thestream--2020-06-23--A Monumental Assault on America

A Monumental Assault on America

Ah , Mount Rushmore , the masterwork featuring four of the great American presidents : George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln .
Four giants signifying America ’ s Integrity , Liberty , Spirit and Soul .
A couple weeks ago , we used the below picture on an article .
It was a dramatic image we had created when Antifa started its violent run in 2015 , a prophetic look where they were headed .
When we ran it again , we were hit on Facebook by those calling us “ fake news.
” Fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s statue has been torn down , Jefferson ’ s statue has been torn down , a Lincoln statue is targeted for removal and now Teddy Roosevelt ’ s statue is being removed from New York ’ s Museum of Natural History .
Why Teddy ?
Because of its “ associations with colonialism ” and because it “ communicates a racial hierarchy.
” ( He ’ s on a horse and flanked by a Native American and an African on foot . )
Except that statue ’ s at the museum to celebrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author on works of natural history.
” Why Lincoln ?
Because freeing the slaves and taking a bullet to the head for his trouble isn ’ t enough for these people .
What ’ s it say when the four faces of Mount Rushmore are targeted for destruction ?
It says when anyone tells you this Taliban-esque assault on statues and monuments is about racism , or slavery , they are lying .
It is about America itself .
It ’ s America they want broken and burned .
Confederate Statues … and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was mocked when he suggested Confederate statues were just the start .
Even now we hear “ The Confederate statues have to come down !
” Meanwhile , these same mobs tear down the statue of Ulysses S. Grant , the general who defeated the Confederacy .
Who crushed the KKK .
Who desegregated the federal government ( until Democrat hero Woodrow Wilson re-segregated it . )
“ Oh , but Grant was a slave owner !
” Grant was an abolitionist “ gifted ” a slave by his slave-owning father-in-law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of what CNN and its fellow propagandists say is true about the “ peaceful protesters ” of Antifa and friends , U.S. Grant would be held up as a hero , not torn down .
But he ’ s an American general .
An American hero .
And so down he goes .
Personally , I find it poetic to have pigeons pooping on the Confederate generals Grant defeated .
But if a city council , after serious consideration and contemplation , rather than reflexive reaction to the mob , wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor , fine .
What I do question though is , “ Why now ?
” Just five years ago , we commemorated the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War .
Yet the anniversary passed with barely a peep .
The anniversary of the end of slavery passed with barely a peep .
Surely that would have been the perfect opportunity to box up the Confederate statues .
Tell the former Confederate states , “ You ’ ve had 150 years to mourn your ‘ Lost Cause.
’ Time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 wasn ’ t an election year .
“ But Al , this is about systemic racism !
Not the election !
” Really ?
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors , who described herself and her co-founders as “ trained Marxists , ” spilled the beans on CNN Friday .
“ Trump needs to be out of office .
He is not fit for office .
And so what we are going to push for is a move to get Trump out.
” Instead , BLM will be pushing for Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cory Booker implied was a racist .
The guy whose crime bill sent countless young black men to prison .
A situation Trump worked to rectify .
Perhaps Cullors and comrades should have spent less time studying Marx and Lenin and more time studying logic .
After all , we ’ re talking about systemic racism , going back to 1619 when slaves first arrived in what wouldn ’ t even be the United States for over a century and a half , right ?
So what in the world would one real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived from Ireland half a century after the last slave was freed , have to do with that system ?
Or for that matter , what could one politician from Delaware with a half century of mangling the matter do to fix it ?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
His boss sure didn ’ t .
Barack Obama was elected to two terms .
In an America with racism so ingrained , it put into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive experience than the night manager at a 7-11 .
Did racism diminish ?
Under Obama ’ s watch , did we move closer to Dr. King ’ s dream or farther away ?
Why did the scene at Lafayette Square last night look more like the revolutions Obama helped fund around the world than the elevation King prayed for at the Lincoln Memorial ?
Does Antifa and BLM , Inc. , and their progressive enablers even care about the vision and example of MLK ?
The 1,500 buildings damaged in Minneapolis would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington , DC , would suggest no .
The citizens beaten and harassed coast to coast would say no .
The segregated areas of CHOP shout a loud “ No !
” During the Montgomery Bus Boycott which helped propel Civil Rights and MLK into the national spotlight , Dr. King rewrote the old spiritual , “ Give Me That Old Time Religion.
” Does anything you see with Antifa or Black Lives Matter , Inc. suggest Hope ?
Or Dignity ?
Peace ?
Liberty ?
Harmony ?
Love ?
Etch this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Martin Luther King will soon be on the target list .
For he is an American hero .
Yet , for those who love this country , we stand with Rev .
King , U.S. Grant and the Founders .
And Hope .
Dignity .
Peace .
Liberty .
Harmony .
Love .
And the greatest of these is love .
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Ah, Mount Rushmore, the masterwork featuring four of the great American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Four giants signifying America’s Integrity, Liberty, Spirit and Soul.
A couple weeks ago, we used the below picture on an article. It was a dramatic image we had created when Antifa started its violent run in 2015, a prophetic look where they were headed. When we ran it again, we were hit on Facebook by those calling us “fake news.”
Fake. Since that time, Washington’s statue has been torn down, Jefferson’s statue has been torn down, a Lincoln statue is targeted for removal and now Teddy Roosevelt’s statue is being removed from New York’s Museum of Natural History.
Why Teddy? Because of its “associations with colonialism” and because it “communicates a racial hierarchy.” (He’s on a horse and flanked by a Native American and an African on foot.) Except that statue’s at the museum to celebrate Roosevelt as a “devoted naturalist and author on works of natural history.”
Why Lincoln? Because freeing the slaves and taking a bullet to the head for his trouble isn’t enough for these people.
What’s it say when the four faces of Mount Rushmore are targeted for destruction?
It says when anyone tells you this Taliban-esque assault on statues and monuments is about racism, or slavery, they are lying. It is about America itself. It’s America they want broken and burned.
Confederate Statues … and the Man Who Defeated the Confederates.
Trump was mocked when he suggested Confederate statues were just the start. Even now we hear “The Confederate statues have to come down!” Meanwhile, these same mobs tear down the statue of Ulysses S. Grant, the general who defeated the Confederacy. Who crushed the KKK. Who desegregated the federal government (until Democrat hero Woodrow Wilson re-segregated it.) “Oh, but Grant was a slave owner!” Grant was an abolitionist “gifted” a slave by his slave-owning father-in-law. Grant quickly freed the man.
If half of what CNN and its fellow propagandists say is true about the “peaceful protesters” of Antifa and friends, U.S. Grant would be held up as a hero, not torn down. But he’s an American general. An American hero. And so down he goes.
Personally, I find it poetic to have pigeons pooping on the Confederate generals Grant defeated. But if a city council, after serious consideration and contemplation, rather than reflexive reaction to the mob, wants to move a statue from a place of honor, fine.
What I do question though is, “Why now?” Just five years ago, we commemorated the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. Yet the anniversary passed with barely a peep. The anniversary of the end of slavery passed with barely a peep. Surely that would have been the perfect opportunity to box up the Confederate statues. Tell the former Confederate states, “You’ve had 150 years to mourn your ‘Lost Cause.’ Time to suck it up.” But alas, 2015 wasn’t an election year.
“But Al, this is about systemic racism! Not the election!” Really?
A BLM Co-Founder Errs and Speaks Honestly
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who described herself and her co-founders as “trained Marxists,” spilled the beans on CNN Friday. “Trump needs to be out of office. He is not fit for office. And so what we are going to push for is a move to get Trump out.” Instead, BLM will be pushing for Joe Biden, a guy both Kamala Harris and Cory Booker implied was a racist. The guy whose crime bill sent countless young black men to prison. A situation Trump worked to rectify.
Perhaps Cullors and comrades should have spent less time studying Marx and Lenin and more time studying logic. After all, we’re talking about systemic racism, going back to 1619 when slaves first arrived in what wouldn’t even be the United States for over a century and a half, right? So what in the world would one real estate guy from Queens, whose family arrived from Ireland half a century after the last slave was freed, have to do with that system? Or for that matter, what could one politician from Delaware with a half century of mangling the matter do to fix it?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
His boss sure didn’t. Barack Obama was elected to two terms. In an America with racism so ingrained, it put into the Oval Office a black guy with less executive experience than the night manager at a 7-11. Did racism diminish? Under Obama’s watch, did we move closer to Dr. King’s dream or farther away?
Why did the scene at Lafayette Square last night look more like the revolutions Obama helped fund around the world than the elevation King prayed for at the Lincoln Memorial?
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Does Antifa and BLM, Inc., and their progressive enablers even care about the vision and example of MLK? The 1,500 buildings damaged in Minneapolis would suggest no. The 150 officers injured in Washington, DC, would suggest no. The citizens beaten and harassed coast to coast would say no. The segregated areas of CHOP shout a loud “No!”
This Prager U video demonstrates the contrast:
During the Montgomery Bus Boycott which helped propel Civil Rights and MLK into the national spotlight, Dr. King rewrote the old spiritual, “Give Me That Old Time Religion.”
We are moving on to vict’ry (3X)
With hope and dignity.
We shall all stand together (3X)
Till everyone is free. We know love is the watchword (3X)
For peace and liberty.
Black and white, all are brothers (3X)
To live in harmony. We are moving on to vict’ry (3X)
With hope and dignity.
Does anything you see with Antifa or Black Lives Matter, Inc. suggest Hope? Or Dignity? Peace? Liberty? Harmony? Love?
Etch this in stone. The memorials to Rev. Martin Luther King will soon be on the target list. For he is an American hero.
Yet, for those who love this country, we stand with Rev. King, U.S. Grant and the Founders. And Hope. Dignity. Peace. Liberty. Harmony. Love. And the greatest of these is love.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-06-23--What BLM, Antifa and the Mainstream Media Don’t Want You to Think About

