Rush Limbaugh, 1951-2021

https://youtu.be/gfRgI5LryyM The outcome was never in doubt, but he lived longer than expected.  Rush Limbaugh, dead at 70, announced by his wife on his radio program at noon, February 17.

A real American success story. Started at the bottom. He used to inspire young people with stories about how many times he failed or was fired. Former disc jockey, former sports announcer. Loved the stories about his grandfather and father. Quit college because he said he wasn't learning anything about what he loved. He set the standard for talk radio and always encouraged people coming up in the business. And the money he used to raise for cancer research! Millions. Not realizing then it would take him, too.

I was still a Democrat the first time I heard him, and I wouldn't say he was the reason I changed, but he helped my education and caused me to dig a little deeper than my shallow knowledge of politics. But it was his voice. Best voice on radio, and so patient in listening to some of his really "challenged" callers. He loved to get calls from Democrats on Open line Fridays and just gave them enough rope and encouragement to strangle themselves. He appreciated every prayer, his wife reported.

The first time I heard Rush Limbaugh on the radio we were driving to Lakeside and he was talking about Dan's Bake Sale. With Rush promoting it (it was to needle President Clinton) about 70,000 people showed up but Dan never caught on to the opportunity.  I didn't become a Republican for another 12 years, but always enjoyed his show. Democrats were smarter back then. He could talk about anything and make a good story. Clinton was his nemesis, and I think Rush needed him to be funny.

I have two Rush stories to tell.

1) I listen a few times a week to the "Called to Communion" show with Dr. David Anders on EWTN radio. It's on at 2 p.m., but I listened to the archived shows in the middle of the night if I wake up. About 3:30 this morning I listened to Tom Price, Dr. Anders' side kick and announcer, get choked up speaking of Limbaugh's death (this would have been just 2 hours after it was announced by his wife on radio). He said that when he and Rush were starting out in the radio business they worked together as disc jockeys. (That's why the music on the Limbaugh show was always so great--he could also sing.) Rush always came to work in a white shirt, tie, and dress slacks, instead of the casual jeans of the other rockers. During commercials or on break, Rush was always talking politics, Tom recalled, even back then when he was poor and struggling. Of course, Rush's opinions and voice of Conservatism became famous, he wrote a number of books including a series for children in addition to his syndicated radio show and was a multimillionaire when he died. Tom happily works for a Catholic non-profit in Alabama, but also has a voice heard around the world.

2) Rush's fans are called "ditto heads" because shortly after his national show became so wildly popular back in the late 80s, the calls from his fans were so effusive with compliments, he asked them to just say, "ditto" so it didn't take up so much air time. Americans were thrilled to have someone who spoke to and for them.

Turn on Newsmax and turn off the alphabet and cable news if you want to hear a real eulogy, honest information.

Yes, Rush was divisive. You either liked that he gave Conservatives a voice and platform or you didn't. But he was never racist or homophobic. I wasn't a daily listener, but in 32 years, I never heard that. Women? He did tell stories about some women we didn't like or admire, same as men. Sort of equal opportunity. But his female fans adored him--why would you believe a Leftist over them? And he loved having Left leaning callers on his show--really let them play it out so we could see what they were about. They actually provided material and he had a name for those who had been trained on how to set him up. He could always tell. What was it--a seminar caller? Can't remember. The lies and hate were all from his enemies--he was a joyful, happy patriot. Always optimistic, even when dying.

"Usually, in this line of work, if you're lucky, you get a moment - a year or two when you're the in-thing - and you hope to hold enough of that moment as it slowly fades away to keep you going till retirement. Rush did something unprecedented in the history of TV and radio. Commercial broadcasting began in the United States in 1920: The Rush Limbaugh Show came along two-thirds of a century later, became the Number One program very quickly, and has stayed at the top all the way to today - for a third of the entire history of the medium." Mark Steyn

Biden talks to ally, Israel

Finally after almost a month, Biden got around to chatting with Netanyahu of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East. Trump called him on the second day of his administration. He's already talked to China and Russia. First things first. Appease our enemies. Wasn't that so easy to call off the Russia Russia Russia attacks in our own country? 

Biden's administration is filled with Obamabots, and the media are still swooning and throwing rose petals instead of questions. Don't expect the leakers' sources at the Post or Times to comb through every preposition and pause (or gaffe) in the phone conversation as they did with Trump looking for treason and xenophobia. 

