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Saturday, April 28, 2018

News Weakly - 4/28/18

Weaponizing Apologies
In an interview with the Guardian, Canadian singer living in Switzerland Shania Twain said that she would likely have voted for Trump in 2016. She didn't. She couldn't. But the fact that she said she would made people so angry that she needed to apologize. Two things we know about these kinds of apologies. 1) They don't work. They don't count. They are "not enough", "too little, too late." They accomplish nothing because the public does not forgive. 2) They serve the opposite effect. Although we live in a "free country" and people have the "right to vote" for whomever they think is best, you'd better not vote for whomever "they" don't want you to. And an apology simply confirms it. She would have acted within her rights as an American (if she had been an American), and this apology denies that. It says, "You're right; I should only vote for whomever you say I should." These apologies-on-demand these days are simply used as weapons against the people who offer them and the ideas they hate. (Note: There are, in the end of it all, no ideas that are not hated by someone. Modern technology just makes them louder.)

Southwest Flight 1380
Interesting. Remember that Southwest Airlines flight that shelled an engine, killing one and injuring more, but landing safely on only one engine? Turns out the pilot, Tammie Jo Shults, was not only among the first female combat pilots, but also a Christian. She wrote in a blog post that "being a pilot gave her 'the opportunity to witness for Christ on almost every flight.'" A friend from her church said "she wants people to know that God was there with her [on Flight 1380] that He helped her in getting control of that plane and landing that plane. It was because of Him, not her." I like stories like that.

Technology is Not Your Friend
Truthfully, technology is generally amoral. That is, it doesn't come with a moral component; we insert that. My point (in the title) is not that Technology is evil. My point is that evil humans intend to use technology for evil ends. How? You're aware of VR, right? Virtual Reality, the technology that allows a gamer (for instance) to be actually "in" a virtual reality, a 3-dimensional simulation. Also in the mix is the latest AR -- Augmented Reality. This one will take what really is and add things to it. It could allow you to see your own hand in front of you, for example, and place a virtual item in your hand. Imagine, then, what sinful humans could do with this in terms of "Changing Human Connection, Intimacy, and the Limits of Ordinary Life." This kind of technology would make for very realistic virtual sexual immorality, giving the feel of "I didn't do anything wrong because I didn't really do anything" while sinning with your whole heart. Not your friend.

The Left is Not Your Friend
California is at it again. They're pushing through Assembly Bill 2943, making it unlawful to engage in "'a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer' that advertise, offer to engage in, or do engage in 'sexual orientation change efforts with an individual.'" That is a book ban, at the very least. It defines "sexual orientations change efforts" as "any practices that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation. This includes efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex." Parachurch organizations on the subject, be ready. Churches, beware. Biblical Christians, watch out. The Left here is not interested in diversity, tolerance, or political compromise; they want to require by force of law that you do not express dissent against their position.

The Inflitrators
The New Yorker put out a piece recently about "Chick-fil-A's Creepy Infiltration of New York City". Say what? Yes, it is an evil infiltration. I mean, they have that nasty "to glorify God" phrase on the corporate purpose statement and they've insulted the entire animal species of cows who apparently can't spell ("Eat Mor Chikin"). (Seriously, those are a couple of the complaints.) "The brand's arrival here feels like an infiltration'" the article says, "in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism. Its headquarters, in Atlanta, are adorned with Bible verses and a statue of Jesus washing a disciple's feet. Its stores close on Sundays." The problem is clear. We don't want this Christian infiltration. It's gotta go.

DACA Demand
You know what DACA is, right? It's an immigration policy (as opposed to a law) started by President Obama in 2012 that allowed a specific group of illegal immigrants to gain work permits and stay in the United States. ICE agents sued. States sued. Courts ruled (mostly by not ruling). It was intended as a temporary measure until Congress could put together an official law on the subject. So in September of 2017 President Trump announced its repeal and tossed the ball to Congress to do their jobs. They didn't.

Now the courts have ruled. DACA is law. The Congress hasn't passed it. It was intended as a stop-gap to address a problem. But the courts have decided that it is mandatory government immigration policy. Janet Napolitano, previously the head of DHS and now president of the UC system declared that rescinding DACA was "unconstitutional, unjust, and unlawful."

I don't see how this is not judicial legislation, a clear case of a judge making law rather than interpreting or enforcing it. Whether or not I think DACA is a good idea, it seems to me that when the courts get to decide what is and is not policy (as opposed to "legal" or "constitutional"), we've signaled the end of the system of checks and balances instituted by the Constitution and, in effect, we've become ... unconstitutional.

Diversity Wins
So the Cal State University, Fresno, professor who cheered the death of Barbara Bush on Twitter and longed for the day that the rest of her kin would die horrible deaths won't lose her job. Won't be disciplined.

So, the way "diversity" works these days is you fire (or worse) the one who says things you find offensive but say nothing at all to the ones who are, oh, hey, look at that ... Muslim ... or "person of color" or LGBTLMNOP or ... any of that particular group who may prove "insensitive, inappropriate and an embarrassment to the university" but falls under that protected status. Christians, just be aware ... you are not in that category. I'm not complaining; I'm just letting you know.

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