thestream--2020-10-29--Kevin Williamson, Wrong About Almost Everything, Is Still Wrong About Trump

Every once in a while , I ’ ll click on a random link , and land myself in a quagmire .
At first I ’ ll just find it puzzling .
I ’ ll slog through clunky language , torturous arguments , and witless fumblings I deduce must be boyish attempts at humor .
But if the topic ’ s of interest , I ’ ll soldier on for a while , long enough to detect a haughty , sneering author and his bone-deep , plain mean spirit .
Then I ’ ll glance up at the byline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it reads “ Kevin Williamson.
” Then everything makes sense , and I go read something else .
This has happened to me enough times that I know it ’ s not a fluke .
The first time you get a funky tuna melt at a diner , you might write it off as human error .
Maybe their fridge went out .
But if each time you order something at an establishment , you end up with gastric eruptions , you realize it isn ’ t you .
It ’ s them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then , I sat down to read Kevin Williamson ’ s contribution to National Review ’ s series of presidential endorsements .
And I can tell you , he did not disappoint .
First let me tell you what Williamson gets right .
And he isn ’ t all wrong , of course .
It ’ s not as if I were reading Max Boot or Thomas Friedman , whose negative infallibility is so keen that you ’ d almost call it papal .
Williamson says that it ’ s rational to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stopping the one-man crime wave Joe Biden , and the barely-concealed Bolshevism of the rioters , professors , tech moguls , and teachers union capos who back him .
But Williamson won ’ t vote to do that , of course .
Because it ’ s not about being rational , you see .
It ’ s about being … Kevin .
Read him more , and you ’ ll see that it always is .
Williamson credits every achievement of Trump ’ s he ’ s willing to mention to … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them despite Trump , not because of him .
He doesn ’ t mention the peace deals which Trump ’ s people brokered all over the Middle East .
The utter defeat of ISIS , and liberation of millions of Christians and other religious minorities from jihadist rape camp captains .
The wars Trump avoided , which GOP hawks would gleefully have landed us in , from North Korea to Syria .
Nor does Williamson even take note of the unique hostility and hate Trump faced in office .
While Democrats certainly hurled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush , they didn ’ t pretend for his entire term in office that he ’ d won illegitimately .
They didn ’ t hijack our whole national security establishment to invent a foreign collusion case against him , and imprison his supporters and appointees .
Trump had to face all that , and still try to govern .
Instead , Williamson calls Trump lazy and incompetent .
And again , there are valid points here .
Not that Williamson makes them , but I ’ m here to help .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years Trump spent in office , with a fully Republican Congress , were pretty much wasted .
That Trump didn ’ t deliver on his signature campaign promise , building a border wall .
That instead he delivered tax cuts that helped the rich , without the low-skill immigration cuts that would have protected his blue collar base .
After his shock success , Trump could have demanded that RINO obstructionist and open-borders operative Paul Ryan be removed as Speaker of the House .
He could have supported solid , electable Senate candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped Mitch McConnell from throwing that seat away .
Trump could have hired people who ’ d actually supported him for president .
You know , instead of Republican hacks who ’ d attacked him up through the convention .
Who then settled in to sabotage and undermine him in office .
Then maybe he wouldn ’ t have had on hand someone like Nikki Haley , who coolly listened to Trump ’ s own appointees ask her to remove him from office via the 25th Amendment , but wouldn ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who worked for him for years , flooding the media with leaks and anonymous attacks .
Trump thought that the opposition he faced within the GOP was normal politics — people clinging to their power , and favoring their friends .
He never really suspected the ugly truth .
That the faction which ran his party had more in common with fellow Democrats of the Swamp .
That at least since 1996 , the Republican party had served to quash conservative ideas , tamp down dissent , and move the mainstream of American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideology that swept in with Pat Buchanan ’ s defeat , and still clings to control of big money institutions , boils down to one simple phrase .
“ Invade the world , invite the world.
” Treat America as nothing more than a set of ideological maxims , and its people as disposable means to an end : spreading that ideology all around the world via wars of choice , and enforcing it here at home via mass immigration .
The Real Price of the Fake Right In 2008 , it mattered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative like Mike Huckabee not get the nomination , than that we beat Barack Obama .
Which why McCain barely tried , and let his own staff humiliate and bully the “ rube ” Sarah Palin .
In 2012 , Mitt Romney pretended that he and Paul Ryan offered more than a cosmetic alternative to Obama and his policies .
But as we ’ ve seen from Romney since then , he prefers Democrats in power to real conservatives .
He even voted for the sham impeachment those people cooked up .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought it vital to U.S. security that we risk a war with Russia to install in Syria a regime run by al Qaeda — which would have purged the country of at least a million Christians .
This to complete the destruction of Christians in the region which George W. Bush launched in Iraq .
Those “ moderate rebels ” whom John McCain vouched for , before voting to uphold Obamacare and going to his rich reward , are now attacking Armenia as part of an anti-Christian jihad .
If Trump had realized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him did , he wouldn ’ t have been surprised that Sen. John McCain played a crucial role in handing the phony Russia dossier over to the FBI .
He might not have endorsed his enemies like Romney when they needed him .
He might have an FBI director who wouldn ’ t hide Hunter Biden ’ s laptop , with all its evidence exculpating Trump ’ s Ukraine inquiries , all through an impeachment vote .
So yes , I ’ ll be voting for Donald Trump next Tuesday .
My hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vengeance , and purges from his administration anyone with views remotely akin to Kevin Williamson ’ s .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

