The burden of false guardians

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White Christianity having been thoroughly hijacked by #MAGA, a remnant of pastors with a conscience run in Democratic primaries. {AFP 13 July}

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/democratic-pastors-run-reclaim-jesus-013012065.html

Godspeed to these individuals, but they have a very long and steep hill to climb if they believe American Christianity is going to be reformed any time soon. Indeed, they may even be placing themselves in genuine physical and legal danger. The seeds were planted long ago; now, so to speak, the harvest is underway.

Many within the younger generations are being indoctrinated into Christian Nationalism, and informed by violent anti-Semites and misogynists such as Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes. When the youngest members of that movement eventually come to power in force, they may unleash waves of repression across this country — and beyond — that are scarcely imaginable to the average Western citizen today. The Democratic Party should have confronted the political and cultural right's successful hijacking of Christianity and patriotism decades ago. To attempt to reverse the process now is too little and far too late for a party that is itself, in all likelihood, headed for the ash heap of history.

Furthermore, I am no longer entirely certain that Jesus is opposed to any of this. Perhaps He is simply allowing these travesties to unfold as judgement upon an empire — not so much a nation as an empire — of hypocrites, sinners, and liars. I am almost certain that He hath forsaken this polyglot realm of the former United States (still known as such in name, of course), and entirely certain that He hath hated me from the day of my birth. As a nation, at least — I shall deal with my own spiritual house, thank you — seeking His favour at this point seems a futile endeavour.

In other words, America increasingly appears a lost cause, and I believe it is so. And if so many people genuinely desire their Christian Nationalist utopia, then perhaps we ought to carve out a large swathe of this empire — a substantial portion of the South and Midwest, sacrifices notwithstanding — and allow them to build it in earnest, no more ‘woke’ folk to get in the way. Raise a wall around and keep their citizens the hell out of everybody else’s lands. As someone living in Massachusetts, I have no desire to be governed by such people, nor to watch them continue to poison the well for the rest of us.

Again, though, good on these pastors for trying. If I lived in any of those states, I would not hesitate to give them my vote — even in vain. After all, it seems to me there have been many times through the years I have voted for candidates and ballot questions that I knew were going to lose, so do not mistake my cynicism for lack of approval… perhaps there is even some mild enthusiasm here.

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🪐💔 #QueSeraSera 𓅨 🕈

Copyright 2026, Arthur Newhook.

Apple tracking device placed on Arkansas woman’s car without her knowledge or consent

Jacob Krol/CNN

Yet another threat to peoples’ safety and well-being to add to a growing list of such. Anybody who wants to stalk another individual can now do so without too much effort, and with minimal chance of getting caught, thanks to Apple’s AirTags. - 

Although they have many beneficial applications, such as the one mentioned above, they can also be used for unwanted surveillance.  Jonesboro, Arkansas’ KAIT News reported the story of an unidentified woman that turned on her iPhone in her car only to get a notice informing her that there was an AirTag somewhere nearby. 

This was clearly an AirTag she had not placed herself as at the time of the event she did not even know what it was. “It popped up I have an AirTag following and I’m like, no,” said the woman. She thus came to the eerie conclusion that someone else was trying to track her. 

“On my way to work and I went to hook my phone up to listen to music and then it popped up I have an AirTag following and I’m like, no,” added the woman still in shock. She proceeded to find the device taped to her trunk, put it in a bag, and bring it to the local police station for investigation. 

Unfortunately, the police have no leads as of yet but Robert Sexton, a CID Detective with the Paragould Police Department, did say that this is an event that is becoming increasingly more common and that people should watch out for such incidents. In addition to being able to stick AirTags in unwanted locations, nefarious actors may also be able to hack them. Yikes! (Read more)

Copyright 2021, Sunking278. Stay up-to-date: Twitter – @Sunking278 and Facebook – click here.

