thestream--2020-09-17--Foundations: Why Do We Support Free Speech?

“ Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.
” ― St. Catherine of Siena Free speech is the oxygen of democracy .
Without it freedom suffocates and dies .
But why is free speech so important from a Christian perspective ?
First , let ’ s talk about the primary , practical reason Christians must support free speech : the Great Commission .
From Jesus ’ last words to His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew : “ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the name of the Father and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
” ( Matthew 28 : 19-20 ) How can you do all that if you ’ re not free to speak ?
The same First Amendment to the Constitution that acknowledges our God-given right to practice our faith also recognizes our right to free speech .
The two are entwined together .
If you can not bear witness , if you can not share the gospel , neither your speech is free nor is your practice of religion .
Efforts abound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ square .
And we ’ re not talking about some long-hair on a soap box screaming “ The End is Near ” or a big “ John 3:16 ” sign blocking your view at a ball game .
We ’ re talking a soldier penalized for having a faith-based sticker at his desk A real estate agent in Virginia forced out of business because she insisted on including scripture verses on her business web page .
Or a Muslim convert to Christianity who was asked at the Mall of America about his beliefs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Muslim woman overhearing it reported him to mall security , and soon he found himself in jail for it .
We ’ re talking , too , about pastors who speak out on traditional marriage having public officials seeking to seize their sermons ( and terminate their tax-free status . )
As Dinesh D ’ Souza puts it , “ Somehow freedom for religious expression has become freedom from religious expression.
” We need free speech — to be able to share the reason for your hope at a high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to offer a prayer for someone in need .
Free speech — to be able to sing “ O Holy Night.
” Free speech — to be able to carry a sign outside an abortion mill .
We fight for free speech so we can carry out our assignment .
It ’ s easy to support free speech when you ’ ve got the juiciest , tastiest , most nutritious meat in the marketplace of ideas .
Christians celebrate free speech because we can take all comers .
Look at the Apostle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least seven times Paul used reasoned argument to carry the day .
One will suffice for the moment : Sure , free speech means we have to put up with a lot of foul speech , fake speak , and what The Stream likes to call “ Snake News “ : The deliberate distortion of truth with the intent to deceive , deflect and destroy.
” But we can hold on to Proverbs 12:6 : There is a lot of death in the words of the world , the lies of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are made righteous in Christ , and “ the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.
” ( Proverbs 10:11 ) If our speech brings life , being silenced brings death to our nation .
Our Founders knew this .
Ben Franklin said , “ Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.
” He would also say , “ Freedom of speech is a principle pillar of a free government : When this support is taken away , the constitution of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tyranny is erected on its ruins.
” Are we not seeing hints of this already with the silencing of voices during the recent COVID-19 pandemic ?
For example , two California doctors on the front lines against the virus posted a video questioning the actual threat it posed , arguing it was being greatly exaggerated , and the shutdown was an overreaction .
YouTube removed their video , which had gone ( pardon the expression ) viral .
Noted epidemiologist Nutt Wittkowski ’ s video dismissing the need for a shutdown was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would remove content that went contrary to World Health Organization recommendations .
( The same WHO that initially downplayed the threat , at the behest of Communist China . )
Hasn ’ t a cloud , shaped like tyranny , settled on many of our states ?
Give up free speech and we are not lions , we are lambs .
Said George Washington , “ If freedom of speech is taken away , then dumb and silent we may be led , like sheep to the slaughter.
” We are not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wise .
We are not to be silent .
We are to speak in boldness .
God gave us America .
God blessed America .
If we Christians can keep to our assignment , our nation will continue to be blessed .
This article is part of a new Stream series called Foundations .
As we approach this year ’ s election , it appears that the most fundamental principles upon which the American republic was founded are being called into question .
Foundations is a tool for pastors , teachers , leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why , from a Biblical view , we should continue to support the Constitution — with an emphasis on the First and Second Amendments and wise policies that promote freedom .
Visit the Foundations page to see all the articles in this series .

“Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.”
― St. Catherine of Siena
Free speech is the oxygen of democracy. Without it freedom suffocates and dies.
But why is free speech so important from a Christian perspective?
Free Speech and the Great Commission
First, let’s talk about the primary, practical reason Christians must support free speech: the Great Commission. From Jesus’ last words to His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28: 19-20)
How can you do all that if you’re not free to speak?
The same First Amendment to the Constitution that acknowledges our God-given right to practice our faith also recognizes our right to free speech. The two are entwined together. If you cannot bear witness, if you cannot share the gospel, neither your speech is free nor is your practice of religion.
Efforts abound to squeeze Christian voices from the public square. And we’re not talking about some long-hair on a soap box screaming “The End is Near” or a big “John 3:16” sign blocking your view at a ball game. We’re talking a soldier penalized for having a faith-based sticker at his desk A real estate agent in Virginia forced out of business because she insisted on including scripture verses on her business web page. Or a Muslim convert to Christianity who was asked at the Mall of America about his beliefs, and started to share his testimony. A Muslim woman overhearing it reported him to mall security, and soon he found himself in jail for it. We’re talking, too, about pastors who speak out on traditional marriage having public officials seeking to seize their sermons (and terminate their tax-free status.)
As Dinesh D’Souza puts it, “Somehow freedom for religious expression has become freedom from religious expression.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
We need free speech — to be able to share the reason for your hope at a high school graduation.
Free speech — to be able to offer a prayer for someone in need.
Free speech — to be able to sing “O Holy Night.”
Free speech — to be able to carry a sign outside an abortion mill.
We fight for free speech so we can carry out our assignment.
The Marketplace of Ideas
It’s easy to support free speech when you’ve got the juiciest, tastiest, most nutritious meat in the marketplace of ideas. Christians celebrate free speech because we can take all comers. Look at the Apostle Paul. The book of Acts tells at least seven times Paul used reasoned argument to carry the day. One will suffice for the moment:
As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days, he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. (Acts 17:2-4 NIV)
Sure, free speech means we have to put up with a lot of foul speech, fake speak, and what The Stream likes to call “Snake News“: The deliberate distortion of truth with the intent to deceive, deflect and destroy.” But we can hold on to Proverbs 12:6:
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
There is a lot of death in the words of the world, the lies of the “spirit of the air.” But we are made righteous in Christ, and “the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.” (Proverbs 10:11)
Protection of Liberty
If our speech brings life, being silenced brings death to our nation. Our Founders knew this. Ben Franklin said, “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
He would also say, “Freedom of speech is a principle pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins.”
Are we not seeing hints of this already with the silencing of voices during the recent COVID-19 pandemic? For example, two California doctors on the front lines against the virus posted a video questioning the actual threat it posed, arguing it was being greatly exaggerated, and the shutdown was an overreaction. YouTube removed their video, which had gone (pardon the expression) viral. Noted epidemiologist Nutt Wittkowski’s video dismissing the need for a shutdown was also censored. Meanwhile, Facebook declared it would remove content that went contrary to World Health Organization recommendations. (The same WHO that initially downplayed the threat, at the behest of Communist China.)
Hasn’t a cloud, shaped like tyranny, settled on many of our states?
Give up free speech and we are not lions, we are lambs. Said George Washington, “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”
We are not to be dumb. We are to be wise. We are not to be silent. We are to speak in boldness.
God gave us America. God blessed America. If we Christians can keep to our assignment, our nation will continue to be blessed.
This article is part of a new Stream series called Foundations. As we approach this year’s election, it appears that the most fundamental principles upon which the American republic was founded are being called into question. Foundations is a tool for pastors, teachers, leaders and all people of faith to learn why, from a Biblical view, we should continue to support the Constitution — with an emphasis on the First and Second Amendments and wise policies that promote freedom. Visit the Foundations page to see all the articles in this series.


thestream--2020-09-17--Self-Constructed, Build-a-Bear, Buffet-Style Christianity Is No Christianity At All

