thestream--2020-12-10--Chanukah and the Season of Miracles

Chanukah and the Season of Miracles

The story of Chanukah reads like a fairy tale .
A wicked Seleucid king by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes wanted to reunite the broken empire of Alexander the Great .
To accomplish this task , he had to culturally unify the people around the common Hellenistic-Greco customs .
He esteemed this culture to be the most civil and educated in the world .
He also deemed Judaism to be a threat to this goal of unification .
So , he outlawed the practice of Judaism .
To make matters worse , the king arrogantly stormed the temple , violating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Holies .
In a display of utter blasphemy , he publicly offered a pig sacrifice upon the altar .
Not only was this not kosher , but it was a foreshadowing of the abomination of desolation that will occur in the end times ( Dan .
9:27 ; Matt .
24:15–16 ) .
Thumbing his pointy nose at the Jews in another confrontative move , Antiochus erected an idol to Zeus in the temple .
Then , he ordered his emissaries to invade individual towns throughout the land of Israel .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the community and force them to offer sacrilegious sacrifices to the Greek gods .
In one town called Modi ’ in , a priest by the name of Mattathias , or Matisyahu in Hebrew , was asked to perform this profanity against his own will .
He refused to commit this idolatrous act .
However , another Jew stepped forward to make the offering .
Watching from the sidelines , Mattathias became so infuriated by what he saw that he grabbed a knife and violently killed this Jew who was willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was supervising the blasphemy .
This incident was the trigger for what history later recorded as the Maccabean Revolt .
Mattathias ’ s rallying cry was “ Every one of you who is zealous for the law [ Torah ] and strives to maintain [ has faith in ] the covenant , follow me ” ( 1 Maccabees 2:27 ) .
After Mattathias died a year later , his son Judah Maccabee gathered a ragtag bunch of Jewish renegades , now known as the Maccabees , and launched military guerilla warfare against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Greeks .
After three and a half years , they won the war against impossible odds , proving Zechariah 4:6 : “ Not by might , nor by power , but by My Ruach [ Spirit ] !
” As a side note , they fought against their foe the same number of years that Jesus ’ earthly ministry lasted .
Riding high on victory and faith , these haphazard warriors went back to Jerusalem to recapture the temple .
They found it decimated .
Furthermore , the seven-branched candelabra called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perpetually , symbolizing God ’ s eternal presence and promise to the Jewish people , was extinguished .
Determined to set this symbol ablaze again , they searched the trampled temple and found a cruz , or flask of oil .
This oil was not ordinary but kosher oil of the purest kind .
There was one problem .
This amount of oil would burn for only a day .
This limited supply didn ’ t deter the Maccabees .
In a leap of faith , they lit the menorah .
They rededicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Chanukah is known as the Feast of Dedication .
God blessed their act of faith and supernaturally stretched the one-day supply of oil to burn for eight days .
This supernatural lighting is the great miracle that is commemorated each year during the Chanukah holiday , known by yet another name — the Festival of Lights .
What does this mean for you and me ?
This story of miracles is more important than ever !
The wicked king in the story began by waging a culture war against the Jewish people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were far superior and much more enlightened than the Jewish Torah/Hebrew Bible-based culture of Israel .
The Greeks valued reason over revelation .
The pages of Scripture did not hold what they felt was true wisdom , but , the Greek philosophers ’ writings did .
Morality , beauty , and leadership are best defined by the philosophers , not the prophets , through human reason , not divine revelation .
King Antiochus outlawed Jewish worship and forbade the reading and studying of the Scriptures .
Antiochus and the Hellenistic Greek culture valued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ external beauty over internal spiritual beauty of spirit .
They worshipped physical might , not moral and spiritual strength .
Therefore , the gym is what mattered , not the House of Worship .
Sexual immortality was promoted and even forced upon the culture .
The government increased taxes to support the large program and lavish excesses of the King .
Antiochus Would be Proud of America Looking at America today , Antiochus would be proud of us .
We have implemented his agenda by idolizing human reason .
We have , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Bible out of our public schools and universities .
Churches and synagogues face pressure from the local governments not to hold public gatherings under the penalty of threat .
Our culture is obsessed with external beauty , physical strength , and sex .
There is an organized campaign by the people in power to change America ’ s culture .
Utilizing propaganda and social pressure , people are assimilating and adopting a secular humanistic worldview that denies our nation ’ s foundation , our Judeo-Christian heritage , and a worldview upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How can we let this continue ?
What we need today is modern-day Maccabees .
Individuals who are willing to stand up for freedom and religious liberty .
The Maccabees faced daunting odds , but the odds and the challenges didn ’ t stop them .
They entered into battle unafraid because they knew that God was with them .
Again , as we look back on 2020 , let ’ s be mindful of these men and how God ’ s hand was clearly on them as it is on us today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also remind us never to be afraid to stand up for what is right , even if one is in the minority .
Chanukah is a time of dedication and light .
It ’ s time to arise , take a stand , and rededicate ourselves and our nation so that our light shines bright .
Our nation ’ s future hangs in the balance as it did in the days of Chanukah , so let ’ s make the decision to be Maccabees , not wannabees .
If we do , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miracle for us as he did for them .
May what was said of the Hebrew Hero of Hanukkah Judah the Maccabee be said of each of us : “ He advanced the cause of freedom by what he did ” ( 1 Macc 3:7 ) .
Rabbi Jason received his Rabbinic ordination from the UMJC ( Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations ) in 2005 and has a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies and a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies .
He is also the co-author of the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and The Rabbi , which he wrote with Kathie Lee Gifford .
Rabbi Jason is also a biblical advisor to The Chosen , a TV series about the life of Jesus .