We can not solve the problem of racism without understanding its history .
One friend responded to this claim with “ Who invented slavery is irrelevant.
” The problem is here , now , he said .
We need to stop these residual racist tendencies .
O.K .
But is it really such a bad idea to know the history of the problem whose lingering aftereffects we are trying to eradicate ?
In the same way that replacing a tire on your car will not get it to start if the battery is dead , we can not fix the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not fully understand the problem .
For example , the same friend also said , “ slavery in the USA has a history that very specifically affects one group more than others.
” That may be true , but it ’ s important to note that we purchased black African slaves from … other black Africans .
Knowing that sort of historical information kind of mitigates the whole racist argument , don ’ t ya think ?
When you study the history of slavery , it becomes clear that prejudice was not its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons for slavery ’ s existence .
Furthermore , there were huge problems at the end of the Civil War attempting to integrate the 3.9 million newly freed slaves into the American economy .
Sometimes a problem isn ’ t just black or white .
Unfortunately , even if we come up with a solution to the repercussions of slavery , an even larger problem exists that no one wishes to discuss .
Racial strife is a fantastic way for those who wish to wield power to do so , or those already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of people talk a good game about wanting to alleviate racial discord , there are many others who actively engage in fomenting such trouble .
Often times they are one and the same .
How else can we explain riots erupting , being justified to honor the memory of George Floyd ’ s murder , while the memory of David Dorn , an African American police officer murdered defending a business during a riot hasn ’ t been mentioned ?
Antifa , Black Lives Matter and the Main Stream Media playact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of race relations .
They co-opt a tragic event like George Floyd ’ s death and use it for their purposes .
The truth is : these groups are agitators , nothing more .
When you ’ ve seen their act more than once , you begin to see the pattern .
Black lives matter more in an election year than in other years .
That only the 10 to 30 black lives being taken by white police officers in a given year seem to matter .
That the thousands of black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t seem to matter at all , let alone cause riots .
And , of course , these people don ’ t even mention the number one taker of black lives every year : abortion .
Black fetuses ’ lives don ’ t matter .
Don ’ t let these groups fool you .
They care no more for the lives of black people than your average KKK member .
Their goal is to present the idea that somehow slavery and racism are systemic in western , Judeo-Christian , capitalist societies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America .
And it ’ s not just white cops , but all white people that are racist .
Even those who think they aren ’ t , somehow are .
Why else would it be acceptable to tear down a statue of Ulysses S. Grant , one of the two generals most responsible for winning the war against slavery ?
The San Francisco police have arrested no one and aren ’ t going to try .
The mainstream media aren ’ t crying out against this terrible mistake .
If you listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you will notice something else missing .
Antifa and BLM don ’ t offer solutions .
They never suggest anything constructive .
All they do is tear down and criticize .
This is by design .
Because their intent is not to bring together , but to separate .
To destroy this country from within .
Occasionally these groups will blather childish nonsense like defunding the police or perhaps paying reparations .
But these are fake policies also designed to split us apart .
What is the Answer ?
If racism truly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tear down the system and start again .
But , it ’ s not true .
You know how to prove it ?
Look at children , particularly newborns .
They have no problems with each other .
Babies do not display racist or prejudicial tendencies .
Hatred is not systemic ; it is a learned behavior .
The good news here is : if it can be learned , it can be unlearned .

We cannot solve the problem of racism without understanding its history. One friend responded to this claim with “Who invented slavery is irrelevant.” The problem is here, now, he said. We need to stop these residual racist tendencies.
O.K. But is it really such a bad idea to know the history of the problem whose lingering aftereffects we are trying to eradicate? In the same way that replacing a tire on your car will not get it to start if the battery is dead, we cannot fix the problem of racial inequality if we do not fully understand the problem.
Other Reasons
For example, the same friend also said, “slavery in the USA has a history that very specifically affects one group more than others.” That may be true, but it’s important to note that we purchased black African slaves from … other black Africans. Knowing that sort of historical information kind of mitigates the whole racist argument, don’t ya think?
When you study the history of slavery, it becomes clear that prejudice was not its sole cause. There were strong economic reasons for slavery’s existence. Furthermore, there were huge problems at the end of the Civil War attempting to integrate the 3.9 million newly freed slaves into the American economy. Sometimes a problem isn’t just black or white.
The Larger Problem
Unfortunately, even if we come up with a solution to the repercussions of slavery, an even larger problem exists that no one wishes to discuss. Racial strife is a fantastic way for those who wish to wield power to do so, or those already in power to maintain it. While a lot of people talk a good game about wanting to alleviate racial discord, there are many others who actively engage in fomenting such trouble. Often times they are one and the same.
How else can we explain riots erupting, being justified to honor the memory of George Floyd’s murder, while the memory of David Dorn, an African American police officer murdered defending a business during a riot hasn’t been mentioned?
Hatred is not systemic; it is a learned behavior. The good news here is: if it can be learned, it can be unlearned.
Antifa, Black Lives Matter and the Main Stream Media playact as though they care about the poor state of race relations. They co-opt a tragic event like George Floyd’s death and use it for their purposes. The truth is: these groups are agitators, nothing more.
The Deeper Problem
When you’ve seen their act more than once, you begin to see the pattern. Black lives matter more in an election year than in other years. That only the 10 to 30 black lives being taken by white police officers in a given year seem to matter. That the thousands of black lives taken every year by other blacks doesn’t seem to matter at all, let alone cause riots. And, of course, these people don’t even mention the number one taker of black lives every year: abortion. Black fetuses’ lives don’t matter.
Don’t let these groups fool you. They care no more for the lives of black people than your average KKK member. Their goal is to present the idea that somehow slavery and racism are systemic in western, Judeo-Christian, capitalist societies, specifically, the United States of America. And it’s not just white cops, but all white people that are racist. Even those who think they aren’t, somehow are.
Why else would it be acceptable to tear down a statue of Ulysses S. Grant, one of the two generals most responsible for winning the war against slavery? The San Francisco police have arrested no one and aren’t going to try. The mainstream media aren’t crying out against this terrible mistake.
If you listen carefully to their daily postings and broadcasts, you will notice something else missing. Antifa and BLM don’t offer solutions. They never suggest anything constructive. All they do is tear down and criticize. This is by design. Because their intent is not to bring together, but to separate. To destroy this country from within.
Occasionally these groups will blather childish nonsense like defunding the police or perhaps paying reparations. But these are fake policies also designed to split us apart.
What is the Answer?
If racism truly is systemic, the only solution is to tear down the system and start again. But, it’s not true. You know how to prove it? Look at children, particularly newborns. They have no problems with each other. Babies do not display racist or prejudicial tendencies. Hatred is not systemic; it is a learned behavior. The good news here is: if it can be learned, it can be unlearned.
George Janek is a conservative thinker encamped in Northern California.


thestream--2020-06-23--The Silent Majority Can Be Silent No More

Lately it seems that we conservatives can ’ t win even when we ’ re winning .
But the country is under siege , so we can not indulge the luxury of being discouraged .
This year has been one body blow after another to the nation we love .
First , there was the coronavirus , and we thought , “ How can this get any worse ?
” Then came the economic shutdown and the incalculable pain and suffering it brought .
Next were the riots , the radicals ’ unopposed seizure of a section of Seattle and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defund the police .
Now a series of rulings from the “ conservative ” Supreme Court are wreaking untold havoc on the Constitution and the rule of law .
It wouldn ’ t take a Christian fanatic or an excitable conspiracist to conclude that America is now the target of an intense spiritual onslaught — brought on by its own rampant descent into decadence .
The left has been at war with America as founded for decades , and it has made great progress in transforming our culture and institutions .
Leftists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goals 24/7 , exhausting their less activist and less calculating opponents , and advance their agenda by sheer attrition .
But a more important factor in the left ’ s success is the depressing naivete of too many conservatives about its ultimate aims .
If you underestimate the extremism and determination of your opponents , how can you counter them ?
Perhaps one silver lining emerging from the Democrats ’ enabling of the proliferating lawlessness in America is that unsuspecting patriots are finally awakening to the horrors facing us and the left ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus isn ’ t red or blue , but the left immediately weaponized it against President Donald Trump , their endless efforts to remove him having failed .
From the beginning of this scourge , it was obvious they were more interested in demonizing Trump than in defeating the virus .
The media and the Democratic Party bludgeoned Trump instead of working with him to combat the virus .
They excoriated him for responding too slowly when , had he listened to them , he wouldn ’ t have implemented his travel bans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
They savaged him for defying the medical experts , when he was following their advice at every turn , including in shutting down the economy .
Though they have shut the economy down even more severely in their blue-controlled states , they preposterously blamed the inevitable economic downturn on him .
Though Trump and virtually all of America condemned the senseless killing of George Floyd , the extreme left seized the moment not merely to protest officer misconduct but to condemn the nation for “ systemic racism , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacy.
” Leftist activists converted the protests into riots , looting and violence , and Democratic leaders refused to condemn it and instead fanned the flames lit by the organized mob .
They have joined the movement to topple monuments and erase all other unpleasant aspects of American history — as if they never occurred .
This is nothing new for the Democratic Party .
It was shocking that its key figures dared to publicly support some of the certifiably insane provisions of the Green New Deal — provisions too fantastical for even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some of their leading presidential candidates openly supported the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
But this widespread move to defund the police takes the insanity to French Revolution-crazy levels .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
How can parents not fear for their kids ’ future ?
How can an entire political party give itself over to a lawless mob ?
How can it condone the systematic suppression of political speech by Hollywood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giants ?
Do rank-and-file liberals want to live in a country whose culture destroys people who won ’ t toe the leftist line ?
Ironically , it will only be a matter of time before the mob they legitimized will turn on them , as surely as the French revolutionaries turned on their mastermind Maximilien Robespierre .
For an unquenchable mob hellbent on eradicating all traditions , systems and laws , nothing is sacred , and no one is immune .
Examples already abound .
Just ask actor Mark Duplass and author J.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this fascism ?
How , indeed , unless we really are witnessing a raging spiritual war .
Note to conservatives : If you have been casually dismissing leftist extremism , maybe now you will wake up .
Can ’ t you hear the alarms blaring ?
Too many on the right also mistakenly believe that this Democratic frenzy and leftist unrest is all based primarily on their contempt for President Donald Trump .
He has made them crazy , and they ’ ll do anything to get rid of him .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he makes them crazier , more desperate and more unreasonable — mainly because he ’ s fighting them hammer and tongs — but he didn ’ t make them leftists , and leftists don ’ t need any prompting to unleash their hell on America .
It stands for everything they hate .
With or without Trump , their goals remain the same .
But without Trump , their chances of finally undoing America immeasurably increase .
I began this column saying we can ’ t afford to be discouraged .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t mean we can afford to be blind to the gravity of the threats we face .
Let ’ s wake up and rededicate ourselves to preventing the destruction of America .
Don ’ t ever lose hope .
My bet is the silent majority is bigger than ever and that we ’ ll see that in November .
Stay in the fight like your children ’ s future depends on it — because it does .
David Limbaugh is a writer , author and attorney .
His latest book is Guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats Must Not Win .
Follow him on Twitter @ davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com .

