thestream--2020-06-21--My Father Didn’t Die ‘With Dignity,’ as the World Wanted Him to Die, and In That Way He Died Serving

My Father Didn’t Die ‘With Dignity,’ as the World Wanted Him to Die, and In That Way He Died Serving Others

He was a dignified man suffering all the embarrassing ways a hospice deals with the body ’ s failure as cancer begins shutting down the organs .
Dying in a hospice , you lose all rights to modesty as you lose control of your body .
Few men could have found the indignities of those last few weeks of life more excruciating than did my father .
The man who was always in control depended entirely on the help of others , most of them strangers , most of them nurses ’ aides , cheerful young women the age of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always doing something constructive could not move from his bed .
The man who had always made his words count could not speak .
The man who was always reserved could hide nothing , keep nothing to himself .
I did not want to see him there .
This was what dying of cancer is like , and my father , being the man he was , took it like a man .
It was the hand he ’ d been dealt , and he was going to play it , as bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five years ago , in bookstores I still find myself starting to buy a book I know he ’ ll like , and thinking as I start to pull it off the shelf , “ No , wait , ” or deciding to ask his advice on a matter great or small , and thinking as I reach for my phone , “ No , wait.
” Every time I feel that sharp burning pain behind the sternum you get when your body panics and floods itself with adrenalin .
The world has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will never be filled in this life .
It is a great blessing to be with your father as he dies , though mercifully a blessing you will enjoy only once .
I was sitting in his room at the hospice , my wife and children having run round the corner to get lunch , my mother having lunch with an old friend round another corner , my sister up the road at her job running a thrift store .
He had , as far as we knew , as far as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ihad been there for a couple of hours , editing something on my laptop , focused on the work , when suddenly I knew , I don ’ t know how , other than Grace , that he was breathing his last .
He drew in a short , hard breath .
I knelt by his head and said , “ Goodbye , dad.
” He drew in a shorter , shallower breath , almost a half-breath , and then stopped .
I went to get the nurse , waving my hand toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She came in , listened for a heartbeat , and I stood hoping I was wrong , that I ’ d missed something , that I was going to be embarrassed , till she shook her head at another nurse who had come into the room behind me .
Being there was , as I say , a great blessing .
At least , it is a great blessing to be with your father when he dies if he died the way mine did .
He did not die with dignity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dignity ” define it , which means , in essence , to die as if you weren ’ t dying .
It is not dignified to be undressed and dressed by cheerful young women the age of your granddaughter .
It is not dignified to waste away , to lose the ability to speak , to eat , to drink .
It is not dignified for your children and grandchildren to see you that way .
It is not dignified to die when death takes you and not when you choose .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with dignity ” and programs like those offered in Oregon and the Netherlands , where doctors will help you leave this world at the moment of your choosing , without fuss or bother or pain .
I do not want to die and I really , really do not want to die the way my father did .
I would find the indignities as excruciating as he did , and I have no confidence I would deal with the pain as bravely as he .
I would not want my children to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dignity ” seems to offer not only an escape from pain and humiliation but a rational and apparently noble way to leave this life .
You look death in the eye and show him that you , not he , are in control .
All “ dying with dignity ” requires is that you declare yourself God .
Make yourself the lord of life and death , and you can do what you want .
All you have to do , as a last , definitive act , is to do what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Declare yourself , on the matter at hand , the final authority , the last judge , the one vote that counts .
You Are Not God But you are not God , and , the Christian believes , the decision of when to leave this life is not one He has delegated to you .
It is not your call .
The Father expects you to suffer if you are given suffering and to put up with indignities if you are given indignities .
The Lord gives , and the Lord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Lord .
And that , as far as dying goes , is that .
This is not , from a worldly point of view , a comforting or comfortable teaching .
It is one much easier for Christians to observe in theory than in practice , and to apply to other people than to themselves .
In practice , we will want to die “ with dignity.
” My father was an engineer , not a philosopher .
I ’ m not sure if he read a theological book in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bemused him .
But he knew who he was and what he was called to do , a condition others would put in a theological language I suspect he thought was unnecessary .
He was dying .
That was his job , and he would do it as well as he could .
Lying in a hospice bed , in the very last situation he would have chosen for himself , my father taught me that to die with dignity means to accept what God has given you and deal with it till @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hand God has dealt you , no matter how bad a hand it is , without folding .
It means actually to live as if the Lord gives , and the Lord takes away , and in either case blessed be the name of the Lord .
It ’ s dignity of a different sort than the corruptingly euphemistic slogan “ death with dignity ” suggests .
There is a great — an eternal — dignity in accepting whatever indignities you have to suffer to remain faithful to God and to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A man can be humiliated and yet noble , and the humiliations make the nobility all the more obvious .
My father died with dignity , though the advocates of euthanasia and the clean , quick , controlled exit might not think so .
Here my father held a line he probably did not recognize , a line that protects the vulnerable .
He would never have said this , and would have thought the idea pretentious .
But by living as if his life was not his to give up he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible that the lives of the vulnerable are not for others to take .
There are only a few steps from declaring that a man may choose to be killed to choosing death for those who can not choose for themselves .
The vulnerable are protected by those who refuse the choice .
The man who chooses the timing and meaning of his own death has looked death in the eye and shown him that he is in control — but only by giving death what he demands even sooner than he demands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deal death will take .
My father , lying in the bed by the window in a hospice he would never leave , offered death no deal at all .
Reprinted from the March 2011 issue of First Things .
See also his reflection , On Father ’ s Day , when your father has died .
David Mills is a senior editor of The Stream .
After teaching writing in a seminary , he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things .
He edits the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monthly “ Last Things ” column for the New Oxford Review and a weekly column for the English Catholic Herald .
He is finishing a book on death and dying to be published by Sophia Institute Press .

He was a dignified man suffering all the embarrassing ways a hospice deals with the body’s failure as cancer begins shutting down the organs. Dying in a hospice, you lose all rights to modesty as you lose control of your body. Few men could have found the indignities of those last few weeks of life more excruciating than did my father.
The man who was always in control depended entirely on the help of others, most of them strangers, most of them nurses’ aides, cheerful young women the age of his granddaughter. The man who was always doing something constructive could not move from his bed. The man who had always made his words count could not speak. The man who was always reserved could hide nothing, keep nothing to himself.
I did not want to see him there. This was what dying of cancer is like, and my father, being the man he was, took it like a man. It was the hand he’d been dealt, and he was going to play it, as bad as it was.
A Great Blessing
Though he died five years ago, in bookstores I still find myself starting to buy a book I know he’ll like, and thinking as I start to pull it off the shelf, “No, wait,” or deciding to ask his advice on a matter great or small, and thinking as I reach for my phone, “No, wait.” Every time I feel that sharp burning pain behind the sternum you get when your body panics and floods itself with adrenalin. The world has a hole in it and one that will never be filled in this life.
It is a great blessing to be with your father as he dies, though mercifully a blessing you will enjoy only once. I was sitting in his room at the hospice, my wife and children having run round the corner to get lunch, my mother having lunch with an old friend round another corner, my sister up the road at her job running a thrift store. He had, as far as we knew, as far as the doctors knew, weeks to live.
I had been there for a couple of hours, editing something on my laptop, focused on the work, when suddenly I knew, I don’t know how, other than Grace, that he was breathing his last. He drew in a short, hard breath. I knelt by his head and said, “Goodbye, dad.” He drew in a shorter, shallower breath, almost a half-breath, and then stopped.
I went to get the nurse, waving my hand toward the room because I could not speak. She came in, listened for a heartbeat, and I stood hoping I was wrong, that I’d missed something, that I was going to be embarrassed, till she shook her head at another nurse who had come into the room behind me.
A Great Blessing
Being there was, as I say, a great blessing. At least, it is a great blessing to be with your father when he dies if he died the way mine did. He did not die with dignity, as those who promote “death with dignity” define it, which means, in essence, to die as if you weren’t dying.
It is not dignified to be undressed and dressed by cheerful young women the age of your granddaughter. It is not dignified to waste away, to lose the ability to speak, to eat, to drink. It is not dignified for your children and grandchildren to see you that way. It is not dignified to die when death takes you and not when you choose.
I can see the appeal of “death with dignity” and programs like those offered in Oregon and the Netherlands, where doctors will help you leave this world at the moment of your choosing, without fuss or bother or pain. I do not want to die and I really, really do not want to die the way my father did.
I would find the indignities as excruciating as he did, and I have no confidence I would deal with the pain as bravely as he. I would not want my children to see me so pathetic.
“Death with dignity” seems to offer not only an escape from pain and humiliation but a rational and apparently noble way to leave this life. You look death in the eye and show him that you, not he, are in control.
All “dying with dignity” requires is that you declare yourself God. Make yourself the lord of life and death, and you can do what you want. All you have to do, as a last, definitive act, is to do what you’ve been doing all your life: Declare yourself, on the matter at hand, the final authority, the last judge, the one vote that counts.
You Are Not God
But you are not God, and, the Christian believes, the decision of when to leave this life is not one He has delegated to you. It is not your call. The Father expects you to suffer if you are given suffering and to put up with indignities if you are given indignities. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord. And that, as far as dying goes, is that.
This is not, from a worldly point of view, a comforting or comfortable teaching. It is one much easier for Christians to observe in theory than in practice, and to apply to other people than to themselves. In practice, we will want to die “with dignity.”
My father was an engineer, not a philosopher. I’m not sure if he read a theological book in his life. The questions that interested me bemused him. But he knew who he was and what he was called to do, a condition others would put in a theological language I suspect he thought was unnecessary. He was dying. That was his job, and he would do it as well as he could.
Lying in a hospice bed, in the very last situation he would have chosen for himself, my father taught me that to die with dignity means to accept what God has given you and deal with it till the end. It means to play the hand God has dealt you, no matter how bad a hand it is, without folding. It means actually to live as if the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, and in either case blessed be the name of the Lord.
It’s dignity of a different sort than the corruptingly euphemistic slogan “death with dignity” suggests. There is a great — an eternal — dignity in accepting whatever indignities you have to suffer to remain faithful to God and to do what He has given you to do. A man can be humiliated and yet noble, and the humiliations make the nobility all the more obvious. My father died with dignity, though the advocates of euthanasia and the clean, quick, controlled exit might not think so.
My Father Held the Line
Here my father held a line he probably did not recognize, a line that protects the vulnerable. He would never have said this, and would have thought the idea pretentious.
But by living as if his life was not his to give up he also declared in the most practical way possible that the lives of the vulnerable are not for others to take. There are only a few steps from declaring that a man may choose to be killed to choosing death for those who cannot choose for themselves. The vulnerable are protected by those who refuse the choice.
The man who chooses the timing and meaning of his own death has looked death in the eye and shown him that he is in control — but only by giving death what he demands even sooner than he demands it. That, presumably, is a deal death will take. My father, lying in the bed by the window in a hospice he would never leave, offered death no deal at all.
Reprinted from the March 2011 issue of First Things. See also his reflection, On Father’s Day, when your father has died.
David Mills is a senior editor of The Stream. After teaching writing in a seminary, he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things. He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes the monthly “Last Things” column for the New Oxford Review and a weekly column for the English Catholic Herald. He is finishing a book on death and dying to be published by Sophia Institute Press.