The story of Chanukah reads like a fairy tale. A wicked Seleucid king by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes wanted to reunite the broken empire of Alexander the Great. To accomplish this task, he had to culturally unify the people around the common Hellenistic-Greco customs. He esteemed this culture to be the most civil and educated in the world. He also deemed Judaism to be a threat to this goal of unification. So, he outlawed the practice of Judaism.
To make matters worse, the king arrogantly stormed the temple, violating its most sacred space — the Holy of Holies. In a display of utter blasphemy, he publicly offered a pig sacrifice upon the altar. Not only was this not kosher, but it was a foreshadowing of the abomination of desolation that will occur in the end times (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15–16).
Thumbing his pointy nose at the Jews in another confrontative move, Antiochus erected an idol to Zeus in the temple. Then, he ordered his emissaries to invade individual towns throughout the land of Israel. He commanded these henchmen to gather the leaders of the community and force them to offer sacrilegious sacrifices to the Greek gods.
Mattathias’ Courage
In one town called Modi’in, a priest by the name of Mattathias, or Matisyahu in Hebrew, was asked to perform this profanity against his own will. He refused to commit this idolatrous act. However, another Jew stepped forward to make the offering.
Watching from the sidelines, Mattathias became so infuriated by what he saw that he grabbed a knife and violently killed this Jew who was willing to commit idolatry as well as the official who was supervising the blasphemy. This incident was the trigger for what history later recorded as the Maccabean Revolt. Mattathias’s rallying cry was “Every one of you who is zealous for the law [Torah] and strives to maintain [has faith in] the covenant, follow me” (1 Maccabees 2:27).
The Maccabees and Chanukah
After Mattathias died a year later, his son Judah Maccabee gathered a ragtag bunch of Jewish renegades, now known as the Maccabees, and launched military guerilla warfare against the most powerful army of their day, the Greeks. After three and a half years, they won the war against impossible odds, proving Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Ruach [Spirit]!” As a side note, they fought against their foe the same number of years that Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted.
Riding high on victory and faith, these haphazard warriors went back to Jerusalem to recapture the temple. They found it decimated. Furthermore, the seven-branched candelabra called a menorah that was supposed to burn perpetually, symbolizing God’s eternal presence and promise to the Jewish people, was extinguished. Determined to set this symbol ablaze again, they searched the trampled temple and found a cruz, or flask of oil. This oil was not ordinary but kosher oil of the purest kind.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
There was one problem. This amount of oil would burn for only a day. This limited supply didn’t deter the Maccabees. In a leap of faith, they lit the menorah. They rededicated the temple to God, which is why Chanukah is known as the Feast of Dedication. God blessed their act of faith and supernaturally stretched the one-day supply of oil to burn for eight days. This supernatural lighting is the great miracle that is commemorated each year during the Chanukah holiday, known by yet another name — the Festival of Lights.
A Cultural War
What does this mean for you and me? This story of miracles is more important than ever! The wicked king in the story began by waging a culture war against the Jewish people.
He felt Greek culture and values were far superior and much more enlightened than the Jewish Torah/Hebrew Bible-based culture of Israel. The Greeks valued reason over revelation. The pages of Scripture did not hold what they felt was true wisdom, but, the Greek philosophers’ writings did. Morality, beauty, and leadership are best defined by the philosophers, not the prophets, through human reason, not divine revelation. King Antiochus outlawed Jewish worship and forbade the reading and studying of the Scriptures.
Antiochus and the Hellenistic Greek culture valued the body over the soul, and external beauty over internal spiritual beauty of spirit. They worshipped physical might, not moral and spiritual strength. Therefore, the gym is what mattered, not the House of Worship. Sexual immortality was promoted and even forced upon the culture. The government increased taxes to support the large program and lavish excesses of the King.
Antiochus Would be Proud of America
Looking at America today, Antiochus would be proud of us. We have implemented his agenda by idolizing human reason. We have, for the most part, kicked the God of the Bible out of our public schools and universities. Churches and synagogues face pressure from the local governments not to hold public gatherings under the penalty of threat. Our culture is obsessed with external beauty, physical strength, and sex. There is an organized campaign by the people in power to change America’s culture. Utilizing propaganda and social pressure, people are assimilating and adopting a secular humanistic worldview that denies our nation’s foundation, our Judeo-Christian heritage, and a worldview upon which our entire constitution is founded.
Modern-Day Maccabees
How can we let this continue? What we need today is modern-day Maccabees. Individuals who are willing to stand up for freedom and religious liberty. The Maccabees faced daunting odds, but the odds and the challenges didn’t stop them. They entered into battle unafraid because they knew that God was with them. Again, as we look back on 2020, let’s be mindful of these men and how God’s hand was clearly on them as it is on us today.
The Maccabees and their perseverance should also remind us never to be afraid to stand up for what is right, even if one is in the minority.
Chanukah is a time of dedication and light. It’s time to arise, take a stand, and rededicate ourselves and our nation so that our light shines bright. Our nation’s future hangs in the balance as it did in the days of Chanukah, so let’s make the decision to be Maccabees, not wannabees. If we do, I believe the Lord will do a great miracle for us as he did for them. May what was said of the Hebrew Hero of Hanukkah Judah the Maccabee be said of each of us: “He advanced the cause of freedom by what he did” (1 Macc 3:7).
Rabbi Jason received his Rabbinic ordination from the UMJC (Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations) in 2005 and has a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies and a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies. He is also the co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Rock, The Road, and The Rabbi, which he wrote with Kathie Lee Gifford. Rabbi Jason is also a biblical advisor to The Chosen, a TV series about the life of Jesus.


thestream--2020-12-10--Mastercard Terminates Use of Pornhub After Discovering ‘Illegal Material’ on the Platform

Mastercard has terminated the use of its cards on Pornhub , Mastercard told the Daily Caller News Foundation Thursday .
“ Today , the use of our cards at Pornhub is being terminated , ” Mastercard said in a statement to the DCNF .
“ Our investigation over the past several days has confirmed violations of our standards prohibiting unlawful content on their site.
” “ As a result , and in accordance with our policies , we instructed the financial institutions that connect the site to our network to terminate acceptance , ” the credit card company continued .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigate potential illegal content on other websites to take the appropriate action.
” Pulitzer prize-winning opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof accused Pornhub in a Friday New York Times op-ed of monetizing “ child rapes , revenge pornography , spycam videos of women showering , racist and misogynist content , and footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags.
” Pornhub did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Kristof tweeted Thursday that Mastercard “ confirmed the presence of illegal material on Pornhub , so it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It will also address the issue on other websites , ” Kristof tweeted .
“ This wouldn ’ t have happened without survivors bravely speaking up.
” Visa , which also said this week that it was investigating its relationship with Pornhub , did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ @ @

Mastercard has terminated the use of its cards on Pornhub, Mastercard told the Daily Caller News Foundation Thursday.
“Today, the use of our cards at Pornhub is being terminated,” Mastercard said in a statement to the DCNF. “Our investigation over the past several days has confirmed violations of our standards prohibiting unlawful content on their site.”
“As a result, and in accordance with our policies, we instructed the financial institutions that connect the site to our network to terminate acceptance,” the credit card company continued. “In addition, we continue to investigate potential illegal content on other websites to take the appropriate action.”
Pulitzer prize-winning opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof accused Pornhub in a Friday New York Times op-ed of monetizing “child rapes, revenge pornography, spycam videos of women showering, racist and misogynist content, and footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags.”
Pornhub did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
.@Mastercard has just informed me that they are terminating the use of their cards on Pornhub — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 10, 2020
Kristof tweeted Thursday that Mastercard “confirmed the presence of illegal material on Pornhub, so it is immediately ending Mastercard use on Pornhub.”
“It will also address the issue on other websites,” Kristof tweeted. “This wouldn’t have happened without survivors bravely speaking up.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The Mastercard statement: “Today, the use of our cards at Pornhub is being terminated. Our investigation over the past several days has confirmed violations of our standards prohibiting unlawful content…. we continue to investigate potential illegal content on other websites.” — Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) December 10, 2020
Visa, which also said this week that it was investigating its relationship with Pornhub, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.
Follow Mary Margaret on Twitter.
Copyright 2020 Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-12-10--Slavery, and Another Kind of Death, Behind These COVID Walls