Lately it seems that we conservatives can’t win even when we’re winning. But the country is under siege, so we cannot indulge the luxury of being discouraged.
This year has been one body blow after another to the nation we love. First, there was the coronavirus, and we thought, “How can this get any worse?” Then came the economic shutdown and the incalculable pain and suffering it brought. Next were the riots, the radicals’ unopposed seizure of a section of Seattle and the maniacal efforts throughout the country to defund the police. Now a series of rulings from the “conservative” Supreme Court are wreaking untold havoc on the Constitution and the rule of law.
It wouldn’t take a Christian fanatic or an excitable conspiracist to conclude that America is now the target of an intense spiritual onslaught — brought on by its own rampant descent into decadence.
America at War
The left has been at war with America as founded for decades, and it has made great progress in transforming our culture and institutions. Leftists are activism-oriented and relentless. They pursue their goals 24/7, exhausting their less activist and less calculating opponents, and advance their agenda by sheer attrition.
But a more important factor in the left’s success is the depressing naivete of too many conservatives about its ultimate aims. If you underestimate the extremism and determination of your opponents, how can you counter them?
Perhaps one silver lining emerging from the Democrats’ enabling of the proliferating lawlessness in America is that unsuspecting patriots are finally awakening to the horrors facing us and the left’s cynical exploitation of them.
Weaponizing Everything Against Trump
The virus isn’t red or blue, but the left immediately weaponized it against President Donald Trump, their endless efforts to remove him having failed. From the beginning of this scourge, it was obvious they were more interested in demonizing Trump than in defeating the virus.
The media and the Democratic Party bludgeoned Trump instead of working with him to combat the virus. They excoriated him for responding too slowly when, had he listened to them, he wouldn’t have implemented his travel bans, which objectively slowed the spread in the United States.
They savaged him for defying the medical experts, when he was following their advice at every turn, including in shutting down the economy. Though they have shut the economy down even more severely in their blue-controlled states, they preposterously blamed the inevitable economic downturn on him.
Though Trump and virtually all of America condemned the senseless killing of George Floyd, the extreme left seized the moment not merely to protest officer misconduct but to condemn the nation for “systemic racism,” “white privilege” and “white supremacy.”
Riots, Looting and Violence
Leftist activists converted the protests into riots, looting and violence, and Democratic leaders refused to condemn it and instead fanned the flames lit by the organized mob. They have joined the movement to topple monuments and erase all other unpleasant aspects of American history — as if they never occurred.
This is nothing new for the Democratic Party. It was shocking that its key figures dared to publicly support some of the certifiably insane provisions of the Green New Deal — provisions too fantastical for even infants to endorse. It was surreal that some of their leading presidential candidates openly supported the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But this widespread move to defund the police takes the insanity to French Revolution-crazy levels.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
How can parents not fear for their kids’ future? How can an entire political party give itself over to a lawless mob? How can it condone the systematic suppression of political speech by Hollywood, the corporate left and social media giants?
Do rank-and-file liberals want to live in a country whose culture destroys people who won’t toe the leftist line? Ironically, it will only be a matter of time before the mob they legitimized will turn on them, as surely as the French revolutionaries turned on their mastermind Maximilien Robespierre. For an unquenchable mob hellbent on eradicating all traditions, systems and laws, nothing is sacred, and no one is immune. Examples already abound. Just ask actor Mark Duplass and author J.K. Rowling. How can anyone be blind to this fascism? How, indeed, unless we really are witnessing a raging spiritual war.
Finally Waking Up
Note to conservatives: If you have been casually dismissing leftist extremism, maybe now you will wake up. Can’t you hear the alarms blaring?
Too many on the right also mistakenly believe that this Democratic frenzy and leftist unrest is all based primarily on their contempt for President Donald Trump. He has made them crazy, and they’ll do anything to get rid of him. Then everything will return to normal.
Yes, he makes them crazier, more desperate and more unreasonable — mainly because he’s fighting them hammer and tongs — but he didn’t make them leftists, and leftists don’t need any prompting to unleash their hell on America. It stands for everything they hate.
With or without Trump, their goals remain the same. But without Trump, their chances of finally undoing America immeasurably increase.
I began this column saying we can’t afford to be discouraged. We can’t. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to be blind to the gravity of the threats we face. Let’s wake up and rededicate ourselves to preventing the destruction of America. Don’t ever lose hope. My bet is the silent majority is bigger than ever and that we’ll see that in November. Stay in the fight like your children’s future depends on it — because it does.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity: Why the Democrats Must Not Win. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-06-23--Military Photo of the Day: Work Day for a Military Working Dog

A U.S. Army soldier conducts a K-9 rappelling exercise at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on May 29 , @ @ @ @ @ these soldiers ( yes , military working dogs are soldiers , too ! )
for @ @ @ @ @ war zone .
We are all praying for your safe return .
Please Support The @ @ @ @ @ Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .

A U.S. Army soldier conducts a K-9 rappelling exercise at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on May 29, 2020.
Thank you to these soldiers (yes, military working dogs are soldiers, too!) for risking their lives in a war zone. We are all praying for your safe return.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-06-24--Is This God’s Super Sign of the End Times? Author Jeff Kinley Reveals His Take

Author Jeff Kinley believes the Bible lays out some fascinating circumstances that will unfold as humanity marches toward the biblical “ end times.
” But there ’ s one sign , in particular , that Kinley , author of the new book , Interview With the Antichrist , believes has already unfolded : the re-emergence of Israel .
He explained the development while telling The Pure Flix Podcast why he is so intrigued by eschatology ( i.e .
the study of the end times ) .
“ Part of it is just simply the sense of knowing that we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel being reborn as a nation — that ’ s really God ’ s super sign , ” he said .
“ There ’ s so many things that are happening almost daily around the world that it ’ s almost like you … have to be living under a rock not to notice it.
” Listen to Kinley break down the ins and outs of end-times theology : Kinley also addressed many of the social and political unrests unfolding across the globe , noting that many “ people feel like the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feelings , end times theology is sometimes overlooked , ignored or downplayed even within Christian circles .
“ We know that Jesus is coming back but no one is talking about what happens in between , ” he said .
“ God actually tells us what ’ s going to happen and He tells us how to prepare for it.
” But Kinley was pointed in his warning that Christians must be cautious when it comes to end-times theology , declining to make specific predictions — especially when it comes to timetables , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid date-setting .
“ We need to be reasoned , we need to be seasoned , we need to be biblical , ” Kinley said , urging people not to “ make crazy claims.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The popular author also discussed the rapture — the biblical belief that Christians will be taken up to heaven and spared from the majority of end-times events .
The rapture typically sparks debate , as not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scripture .
Kinley , who believes the rapture is indeed a biblical construct , said that the issue isn ’ t a matter of salvation .
“ It ’ s not a salvation issue , ” the author said .
“ But it is an important issue.
” Toward the end of the interview , Kinley discussed the secular cultural changes that are afoot , and encouraged Christians to take a cue from the early Christian church .
While the church was a small and unpopular cohort , the message grew and resonated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the light of Jesus Christ to the world , ” Kinley said .
If you ’ re looking for more end times-themed material , consider downloading this theology guide from Pure Flix .
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider .
Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows .
You can get a free trial here .

