Daily Headlines | Wednesday October 13, 2021

Good Morning!  

Writing in their bestselling book, Finding God in the Lord of the Rings, Focus on the Family’s Jim Ware and former colleague, Kurt Bruner, write: 

“Living by faith includes the call to something greater than cowardly self-preservation.” 

We begin this morning with Focus on the Family’s Robyn Chambers applauding the courage of the Texas legislature – and affirming a woman’s ability to do the right thing:  

Colorado Pregnancy Resource Centers Available to Serve Women from Texas Seeking Abortion  

Focus on the Family’s Robyn Chambers is featured on Fox 21 (Video): 

Texas women are driving thousands of miles to get abortion procedures in Colorado after the state passed a new abortion law. 

Planned Parenthood of Rocky Mountain said they are seeing a 130% increase in patients statewide. 

The Christian organization located in Colorado Springs, Focus on the Family is in support of those lawmakers standing up for protecting unborn lives. 

“We applaud the efforts of the legislatures, and the governor in Texas. They’re really standing up for the weakest among us and the most vulnerable, which are the preborn babies,” Executive Director for Advocacy for Children Robyn Chambers said.  

“One of the goals we have here at Focus on the Family is to find resources for that young woman to carry that child to term. Let’s find a way to support her to keep that child- not a place to go to find an abortion. I believe this will save lives.” 

“Sometimes a young woman just needs one person in her life to say, ‘Congratulations, how can I help you? How can I support you?’” Chambers added. 

“Then the next thing I would do to support her is let’s get some resources. Let me get you connected with someone who can talk with you about all of your choices and just really support her. One of the things I love to say is that women are strong enough, women are brave enough to have that child and follow their dreams. I want her to hear there is someone to say that you can do this.” 

The Patriot Act Wasn’t Meant to Target Parents 

From the Wall Street Journal: 

In recent months, parents across the country have expressed their views on issues ranging from pronoun selection and Critical Race Theory to the medical basis of certain Covid restrictions and age-inappropriate, sexually explicit curricular materials. Parents have a right—indeed an obligation—to participate actively at school-board meetings to ensure the safety and well-being of their children. In Virginia’s Loudoun and Fairfax counties, moms, dads, and teachers shocked by X-rated reading lists, race-based indoctrination, and anti-Christian instruction have made their voices heard. 

When asked this week whether the Patriot Act should be used to monitor parents at school-board meetings, White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded: “The attorney general has put out a letter. They will take actions they take, and I would point you to them for more information.” Ms. Psaki’s nonresponse—and Attorney General Merrick Garland’s memorandum directing federal counterterrorism agents to monitor parents at local school-board meetings—is emblematic of the Biden administration’s unparalleled effort to transform federal laws and agencies into instruments of domestic political repression. 

When debating the Patriot Act and other federal antiterrorism laws, nobody in either chamber of Congress could have imagined these laws would be turned against concerned parents at local school board meetings. Yet on Oct. 4, Mr. Garland issued the memorandum that will live in infamy. It directs the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. attorneys to develop “strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff.” This memorandum followed a Sept. 29 National School Boards Association letter to President Biden urging the administration to use the Patriot Act to monitor parents at school board meetings. 

‘Gender Fluid’ Student Sexually Assaults Girl in Restroom – Loudoun County Schools Try to Ignore the Incident  

From The Daily Citizen: 

It’s a horrific story, a parent’s nightmare. 

A ‘gender fluid’ male student, dressed in a skirt, allegedly entered a girls restroom at Stone Bridge High School and sexually assaulted a ninth grade girl. The incident took place in Loudoun County, Virginia, on May 28, 2021, The Daily Wire said in an investigative report. 

At a school board meeting on June 22, the girl’s father made international headlines after he was hit in the face and dragged out of a Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting. Scott Smith intended to speak out about what happened to his daughter as the board debated “transgender” policies, before the board declared the meeting “an unlawful assembly” and he was forcibly removed. 

As The Wire stated, “Minutes before Smith’s arrest, the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) superintendent lectured the public that concerns about the transgender policy were misplaced because the school system had no record of any assault occurring in any school bathroom.” 