“ and deliver those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
” Hebrews 2:15 America ’ s strategy for COVID-19 , in the fewest possible words , is this : Don ’ t worry about living , just try not to die .
It is a strategy of fear and slavery , under the controlling hand of the fear of death .
It is a good thing not to die ; a good thing not even to suffer through a bad case of this awful virus .
I know that many who read here have suffered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just this morning I was in a small group meeting with a doctor in Michigan who is very , very tired ; who said 200 medical staff members in his hospital are COVID-positive ; who said he ’ s seen too many die of it .
It was a sober reminder that for all the policy debates , this virus is real .
I don ’ t want to go through it , and I don ’ t want my family members to , either .
Policy really does call for prudence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , between prudence and panic , and for much of this year we ’ ve been on the wrong side of it .
We ’ ve been so busy not dying , we ’ ve forgotten life is for living .
We live in an age of fear .
Before COVID , it was present and powerful on college campuses , where students have prioritized “ safety ” over learning .
They ’ ve “ needed ” protection from contrary opinions or unpleasant realities , so they ’ ve tried to shut it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID is reality .
Death itself is reality .
I speak as one who is currently vulnerable .
I ’ m 64 years old , with co-morbidities that do nothing good for my risk levels .
Neither I nor any of my family members have made it safely through disease and into immunity .
It would be great if I could hide from it forever , and I almost could , since I work at home , “ Hiding in my room , Safe within my womb , ” as Simon and Garfunkel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” That whole verse goes , And we have too readily made ourselves islands , separating ourselves for safety , dying slowly in that way , all to avoid the fear of dying some other way .
Social distance makes islands of us all , prisoners inside these walls .
“ I have no need of friendship , ” the song also says .
“ Friendship causes pain.
” Being alone is safer .
I told both my son and my daughter when they first started getting serious about their current spouses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It may be the most dangerous thing you ’ ll ever do .
They could get sick or injured and die , and leave you devastated for years .
Worse yet , they could turn out not to be who you think they are .
It is the most dangerous thing you can do , but it is also the richest , best , most glorious thing you can do , too .
It ’ s way more than worth the risk.
” Now friendship can cause COVID , too .
Distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of law in many places .
The distancing theme pervaded the whole album , “ Sounds of Silence , ” on which Simon and Garfunkel first recorded “ I am a Rock , ” way back in 1964 .
So let ’ s play it safe , right ?
Not as Safe as It Looks Wrong .
Or rather , it may be perfectly right if “ safe ” means having a healthy respect for risk and practicing prudence .
It ’ s wrong however , if it means being controlled by fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other is slavery .
And it ’ s not as safe as it looks anyway .
Paul Simon ’ s lyrics in the “ Sounds of Silence ” are as eerily prophetic as any I ’ ve ever heard — and they include two songs about people committing suicide .
He knew then what we should all know now , that social distance and death are much too closely related .
And the “ wall , ” the “ fortress deep and mighty , ” are too much like imprisonment or even enslavement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain ourselves .
I do not write this with any specific COVID policy in mind to recommend , but rather a way of thinking : Some risks are worth it .
We are too easily surrendering liberties that many have fought and died for .
This is a time we can join with them in that fight , even risking ourselves for it .
To contain the virus as a matter of public policy is to contain the people .
We are So what shall we do , then ?
Ignore the risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risks instead , and the costs , too ; all of them , not just the virus .
There is some danger of death in the virus , but there is a very certain sort of death in hiding , distancing , containing ourselves .
And that ’ s to say nothing of the economic devastation we ’ ve subjected ourselves to .
The Risks We Must Face , The Courage We Must Carry We have a heritage in this country of weighing all these things together .
The signers of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their fortunes , their sacred honor for the cause of liberty .
My son-in-law is “ somewhere hot and sandy ” ( that ’ s all he ’ ll tell us ) serving with the U.S. Army for that same cause .
Do we , then , who have the opportunity to practice liberty ( with prudence ) give it up as if it were of no value ?
Is it not worth standing for ?
We would not be the first to put our lives on the line to keep our country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any policy recommendations in mind , except that we absolutely must jettison our current policy that tells us not to worry about living , but just try not to die instead .
We need to live !
Americans in particular must be free !
It is partly a matter of policy , but it has even more to do with each person ’ s way of thinking .
It ’ s about life , it ’ s about freedom , it ’ s about courage .
We are looking too much like cowards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no doubt about it , and fear has a rightful place in guiding and warning us .
It should never enslave us , though .
I don ’ t know how to advise secularists , except to take death ’ s warning seriously and prepare for it .
COVID or not , the death rate is a steady one apiece .
Your future depends on finding eternal life in the one place it may be found , in Jesus Christ .
We who follow Him , though , should know that “ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is gain ” ( Phil 1:21 ) .
Or to complete the quote with which I opened this column , taken from Hebrews 2:14-15 , “ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood , he [ Jesus ] himself likewise partook of the same things , that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death , that is , the devil , and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
” We are free people , so let us live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But free !
Let ’ s stand for the freedom actually to live life , for as long as we can live it !
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

“and deliver those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews 2:15
America’s strategy for COVID-19, in the fewest possible words, is this: Don’t worry about living, just try not to die. It is a strategy of fear and slavery, under the controlling hand of the fear of death.
It is a good thing not to die; a good thing not even to suffer through a bad case of this awful virus. I know that many who read here have suffered the loss of a friend or family member. Just this morning I was in a small group meeting with a doctor in Michigan who is very, very tired; who said 200 medical staff members in his hospital are COVID-positive; who said he’s seen too many die of it.
It was a sober reminder that for all the policy debates, this virus is real. I don’t want to go through it, and I don’t want my family members to, either. Policy really does call for prudence. There is a line, though, between prudence and panic, and for much of this year we’ve been on the wrong side of it. We’ve been so busy not dying, we’ve forgotten life is for living.
We live in an age of fear. Before COVID, it was present and powerful on college campuses, where students have prioritized “safety” over learning. They’ve “needed” protection from contrary opinions or unpleasant realities, so they’ve tried to shut it out. Reality barges in anyway. COVID is reality.
Death is Reality
Death itself is reality. I speak as one who is currently vulnerable. I’m 64 years old, with co-morbidities that do nothing good for my risk levels. Neither I nor any of my family members have made it safely through disease and into immunity. It would be great if I could hide from it forever, and I almost could, since I work at home, “Hiding in my room, Safe within my womb,” as Simon and Garfunkel sang in “I am a Rock.” That whole verse goes,
I’ve built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty.
Hiding in my room,
safe within my womb,
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock, I am an island.
And we have too readily made ourselves islands, separating ourselves for safety, dying slowly in that way, all to avoid the fear of dying some other way.
Social distance makes islands of us all, prisoners inside these walls. “I have no need of friendship,” the song also says. “Friendship causes pain.” Being alone is safer.
I told both my son and my daughter when they first started getting serious about their current spouses, “You’re falling in love. It may be the most dangerous thing you’ll ever do. They could get sick or injured and die, and leave you devastated for years. Worse yet, they could turn out not to be who you think they are. It is the most dangerous thing you can do, but it is also the richest, best, most glorious thing you can do, too. It’s way more than worth the risk.”
Now friendship can cause COVID, too. Distancing is safer; distancing is a matter of law in many places. The distancing theme pervaded the whole album, “Sounds of Silence,” on which Simon and Garfunkel first recorded “I am a Rock,” way back in 1964. So let’s play it safe, right?
Not as Safe as It Looks
Wrong. Or rather, it may be perfectly right if “safe” means having a healthy respect for risk and practicing prudence. It’s wrong however, if it means being controlled by fear. The one is wisdom, the other is slavery.
And it’s not as safe as it looks anyway. Paul Simon’s lyrics in the “Sounds of Silence” are as eerily prophetic as any I’ve ever heard — and they include two songs about people committing suicide. He knew then what we should all know now, that social distance and death are much too closely related. And the “wall,” the “fortress deep and mighty,” are too much like imprisonment or even enslavement. To contain the virus is to contain ourselves.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I do not write this with any specific COVID policy in mind to recommend, but rather a way of thinking: Some risks are worth it. We are too easily surrendering liberties that many have fought and died for. This is a time we can join with them in that fight, even risking ourselves for it. To contain the virus as a matter of public policy is to contain the people. We are
So what shall we do, then? Ignore the risks? Not at all. We weigh the risks instead, and the costs, too; all of them, not just the virus. There is some danger of death in the virus, but there is a very certain sort of death in hiding, distancing, containing ourselves. And that’s to say nothing of the economic devastation we’ve subjected ourselves to.
The Risks We Must Face, The Courage We Must Carry
We have a heritage in this country of weighing all these things together. The signers of our Declaration of Independence pledged their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor for the cause of liberty. My son-in-law is “somewhere hot and sandy” (that’s all he’ll tell us) serving with the U.S. Army for that same cause. Do we, then, who have the opportunity to practice liberty (with prudence) give it up as if it were of no value? Is it not worth standing for? We would not be the first to put our lives on the line to keep our country free!
I do not write with any policy recommendations in mind, except that we absolutely must jettison our current policy that tells us not to worry about living, but just try not to die instead. We need to live! Americans in particular must be free!
It is partly a matter of policy, but it has even more to do with each person’s way of thinking. It’s about life, it’s about freedom, it’s about courage. We are looking too much like cowards these days. Death is fearsome, no doubt about it, and fear has a rightful place in guiding and warning us. It should never enslave us, though.
I don’t know how to advise secularists, except to take death’s warning seriously and prepare for it. COVID or not, the death rate is a steady one apiece. Your future depends on finding eternal life in the one place it may be found, in Jesus Christ.
We who follow Him, though, should know that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Or to complete the quote with which I opened this column, taken from Hebrews 2:14-15, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
We are free people, so let us live that way. Prudent? Of course. But free! Let’s stand for the freedom actually to live life, for as long as we can live it!
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-12-10--Do Black Slaves’ Lives Matter?

Do Black Slaves’ Lives Matter?

