thestream--2020-09-01--Always Trust ‘The Scientists’?

Always Trust ‘The Scientists’?

Former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris recently gave their first joint interview to ABC ’ s World News Tonight anchor David Muir and co-anchor Robin Roberts .
I was struck by the following exchange : MUIR : You talk about the science .
If you ’ re sworn in come January , and , and we have coronavirus and the flu combining , which many scientists have said is a real possibility , would you be prepared to shut this country down again ?
BIDEN : I will be prepared to do whatever it takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the country moving until we control the virus .
That is the fundamental flaw of this administration ’ s thinking to begin with .
In order to keep the country running and moving and the economy growing , and people employed , you have to fix the virus , you have to deal with the virus .
MUIR : So if the scientists say shut it down ?
BIDEN : I would shut it down , I would listen to the scientists .
Earlier in the interview Biden had spoken of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if Trump had acted “ just one week earlier , he would have saved over 37,000 lives.
” It ’ s a strange phrase — “ the science ” — when you ’ re talking about a novel disease .
It ’ s not like there ’ s just one view on the virus among scientists .
Especially not “ just one week earlier ” than Trump ’ s actions ( presumably in mid-March ) .
Let ’ s also set aside the fact that it was January 31 when Trump restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden panned the next day as xenophobic .
Let ’ s instead focus on the final sentence : “ I would shut it down , I would listen to the scientists.
” This statement reflects a faulty view of science and of a leader ’ s job .
The idea that we should always obey “ the science ” or “ the scientists ” is based on the underlying assumption that science represents a monolithic , infallible , unchanging , and unbiased view .
But that ’ s not what we see in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was the scientific community that once gave eugenics an aura of respectability .
That respectability waned when we learned how the Nazis applied this thinking to murder millions of Jews and other Untermensch .
More recently , scientists told us about “ junk DNA ” — which turned out not to be junk .
In dealing with coronavirus , we were told not to wear face masks by the same scientists who later told us to wear them .
A group of influential scientists published a study claiming that hydroxychloroquine was dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization ( WHO ) paused its trials of the drug .
But then the study was retracted and the trials were resumed .
The point is that scientists are neither infallible nor unbiased .
Nor is science a static enterprise .
As new learning occurs , the “ settled ” science changes accordingly .
But here ’ s what gets less notice : With something like a novel , once-in-a-century disease , it ’ s not as if the scientific community represents a uniform voice .
Especially in the first few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same new data and reach different conclusions .
It ’ s important that this debate is not stifled .
Because it ’ s precisely this competition of ideas that produces greater discovery and understanding .
We should be skeptical of early claims of “ scientific consensus.
” Such claims can be used to weaponize one theory over others , and to muzzle dissenting voices , leaving us with the blind spots of group think .
Presidents Must Consider the Big Picture Public policy is about more than science .
Health concerns are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social concerns .
So are ethics , justice , and liberty .
There are competing interests that need to be weighed .
We elect leaders to weigh these competing interests , not to give carte blanche to any one voice .
A President should chart the course that , overall , best supports the nation ’ s flourishing .
As Discovery Institute ’ s John West put it , scientists have tunnel vision .
It ’ s a feature , not a bug .
Scientists focus on one thing to the exclusion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to advance knowledge in a specific area .
It ’ s great for publishing in research journals .
But to what extent should it drive public policy ?
If your goal is to reduce car accident fatalities , people should not drive on freeways .
But that ’ s not a sacrifice most of us are willing to make .
We should also wear seat belts .
That is a small inconvenience we ’ re willing to endure .
A nationwide stay-at-home order would reduce the spread of coronavirus .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would also destroy people ’ s livelihood , lead to increased rates of depression , more domestic violence , unreported child abuse , mental health problems among children , and the health risks that come from not treating other kinds of disease .
Biden ’ s simplistic response suggests he ’ s not even willing to consider this kind of collateral damage .
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens is no Trump fan .
But he called Biden ’ s “ I would shut it down ” comment a political blunder .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fears , what is Covid-19 to a healthy 35-year-old restaurateur next to the prospect of losing everything except a meager government check ?
” In other words , “ staying at home to save lives ” makes more sense to some people than to others .
And that ’ s okay .
It ’ s not a one-size-fits-all solution .
Stephens went on to say that “ Voters won ’ t necessarily turn to Biden if they feel he will merely rubber-stamp the same set of policies that they wanted to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders to lead , not defer ; to occasionally buck conventional wisdom , not parrot it.
” That ’ s right .
We don ’ t elect presidents to give away the leadership of the country to a small group of narrowly focused , unelected , and unaccountable scientists .
Biden ’ s flippant remark displayed a naïve view of science and leadership .
Dr. Alex Chediak ( Ph.D. , U.C .
Berkeley ) is a professor and the author of Thriving at College ( Tyndale House , 2011 ) , a roadmap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges of their college years .
His latest book is Beating the College Debt Trap .
Learn more about him at www.alexchediak.com or follow him on Twitter ( @ chediak ) .

Former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris recently gave their first joint interview to ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir and co-anchor Robin Roberts. I was struck by the following exchange:
MUIR: You talk about the science. If you’re sworn in come January, and, and we have coronavirus and the flu combining, which many scientists have said is a real possibility, would you be prepared to shut this country down again?
BIDEN: I will be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives because we cannot get the country moving until we control the virus. That is the fundamental flaw of this administration’s thinking to begin with. In order to keep the country running and moving and the economy growing, and people employed, you have to fix the virus, you have to deal with the virus.
MUIR: So if the scientists say shut it down?
BIDEN: I would shut it down, I would listen to the scientists.
Earlier in the interview Biden had spoken of “listening to the science” while arguing that if Trump had acted “just one week earlier, he would have saved over 37,000 lives.”
It’s a strange phrase — “the science” — when you’re talking about a novel disease. It’s not like there’s just one view on the virus among scientists. Especially not “just one week earlier” than Trump’s actions (presumably in mid-March). Let’s also set aside the fact that it was January 31 when Trump restricted incoming flights from China — a move Biden panned the next day as xenophobic.
Let’s instead focus on the final sentence: “I would shut it down, I would listen to the scientists.” This statement reflects a faulty view of science and of a leader’s job.
A Faulty View of Science
The idea that we should always obey “the science” or “the scientists” is based on the underlying assumption that science represents a monolithic, infallible, unchanging, and unbiased view.
But that’s not what we see in history or in the present day. It was the scientific community that once gave eugenics an aura of respectability. That respectability waned when we learned how the Nazis applied this thinking to murder millions of Jews and other Untermensch. More recently, scientists told us about “junk DNA” — which turned out not to be junk.
In dealing with coronavirus, we were told not to wear face masks by the same scientists who later told us to wear them. A group of influential scientists published a study claiming that hydroxychloroquine was dangerous. Based on this study, the World Health Organization (WHO) paused its trials of the drug. But then the study was retracted and the trials were resumed.
The point is that scientists are neither infallible nor unbiased. Nor is science a static enterprise. As new learning occurs, the “settled” science changes accordingly.
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But here’s what gets less notice: With something like a novel, once-in-a-century disease, it’s not as if the scientific community represents a uniform voice. Especially in the first few months. Intelligent people can look at the same new data and reach different conclusions. It’s important that this debate is not stifled. Because it’s precisely this competition of ideas that produces greater discovery and understanding. We should be skeptical of early claims of “scientific consensus.” Such claims can be used to weaponize one theory over others, and to muzzle dissenting voices, leaving us with the blind spots of group think.
Presidents Must Consider the Big Picture
Public policy is about more than science. Health concerns are important, but so are economic and social concerns. So are ethics, justice, and liberty. There are competing interests that need to be weighed. We elect leaders to weigh these competing interests, not to give carte blanche to any one voice. A President should chart the course that, overall, best supports the nation’s flourishing.
As Discovery Institute’s John West put it, scientists have tunnel vision. It’s a feature, not a bug. Scientists focus on one thing to the exclusion of everything else. This focused passion propels them to advance knowledge in a specific area. It’s great for publishing in research journals. But to what extent should it drive public policy?
If your goal is to reduce car accident fatalities, people should not drive on freeways. But that’s not a sacrifice most of us are willing to make. We should also wear seat belts. That is a small inconvenience we’re willing to endure.
A nationwide stay-at-home order would reduce the spread of coronavirus. But we now have good reason to believe that it would also destroy people’s livelihood, lead to increased rates of depression, more domestic violence, unreported child abuse, mental health problems among children, and the health risks that come from not treating other kinds of disease. Biden’s simplistic response suggests he’s not even willing to consider this kind of collateral damage.
A Political Blunder
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens is no Trump fan. But he called Biden’s “I would shut it down” comment a political blunder. Stephens wrote, “In the hierarchy of fears, what is Covid-19 to a healthy 35-year-old restaurateur next to the prospect of losing everything except a meager government check?” In other words, “staying at home to save lives” makes more sense to some people than to others. And that’s okay. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Stephens went on to say that “Voters won’t necessarily turn to Biden if they feel he will merely rubber-stamp the same set of policies that they wanted to avoid in the first place. Democracies elect leaders to lead, not defer; to occasionally buck conventional wisdom, not parrot it.”
That’s right. We don’t elect presidents to give away the leadership of the country to a small group of narrowly focused, unelected, and unaccountable scientists. Biden’s flippant remark displayed a naïve view of science and leadership.
Dr. Alex Chediak (Ph.D., U.C. Berkeley) is a professor and the author of Thriving at College (Tyndale House, 2011), a roadmap for how students can best navigate the challenges of their college years. His latest book is Beating the College Debt Trap. Learn more about him at www.alexchediak.com or follow him on Twitter (@chediak).