In a pair of tweets that recently made rounds on social media , a young progressive woman issued her doctrinal creed : “ I am a Christian and I believe proselytizing is violence … I am a Christian and I believe LGBTQ+ ppl are divine and should lead us … I am a Christian and I don ’ t go to church .
I am a Christian and I don ’ t believe the Bible is the word of God.
” While one wonders why someone who already rejects church , evangelism , Christian morality and Scripture would still want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeter is merely a more extreme example of a very common approach to faith , including Christianity .
To be clear , this kind of self-constructed , Build-A-Bear , buffet-style belief acquisition works fine for some worldviews , especially the Westernized , New-Agey offsprings of Eastern pantheisms ( pan=all and theos=god , so literally those religions that believe everything is god and god is everything ) .
“ Christianity , ” however , as a revealed worldview , has an objective definition .
Christianity centers ultimate reality and , therefore , ultimate authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created order , locates it in a Divine Personal Being who has made Himself known through what He has made , through Holy Scripture , and ultimately made known Himself through Christ Jesus .
One might doubt that there is a God who has revealed Himself or that God has revealed Himself in these ways , and therefore reject Christianity .
But because Christianity is a worldview that comes already carefully defined , it ’ s not open to mass-scale revisions .
Last month , Arizona Christian University released a study called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project led by George Barna .
According to the report , nearly two-thirds of Americans believe having “ some kind of faith ” is more important than the specific faith a person chooses .
And , almost 70 percent of those who gave that response identified as Christians .
The same survey found that a slight majority of self-identified Christians think a person can attain salvation by “ being or doing good , ” a belief contrary to the New Testament ’ s claim that salvation comes “ by grace … through faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … ” The results of another survey , jointly sponsored by LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries , found that over half of Americans and nearly a third of evangelicals agree with the statement that Jesus was a “ good teacher , but he was not God.
” And yet another recent survey , conducted by the Barna Group with World Vision , found that nearly half of young adults globally say that the church can ’ t answer their questions or spiritual doubts .
The sample size of the Barna study , over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine languages , suggests that theological literacy and worldview clarity are not just American deficiencies .
Christian identity is at risk on a global scale , including what the word “ Christian ” even means , and whether Christian truth claims are distinct , knowable and reliable .
Confronting this widespread confusion requires at least two things .
First , following Ryan Anderson ’ s example of bringing clarity to the debate over same-sex “ marriage ” ( “ Sorry , marriage is a thing , and same-sex relationships just aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to definitively say when necessary , “ Sorry , Christianity is defined , and that ’ s just not Christianity.
” Second , and more importantly , we need to abandon the self-constructed , Build-A-Bear , buffet approach to religion that is so pervasive in our own hearts and our own churches .
A great place to start in clarifying “ the faith that was delivered once for all to the saints , ” as Jude says is , of course Holy Scripture .
For a trusted guide , check out what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important book , The Faith : Given Once for All .
Also , our outreach and church growth strategies must conform to what Scripture reveals .
Too often , perhaps to make Jesus more palatable to nonbelievers , we elevate personal preference and give the impression that much of the faith is negotiable .
That strategy inevitably ends with the Church , the Bible , morality and even Jesus Himself becoming negotiable .
And to close , let me say this : We shouldn ’ t worry whether what the author of Hebrews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Word , ” can survive the scrutiny , doubt and disdain of the modern world .
Christian truth will most certainly survive .
It ’ s survived until now , and it will survive , because , after all , it ’ s True .
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview .
He ’ s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture , theology , worldview , education and apologetics .

In a pair of tweets that recently made rounds on social media, a young progressive woman issued her doctrinal creed: “I am a Christian and I believe proselytizing is violence … I am a Christian and I believe LGBTQ+ ppl are divine and should lead us … I am a Christian and I don’t go to church. I am a Christian and I don’t believe the Bible is the word of God.”
While one wonders why someone who already rejects church, evangelism, Christian morality and Scripture would still want to keep the title Christian, this tweeter is merely a more extreme example of a very common approach to faith, including Christianity.
An Objective Definition
To be clear, this kind of self-constructed, Build-A-Bear, buffet-style belief acquisition works fine for some worldviews, especially the Westernized, New-Agey offsprings of Eastern pantheisms (pan=all and theos=god, so literally those religions that believe everything is god and god is everything).
“Christianity,” however, as a revealed worldview,
has an objective definition.
“Christianity,” however, as a revealed worldview, has an objective definition. Christianity centers ultimate reality and, therefore, ultimate authority, outside (not within) the created order, locates it in a Divine Personal Being who has made Himself known through what He has made, through Holy Scripture, and ultimately made known Himself through Christ Jesus.
One might doubt that there is a God who has revealed Himself or that God has revealed Himself in these ways, and therefore reject Christianity. But because Christianity is a worldview that comes already carefully defined, it’s not open to mass-scale revisions.
Christian Identity Is At Risk
Last month, Arizona Christian University released a study called “The American Worldview Inventory, — a project led by George Barna. According to the report, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe having “some kind of faith” is more important than the specific faith a person chooses. And, almost 70 percent of those who gave that response identified as Christians.
The same survey found that a slight majority of self-identified Christians think a person can attain salvation by “being or doing good,” a belief contrary to the New Testament’s claim that salvation comes “by grace … through faith,” and “not by works …”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The results of another survey, jointly sponsored by LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries, found that over half of Americans and nearly a third of evangelicals agree with the statement that Jesus was a “good teacher, but he was not God.” And yet another recent survey, conducted by the Barna Group with World Vision, found that nearly half of young adults globally say that the church can’t answer their questions or spiritual doubts.
The sample size of the Barna study, over 15 thousand respondents from 25 countries and nine languages, suggests that theological literacy and worldview clarity are not just American deficiencies. Christian identity is at risk on a global scale, including what the word “Christian” even means, and whether Christian truth claims are distinct, knowable and reliable.
Confronting Confusion
Confronting this widespread confusion requires at least two things. First, following Ryan Anderson’s example of bringing clarity to the debate over same-sex “marriage” (“Sorry, marriage is a thing, and same-sex relationships just aren’t marriage”), we must be willing to definitively say when necessary, “Sorry, Christianity is defined, and that’s just not Christianity.”
Second, and more importantly, we need to abandon the self-constructed, Build-A-Bear, buffet approach to religion that is so pervasive in our own hearts and our own churches. A great place to start in clarifying “the faith that was delivered once for all to the saints,” as Jude says is, of course Holy Scripture. For a trusted guide, check out what may be Chuck Colson’s most important book, The Faith: Given Once for All.
Also, our outreach and church growth strategies must conform to what Scripture reveals. Too often, perhaps to make Jesus more palatable to nonbelievers, we elevate personal preference and give the impression that much of the faith is negotiable. That strategy inevitably ends with the Church, the Bible, morality and even Jesus Himself becoming negotiable.
And to close, let me say this: We shouldn’t worry whether what the author of Hebrews calls “the first principles of God’s Word,” can survive the scrutiny, doubt and disdain of the modern world. Christian truth will most certainly survive. It’s survived until now, and it will survive, because, after all, it’s True.
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He’s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics.
Originally published at Breakpoint.org. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-09-17--China Expert: Seeking to Turn A Profit, Hollywood Turns Blind Eye to Atrocities

Late last week , Disney CFO Christine McCarthy addressed recent controversies over the release of its Mulan remake .
The action film , released Sept. 4 via Disney ’ s streaming service , was shot partly in the northwestern region of China known for egregious human rights abuses .
“ It generated a lot of issues for us , ” said McCarthy at a virtual conference on Thursday .
“ [ This was ] an effort to accurately depict some of the unique landscapes and geography of the country for this historical period piece.
” Specifically , McCarthy responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to eight different Chinese government entities .
“ It ’ s common to acknowledge in a film ’ s credits the national and local governments that allowed you to film there , ” she said .
“ Let ’ s leave it at that.
” But human rights advocate Helen Raleigh , who was born in China , can not leave it at that .
She notes how Hollywood has increased investment in China over the past decade — largely ignoring human rights issues along the way .
“ The city that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turpan , has at least 14 concentration camps , ” said Raleigh in a phone interview .
“ Their scouting team can not possibly miss that .
Disney is an international company working in media .
How could they not know ?
” Negative publicity around Mulan has brought needed attention to the plight of the Uyghur ( pronounced “ wee-gurr ” ) people .
Since 2017 , at least 1.8 million people have been imprisoned in Xinjiang .
Many are subjected to forced labor , forced abortions , and worse .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Members of Congress sent a letter to Disney seeking answers .
“ Disney ’ s apparent cooperation with [ Chinese ] officials… is profoundly disturbing , ” they stated .
“ The closing credits of Mulan extend thanks to [ entities that have ] denied , distorted , and otherwise covered up crimes against humanity.
” Uproar over the film comes as the Trump administration takes new action against China ’ s human rights violations .
On Tuesday , a U.S. agency banned the import of certain goods produced with forced labor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step to keep goods that are produced using forced labor out of American markets , ” stated USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel .
He was recently appointed to serve the religious freedom watchdog group .
“ Thanks to U.S. leadership , Chinese companies now know that they can not profit off the slavery of Uyghur Muslims.
” An author , financial analyst , and fellow at the Centennial Institute , Raleigh writes and speaks widely on foreign policy .
She notes mistreatment of Uyghurs dates back to when the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the CCP has been promoting assimilation towards all minorities , ” she said .
“ They look at China ’ s 50-plus minority groups as barbaric and backward .
So their policies try to make all minorities — whether Uyghurs or Tibetans or others — become more like the Han majority.
” In 2013 , a small Uyghur faction committed an act of terrorism .
Current CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping used it as pretext to institute inhumane policies across the region .
Yet the majority of Uyghur Muslims sent to concentration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and professors are taken and forced to learn the Han language and Communist propaganda , ” said Raleigh .
“ Women are subjected to forced birth control sterilization.
” Even apart from the camps , Uyghurs have been kept from higher-income jobs .
Among other groups in China , rising incomes have led to a burgeoning middle class .
Entertainment and tech companies have flooded in to sell goods and services .
“ As a business person , I have nothing against chasing profits , ” said Raleigh .
“ Yet many U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to begin with .
It ’ s those American values that have universal appeal : individual freedom and free enterprise.
” Growing up in central China , Raleigh was taught the “ Ballad of Mulan ” in literature classes .
“ We were required to memorize it — and it ’ s a very long poem !
” she said .
“ It has a relatable message of a young person leaving home , seeking adventure , and trying to do good .
I give that partial credit for inspiring me to want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The story emphasizes self-determination and sacrifice on behalf of one ’ s family .
Young warrior Mulan goes into battle in place of her aging father .
Though some plot points remain , Raleigh sees different messages in the remake .
“ Now it ’ s about absolute loyalty to your country , ” she said .
“ And guess what ?
Loyalty to your country in China is code for loyalty to the Communist Party.
” Even more disturbing , the film plays into China ’ s current ethnocentric policies .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ancestors of the Mongolians , a region currently facing harsh new directives , ” she said .
New CCP policies target Inner Mongolia , disallowing education in the minority group ’ s language .
“ Parents are losing the ability to teach their kids in this ancient language , ” said Raleigh .
“ The Communist Party is trying to wipe out this culture in one generation.
” Recently , protests against the policies have erupted in the region .
Up to now , Inner Mongolia has been notable for not pushing back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel especially betrayed , ” she added .
“ The Party has essentially finished dealing with the Uyghurs .
Now they ’ re turning their eye towards them.
” In the wake of widespread backlash , Disney has quietly pulled back from promoting Mulan .
Reportedly , results from streaming sales and overseas box office on the film have been weak .
Raleigh admits that her family has enjoyed streaming service Disney+ during recent lockdowns .
Yet she has urged subscribers not to purchase the Mulan title .
“ As a private company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to maximize profit for shareholders , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t want to jeopardize that .
But I think the American public needs to be aware of the compromises made by big corporations.
” She views it as taking a stand against the complicity of Hollywood in disturbing practices .
“ American should vote with our dollars when it comes to our values , ” added Raleigh .
“ Let the big corporations know : We do not approve of this , and we ’ re not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing issues , the world ’ s largest nation will likely continue to dominate headlines .
Raleigh advises that Americans pay attention .
“ We need to be aware of what ’ s going on in China , ” she said .
“ How the CCP treats its own people today is how they ’ re going to deal with U.S. companies tomorrow.
” Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist .
Find him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Streamdotorg .