thestream--2020-06-21--What Are We Talking About? Understanding the Evolving Definitions of Racism and Related Terms

The Merriam-Webster dictionary announced last week that it is revising its definition of “ racism , ” expanding it to reflect the “ systemic aspects ” of racism .
To some the move will look like a grasp at a bandwagon .
But as dictionary editor Alex Chambers told The New York Times , definitions are added or revised “ when we see large-scale changes happening in language.
” And the cultural understanding of “ racism , ” at least among younger generations , is evolving .
After all , it was a recent college graduate , Kennedy Mitchum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the interest of understanding , here ’ s a quick look at the way young adults , especially millennials and Gen Zers , are coming to understand “ racism ” and related terms .
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “ racism ” as “ the belief that one ’ s own racial or ethnic group is superior.
” The Merriam-Webster definition previously included three sections , which also emphasized belief in superiority or inferiority based on race .
To Americans who understand “ racism ” by these definitions , the constant use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous .
A common mantra claims , If everything is racist , nothing is .
In other words , reserve the “ racist ” epithet for people who really deserve it , like members of the KKK .
For many millennials and members of Gen Z , however , the definition is more complex .
It ’ s not limited to an explicit , hateful ideology .
It ’ s not always about intent .
Under this understanding , someone could do or say something racist unintentionally .
“ It ’ s important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than outright thinking one race is better than the other , ” a Metro UK article explains .
“ Most of us probably don ’ t go around thinking our skin is better than the colour of other people ’ s skin.
” That ’ s true .
But consider our history .
Up until around 50 years ago in the United States , mistreating someone based on their race was common .
It was legal .
Believing in the superiority of whiteness was the norm .
It ’ s not far-fetched to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , remnants of bias remain ingrained in our collective subconscious .
Negative assumptions .
Inaccurate stereotypes .
Policies that negatively affect certain minorities disproportionately .
If we ’ re not directly affected by any of these things , we ’ re less likely to see them as harmful — or notice them at all .
It ’ s not always a matter of being malicious , but having blind spots .
To younger generations of Americans , “ racism ” encompasses all of these realities .
Another term sure to kickstart a brawl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privilege.
” Much of white America finds this term unpalatable .
As Princeton college student Tal Fortang penned in a viral 2014 essay , his white ancestors had plenty of hardship .
Working class whites balk at the idea that their life is easy .
But is that what the idea of “ white privilege ” really means ?
In short , no .
Google the term and you ’ ll see that in between Peggy McIntosh ’ s “ Invisible Knapsack ” essay in 1989 and megachurch pastor Louie Giglio ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days ago , there are various ideas about what “ white privilege ” entails .
What most agree white privilege doesn ’ t mean is that white people never struggle .
It just means that those struggles aren ’ t the result of skin color .
It means that white people ’ s history in this nation hasn ’ t been shaped by large scale , targeted mistreatment .
So when someone says you have “ white privilege , ” most of the time they ’ re not assuming your whole life has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleging that you ’ ve never worked hard .
The New York Times reported last week that “ over the last two weeks , support for Black Lives Matter increased by nearly as much as it had over the previous two years.
” But that in itself can be confusing .
What is the Black Lives Matter movement ?
It ’ s not homogenous .
As Dr. Michael Brown noted last week , “ When some of us hear the words ‘ black lives matter ’ we immediately think of the radical leftist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not the case with the vast majority of American blacks.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
As a millennial , I ’ d say the same is becoming true for the majority of young adults .
Millennials and members of Gen Z are statistically more sensitive to modern day instances of racism .
Two-thirds believe black people are treated less fairly in the U.S. than white people .
So when young adults chant “ black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post it on social media , they are first and foremost affirming a literal statement that is inarguably true .
Not all are being swept up in a radical leftist agenda , or promoting a particular organization .
Understanding What We Mean Things would be a lot easier if we all operated under the same definitions all the time .
But different generations have different experiences and use the same words in different ways .
Millennials and Gen Zers use more “ liberal ” definitions when we speak about race , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all liberals .
For many of us , it means that as Christians and conservatives , we ’ re trying to be faithful to what we see .

The Merriam-Webster dictionary announced last week that it is revising its definition of “racism,” expanding it to reflect the “systemic aspects” of racism. To some the move will look like a grasp at a bandwagon.
But as dictionary editor Alex Chambers told The New York Times, definitions are added or revised “when we see large-scale changes happening in language.” And the cultural understanding of “racism,” at least among younger generations, is evolving. After all, it was a recent college graduate, Kennedy Mitchum, who lobbied Merriam-Webster for the change.
In the interest of understanding, here’s a quick look at the way young adults, especially millennials and Gen Zers, are coming to understand “racism” and related terms.
Racism
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “racism” as “the belief that one’s own racial or ethnic group is superior.” The Merriam-Webster definition previously included three sections, which also emphasized belief in superiority or inferiority based on race.
To Americans who understand “racism” by these definitions, the constant use of the word is offensive, even dangerous. A common mantra claims, If everything is racist, nothing is. In other words, reserve the “racist” epithet for people who really deserve it, like members of the KKK.
For many millennials and members of Gen Z, however, the definition is more complex. It’s not limited to an explicit, hateful ideology. It’s not always about intent. Under this understanding, someone could do or say something racist unintentionally.
For many millennials and members of Gen Z the definition of “racism” is more complex. It’s not limited to an explicit, hateful ideology.
“It’s important to understand that racism is much more than outright thinking one race is better than the other,” a Metro UK article explains. “Most of us probably don’t go around thinking our skin is better than the colour of other people’s skin.”
That’s true. But consider our history. Up until around 50 years ago in the United States, mistreating someone based on their race was common. It was legal. Believing in the superiority of whiteness was the norm.
It’s not far-fetched to think that just a few decades later, remnants of bias remain ingrained in our collective subconscious. Negative assumptions. Inaccurate stereotypes. Policies that negatively affect certain minorities disproportionately. If we’re not directly affected by any of these things, we’re less likely to see them as harmful — or notice them at all. It’s not always a matter of being malicious, but having blind spots.
To younger generations of Americans, “racism” encompasses all of these realities.
White Privilege
Another term sure to kickstart a brawl among your Facebook friends is “white privilege.” Much of white America finds this term unpalatable. As Princeton college student Tal Fortang penned in a viral 2014 essay, his white ancestors had plenty of hardship. Working class whites balk at the idea that their life is easy. But is that what the idea of “white privilege” really means? In short, no.
Google the term and you’ll see that in between Peggy McIntosh’s “Invisible Knapsack” essay in 1989 and megachurch pastor Louie Giglio’s “white blessing” faux pax just days ago, there are various ideas about what “white privilege” entails. What most agree white privilege doesn’t mean is that white people never struggle. It just means that those struggles aren’t the result of skin color. It means that white people’s history in this nation hasn’t been shaped by large scale, targeted mistreatment.
So when someone says you have “white privilege,” most of the time they’re not assuming your whole life has been easy. They’re not alleging that you’ve never worked hard.
Black Lives Matter
The New York Times reported last week that “over the last two weeks, support for Black Lives Matter increased by nearly as much as it had over the previous two years.” But that in itself can be confusing. What is the Black Lives Matter movement? It’s not homogenous. As Dr. Michael Brown noted last week, “When some of us hear the words ‘black lives matter’ we immediately think of the radical leftist organization. … [T]hat is not the case with the vast majority of American blacks.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
As a millennial, I’d say the same is becoming true for the majority of young adults. Millennials and members of Gen Z are statistically more sensitive to modern day instances of racism. Two-thirds believe black people are treated less fairly in the U.S. than white people. So when young adults chant “black lives matter” in the streets or post it on social media, they are first and foremost affirming a literal statement that is inarguably true. Not all are being swept up in a radical leftist agenda, or promoting a particular organization.
Understanding What We Mean
Things would be a lot easier if we all operated under the same definitions all the time. But different generations have different experiences and use the same words in different ways. Millennials and Gen Zers use more “liberal” definitions when we speak about race, but that doesn’t mean we’re all liberals. For many of us, it means that as Christians and conservatives, we’re trying to be faithful to what we see.
Liberty McArtor, former staff writer for The Stream, is a freelance writer in the great state of Texas, where she lives north of Dallas with her husband and son. Follow Liberty on Twitter @LibertyMcArtor, or learn more about her at LibertyMcArtor.com.