I was a slave in Sudan .
For 10 years I served my master as a goat herder .
After two failed attempts , in 1996 I escaped and finally made my way to the U.S. where I ’ ve shared my story on college campuses and published a book on human bondage .
I am black , and so I ’ ve closely monitored the calls here for racial justice made in the wake of the death of George Floyd .
Some of America ’ s most prominent politicians , athletes , celebrities and scholars have spoken out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch of Black Lives Matters gave me hope : when black lives matter in the United States , they will surely have to matter in Africa .
This meant , I thought , that I was a step closer to my goal of raising awareness here to the horrors that my African people continue to endure .
I have been sorely disappointed .
Created in 2013 , BLM says it is a global organization tasked with eradicating white supremacy and building local power to intervene against violence inflicted on black communities .
BLM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racial justice .
Upon research , however , I realized something strange : that the organization ’ s main focus outside of the United States was Israel .
There are no black slaves in Israel ; indeed , blacks from Sudan who ’ ve escaped from there have been treated relatively well .
But where is BLM on today ’ s black slaves ?
This is not a brand new question for me .
Upon my arrival in America in 1999 , I began asking a similar question : Why were the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nations ignoring the mass killings and the mass enslavement of blacks in Sudan ?
After all , all of them had recently campaigned against apartheid in South Africa .
Slaughter and slavery in Sudan were not hidden from them .
There were news reports , and studies by Amnesty International , but for decades no human rights movement mobilized to stop the genocide or to free the slaves .
Finally , a few small groups — I work for one , the American Anti-Slavery Group ( AASG ) — stepped up to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop the war and , amazingly , they freed tens of thousands of slaves .
Today , the failure of BLM to even discuss the horrific crimes against blacks happening in Africa brings me back to that original question : Why the silence about an ongoing trade in black people in Africa , especially from an international black activist organization ?
Here ’ s my best guess : For many , it seems , the decision to speak out against human rights abuses depends more on the perpetrator ’ s religion or skin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Charles Jacobs , the founder of the AASG , refers to this as the “ human rights complex.
” He once suggested that if my people , the Dinka , would have been enslaved by whites , Christians or Jews rather than by Arab Muslims , they would not have been abandoned by the human rights establishment .
I have discussed this theory with hundreds of people , everywhere I go .
I have found nobody who denies it .
I believe Westerners fear being charged with hypocrisy if they criticize non-white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed in the West .
Many whites think they have to deal with their own history and the legacy of human bondage before they deal with other perpetrators .
I think this is morally wrong , but I understand it .
On the other hand , it is outrageous to me to see the Black Lives Matter movement claim a near global monopoly on the fight for racial justice while the most horrific crimes against humanity — based on racial and religious senses of supremacy — are committed in countries around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created or led by whites who feel historical guilt .
It is a movement , it claims , of black liberation .
My African brothers and sisters need to be liberated now .
In 2017 , CNN obtained video of a slave auction in Libya where two black men were sold for the equivalent of $ 400 apiece .
In Mauritania , black Africans who were converted to Islam generations ago are still enslaved by Arabo-Berbers , in numbers reported to be approaching or above half a million .
In Nigeria , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Christian Africans .
As in Sudan , villages are stormed , people killed , girls and women kidnapped and enslaved .
Michelle Obama was shocked .
In 2014 , she initiated a “ # BringBackOurGirls ” effort , but it lasted only a few news cycles .
And in Arab Algeria , as in Libya , blacks from central Africa who seek to escape poverty and violence in Europe are captured and sold as slaves .
If the West continues to politicize the plight of these Christian and Muslim Africans in bondage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over — of enslavement in their own country , and of the disinterest of the advanced nations in the West , even and especially among their black populations .
I continue my work at the American Anti-Slavery Group to make the universal standard of human rights truly universal .
I appeal to the leaders of BLM : You now have the ear of America .
Tell them to free the slaves .
Lead them to free the slaves .
As organizations and political parties continue to wrestle with the notion of racial injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we look beyond our borders .
As Dr. Martin Luther King famously said : “ No one is free until we are all free.
” Francis Buk is communications director for the American Anti-Slavery Group .
He has been featured in the Boston Globe , Christian Science Monitor , Wall Street Journal , NPR , and many other publications .
You can get in touch with the AASG through its website .

I was a slave in Sudan. For 10 years I served my master as a goat herder. After two failed attempts, in 1996 I escaped and finally made my way to the U.S. where I’ve shared my story on college campuses and published a book on human bondage.
Calls for Racial Justice
I am black, and so I’ve closely monitored the calls here for racial justice made in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Some of America’s most prominent politicians, athletes, celebrities and scholars have spoken out, to the cheers of millions. The launch of Black Lives Matters gave me hope: when black lives matter in the United States, they will surely have to matter in Africa. This meant, I thought, that I was a step closer to my goal of raising awareness here to the horrors that my African people continue to endure. I have been sorely disappointed.
Disappointed by BLM
Created in 2013, BLM says it is a global organization tasked with eradicating white supremacy and building local power to intervene against violence inflicted on black communities. BLM presents itself as the modern international champion of racial justice. Upon research, however, I realized something strange: that the organization’s main focus outside of the United States was Israel. There are no black slaves in Israel; indeed, blacks from Sudan who’ve escaped from there have been treated relatively well. But where is BLM on today’s black slaves?
My African brothers and sisters need to be liberated now.
This is not a brand new question for me. Upon my arrival in America in 1999, I began asking a similar question: Why were the United States, Europe and the United Nations ignoring the mass killings and the mass enslavement of blacks in Sudan? After all, all of them had recently campaigned against apartheid in South Africa. Slaughter and slavery in Sudan were not hidden from them. There were news reports, and studies by Amnesty International, but for decades no human rights movement mobilized to stop the genocide or to free the slaves. Finally, a few small groups — I work for one, the American Anti-Slavery Group (AASG) — stepped up to do the work. Indeed, they helped stop the war and, amazingly, they freed tens of thousands of slaves.
Why the Silence?
Today, the failure of BLM to even discuss the horrific crimes against blacks happening in Africa brings me back to that original question: Why the silence about an ongoing trade in black people in Africa, especially from an international black activist organization?
Here’s my best guess: For many, it seems, the decision to speak out against human rights abuses depends more on the perpetrator’s religion or skin color than on the crime itself.
Dr. Charles Jacobs, the founder of the AASG, refers to this as the “human rights complex.” He once suggested that if my people, the Dinka, would have been enslaved by whites, Christians or Jews rather than by Arab Muslims, they would not have been abandoned by the human rights establishment. I have discussed this theory with hundreds of people, everywhere I go. I have found nobody who denies it.
Liberation is Needed Now
I believe Westerners fear being charged with hypocrisy if they criticize non-white people for committing crimes that were previously committed in the West. Many whites think they have to deal with their own history and the legacy of human bondage before they deal with other perpetrators. I think this is morally wrong, but I understand it. On the other hand, it is outrageous to me to see the Black Lives Matter movement claim a near global monopoly on the fight for racial justice while the most horrific crimes against humanity — based on racial and religious senses of supremacy — are committed in countries around the world. BLM is not a movement exclusively created or led by whites who feel historical guilt. It is a movement, it claims, of black liberation. My African brothers and sisters need to be liberated now.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In 2017, CNN obtained video of a slave auction in Libya where two black men were sold for the equivalent of $400 apiece. In Mauritania, black Africans who were converted to Islam generations ago are still enslaved by Arabo-Berbers, in numbers reported to be approaching or above half a million. In Nigeria, there is an Islamic “holy war” against Christian Africans. As in Sudan, villages are stormed, people killed, girls and women kidnapped and enslaved. Michelle Obama was shocked. In 2014, she initiated a “#BringBackOurGirls” effort, but it lasted only a few news cycles. And in Arab Algeria, as in Libya, blacks from central Africa who seek to escape poverty and violence in Europe are captured and sold as slaves.
The Plight is Politicized
If the West continues to politicize the plight of these Christian and Muslim Africans in bondage, the slaves will become victims twice over — of enslavement in their own country, and of the disinterest of the advanced nations in the West, even and especially among their black populations.
I continue my work at the American Anti-Slavery Group to make the universal standard of human rights truly universal. I appeal to the leaders of BLM: You now have the ear of America. Tell them to free the slaves. Lead them to free the slaves.
As organizations and political parties continue to wrestle with the notion of racial injustice in America, moral leadership demands that we look beyond our borders. As Dr. Martin Luther King famously said: “No one is free until we are all free.”
Francis Buk is communications director for the American Anti-Slavery Group. He has been featured in the Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and many other publications. You can get in touch with the AASG through its website.