Trump had offered, in the Middle East recent peace plan, the best deal the Palestinians had ever had under any U.S. president, but of course, they don't want peace so it was rejected. Biden doesn't want peace in the Middle East either, so he'll go back to coddling the Palestinians.

The old Democrat line again

At a Townhall yesterday, Biden said, "No one should work 40 hours a week and live in poverty." According to government statistics, no one does. Even during the Clinton administration decades ago, it was shown that to avoid poverty 3 things are required.

1) Finish high school,

2) be over 21 and married before having children, and

3) have a full time job.

Just those three can lift most children from poverty and break the cycle. If both parents are working 40 hours a week even at minimum wage (the old one) the family won't qualify for poverty programs because their income would be too high. It's not that there aren't exceptions like mental illness or intellectual deficiencies, alcoholism, drug abuse and illness which might prevent full time work, but overall, Joe is lying to us.

This speech was the old Democrat chant and whine for more money to redistribute among their faithful, and that ours is not a land of opportunity. You can never make America great again under Joe because legislation will prevent it.

Democrats continue to make these 3 simple rules, articulated in the 1990s by Ron Haskins in a Brookings report, difficult for the low income.

1) They denigrate and ridicule the value of marriage/children in all the cultural areas they control,

2) they weaken the necessary moral principals to sustain the education system by focusing on intersectional, racial and social issues leaving millions of children uneducated in the basics for employment, and

3) they make it difficult for young people to get good employment through programs that punish the employers, like raising the minimum to job killing levels.

The Bachelor Host is called a Racist for asking for grace for a contestant

It makes no difference how important you are in your government or business position, the woke police can dredge up your college or even elementary school behavior and "cancel" you. Did you “like” something on Facebook or Twitter casually moving on?   This needs to stop, but it's been so successful by leftist haters, I doubt it will. Especially if a liberal can replace you in your job to continue the narrative. No one is safe, not Democrats, not libertarians, and certainly not Republicans or the a-political.

WALSH: ‘Bachelor’ Host Called Racist For Advocating Grace And Forgiveness. Now He’s Stepping Down From The Show. | The Daily Wire

Lockdown computer model from 14 year old's science project

Maybe someone else would have come up with the same computer model for a lockdown and social distancing as a 14 year old girl did for her science project in 2006. But as of now, she's the only culprit. It had never been tried before, and for good reason. It would destroy the world economy and kill millions more than the virus.

Social Distancing for Coronavirus Has a History - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Also, the FB "fact checkers" still have a grey/black shield over my research on the lack of research about SKSAM and this virus (spelled backwards)

Traumatic Brain Injury

About 35 years ago I applied for a job as the Director of an organization helped victims of TBI, traumatic brain injury. I had some of the qualifications they were seeking, like research and supervising staff, the advanced education, but I didn’t know anything about TBI. So I researched it before the interview. I didn’t get the job, but I never lost my interest in TBI. When I see articles about children’s sports injuries, or NFL brain trauma, or head injuries from auto accidents or falls, I always stop to read them. I’ve known two brilliant women whose careers and lives were devastated in auto accidents during their post graduate college years.

Today I saw an item about a coming conference at OSU, the annual CBI Research Day (Chronic Brain Injury) CBI Research Day | Discovery Themes, The Ohio State University (osu.edu) on March 10. I looked at the qualifications of some of the speakers and for articles they’ve published since I won’t be attending, even virtually. This item about Dr. Christine MacDonald was particularly interesting: Combat concussions worsen over time, not lessen.

“The EVOLVE study, for which she is the lead researcher, found that those who suffer combat concussions worsen over the course of their 1-year and 5-year follow-ups; 80% seek mental health assistance by the 5-year follow-up, and only 19% achieve a “sustained resolution of their symptoms.” The service members had blast or non-blast related concussions, but none had more complex or severe brain injuries.” The Invisible Wounds of War — Concussion Alliance

Electromagnetic controlled cortical impact device for precise, graded experimental traumatic brain injury - PubMed (nih.gov)

Clinical and imaging assessment of acute combat mild traumatic brain injury in Afghanistan (nih.gov)

Cerebellar White Matter Abnormalities following Primary Blast Injury in US Military Personnel (nih.gov)

Amy K. Wagner, MD, Chair for Translational Research at the University of Pittsburgh, is the keynote speaker, and Carrie Lynn Esopenko, PhD, Asst. Professor of Rehabilitation & Movement Sciences at Rutgers is the Spotlight Speaker. 