Every once in a while, I’ll click on a random link, and land myself in a quagmire. At first I’ll just find it puzzling. I’ll slog through clunky language, torturous arguments, and witless fumblings I deduce must be boyish attempts at humor. But if the topic’s of interest, I’ll soldier on for a while, long enough to detect a haughty, sneering author and his bone-deep, plain mean spirit. Then I’ll glance up at the byline, and sure enough, every time, it reads “Kevin Williamson.” Then everything makes sense, and I go read something else.
This has happened to me enough times that I know it’s not a fluke. The first time you get a funky tuna melt at a diner, you might write it off as human error. Maybe their fridge went out. But if each time you order something at an establishment, you end up with gastric eruptions, you realize it isn’t you. It’s them.
“Hell No,” He Won’t Vote Trump
Like a dog to his vomit, then, I sat down to read Kevin Williamson’s contribution to National Review’s series of presidential endorsements. And I can tell you, he did not disappoint.
First let me tell you what Williamson gets right. And he isn’t all wrong, of course. It’s not as if I were reading Max Boot or Thomas Friedman, whose negative infallibility is so keen that you’d almost call it papal. Williamson says that it’s rational to vote for Donald Trump as a means of stopping the one-man crime wave Joe Biden, and the barely-concealed Bolshevism of the rioters, professors, tech moguls, and teachers union capos who back him.
But Williamson won’t vote to do that, of course. Because it’s not about being rational, you see. It’s about being … Kevin. Read him more, and you’ll see that it always is.
Trump Gets Zero Credit
Williamson credits every achievement of Trump’s he’s willing to mention to … NeverTrumpers and establishment Republicans. They managed them despite Trump, not because of him. He doesn’t mention the peace deals which Trump’s people brokered all over the Middle East. The utter defeat of ISIS, and liberation of millions of Christians and other religious minorities from jihadist rape camp captains. The wars Trump avoided, which GOP hawks would gleefully have landed us in, from North Korea to Syria.
Nor does Williamson even take note of the unique hostility and hate Trump faced in office. While Democrats certainly hurled their share of slurs at George W. Bush, they didn’t pretend for his entire term in office that he’d won illegitimately. They didn’t hijack our whole national security establishment to invent a foreign collusion case against him, and imprison his supporters and appointees. Trump had to face all that, and still try to govern.
Lazy and Incompetent
Instead, Williamson calls Trump lazy and incompetent. And again, there are valid points here. Not that Williamson makes them, but I’m here to help. It’s absolutely true that the first two years Trump spent in office, with a fully Republican Congress, were pretty much wasted. That Trump didn’t deliver on his signature campaign promise, building a border wall. That instead he delivered tax cuts that helped the rich, without the low-skill immigration cuts that would have protected his blue collar base.
Like a dog to his vomit, then, I sat down to read Kevin Williamson.
After his shock success, Trump could have demanded that RINO obstructionist and open-borders operative Paul Ryan be removed as Speaker of the House. He could have supported solid, electable Senate candidates like Mo Brooks in Alabama, and stopped Mitch McConnell from throwing that seat away.
Trump could have hired people who’d actually supported him for president. You know, instead of Republican hacks who’d attacked him up through the convention. Who then settled in to sabotage and undermine him in office. Then maybe he wouldn’t have had on hand someone like Nikki Haley, who coolly listened to Trump’s own appointees ask her to remove him from office via the 25th Amendment, but wouldn’t even warn him. Or other silent enemies who worked for him for years, flooding the media with leaks and anonymous attacks.
Trump Couldn’t Fathom What He Faced
Trump thought that the opposition he faced within the GOP was normal politics — people clinging to their power, and favoring their friends. He never really suspected the ugly truth. That the faction which ran his party had more in common with fellow Democrats of the Swamp. That at least since 1996, the Republican party had served to quash conservative ideas, tamp down dissent, and move the mainstream of American politics implacably to the left.
The ideology that swept in with Pat Buchanan’s defeat, and still clings to control of big money institutions, boils down to one simple phrase. “Invade the world, invite the world.” Treat America as nothing more than a set of ideological maxims, and its people as disposable means to an end: spreading that ideology all around the world via wars of choice, and enforcing it here at home via mass immigration.
The Real Price of the Fake Right
In 2008, it mattered more to John McCain that a real conservative like Mike Huckabee not get the nomination, than that we beat Barack Obama. Which why McCain barely tried, and let his own staff humiliate and bully the “rube” Sarah Palin. In 2012, Mitt Romney pretended that he and Paul Ryan offered more than a cosmetic alternative to Obama and his policies. But as we’ve seen from Romney since then, he prefers Democrats in power to real conservatives. He even voted for the sham impeachment those people cooked up.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In 2016, all but three GOP candidates thought it vital to U.S. security that we risk a war with Russia to install in Syria a regime run by al Qaeda — which would have purged the country of at least a million Christians. This to complete the destruction of Christians in the region which George W. Bush launched in Iraq. Those “moderate rebels” whom John McCain vouched for, before voting to uphold Obamacare and going to his rich reward, are now attacking Armenia as part of an anti-Christian jihad.
A Time for Payback
If Trump had realized all that, as we who backed him did, he wouldn’t have been surprised that Sen. John McCain played a crucial role in handing the phony Russia dossier over to the FBI. He might not have endorsed his enemies like Romney when they needed him. He might have an FBI director who wouldn’t hide Hunter Biden’s laptop, with all its evidence exculpating Trump’s Ukraine inquiries, all through an impeachment vote.
So yes, I’ll be voting for Donald Trump next Tuesday. My hope is that he comes back with a vengeance, and purges from his administration anyone with views remotely akin to Kevin Williamson’s.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-10-29--4 Big Takeaways from Senate Hearing on Tech Bias

The CEOs of Twitter , Facebook , and Google defended themselves Wednesday on Capitol Hill from charges of political bias in how they share news and other information .
They testified before a Senate committee roughly a week after Twitter and Facebook suppressed a New York Post expose on the lucrative foreign business dealings of Hunter Biden , son of former Vice President Joe Biden .
But the hearing went well beyond the Post ’ s coverage two weeks ago of the files contained in a laptop computer purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden , delving into what Republicans called a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the digital platforms .
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , Google CEO Sundar Pichai , and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified under oath before the Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee .
The three agreed to appear voluntarily and remotely to avoid a subpoena during what has become a hot issue this election year .
Several Republicans have talked about revoking the protection from litigation that social media platforms enjoy under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
The provision exempts the companies from being sued for published content they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Post ’ s coverage of the Hunter Biden scandal .
If the companies are blocking or suppressing online content based on political leaning , some lawmakers have argued , they are functionally publishers and not neutral platforms , and can be exposed to the same defamation laws as news organizations such as the Post .
Section 230 should be “ carefully refined ” to fit the law ’ s original intent but not scrapped , even if social media giants and other tech firms have squandered the public ’ s trust , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Technology Policy at The Heritage Foundation , in a report published Tuesday .
“ Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has been critical to the development of today ’ s Internet and Internet services , ” the report ’ s summary states , adding : Here are four key takeaways from the Senate committee ’ s hearing on the perceived bias of tech firms such as Facebook , Google , and Twitter .
Sen. Mike Lee , R-Utah , noted several cases in which digital platforms put restrictions on conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CEOs to name one example of a liberal individual or entity that got the same scrutiny .
Only Google ’ s CEO was able to give a specific answer .
“ I see these quotes where each of you tell consumers about your business practices .
Then you seem to do the opposite and take censorship-related actions against the president , against members of his administration , against the New York Post , the Babylon Bee , The Federalist , pro-life groups , and there are countless other exammples , ” Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he meant .
“ When I use the word ‘ censor , ’ I mean block content , fact check , or label content or demonetize websites of conservative , Republican , or pro-life individuals or groups or companies , contradicting your commercial policies , ” Lee said .
“ But I don ’ t see this suppression of high-profile liberal commentators.
” Facebook ’ s Zuckerberg said examples exist , but he just couldn ’ t think of any .
“ There are certainly many examples that your Democratic colleagues object to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false that they disagree with , ” Zuckerberg said .
Lee responded : “ I get that .
I ’ m just asking if you can name one high-profile liberal person or company who you have censored .
One name.
” Zuckerberg replied , “ I ’ d need to think about it and get you a list.
” Dorsey of Twitter responded , “ We can give a more exhaustive list.
” Lee reiterated , “ I ’ m not asking for an exhaustive list , just one example , one entity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ Two Democratic Congress people .
… I ’ ll get those names to you.
” By contrast , Google ’ s Pichai seemed prepared for the question .
“ We have turned down ads from Priorities USA , from Vice President Biden ’ s campaign , ” the Google chief said .
“ We have had compliance issues with World Socialist Review , which is a left-leaning publication .
We can give you several examples .
We have a violent graphic content policy.
” World Socialist Review apparently was last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech companies have the right to set their own terms of service .
“ But given the disparate impact of who gets censored on your platforms , it seems that one , you are to enforce your terms of service equally , or two , you ’ re writing your standards to target conservative viewpoints , ” Lee said .
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , didn ’ t mince words , declaring : “ The three witnesses we have before this committee collectively pose , I believe , the single greatest threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest threat we have to free and fair elections.
” Cruz jumped into the example of the New York Post ’ s explosive Oct. 14 story on Hunter Biden .
Twitter blocked the Post ’ s Twitter account after the newspaper posted the story , and prevented Twitter users from sharing it .
Twitter also blocked the account of a Politico reporter who tweeted the story until he removed it from his feed , the Texas Republican said .
“ You forced a Politico reporter to take down his post about the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct ?
” Cruz asked .
Dorsey said the company changed its policy on the story .
“ Within that 24-hour period , yes .
But as the policy has changed , ” Dorsey said .
Dorsey said if the New York Post deleted the story it would have the account back , and would be free to re-post the story .
Cruz responded by talking about the power of Twitter ’ s platform : Dorsey defended his company , stating it plans to publish the process for content moderation and provide greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re not doing that [ censoring the media ] .
That is why I opened this hearing with calls for more transparency , ” Dorsey said .
“ We realize we need to earn trust more .
We realize that more accountability is needed to show our intentions and to show the outcomes .
So I hear the concerns and acknowledge them .
But we want to fix it with more transparency.
” Democratic senators on the committee generally denied any anti-conservative bias on social media , and in some cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Brian Schatz , D-Hawaii , went a step further than colleagues by casting the three CEOs as victims who were being bullied by Republicans on the committee .
“ We never do this and there is a good reason we do not haul people before us to yell at them for not doing our bidding during an election , ” Schatz said .
“ It is a misuse of taxpayer dollars.
” Schatz cited no examples of such “ throttled ” news sites .
Committee Chairman Roger Wicker , R-Miss.
, first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official ’ s tweet that the U.S. Army created COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus that originated in China .
Wicker asked about a disclaimer that Twitter quickly attached to a Trump tweet about problems with mail-in ballots , in which Twitter claimed there is no security problem .
By contrast , when a Chinese official tweeted that the U.S. created COVID-19 , it took two months for Twitter to add a similar disclaimer .
“ How does a claim by Chinese communists that the U.S. military is to blame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a fact check , and the president ’ s tweet about the security of mail-in ballots gets labeled instantly ?
” Twitter ’ s Dorsey responded that he didn ’ t know exactly how long the Chinese tweet on COVID-19 remained up , but said Twitter ’ s gatekeepers decided that Trump ’ s tweet on mail-in ballots would misinform the public .
Wicker also asked about tweets from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that promised or advocated violence .
“ These tweets are still up , Mr. Dorsey .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on your policies at Twitter ?
” Wicker asked .
Dorsey responded : “ We believe it ’ s important for everyone to hear from global leaders.
” “ We have policies around world leaders , ” the Twitter CEO continued .
“ We want to make sure we are respecting their right to speak and to publish what they need .
But , if there is a violation of our terms of service , we want to label it.
” Wicker : “ They are still up .
Do they violate your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We did not find those to violate our terms of service because we considered them saber rattling , which is part of the speech of world leaders in concert with other countries.
” Later in the hearing , Sen. Cory Gardner , R-Colo. , expressed caution about making changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
“ I don ’ t like the idea of unelected elites in San Francisco or Silicon Valley deciding whether my speech is permissible on their platforms , ” Gardner said , adding : Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking why the platform didn ’ t delete tweets by the Iranian leader that denied the Holocaust , yet flagged tweets by Trump .
“ It ’ s strange to me that you flagged the tweets from the president but haven ’ t hidden the ayatollah ’ s tweets on Holocaust denial or calls to wipe Israel off the map ?
” Dorsey said it is a different type of misinformation .
“ We do have other policies around incitement to violence , ” Dorsey said .
“ Some of the tweets that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afoul of that.
” Gardner : “ So , somebody who denies the Holocaust happened is not [ spreading ] misinformation ?
” Dorsey : “ It ’ s misleading information , but we don ’ t have a policy against that type of misleading information.
” 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 @ @ @ @

