Questionable Reporting of the Shutdown Protesters

(Columbus, Ohio)  The local and national oriented news stories insist on painting a very skewed picture in their reporting of the feed-up citizens and patriots, who are showing up the half-dozen or so times the last few weeks at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. You could label the coverage as #FakeNews with distortions, non-reporting, misrepresentation, omissions, etc.

The overwhelming majority of protesters attending the government's self-inflicted economic downturn in Ohio and across the nation have been common folks, average Americans and households, families, mothers and fathers with their children, youth, adults, veterans and elders.  These people are seeking a redress of their grievances at the symbol of state power in Ohio, the Statehouse.  They are not typically or necessarily Trump-supporters or anti-vaccine or other special interest or cause groups.

Saturday, April 25, 2020 Part of the Crowd from the Statehouse Steps

Taking it to the Street

The concerned citizens’ signs tell the story, “Open Ohio Now,” “Unlock Our Economy,” “People Are Essential,” “Jobs Are Essential,” and even “Give Me Liberty or Give Me  COVID-19.” 

The only hate that I observed was the deep disgust and dissatisfaction with Ohio’s leadership, the Governor and the Director of the Ohio Department of Health who carelessly insist on issuing edicts which have had the affect of killing small businesses and jobs of Ohioans. Their orders are seemingly based on questionable guesstimates, which have proved to be based seriously flawed mathematical models.  

Apparently, Ohio’s leaders continue to rely on these unrealistic models using them in making their plans to reopen Ohio. 

What is hilarious to me is that the writers of one of the stories said that reporters were afraid for safety reasons to attend the protests, yet young children as young as 4 and 5 hold signs protesting the future ramifications for them as the economy is crushed and the debt skyrockets.

A Protester is a Protester No Matter How Small

Knock, Knock We Are Here To See The Governor

View of the Governor's Mansion From the Front Gate

(Columbus, Ohio) On Saturday morning a group of concerned citizens, mostly from the Mount Vernon, Ohio area visited the Ohio Governor’s Mansion on Parkview Avenue in Bexley, Ohio prior to joining the Open Ohio Now Rally later in the afternoon. The purpose of the protest was to bring make the protest more personal to the Governor, to bring it home.  It was also to wake up the neighbors to see that there was opposition to the lingering shutdown, which is crippling the economy and killing jobs. The Governor's shutdown is causing more damage than COVID—19 could ever do.

Governor Michael DeWine, "the Divine" was apparently spending the weekend in his real home in Cedarville, Ohio. Unlike in the state of Michigan, where their tyrannical Governor, Gretchen “Heil” Whitmer, DeWine has not restricted movement between one’s homes.

As you can see by the photo below the Governor’s Mansion is beautiful. I is in a very plush neighborhood. This exquisite Spring day brought out joggers, walkers, bicyclists of all sort. They were not shy about giving their middle finger to those protesting. Not many jogging or strolling down Parkview Avenue past the Mansion engaged us, but they had to notice us. I could not help thing that they must be saying to themselves, "how dare these protesters disturb the tranquility of our peaceful ‘burb!" 

Side Entrance to the Governor's Mansion

Pastor Bill and a few of the guys preached about liberty to the AWOL Governor and anyone who would listen. Both Bexley police and Ohio State Highway Patrol were present. The protesters behaved themselves. Cameras and security officers vigilantly guarding an apparently empty house. Someone said there are State Highway Patrolmen on duty at the Governor’s Mansion 24/7. 

Protesters

Protesting the Extended Economic Shutdown 

Preaching at the Front Gate

After spending around sixty minutes at the Mansion the protesters joined the throng at the Statehouse in Downtown Columbus, which was a few miles away.

Tyrannical Government and Governors

Thursday morning, I read a passage about the power of insistent prayer achieving effective action in the Bible’s book of Luke (Luke 18:1-8 NASB). 

18 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, ² saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. ³ There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ ⁴ For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, ⁵ yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”

 ⁶ And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; ⁷ now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? ⁸ I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Immediately I was impressed to apply this passage to the current outrage and rising protests to the largely overblown and unnecessary actions by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and other leaders in their response to the coronavirus so-called pandemic.

Realistically, it is more like a plannedemic, if you ask me. Oh, the virus is very real alright, but most of the officials’ response to it is far worse than the virus-causing disease itself could ever be.

By my count there have been at least five protests so far of Gov. DeWine and his administration’s handing of the coronavirus “crisis.”

I attended the third protest held at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, 4.17.2020, where some 50 souls gathered to object to Gov. DeWine’s and his petite pro-abortion tyrant-in-a-white-lab-coat, Dr. Amy Acton’s overreaction and overreach based on her far-fetched, false, fear-inducing statistical models on which she based her questionable ACTiONs. These models have proved to be wholly and woefully misleading. After all, they come with the blessing of the communist-globalist infused World Health Organization (WHO), which gladly President Trump ended funding of that evil anti-American organization.