The database at the University of Pittsburgh, certainly shows some interesting statistics:  Whites (67%) are far more likely to be victims than blacks (19%), an overwhelming number are single--never married, divorced, widowed (67%), males are 73.5%, and 52% of the causes are vehicular crashes.  TBIMS_NationalDB_update.pdf (pitt.edu)

2022 elections—Freedom of speech and assembly

I think this will be the big issue for 2022 elections. Silencing us. Using non-government entities to destroy our First Amendment rights.

Sarah Sanders who is running for Governor of Arkansas:

"From "cancel culture" to big tech censorship, liberals are determined to dismiss, defeat, and repress any opinion that isn't in line with theirs.

They even went as far as banning a then sitting President of the United States from all platforms."

Right now, they are attacking supporters of the President who went after the swamp, but others are being silenced too. Doctors, lawyers, librarians, teachers, professors, entertainers and business owners are questioning the unproven medical advice and policies related to the pandemic. They are being silenced, whether or not they are the president's supporters. Time to step out and speak up. Stop cancel culture in your schools, churches and non-profits. Stop the scam. Stop the lockdown. Know what's going on in your state and community.

And you Democrats will be silenced next. Learn from history. Germany, Russia, China, Venezuela, Cuba and others have much to teach you.

Different perspective on Christian nations and Covid19

I was researching the missionaries John and Betty Stam (I'll write more later) who were murdered by the Chinese Communists in 1934 thus starting a missionary movement, when I came across an article about them by Dr. Eugene Bach at the Back to Jerusalem* website. I checked, as I often do, to see what else he had written, and found an interesting perspective on the role of Christian nations in this pandemic:

"The truth is, the world is crying out for Christian nations to come up with a solution. Most people do not realize how much we depend on Christians nations – not even the nations themselves. In fact, citizens of traditional Christian nations are crying out for more atheism, separation of church and state and the outright rejection of Christian ideas and traditions in society, but when they look to their counterparts in atheist nations like China and Russia, they do not see any hope. Subconsciously, perhaps they do not even expect it.

Russia was one of the first nations in the world to develop a vaccine last year and the WHO completely ignored it. Nobody trusted it – the process was not as transparent as many would have liked.

China also developed a vaccination last year and there were some nations who bought it. However, after it was revealed that it was only 50% effective in Brazil, the confidence level sank.

So, reluctantly, the world turned to nations based on Christian principles that make it possible for refugees are looking for a place to go, where do they go?medical and scientific breakthroughs.

It is not just about scientific and medical breakthroughs, though. When the world is in crisis and

When Iraqi and Syrian refugees ran from ISIS, they didn’t seek refuge in neighboring Kuwait or Qatar. They didn’t apply for refugee status in Vietnam or Laos. When economic refugees leave their home in Sri Lanka or Nepal, they do not apply for citizenship to China or Russia."

Coronavirus Reveals The World STILL Turns to Christian Nations for Help - Back to Jerusalem

I was particularly challenged by his statement: ". . . citizens of traditional Christian nations are crying out for more atheism, separation of church and state and the outright rejection of Christian ideas and traditions in society, but when they look to their counterparts in atheist nations like China and Russia, they do not see any hope. Subconsciously, perhaps they do not even expect it."

I'm not sure I have his high opinion of the so-called Christian nations, many of which forgot their Christian heritage long ago, and those of us who still claim it have squabbling groups of Christians with no unity and no charity for each other.  I'll need to do more thinking and research on this.

*What is the Back to Jerusalem movement? "Many mistake the idea of Back to Jerusalem as a movement of the Chinese church to evangelize Jerusalem. However, Back to Jerusalem is the goal of the Chinese church to evangelize the unreached peoples from eastern provinces of China, westwards towards Jerusalem. The vision was birthed among the Chinese in the 1920s, and since that time, the churches of China have strove and even suffered persecution to fulfill what they believe is their integral role in fulfilling the Great Commission. Our organization partners with the church of China to not only evangelize the religiously oppressed areas of Asia, but to also train and send Chinese missionaries into the unreached regions of the globe, including Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu nations.

Paying the college loans for those who signed for them

I worked at the local public library and the drug store when I was in high school.  In summers and during the school year in college I worked various part time jobs--usually the college library.  My parents provided most of the cost going without since 3 of us were in college at the same time. Dad would have considered it an embarrassment to take money from the government. Then when I got married during my senior year, my parents provided me with a loan which we paid back in a year or two. 