thestream--2020-12-10--17 States, Trump Campaign Join Texas in Lawsuit Questioning Election Results

President Donald Trump says his campaign supports the lawsuit filed by Texas at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking new elections in Pennsylvania , Michigan , Georgia and Wisconsin because of voting irregularities in those states .
A total of 17 states have joined the court challenge in less than two days .
“ We will be INTERVENING in the Texas ( plus many other states ) case .
This is the big one .
Our Country needs a victory !
” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning .
Trump was referring to his reelection campaign , not his administration .
Intervention can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefs in support of a plaintiff or plaintiffs .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , a Republican , announced the lawsuit Tuesday against the four states , where election results show Trump was defeated Nov. 3 by former Vice President Joe Biden .
Each state went for Trump in 2016 .
Seventeen other states so far have joined Texas in the case before the Supreme Court , including Arkansas , Louisiana , Missouri and Tennessee .
Other states signing on by Wednesday night are Alabama , Florida , Indiana , Kansas , Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oklahoma , South Carolina , South Dakota , Utah , and West Virginia , The Daily Wire reported .
The New York Times reported that Trump has asked Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , if he would make oral arguments in the case if it reaches the Supreme Court , and Cruz agreed .
Cruz has argued nine times before the high court , mostly in his previous post as Texas solicitor general , the Times noted .
The Texas-led lawsuit is an attempt to “ disregard the will of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our Constitution , ” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel , Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro , and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul , all Democrats , said in a joint statement .
“ It is past time for the president and our fellow states and elected officials to stop misleading the public about this year ’ s election and to acknowledge that the results certified in our states reflect the decisions made by the voters in a free , fair and secure election , ” the three attorneys general said .
Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did not join the statement .
Texas alleges that the four other states violated the right of Texas voters when they changed election rules without authorization by their respective state legislatures .
The suit argues that each of the four states violated the Electors Clause of the U.S. Constitution ( Article II , Section 1 , Clause 2 ) , which Texas argues vests “ state legislatures with plenary authority regarding the appointment of presidential electors.
” The lawsuit asks the Supreme Court for a declaratory judgment that Pennsylvania , Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and thus their electoral votes — as they currently stand — should not be counted .
The four states must “ conduct a special election to appoint presidential electors.
” All four states have Republican-controlled legislatures .
Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin have Democratic governors and secretaries of state , who supervise elections .
The complaint by Texas has merit but it ’ s not likely the Supreme Court will hear it and highly unlikely that a majority of the seven justices would side with Texas if the court did hear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Honest Elections Project .
“ Texas is asking for extraordinary relief , ” Snead told The Daily Signal .
“ From a practical standpoint , there is no way states could comply [ by holding a new election ] .
States plan and prepare for months for elections.
” Snead added that if the high court rules in favor of Texas , it might offer a different form of relief , such as having state lawmakers appoint electors .
That , he said , would open up a new set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plaintiffs is growing as numerous Republican attorneys general announced they were getting involved with an amicus brief .
“ After reviewing the motion filed by Texas in the U.S. Supreme Court , I have determined that I will support the motion in all legally appropriate manners , ” Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Ruttledge tweeted Tuesday .
“ The integrity of our elections is a critical part of our nation and it must be upheld.
” Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt tweeted : “ Election integrity is central to our republic .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … Missouri is in the fight.
” Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery said his office has “ consistently taken the position ” that only state legislatures can change election laws .
“ This office pressed that argument in cases defending Tennessee ’ s election laws against pandemic-related challenges and in amicus briefs in cases involving similar challenges in other courts .
This is not something new , ” Slatery said in a public statement Wednesday .
“ Texas ’ s action in the Supreme Court seeks to vindicate the same important separation-of-powers principles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Missouri ’ s amicus brief in support of that action.
” Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry also announced that his state would join the suit .
“ Millions of Louisiana citizens , and tens of millions of our fellow citizens in the country , have deep concerns regarding the conduct of the 2020 federal elections , ” Landry said in a statement .
“ Deeply rooted in these concerns is the fact that some states appear to have conducted their elections with a disregard to the U.S. Constitution .
Furthermore , many Louisianans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media and the political class try to sidestep legitimate issues for the sake of expediency.
” The Texas lawsuit asserts the high court should decide the matter since Article III , Section 2 of the Constitution gives the Supreme Court — not lower federal courts — original jurisdiction over “ controversies between two or more States.
” The complaint by Texas says that Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar , a Democrat , “ unilaterally ” changed election laws on absentee and mail-in votes , as well as rules on signature verification , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also asserts that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican , “ unilaterally abrogated Georgia ’ s statute governing the signature verification process for absentee ballots.
” It states that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat , “ abrogated Michigan election statutes related to absentee ballot applications and signature verification.
” The lawsuit says that Wisconsin ’ s elections commission “ weakened , or did away with , established security procedures put in place by the Wisconsin Legislature to ensure absentee ballot integrity.
” “ Texas does a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each state and why the actions of government officials making unauthorized , unilateral changes in the rules may have violated the Constitution and affected the outcome of the election , ” Hans von Spakovsky , senior legal fellow with The Heritage Foundation , wrote in a recent analysis for The Daily Signal .
“ But by almost any measure , this is the legal equivalent of a Hail Mary pass , ” wrote von Spakovsky , a former member of the Federal Election Commission and of Trump ’ s Presidential Advisory Commission on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised are serious ones , it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will address them at this time .
As Texas points out , these issues will likely be repeated in future elections .
If the Supreme Court does not take up these issues now , it may well have another opportunity in the future.
” Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “ The Right Side of History ” podcast .
Lucas is also the author of Tainted by Suspicion : The Secret Deals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Send an email to Fred .