The CEOs of Twitter, Facebook, and Google defended themselves Wednesday on Capitol Hill from charges of political bias in how they share news and other information.
They testified before a Senate committee roughly a week after Twitter and Facebook suppressed a New York Post expose on the lucrative foreign business dealings of Hunter Biden, son of former Vice President Joe Biden.
But the hearing went well beyond the Post’s coverage two weeks ago of the files contained in a laptop computer purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden, delving into what Republicans called a consistent double standard in blocking content on the digital platforms.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified under oath before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The three agreed to appear voluntarily and remotely to avoid a subpoena during what has become a hot issue this election year.
Several Republicans have talked about revoking the protection from litigation that social media platforms enjoy under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The provision exempts the companies from being sued for published content they didn’t originate — such as the New York Post’s coverage of the Hunter Biden scandal.
If the companies are blocking or suppressing online content based on political leaning, some lawmakers have argued, they are functionally publishers and not neutral platforms, and can be exposed to the same defamation laws as news organizations such as the Post.
Section 230 should be “carefully refined” to fit the law’s original intent but not scrapped, even if social media giants and other tech firms have squandered the public’s trust, contends Klon Kitchen, director of the Center for Technology Policy at The Heritage Foundation, in a report published Tuesday.
“Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has been critical to the development of today’s Internet and Internet services,” the report’s summary states, adding:
But the expanding presence of these services in the lives of Americans and a growing political distrust of the companies providing these services highlight the need to refine the scope and language of Section 230 to better fit the statute’s original intent and to assuage these concerns. Such refinement is the best way to fan the flames of economic freedom and creativity while protecting individual and corporate freedom of speech.
Here are four key takeaways from the Senate committee’s hearing on the perceived bias of tech firms such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
1. ‘Just One Example?’
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, noted several cases in which digital platforms put restrictions on conservative politicians and media outlets, and pressed the CEOs to name one example of a liberal individual or entity that got the same scrutiny. Only Google’s CEO was able to give a specific answer.
“I see these quotes where each of you tell consumers about your business practices. Then you seem to do the opposite and take censorship-related actions against the president, against members of his administration, against the New York Post, the Babylon Bee, The Federalist, pro-life groups, and there are countless other exammples,” Lee said.
The Utah Republican clarified what he meant.
“When I use the word ‘censor,’ I mean block content, fact check, or label content or demonetize websites of conservative, Republican, or pro-life individuals or groups or companies, contradicting your commercial policies,” Lee said. “But I don’t see this suppression of high-profile liberal commentators.”
Facebook’s Zuckerberg said examples exist, but he just couldn’t think of any.
“There are certainly many examples that your Democratic colleagues object to when a fact-checker might label something as false that they disagree with,” Zuckerberg said.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Lee responded: “I get that. I’m just asking if you can name one high-profile liberal person or company who you have censored. One name.”
Zuckerberg replied, “I’d need to think about it and get you a list.”
Dorsey of Twitter responded, “We can give a more exhaustive list.”
Lee reiterated, “I’m not asking for an exhaustive list, just one example, one entity. Anyone.”
Twitter’s Dorsey said, “Two Democratic Congress people. … I’ll get those names to you.”
By contrast, Google’s Pichai seemed prepared for the question.
“We have turned down ads from Priorities USA, from Vice President Biden’s campaign,” the Google chief said. “We have had compliance issues with World Socialist Review, which is a left-leaning publication. We can give you several examples. We have a violent graphic content policy.”
World Socialist Review apparently was last published in 2011.
Lee said the tech companies have the right to set their own terms of service.
“But given the disparate impact of who gets censored on your platforms, it seems that one, you are to enforce your terms of service equally, or two, you’re writing your standards to target conservative viewpoints,” Lee said.
2. Who Elected You?
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, didn’t mince words, declaring: “The three witnesses we have before this committee collectively pose, I believe, the single greatest threat to free speech in America and the greatest threat we have to free and fair elections.”
Cruz jumped into the example of the New York Post’s explosive Oct. 14 story on Hunter Biden. Twitter blocked the Post’s Twitter account after the newspaper posted the story, and prevented Twitter users from sharing it. Twitter also blocked the account of a Politico reporter who tweeted the story until he removed it from his feed, the Texas Republican said.
“You forced a Politico reporter to take down his post about the New York Post as well. Is that correct?” Cruz asked.
Dorsey said the company changed its policy on the story.
“Within that 24-hour period, yes. But as the policy has changed,” Dorsey said.
Dorsey said if the New York Post deleted the story it would have the account back, and would be free to re-post the story.
Cruz responded by talking about the power of Twitter’s platform:
So Twitter can censor Politico, you can censor the New York Post. Presumably you can censor The New York Times or any other media outlet. Mr. Dorsey, who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American people are allowed to hear? And why do you persist in behaving as a Democratic super PAC, silencing views to the contrary of your political beliefs?
Dorsey defended his company, stating it plans to publish the process for content moderation and provide greater transparency to gain public trust.
“We’re not doing that [censoring the media]. That is why I opened this hearing with calls for more transparency,” Dorsey said. “We realize we need to earn trust more. We realize that more accountability is needed to show our intentions and to show the outcomes. So I hear the concerns and acknowledge them. But we want to fix it with more transparency.”
3. Sticking Up for Tech Giants
Democratic senators on the committee generally denied any anti-conservative bias on social media, and in some cases said there should be more censorship.
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, went a step further than colleagues by casting the three CEOs as victims who were being bullied by Republicans on the committee.
“We never do this and there is a good reason we do not haul people before us to yell at them for not doing our bidding during an election,” Schatz said. “It is a misuse of taxpayer dollars.”
Schatz added:
What we are seeing today is an attempt to bully CEOs of private companies into carrying out a hit job on a presidential candidate by making sure that they push out foreign and domestic misinformation meant to influence the election. To our witnesses today, you and other tech leaders need to stand up to this immoral behavior. The truth is that because some of my colleagues accuse you, your companies, and your employees of being biased or liberal, you have institutionally bent over backwards and overcompensated. You’ve hired Republican operatives, hosted private dinners with Republican leaders, and in contravention of your terms of service, given special dispensation to right-wing voices and even throttled progressive journalism.
Schatz cited no examples of such “throttled” news sites.
4. Tweets by Iran, China, Trump
Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., first called out Dorsey about a Chinese government official’s tweet that the U.S. Army created COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus that originated in China.
Wicker asked about a disclaimer that Twitter quickly attached to a Trump tweet about problems with mail-in ballots, in which Twitter claimed there is no security problem. By contrast, when a Chinese official tweeted that the U.S. created COVID-19, it took two months for Twitter to add a similar disclaimer.
“How does a claim by Chinese communists that the U.S. military is to blame for COVID remain up for two months without a fact check, and the president’s tweet about the security of mail-in ballots gets labeled instantly?”
Twitter’s Dorsey responded that he didn’t know exactly how long the Chinese tweet on COVID-19 remained up, but said Twitter’s gatekeepers decided that Trump’s tweet on mail-in ballots would misinform the public.
Wicker also asked about tweets from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that promised or advocated violence.
“These tweets are still up, Mr. Dorsey. How is it that they are acceptable based on your policies at Twitter?” Wicker asked.
Dorsey responded: “We believe it’s important for everyone to hear from global leaders.”
“We have policies around world leaders,” the Twitter CEO continued. “We want to make sure we are respecting their right to speak and to publish what they need. But, if there is a violation of our terms of service, we want to label it.”
Wicker: “They are still up. Do they violate your terms of service?”
Dorsey: “We did not find those to violate our terms of service because we considered them saber rattling, which is part of the speech of world leaders in concert with other countries.”
Later in the hearing, Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., expressed caution about making changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
“I don’t like the idea of unelected elites in San Francisco or Silicon Valley deciding whether my speech is permissible on their platforms,” Gardner said, adding:
But I like even less the idea of unelected Washington, D.C., bureaucrats trying to enforce some kind of political neutral content moderation. We have to be very careful and not rush to legislate in ways that stifle speech. You can delete Facebook, turn off Twitter, and ditch Google. But you cannot unsubscribe from government censors.
Still, Gardner was tough on Dorsey, asking why the platform didn’t delete tweets by the Iranian leader that denied the Holocaust, yet flagged tweets by Trump.
“It’s strange to me that you flagged the tweets from the president but haven’t hidden the ayatollah’s tweets on Holocaust denial or calls to wipe Israel off the map?”
Dorsey said it is a different type of misinformation.
“We do have other policies around incitement to violence,” Dorsey said. “Some of the tweets that you mentioned are examples that might fall afoul of that.”
Gardner: “So, somebody who denies the Holocaust happened is not [spreading] misinformation?”
Dorsey: “It’s misleading information, but we don’t have a policy against that type of misleading information.”
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--2020-10-29--Does Quoting Scripture Get Biden Off The Hook? No, Here’s Why.