The first protest (and here) was held Thursday, 4.9.2020 at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, against Governor’s reaction and action regarding the coronavirus “pandemic.”

Then on Monday, 4.13.2020, a second protest (and here), where 75-100 people gathered and continued the drive to end the shutdown or lockdown of America’s and Ohio’s economy and the accompanying unnecessary job losses.

Other states were also seeing protests gaining momentum in their capitols. One powerful example was the snarling traffic jam caused in Lansing, MI when thousands and thousands of cars participated in a drive-around the Capitol in protest of Hitleresque Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s (D-MI) tyrannical display of socialist power grab imitating the actions of a third world dictator who recently gained unlimited power over his or her subjects.

I didn’t join the fourth protest, Saturday, 4.18.2020. That day’s protest attracted hundreds, 200+ protesters, more than doubling the total of all the previous protests.

But I did attend the fifth protest, which was conducted on Monday, 4.20.2020. This protest drew 500 or more people, a nice cross section of American society being represented from babies, families, young people, adults to COVID-19 susceptible but patriotic and perturbed elders. The day started off with prayer and ended with resolve to continue this very worthy endeavor.

A CALL TO PRAYER AND ACTION

Just as in the case of Jesus’ parable about the wicked judge mentioned above, we must  incessantly demand our leaders do the right thing and simultaneously diligently praying. And secondly, by faith, act on those demands and prayers against the misguided Governor(s) who stubbornly and unwisely refuse to end this drawn out and mostly unnecessary and unreasonable economy- and job-destroying shutdown.

Some poignant signs dramatically and loudly shouted on Saturday, “People are Essential,” “Jobs are Essential,” and the “Economy is Essential”!

Let us emulate the abused widow and insist incessantly that the judge (or governor) remedy the injustice we are facing - the economy and job-killing lockdown - until he relents and gives into our just demands.

Obviously, Gov. DeWine, (Dr. Amy Acton and others in his administration as well as leaders of other states) by his (their) actions disrespects and neither fears God nor the disgruntled people. In other words, the Governor is clearly ignoring the just demands of the We the People, when they stand outside near or on the steps of the statehouse demanding to be heard.

Stated differently, let us continue to bother, wear down the resistance of the Governor(s) by dramatically continuing to increase our numbers at protests as well and intensifying the pressure this Saturday and onward at the Statehouse in Columbus and other state capitols across our still somewhat free nation.

“Give Me Liberty, or Give Me COVID-19,” read another insightful, inspired sign I observed this past Saturday, which clearly summarizes the dilemma and situation facing U.S.

MOUNTING PROTESTS

Now this Saturday, 4.25.2020, at 1:00 p.m. thousands are expected to join the protest again in Downtown Columbus. If you live in Ohio and can come you are needed. Pray. Protest. Persevere.

RESOURCES

In a recent policy briefing (Thursday, 4.23.2020) American Policy Roundtable offered some additional analysis and action steps that we should follow to bring about better future outcomes. Their daily and weekly radio and podcast are highly informative.

The website We the People Convention has a great deal of helpful and insightful information dealing with how we can respond to our government's missteps and what we can practically do about it. Tom Zawistowski has a weekly radio show and podcast that offers a weekly summary of useful news to the conservative-minded patriot.

Such a Time as This

Above is a video of a Bible study recorded by the adult minister at my church.  I think it is a good compliment to what I have to say.

You may have heard that a few weeks ago that the Federal Reserve reduced interest rates to almost zero.  This was so that the Federal Government could borrow money at lower interest to pay for an anticipated stimulus package to give everybody $1200 and to bail out businesses.  Now they’re talking about another round of stimulus, which will mean more borrowing and more National debt.  The Fed does not have any money, they just create it out of nothing when they loan it.  The result will be that the value of the dollar will go down and prices will go up.  The President, the Congress, and the Fed can create dollars out of thin air, but they can’t create wealth and prosperity.

Many people are buying non-perishable items in large quantities because of this.  Others are doing it out fear that the items (like toilet paper) will become unavailable. Others are buying precious metals or stocks because they are cheaper at the moment and they anticipate that their resale value in dollars will be higher as a result of the inevitable inflation.  These investors are expecting that the economy will recover, but if it doesn’t, then it won’t be good investment.  How do they know that COVID-19 won’t keep coming back year after year like flu?  Maybe there will be a long-term effective vaccine.  Maybe there will not be one.  In that case, food, medicines and necessities will be of great value, but gold, stocks, and dollars will be of no use.  Revelation 18:17 (ESV) says, “For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste."

