thestream--2020-09-07--Anthony Fauci: Pandemics are Increasing Because We’ve Provoked Mother Nature

Wan na know what caused the wave of the past decade ’ s “ unprecedented pandemic explosions , ” of which COVID-19 is one ?
Yes .
Or so says our very own Anthony “ Never Shake Hands Again ” Fauci , a fellow you might have seen on television striking various poses .
This is his ( and David Morens ’ ) scientific idea , stated scientifically in a new scientific paper , that the science says that truck stop prostitution , road-building , and disharmony with nature is causing “ unprecedented pandemic explosions.
” Now this disharmony with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
You haven ’ t heard of these “ unprecedented pandemic explosions ” ?
Well , they ’ re diseases like the coronadoom .
But before we get to our sins against Mother Earth , we need to understand what Fauci means by “ unprecedented.
” Fauci ’ s contention is that pandemics are on the upswing , which means that , given the intense insane hyper-over-reaction to coronadoom , we could soon be in some deep kimchi .
Haven ’ t I Met You Somewhere Before ?
Is it true communicable diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listing sixteen past pandemics throughout human history , half of which were since 1918 .
The implication is that these were the only ones worth noting , and that mass deadly outbreaks are becoming more frequent .
This is not so .
Wikipedia has a different list with over 250 outbreaks going all the way back to 1200 BC .
The most notable of which was the Black Death , which between 1346 and 1353 slaughtered 75 to 200 million-with-an-m people .
Fauci lowballed his memory of this horror , saying it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to claim an event closer to our time — 1918 ’ s Spanish Flu — was “ the deadliest event in recorded human history.
” My sons and I used to play “ Slug Bug.
” When you were the first to spot an old Volkswagen Beetle , you got to whack somebody saying the color .
“ Slug Bug green !
” Chances are you can ’ t recall the last time you saw one of these cars on the road .
But go out now and look for one — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised at how many “ suddenly ” appear .
Your surprise is due to measurement bias .
The same is true with disease bugs .
If you never looked for them , you never saw them .
It ’ s only in the last few decades that we ’ ve taken active measurements of the various infectious agents we live with .
These searches make it seem , to the naive , that mass-casualty outbreaks are increasing .
Yet it just isn ’ t so .
Scan that Wikipedia list .
In 735 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that killed 2 million .
The Antonine Plague of 165 sunk 5-10 million into early graves .
On and on the bell has rung .
We come now to COVID-19 , the coronadoom .
It can not be considered unusual .
It will not even join the Disease Hall Of Fame .
Asian flu in 1957 , which beat COVID-19 , killed 1 to 4 million , and the same with 1968 ’ s Hong Kong flu .
( Fauci includes neither of these . )
Flu and its complications ( like pneumonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands to millions worldwide .
Each and every year .
Even in the presence of vaccines .
This has been so throughout history , and there is no reason to suppose it will change in the future .
One thing that has changed has been our perception of disease .
We have grown exponentially more fearful , and we now must have somebody to blame .
Fauci thinks “ disease emergences reflect our increasing inability to live in harmony with nature.
” He says that “ we now live in a human-dominated world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the environment induce increasingly extreme backlashes from nature.
” Build one too many truck stops and you “ provoke ” Mother Nature into an extreme backlash .
Like the coronadoom — and the “ deadly barrage ” of other diseases they found but which didn ’ t turn out to be so deadly .
Only way out of this , says Fauci , is to placate our great goddess .
We need to live “ in more thoughtful and creative harmony with nature.
” Funny he doesn ’ t say how we achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to “ begin to think in earnest and collectively.
” My earnest thought , which I ’ ll add to the collective , is that we must never , ever again panic over not-at-all unusual wholly expected common disease outbreaks .
Panic kills .
It makes us stupid .
It causes us to react in ways that do more harm than good .
Panic has so benumbed governments that many have taken a zero-tolerance policy on coronadoom .
Things will never be the same again , they promise us , until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to fabulous Fauci himself , this is nuts .
“ That viral genetic descendants of the 1918 influenza pandemic virus are still causing seasonal outbreaks throughout the world , and still killing cumulatively millions of people a century late , ” he tells us .
This is true !
The coronavirus associated with COVID-19 will also , in one form or another , be with us from now on .
If we are going to lockdown and restrict liberties until it “ goes away , ” we shall do so forever .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop prostitutes and Mother Earth is just another distraction .
But it does it gives us even more evidence that the pandemic panic that still shrouds the earth is not mainly about science or public health .
William M. Briggs is a senior contributor to The Stream , author of Uncertainty , blogger at wmbriggs.com , philosopher and itinerant scientist .
He earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University in statistics .
He ’ s the co-author , with Douglas Axe and Jay W. Richards , of The Price of Panic : How the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Catastrophe ( October 2020 ) .

Wanna know what caused the wave of the past decade’s “unprecedented pandemic explosions,” of which COVID-19 is one?
Truckers and truck stop prostitution.
Yes. Or so says our very own Anthony “Never Shake Hands Again” Fauci, a fellow you might have seen on television striking various poses.
This is his (and David Morens’) scientific idea, stated scientifically in a new scientific paper, that the science says that truck stop prostitution, road-building, and disharmony with nature is causing “unprecedented pandemic explosions.”
Now this disharmony with Mother Ear … What’s that? You haven’t heard of these “unprecedented pandemic explosions”? Well, they’re diseases like the coronadoom. But before we get to our sins against Mother Earth, we need to understand what Fauci means by “unprecedented.”
Fauci’s contention is that pandemics are on the upswing, which means that, given the intense insane hyper-over-reaction to coronadoom, we could soon be in some deep kimchi.
Haven’t I Met You Somewhere Before?
Is it true communicable diseases are increasing?
Fauci has a chart listing sixteen past pandemics throughout human history, half of which were since 1918. The implication is that these were the only ones worth noting, and that mass deadly outbreaks are becoming more frequent.
This is not so.
Wikipedia has a different list with over 250 outbreaks going all the way back to 1200 BC. The most notable of which was the Black Death, which between 1346 and 1353 slaughtered 75 to 200 million-with-an-m people. Fauci lowballed his memory of this horror, saying it was only 50 million. Maybe because he wanted to claim an event closer to our time — 1918’s Spanish Flu — was “the deadliest event in recorded human history.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
My sons and I used to play “Slug Bug.” When you were the first to spot an old Volkswagen Beetle, you got to whack somebody saying the color. “Slug Bug green!” Chances are you can’t recall the last time you saw one of these cars on the road. But go out now and look for one — actively search. You’ll be surprised at how many “suddenly” appear.
Your surprise is due to measurement bias. The same is true with disease bugs. If you never looked for them, you never saw them. It’s only in the last few decades that we’ve taken active measurements of the various infectious agents we live with. These searches make it seem, to the naive, that mass-casualty outbreaks are increasing.
Fauci says that “we now live in a human-dominated world in which our increasingly extreme alterations of the environment induce increasingly extreme backlashes from nature.”
Yet it just isn’t so. Scan that Wikipedia list. In 735, Japan saw an outbreak of smallpox that killed 2 million. The Antonine Plague of 165 sunk 5-10 million into early graves. On and on the bell has rung.
The Coronadoom
We come now to COVID-19, the coronadoom. It cannot be considered unusual. It will not even join the Disease Hall Of Fame. Asian flu in 1957, which beat COVID-19, killed 1 to 4 million, and the same with 1968’s Hong Kong flu. (Fauci includes neither of these.)
Flu and its complications (like pneumonia) regularly and routinely kills hundreds of thousands to millions worldwide. Each and every year. Even in the presence of vaccines. This has been so throughout history, and there is no reason to suppose it will change in the future.
One thing that has changed has been our perception of disease. We have grown exponentially more fearful, and we now must have somebody to blame.
Gaia Demands Sacrifices
Fauci thinks “disease emergences reflect our increasing inability to live in harmony with nature.” He says that “we now live in a human-dominated world in which our increasingly extreme alterations of the environment induce increasingly extreme backlashes from nature.”
Build one too many truck stops and you “provoke” Mother Nature into an extreme backlash. Like the coronadoom — and the “deadly barrage” of other diseases they found but which didn’t turn out to be so deadly.
Only way out of this, says Fauci, is to placate our great goddess. We need to live “in more thoughtful and creative harmony with nature.” Funny he doesn’t say how we achieve this state of harmoniousness. Except that we need to “begin to think in earnest and collectively.”
No End In Sight
My earnest thought, which I’ll add to the collective, is that we must never, ever again panic over not-at-all unusual wholly expected common disease outbreaks. Panic kills. It makes us stupid. It causes us to react in ways that do more harm than good.
Panic has so benumbed governments that many have taken a zero-tolerance policy on coronadoom. Things will never be the same again, they promise us, until the virus is eradicated! Yet even according to fabulous Fauci himself, this is nuts.
“That viral genetic descendants of the 1918 influenza pandemic virus are still causing seasonal outbreaks throughout the world, and still killing cumulatively millions of people a century late,” he tells us.
This is true! The coronavirus associated with COVID-19 will also, in one form or another, be with us from now on. If we are going to lockdown and restrict liberties until it “goes away,” we shall do so forever. Fauci’s latest conjecture about truck stop prostitutes and Mother Earth is just another distraction. But it does it gives us even more evidence that the pandemic panic that still shrouds the earth is not mainly about science or public health.
William M. Briggs is a senior contributor to The Stream, author of Uncertainty, blogger at wmbriggs.com, philosopher and itinerant scientist. He earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University in statistics. He’s the co-author, with Douglas Axe and Jay W. Richards, of The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic Into a Catastrophe (October 2020).