Though I don ’ t think he actually wrote one word of it , in a last-minute attempt to convince Christians to vote for him , Joe Biden peppered his newest op-ed with Scriptures .
Ironically , what Biden and others miss is that the power of God ’ s Word is in the application of it , not merely in “ quoting ” it .
James 1:22 warns , “ But be doers of the word , and not hearers only , deceiving yourselves.
” James 4:17 adds , “ Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is sin.
” This is why the application of God ’ s Word is vital — it divides the truth from the error .
Many politicians use religious talk and twist the Scriptures to support unbiblical initiatives .
For example , while wooing votes from concerned citizens , leaders will express their religious convictions and quote the Bible .
However , when the cameras are off , they ’ ll vote for partial-birth abortion and against protecting babies who survive late-term abortions .
Judge what they do , rather than what they say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love your neighbor ” to validate sin .
“ If you truly love someone , ” they say , “ you won ’ t disagree with them.
” Nothing could be further from the truth .
Yes , we must extend compassion but without compromise .
Warning , confronting , challenging , advising , and admonishing are all characteristic of genuine love .
Parents , for example , warn , confront , challenge , and admonish daily .
Truly misled or self-serving individuals would wrongly attribute these traits to “ hate-speech.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many Christians .
His policies line up with Scripture .
I ’ m not too worried about mean Tweets , but I ’ m extremely worried about burning babies to death via saline abortions or by removing them from the womb limb by limb .
I ’ m not as concerned about harsh statements as I am about the harsh treatment of children via sex trafficking .
This is something that the left is almost silent on — unless you consider Kamala Harris ’ support for legalizing prostitution .
That would certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staggering numbers of children being trafficked .
This election is not about two different men , but two different Americas .
We Need to Wake Up For instance , why didn ’ t any Democrat legislator vote to confirm the highly qualified Supreme Court Justice , Amy Coney Barrett ?
Because she adheres to God ’ s Word and does not embrace their narrative .
Not for any lack of qualification , but merely for political gain .
What a tragedy .
Gone are the days of voting for qualified candidates .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s be very clear on this : “ A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both ” ( Dwight D. Eisenhower ) .
Historically , we know that God judged those nations who continually tolerated sin ; wrong choices have devastating consequences .
Arnold Toynbee , who completed A Study of History in 1961 , said , “ Of the 22 civilizations that have appeared in history , 19 of them collapsed when they reached the moral state America is in today.
” That was written decades ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What a person does is just as important , if not more so , than what they say ( Matthew 21:29-31 ) .
For example , parents , if your son or daughter dates someone who encourages sexual sin , lasciviousness , and a casual acceptance of abortion , if their relationship leads to a pregnancy , are you going to care if the person they are dating “ quotes ” Scripture ?
As a father , I can tell you I don ’ t care if they can recite the entire New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting near my child .
The same principle applies here with Biden ’ s deceptive editorial .
No , Biden ’ s quoting Scripture does not get him off the hook , but it does reinforce the fact that sin is deceptive .
Satan quoted Scripture in the desert when he tempted Christ , and I can assure you , Satan lost that battle .
Many of us talk as if God is real , but act as if He were not .
Sadly , many people today who hear God ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else they twist it to fit their narrative .
You can listen to an example of Scripture being twisted to fit a sinful narrative in an interview I did on Fox News with a pastor who embraces same-sex marriage .
The Big Question for Me The big question for me is , why are many Christians allowing the media , fake news , and fake narratives to influence them ?
Our beliefs should reflect God ’ s heart rather than the world ’ s influence .
If your vote aligns with Hollywood more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to check that .
We don ’ t want their values , so why would we want their opinion ?
I would also add to this list the celebrity pastors who are trying to convince the evangelical world that we can vote for a person and yet have no responsibility for their actions .
They try to convince people that we can decide to not vote at all , as if we can somehow just decide to absolve ourselves of our obligation to “ Seek the welfare of the city where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeremiah 29:7 ) .
If it does not line up squarely with the Word of God , even if it comes from the mouths of angels , we are to reject it .
As I said in a recent article , we can no longer hide behind the excuse , “ I don ’ t want to get involved.
” As citizens , we are given the privilege , for now , to place people in positions of leadership .
Whether we like it or not , we are involved .
Millions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of registered voters stay home .
We ’ ll stand in line to see a movie , but we won ’ t stand in line to vote and elect leaders who will affect the direction of our country ( Biden or Trump will make nearly 4,000 appointments during their term ) .
This makes a statement about what we value — and isn ’ t it sad ?
When people who can vote for President Trump don ’ t , they , by default , cast a vote for the opposing party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved and who influence America ’ s political climate based on Scripture because “ light and darkness , right and wrong , good and evil , truth and error are incompatibles … when they compromise it is the light , the right , the good , and the truth that are damaged ” ( W. Graham Scroggie ) .
Truth can not be compromised .
God blesses and honors the peacemaker , but not the religious hypocrite who quotes God ’ s Word but doesn ’ t live by it .
Take time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouragement and hope .
Special Note : With this being the most important election in our lifetime , we made my book One Nation Above God available as a free download here .
It is a great resource to share with family and friends who are on the fence and for those questioning America ’ s past .
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network .
His program , Regaining Lost Ground , points us back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , truth does not .
His books , blogs , and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com .