thestream--2020-06-21--Housing Market Booms in New York City Suburbs as People Flee Coronavirus Epicenter

• The housing market outside New York City boomed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic , according to area real estate agents .
• Prospective homebuyers had to move quickly as demand skyrocketed amid the panic , one potential buyer told The Wall Street Journal .
• Greenwich , Connecticut , was one area that experienced a surge of activity on the market , according to Greenwich real estate agent Steve Archino .
The housing market in suburban areas outside New York City has experienced a boost as city residents flee from coronavirus , according to area realtors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization ( WHO ) declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic and after New York City began implementing lockdowns to slow the spread of the pandemic , Connecticut realtor Steve Archino has seen demand skyrocket .
“ All of the sudden , the market went through the roof , ” Archino , a real estate agent for Greenwich-based Sotheby ’ s International Realty , told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
He said his phone started ringing more and more until he was fielding over a dozen calls some days .
House hunters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey ’ s Monmouth and Bergen counties , New York ’ s Westchester County , and Greenwich , John Walkup , co-founder of UrbanDigs , told The Wall Street Journal .
“ Suddenly there ’ s a lot more people looking to buy than are asking to sell compared to the same time a year ago , ” Walkup said .
Buyers were pressured to make quick decisions as the market spiked , The Wall Street Journal reported .
Hesitating on purchases could wind up costing a potential buyer big .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ houses ] have pending offers or are completely gone already .
It ’ s nuts , ” Jacob Knoll , a prospective homebuyer in New Paltz , New York , told WSJ .
“ People were moving quickly , ” Archino said , noting that he ’ d never seen anything like it .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Archino ’ s clients were mainly moving from New York City .
The city , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people , became an epicenter of the pandemic on March 22 .
At first , his clients were looking for immediate occupancy rentals or a temporary place to wait the pandemic out , Archino said .
Some clients then began renting long term , often confirming transactions on FaceTime .
Lawyers and realtors even added an addendum to these contracts protecting themselves in cases where the client didn ’ t examine a home in person , according to Archino .
But there was a turning point in April : Clients began expressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for homes with an office where they could work , a backyard where their family could get fresh air and kids could play and a guest room where their relatives could live during the pandemic , Archino continued .
“ There was a shift from the deluge of rental agreements to sales , ” Archino told the DCNF .
Most states had issued stay-at-home orders by the end of March and early April , according to a New York Times database .
Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo of New York issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , restaurants , gyms , and movie theaters were ordered to close .
“ Inventory went down as demand went up , ” Archino said .
He said the prices started increasing rapidly : At first homes were being purchased for $ 1 million , but soon there were homes going for up to $ 8 million .
In one extreme case , Archino saw a home with three bids sell for $ 51 million .
Prices for rentals were also increasing , Archino said .
In one case , a home that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last summer was rented for more than $ 32,000 per month with multiple bidders vying for it during the pandemic .
His clients , who were lawyers , doctors and executives , often had a long term plan to move to the Greenwich area but decided to accelerate these moves because of the pandemic .
“ These were people with a three to five year plan to move who were speeding that plan up , ” Archino said .
Between the beginning of February and May , Archino had more than 150 homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes he had under contract in that same period last year .
A home being under contract means that an offer was accepted , but the sale has not been completed yet .
Greenwich is a popular New York City suburb for a few reasons , according to Archino .
It ’ s the first town across the New York-Connecticut border , taxes are relatively low , and families who felt cramped in New York have more space .
Greenwich is also a competitive market .
Archino is one of hundreds of realtors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the spike in the Greenwich market represents a dark reality underneath the surface , Archino said .
People were so frightened that they were willing to pick up everything and leave their homes in search of a new one .
“ It ’ s a crazy , very interesting time , ” he told the DCNF .
The national housing market could shift as well if working from home becomes more commonplace , Skylar Olsen , senior principal economist at Zillow Group Inc. , told The Wall Street Journal .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much affected , The Journal reported .

The housing market outside New York City boomed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to area real estate agents.
Prospective homebuyers had to move quickly as demand skyrocketed amid the panic, one potential buyer told The Wall Street Journal.
Greenwich, Connecticut, was one area that experienced a surge of activity on the market, according to Greenwich real estate agent Steve Archino.
The housing market in suburban areas outside New York City has experienced a boost as city residents flee from coronavirus, according to area realtors.
Since March, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic and after New York City began implementing lockdowns to slow the spread of the pandemic, Connecticut realtor Steve Archino has seen demand skyrocket.
“All of the sudden, the market went through the roof,” Archino, a real estate agent for Greenwich-based Sotheby’s International Realty, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. He said his phone started ringing more and more until he was fielding over a dozen calls some days.
House hunters are still urgently looking for homes in New Jersey’s Monmouth and Bergen counties, New York’s Westchester County, and Greenwich, John Walkup, co-founder of UrbanDigs, told The Wall Street Journal.
“Suddenly there’s a lot more people looking to buy than are asking to sell compared to the same time a year ago,” Walkup said.
Buyers were pressured to make quick decisions as the market spiked, The Wall Street Journal reported. Hesitating on purchases could wind up costing a potential buyer big.
“It’s just incredible how many [houses] have pending offers or are completely gone already. It’s nuts,” Jacob Knoll, a prospective homebuyer in New Paltz, New York, told WSJ.
“People were moving quickly,” Archino said, noting that he’d never seen anything like it.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Archino’s clients were mainly moving from New York City. The city, which has a population of more than eight million people, became an epicenter of the pandemic on March 22.
At first, his clients were looking for immediate occupancy rentals or a temporary place to wait the pandemic out, Archino said.
Some clients then began renting long term, often confirming transactions on FaceTime. Lawyers and realtors even added an addendum to these contracts protecting themselves in cases where the client didn’t examine a home in person, according to Archino.
But there was a turning point in April: Clients began expressing more interest in purchasing. They were looking for homes with an office where they could work, a backyard where their family could get fresh air and kids could play and a guest room where their relatives could live during the pandemic, Archino continued.
“There was a shift from the deluge of rental agreements to sales,” Archino told the DCNF.
Most states had issued stay-at-home orders by the end of March and early April, according to a New York Times database. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York issued a stay-at-home order on March 22. Bars, restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters were ordered to close.
“Inventory went down as demand went up,” Archino said.
He said the prices started increasing rapidly: At first homes were being purchased for $1 million, but soon there were homes going for up to $8 million. In one extreme case, Archino saw a home with three bids sell for $51 million.
Prices for rentals were also increasing, Archino said. In one case, a home that was rented for $25,000 per month last summer was rented for more than $32,000 per month with multiple bidders vying for it during the pandemic.
His clients, who were lawyers, doctors and executives, often had a long term plan to move to the Greenwich area but decided to accelerate these moves because of the pandemic.
“These were people with a three to five year plan to move who were speeding that plan up,” Archino said.
Between the beginning of February and May, Archino had more than 150 homes under contract compared to the about 80 homes he had under contract in that same period last year. A home being under contract means that an offer was accepted, but the sale has not been completed yet.
Greenwich is a popular New York City suburb for a few reasons, according to Archino. It’s the first town across the New York-Connecticut border, taxes are relatively low, and families who felt cramped in New York have more space.
Greenwich is also a competitive market. Archino is one of hundreds of realtors in Greenwich, according to Realtor.com.
However, the spike in the Greenwich market represents a dark reality underneath the surface, Archino said. People were so frightened that they were willing to pick up everything and leave their homes in search of a new one.
“It’s a crazy, very interesting time,” he told the DCNF.
The national housing market could shift as well if working from home becomes more commonplace, Skylar Olsen, senior principal economist at Zillow Group Inc., told The Wall Street Journal. However, nationwide patterns haven’t been much affected, The Journal reported.
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--2020-06-22--Stand Up for Something …