thestream--2020-09-01--Military Photo of the Day: Maneuvering Exercises with the Hellenic Navy

The guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill executes maneuvering exercises with the Hellenic Navy in the Mediterranean Sea on @ @ @ @ @ Thank you to the command and crew of this U.S. Navy ship for serving our @ @ @

The guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill executes maneuvering exercises with the Hellenic Navy in the Mediterranean Sea on August 24, 2020.
Thank you to the command and crew of this U.S. Navy ship for serving our nation overseas.
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thestream--2020-09-01--In Kenosha, Trump Should Have Met With the Victim … Jacob Blake’s Victim

Jacob Blake is the man in Kenosha , Wisconsin whom police might have shot too many times .
I really don ’ t know , and none of us do .
Authorities are still investigating his wielding of a knife , and struggle with officers .
The facts should be resolved through a searching police investigation , overseen by the local community — with orderly , peaceful demonstrations of course allowed .
Here ’ s how America ’ s meant to work : A victim calls the police , who arrive on the scene to restore the peace and question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the rules almost always emerge unhurt .
If there ’ s probable cause for arrest , the suspect gets taken in custody to a holding facility where his innocence is presumed .
He enjoys a long list of due process rights , and a free lawyer if he needs one .
He ’ s tried by a jury of his peers .
If police use violent force , their actions get investigated by their superiors , who get appointed by democratically chosen officials .
What if a suspect won ’ t go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police , he ’ s rebelling , essentially , against our entire system .
He ’ s rejecting American justice , and placing himself above the law .
Such a person is dangerous .
And mostly not to cops .
They could just shrug and go home .
He ’ s a menace to the old people , women , children , and unarmed civilians around him .
In defense of those people , if he resists arrest , cops might need to Taze , club , or even shoot him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free .
That ’ s how government works .
And if you think we can live with no government , I invite you to move to Portland .
Right now media are making much of the fact that as President Trump visited Kenosha , Jacob Blake ’ s father refused to meet with him .
While Mrs. Blake gave a dignified , sober statement to the media after the shooting , her husband seems to have caught the politics bug .
He said he ’ d already spoken to “ President Biden.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t happen .
President Trump ought not to take sides in this controversy .
( Is he meeting with the families of the officers Blake fought with ?
No . )
It ’ s something the local Democrat mayor needs to fix — and not by pulling cops off the streets and letting the national riot squad fly in from Seattle and Portland to burn the city down .
But I wish President Trump would meet with someone in Kenosha : Jacob Blake ’ s apparent victim .
All this chaos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to pick on some harmless black man walking the street .
They did their jobs and came to protect a black woman from Jacob Blake .
Here are some details of the crimes of which Blake is accused ( and for which he should still be prosecuted ) .
The New York Post reports : The victim , who is only identified by her initials in the paperwork , told police she was asleep in bed with one of her children when Blake came into the room around 6 a.m. and allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the record states .
She told cops Blake then used his finger to sexually assault her , sniffed it and said , “ Smells like you ’ ve been with other men , ” the criminal complaint alleges .
The officer who took her statement said she “ had a very difficult time telling him this and cried as she told how the defendant assaulted her .
The alleged victim said Blake “ penetrating her digitally caused her pain and humiliation and was done without her consent ” and she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual assault , ” the record states .
Because of this assault , there was a warrant out for Blake , and a restraining order forbidding him to invade this woman ’ s home .
On the day he struggled with cops , Blake had apparently barged into the victim ’ s residence again , and taken her car keys .
She called 911 to save herself .
The left wants to disband the police .
So who would protect women like this from men like Blake ?
There are thousands such men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time bombs of violent crime .
The left wants us to focus on them as sympathetic victims of swaggering , thuggish police .
No , sorry .
The swaggering thugs are the men who prey on women like this .
In cities where mayors have forbidden honest civilians from having guns , cops are the thin blue line between an imperfect , struggling city and an ISIS-style rape-camp .
A free-for-all where gangsters rule by force—like the CHAZ district in Seattle .
Here are some more details about the Blake arrest you won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Blaze reports on the Kenosha police union ’ s account of the incident : Do you want to face men like Blake on your own , with no police ?
The Democrats want you to .
They want to take your gun rights first , of course .
And maybe flood your city with squads of ex-cons and nihilistic revolutionaries , to boot — just to make sure nobody wears any Trump hats or fails to repeat leftist slogans when ordered to by a mob .
Most likely , you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat-sponsored anarchy .
Those who will suffer worst will be struggling store-owners in crime-struck neighborhoods — those whose businesses Democrat rioters haven ’ t burned down .
And women like the one Jacob Blake seems to have assaulted .
That ’ s who President Trump should be meeting with ( discreetly , to protect her identity ) .
That ’ s who politicians who claim to speak for the “ vulnerable ” should be focusing on .
And we should be prepared to defend ourselves , our families , and our communities from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have in store for us .
Keep Kyle Rittenhouse , imprisoned for self-defense and falsely charged with first-degree murder , in your prayers .
Learn about how you can help with Kyle ’ s legal defense here .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

Jacob Blake is the man in Kenosha, Wisconsin whom police might have shot too many times. I really don’t know, and none of us do. Authorities are still investigating his wielding of a knife, and struggle with officers. The facts should be resolved through a searching police investigation, overseen by the local community — with orderly, peaceful demonstrations of course allowed.
Here’s how America’s meant to work: A victim calls the police, who arrive on the scene to restore the peace and question everyone involved. Those willing to play by the rules almost always emerge unhurt. If there’s probable cause for arrest, the suspect gets taken in custody to a holding facility where his innocence is presumed. He enjoys a long list of due process rights, and a free lawyer if he needs one. He’s tried by a jury of his peers. If police use violent force, their actions get investigated by their superiors, who get appointed by democratically chosen officials.
A Man Above the Law
What if a suspect won’t go peacefully? If he uses force against the police, he’s rebelling, essentially, against our entire system. He’s rejecting American justice, and placing himself above the law. Such a person is dangerous. And mostly not to cops. They could just shrug and go home. He’s a menace to the old people, women, children, and unarmed civilians around him. In defense of those people, if he resists arrest, cops might need to tase, club, or even shoot him, in order to stop him from running free.
That’s how government works. And if you think we can live with no government, I invite you to move to Portland.
Trump in Kenosha
Right now media are making much of the fact that as President Trump visited Kenosha, Jacob Blake’s father refused to meet with him. While Mrs. Blake gave a dignified, sober statement to the media after the shooting, her husband seems to have caught the politics bug. He said he’d already spoken to “President Biden.”
I’m glad such a meeting didn’t happen. President Trump ought not to take sides in this controversy. (Is he meeting with the families of the officers Blake fought with? No.) It’s something the local Democrat mayor needs to fix — and not by pulling cops off the streets and letting the national riot squad fly in from Seattle and Portland to burn the city down. But I wish President Trump would meet with someone in Kenosha: Jacob Blake’s apparent victim.
Who’s the Predator?
All this chaos didn’t start because some cops decided to pick on some harmless black man walking the street. They did their jobs and came to protect a black woman from Jacob Blake. Here are some details of the crimes of which Blake is accused (and for which he should still be prosecuted). The New York Post reports:
The victim, who is only identified by her initials in the paperwork, told police she was asleep in bed with one of her children when Blake came into the room around 6 a.m. and allegedly said, “I want my sh-t,” the record states. She told cops Blake then used his finger to sexually assault her, sniffed it and said, “Smells like you’ve been with other men,” the criminal complaint alleges. The officer who took her statement said she “had a very difficult time telling him this and cried as she told how the defendant assaulted her. The alleged victim said Blake “penetrating her digitally caused her pain and humiliation and was done without her consent” and she was “very humiliated and upset by the sexual assault,” the record states.
Because of this assault, there was a warrant out for Blake, and a restraining order forbidding him to invade this woman’s home. On the day he struggled with cops, Blake had apparently barged into the victim’s residence again, and taken her car keys. She called 911 to save herself.
The left wants to disband the police. So who would protect women like this from men like Blake?
The left wants to disband the police. So who would protect women like this from men like Blake? There are thousands such men in cities all across America — ticking time bombs of violent crime. The left wants us to focus on them as sympathetic victims of swaggering, thuggish police. No, sorry. The swaggering thugs are the men who prey on women like this. In cities where mayors have forbidden honest civilians from having guns, cops are the thin blue line between an imperfect, struggling city and an ISIS-style rape-camp. A free-for-all where gangsters rule by force—like the CHAZ district in Seattle.
Wielding a Knife, Fighting with Cops
Here are some more details about the Blake arrest you won’t see in the mainstream media. The Blaze reports on the Kenosha police union’s account of the incident:
Kenosha Police Union attorney Brendan Matthews said that Blake was armed with a knife … when Sheskey and other officers arrived on the scene, WCCO-TV reported. … When officers arrived, Blake reportedly fought against them and even allegedly placed one in a headlock. “The officers first saw [Blake] holding the knife while they were on the passenger side of the vehicle,” Matthews explained. Sheskey later shot Blake in the back while the two engaged on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Crime Victims, the Real Victims
Do you want to face men like Blake on your own, with no police? The Democrats want you to. They want to take your gun rights first, of course. And maybe flood your city with squads of ex-cons and nihilistic revolutionaries, to boot — just to make sure nobody wears any Trump hats or fails to repeat leftist slogans when ordered to by a mob.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Most likely, you and I will escape the worst consequences of Democrat-sponsored anarchy. Those who will suffer worst will be struggling store-owners in crime-struck neighborhoods — those whose businesses Democrat rioters haven’t burned down. And women like the one Jacob Blake seems to have assaulted. That’s who President Trump should be meeting with (discreetly, to protect her identity). That’s who politicians who claim to speak for the “vulnerable” should be focusing on.
And we should be prepared to defend ourselves, our families, and our communities from the lawlessness and political gangsterism the Democrats have in store for us. Keep Kyle Rittenhouse, imprisoned for self-defense and falsely charged with first-degree murder, in your prayers. Learn about how you can help with Kyle’s legal defense here.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-09-01--Alice Johnson Accosted by Demonstrators Outside White House