Though I don’t think he actually wrote one word of it, in a last-minute attempt to convince Christians to vote for him, Joe Biden peppered his newest op-ed with Scriptures. Ironically, what Biden and others miss is that the power of God’s Word is in the application of it, not merely in “quoting” it. James 1:22 warns, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 4:17 adds, “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” This is why the application of God’s Word is vital — it divides the truth from the error.
Politicians’ Religious Talk
Many politicians use religious talk and twist the Scriptures to support unbiblical initiatives. For example, while wooing votes from concerned citizens, leaders will express their religious convictions and quote the Bible. However, when the cameras are off, they’ll vote for partial-birth abortion and against protecting babies who survive late-term abortions. Judge what they do, rather than what they say.
This election is not about two different men, but two different Americas.
They’ll also use “love your neighbor” to validate sin. “If you truly love someone,” they say, “you won’t disagree with them.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, we must extend compassion but without compromise. Warning, confronting, challenging, advising, and admonishing are all characteristic of genuine love. Parents, for example, warn, confront, challenge, and admonish daily. Truly misled or self-serving individuals would wrongly attribute these traits to “hate-speech.”
Two Different Americas
This is why President Trump is supported by so many Christians. His policies line up with Scripture. I’m not too worried about mean Tweets, but I’m extremely worried about burning babies to death via saline abortions or by removing them from the womb limb by limb. I’m not as concerned about harsh statements as I am about the harsh treatment of children via sex trafficking. This is something that the left is almost silent on — unless you consider Kamala Harris’ support for legalizing prostitution. That would certainly bring a massive increase in the already staggering numbers of children being trafficked. This election is not about two different men, but two different Americas.
We Need to Wake Up
For instance, why didn’t any Democrat legislator vote to confirm the highly qualified Supreme Court Justice, Amy Coney Barrett? Because she adheres to God’s Word and does not embrace their narrative. Not for any lack of qualification, but merely for political gain. What a tragedy. Gone are the days of voting for qualified candidates. This is clearly a spiritual battle.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Let’s be very clear on this: “A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both” (Dwight D. Eisenhower). Historically, we know that God judged those nations who continually tolerated sin; wrong choices have devastating consequences. Arnold Toynbee, who completed A Study of History in 1961, said, “Of the 22 civilizations that have appeared in history, 19 of them collapsed when they reached the moral state America is in today.” That was written decades ago. What would he say now?
Truth cannot be compromised. God blesses and honors the peacemaker, but not the religious hypocrite who quotes God’s Word but doesn’t live by it.
What a person does is just as important, if not more so, than what they say (Matthew 21:29-31). For example, parents, if your son or daughter dates someone who encourages sexual sin, lasciviousness, and a casual acceptance of abortion, if their relationship leads to a pregnancy, are you going to care if the person they are dating “quotes” Scripture? As a father, I can tell you I don’t care if they can recite the entire New Testament from memory. They are not getting near my child. The same principle applies here with Biden’s deceptive editorial.
Sin is Deceptive
No, Biden’s quoting Scripture does not get him off the hook, but it does reinforce the fact that sin is deceptive. Satan quoted Scripture in the desert when he tempted Christ, and I can assure you, Satan lost that battle. Many of us talk as if God is real, but act as if He were not. Sadly, many people today who hear God’s Word simply scoff at it, or else they twist it to fit their narrative. You can listen to an example of Scripture being twisted to fit a sinful narrative in an interview I did on Fox News with a pastor who embraces same-sex marriage.
The Big Question for Me
The big question for me is, why are many Christians allowing the media, fake news, and fake narratives to influence them? Our beliefs should reflect God’s heart rather than the world’s influence. If your vote aligns with Hollywood more than the Holy Spirit, you might want to check that. We don’t want their values, so why would we want their opinion?
I would also add to this list the celebrity pastors who are trying to convince the evangelical world that we can vote for a person and yet have no responsibility for their actions. They try to convince people that we can decide to not vote at all, as if we can somehow just decide to absolve ourselves of our obligation to “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile” (Jeremiah 29:7). If it does not line up squarely with the Word of God, even if it comes from the mouths of angels, we are to reject it.
No Excuses
As I said in a recent article, we can no longer hide behind the excuse, “I don’t want to get involved.” As citizens, we are given the privilege, for now, to place people in positions of leadership. Whether we like it or not, we are involved. Millions are not registered to vote, and millions of registered voters stay home. We’ll stand in line to see a movie, but we won’t stand in line to vote and elect leaders who will affect the direction of our country (Biden or Trump will make nearly 4,000 appointments during their term). This makes a statement about what we value — and isn’t it sad? When people who can vote for President Trump don’t, they, by default, cast a vote for the opposing party.
Truth Cannot be Compromised
I thank God for Christians who are involved and who influence America’s political climate based on Scripture because “light and darkness, right and wrong, good and evil, truth and error are incompatibles … when they compromise it is the light, the right, the good, and the truth that are damaged” (W. Graham Scroggie). Truth cannot be compromised. God blesses and honors the peacemaker, but not the religious hypocrite who quotes God’s Word but doesn’t live by it. Take time today and listen here if you need encouragement and hope.
Special Note: With this being the most important election in our lifetime, we made my book One Nation Above God available as a free download here. It is a great resource to share with family and friends who are on the fence and for those questioning America’s past.
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network. His program, Regaining Lost Ground, points us back to God and reminds us that although times change, truth does not. His books, blogs, and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com.


thestream--2020-10-29--US Economy Surges at Record Rate, GDP Grows 33.1%

The U.S. economy grew by a record 33.1 % in the third quarter of 2020 , as employers continue to restore jobs and the country continues to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic .
The Department of Commerce figure released Wednesday reflects the rate of decline in U.S. gross domestic product ( GDP ) during the third quarter , from July to September .
The economy plunged by 31.4 % in the second quarter of 2020 , a record drop caused by government measures to combat the spread of coronavirus , according to The Associated Press .
The economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s advance estimation of GDP , comes as good news to President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign , according to The Financial Times .
Americans have consistently approved of Trump ’ s handling of the economy throughout his presidency , The New York Times reported .
“ We ’ re having a Super V [ shaped recovery ] … nobody even thought .
Wait till you see that number in GDP , ” Trump said during a recent Pennsylvania rally , according to the FT. “ I ’ ll take 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take 15 right now .
I think the record was like seven or eight.
” Economists forecasted a 31 % rise in GDP , according to the FT. An Oct. 6 CNN poll showed Americans are split evenly on if Trump would be better for the economy than Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden .
It represented a drop in support for Trump ’ s handling of the economy compared to the rest of his presidency .
The positive news comes as many states have been hit with a fresh surge of coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. reported 78,661 new coronavirus cases and 1,025 new coronavirus deaths Wednesday .
Editor ’ s note : For a Stream analysis on reports of a surge in coronavirus cases , see “ Get Ready for the Pre-Election ‘ Casedemic ’ ” by William Briggs , Jay W. Richards , and Douglas Axe .
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 @

The U.S. economy grew by a record 33.1% in the third quarter of 2020, as employers continue to restore jobs and the country continues to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Department of Commerce figure released Wednesday reflects the rate of decline in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) during the third quarter, from July to September. The economy plunged by 31.4% in the second quarter of 2020, a record drop caused by government measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, according to The Associated Press.
The economic figure, which is the Commerce Department’s advance estimation of GDP, comes as good news to President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, according to The Financial Times. Americans have consistently approved of Trump’s handling of the economy throughout his presidency, The New York Times reported.
“We’re having a Super V [shaped recovery] … nobody even thought. Wait till you see that number in GDP,” Trump said during a recent Pennsylvania rally, according to the FT. “I’ll take 25% right now. I’ll take 15 right now. I think the record was like seven or eight.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Economists forecasted a 31% rise in GDP, according to the FT.
An Oct. 6 CNN poll showed Americans are split evenly on if Trump would be better for the economy than Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. It represented a drop in support for Trump’s handling of the economy compared to the rest of his presidency.
The positive news comes as many states have been hit with a fresh surge of coronavirus cases, according to The COVID Tracking Project. The U.S. reported 78,661 new coronavirus cases and 1,025 new coronavirus deaths Wednesday.
Editor’s note: For a Stream analysis on reports of a surge in coronavirus cases, see “Get Ready for the Pre-Election ‘Casedemic’” by William Briggs, Jay W. Richards, and Douglas Axe.
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--2020-10-30--Research: Christians Have Already Lost the Next Elections