Stand Up for Something …

… or you ’ ll fall for anything .
So said Alexander Hamilton , and the present crisis in our summer of unrest proves the point .
The crowds seem to be rushing headlong to jump on any bandwagon that is rolling down the street .
The latest insanity is the rush to re-brand every popular products that might in any way be construed as “ racist.
” Some of the changes are understandable .
The Aunt Jemima brand has always featured a black woman , and it confirmed the stereotype of a black woman as a servant .
Likewise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genial black gentleman , but the unspoken subtext was that Uncle Ben was really an Uncle Tom — the most servile and obsequious kind of black man .
One can admit that these well established images confirm racial stereotypes .
There ’ s no harm in dropping them .
The images are outdated and can be offensive , but where does it stop ?
Some gossips say the brand “ Eskimo Pie ” is soon to disappear and the Washington Redskins brand is doomed .
Do Indian motorcycles need to change their name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sing “ Swing Low Sweet Chariot ” and there is pressure to ban the song because it is linked to slavery .
Does this mean nobody but blacks can sing negro spirituals ?
Can white people enjoy soul food ?
Is that “ Cultural appropriation or is it sharing the riches of one culture with another ?
Said the pig in Orwell ’ s Animal Farm , “ But some are more equal than others.
” The comment was made to expose the hypocrisy of those who preach equality , but go on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be agreed that racism is an evil and we should be aware of the problem and work together to eradicate racism and foster justice and equality for all , but this ideal needs to be realized through rational , practical programs , hard work , persistence and involvement at the grass roots level .
Simply going on a protest march or making splashy headlines about a public relations adjustment isn ’ t enough , and going crazy trying to weed out every tiny bit of advertising or cultural practices which might just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist and which might just maybe offend someone somewhere , is not going to solve the problem .
The problem of racism is not a surface problem of pancake packaging , brand names and songs at rugby matches .
The problem of racism goes way down deep into human nature .
It is part of human history from day one and its most basic and elemental form is simply the hatred of my neighbor .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem , and pride is not just boasting or strutting .
Pride is not simply vanity and showing off .
Those are just the superficial symptoms of pride .
At its most basic level pride is the rock solid , basic , undeniable assumption that “ I am right.
” I and my family , my tribe , my race , my nation … we are right .
We are not wrong .
We can not be wrong .
We are never wrong .
This problem is at the foundation of human nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re wired .
It is the root problem , and the reason it is a problem is because it leads to another conclusion : If I and my tribe are right , then those who are different from us must be wrong , and if being right is good and being wrong is bad , then , by definition we are not only right we are good , and the “ other people ” are not only wrong—they must also be bad .
And what do “ good ” people do ?
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is bad .
This is why we blame , vilify and exclude people who are different from us .
This is why , down through history , the “ other people ” have been ostracized , mocked , attacked , enslaved and slaughtered .
Racism is simply one manifestation of the pride that convinces me that I and my tribe are always right and good and the other people are always wrong and bad .
The only way to really bring about change in society is for individuals and groups to realize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The real solution is to first accept the beautiful truth that all men and women are created in God ’ s image and this is the foundation on which equality is grounded .
The second step is to acknowledge our own pride that sees others as being bad because they ’ re different and to have a change of mind and heart that allows us to see things from a new perspective .
From that follows genuine action at the grass roots level , and that action will not simply be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stand up for these principles mean we will fall for anything .
We will fall for the idea that merely by tinkering with name brands and social customs we will bring about systemic change .
We will fall for the idea that merely by going on a protest or signing a petition we will bring about change .
We will fall for the idea that a political revolution or government legislation will bring about real change .
Most of all we will fall for the idea that evil is somebody else ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outward signs of evil will only ever be band aid on cancer .
Unless the heart changes , nothing will change , and any outward adjustments will be no more than window dressing .
Dwight Longenecker ’ s latest book Immortal Combat-Confronting the Heart of Darkness takes a hard look at the root causes of unrest and evil in our society .
Visit his blog at dwightlongenecker.com

… or you’ll fall for anything.
So said Alexander Hamilton, and the present crisis in our summer of unrest proves the point. The crowds seem to be rushing headlong to jump on any bandwagon that is rolling down the street.
The latest insanity is the rush to re-brand every popular products that might in any way be construed as “racist.”
Some of the changes are understandable. The Aunt Jemima brand has always featured a black woman, and it confirmed the stereotype of a black woman as a servant. Likewise Uncle Ben’s rice showed a genial black gentleman, but the unspoken subtext was that Uncle Ben was really an Uncle Tom — the most servile and obsequious kind of black man.
One can admit that these well established images confirm racial stereotypes. There’s no harm in dropping them. The images are outdated and can be offensive, but where does it stop? Some gossips say the brand “Eskimo Pie” is soon to disappear and the Washington Redskins brand is doomed. Do Indian motorcycles need to change their name?
At England rugby matches the crowds sing “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and there is pressure to ban the song because it is linked to slavery. Does this mean nobody but blacks can sing negro spirituals? Can white people enjoy soul food? Is that cultural appropriation or is it sharing the riches of one culture with another?
Everybody is Equal …
Said the pig in Orwell’s Animal Farm, “But some are more equal than others.” The comment was made to expose the hypocrisy of those who preach equality, but go on giving privileges to the elite.
Everybody should be agreed that racism is an evil and we should be aware of the problem and work together to eradicate racism and foster justice and equality for all, but this ideal needs to be realized through rational, practical programs, hard work, persistence and involvement at the grass roots level.
Simply going on a protest march or making splashy headlines about a public relations adjustment isn’t enough, and going crazy trying to weed out every tiny bit of advertising or cultural practices which might just, maybe be just a little bit racist and which might just maybe offend someone somewhere, is not going to solve the problem.
Way Down Deep
The problem of racism is not a surface problem of pancake packaging, brand names and songs at rugby matches. The problem of racism goes way down deep into human nature. It is part of human history from day one and its most basic and elemental form is simply the hatred of my neighbor.
Pride is the problem, and pride is not just boasting or strutting. Pride is not simply vanity and showing off. Those are just the superficial symptoms of pride. At its most basic level pride is the rock solid, basic, undeniable assumption that “I am right.” I and my family, my tribe, my race, my nation … we are right. We are not wrong. We cannot be wrong. We are never wrong.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
This problem is at the foundation of human nature. It is the way we’re wired. It is the root problem, and the reason it is a problem is because it leads to another conclusion: If I and my tribe are right, then those who are different from us must be wrong, and if being right is good and being wrong is bad, then, by definition we are not only right we are good, and the “other people” are not only wrong—they must also be bad.
And what do “good” people do? They strive to get rid of that which is bad. This is why we blame, vilify and exclude people who are different from us. This is why, down through history, the “other people” have been ostracized, mocked, attacked, enslaved and slaughtered. Racism is simply one manifestation of the pride that convinces me that I and my tribe are always right and good and the other people are always wrong and bad.
Stand or Fall
The only way to really bring about change in society is for individuals and groups to realize the root problem and understand the real solution. The real solution is to first accept the beautiful truth that all men and women are created in God’s image and this is the foundation on which equality is grounded.
The second step is to acknowledge our own pride that sees others as being bad because they’re different and to have a change of mind and heart that allows us to see things from a new perspective. From that follows genuine action at the grass roots level, and that action will not simply be a duty, but a passion.
Failure to stand up for these principles mean we will fall for anything. We will fall for the idea that merely by tinkering with name brands and social customs we will bring about systemic change. We will fall for the idea that merely by going on a protest or signing a petition we will bring about change. We will fall for the idea that a political revolution or government legislation will bring about real change. Most of all we will fall for the idea that evil is somebody else’s problem.
Any adjustments to the outward signs of evil will only ever be band aid on cancer. Unless the heart changes, nothing will change, and any outward adjustments will be no more than window dressing.
Dwight Longenecker’s latest book Immortal Combat-Confronting the Heart of Darkness takes a hard look at the root causes of unrest and evil in our society. Visit his blog at dwightlongenecker.com


thestream--2020-06-22--Cancel Culture Comes for Junipero Serra. Here’s His Real Legacy