Author Jeff Kinley believes the Bible lays out some fascinating circumstances that will unfold as humanity marches toward the biblical “end times.”
But there’s one sign, in particular, that Kinley, author of the new book, Interview With the Antichrist, believes has already unfolded: the re-emergence of Israel.
He explained the development while telling The Pure Flix Podcast why he is so intrigued by eschatology (i.e. the study of the end times).
“Part of it is just simply the sense of knowing that we are living in the last days, with Israel being reborn as a nation — that’s really God’s super sign,” he said. “There’s so many things that are happening almost daily around the world that it’s almost like you … have to be living under a rock not to notice it.”
Listen to Kinley break down the ins and outs of end-times theology:
Kinley also addressed many of the social and political unrests unfolding across the globe, noting that many “people feel like the world’s in peril.”
Despite these feelings, end times theology is sometimes overlooked, ignored or downplayed even within Christian circles.
“We know that Jesus is coming back but no one is talking about what happens in between,” he said. “God actually tells us what’s going to happen and He tells us how to prepare for it.”
But Kinley was pointed in his warning that Christians must be cautious when it comes to end-times theology, declining to make specific predictions — especially when it comes to timetables, as the Bible notably tells Christians to avoid date-setting.
“We need to be reasoned, we need to be seasoned, we need to be biblical,” Kinley said, urging people not to “make crazy claims.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The popular author also discussed the rapture — the biblical belief that Christians will be taken up to heaven and spared from the majority of end-times events.
The rapture typically sparks debate, as not everyone believes the rapture is seen in scripture. Kinley, who believes the rapture is indeed a biblical construct, said that the issue isn’t a matter of salvation.
“It’s not a salvation issue,” the author said. “But it is an important issue.”
Toward the end of the interview, Kinley discussed the secular cultural changes that are afoot, and encouraged Christians to take a cue from the early Christian church. While the church was a small and unpopular cohort, the message grew and resonated.
“Go out there and be the light of Jesus Christ to the world,” Kinley said.
If you’re looking for more end times-themed material, consider downloading this theology guide from Pure Flix.
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.


thestream--2020-06-23--WATCH: 5 Unexpected Unifying Moments At Juneteenth Weekend Events

Long celebrated as a day of freedom in communities of color , this year ’ s Juneteenth set the stage for citywide prayer events led by local churches .
Several made headlines for the exceptional peace and unity observed among participants .
In Atlanta , over 13,000 Christians united under the banner of OneRace Movement .
More than 400 churches were represented at a daylong worship service and march held downtown .
It came only one week following the death of Rayshard Brooks , a 27-year-old black man killed after attacking Atlanta police officers during a DUI arrest .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park , an area that has been the site of intense protests , ” said reporter Justin Felder of Fox 5 Atlanta .
“ It [ brought ] together churches of different denominations and cultures .
Around 11:30 , that diverse faith-filled group set out for the Capitol .
… It was a powerful scene with a strong message.
” Church-led events in Kansas City and Minneapolis , with distinct strategies , also reflected such prayerful scenes .
Organizers , including Jonathan Tremaine Thomas of Civil Righteousness , said their collective social and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ On June 19 , 1865 , [ the ] battle had already been won , ” said Thomas .
“ The Union Army that showed up in Galveston , Texas [ had ] toppled the Confederate strongholds .
People were unaware their freedom had already been purchased.
” He translated historic events to the present day .
“ We are now the army of peacemakers who show up and say , ‘ Justice is here , ’ ” he said .
“ Now we need our communities , governments , economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the preeminence of Christ , who has won it all.
” An apex moment during the March on Atlanta occurred when two pastors , one black and one white , invited the city ’ s interim police chief to the center of their gathering .
Chief Rodney Bryant had been installed when former chief Erika Shields stepped down only days earlier following the death of Brooks .
“ This man right here has taken a mantle on himself of leadership that we want to support , ” said Pastor Billy Humphrey of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sense some resistance in the diverse crowd , and addressed it .
“ Listen , you can ’ t just pray for justice , ” said Humphrey .
“ You have to pray for righteousness .
That ’ s where his throne is established .
In Christ , we don ’ t have enemies .
We cry for justice and we cry for mercy.
” Humphrey and his friend Bishop Garland Hunt , co-founders of OneRace Movement , laid hands on his shoulders .
“ We want you to know , Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ The church in this city loves you .
We appreciate you and the work that you ’ re doing.
” The scale of the Atlanta faith-driven protest , which ended at the State Capitol , gave OneRace new visibility in Georgia ’ s largest city .
Since 2017 , more than 250 pastors have committed to racial unity through ongoing relationship .
They meet every month ( or more often ) in small groups mobilized by OneRace .
“ This is not just posturing , having the black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunt , a pastor and longtime civil rights advocate .
“ We ’ ve had years now of relationships that have been built .
“ He addressed the thousands gathered .
“ Out of that , you are a result of what God has called together , ” he said .
“ We refuse to allow anything to divide us.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The gospel-centered coalition has sought to navigate difficult topics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying ‘ black lives matter ’ endorses the BLM platform .
Clergy addressed this from the stage .
“ This day , we make the enemy angry , ” said Pastor Jesse Curney of New Mercies Christian Church in Lilburn .
“ Because men of all color have come together to give God the glory and the praise , while we say : black lives do matter.
” He cited John 8:32 .
It states : You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free .
“ When we say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not saying anybody else does not matter , ” said Curney .
“ We ’ re making a statement that liberation is for everybody , ” he clarified .
“ Racism is sinful , and to hate is wrong .
We ’ ll never be the country that God calls us to be if we do not unite and accept everyone as equals.
” From their unity , leaders pressed for policy change .
“ Black lives matter to Jesus , and they should matter to us and our legislators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Legislators [ should ] begin to consider systemic racism and systemic oppression of communities of color.
” 3 .
Standing in Prayer Along the Dividing Line That same evening in Kansas City , Missouri , nearly 6,000 people from more than a hundred local churches took to the streets .
Actually , one particular street : Troost Avenue , which historically divided the city along ethnic lines .
To the east , a 365-acre slave plantation once dehumanized generations of African Americans .
Decades later , property restrictions kept ethnic minorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kansas City .
Though laws have changed , racial segregation has persisted .
“ Peace is not the absence of conflict , it ’ s the presence of truth ” said Pastor Greg Ealey of Colonial Presbyterian Church .
“ As we call out to God on Troost Avenue , we ’ re asking God to bring his truth .
May [ He ] use that truth to unify His church so that we can fight against the injustices in our cities.
” Thousands of believers formed a human prayer chain that stretched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person wore a mask and white tape handwritten with black ink .
They wrote one word on their tape , such as : justice , empathy , equality , life , and peace .
For one hour in prayer , they stood along Troost Avenue .
“ There is an opportunity for us to build on what we have in common , ” said Pastor Ealey .
Driving a silver sedan , the balding black man wiped away tears as he observed the sight before him .
Black , white , and Hispanic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lining Troost Avenue .
“ [ He ] had to pull over , unable to drive due to his tears , ” said Thomas .
“ They flowed as he witnessed this expression of love and lament.
” The diversity was more than skin-deep .
Christians from Nazarene , Catholic , Baptist , Methodist , Presbyterian , AME , Lutheran , and non-denominational churches all participated .
Whether inner city or suburban , small congregations and megachurches united for this effort .
One observer found it particularly moving .
“ As a Texan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the country to celebrate Juneteenth , ” said Will Ford , an author and professor in the Dallas area .
“ Of course , I wish the circumstances by which this came about were different , ” he added .
“ But I ’ m glad that prayer for healing the racial divide and celebration of freedom [ has ] blanketed our nation.
” Ford , a descendant of slaves , co-authored The Dream King with prayer leader Matt Lockett .
The two have recently appeared together on The Eric Metaxas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other media outlets to share their amazing racial reconciliation story .
5 .
Finding God at the National Epicenter of Pain Two days following Juneteenth , a half-hour short film released online quickly attained over 30,000 views .
Entitled We Hear You , it follows director Andrew Chalmers as he captures how Christians respond in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
“ I felt so grieved but didn ’ t know how to appropriately respond , ” said Chalmers in an interview .
“ My desire has been to learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a difference.
” His friend Thomas serves as a guide on the journey .
The film chronicles events in multiple cities co-led by Civil Righteousness .
Notably , the film features Pastor Curtis Farrar of Worldwide Outreach for Christ .
That Minneapolis church is located across the street from where Floyd was killed .
Chalmers and friend Bennett Counts completed the film , their first documentary , in only a week .
They hope it will be a discussion starter as Christians grapple with racial justice issues .
“ We need to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ I believe the Church is going to take a leading role .
It ’ s about finding the type of healing and reconciliation that only God can produce.
” A graduate of the University of Colorado , Josh M. Shepherd covers culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Stream and The Federalist .
Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Long celebrated as a day of freedom in communities of color, this year’s Juneteenth set the stage for citywide prayer events led by local churches.
Several made headlines for the exceptional peace and unity observed among participants. In Atlanta, over 13,000 Christians united under the banner of OneRace Movement.
More than 400 churches were represented at a daylong worship service and march held downtown. It came only one week following the death of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man killed after attacking Atlanta police officers during a DUI arrest.
“The day started with worship inside Centennial Park, an area that has been the site of intense protests,” said reporter Justin Felder of Fox 5 Atlanta. “It [brought] together churches of different denominations and cultures. Around 11:30, that diverse faith-filled group set out for the Capitol. … It was a powerful scene with a strong message.”
Church-led events in Kansas City and Minneapolis, with distinct strategies, also reflected such prayerful scenes. Organizers, including Jonathan Tremaine Thomas of Civil Righteousness, said their collective social and spiritual focus reflected the heart of Juneteenth.
“On June 19, 1865, [the] battle had already been won,” said Thomas. “The Union Army that showed up in Galveston, Texas [had] toppled the Confederate strongholds. People were unaware their freedom had already been purchased.”
He translated historic events to the present day. “We are now the army of peacemakers who show up and say, ‘Justice is here,’” he said.
“Now we need our communities, governments, economic system, and education system to reflect the preeminence of Christ, who has won it all.”
1. When Atlanta’s Police Chief Received Prayer
An apex moment during the March on Atlanta occurred when two pastors, one black and one white, invited the city’s interim police chief to the center of their gathering.
Chief Rodney Bryant had been installed when former chief Erika Shields stepped down only days earlier following the death of Brooks.
“This man right here has taken a mantle on himself of leadership that we want to support,” said Pastor Billy Humphrey of New Bridge Church in Lawrenceville.
He seemed to sense some resistance in the diverse crowd, and addressed it. “Listen, you can’t just pray for justice,” said Humphrey. “You have to pray for righteousness. That’s where his throne is established. In Christ, we don’t have enemies. We cry for justice and we cry for mercy.”
Humphrey and his friend Bishop Garland Hunt, co-founders of OneRace Movement, laid hands on his shoulders. “We want you to know, Chief Bryant, that we love you,” he said. “The church in this city loves you. We appreciate you and the work that you’re doing.”
2. Rejecting Malign Agendas, Seeking Real Reforms
The scale of the Atlanta faith-driven protest, which ended at the State Capitol, gave OneRace new visibility in Georgia’s largest city.
Since 2017, more than 250 pastors have committed to racial unity through ongoing relationship. They meet every month (or more often) in small groups mobilized by OneRace.
“This is not just posturing, having the black and white together,” said Bishop Hunt, a pastor and longtime civil rights advocate. “We’ve had years now of relationships that have been built. “
He addressed the thousands gathered. “Out of that, you are a result of what God has called together,” he said. “We refuse to allow anything to divide us.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The gospel-centered coalition has sought to navigate difficult topics. One consuming many Christians today is whether saying ‘black lives matter’ endorses the BLM platform. Clergy addressed this from the stage.
“This day, we make the enemy angry,” said Pastor Jesse Curney of New Mercies Christian Church in Lilburn. “Because men of all color have come together to give God the glory and the praise, while we say: black lives do matter.”
He cited John 8:32. It states: You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. “When we say ‘black lives matter,’ we’re not saying anybody else does not matter,” said Curney.
“We’re making a statement that liberation is for everybody,” he clarified. “Racism is sinful, and to hate is wrong. We’ll never be the country that God calls us to be if we do not unite and accept everyone as equals.”
From their unity, leaders pressed for policy change. “Black lives matter to Jesus, and they should matter to us and our legislators,” said OneRace executive director Josh Clemons. “Legislators [should] begin to consider systemic racism and systemic oppression of communities of color.”
3. Standing in Prayer Along the Dividing Line
That same evening in Kansas City, Missouri, nearly 6,000 people from more than a hundred local churches took to the streets. Actually, one particular street: Troost Avenue, which historically divided the city along ethnic lines.
To the east, a 365-acre slave plantation once dehumanized generations of African Americans. Decades later, property restrictions kept ethnic minorities from living in affluent neighborhoods in western Kansas City. Though laws have changed, racial segregation has persisted.
“Peace is not the absence of conflict, it’s the presence of truth” said Pastor Greg Ealey of Colonial Presbyterian Church. “As we call out to God on Troost Avenue, we’re asking God to bring his truth. May [He] use that truth to unify His church so that we can fight against the injustices in our cities.”
Thousands of believers formed a human prayer chain that stretched for more than 10 miles. Each person wore a mask and white tape handwritten with black ink. They wrote one word on their tape, such as: justice, empathy, equality, life, and peace.
For one hour in prayer, they stood along Troost Avenue. “There is an opportunity for us to build on what we have in common,” said Pastor Ealey.
4. Kansas City Drivers Couldn’t Believe Their Eyes
Driving a silver sedan, the balding black man wiped away tears as he observed the sight before him. Black, white, and Hispanic believers stood in prayer together on sidewalks lining Troost Avenue.
“[He] had to pull over, unable to drive due to his tears,” said Thomas. “They flowed as he witnessed this expression of love and lament.”
The diversity was more than skin-deep. Christians from Nazarene, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, AME, Lutheran, and non-denominational churches all participated. Whether inner city or suburban, small congregations and megachurches united for this effort.
One observer found it particularly moving. “As a Texan, I’ve always wanted the rest of the country to celebrate Juneteenth,” said Will Ford, an author and professor in the Dallas area.
“Of course, I wish the circumstances by which this came about were different,” he added. “But I’m glad that prayer for healing the racial divide and celebration of freedom [has] blanketed our nation.”
Ford, a descendant of slaves, co-authored The Dream King with prayer leader Matt Lockett. The two have recently appeared together on The Eric Metaxas Show, The Daily Signal, and other media outlets to share their amazing racial reconciliation story.
5. Finding God at the National Epicenter of Pain
Two days following Juneteenth, a half-hour short film released online quickly attained over 30,000 views.
Entitled We Hear You, it follows director Andrew Chalmers as he captures how Christians respond in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
“I felt so grieved but didn’t know how to appropriately respond,” said Chalmers in an interview. “My desire has been to learn, listen, and try and make a difference.”
His friend Thomas serves as a guide on the journey. The film chronicles events in multiple cities co-led by Civil Righteousness. Notably, the film features Pastor Curtis Farrar of Worldwide Outreach for Christ. That Minneapolis church is located across the street from where Floyd was killed.
Chalmers and friend Bennett Counts completed the film, their first documentary, in only a week. They hope it will be a discussion starter as Christians grapple with racial justice issues.
“We need to engage and lean into painful conversations,” he said. “I believe the Church is going to take a leading role. It’s about finding the type of healing and reconciliation that only God can produce.”
A graduate of the University of Colorado, Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Stream and The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-06-23--America’s Jews and Christians are Failing the Test of Their Lives

