POPULARITY
Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Third Week of Easter Lectionary: 278The Saint of the day is Saint Damien de Veuster of MolokaiSaint Damien de Veuster of Moloka'i's Story When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen's disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on the island of Moloka'i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen's disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Reflection Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka'i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.” Love the saints? Check out these six titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media
The Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol is a stately room just off the Great Rotunda, whose walls are lined with — you guessed it — statues. The statues celebrate notable figures from all 50 states.For most of its existence, there wasn't a single statue of a Black American in this hall. But that changed in 2022 when a statue of Mary McCleod Bethune was delivered to the Hall from Florida.Bethune, who was born in 1875 and died in 1955, might not be the first name you would have guessed to break this racial barrier. But as Noliwe Rooks, chair of Africana Studies at Brown University, shows in her new book “A Passionate Mind in Relentless Pursuit: The Vision of Mary McLeod Bethune,” her achievements as an educator and civil rights leader were profound, her life story is an inspiration, and her place in the statuary hall is well-deserved. The book — which has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award — is part biography, part memoir and part analysis of a period in American history that's often overlooked in the story of racial progress. If you've never heard of Bethune, this book is for you. And if you think you know the story of Mary McCleod Bethune, this book will probably show you a side of her you haven't seen before. Learn more about and purchase “A Passionate Mind in Relentless Pursuit: The Vision of Mary McLeod Bethune”
Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray The newest statue representing the state of Utah is now on display in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol. It’s been a long journey to send her to Washington D.C. Adam Gardiner, co-host of Inside Sources has been celebrating the unveiling in our nation’s capital and calls into the show to give updates on today’s ceremonies.
Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray GOP Senators facing pressure to support Pres.-elect Trump’s nominees Republican Senators who aren’t super enthusiastic over President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees are facing growing pressure to support Trump’s picks or prepare to face stiff competition in their next primary election. Should Senators be a simple rubber stamp for a president’s picks or should they push back? What’s most appropriate? The Inside Sources share their perspectives. Utah public colleges to cut general education credits required for graduation Students at Utah’s public colleges will soon need fewer general education classes in order to graduate. It comes as the schools push for standardization and a faster path for students to graduate. Is this a good idea? What’s really the purpose of general education courses at universities? Hosts Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray discuss the pros and cons of these classes and give their hot takes. Fight over oil railway moves before the Supreme Court An 88-mile oil railway expansion proposed in the Uinta Basin is now before the United States Supreme Court. Supporters say it will help oil production. Opponents say it will lead to pollution and impact wider federal environmental regulation. It also sparks a renewed discussion regarding the management of public lands. Inside Sources goes in-depth with the latest updates. SLC Council approves rezoning for Fairpark development with The LHM Company Major redevelopments in Salt Lake City’s Fairpark District are moving forward following the City Council’s approval to rezone several land parcels. The Larry H. Miller Company is heavily involved in this development, partnering with the city and others to improve areas around North Temple. Amanda Covington, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for The Larry H. Miller Company discusses the developments with the hosts. State revenues look to fall short of expectations Revenue shortfalls in the state budget are causing concerns among Utah legislators as the state anticipates continued declining sales tax collections. One recommendation is to bolster the state’s “Rainy Day” funds to provide a financial buffer. Leah and Taylor share their thoughts on the financial stability of the state. “Stop hiring humans” says California company in latest ads San Francisco startup Artisan has recently launched provocative ads telling folks to “stop hiring humans” and hire artificial intelligence companies instead. It’s created quite a stir in the discussion of AI taking the work of average people. Should we be more concerned? The Inside Sources hosts discuss the potential future of artificial intelligence on the workforce. Martha Hughes Cannon statue unveiled at U.S. Capitol The newest statue representing the state of Utah is now on display in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol. It’s been a long journey to send her to Washington D.C. Adam Gardiner, co-host of Inside Sources has been celebrating the unveiling in our nation’s capital and calls into the show to give updates on today’s ceremonies.
The risk of a major port strike in the next 24 hours could impact more than bananas ... but that's just one item potentially impacted! Here's the SCOOP ... your cheat sheet for the week ahead. ✓ 2:00: Hurricane Helene. ✓ 3:00: NASCAR driver Greg Biffle's unique contribution to hurricane relief efforts. ✓ 8:00: A major East Coast Port Strike on the horizon. ✓ 12:00: Sectors impacted: big box retailers, furniture, bananas, asparagus and more. "According to the American Farm Bureau, 1.2 million metric tons of bananas go through the ports that could be on strike next week, representing about one quarter of the nation's bananas." (CNN) ✓ 15:00: How could the White House get involved? The Taft-Hartley Act. ✓ 17:00: This week's vice-presidential debate and the prominence of the VP's role. ✓ 20:00: We shift to foreign affairs. ✓ 21:00: High-profile targeting of leader of Hezbollah, a designated terrorist organization. ✓ 22:00: We hear from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his speech at last week's United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). ✓ 26:00: We hear from the new Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian during his speech at UNGA. ✓ 30:00: Lastly, we hear from Ret. Lt. Gen. HR McMaster, a former White House National Security Advisor. ✓ 36:00: 175 attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East during the last year. ✓ 39:00: The first musician represented in the U.S. Capitol at Statuary Hall. SHOW NOTES: A Dockworkers Walkout Would Close Ports From Maine to Texas and Slam the U.S. Economy (The Wall Street Journal) The Taft-Hartley Act Johnny Cash Statue Now in Capitol Hill (SmartHER News) SUPPORT OUR MISSION If you'd like to help support SmartHER News' mission of a free, independent, nonpartisan press – here's how you can become a SCOOP insider: https://www.scoop.smarthernews.com/get-the-inside-scoop/ Instagram: Instagram.com/SmartHERNews Website: SmartHERNews.com YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/SmartHERNews
This is the full show for September 24, 2024. We ask the American Mamas if Kat Williams warned us about Diddy. We Dig Deep into how young men and women think differently about religion and politics. Plus, Johnny Cash becomes the first musician with a statue in Statuary Hall,and that's a Bright Spot. And we finish off with a lost brother who was found that will make you say, “Whoa!”
Vince is back for this Friday edition of the Vince Coakley Radio Program! Vince starts the show by talking about the National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. adding North Carolina and Charlotte legend Billy Graham to their ranks + shares audio from his son Franklin Graham's comments from the ceremony. Vince also explains why he thinks Graham is a great addition for our state to the Hall. We also talk about a resolution in Congress that is trying to hold Merrick Garland in contempt for not providing transcripts from Joe Biden's interview with Robert Hur. We also share audio of an exchange from a committee meeting that devolved into petty insults between Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jasmine Crockett of Texas before talking about the meeting between Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping and what it means for us in the United States. In the second half of the show Vince talks about what could be a blow to the Trump hush money trial in New York City + Kentucky Senator Thomas Massie joins the show to talk about a growing movement to get rid of the Federal Reserve and why he thinks that is a prudent measure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
While Harrison Butker's misogynistic, anti-gay commencement address is still fresh in our minds, it's noteworthy (as Page Six noted) that his mother is a highly-respected and accomplished Emory physicist, and not a homemaker. The first presidential debate is set - and to be held in Atlanta at CNN. Who needs a whole messy convention, anyway, right? Jay Bookman (wisely) asked: "Why can governors appoint justices based on their ideology, but voters can't?" Georgia Republicans are pushing for a Hank Aaron statue in Statuary Hall. They couldn't agree on John Lewis, but Aaron, they're all for. Problem is, neither Aaron nor Lewis are from Georgia, originally. Is that an issue? Lastly, before POTUS swoops into town Sunday to give the Morehouse commencement, he spent time with "Big Tigger" on V-103. Also, Morehouse' president was on NPR telling us how he'd shut the whole thing down if necessary.
Full Text of ReadingsFriday of the Sixth Week of Easter Lectionary: 295The Saint of the day is Saint Damien de Veuster of MolokaiSaint Damien de Veuster of Moloka'i's Story When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen's disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on the island of Moloka'i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen's disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Reflection Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka'i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.” Love the saints? Check out these six titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on April 15 unveiled a plan for separate aid packages for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. A fourth bill would reportedly wrap in a TikTok ban and the REPO (Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity) for Ukrainians Act, which would allow the United States to seize some assets of Russian oligarchs to help finance the costs of fighting the war there. Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized the judge overseeing the “hush-money” case in Manhattan, before he attended his second day in court, and said that a gag order that was imposed on him should be removed. The former president added that he should be campaigning for the White House instead of being in court. Two counts of impeachment against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, approved on Feb. 13 by the House of Representatives, will be formally presented to the Senate. Eleven House members previously named as impeachment managers will walk from the lower chamber through Statuary Hall in the Capitol and then to the Senate in a brief ceremony that has been repeated only 17 times since the first Congress in 1789. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV
Bob Frantz sits in for Dennis. Biden falls at US Air Force Academy graduation ceremony: 'I got sandbagged!' and White House elevates Kamala Harris amid concerns about a second Biden term. Bob discusses the Twitter "What Is A Woman" censorship controversy restricting access to Matt Walsh and the documentary. Logan Brown, a pregnant transgender man, is on the cover of 'Glamour' magazine. 'I do exist,' he says — and so do others. A Bay Village priest faces backlash from a transgender Christian after he discusses LGBTQ controversy during Sunday sermon. Thousands of works of street art and statues were created in the aftermath of George Floyd's death, nothing memorializes David Dorn, a 77-year-old retired police captain, was fatally shot after interrupting the burglary of a pawn shop in The Ville, St. Louis. Rushingbrook Children's Choir was allegedly told to stop singing the national anthem at Statuary Hall in the US Capitol, but the reason they gave for stopping the performance is baffling.Thanks for listening to the Daily Dennis Prager Podcast. To hear the entire three hours of my radio show as a podcast, commercial-free every single day, become a member of Pragertopia. You'll also get access to 15 years' worth of archives, as well as daily show prep. Subscribe today at Pragertopia dot com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Full Text of ReadingsWednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Lectionary: 287 The Saint of the day is Saint Damien de Veuster of MolokaiSaint Damien de Veuster of Moloka'i's Story When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen's disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on the island of Moloka'i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen's disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Reflection Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka'i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.” Love the saints? Check out these seven titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media
Yolanda Cash Jackson may be Florida Trend's latest Floridian of the Year, but the self-described “girl from Liberty City” has been making her mark as a lobbyist for over two decades. In her compelling conversation with SalterMitchell PR President and Partner Heidi Otway, Jackson shares her story of growing up in South Florida and pivoting to a lobbying career in her late twenties. They also discuss Jackson's notable achievements, such as spearheading the effort to install a sculpture of Mary McLeod Bethune — founder of Bethune-Cookman University — in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol and securing record funding for Florida's four Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Another pediatric COVID-19 death brings Mississippi's pandemic total to fourteen. We examine the risks the coronavirus still presents to the state's youngest residentsThen, the Department of Health asks lawmakers for additional funding to support programs aimed at bridging health disparities.Plus, an effort to replace the state's representation in Statuary Hall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of The Florida History Podcast we look back at the enormous contributions of Mary McLeod Bethune, who the state has honored as a designee in Statuary Hall at the Capitol in Washington DC.
The Brian D. O'Leary Show January 6, 2023 Happy Jan 6th … If you celebrate Today's show brought to you by Leather Head Sports — the premier provider for American-made heirloom-quality sporting goods. Fountain.FM Listen and support us at the same time over at Fountain.FM Tweet mentioned: “Stormin' Norman” – the late Norm Macdonald (original Tweet is now reportedly lost, but some great archivists took the time to document it while it was up). “I loved when the violent terrorists made sure to respect the velvet ropes in Statuary Hall.” https://twitter.com/RAZ0RFIST/status/1611325061440602113 The story of Damar Hamlin and his recovery Links via, ESPN … take them for what they are worth…Damar Hamlin begins to awaken, moving hands and feet, doctors say Uncle says Damar Hamlin still ‘fighting,' family grateful for support Today: Damar Hamlin has breathing tube removed, FaceTimes with Bills As a result, the NFL has to scramble to save face and: NFL approves plan for possible neutral-site AFC title game Why do I say take these stories from ESPN “for what they are worth?” ESPN is compromised on many fronts. As I Tweeted earlier this week: “Moral hazard for ESPN if either likely scenarios are true. They'll never admit that football is a gladiatorial pursuit w/ obvious known risks that most players, coaches, fans & media choose to ignore. If he “shook a clot,” there's no way they could square the circle on that one” https://twitter.com/BrianDOLeary/status/1610127880851460099?s=20&t=_GviJG4RxbG_dDpW8c832Q Other football related story mentioned: Reports: Ex-NFL star Peyton Hillis in ICU after swim rescue Podcast mentioned: TSOL After Hours Tom Woods School of Life After Hours: The Facilitators talk about Collaboration https://youtu.be/iKQd05Ewdmc Subscribe to the @TSOLafterhours YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@TSOLafterhours Contact me if you want more information on the Tom Woods School of Life. The O'Leary Review Podcast https://olearyreview.com Guest mentioned: Barbara Williams Episode 15 – The O'Leary Review Podcast https://briandoleary.substack.com/p/barbara-williams-coaching-for-impact#details Guest mentioned: Jeremy Evans Episode 2 – The O'Leary Review Podcast https://briandoleary.substack.com/p/podcast-ep-2#details Merry Christmastide https://onepeterfive.com/forgotten-customs-of-epiphanytide/ Leather Head Sports — the premier provider for American-made heirloom-quality sporting goods. For all the rest of it, go to BrianDOLeary.com for more information.
When I first toured the Capitol more than two decades ago, our guide revealed a secret that wasn't really a secret: the whispering spot. He stood on one side of Statuary Hall while our tour group stood on the other side. Then he spoke in a whisper, and sure enough, we could hear the echo of his voice all the way across the room as if he were mere inches away. When I look through the Bible, I see whispering spots everywhere.For Jacob, it was Bethel.For Moses, it was a burning bush.For Samuel, it was the tabernacle at Shiloh.For David, it was the cave of Adullam.For Elijah, it was Mount Carmel.For Daniel, it was an upstairs window facing Jerusalem.For Jonah, it was the belly of a whale.When I survey Scripture, I see God showing up in strange places, at strange times, in strange ways. And I don't think anything has changed. God still turns appointments into divine appointments. He still uploads desires, opens doors, and inspires dreams. He still speaks through promptings and people and pain. And just as he did for Moses, He can turn any patch of ground into holy ground. Listening doesn't happen by default; it happens by design. You have to seek solitude, seek silence. You have to ruthlessly eliminate distractions. And you have to turn some voices down or tune them out altogether. It might be as innocent as talk radio or as innocuous as social media. Why not turn off the radio and talk to God during your commute? Or fast from social media for a season? Or take a silent retreat? I don't want to overspiritualize the importance of a whispering spot, but I don't want to underspiritualize it either. Even if you take spirituality out of the equation, you need a space or place to get some peace and quiet. If you live in a city, as I do, it's not easy. And if you're a parent of little children, it might be ten minutes during naptime. Your whispering spot will be as unique as you are, but you need to find a time and place to hear the still, small voice of God.Do you have a “whispering spot” in your life right now? If not, where might that spot be? If you do, how has God whispered to you there?