From a selfish, atheistic point of view, the best thing for you to do is buy non-perishable necessities as you can for yourself while the price is still low.  But if God exists, if He is in control of everything, and if there is a Day of Judgment coming, then your paradigm should be much different.   That being the case, you should be thinking about using your resources as wisely as you can, but not primarily for your own personal preservation, but for the good of your community and especially in regards to saving their eternal souls through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Freedom of Assembly, Gone Forever, part 2

In my recent post, Freedom of Assembly, Gone Forever?, I proved that, even in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, government stay-at-home orders are unconstitutional.  Again, I am not saying that people shouldn’t take precautions to protect themselves.  But these precautions should be your own choice. There is a great principle involved.

Here are some relevant quotes from the Founding Fathers:

It cannot be presumed that any clause in the Constitution is intended to be without effect.

Maybury v. Madison 5 U.S. 137, 174 (1803)

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me: give me liberty or give me death.

Patrick Henry, The War Inevitable

Live Free or Die!

John Stark, General, Massachusetts Militia

Civil government is like fire.  It is necessary and beneficial, but when out of control, it is worse than not having it at all.  Time and time again, whenever a crisis arises, people are willing to give up their liberty in exchange for safety, only to end up in more danger because of the monster that they have created to save them.  I am not advocating that we should be fighting the politicians who are violating our rights.  I am only advocating a realization that we need to be prepared for more of the same and we need to get right with God.  A physical revolution at this point would be fruitless.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

John Adams (Quoted in John R. Howe, Jr., The Changing Political Thought of John Adams [Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1961, p. 189].)

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV)

While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (ESV)

 We are not like we were in the days of the American Revolution.  We have turned our backs on God and what we deserve is even worse than what we are going to get.

Freedom of Assembly, Gone Forever?

It has been a very long time since I have posted to this blog (or any blog).  I have been less concerned about politics and more concerned about other things like evangelism, charity, and my own career and education lately.  I do not deny the seriousness of the COVID-19 outbreak, but the government has taken another big step toward effectively abolishing the Constitution and the rule of law in general.  The First Amendment says in part, “Congress shall make no law…abridging…the right of the people peaceably to assemble…”.  Article I, section 3 of the Ohio Constitution says, “The people have the right to assemble together, in a peaceable manner, to consult for their common good…” I’m not saying that people should ignore the situation, but the people have the absolute right to gather together.  There are no exceptions for extreme situations.  No one is above the law and there is no provision in the Constitution to suspend the Constitution or any part of it (except Habeus Corpus rights).  Will the government stop depriving us of this right even if COVID-19 is eradicated? If this right can be deprived without due process, then what about other rights?  We are living in dangerous times and it is not just because of the virus.

At first the CDC told us not to wear masks.  They said that there is not enough data to prove that they do any good.  How dumb do they think we are? Whose interests do they really want to protect?

Who came up with this “social distancing” phrase?  Why that and not “physical distancing”?  I have noticed that whenever the word “social” is used, it usually means freedom deprivation without the due process of law guaranteed by the constitution. Some examples are Social Security, social justice, and “we have a responsibility as a society”.

But there may be a more sinister reason that the word “social” is used instead of “physical”.  Maybe they are conditioning us for a time in which there will literally be government-mandated social distancing. The excuse for it will be terrorism and/or hate groups.  They will supposedly be so successful at recruiting people on the internet that something drastic will have to be done about it.  The terrorists/haters cannot be identified, therefore you must isolate yourself, not just physically, but socially “for the good of everybody”.

But none of this should be surprising to Bible believing Christians.

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. 

Revelation 6:7-8 (ESV)

The word “pestilence” includes disease.  Furthermore scientists believe that the coronavirus originated in animals and crossed over into humans (thus the phrase “by the wild beasts of the earth”).  I don’t necessarily believe that coronavirus is the ultimate fulfillment of this verse and there will be other disease manifestations which will be worse (e.g. Revelation 16:2), but God is allowing us to see a preview of what is to come.  “And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.” (Revelation 9:6).

I have noticed that there are many people who take the name “Christian” who are not real Christians. You can know that they are not saved in their present spiritual state because their lifestyles are incompatible with salvation and genuine Christianity.  This is brought out in several passages like I Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, I John 3:8-10, and Revelation 21:8.  Common sinful lifestyles that I see are promiscuity and cohabitation without marriage, homosexuality, adultery (often in the form of remarriage after divorce, Matthew 5:32), murder (in the form of abortion and euthanasia), lying, drunkenness, reviling, jealousy, dissensions and hate.  I am talking about people who have no desire to stop doing these things. This is why I say that all these things should not be surprising.  Freedom and liberty cannot continue for long when the People turn their backs on God.

12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Revelation 22:12-13 (ESV)

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." 

II Corinthians 6:17-18 (ESV)