thestream--2020-09-07--‘He Must Be Re-Elected’: Bin-Laden Niece is a Trump Supporter and ‘American at Heart’

One of Osama bin Laden ’ s nieces says she ’ s a loyal President Donald Trump supporter and considers herself “ American at heart , ” according to a new report .
Swiss-born Noor bin Ladin , 33 , has been a Trump supporter since 2015 , she told The New York Post .
Her branch of the family spells their last name differently than her uncle ’ s family , according to the Post .
“ I have been a supporter of President Trump since he announced he was running in the early days in 2015 .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this man ’ s resolve , ” bin Ladin , who resides in Switzerland , told The Post .
She continued : “ He must be re-elected … It ’ s vital for the future of not only America , but western civilization as a whole.
” Bin Ladin told The Post that she often wears a “ Make America Great Again ” hat and that her favorite show is Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News .
She also expressed disdain for Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar , according to The Post .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America where you have people like Ilhan Omar who actively hate your country , ” bin Ladin said , The Post reported .
“ It ’ s an honor to be able to go and live in the United States and make the most out of all the opportunities .
If she hates it so much why doesn ’ t she leave.
” Bin Ladin specifically pointed to Trump ’ s record on terrorism and his handling of ISIS ’ presence in the Middle East , according to The Post .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s record on terrorism .
“ ISIS proliferated under the Obama/Biden administration , leading to them coming to Europe , ” she told The Post .
“ Trump has shown he protects America and us by extension from foreign threats by obliterating terrorists at the root and before they get a chance to strike.
” ISIS has suffered major defeats in recent years and has all but disappeared in the Middle East .
After notably expanding its networks and influence in 2015 , the group had lost 95 percent of its territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson Center .
The U.S. led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve tasked with defeating ISIS celebrated the declining influence of the group in 2017 , but stopped short of declaring victory .
“ We know this enemy is as adaptive and savvy as it is cruel and evil , ” the coalition spokesman tweeted at the time .
Bin Ladin ’ s uncle and world-renown terrorist Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan during a nighttime raid in 2011 .
Bin Laden masterminded the September 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

One of Osama bin Laden’s nieces says she’s a loyal President Donald Trump supporter and considers herself “American at heart,” according to a new report.
Swiss-born Noor bin Ladin, 33, has been a Trump supporter since 2015, she told The New York Post. Her branch of the family spells their last name differently than her uncle’s family, according to the Post.
“I have been a supporter of President Trump since he announced he was running in the early days in 2015. I have watched from afar and I admire this man’s resolve,” bin Ladin, who resides in Switzerland, told The Post.
She continued: “He must be re-elected … It’s vital for the future of not only America, but western civilization as a whole.”
Bin Ladin told The Post that she often wears a “Make America Great Again” hat and that her favorite show is Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News. She also expressed disdain for Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to The Post.
“You do have a situation now in America where you have people like Ilhan Omar who actively hate your country,” bin Ladin said, The Post reported.
“It’s an honor to be able to go and live in the United States and make the most out of all the opportunities. If she hates it so much why doesn’t she leave.”
Bin Ladin specifically pointed to Trump’s record on terrorism and his handling of ISIS’ presence in the Middle East, according to The Post. She also attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s record on terrorism.
“ISIS proliferated under the Obama/Biden administration, leading to them coming to Europe,” she told The Post. “Trump has shown he protects America and us by extension from foreign threats by obliterating terrorists at the root and before they get a chance to strike.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
ISIS has suffered major defeats in recent years and has all but disappeared in the Middle East. After notably expanding its networks and influence in 2015, the group had lost 95 percent of its territory by December 2017, according to the Wilson Center.
The U.S. led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve tasked with defeating ISIS celebrated the declining influence of the group in 2017, but stopped short of declaring victory. “We know this enemy is as adaptive and savvy as it is cruel and evil,” the coalition spokesman tweeted at the time.
Bin Ladin’s uncle and world-renown terrorist Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan during a nighttime raid in 2011. Bin Laden masterminded the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which resulted in thousands of American deaths.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-09-08--‘Woke’ Progressives Aren’t the First to Try and Re-Create Humanity in Their Own Image