“ There ’ s not much of a difference between the way young adults who are in the church think about the world and young adults who are not in the church think about the world , ” Dr. Jeff Myers told The Stream .
Young adults in the church are not opposed to socialism .
“ They ’ re onboard with it .
You might think that if you understood that God is real , that there would be such a thing as absolute truth that could be discovered .
And young adults in the church are not onboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Summit Ministries in Colorado , is an expert in youth leadership development .
Summit Ministries is an organization that equips and supports “ rising generations to embrace God ’ s truth and champion a biblical worldview.
” He and his colleagues at Summit work with over 40,000 young people each year , training them to reflect Christ in the culture .
Summit offers conferences and classes to fulfill that mission .
Myers has written 14 books and textbooks on faith and culture .
“ Comprehensive studies of evangelical youth reveal 69 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolute truth , and agree that if your beliefs offend someone , your beliefs are wrong .
Young Christians are also five times as likely as their older peers to embrace Marxist ideas , ” Myers recently wrote in a Washington Times article .
“ My fellow evangelicals are so focused on winning this [ presidential ] election , they don ’ t realize that the data shows we ’ ve already lost all elections after this one.
” He added , Can the Tide be Turned ?
Myers said conservatives need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investing in training young adults in a biblical worldview.
” Christians need to understand that just because they go to church , their children won ’ t automatically become pro-life , pro-family or pro-liberty .
“ Only 19 % of church-going , born-again Christians have a biblical worldview.
” A Barna poll found that “ young Christians with a biblical worldview were supportive of capitalism ( 83 % ) , conservative social policies ( 91 % ) , opposed to abortion ( 89 % ) and supported the view that government for be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % ) .
” Since a person ’ s worldview is in place by about 13 years old , according to Myers , it ’ s up to parents of younger children to “ train up a child in the way he should go.
” Parents haven ’ t always been aware of their children ’ s worldview .
Myers believes that a few events have created the space for parents and children to talk and get to know each other better .
COVID-19 , the death of George Floyd , Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how families communicate .
“ It ’ s in a time of crisis where things get real in family conversations , if they ’ re going to .
“ I think [ when ] we look back at March or April of this year , we see parents who started talking to their kids about these issues realize they don ’ t share common assumptions .
They may have been in church all of their lives … but their thinking about the issues of our world was shaped by what was happening in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church.
” Parents are finding out that they can ’ t just sit out the worldview issue .
Culture is coming to them .
What Parents Can Do So , what can parents do ?
They need a plan .
Parents need to know what their children are facing and then give them good questions and provide facts .
Then they can apply those questions during discussions with others .
“ I teach students [ to ] lead with questions .
When somebody says , ‘ Oh , well , you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t even worth talking to.
’ ‘ Oh , really ?
So , when you say black lives matter , what is it that you really are you referring to ?
An organization , or are you referring to a mindset ?
Help me understand that .
What do you mean by that ?
How did you arrive at that conclusion ?
How do you know that is true ? '
” Myers believes those are the kinds of questions that move people beyond just clichés .
Then parents need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s where an organization like PragerU comes in .
“ They really bring it down to the bottom shelf and say , ‘ You thought you knew what the truth is on this issue , but here ’ s an expert explaining it in an undeniably compelling way .
We should be thinking differently about it . '
” Resources are available for parents through organizations like Turning Point USA , PragerU and Summit Ministries .
Summit Ministries works with kids from 5 years old to 25 years old .
They support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Scripture and champion a biblical worldview through their programs and curriculum for Christian schools and homeschooling families .
The good news is that once a child ’ s worldview is formed , during those early teen years , it generally sticks .
“ What they believe at age 13 is pretty much what they will go to their grave believing.
” As much as parents want their child to have sound questions and facts , they don ’ t want their child to be aggressive — or avoid the topics , either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , ‘ Well , who am I to judge ?
You have your truth .
I have my truth.
’ Instead , we want them to transcend that and become an advocate where you ’ re fighting for the ideas that you ’ re sharing , but you ’ re also fighting for the other person , because their knowing the truth is the point — not your being right.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ @ @

“There’s not much of a difference between the way young adults who are in the church think about the world and young adults who are not in the church think about the world,” Dr. Jeff Myers told The Stream. Young adults in the church are not opposed to socialism. “They’re onboard with it. You might think that if you understood that God is real, that there would be such a thing as absolute truth that could be discovered. And young adults in the church are not onboard with that idea.”
Faith and Culture
Myers, President of Summit Ministries in Colorado, is an expert in youth leadership development. Summit Ministries is an organization that equips and supports “rising generations to embrace God’s truth and champion a biblical worldview.” He and his colleagues at Summit work with over 40,000 young people each year, training them to reflect Christ in the culture. Summit offers conferences and classes to fulfill that mission. Myers has written 14 books and textbooks on faith and culture.
We’ve Already Lost
“Comprehensive studies of evangelical youth reveal 69% who attend church do not believe in absolute truth, and agree that if your beliefs offend someone, your beliefs are wrong. Young Christians are also five times as likely as their older peers to embrace Marxist ideas,” Myers recently wrote in a Washington Times article. “My fellow evangelicals are so focused on winning this [presidential] election, they don’t realize that the data shows we’ve already lost all elections after this one.” He added,
Polls show that a permanent anti-religious, socialist majority through the vehicle of the Democratic Party is emerging in the United States, a majority that will be dominant by 2024, and locked in place by 2030.
Can the Tide be Turned?
Myers said conservatives need to think long term. “This means investing in training young adults in a biblical worldview.” Christians need to understand that just because they go to church, their children won’t automatically become pro-life, pro-family or pro-liberty. “Only 19% of church-going, born-again Christians have a biblical worldview.”
A Barna poll found that “young Christians with a biblical worldview were supportive of capitalism (83%), conservative social policies (91%), opposed to abortion (89%) and supported the view that government for be small and limited in scope (83%).”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Since a person’s worldview is in place by about 13 years old, according to Myers, it’s up to parents of younger children to “train up a child in the way he should go.” Parents haven’t always been aware of their children’s worldview. Myers believes that a few events have created the space for parents and children to talk and get to know each other better. COVID-19, the death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, among other events have changed how families communicate. “It’s in a time of crisis where things get real in family conversations, if they’re going to.
“I think [when] we look back at March or April of this year, we see parents who started talking to their kids about these issues realize they don’t share common assumptions. They may have been in church all of their lives … but their thinking about the issues of our world was shaped by what was happening in their school, not what happened at church.” Parents are finding out that they can’t just sit out the worldview issue. Culture is coming to them.
What Parents Can Do
So, what can parents do? They need a plan. Parents need to know what their children are facing and then give them good questions and provide facts. Then they can apply those questions during discussions with others. “I teach students [to] lead with questions. When somebody says, ‘Oh, well, you know, anybody who opposes black lives matter, isn’t even worth talking to.’ ‘Oh, really? So, when you say black lives matter, what is it that you really are you referring to? An organization, or are you referring to a mindset? Help me understand that. What do you mean by that? How did you arrive at that conclusion? How do you know that is true?'” Myers believes those are the kinds of questions that move people beyond just clichés.
Then parents need to equip their children with facts. That’s where an organization like PragerU comes in. “They really bring it down to the bottom shelf and say, ‘You thought you knew what the truth is on this issue, but here’s an expert explaining it in an undeniably compelling way. We should be thinking differently about it.'”
Resources are available for parents through organizations like Turning Point USA, PragerU and Summit Ministries. Summit Ministries works with kids from 5 years old to 25 years old. They support them to embrace God’s truth in Scripture and champion a biblical worldview through their programs and curriculum for Christian schools and homeschooling families.
Knowing the Truth
The good news is that once a child’s worldview is formed, during those early teen years, it generally sticks. “What they believe at age 13 is pretty much what they will go to their grave believing.” As much as parents want their child to have sound questions and facts, they don’t want their child to be aggressive — or avoid the topics, either. “You know, when somebody says, ‘Well, who am I to judge? You have your truth. I have my truth.’ Instead, we want them to transcend that and become an advocate where you’re fighting for the ideas that you’re sharing, but you’re also fighting for the other person, because their knowing the truth is the point — not your being right.”
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-10-30--Military Photo of the Day: Trick-or-Treat, Sailor Style

U.S. Navy sailors stationed at Naval Air Facility Misawa distribute Halloween candy to local children in Aomori , Japan , @ @ @ @ @ .
Have a safe and Happy Halloween , everyone !