Late last week, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy addressed recent controversies over the release of its Mulan remake. The action film, released Sept. 4 via Disney’s streaming service, was shot partly in the northwestern region of China known for egregious human rights abuses.
“It generated a lot of issues for us,” said McCarthy at a virtual conference on Thursday. “[This was] an effort to accurately depict some of the unique landscapes and geography of the country for this historical period piece.”
Specifically, McCarthy responded to how the movie gives “special thanks” to eight different Chinese government entities. “It’s common to acknowledge in a film’s credits the national and local governments that allowed you to film there,” she said. “Let’s leave it at that.”
But human rights advocate Helen Raleigh, who was born in China, cannot leave it at that. She notes how Hollywood has increased investment in China over the past decade — largely ignoring human rights issues along the way.
Since 2017, at least 1.8 million people have been imprisoned in Xinjiang.
“The city that Disney mentioned in the movie credits, Turpan, has at least 14 concentration camps,” said Raleigh in a phone interview. “Their scouting team cannot possibly miss that. Disney is an international company working in media. How could they not know?”
Negative publicity around Mulan has brought needed attention to the plight of the Uyghur (pronounced “wee-gurr”) people. Since 2017, at least 1.8 million people have been imprisoned in Xinjiang. Many are subjected to forced labor, forced abortions, and worse.
In response, a bipartisan group of 19 Members of Congress sent a letter to Disney seeking answers. “Disney’s apparent cooperation with [Chinese] officials… is profoundly disturbing,” they stated. “The closing credits of Mulan extend thanks to [entities that have] denied, distorted, and otherwise covered up crimes against humanity.”
Hollywood Complicit in Inhumane Practices
Uproar over the film comes as the Trump administration takes new action against China’s human rights violations. On Tuesday, a U.S. agency banned the import of certain goods produced with forced labor in China.
“This is an important step to keep goods that are produced using forced labor out of American markets,” stated USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel. He was recently appointed to serve the religious freedom watchdog group. “Thanks to U.S. leadership, Chinese companies now know that they cannot profit off the slavery of Uyghur Muslims.”
An author, financial analyst, and fellow at the Centennial Institute, Raleigh writes and speaks widely on foreign policy. She notes mistreatment of Uyghurs dates back to when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power.
“Since 1949, the CCP has been promoting assimilation towards all minorities,” she said. “They look at China’s 50-plus minority groups as barbaric and backward. So their policies try to make all minorities — whether Uyghurs or Tibetans or others — become more like the Han majority.”
In 2013, a small Uyghur faction committed an act of terrorism. Current CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping used it as pretext to institute inhumane policies across the region.
Yet the majority of Uyghur Muslims sent to concentration camps shun extremism. “Business leaders and professors are taken and forced to learn the Han language and Communist propaganda,” said Raleigh. “Women are subjected to forced birth control sterilization.”
Even apart from the camps, Uyghurs have been kept from higher-income jobs. Among other groups in China, rising incomes have led to a burgeoning middle class. Entertainment and tech companies have flooded in to sell goods and services.
“As a business person, I have nothing against chasing profits,” said Raleigh. “Yet many U.S. corporations are forgetting what made them successful to begin with. It’s those American values that have universal appeal: individual freedom and free enterprise.”
Radically Different Mulan Remake
Growing up in central China, Raleigh was taught the “Ballad of Mulan” in literature classes.
“We were required to memorize it — and it’s a very long poem!” she said. “It has a relatable message of a young person leaving home, seeking adventure, and trying to do good. I give that partial credit for inspiring me to want to come to the United States.”
The story emphasizes self-determination and sacrifice on behalf of one’s family. Young warrior Mulan goes into battle in place of her aging father. Though some plot points remain, Raleigh sees different messages in the remake.
“Now it’s about absolute loyalty to your country,” she said. “And guess what? Loyalty to your country in China is code for loyalty to the Communist Party.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Even more disturbing, the film plays into China’s current ethnocentric policies. “The villains of this movie are the ancestors of the Mongolians, a region currently facing harsh new directives,” she said.
New CCP policies target Inner Mongolia, disallowing education in the minority group’s language. “Parents are losing the ability to teach their kids in this ancient language,” said Raleigh. “The Communist Party is trying to wipe out this culture in one generation.”
Recently, protests against the policies have erupted in the region. Up to now, Inner Mongolia has been notable for not pushing back against the CCP.
“The Mongolians feel especially betrayed,” she added. “The Party has essentially finished dealing with the Uyghurs. Now they’re turning their eye towards them.”
Entertainment Dollars Should Reflect Values
In the wake of widespread backlash, Disney has quietly pulled back from promoting Mulan. Reportedly, results from streaming sales and overseas box office on the film have been weak.
Raleigh admits that her family has enjoyed streaming service Disney+ during recent lockdowns. Yet she has urged subscribers not to purchase the Mulan title.
“Let the big corporations know: We do not approve of this, and we’re not going to support it.”
“As a private company, Disney has the right to try to maximize profit for shareholders,” she said. “I don’t want to jeopardize that. But I think the American public needs to be aware of the compromises made by big corporations.”
She views it as taking a stand against the complicity of Hollywood in disturbing practices. “American should vote with our dollars when it comes to our values,” added Raleigh. “Let the big corporations know: We do not approve of this, and we’re not going to support it.”
Considering China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing issues, the world’s largest nation will likely continue to dominate headlines. Raleigh advises that Americans pay attention.
“We need to be aware of what’s going on in China,” she said. “How the CCP treats its own people today is how they’re going to deal with U.S. companies tomorrow.”
Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-17--Military Photo of the Day: US and Polish Soldiers, Shoulder-to-Shoulder

U.S. and Polish soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder during a July 2020 peacekeeping operation in Kosovo .
Thank you to @ @ @ @ @ people of Kosovo .

U.S. and Polish soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder during a July 2020 peacekeeping operation in Kosovo.
Thank you to these soldiers for helping the people of Kosovo.
React to This Article What do you think of our coverage in this article? We value your feedback as we continue to grow.


thestream--2020-09-16--How Radical Historian’s Revisionism and Lies Led to 2020’s Unrest