Finally , the mob has realized the need to be inclusive : now they ’ ve torn down a statue of one of America ’ s great Hispanics .
In San Francisco ( no one let the mob know the city itself is named after another Catholic saint ! )
Friday night , a group of activists tore down a statue of St. Junipero Serra , a Spanish Catholic missionary in the late 1700s .
Of the 21 Spanish missions in California , Serra founded 9 of them .
The missions — where native Californians lived with Spanish missionaries and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in California ’ s history and development .
Their spree of topping statues wasn ’ t limited to Serra : statues of Ulysses S. Grant ( the general who Abraham Lincoln relied on to win the Civil War ) and Francis Scott Key ( author of “ The Star-Spangled Banner ” ) were also taken down .
And , of course , no arrests have been made .
I have no problem with having a debate about statues , and other ways we honor our history , from road names to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both owned slaves . )
But there is a thoughtful , democratic way to have this debate : a way that allows the span of viewpoints to be heard and respected and that honors our legal system .
And there are more options than simply keeping up or destroying statues .
Other choices including adding historical context through plaques , or moving statues to museums .
But that slower method won ’ t satisfy the tyranny of certain social justice warriors , who prefer to dictate what the rest of us can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Across the country , mobs are tearing down statues in recent days , and not only of confederate figures .
In addition to three torn down in San Francisco , a statue of George Washington was also torn down in Portland .
So far as I ’ m aware , no one has been arrested for any of these actions .
Serra , who was apparently deemed woke enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jerry Brown defend him , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-Vice President Joe Biden join Pope Francis in a visit to the statue of Serra in the Capitol , is now apparently blacklisted .
Activists scrawled “ stolen land ” on former base of the Serra statue — an ironic charge from a group of law-breaking thieves who just stole from locals a public statue no one had voted to take down nor had any legally-elected lawmaker opted to remove .
Between the statue of Serra in the U.S. Capitol and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one of Serra ’ s missions , is considering removing a statue of him , there ’ s no doubt this debate will continue to rage .
So let ’ s look at Serra ’ s actual life and legacy — which shows he was hardly some monster who sought to hurt California natives .
Serra , like many religious people , genuinely believed he knew the path to salvation and eternal life — and that was something he dedicated much of his adult life to sharing with Californians .
That may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly secular mindset , where we seem to worry endlessly about everything and anything except whether we have an eternal destiny , and if so , what we need to do to work toward that .
But because it is unfathomable to some does not mean that it was rooted in cruelty .
Mgsr .
Francis Weber , author of Blessed Fray Junipero Serra : An Outstanding California Hero , wrote about Serra ’ s treatment of Native Californians in a 2015 article published on the website of Knights of Columbus , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself to be a defender of the Indians ’ human rights in 1773 , when he journeyed from California to Mexico City to personally present to the viceroy a Representación .
This document , which is sometimes termed a ‘ Bill of Rights ’ for Indians , was accepted and implemented , ” wrote the archivist emeritus of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles .
Weber also disputed that Serra was an enthusiastic participant of Spain ’ s political goals for California , writing : Junípero Serra , for example , did everything he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct contact with the Indians .
In many cases , he and other friars concentrated their energies on doing what they could to alleviate a difficult situation .
In short , the natives were destined to change for better or worse ; the missionaries strove to assist them in changing for the better .
It is sometimes assumed that the Indians in California had been living in some sort of idyllic lifestyle , akin to that of Eden .
Contrary to this and related myths , the Indians were attracted to the food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided , when compared to their original state .
When Mission San Diego was burned down and destroyed and the chief priest brutally murdered –stoned and clubbed – Serra called for mercy for those involved .
“ Let the murderer live so he can be saved , which is the purpose of our coming here and the reason for forgiving him , ” Serra wrote in a letter to a political leader , according to the 2015 book , Junípero Serra : California , Indians , and the Transformation of a Missionary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some moderate punishment that he is being pardoned in accordance with our law , which orders us to forgive offenses and to prepare him , not for his death , but for eternal life , ” Serra added .
In that same letter , he made it clear that if he ever faced the same death as the priest at Mission San Diego , he did not want death for his killers .
“ If the Indians were to kill me , whether they be gentiles or Christians , they should be forgiven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the story of Ruben Mendoza , an archaeologist and professor at California State University-Monterey Bay .
Growing up , Mendoza hated the California missions to such an extent he requested permission from a grade school teacher to make another project instead of constructing a diorama of a California mission , as his classmates were doing .
In 2015 , Mendoza told the Los Angeles Times he inherited his attitude from his father : “ Over and over , he claimed Catholic missions were cancers that Spain brought to the New World , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years passed , Mendoza found himself having a change of heart .
The Los Angeles Times reported : Ultimately , Mendoza told the Times , “ Serra was far from perfect … Yet we are beneficiaries of this man who believed that poverty , chastity and obedience would open the gates of the kingdom of heaven to Native Californians.
” Now this is speculation , but would you guess that any of the statue destroyers of Serra knew any of this about him ?
No person is perfect .
But Serra was hardly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man who genuinely loved the native Californians he ministered to , and who choose to honor his faith ’ s tenets of forgiveness even when tested .
He left his home country in order to be a missionary , driven by the desire to bring salvation to others .
As the first saint canonized on American soil , during Pope Francis ’ 2015 visit , Serra holds a special place among the United States ’ approximately 70 million Catholics .
A small group of rogue criminals should not be allowed to dictate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks and cities .
It ’ s time for law enforcement to enforce the law .
For those who wish to tear down statues , use the legal process — and if you ’ re as much on the right side of history as you seem to assume , no doubt others will support you .
“ Father Serra had a motto which inspired his life and work , not just a saying , but above all a reality which shaped the way he lived : siempre adelante !
Keep moving forward !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ canonization ceremony for Serra in Washington , D.C. “ For him , this was the way to continue experiencing the joy of the Gospel , to keep his heart from growing numb , from being anesthetized , ” the pope continued .
“ He kept moving forward , because the Lord was waiting .
He kept going , because his brothers and sisters were waiting .
He kept going forward to the end of his life.
” Americans might have something to learn from that attitude of Serra ’ s .
More and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not the future .
While we should grapple with our history , and especially the sin of slavery , that does not mean such grappling should come to the exclusion of looking forward .
If the activists believe there are real wrongs in today ’ s America , they should focus on fixing those , not destroying statues .
Katrina Trinko is editor-in-chief of The Daily Signal and co-host of The Daily Signal Podcast .
Send an email to Katrina .