College education costs became a huge bubble since those days (1960s), worse than the real estate bubble of 2007-08, and mainly because the government flooded the colleges with loan and grant dollars. The colleges and universities just raised tuition and built more buildings and cut back state support. Academe has continued that bad planning by luring young people away from those colleges that could have benefitted them in order to meet federal requirements for minority enrollments. And with slight of hand academe "counted" foreign students whose governments were paying for their educations in their minority quotas.  The American minority students took on loans they could never pay back and never got those good jobs without the degrees they were promised. This is what happens when we think someone else will pay, and since it isn't the government's money, they just throw it at anything and anyone that moves.

There is no free lunch.

Where are the Walk-aways?

The walk away campaign, crushed by Big Tech, was probably the most multi-cultural, diverse and interesting political group on Facebook (and maybe other platforms). I learned a lot about the challenges of people who are trans, gay, disabled, very rich, very poor, black, Latino, victims of violence, over educated and under educated. What an amazing group telling their stories of coming to the fresh air of conservatism after years of being trapped by the left.

Often the reason was that their own "community" to say nothing of lover or family, had deserted them when they began to question the obvious -- Marxism, lying candidates, lies about Trump, the swamp creatures, etc. If you're already in a group that has been tested and tried for being different, it's a huge blow to have them turn on you because you THINK FOR YOURSELF! Also, many got to that point by doing their own research when they notice obvious failings in their Democrat party.

I didn't read every post, but they were usually sincere and autobiographical on why they walked away after voting years for Clinton or Obama, or Bernie. The non-citizen posts from other countries were particularly poignant and encouraging as they had their own battles with political correctness.

But the Left, those guys who like to talk about "my truth," couldn't take it. Brandon, a former gay hairdresser with a knack for offering hope, and his 500,000 followers (plus probably that many who just read their stories about walking away from the Democrats) have been de-platformed, jailed, silenced or whatever you want to call it.

Brandon was a huge Trump supporter. Not all his walk away members were and they didn't claim to be Republicans. They all had in common that Democrats had lied to them year after year and nothing ever changed. For whatever reason, Trump brought them changes in jobs, attitude and hope.

Collecting My Thoughts: The cost of walking away for Linda

Collecting My Thoughts: Why Donna left the Democrats—she didn’t—they left her

Collecting My Thoughts: Myrna walked away from the Democrat Party in 1988

Collecting My Thoughts: Why Andrea walked away from the Democrats

Collecting My Thoughts: Jim tells a familiar story about Democrat friends

Some pep talks are not truthful—especially ones about truth

I saw this in the daily dose of coping encouragement in the OSU medical newsletter—which these days is mostly about Covid19.

“We can banish fear by realizing the truth.

“Am I afraid to be alone?” This fear can be subdued by the realization that we are surrounded by people each and every day.

People who care about us are all around us every single day. They’re willing to support us at the drop of the hat — but only if we let them know we need their support.

The number of people willing to support us is inexhaustible and unfailing, as long as we engage in open communication making clear our need for their support. Funny thing, when we support each other: Our bonds grow stronger, and we’re much more successful in our endeavors.”

Think about that first sentence in the context of what we see every day.

We knew the truth about glioblastoma when our son was diagnosed on October 1, 2019.  We knew he would soon die and that our lives changed forever on that day.  That was the truth.  It didn’t banish our fear.

We saw enough evidence about mail in ballots and middle of the night vote counting for the November 3 election to know the truth.  It hasn’t banished fear about where our system of government is heading.  The truth is not banishing fear, it’s causing us to lose our basic freedoms.

I’m looking out my window at fresh snow, I know it will be extremely cold and slick when I go to the grocery store.  That’s truth.  But I’m still afraid to drive there.

And there are NOT inexhaustible and unfailing people surrounding us and available to help at the drop of the hat.  Those people are locked in their homes.   True, this was written to support the highly stressed medical workers dealing with a pandemic who see people every day. but imagine throwing that guilt trip on people already stressed to the limit.  And although sometimes just the right person comes along to help or support, that’s the exception, which is why we often mention it in our prayer groups and Bible studies (now available only on ZOOM).

Platitudes and cheap grace.  That’s what a lot of coping stragies are.  This advice was followed up with a video of horses playing with rubber balls.  Cute.  But it didn’t banish the fear based on Truth.