The war on history is about overturning America ’ s constitutional system .
So says Mary Grabar , a resident fellow at the Alexander Hamilton Institute and author of the book “ Debunking Howard Zinn : Exposing the Fake History That Turned a Generation Against America.
” Zinn was a radical historian whose book , A People ’ s History of the United States , has been widely influential since its first publication in 1980 .
Grabar spoke at a Heritage Foundation event in late August on “ The Perils of Revisionist History ” as a part of an ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trial and Triumph.
” The event ’ s hosts were Angela Sailor , vice president of Heritage ’ s Feulner Institute , and Allen C. Guelzo , a visiting fellow at Heritage ’ s Simon Center for American Studies .
Grabar laid out how Zinn portrayed himself as a truth-teller who was debunking myths created about American history using newly uncovered sources .
“ He claimed to be revealing new evidence , everything from Christopher Columbus ’ diary to a Harper ’ s Magazine article about Japanese internment camps published at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pentagon Papers , ” she said .
“ But what I discovered in going through Zinn ’ s book is , he did no such thing.
” Instead , according to Grabar , Zinn distorted his sources to fit his narrative , took subject matter out of context and frequently outright lifted his material from other authors .
“ In terms of Columbus , he mostly copied from passages quoted in a book he plagiarized , a book for high school students written by a fellow Marxist and anti-Vietnam War organizer who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by the name of Hans Koning , ” Grabar said .
Columbus ’ diary was quoted deceptively , she said .
Zinn added ellipses to sentences while also clipping out entire sentences or pages to change their meaning , she said .
This made Columbus seem ruthless and cruel , but the actual direct passages from Columbus tell a different story .
The missing passages , she said , show that Columbus tried to convert the Indians “ through love , not force , and certainly was not intent on murder or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just the story of Columbus that Zinn distorted , Grabar said .
He engaged in revisionism about the Vietnam War in much the same way .
“ The top-secret documents about Indochina were also quoted deceptively , ” she said .
“ For example , references to fears about communist imperialism were cut off at the ends of sentences by Zinn in order to make it appear that American leaders were motivated by imperialistic greed.
” Those were not just isolated distortions in Zinn ’ s book , she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ moral authority ” on history .
How does Zinn portray himself as a moral authority ?
“ He does this by presenting himself as the revealer of truth , the champion of the oppressed who finally tells their story , ” Grabar said .
“ The historians who came before him were the deceivers , he says.
” On why Zinn distorted history and his goal in creating false perceptions about America ’ s past , Grabar said : In Zinn ’ s telling , America is an exceptional country only if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even the country ’ s greatest triumphs over undisputed evil are questioned , such as the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II .
“ In fact , we did not defeat fascism during World War II , but had its , quote , ‘ essential elements : militarism , racism , imperialism absorbed into our already poisoned bones , ’ ” Grabar said of Zinn ’ s narrative .
“ In other words , we were no better than the Nazis.
” What Zinn ’ s book does is craft a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was trying to make to transform society , and it ’ s a narrative of oppressors versus oppressed and resistance to systematic exploitation , Grabar said , adding : Grabar noted that Zinn constantly was railing against the “ system ” in his book .
The word system or “ systemic ” appears 168 times , she said .
The struggle against the system is unending until that system is overthrown .
According to Zinn , she said , “ there is no such thing as pure fact innocent of interpretation .
Behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact is important and that other facts are not important.
” Grabar said that Zinn pretended to choose facts about the oppressed that long were overlooked by other historians in his “ bottom-up ” retelling of the past , but that ’ s off base .
The problem is , she said , many of the oppressed people used as examples by Zinn are either “ anonymous mouthpieces spouting communist slogans , dupes or famous Marxist radicals.
” What Zinn ultimately wants , she said , is an overturning of the system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only glimmer of hope comes from mass protest , and the more violent , the better .
Martyrs are heroes .
Riots define the civil rights movement , ” Grabar said .
For Zinn , she said , voting and elections are not a solution to injustice .
The “ entire system is rotten and needs to be torn down.
” That narrative has become disturbingly relevant in 2020 as cities across the country have been hit with mass protests , violence and unrest .
“ That is what is being done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kenosha and other cities across the country , ” Grabar said .
“ Young people of all races , educational levels and economic classes are in the streets .
They began with statues and monuments .
They have moved on to businesses and government buildings .
They are harassing people in public who refuse to join them.
” That ’ s the unsavory result of the teaching of Zinn and those who have followed him , Grabar said .
“ For those who believe Zinn ’ s history , revolution is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Zinn died in 2010 , but the violence in the streets today would have made him very happy.
” Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast .
Send an email to Jarrett .
He is also the author of the new book , The War on History : The Conspiracy to Rewrite America ’ s Past .

The war on history is about overturning America’s constitutional system.
So says Mary Grabar, a resident fellow at the Alexander Hamilton Institute and author of the book “Debunking Howard Zinn: Exposing the Fake History That Turned a Generation Against America.”
Zinn was a radical historian whose book, A People’s History of the United States, has been widely influential since its first publication in 1980.
Grabar spoke at a Heritage Foundation event in late August on “The Perils of Revisionist History” as a part of an ongoing series of presentations called “The Power of Trial and Triumph.” The event’s hosts were Angela Sailor, vice president of Heritage’s Feulner Institute, and Allen C. Guelzo, a visiting fellow at Heritage’s Simon Center for American Studies.
Distortions Identified
Grabar laid out how Zinn portrayed himself as a truth-teller who was debunking myths created about American history using newly uncovered sources.
“He claimed to be revealing new evidence, everything from Christopher Columbus’ diary to a Harper’s Magazine article about Japanese internment camps published at the end of World War II to the Pentagon Papers,” she said. “But what I discovered in going through Zinn’s book is, he did no such thing.”
Instead, according to Grabar, Zinn distorted his sources to fit his narrative, took subject matter out of context and frequently outright lifted his material from other authors.
“In terms of Columbus, he mostly copied from passages quoted in a book he plagiarized, a book for high school students written by a fellow Marxist and anti-Vietnam War organizer who was not a historian, but a novelist, by the name of Hans Koning,” Grabar said.
Columbus’ diary was quoted deceptively, she said. Zinn added ellipses to sentences while also clipping out entire sentences or pages to change their meaning, she said. This made Columbus seem ruthless and cruel, but the actual direct passages from Columbus tell a different story.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The missing passages, she said, show that Columbus tried to convert the Indians “through love, not force, and certainly was not intent on murder or genocide as is claimed.”
It wasn’t just the story of Columbus that Zinn distorted, Grabar said. He engaged in revisionism about the Vietnam War in much the same way.
“The top-secret documents about Indochina were also quoted deceptively,” she said. “For example, references to fears about communist imperialism were cut off at the ends of sentences by Zinn in order to make it appear that American leaders were motivated by imperialistic greed.”
A “Moral Authority”
Those were not just isolated distortions in Zinn’s book, she said, yet some have called his work a “moral authority” on history.
How does Zinn portray himself as a moral authority? “He does this by presenting himself as the revealer of truth, the champion of the oppressed who finally tells their story,” Grabar said. “The historians who came before him were the deceivers, he says.”
On why Zinn distorted history and his goal in creating false perceptions about America’s past, Grabar said:
For Zinn, communism is the solution. He acknowledges that Stalin was an authoritarian, but points to the day when the right people will implement communism. In fact, many times, local communist governments in Europe, Central America and Vietnam have attempted to do so, only to be quashed by the American military, according to Zinn.
In Zinn’s telling, America is an exceptional country only if one sees it as exceptionally bad. Even the country’s greatest triumphs over undisputed evil are questioned, such as the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“In fact, we did not defeat fascism during World War II, but had its, quote, ‘essential elements: militarism, racism, imperialism absorbed into our already poisoned bones,’” Grabar said of Zinn’s narrative. “In other words, we were no better than the Nazis.”
A Crafted Narrative
What Zinn’s book does is craft a narrative to fit the ideological points he was trying to make to transform society, and it’s a narrative of oppressors versus oppressed and resistance to systematic exploitation, Grabar said, adding:
This is Howard Zinn’s narrative in ‘A People’s History of the United States.’ It is fraudulent history, one that uses bad sources, such as a book by a Holocaust denier, anonymous diaries, works of fiction and mythical speeches. He plagiarizes and quotes deceptively. Inequality, oppression, police brutality, racism, sexism and injustice are presented as the inevitable outcomes of the system or the establishment. In other words, they are baked into the founding and the Constitution.
Grabar noted that Zinn constantly was railing against the “system” in his book. The word system or “systemic” appears 168 times, she said. The struggle against the system is unending until that system is overthrown.
According to Zinn, she said, “there is no such thing as pure fact innocent of interpretation. Behind all facts are judgments — that this fact is important and that other facts are not important.”
Grabar said that Zinn pretended to choose facts about the oppressed that long were overlooked by other historians in his “bottom-up” retelling of the past, but that’s off base.
The problem is, she said, many of the oppressed people used as examples by Zinn are either “anonymous mouthpieces spouting communist slogans, dupes or famous Marxist radicals.”
Revolution — The Only Solution
What Zinn ultimately wants, she said, is an overturning of the system.
“In Zinn’s history, the only glimmer of hope comes from mass protest, and the more violent, the better. Martyrs are heroes. Riots define the civil rights movement,” Grabar said.
For Zinn, she said, voting and elections are not a solution to injustice. The “entire system is rotten and needs to be torn down.”
Disturbingly Relevant in 2020
That narrative has become disturbingly relevant in 2020 as cities across the country have been hit with mass protests, violence and unrest.
“That is what is being done this summer in Portland, in Minneapolis, Kenosha and other cities across the country,” Grabar said. “Young people of all races, educational levels and economic classes are in the streets. They began with statues and monuments. They have moved on to businesses and government buildings. They are harassing people in public who refuse to join them.”
That’s the unsavory result of the teaching of Zinn and those who have followed him, Grabar said.
“For those who believe Zinn’s history, revolution is the only solution,” she said. “Zinn died in 2010, but the violence in the streets today would have made him very happy.”
Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast. Send an email to Jarrett. He is also the author of the new book, The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-09-18--California Wants Me to Vote, Even Though I Haven’t Lived There for Over Eight Years