Finally, the mob has realized the need to be inclusive: now they’ve torn down a statue of one of America’s great Hispanics.
In San Francisco (no one let the mob know the city itself is named after another Catholic saint!) Friday night, a group of activists tore down a statue of St. Junipero Serra, a Spanish Catholic missionary in the late 1700s.
Of the 21 Spanish missions in California, Serra founded 9 of them. The missions — where native Californians lived with Spanish missionaries and learned to farm — played a critical role in California’s history and development.
Activists just toppled the Junipero Serra statue in Golden Gate Park here in San Francisco Now they’re onto Francis Scott Key, slave owner and writer of the Star Spangled Banner pic.twitter.com/Ykv0hFMZvK — Joe Rivano Barros (@jrivanob) June 20, 2020
Their spree of topping statues wasn’t limited to Serra: statues of Ulysses S. Grant (the general who Abraham Lincoln relied on to win the Civil War) and Francis Scott Key (author of “The Star-Spangled Banner”) were also taken down.
And, of course, no arrests have been made.
Seriously?
Mobs Destroying History
I have no problem with having a debate about statues, and other ways we honor our history, from road names to school names. (Key and Grant had both owned slaves.) But there is a thoughtful, democratic way to have this debate: a way that allows the span of viewpoints to be heard and respected and that honors our legal system.
And there are more options than simply keeping up or destroying statues. Other choices including adding historical context through plaques, or moving statues to museums.
But that slower method won’t satisfy the tyranny of certain social justice warriors, who prefer to dictate what the rest of us can do (and what statues we may see).
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Across the country, mobs are tearing down statues in recent days, and not only of confederate figures. In addition to three torn down in San Francisco, a statue of George Washington was also torn down in Portland. So far as I’m aware, no one has been arrested for any of these actions.
Serra, who was apparently deemed woke enough in 2015 to have California Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown defend him, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-Vice President Joe Biden join Pope Francis in a visit to the statue of Serra in the Capitol, is now apparently blacklisted.
Well, that’s awkward. Biden and Pelosi were “on the wrong side of history” just five years ago, what with paying homage to St. Junípero Serra, the apostle of California, when the Holy Father visited the U.S. (S. Junípero, ora pro nobis!) pic.twitter.com/ugV4JFw5Bp — Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) June 20, 2020
Activists scrawled “stolen land” on former base of the Serra statue — an ironic charge from a group of law-breaking thieves who just stole from locals a public statue no one had voted to take down nor had any legally-elected lawmaker opted to remove.
Between the statue of Serra in the U.S. Capitol and news that city of Ventura, home to one of Serra’s missions, is considering removing a statue of him, there’s no doubt this debate will continue to rage.
Serra’s Actual Legacy
So let’s look at Serra’s actual life and legacy — which shows he was hardly some monster who sought to hurt California natives.
Serra, like many religious people, genuinely believed he knew the path to salvation and eternal life — and that was something he dedicated much of his adult life to sharing with Californians.
That may not “make sense” to our increasingly secular mindset, where we seem to worry endlessly about everything and anything except whether we have an eternal destiny, and if so, what we need to do to work toward that.
But because it is unfathomable to some does not mean that it was rooted in cruelty.
Mgsr. Francis Weber, author of Blessed Fray Junipero Serra: An Outstanding California Hero, wrote about Serra’s treatment of Native Californians in a 2015 article published on the website of Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization. “Serra showed himself to be a defender of the Indians’ human rights in 1773, when he journeyed from California to Mexico City to personally present to the viceroy a Representación. This document, which is sometimes termed a ‘Bill of Rights’ for Indians, was accepted and implemented,” wrote the archivist emeritus of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Weber also disputed that Serra was an enthusiastic participant of Spain’s political goals for California, writing:
Junípero Serra, for example, did everything he could to keep the military from having direct contact with the Indians. In many cases, he and other friars concentrated their energies on doing what they could to alleviate a difficult situation. In short, the natives were destined to change for better or worse; the missionaries strove to assist them in changing for the better. It is sometimes assumed that the Indians in California had been living in some sort of idyllic lifestyle, akin to that of Eden. Contrary to this and related myths, the Indians were attracted to the food and quality of life that the missions provided, when compared to their original state.
When Mission San Diego was burned down and destroyed and the chief priest brutally murdered –stoned and clubbed – Serra called for mercy for those involved. “Let the murderer live so he can be saved, which is the purpose of our coming here and the reason for forgiving him,” Serra wrote in a letter to a political leader, according to the 2015 book, Junípero Serra: California, Indians, and the Transformation of a Missionary.
“Help him to understand, with some moderate punishment that he is being pardoned in accordance with our law, which orders us to forgive offenses and to prepare him, not for his death, but for eternal life,” Serra added.
In that same letter, he made it clear that if he ever faced the same death as the priest at Mission San Diego, he did not want death for his killers. “If the Indians were to kill me, whether they be gentiles or Christians, they should be forgiven,” the priest wrote.
From Hate to Respect
Or take the story of Ruben Mendoza, an archaeologist and professor at California State University-Monterey Bay.
Growing up, Mendoza hated the California missions to such an extent he requested permission from a grade school teacher to make another project instead of constructing a diorama of a California mission, as his classmates were doing. In 2015, Mendoza told the Los Angeles Times he inherited his attitude from his father: “Over and over, he claimed Catholic missions were cancers that Spain brought to the New World,” Mendoza recalled.
But as the years passed, Mendoza found himself having a change of heart. The Los Angeles Times reported:
“Serra endured great hardships to evangelize Native Californians,” [Mendoza] said. “In the process, he orchestrated the development of a chain of missions that helped give birth to modern California.” Flogging and shackling were common punishments for Indians in Serra’s missions, Mendoza said. But documentation also shows that Serra felt Indians stood a better chance of surviving depredation by Spanish soldiers and colonists if they were brought into the fold of the missions. “The missions were not slave plantations like those of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson,” Mendoza said. “They were communes in which friars and Indians worked side by side and consumed the products of their labor.”
Ultimately, Mendoza told the Times, “Serra was far from perfect … Yet we are beneficiaries of this man who believed that poverty, chastity and obedience would open the gates of the kingdom of heaven to Native Californians.”
Now this is speculation, but would you guess that any of the statue destroyers of Serra knew any of this about him?
I’d suspect not.
Keep Moving Forward
No person is perfect. But Serra was hardly some cartoonish villain. He was a man who genuinely loved the native Californians he ministered to, and who choose to honor his faith’s tenets of forgiveness even when tested. He left his home country in order to be a missionary, driven by the desire to bring salvation to others.
As the first saint canonized on American soil, during Pope Francis’ 2015 visit, Serra holds a special place among the United States’ approximately 70 million Catholics.
A small group of rogue criminals should not be allowed to dictate the fate of statues in America’s parks and cities. It’s time for law enforcement to enforce the law. For those who wish to tear down statues, use the legal process — and if you’re as much on the right side of history as you seem to assume, no doubt others will support you.
“Father Serra had a motto which inspired his life and work, not just a saying, but above all a reality which shaped the way he lived: siempre adelante! Keep moving forward!” said Pope Francis during the 2015 canonization ceremony for Serra in Washington, D.C.
“For him, this was the way to continue experiencing the joy of the Gospel, to keep his heart from growing numb, from being anesthetized,” the pope continued. “He kept moving forward, because the Lord was waiting. He kept going, because his brothers and sisters were waiting. He kept going forward to the end of his life.”
Americans might have something to learn from that attitude of Serra’s. More and more we seem fixated on the past, not the future. While we should grapple with our history, and especially the sin of slavery, that does not mean such grappling should come to the exclusion of looking forward. If the activists believe there are real wrongs in today’s America, they should focus on fixing those, not destroying statues.
Katrina Trinko is editor-in-chief of The Daily Signal and co-host of The Daily Signal Podcast. Send an email to Katrina.


thestream--2020-06-22--Military Photo of the Day: Dropping Flares

U.S. Air Force airmen drop flares from an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter on June 5 , 2020 , at Moody @ @ @ @ @ .
Have a happy and safe week , everyone !
Please Support The Stream : @ @ @ @ @ About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .

U.S. Air Force airmen drop flares from an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter on June 5, 2020, at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.
Have a happy and safe week, everyone!
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-06-22--Have Our Churches Brought the Bostock Disaster on Themselves?