As they seek to impose their vision of social justice , “ woke ” progressives fight another battle that ’ s nearly as old as creation : They ’ re trying to re-create humanity in their own image .
In doing so , “ woke ” progressives not only behave like the God they reject .
They also behave like the brutal totalitarians of the past .
The Nazis tried to re-create humanity in their own image .
They built an arbitrary , pseudo-scientific racial hierarchy that put white “ Aryans ” on top and Jews , Slavs , black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chronically ill at the bottom .
In doing so , the Nazis aimed to build utopia through biological perfection , whether through extermination or breeding .
Biology determined everything , even the arts and sciences .
German scientific journals derided Einstein ’ s theory of relativity as “ Jewish physics.
” Cultural figures classified modern art and music as “ degenerate.
” That term included work from Picasso , Van Gogh , Mendelssohn and Mahler .
The latter two were Jews .
In this biological utopia , the victimized “ Aryan ” would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( such as capitalism and Marxism ) and attain his destiny as a superman designed for conquest .
In their quest , the Nazis tolerated no discussion or disagreement , especially internally .
In 1934 , 18 months after becoming Germany ’ s chancellor , Adolf Hitler killed his most formidable opponents within his own party in a massacre called “ the Night of the Long Knives.
” Meanwhile in the Soviet Union , the Marxists tried re-creating humanity in their image .
They re-defined the members of the human race exclusively in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human history solely as the struggle between two classes : the privileged , predatory bourgeoisie and the victimized proletariat of workers and peasants .
The Marxists want to build a utopia based on economic perfection and inhabited by the New Socialist Man , whom Leon Trotsky describes : Just as biology determined everything for the Nazis , class determines everything for the Marxists .
As a Soviet analysis of literature stated in 1976 , Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels developed : Since Marx and Engels provide the source for all “ truth ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among their own .
Joseph Stalin ’ s bloody purges — including Trotsky ’ s assassination — and Mao ’ s “ Cultural Revolution ” prove that .
So how do the “ woke ” imitate this trend ?
By combining racism and Marxism to form the Social Justice Warrior .
Like his “ Aryan ” counterpart , the Social Justice Warrior focuses exclusively on race .
For him , race defines politics , economics , history , art , interpersonal relationships … everything .
Unlike the “ Aryan , ” however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white privilege ” and “ white supremacy.
” Peggy McIntosh concocted the term “ white privilege ” to entitle her 1989 essay .
McIntosh defined “ white privilege ” as “ an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day , but about which I was ‘ meant ’ to remain oblivious.
” Reinforcing “ white privilege ” is “ white supremacy , ” which another essay defines as a set of 13 traits .
They include individualism , objectivity , “ worship of the written word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of urgency , fear of open conflict and the right to comfort .
In “ woke ” activism , neither “ white supremacy ” nor “ white privilege ” represent the Ku Klux Klan or Jim Crow segregation .
Yet “ woke ” progressives are just as irredeemably racist .
They go beyond assigning non-racial traits with particular races to assigning exclusively negative traits ( as progressives define them ) with one race .
Like the New Socialist Man , the Social Justice Warrior believes Marxism is the only solution to oppression .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with an overtly Marxist platform and two co-founders who describe themselves as “ trained Marxists.
” “ This rhetoric of revolution comes straight out of a playbook of the social justice movement , ” wrote Jonathan Church , a former Marxist .
“ The social justice movement shares a strong , almost fanatical , belief in systemic victimization as a virus that infects every cell of the social body.
” Ironically , the Nazis thought along similar lines .
But their societal viruses were “ inferior ” races — especially the Jews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the “ woke ” tolerate no dissent .
Establishing their utopia of “ justice ” and “ equality ” involves cancel culture , public shaming , “ fact checking ” and mob action — violent and non-violent .
When the WNBA dedicated its shortened season to promoting “ social justice , ” Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler , the Atlanta Dream ’ s co-owner and a Republican , expressed her opposition to BLM in writing to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert .
One of BLM ’ s Marxist co-founders serves on the league ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the league put the American flag on uniforms as a sign of national unity .
In response , players called her a racist , demanded that the league remove her as an owner — and even wore T-shirts supporting her Democratic opponent in November ’ s election .
“ Woke ” ideology is just the latest variation on a theme that began when a talking reptile told an unsuspecting woman she could become like God .
Joseph D ’ Hippolito has written commentaries for such outlets as the Jerusalem Post , the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works as a free-lance writer .

As they seek to impose their vision of social justice, “woke” progressives fight another battle that’s nearly as old as creation: They’re trying to re-create humanity in their own image.
In doing so, “woke” progressives not only behave like the God they reject. They also behave like the brutal totalitarians of the past.
The Aryan Superman
The Nazis tried to re-create humanity in their own image. They built an arbitrary, pseudo-scientific racial hierarchy that put white “Aryans” on top and Jews, Slavs, black Africans, the mentally disabled and the chronically ill at the bottom. In doing so, the Nazis aimed to build utopia through biological perfection, whether through extermination or breeding.
Biology determined everything, even the arts and sciences. German scientific journals derided Einstein’s theory of relativity as “Jewish physics.” Cultural figures classified modern art and music as “degenerate.” That term included work from Picasso, Van Gogh, Mendelssohn and Mahler. The latter two were Jews.
In this biological utopia, the victimized “Aryan” would destroy the vestiges of perceived Jewish privilege (such as capitalism and Marxism) and attain his destiny as a superman designed for conquest.
In their quest, the Nazis tolerated no discussion or disagreement, especially internally. In 1934, 18 months after becoming Germany’s chancellor, Adolf Hitler killed his most formidable opponents within his own party in a massacre called “the Night of the Long Knives.”
The New Socialist Man
Meanwhile in the Soviet Union, the Marxists tried re-creating humanity in their image. They re-defined the members of the human race exclusively in materialist terms. The Marxists view all human history solely as the struggle between two classes: the privileged, predatory bourgeoisie and the victimized proletariat of workers and peasants.
The Marxists want to build a utopia based on economic perfection and inhabited by the New Socialist Man, whom Leon Trotsky describes:
Man will make it his purpose to master his own feelings, to raise his instincts to the heights of consciousness, to make them transparent, to extend the wires of his will into hidden recesses, and thereby to raise himself to a new plane, to create a higher social biologic type, or, if you please, a superman.
Just as biology determined everything for the Nazis, class determines everything for the Marxists. As a Soviet analysis of literature stated in 1976, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels developed:
” … a fundamentally new system of aesthetic science…by creating dialectical and historical materialism and laying down the foundations for the materialist conception of history. … Marxist aesthetics, like the whole teaching of Marx and Engels, are subordinated to the struggle for the communist reorganization of society.”
Since Marx and Engels provide the source for all “truth”, Marxists tolerate no dissent, especially among their own. Joseph Stalin’s bloody purges — including Trotsky’s assassination — and Mao’s “Cultural Revolution” prove that.
The Social Justice Warrior
So how do the “woke” imitate this trend? By combining racism and Marxism to form the Social Justice Warrior.
Like his “Aryan” counterpart, the Social Justice Warrior focuses exclusively on race. For him, race defines politics, economics, history, art, interpersonal relationships … everything.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Unlike the “Aryan,” however, the Social Justice Warrior must fight “white privilege” and “white supremacy.” Peggy McIntosh concocted the term “white privilege” to entitle her 1989 essay. McIntosh defined “white privilege” as “an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious.”
McIntosh elaborated about her “oblivious” state:
My schooling gave me no training in seeing myself as an oppressor, as an unfairly advantaged person, or as a participant in a damaged culture. I was taught to see myself as an individual whose moral state depended on her individual moral will.
Reinforcing “white privilege” is “white supremacy,” which another essay defines as a set of 13 traits. They include individualism, objectivity, “worship of the written word,” either/or thinking, a sense of urgency, fear of open conflict and the right to comfort.
In “woke” activism, neither “white supremacy” nor “white privilege” represent the Ku Klux Klan or Jim Crow segregation. Yet “woke” progressives are just as irredeemably racist. They go beyond assigning non-racial traits with particular races to assigning exclusively negative traits (as progressives define them) with one race.
“Woke” ideology is just the latest variation on a theme that began when a talking reptile told an unsuspecting woman she could become like God.
Like the New Socialist Man, the Social Justice Warrior believes Marxism is the only solution to oppression. Black Lives Matter provides the perfect example, with an overtly Marxist platform and two co-founders who describe themselves as “trained Marxists.”
“This rhetoric of revolution comes straight out of a playbook of the social justice movement,” wrote Jonathan Church, a former Marxist. “The social justice movement shares a strong, almost fanatical, belief in systemic victimization as a virus that infects every cell of the social body.”
Ironically, the Nazis thought along similar lines. But their societal viruses were “inferior” races — especially the Jews.
Like their Nazi and Soviet predecessors, the “woke” tolerate no dissent. Establishing their utopia of “justice” and “equality” involves cancel culture, public shaming, “fact checking” and mob action — violent and non-violent.
When the WNBA dedicated its shortened season to promoting “social justice,” Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, the Atlanta Dream’s co-owner and a Republican, expressed her opposition to BLM in writing to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. One of BLM’s Marxist co-founders serves on the league’s advisory committee.
Loeffler even suggested the league put the American flag on uniforms as a sign of national unity.
In response, players called her a racist, demanded that the league remove her as an owner — and even wore T-shirts supporting her Democratic opponent in November’s election.
“Woke” ideology is just the latest variation on a theme that began when a talking reptile told an unsuspecting woman she could become like God.
Joseph D’Hippolito has written commentaries for such outlets as the Jerusalem Post, the American Thinker and Front Page Magazine. He works as a free-lance writer.


thestream--2020-09-08--#Election2020 Labor Day Weekend: Boat Parades and the Sinking of Atlantic Story