A major attraction for visitors to Washington is the National Statuary Hall Collection. Housed in the United States Capitol, it honors two notable people from each state, most of whom are white and male. Nebraska will soon help diversify the collection, both with the subject of its sculpture and the artist. Special correspondent Cat Wise has the story for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A major attraction for visitors to Washington is the National Statuary Hall Collection. Housed in the United States Capitol, it honors two notable people from each state, most of whom are white and male. Nebraska will soon help diversify the collection, both with the subject of its sculpture and the artist. Special correspondent Cat Wise has the story for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A major attraction for visitors to Washington is the National Statuary Hall Collection. Housed in the United States Capitol, it honors two notable people from each state, most of whom are white and male. Nebraska will soon help diversify the collection, both with the subject of its sculpture and the artist. Special correspondent Cat Wise has the story for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A Duluth man appeared before a federal judge on Monday and admitted his guilt in participating in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. John David Ross Gould agreed to the plea agreement — in which he would plead guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building — with prosecutors on November 30 before formally entering it this week, according to court documents. Gould is accused of entering the Capitol with other rioters while Congress was meeting to certify the Electoral College votes, which would make Joe Biden president. Rioters had attended a rally with former President Donald Trump, who lost to Biden in the 2020 election and claimed it was the result of fraud, before they marched to the Capitol. Gould left Trump's rally and walked to the Capitol, where he entered the Senate Wing door on the afternoon of January 6, 2021, according to the statement of offense. He then walked into the Capitol Crypt. A line of police officers tried to prohibit people gathering in the crypt from going any further, but the crowd pushed past them. The statement of offense says Gould then went to the Small house Rotunda and then upstairs to Statuary Hall and into a connector outside the House of Representatives chamber. He admitted to watching a group of rioters try to force their way into the House chamber before going down a hallway and entering the Rayburn Reception Room, where he took a selfie in a mirror. Federal officials previously said Gould allegedly sent the selfie to a co-worker with a text message that read, "Can you see me in the mirror?" He left the Capitol 39 minutes after he entered it. Gould is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on April 28, 2023. He faces up to six months in prison, up to five years on probation, a fine of up to $5,000 and an obligation to interest or penalties fines or restitution that is not made in a timely manner, according to the plea agreement. Every interception Hayden Clark throws is painful. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder can recount each interception from his junior season and what happened on each play, from one pass that he forced to one where he didn't see the safety roll over to another that bounced off a running back's hands. Thankfully, the anguish has been rare during the Hawks' run to Saturday's Class AAAAAAA state championship game against Carrollton at Georgia State. His recollection of this season's mistakes — make that mistake — is more brief. Clark has thrown just one interception in 269 pass attempts this season. The quarterback's ball security is certainly noteworthy, but it's only a small part of what he means to a high-powered Mill Creek offense that averages 45.9 points. He has completed 161 of those 269 passes for 2,142 yards and 24 touchdowns, and has shown the mobility to rush for 303 yards and three more TDs. In last Friday's 48-14 win over Milton in the state semifinals, he completed 7 of 8 passes for 143 yards and two TDs, along with a 10-yard rushing TD, to kick start the rout before leaving with a minor injury. He broke the school career record for passing TDs in that victory with his 51st. The Mill Creek coaches ask plenty from Clark, now seasoned in his third year as a starter. He spreads the ball around to a variety of receivers — 15 Hawks have caught passes — makes quick decisions in his team's busy RPO-or Run Pass Option-game. As the Mill Creek wins and Clark's highlights pile up, the interest from college recruiters has picked up, though Coach Josh Lovelady admits to frustration that colleges didn't give Clark more attention earlier in the process. Clark said recruitment is “going okay,” and that West Georgia is one of the schools he talks with regularly. David Pierce Sr. can still recall the first fire station — if you can call it a fire station — that Suwanee used when it formed its old volunteer fire department in 1953. It was, in reality, a barn with a dirt floor, although it gets called a garage to make it sound a bit swankier. It was more of a place that a ember of the City Council offered as a spot to park Suwanee's fire engine when it wasn't being used than it was anything remotely resembling modern day fire stations. And, Pierce — who is now a spry 90 years old — would know all about the structure and the challenges that the Suwanee Volunteer Fire Department had in using it. He was that department's first fire chief after all. The old Suwanee Volunteer Fire Department is long since gone, having been merged into Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services in 1981, but a fire station has remained in the city since that time. Pierce got to see a new fire station for Suwanee on Monday morning — that was very different from the old barn — during the ribbon cutting for the new 10,788-square-foot Fire Station 13 building at the corner of Main Street and Suwanee Dam Road. The $7.8 million special purpose local option sales tax-funded facility replaces the old Fire Station 13, which was turned into StillFire Brewing a few years ago. Although the old Fire Station 13 building closed a few years ago, the lack of a building did not stop its crews from during their job. In 2021, Fire Station 13's crews responded to 2,322 calls. They serve 29,330 residents and are assigned to protect a 25.03-square-mile area. A Dacula resident who attends the University of Georgia has been nominated by U.S. Representative Jody Hice to attend the U.S. Military Academy — or the U.S. Naval Academy or even the U.S. Air Force Academy. Hice's office announced that the congressman nominated Benjamin Cook for the Military, Naval and Air Force academies. Cook is one of 22 students from the 10th Congressional District who received service academy nominations this week. A nomination from a sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate is one of the items needed to be considered for an appointment to a service academy. Of the 22 students who received nominations from Hice, nine of them were nominated for more than one academy. Six of the students in that group — including Cook — were nominated for three academies. Buford placed first and Mill Creek took second after Saturday's final session of the Southern Slam, giving Gwinnett a 1-2 finish in a tournament stacked with top wrestlers and 38 teams. Buford put up 235 points and Mill Creek's runner-up total was 207.5. Archer was 15th at 87. Maddox McArthur and Drew Gorman were individual champions for Buford. McArthur won at 132 pounds with a 3-1 decision in the finals over Eastside South Carolina wrestler Colt Schrader. Gorman pinned Mill Creek's Amantee Mills at 1 minute, 57 seconds in the 138-pound finals. The Wolves' D.J. Clarke Kieron McCormack and Gavin Pope had runner-up finishes, Rylan Ibold and Aaron Riner were third and Grayson Santee (170) finished fourth. The Hawks' other placers in the top six were Amantee Mills Jaheim Mills Teequavius Mills John Boratyn), Aaron Garcia Banks Bitterman) and Blue Stiffler. Archer's Sam Rwibuka was the champion at 285 after defeating Jeremiah Jackson of High Point Academy of South Carolina 9-3 in the finals. Teammate Max Hennebaul was sixth at 106. The Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce is among the top 1% of chambers in the nation when it comes to business practices, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Gwinnett Chamber recently received five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber. It's the highest designation a chamber can receive and this is the first time Gwinnett's chamber has received it. Only 201 of the more than 7,000 chambers of commerce in the U.S. have achieved five-star accreditation, according to Gwinnett officials. Gwinnett Chamber officials said the accreditation recognizes "sound policies, effective procedures and positive impact on the community." The chamber had to go through a six-month process and complete an application that is more than 200 pages long in order to achieve five-star accreditation. It had to show it met standards in communications, finance, governance, facilities, human resources, program development, technology, benchmarking and government affairs. #GwinnettDailyPost #Georgia #LocalNews -- - - The Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast is local news for Lawrenceville, Norcross, Duluth, and all of Gwinnett County. Register Here for your essential digital news. This podcast was produced and published for the Gwinnett Daily Post and GwinnettDailyPost.com by BG Ad Group For advertising inquiries, please email j.southerland@bgadgroup.com For more information be sure to visit www.bgpodcastnetwork.com https://www.lawrencevillega.org/ https://www.foxtheatre.org/ https://guideinc.org/ https://www.psponline.com/ https://www.kiamallofga.com/ https://www.milb.com/gwinnett https://www.fernbankmuseum.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Continued from the previous episode: Climate change deniers have life imitating art. Mary McLeod Bethune will be representing the state of Florida in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capital. Bo Knows Charity! Former K.C. Royal and L.A. Raider Great Bo Jackson is nominated for our Hallmark H.O.F. award by paying for funeral arrangements in Uvalde Texas. We debated a list that claimed to denote the top 25 southern rappers of all-time. We finished with a zoom court session, where a woman filed a $10,000 suit for ghosting her on a second date. Best Sound nomination as she gets into a full fledged argument with the judge on the definition of “perjury”. Show Prolog:Brothers Breaking Bread, or the “Triple B Pod”, is a collection of African American professionals, friends, and family that attempt to tackle the important issues of the day. We bring our unique brand of humor, sensitivity, and oftentimes anger to the analysis. The show features Rodger (@KcStork); “The Brothers of Doom” James and Joe; Anthony (10 Meters); Zeb (Da Soulja) Ada (Lady Lavender) Adrian (Slim AC) Kim (Ms. Honey Bunz) and extended #3BPod family. We cut our teeth as podcasters creating nearly 100 episodes of the Negroraguan Podcast, we've kept much of the format and traditions with a few personal touches that come with a new show. We sincerely hope you enjoy, and subscribe to the show. Please contact us on Twitter @Triple_B_Pod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/brothersbreaking.bread.7 or Email: brothersbreakingbreadpod@gmail.comMusic Cred:Show Intro- We Outchea - Joseph JeffersonOutro- It's Over – Joseph JeffersonMemory- K Jefferson and J JeffersonPhoto Editing:Jason JonesSister Podcast: Psychology of The Hustlehttps://open.spotify.com/show/7LjmJlsStkrqYt5R0bpx6f?si=1eda2251468c4458Title: Gary and Josh Running/ Second Date-Court DateIntro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwHuEDCM7xsHe Was Running: https://twitter.com/the_mal_gallery/status/1550289866411634689?s=25&t=ekDyZyupjTzfhQnZua3U0Q&fbclid=IwAR2JnTv5Ixz4tjGxzI1hCuPWGIqQixzakhGAuM48uX14C88sbGZOXit1ZTEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kLLKNVsojkGary My Man: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgJrWfXDBaR/?fbclid=IwAR0D9W65wrX0DYrMO8oY4P4IrNceqGUwoY9XTTs_E9J-YrZY4gSkmr-jPLcLegalize the Weed: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/21/schumer-legal-weed-bill-00047058?fbclid=IwAR0T-UhtR_sktpwgf83GdHUT1IQzSP2zMh4_RJQEicS88jgbbq5d-dhOF48The Other MAGAs: https://twitter.com/momsagabbott/status/1548034221020655617?s=25&t=ccXFZNzdvhZTWQflw42DaA&fbclid=IwAR2dmaqWoiOci4bE-lSLaFV95O6_f1IwGrVMLFU7rfpwVn4Q8Xh9JfuzelYFuck the Police:https://www.facebook.com/shaunking/posts/pfbid02XvYMM7xh5oeVcKXWTuY3qpp9GvDCfQdHZWzoU7VbFeAWAXqooZ7H2ZawpaFxxWySlJust Us: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-tirany-savage-called-911-after-filing-protection-order-rcna39422?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_ma&fbclid=IwAR27infERJQFsYklLXunTzCqV6b8dA63ClwNDBUp_HlcSs1ESCzQUuuLdEgPolio coming back: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/07/21/health/new-york-polio/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3LmwPd7dbk6-ajnw7l92umJHT61iaWcmovhVEwrbmr4rcEjml-tkLQ5o0Live imitating Art: https://twitter.com/lidotajs/status/1549439524354269186?s=25&t=k8V0rBbnpHbwJUytnA3V7A&fbclid=IwAR2kxzNLr2B59-fHrGmSDNS7mpWf-IeEjp355E2QfX_MLLFkeRy4tZaBnN4Sweet Mary: https://twitter.com/AP/status/1547299321133031425Royals News: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34282234/kansas-city-royals-whit-merrifield-says-poorly-articulated-remarks-covid-19-vaccineBo Knows: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/22/us/bo-jackson-uvalde-funeral-expenses/index.htmlMC List: https://hiphopmyway.com/scarface-tops-greatest-southern-emcee-of-all-time-list/?fbclid=IwAR0A62IaVFj_aEeKZ3YEWzYxZDpQrhoWq51KV6UHCQr_J4sdhb72Ljbq7IMR.I.P: https://pagesix.com/2022/07/19/comedian-jak-knights-cause-of-death-aged-28-ruled-as-suicide/amp/?fbclid=IwAR0BVHlXX14oa3mmO89vIdPO9LwpAbwD_ENZcfyl6Zpe2sk9O2IaQUGmNucPerjury??: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6DhC0nCgKo
Continued from the previous episode: Climate change deniers have life imitating art. Mary McLeod Bethune will be representing the state of Florida in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capital. Bo Knows Charity! Former K.C. Royal and L.A. Raider Great Bo Jackson is nominated for our Hallmark H.O.F. award by paying for funeral arrangements in Uvalde Texas. We debated a list that claimed to denote the top 25 southern rappers of all-time. We finished with a zoom court session, where a woman filed a $10,000 suit for ghosting her on a second date. Best Sound nomination as she gets into a full fledged argument with the judge on the definition of “perjury”. Show Prolog:Brothers Breaking Bread, or the “Triple B Pod”, is a collection of African American professionals, friends, and family that attempt to tackle the important issues of the day. We bring our unique brand of humor, sensitivity, and oftentimes anger to the analysis. The show features Rodger (@KcStork); “The Brothers of Doom” James and Joe; Anthony (10 Meters); Zeb (Da Soulja) Ada (Lady Lavender) Adrian (Slim AC) Kim (Ms. Honey Bunz) and extended #3BPod family. We cut our teeth as podcasters creating nearly 100 episodes of the Negroraguan Podcast, we've kept much of the format and traditions with a few personal touches that come with a new show. We sincerely hope you enjoy, and subscribe to the show. Please contact us on Twitter @Triple_B_Pod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/brothersbreaking.bread.7 or Email: brothersbreakingbreadpod@gmail.comMusic Cred:Show Intro- We Outchea - Joseph JeffersonOutro- It's Over – Joseph JeffersonMemory- K Jefferson and J JeffersonPhoto Editing:Jason JonesSister Podcast: Psychology of The Hustlehttps://open.spotify.com/show/7LjmJlsStkrqYt5R0bpx6f?si=1eda2251468c4458Title: Gary and Josh Running/ Second Date-Court DateIntro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwHuEDCM7xsHe Was Running: https://twitter.com/the_mal_gallery/status/1550289866411634689?s=25&t=ekDyZyupjTzfhQnZua3U0Q&fbclid=IwAR2JnTv5Ixz4tjGxzI1hCuPWGIqQixzakhGAuM48uX14C88sbGZOXit1ZTEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kLLKNVsojkGary My Man: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgJrWfXDBaR/?fbclid=IwAR0D9W65wrX0DYrMO8oY4P4IrNceqGUwoY9XTTs_E9J-YrZY4gSkmr-jPLcLegalize the Weed: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/21/schumer-legal-weed-bill-00047058?fbclid=IwAR0T-UhtR_sktpwgf83GdHUT1IQzSP2zMh4_RJQEicS88jgbbq5d-dhOF48The Other MAGAs: https://twitter.com/momsagabbott/status/1548034221020655617?s=25&t=ccXFZNzdvhZTWQflw42DaA&fbclid=IwAR2dmaqWoiOci4bE-lSLaFV95O6_f1IwGrVMLFU7rfpwVn4Q8Xh9JfuzelYFuck the Police:https://www.facebook.com/shaunking/posts/pfbid02XvYMM7xh5oeVcKXWTuY3qpp9GvDCfQdHZWzoU7VbFeAWAXqooZ7H2ZawpaFxxWySlJust Us: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-tirany-savage-called-911-after-filing-protection-order-rcna39422?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_ma&fbclid=IwAR27infERJQFsYklLXunTzCqV6b8dA63ClwNDBUp_HlcSs1ESCzQUuuLdEgPolio coming back: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/07/21/health/new-york-polio/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3LmwPd7dbk6-ajnw7l92umJHT61iaWcmovhVEwrbmr4rcEjml-tkLQ5o0Live imitating Art: https://twitter.com/lidotajs/status/1549439524354269186?s=25&t=k8V0rBbnpHbwJUytnA3V7A&fbclid=IwAR2kxzNLr2B59-fHrGmSDNS7mpWf-IeEjp355E2QfX_MLLFkeRy4tZaBnN4Sweet Mary: https://twitter.com/AP/status/1547299321133031425Royals News: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34282234/kansas-city-royals-whit-merrifield-says-poorly-articulated-remarks-covid-19-vaccineBo Knows: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/22/us/bo-jackson-uvalde-funeral-expenses/index.htmlMC List: https://hiphopmyway.com/scarface-tops-greatest-southern-emcee-of-all-time-list/?fbclid=IwAR0A62IaVFj_aEeKZ3YEWzYxZDpQrhoWq51KV6UHCQr_J4sdhb72Ljbq7IMR.I.P: https://pagesix.com/2022/07/19/comedian-jak-knights-cause-of-death-aged-28-ruled-as-suicide/amp/?fbclid=IwAR0BVHlXX14oa3mmO89vIdPO9LwpAbwD_ENZcfyl6Zpe2sk9O2IaQUGmNucPerjury??: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6DhC0nCgKo
5 Things In 15 Minutes The Podcast: Bringing Good Vibes to DEI
This week we launched a really cool DEI web app (and the feedback has been
Good News: A great philanthropist, educator and civil rights activist, Mary McLeod Bethune, has a new statue in the Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol, replacing a statue of a confederate general! Link HERE. The Good Word: A splendid quote from Roald Dahl! Good To Know: A classic bit of trivia about some ice cream-adjacent […]
“A More Perfect Union" Hour 1 with Nii-Quartelai Quartey | @drniiquartelai| Podcast Hosted by journalist, educator, and KBLA Talk 1580 Chief National Political Analyst Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey, “A More Perfect Union” promises to deliver national news of consequence, informed opinion, and analysis beyond the headlines. This episode features the part 1 conversation with Judge Greg Mathis and now openly gay son Greg Mathis Jr. about their bond, state of acceptance of lgbtq folks in Black community and advice to fathers and father figures struggling to love their kid outloud and out in the open. Dr Matthew Jordan-Miller Kenyatta from Stuart Weitzman School of Design weighs-in on the new statue of civil rights pioneer Mary McLeod Bethune officially replacing a statue of a Confederate general in the US Capitol's Statuary Hall.