Grim as the decision is , I had to laugh when I saw church leaders caterwauling about Bostock .
Last December I got fired by a Southern Baptist seminary because , the provost said , denominational leaders at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission , headed by Russell Moore , had complained to him about my frank criticisms of the gay community .
Two years in a row , the resolutions committee of the Southern Baptist Convention sank my resolutions .
One would have protected ex-gay ministry from state interference .
The other meant to protect whistleblowers and survivors of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greear , Russell Moore , and Albert Mohler in 2014 said we had to fight anti-LGBT discrimination .
They failed to clarify in any way whether ex-gay ministry qualified as discrimination or not .
Churches Were Doing the LGBT Machine ’ s Dirty Work Baptists don ’ t realize that their denomination basically fell in line with the bans on reparative therapy before Obergefell had even passed .
From that point on , the SBC operated as if a ruling like Bostock had already been imposed on them .
People viewed as too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or kicked out of SBC entities .
The SBC is not unique .
Methodists , Anglicans , Episcopalians , Catholics , Presbyterians , and Lutherans had all moved toward enforcing “ anti-discrimination ” LGBT protections by the early 2010s .
The result ?
People like Robert Gagnon , Joseph Sciambra , and me were relegated to the margins or blacklisted .
Many Christian institutions , though thoroughly compromised , have maintained a public stance against homosexuality .
Why ?
Presumably to keep their conservative stakeholders ’ trust .
I tried to work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay , who then got forced out of the seminary .
In fact , I knew from working with him that he wasn ’ t gay .
I knew of other cases where people involved in gay activity were shielded and not forced out .
The enforcement was never consistent .
Those codes were weaponized for petty political purposes .
Meanwhile , no codes existed to stop the purge of true conservatives at the exact same institutions .
The expelled student appeared to me to have been treated worse for political reasons while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
Hoisted on Their Own Petard Bostock now makes it impossible to play this two-faced game .
At least without feeling a financial hit at the institutional level .
I am sure Christian leaders will go to donors and parents .
They ’ ll say they need even more money to fight back against this government intrusion .
That ’ s a farce .
Institutions got to this point because they wasted all their financial support .
They did the LGBT lobby ’ s dirty work while pretending to take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have placed their trust in Conservative , Inc. , must not lose sight of recent history .
Not even in the maelstrom caused by Bostock .
“ Christian ” and “ conservative ” organizations have voluntarily enforced pro-LGBT policy .
They have purged anyone who would boldly defend Biblical sexuality against the LGBT movement .
CPAC banned Mass Resistance for being “ anti-gay ” as early as two years ago .
CPAC has welcomed trans and gay Republicans .
Why Not Side with the Little Guy ?
The conservative movement has erred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santorum did well in 2012 and Trump won the nomination in 2016 .
Why ?
Because both men appealed to the millions of conservative Christians who work for someone else to support their families .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
By contrast the “ religious liberty argument ” fell prey to all the follies and contradictions in the Republican Party ’ s mangled philosophy .
The GOP has a one-sided , almost “ stalker ” crush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police .
But there are all entities with a lot to lose from public opprobrium .
So they constantly undermine and betray the conservatives who defend them .
( Can you say Chick-Fil-A ? )
This is the kind of stuff that drives Ann Coulter nuts .
Conservatives never wanted to side with the little guy , the worker who ’ s facing job loss .
Nobody Cares About Christians Under Siege I saw this starkly in the spring of 2016 , one of the most depressing moments of my life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California because of the LGBT backlash against me for opposing gay adoption .
As a Christian raised by a lesbian , I saw opposition to gay adoption as far more important than defiance of gay marriage .
( The fifth commandment says we have to honor fathers and mothers . )
If I ’ d had the support of heavyweights in the Christian world — the Al Mohlers or Russell Moores — I might have been able to survive .
I might have fended off the attacks and stayed in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had wonderful friends in the Christian movement who tried their best to help .
And I went to Capitol Hill and met with Republican staffers of the committees on higher education .
I was on the phone with Senator Lankford ’ s office and others .
In fact , I asked for help from just about every socially conservative advocacy group that existed .
I hesitate here to drag the whole conservative movement ’ s names through the mud .
Suffice it to say , I tried all the relevant groups .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We Side with Bullies The boilerplate response I got from the Christian right in 2016 amounted to : This was before Azusa Pacific went back and forth on its ban on homosexual relationships .
Conservative Christians thought they could protect Christian colleges ’ power to expel students or faculty for being gay .
“ Why do you want to work there if it ’ s so bad ?
” So more than one Christian conservative said to me .
“ Look for another job.
” They spoke as if everyone has a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quit to backpack through Europe or something .
( Maybe these people do . )
I wondered what planet they lived on .
Then in the summer of 2016 , all the biggest names in Christian conservatism signed their names to one bold statement .
It urged Governor Jerry Brown to protect Christian colleges from lawsuits by gay students whom they ’ d expelled .
I recorded a podcast explaining how backwards this was .
Siding with institutions instead of people .
As I was driving the U-Haul out of Los Angeles I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backfire on the churches.
” My experience was far from unique .
Conservatives didn ’ t go to bat for Christians who were getting fired .
They fought for Christian corporate entities that wanted to fire people .
I knew this pro-bully approach was radioactive .
And here we are , facing Bostock .
Too many Christians clung to this Pharisaical stance .
They wanted the right to snoop into employees ’ or students ’ personal lives and then banish them for it .
They missed a vast mission field they could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christians and ex-gays facing down bullies .
And now they ’ re reaping their rich reward .

Grim as the decision is, I had to laugh when I saw church leaders caterwauling about Bostock. Last December I got fired by a Southern Baptist seminary because, the provost said, denominational leaders at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, headed by Russell Moore, had complained to him about my frank criticisms of the gay community.
Two years in a row, the resolutions committee of the Southern Baptist Convention sank my resolutions. One would have protected ex-gay ministry from state interference. The other meant to protect whistleblowers and survivors of sex abuse from retaliation. J.D. Greear, Russell Moore, and Albert Mohler in 2014 said we had to fight anti-LGBT discrimination. They failed to clarify in any way whether ex-gay ministry qualified as discrimination or not.
Churches Were Doing the LGBT Machine’s Dirty Work
Baptists don’t realize that their denomination basically fell in line with the bans on reparative therapy before Obergefell had even passed. From that point on, the SBC operated as if a ruling like Bostock had already been imposed on them.
Churches did the LGBT lobby’s dirty work while pretending to take a strong stand for the gospel.
People viewed as too staunch on LGBT issues have been sidelined or kicked out of SBC entities. The SBC is not unique. Methodists, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Catholics, Presbyterians, and Lutherans had all moved toward enforcing “anti-discrimination” LGBT protections by the early 2010s. The result? People like Robert Gagnon, Joseph Sciambra, and me were relegated to the margins or blacklisted.
“Oh, We’re Biblical! Just Sign That Check, Please.”
Many Christian institutions, though thoroughly compromised, have maintained a public stance against homosexuality. Why? Presumably to keep their conservative stakeholders’ trust. I tried to work with a student who was accused of being gay, who then got forced out of the seminary. In fact, I knew from working with him that he wasn’t gay.
I knew of other cases where people involved in gay activity were shielded and not forced out. The enforcement was never consistent. Those codes were weaponized for petty political purposes.
Meanwhile, no codes existed to stop the purge of true conservatives at the exact same institutions. The expelled student appeared to me to have been treated worse for political reasons while others were shielded, for political reasons as well.
Hoist with Their Own Petard
Bostock now makes it impossible to play this two-faced game. At least without feeling a financial hit at the institutional level. I am sure Christian leaders will go to donors and parents. They’ll say they need even more money to fight back against this government intrusion. That’s a farce. Institutions got to this point because they wasted all their financial support. They did the LGBT lobby’s dirty work while pretending to take a strong stand for the gospel.
Christians who have placed their trust in Conservative, Inc., must not lose sight of recent history. Not even in the maelstrom caused by Bostock. “Christian” and “conservative” organizations have voluntarily enforced pro-LGBT policy. They have purged anyone who would boldly defend Biblical sexuality against the LGBT movement.
CPAC banned Mass Resistance for being “anti-gay” as early as two years ago. CPAC has welcomed trans and gay Republicans.
Why Not Side with the Little Guy?
The conservative movement has erred in siding with employers against employees. Santorum did well in 2012 and Trump won the nomination in 2016. Why? Because both men appealed to the millions of conservative Christians who work for someone else to support their families.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
By contrast the “religious liberty argument” fell prey to all the follies and contradictions in the Republican Party’s mangled philosophy. The GOP has a one-sided, almost “stalker” crush on corporations, church leadership, and the police. But there are all entities with a lot to lose from public opprobrium. So they constantly undermine and betray the conservatives who defend them. (Can you say Chick-Fil-A?) This is the kind of stuff that drives Ann Coulter nuts.
Conservatives never wanted to side with the little guy, the worker who’s facing job loss.
Nobody Cares About Christians Under Siege
I saw this starkly in the spring of 2016, one of the most depressing moments of my life. I had to leave my tenured position in California because of the LGBT backlash against me for opposing gay adoption. As a Christian raised by a lesbian, I saw opposition to gay adoption as far more important than defiance of gay marriage. (The fifth commandment says we have to honor fathers and mothers.)
If I’d had the support of heavyweights in the Christian world — the Al Mohlers or Russell Moores — I might have been able to survive. I might have fended off the attacks and stayed in Los Angeles teaching students at a secular school.
I had wonderful friends in the Christian movement who tried their best to help. And I went to Capitol Hill and met with Republican staffers of the committees on higher education. I was on the phone with Senator Lankford’s office and others. In fact, I asked for help from just about every socially conservative advocacy group that existed.
I hesitate here to drag the whole conservative movement’s names through the mud. Suffice it to say, I tried all the relevant groups. Almost none helped me.
Sorry, We Side with Bullies
The boilerplate response I got from the Christian right in 2016 amounted to:
We don’t want to get involved. That would set a bad precedent. People could use that precedent to intervene when Christian institutions want to fire people for violating their codes of conduct.
This was before Azusa Pacific went back and forth on its ban on homosexual relationships. Conservative Christians thought they could protect Christian colleges’ power to expel students or faculty for being gay.
“Why do you want to work there if it’s so bad?” So more than one Christian conservative said to me. “Look for another job.” They spoke as if everyone has a year’s salary in savings and could quit to backpack through Europe or something. (Maybe these people do.) I wondered what planet they lived on.
Then in the summer of 2016, all the biggest names in Christian conservatism signed their names to one bold statement. It urged Governor Jerry Brown to protect Christian colleges from lawsuits by gay students whom they’d expelled. I recorded a podcast explaining how backwards this was. Siding with institutions instead of people.
Nobody Likes a Pharisee
As I was driving the U-Haul out of Los Angeles I thought to myself, “This will backfire on the churches.” My experience was far from unique. Conservatives didn’t go to bat for Christians who were getting fired. They fought for Christian corporate entities that wanted to fire people. I knew this pro-bully approach was radioactive. And here we are, facing Bostock.
Too many Christians clung to this Pharisaical stance. They wanted the right to snoop into employees’ or students’ personal lives and then banish them for it. They missed a vast mission field they could have harvested much more richly. Namely, Christians and ex-gays facing down bullies.
And now they’re reaping their rich reward.
Robert Oscar Lopez can be followed at bobbylopez.me or on Twitter at @Rlopezmission.