There are only 55 days to go until America decides which way it is going to turn .
Yes , it ’ s between two men : President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden .
But that ’ s just the start .
With the exception of 1860 , each election up til now has been like a choice between white wine and red wine .
This one is a choice between a Samuel Adams beer and a Molotov cocktail .
The destruction of BLM or the dream of MLK .
Between Liberty and Looting .
Sanity or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And not the funny Marx . )
November 3rd will determine the fate of the nation .
Though we pray for an orderly , legitimate , clearly decided election , we must prepare for possible chaos .
But for now let ’ s focus on what ’ s been going on this Labor Day Weekend .
First , Democratic candidate Joe Biden had a full , robust and vigorous weekend of non-stop campaign events .
Actually , Biden held a little socially-distanced barbecue with a handful of local union folks , then took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event .
That man shouldn ’ t be on a Zoom call .
He should be on a gurney .
Two images dominated the election news this holiday weekend : Huge Trump boat flotillas on lakes and waterways coast to coast … and a parade of people on cable news condemning President Trump for saying something 10 witnesses are on record denying he said .
I ’ m talking about the instantly infamous Atlantic magazine story .
The story quotes four anonymous high level government sources as saying Donald Trump cancelled plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 because he didn ’ t want to bother seeing a bunch of “ losers ” and “ suckers.
” The reason given at the time was weather grounded the helicopter that would have taken Trump to the cemetery .
The alternative was to drive .
However , the Secret Service was uneasy about a 4-hour drive and the difficulty there ’ d be extracting Trump if there were trouble .
Both those reasons are fact .
The documentation is all there .
The Atlantic said that it is a lie .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening paragraph : On Sunday , Goldberg conceded the opposite , telling CNN “ I am sure all of those things are true.
” Still , he insists the rest of his story is as pure and true as the driven snow .
Except 10 people who were either at Trump ’ s side during the trip or darn close have gone on the record as saying either it never happened or they never heard such a thing .
Most notably , former National Security Advisor John Bolton – who is now a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If I heard it , ” he told Fox New ’ s John Roberts , “ I would have had a whole chapter in my book about it.
” Also crucially , Zack Fuentes , the top aide to former White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly , rejected the Atlantic story Monday .
He told Breitbart he personally heard no such quote from the President .
And plunges this stake into the story .
“ Honestly , do you think General Kelly would have stood by and let anyone call fallen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not saying it was a hit job , but Mafia Times gave the story a five-bullet-out-of-five review .
However , for sake of argument , let ’ s say it ’ s true .
And somebody is again revealing the private conversations of the President of the United States … for political and perhaps financial gain .
Why now ?
Why bring up something from two years ago now ?
If these people were so offended why didn ’ t they quit and stand on the White House lawn telling the world why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election year .
There are those who would gladly stomp on the graves of our World War I fallen to push Trump out .
You know what else happened the day the story went viral ?
Early voting began in North Carolina , a swing state with a heavy military population .
The goal of The Atlantic story is to corrode the commander-in-chief ’ s support among the military .
And not just in terms of votes in the election but after .
Remember a few weeks back Biden saying that the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office ?
Now comes this story .
Speaking of waters , five boats of Trump supporters capsized during Saturday ’ s pro-Trump boat parade on Lake Travis in Texas .
.
Fortunately , it was smooth sailing for the boat flotillas from the Potomac to New Jersey to Arkansas to San Diego Bay .
In blue California .
A Trump vaccine isn ’ t floating Kamala Harris ’ boat .
She ’ s worried a COVID-19 vaccine ready by November will be a shot in the arm to Trump ’ s campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ State of the Union Sunday morning if she would take a vaccine , even one ready before election day .
“ I would not trust Donald Trump , ” she says .
As if Trump ’ s going to show up on the White House lawn with a bottle of COVID Cure Elixir he mixed together in his basement .
Harris says she ’ d need to hear from a “ credible source ” about a vaccine .
But even if NIH and CDC scientists give a thumbs up , she ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She told CNN she believes Trump will push out a vaccine before election day and scientists who say it ’ s not ready will be “ muzzled ” and “ suppressed.
” So remember how for six months we ’ ve been hearing we can ’ t get back to normal until there ’ s a vaccine ?
Harris is basically saying that even if there is a vaccine , it can ’ t be trusted because Trump helped make it happen .
Looking downstream … a prediction : You will see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political reasons , or just set in the very slow way of getting vaccines approved — dragged on CNN and MSNBC warning against any vaccine that ’ s ready before election day .
Oddly enough , while Harris wants to put the brakes on any vaccine ready to go before the election , her running mate Joe Biden tweeted that when he ’ s president he will “ accelerate the development of treatments and vaccines.
” “ TRUMP IS MOVING TOO FAST !
” shouts Kamala .
“ TRUMP IS NOT MOVING FAST @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Joe Biden ’ s Twitter also declared Saturday that “ As president I will call for nationwide mask mandates.
” On Sunday , Harris twice refused to commit to a mask mandate .
Wow .
For a new relationship , they don ’ t seem to be communicating that much .
Meanwhile , Joe Biden ’ s buddies in BLM tried rushing the stage at rally Saturday in Dallas organized by # WalkAway Campaign founder Brandon Straka .
They would later chase Brandon and friends through the streets .
Straka called it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life.
” Local news stations were filming .
But Dallas Morning News described it as … wait for it … “ mostly peaceful.
” Let ’ s go to the tape : Friday night , the rioters stormed through Rochester restaurants and neighborhoods , terrorizing diners and residents .
Let ’ s go to the tape : They also marched through New York City and Philly chanting “ Death to America.
” Let ’ s go to the tape : Maybe BLM figures that if they sound like Iran , Joe will send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he did to the Islamic Republic .
They ’ re probably right .
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 .