Trump tries to call Jan 6th witness, a White House support staffer; Biden's Middle East trip; the Economy; Lindsey Graham asks Federal judge to revoke Georgia Grand Jury subpoena; Ohio man charged with rape of 10-year-old girl who had to travel out of state for abortion; Biden administration reminds pharmacies to fill abortion pill Rxs; Mary McLeod Bethune becomes 1st Black person in Capitol's Statuary Hall. Frangela swag available at https://www.zazzle.com/store/frangela! Book a personalized video shout-out from Frangela at Cameo.com/frangeladuo. Do you want to hear more Idiots of the Week?? Become a Frangela patron at Patreon.com and get three exclusive Micro Idiot podcasts each week as our thank you for your support. And please go to pickedcherries.com to share a small snippet of our podcasts with others to help us grow our listenership. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Your Heard Tell Show for Thursday, July the 14th is turning down the noise and getting to the information we need on the release of video from the Robb Elementary massacre that shows the police response to the shootings, and the 77 minutes of heavily armed officers waiting and doing nothing while children & their teachers screamed and died mere feet away, and how authorities are still trying to keep vital information from the public. The very viral and much debated story of a 10 year old girl in Ohio who went to Indiana for an abortion has taken a turn as an arrest has been made, charges of rape filed, and the details involve make an already horrific and messy story even worse. Our guest today is writer & historian Sarah Stook who returns to Heard Tell to conclude her series on the First Ladies of the United States. We talk through the modern era of women of the White House from Jackie Kennedy to current occupent Dr. Jill Biden, and the history, stories, and personalities of the first ladies in between. Sarah also talks about how the role has evolved over the year, media and public perseptions have changed, and what the future might hold for the evolving role of being the spouse to the president. Plus, a historic change in Statuary Hall at the US Capital that spans from Michelagelo's quarry in Italy to a education and civil rights pioneer in Florida. All that and more on this Thursday edition of Heard Tell.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/heard-tell/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
A new statue unveiled Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol marks a historic first. Civil rights pioneer Mary McLeod Bethune is the first Black American to represent a state in Statuary Hall. Florida lawmakers voted to remove a statue representing a confederate general and replace it with one of Bethune. Her granddaughter, Evelyn Bethune, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
One current trend in the academic pretense called Critical Theory is to re-examine the heroes of the past and shoehorn them into precast Marxist molds of oppressor and oppressed. One of the victims of such re-appraisals is Saint Junipero Serra, who some refer to as the founder of California. The State of California acknowledged as much when it placed a statue of Saint Junipero in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall. However, Saint Junipero was European, white, male, and especially Catholic. Therefore, he is viewed as an oppressor by modernists masquerading as historians. One symptom of this academic arrogance was the toppling of a thirty-foot statue of Saint Junipero in San Francisco during the madness of the riots of the summer of Two Thousand Twenty. Similar acts of vandalism took place in Sacramento, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. This episode of the Return to Order Moment takes a more scholarly look at Saint Junipero. We do so through the work of the late Dr. Bartomeu Font Obrador. Dr. Font Obrador had special insights into Saint Junipero's character because of his scholarly work, but also because he had a deep knowledge of the place where Saint Junipero was born and raised – the Island of Majorca – and its unique culture.
AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on McLeod Bethune Statue.
Gray Television Washington News Bureau Brendan Cullerton joins Local News Live to talk about a news statue honoring a Black civil rights activist unveiled in the nation's capitol.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/local-news-live-daily/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
A new statue unveiled Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol marks a historic first. Civil rights pioneer Mary McLeod Bethune is the first Black American to represent a state in Statuary Hall. Florida lawmakers voted to remove a statue representing a confederate general and replace it with one of Bethune. Her granddaughter, Evelyn Bethune, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
July 1: Saint Junipero Serra, Priest 1713–1784Memorial; Liturgical Color: WhitePatron Saint of California and vocations“Always forward!” was his motto and his lifeThe United States of America's impressive Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., includes the majestic, semicircular Statuary Hall. Each of the fifty states chooses two citizens of historic importance to represent it in the Hall. Statues of one nun and four Catholic priests, two of them saints, grace Statuary Hall, including today's saint. Junipero Serra was the founder of California. He was the pathbreaking, indestructible priest who trekked California's mountains, valleys, deserts, and shores to found nine of its eventual twenty-one missions. California's rugged cattle culture, its luxurious orchards and rolling vineyards, its distinctive Mission architecture, and its blending of Mexican and Native American heritage are the legacy of Father Serra and his Franciscan confreres. The Franciscan city names tell the story: San Francisco, Ventura (Saint Bonaventure), San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Our Lady Queen of the Angels (Los Angeles) and on and on. The Franciscans simply made California what it is.Father Junipero Serra was baptized as Michael Joseph on Mallorca, an island in the Mediterranean off the coast of Spain. He grew up dirt poor and devoutly Catholic. He joined the Franciscans as a youth and moved to the large city of Palma de Mallorca, where he took the religious name of Junipero in honor of one of Saint Francis of Assisi's first followers. After priestly ordination, Father Junipero obtained a doctorate in philosophy and taught Franciscan seminarians. He was destined to lead a successful life as an intelligent, holy, and pious intellectual. But in the Spring of 1749, he felt the Lord calling him to become a missionary to New Spain (Mexico). On the fateful day of his departure from his large Franciscan monastery, he kissed the feet of all his brother Franciscans, from the oldest to the youngest. He then boarded a ship and sailed away from his native island for the first time and the last time. He would never see his family again. Our saint's life began in earnest in middle age. Long years of intellectual, spiritual, and ascetic preparation steeled his body, mind, and will for the rigors to come.Arriving in the port of Veracruz, Father Serra walked hundreds of miles to Mexico City rather than travel on horseback. Along this first of many treks, he was bitten by either a snake or a spider and developed an open wound that never healed, causing him near constant pain for the rest of his life. Father Serra spent the first several years of his missionary life in a mountainous region of Central Mexico among an indigenous population that had encountered Spaniards, and the Catholic religion, two centuries before. Father Serra wanted a rawer missionary experience. He wanted to meet and convert pagans who knew nothing of Christianity. After years of faithful service as a missionary, church builder, preacher, and teacher in Central Mexico, Father Junipero finally had his chance. The Franciscans were tasked with leading the religious dimension of the first great Spanish expedition into Alta California, the present day American state. If Father Serra had never gone to California, he may still have been a saint, but one known to God alone. It was the challenge of California that made Father Junipero into Saint Junipero.Already in his mid-fifties, Father Serra was the head priest of a large migration of men, women, soldiers, cattle, and provisions whose goal was to establish Spanish Catholic settlements in California. Integral to this cultural and evangelical effort was the founding of California's missions, the vast farms, cattle ranches, churches, communities, and schools that have left such an enduring mark on California. For the last fifteen years of his life, Saint Junipero was seemingly everywhere in California—walking, confirming, working, building, preaching, fasting, planning, sailing, writing, arguing, founding, and praying. He exhausted his poor, emaciated body. He was recognized by all as the indispensable man. Father Junipero died quietly at the San Carlos Mission in Carmel just as the United States was becoming a country on the other side of the continent. He did for the West Coast what George Washington and better known founders did for the East Coast. He founded a society, in all of its complexity. Decades later, Americans migrated to far-off California, newly incorporated into the federal union, looking for gold, and were surprised to discover a distinctive culture as rugged, layered, and rich as the one they had left behind.California's foundational events were distinctly Catholic just as the Eastern colonies' were distinctly Protestant. When ceremoniously inaugurating an early mission, Father Junipero said a High Mass, sang Gregorian chant, processed with an image of the Virgin Mary, and had the Spanish galleons offshore fire their cannons at the consecration. What powerful solemnity! The roots of large regions of the United States run deep into Southern, not Northern, soil, and were watered by the Catholic faith, not dissenting Protestantism. The United States was baptized Catholic but raised Protestant. Father Junipero represents the best of that “other” founding of the United States of America.Saint Junipero Serra, inspire us to follow your example of physical perseverance, doctrinal commitment, and spiritual discipline for the good of the Church. You were a model priest, missionary, and Franciscan. May we, too, be great in all that we do.
Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Lectionary: 280All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Damien de Veuster of MolokaiWhen Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen's disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on the island of Moloka'i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen's disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Reflection Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka'i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.” Love the saints? Check out these seven titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media
Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 416, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: To Sir With Love 1: He reached the South Pole by tractor January 4, 1958, 4 1/2 years after reaching the "height" of his career. Sir Edmund Hillary. 2: In 1999 he became Bond, knighted Bond. Sean Connery. 3: Between 1675 and 1710 he designed over 50 London churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren. 4: In 1982 he produced and directed "Gandhi" and in 1993 he acted in "Jurassic Park". Sir Richard Attenborough. 5: In 1669 this physicist became Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge. Sir Isaac Newton. Round 2. Category: No Time To Talk 1: "Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause, and be silent" is from Act III of this Shakespeare play. Julius Caesar. 2: In 1962 her "Silent Spring" launched the environmentalist movement. Rachel Carson. 3: During WWII, this mime changed his surname to that of a French revolutionary general. Marcel Marceau. 4: In the 1930 Hays Code, "pointed profanity... however used" was forbidden in this medium. film. 5: This Scottish author of "Kidnapped" wrote, "The cruelest lies are often told in silence". Robert Louis Stevenson. Round 3. Category: Cooking Class 1: "Joy of Cooking" suggests using these Thanksgiving berries "in any recipes calling for red currants". cranberries. 2: The Chicken of the Sea website suggests making enchiladas with the albacore type of this. tuna. 3: The "key" type of this citrus fruit can be small; you may need a dozen to yield a half cup of juice. limes. 4: For the silver dollar type of these breakfast treats, drop the batter onto the griddle 1 tbsp. at a time. pancakes. 5: "Joy of Cooking" tells how to make relish and scones with this bog fruit, so let's all give thanks. a cranberry. Round 4. Category: "Young" People 1: Amen to this leader whose statue represents Utah in Washington, D.C.'s Statuary Hall. Brigham Young. 2: On "Father Knows Best" he played dad to Betty, Bud and Kathy. Robert Young. 3: Of the 906 Major League Baseball games that he pitched, he won more than half; he deserves an award. Cy Young. 4: In 1992 he released "Harvest Moon", a sequel to his "Harvest" album from 1972. Neil Young. 5: In a revealing memoir, Judy Lewis claims to be the "love child" of Clark Gable and this actress. Loretta Young. Round 5. Category: Film And Tv Spaceships 1: The Robinson family traveled aboard the Jupiter II, trying to find a way back to Earth on this show. Lost in Space. 2: The Atlantia and the Pacifica were 2 of the other Battlestars on this TV show bearing another spaceship's name. Battlestar Galactica. 3: In "Star Trek III" Christopher Lloyd as a villain from this race commanded a spaceship called the Bird of Prey. the Klingons. 4: The Discovery is the spaceship sent to investigate a mysterious monolith's signal in this film. 2001: A Space Odyssey. 5: In this 1979 film, the mining ship Nostromo lands on a distant planet to investigate a suspected S.O.S.. Alien. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!
When I first toured the Capitol more than two decades ago, our guide revealed a secret that wasn't really a secret: the whispering spot. He stood on one side of Statuary Hall while our tour group stood on the other side. Then he spoke in a whisper, and sure enough, we could hear the echo of his voice all the way across the room as if he were mere inches away. When I look through the Bible, I see whispering spots everywhere.For Jacob, it was Bethel.For Moses, it was a burning bush.For Samuel, it was the tabernacle at Shiloh.For David, it was the cave of Adullam.For Elijah, it was Mount Carmel.For Daniel, it was an upstairs window facing Jerusalem.For Jonah, it was the belly of a whale.When I survey Scripture, I see God showing up in strange places, at strange times, in strange ways. And I don't think anything has changed. God still turns appointments into divine appointments. He still uploads desires, opens doors, and inspires dreams. He still speaks through promptings and people and pain. And just as he did for Moses, He can turn any patch of ground into holy ground. Listening doesn't happen by default; it happens by design. You have to seek solitude, seek silence. You have to ruthlessly eliminate distractions. And you have to turn some voices down or tune them out altogether. It might be as innocent as talk radio or as innocuous as social media. Why not turn off the radio and talk to God during your commute? Or fast from social media for a season? Or take a silent retreat? I don't want to overspiritualize the importance of a whispering spot, but I don't want to underspiritualize it either. Even if you take spirituality out of the equation, you need a space or place to get some peace and quiet. If you live in a city, as I do, it's not easy. And if you're a parent of little children, it might be ten minutes during naptime. Your whispering spot will be as unique as you are, but you need to find a time and place to hear the still, small voice of God.Do you have a “whispering spot” in your life right now? If not, where might that spot be? If you do, how has God whispered to you there?
Host Jada Williams kicks off February (Black History Month) with an up close and personal interview with NABWIC member and Co-Host Ersula Odom who recently launced her new entreprenuerial venture, "Ersula's History Shop", located at 1421 Tampa Park Plaza, Tampa, FL 33605. Ersula K. Odom is the owner of Sula Too LLC, a legacy writer, the author of "At Sula's Feet", "African Americans of Tampa" and, co-author of The Doris Ross Reddick Story. She is a motivational speaker and portrays Mary McLeod Bethune as a one-person show. She is a founding member of Fortune's Friends. As founder of Sula Too, LLC she has published books for clients from Georgia to California. She was raised in Georgia, graduated from Eckerd College and is deeply rooted in Tampa with business, family, and friends. Recent commendations: Signed copy of Congressional Record, presented by then U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, of the decision to place Dr. Bethune's stature in Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. Odom performance was written about in the Wall Street Journal. Separate commendations from Tampa City Council Commendation for her roles on the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Economic Impact of Cultural Arts and as co-founder of Fortune Friends. @ersulashistoryshop | ersulahistoryshop.com ___________________________ NABWIC's Vision: The Vision of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) is to build lasting strategic partnerships with first-rate organizations and individuals that will provide ground-breaking and innovative solutions for black women in construction and their respective communities.| NABWIC.ORG
The Vice Prostitute of the United States said the January 6th, 2021 protests were akin to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. However, she forgot a few inconvenient historical facts. During our Duracoat Finished Firearm segment, Paul will display a custom-finished pistol. Our question for you is; do you like it rough? Also, for our Brownells Bullet Points feature we will discuss red versus green optics? Does it matter and how? For our SOTG Homeroom from CrossBreed Holsters, we will consider the Gun Control agenda in the United States and over five decades of lies. Is the American public still falling for the propaganda of the left? Lastly, have you heard about the new 30 Super Carry cartridge from Federal? Thanks for being a part of SOTG! We hope you find value in the message we share. If you've got any questions, here are some options to contact us: Send an Email Send a Text Call Us Enjoy the show! And remember…You're a Beginner Once, a Student For Life! TOPICS COVERED THIS EPISODE [0:04:38] Bob Saget had gotten his Booster Shot not too long before dying of a Heart Attack https://youtu.be/86jcx5e0mUk [0:16:52] Duracoat Finished Firearms - DuracoatFirearmFinishes.com TOPIC: Canik TP9 SFL, Hell ‘n Back - Urban Mirage White [0:21:20] Brownells Bullet Points - Brownells.com TOPIC: Red Dot or Green Dot? Does it make a difference? Huge thanks to our Partners: SDS Imports | Brownells | CrossBreed | Duracoat | Hi-Point Firearms [0:38:30] SOTG Homeroom - CrossBreedHolsters.com TOPIC: Americans Not Buying Gun Control's ‘Crime Prevention' Ruse www.ammoland.com [0:47:45] Harris slammed for comparing Capitol riot to 9/11, Pearl Harbor attacks nypost.com/2022 [0:54:20] In the 1980s, a Far-Left, Female-Led Domestic Terrorism Group Bombed the U.S. Capitol www.smithsonianmag.com [1:01:00] Bomb explodes in Capitol building www.history.com [1:16:29] First Look: Federal Premium 30 Super Carry Ammunition www.shootingillustrated.com FEATURING: Duracoat Firearm Finishes, Brownells, CrossBreed Holsters, Ammoland, NY Post, Smithsonian Mag, History.com, Shooting Illustrated, Madison Rising, Jarrad Markel, Paul Markel, SOTG University PARTNERS: SDS Imports, Brownells Inc, CrossBreed Holsters, DuraCoat Firearm Finishes, Hi-Point Firearms FIND US ON: Full30, Parler, MeWe.com, TikTok, iTunes, Stitcher, AppleTV, Roku, Amazon, GooglePlay, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, tumblr SOURCES From www.ammoland.com: Gun control groups worked for decades to impose Second Amendment restrictions that do little to reduce crime. They've used public relations campaigns, scare tactics, and rhetoric that never addresses those actually committing these tragedies. Over the past two years, though, Americans have experienced first-hand what happens when they are left defenseless against criminals that don't follow the law. A new poll shows law-abiding Americans have had enough of the gun control groups' schemes and the ruse is up. (Click Here for Full Article) From nypost.com/2022: Vice President Kamala Harris caused outrage Thursday by comparing the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington by al Qaeda terrorists. “Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were, and what they were doing when our democracy came under assault,” Harris said in remarks at the Capitol's Statuary Hall on Thursday morning. (Click Here for Full Article) From www.smithsonianmag.com: Amidst the social and political turmoil of the 1970s, a handful of women—among them a onetime Barnard student, a Texas sorority sister, the daughter of a former communist journalist—joined and became leaders of the May 19th Communist Organization. Named to honor the shared birthday of civil rights icon Malcolm X and Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, M19 took its belief in “revolutionary anti-imperialism” to violent extremes: It is “the first and only women-created and women-led terrorist group,” says national security expert and historian William Rosenau. (Click Here for Full Article) From www.shootingillustrated.com: One of the fundamentals of growing a business is to identify a niche and fill it. That's all the folks at Federal were doing. There has long been a small space between the performance of 9 mm Parabellum and .380 ACP. Though they have the same diameters, the former is the NATO and law enforcement standard and has really been pressing its advantage over every other defensive cartridge over the last several years. The public has embraced it as well. Once new bullets and loadings came along that demonstrated the round's efficacy as being equal to that of the vaunted .40 S&W and .45 ACP, the reduced recoil of the 9 mm and the superior firepower of gun's chambered for it made for an easy choice. (Click Here for Full Article)
On January 6th 2022, President Joe Biden spoke in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol, to commemorate the attack that happened there one year ago. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
President Joe Biden forcefully condemned former President Donald Trump today for promoting a “big lie” that the 2020 United States election was stolen and inciting an angry mob of his supporters to attack Congress on January 6, 2021. In a blistering speech delivered in Statuary Hall, an ornate and marbled chamber that was choked with tear gas a year ago, Biden delivered a blistering attack on Trump as a “defeated president” who today still threatens American democracy. “We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” Biden said. Here's the truth. The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.” “For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One year after the deadly insurrection at the Capitol, we consider leadership, complicity, and the future of American democracy with New York Times columnist Tom Friedman. President Biden delivered remarks from Statuary Hall of the Capitol building, a space that a year ago was overrun by rioters discontent with the 2020 election results: “You can't love your country only when you win.” In this episode:Tom Friedman, @tomfriedmanBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie
During his lifetime, Will Rogers spoke up for the common man and often, in a good natured way, provided the voice for those unheard to those in the halls of power. He is still keeping an eye on the people in Congress from his vantage point in Statuary Hall. He also grants a bit of good luck to those that are willing to break a few rules. withinpodcast.com
The removal of the monument of Confederate general and racist, Robert E. Lee, in Richmond, Virginia, is progress towards mitigating racism in the United States. While we celebrate these incremental progress, there is more work to do. His monument is gone from Richmond but his statute, in his Confederate military attire, remains displayed in the famous Statuary Hall in the United States Congress - the seat of America's democracy. What an embarrassment.