Alice Johnson was accosted by demonstrators outside the White House following her appearance at the Republican National Convention ( RNC ) , the Daily Caller News Foundation has learned .
Johnson on Saturday told a group of journalists , commentators and other public figures on Clubhouse , an exclusive , audio-based platform , about the confrontation , two participants on the call told the DCNF .
Johnson , a 65-year-old black woman granted clemency by President Donald Trump last year , praised the president ’ s efforts on criminal justice reform while speaking at the RNC on Thursday .
Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , she was accosted by a group of demonstrators who yelled things at her that she had never heard before , one source told the DCNF .
The source spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the conversation were supposed to remain private .
Johnson also told the group that the demonstrators told her they wanted to do “ terrible things ” to her , the source added .
Kmele Foster , an entrepreneur and libertarian commentator who participated in the discussion , confirmed that Johnson shared an account of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House on Thursday .
Foster also stressed that no participants on the call discouraged Johnson from speaking about the confrontation publicly , contrary to claims on social media .
The DCNF was unable to reach Johnson for comment .
Alice Johnson wasn ’ t the only RNC attendee harassed by protesters upon leaving the White House .
A throng of protesters surrounded Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul as he left the event .
A police officer escorting Paul was shoved into the senator as they walked , video from the incident shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Alice Johnson was accosted by demonstrators outside the White House following her appearance at the Republican National Convention (RNC), the Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.
Johnson on Saturday told a group of journalists, commentators and other public figures on Clubhouse, an exclusive, audio-based platform, about the confrontation, two participants on the call told the DCNF.
Johnson, a 65-year-old black woman granted clemency by President Donald Trump last year, praised the president’s efforts on criminal justice reform while speaking at the RNC on Thursday.
Johnson said that as she left the White House, she was accosted by a group of demonstrators who yelled things at her that she had never heard before, one source told the DCNF. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the conversation were supposed to remain private.
Johnson also told the group that the demonstrators told her they wanted to do “terrible things” to her, the source added.
Kmele Foster, an entrepreneur and libertarian commentator who participated in the discussion, confirmed that Johnson shared an account of a tense encounter with protesters after leaving the White House on Thursday.
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Foster also stressed that no participants on the call discouraged Johnson from speaking about the confrontation publicly, contrary to claims on social media.
The DCNF was unable to reach Johnson for comment.
Alice Johnson wasn’t the only RNC attendee harassed by protesters upon leaving the White House.
A throng of protesters surrounded Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul as he left the event. A police officer escorting Paul was shoved into the senator as they walked, video from the incident shows. Other RNC attendees faced similar treatment.
Rand Paul just got chased by a crowd back to his hotel, after leaving the White House from Trump’s Republican Party Nomination #DC #DCProtests pic.twitter.com/h1kPcZG1jh — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 28, 2020
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--2020-09-01--Are BLM Leaders Calling on the Spirits of the Dead?

Is it true that leaders of the BLM movement , including one of the co-founders , are calling on the spirits of the dead ?
That they claim to receive spiritual power from the deceased ?
That they talk with these spirits and even give them names ?
The answer to all these questions is yes .
This is now an open secret .
Rise in Popularity of Witchcraft and the “ Jezebelic ” Spirit Lest you think that this type of “ spirituality ” is exceedingly rare , I remind you that in October , 2019 , the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When Did Everybody Become a Witch ?
” The article claimed , “ We have reached peak witch , ” noting , “ Real witches are roaming among us , and they ’ re seemingly everywhere.
” Yes , “ Witches are influencers who use the hashtag # witchesofinstagram to share horoscopes , spells and witchy memes , and they are anti-Trump resistance activists carrying signs that say “ Hex the Patriarchy ” ( also the title of a new book of spells ) and “ We are the granddaughters of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burn.
” I documented this phenomenon in my book , Jezebel ’ s War with America , also arguing that many of the major trends in our society could be traced back to this “ Jezebelic ” spirit .
These include the rise of pornography ; the shout your abortion movement ; radical feminism ; the emasculating of men ; the war on gender ; the rise of witchcraft and sorcery ; and the silencing of the prophetic voice of the church .
With the rise of the BLM movement , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the co-founders are all radical feminists , with two of the three identifying as queer .
( Please note that I use the initials BLM to distinguish this Marxist-based movement from the important affirmation that black lives do matter . )
We can now trace this demonic influence one step further , with the open , unapologetic statements of two key BLM leaders .
I ’ m speaking about BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors and Prof. Melina Abdullah , chair of the department of Pan-African Studies at California State University , Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter .
BLM Leaders Performed a Worship Ritual for George Floyd and Other Dead People Their relevant video discussion on Facebook was posted on June 13 .
But even before that , on June 9 , Heba Farrag posted an article on the Berkeley Center website titled , “ The Fight for Black Lives is a Spiritual Movement.
” Farrag explained how Prof. Abdullah met with a BLM group in front of the house of Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti : She led the group in a ritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken by state violence before their time—ancestors now being called back to animate their own justice : As each name is recited , Dr. Abdullah poured libations on the ground as the group of over 100 chanted “ Asé , ” a Yoruba term often used by practitioners of Ifa , a faith and divination system that originated in West Africa , in return .
This ritual , Dr. Abdullah explained , is a form of worship .
Yes , this helps fuel the fires of the BLM movement : worship of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking the spirits of the dead to empower the living today .
Abdullah and Cullors discussed this openly in their Facebook video , which Abraham Hamilton , III , brought to national attention on his daily radio show on August 13 , playing relevant clips , in context .
BLM Leaders Discuss Using The Names of the Dead to Be Empowered By Them In the video , Prof. Abdullah stated that “ we become very intimate with the spirits that we call on regularly .
Right , like , each of them seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You know , I laugh a lot with Wakisha , you know , and I didn ’ t meet her in her body .
Right , I met her through this work.
” Yes , the spirits of the dead even have names , like Wakisha , with whom Abdullah exchanges some laughs .
Cullors , in response , explained how she has been empowered by these spirits and how the mantra to “ say his ( or , her ) name ” was more than a slogan .
It was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rise up and work through her and others .
As summed up by Cullors , “ The fight to save your life is a spiritual fight.
” Cullors is Right About One Thing : Our Battles in Society are Spiritual Of course , she is entirely right .
The battles we fight in our society are , ultimately , spiritual battles .
But victory is found , not in calling on the spirits of the dead but in calling on the Spirit of the living God .
As we have been emphasizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below ; the other is from above .
One brings death , the other brings life .
Let the reader be aware .
Fully aware .
Calling on the spirits of the dead is a practice you want to avoid at all costs — for your own soul ’ s sake .
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 , @ @ @ @

Is it true that leaders of the BLM movement, including one of the co-founders, are calling on the spirits of the dead? That they claim to receive spiritual power from the deceased? That they talk with these spirits and even give them names? The answer to all these questions is yes. This is now an open secret.
Rise in Popularity of Witchcraft and the “Jezebelic” Spirit
Lest you think that this type of “spirituality” is exceedingly rare, I remind you that in October, 2019, the New York Times ran a story titled, “When Did Everybody Become a Witch?” The article claimed, “We have reached peak witch,” noting, “Real witches are roaming among us, and they’re seemingly everywhere.”
Yes, “Witches are influencers who use the hashtag #witchesofinstagram to share horoscopes, spells and witchy memes, and they are anti-Trump resistance activists carrying signs that say “Hex the Patriarchy” (also the title of a new book of spells) and “We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren’t able to burn.”
Yes, this helps fuel the fires of the BLM movement: worship of the dead; calling on the dead; asking the spirits of the dead to empower the living today.
I documented this phenomenon in my book, Jezebel’s War with America, also arguing that many of the major trends in our society could be traced back to this “Jezebelic” spirit. These include the rise of pornography; the shout your abortion movement; radical feminism; the emasculating of men; the war on gender; the rise of witchcraft and sorcery; and the silencing of the prophetic voice of the church.
With the rise of the BLM movement, we have further evidence of this Jezebelic influence, as the co-founders are all radical feminists, with two of the three identifying as queer. (Please note that I use the initials BLM to distinguish this Marxist-based movement from the important affirmation that black lives do matter.)
We can now trace this demonic influence one step further, with the open, unapologetic statements of two key BLM leaders. I’m speaking about BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors and Prof. Melina Abdullah, chair of the department of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and a co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter.
BLM Leaders Performed a Worship Ritual for George Floyd and Other Dead People
Their relevant video discussion on Facebook was posted on June 13. But even before that, on June 9, Heba Farrag posted an article on the Berkeley Center website titled, “The Fight for Black Lives is a Spiritual Movement.”
Farrag explained how Prof. Abdullah met with a BLM group in front of the house of Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti:
She led the group in a ritual: the reciting of names of those taken by state violence before their time—ancestors now being called back to animate their own justice: “George Floyd. Asé. Philandro Castille. Asé. Andrew Joseph. Asé. Michael Brown. Asé. Erika Garner. Asé. Harriet Tubman. Asé. Malcom X. Asé. Martin Luther King. Asé.” As each name is recited, Dr. Abdullah poured libations on the ground as the group of over 100 chanted “Asé,” a Yoruba term often used by practitioners of Ifa, a faith and divination system that originated in West Africa, in return. This ritual, Dr. Abdullah explained, is a form of worship.
Yes, this helps fuel the fires of the BLM movement: worship of the dead; calling on the dead; asking the spirits of the dead to empower the living today.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Abdullah and Cullors discussed this openly in their Facebook video, which Abraham Hamilton, III, brought to national attention on his daily radio show on August 13, playing relevant clips, in context.
BLM Leaders Discuss Using The Names of the Dead to Be Empowered By Them
In the video, Prof. Abdullah stated that “we become very intimate with the spirits that we call on regularly. Right, like, each of them seems to have a different presence and personality. You know, I laugh a lot with Wakiesha, you know, and I didn’t meet her in her body. Right, I met her through this work.”
Yes, the spirits of the dead even have names, like Wakiesha, with whom Abdullah exchanges some laughs.
Cullors, in response, explained how she has been empowered by these spirits and how the mantra to “say his (or, her) name” was more than a slogan. It was an appeal to the spirits of the deceased to rise up and work through her and others.
As summed up by Cullors, “The fight to save your life is a spiritual fight.”
Cullors is Right About One Thing: Our Battles in Society are Spiritual
Of course, she is entirely right. The battles we fight in our society are, ultimately, spiritual battles. But victory is found, not in calling on the spirits of the dead but in calling on the Spirit of the living God.
Victory is found, not in calling on the spirits of the dead but in calling on the Spirit of the living God.
As we have been emphasizing for months now, one is from below; the other is from above. One brings death, the other brings life.
Let the reader be aware. Fully aware. Calling on the spirits of the dead is a practice you want to avoid at all costs — for your own soul’s sake.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled Wakiesha Wilson’s first name.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-09-01--‘That’s Immoral’: Actor Jim Caviezel Hits Back at ‘Barbarism of Abortion’ and Christian Persecution