If you are a Jew or Christian in America , the seriousness of your Judaism or Christianity is now being tested .
People look back in time and wonder how religious people , especially religious leaders — specifically , the clergy — could have failed in times of moral crisis .
The failure of most rabbis , priests and pastors to speak out today — when the risk to personal safety is so much less than it was in communist and fascist countries — should provide the answer : Religion doesn ’ t have all that much impact on most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it provides two essentials to a happy and fulfilled life — community and meaning — but when tested , it often fails like an umbrella that fails to expand just as it starts to rain .
All We Get is Silence America is being taken over by violent mobs ; a vast amount of destruction and stealing has taken place ( with little police intervention and the apathy of our political leaders ) .
Why aren ’ t all clergy delivering thundering sermons about the Seventh Commandment , “ Thou shalt not steal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an asterisk ?
A central part of a major American city has been seized and occupied by people who hate America and its values , including its Judeo-Christian values .
Heard any clergy ( aside from some evangelical Christians ) speaking out against it ?
And most ominous by far , for the first time in American history , free speech — the mother of all freedoms — is being widely suppressed , not by the government but by the press , the universities , the high schools , the elementary schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and virtually every major business in America .
Christians and Jews place repentance at the center of their theologies , yet there is no place for repentance if you did or said one insensitive thing — real or alleged — even if it was 20 or more years ago .
Yet all we get from American religious leaders on this matter is … silence .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The freest , least racist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last best hope of earth , ” in Abraham Lincoln ’ s words — is smeared as “ systemically racist ” ; all white people are declared “ racist ” ; and the statues of the greatest Americans , including George Washington and even Abraham Lincoln , are toppled and/or defaced .
And all we get from most American religious leaders is either agreement or silence .
Of What Use is Religion ?
It leads this religious American to ask the question the anti-religious ask : Of what use is religion ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” is racist .
If you are a religious Jew or Christian — let alone a rabbi , priest or minister — do you believe that ?
Do you believe that the human ideal is not to be colorblind ?
Do you believe that the ideal is to see every person , first and foremost , as a member of a race ?
Is that what you learned at seminary ?
Is that what you have taught from your pulpit all of your life ?
I doubt it .
I assume that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even six months ago , you have always believed and preached that we are , in Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s words , to measure people not by “ the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
” Isn ’ t it fundamental to all Bible-based religions that we are all created in God ’ s image , that God has no race and that Adam and Eve , from whom we all descend , had no race ?
If you are a Christian , do you see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christians or first as members of their race ?
If you are a Jew , do you see Jews of other races as anything other than fellow Jews ?
Does God ?
So , why the silence ?
Why aren ’ t all rabbis , priests and pastors telling their congregations and telling America — in tweets , on Facebook , in letters to the editor , on television and radio , in opinion pieces — that there is one race , the human race , and that the only antidote to racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth , not to affirm its significance ?
Does an ideology that affirms the significance of race have an honorable pedigree ?
Has it ever led to anything good ?
Isn ’ t that exactly what Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan advocated ?
So , how are we to explain this tragic failure of religious Jews and Christians — and their clergy — to speak up against looting ( aka stealing ) and for freedom , for America , for Western civilization and for being colorblind ?
The answer to this question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it means to be religious .
At the center of our two religions is the notion of fear of God : “ Fear God , and keep his commandments , for this is the whole duty of man ” ( Ecclesiastes 12:13 ) .
But what is now apparent is that most Jews and Christians fear the left , fear The New York Times , fear being shunned by “ friends ” on Facebook and mobbed on Twitter more than they fear God .
That ’ s what this moment comes down to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test will not only lose their freedom , lose the great American hope for mankind and lose the West ; they will have also lost their souls .
Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist .
His latest book , published by Regnery in May 2019 , is The Rational Bible , a commentary on the book of Genesis .
His film , “ No Safe Spaces , ” came to theaters fall 2019 .
He is the founder of Prager University and may be contacted at dennisprager.com .