There are only 55 days to go until America decides which way it is going to turn.
Yes, it’s between two men: President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. But that’s just the start.
With the exception of 1860, each election up til now has been like a choice between white wine and red wine. This one is a choice between a Samuel Adams beer and a Molotov cocktail. The destruction of BLM or the dream of MLK.
Between Liberty and Looting. Sanity or Socialism. Madison and Marx. (And not the funny Marx.)
November 3rd will determine the fate of the nation. Though we pray for an orderly, legitimate, clearly decided election, we must prepare for possible chaos.
But for now let’s focus on what’s been going on this Labor Day Weekend.
Uncle Joe on the Downlow
First, Democratic candidate Joe Biden had a full, robust and vigorous weekend of non-stop campaign events.
(Pause for laughter)
Actually, Biden held a little socially-distanced barbecue with a handful of local union folks, then took part in a virtual AFL-CIO labor day event.
Joe Biden orders his staff to move up his teleprompter and lets out a very labored sigh while waiting for the prompter to scroll. Is he ok? Why can’t he answer a question without a teleprompter? pic.twitter.com/WAEcmwygP9 — Abigail Marone (@abigailmarone) September 7, 2020
That man shouldn’t be on a Zoom call. He should be on a gurney.
“Losers” Story Falling Apart
Two images dominated the election news this holiday weekend: Huge Trump boat flotillas on lakes and waterways coast to coast … and a parade of people on cable news condemning President Trump for saying something 10 witnesses are on record denying he said.
I’m talking about the instantly infamous Atlantic magazine story. The story quotes four anonymous high level government sources as saying Donald Trump cancelled plans to visit a WWI memorial cemetery in France in 2018 because he didn’t want to bother seeing a bunch of “losers” and “suckers.”
The reason given at the time was weather grounded the helicopter that would have taken Trump to the cemetery. The alternative was to drive. However, the Secret Service was uneasy about a 4-hour drive and the difficulty there’d be extracting Trump if there were trouble. Both those reasons are fact. The documentation is all there. The Atlantic said that it is a lie. Here is writer Jeffrey Goldberg’s opening paragraph:
When President Donald Trump canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, he blamed the rain for the last-minute decision, saying ‘the helicopter couldn’t fly’ and that the Secret Service wouldn’t drive him there. Neither claim was true. (emphasis added.)
On Sunday, Goldberg conceded the opposite, telling CNN “I am sure all of those things are true.” Still, he insists the rest of his story is as pure and true as the driven snow.
Except 10 people who were either at Trump’s side during the trip or darn close have gone on the record as saying either it never happened or they never heard such a thing.
Most notably, former National Security Advisor John Bolton – who is now a Trump foe – denies it.
“If I heard it,” he told Fox New’s John Roberts, “I would have had a whole chapter in my book about it.”
Also crucially, Zack Fuentes, the top aide to former White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly, rejected the Atlantic story Monday. He told Breitbart he personally heard no such quote from the President. And plunges this stake into the story. “Honestly, do you think General Kelly would have stood by and let anyone call fallen Marines losers?”
I’m not saying it was a hit job, but Mafia Times gave the story a five-bullet-out-of-five review.
Why Now?
However, for sake of argument, let’s say it’s true. And somebody is again revealing the private conversations of the President of the United States … for political and perhaps financial gain.
Why now? Why bring up something from two years ago now? If these people were so offended why didn’t they quit and stand on the White House lawn telling the world why? Because now it’s an election year. There are those who would gladly stomp on the graves of our World War I fallen to push Trump out.
You know what else happened the day the story went viral? Early voting began in North Carolina, a swing state with a heavy military population.
The goal of The Atlantic story is to corrode the commander-in-chief’s support among the military. And not just in terms of votes in the election but after.
Remember a few weeks back Biden saying that the military might be needed to remove Trump from office? Now comes this story.
We’re heading into dangerous waters.
Speaking of waters, five boats of Trump supporters capsized during Saturday’s pro-Trump boat parade on Lake Travis in Texas. . Fortunately, it was smooth sailing for the boat flotillas from the Potomac to New Jersey to Arkansas to San Diego Bay. In blue California.
Trump boat parade in San Diego yesterday was fantastic! pic.twitter.com/1mWny2rf2n — RMC Group (@TBASanDiegoCent) September 7, 2020
Kamala Harris Doesn’t Trust Any “Trump” Vaccine
A Trump vaccine isn’t floating Kamala Harris’ boat. She’s worried a COVID-19 vaccine ready by November will be a shot in the arm to Trump’s campaign.
Harris was asked by CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning if she would take a vaccine, even one ready before election day.
“I would not trust Donald Trump,” she says. As if Trump’s going to show up on the White House lawn with a bottle of COVID Cure Elixir he mixed together in his basement. Harris says she’d need to hear from a “credible source” about a vaccine.
But even if NIH and CDC scientists give a thumbs up, she’s still not going to be believe scientists. She told CNN she believes Trump will push out a vaccine before election day and scientists who say it’s not ready will be “muzzled” and “suppressed.”
So remember how for six months we’ve been hearing we can’t get back to normal until there’s a vaccine? Harris is basically saying that even if there is a vaccine, it can’t be trusted because Trump helped make it happen.
Someday they’ll be a vaccine for TDS.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Looking downstream … a prediction: You will see some scientists and doctors — whether for political reasons, or just set in the very slow way of getting vaccines approved — dragged on CNN and MSNBC warning against any vaccine that’s ready before election day.
Oddly enough, while Harris wants to put the brakes on any vaccine ready to go before the election, her running mate Joe Biden tweeted that when he’s president he will “accelerate the development of treatments and vaccines.”
“TRUMP IS MOVING TOO FAST!” shouts Kamala. “TRUMP IS NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH,” shouts Joe.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s Twitter also declared Saturday that “As president I will call for nationwide mask mandates.” On Sunday, Harris twice refused to commit to a mask mandate.
Wow. For a new relationship, they don’t seem to be communicating that much.
Biden’s BLM Buddies Trash Restaurants, Chant “Death to America”
Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s buddies in BLM tried rushing the stage at rally Saturday in Dallas organized by #WalkAway Campaign founder Brandon Straka. They would later chase Brandon and friends through the streets. Straka called it “the most terrifying moment of my life.” Local news stations were filming. But Dallas Morning News described it as … wait for it … “mostly peaceful.”
Let’s go to the tape:
This was the most terrifying moment of my life. My team &I went to the police to check on detained security agent. 30-40 BLM began throwing bottles at us & chasing us. They stole my employee’s phone &smashed it. We had to run for 4-5 blocks. All Dallas news stations were there. pic.twitter.com/84ZWXtPo93 — Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) September 6, 2020
Friday night, the rioters stormed through Rochester restaurants and neighborhoods, terrorizing diners and residents.
Let’s go to the tape:
Last night in Rochester, video appears to show protestors "shutting down restaurants" by smashing tables and harassing patrons into leaving.pic.twitter.com/MfAE892Ih1 — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) September 5, 2020
They also marched through New York City and Philly chanting “Death to America.”
Let’s go to the tape:
Meet Joe Biden’s supporters: BLM rioters chanting “Death to America” in Philly #Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/ElVOKWxuil — BlueStateBlues (@Tianmiao_wang) September 6, 2020
Maybe BLM figures that if they sound like Iran, Joe will send THEM millions and millions in cash, as he did to the Islamic Republic. They’re probably right.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-08--What If White Americans Had Been Sold as Slaves in Africa?

What if the roles had been reversed ?
What if it was White Americans who were sold into slavery in Africa ?
What if it was Whites who , to this day , a century and a half after their emancipation , had lower family incomes , diminished educational opportunities , and higher crime rates than the Black majority ?
How would we , as White Africans , view this ?
Jewish historian Eli Faber , in his book Jews , Slaves , and the Slave Trade : Setting the Record Straight — which demolishes the Nation of Islam ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jews in the slave trade — paints a powerful picture of the monstrous nature of this horrid practice .
Wrenched from their homes and their families , marched in chains to the coasts and transported across the seas during an era that lasted well over three centuries , millions were condemned to spend the remainder of their lives in servitude and to witness the enslavement of their children .
Many more did not survive the Atlantic crossing , perishing instead on vessels swept by disease or from a profound depression that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the captives in its grip .
Still others died within a few years of arrival , toiling on the plantations and in the mines of Europe ’ s colonies in the western hemisphere .
Now , read that again , but change the players .
Over a period of three centuries , White Americans — as many as 10-15 million — were wrenched from their homes and families and marched in chains to be shipped by their Black captors to Africa .
Several million would die at sea .
The rest would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and oppression by their Black masters , with their own children born into wretched servitude .
As for the Black oppressors , many claiming to be committed Christians , they were convinced by biology and theology that the Whites were both inferior and cursed .
They were born to be enslaved .
Faber noted that , “ African merchants brought caravans of slaves to the coast for sale , while African governments not only went to war in order to obtain captives to sell into slavery but also established the trading regulations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices under which the Europeans were required to operate.
” Reversing the roles again , this would speak of White Americans selling fellow Whites to the Black Africans , even going to war to capture other Whites , all for financial gain .
Such is the evil of humanity .
But either way , the end result would be the same : White Americans would become White Africans , virtually all of them the descendants of slaves .
Eventually , going along with our reversed-roles scenario , the slave trade and slavery would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another century , in many parts of Africa , Whites would remain an inferior class , treated with inequality under the law until Civil Rights reforms in the 1960s sought to level the playing field .
Still , in the year 2020 , White Africans fell far behind in many statistical categories : ( In all links cited , I am reversing the stats for White Americans vs. Black Americans and applying them to my imagined scenario ) As of 2020 , the average net worth of a Black African family was 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a White African family .
The median annual income of Black African family was $ 65,902 compared to $ 41,511 for a White African family .
For every 100,000 White Africans , 2,306 were incarcerated compared to 450 Black Africans .
Funding for Black children ’ s schools was much higher than funding for White children ’ s schools .
In addition , “ about 72 % of [ Black ] students who have completed high school enrolled in college the same year , compared to 44 % for [ White ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am reversing the actual data in these citations . )
Out of Africa ’ s Fortune 500 companies , there were only three White CEO ’ s .
As for births out of wedlock , 69.4 percent of White African babies were born illegitimately , compared to 28.2 percent of Black African babies .
Accordingly , since so many White Africans were raised without a father , this has resulted in higher rates of drug addiction as well as higher crime rates .
And so , the cycle continues .
How Do You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does this make you feel as a White African ?
Now , even if systemic racism no longer existed in Africa , would anyone dispute that the plight of White Africans was directly related to their history as an enslaved , then oppressed , minority ?
Would anyone dispute that , on some level , this tied in with the legacy of Black supremacy ?
This would not absolve White Africans from taking responsibility for their own well-being and social improvement today .
Nor would it justify acts of violence against Black Africans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a continent-wide move to see biblically-based justice and righteousness for all citizens , then Black Africans would have to wrestle with these realities and find holistic ways to level the playing field as much as possible .
Coming back to the present reality here in America in 2020 , as we look to make America great for all of her citizens , let us , as White Americans , do our best to be empathetic rather than defensive when it comes to race issues .
As I ’ ve stated before , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilt ( and I say this with full recognition of the very flawed nature of the bestselling White Fragility book ) .
At the same time , I believe it ’ s very easy for us as White Americans to fail to grasp the degree to which we still have not overcome the legacy of our past , whoever ’ s fault that may be .
To me , this does not speak of systemic racism in 2020 .
Instead , it speaks of a very embarrassing past that still leaves scars today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking big questions in order to find big answers in order that , together , we can fulfill our God-given potential as a people and a nation .
Mixing in a healthy dose of empathic understanding will go a long way in helping us achieve those goals .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