The Hake Report, Thursday, September 16, 2021: Late great Norm Macdonald: Violent Jan 6 terrorists stayed inside velvet ropes in Statuary Hall in the Capitol! // Crazy border situation: overwhelm the system, commies! // Nicki Minaj for President! (NOT!) But she talks sense on IG live about questioning the vaxx. // Phony Fauci lies that no one wants to mandate against people's will! 2019 on Bloomberg: exercise and sleep! // CO AG Phil Weiser punishes cops for out-of-control blacks. // INTERESTING CALLS — see below! // MUSIC: The Cootees – "Jocks Don't Like Us," "I Want the World," and "Deadbeat" – from 1997 album Let's Play House Also check out Hake News from today. CALLERS Peter from Mississippi by way of Oregon gives a great call about the fear and virus madness. Misty from San Diego, CA asks what the men are going to do about the political mess. T from Alabama gets banned for name-dropping after lying that he's not talking about JLP. Killian from Boston, MA hypes a Spanish lady who spoke out a month back. Fresh Prince from Maryland asks whether he should get the shot for a great job opportunity. Mark from Santa Monica, CA is ok with hating enemies. In Cicero, IL, the Snivel Rioters lost! Rick from Hampton, VA asks about blind CA voters and vaxx mandate in L.A. TIME STAMPS 0:00:00 Thu, Sep 16, 2021 0:01:10 The Cootees 0:01:35 Jocks Don't Like Us 0:04:13 Hey, guys! 0:05:57 Norm Macdonald 0:10:48 Capitol 0:20:55 Border 0:27:21 Peter, MS: Fear 0:41:40 Nicki Minaj 0:49:36 Fauci T/F 0:55:30 Misty, S.D.: Worry 1:05:41 I Want the World 1:07:35 Music comments 1:09:25 Virus hype 1:15:52 T, AL: BANNED 1:21:35 Killian, Boston, MA 1:31:33 CO AG vs cops 1:36:43 Super: Cardi not Nicki 1:38:20 Fresh Prince, MD 1:46:55 Reading chat 1:48:27 Mark, Santa Monica 1:52:45 Feminist soccer 1:55:00 Rick, Hampton, VA 1:59:52 Deadbeat, The Cootees HAKE LINKS VIDEO ARCHIVE: Facebook | Periscope/Twitter | YouTube | Audio podcast links below PODCAST: Apple | Podcast Addict | Castbox | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon | PodBean | Google LIVE VIDEO: Trovo | DLive | Periscope | Facebook | Twitch* | YouTube* SUPPORT: SubscribeStar | Patreon | Teespring | SUPER CHAT: Streamlabs | Trovo Call in! 888-775-3773, live Monday through Friday 9 AM (Los Angeles) https://thehakereport.com/show Also see Hake News from JLP's show today. *NOTE: YouTube and Twitch have both censored James's content on their platforms lately, over fake "Community Guidelines" violations. BLOG POST: https://www.thehakereport.com/blog/2021/9/16/091621-thu-norm-on-j6-border-overwhelmed-nicki-minaj-2024-jk
Cather's sculpture will be on display as part of the National Statuary Hall Collections at the United States Capitol in Washington D-C. Ashley Olson is with the National Willa Cather Center in Cather's hometown of Red Cloud, Nebraska. She said along with Chief Standing Bear's new statue at the Capitol, Cather's statue is exciting for Nebraskans.
Cather's sculpture will be on display as part of the National Statuary Hall Collections at the United States Capitol in Washington D-C. Ashley Olson is with the National Willa Cather Center in Cather's hometown of Red Cloud, Nebraska. She said along with Chief Standing Bear's new statue at the Capitol, Cather's statue is exciting for Nebraskans.
This week on the podcast is our interview with renown bronze sculptor, Tom Corbin. Tom's sculptures are in galleries and homes of private collectors around the world, and he was recently commissioned to produce a bronze monument of President Harry S. Truman for Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Hear how Tom left advertising to become a sculptor and what he's learned along the way.To learn more about the people and topics mentioned in this episode see the show notes at
Congress has conducted at least eleven bipartisan hearings to investigate the security failures that permitted a mob of American citizens to riot inside the Capitol Building and successfully disrupt Congress while they certified the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021. In this episode, hear key highlights pulled from over 30 hours of testimony to understand exactly what happened that day. Executive Producer: Forrest Pttman Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Q: Into the Storm, HBO CD226: Lame Duck Bills H.R.1090 - District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act S.964 - Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021 H.R.4192 - Confronting the Threat of Domestic Terrorism Act S.2043 - Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act H.R.4187 - Domestic Terrorism Penalties Act of 2019 Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act U.S. Department of the Treasury Articles/Documents Article: 587 people have been charged in the Capitol insurrection so far. This searchable table shows them all. by Madison Hall, Skye Gould, Rebecca Harrington, Jacob Shamsian, Azmi Haroun, Taylor Ardrey, and Erin Snodgrass, Insider, July 23, 2021 Article: Tampa man, 20, admits intending to block Congress with Oath Keepers in new Capitol riot guilty plea by The Washington Post, July 20, 2021 Article: Tampa man, 20, admits intending to block Congress with Oath Keepers in new Capitol riot guilty plea by The Washington Post, July 19, 2021 Article: What were the Capitol rioters thinking on Jan. 6? by The Washington Post, July 19, 2021 Article: “You're Gonna Have a Fucking War”: Mark Milley's Fight to Stop Trump from Striking Iran by Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, July 15, 2021 Article: To Trump's hard-core supporters, his rallies weren't politics. They were life. by The Washington Post, July 15, 2021 Article: Michael Flynn posts video featuring QAnon slogans By Marshall Cohen, CNN, July 7, 2021 Article: Latest alleged Oath Keeper arrested in Capitol riot turned over body armor and firearm by The Washington Post, July 2, 2021 Article: ‘Zip Tie Guy' and His Mother Plead Not Guilty to New Charges in U.S. Capitol Siege by Aaron Keller, Law & Crime, June 23, 2021 Article: Man charged with bringing molotov cocktails to Capitol on Jan. 6 has Texas militia ties, contacted Ted Cruz's office, court papers allege by The Washington Post, May 24, 2021 Article: Maryland man, indicted for bringing gun to Capitol riot, could face decades in prison by Jordan Fischer, Eric Flack, Stephanie Wilson, WUSA9, May 18, 2021 Article: DC medical examiner confirms causes of death of 4 who died in Jan. 6 Capitol riot By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk, 11NEWS, April 7, 2021 Article: The lawyer for the 'QAnon Shaman' wants to use Trump's speech before the insurrection as part of his defense by Jacob Shamsian, Insider, March 1, 2021 Two Members of the Proud Boys Indicted for Conspiracy, Other Charges Related to the Jan. 6 Riots By United States Department of Justice, January 29, 2021 Article: Former Army captain arrested after live-streaming Capitol riot By Kyle Rempfer, AirForceTimes, January 22, 2021 Article: 'Trump said I could': One possible legal defense for accused rioters. By Teri Kanefield and Mark Reichel, The Washington Post, January 11, 2021 Article: Did 5 People Die During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot? by Alex Kasprak, Snopes, January 7, 2021 Article: FBI focuses on whether some Capitol rioters intended to harm lawmakers or take hostages by The Washington Post, January 7, 2021 Article: Trump's supporters think they're being patriotic. And that's the problem. by Christine Adams, The Washington Post, January 7, 2021 Article: Capitol riot: Army vet who tended bar accused by FBI of conspiring in insurrection by AMSNBS, 2021 Article: All 10 living former defense secretaries: Involving the military in election disputes would cross into dangerous territory by The Washington Post, January 3, 2021 Article: 'I just want to find 11,780 votes': In extraordinary hour-long call, Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor by The Washington Post, January 3, 2021 Article: Capitol riots by The Washington Post, 2021 Article: Another MAGA Rally To Take Place In D.C. On The Day Congress Declares Election Results by Matt Blitz, WAMU 88.5, November 27, 2020 Article: Trump's Election Attack Ends December 14—Whether He Knows It or Not by Lily Hay Newman, Wired, November 27, 2020 Additional Resources U.S.A. v. Mark Grods U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, June 28, 2021 Defense Timeline for January 6th Examining the U.S. Capitol Attack: A Review of the Security, Planning and Response Failures on January 6 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Committee on Rules and Administration U.S.A. v. Christopher Alberts U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, January 27, 2021 U.S.A. v. Lonnie Leroy Coffman U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, January 11, 2021 U.S.A. v. Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Charles Donohue U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, January 8, 2021 Video: Seeking Information: Pipe Bombs in Washington, D.C. F.B.I., January 5, 2021 Sound Clip Sources Hearing: USCP OVERSIGHT FOLLOWING JANUARY 6 ATTACK, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, June 16, 2021 Watch on C-SPAN Witnesses: Michael Bolton Inspector General of the US Capitol Police Transcript: 36:40 Michael Bolton: To me the biggest failure is that because we have allowed certain elements within the Capitol Police to be autonomous, they conduct their own training, okay? That's the issue. Whereas you if you have a Training Services Bureau and let's call it an office of training that is fully incorporated, they handle all the training they conducted. They make sure you get the training, they hold your officials accountable, your people doing your training, guess what, we're sending a letter to the chief and they can no longer work until they get required or what have you. Hearing: The Capitol Insurrection: Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions (Part II), House Committee on Oversight and Reform, June 15, 2021 Watch on Youtube Witnesses: Lt. General Walter Piatt Director of the Army Staff General Charles Flynn Commanding General of the US Army Pacific Chris Wray FBI Director Transcript: 30:41 Lt. General Walter Piatt: My involvement with our response to this emergency began shortly after entering the Secretary of the Army's office at 2:20pm to provide a report of a suspicious package. While I was there, a panic call came in reporting several explosions in the city. To understand the situation, to indentify, what was needed from the army Secretary McCarthy convened a conference call. During this call DC and Capitol authorities frantically requested urgent and immediate support to the Capitol. We all immediately understood the gravity of the situation. Secretary McCarthy went down the hall to seek approval from the Acting Secretary of Defense. Before departing, she directed me to have the staff prepare a response. I communicated this on the conference call. But those are more and more convinced that I was denying their request, which I did not have the authority to do. Despite clearly stating three times that we are not denying your request, we need to prepare a plan for when the Secretary of the Army gains approval. 1:46:02 General Charles Flynn: There's four things in planning that we could have done. And we should have done. The first one there should have been clearly a lead federal agency designated. The second one is we should have had an integrated security plan. The third one is and much of this has been talked about already is information and intelligence sharing on criminal activities before the sixth of January. And then the fourth one would have been, we should have pre-federalized certain National Guard forces so that they could have immediately been moved to the Capitol and had those authorities in place before this happened. 2:09:30 Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD): So that's what we are trying to do, keep our republic and to keep it from those who tried to overthrow this government who wanted to kill members of Congress, who wanted to hang Mike Pence. 2:43:37 Rep. Michael Cloud (TX): You mentioned domestic terrorism that this would qualify as that, would the riots that we saw across the cities for nights and nights and weeks and weeks on even months on end, qualify as domestic terrorism as well? Chris Wray: We've been treating both as domestic terrorism and investigating both through our Joint Terrorism Task Force. 2:51:19 Chris Wray: Among the things that we've taken away from this experience are a few. One, as you heard me say in response to an earlier question, we need to develop better human sources, right, because if we can get better human sources, then we can better separate the wheat from the chaff in social media. Two, we need better data analytics. The volume, as you said, the volume of this stuff is, is just massive, and the ability to have the right tools to get through it and sift through it in a way that is, again, separating the wheat from the chaff is key. And then the third point that I would make is we are rapidly having to contend with the issue of encryption. So what I mean by that is, yes, there might be chatter on social media. But then what we have found and this is true in relation to January 6th, in spades, but it was also true over the summer in some of the violence that occurred there. Individuals will switch over to encrypted platforms for the really significant, really revealing communications. And so we've got to figure out a way to get into those communications or we're going to be constantly playing catch up in our effort to separate as I said, the wheat from the chaff on social media. 3:01:00 Chris Wray: We consider the attack on capital on January 6 to be a form of domestic terrorism. 3:16:00 Chris Wray: As for social media, I think there's, there's it's understandable that there's a lot of confusion on this subject we do not we have very specific policies that Ben at the Department for a long time that govern our ability to use social media and when we have an authorized purpose and proper predication, there's a lot of things we can do on social media. And we do do and we aggressively do but what we can't do, what we can't do on social media is without proper predication, and an authorized purpose, just monitor, just in case on social media. Now, if the policies should be changed to reflect that, that might be one of the important lessons learned coming out of this whole experience. But that's not something that that currently the FBI has the either the authority or certainly the resources frankly, to do. 4:06:00 Rep. Pat Fallon (TX): Has anyone been charged with inciting an insurrection? Chris Wray: I think I responded to an earlier question. I don't believe that that has been one of the charges us so far. But again, with that many cases, I want to build a little room for the fact that I might not know all the cases. Rep. Pat Fallon (TX): So right as of right now, the answer would be no, fair to say? Chris Wray: That's my understanding. Rep. Pat Fallon (TX): Okay. Has anybody been charged with sedition to your knowledge? Chris Wray: Same answer. Rep. Pat Fallon (TX): Okay. No, again, Has anybody been charged with treason? Chris Wray: I don't believe so. Rep. Pat Fallon (TX): Okay, has anyone been charged with illegal possession of a firearm inside the Capitol? On that day? Chris Wray: I believe there has been at least one instance of someone arrested with a firearm in the Capitol. And there have been a number of arrests of individuals either en route to the Capitol or near the Capitol for the for the siege. 4:11:00 Rep. James Comer (KY): On December 31, Mayor browser requested DC National Guard assistance with the planned protest for January fifth and sixth, correct? Lt. General Walter Piatt: Correct, sir. Rep. James Comer (KY):And was that request for assistant ultimately approved by the Secretary of Army? Lt. General Walter Piatt: It was approved by the Acting Secretary of Defense as well. Rep. James Comer (KY):Were restrictions placed on that authority upon the request of Mayor browser and if so, what were those restrictions? Lt. General Walter Piatt: She had requested that they be unarmed and it did not take a place in any law enforcement activities. Hearing: The Capitol Insurrection: Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions, Committee on Oversight and Reform, May 12, 2021 Watch on Youtube Witnesses: Chris Miller Former Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Contee Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Transcript: 00:22 Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY): Today the committee will examine one of the darkest days in our nation's history. The January 6th insurrection at the United States Capitol. On that day, a violent mob incited by shameless lies told by a defeated president launched the worst attack on our republic since the Civil War. 00:42 Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY): We watched as the temple of our democracy, a building whereas familiar with as our own homes, was overrun by a mob bent on murdering the Vice President and members of Congress. 21:21 Chris Miller: I want to remind you and the American public that during that time, there was irresponsible commentary by the media about a possible military coup or that advisors the president were advocating the declaration of martial law. I was also very cognizant of the fears and concerns about the prior use of the military in June 2020 response to protests in the White House. And just before the electoral college certification 10 former Secretaries of Defense signed an op-ed published in The Washington Post warning of the dangers of politicizing inappropriately using the military. No such thing was going to occur and my watch, but these concerns and hysteria about them nonetheless factored into my decisions regarding the appropriate and limited use of our armed forces to support civilian law enforcement during the electoral college certification. My obligation to the nation was to prevent a constitutional crisis. Historically, military responses to domestic protests have resulted in violations of American civil rights and even in the case the Kent State protests of the Vietnam War, tragic deaths. In short, I fervently believe the military should not be utilized in such scenarios, other than as a last resort, and only when all other assets had been expended. 26:02 Chris Miller: I stand by every decision I made on January 6th and the following days. I want to emphasize that our nation's armed forces are to be deployed for domestic law enforcement only when all civilian assets are expended and only as the absolute last resort. To use them for domestic law enforcement in any other manner is contrary to the constitution and a threat to the Republic. I ask you this consider what the response in Congress in the media had been if I had unilaterally deployed 1000s of troops into Washington DC that morning against the Express wishes of the Mayor and the Capitol Police who indicated they were prepared. 40:52 Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY): Mr. Miller, you were the Acting Secretary of Defense on January 6th, did President Trump as the commander in chief of the US Armed Forces call you during the January 6 attack to ensure the capital was being secured? Mr. Miller? Chris Miller: No, I had all the authority I needed from the president to fulfill my constitutional duties. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY): Did you speak with President Trump at all as the attack was unfolding? Chris Miller: On January 6th? yes. Chris Miller: No, I did not. I didn't need to I had all the authority I needed and knew what had to happen. I knew what had to happen. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY): Did you speak with Vice President Pence during the attack? Yes or no? Chris Miller: Yes. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY): According to a defense department timeline, it was Vice President Pence and not President Trump, who called during the siege to say the Capitol was not secure. And to give you the direction to quote, 'clear the Capitol.' What specifically did Vice President Pence say to you that day? Chris Miller: Vice President's not in the chain of command, he did not direct me to clear the capital. I discussed very briefly with him the situation. He provided insights based on his presence there, and I notified him or I informed him that by that point, the District of Columbia National Guard was being fully mobilized and was in coordination with local and federal law enforcement to assist in clearing the Capitol. 1:05:28 Chris Miller: I think I'd like to modify my original assessment. Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): Why am I not surprised about that? Chris Miller: Based on as Chief Contee said, we are getting more information by the day by the minute about what happened and the highlight some other observations that were made. It's clear now that there were organized... Although we're going to find out through the Department of Justice process in the law, and the legal system, it seems clear that there was some sort of conspiracy where there were organized assault elements that intended to assault the Capitol that day. Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): Reclaiming my time, I'm just asking you the same question you've answered before. Did did the President's remarks incite members to march, the people in the crowd to march on the Capitol, or did they not? Chris Miller: Well, he clearly said offered that they should march on the Capitol. So it goes without saying that his statement resulted in that... Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): Reclaiming my time. Let me just share with the committee what you have said before. This is your quote. This is your quote. What anyone? Would anybody have marched on the Capitol and tried to overrun the Capitol without the president speech? I think it's pretty much definitive. That would not have happened. Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): I think now, I would say that this is not the unitary factor at all. What's that? Chris Miller: I would like to offer I have reassessed. It was not the unitary factor at all. There was no...it's seems clear there was an organized conspiracy with assault elements. Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): In your testimony for today. Reclaiming my time again, for your written testimony for today. For today, this morning, you stated the following about the President's quote, I personally believe his comments encouraged the protesters that day. So this is that this is that there's a very recent reversal of your of your testimony. Chris Miller: Absolutely not. That's ridiculous. Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): You're ridiculous. Chris Miller: Thank you for your, your thoughts. I also want to highlight... Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): No wait a minute, reclaiming my time, reclaiming my time. 2:06:30 Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI): Has there been any progress made it all on on? Who would have put these bombs there? Robert Contee: No arrests have been made no suspects identified, working without partners on the federal side. There's been surveillance videos that have been released publicly showing that individual placing the pipe bombs, but no arrests have been made at this point. 3:01:05 Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA): Watching the TV footage of those who entered the Capitol and walked through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion staying between the stanchions and ropes, taking videos and pictures. You know, if you didn't know the TV footage was a video from January the sixth, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit. 3:12:18 Sen. Hank Johnson (GA): Were you ordered to delay deployment of troops? Chris Miller: 110% Absolutely not. No, that is not the case. 4:41:42 Chris Miller: If we had a valid request and a necessary requests from your body, I guarantee you that the Department of Defense would have been there in strength as required. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL): So when you would acknowledge we lost the battle we lost for the first time since 1814... Chris Miller: Horrifying. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL): And it was everybody else's fault but DoD. Chris Miller: I absolutely disagree with the statement that it was... Rep. Mike Quigley (IL) I'm paraphrasing you the only way that makes sense when you say 'you wouldn't do anything differently, you wouldn't do anything differently.' Okay, that implies what I'm saying that it was everybody else's fault in your mind, because it was a catastrophic failure. Chris Miller: And I just had an obligation to protect and defend the Constitution and guarantee that the armed forces were used appropriately, and not in a manner that would be seen as extraconstitutional. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL) Look, the Constitution is not a treaty of surrender. It affords you the opportunity to do what's necessary to defend the people in the democracy of the United States. I mean, if looked upon the destruction afterwards, looking back, you say, 'well, at least I defended the Constitution' is another perverse way of looking at this. Nothing was DoDs fault. And at least you did, in your own mind, defend what you thought was right for the Constitution. Never mind how many people got hurt and how much damage was done to our government in the meantime. Chris Miller: I will absolutely take that on and take that as a compliment. Because the armed forces of the United States was completely prepared and ready to respond to any valid request from any department or agency or local or federal law enforcement office. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL) You lost and you don't have the Intellectual fortitude to own up to your part of the responsibility. And I get it, a lot of people screwed up, you're one of them. I yield scaled back. Madam Chairman. Chris Miller: I respectfully disagree in that. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL) I was in the room, you weren't. Hearing: State and Local Responses to Domestic Terrorism: The Attack on the U.S. Capitol and Beyond, House Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism, March 24, 2021 Watch on Youtube Witnesses: Dana Nessel Attorney General, Michigan Aaron Ford Attorney General, Nevada John Chisholm District Attorney, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Transcript: 07:19 Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI): The post 9/11 era of security where the threats come from abroad is over. In the 20 years of the post 9/11 era, they came to an end on January 6th, the new reality is that we have to come to terms with is that it's our extremists here at home, seeking to explain internal divisions that pose the greatest threat. Hearing: JANUARY 6 ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Committee on Rules and Administration, March 3, 2021 Day 2 (March 3, 2021) Day 2, Part 2 (March 3, 2021) Witnesses: Robert Salesses Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense and Global Security at the U.S. Department of Defense Major General William Walker Commanding General of the DC National Guard Jill Sanborn Assistant Director, Counterterrorism Division Federal Bureau of Investigation U.S. Department of Justice Transcript: 06:42 Sen. Gary Peters (MI): But the January 6 attack must mark a turning point. There can be no question that the domestic terrorist threat and cluding violence driven by white supremacy and anti government groups is the gravest terrorist threat to our homeland security. Moving forward, the FBI, which is tasked with leading our counterterrorism efforts, and the Department of Homeland Security, which ensures that state and local law enforcement understands the threats that American communities face must address this deadly threat with the same focus and resources and analytical rigor that they apply to foreign threats such as ISIS and Al Qaeda. 30:19 Robert Salesses: Over the weekend of January 2nd and third, my staff contacted the Secret Service, the Park Police, the marshal service, the FBI, the Capitol Police to determine if they planned to request DoD assistance. None of these law enforcement agencies indicated a need for DoD or DC National Guard Support. 30:45 Robert Salesses: After consultation with the Department of Justice, the Acting Secretary of Defense approved the DC government request for National Guard personnel to support 30 traffic control points and six metro stations from January 5th to the sixth. The Acting Secretary also authorized a 40 person quick reaction force to be readied at Joint Base Andrews. 31:17 Robert Salesses: On January 5, the Acting Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army received a letter from the mayor of DC, stating MPD is prepared and coordinated with its federal partners, namely the Park Police, the Capitol Police and the Secret Service. Based on these communications with federal and local civilian authorities DoD determined that no additional military support was required on January 5th, and 6th. 32:20 Robert Salesses: At approximately 2:30pm, the Secretary of the Army met with the Acting Secretary of Defense and other senior leaders of the Defense Department. After this meeting, the Acting Secretary of Defense determined that all available forces of the DC National Guard were required to reinforce the DC Metropolitan Police and the US Capitol Police and ordered the full mobilization of the DC National Guard at 3:04pm. 33:08 Robert Salesses: After reviewing the DC National Guard's missions, equipping and responsibilities to be performed at the Capitol Complex and supported the Metropolitan Police and Capitol Police, and conferring with the DC Metropolitan Police at their headquarters, at 4:10pm, the Secretary of the Army received the Acting Secretary of Defense's approval at 4:32 and ordered the DC National Guard forces to depart the armory for the Capitol Complex 49:59 Major General William Walker: The District of Columbia National Guard provides support to the Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Park Police, the United States Secret Service, and other federal and district law enforcement agencies in response to planned rallies, marches, protest, and other large scale first amendment activity on a routine basis. The standard component of such support is the stand up of a off site quick reaction for us, an element of guardsmen held in reserve with civil disturbance response equipment, helmets, shields, battons, etc. They are postured to quickly respond to an urgent and immediate need for assistance by civil authorities. The Secretary of the Army's January 5th letter to me withheld that authority for me to employ a quick reaction force. Additionally, the Secretary of the Army's memorandum to me required that a concept of operation be submitted to him before the employment of a quick reaction force. I found that requirement to be unusual, as was the requirement to seek approval to move guardsmen supporting the Metropolitan Police Department to move from one traffic control point to another. 54:50 Major General William Walker: So the memo was unusual in that it required me to seek authorization from the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Defense, to essentially even protect my guardsmen. So no civil disturbance equipment could be authorized, unless it was came from the Secretary of Defense, now the Secretary of the Army, to his credit, did tell me that I could have force protection equipment with the guardsmen. So we do have helmets. shin guards, vest, we did have that with us. But that came from the Secretary of the Army. The Secretary of Defense told me I needed his permission to to escalate to have that kind of protection. 55:50 Major General William Walker: What it says, without my personal authorization, the District of Columbia National Guard has not authorized the following to be issued weapons, ammunition bayonets, batons or ballistic protection equipment such as helmets and body armor. Now, again, to be clear, the Secretary of the Army told me to go ahead and issue that equipment. So we never were going to have weapons or ammunition and we no longer have bayonets. But we do have ballistic protection equipment, helmets body armor, and so I did have that with each guardsmen. 57:02 Major General William Walker: And at that time, Chief Conte and Chief Soon passionately pleaded for District of Columbia National Guard to get to the Capitol with all deliberate speed. So the Army senior leaders did not think that it'd look good. It would be a good optic, they further stated that it could incite the crowd. So their best military advice would be to the Secretary of the Army who could not get on the call. So we wanted the Secretary of the Army to join the call, but he was not available. We were told that he was with the Secretary of Defense and not available. But the Army Senior leadership, expressed to Chief Conte, Chief Sohn, Dr. Mitchell, the deputy mayor and others on the call, that it would not be their best military advice to have uniform guardsmen on the Capitol. 58:26 Sen. Gary Peters (MI): General Walker was the issue of optics ever brought up by army leadership when the DC National Guard was deployed during the summer of 2020. Was that discussed? Major General William Walker: It was never discussed. The week of June it was never discussed July 4, when we were supporting the city was never discussed August 28th when we supported the city. Sen. Gary Peters (MI): Did you think that was unusual? Major General William Walker: I did. 1:00:32 Major General William Walker: So I had them ready to go shortly after the phone call. So I brought, at 1500, I directed that the quick reaction for us that was based at Andrews Air Force Base, leave the base, get to the armory at all deliberate speed. I had a police escort bring them to the armory. They returned to the Armory in about 20 minutes. So we had them sitting there waiting. And then, in anticipation of a green light, a go, we put guardsmen on buses, we brought them inside the armory, so nobody would see them putting on the equipment and getting on the buses, and then we just waited to get the approval. And that's why we were able to get to the Capitol in about 18 minutes. Sen. Gary Peters (MI): What time were they on the buses Ready to go? Do you recall? Major General William Walker: By five o'clock, but at five o'clock, I decided, hey, you know, there's got to be an approval coming. So get on the buses, get the equipment on, get on the buses and just wait. And then a few minutes after that we did get the approval. I was on a secure video conference when the army leadership conveyed to me that the Secretary of Defense had authorized the employment of the National Guard at the Capitol. So my timeline has 1708, 5:08pm is when is when we wrote down that we had approval and read was about eight people in the office with me when I got that. Sen. Gary Peters (MI): How many guardsmen were ready. You said write a video earlier and they have gotten 155. So you could have sent 155 much, much earlier, what would have been the impact of sending those 155 right around that two o'clock timeframe? Major General William Walker: Well, based on my experience with the summer and I have 19 years, I have 39 years in the National Guard, and I was in the Florida guard Hurricane Andrew I've been involved in civil disturbances. So I believe that number could have made a difference. We could have helped extend the perimeter and help push back the crowd. 1:13:49 Robert Salesses: The only decision makers on the sixth of January were the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy. There was a chain of command from the Secretary of Defense, to Secretary McCarthy to General Walker. That was the chain of command. 1:15:39 Sen. Rob Portman (OH): This morning, you have testified that you received this letter from our secretary McCarthy on January 5, so just the day before the attack on the Capitol. In that letter, did Secretary McCarthy prohibit you from employing the National Guard's quick reaction force without his authorization? Major General William Walker: So I have the letter in front of me, and his letter does not but it is the Secretary of Defense says that I have to use it as a last resort. But the Secretary of the Army told me and it's, I have the letter that I couldn't not use the quick reaction force. It would it would he with I'll just read it. Yeah, 'I withhold authority to approve employment of the District of Columbia National Guard quick reaction force, and will do so only as a last resort, in response to a request from an appropriate civil authority. I will require a concept of operation prior to authorizing employment of a civil- of a quick reaction for it. 1:16:05 *Major General William Walker:** Now a quick reaction force normally is a command was tool to go help either a civilian agency, but more typically to help the National Guardsmen who are out there in need, need assistance. 1:16:58 Major General William Walker: Just to be clear, the Secretary of Defense said I could use it as a last resort, right. But the Secretary of the Army says that I could only use it after he gave me permission. And only then after a concept of operation. Sen. Rob Portman (OH): Right, and we talked about the chain of command earlier, so your chain of command is both of these gentlemen. In other words, you you didn't have the authority to deploy that quick reaction force based on either the letter or the earlier memo that went from the Secretary of Defense, Acting Secretary defense to the Secretary of the Army. Is that correct? Major General William Walker: Yes, sir. 1:17:23 Sen. Rob Portman (OH): Yeah, I also thought it was odd and I think you said was unusual and very prescriptive that the January 5th letter required the Secretary of the Army to approve the movement of deployed guardsmen from one traffic control point to another. Did you find that unusual? Major General William Walker: In 19 years I never had that before happened. So on that day, the Metropolitan Police as they would any other day requested that a traffic control point move one block, one block over. No traffic was where they were. So they wanted the traffic control point to move one block. I had to get permission. I told him, I'll get back to you. I contacted Lieutenant General Piatt, who contacted Secretary of the Army, I had to explain where that contractor control point was in relationship to the Capitol. And only then did I get permission to move the three national guardsmen supporting the Metropolitan... Sen. Rob Portman (OH): These are three unarmed National Guardsmen who are helping with traffic control in parts of that Metropolitan Police can do other things. And they were not permitted to move a block away without getting permission from the Secretary of the Army. Is that true? Major General William Walker: That's correct. Yeah. 1:18:52 Sen. Rob Portman (OH): That January 4th memorandum from Acting Secretary Miller to the Army Secretary required the personal approval of the Secretary of Defense for the National Guard to be issued riot gear. Is that correct? Major General William Walker: That's correct. But but the secretary army told me to go ahead and put it into vehicles. So I give him credit for that. 1:19:08 Major General William Walker: Normally for a safety and force protection matter, a commander would would be able to authorize his guardsmen to protect themselves with helmet and protective equipment. 1:25:57 Sen. Roy Blunt (MO): General Walker if the restrictions on your authorities hadn't been put in place by DoD, what would you have done when Chief Sund called you at 1:49 on January 6, with an urgent request for National Guards assistance? Major General William Walker: I would have immediately pulled all the guardsmen that were supporting the Metropolitan Police Department. They had the gear in the vehicles, I would have had them assemble in the armory, and then get on buses and go straight to the armory and report to the most ranking Capitol Police Officer they saw and take direction. And just let me add this, so one of my Lieutenant Colonel's on his own initiative, went to the Capitol, anticipating that we were going to be called, so he would have been there and he met with Deputy Chief Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department who asked them, where is the National Guard? How come they're not here? And this Colonel said, Well, I'm sure they're coming. And I'm here to scout out where they're going to be when they get here. So that was the plan. I would have sent them there immediately. As soon as I hung up, my next call would have been to my subordinate commanders, get every single guardsman in this building, and everybody that's helping the Metropolitan Police. We mission them to the Capitol without delay. 1:32:11 Robert Salesses: That's when the Secretary of Defense made the decision at 4:32. As general Walker has pointed out, because I've seen all the timelines, he was not told that till 5:08 that's what Sen. Roy Blunt (MO): How's that possible? Mr. Salesses, do you think that the decision in the moment we were in was made at 4:32 and the person that had to be told, wasn't told for more than half an hour after the decision was made? Robert Salesses: Senator, I think that's that's an issue. 1:37:13 Sen. Maggie Hassann (NH): Looking back now, what might have made a difference in being able to move against some of those individuals sooner? Jill Sanborn: Yeah, I think that's great question. I think it's twofold. So it's the complexity of trying to gather the right intelligence that helps us predict indicators and warnings. And I spoke earlier about while there's a volume out there of rhetoric, trying to figure out that intent is very challenging for us in the intel community because it happens on private comms and encryption. So that's one aspect. And then the other aspect is of the people that we were investigating. So predicated investigations, we don't necessarily have the ability to mitigate the threat they might pose by travel if we don't have a charge. And so I think you're tracking that we were aware of some of our subjects that intended to come here. We took over action by going and talking them and trying to get them to not come and that worked in the majority of our already predicated cases. 1:49:46 To review the timeline at 1:49 Chief Sund contacted you. At 2:15 the capital was breached. I think in your testimony you said you had available 340 DC National Guard troops Is that correct? Major General William Walker: Sir, it was actually half of that. So, so half were on the streets helping the Metropolitan Police Department. The other half would have came in to relieve them, but we would have called them in to come in. 1:50:33 Sen. Ron Johnson (WI): How quickly could have you gotten? How many people to the Capitol? Major General William Walker: 20 minutes? Sen. Ron Johnson (WI): How many people? Major General William Walker: 150 1:56:47 Jill Sanborn: We're seeing people that got caught up in the moment got caught up in the sort of the energy etc. and made their way into the captain on those are probably the ones that you're seeing the charges simply of trespassing and then we're definitely seeing that portion that you're pointing out which is small groups and cells now being charged with conspiracy that coalesced either on site or even days or weeks prior and had sort of an intent that day and they to probably caught people up in the energy. PART 2 23:00 Jill Sanborn: The piece of information we received, again, was a non attributable posting to a message board. And so very raw, very unvetted, we actually didn't receive that information until late, very late in the afternoon on the fifth and almost into the evening. And because of our emphasis on we need any intelligence, even though it was raw and attributed, and unvetted, the Norfolk office quickly wrote that up specifically in a document following our processes to disseminate that. So a situation information report is for the intentional purpose of sharing that with state and local partners. Not only did they write that up, because they knew how important that was to get that information out into the hands of folks that might need it, our state and local partners, within 40 minutes, they sent an email to the Washington field office with that information and Washington Field Office also then followed up with an email to all Task Force officers. And so several different mechanisms were happened here. And you know, we'd like to use the phrase 'belt and suspenders' we didn't want to make sure that one method of communication failed. So we wrote it up in the document for dissemination. We sent it in an email to all taskforce officers in the National Capitol Region, and that does include Washington Metro as well as Capitol. But again, not wanting to rely on those two mechanisms only it was then briefed verbally in a command post and interagency command post that we were doing briefings every couple of hours, though, that every agency in that command post have what we call a common operating picture. Knowing what all of us knew at any given time, it was briefed at 8pm on the evening of the fifth, and then taking it one step further, because we didn't want to limit our aperture to just the National Capital Region, because there's collection opportunity out there for all state and local partners and federal partners to help us, we loaded that suspicious information report into what we call the Leap Portal. And that is accessible by all state and local partners. So we really tried in various ways to make sure that we did not rely on one communication mechanism and really tried to rely on several so that the information would get to the right people. 