If you are a Jew or Christian in America, the seriousness of your Judaism or Christianity is now being tested.
People look back in time and wonder how religious people, especially religious leaders — specifically, the clergy — could have failed in times of moral crisis. The failure of most rabbis, priests and pastors to speak out today — when the risk to personal safety is so much less than it was in communist and fascist countries — should provide the answer: Religion doesn’t have all that much impact on most religious people. During comfortable times, it provides two essentials to a happy and fulfilled life — community and meaning — but when tested, it often fails like an umbrella that fails to expand just as it starts to rain.
All We Get is Silence
America is being taken over by violent mobs; a vast amount of destruction and stealing has taken place (with little police intervention and the apathy of our political leaders). Why aren’t all clergy delivering thundering sermons about the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal”? Does it now come with an asterisk?
A central part of a major American city has been seized and occupied by people who hate America and its values, including its Judeo-Christian values. Heard any clergy (aside from some evangelical Christians) speaking out against it?
And most ominous by far, for the first time in American history, free speech — the mother of all freedoms — is being widely suppressed, not by the government but by the press, the universities, the high schools, the elementary schools, all the giant internet media, Hollywood and virtually every major business in America. Christians and Jews place repentance at the center of their theologies, yet there is no place for repentance if you did or said one insensitive thing — real or alleged — even if it was 20 or more years ago. Yet all we get from American religious leaders on this matter is … silence.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The freest, least racist, most opportunity-providing country in history — “the last best hope of earth,” in Abraham Lincoln’s words — is smeared as “systemically racist”; all white people are declared “racist”; and the statues of the greatest Americans, including George Washington and even Abraham Lincoln, are toppled and/or defaced. And all we get from most American religious leaders is either agreement or silence.
Of What Use is Religion?
It leads this religious American to ask the question the anti-religious ask: Of what use is religion?
Take the claim that being “colorblind” is racist.
If you are a religious Jew or Christian — let alone a rabbi, priest or minister — do you believe that? Do you believe that the human ideal is not to be colorblind? Do you believe that the ideal is to see every person, first and foremost, as a member of a race? Is that what you learned at seminary? Is that what you have taught from your pulpit all of your life?
I doubt it. I assume that, until as recently as a year or even six months ago, you have always believed and preached that we are, in Martin Luther King Jr.’s words, to measure people not by “the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Isn’t it fundamental to all Bible-based religions that we are all created in God’s image, that God has no race and that Adam and Eve, from whom we all descend, had no race? If you are a Christian, do you see Christians of other races first as fellow Christians or first as members of their race? If you are a Jew, do you see Jews of other races as anything other than fellow Jews? Does God?
A Tragic Failure
So, why the silence? Why aren’t all rabbis, priests and pastors telling their congregations and telling America — in tweets, on Facebook, in letters to the editor, on television and radio, in opinion pieces — that there is one race, the human race, and that the only antidote to racism is to deny that race determines our worth, not to affirm its significance?
Does an ideology that affirms the significance of race have an honorable pedigree? Has it ever led to anything good? Isn’t that exactly what Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan advocated?
So, how are we to explain this tragic failure of religious Jews and Christians — and their clergy — to speak up against looting (aka stealing) and for freedom, for America, for Western civilization and for being colorblind?
The answer to this question also goes to the core of what it means to be religious. At the center of our two religions is the notion of fear of God: “Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). But what is now apparent is that most Jews and Christians fear the left, fear The New York Times, fear being shunned by “friends” on Facebook and mobbed on Twitter more than they fear God.
That’s what this moment comes down to. Jews and Christians who fail this test will not only lose their freedom, lose the great American hope for mankind and lose the West; they will have also lost their souls.
Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His latest book, published by Regnery in May 2019, is The Rational Bible, a commentary on the book of Genesis. His film, “No Safe Spaces,” came to theaters fall 2019. He is the founder of Prager University and may be contacted at dennisprager.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-06-23--Baseball Swings and Misses with 2020 ‘Season’ Plan

In February , the Commissioner of Baseball infamously referred to the World Series trophy as “ a piece of metal.
” Four months later , Rob Manfred is proving that he meant it .
After months of public bickering appeared to end with no deal beyond a March 26 agreement between Major League Baseball and its players union , Manfred and MLB owners announced their intention to impose a severely shortened 2020 schedule .
The planned regular “ season ” will reportedly be just 60 games – far less than half of a normal 162-game baseball schedule .
Imagine the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Super Bowl trophy after a 6-game regular season .
That ’ s what ’ s about to happen in baseball if coronavirus doesn ’ t ultimately derail the 2020 MLB season anyway .
Speaking of COVID-19 , at least 40 MLB employees , including some players , have reportedly tested positive for the virus before the sport ’ s second 2020 “ Spring ” Training even starts .
More positive tests were announced Tuesday by the Philadelphia Phillies .
The size of rosters , along with the travel and logistical work required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game – even if no fans are allowed to attend – makes the coronavirus a potential ticking time bomb for the sport .
Deciding how to handle the pandemic should have always been MLB ’ s focus .
Instead , the commissioner , owners , players union and the media decided to fan the flames of a toxic battle over money , which badly damaged the sport ’ s image in the face of economic hardship , lockdowns , disease and civil unrest .
While fans may be split on who ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months watching billionaires and millionaires fight over pro-rated salaries and revenue sharing .
Most just wanted to watch baseball .
From start to finish , the debate over how to achieve that goal should have been about safety .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
I am not a doctor and won ’ t pretend to know exactly how serious health risks will be for MLB players .
What we do know , however , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower risk won ’ t be the only ones required to show up at the ballpark each day .
The presence of older coaches , umpires and clubhouse workers makes the COVID-19 threat even more complicated .
Another key angle – presciently discussed by HBO ’ s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel back in April – is the impact trying to play could have on family members , especially those with pre-existing conditions .
To this lifelong fan , a 2020 MLB season isn ’ t worth it .
My position wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that America ’ s Pastime could avoid not only the aforementioned safety risks , but a public fight that would ultimately do more damage to the sport in the form of a future work stoppage .
For fans , the last three months have been a roller coaster of false hope , frequent owner leaks and shoddy sports journalism .
Throughout this debacle , numerous national baseball writers proved to be every bit as irresponsible and biased as some of their political media counterparts .
While some journalists , billionaire owners and millionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened to baseball is ultimately a failure of leadership .
After Manfred faced near-universal scorn for failing to adequately punish most members of the 2017 Houston Astros and strip away their tarnished title , the commissioner had an opportunity to guide baseball through the unique challenges posed by a pandemic .
He failed in every imaginable way .
Had Manfred cancelled the season for safety reasons in April or May , most fans would have been disappointed , but ultimately understood .
Had he pressed forward with a season while taking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those facing the actual risks – players , coaches , umpires and workers – perhaps a longer , more meaningful season could have started sooner .
Instead , Manfred spent three months sending wildly mixed messages to players and fans alike .
As Manfred dithered , precious time withered away .
Manfred ’ s mix of indecisiveness and incompetence left baseball fans with the remnants of a season that ’ s simply too short to matter .
After 60 games , the reigning World Series Champion Washington Nationals wouldn ’ t have just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have even finished with a winning record .
Baseball seasons have always been marathons designed to prevent undeserving teams from reaching the playoffs .
Even the strike-shortened 1981 and 1995 seasons each lasted more than 100 games and produced champions that are universally viewed as legitimate .
After massive steroid and cheating scandals , the last thing baseball needed was more asterisks .
Thanks to three months of arguing and stalling , that ’ s exactly what could be in store .
In fact , there are reportedly more pages in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than regular season games being played by each team .
I don ’ t blame any fan who decides to watch and enjoy Major League Baseball in 2020 .
Baseball is a beautiful game that I ’ ve loved since I was a little boy .
Fans did nothing to deserve a disastrous off-season that produced the shortest schedule in modern MLB history and bad blood between owners and players that will last much longer .
Whichever team wins this year ’ s “ World Series ” also did nothing to deserve its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pray that players , coaches , umpires , workers and their families don ’ t pay a much bigger price than the credibility the upcoming season has already lost .
At the end of the classic 1983 film WarGames , the supercomputer reaches a crucial conclusion about nuclear war : “ the only winning move is not to play.
” Considering where his sport ’ s disastrous 2019-20 off-season started and finished , perhaps baseball commissioner Rob Manfred should have heeded that advice .
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seconds of Courage , Brothers Forever , Fire in My Eyes and the forthcoming Three Wise Men .
Follow Tom on Twitter @ TSileo and The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