What if the roles had been reversed? What if it was White Americans who were sold into slavery in Africa? What if it was Whites who, to this day, a century and a half after their emancipation, had lower family incomes, diminished educational opportunities, and higher crime rates than the Black majority? How would we, as White Africans, view this?
Changing the Players
Jewish historian Eli Faber, in his book Jews, Slaves, and the Slave Trade: Setting the Record Straight — which demolishes the Nation of Islam’s lies about the allegedly dominant role of Jews in the slave trade — paints a powerful picture of the monstrous nature of this horrid practice.
He writes:
Wrenched from their homes and their families, marched in chains to the coasts and transported across the seas during an era that lasted well over three centuries, millions were condemned to spend the remainder of their lives in servitude and to witness the enslavement of their children. Many more did not survive the Atlantic crossing, perishing instead on vessels swept by disease or from a profound depression that the historical record tells us frequently seized many of the captives in its grip. Still others died within a few years of arrival, toiling on the plantations and in the mines of Europe’s colonies in the western hemisphere.
Now, read that again, but change the players. Over a period of three centuries, White Americans — as many as 10-15 million — were wrenched from their homes and families and marched in chains to be shipped by their Black captors to Africa. Several million would die at sea. The rest would be consigned to a life of slavery and oppression by their Black masters, with their own children born into wretched servitude.
Whites Selling Whites
As for the Black oppressors, many claiming to be committed Christians, they were convinced by biology and theology that the Whites were both inferior and cursed. They were born to be enslaved.
Faber noted that, “African merchants brought caravans of slaves to the coast for sale, while African governments not only went to war in order to obtain captives to sell into slavery but also established the trading regulations, dictated the terms, and set the prices under which the Europeans were required to operate.”
Reversing the roles again, this would speak of White Americans selling fellow Whites to the Black Africans, even going to war to capture other Whites, all for financial gain. Such is the evil of humanity.
But either way, the end result would be the same: White Americans would become White Africans, virtually all of them the descendants of slaves.
Eventually, going along with our reversed-roles scenario, the slave trade and slavery would be abolished in Africa. But for another century, in many parts of Africa, Whites would remain an inferior class, treated with inequality under the law until Civil Rights reforms in the 1960s sought to level the playing field.
In 2020
Still, in the year 2020, White Africans fell far behind in many statistical categories: (In all links cited, I am reversing the stats for White Americans vs. Black Americans and applying them to my imagined scenario)
As of 2020, the average net worth of a Black African family was 10 times higher than the average net worth of a White African family.
The median annual income of Black African family was $65,902 compared to $41,511 for a White African family.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
For every 100,000 White Africans, 2,306 were incarcerated compared to 450 Black Africans.
Funding for Black children’s schools was much higher than funding for White children’s schools. In addition, “about 72% of [Black] students who have completed high school enrolled in college the same year, compared to 44% for [White] students.” (Once again, I am reversing the actual data in these citations.)
Out of Africa’s Fortune 500 companies, there were only three White CEOs.
As for births out of wedlock, 69.4 percent of White African babies were born illegitimately, compared to 28.2 percent of Black African babies.
Accordingly, since so many White Africans were raised without a father, this has resulted in higher rates of drug addiction as well as higher crime rates. And so, the cycle continues.
How Do You Feel as a White African?
How does this make you feel as a White African?
Now, even if systemic racism no longer existed in Africa, would anyone dispute that the plight of White Africans was directly related to their history as an enslaved, then oppressed, minority? Would anyone dispute that, on some level, this tied in with the legacy of Black supremacy?
This would not absolve White Africans from taking responsibility for their own well-being and social improvement today. Nor would it justify acts of violence against Black Africans. But, if there was truly a continent-wide move to see biblically-based justice and righteousness for all citizens, then Black Africans would have to wrestle with these realities and find holistic ways to level the playing field as much as possible.
Our Present Reality
Coming back to the present reality here in America in 2020, as we look to make America great for all of her citizens, let us, as White Americans, do our best to be empathetic rather than defensive when it comes to race issues.
As I’ve stated before, there’s no reason for fragility or guilt (and I say this with full recognition of the very flawed nature of the bestselling White Fragility book). At the same time, I believe it’s very easy for us as White Americans to fail to grasp the degree to which we still have not overcome the legacy of our past, whoever’s fault that may be.
To me, this does not speak of systemic racism in 2020. Instead, it speaks of a very embarrassing past that still leaves scars today.
So, let’s keep asking big questions in order to find big answers in order that, together, we can fulfill our God-given potential as a people and a nation. Mixing in a healthy dose of empathic understanding will go a long way in helping us achieve those goals.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-09-08--Military Photo of the Day: Stratofortresses Against a Golden English Sky

Two U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortresses fly over Royal Air Force Station Fairford in the United Kingdom on August 22 @ @ @ @ @ happy and safe rest of your week , everyone !

Two U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortresses fly over Royal Air Force Station Fairford in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2020.
Have a happy and safe rest of your week, everyone!
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-09-08--How to Stop Arm-Wrestling With God