States across the country are experimenting with a mass switch to mail-in elections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
But is it wise for states to make such a big change , especially in light of messy voter rolls around the country ?
What I was sent earlier this month by election officials in Alameda County , California , makes me worried that ballots going to the wrong locations will be a significant concern this year .
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters notified me by mail at my parents ’ address in Oakland that I would receive a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 5 .
This is following Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s executive order that all California voters receive a mail-in ballot before the Nov. 3 election .
The problem is , I should not be considered a California voter .
Since I left California in 2011 , I have registered to vote in two other places .
I ’ ve officially changed my address .
And my parents notified election workers at their local voting location after I left the state , but to no avail .
The only reason I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my parents still live at the same address .
I posted this information on Twitter , noting that it ’ s particularly concerning given that there will be a massive uptick in mail-in voting this year .
Although the official mail my parents received isn ’ t the actual ballot , it informed me that I would receive one along with every other California voter .
Unless something changes , a ballot will be sent to me in a town where I haven ’ t lived or voted for a decade .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s a problem .
What if I or my parents had been dishonest , and I voted twice ?
What if somebody else living at that address tried to submit my vote ?
It ’ s not hard to see how this system could be abused by those who care to do so .
Again , this is an even bigger problem right now .
Much of the country is experimenting with mass voting by mail even while many states have done a poor job of cleaning up their voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election integrity .
A municipal election in May in Paterson , the third-largest city in New Jersey , demonstrated how a mail-in ballot system potentially can be abused .
Ballot irregularities and alleged fraud led to a significant number of cast ballots being invalidated and a judge ’ s ordering a new election .
Among the problems were mismatched signatures on ballots and hundreds of ballots that were bundled improperly .
Several people were charged with voter fraud .
That election in New Jersey simply may be an ugly outlier , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be concerned about an election system being transformed on a widespread scale , as we are seeing for the 2020 presidential election .
State officials should treat election integrity as the serious issue that it is .
The bottom line is that voter rolls around the country are bloated and filled with inaccuracies .
Countless voters are registered in multiple states , many of which have resisted cleaning up their rolls .
The 2020 election also presents unique problems .
Most states are moving toward a mail-in system as a response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter rolls more problematic , given that many states simply are sending out ballots to everyone who is currently registered .
Others require a request , more like the typical process of acquiring an absentee ballot .
My Heritage Foundation colleague Hans von Spakovsky has written extensively about election integrity issues and warned about the implications of mass mail-in voting .
“ Going entirely to by-mail elections would unwisely endanger the security and integrity of the election process , particularly if officials automatically mail absentee ballots to all registered voters without a signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” von Spakovsky wrote in April .
Von Spakovsky noted in the article that having “ thousands of ballots ” arrive in places where voters no longer reside “ risks those ballots being stolen and voted.
” As far as my own ongoing problem with California sending me ballots , von Spakovsky says : Mark Hemingway , who has written extensively about related issues , wrote in 2019 that a sharp divide now exists between those who prioritize “ ballot access ” and those who focus on “ ballot security.
” These sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Voter Registration Act , often called the “ Motor Voter Act.
” Officials streamlined the process for voter registration , but opened the possibility of more inaccurate rolls , especially given how many people move from state to state .
“ People are far more likely to register to vote in their new homes than to alert their old communities that they have moved , ” Hemingway wrote .
It ’ s up to the states to do regular maintenance on their voter rolls , and they are supposed to follow up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been inactive for a long time .
However , Hemingway wrote that since passage of the National Voter Registration Act , “ many states have simply ignored the maintenance requirements while others have sought legal workarounds.
” For those who say they ’ re concerned with protecting “ democracy , ” ballot security should be a priority .
Messy voter rolls open up the possibility of fraud as well as innocent errors that could gravely threaten our electoral process .
Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email to Jarrett .
He is also the author of the new book , The War on History : The Conspiracy to Rewrite America ’ s Past .

States across the country are experimenting with a mass switch to mail-in elections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But is it wise for states to make such a big change, especially in light of messy voter rolls around the country?
The Mail-In Ballot Experiment
What I was sent earlier this month by election officials in Alameda County, California, makes me worried that ballots going to the wrong locations will be a significant concern this year.
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters notified me by mail at my parents’ address in Oakland that I would receive a ballot when the state sends them out Oct. 5. This is following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order that all California voters receive a mail-in ballot before the Nov. 3 election.
The problem is, I should not be considered a California voter.
Since I left California in 2011, I have registered to vote in two other places. I’ve officially changed my address. And my parents notified election workers at their local voting location after I left the state, but to no avail.
The only reason I was even aware of the situation is that my parents still live at the same address.
I posted this information on Twitter, noting that it’s particularly concerning given that there will be a massive uptick in mail-in voting this year.
So people are saying that this is incorrect because ballots won't officially be sent out in CA until Oct 5. My parents just received this in the mail telling me that they are sending the ballot. Havent voted there in 10 years. Parents told them I left years ago. https://t.co/Lz21nJlbav pic.twitter.com/oZHkjT7uSW — Jarrett Stepman (@JarrettStepman) September 5, 2020
Although the official mail my parents received isn’t the actual ballot, it informed me that I would receive one along with every other California voter. Unless something changes, a ballot will be sent to me in a town where I haven’t lived or voted for a decade.
Hardly An Isolated Incident
I’m hardly alone in my experience. That’s a problem.
What if I or my parents had been dishonest, and I voted twice? What if somebody else living at that address tried to submit my vote?
It’s not hard to see how this system could be abused by those who care to do so.
Again, this is an even bigger problem right now. Much of the country is experimenting with mass voting by mail even while many states have done a poor job of cleaning up their voter rolls and taking extra precautions to ensure election integrity.
A municipal election in May in Paterson, the third-largest city in New Jersey, demonstrated how a mail-in ballot system potentially can be abused. Ballot irregularities and alleged fraud led to a significant number of cast ballots being invalidated and a judge’s ordering a new election.
Among the problems were mismatched signatures on ballots and hundreds of ballots that were bundled improperly. Several people were charged with voter fraud.
That election in New Jersey simply may be an ugly outlier, but it’s also a good reason to be concerned about an election system being transformed on a widespread scale, as we are seeing for the 2020 presidential election.
Election Integrity Is A Serious Issue
State officials should treat election integrity as the serious issue that it is.
The bottom line is that voter rolls around the country are bloated and filled with inaccuracies. Countless voters are registered in multiple states, many of which have resisted cleaning up their rolls.
The 2020 election also presents unique problems. Most states are moving toward a mail-in system as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
This makes irregularities in voter rolls more problematic, given that many states simply are sending out ballots to everyone who is currently registered. Others require a request, more like the typical process of acquiring an absentee ballot.
My Heritage Foundation colleague Hans von Spakovsky has written extensively about election integrity issues and warned about the implications of mass mail-in voting.
“Going entirely to by-mail elections would unwisely endanger the security and integrity of the election process, particularly if officials automatically mail absentee ballots to all registered voters without a signed, authenticated request from each voter,” von Spakovsky wrote in April.
Von Spakovsky noted in the article that having “thousands of ballots” arrive in places where voters no longer reside “risks those ballots being stolen and voted.”
As far as my own ongoing problem with California sending me ballots, von Spakovsky says:
Voter registration forms usually have a place on the bottom of the form where you can write in where you were previously registered. But states are notoriously lax about forwarding that information to the former jurisdictions or doing anything about information when they get it from other states. Their voter rolls, particularly California’s, are also in notoriously bad condition because they don’t take off people who have moved or died.
Ballot Access vs. Ballot Security
Mark Hemingway, who has written extensively about related issues, wrote in 2019 that a sharp divide now exists between those who prioritize “ballot access” and those who focus on “ballot security.”
These sometimes competing concerns are prevalent in the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, often called the “Motor Voter Act.” Officials streamlined the process for voter registration, but opened the possibility of more inaccurate rolls, especially given how many people move from state to state.
“People are far more likely to register to vote in their new homes than to alert their old communities that they have moved,” Hemingway wrote.
It’s up to the states to do regular maintenance on their voter rolls, and they are supposed to follow up with a notice to voters who have been inactive for a long time.
However, Hemingway wrote that since passage of the National Voter Registration Act, “many states have simply ignored the maintenance requirements while others have sought legal workarounds.”
For those who say they’re concerned with protecting “democracy,” ballot security should be a priority. Messy voter rolls open up the possibility of fraud as well as innocent errors that could gravely threaten our electoral process.
Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast. Send an email to Jarrett. He is also the author of the new book, The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