President Donald Trump says his campaign supports the lawsuit filed by Texas at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking new elections in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin because of voting irregularities in those states. A total of 17 states have joined the court challenge in less than two days.
“We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case. This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory!” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.
We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case. This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2020
Trump was referring to his reelection campaign, not his administration. Intervention can come in the form of filing legal briefs in support of a plaintiff or plaintiffs.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, announced the lawsuit Tuesday against the four states, where election results show Trump was defeated Nov. 3 by former Vice President Joe Biden. Each state went for Trump in 2016.
Seventeen other states so far have joined Texas in the case before the Supreme Court, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee.
Other states signing on by Wednesday night are Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia, The Daily Wire reported.
The New York Times reported that Trump has asked Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, if he would make oral arguments in the case if it reaches the Supreme Court, and Cruz agreed. Cruz has argued nine times before the high court, mostly in his previous post as Texas solicitor general, the Times noted.
The Texas-led lawsuit is an attempt to “disregard the will of the people” and “tear at the fabric of our Constitution,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, all Democrats, said in a joint statement.
.@MIAttyGen @dananessel, @JoshShapiroPA of Pennsylvania, and @JoshKaulWI of Wisconsin today issued a joint statement regarding Texas’ efforts to discredit the 2020 election results in federal court. pic.twitter.com/4WO8NA5LBt — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (@MIAttyGen) December 8, 2020
“It is past time for the president and our fellow states and elected officials to stop misleading the public about this year’s election and to acknowledge that the results certified in our states reflect the decisions made by the voters in a free, fair and secure election,” the three attorneys general said.
Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr, a Republican, did not join the statement.
Texas alleges that the four other states violated the right of Texas voters when they changed election rules without authorization by their respective state legislatures.
The suit argues that each of the four states violated the Electors Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 2), which Texas argues vests “state legislatures with plenary authority regarding the appointment of presidential electors.”
The lawsuit asks the Supreme Court for a declaratory judgment that Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, and Wisconsin violated election law and thus their electoral votes — as they currently stand — should not be counted.
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The four states must “conduct a special election to appoint presidential electors.”
All four states have Republican-controlled legislatures. Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin have Democratic governors and secretaries of state, who supervise elections.
The complaint by Texas has merit but it’s not likely the Supreme Court will hear it and highly unlikely that a majority of the seven justices would side with Texas if the court did hear the case, said Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project.
“Texas is asking for extraordinary relief,” Snead told The Daily Signal. “From a practical standpoint, there is no way states could comply [by holding a new election]. States plan and prepare for months for elections.”
Snead added that if the high court rules in favor of Texas, it might offer a different form of relief, such as having state lawmakers appoint electors. That, he said, would open up a new set of political questions.
The cast of plaintiffs is growing as numerous Republican attorneys general announced they were getting involved with an amicus brief.
After reviewing the motion filed by Texas in the U.S. Supreme Court, I have determined that I will support the motion in all legally appropriate manners. The integrity of our elections is a critical part of our nation and it must be upheld. https://t.co/NesQz2wVV9 pic.twitter.com/imSokVlq79 — Leslie Rutledge (@AGRutledge) December 8, 2020
“After reviewing the motion filed by Texas in the U.S. Supreme Court, I have determined that I will support the motion in all legally appropriate manners,” Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Ruttledge tweeted Tuesday. “The integrity of our elections is a critical part of our nation and it must be upheld.”
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt tweeted: “Election integrity is central to our republic. And I will defend it at every turn. … Missouri is in the fight.”
Election integrity is central to our republic. And I will defend it at every turn. As I have in other cases – I will help lead the effort in support of Texas’ #SCOTUS filing today. Missouri is in the fight. https://t.co/V3aLHrYnOF — Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) December 9, 2020
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery said his office has “consistently taken the position” that only state legislatures can change election laws.
“This office pressed that argument in cases defending Tennessee’s election laws against pandemic-related challenges and in amicus briefs in cases involving similar challenges in other courts. This is not something new,” Slatery said in a public statement Wednesday. “Texas’s action in the Supreme Court seeks to vindicate the same important separation-of-powers principles, and that is why we joined Missouri’s amicus brief in support of that action.”
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry also announced that his state would join the suit.
“Millions of Louisiana citizens, and tens of millions of our fellow citizens in the country, have deep concerns regarding the conduct of the 2020 federal elections,” Landry said in a statement. “Deeply rooted in these concerns is the fact that some states appear to have conducted their elections with a disregard to the U.S. Constitution. Furthermore, many Louisianans have become more frustrated as some in media and the political class try to sidestep legitimate issues for the sake of expediency.”
The Texas lawsuit asserts the high court should decide the matter since Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution gives the Supreme Court — not lower federal courts — original jurisdiction over “controversies between two or more States.”
The complaint by Texas says that Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, “unilaterally” changed election laws on absentee and mail-in votes, as well as rules on signature verification, without legislative approval.
The Texas suit also asserts that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, “unilaterally abrogated Georgia’s statute governing the signature verification process for absentee ballots.”
It states that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, “abrogated Michigan election statutes related to absentee ballot applications and signature verification.”
The lawsuit says that Wisconsin’s elections commission “weakened, or did away with, established security procedures put in place by the Wisconsin Legislature to ensure absentee ballot integrity.”
“Texas does a good job of describing what happened in each state and why the actions of government officials making unauthorized, unilateral changes in the rules may have violated the Constitution and affected the outcome of the election,” Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow with The Heritage Foundation, wrote in a recent analysis for The Daily Signal.
“But by almost any measure, this is the legal equivalent of a Hail Mary pass,” wrote von Spakovsky, a former member of the Federal Election Commission and of Trump’s Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. “While the questions raised are serious ones, it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will address them at this time. As Texas points out, these issues will likely be repeated in future elections. If the Supreme Court does not take up these issues now, it may well have another opportunity in the future.”
Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “The Right Side of History” podcast. Lucas is also the author of Tainted by Suspicion: The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections. Send an email to Fred.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-12-10--China Spying, Biden China Deals, and a MUST-READ Report on … China

California Rep. Eric Swalwell reacted predictably to the story about him being compromised by a “ honeypot ” sent by Beijing to spy on up-and-coming officials .
I am not kidding .
This revelation should humiliate him more than his bout with on-air flatulence , but he ’ s determined to simply deflect blame .
In a cringe-worthy interview with Politico , he said he ’ d been targeted in the media — the spy story was broken by left-leaning Axios — because of his criticism of Trump .
( Right . )
“ I ’ ve been a critic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ … I was on both committees that worked to impeach him .
The timing feels like that should be looked at.
” Florida Sen. Rick Scott and others are calling for Swalwell to be stripped of committee assignments after his astounding failure in judgment .
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Scott said , “ Eric Swalwell has no place on the House Intelligence Committee.
” ( Insert your own “ intelligence ” joke here . )
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy joined others in saying the spying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the iceberg.
” This honeypot was playing the long game not just with ambitious men in the Bay Area ( Democrats , naturally ) but with a couple of mayors in Midwestern cities .
She ’ s probably one of many .
McCarthy believes Fang probably played a role in Swalwell ’ s ascension from the city council in Dublin , California , to the U.S. Congress .
He also wonders if other Bay Area Democrats might have been compromised , including Speaker Pelosi , an ally of Swalwell ’ s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s chauffeur for 20 years was a Chinese national/spy .
Former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell takes this very seriously .
“ Russia is a problem , but China is a crisis , ” he said Wednesday , “ and we ’ ve known it ’ s been a crisis for a very long time.
” He said Swalwell “ spent years downplaying the China threat … playing exactly into what the Chinese want people to do .
They want to be under the radar.
” By the way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swalwell is not originally from the far-left Bay Area district he represents .
He hails from Sac City , Iowa , home of the world ’ s largest popcorn ball .
I assume the citizens of Sac City are much prouder right now of their popcorn ball .
Moving on to another embarrassment — that would be Hunter Biden — both Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and author Peter Schweizer appeared on Wednesday ’ s Hannity show to discuss the investigation into Hunter ’ s taxes , which is linked to his suspicious deals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s role in suppressing the Hunter story before Election Day , citing the McLaughlin poll that said 36 percent of Biden voters hadn ’ t heard of this and , of those , 13 percent said they wouldn ’ t have voted for him .
That alone would ’ ve taken away 4.6 percent of the Biden vote and given the win to Trump .
Schweizer said Hunter lied about not getting Chinese money and that there were “ a multitude ” of deals with China , involving billions .
The challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter has “ a myriad ” of offshore accounts .
But it ’ s easier when investigating a tax case , as tax treaties with other countries allow for “ a lot more broad information-sharing.
” He sees a tax investigation as “ the camel ’ s nose under the tent , ” a way to gain access , so “ we can start to unravel the full extent of the Biden relationship with the Chinese government.
” Also , as reported in Politico a hospital business involving Joe Biden ’ s brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In more breaking China news , President Trump on Wednesday provided great contrast to those embarrassing stories by showcasing his reality-based approach to China , sanctioning a member of the CCP named Wan Kwok Koi — affectionately known as “ Broken Tooth ” — for “ using Beijing ’ s multi-nation infrastructure project to hide the expansion of and crimes committed by one of the world ’ s largest Chinese criminal organizations.
” This was carried out by Trump ’ s Treasury Department under the Magnitsky Act ( Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human rights abuse .
A couple of other groups under this man ’ s control were also sanctioned .
UPI reports , “ Wan , a member of the CCP ’ s Political Consultative Conference , is being blacklisted for engaging in corruption as a leading figure in the 14K Triad , which deals in drug and human trafficking , illegal gambling , racketeering and other criminal enterprises.
” They ’ re involved in developing a powerful business network that the Trump administration said is involved in cryptocurrencies , real estate , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Belt and Road Initiative , which the State Department describes as “ China ’ s predatory development program and debt-trap diplomacy.
” For a real eye-opener , the Executive Summary of this report is a MUST-READ .
The Ten Tasks in Facing the “ China Challenge ” First , the report outlines the problems posed by the Chinese government due to its very nature .
It goes on to say that “ meeting the China challenge requires the United States to return to the fundamentals .
To secure freedom , American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ten tasks.
” And then it lays them out .
This summary of what America needs to do is so brilliant , it heartens me to know that it came out of our State Department .
If you have family or friends who think Trump is out of place in the Oval Office , please give them this to read .
It came from the Trump State Department .
This very impressive , spot-on report on China would not have emerged from Obama ’ s State Department or , most certainly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obviously describes the America that President Trump hopes to preserve and protect .
Tasks 9 and 10 are so important , I ’ ll quote them here : “ Ninth , the United States must reform American education , equipping students to shoulder the enduring responsibilities of citizenship in a free and democratic society by UNDERSTANDING AMERICA ’ S LEGACY OF LIBERTY [ emphasis mine ] and also preparing them to meet the special demands of a complex , information-age , globalized economy for expertise in science , technology , engineering and mathematics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must champion the principles of freedom — principles that are at once universal and at the heart of the American national spirit — through example ; speeches ; educational initiatives ; public diplomacy ; foreign assistance and investment ; sanctions in more difficult circumstances as well as other forms of non-military pressure ; and , where the nation ’ s vital interests are at stake and all else has failed , military force.
” Seriously , I recommend reading this entire report .
It runs another 45 pages or so but is well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s one other problem concerning China that ’ s been brought to our attention , thanks to reader Curtis D. He informs us that many foreign nationals , including Chinese , are working in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office .
What could possibly go wrong ?
“ These could be spies that are drawing a check from the U.S. government , ” he says , “ to spy on us , having access to the latest inventions.
” This no doubt has been going on for years , but we really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , if Biden ends up in the White House , nothing is going to be done about this .
Again , four more years .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