U.S. Navy sailors stationed at Naval Air Facility Misawa distribute Halloween candy to local children in Aomori, Japan, on October 22, 2020.
Have a safe and Happy Halloween, everyone!
React to This Article What do you think of our coverage in this article? We value your feedback as we continue to grow.


thestream--2020-10-30--#Election2020: No Matter Who Wins, Military Heroes Have Our Backs

When I cast my 2020 presidential election vote earlier this week in Palm Beach County , Florida , I thought of all the brave men and women in uniform who ’ ve sacrificed so much for the miracle of freedom .
This is the fifth presidential election since the 9/11 attacks .
In 2004 , George W. Bush defeated John Kerry .
In 2008 , Barack Obama beat John McCain before also defeating Mitt Romney in 2012 .
In 2016 , of course , Donald Trump shocked the political world with his stunning upset victory over Hillary Clinton .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ most important of our lifetime ” by politicians and pundits .
There was another common thread , however : our safety , security and liberty remained intact during and after the votes were counted .
Despite dire warnings of violence and civil unrest , Americans can rest assured in knowing that whether Trump or Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20 , 2021 , the valiant men and women of the United States military will have our backs .
At this hour , National Guard troops like the warriors pictured above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election is free , fair , efficient and safe .
In addition to active duty service members and reservists , veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and other conflicts are volunteering to staff polling stations , as The Stream mentioned last week .
“ It ’ s another way to give back to the country , which is something that has been a big part of my life , ” Dan Berschinski , who lost both his legs while serving in Afghanistan , told Reuters .
“ It just seems the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans might be polarized when it comes to politics , the selfless sacrifices of heroes like Berschinski bind us all .
Whenever I start getting upset about a political controversy or election result , I try to remind myself that every single day since 9/11 , our brave men and women have been fighting for something bigger : our liberty and way of life .
Whether or not you agreed with the 2003 invasion or Iraq or the ongoing 19-year war in Afghanistan , not once has a service member , veteran or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to fight for a politician .
They instead volunteered to protect our nation from terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS or evil dictators around the world .
More importantly , they wanted to do something bigger than themselves in defending freedom and our flag .
If you ’ ve voted or are planning to vote for President Trump , it ’ s probably hard to come to grips with the possibility of Biden and Kamala Harris taking office this winter .
If you ’ re a Biden supporter , four more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely just as difficult to imagine .
Whatever happens , we will be okay , no matter how corny that notion might seem .
While there ’ s nothing wrong with putting your trust in a particular politician , the fact that thousands of volunteer warriors are willing to put themselves at risk during a time of war , disease and discord for our safety is truly a blessing from God .
Whether Trump or Biden wins , it is comforting to know that our country will still be protected by the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ever seen .
My friend and co-author , Beau Wise , told me that he recently went to vote .
Beau not only fought in Afghanistan himself , but lost both his brothers , Jeremy and Ben , in the same war .
Despite all that he and his loved ones have lost , Beau still believes in our beautifully unique country .
If he can keep the faith , so can we .
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream .
He is co-author of Three Wise Men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Courage and Fire in My Eyes .
Follow Tom on Twitter @ TSileo and The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

When I cast my 2020 presidential election vote earlier this week in Palm Beach County, Florida, I thought of all the brave men and women in uniform who’ve sacrificed so much for the miracle of freedom.
This is the fifth presidential election since the 9/11 attacks. In 2004, George W. Bush defeated John Kerry. In 2008, Barack Obama beat John McCain before also defeating Mitt Romney in 2012. In 2016, of course, Donald Trump shocked the political world with his stunning upset victory over Hillary Clinton.
At the time, each election was called the “most important of our lifetime” by politicians and pundits. There was another common thread, however: our safety, security and liberty remained intact during and after the votes were counted. Despite dire warnings of violence and civil unrest, Americans can rest assured in knowing that whether Trump or Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20, 2021, the valiant men and women of the United States military will have our backs.
At this hour, National Guard troops like the warriors pictured above are working to ensure that the 2020 presidential election is free, fair, efficient and safe. In addition to active duty service members and reservists, veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and other conflicts are volunteering to staff polling stations, as The Stream mentioned last week.
“It’s another way to give back to the country, which is something that has been a big part of my life,” Dan Berschinski, who lost both his legs while serving in Afghanistan, told Reuters. “It just seems the right thing to do now.”
While Americans might be polarized when it comes to politics, the selfless sacrifices of heroes like Berschinski bind us all. Whenever I start getting upset about a political controversy or election result, I try to remind myself that every single day since 9/11, our brave men and women have been fighting for something bigger: our liberty and way of life.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Whether or not you agreed with the 2003 invasion or Iraq or the ongoing 19-year war in Afghanistan, not once has a service member, veteran or military family member told me they signed up to fight for a politician. They instead volunteered to protect our nation from terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS or evil dictators around the world. More importantly, they wanted to do something bigger than themselves in defending freedom and our flag.
If you’ve voted or are planning to vote for President Trump, it’s probably hard to come to grips with the possibility of Biden and Kamala Harris taking office this winter. If you’re a Biden supporter, four more years of Trump and Mike Pence is likely just as difficult to imagine.
Whatever happens, we will be okay, no matter how corny that notion might seem. While there’s nothing wrong with putting your trust in a particular politician, the fact that thousands of volunteer warriors are willing to put themselves at risk during a time of war, disease and discord for our safety is truly a blessing from God. Whether Trump or Biden wins, it is comforting to know that our country will still be protected by the greatest and most compassionate fighting force the world has ever seen.
My friend and co-author, Beau Wise, told me that he recently went to vote. Beau not only fought in Afghanistan himself, but lost both his brothers, Jeremy and Ben, in the same war.
Despite all that he and his loved ones have lost, Beau still believes in our beautifully unique country. If he can keep the faith, so can we.
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of Three Wise Men, Brothers Forever, 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-10-31--We Should Be Very Concerned About Censorship