Biden’s Death Mask

Joe Biden , or his handlers , are suggesting that , if elected , he ’ d implement a nation-wide mask mandate .
He says he ’ d make the case “ with scientists ” for every state , every county , every jurisdiction , to create and enforce mandatory mask laws .
No scientist should , however , if objectively examining the data , agree with Joe Biden .
If Biden were elected , he would not take office , of course , until January .
He therefore assumes masks would still be needed .
Yet in most cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if they ever were .
The official CDC weekly count of deaths attributed at least in part to the coronavirus , showed 214 deaths for the week ending September 12 .
These are early counts and will rise due to late reporting .
In any case , attributed deaths have been dropping rapidly since the first week of August .
If the trend in fatalities continues , and there is no good reason to suspect otherwise , the number of deaths will fall to “ background level ” by October , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phrase “ background level ” since this coronavirus will likely never disappear .
Even Anthony Fauci would agree with this statement .
In a recent Cell paper with David M , Morens , Fauci wrote that “ viral genetic descendants of the 1918 influenza pandemic virus are still causing seasonal outbreaks throughout the world , and still killing cumulatively millions of people a century later.
” This is true , even though we have flu vaccines .
Flu variants stick with us .
So do coronavirus variants , a cause of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 is therefore likely to be around for years to come .
But that does not mean it will be causing large numbers of deaths .
Certainly not enough deaths to require , by threat of jail or fine , every single citizen to wear a mask in everyday settings .
The efficacy of masks in preventing transmission of disease in healthy populations is not proven anyway .
Most studies show mixed results , at best .
A recent paper by Jingyi Xiao and others in Emerging Infectious Diseases analyzed ten separate studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was no benefit in preventing transmission of flu .
This is only one of dozens of such studies .
At the least , there ’ s no clear-cut case for mandatory masks , and even evidence against their use in some cases .
Deaths have been dropping .
So , why are so many people still terrified of the coronavirus ?
Because of massive increases in testing , a subject we discuss in our upcoming book The Price of Panic : How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a time when testing was sparse .
Attributed deaths began to fall by late April , fading to a low in late June , re-peaking in late July , and now dropping to very low levels .
At the same time , testing ramped up and up , and then up some more .
According to the COVID tracking project , there were a peak of 926,441 tests on July 24 .
On one day alone !
These tests are picking up minor and asymptomatic infections , or even past infections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no infections at all .
Yet the press is labeling all positive tests “ new cases.
” When the public , and many government officials hear “ new cases , ” they assume the worst .
It is these media-amplified non-case “ new cases ” that account for the continuing panic .
A similar situation happened in 2008 and 2009 with Swine flu .
After deaths dropped to near zero in the summer of 2009 , the NIAID funded a “ FluChip , ” a cheap and widely available test .
“ New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout the rest of the year , but deaths stubbornly refused to re-peak .
Testing for this coronavirus is only now coming down slowly , even as deaths drop far below traffic fatalities .
( According to the National Safety Council about 746 people die on average every week in crashes . )
Universal mask-wearing is no longer necessary , if it ever was .
Creating new crimes for not wearing them long after a pandemic has ended is not medically , or ethically , justifiable .
Douglas Axe , William Briggs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors of The Price of Panic : How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe ( October 13 , 2020 ) .

Joe Biden, or his handlers, are suggesting that, if elected, he’d implement a nation-wide mask mandate.
He says he’d make the case “with scientists” for every state, every county, every jurisdiction, to create and enforce mandatory mask laws. No scientist should, however, if objectively examining the data, agree with Joe Biden.
If Biden were elected, he would not take office, of course, until January. He therefore assumes masks would still be needed. Yet in most cases, they aren’t needed now, if they ever were.
The official CDC weekly count of deaths attributed at least in part to the coronavirus, showed 214 deaths for the week ending September 12. These are early counts and will rise due to late reporting. In any case, attributed deaths have been dropping rapidly since the first week of August.
If the trend in fatalities continues, and there is no good reason to suspect otherwise, the number of deaths will fall to “background level” by October, or November at the latest. We use the phrase “background level” since this coronavirus will likely never disappear.
Even Anthony Fauci would agree with this statement. In a recent Cell paper with David M, Morens, Fauci wrote that “viral genetic descendants of the 1918 influenza pandemic virus are still causing seasonal outbreaks throughout the world, and still killing cumulatively millions of people a century later.”
This is true, even though we have flu vaccines. Flu variants stick with us. So do coronavirus variants, a cause of the common cold. This new one causing COVID-19 is therefore likely to be around for years to come.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
But that does not mean it will be causing large numbers of deaths. Certainly not enough deaths to require, by threat of jail or fine, every single citizen to wear a mask in everyday settings.
The efficacy of masks in preventing transmission of disease in healthy populations is not proven anyway. Most studies show mixed results, at best. A recent paper by Jingyi Xiao and others in Emerging Infectious Diseases analyzed ten separate studies, each examining the efficacy of masks. There was no benefit in preventing transmission of flu.
This is only one of dozens of such studies. At the least, there’s no clear-cut case for mandatory masks, and even evidence against their use in some cases.
Deaths Decline, Tests Spike
Deaths have been dropping. So, why are so many people still terrified of the coronavirus? Because of massive increases in testing, a subject we discuss in our upcoming book The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe.
Attributed deaths peaked in mid-April, a time when testing was sparse. Attributed deaths began to fall by late April, fading to a low in late June, re-peaking in late July, and now dropping to very low levels.
At the same time, testing ramped up and up, and then up some more. According to the COVID tracking project, there were a peak of 926,441 tests on July 24. On one day alone!
These tests are picking up minor and asymptomatic infections, or even past infections, or in the case of false positives no infections at all. Yet the press is labeling all positive tests “new cases.”
When the public, and many government officials hear “new cases,” they assume the worst. It is these media-amplified non-case “new cases” that account for the continuing panic.
A similar situation happened in 2008 and 2009 with Swine flu. After deaths dropped to near zero in the summer of 2009, the NIAID funded a “FluChip,” a cheap and widely available test. “New cases” driven by increased testing soared throughout the rest of the year, but deaths stubbornly refused to re-peak.
Universal mask-wearing is no longer necessary, if it ever was. Creating new crimes for not wearing them long after a pandemic has ended is not medically, or ethically, justifiable.
Testing for this coronavirus is only now coming down slowly, even as deaths drop far below traffic fatalities. (According to the National Safety Council about 746 people die on average every week in crashes.)
Universal mask-wearing is no longer necessary, if it ever was. Creating new crimes for not wearing them long after a pandemic has ended is not medically, or ethically, justifiable.
Douglas Axe, William Briggs, and Jay W. Richards, are the authors of The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe (October 13, 2020).


thestream--2020-09-18--Military Photo of the Day: Over the North Sea

Three U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft approach a KC-135 Stratotanker over the North Sea on August 31 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ safe weekend , everyone !

Three U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft approach a KC-135 Stratotanker over the North Sea on August 31, 2020.
Have a happy and safe weekend, everyone!
React to This Article What do you think of our coverage in this article? We value your feedback as we continue to grow.


