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ready for some poetry?
There was a senator named Johnson Who came from the north in Wisconsin. He showed that racism Isn’t just a south-ism. It has infected Ron’s mind like a toxin. tweet of the day: 'Pizza, guns, drums, music, family, and God': Details emerge about anti-Asian shooter's background Details emerge about anti-Asian shooter's background https://twitter.com/wirecan/status/1372144929594609664 part one: In the context of Biden's talks with China today, we are revisiting a broadcast from March 4, when we discussed China. Professor of political science Andrew Latham Macalester College Rethinking the US-China fight: Does China really threaten American power abroad? A scholar of global relations says China seems worried about its future. Meanwhile, the US and Europe still treat China as a threat. The clash of world views could be destabilizing. China is now more market-based economically. It started its change slowly, with a low profile, but is now more powerful, wealthy, and sophisticated. China also has a more obvious military presence. The characteristics of a China economy are different from and American economy: They are a one-party system, but they are willing to embrace some capitalistic behaviors. They are also facing a demographic challenge: fewer young people, due to their orginal one-child policy. https://theconversation.com/rethinking-the-us-china-fight-does-china-really-threaten-american-power-abroad-148672 nugget:President Joe Biden is so far maintaining his predecessor’s tough China policy, which aims to curb China’s international power both economically and politically.In the U.S. and Europe, China is widely recognized as a rising star that threatens Western power. But my research on the country suggests China may no longer see itself that way. bio: Andrew Latham has served as:Assistant Director of the Centre for International and Security Studies, York University, Toronto; Nonproliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament Research Fellow, with the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Lecturer, at the Canadian Armed Forces School of Aerospace Studies, Winnipeg, Canada; and as Senior Policy Associate with the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is currently a professor of International Relations at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Professor Latham teaches a course on "Plagues, Pandemics, and Politics." Part two: Rev. David Barnhart on "house" churches, abortion and climate change and the split in the Methodist Church (The United Methodist Church is on the brink of America's biggest religious schism since the Civil War, with the conflict centering on sexual morality, biblical authority and theological liberalism.) A Methodist Pastor Is Brilliantly Calling Out the “Pro-Life” Crowd’s Hypocrisy MAY 20, 2019 https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/05/20/a-methodist-pastor-is-brilliantly-calling-out-the-pro-life-crowds-hypocrisy/ Of all the responses I’ve seen to Alabama’s abortion ban, perhaps the most effective was a Facebook post made nearly a year ago by a Christian minister. Dave Barnhart is a pastor from Birmingham, Alabama who runs a network of house churches called the Saint Junia United Methodist Church. The post that went viral over the past week was all about how right-wing Christians love to talk about the “unborn” because in addition to riling up the conservative base, there’s literally no work involved in advocating for them. his newest book: is Church Comes HomeArnie: Last week I read a news story by the great Mark Stern, reporter for Slate.com who covers the courts. He wrote a piece entitled: Arkansas’ New Abortion Ban Is a Direct Message to Amy Coney Barrett Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, signed a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy on Tuesday. Arkansas, which has the fifth highest rate of maternal mortality in the country, joins at least 11 other states that have passed complete or near-total abortion bans over the past two years in anticipation of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The new law is certain to be blocked by the lower courts, which are obligated to adhere to precedent protecting the constitutional right to abortion. But it is clearly designed to test the Supreme Court’s adherence to that precedent now that conservatives hold a supermajority on the bench for the first time in 80 years. As I prepped for the interview I scanned the comments and a commentator shared this quote by Rev. Dave Barnhart..after reading I knew I needed to find him...and we did. "The unborn" are a convenient group of people to advocate for. They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor; they don't resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct; unlike widows, they don't ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don't need money, education, or child care; unlike aliens, they don't bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike; they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn. It's almost as if, by being born, they have died to you. You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone. They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus but actually dislike people who breathe. Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible? They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn. --Dave Barnhart We talk about the state of health care in Alabama, and the lack of support for women's health in general. It appears that concern for the "unborn" is the only issue that is used to qualify someone as moral. The labor system is very feudal, and goes against true democracy. In addition, the fact that we are to believe, according to most religious tenets, that "God is love", this seems to not prevail in most social policy. The environmental consideration of stewardship of the Earth is not talked about in most religious communities.
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