Actor Jim Caviezel burst into the stratosphere of Hollywood fame in 2004 with his iconic role as Jesus in The Passion of the Christ .
He is an outspoken Catholic who openly discusses his faith and devotion to God .
“ The way God sees us is who we really are , ” Caviezel recently told the “ Edifi With Billy Hallowell ” podcast , going on to speak about a range of issues , including his new movie , Infidel .
The feature film , which releases in theaters on September 18 , is described as a “ contemporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American kidnapped while attending a conference in Cairo , who ends up in prison in Iran on spying charges.
” Listen to Caviezel share his Christian faith , his views on abortion and more on “ Edifi With Billy Hallowell ” : Caviezel said the plot line of Infidel explores the persecution of Christians in the Middle East — a pervasive issue that is tragically still raging in various countries across the globe .
“ Barbaric Christian persecution is something that still goes on today , ” the actor said , proceeding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The goal would be to create a sense of urgency and relevance to Christians and non-Christians who should be aware and engaged in this issue.
” Caviezel said it ’ s essential for Christians to pay attention to these troubling acts of persecution , and to take action .
“ When I read the gospels … I ’ ve never seen a Jesus who would sit there and say , ‘ Well , you know , too bad for him , ’ ” he said of the apathy that can sometimes creep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is not the gospel I know.
” Caviezel also went on to discuss his experience playing Jesus in The Passion of the Christ , and his views on an array of issues , including abortion .
“ I look at the barbarism of abortion .
I ’ ve seen one of them … there is no hiding anymore , ” he said .
“ Even if I don ’ t really know who Jesus is … something in me , my own conscience hits me and goes — ‘ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why are we doing this ?
’ ” The actor also addressed how he came to faith , noting that he didn ’ t become a Christian by random chance , but by looking at the evidence and the history of the Middle East and all that unfolded there .
Listen to Caviezel share his journey on “ Edifi With Billy Hallowell.
” This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider .
Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows .
You can get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade .
He is the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com , the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze .

Actor Jim Caviezel burst into the stratosphere of Hollywood fame in 2004 with his iconic role as Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. He is an outspoken Catholic who openly discusses his faith and devotion to God.
“The way God sees us is who we really are,” Caviezel recently told the “Edifi With Billy Hallowell” podcast, going on to speak about a range of issues, including his new movie, Infidel.
The feature film, which releases in theaters on September 18, is described as a “contemporary Middle East thriller” surrounding an “American kidnapped while attending a conference in Cairo, who ends up in prison in Iran on spying charges.”
Listen to Caviezel share his Christian faith, his views on abortion and more on “Edifi With Billy Hallowell”:
Caviezel said the plot line of Infidel explores the persecution of Christians in the Middle East — a pervasive issue that is tragically still raging in various countries across the globe.
“Barbaric Christian persecution is something that still goes on today,” the actor said, proceeding to reveal the movie’s intent. “The goal would be to create a sense of urgency and relevance to Christians and non-Christians who should be aware and engaged in this issue.”
Caviezel said it’s essential for Christians to pay attention to these troubling acts of persecution, and to take action.
“When I read the gospels … I’ve never seen a Jesus who would sit there and say, ‘Well, you know, too bad for him,’” he said of the apathy that can sometimes creep in on this issue. “And that is not the gospel I know.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Caviezel also went on to discuss his experience playing Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, and his views on an array of issues, including abortion.
“I look at the barbarism of abortion. I’ve seen one of them … there is no hiding anymore,” he said. “Even if I don’t really know who Jesus is … something in me, my own conscience hits me and goes — ‘That’s immoral. That’s wrong. Why are we doing this?’”
The actor also addressed how he came to faith, noting that he didn’t become a Christian by random chance, but by looking at the evidence and the history of the Middle East and all that unfolded there.
Listen to Caviezel share his journey on “Edifi With Billy Hallowell.”
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.
Billy Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade. He is the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com, the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze.


thestream--2020-09-01--Are You Pro-Eternal-Life? That’s Likely to Shape Your Politics

If we aim at being good , we ’ ll be happy as a side-effect .
If we grasp at happiness instead of goodness , we ’ ll end up with neither .
That ’ s a deep truth of human nature .
We can see it inscribed in everything , from the student who flatters the teacher ( instead of seeking the truth ) to the employee who forgets the mission and the customer ( and clings to his job description ) .
It ’ s those with their eyes on the stars whose path most often runs straight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made us .
This maxim applies to political movements and parties too .
Take those whose commitments begin with our duties to God , and our nature as incarnate persons .
They tend to set up institutions where people can live free and happy .
That ’ s why the mostly God-bothered Calvinist founders of the U.S. ( with a few Deists in tow ) created the most successful republic in the history of the world .
By attuning themselves to the transcendent moral order , our founders managed to order this mundane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I explore this paradox in our book The Race to Save Our Century : But movements that only see this world , and ignore the eternal perspective ?
They can not even deliver on their crass , short-sighted promises .
Utilitarians prove useless in a pinch , pragmatists botch their jobs , and materialists run out of stuff .
The mess of pottage always turns to ashes in their mouths .
So the grandiose French Revolution ended up with Russian Cossacks in Paris .
Hitler ’ s “ thousand year empire ” lasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shame and rubble .
And the Soviet Union ’ s earthly paradise turned out as a drunk tank full of broken-down cars .
The two political conventions this year pointed up the same contrast .
The Democratic gathering promised every voter his very own unicorn , which wouldn ’ t poop .
But it starkly neglected the one thing uniquely important about each human being : his dignity as a child of God .
The Democrats more than ever before abandoned talk about God , reeling in a few religious figures to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is , the plan to redistribute some earthly goods , from one group to another .
But look at the communities governed by Democrats , from Portland to Kenosha .
These people obsessed with this-worldly contentment can ’ t even keep armed mobs of looters from burning their cities down .
For months .
Till this weekend , no national Democrat would even criticize the rioters , keeping up with a straight face the bad joke that we face “ peaceful protests.
” Talking to Stephen Colbert , a smirking Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough on pro-life journalists , but easy on pedophiles — warned America that the riots would continue , indefinitely .
Why should Joe Biden bother protecting rights that you and I were endowed with by “ you know … the Thing ” ?
It turns out that nobody really wants to live in the Tower of Babel .
That ’ s why the construction workers always split up and turn on each other .
Have any performers looked more miserable to you than Stephen Still and Billy Porter , crooning about the riots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high point of the GOP convention was surely the talk by Sister Dede Byrne .
Here ’ s a skilled surgeon who willingly gave up wealth , marriage , and independence , to “ serve the poor and the sick in Haiti , Sudan , Kenya , Iraq and in Washington , D.C. ” But you could just see how deeply happy she was .
And the reason was clear .
As she said in her speech , “ I am not just pro-life , I am pro-eternal-life .
I want all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together someday.
” Those who demand heaven on earth usually just dig out some deeper hell .
They see no guilt in themselves that needs to be purged , and no limits to the sacrifices they can demand of others , in service of Utopia .
Those who spend their earthly time seeking heaven do just the opposite .
They focus on their own flaws , and address them by serving others — always respecting their freedom as numinous images of the Creator .
It ’ s wearisome sometimes striving to do what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it ’ s never half as depressing as selling your soul in a buyer ’ s market , for pennies on the dollar .
In no U.S. election has a voter ’ s choice been starker .
The Republicans ask us to choose the narrow road to self-respect and freedom .
The Democrats warn us that if we don ’ t elect them , their rioters will tear our cities apart .
That ’ s quite a platform .
The party of Babel admits that what it ’ s good at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe it knows how to build ?
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream .
He is a film producer , author , activist and human rights worker .
You can follow him @ JasonJonesShow .