thestream--2020-09-18--This Week at War: Heroes and Hurricanes

This Week at War: Heroes and Hurricanes

While the military ’ s primary duty is to fight and win war , U.S. service members respond to natural disasters with equal vigor .
At this hour , thousands of National Guard and Coast Guard troops are helping residents recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sally .
The storm , which made landfall Wednesday morning on the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane , has killed at least one person and flooded several coastal towns in Alabama and Florida .
Parts of Pensacola , which is home to a major U.S .
Naval Air Station , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of water ” on Thursday , according to CBS News .
The brave men and women of the National Guard had sprung to action long before the hurricane hit .
As of Thursday afternoon , nearly 2,000 were on duty for storm response efforts in Alabama , Florida , Louisiana and Mississippi .
More will presumably be activated as the weakened but still serious storm heads northeast through Georgia , South Carolina and North Carolina .
In Florida ’ s westernmost panhandle county , Escambia , the National Guard joined local firefighters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flooding .
Thank you to the heroes of the National Guard and Coast Guard for working with first responders to save lives during this and other powerful hurricanes to hit the United States so far this year .
Our prayers are with everyone on the Gulf Coast dealing with the difficult aftermath of Hurricane Sally .
The men and women of our nation ’ s military have also stepped up to battle the blazes ravaging much of the west coast .
From helping fight the actual fires to rescuing residents and strengthening food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the National Guard and other members of the military are performing with bravery and brilliance .
We pray for the safety of these heroes along with each and every citizen they are risking their lives to protect from these devastating fires .
As peace in the Middle East inched closer after a historic peace treaty was signed this week at the White House , it ’ s important to remember that thousands of brave U.S. troops are still at war in places like Iraq , Syria and Afghanistan .
In Iraq , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captured another this week in the western province of Anbar , the site of much bloodshed during the war .
In Baghdad , two rockets were fired at the U.S. Embassy , one of which was “ intercepted by a U.S. radar-guided close-in weapon system called C-RAM , ” according to Fox News .
No injuries were reported among U.S. troops .
While about 3,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq after about 2,200 were withdrawn by President Trump , only around 200 remain in Syria , according to Defense One .
Their primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight ISIS terrorists in the northern part of the war-torn country .
On Tuesday , American troops in Syria had a scare when a coalition AH-64 Apache helicopter was forced to make an unscheduled landing due to mechanical issues , according to a U.S. military spokesman .
The crew was thankfully able to make it to a nearby military base without coming under fire .
In Afghanistan , about 8,500 U.S. troops remain almost 19 years after the war was launched .
President Trump has promised to reduce the number of troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are currently taking place in Qatar , although past failures leave little hope for a breakthrough .
The Taliban has continued to target Afghan troops , civilians and U.S. military bases in Afghanistan despite publicly promising to stop the violence .
Often lost in foreign policy discussions is the impact of deployments on military families .
One military spouse , Meka Harrell , wrote about what it was like to care for four children while her husband was at war .
One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was away .
“ If there ’ s one thing I learned about this deployment , it ’ s that it truly takes a village , ” Harrell wrote .
“ While I am often called a ‘ supermom ’ or told I make it ‘ look easy ’ none of what I do could happen without my village cheering me on.
” Please join me in cheering on Blue Star families like the Harrells and praying for all U.S. troops , military spouses and children dealing with the daily stresses of overseas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
About 200 U.S. Army paratroopers have returned home to their loved ones after spending much of the past year fighting the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria .
After returning from Afghanistan two weeks ago , another group of courageous warriors was reunited with their families this week after completing a post-deployment quarantine .
Welcome home , heroes !
Thank you for defending freedom and our flag .
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream .
He is co-author of Three Wise Men , Brothers Forever , 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eyes .
Follow Tom on Twitter @ TSileo and The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Hurricane Sally
While the military’s primary duty is to fight and win war, U.S. service members respond to natural disasters with equal vigor. At this hour, thousands of National Guard and Coast Guard troops are helping residents recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sally.
The storm, which made landfall Wednesday morning on the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane, has killed at least one person and flooded several coastal towns in Alabama and Florida. Parts of Pensacola, which is home to a major U.S. Naval Air Station, were “under as much as five feet of water” on Thursday, according to CBS News.
The brave men and women of the National Guard had sprung to action long before the hurricane hit. As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 2,000 were on duty for storm response efforts in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. More will presumably be activated as the weakened but still serious storm heads northeast through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
In Florida’s westernmost panhandle county, Escambia, the National Guard joined local firefighters to rescue 35 residents and pets from severe flooding.
⛑In the aftermath of #Sally Escambia County Fire Rescue crews helped more than 35 residents in the Lake Charlene area get to dry land today with the help of @NationalGuard rescue vehicles. Sending love to all of those along the Gulf Coast affected by Sally 💙Stay safe… pic.twitter.com/llBKKoi4m8 — BeReadyEscambia (@bereadyescambia) September 17, 2020
Thank you to the heroes of the National Guard and Coast Guard for working with first responders to save lives during this and other powerful hurricanes to hit the United States so far this year. Our prayers are with everyone on the Gulf Coast dealing with the difficult aftermath of Hurricane Sally.
Western Wildfires
The men and women of our nation’s military have also stepped up to battle the blazes ravaging much of the west coast.
A @WANationalGuard Black Hawk helicopter gathers lake water with a Bambi Bucket to assist with wildfires. Guard flight crews dropped more than 280,000 gallons of water on the Sumner Grade Fire. pic.twitter.com/9SA0PLrIdJ — Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) September 17, 2020
From helping fight the actual fires to rescuing residents and strengthening food banks already strained by the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Guard and other members of the military are performing with bravery and brilliance. We pray for the safety of these heroes along with each and every citizen they are risking their lives to protect from these devastating fires.
Middle East
As peace in the Middle East inched closer after a historic peace treaty was signed this week at the White House, it’s important to remember that thousands of brave U.S. troops are still at war in places like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
In Iraq, coalition troops killed one ISIS terrorist and captured another this week in the western province of Anbar, the site of much bloodshed during the war. In Baghdad, two rockets were fired at the U.S. Embassy, one of which was “intercepted by a U.S. radar-guided close-in weapon system called C-RAM,” according to Fox News. No injuries were reported among U.S. troops.
https://twitter.com/MeghUpdates/status/1305732631011553281?s=20
While about 3,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq after about 2,200 were withdrawn by President Trump, only around 200 remain in Syria, according to Defense One. Their primary job is to work with Kurdish troops to fight ISIS terrorists in the northern part of the war-torn country.
On Tuesday, American troops in Syria had a scare when a coalition AH-64 Apache helicopter was forced to make an unscheduled landing due to mechanical issues, according to a U.S. military spokesman. The crew was thankfully able to make it to a nearby military base without coming under fire.
In Afghanistan, about 8,500 U.S. troops remain almost 19 years after the war was launched. President Trump has promised to reduce the number of troops to about 5,000 by Election Day. More peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are currently taking place in Qatar, although past failures leave little hope for a breakthrough. The Taliban has continued to target Afghan troops, civilians and U.S. military bases in Afghanistan despite publicly promising to stop the violence.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Often lost in foreign policy discussions is the impact of deployments on military families. One military spouse, Meka Harrell, wrote about what it was like to care for four children while her husband was at war. One of those precious children was born while he was away.
“If there’s one thing I learned about this deployment, it’s that it truly takes a village,” Harrell wrote. “While I am often called a ‘supermom’ or told I make it ‘look easy’ none of what I do could happen without my village cheering me on.”
Please join me in cheering on Blue Star families like the Harrells and praying for all U.S. troops, military spouses and children dealing with the daily stresses of overseas deployments, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coming Home
About 200 U.S. Army paratroopers have returned home to their loved ones after spending much of the past year fighting the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
After returning from Afghanistan two weeks ago, another group of courageous warriors was reunited with their families this week after completing a post-deployment quarantine.
Welcome home! Following a two-week precautionary quarantine, #WarriorBrigade Soldiers were welcomed back from their deployment to Afghanistan by families and friends.#ClimbToGlory #FindAWayOrMakeOne pic.twitter.com/D7MyuGpJV5 — 1BCT 10MTN (@1BCT10MTN) September 17, 2020
Welcome home, heroes! Thank you for defending freedom and our flag.
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of Three Wise Men, Brothers Forever, 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-19--Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Has Passed Away at Age 87