Tyson Foods: Once a COVID pariah, the meatpacker has successfully mandated that its employees be vaccinated

NYT

Every now and again, a corporation will display that they’ve learned a thing or two from their errors - 

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — When Tyson, one of the world’s largest meatpacking companies, announced in early August that all of its 120,000 workers would need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or lose their jobs, Diana Eike was angry. Ms. Eike, an administrative coordinator at the company, had resisted the vaccine, and not for religious or political reasons like many others here in her home state. 

“It was just something personal,” she said. 

Now, Ms. Eike is fully vaccinated, and she is relieved that Tyson made the decision for her. The company, she said, “took the burden off of me making the choice.” 

Across the country, workers have reacted to vaccine mandates with a mix of emotions. Employer requirements are taking effect without major controversy in many areas. But in some cities, government workers have marched through the streets in protest, while others have quit. Numerous companies, fearing a wave of resignations, have hesitated on mandates, even as they struggled with new coronavirus outbreaks. 

Tyson’s announcement that it would require vaccinations across its corporate offices, packing houses and poultry plants, many of which are situated in the South and Midwest where resistance to the vaccines is high, was arguably the boldest mandate in the corporate world. 

“We made the decision to do the mandate, fully understanding that we were putting our business at risk,” Tyson’s chief executive, Donnie King, said in an interview last week. “This was very painful to do.” 

But it was also bad for business when Tyson had to shut facilities because of virus outbreaks. Since announcing the policy, roughly 60,500 employees have received the vaccine, and more than 96 percent of its work force is vaccinated. 

Tyson’s experience shows how vaccine mandates in the workplace can be persuasive. It comes as many employers await the start of Biden administration rules that will require vaccines — or weekly testing — at companies with 100 or more workers. (Read more)

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Arkansas doctor under investigation for prescribing ivermectin to his patients, as well as prisoners under his care

KATV

It is absolute lunacy that in America we allow so many unqualified quacks to practice medicine. NBC News - 

The Arkansas State Medical Board is investigating a doctor who used ivermectin to treat his patients, as well as inmates at the Washington County jail, suffering from Covid-19. 

The board said Friday that it has an open probe into Dr. Robert Karas, who owns Karas Health Care, which has facilities in Fayetteville and Lowell and provides medical services to detainees at the jail. 

"Once the investigation is complete, the information will be provided to the full Board to review and to be discussed at the next scheduled Board Meeting," board Director Amy Embry said in a statement. "No additional information is available at this time." 

Karas declined to be interviewed Friday because of his schedule but said in an emailed statement that he began using the drug in late 2020 to treat patients and inmates "who had become significantly sick from Covid." 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have warned against using ivermectin to treat or prevent Covid. On Thursday, the CDC said that there has been a rise in calls to poison control centers for reports of overdoses after people have taken the drug. 

The FDA on Saturday urged people to stop taking it. It said that while FDA-approved ivermectin tablets can treat certain conditions caused by parasitic worms in humans, the drug is not an approved medication for the coronavirus. Generally, ivermectin is used to treat or prevent parasites in animals. 

"You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it," the FDA tweeted, alongside a consumer update detailing why the drug can be unsafe for humans. (Read more)

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A Southern Republican governor has second thoughts after appeasing the anti-vaxxer crowd

Photo: CBS News

From CBS News - 

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson says he wishes a bill banning state and local mask mandates hadn't become law, months after he signed the bill. Now, he's asking state leaders to reconsider the ban so local school districts have the flexibility to require masks when children return to the classroom.

Hutchinson said he signed the bill in April because cases in his state were at a low point, and because he knew his veto would be overridden by the legislature anyhow. The governor reinstated the state's public health emergency last week, and is calling a special session for the state legislature to change the mask mandate law so schools can impose mask requirements if they choose. According to Arkansas Secretary of Health Jose Romero, almost 19% of COVID-19 cases are currently among children under 18. 

"Yes, in hindsight, I wish that it had not become law. But it is the law, and the only chance we have is either to amend it or for the courts to say that it has an unconstitutional foundation," Hutchinson said during a press conference Tuesday.

"Everything has changed now," Hutchinson said.

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