If we aim at being good, we’ll be happy as a side-effect. If we grasp at happiness instead of goodness, we’ll end up with neither. That’s a deep truth of human nature. We can see it inscribed in everything, from the student who flatters the teacher (instead of seeking the truth) to the employee who forgets the mission and the customer (and clings to his job description). It’s those with their eyes on the stars whose path most often runs straight. It seems to be how God made us.
This maxim applies to political movements and parties too. Take those whose commitments begin with our duties to God, and our nature as incarnate persons. They tend to set up institutions where people can live free and happy. That’s why the mostly God-bothered Calvinist founders of the U.S. (with a few Deists in tow) created the most successful republic in the history of the world. By attuning themselves to the transcendent moral order, our founders managed to order this mundane one pretty well.
John Zmirak and I explore this paradox in our book The Race to Save Our Century:
The Tower of Babel
But movements that only see this world, and ignore the eternal perspective? They cannot even deliver on their crass, short-sighted promises. Utilitarians prove useless in a pinch, pragmatists botch their jobs, and materialists run out of stuff. The mess of pottage always turns to ashes in their mouths. So the grandiose French Revolution ended up with Russian Cossacks in Paris. Hitler’s “thousand year empire” lasted all of 12 years, ending in shame and rubble. And the Soviet Union’s earthly paradise turned out as a drunk tank full of broken-down cars.
It turns out that nobody really wants to live in the Tower of Babel.
The two political conventions this year pointed up the same contrast. The Democratic gathering promised every voter his very own unicorn, which wouldn’t poop. But it starkly neglected the one thing uniquely important about each human being: his dignity as a child of God. The Democrats more than ever before abandoned talk about God, reeling in a few religious figures to talk exclusively about … “social justice.” That is, the plan to redistribute some earthly goods, from one group to another.
Mostly Peaceful Arson and Looting
But look at the communities governed by Democrats, from Portland to Kenosha. These people obsessed with this-worldly contentment can’t even keep armed mobs of looters from burning their cities down. For months. Till this weekend, no national Democrat would even criticize the rioters, keeping up with a straight face the bad joke that we face “peaceful protests.” Talking to Stephen Colbert, a smirking Kamala Harris — who as a D.A. was tough on pro-life journalists, but easy on pedophiles — warned America that the riots would continue, indefinitely. Why should Joe Biden bother protecting rights that you and I were endowed with by “you know … the Thing”?
It turns out that nobody really wants to live in the Tower of Babel. That’s why the construction workers always split up and turn on each other. Have any performers looked more miserable to you than Stephen Still and Billy Porter, crooning about the riots for the Democrats?
Pro-Eternal-Life
By contrast, the high point of the GOP convention was surely the talk by Sister Dede Byrne. Here’s a skilled surgeon who willingly gave up wealth, marriage, and independence, to “serve the poor and the sick in Haiti, Sudan, Kenya, Iraq and in Washington, D.C.” But you could just see how deeply happy she was. And the reason was clear. As she said in her speech, “I am not just pro-life, I am pro-eternal-life. I want all of us to end up in heaven together someday.”
Those who demand heaven on earth usually just dig out some deeper hell. They see no guilt in themselves that needs to be purged, and no limits to the sacrifices they can demand of others, in service of Utopia. Those who spend their earthly time seeking heaven do just the opposite. They focus on their own flaws, and address them by serving others — always respecting their freedom as numinous images of the Creator.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
It’s wearisome sometimes striving to do what is right, because it is right. But it’s never half as depressing as selling your soul in a buyer’s market, for pennies on the dollar.
In no U.S. election has a voter’s choice been starker. The Republicans ask us to choose the narrow road to self-respect and freedom. The Democrats warn us that if we don’t elect them, their rioters will tear our cities apart. That’s quite a platform. The party of Babel admits that what it’s good at is breaking things. Does anybody really believe it knows how to build?
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream. He is a film producer, author, activist and human rights worker. You can follow him @JasonJonesShow.


thestream--2020-09-01--7-Year-Old Shot Dead During Indiana Birthday Party Amid Rising National Violence

A 7-year-old girl was reportedly shot dead in South Bend , Indiana , at an outdoor birthday party Saturday in a drive-by-style attack , local news outlets report , as violence continues to rise nationwide .
Chrisyah Stephens was purportedly shot after 60-70 people moved outdoors to celebrate the birthday of one of her relatives with ice cream and cake , SlyLavecchio Hines , Stephen ’ s uncle , told the South Bend Tribune .
Stephens was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital , the outlet reported .
“ We were standing right here , ” Hines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area where the shooting occurred .
“ I would say about 20 seconds after we came outside , we hear gunshots , ‘ Pow , pow , pow.
’ ” “ I ran and I was trying to grab her , to block her from the bullets , ” Hines continued , according to the local news site .
“ But it was too late .
As soon as I grabbed her , her body got heavy .
I laid her down , I called her name , and then I seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four shooting victims in South Bend last weekend , as the city nears a total of 100 people shot so far in 2020 , according to a statement from the department ’ s police chief Scott Ruszkowski released on Facebook Sunday .
The three other victims were reportedly shot in separate incidents , law enforcement told the Tribune .
“ Just this weekend , we ’ ve already had 4 people shot .
One being an innocent 7-year-old girl , playing at a birthday party .
We ’ re almost at 100 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in the statement .
“ As a community , we can no longer accept this senseless violence and we all have to do our part.
” South Bend had the highest number of violent crime incidents in Indiana last year , and the city experienced a 78 % uptick in violent actions from 2018 to 2019 , according to last year ’ s FBI data .
Of the three cities the FBI analyzed for violent crime , South Bend had the lowest population , statistics show .
Homicides have risen 24 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shooting incidents have soared precipitously , according to analysis of data by the Wall Street Journal in the beginning of August .
A total of 3,612 have been killed in the places analyzed and incident rates for robberies have fallen , WSJ reported .
Violence has increased after widespread protest , unrest and riots following the death of George Floyd , who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes May 25 , video showed .
Many cities have seen a resurgence of unrest following the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot multiple times in the back during an arrest attempt in Kenosha , Wisconsin , video shows .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

A 7-year-old girl was reportedly shot dead in South Bend, Indiana, at an outdoor birthday party Saturday in a drive-by-style attack, local news outlets report, as violence continues to rise nationwide.
Chrisyah Stephens was purportedly shot after 60-70 people moved outdoors to celebrate the birthday of one of her relatives with ice cream and cake, SlyLavecchio Hines, Stephen’s uncle, told the South Bend Tribune. Stephens was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital, the outlet reported.
“We were standing right here,” Hines told the Tribune while he pointed to the area where the shooting occurred. “I would say about 20 seconds after we came outside, we hear gunshots, ‘Pow, pow, pow.’”
“I ran and I was trying to grab her, to block her from the bullets,” Hines continued, according to the local news site. “But it was too late. As soon as I grabbed her, her body got heavy. I laid her down, I called her name, and then I seen the blood.”
Stephens was one of four shooting victims in South Bend last weekend, as the city nears a total of 100 people shot so far in 2020, according to a statement from the department’s police chief Scott Ruszkowski released on Facebook Sunday. The three other victims were reportedly shot in separate incidents, law enforcement told the Tribune.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“Just this weekend, we’ve already had 4 people shot. One being an innocent 7-year-old girl, playing at a birthday party. We’re almost at 100 people criminally shot this year,” Ruszkowski said in the statement. “As a community, we can no longer accept this senseless violence and we all have to do our part.”
South Bend had the highest number of violent crime incidents in Indiana last year, and the city experienced a 78% uptick in violent actions from 2018 to 2019, according to last year’s FBI data. Of the three cities the FBI analyzed for violent crime, South Bend had the lowest population, statistics show.
Homicides have risen 24% nationally in the 50 largest U.S. cities and shooting incidents have soared precipitously, according to analysis of data by the Wall Street Journal in the beginning of August. A total of 3,612 have been killed in the places analyzed and incident rates for robberies have fallen, WSJ reported.
Violence has increased after widespread protest, unrest and riots following the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes May 25, video showed. Many cities have seen a resurgence of unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot multiple times in the back during an arrest attempt in Kenosha, Wisconsin, video shows.
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--2020-09-01--Signed, Sealed and Delivered

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

In the 1960 ’ s , Rev .
M.L .
King , Jr. asked Americans , “ Will we choose chaos or community ?
” In 2020 , the Left and the Democrat Party have chosen chaos , while President Trump has chosen community !
President Trump has delivered on his promise to make concrete , measurable accomplishments in the creation of opportunities for , and empowering improvements in , the quality of life of black Americans .
He didn ’ t just engage in election year rhetoric , talking the talk but doing nothing .
President Trump walked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on criminal justice reform , record breaking support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities , capital attracting Opportunity Zones for cities and minority businesses , and leadership in providing focused aid to minority populations with special Covid-19 needs .
President Trump has delivered on his commitments because he believes in our ability to progress , toward a “ more perfect union , ” in our nation ’ s 244th year as a constitutional republic .
He understands that in those periods of our nation ’ s history when there has been an unleashing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth that we truly become an Opportunity Society .
No president has ever inspired an economy as strong as that which we had prior to the pandemic .
He deserves a second term to finish the job !
Early in my childhood my family lived in the Laurel Homes , our city ’ s first major public housing community .
I later became the city ’ s mayor .
For me , my family , not the state , was an incubator of liberty and intellectual development .
Our faith and the freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided us with a road map to better a life .
Today , when too many forces are trying to drive God and faith out of the public square , President Trump has stood firm for religious liberty and protecting the nuclear family !
When too many of our central cities have become killing fields , President Trump deserves a second term to stimulate a safe free market economy conducive to cultivating fields of dreams !
Ken Blackwell , is an advisor to Family Research Council Action .
He was the U.S. ambassador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights for President George H.W .
Bush .