LCPS Superintendent Scott Ziegler said, “To my knowledge, we don’t have any record of assaults occurring in our restrooms.” 

Five months later, on October 6, the same student was charged with “sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student” at nearby Broad Run High School, where LCPS had evidently transferred him. 

4.In New York City, The Left Tells Parents Yet Again: Your Kids Belong To Us 

From The Federalist: 

As if the striver types who keep New York City’s lights on need any more reasons to flee, outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio announced he’s canceling gifted education for “equality.” The New York Times claims in its “report” on the announcement Friday that “the highly selective program” “has become a glaring symbol of segregation in New York City public schools.” 

The change — which is up to de Blasio’s successor to carry out — is another glaring indication that Democrats now feel comfortable openly flexing their complete dominance over U.S. public education and their use of it, not to educate, but to fuel their political machine. Leftists’ displays of complete power over public schooling have fired like artillery shelling in the past two years. 

Just take stock of what we’ve only recently witnessed: The Biden administration’s announcement that parents upset with systemic racist indoctrination could be investigated by the FBI as “domestic terrorists”; going on three school years of anti-science school COVID rules that benefit teachers unions at the expense of America’s future; the false and destructive 1619 Project assisting schools nationwide in teaching anti-Americanism; California Gov. Gavin Newsom announcing COVID shots are required for kids to attend school; the almost instant saturation of transgender ideology in public schools, to the point teachers who cannot make themselves use reality-falsifying pronouns are summarily fired. 

Netflix Stands Strong Against Trans Activists’ Threats 

From The Daily Citizen: 

Comedian Dave Chapelle has a new comedy special on Netflix full of offensive words no one has any good reason saying. He calls women terrible names, for laughs. He’s been doing so for years. But Netflix has found itself in extremely hot water for airing his latest special. Because he spoke so distastefully about women? Not at all. Because he uses the “n-word” like it’s salt and pepper? Nope. 

Netflix has faced a vicious backlash because some trans activists don’t like how the comedian questions their political rhetoric. Chapelle does so by asking questions like ““Why is it easier for Bruce Jenner to change his gender than Cassius Clay to change his name?” in his new special “The Closer.” 

But Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix, has stood up to the throng via a memo to his employees, explaining “As with our other talent, we work hard to support their creative freedom — even though this means there will always be content on Netflix some people believe is harmful.” Sarandos told Netflix employees even there are those “asking us to remove the show in coming days” that is something “which we are not going to do.” 

GLAAD, a gay media advocacy organization, tried to tell Netflix the comedy special violates the streaming behemoth’s own policies. But the Netflix CEO seems to be able draw a proper balance between language that incites hate and that which is simply critical of some of the political tactics of the gender redefinition movement. 

6.   Sports Illustrated Appears to Deliberately Omit Reference to Jesus from Report on Texas A&M Star Kicker 

From The Daily Citizen: 

Texas A&M’s kicker Seth Small lit up the internet this past week after his clutch 23-yard field goal upset top-ranked Alabama, the Crimson Tide’s first loss after 100 consecutive victories against unranked teams. 

“It was probably the third best moment of my life, right after I accepted Jesus into my heart as my true Lord and Savior, and then after getting married to my wife this summer,” he replied. “I’d rank this one three.” 

Yet, acute readers of Sports Illustrated, the iconic sports magazine, might be left trying to piece together the kicker’s full comments. 

In a piece published yesterday, SI’s Andrew Gastelum writes: 

After the game, Small said in his postgame press conference that the kick ranked as the “third best moment of my life”—right after marrying his wife over the summer.  

Gastelum leaves out Small’s reference to Jesus – even though readers following along would inevitably wonder what the number one moment of the kicker’s life would be. 

In recent years, Christian athletes have increasingly used their platforms on live television to try and call attention and the spotlight away from themselves and onto Jesus.  From Tim Tebow to Kevin Durant – and now Seth Small, it’s no longer rare to hear references to the Gospel in prime time. 

Some individuals have been criticized for only thanking the Lord for victories – but truth be told, interviews with the victors are more popular than with players on the losing side. Christian athletes know to give glory to God regardless of outcome. 