In February, the Commissioner of Baseball infamously referred to the World Series trophy as “a piece of metal.” Four months later, Rob Manfred is proving that he meant it.
After months of public bickering appeared to end with no deal beyond a March 26 agreement between Major League Baseball and its players union, Manfred and MLB owners announced their intention to impose a severely shortened 2020 schedule. The planned regular “season” will reportedly be just 60 games – far less than half of a normal 162-game baseball schedule.
Imagine the NFL seeding its playoffs and handing out a Super Bowl trophy after a 6-game regular season. That’s what’s about to happen in baseball if coronavirus doesn’t ultimately derail the 2020 MLB season anyway.
Speaking of COVID-19, at least 40 MLB employees, including some players, have reportedly tested positive for the virus before the sport’s second 2020 “Spring” Training even starts. More positive tests were announced Tuesday by the Philadelphia Phillies.
The size of rosters, along with the travel and logistical work required to play and televise a professional baseball game – even if no fans are allowed to attend – makes the coronavirus a potential ticking time bomb for the sport.
MLB's coronavirus problems are only getting worse https://t.co/VkWmfk2DCR pic.twitter.com/rS0MS5eFWO — New York Post (@nypost) June 22, 2020
Deciding how to handle the pandemic should have always been MLB’s focus. Instead, the commissioner, owners, players union and the media decided to fan the flames of a toxic battle over money, which badly damaged the sport’s image in the face of economic hardship, lockdowns, disease and civil unrest. While fans may be split on who’s to blame, nobody wanted to spend three months watching billionaires and millionaires fight over pro-rated salaries and revenue sharing. Most just wanted to watch baseball. From start to finish, the debate over how to achieve that goal should have been about safety.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I am not a doctor and won’t pretend to know exactly how serious health risks will be for MLB players. What we do know, however, is that young players thought to be at lower risk won’t be the only ones required to show up at the ballpark each day. The presence of older coaches, umpires and clubhouse workers makes the COVID-19 threat even more complicated.
Another key angle – presciently discussed by HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel back in April – is the impact trying to play could have on family members, especially those with pre-existing conditions.
To this lifelong fan, a 2020 MLB season isn’t worth it. My position wasn’t formulated by fear, but hope that America’s Pastime could avoid not only the aforementioned safety risks, but a public fight that would ultimately do more damage to the sport in the form of a future work stoppage. For fans, the last three months have been a roller coaster of false hope, frequent owner leaks and shoddy sports journalism. Throughout this debacle, numerous national baseball writers proved to be every bit as irresponsible and biased as some of their political media counterparts.
While some journalists, billionaire owners and millionaire players shoulder varying degrees of blame, what happened to baseball is ultimately a failure of leadership. After Manfred faced near-universal scorn for failing to adequately punish most members of the 2017 Houston Astros and strip away their tarnished title, the commissioner had an opportunity to guide baseball through the unique challenges posed by a pandemic. He failed in every imaginable way.
Had Manfred cancelled the season for safety reasons in April or May, most fans would have been disappointed, but ultimately understood. Had he pressed forward with a season while taking a conciliatory tone and extending olive branches to those facing the actual risks – players, coaches, umpires and workers – perhaps a longer, more meaningful season could have started sooner. Instead, Manfred spent three months sending wildly mixed messages to players and fans alike.
The slow, angsty pseudo-negotiations between MLB and the players’ union took another wild turn Monday when commissioner Rob Manfred took back his guarantee — which was only five days old — that there would be a season, further infuriating players. Story: https://t.co/oAIoWTVjYi — Tim Healey (@timbhealey) June 16, 2020
As Manfred dithered, precious time withered away. Manfred’s mix of indecisiveness and incompetence left baseball fans with the remnants of a season that’s simply too short to matter.
After 60 games, the reigning World Series Champion Washington Nationals wouldn’t have just missed the 2019 postseason; they wouldn’t have even finished with a winning record. Baseball seasons have always been marathons designed to prevent undeserving teams from reaching the playoffs. Even the strike-shortened 1981 and 1995 seasons each lasted more than 100 games and produced champions that are universally viewed as legitimate.
After massive steroid and cheating scandals, the last thing baseball needed was more asterisks. Thanks to three months of arguing and stalling, that’s exactly what could be in store. In fact, there are reportedly more pages in MLB’s proposed safety protocol handbook than regular season games being played by each team.
I don’t blame any fan who decides to watch and enjoy Major League Baseball in 2020. Baseball is a beautiful game that I’ve loved since I was a little boy. Fans did nothing to deserve a disastrous off-season that produced the shortest schedule in modern MLB history and bad blood between owners and players that will last much longer.
Whichever team wins this year’s “World Series” also did nothing to deserve its inevitable asterisk. I only hope and pray that players, coaches, umpires, workers and their families don’t pay a much bigger price than the credibility the upcoming season has already lost.
At the end of the classic 1983 film WarGames, the supercomputer reaches a crucial conclusion about nuclear war: “the only winning move is not to play.” Considering where his sport’s disastrous 2019-20 off-season started and finished, perhaps baseball commissioner Rob Manfred should have heeded that advice.
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of 8 Seconds of Courage, Brothers Forever, Fire in My Eyes and the forthcoming Three Wise Men. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-06-24--CHOP … As in Madam Guillotine: We’re Watching the Reboot of the French Revolution

What do you call would-be revolutionaries chopping the heads of statues of Christopher Columbus and other historical figures ?
I wrote that a couple weeks back as a bit of dark humor .
Little did I know that in less than a week the anarchists and militants CNN loves calling “ peaceful ” would be threatening French Revolution-style beheadings .
Even their new name screams “ guillotine.
” In case you missed it , the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle , or CHAZ , changed its name .
It now goes by Capitol Hill Occupied Protest , or … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor talks “ summer of love , ” while these foaming radicals dream of the “ reign of terror.
” ( Now , after a series of rapes and shootings in CHOP , Mayor Jenny Durkan is finally going to dismantle the occupied territory .
She says . )
Last week , leftists from CHAZ … uh , CHOP … migrated over to Seattle Police Department ’ s West District .
According to the Seattle Times , a speaker said “ It is not CHAZ , it is CHOP , ” then gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Has anybody here ever heard of the French Revolution before ?
That is another revolution ( that happened ) because people started putting property over lives !
They started putting money over people !
Does anyone here know what happened to the people who did not get on board with the French Revolution ?
” “ Chopped !
” the crowd replied .
Again .
And again .
“ That is the message we need to send !
We are serious !
This is not a joke !
” As Mike Gonzalez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many conservatives , and even non-conservatives such as law professor Jonathan Turley , are coming round to the view that this is a moment not unlike those we saw in the French terror of 1793-94 , or the Maoist Cultural Revolution of 1966-76.
” Turley writes , “ The atmosphere is strikingly similar for those familiar with history and specifically the course of the French Revolution .
Welcome to the French Revolution 2.0.
’ ” What are today ’ s Snowflake Jacobins getting to ?
During France ’ s Reign of Terror , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 50 French men and women — were arrested in a mere ten month period .
At least 40,000 were killed .
This does not include the countless others killed by vigilantes “ and other self-proclaimed representatives of the Republic.
” Over 2,600 in Paris suffered the guillotine .
You don ’ t have to go back to 18th century France to find fanatics who destroy historical monuments and thirst for beheadings .
How quickly we forgot the Taliban and ISIS .
Why Do the Faces Look So Familiar ?
I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the screeching torrent of anger , off these white liberal 20-somethings and the wide-eyed explanations of “ privilege ” from women like Lisa Bender , president of the Minneapolis city council .
I couldn ’ t quite place where I ’ d seen it before .
Then I remembered .
Go watch documentaries on the Manson Family .
The Manson Family on the wall in blood in 1969 : “ Death to Pigs.
” CHOP on the walls in grafitti in 2020 , “ Kill Cops.
” Spray paint today , blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Panic Attack : Young Radicals in the Age of Trump , wrote an article last year titled “ How Antifa Apologists Fell in Love With Street Violence.
” He summarizes Antifa ’ s position : “ In the antifa view , their enemies started it — by making statements that serve to further marginalize people who languish under some form of oppression , ” he wrote .
The Media ’ s Slitting Its Own Throat Last night , in the Nation ’ s Capital , Daily Caller reporter Shelby Talcott was attacked while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Square .
How many french francs do you want to bet the Washington press corp will not call this out as an “ attack on the press ” ?
Jim Acosta gets his feelings hurt at a White House presser and they say the 1st Amendment is in danger .
A reporter with a conservative publication gets attacked and … silence .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Last night , during that “ protest , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their sights on another familiar target : The church .
St. John ’ s Church , burned only weeks ago , was spray painted with letters signifying “ Black House Autonomous Zone.
” As BLM activist Shaun King calls for the destruction of Jesus statues and churches .
How many francs do you want to bet there is less indignation in the media about this church desecration than about Trump ’ s stroll to St. John ’ s a few weeks back ?
Why pick again on the media ?
Because despite CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd riots , the mainstream media is too arrogant and ignorant to know their own head will be on the chopping block .
Down the the Revolution Ask French journalist Camille Desmoulins .
He published a well-known journal during the Reign of Terror , called Le Vieux Cordelier , or The Old Cordelier .
The journal was the public voice of the Dantonists .
George Danton was an early leader of the French Revolution .
So Desmoulins was down with the Revolution .
But then he proved impure .
In volume number 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the revolutionary committees for their unnecessary severity , writes Boston University scholar Haley Witsell .
Keep talking about how this organized revolution is “ peaceful protest , ” dear friends in the media .
You might get that exclusive with Madame Guillotine yet .
Update : As this story was in the editing process , news broke that liberal MSNBC reporter Andrea Mitchell and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton were bum-rushed by a guy wearing a pink bikini in the so-called DC autonomous zone .
Apparently her first response was to ask where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