How to Stop Arm-Wrestling With God

Did you know there is a World Arm-Wrestling league ?
And that you can watch arm-wrestling matches on ESPN and its affiliated channels ?
Last year the grand prize for winning the championship was $ 500,000 .
I was reading about this the other day and it perplexed me .
I haven ’ t arm-wrestled since middle school .
It seems silly to me as an adult .
It ’ s just a pure battle of strength .
What ’ s the point ?
What amazes me is that while I think actual arm-wrestling is pointless , I still arm-wrestle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battle him for my terms , my conditions , and for my will to prevail .
The truth is , it ’ s in my best interest to let God win every time .
It would be even better to never begin wrestling in the first place .
But I still do it .
All the time .
You probably do , too .
So how do we stop ?
Two ways : by recognizing and accepting God ’ s sovereignty over our entire lives , and surrendering to his will .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we stop our stupid battle of wills with God ?
By recognizing his sovereignty prevails over every aspect of our lives .
After all , God cares about every hair on our heads .
He cares about every choice we make .
Recognizing and accepting God ’ s sovereignty requires submitting to his will every day .
Obviously , this is hard .
But it bears repeating because it ’ s hard for everybody — even the most seasoned pastor .
It ’ s certainly hard for me .
The prevalence and depth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrestle with God .
We must fight this tendency .
Why is submitting to God ’ s will so difficult ?
It is difficult because we doubt God .
We doubt God knows what is best for us .
We doubt God is for us .
God ’ s love is so pure , agape love , that it is beyond our comprehension .
We think we can love ourselves better than God can love us , but we can ’ t .
We make decisions that appear to be full of self-love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full of our turning away from God .
These decisions make us victims of our own sin .
We choose short-term pleasure that usually brings long-term pain .
We still need to recognize God ’ s sovereignty , even though sin makes it difficult .
To quit arm-wrestling with God , the next step is to fully surrender to God ’ s will .
Partially surrendering to God ’ s will is not enough .
We need to fully surrender .
Rick Warren has a few thoughts on what it means to surrender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : • Following God ’ s will without knowing where he ’ s sending us • Waiting for God ’ s timing without knowing when it will come • Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide These are important principles , but how do we start surrendering on a daily basis ?
I have learned a great deal on this question from the theologians with whom I collaborate at IFWE .
Dr. Art Lindsley has taught me a simple but important prayer that helps .
It can be said in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start because you are asking God to enter into that very moment with you .
From there you can receive and discern his will .
In addition to praying this prayer , growing in our knowledge of Scripture will also help us fully surrender to God ’ s will .
Memorization is a huge help here .
Romans 12:1-2 and I Peter 5:6-10 are two passages I find particularly helpful for encouraging daily surrender .
Romans 12:1-2 helps me because it recalls the silly arm-wresting image — except this time we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conform to this world which is battling for my soul .
Instead , be transformed by Christ .
Repeat , repeat , repeat .
I Peter 5:6-10 encourages me to be humble .
Humility is not an attribute that comes from my supposed self-love .
It only comes from relying on God and surrendering to his sovereignty .
Humble yourselves , therefore , under God ’ s mighty hand , that he may lift you up in due time .
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you .
Be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour .
Resist him , standing firm in the faith , because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings .
And the God of all grace , who called you to his eternal glory in Christ , after you have suffered a little while , will himself restore you and make you strong , firm and steadfast .
The humility Peter calls for reminds me that my strength comes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully surrender to God , I am stronger and better protected against the enemy .
Arm-wresting with God is a sign of our sinful nature .
It makes us weaker and pulls us further away from him .
To grow closer to him , we must recognize his sovereignty and surrender to it daily , going to him in prayer and Scripture every day .
And we must walk away from the wrestling match .
Anne Bradley , Ph.D. , is the George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and the academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She also serves as the Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith , Work & Economics .
This article is republished with permission from the Institute for Faith , Work & Economics .
IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society .
Click here to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog .

Did you know there is a World Arm-Wrestling league? And that you can watch arm-wrestling matches on ESPN and its affiliated channels? Last year the grand prize for winning the championship was $500,000. I was reading about this the other day and it perplexed me.
I haven’t arm-wrestled since middle school. It seems silly to me as an adult. It’s just a pure battle of strength. What’s the point?
What amazes me is that while I think actual arm-wrestling is pointless, I still arm-wrestle with God all the time. I battle him for my terms, my conditions, and for my will to prevail.
The truth is, it’s in my best interest to let God win every time. It would be even better to never begin wrestling in the first place.
But I still do it. All the time. You probably do, too. So how do we stop?
Two ways: by recognizing and accepting God’s sovereignty over our entire lives, and surrendering to his will. Every. Single. Day.
Recognizing and Accepting God’s Sovereignty
How can we stop our stupid battle of wills with God? By recognizing his sovereignty prevails over every aspect of our lives. After all, God cares about every hair on our heads. He cares about every choice we make.
Recognizing and accepting God’s sovereignty requires submitting to his will every day. Obviously, this is hard. But it bears repeating because it’s hard for everybody — even the most seasoned pastor. It’s certainly hard for me. The prevalence and depth of our sin drives us to constantly wrestle with God. We must fight this tendency.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Why is submitting to God’s will so difficult? It is difficult because we doubt God.
We doubt God is good.
We doubt God knows what is best for us.
We doubt God loves us.
We doubt God is for us.
God’s love is so pure, agape love, that it is beyond our comprehension. We think we can love ourselves better than God can love us, but we can’t.
We make decisions that appear to be full of self-love — in fact, they’re full of our turning away from God. These decisions make us victims of our own sin. We choose short-term pleasure that usually brings long-term pain.
We still need to recognize God’s sovereignty, even though sin makes it difficult. To quit arm-wrestling with God, the next step is to fully surrender to God’s will.
Fully Surrender to God’s Will
Partially surrendering to God’s will is not enough. We need to fully surrender. Rick Warren has a few thoughts on what it means to surrender our lives to God. It means:
Following God’s will without knowing where he’s sending us
Waiting for God’s timing without knowing when it will come
Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide
Trusting God’s purposes without knowing the circumstances
These are important principles, but how do we start surrendering on a daily basis?
I have learned a great deal on this question from the theologians with whom I collaborate at IFWE. Dr. Art Lindsley has taught me a simple but important prayer that helps. It can be said in one breath:
God be present with me in this moment.
This prayer is an important start because you are asking God to enter into that very moment with you. From there you can receive and discern his will.
In addition to praying this prayer, growing in our knowledge of Scripture will also help us fully surrender to God’s will. Memorization is a huge help here. Romans 12:1-2 and I Peter 5:6-10 are two passages I find particularly helpful for encouraging daily surrender.
The humility Peter calls for reminds me that my strength comes from God, not me. When I fully surrender to God, I am stronger and better protected against the enemy.
Romans 12:1-2 helps me because it recalls the silly arm-wresting image — except this time we’re arm-wrestling with the world. Do not conform to this world which is battling for my soul. Instead, be transformed by Christ. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
I Peter 5:6-10 encourages me to be humble. Humility is not an attribute that comes from my supposed self-love. It only comes from relying on God and surrendering to his sovereignty.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
The humility Peter calls for reminds me that my strength comes from God, not me. When I fully surrender to God, I am stronger and better protected against the enemy.
Arm-wresting with God is a sign of our sinful nature. It makes us weaker and pulls us further away from him. To grow closer to him, we must recognize his sovereignty and surrender to it daily, going to him in prayer and Scripture every day.
And we must walk away from the wrestling match.
Anne Bradley, Ph.D., is the George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and the academic director at The Fund for American Studies. She also serves as the Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics.
This article is republished with permission from the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society. Click here to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog.