In the 1960’s, Rev. M.L. King, Jr. asked Americans, “Will we choose chaos or community?”
In 2020, the Left and the Democrat Party have chosen chaos, while President Trump has chosen community!
President Trump has delivered on his promise to make concrete, measurable accomplishments in the creation of opportunities for, and empowering improvements in, the quality of life of black Americans.
He didn’t just engage in election year rhetoric, talking the talk but doing nothing. President Trump walked the walk and delivered.
Toward a More Perfect Union
He has delivered on criminal justice reform, record breaking support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, capital attracting Opportunity Zones for cities and minority businesses, and leadership in providing focused aid to minority populations with special Covid-19 needs.
President Trump has delivered on his commitments because he believes in our ability to progress, toward a “more perfect union,” in our nation’s 244th year as a constitutional republic. He understands that in those periods of our nation’s history when there has been an unleashing of American enterprise, innovation, and growth that we truly become an Opportunity Society. No president has ever inspired an economy as strong as that which we had prior to the pandemic. He deserves a second term to finish the job!
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Early in my childhood my family lived in the Laurel Homes, our city’s first major public housing community. I later became the city’s mayor. For me, my family, not the state, was an incubator of liberty and intellectual development. Our faith and the freedom to practice it in the public square provided us with a road map to better a life.
Today, when too many forces are trying to drive God and faith out of the public square, President Trump has stood firm for religious liberty and protecting the nuclear family!
When too many of our central cities have become killing fields, President Trump deserves a second term to stimulate a safe free market economy conducive to cultivating fields of dreams!
Ken Blackwell, is an advisor to Family Research Council Action. He was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights for President George H.W. Bush.


thestream--2020-09-01--The Left’s Rhetoric Is Running Into Reality, and Their Desperation is Showing

Labels .
Language games .
Imagery .
Flooding .
Keep the people reacting .
At all costs keep them from thinking .
That ’ s the left ’ s strategy ; do they have any other ?
Do they even need one ?
This one ’ s been working just great for them — up until the last week or so .
Now it ’ s failing them .
Badly .
They don ’ t know what to do , and it shows .
They ’ re all about labels — labels that grab emotions , regardless of truth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say .
That ’ s pretty ugly .
Makes you feel bad , doesn ’ t it ?
Makes you want to vote for the other side , since they must be all about unifying the country .
Nancy Pelosi , for example — now there ’ s a real unifying force for you .
She ’ s all about reaching out , getting everyone to listen and understand one another .
That ’ s why she was all over the House Judiciary Committee last month , making sure they listened closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share with them in testimony .
The left doesn ’ t care about divisiveness .
If they did , they ’ d act like it .
No , the word is good for political effect , nothing else .
They do the same thing with one word after another .
“ Racist.
” “ Homophobic.
” “ Xenophobic.
” “ Extremist.
” “ Supremacist.
” It ’ s manipulative as can be .
It ’ s dishonest — but it works .
It ’ s incredibly powerful , especially when , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they couple those labels with emotion-laden imagery and flood the country with it .
Labels .
Imagery .
Flooding tactics .
That ’ s their strategy .
Before long the nation is conditioned to react , not to think .
That ’ s when their methods reach peak power : When the people quit thinking .
The Left Is So Much Better at This Note well : It ’ s not rhetoric per se that ’ s the problem , it ’ s the dishonest , unbalanced , manipulative use they put it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and what I produce here is rhetoric , too , strictly speaking .
The word has its negative associations , but there ’ s also such a thing as doing one ’ s level best to keep it informed , honest and balanced .
That ’ s my goal , and I think overall , that ’ s a lot more characteristic of the right than it is of the left .
I ’ d even go so far as saying we ’ re lousy at this business of strategy with language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use a word or two ; we need whole paragraphs !
Case in point : The left can say , “ Hate is not a family value.
” Just six words .
The message smacks you right in the face .
My answer goes , “ Well , of course hate isn ’ t a family value , but who ’ s hating here ?
Disagreeing with homosexuality isn ’ t equal to hating gays or lesbians .
They disagree with me , too ; is that hate ?
Why call my disagreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Besides which , I ’ ve studied both pro-gay and pro-traditional arguments .
On balance , the pro-traditional case is more caring for more people .
I can support that opinion with all kinds of data showing how proper marriage and morality are better , more loving for more couples , more children , more families , and thus for communities , and in the long run even the whole country !
” Pathetic , isn ’ t it ?
They get their message across in six words ; it takes me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only enough to introduce “ all kinds of ways ” I could go on and explain further .
What they can do with bumper stickers , we can ’ t do without people sitting down and reading .
And thinking .
We need people thinking ; their strategy stops it cold .
That old gay-rights slogan is history now , though .
They don ’ t need it anymore ; they ’ ve won that one .
The big one today is , of course , “ racist.
” You don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a “ racist.
” If you ’ re white , there ’ s nothing you need do to deserve the label , and there ’ s nothing you can do to un-deserve it .
Want to be an ex-racist white ?
Climb in your coffin .
Otherwise the best thing you can do about it is accept the shame .
Give up your privilege .
Give up your power .
Chelsea Clinton says whites shouldn ’ t even vote .
Funny thing : The fewer whites who vote , the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Democratic party .
What looks at first like an anti-racist campaign turns out to be a campaign for Joe Biden , built on manipulating the word “ racism.
” That ’ s the left ’ s strategy , and they ’ ve been good at it , almost overwhelmingly so .
What happens , though , when other powerful , emotion-laden images come crashing in , and when those images reflect truth , not manipulation ?
Then its power crumbles .
You thought my hundred-word attempt at honest communication was pathetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell us we shouldn ’ t have presidential debates this year , because it would “ legitimize ” Donald Trump .
She ’ s playing with words there , but the attempt falls flat against real images of Joe Biden trying to think on his feet — seldom as that attempt happens — and failing , time and time again .
Worse yet , there ’ s the news media ’ s repeated “ mostly peaceful protests.
” It ’ s pitiful , really .
Usually they ’ re so good at these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It doesn ’ t stand a chance .
We see the real flames on the screen .
We the thugs threatening the innocent woman at the diner , and the senator on the streets of Washington , D.C. “ Mostly peaceful protests ” has no power against the real pictures of real shattered windows , and the real stories or real shopkeepers telling of their shattered lives .
The man wasn ’ t gunned down in the street because it ’ s mostly peaceful out there .
Still the left tries to control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us from thinking about it what ’ s really going on .
Why else even try this inane nonsense ?
This time , though , they ’ re plainly flailing .
They have no idea what to do .
Their rhetoric is powerful when it works , because images are powerful .
The left is so much better at it than we conservatives are — because they ’ re so much more comfortable with slanting language and biasing images .
This summer , though , reality is beating up their dishonesty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look like nothing more than impotent desperation .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Labels. Language games. Imagery. Flooding. Keep the people reacting. At all costs keep them from thinking.
That’s the left’s strategy; do they have any other? Do they even need one? This one’s been working just great for them — up until the last week or so. Now it’s failing them. Badly. They don’t know what to do, and it shows.
They’re all about labels — labels that grab emotions, regardless of truth. Donald Trump is “divisive,” they say. That’s pretty ugly. Makes you feel bad, doesn’t it? Makes you want to vote for the other side, since they must be all about unifying the country.
Nancy Pelosi, for example — now there’s a real unifying force for you. She’s all about reaching out, getting everyone to listen and understand one another. That’s why she was all over the House Judiciary Committee last month, making sure they listened closely to every word William Barr had to share with them in testimony.
(I’ll be patient. You can return after you’re done laughing.)
The left doesn’t care about divisiveness. If they did, they’d act like it. No, the word is good for political effect, nothing else.
They do the same thing with one word after another. “Racist.” “Homophobic.” “Xenophobic.” “Extremist.” “Supremacist.” It’s manipulative as can be. It’s dishonest — but it works. It’s incredibly powerful, especially when, with the help of entertainment and news media, they couple those labels with emotion-laden imagery and flood the country with it.
Labels. Imagery. Flooding tactics. That’s their strategy. Before long the nation is conditioned to react, not to think. That’s when their methods reach peak power: When the people quit thinking.
The Left Is So Much Better at This
Note well: It’s not rhetoric per se that’s the problem, it’s the dishonest, unbalanced, manipulative use they put it to. I’m a writer, and what I produce here is rhetoric, too, strictly speaking. The word has its negative associations, but there’s also such a thing as doing one’s level best to keep it informed, honest and balanced. That’s my goal, and I think overall, that’s a lot more characteristic of the right than it is of the left.
Reality is beating up their dishonest imagery, and all their attempts to fight back look like nothing more than impotent desperation.
I’d even go so far as saying we’re lousy at this business of strategy with language. Just look at us. They use a word or two; we need whole paragraphs! Case in point: The left can say, “Hate is not a family value.” Just six words. The message smacks you right in the face.
My answer goes, “Well, of course hate isn’t a family value, but who’s hating here? Disagreeing with homosexuality isn’t equal to hating gays or lesbians. They disagree with me, too; is that hate? Why call my disagreement ‘hate,’ but not theirs? Besides which, I’ve studied both pro-gay and pro-traditional arguments. On balance, the pro-traditional case is more caring for more people. I can support that opinion with all kinds of data showing how proper marriage and morality are better, more loving for more couples, more children, more families, and thus for communities, and in the long run even the whole country!”
“Racist” Strategy
Pathetic, isn’t it? They get their message across in six words; it takes me almost a hundred, and that’s only enough to introduce “all kinds of ways” I could go on and explain further. What they can do with bumper stickers, we can’t do without people sitting down and reading. And thinking. We need people thinking; their strategy stops it cold.
That old gay-rights slogan is history now, though. They don’t need it anymore; they’ve won that one. The big one today is, of course, “racist.” You don’t have to be a racist anymore to be a “racist.” If you’re white, there’s nothing you need do to deserve the label, and there’s nothing you can do to un-deserve it. Want to be an ex-racist white? Climb in your coffin. Otherwise the best thing you can do about it is accept the shame. Give up your privilege. Give up your power. Chelsea Clinton says whites shouldn’t even vote.
Funny thing: The fewer whites who vote, the more power swings to her mom and dad’s Democratic party. What looks at first like an anti-racist campaign turns out to be a campaign for Joe Biden, built on manipulating the word “racism.”
When Rhetoric Meets Reality
That’s the left’s strategy, and they’ve been good at it, almost overwhelmingly so. What happens, though, when other powerful, emotion-laden images come crashing in, and when those images reflect truth, not manipulation? Then its power crumbles.
You thought my hundred-word attempt at honest communication was pathetic? Think of Nancy Pelosi trying to tell us we shouldn’t have presidential debates this year, because it would “legitimize” Donald Trump. She’s playing with words there, but the attempt falls flat against real images of Joe Biden trying to think on his feet — seldom as that attempt happens — and failing, time and time again.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Worse yet, there’s the news media’s repeated “mostly peaceful protests.” It’s pitiful, really. Usually they’re so good at these three-word mantras, but this one? It doesn’t stand a chance. We see the real flames on the screen. We the thugs threatening the innocent woman at the diner, and the senator on the streets of Washington, D.C. “Mostly peaceful protests” has no power against the real pictures of real shattered windows, and the real stories or real shopkeepers telling of their shattered lives. The man wasn’t gunned down in the street because it’s mostly peaceful out there.
Flailing in Desperation
Still the left tries to control the narrative, to keep the rest of us from thinking about it what’s really going on. Why else even try this inane nonsense? This time, though, they’re plainly flailing. They have no idea what to do.
Their rhetoric is powerful when it works, because images are powerful. The left is so much better at it than we conservatives are — because they’re so much more comfortable with slanting language and biasing images.
This summer, though, reality is beating up their dishonesty, and all their attempts to fight back look like nothing more than impotent desperation.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-09-02--Joe Biden Went Down to the Crossroads. It Seems.