34:46 Sen. Rand Paul (KY): We can talk all we want about January sixth, but really it's the decision making leading up to that. Someone made a bad judgment call and we need to be better prepared. If we're gonna fix this in the future, it isn't about calling the National Guard out quicker. It's about having 1000 people standing there before the riot happens to the riot doesn't happen. Hearing: U.S. Capitol Police and House Sergeant at Arms, Security Failures on January 6, House Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, February 25, 2021 Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Timothy Blodgett Acting Sergeant at Arms; U.S. House of Representatives Yogananda D. Pittman, Acting Chief of Police, U.S. Capitol Police. Transcript: 09:11 ** Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (CA):** The United States Capitol Police Force is not meant to be an army, expecting 1600 officers to hold back an unruly mob of eight to 10,000 people, many of whom were armed and had their own homemade explosive devices or had came with or weaponized, everyday items. It's not a position we should ever have to be in. 20:51 Yogananda D. Pittman: There's evidence that some of those who stormed the Capitol were organized. But there's also evidence that a large number were everyday Americans who took on a mob mentality because they were angry and desperate. It is the conduct of this latter group that the department was not prepared for. Hearing: Dollars Against Democracy: Domestic Terrorist Financing in the Aftermath of Insurrection, Committee on Financial Services, February 25, 2021 Watch on YouTube Witnesses Iman Boukadoum Senior Manager, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Lecia Brooks Executive Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center Daniel Glaser Global Head Jurisdictional Services and Head of Washington, DC Office at K2 Integrity Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Board member at the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority Former Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, U.S. Department of the Treasury Daniel Rogers Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer at Global Disinformation Index Daveed Gertenstein-Ross CEO of Valens Global Transcript: 03:28 Rep. Jim Himes (CT): In the wake of the attacks of September 11th, we recast the entire federal government and worked feverishly to defund terrorist streams. To effectively disrupt domestic extremist groups, we need to better understand their financing. 03:54 Rep. Jim Himes (CT): Unlike ISIS, for example, these organizations are not pyramid shaped where funding comes from a handful of easily disruptable areas. An online fundraising drive for a legitimate charity, and one that helps support an extremist group can look very similar. 04:57 Rep. Jim Himes (CT): We need to conscientiously be mindful of the civil liberties concerns at play here. Unlike international extremist groups, law enforcement is constrained by the Constitution when dealing with domestic extremists, balancing the desire to give law enforcement the tools necessary to disrupt these groups with the need to respect the rights of all Americans and the Constitution to which we have all pledged an oath is essential. 05:36 Rep. Jim Himes (CT): While we all live through a brutal event on January 6th, undertaken by right wing extremists, no location on the political spectrum has a monopoly on extremism or violence. 10:08 Rep. Maxine Waters (CA): We're here against the backdrop of the January 6th insurrection. A deplorable yet predictable display of white supremacists such as the Proud Boys, the oathkeepers QAnon and others and nationalist violence incited by President Trump against the members of this body and against democracy itself. 12:51 Iman Boukadoum: Last month violent insurrection heavily fueled by white supremacy and white nationalism shocked the world. 13:52 Iman Boukadoum: We know, however, that even well intentioned national security laws are invariably weaponized against black, brown and Muslim communities. And that white nationalist violence is not prioritized making that policy failure the fundamental reason for what transpired on January 6th, not lack of legal authority. For this reason we oppose any legislation that would create new charges for domestic terrorism or any enhanced or additional criminal penalties. The federal government, including the Treasury Department, has many tools at its disposal to investigate. And also the FBI and DOJ have 50 statutes, at least 50 statutes and over a dozen criminal statutes, 50 terrorism related statutes, excuse me and over a dozen criminal statutes that they can use. They just need to use them to target white nationalist violence. 19:33 Lecia Brooks: Today, some white nationalist groups and personalities are raising funds through the distribution of propaganda itself. In November SPLC researchers reported that dozens of extremist groups were earning 1000s of dollars per month on a popular live streaming platform called D-Live. 20:21 Lecia Brooks: Crowdfunding is also being exploited by hate groups to earn money in this new decentralized landscape. Crowdfunding sites played a critical role in the capital insurrection, providing monetary support that allowed people to travel to Washington DC. They've also played a crucial role in raising hundreds of 1000s of dollars in legal fees for extremists. 20:43 Lecia Brooks: The violent insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6 should serve as a wake up call for Congress, the Biden administration, Internet companies, law enforcement and public officials at every level. 23:11 Daniel Glaser: Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to talk about how the US government can employ similar tools and strategies against white nationalists and other domestic terrorist groups as it has employed against global jihadist groups over the past two decades. 23:33 Daniel Glaser: During my time at the Treasury Department, I fought to cut off funding to terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and Hezbollah, as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bush Administration, and eventually as the Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing in the Obama Administration. My primary responsibility was to lead the design and implementation of strategies to attack the financial networks of these groups and other threats to our country's national security. And while we should never let down our guard with respect to those still potent terrorist organizations, it has become tragically clear that there are domestic extremist groups that in some ways present an even greater threat to our ideals and our democracy. We have the responsibility to target those groups with the same determination, creativity and sense of purpose that we displayed in the years following 9/11. 27:42 Daniel Glaser: Potential measures in Treasury's toolbox include the issuance of guidance to financial institutions on financial type policies, methodologies and red flags, the establishment of public private partnerships the use of information sharing authorities and the use of geographic targeting orders. Taken together these measures will strengthen the ability of financial institutions to identify, report and impede the financial activity of domestic extremist groups and will ensure that the US financial system is a hostile environment for these groups. 30:10 Daniel Rogers: These groups leverage the Internet as a primary means of disseminating their toxic ideologies and soliciting funds. One only needs to search Amazon or Etsy for the term q anon to uncover shirts, hats, mugs, books and other paraphernalia that both monetize and further popular popularized the domestic violent extremist threat. Images from that fateful day last month are rife with sweatshirts that say, Camp outfits that until recently were for sale on websites like Teespring and cafe press. As we speak at least 24 individuals indicted for their role in the January 6 insurrection, including eight members of the proud boys have used crowdfunding site gifts and go to raise nearly a quarter million dollars in donations. And it's not just about the money. This merchandise acts as a sort of team jersey that helps these groups recruit new members and form further hatred towards their targets. We analyze the digital footprints of 73 groups across 60 websites, and 225 social media accounts and their use of 54 different online fundraising mechanisms, including 47 payment platforms and five different cryptocurrencies, ultimately finding 191 instances of hate groups using online fundraising services to support their activities. The funding mechanisms including included both primary platforms like Amazon, intermediary platforms, such as Stripe or Shopify crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, payments facilitators like PayPal, monetized content streaming services, such as YouTube, super chats, and cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. All of these payment mechanisms were linked to websites or social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, telegram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, gab, picshoot and others. The sheer number of companies I just mentioned, is the first clue to the scale and the scope of the problem. 31:40 Daniel Rogers: We also found that a large fraction of the groups we studied have a tax exempt status with the IRS, a full 100% of anti muslim groups. 75% of anti-immigrant groups, and 70% of anti LGBTQ groups have 501-C-3 or 501-C-4 status. Over 1/3 of the militia groups that we identified, including the oathkeepers, whose leadership was recently indicted on charges related to January 6, have tax exempt status. This status gives them access to a whole spectrum of charity fundraising tools, from Facebook donations to amazon smile, to the point where most of the most common fundraising platform we identified across all of our data was Charity Navigator. 32:30 Daniel Glaser: I think it's important to remember that if you want to be able to use a cryptocurrency in the real economy, to any scale, it at some point doesn't need to be converted into actual fiat currency into dollars. That's the place where the Treasury Department does regulate cryptocurrencies. 42:10 Daniel Glaser: Cryptocurrency exchanges are regarded as money service businesses. They have full customer due diligence requirements. They have full money laundering program requirements, they have reporting requirements. The US Treasury Department just last month, issued a proposed rule relating to unhosted wallets of cryptocurrencies. And that's out for notice and comment. Right now. It addresses the particular issue of, of wallets that are not hosted on a particular exchange. And I think it's an important rule that's out there and I do encourage people to take a look at it, the comment period closes in May, and then hopefully, Treasury will be able to take regulatory action to close that particular vulnerability. 42:46 Rep. Jim Himes (CT): Mr. Glaser, you you, though suggested something new that I'd like to give you a maybe 30 seconds, 42 seconds I have left to elaborate on you said you were taught you were hopeful for sanctions like authorities against domestic actors. You did not to constitutional civil liberties concerns. But give us another 30 seconds on exactly what you mean. And perhaps most importantly, what sort of fourth amendment overlay should accompany such authority? Daniel Glaser: Well, thank you, thank you for the question. The fact is, the Treasury Department really does not have a lot of authority to go after purely domestic groups in the way that it goes after global terrorist organizations that simply doesn't have that authority. You could imagine an authority that does allow for the designation of domestic organizations, it would have to take into account that, the constitutional restrictions. When you look when you read the a lot of the court decisions, there's concerns could be addressed in the statute, there's concerns. A lot of the scrutiny is heightened because sanctions are usually accompanied with acid freezes. But you could imagine sanctions that don't involve asset freezes that involve transaction bounds that involve regulatory type of requirements that you see in Section 311 of the Patriot Act. So there's a variety of ways that both the due process standards could be raised from what we see in the global context. 44:37 Daniel Rogers: The days leading up to the insurrection, the oathkeepers founder Stuart Rhodes appeared on a podcast and solicited charitable donations to the oathkeepers Educational Fund. It can only be presumed that these funds which listeners were notably able to deduct from their federal taxes, went to transporting and lodging members of the group slated to participate in the ensuing riots. 46:06 Rep. French Hill (AZ): Daveed Gertenstein-Ross: In looking at the draft legislation that the majority noticed with this hearing, one bill stuck out to me and I think it's a good follow up for your from your most recent exchange. It seeks to amend title 31 to require the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program to allow designated employees of financial institutions to access classified information related to terrorism, sedition, and insurrection. Now, over the past three congresses, we've talked about the concept of a fusion center, not unlike we do in monitoring cyber risk and cyber crimes for this terror finance arena. We've never been able to come ashore on it legislatively. So I found that interesting. However, I'm concerned that when you deputize bank employees without any oversight, as to how the information would be protected or if there's really even a need for that. 46:53 Rep. French Hill (AZ): Could you describe how banks share information with law enforcement today and how they provide feedback on how we might change these protocols or if they're if that protocol change is necessary. Daveed Gertenstein-Ross: Thank you ranking member, there are four primary ways that banks share information now. The first is suspicious activity reports or the SAR. Financial institutions have to file these documents with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or FinCEN. When there's a suspected case of money laundering or fraud, the star is designed to monitor activity and finance related industries that are out of the ordinary are a precursor to illegal activity, or can threaten public safety. Second, there's law enforcement's 314 a power under the Patriot Act, in which obtains potential lead information from financial institutions via fincen. Third, law enforcement can use its subpoena power, if a court issues a subpoena pursuant to an investigation, or to an administrative proceeding and forth where there are blocked assets pursuant to OFAC authorities, sanctions or otherwise, banks are required to report block assets back to OFAC. The information sharing in my view is currently quite effective. Treasury in particular has a very strong relationship with the US financial institutions. 48:24 Rep. French Hill (AZ): On 314 in the Patriot Act, is that a place where we could, in a protected appropriate way make a change that relates to this domestic issue? Or is that, in your view, too challenging? Daveed Gertenstein-Ross: No, I think it's a place where you could definitely make a change. The 314-A process allows an investigator to canvass financial institutions for potential lead information that might otherwise never be uncovered. It's designed to allow disparate pieces of information to be identified, centralized and evaluated. So when law enforcement submits a request to Finicen, to get information from financial institutions, it has to submit a written certification that each individual or entity about which the information is sought is engaged in or reasonably suspected of engaging in terrorist activity or money laundering. I think that in some cases 314-A, may already be usable, but I think it's worth looking at the 314-A process to see if in this particular context, when you're looking at domestic violent extremism, as opposed to foreign terrorist organizations, there are some tweaks that would provide ability to get leads in this manner. 1:15:15 Iman Boukadoum: What we submit is that the material support for terrorism statute, as we know, there are two of them. There's one with an international Nexus that is required. And there's one that allows for investigating material support for terrorism, domestic terrorism, in particular, as defined in the patriot act with underlying statutes that allows for any crimes that take place within the United States that have no international nexus. And we believe that that second piece of material support for terrorism statute has been neglected and can be nicely used with the domestic terrorism definition as laid out in the Patriot Act. And we hope that statutory framework will be used to actually go after violent white nationalists and others. 1:50:25 Daniel Rogers: I think there are a number of regulatory fronts that all kind of go to the general problem of disinformation as a whole. And I don't know that we have the time to get into all of them here, but I think they, they certainly fall into three three big categories, with the one most relevant to today's discussion being this idea of platform government and platform liability, that, you know, our data is showing how what a key role, these sorts of platforms play in facilitating the activities of these groups. And the fact that the liability is so nebulous or non existent through things like Section 230 and whatnot, which what we found is that there's there's already policies in place against all of these hate and extremist groups, but they're just simply not enforced. And so updating that kind of platform liability to help drive enforcement I think is one of the key areas that that that we can focus on. Hearing: JANUARY 6 ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Committee on Rules and Administration, February 23, 2021 Day 1 C-SPAN Witnesses Captain Carneysha Mendoza Field Commander of the United States Capitol Police Special Operations Division Robert Contee Acting Chief of Police for the Metropolitan Police Department Paul Irving Former Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives Michael Stenger Former Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate Transcript: 27:11 Captain Carneysha Mendoza: On January 6th, we anticipated an event similar to the million MAGA March that took place on November 14th, where we would likely face groups fighting among one another. 39:21 Robert Contee: MPD is prohibited by federal law from entering the Capitol or its grounds to patrol, make arrests or served warrants without the consent request of the Capitol Police board. 39:32 Robert Contee: The President of the United States not the Mayor of the District of Columbia controls the DC National Guard. 39:57 Robert Contee: Since Mayor Bowser declared a public health emergency last March, the district has not issued permits for any large gatherings. Although the district and MPD take pride in facilitating the exercise of first amendment rights by all groups, regardless of their beliefs. None of the public gatherings on January 5th and sixth were issued permits by the city. 47:13 Steven Sund: The intelligence that we based our planning on indicated that the January six protests were expected to be similar to the previous MAGA rallies in 2020, which drew 10s of 1000s of participants. 55:33 Paul Irving: We began planning for the protests of January 6th in December 2020. The planning relied on what we understood to be credible intelligence provided by various state and federal agencies, including a special event assessment issued by the Capitol Police on January 3rd. The January 3rd assessment forecast at the pros tests were ‘expected to be similar to the previous million MAGA March rallies that had taken place in November and December 2020.' Every Capitol Police daily intelligence report between January 4 and January 6, including on January 6th forecast the chance of civil disobedience or arrest during the protests as remote to improbable. 56:29 Paul Irving: The Chiefs plan took on an all hands on deck approach whereby every available sworn Capitol Police employee with police powers was assigned to work on January 6th. That meant approximately 1200 Capitol Police officers were on site, including civil disturbance units and other tactical teams. I also understood that 125 National Guard troops were on notice to be standing by for a quick response. The Metropolitan Police Department was also on 12 hour shifts, with no officers on day off or leave. And they staged officers just north of the Capitol to provide immediate assistance if required. The plan was brief to multiple law enforcement partners. Based on the intelligence we all believed that the plan met the threat. 1:00:57 Steven Sund: I actually just in the last 24 hours, was informed by the department that they actually had received that report. It was received by what we call, it's one of our sworn members that's assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is a task force with the FBI. They received it the evening of the fifth, reviewed it and then forwarded over to an official at the Intelligence Division over at the US Capitol Police Headquarters. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN): And so you hadn't seen it yourself? Steven Sund: No, ma'am. It did not go any further than that. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN): Okay. And then was it sent to the House and Senate Sergeant in Arms? I don't believe that went any farther than from over to the sergeant at the intelligence. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN): And Mr. Irving. Mr. Stanger, Do you did you get that report beforehand? Mr. Stanger, Did you get the report? Michael Stenger: No. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN): Okay, Mr. Irving? Paul Irving: I did not Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN): Okay. 1:05:36 Sen. Klobuchar: Mr. Sund, you stated in your written testimony that you first made a request for the Capitol Police board to declare an emergency and authorized National Guard support on Monday January 4th, and that request was not granted. Steven Sund: That is correct, ma'am. 1:05:47 Sen. Klobuchar: Your testimony makes clear that the current structure of the Capitol Police corps resulted in delays in bringing in assistance from the National Guard. Would you agree with that? That's one of the things we want to look at. Steven Sund: Yes, ma'am. 1:06:02 Sen. Klobuchar: Do you think that changes are needed to make clear that the Capitol Police Chief has the authority to call in the National Guard? Steven Sund: I certainly do. I think in an exigent circumstances, there needs to be a streamlined process for the Capitol Chief of Police for the Capitol Police to have authority. 1:07:23 Sen. Klobuchar: Mr. Sund your written testimony states that you had no authority to request t
Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Sixth Week of Easter Lectionary: 291All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Damien de Veuster of MolokaiWhen Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen’s disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government’s leper colony on the island of Moloka’i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people’s physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen’s disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien’s body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Reflection Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka’i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.” Saint of the Day Copyright Franciscan Media
In today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out from an anonymous supporter: It may seem like we just had an election, but 2021 is once again a city, county, and state election year. Party primaries are coming soon on June 8, 2021. The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration is Monday, May 17, 2021. Visit the Virginia Department of Elections to learn more. On today’s show:The Albemarle Board of Supervisors gets an update on the courts expansion and renovationThe Moton Museum in Farmville commemorates 70 years since an important walkoutThere’s a new version of a planned multifamily development planned near Forest LakesThere are three upcoming forums for the Democratic City Council nomination raceOn Friday, federal officials lifted the pause on the administration of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. An advisory panel recommended that additional information about the risk of blood clots be given to people, and the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration quickly urged states to proceed. Virginia Vaccine Coordinator Danny Avula issued a statement soon after stating that the pause should give additional assurances about the safety of the vaccination process. (more in the Virginia Mercury)As of this morning, 28.7 percent of Virginians are fully vaccinated and just over 5.9 million doses have been administered. The Johnson and Johnson pause did not slow down the pace as there the seven-day average has remained in the mid-70,000’s. The number of new cases continues to decline this week. For two days in a row, the number of new cases has been under 1,000. That’s the first time that’s happened since late October. The seven-day average is at 1,117 today and the percent positivity is down to 5.4 percent. Source: Virginia Department of HealthThere are still six weeks until the Democratic Primary on June 8, but early voting has begun across Virginia. As of yesterday, 631 mail-in ballots had been requested in Charlottesville according to data contextualized by the Virginia Public Access Project. That figure in Albemarle is 2,276, 260 in Fluvanna, 153 in Greene, 238 in Louisa, and 118 in Nelson. There are three remaining campaign forums for the three Democratic candidates for the two nominations for Charlottesville City Council. The Public Housing Association of Residents will hold an event on May 12, followed by the Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Association on May 20. I’ll be holding an event with Neil Williamson of the Free Enterprise Forum on May 27. The Fry’s Spring Neighborhood Association on March 10 which you can access the audio on Information Charlottesville. There was also an April 6, 2021 event on the I Love Cville video platform. Aerial overview of the new development (download the PDF)In March, residents of the Forest Lakes neighborhood dominated an Albemarle Planning Commission public hearing for a multifamily apartment complex planned for the intersection of U.S. 29. Go back and read that story if you have a moment. Now RST Development has filed a revised plan with the county that among other things reduces the number of units from 370 to 340. They’ll get there by eliminating 32 townhomes, planting more green space, and adding more landscaping to serve as a buffer. The new proposed unit mix is 254 apartments and 86 townhouses“The proposed buildings in RST Residences are carefully sited to mitigate any adverse visual impact to neighboring properties or public roads,” reads the narrative for the new application. “The tallest proposed building is the 5-story apartment building at the center of the Project. This building would be 540 feet from the intersection of Route 29 and Ashwood Boulevard, and over 320 feet from the property line with Ashland Townhomes.” The narrative states that 75 percent of the multifamily units will comply with affordability guidelines. There is not yet a date when the project is expected to return to the Planning Commission to resume the rezoning process. A list of changes made in this resubmission taken from the new narrativeA Farmville museum dedicated to that community’s role in the long legal battle to desegregate America’s public schools held a ten-hour live virtual event on Friday to commemorate an important event in of Virginia history. Cynthia Hudson is on the Board of Trustees at the which for twenty years has operated out of the R. R. Moton School, which was designated for Black students by the public school system. “Seventy years ago in 1951, students stood right here on this stage, stood up and walked out to protest overcrowding and other poor conditions in their high school,” Hudson said. “Although they didn’t know it at the time, the course of an entire nation would shift as a result of their actions.” A lawsuit was filed against Prince Edward County by the NAACP, and the case became one of five that resulted in the Brown vs. Board of Education case that ended legal segregation and the doctrine of separate but equal. (learn more on Wikipedia)“For decades, the Moton Museum has made itself the home of this vital, ongoing conversation that is just as alive today as it was then,” Hudson said.The walkout in 1951 was led by Barbara Johns, who will be the subject of the new statue that will represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol. Here’s Delegate Jeion Ward of Virginia’s 92nd District with an update. “We are at the point now where we are looking at hiring a sculptor and making sure that we follow all state procurement laws and after the statue has been designed than we also have to have approval of the sculptor and that’s at three different stages of production by the architect of the U.S. Capitol,” said Delegate Ward. Ward said she credited the work of Johns and her fellow students for leading the way to desegregated education, but that did not end a divided society. “I always referred to myself as a Brown baby because it was the Brown vs Board of Education decision,” Ward said. “Although I was born when the decision was made, I never went to an integrated school and I should have gone my entire school years but I never went until my 12th grade year.” Cameron Patterson is the executive director of the Moton Museum.“What a powerful thing it will be when Barbara Johns’ statue takes its rightful place in the Statuary Hall collection,” Patterson said. “I think it will speak loudly to those young students across the commonwealth that they too can utilize their voice to create change.” The entire ten hour Moton Live event is available for review on YouTube. Up next, a brief look at the Albemarle County Courts expansion and renovation. Watch the event on YouTube and consider a donation*You’re reading Charlottesville Community Engagement. Tomorrow night at 6 p.m., the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society will have another of their “Unregulated Historical Meanderings” series. This time around Siri Russell of Albemarle County’s Office of Equity and Inclusion joins White Hall District Supervisor Ann Mallek on the county’s work “to support the sharing of Albemarle County history to broaden the scope of our publicly told histories to be more inclusive of our complete community.” The event begins at 6 p.m. Register on Zoom or watch on Facebook Live. *The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors got the first verbal update in a couple years on the renovation and expansion of the Courts Complex In Court Square. In December 2018, the Board agreed to proceed with a plan to work with the city of Charlottesville on a joint General District Court. That ended a few years where the Board entertained the idea of moving the courts to a new location outside of downtown Charlottesville. Trevor Henry is the Assistant County Executive. “This is a $44 million cost investment by the county and we believe it’s the largest capital investment the county has made in decades,” Henry said. The current fiscal year includes $5.3 million for the courts project and the draft capital budget for next fiscal year includes $25.17 million. The rest of the funding would come in future years. The costs are based on projections of future caseloads. Supervisors got an update at their April 21 meeting with new information compiled by Fentress Inc, a firm hired to review the planning work done to date. Kurt Schlauch is a senior consultant with Fentress, a company that has no relation with the firm Fentress Architects which has also been working on the design. Fentress Inc’s job has been to review how much would be need to accommodate future workloads of the court.“We look at how much business each court handles on an annual basis and look at the trends, then the number of judgeships and staff that are required to manage that caseload and handle that caseload and interface with the public,” Schlauch said. Image taken from the staff report for the April 21, 2021 discussionFentress Inc. was hired during the pandemic at a time when so many ways of doing business were re-examined. “You know, how might space planning change and what technologies might be involved in the future that maybe have not been involved in the past,” Schlauch said. “Those items were really front and center for us.” Fentress Inc’s work also included consultation from Neal Goodloe, a planner with the Thomas Jefferson Criminal Justice Board.“We had some very important conversations with him about recent trends in law enforcement and prosecution locally and what we were seeing in some of the numbers,” Schlauch said.Albemarle is within Virginia’s 16th Judicial Circuit which has six judges. Currently Albemarle is handled by an equivalent of 1.4 judges with Judge Cheryl Higgins being the only one serving full-time. Steve White is with Fentress Architects. He said the court design will also take into account the ability for business to be conducted remotely. “There are a lot of things that actually COVID has accelerated,” White said. “Things like video arraignments now are very common as a result which are actually safer environments.” A reanalysis of cases under this new lens has caused both Fentress Architects and Fentress Inc to rethink how the new buildings will be laid out. “One full judgeship for that county caseload appears that it will be sufficient both in the short-term and at this juncture, even in the long-term” Schlauch said. Schlauch said an analysis of Charlottesville’s cases in addition to Albemarle’s means changes to the joint General District Court, which covers more routine infractions. Here’s Steve White again, talking about the second floor of the district court building.“One key difference between this court set and what was done a few years ago is that each of these courtrooms is now 400 square feet larger per courtroom and the reason for that is in discussions with the two judges that volume of traffic court is highly efficient if they can get as many people in the courtroom as possible,” White said. At the conclusion of the presentation, Supervisors approved a request to proceed to schematic design. A model of how the site might look in the future. It’s the final slide in the presentation given to the Board of Supervisors on April 21, 2021 (download it!)Last week, Albemarle County announced the creation of the Office of Broadband Accessibility and Affordability and the appointment of Michael Culp as its first director. Culp has been the county’s information technology director and has been spending time in that position recent initiatives to expand access to internet in rural portions of the county. Under his tenure, the Board of Supervisors authorized creation of the Albemarle Broadband Authority that has been awarded about $3.5 million in grants and helped put together public-private partnerships. The authority, which goes by acronym ABBA, meets next on Monday at 5 p.m. Michael Culp, the director of the new Albemarle Office of Broadband Accessibility and Affordability This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Good morning, RVA! It’s 35 °F, and maybe you had some flurries or icy rain this morning? While nothing to write home about, it’s nice to know that they tried. Today, and throughout the weekend, expect highs in the 40s and dry skies.Water coolerAs of this morning, the Virginia Department of Health reports 3,853↘️ new positive cases of the coronavirus in the Commonwealth and 45↗️ new deaths as a result of the virus. VDH reports 236↘️ new cases in and around Richmond (Chesterfield: 91, Henrico: 85, and Richmond: 60). Since this pandemic began, 512 people have died in the Richmond region. Here’s this week’s stacked chart of statewide new reported positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths to freak you out. The state’s seven-day average of new hospitalization, at 111, is now higher than it has ever been during this entire pandemic. The number of people dying each day continues to increase (right now the seven-day average sits at 31.1). Now that we have almost a year’s worth of data, we know that COVID-19 is probably the third leading cause of death in Virginia with 4,553 total deaths—behind only cancer (15,064) and heart disease (14,861). These are 2017 numbers, but, for comparison, 1,245 people died from the flu that year. Because deaths do lag hospitalizations and hospitalizations do continue to increase, we probably can expect an increase in deaths as we close out the year. Here is our local graph of new reported coronavirus cases, and, while it looks like we’re coming off a peak, you can see that’s driven by a decrease in cases in Henrico and that Richmond and Chesterfield have stayed relatively flat over the last couple of days. Stay tuned, I guess. To close out this depressing intro, let’s turn to the national picture where The COVID Tracking Project reports all-time highs in both new cases and new hospitalizations across the country. As of yesterday, over 300,000 people have died in the United States, with December marking the second deadliest month of the pandemic. At some point, I’m sure, we’ll be able to pair these horrifyingly stark numbers with some hope-filled vaccination numbers. If anyone comes across a vaccine data dashboard that they like, please send it along!In spicy local politics news, VPM’s Roberto Roldan reports that Councilmember Mike Jones will primary Del. Betsy Carr next year in the 69th House District. Carr has represented that district for a decade. Fascinating! I don’t know if Jones will win, and he’s allowed to maintain his council seat while running for the House, but! Progressives! Urbanists! People living in the 9th District! Y’all should probably start noodling on who could replace Jones on City Council. It’d be a crushing blow to the barely-progressive, sometimes straight-up-conservative council to swap out Jones with a suburban moderate.Mike Platania at Richmond BizSense says VCU has scooped up some more property around the Diamond in pursuit of their planned athletic village. I’m excited for this part of town to start in-filling their barb-wire ensconced parking lots with actual buildings, but I am a little nervous about, once again, marking large chunks of land off of our tax rolls. I wish (for, like, 100 reasons) we could fast forward five years and see how that neighborhood turns out.For a reason I’d like to learn more about, the Capitol—like, the federal one—has a Statuary Hall hosting two statues from every state. Since 1909, George Washington and Robert E. Lee have represented Virginia, which I think says a lot about how Virginia’s General Assembly, who approves the statues, felt about the state of the union 100 years ago. That all will change, though, as an advisory commission voted yesterday to replace the Lee statue with a statue of Barbara Johns! I couldn’t be happier to have a Black woman representing our state in the Capitol in this way, and will be even happier should one that’s not made of stone or bronze soon represent us in the Governor’s Mansion.The Richmond and Henrico Health Districtswill host another COVID-19 testing event to close out the week. Head on over to the Regency Square parking deck (1420 N. Parham Road) between 10:00 AM–12:00PM and get COVID tested.This morning’s patron longreadTone Is Hard to Grasp Online. Can Tone Indicators Help?Submit by Patron Alexis. How useful is this?? Although, I am skeptical of whenever the New York Times does an expose on how the kids are talking these days. Remember “grunge speak”?Tone indicators are most popular within some Twitter and Tumblr communities of young people with overlapping interests in identity representation, anime and K-pop fandom, twee aesthetics, and sensitivity toward mental health and gender issues. It’s a milieu where inclusivity is considered a paramount virtue. These people use and like tone indicators because they want to help others have better experiences online. In recent weeks, several users have posted lists containing dozens of tone indicators ranging from “/j = joking” to “/lh = lighthearted” and “/nsx = nonsexual intent.”If you’d like your longread to show up here, go chip in a couple bucks on the ol’ Patreon.
WORLD VISION IN BEIRUTWorld Vision is busy assisting people affected by the recent blast in Beirut, Lebanon with primary needs of food, water and shelter. World Vision worker Rami Shamma reports that emotional care is also provided, which is crucial for Lebanese children. He says the trauma is ‘stacked up’ and they are providing psychological first aid. MEGHAN MARKLE’S FAITHMeghan Markle's faith in God has got her through ‘the darkest moments’ in her life, according to a new biography about her marriage to Prince Harry, Finding Freedom. The authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, claim that belief in God plays ‘a central role’ in Meghan’s life. Christian Today reports the book as stating: ‘It's prayer and conversations with God that have gotten her through the darkest moments.’STATUE OF BILLY GRAHAMA life-sized statue of the late Billy Graham will be installed in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall collection. The late evangelist’s statue will replace a statue of a white supremacist, Charles Aycock, that the government wants removed. Franklin Graham told Religion News Service the statue is not something his father would have pushed for.
WORLD VISION IN BEIRUTWorld Vision is busy assisting people affected by the recent blast in Beirut, Lebanon with primary needs of food, water and shelter. World Vision worker Rami Shamma reports that emotional care is also provided, which is crucial for Lebanese children. He says the trauma is ‘stacked up’ and they are providing psychological first aid. MEGHAN MARKLE’S FAITHMeghan Markle's faith in God has got her through ‘the darkest moments’ in her life, according to a new biography about her marriage to Prince Harry, Finding Freedom. The authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, claim that belief in God plays ‘a central role’ in Meghan’s life. Christian Today reports the book as stating: ‘It's prayer and conversations with God that have gotten her through the darkest moments.’STATUE OF BILLY GRAHAMA life-sized statue of the late Billy Graham will be installed in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall collection. The late evangelist’s statue will replace a statue of a white supremacist, Charles Aycock, that the government wants removed. Franklin Graham told Religion News Service the statue is not something his father would have pushed for.
On this week’s Throwing Shade, Bryan and Erin discuss the decision to replace a statue of a white supremacist governor with that of infamous evangelist Billy Graham in the US Capitol’s Statuary Hall. Then, they get into a new study examining the continuing stigma against those living with HIV, and later Erin talks about a retracted manuscript identifying “inappropriate” and “unprofessional” behavior by young surgeons and how it plays into the larger current of gender discrimination in the medical field. And make sure to check out Deeper Shade of Shade on Stitcher Premium, where Bryan and Erin interview their favorite friends of the show. For a free month of listening, go to stitcherpremium.com/shade and use promo code ‘SHADE’.
During this time of protest, mobs are tearing down statues representative of U.S. history. Now a new statue of evangelist Billy Graham has been commissioned to replace a controversial figure in the United States Capitol’s Statuary Hall. Find out more in this episode with host John Matarazzo.