That Sports Illustrated would choose to write an article focused on the personal side of Smalls – and leave out the most important detail of the young man’s personal life – is yet another reminder secular culture is increasingly uncomfortable with any reference to the Christian faith, especially evangelicalism. 

7.   Social Media Profits Off Conservatives 

From the American Conservative: 

We have heard much talk of late about just how much conservatives need social media, how Facebook and Twitter are the modern “public square,” and how denying right-wingers access to these platforms is a new breed of corporate tyranny. It would also behoove us to recognize just how much social media needs conservatives, which is why they have not taken the ultimate plunge that Haugen and others would no doubt like them to take. 

In fact, the narrative about social media censorship also serves the interests of these companies. By coming to see one’s presence on the apps as a privilege to be fought for tooth and nail, conservatives miss the question of whether these companies deserve their patronage in the first place. Looked at from a certain angle, we are rather pathetic in our willingness to beg for a place at the back of the bus. 

Of course, I would never be so conspiratorial as to suggest that the social media giants would subtly promote the censorship narrative, so as to provoke right-wingers into trying to stay on the apps at all costs. 

I do, however, know that it would be a catastrophic day for those companies if all conservatives in America—and the world—chose to close their accounts. It would even be a pretty bad day for them if all conservatives resolved to cut their time spent on social media by 10 percent or 20 percent. Such an act would be a mighty shrug of Atlas, and teach the snobs of Silicon Valley just how much they need the voices they so malign. 

In a free market, the choice of which products to consume includes the choice to consume no product at all, if one deems this to be the most beneficial course of action. Should conservatives take a step that would improve their personal lives, strike a blow against the People’s Republic of China by decreasing social fragmentation in America, and make Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey cry? I will leave that for the reader to decide. 

8.   Who’s helping around the house? It’s a “He said, she said” situation 

From the Deseret News: 

Both unpaid work at home and employment changes during the pandemic show men and women may view labor differently, the survey found. 

“Early on in the pandemic, there was much more work to do at home,” said Richard J. Petts, professor of sociology at Ball State University, who wasn’t involved in the survey. “Kids are home, no child care, all that additional stuff to do. Moms are doing more, but dads are also doing more. Dads stepped up and helped increase the number of families sharing work more equally.” 

At the same time, work itself changed for many. Working remotely from home happened mostly for the wealthy: Seven in 10 high earners said they were sent home to work, compared to fewer than 6 in 10 in the middle and half of low-income workers, who disproportionately have front-line jobs. 

Before March 2020, for all income categories, the share who worked from home at any time was between 41-46%. 

After March 2020, high-income workers also worked from home more hours, doing so 54% of the time on average, compared to roughly 40% of the time for those earning less. 

Food prices reach highest level in a decade 

From JTN: 

Food prices hit a 10-year high worldwide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index. U.S. companies are feeling the pinch, resorting to increasing prices to offset their costs to purchase goods and deal with labor and transportation problems. 

The FAO index measures the monthly change of international prices of a range of food commodities, including cereals, vegetable oil, dairy, meat has increased almost 33% and sugar. 

Overall, FAO index prices have increased by 32.8% over the past 12 months, the highest they’ve been since 2011. 

The commodity with the highest increase was vegetable oil, followed by sugar, cereal, meat and dairy, found the FAO, the U.N. system’s food security and agriculture arm. 

Tony Bennett’s Musical Memory Triumphs over Alzheimer’s  

From 60 Minutes: 

When Tony Bennett’s family announced he had Alzheimer’s disease in February, few of the 94-year-old singer’s fans imagined they’d ever see him on stage again.  

But this summer, with his family’s help, the legendary crooner began rehearsing for two concerts at Radio City Music Hall, with his friend Lady Gaga. No one knew for sure if Tony would be able to pull it off, but his family believed that Tony’s story could give hope to others struggling with Alzheimer’s. And invited us to follow him preparing for, what would likely be, his final act.  

When it was time to rehearse, something incredible happened. Tony’s accompanist, Lee Musiker, began playing, and suddenly the legendary showman was back. 

He had no notes, no cue cards. 

We were amazed, all his old songs were somehow still there. He sang an hour-long set from memory.