A story is told of the King of the Delta Blues .
Seems Robert Johnson wasn ’ t always a king of the blues .
In fact , old timers insisted Johnson , when he first came around , was a mediocre musician at best .
Then he disappeared for a year .
When he returned , he wrote and sang and played the blues at a level and an other-worldly dimension never heard before and unmatched since .
Robert Johnson , legend holds , was desperate to be the best bluesman ever .
He ’ d do anything .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ guitar down to a crossroads near Dockery Plantation in Clarksdale , Mississippi , at midnight .
The intersection of Highways 49 and 61 .
There , at the Crossroads , when the clock struck twelve , he met the devil and cut a deal : His soul for blues greatness and music immortality .
He got it .
Death claimed him a couple short years later .
Like Johnson ( in the story ) , Joe Biden was a mediocre talent desperate to be tops .
The first two times Joe came around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His 1988 bid blew up amid proof of plagiarism , and lack of voter interest .
His 2008 bid was an abject failure .
Biden was not able to earn a single delegate against a freshman senator with ties to terrorists and a woman with more baggage than Taylor Swift on a world tour .
The third time in this election cycle was no charm .
He came in fifth in Iowa .
He did so poorly in New Hampshire he didn ’ t stick around for a concession speech .
Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the move .
Even a gay small town mayor was eating his lunch .
Biden ’ s political obituary was being written .
And yet , for some unearthly reason , despite not doing anything memorable , saying anything remarkable , or his foes doing anything self-destructive … despite having muffed and gaffed and misled his way across the early primary states … Joe Biden went in a manner of weeks from being finished to being the de facto nominee .
You can talk about how the DNC freaked out at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top of the ticket .
So it pressured Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klubachar to drop out … but not Elizabeth Warren , who could siphon off Sanders votes .
These moves cleared the way for Biden ’ s Super Tuesday wins .
You can talk about how COVID then froze the primaries , keeping Biden from head-to-head debates and public appearances , and helping lock in Biden ’ s nomination .
You can talk politics all day .
But it still doesn ’ t fully explain how he went from nowhere to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but wonder if Joe Biden ’ s been down to the Crossroads , sold his soul to Ol ’ Scratch for a nomination he never ever could earn on his own .
Can you imagine the scene ?
Biden was a desperate man .
His mental facilities waning , his dream of the presidency dashed .
He headed south from New Hampshire with nothing left and nothing left to lose .
Upon arriving in the south , as the clock struck twelve , Biden shuffled out from his hotel , into the night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fog .
A tall , thin , ever-so-cool figure with the oversized ears stood waiting .
He ’ d enjoyed mocking Joe in the past , tempting him , then switching the bait .
Keeping him dangling .
But this was time for business .
Old Scratch couldn ’ t see more power slip in to the hand of his enemy .
No , not Trump .
God .
Even the return of saying “ Merry Christmas , ” made him bristle in fury .
Biden was eager , willing to do or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his rickety hand , if only for a moment , the brass ring .
Ol ’ Scratch laid out his terms : In return for political glory , Joe Biden must sacrifice his political soul .
He must : … reject the teaching of his God and church , and fully allow the murder of innocent unborn .
… abandon his lifelong support of the Hyde Amendment that prohibits the federal funding of abortion .
Ol ’ Scratch ’ s partner Moloch must feed at the public trough .
… pick as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Someone who actually prosecuted journalists who exposed the abortion industry ’ s baby party selling racket would be an extra bonus .
… choose her not on merit , but skin tone and sex alone .
Identity politics is the devil ’ s playground .
… secure as his policy partners socialists Bernie Sanders and AOC , and embrace all the godless socialism that comes with it .
… embrace the Green New Deal , with all its Gaia-worshiping , America wrecking implications .
… reject his once-sane views on immigration in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paying for the health insurance of illegal immigrants .
… sow racial division by insisting those blacks who don ’ t embrace him or the socialism and anarchy of the left “ aren ’ t really black.
” … declare that police have become the enemy .
… align with an anarchist terrorist organization hellbent on bringing destruction to American cities .
… pledge allegiance to a violent , Marxist , anti-Semitic , anti-capitalist organization .
One that despises and aims to destroy the nuclear family .
( In other words , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misery to the black community .
Oh , how Scratch loves destroying families ! )
“ Take out the black homes , ” Ol ’ Scratch says with a smirk , “ I ’ ll give you the White House.
” Ol ’ Scratch did add a caveat .
If Joe ’ s chances to win start fading , he must at all costs refuse to hold to account the demons running the streets .
Instead , he must climb from his basement and attribute the violence to … his opponent .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He must blame the victims .
And he must warn that unless he is elected , the killing , stealing and destroying will continue .
The devil ’ s show will have its long run .
The Deal is Signed and the Devil Delivers With pen in his frail , shaky hands , Joe Biden signed the contract .
He would stay silent as murder ran in the streets , and flames climbed to the sky .
He would wink at those committed to America ’ s destruction .
He would have his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He would claim for himself positions he long rejected .
He would renounce his own church ’ s clear teachings .
“ For this , ” said Ol ’ Scratch , “ I will now hand you the Democratic Nomination.
” Biden has honored his side of the deal .
Falling Down on His Knees As Robert Johnson became the King of the Delta Blues , Joe Biden may well become the President of the United States .
Johnson returned to the Crossroads , this time to be delivered .
He sings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” : While we can pray Joe Biden will fall to his knees .
We know we need to fall down on our knees at this crossroads in American history .
“ Have Mercy , now , save America if you please.
” Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