thestream--2020-09-08--The Most Important Pre-Election Story You Will Read

About a week ago , I wrote to warn about what Democrats plan to do to go around the will of the voters should Trump win , even if his win is decisive .
VOTE IN PERSON , I said , to make as sure as you possibly can that your vote will count , and be ready for anything after the votes start coming in .
That ’ s especially true if your state is considered to be , even possibly , a “ swing ” state .
Democrats aren ’ t even bothering to be secretive about their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) says that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should Biden concede .
And the Washington Post ran an op-ed saying that only if Biden won in a landslide would there be no rioting and looting afterwards .
It was like saying , “ Vote for us , the looters and rioters , so your life won ’ t be destroyed by looting and rioting.
” Since I brought you that story , the threat has been clarified even more .
What the left is trying to do right now is straight out of a George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1984 , ” the “ Ministry of Truth ” is actually in charge of just the opposite : maintaining a fiction .
An excellent piece by Michael Anton in The American Mind ( thanks to Dan Bongino for calling attention to this ) explains just how Democrats have been setting the stage for a coup in the case of Trump winning the Electoral College .
This is a must-read .
Over the summer , Democrats and the media ( but I repeat myself ) began laying the groundwork by suggesting Trump wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why , the military might have to save us from him .
Pieces like Zachary Cohen ’ s for CNN first tried to cast doubt on Trump ’ s fitness for office , asking “ Can military commanders refuse an order from Trump ?
” Cohen reassured his frightened readers that with the “ layers of safeguards ” we have , the President can ’ t unilaterally deploy a disproportionate nuclear attack .
I ’ ll provide the link to this ridiculous commentary , but read it only if you ’ re absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploding .
Here ’ s another completely crazy one , by a couple of retired Army officers wanting to further the scenario of Trump playing “ dictator ” and refusing to leave the White House if he loses .
This is based on nothing other than Trump warning about mail-in ballots and election fraud .
( News flash : Trump is absolutely right about mail-in ballots and election fraud .
Why do you think Democrats are pushing so hard for mail-in voting ?
It ’ s so they can discredit the results if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stage for chaos . )
People actually read this piece of drivel , and I ’ m sure some took it very seriously .
Then there was the WAPO story we talked about last week : John Podesta ’ s George Soros-funded “ war games ” seminar at which about 100 Democrat leaders and some anti-Trump Republicans — so they could use the word “ bipartisan ” — looked at all the possible election scenarios .
( Here ’ s the Orwellian part : this was called “ the Transition Integrity Project.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly winning , Podesta , playing the role of Biden , refused to concede ( just as Hillary has advised ) , pressured even states won by Trump to send a Democrat slate of electors to the Electoral College , and “ trusted the military to take care of the rest.
” In other words , vote for Trump and bring on the coup .
It Will Be Trump ’ s Fault What would follow a Trump win , they said , would be “ a street fight , not a legal battle.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ battle in the aftermath of the George W. Bush/Al Gore “ hanging chad ” election , with Democrats using the legal dispute forever after to claim that Bush wasn ’ t a legitimate President .
That mess will look like a picnic in the park compared to 2020 if Trump wins , they ’ re warning .
This time , it ’ s gon na get rough .
And , of course , it will be all Trump ’ s fault .
So the second part of the plan is to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fault .
The American Mind piece goes on to explain why the Democrats have chosen to speak so freely for months about the likely need for an anti-Trump coup .
That one ’ s easy : they ’ ve got to get the idea of a coup out there — A COUP CAUSED BY TRUMP — with the threat that we ’ ll have “ a repeat of this summer , only much , much bigger.
” Then , when the time comes , “ crank the propaganda to eardrum-shattering decibels and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with ‘ protesters.
’ Shut down the country and allow only one message to be heard : ‘ Trump must go.
’ ” And you know the media will do it , blaming Trump for the whole mess .
Take Heed to the Warning So , how does the Trump administration prepare for a clear electoral win in which Biden won ’ t concede , when Democrats are already busy twisting the story into the opposite of that ?
Maybe the Republicans need to play out their own “ war game ” scenario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they also need a clear idea of who is on their side .
And the President needs ways to communicate with the American people that can go around most of the major media .
( Tweets won ’ t do it ; he ’ ll be banned , of course . )
Trump had better be ready , and we need to be warning about this from now till Election Day .
I believe , just as I did in 2016 , that Trump will win .
It ’ ll have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballot fraud , but he will win .
I just don ’ t believe that THAT many Americans have utterly lost their minds .
Democrats will insist Biden really won and that any “ coup ” is Trump ’ s fault , but it ’ s a lie they ’ ve been setting up for months .
I ’ ll leave you with an opinion piece about this that is guaranteed not to make your head explode , by Jonathan Tobin in the New York Post .
But take heed : it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false face for the urge to rule it. — H. L. Mencken
About a week ago, I wrote to warn about what Democrats plan to do to go around the will of the voters should Trump win, even if his win is decisive. VOTE IN PERSON, I said, to make as sure as you possibly can that your vote will count, and be ready for anything after the votes start coming in. That’s especially true if your state is considered to be, even possibly, a “swing” state.
Setting the Stage for a Coup
Democrats aren’t even bothering to be secretive about their plans; Madame Defarge herself (Hillary) says that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should Biden concede. And the Washington Post ran an op-ed saying that only if Biden won in a landslide would there be no rioting and looting afterwards. It was like saying, “Vote for us, the looters and rioters, so your life won’t be destroyed by looting and rioting.”
Democrats have been setting the stage for a coup in the case of Trump winning the Electoral College.
Since I brought you that story, the threat has been clarified even more. What the left is trying to do right now is straight out of a George Orwell novel. Recall that in “1984,” the “Ministry of Truth” is actually in charge of just the opposite: maintaining a fiction.
An excellent piece by Michael Anton in The American Mind (thanks to Dan Bongino for calling attention to this) explains just how Democrats have been setting the stage for a coup in the case of Trump winning the Electoral College. This is a must-read.
War Games
Over the summer, Democrats and the media (but I repeat myself) began laying the groundwork by suggesting Trump wouldn’t go quietly if he lost. Why, the military might have to save us from him. Pieces like Zachary Cohen’s for CNN first tried to cast doubt on Trump’s fitness for office, asking “Can military commanders refuse an order from Trump?” Cohen reassured his frightened readers that with the “layers of safeguards” we have, the President can’t unilaterally deploy a disproportionate nuclear attack. I’ll provide the link to this ridiculous commentary, but read it only if you’re absolutely sure you can keep your head from exploding.
Here’s another completely crazy one, by a couple of retired Army officers wanting to further the scenario of Trump playing “dictator” and refusing to leave the White House if he loses. This is based on nothing other than Trump warning about mail-in ballots and election fraud. (News flash: Trump is absolutely right about mail-in ballots and election fraud. Why do you think Democrats are pushing so hard for mail-in voting? It’s so they can discredit the results if Trump wins, and also to set the stage for chaos.) People actually read this piece of drivel, and I’m sure some took it very seriously.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Then there was the WAPO story we talked about last week: John Podesta’s George Soros-funded “war games” seminar at which about 100 Democrat leaders and some anti-Trump Republicans — so they could use the word “bipartisan” — looked at all the possible election scenarios. (Here’s the Orwellian part: this was called “the Transition Integrity Project.”) In the scenario of Trump clearly winning, Podesta, playing the role of Biden, refused to concede (just as Hillary has advised), pressured even states won by Trump to send a Democrat slate of electors to the Electoral College, and “trusted the military to take care of the rest.” In other words, vote for Trump and bring on the coup.
It Will Be Trump’s Fault
What would follow a Trump win, they said, would be “a street fight, not a legal battle.” Recall that we got a legal battle in the aftermath of the George W. Bush/Al Gore “hanging chad” election, with Democrats using the legal dispute forever after to claim that Bush wasn’t a legitimate President. That mess will look like a picnic in the park compared to 2020 if Trump wins, they’re warning. This time, it’s gonna get rough.
And, of course, it will be all Trump’s fault.
So the second part of the plan is to make sure we think it is all Trump’s fault. The American Mind piece goes on to explain why the Democrats have chosen to speak so freely for months about the likely need for an anti-Trump coup. That one’s easy: they’ve got to get the idea of a coup out there — A COUP CAUSED BY TRUMP — with the threat that we’ll have “a repeat of this summer, only much, much bigger.” Then, when the time comes, “crank the propaganda to eardrum-shattering decibels and fill the streets of every major city with ‘protesters.’ Shut down the country and allow only one message to be heard: ‘Trump must go.’” And you know the media will do it, blaming Trump for the whole mess.
Take Heed to the Warning
So, how does the Trump administration prepare for a clear electoral win in which Biden won’t concede, when Democrats are already busy twisting the story into the opposite of that? Maybe the Republicans need to play out their own “war game” scenario. In case there is a coup, they also need a clear idea of who is on their side. And the President needs ways to communicate with the American people that can go around most of the major media. (Tweets won’t do it; he’ll be banned, of course.)
Trump had better be ready, and we need to be warning about this from now till Election Day. I believe, just as I did in 2016, that Trump will win. It’ll have to be a landslide to overcome the inevitable mail-in ballot fraud, but he will win. I just don’t believe that THAT many Americans have utterly lost their minds. Democrats will insist Biden really won and that any “coup” is Trump’s fault, but it’s a lie they’ve been setting up for months.
I’ll leave you with an opinion piece about this that is guaranteed not to make your head explode, by Jonathan Tobin in the New York Post. But take heed: it is very much a warning.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.
Originally published at MikeHuckabee.com. Reprinted with permission.