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has passed away from complications surrounding metastatic pancreas cancer .
The legendary legal figure was 87 .
Often called “ the Thurgood Marshall of gender equality law , ” after the justice who as a lawyer had successfully argued for the over-turning of “ separate but equal , ” she has long pioneered gender equality under the law .
The oldest justice serving on the court , she was also perhaps the most liberal one .
The battle over her replacement will be fierce .
The justice who replaces her could give the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Due to her fiery dissents and refusal to back down , she developed a reputation as the “ Notorious R.B.G.
, ” a play on the name of rapper The Notorious B.I.G .
Ginsburg enjoyed the nickname , and admitted to having a large collection of Notorious R.B.G .
shirts she gave to family and friends .
She also obtained the nickname “ The Great Dissenter ” due to her plentiful , strongly worded dissents .
Although they were at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum , Ginsburg considered the late Justice Antonin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ate dinner and attended opera together .
She had known him since they both served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit .
Ginsburg graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Government , with the highest grades of any woman in her graduating class .
She tied for first in her graduating class from Columbia Law School , where she was one of only a few women .
Despite her talent , Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter rejected Ginsburg for a clerkship position because she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has said , led to her concern with women ’ s rights .
She clerked for a U.S. District Court judge instead .
She became a professor at Rutgers ( 1963-1972 ) and Columbia ( 1970-1982 ) law schools .
Rutgers told her she would be paid less than her male colleagues since her husband had a well-paying job .
That must have strengthened her interest in women ’ s rights .
A strong feminist , Ginsburg advocated for women ’ s rights and gender equality throughout her career .
While at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Rights Law Reporter , the first American law journal dedicated to women ’ s rights issues .
In 1972 she helped found the ACLU ’ s Women ’ s Rights Project and later served as its general counsel .
She wrote Columbia ’ s case book on sex discrimination .
In advancing her causes , she was a clever and shrewd advocate .
When President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court , The New York Times explained : “ Ms .
Ginsburg adopted a strategy intended to convince the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and women — even those laws that were meant to help women — were based on unfair and harmful stereotypes and were in most cases unconstitutional .
To do that , she often used men as plaintiffs , showing that both men and women suffered from such stereotypes.
” She “ set out to prove that those kinds of laws in fact harmed women by contributing to a stereotyped view of their role , ” said a law professor quoted in the article .
In her brief for the 1976 case Craig v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a Oklahoma law that let women buy beer at 18 but didn ’ t let men buy it until they were 21 .
That case shifted the law on legally distinguishing the sexes .
The court created an idea called “ intermediate scrutiny.
” It meant that a state could not distinguish men from women in the law unless it showed the law advanced a substantial governmental objective .
President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980 .
The court is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court justices .
There she developed a reputation as a moderate .
President Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court in 1993 .
During her confirmation hearings , she answered some questions , but declined to answer others , saying they referred to issues she might have to rule on .
During the confirmation hearing of John Roberts , the future chief justice cited the “ Ginsburg precedent ” to refuse to answer certain questions .
Ginsberg left a very liberal legacy on the court , with an emphasis on carrying out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her most important opinions was United States v. Virginia in 1996 .
By a 7-1 vote , the court struck down the public military university ’ s male-only policy .
( Among the conservatives , Chief Justice Rehnquist concurred , Justice Scalia dissented , and Justice Thomas did not participate . )
While serving on the highest court , she announced a new standard for equal protection review of gender classifications , called “ skeptical scrutiny.
” It favors the female sex only .
It “ cunningly eliminates all possible justifications for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” except those that give women “ remedial ” advantages .
While the previous standard of “ intermediate scrutiny ” had allowed states to legally distinguish men and women if they had good reason to do so , Ginsberg ’ s new standard did not .
It eliminated such distinctions whatever good they served .
In the 2016 case Whole Woman ’ s Health v. Hellerstedt , the Supreme Court struck down Texas abortion restrictions that would have shut down some abortion clinics .
Ginsburg joined in the majority opinion , and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opined , “ It is beyond rational belief that H. B .
2 could genuinely protect the health of women , and certain that the law ‘ would simply make it more difficult for them to obtain abortions.
’ When a state severely limits access to safe and legal procedures , women in desperate circumstances may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners … at great risk to their health and safety.
” She didn ’ t write the majority decision in the 2015 case legalizing same-sex marriage , Obergefell v. Hodges , but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
She asserted during oral argument , “ Marriage today is not what it was under the common law tradition , under the civil law tradition .
… Marriage was a relationship of a dominant male to a subordinate female.
” When announcing her dissents from the bench , she wore a specially designed collar with her robe .
One of her most famous dissents came in the Hobby Lobby case .
Her 35-page dissent inspired a YouTube video and memes .
She claimed , “ The exemption sought by Hobby Lobby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women who do not hold their employers ’ beliefs access to contraceptive coverage.
” In the 2007 Gonzales v. Carhart , she dissented from the majority , which upheld a federal law against partial-birth abortion .
She asserted in her dissent that “ The notion that the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act furthers any legitimate governmental interest is , quite simply , irrational.
” In the 2000 case Bush v. Gore , Ginsburg disagreed so vehemently that she wrote “ I dissent ” instead of the more collegial “ I respectfully dissent ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the court agreed with the Bush team to halt a manual recount of the presidential ballots in Florida Ending the recount allowed Bush to win the presidency .
In Veasey v. Perry , Ginsburg dissented from the majority , which upheld a strict voter ID law in Texas .
She claimed in her 2014 dissent that “ racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact.
” Ginsburg has had serious health problems while on the bench , and many thought she might step down within the last few years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1999 , but did not not miss a day on the bench .
Ginsburg became known for her vigorous exercise routines in later years despite her health issues .
She developed pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery for that in 2009 .
In November 2018 , she fractured three ribs in a fall .
A scan of her lungs revealed cancerous nodules .
They were removed in January 2019 , but it resulted in her missing days on the bench .
In May she underwent a non-surgical treatment for a benign gall bladder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced her cancer had returned .
Many Democrats wished she would have stepped down while Barack Obama was president , so he could appoint a liberal to replace her .
But she wanted to remain a justice as long as she was mentally sharp enough to perform her duties .
In July 2016 , she said during two interviews that she did not want to think about the possibility of a Trump presidency .
She jokingly said she might move to New Zealand if he became president .
She apologized for her remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During an interview with Katie Couric in 2016 , she said that Colin Kaepernick not standing for the national anthem before NFL games was “ really dumb.
” She apologized for the remarks later and described them as “ inappropriately dismissive and harsh.
” Her husband died of cancer in 2010 .
They leave behind two children .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has passed away from complications surrounding metastatic pancreas cancer. The legendary legal figure was 87.
Often called “the Thurgood Marshall of gender equality law,” after the justice who as a lawyer had successfully argued for the over-turning of “separate but equal,” she has long pioneered gender equality under the law. The oldest justice serving on the court, she was also perhaps the most liberal one. The battle over her replacement will be fierce. The justice who replaces her could give the court a 6 to 3 conservative majority.
Due to her fiery dissents and refusal to back down, she developed a reputation as the “Notorious R.B.G.,” a play on the name of rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Ginsburg enjoyed the nickname, and admitted to having a large collection of Notorious R.B.G. shirts she gave to family and friends. She also obtained the nickname “The Great Dissenter” due to her plentiful, strongly worded dissents.
Although they were at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, Ginsburg considered the late Justice Antonin Scalia her closest friend on the court. They ate dinner and attended opera together. She had known him since they both served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Ginsburg graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Government, with the highest grades of any woman in her graduating class. She tied for first in her graduating class from Columbia Law School, where she was one of only a few women. Despite her talent, Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter rejected Ginsburg for a clerkship position because she was a woman. That rejection, she has said, led to her concern with women’s rights. She clerked for a U.S. District Court judge instead.
She became a professor at Rutgers (1963-1972) and Columbia (1970-1982) law schools. Rutgers told her she would be paid less than her male colleagues since her husband had a well-paying job. That must have strengthened her interest in women’s rights.
She was told at Rutgers that she would be paid less than her male colleagues since her husband had a well-paying job.
A strong feminist, Ginsburg advocated for women’s rights and gender equality throughout her career. While at Rutgers, she helped found the Women’s Rights Law Reporter, the first American law journal dedicated to women’s rights issues. In 1972 she helped found the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project and later served as its general counsel. She wrote Columbia’s case book on sex discrimination.
In advancing her causes, she was a clever and shrewd advocate. When President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court, The New York Times explained: “Ms. Ginsburg adopted a strategy intended to convince the Justices that laws that discriminated between men and women — even those laws that were meant to help women — were based on unfair and harmful stereotypes and were in most cases unconstitutional. To do that, she often used men as plaintiffs, showing that both men and women suffered from such stereotypes.” She “set out to prove that those kinds of laws in fact harmed women by contributing to a stereotyped view of their role,” said a law professor quoted in the article.
In her brief for the 1976 case Craig v. Boren, for example, she argued against a Oklahoma law that let women buy beer at 18 but didn’t let men buy it until they were 21. That case shifted the law on legally distinguishing the sexes. The court created an idea called “intermediate scrutiny.” It meant that a state could not distinguish men from women in the law unless it showed the law advanced a substantial governmental objective.
President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980. The court is known as a training ground for future Supreme Court justices. There she developed a reputation as a moderate. President Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court in 1993. During her confirmation hearings, she answered some questions, but declined to answer others, saying they referred to issues she might have to rule on. During the confirmation hearing of John Roberts, the future chief justice cited the “Ginsburg precedent” to refuse to answer certain questions.
Notable Cases
Ginsberg left a very liberal legacy on the court, with an emphasis on carrying out her views on gender equality. One of her most important opinions was United States v. Virginia in 1996. By a 7-1 vote, the court struck down the public military university’s male-only policy. (Among the conservatives, Chief Justice Rehnquist concurred, Justice Scalia dissented, and Justice Thomas did not participate.)
While serving on the highest court, she announced a new standard for equal protection review of gender classifications, called “skeptical scrutiny.” It favors the female sex only. It “cunningly eliminates all possible justifications for legal distinctions between men and women,” except those that give women “remedial” advantages. While the previous standard of “intermediate scrutiny” had allowed states to legally distinguish men and women if they had good reason to do so, Ginsberg’s new standard did not. It eliminated such distinctions whatever good they served.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In the 2016 case Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court struck down Texas abortion restrictions that would have shut down some abortion clinics. Ginsburg joined in the majority opinion, and also wrote her own concurring opinion. She opined, “It is beyond rational belief that H. B. 2 could genuinely protect the health of women, and certain that the law ‘would simply make it more difficult for them to obtain abortions.’ When a state severely limits access to safe and legal procedures, women in desperate circumstances may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners … at great risk to their health and safety.”
She didn’t write the majority decision in the 2015 case legalizing same-sex marriage, Obergefell v. Hodges, but she made waves with her statements at the time. She asserted during oral argument, “Marriage today is not what it was under the common law tradition, under the civil law tradition. … Marriage was a relationship of a dominant male to a subordinate female.”
Her Dissents
When announcing her dissents from the bench, she wore a specially designed collar with her robe. One of her most famous dissents came in the Hobby Lobby case. Her 35-page dissent inspired a YouTube video and memes. She claimed, “The exemption sought by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga would … deny legions of women who do not hold their employers’ beliefs access to contraceptive coverage.”
In the 2007 Gonzales v. Carhart, she dissented from the majority, which upheld a federal law against partial-birth abortion. She asserted in her dissent that “The notion that the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act furthers any legitimate governmental interest is, quite simply, irrational.”
She asserted in 2007, “The notion that the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act furthers any legitimate governmental interest is, quite simply, irrational.”
In the 2000 case Bush v. Gore, Ginsburg disagreed so vehemently that she wrote “I dissent” instead of the more collegial “I respectfully dissent” in her dissent. There, the majority of the court agreed with the Bush team to halt a manual recount of the presidential ballots in Florida. Ending the recount allowed Bush to win the presidency.
In Veasey v. Perry, Ginsburg dissented from the majority, which upheld a strict voter ID law in Texas. She claimed in her 2014 dissent that “racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact.”
Health Issues
Ginsburg has had serious health problems while on the bench, and many thought she might step down within the last few years. She underwent surgery for colon cancer in 1999, but did not not miss a day on the bench. Ginsburg became known for her vigorous exercise routines in later years despite her health issues. She developed pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery for that in 2009. In November 2018, she fractured three ribs in a fall. A scan of her lungs revealed cancerous nodules. They were removed in January 2019, but it resulted in her missing days on the bench.
In May she underwent a non-surgical treatment for a benign gall bladder ailment. In July 2020, she announced her cancer had returned.
Many Democrats wished she would have stepped down while Barack Obama was president, so he could appoint a liberal to replace her. But she wanted to remain a justice as long as she was mentally sharp enough to perform her duties.
In July 2016, she said during two interviews that she did not want to think about the possibility of a Trump presidency. She jokingly said she might move to New Zealand if he became president. She apologized for her remarks later, calling them “ill-advised.”
During an interview with Katie Couric in 2016, she said that Colin Kaepernick not standing for the national anthem before NFL games was “really dumb.” She apologized for the remarks later and described them as “inappropriately dismissive and harsh.”
Her husband died of cancer in 2010. They leave behind two children.