A story is told of the King of the Delta Blues. Seems Robert Johnson wasn’t always a king of the blues. In fact, old timers insisted Johnson, when he first came around, was a mediocre musician at best. Then he disappeared for a year. When he returned, he wrote and sang and played the blues at a level and an other-worldly dimension never heard before and unmatched since.
Robert Johnson, legend holds, was desperate to be the best bluesman ever. He’d do anything. Young Robert was advised to take his guitar down to a crossroads near Dockery Plantation in Clarksdale, Mississippi, at midnight. The intersection of Highways 49 and 61. There, at the Crossroads, when the clock struck twelve, he met the devil and cut a deal: His soul for blues greatness and music immortality.
He got it. Death claimed him a couple short years later.
Like Johnson (in the story), Joe Biden was a mediocre talent desperate to be tops.
Joe’s Deal With …
The first two times Joe came around he had been a miserable candidate. His 1988 bid blew up amid proof of plagiarism, and lack of voter interest. His 2008 bid was an abject failure. Biden was not able to earn a single delegate against a freshman senator with ties to terrorists and a woman with more baggage than Taylor Swift on a world tour.
The third time in this election cycle was no charm. He came in fifth in Iowa. He did so poorly in New Hampshire he didn’t stick around for a concession speech. Bernie Sanders was looking strong. Elizabeth Warren was on the move. Even a gay small town mayor was eating his lunch. Biden’s political obituary was being written.
And yet, for some unearthly reason, despite not doing anything memorable, saying anything remarkable, or his foes doing anything self-destructive … despite having muffed and gaffed and misled his way across the early primary states … Joe Biden went in a manner of weeks from being finished to being the de facto nominee.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
You can talk about how the DNC freaked out at the prospect of open socialist Bernie Sanders at the top of the ticket. So it pressured Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klubachar to drop out … but not Elizabeth Warren, who could siphon off Sanders votes. These moves cleared the way for Biden’s Super Tuesday wins. You can talk about how COVID then froze the primaries, keeping Biden from head-to-head debates and public appearances, and helping lock in Biden’s nomination.
You can talk politics all day. But it still doesn’t fully explain how he went from nowhere to nominee.
I can’t help but wonder if Joe Biden’s been down to the Crossroads, sold his soul to Ol’ Scratch for a nomination he never ever could earn on his own.
Shuffling to the Crossroads
Can you imagine the scene?
Biden was a desperate man. His mental facilities waning, his dream of the presidency dashed. He headed south from New Hampshire with nothing left and nothing left to lose.
Upon arriving in the south, as the clock struck twelve, Biden shuffled out from his hotel, into the night. A crossroads emerged out of the fog. A tall, thin, ever-so-cool figure with the oversized ears stood waiting. He’d enjoyed mocking Joe in the past, tempting him, then switching the bait. Keeping him dangling.
But this was time for business. Old Scratch couldn’t see more power slip in to the hand of his enemy. No, not Trump. God. Even the return of saying “Merry Christmas,” made him bristle in fury.
Biden was eager, willing to do or say whatever he was told to grab in his rickety hand, if only for a moment, the brass ring.
Ol Scratch Sets His Terms
Ol’ Scratch laid out his terms: In return for political glory, Joe Biden must sacrifice his political soul. He must:
… reject the teaching of his God and church, and fully allow the murder of innocent unborn. … abandon his lifelong support of the Hyde Amendment that prohibits the federal funding of abortion. Ol’ Scratch’s partner Moloch must feed at the public trough. … pick as his running mate a vehement pro-abortion radical. Someone who actually prosecuted journalists who exposed the abortion industry’s baby party selling racket would be an extra bonus. … choose her not on merit, but skin tone and sex alone. Identity politics is the devil’s playground. … secure as his policy partners socialists Bernie Sanders and AOC, and embrace all the godless socialism that comes with it. … embrace the Green New Deal, with all its Gaia-worshiping, America wrecking implications. … reject his once-sane views on immigration in favor of open borders and American taxpayers paying for the health insurance of illegal immigrants. … sow racial division by insisting those blacks who don’t embrace him or the socialism and anarchy of the left “aren’t really black.” … declare that police have become the enemy. … align with an anarchist terrorist organization hellbent on bringing destruction to American cities. … pledge allegiance to a violent, Marxist, anti-Semitic, anti-capitalist organization. One that despises and aims to destroy the nuclear family. (In other words, do the very thing that has brought such misery to the black community. Oh, how Scratch loves destroying families!)
“Take out the black homes,” Ol’ Scratch says with a smirk, “I’ll give you the White House.”
Above all, when the fires were lit, when the enemy came to kill, steal and destroy, Joe Biden must keep mum. He must keep mum for months as people die, as businesses burn, as police are blinded and shot and federal buildings are bombed, as American heroes are toppled, defaced and defamed. As elderly supporters of his opponent are brutalized in the street. As supporters — including children — are shot at. As black children are murdered by rioters. (#HerNameIsSecorieaTurner.)
Ol’ Scratch did add a caveat. If Joe’s chances to win start fading, he must at all costs refuse to hold to account the demons running the streets. Instead, he must climb from his basement and attribute the violence to … his opponent. He must not name the true perpetrators. He must blame the victims.
And he must warn that unless he is elected, the killing, stealing and destroying will continue. The devil’s show will have its long run.
The Deal is Signed and the Devil Delivers
With pen in his frail, shaky hands, Joe Biden signed the contract. He would stay silent as murder ran in the streets, and flames climbed to the sky. He would wink at those committed to America’s destruction. He would have his staffers pay to bail out domestic terrorists. He would claim for himself positions he long rejected. He would renounce his own church’s clear teachings.
“For this,” said Ol’ Scratch, “I will now hand you the Democratic Nomination.”
Biden has honored his side of the deal.
Falling Down on His Knees
As Robert Johnson became the King of the Delta Blues, Joe Biden may well become the President of the United States.
Johnson returned to the Crossroads, this time to be delivered. He sings in his immortal “Cross Road Blues”:
I went down to the crossroad, fell down on my knees.
I went down to the crossroad, fell down on my knees.
Asked the Lord above, “Have Mercy, now, save poor Bob if you please.”
While we can pray Joe Biden will fall to his knees, we know we need to fall down on our knees at this crossroads in American history. “Have Mercy, now, save America if you please.”
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-02--Pelosi Used Closed Hair Salon for Wash and Blow-Out Even Though Local Ordinances Prohibited Salons F

Pelosi Used Closed Hair Salon for Wash and Blow-Out Even Though Local Ordinances Prohibited Salons From Operating

The owner of eSalon in San Francisco , Calif. , said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi used her salon Monday to get a wash and blow-out , even though the shop has been closed for months due to coronavirus restrictions .
Pelosi can be seen on a security camera walking through the salon with wet hair .
She was not wearing a mask .
Erica Kious told Fox News Tuesday that independent stylists were renting chairs in her salon .
“ One of the stylists who rents a chair from me contacted me Sunday night.
” The stylist sent Kious a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be there at 2:45 tomorrow .
Pelosi assistant just messaged me to do her hair.
” Kious replied , “ Pelosi ?
” “ I was like , are you kidding me right now ?
Do I let this happen ?
What do I do ?
” She explained that she can ’ t control what her stylists do .
But she does consider Pelosi ’ s actions a double standard .
“ It was a slap in the face that she went in , you know , that she feels that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff done while no one else can go in , and I can ’ t work , ” Kious said .
She added that she “ can ’ t believe ” the speaker wasn ’ t wearing a mask .
She said it was “ disturbing.
” In addition , local rules state that hair salons can ’ t “ blow dry hair , ” because of safety issues with the virus .
“ We have been shut down for so long , not just me , but most of the small businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a feeling — a feeling of being deflated , helpless and honestly beaten down.
” Kious worked 12 years to build her business and has been fighting for six months to reopen it .
“ I am a single mom , I have two small children , and I have no income .
… The fact that they did this , and she came in , it ’ s like a slap in the face.
” Salons in San Francisco were notified that they could reopen September 1 for services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not reopen her business because her salon uses chemicals and using chemicals outside is not allowed .
“ This is for everybody , ” she said .
“ I am sharing this because of what everyone in my industry , and my city , what every small business is going through right now.
” Although Kious received a $ 12,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan because of coronavirus , she will still be forced to close her salon permanently .
“ No one can last anymore .
I have also lost 60 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city.
” Other shops in her area are closing too .
“ Every other storefront is completely vacant and shut down and boarded up .
… And because of the shutdown , and the store closures , we ’ ve lost people , my clients , and my employees , and that is due to the politics in San Francisco.
” She went on to say that the homeless population is all over and defecating everywhere .
“ It has gotten so extreme .
It is so night and day from what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fleeing.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

The owner of eSalon in San Francisco, Calif., said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi used her salon Monday to get a wash and blow-out, even though the shop has been closed for months due to coronavirus restrictions.
Pelosi can be seen on a security camera walking through the salon with wet hair. She was not wearing a mask.
Erica Kious told Fox News Tuesday that independent stylists were renting chairs in her salon. “One of the stylists who rents a chair from me contacted me Sunday night.” The stylist sent Kious a text that said, “I’ll be there at 2:45 tomorrow. Pelosi assistant just messaged me to do her hair.” Kious replied, “Pelosi?”
“I was like, are you kidding me right now? Do I let this happen? What do I do?” She explained that she can’t control what her stylists do. But she does consider Pelosi’s actions a double standard.
“It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can’t work,” Kious said. She added that she “can’t believe” the speaker wasn’t wearing a mask. She said it was “disturbing.”
In addition, local rules state that hair salons can’t “blow dry hair,” because of safety issues with the virus. “We have been shut down for so long, not just me, but most of the small businesses and I just can’t — it’s a feeling — a feeling of being deflated, helpless and honestly beaten down.” Kious worked 12 years to build her business and has been fighting for six months to reopen it. “I am a single mom, I have two small children, and I have no income. … The fact that they did this, and she came in, it’s like a slap in the face.”
Salons in San Francisco were notified that they could reopen September 1 for services to be performed outside only. Kious could not reopen her business because her salon uses chemicals and using chemicals outside is not allowed.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“This is for everybody,” she said. “I am sharing this because of what everyone in my industry, and my city, what every small business is going through right now.”
Although Kious received a $12,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan because of coronavirus, she will still be forced to close her salon permanently. “No one can last anymore. I have also lost 60 percent of my clientele because everyone is fleeing the city.”
Other shops in her area are closing too. “Every other storefront is completely vacant and shut down and boarded up. … And because of the shutdown, and the store closures, we’ve lost people, my clients, and my employees, and that is due to the politics in San Francisco.” She went on to say that the homeless population is all over and defecating everywhere.
“It has gotten so extreme. It is so night and day from what it was a year ago that everyone is fleeing.”
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.