual immersion and restorative magic of going to a movie as well at this poem from 4:30 Movie:
The Lights Go Down at the Angelika and you press into the dark, imagine
the stranger two rows back, that fragile
chance you’ll forget in the second trailer. Now it’s quiet, still
this burden of being watcher and screen
and what floats across it–light pouring out its time and necklines and train wrecks.
What a relief to yield to the EXIT
sign red “I” blinking like a candle. Soon the enormous figures moving
across rooms, the emphatic narrative
arcs. (There’s the thrum of the subway, its engine of extras.) Here now
the beginning of trivia tests. Warning puppets
with brown-bag faces and fringy hair. You’re almost here. But what you want
is the after. How yourself you are now
walking into the night, full moon over Houston Street, at the bright fruit stand touching the yellow
mums. Here you are: Woman with Cilantro
listening to the rattle of the wrap, the paper sound paper makes after you
have heard movie paper. Apples are more apples.
Paper more paper. Cilantro, its sweaty green self.
Masini understands that movies are not only escapism, but a heightened, often horrifying close-up of our spiritual and biological fears — fears that can can become real. Here is the first short poem that opens 4:30 Movie:
Deleted Scene: Worry (.14) (Living Room: Interior) All these years, my sister says,
worrying something would happen
And now it has
The confluence of the subconscious dreams reveled on celluloid and the cold reality of hospital gowns, and cold metallic testing are the two reels that give 4:30 Movie its momentum. Life, like a movie, is miraculous and over too quickly. “Trailer” is a script of a coming attraction, featuring Philip Glass music. It’s a medical drama that reflects the reality Masini is living in in hospitals where her sister is being treated. “The Extra” explores an actress preparing for her tiny role, her process a meditation on The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.
A Book Born Out of Loss
Masini’s poems are sharp and defiant. Avoiding the bathos or kitsch that was so prevalent in the art surrounding the AIDS epidemic and which mars so much of the discussion of illness in the popular culture (“I’m kicking your butt, cancer!”), Masini rages against the dying of the light. “What Didn’t Work” is a laundry list of things that could not stop her sister’s end: Chemo Tarceva prayer/mediation affirmation Xanax/Avastin Nebulizer Zofran/Zolof Vicodin/notebooks.” It goes on your twenty-four lines, ending in a word: “lists.”
Still, 4:30 Movie, that is to say Masini’s book of poetry itself, is a creation that was born out of loss. In other words, she produced a beautiful prayer-like book as a result of her suffering.
Now we have the COVID, which is like the Blob, the rolling, quickly expanding purple goo that almost absorbs America alive in the 1958 film. (“It creeps! It crawls! It eats you alive!) Masini remembers her pregnant mother and how the condition found a matinee analog in a horror movie classic:
I’m a blob, our mother used to say, pregnant again with that
blobby wobble. We had siblings. We knew how a blob became a baby, the mother bulb
oozing out another child, and now there are four
and it’s Steve McQueen Week on the 4:30 Movie, The Blob
ending with its ominous question. The End? This was before
I understood irony. We’d seen the drunk old man prod the ooze and disappear, watched it grow and roll, a little dog
barking its warning … barking, barking, then the barking stops
and the blob rolls on, insistent, engulfing the doctor.
Mark Judge is a writer and filmmaker in Washington, D.C.