thestream--2020-06-22--Be Careful Who You Call a White Supremacist

This past Saturday , after President Trump ’ s Tulsa rally did not draw the expected capacity crowd , Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted , “ Actually you just got ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign w/ fake ticket reservations & tricked you into believing a million people wanted your white supremacist open mic enough to pack an arena during COVID .
Shout out to Zoomers .
Y ’ all make me so proud .
☺ ” Ocasio-Cortez was responding to claims that TikTok , with apparent help from within China , flooded the Trump campaign with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attending .
But what was most telling in her tweet was the reference to Trump ’ s “ white supremacist open mic.
” This dangerous and ugly accusation is now standard fare for the left .
Trump is a white supremacist , as are his white supporters .
The Origins of the Accusation Of course , you could see this building for several years now .
First , the left-wing media branded candidate Trump a white supremacist , based especially on his comments about Mexican immigrants and Muslims .
Confirmation for this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Then , there was the misrepresentation of his words about Charlottesville , where he allegedly said that there were some “ very fine people ” among the neo-Nazi demonstrators .
To the contrary , he categorically condemned those very people , saying , “ Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs , including the KKK , neo-Nazis , white supremacists , and other hate groups.
” But the misrepresentation continues to this day , repeated regularly by presidential candidate Joe Biden .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The next step in the leftwing media ’ s strategy was to brand you a white supremacist if you were white and supported Trump .
In fact , in some circles , it is assumed that , for white supporters of Trump , MAGA really means , “ Make America White Again.
” ( House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made this very claim . )
For people like Ocasio-Cortez , this is simply taken for granted .
I documented these accusations in my new book Evangelicals At the Crossroads : Will We Pass the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I meticulously lay out the case against Trump , including the charges that he is an unashamed racist .
And I do this , not to whitewash such charges but to examine them carefully and fairly .
Is Donald Trump a white supremacist and racist ?
Some of Trump ’ s statements have certainly lacked precision , leading to further misunderstanding and confusion .
And I recognize that , in many ways , he has been highly divisive .
I have no desire to defend those aspects of his speech or conduct .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Things Trump Does Still , as I demonstrate in my book , the charges of “ white supremacy ” have no substance at all .
( According to Merriam-Webster , a white supremacist is “ a person who believes that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races.
” ) White supremacists do not go out of their way to meet regularly with black leaders for input and wisdom .
White supremacists do not pass major criminal justice bills that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not gain stories in the New York Times like this one , from September 10 , 2019 , headlined , “ Trump Focuses on Black Economic Gains and Support for Historically Black Colleges.
” As the Times reported , “ Since the beginning of Mr. Trump ’ s presidency , the administration has , in fact , made an effort to support historically black schools , increasing investment in their programs by 14.3 percent.
” ( For further documentation of these points , see Evangelicals at the Crossroads . )
Please Support The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
White supremacists do not immediately call for the FBI and the Department of Justice to look into the death of a black man , George Floyd , at the hands of a white cop , Derek Chauvin .
And white supremacists do not call for special forums titled “ transition to greatness , ” where the focus is on listening to black leaders address the problem of racism in America .
Cynics would say , “ He ’ s a politician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for votes.
” But real white supremacists do no such things , especially white supremacist politicians , whose very reputation depends on their racism .
( When it comes to politicians doing things for votes , which politician does not do things for votes ? )
Labeling Trump and His Supporters as White Supremacists is Dangerous Slander Yet , as bogus as the charge of “ white supremacist ” is when it comes to Trump , it is even more bogus for the vast majority of his white supporters .
Many of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heartbeat had the elections been between Dr. Carson and Hillary Clinton .
White supremacists would not do this .
( Of course , white Trump supporters would have voted for Hispanic candidates like Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio had they run against Hillary . )
And the vast majority of white Trump supporters opposed President Obama because of his policies , not because of the color of his skin .
( The last I checked , both Hillary and Biden are white , so our rejection of them has nothing to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so , but some of Trump ’ s most prominent white evangelical supporters have been involved in interracial ministry for decades , with a long history of opposing racism .
And of the many , white Trump supporters I know , not a single one of them fits the definition of “ white supremacist ” cited above .
Let us , then , call this out ugly accusation for what it is : slanderous , libelous , and dangerous .
Shame on those who use such ugly words as a political and ideological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) 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 .

This past Saturday, after President Trump’s Tulsa rally did not draw the expected capacity crowd, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “Actually you just got ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign w/ fake ticket reservations & tricked you into believing a million people wanted your white supremacist open mic enough to pack an arena during COVID. Shout out to Zoomers. Y’all make me so proud. ☺”
Ocasio-Cortez was responding to claims that TikTok, with apparent help from within China, flooded the Trump campaign with fake reservation requests, discouraging others from attending.
But what was most telling in her tweet was the reference to Trump’s “white supremacist open mic.” This dangerous and ugly accusation is now standard fare for the left. Trump is a white supremacist, as are his white supporters.
The Origins of the Accusation
Of course, you could see this building for several years now.
First, the left-wing media branded candidate Trump a white supremacist, based especially on his comments about Mexican immigrants and Muslims.
Confirmation for this was found when men like David Duke endorsed him.
The misrepresentation continues to this day, repeated regularly by presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Then, there was the misrepresentation of his words about Charlottesville, where he allegedly said that there were some “very fine people” among the neo-Nazi demonstrators.
To the contrary, he categorically condemned those very people, saying, “Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups.”
But the misrepresentation continues to this day, repeated regularly by presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Trump Supporters Get Branded as White Supremacists Too
The next step in the leftwing media’s strategy was to brand you a white supremacist if you were white and supported Trump. In fact, in some circles, it is assumed that, for white supporters of Trump, MAGA really means, “Make America White Again.” (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made this very claim.)
For people like Ocasio-Cortez, this is simply taken for granted.
I documented these accusations in my new book Evangelicals At the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?
In the book, I meticulously lay out the case against Trump, including the charges that he is an unashamed racist. And I do this, not to whitewash such charges but to examine them carefully and fairly. Is Donald Trump a white supremacist and racist?
Some of Trump’s statements have certainly lacked precision, leading to further misunderstanding and confusion. And I recognize that, in many ways, he has been highly divisive. I have no desire to defend those aspects of his speech or conduct.
White Supremacists Don’t Do the Things Trump Does
Still, as I demonstrate in my book, the charges of “white supremacy” have no substance at all. (According to Merriam-Webster, a white supremacist is “a person who believes that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races.”)
White supremacists do not go out of their way to meet regularly with black leaders for input and wisdom.
White supremacists do not pass major criminal justice bills that largely affect non-whites.
White supremacists do not gain stories in the New York Times like this one, from September 10, 2019, headlined, “Trump Focuses on Black Economic Gains and Support for Historically Black Colleges.” As the Times reported, “Since the beginning of Mr. Trump’s presidency, the administration has, in fact, made an effort to support historically black schools, increasing investment in their programs by 14.3 percent.” (For further documentation of these points, see Evangelicals at the Crossroads.)
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
White supremacists do not immediately call for the FBI and the Department of Justice to look into the death of a black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a white cop, Derek Chauvin.
And white supremacists do not call for special forums titled “transition to greatness,” where the focus is on listening to black leaders address the problem of racism in America.
Cynics would say, “He’s a politician. He’s just doing this for votes.”
But real white supremacists do no such things, especially white supremacist politicians, whose very reputation depends on their racism. (When it comes to politicians doing things for votes, which politician does not do things for votes?)
Labeling Trump and His Supporters as White Supremacists is Dangerous Slander
Yet, as bogus as the charge of “white supremacist” is when it comes to Trump, it is even more bogus for the vast majority of his white supporters.
Many of them would have voted for Ben Carson in a heartbeat had the elections been between Dr. Carson and Hillary Clinton. White supremacists would not do this. (Of course, white Trump supporters would have voted for Hispanic candidates like Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio had they run against Hillary.)
And the vast majority of white Trump supporters opposed President Obama because of his policies, not because of the color of his skin. (The last I checked, both Hillary and Biden are white, so our rejection of them has nothing to do with skin color.)
Not only so, but some of Trump’s most prominent white evangelical supporters have been involved in interracial ministry for decades, with a long history of opposing racism. And of the many, white Trump supporters I know, not a single one of them fits the definition of “white supremacist” cited above.
Let us, then, call this out ugly accusation for what it is: slanderous, libelous, and dangerous. Shame on those who use such ugly words as a political and ideological tool.
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.