California Rep. Eric Swalwell reacted predictably to the story about him being compromised by a “honeypot” sent by Beijing to spy on up-and-coming officials.
He blamed Trump.
I am not kidding. This revelation should humiliate him more than his bout with on-air flatulence, but he’s determined to simply deflect blame. In a cringe-worthy interview with Politico, he said he’d been targeted in the media — the spy story was broken by left-leaning Axios — because of his criticism of Trump. (Right.) “I’ve been a critic of the President,” he said. “… I was on both committees that worked to impeach him. The timing feels like that should be looked at.”
Florida Sen. Rick Scott and others are calling for Swalwell to be stripped of committee assignments after his astounding failure in judgment. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Scott said, “Eric Swalwell has no place on the House Intelligence Committee.” (Insert your own “intelligence” joke here.)
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy joined others in saying the spying on Swalwell was “just the tip of the iceberg.” This honeypot was playing the long game not just with ambitious men in the Bay Area (Democrats, naturally) but with a couple of mayors in Midwestern cities. She’s probably one of many.
McCarthy believes Fang probably played a role in Swalwell’s ascension from the city council in Dublin, California, to the U.S. Congress. He also wonders if other Bay Area Democrats might have been compromised, including Speaker Pelosi, an ally of Swalwell’s. We already knew that Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s chauffeur for 20 years was a Chinese national/spy.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell takes this very seriously. “Russia is a problem, but China is a crisis,” he said Wednesday, “and we’ve known it’s been a crisis for a very long time.” He said Swalwell “spent years downplaying the China threat … playing exactly into what the Chinese want people to do. They want to be under the radar.”
By the way, we also learn from Headline USA that Swalwell is not originally from the far-left Bay Area district he represents. He hails from Sac City, Iowa, home of the world’s largest popcorn ball. I assume the citizens of Sac City are much prouder right now of their popcorn ball.
Hunter Biden Under Investigation
Moving on to another embarrassment — that would be Hunter Biden — both Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and author Peter Schweizer appeared on Wednesday’s Hannity show to discuss the investigation into Hunter’s taxes, which is linked to his suspicious deals with China. Johnson cited the media’s role in suppressing the Hunter story before Election Day, citing the McLaughlin poll that said 36 percent of Biden voters hadn’t heard of this and, of those, 13 percent said they wouldn’t have voted for him. That alone would’ve taken away 4.6 percent of the Biden vote and given the win to Trump.
Schweizer said Hunter lied about not getting Chinese money and that there were “a multitude” of deals with China, involving billions. The challenge lies in finding it all, as Hunter has “a myriad” of offshore accounts. But it’s easier when investigating a tax case, as tax treaties with other countries allow for “a lot more broad information-sharing.” He sees a tax investigation as “the camel’s nose under the tent,” a way to gain access, so “we can start to unravel the full extent of the Biden relationship with the Chinese government.”
Also, as reported in Politico a hospital business involving Joe Biden’s brother James is now under criminal investigation.
Trump Targets China Again
In more breaking China news, President Trump on Wednesday provided great contrast to those embarrassing stories by showcasing his reality-based approach to China, sanctioning a member of the CCP named Wan Kwok Koi — affectionately known as “Broken Tooth” — for “using Beijing’s multi-nation infrastructure project to hide the expansion of and crimes committed by one of the world’s largest Chinese criminal organizations.”
This was carried out by Trump’s Treasury Department under the Magnitsky Act (Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act), which targets corruption and human rights abuse. A couple of other groups under this man’s control were also sanctioned.
UPI reports, “Wan, a member of the CCP’s Political Consultative Conference, is being blacklisted for engaging in corruption as a leading figure in the 14K Triad, which deals in drug and human trafficking, illegal gambling, racketeering and other criminal enterprises.”
They’re involved in developing a powerful business network that the Trump administration said is involved in cryptocurrencies, real estate, and a security company involved in protecting investments for the Belt and Road Initiative, which the State Department describes as “China’s predatory development program and debt-trap diplomacy.” For a real eye-opener, the Executive Summary of this report is a MUST-READ.
The Ten Tasks in Facing the “China Challenge”
First, the report outlines the problems posed by the Chinese government due to its very nature. It goes on to say that “meeting the China challenge requires the United States to return to the fundamentals. To secure freedom, American must refashion its foreign policy in light of ten tasks.” And then it lays them out.
This summary of what America needs to do is so brilliant, it heartens me to know that it came out of our State Department. If you have family or friends who think Trump is out of place in the Oval Office, please give them this to read. It came from the Trump State Department. This very impressive, spot-on report on China would not have emerged from Obama’s State Department or, most certainly, Biden’s State Department. It obviously describes the America that President Trump hopes to preserve and protect.
Tasks 9 and 10 are so important, I’ll quote them here: “Ninth, the United States must reform American education, equipping students to shoulder the enduring responsibilities of citizenship in a free and democratic society by UNDERSTANDING AMERICA’S LEGACY OF LIBERTY [emphasis mine] and also preparing them to meet the special demands of a complex, information-age, globalized economy for expertise in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“Tenth, the United States must champion the principles of freedom — principles that are at once universal and at the heart of the American national spirit — through example; speeches; educational initiatives; public diplomacy; foreign assistance and investment; sanctions in more difficult circumstances as well as other forms of non-military pressure; and, where the nation’s vital interests are at stake and all else has failed, military force.”
(FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!)
Seriously, I recommend reading this entire report. It runs another 45 pages or so but is well worth your time.
Chinese Nationals at the Patent Office
Finally, there’s one other problem concerning China that’s been brought to our attention, thanks to reader Curtis D. He informs us that many foreign nationals, including Chinese, are working in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. What could possibly go wrong? “These could be spies that are drawing a check from the U.S. government,” he says, “to spy on us, having access to the latest inventions.” This no doubt has been going on for years, but we really just can’t have it. Of course, if Biden ends up in the White House, nothing is going to be done about this.
Again, four more years.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.


thestream--2020-12-10--Who is Xavier Becerra, Joe Biden’s HHS Nominee?