Should churches receive PPP to pay their staff?

ON AVERAGE, CHRISTIANS GIVE 2.5% OF THEIR INCOME TO CHURCHES. During the Great Depression, they gave 3.3%. Giving is way down since 1990.

Even though tithers are in the minority (5-10%), their tithes still make up a large part of the budget for churches (one-half to three-quarters according to Barna). The number in the pews who drop $1-$5 in the collection plate, if that, are in the majority. We discovered while still in our 20s that we were never short of money once we started tithing.

That said, I think it is unethical for churches to be applying for and receiving government money for PPP. First, most of them closed at least for awhile. Second, many of them still had at least part of their regular source of income. Third, as non-profits, churches don't pay federal taxes, because technically they have no income. (Their employees do pay taxes.) Fourth, I'm guessing the smallest and poorest churches probably couldn't even afford to apply--it's a very tedious and time consuming application.

I know it's legal--the two largest churches in my area got $677,000 and $667,000--and that was for 2.5 months to pay their staff. The information is public. at www.federalpay.org

The confusion and misinformation (and hatred of Trump) concerning hydroxychloroquine has been resolved—Statement of AMA, Resolution 509

Background:  Early in the 2020 pandemic HCQ was approved for early use, and then rescinded when two studies claimed harm.  Meanwhile, President Trump talked about HCQ in glowing terms at a press conference, and the leftists in media and Big Tech jumped on that as a reason to demonize a perfectly safe and effective treatment used in many countries with a lower death rate than the U.S.  They also criticized American doctors who were using it, and ridiculed them.  The American Medical Association finally reversed its harmful course in the November 2020 addendum to the Handbook, and in Resolution 509, approved its use in the early states. Just in case it disappears, here it is.

“Whereas, The original studies published in The Lancet and The New England Journal of  Medicine (NEJM) initially citing harm due to hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine use were retracted by said journals due to dubious research methodology and incorrect conclusions, 

Whereas, AMA policy H-120.988, “Patient Access to Treatments Prescribed by Their 38 Physicians,” supports a physician’s autonomy to prescribe medications the physician believes to 39 be in the patient’s best interest, where the benefits outweigh risk and the patient consents; and 

Whereas, Physicians have used off label medications for years and this use is supported by 42 existing policy; and

Whereas, Data regarding harm have been limited due to poorly designed studies or studies usually in Stage 2 or later, or stopped without harm but no effect in phase 2 and hypothesis 

Whereas, There are many studies that indicate that the use of Hydroxychloroquine,  Azithromycin is effective and front-line physicians are using the therapy where permissible ; and

Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious medical issue, people are dying, and  physicians must be able to perform as sagacious prescribers; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association rescind its statement calling for physicians to stop prescribing hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine until sufficient evidence becomes  available to conclusively illustrate that the harm associated with use outweighs benefit early in the disease course. Implying that such treatment is inappropriate contradicts AMA Policy 8 H-120.988, “Patient Access to Treatments Prescribed by Their Physicians,” that addresses off  label prescriptions as appropriate in the judgement of the prescribing physician (Directive to  Take Action); and be it further

RESOLVED, That our AMA rescind its joint statement with the American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and update it with a joint statement notifying patients that further studies are ongoing to clarify any potential benefit of hydroxychloroquine and combination therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 (Directive to Take Action); and be it further

RESOLVED, That our AMA reassure the patients whose physicians are prescribing  hydroxychloroquine and combination therapies for their early-stage COVID-19 diagnosis by issuing an updated statement clarifying our support for a physician’s ability to prescribe an FDA approved medication for off label use, if it is in her/his best clinical judgement, with specific reference to the use of hydroxychloroquine and combination therapies for the treatment of the earliest stage of COVID-19 (Directive to Take Action); and be it further 

RESOLVED, That our AMA take the actions necessary to require local pharmacies to fill valid prescriptions that are issued by physicians and consistent with AMA principles articulated in AMA Policy H-120.988, “Patient Access to Treatments Prescribed by Their Physicians,” including working with the American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Health System Pharmacists. (Directive to Take Action) “

I have removed the footnotes from the partial document so it would be easier to read, but you can find them in the original document. Nov 2020 Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates - Handbook Addendum (ama-assn.org) 

Considering that this was in an addendum to a handbook issued too late to be included and circulated before the election, the timing is definitely suspicious.  I’m not familiar with this blogger, he wrote

“So, there we have it. HCQ could not be approved before the election, because President Trump had recommended it. Meanwhile, with an 8o +% reduced risk of having to be admitted to the hospital if administered with Azithromycin and Zinc as soon as testing positive or symptoms occurred, many (70000+) lives could have been saved.