What do you call would-be revolutionaries chopping the heads of statues of Christopher Columbus and other historical figures?
Practice.
I wrote that a couple weeks back as a bit of dark humor. Little did I know that in less than a week the anarchists and militants CNN loves calling “peaceful” would be threatening French Revolution-style beheadings. Even their new name screams “guillotine.”
In case you missed it, the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle, or CHAZ, changed its name. It now goes by Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, or … wait for it … CHOP. The mayor talks “summer of love,” while these foaming radicals dream of the “reign of terror.” (Now, after a series of rapes and shootings in CHOP, Mayor Jenny Durkan is finally going to dismantle the occupied territory. She says.)
Swing, Swing, Swing Guillotine
Last week, leftists from CHAZ … uh, CHOP … migrated over to Seattle Police Department’s West District.
According to the Seattle Times, a speaker said “It is not CHAZ, it is CHOP,” then gave the gathered hordes a history quiz.
“Has anybody here ever heard of the French Revolution before? That is another revolution (that happened) because people started putting property over lives! They started putting money over people! Does anyone here know what happened to the people who did not get on board with the French Revolution?”
“Chopped!” the crowd replied. Again. And again.
“That is the message we need to send! We are serious! This is not a joke!”
“Does anybody know what happened to the people who did not get on board with the French Revolution?” “CHOPPED,” the crowd answered. pic.twitter.com/FfyUAvcUhM — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) June 15, 2020
French Revolution 2.0
As Mike Gonzalez at The Daily Signal noted: “Many conservatives, and even non-conservatives such as law professor Jonathan Turley, are coming round to the view that this is a moment not unlike those we saw in the French terror of 1793-94, or the Maoist Cultural Revolution of 1966-76.”
Turley writes, “The atmosphere is strikingly similar for those familiar with history and specifically the course of the French Revolution. Welcome to the French Revolution 2.0.’”
What are today’s Snowflake Jacobins getting to?
During France’s Reign of Terror, some 300,000 French — or roughly 1 in 50 French men and women — were arrested in a mere ten month period. At least 40,000 were killed. This does not include the countless others killed by vigilantes “and other self-proclaimed representatives of the Republic.” Over 2,600 in Paris suffered the guillotine.
You don’t have to go back to 18th century France to find fanatics who destroy historical monuments and thirst for beheadings. How quickly we forgot the Taliban and ISIS.
How quickly forget dangerous white suburban cultists.
Why Do the Faces Look So Familiar?
I’ve been looking at the faces, listening to the screeching torrent of anger, off these white liberal 20-somethings and the wide-eyed explanations of “privilege” from women like Lisa Bender, president of the Minneapolis city council. I couldn’t quite place where I’d seen it before. Then I remembered. Go watch documentaries on the Manson Family.
The Manson Family on the wall in blood in 1969: “Death to Pigs.” CHOP on the walls in grafitti in 2020, “Kill Cops.” Spray paint today, blood tomorrow.
Robby Soave, author of Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump, wrote an article last year titled “How Antifa Apologists Fell in Love With Street Violence.” He summarizes Antifa’s position: “In the antifa view, their enemies started it — by making statements that serve to further marginalize people who languish under some form of oppression,” he wrote.
Caring about intersectionality means that an attack on one disadvantaged group is an attack on all. And if it is wise to stop people on the right from speaking against any member of the coalition, then it must occasionally be necessary to silence them when they try to speak. If they will not be silenced willingly, then violence is the only alternative.
The Media’s Slitting Its Own Throat
Last night, in the Nation’s Capital, Daily Caller reporter Shelby Talcott was attacked while covering the latest anarchist assault on Lafayette Square. How many french francs do you want to bet the Washington press corp will not call this out as an “attack on the press”? Jim Acosta gets his feelings hurt at a White House presser and they say the 1st Amendment is in danger. A reporter with a conservative publication gets attacked and … silence.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Last night, during that “protest,” the heirs to Rein of Terror set their sights on another familiar target: The church. St. John’s Church, burned only weeks ago, was spray painted with letters signifying “Black House Autonomous Zone.” As BLM activist Shaun King calls for the destruction of Jesus statues and churches.
How many francs do you want to bet there is less indignation in the media about this church desecration than about Trump’s stroll to St. John’s a few weeks back?
Why pick again on the media? Because despite CNN headquarters in Atlanta being targeted during the Floyd riots, the mainstream media is too arrogant and ignorant to know their own head will be on the chopping block.
Down the the Revolution
Ask French journalist Camille Desmoulins. He published a well-known journal during the Reign of Terror, called Le Vieux Cordelier, or The Old Cordelier. The journal was the public voice of the Dantonists. George Danton was an early leader of the French Revolution. So Desmoulins was down with the Revolution. But then he proved impure.
In volume number 4 of Le Vieux Cordelier, Desmoulin attacked the revolutionary committees for their unnecessary severity, writes Boston University scholar Haley Witsell.
Why, he asks, has clemency become a crime in the Republic? Desmoulin would pay with his life for speaking out against the committees; his execution in 1794 was likely decreed by the revolutionary tribunals in order to silence one of the principle voices of moderation during the Terror.
Keep talking about how this organized revolution is “peaceful protest,” dear friends in the media. You might get that exclusive with Madame Guillotine yet.
Update: As this story was in the editing process, news broke that liberal MSNBC reporter Andrea Mitchell and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton were bum-rushed by a guy wearing a pink bikini in the so-called DC autonomous zone. Apparently her first response was to ask where the police were.
Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton almost attacked: pic.twitter.com/Y1ph336GHI — Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) June 23, 2020
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-06-24--‘The Bible is Potent’: Comedian Michael Jr.’s Powerful ‘Heart’ Message

Famed comedian Michael Jr. believes the Bible is a powerful book that , when truly embraced , can have a stark and transformative impact on people ’ s hearts and lives .
“ Whatever you put in your heart is going to show up in your walk , ” Michael Jr. recently told “ The Pure Flix Podcast , ” going on to say that scripture can truly change peoples ’ lives .
“ The Bible , because it ’ s so potent … it has a tendency to show up more rapidly.
” Listen to Michael Jr. discuss the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The comedian also broke down the ins and outs of his new movie , Selfie Dad — a film about a character named Ben Marcus ( Michael Jr. ) who is a successful reality TV editor .
Ben is married with children and seems to have it all , yet he ’ s still unhappy , so he goes on a quest to fulfill one of his dreams and learns some powerful lessons along the way .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Jr. believes Selfie Dad won ’ t only entertain , but will also “ inspire people to jump in the Bible more , ” with the comedian stating that the film offers a “ phenomenal story.
” He also shared his own personal journey into comedy , noting that he knew it was an area of interest when he was 9 years old , but it wasn ’ t until his teen years that he really dove into the mix .
Michael Jr. described the defining moment in his comedy journey unfolding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 17 .
He recalled watching a movie with friends one day when the projector suddenly shut off and everything went blank in the middle of the film .
In that moment , a guy nudged Michael Jr. and dared him to tell a joke in the midst of the awkward moments that followed — and Michael jumped up and complied .
“ I get up on the stage and I present this newly written joke and all of these movie goers are busting out laughing , ” he said .
“ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , Michael Jr. is living out the call to comedy that he believes God has put on his life .
He doesn ’ t only bring his comedy to cubs across the U.S. , but he also takes his talents to homeless shelters , prisons and other unlikely locations .
“ I ’ m called to comedically inspire people to walk in purpose , ” Michael Jr. said .
“ Laughter is like a medicine , but why would I only use it for people who can afford it ?
… We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places and make laughter commonplace in uncommon places.
” Billy Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade .
He is the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com , the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze .
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider .
Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows .
You can get a free trial here .

Famed comedian Michael Jr. believes the Bible is a powerful book that, when truly embraced, can have a stark and transformative impact on people’s hearts and lives.
“Whatever you put in your heart is going to show up in your walk,” Michael Jr. recently told “The Pure Flix Podcast,” going on to say that scripture can truly change peoples’ lives. “The Bible, because it’s so potent … it has a tendency to show up more rapidly.”
Listen to Michael Jr. discuss the Bible, comedy and his new movie:
The comedian also broke down the ins and outs of his new movie, Selfie Dad — a film about a character named Ben Marcus (Michael Jr.) who is a successful reality TV editor.
Ben is married with children and seems to have it all, yet he’s still unhappy, so he goes on a quest to fulfill one of his dreams and learns some powerful lessons along the way.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Michael Jr. believes Selfie Dad won’t only entertain, but will also “inspire people to jump in the Bible more,” with the comedian stating that the film offers a “phenomenal story.”
He also shared his own personal journey into comedy, noting that he knew it was an area of interest when he was 9 years old, but it wasn’t until his teen years that he really dove into the mix.
Michael Jr. described the defining moment in his comedy journey unfolding inside of a movie theater when he was 17. He recalled watching a movie with friends one day when the projector suddenly shut off and everything went blank in the middle of the film.
In that moment, a guy nudged Michael Jr. and dared him to tell a joke in the midst of the awkward moments that followed — and Michael jumped up and complied.
“I get up on the stage and I present this newly written joke and all of these movie goers are busting out laughing,” he said. “And I’m in awe.”
Years later, Michael Jr. is living out the call to comedy that he believes God has put on his life. He doesn’t only bring his comedy to cubs across the U.S., but he also takes his talents to homeless shelters, prisons and other unlikely locations.
“I’m called to comedically inspire people to walk in purpose,” Michael Jr. said. “Laughter is like a medicine, but why would I only use it for people who can afford it? … We want to continue to go to those places and make laughter commonplace in uncommon places.”
Billy Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade. He is the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com, the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze.
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.


thestream--2020-06-24--Military Photo of the Day: Allies Across the Baltic Sea

From left , the British Royal Navy HMS Kent , the U.S. Navy USNS Supply , the USS Mount Whitney @ @ @ @ @ HDMS Esbern Snare and the Swedish Royal Navy HMS Karlstad sail in formation in the @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .
Thank you to Petty Officer 2nd Class Damon Grosvenor for capturing this @ @ @ @ @ The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral @ @ @ @ @

From left, the British Royal Navy HMS Kent, the U.S. Navy USNS Supply, the USS Mount Whitney, the Royal Danish Navy HDMS Esbern Snare and the Swedish Royal Navy HMS Karlstad sail in formation in the Baltic Sea on June 15, 2020.
Thank you to Petty Officer 2nd Class Damon Grosvenor for capturing this breathtaking image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.