Joe Biden frequently says that he “ seeks not to divide , but unify ” Americans .
But his announcement that he would like California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services undercuts that sentiment .
Xavier Becerra has repeatedly demonstrated how unsuitable he is for the job of overseeing Americans ’ healthcare .
He has said the disastrous Affordable Care Act is a good start , but not a sufficient government intervention into healthcare .
He has shown himself hostile to religious liberty .
And he has targeted Christians who stood up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unreasonable restrictions California ’ s progressive leaders placed on the free exercise of religion .
Biden selected Becerra over less controversial candidates , including former Michigan Gov .
Jennifer Granholm and former HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell .
Unlike some of the other contenders , Becerra has never held a senior health policy position — but he has an extensive track record of supporting socialized medicine and targeting pro-life advocates .
Becerra spent nearly 25 years in Congress before then-California Gov .
Jerry Brown offered him the position of state attorney general in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his disregard for responsible governance and free enterprise clear .
Becerra stated in 2017 that he supports so-called “ Medicare for All ” — a policy that progressives like Bernie Sanders have pushed for years , despite a projected price tag of more than $ 32 trillion .
Biden has avoided endorsing Sanders ’ policy , although his proposal for a taxpayer-funded “ public option ” shows that he has little interest in free-market healthcare solutions .
Becerra will open the door for the far-Left to continue pushing for complete government control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough .
Becerra supported the Affordable Care Act and continues to claim that “ the ACA saves lives.
” In reality , Obamacare caused insurance premiums to double , put 43 million Americans ’ employer-based health insurance at risk , and put greater pressure on the already overstressed healthcare market .
With Becerra as HHS secretary , middle-class families and small business owners can expect to foot the bill for greater government intervention in the economy — which is part of Becerra ’ s core conviction .
During his time in Congress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our nation ’ s unsustainable welfare state , placing the blame on Republicans for trying to scale it back .
It ’ s bad enough that Becerra is dead set on pushing interventionist healthcare policies .
But throughout his political career , he has demonstrated extreme views on what constitutes “ healthcare ” — and persecuted Christians and conservatives who dissented .
Becerra is committed to normalizing abortion .
As a congressman , he opposed the Prenatal Non-Discrimination Act ( PRENDA ) , which would have banned race- and sex-selective abortions .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted to enforce a law requiring pro-life pregnancy centers to refer women to taxpayer-funded abortion resources .
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates , which represents 150 pregnancy centers in California and many more nationwide , sued the state in 2018 .
The Supreme Court ruled that the law compelling pro-abortion speech from pro-life institutions violated the First Amendment .
Becerra called the ruling “ unfortunate ” and insisted that the state would pursue other ways to distribute information on “ healthcare options ” such as abortion .
As HHS secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency to foist similar policies on the entire nation .
Christians in California who did not wish to participate in abortion advocacy were able to hold off Becerra ’ s attacks .
But those who have attempted to expose the abortion industry ’ s unethical behavior have not been so lucky .
In 2015 , Catholic pro-life advocate and investigative journalist David Daleiden released hidden camera footage exposing unethical — and possibly illegal — acts by Planned Parenthood employees .
Then-Attorney General Kamala Harris proceeded to sue Daleiden and his associate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law — the first time that law had been used against a journalist .
While the state eventually dropped most of the charges , Becerra filed new charges against Daleiden after taking office in 2017 — a move that even the left-leaning Los Angeles Times called a “ disturbing overreach.
” A Biden administration will reunite Harris and Becerra and vest them with the power to continue targeting Christians and pro-life advocates at taxpayers ’ expense .
The global COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in California gave Becerra a role in yet another attack on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a new series of orders that imposed arbitrary restrictions on houses of worship .
And Becerra enforced them .
Rev .
Trevor Burfitt , a Catholic priest , called the restrictions a “ bureaucratic maze of absurd complexity ” and filed a lawsuit against Newsom , Becerra and other officials .
Fortunately , the Supreme Court once again upheld the First Amendment , but not before Becerra urged the justices to ignore appeals by Burfitt and other religious leaders .
Disturbingly , Becerra cited churches ’ resistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons to dismiss their case .
The suggestion that resistance to unjust laws deserves extra punishment is authoritarianism at its pettiest .
If Xavier Becerra brings this thinking to the executive branch , Catholics and other Christians must prepare for four years of hostility towards their First Amendment rights .
Chris Nagavonski is a writer and translator from Washington , D.C. , who specializes in Eastern European affairs .
Originally published on the Acton Institute PowerBlog .
Reprinted with permission .

Joe Biden frequently says that he “seeks not to divide, but unify” Americans. But his announcement that he would like California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services undercuts that sentiment.
Xavier Becerra has repeatedly demonstrated how unsuitable he is for the job of overseeing Americans’ healthcare. He has said the disastrous Affordable Care Act is a good start, but not a sufficient government intervention into healthcare. He has shown himself hostile to religious liberty. And he has targeted Christians who stood up to the immensely powerful abortion lobby and the unreasonable restrictions California’s progressive leaders placed on the free exercise of religion.
Government Control of Healthcare
Biden selected Becerra over less controversial candidates, including former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell. Unlike some of the other contenders, Becerra has never held a senior health policy position — but he has an extensive track record of supporting socialized medicine and targeting pro-life advocates. Becerra spent nearly 25 years in Congress before then-California Gov. Jerry Brown offered him the position of state attorney general in 2017. In that time, he made his disregard for responsible governance and free enterprise clear.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Becerra stated in 2017 that he supports so-called “Medicare for All” — a policy that progressives like Bernie Sanders have pushed for years, despite a projected price tag of more than $32 trillion. Biden has avoided endorsing Sanders’ policy, although his proposal for a taxpayer-funded “public option” shows that he has little interest in free-market healthcare solutions. Becerra will open the door for the far-Left to continue pushing for complete government control of healthcare.
The status quo is bad enough. Becerra supported the Affordable Care Act and continues to claim that “the ACA saves lives.” In reality, Obamacare caused insurance premiums to double, put 43 million Americans’ employer-based health insurance at risk, and put greater pressure on the already overstressed healthcare market. With Becerra as HHS secretary, middle-class families and small business owners can expect to foot the bill for greater government intervention in the economy — which is part of Becerra’s core conviction. During his time in Congress, he consistently opposed all efforts to reform our nation’s unsustainable welfare state, placing the blame on Republicans for trying to scale it back.
Committed to Normalizing Abortion
It’s bad enough that Becerra is dead set on pushing interventionist healthcare policies. But throughout his political career, he has demonstrated extreme views on what constitutes “healthcare” — and persecuted Christians and conservatives who dissented.
Becerra is committed to normalizing abortion. As a congressman, he opposed the Prenatal Non-Discrimination Act (PRENDA), which would have banned race- and sex-selective abortions. As California’s attorney general, Becerra attempted to enforce a law requiring pro-life pregnancy centers to refer women to taxpayer-funded abortion resources. The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, which represents 150 pregnancy centers in California and many more nationwide, sued the state in 2018. The Supreme Court ruled that the law compelling pro-abortion speech from pro-life institutions violated the First Amendment. Becerra called the ruling “unfortunate” and insisted that the state would pursue other ways to distribute information on “healthcare options” such as abortion. As HHS secretary, he will be able to use the agency to foist similar policies on the entire nation.
A Biden administration will reunite Harris and Becerra and vest them with the power to continue targeting Christians and pro-life advocates.
Christians in California who did not wish to participate in abortion advocacy were able to hold off Becerra’s attacks. But those who have attempted to expose the abortion industry’s unethical behavior have not been so lucky. In 2015, Catholic pro-life advocate and investigative journalist David Daleiden released hidden camera footage exposing unethical — and possibly illegal — acts by Planned Parenthood employees. Then-Attorney General Kamala Harris proceeded to sue Daleiden and his associate, Sandra Merritt, for violating an anti-eavesdropping law — the first time that law had been used against a journalist. While the state eventually dropped most of the charges, Becerra filed new charges against Daleiden after taking office in 2017 — a move that even the left-leaning Los Angeles Times called a “disturbing overreach.” A Biden administration will reunite Harris and Becerra and vest them with the power to continue targeting Christians and pro-life advocates at taxpayers’ expense.
Hostility Towards Religious Liberty
The global COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in California gave Becerra a role in yet another attack on Christians’ religious liberty. In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a new series of orders that imposed arbitrary restrictions on houses of worship. And Becerra enforced them.
Rev. Trevor Burfitt, a Catholic priest, called the restrictions a “bureaucratic maze of absurd complexity” and filed a lawsuit against Newsom, Becerra and other officials. Fortunately, the Supreme Court once again upheld the First Amendment, but not before Becerra urged the justices to ignore appeals by Burfitt and other religious leaders. Disturbingly, Becerra cited churches’ resistance to lockdown orders as one of the reasons to dismiss their case. The suggestion that resistance to unjust laws deserves extra punishment is authoritarianism at its pettiest.
If Xavier Becerra brings this thinking to the executive branch, Catholics and other Christians must prepare for four years of hostility towards their First Amendment rights.
Chris Nagavonski is a writer and translator from Washington, D.C., who specializes in Eastern European affairs.
Originally published on the Acton Institute PowerBlog. Reprinted with permission.