It has come to my attention that the resolution, while adopted got stopped before a new and valid recommendation was issued. There are powerful interests in the AMA that want to keep things as they are rather than advance real medical science based on real results, and never admit a mistake. Meanwhile, people are dying because of lack of solid, but inexpensive medical solutions.”

American Medical Association Rescinds Previous Statement Against Prescription of Hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 Patients. (Updated) – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. (lenbilen.com)

How the Democrats did it

Everyone is talking about the TIME article which explains how the Democrats did it. "The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election."

https://youtu.be/FTWlq7PqQVQ

Waiving Covid tests for illegals.

Tucker Carlson reported last night: "The New York Times, Reuters and others reported last week on the CBP releasing hundreds of migrants into Texas and California owing to ‘overflow facilities’ already being full.

Less than one month into Biden’s Presidency, there is already a new ‘border crisis’, according to officials, with facilities unable to hold or test migrants.

“When we release people that break our laws without bothering to test them for the virus – the same virus we’ve used as a pretext for wrecking your life – what we’re saying in the clearest possible terms [is]: “We don’t like you,”‘ Carlson said, of the Biden Administration

Franklin Country death rate from Covid: .0066

I've been looking at the Ohio "Dashboard" for Covid this morning. The state fatality rate is .012 from Covid with 922,143 cases and 11,695 deaths. If your loved one has died of Covid, that's 100% for your family, however, closing down the state and listening to terrifying news every evening for .012 death rate seems callous for the rest of us, especially the elderly who can't see their families, and the young adults whose careers and businesses have been shattered.

Now a look at the counties. Huge differences in cases and death rates. Our three largest counties are

Franklin (Columbus, the largest, has gained 13.2% since the 2010 census), death rate .0066

Cuyahoga (Cleveland which was the largest in the 2010 census, but has lost 3.5% in a decade) death rate .013

Hamilton (Cincinnati) death rate .0069

Franklin Co. had the most cases, and the lowest death rate.

I looked at the race/age/poverty figures, and Cuyahoga (Cleveland) is older, with a larger minority population, and higher poverty rate. I'm no expert in statistics, but the spread between the races appears much smaller than the age spread. Because the co-morbidities increase with age, this could be the reason. In developing countries, for instance, the death rate is lower than the U.S. and Europe even though they don't have as good a health system. They have younger populations. (And maybe they were allowed to use HCQ?)  My friend Anna Loska Meenan, a retired physician, says India’s death rate is a fraction of USA, and they can buy HCQ over the counter.  Trump was right and was demonized by the media and the medical establishment.

https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards?

The lynching of Donald Trump, private citizen

The thought police will squash the person who even suggests there were irregularities in the 2020 election. And there's probably 50-70 million who are becoming more suspicious every day wondering why Democrats are so afraid. Lynchings were performed without due process by special committees of the self righteous, and the results were known ahead of time. We're seeing this played out again in the most powerful and corrupt city in the world where the word justice is meaningless and Democrats have shredded the Constitution.

Fascism—Trump or Biden?

What exactly is fascism? The Democrats for 4 years accused Trump of being a Fascist and Antifa proclaims to be fighting Fascism. Nope and nope. Here's how it works. Silence and jail those who disagree. Make new laws. Work with the scions of industry to insure their support and transfer to them some powers of government (to protect religion, speech, assembly).

"Hillary’s latest op-ed in the Washington Post, a paper owned by the richest man in the world whose company deplatformed Parler, calls for expelling Republican legislators, passing “new criminal laws”, and government oversight of social media platforms. This is fascism." Frontpage, Jan. 20, 2021

Hallelujah. Jesus is Lord

I can't verify the Hallelujah story, but it's a good one.

Erling Olsen in his Meditations in the Book of Psalms writes in 1937 (on Ps. 147, p. 1013) that the word Hallelujah (Praise the Lord) was taboo in Germany because it is a Hebrew word.

His book is enjoyable not only for all the history and analysis of the Psalms, but because he was living in and comments on the era of terrible economic depression, a time of terrible drought and crop loss, and the build up to WWII.