Professor Greg Jackson joins Tim to tell the American story through the story of a building, the U.S. Capitol. From the day the cornerstone is laid by George Washington in 1793 through today, the Capitol building is the anchor for the American republic. Greg walks us through the Capitol's halls and tells us the stories they can't tell for themselves. This is our special annual Independence Day episode. Have a Happy July 4th! https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/shapingopinion/U.S._Capitol_Building_auphonic.mp3 On September 18, 1793, George Washington laid the U.S. Capitol cornerstone at the southeast corner of its foundation to mark the building of the nation's most symbolically important building. President Washington and his volunteer artillery from Alexandria crossed the Potomac River and joined with troops from Virginia, Maryland, and the Federal City (current day Washington, D.C.). They formed a parade and everyone followed. There were speeches, a barbecue and much celebrating well into the evening. Greg explains what was on their minds on this first day where the new republic had a permanent home. Construction The Capitol houses the U.S. Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate. Dr. William Thornton won a competition to become the initial designer of the building. He placed a smaller domed rotunda between the Senate (north) and House (south) wings. The building's architects were many: Stephen Hallet (1793), George Hadfield (1795-1798), James Hoban (1798-1802), Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1803-1818), and Charles Bulfinch (1818-1826). The War of 1812 interrupted construction and nearly burned it to the ground, but rain prevented total destruction at the hands of British troops. By 1850, the growing United States warranted expansion of the U.S. Capitol building and so, construction began and continued throughout the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated under a partially completed dome. The U.S. Supreme Court was once housed in the Capitol building, as was the Library of Congress. Eventually, they would move to their own buildings while the Capitol would evolve. Greg tells the story behind the crypt in the center of the building, the old House of Representatives chamber, Statuary Hall, and some of the great stories and lore of the building itself. Links History that Doesn't Suck Podcast Professor Gregory Jackson, Utah Valley University UVU Assistant Professor Teaches History to Thousands, UVU Website U.S. Capitol Visitor Center About the U.S. Capitol Building, Architect of the Capitol (AOC) website Image Gallery, AOC website National Statuary Hall Collection, AOC website Apotheosis of Washington, AOC website The Attempted Assassination of Andrew Jackson, Smithsonian Magazine About this Episode's Guest Professor Greg Jackson Dr. Greg Jackson is Assistant Professor of Integrated Studies and Assistant Director of National Security Studies at Utah Valley University. Research & Creative Works Dr. Jackson is the creator, host, head writer, and head researcher of the US history podcast, "History That Doesn't Suck." He has written articles and book reviews for various academic journals, op-eds for The Salt Lake Tribune, and makes regular appearances on local media (ABC 4 and BYU Radio) and other podcasts (e.g., "The Road to Now," "History Unplugged," and Wondery/Airship's "1865"). He serves as a historical consultant for Wondery's "American Elections: Wicked Game." His research interests include relations between Europe and the Middle East, NATO, and last decades of the 20th-century French Empire. Teaching Dr. Jackson's courses are frequently crosslisted between Integrated Studies and National Security Studies. Courses include: "American Alliances & Partnerships," "Transatlantic Security: NATO/EU," and "The Modern Middle East." He also directs Integrated Studies capstones. Education He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Utah,
Professor Greg Jackson joins Tim to tell the American story through the story of a building, the U.S. Capitol. From the day the cornerstone is laid by George Washington in 1793 through today, the Capitol building is the anchor for the American republic. Greg walks us through the Capitol’s halls and tells us the stories they can’t tell for themselves. This is our special annual Independence Day episode. Have a Happy July 4th! https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/shapingopinion/U.S._Capitol_Building_auphonic.mp3 On September 18, 1793, George Washington laid the U.S. Capitol cornerstone at the southeast corner of its foundation to mark the building of the nation's most symbolically important building. President Washington and his volunteer artillery from Alexandria crossed the Potomac River and joined with troops from Virginia, Maryland, and the Federal City (current day Washington, D.C.). They formed a parade and everyone followed. There were speeches, a barbecue and much celebrating well into the evening. Greg explains what was on their minds on this first day where the new republic had a permanent home. Construction The Capitol houses the U.S. Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate. Dr. William Thornton won a competition to become the initial designer of the building. He placed a smaller domed rotunda between the Senate (north) and House (south) wings. The building’s architects were many: Stephen Hallet (1793), George Hadfield (1795-1798), James Hoban (1798-1802), Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1803-1818), and Charles Bulfinch (1818-1826). The War of 1812 interrupted construction and nearly burned it to the ground, but rain prevented total destruction at the hands of British troops. By 1850, the growing United States warranted expansion of the U.S. Capitol building and so, construction began and continued throughout the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated under a partially completed dome. The U.S. Supreme Court was once housed in the Capitol building, as was the Library of Congress. Eventually, they would move to their own buildings while the Capitol would evolve. Greg tells the story behind the crypt in the center of the building, the old House of Representatives chamber, Statuary Hall, and some of the great stories and lore of the building itself. Links History that Doesn't Suck Podcast Professor Gregory Jackson, Utah Valley University UVU Assistant Professor Teaches History to Thousands, UVU Website U.S. Capitol Visitor Center About the U.S. Capitol Building, Architect of the Capitol (AOC) website Image Gallery, AOC website National Statuary Hall Collection, AOC website Apotheosis of Washington, AOC website The Attempted Assassination of Andrew Jackson, Smithsonian Magazine About this Episode’s Guest Professor Greg Jackson Dr. Greg Jackson is Assistant Professor of Integrated Studies and Assistant Director of National Security Studies at Utah Valley University. Research & Creative Works Dr. Jackson is the creator, host, head writer, and head researcher of the US history podcast, "History That Doesn't Suck." He has written articles and book reviews for various academic journals, op-eds for The Salt Lake Tribune, and makes regular appearances on local media (ABC 4 and BYU Radio) and other podcasts (e.g., "The Road to Now," "History Unplugged," and Wondery/Airship's "1865"). He serves as a historical consultant for Wondery's "American Elections: Wicked Game." His research interests include relations between Europe and the Middle East, NATO, and last decades of the 20th-century French Empire. Teaching Dr. Jackson's courses are frequently crosslisted between Integrated Studies and National Security Studies. Courses include: "American Alliances & Partnerships," "Transatlantic Security: NATO/EU," and "The Modern Middle East." He also directs Integrated Studies capstones. Education He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Utah,
On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Rebecca Keel, Virginia organizer with Southerners on New Ground.Anti-racism and anti-police protests are surging across the country with protesters demanding action to address the problems more quickly than elected officials seem willing or able to do. Marchers in Richmond, Virginia tore down a statue of Jefferson Davis last night, a statue of Christopher Columbus on Tuesday night, and another Confederate general on Saturday. Other Columbus statues in Houston, St. Paul, and Miami were defaced or torn down. Marchers in Seattle took control of a police precinct and declared it an “autonomous zone.” NASCAR announced that he would ban all Confederate flags from its races. And on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that she would seek the removal of all Confederate statues from the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. The top commander of the US armed forces, General Mark Milley, struggled to explain the role of the military as demands for a crackdown grew from the White House. The Pentagon and the National Guard are currently engaged in something called a “hot wash.” That’s an after-action investigation of their conduct during the protests in Washington a week and a half ago. The early indications, according to the New York Times and the Washington Post, are that the Pentagon leadership and the National Guard acted improperly in confronting peaceful demonstrations. Jeremy Kuzmarov, a professor of American history whose latest book is “The Russians Are Coming, Again: The First Cold War as Tragedy, the Second as Farce,” joins the show. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show. Loud & Clear’s series, In the News, is where the hosts look at the most important ongoing developments of the week and put them into perspective. Sputnik news analysts Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek join the show.A regular Thursday segment deals with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Brian and John speak with Prof. Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and the host of a nationally aired television program focused on environmental, energy, and space issues, and with Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.
Further Reading:U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings will lie in state in U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall - http://bit.ly/2MsurhFWhich Candidates Got the Most Speaking Time in the Democratic Debate - https://nyti.ms/33Kb7CEWarren, Buttigieg denounce O’Rourke's call for punishing churches that reject gay marriage - http://bit.ly/2oUNWXoExplainer: Democrats Warren and Sanders want wealth tax; economists explain how it works - https://reut.rs/2MQ4zLMFacebook's digital currency dealt another blow - https://bbc.in/2VVUbWM Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/civilpoliticsradio/1e962cc2-b269-4c9a-83a8-cec20aa93d90
I really want to know... "How is your race going?" It's so important to me that I struggled over this post for two days. While you think about your answer...and will you please share it with us in the comment section below. Will you take a walk with me? Washington D.C. is one of my favorite places to walk...especially for a prayer walk. The Thomas Jefferson building, one of the four Library of Congress buildings is my absolute favorite building. Then my 2nd favorite is the Capitol Building. The architecture of the Capitol is breath-taking. Housed inside the Capitol building is the National Statuary Hall Collection. It is absolutely fascinating collection of 100 statues of important people. I was curious..."Who are these people and why are they there?" I later discovered the main exhibition space was once used as a hallway for the House of Representatives; after the House moved it became Statuary Hall. This two story, semicircular room is one of the most popular rooms in the Capitol. In 1864, Congress invited each state to contribute statues of two of their most important, most influential citizens to represent them in Statuary Hall. When Statuary Hall became too crowded, 38 statues were beautifully rearranged, while the remaining statues were distributed throughout the Capitol Building and Capitol Visitor Center. Who? How? I can't imagine how a state would pick a person to represent them. The most distinguished... well-known... the person that could represent their state in the very best light. All sorts of people made it there, a farmer, inventors, soldiers, doctors, even lawyers. Since I am an Alabama girl I was anxious to see who actually made it, I mean their statue made it, to the Capitol. Out of all the historical people that could have been selected Helen Keller and Joseph Wheeler made it. Helen Keller's name was one that I remembered from my school days, but I wasn't familiar with Joseph Wheeler or his role in making Alabama. Surprised! I was surprised that there were so many names in that Hall of Heroes that I didn't recognize. I may not recognize their names...but every single person is there because their lives made a difference in their state. When I think of that hall of heroes, it always takes me to another Hall of Heroes...for me one that is even more important, the Heroes of Faith. Paul writes about in Hebrews 11. I know...there is a little debate about the author of Hebrews, but most folks (some a lot smarter than myself) agree that it was Paul. Paul takes us down a biblical hallway of heroes of faith. Unlike the hallway in the capitol building, every single name is identified by one trait--faith. While that might seem odd, Paul begins our walk down the hallway with an introduction on why faith is so important. So Important... that I don't want to mess up his words, so I'm gonna let him speak for himself. I'm going to use New Living Translation. You can read it out of your favorite. 1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. 3By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. Then Paul begins to point out specific Heroes of Faith and a brief overview of what they did... Abel brought a sacrifice Enoch didn't die Noah built a boat Abraham traveled to an unknown place. Isaac blessed his sons Jacob blessed Joseph sons. Wait a minute! Did you see that? Blessed? Of all the things that God could have put on Paul's heart to share about Isaac... about Jacob. But it says they blessed sons. Are you blessing your children? It is so easy to speak what you see instead of speaking the promises of God over them. Let's go back to Scripture. 23It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command. 24It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. 29It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned. 30It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down. 31It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. 32How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.) What was Paul saying? Redemption was part of God's plan, but it couldn't be fulfilled until Jesus came. These Old Testament heroes had faith that accomplish amazing things, but Jesus had not paid the price of our sins yet. His death gave us access into God's presence. He torn down the veil that prevented people from entering into the Holiest of Holies! (Hebrews 10:19-22) Because of Jesus we can come boldly into His presence. In the new covenant He puts His laws in our hearts and writes them in our minds. (Hebrews 10:15-16) Paul has more. He had a very important reason for walking us down the Hallway of Heroes of Faith. Let's keep going in Chapter 12. I want to read from The Message version. Hebrews 12: 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 4-11 In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. 12-13 So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it! Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. I realize that today's post is different than most. I've used lots of Scripture because these verses paint a picture of where so many believer's are right now. I struggle with it too. We get discouraged when we feel like we are not accomplishing enough. But it's no time for us to allow discouragement to stop us. There is too much at stake for you to just watch the race from the sideline. Run your race! not somebody else's race... your race. Do what God is telling you to do. Be encouraged. Run with endurance the race that is set before you! We must keep our eyes on Jesus. He is the author and the finisher of your faith. He wants to enable you to run your race well. He didn't call you to this race to frustrate you. He wants to help you! It's a race you can win. There is a reward for winning! And the reward is worth the trouble you're going through. Right now you are feeling the burn...the pain...but God has a reward that far out weighs the pain. It your eyes off how hard it is and back onto Jesus! Let's pray. Father, I ask you to help my friend to run their race well. Help them not to be weary in well doing. Help them to lift their eyes off the race and onto your face. You are their strength and song. Help them to bring glory to your name through their attitude, their words and their choices. Thank you, Father. Amen. Are you running a good race? What are you doing by faith?
Break out your official seal and get ready to veto that bill, because this week we’re going to abuse all our power and do Haunted Presidents : Second Term. Vanessa gets sworn in first with the ghost of the US Capital Building’s Statuary Hall including John Quigley Adams, paired with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s American Beauty Pale Ale. Then Melissa takes her oath on the steps of the Tennessee Capital Building where a feuding architect and his money guy hang out with James K Polk, paired with Artifex Brewing Company’s Trigger Finger IPA. Who will win in the battle of our 14th sexiest president VS our 41st sexiest president? Listen and find out!
13 January 2019 The Baptism of the Lord Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 + Homily 18 Minutes 6 Seconds Link to the Readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011319.cfm (New American Bible, Revised Edition) (from the parish bulletin) The foundational documents of our nation were influenced by Catholic political philosophers such as Aquinas, Suárez, Báñez, Gregory of Valencia and Saint Robert Bellarmine, who wrote before theorists like Hobbes and Rousseau. This contradicts a popular impression that democracy was the invention of the Protestant Reformation. Luther and Calvin considered popular assemblies highly suspect. The concept of the Divine Right of Kings, which was a prelude to what we call “statism” and “big government,” was systematized by the Protestant counselor to King James I of England, Robert Filmer. For all his vague Deism, Thomas Jefferson might have acknowledged those Catholic sources, if obliquely, in his eloquent phrases. The Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion and Article VI’s prohibition of religious tests for public office were developments rooted in the Thomistic outlines of human rights and dignity declared in the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Arbraoth. This was lost on some senators who have violated Constitutional guarantees by subjecting judicial nominees to religious tests. One senator complained to a Catholic nominee for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals that “the dogma lives loudly within you.” Two other senators said that the President’s nominee for a federal district court in Nebraska was unsuitable because his membership in the Knights of Columbus committed him to “a number of extreme positions.” Members of their political party consider opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion “extreme.” This would characterize the Pope as an extremist, but at least he is not a judicial nominee. In the Statuary Hall of our nation’s Capitol are sculptures portraying heroes who represent the best of the history and culture of each state. They include Saint Junípero Serra of California, Saint Damien de Veuster of Hawaii, Declaration of Independence signer Charles Carroll of Maryland, Father Eusebio Kino of Arizona, General James Shields of Illinois, Chief Justice Edward Douglass White of Louisiana, Father Jacques Marquette of Wisconsin, Patrick McCarran of Nevada, Dennis Chavez of New Mexico, John Burke of North Dakota, John McLoughlin of Oregon, Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart Pariseau of Washington, and John Edward Kenna of West Virginia, all of whom were Catholic. These canonized saints, statesmen, soldiers, jurists and pioneers would be extremists unworthy of public office in the estimation of some current senators for whom subscription to natural law and obedience to the Ten Commandments are violations of what they fantasize as the norm of moral being. The coruscating illiteracy of such senators burlesques reason. At every performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, audiences wait for the fifth scene of the second act, when the haunting statue of the Commendatore comes alive and knocks on the door to the sound of trombones. Would that all those statues of some of our nation’s greatest figures might come down from their pedestals and challenge the vacant minds of those inquisitorial senators to explain what constitutes extremism.
When Congress returns from its August recess next week, it faces a heavy agenda. The budget and the looming debt ceiling top the list of things to do. But will members get bogged down with items like the population of Statuary Hall with just a few days to go? For our September curtain opener, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turns to Roll Call Senior Editor David Hawkings.
If you’ve ever watched or heard a State of the Union address, you might think the event starts like this: “Mr. Speaker! The President of the United States!” But, as is true with so many things in Washington, there’s more to the story. A lot more. The State of the Union address – SOTU as it’s known in Washington – is a mass media event that takes hours, no, make that days, no, make that months, of preparation. The SOTU is highly orchestrated by the White House, by members of Congress, by the news media. For many reporters, the speech itself is a blip. Their focus is Statuary Hall, which is a short walk from the House chamber where the president gives the annual speech. “Stat Hall” – more jargon used by the Washington in-crowd – is interview central. A lot of lawmakers pass through the hall on their way to the address – some of them stopping to give reporters their response to a speech they have not yet heard – and almost all of them head to “Stat Hall” after the speech for the media after party. A few of the lawmakers are high-profile enough for reporters to flock to them when they enter the hall; most line up at one of many television interview locations and wait for their turn in front of the camera. It’s a media mob scene. To give you a sense of the entire day it takes news crews to set up and cover the mob, we perched a camera on a balcony overlooking the room and produced a time-lapse video of the craziness. And to find out how the SOTU became such a circus – think of Stat Hall as the Big Top – listen to DecodeDC’s latest podcast: Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest show on earth!