When people as disparate as John Cleese , of Monty Python fame , journalist Piers Morgan , and Intercept co-founder Glenn Greenwald raise their voices in concern , you know that there ’ s a problem .
A very big problem .
Censorship by the giants of media and social media has gotten out of control .
Ted Cruz ’ s grilling of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has rightly gone viral .
Yet the answers given by Dorsey were chilling .
To paraphrase , “ Even though we blew it , if the New York Post ” — yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s leading and historic newspapers — “ wants to access its account again , it must remove the tweet we don ’ t like.
” In other words , “ Play by the rules we make , as uneven and biased as they may be , or we will silence you .
And make no mistake about it .
We have that power.
” I remember the first time Facebook shut down one of our ministry ’ s pages and locked me out , along with our page administrator .
We had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of which we could not post anything to the page or access our account .
Thankfully , I was given the name of someone within Facebook who helped religious organizations , and after reviewing the complaints , Facebook apologized and reinstated our page .
Still , it was a jarring experience .
You work hard for years to cultivate an audience .
You spend thousands of hours posting material and interacting with your followers .
You build a constituency and they become your co-workers , sharing your material with others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on false charges by people who themselves are bigoted , you are shut down .
Silenced .
Cut off from your constituency .
Unable to communicate or even explain what has happened .
And if you dare cross the line again — so say the ominous warnings you receive the social media gatekeepers — you will be banned for life .
What kind of power is that ?
It felt like a personal violation .
But it ’ s not just the unfair censoring of social media .
It ’ s the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blackout of the Hunter Biden investigation by the left .
It really is frightening .
A few days ago , I asked a friend of mine who is an ultra-Orthodox rabbi about his community ’ s voting patterns in recent years .
After explaining that they have largely voted Republican for some time now , he wrote : “ I think that the support for Trump is more vocal because the two positions are so starkly contrasted — the left has lost any veneer of morality , their anti-Semitism is out in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questionable , they stand on the side of anarchy against law and order ( which according to the Avot 3:2 [ a citation from the Mishnah ] and common sense is the primary function of a government ) — and I think that the corruption of the media plays a big part in this — people are frightened of such an extremely corrupt media — in a certain sense the media is more powerful than government .
A vote for Trump is a vote against the liberal media.
” Yes , “ people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media.
” Are we that much better than oppressive regimes like North Korea , where the people are fed only what the government wants them to see and hear ?
Here in America , we have an endless stream of news services from all perspectives , almost all of them available online in one form or another .
But if the social media giants suppress the flow of that news according to their own biases , and if the media outlets we follow on the right or left are selective or even deceptive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will think we are getting the whole story when , in fact , we are not .
As for Glenn Greenwald , co-founder of the website Intercept , he resigned because his co-editors , all of them fiercely loyal to Joe Biden , would not allow his latest article to run .
He explained , “ The Intercept ’ s editors , in violation of my contractual right of editorial freedom , censored an article I wrote this week , refusing to publish it unless I remove all sections critical of Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported by all New-York-based Intercept editors involved in this effort at suppression .
The censored article , based on recently revealed emails and witness testimony , raised critical questions about Biden ’ s conduct.
” They would not even allow him to publish it elsewhere , and they also declined his invitation to write a rebuttal to his article , challenging his points .
And so , he resigned .
As for Piers Morgan , who seemed quite at home on CNN during his stint there , he slammed the media ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation , saying , “ Imagine if we switched the names around .
Imagine if the story was about Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump .
What would be happening ?
” He added , “ Do you think that the tech giants would be suppressing the story would the mainstream media be ignoring the story and say that it ’ s all just an unfair smear on the Trumps ?
” Yes , “ The job of a newspaper , of a television network , of anybody , frankly , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech and believes in journalism is to go and investigate the allegations the New York Post has made.
” Not if it might hurt Joe Biden ’ s chances for election .
John Cleese and the Censoring of Creativity As for John Cleese , with reference to the creative process , he said , “ I mean , if you ’ re going to come out with something really interesting artistically it ’ s going to come out of your unconscious , and if you ’ re having to edit everything you say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to happen creatively — and also things that are rather lovely and funny in ordinary conversation , they ’ re not going to happen either , because everybody ’ s thinking ‘ Ooh , somebody might [ be offended ] ’ .
” This , in turn ties in with the larger cancel culture , which is yet another , chilling aspect of censorship and silencing .
What , then , should we do ?
Shout our messages from the rooftops .
Speak out all the more loudly and clearly .
Investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truth and share the truth .
As Paul wrote , “ For we can do nothing against the truth , but only for the truth ” ( 2 Corinthians 13:8 ) .
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 .

When people as disparate as John Cleese, of Monty Python fame, journalist Piers Morgan, and Intercept co-founder Glenn Greenwald raise their voices in concern, you know that there’s a problem. A very big problem. Censorship by the giants of media and social media has gotten out of control.
Ted Cruz’s grilling of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has rightly gone viral. Yet the answers given by Dorsey were chilling. To paraphrase, “Even though we blew it, if the New York Post” — yes, the Post, one of the nation’s leading and historic newspapers — “wants to access its account again, it must remove the tweet we don’t like.”
In other words, “Play by the rules we make, as uneven and biased as they may be, or we will silence you. And make no mistake about it. We have that power.”
Falsely Accused
I remember the first time Facebook shut down one of our ministry’s pages and locked me out, along with our page administrator. We had been falsely accused of hate speech, as a result of which we could not post anything to the page or access our account.
Thankfully, I was given the name of someone within Facebook who helped religious organizations, and after reviewing the complaints, Facebook apologized and reinstated our page.
Still, it was a jarring experience.
You work hard for years to cultivate an audience. You spend thousands of hours posting material and interacting with your followers. You build a constituency and they become your co-workers, sharing your material with others.
And then, suddenly, based on false charges by people who themselves are bigoted, you are shut down. Silenced. Cut off from your constituency. Unable to communicate or even explain what has happened. And if you dare cross the line again — so say the ominous warnings you receive the social media gatekeepers — you will be banned for life.
What kind of power is that? It felt like a personal violation.
But it’s not just the unfair censoring of social media. It’s the media itself, as illustrated by the virtual blackout of the Hunter Biden investigation by the left. It really is frightening.
An Extremely Corrupt Media
A few days ago, I asked a friend of mine who is an ultra-Orthodox rabbi about his community’s voting patterns in recent years.
After explaining that they have largely voted Republican for some time now, he wrote: “I think that the support for Trump is more vocal because the two positions are so starkly contrasted — the left has lost any veneer of morality, their anti-Semitism is out in the open, their corruption is no longer questionable, they stand on the side of anarchy against law and order (which according to the Avot 3:2 [a citation from the Mishnah] and common sense is the primary function of a government) — and I think that the corruption of the media plays a big part in this — people are frightened of such an extremely corrupt media — in a certain sense the media is more powerful than government. A vote for Trump is a vote against the liberal media.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Yes, “people are frightened of such an extremely corrupt media.” Are we that much better than oppressive regimes like North Korea, where the people are fed only what the government wants them to see and hear?
Here in America, we have an endless stream of news services from all perspectives, almost all of them available online in one form or another. But if the social media giants suppress the flow of that news according to their own biases, and if the media outlets we follow on the right or left are selective or even deceptive in what they report, then we will think we are getting the whole story when, in fact, we are not.
Glenn Greenwald and The Intercept
As for Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of the website Intercept, he resigned because his co-editors, all of them fiercely loyal to Joe Biden, would not allow his latest article to run. He explained, “The Intercept’s editors, in violation of my contractual right of editorial freedom, censored an article I wrote this week, refusing to publish it unless I remove all sections critical of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the candidate vehemently supported by all New-York-based Intercept editors involved in this effort at suppression. The censored article, based on recently revealed emails and witness testimony, raised critical questions about Biden’s conduct.”
They would not even allow him to publish it elsewhere, and they also declined his invitation to write a rebuttal to his article, challenging his points. And so, he resigned.
Piers Morgan and the Hunter Biden Investigation
As for Piers Morgan, who seemed quite at home on CNN during his stint there, he slammed the media’s failure to report on the Hunter Biden investigation, saying, “Imagine if we switched the names around. Imagine if the story was about Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump. What would be happening?”
He added, “Do you think that the tech giants would be suppressing the story would the mainstream media be ignoring the story and say that it’s all just an unfair smear on the Trumps?”
Yes, “The job of a newspaper, of a television network, of anybody, frankly, in the media, who believes in freedom of speech and believes in journalism is to go and investigate the allegations the New York Post has made.”
Not if it might hurt Joe Biden’s chances for election.
John Cleese and the Censoring of Creativity
As for John Cleese, with reference to the creative process, he said, “I mean, if you’re going to come out with something really interesting artistically it’s going to come out of your unconscious, and if you’re having to edit everything you say before you say it then nothing it going to happen creatively — and also things that are rather lovely and funny in ordinary conversation, they’re not going to happen either, because everybody’s thinking ‘Ooh, somebody might [be offended]’.”
This, in turn ties in with the larger cancel culture, which is yet another, chilling aspect of censorship and silencing.
What, then, should we do?
Shout our messages from the rooftops. Speak out all the more loudly and clearly. Investigate and study and research. Get to the truth and share the truth.
As Paul wrote, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8).
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.