Hitler tried to blame all Germany's problems on the Jews and diminished them as human beings. Forbidding certain words is not new to our era--like stolen election or even an acronym like MAGA. It's typical in power grabs. Hitler considered Jews inferior to the German master race. He convinced many Germans that Jews weren't worthy of the rights enjoyed by other Germans even thought they'd been neighbors and friends for decades and centuries. That power enhancing trick is being used today by certain totalitarians in government, entertainment, business and education aided by Big Tech. Demonize Trump supporters and then on a larger scale, all white people, and on to Western Civilization and its core values. It's been a growing crescendo for at least 3 decades, maybe more. It's in "studies" curricula, "woke" speech, intersectional group speak, behavior demands, shadow banning and cancel culture. It's in the 1619 myth and in the climate change hysteria. We've been here before. The House Un-American Activities Committee lasted from 1938-1965, then got a name change. If you look at a list of the committee members in Wikipedia, by far the majority were Democrats.

Olsen says (it was a radio show later published in book form) Hallelujah is the language of heaven. Brush up on it now, he says, so you will be fluent when you get there. Olsen also warns us not to forget our knee exercises--don't forget to pray and praise. Our hearts can grow cold without praise.

Teaching guilt and shame in reeducation courses

Knowing the helper/healer/teacher and the beneficiary/student/client  have different cultures which affect learning and relationships is, of course, essential.  Missionaries know this; middle managers are either taught or learn it; a city teacher should study rural values if she wants to be rehired by the school board of farmers.  Doctors and nurses and aides should be learning this all through college and medical school.

For example, when I was a department head, I had to accept and understand some aspects of Muslim immigrant cultures—like why my female student employee was driven to work by a male relative and why she would never attend a social event with our staff. I also had some disabled student employees—one from India whose polio limp not only affected her work, but her arranged marriage. One student was on the autism scale and I needed to modified her schedule for less client contact. My male assistant was on his journey from Daniel to Danielle. The student whose problem was knowing more than the boss (could be cultural?) just had to find a new job.

There’s something different in the “reeducation” modules included in certification the last decade or two. The supervisor/employee is expected to relearn her own culture and be embarrassed and shamed by it.

The following are the learning objectives and course description in a federal government “cultural competency” for 5 hours of certified, continuing education course to meet various requirements for maintaining a professional license.  I’ve not sat in for the classes, so whether it qualifies for “cancel culture” or “critical race theory” I can’t say.   I’ve high lighted the buzz words that set off alarms for me.

Learning Objectives

After completing this continuing education activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe how culture, cultural identity, and intersectionality are related to behavioral health and behavioral health care.
• Describe the principles of cultural competency and cultural humility.
• Discuss how our bias, power, and privilege can affect the therapeutic relationship.
• Discuss ways to learn more about a client's cultural identity.
• Describe how stereotypes and microaggressions can affect the therapeutic relationship.
• Explain how culture and stigma can influence help-seeking behaviors.
• Describe how communication styles can differ across cultures.
• Identify strategies to reduce bias during assessment and diagnosis.
• Explain how to elicit a client's explanatory model.

Cultural and linguistic competency is recognized as an important strategy for improving the quality of care provided to clients from diverse backgrounds. The goal of this e-learning program is to help behavioral health professionals increase their cultural and linguistic competency.

Course Outline

• In Course 1, An introduction to cultural and linguistic competency, you'll learn what culture has to do with behavioral health care.
• In Course 2, Know thyself – Increasing self-awareness, you'll learn how to get to know your cultural identity and how it affects your work with clients.
• In Course 3, Knowing others – Increasing awareness of your client's cultural identity, you'll learn how to get to know your client’s cultural identity.
• In Course 4, Culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions and services, you'll learn how to build stronger therapeutic relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds.

The estimated time to complete all 4 Courses is between 4 – 5.5 hours.

Keep in mind, that today’s young professionals have been exposed to probably a decade or two of such classes.  I wonder if they see it as a blow off class sort of like our health classes in high school where they put worms in alcohol to show us about the dangers of drinking.  Even at 16 I knew the worms would die in a bottle of Coke. Social and behavioral manipulation can backfire.

Home - Think Cultural Health (hhs.gov)  This information was dated or updated in 2019, the Trump administration, and will be revised, deleted, or rewritten as Biden appointments move in.