How predictable. Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder is using “voting rights” as a cover to enable vote fraud and has blocked South Carolina’s Voter ID law.
I will not rehash here what an outrage this is in number of ways. I have toasted Democrat opposition to Voter ID more than once.
But there is another interesting angle to Holder’s decision to block Voter ID – it could easily backfire. For he is not only going against past Supreme Court precedents as well as past Justice Department actions . . .
But the Justice position is a lead zeppelin, contradicting both the Supreme Court and the Department's own precedent. In 2005, Justice approved a Georgia law with the same provisions and protections of the one Mr. Holder nixed for South Carolina. In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board that an Indiana law requiring photo ID did not present an undue burden on voters.
. . . he is also practically inviting the Supreme Court to strike down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The Court has made some past noises questioning that section which allows the Justice Department to harass states and localities in the egregious fashion it is so doing now. Holder’s conduct presents a good case for finally doing away with Section 5.
I doubt that will happen, but one can always hope.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
The Queen’s Christmas Message
Between hosting two Christmas parties and recovering from the same, I have fallen behind on a number of tasks. Regrettably among them is viewing The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast, which I did not get around to doing until this morning. I know. Terrible.
But what a magnificent message it is! Her Majesty did not give in to the world’s pressure to secularize or water down Christmas, but forthrightly and winsomely proclaimed the core message of the birth of our Lord.
And I agree with Cranmer that her brief speech greatly outshone the Christmas missives of the Archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster. Do not even get me started on ++Vincent Nichols’ message. Christmas is about trashing Israel’s effort to defend herself?
I was glad to see Nichols ascend to his see, but I am sorely disappointed in him.
But what a magnificent message it is! Her Majesty did not give in to the world’s pressure to secularize or water down Christmas, but forthrightly and winsomely proclaimed the core message of the birth of our Lord.
And I agree with Cranmer that her brief speech greatly outshone the Christmas missives of the Archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster. Do not even get me started on ++Vincent Nichols’ message. Christmas is about trashing Israel’s effort to defend herself?
I was glad to see Nichols ascend to his see, but I am sorely disappointed in him.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Courage
The Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS) has not only recognized The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) as the legitimate expression of Anglicanism in the United States instead of The Episcopal “Church” (TEC), but has also explicitly dis-invited TEC Presiding “Bishop” Schori from visiting the Sudan church.
Given the financial help The Episcopal Church has given ECS in the past, this is a principled and courageous act. A few commenters at the above link think this will not affect future financial assistance from TEC, but I very much doubt that.
Our prayers and our help for The Episcopal Church of the Sudan are in order, for this matter and for the severe hardships all Christians are suffering in the Sudan and South Sudan.
Given the financial help The Episcopal Church has given ECS in the past, this is a principled and courageous act. A few commenters at the above link think this will not affect future financial assistance from TEC, but I very much doubt that.
Our prayers and our help for The Episcopal Church of the Sudan are in order, for this matter and for the severe hardships all Christians are suffering in the Sudan and South Sudan.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Christmas has begun.
In the Chapel of Kings, Once in Royal David’s City is sung.
All around a listening world, Christmas has begun.
All around a listening world, Christmas has begun.
Obama 2012 wants YOU to propagandize your family for Christmas!
One mark of the totalitarian impulse is that everything is about The Dear Leader, whoever he may be at the time. A case in point – the Obama campaign is urging his followers to propagandize their families for Christmas. I am not kidding.
I can think of few things which would better promote family disharmony at Christmas. (But then totalitarians and assorted Leftists do constantly work to undermine the family and Christmas for that matter.) Whatever one’s political leanings, propagandizing your family at Christmas is a bad, bad idea. I know. I am just about the only conservative left in my admittedly small family. My hippie dad and I used to get into some heated arguments. And he used to give me gifts such as an Al Franken book.
We are both wiser now and keep our political discussions in small, infrequent, and careful doses. And when I call him today, I will not berate him for voting for Obama or for being likely to do so again.
Besides, Christmas is not about politics or someone’s Dear Leader. It is about the Lord of Lords and King of Kings humbling himself to be born into our messed up world for our sake and for our salvation.
The Obama campaign clearly does not get that.
Let us be more wise. Let us celebrate the birth of our Savior and love our family and friends . . . whatever their politics. Even if we are engaged in political warfare, we can follow the good example of the Christmas Truce and let our warfare cease for a time in honor of the Prince of Peace.
May you have a Happy Christmas.
I can think of few things which would better promote family disharmony at Christmas. (But then totalitarians and assorted Leftists do constantly work to undermine the family and Christmas for that matter.) Whatever one’s political leanings, propagandizing your family at Christmas is a bad, bad idea. I know. I am just about the only conservative left in my admittedly small family. My hippie dad and I used to get into some heated arguments. And he used to give me gifts such as an Al Franken book.
We are both wiser now and keep our political discussions in small, infrequent, and careful doses. And when I call him today, I will not berate him for voting for Obama or for being likely to do so again.
Besides, Christmas is not about politics or someone’s Dear Leader. It is about the Lord of Lords and King of Kings humbling himself to be born into our messed up world for our sake and for our salvation.
The Obama campaign clearly does not get that.
Let us be more wise. Let us celebrate the birth of our Savior and love our family and friends . . . whatever their politics. Even if we are engaged in political warfare, we can follow the good example of the Christmas Truce and let our warfare cease for a time in honor of the Prince of Peace.
May you have a Happy Christmas.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A Letter from Archbishop Duncan on the AMiA Situation
I am not yet sure exactly what to think of all this – one reason I haven’t posted on the subject. But Archbishop Duncan has issued a plain spoken letter tonight on the current AMiA situation and ACNA’s response:
20th December, A.D. 2011
Eve of St. Thomas the Apostle
TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA:
Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Recent events within the Anglican Mission in the Americas have challenged us all. This letter is a brief report to you all about those events and about our efforts to find a path forward. The present reality is brokenness. The vision, however, that governs our fledgling Province remains unchanged: a Biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.
The resignation of nine Anglican Mission bishops, including the Bishop Chairman, from the House of Bishops of Rwanda, changed relationships with Rwanda, with fellow bishops and with the Anglican Church in North America. The resigned bishops lost their status in our College of Bishops as a result of their resignation from Rwanda. The Anglican Mission also lost its status as a Ministry Partner, since that status had been predicated on AMiA’s relationship with Rwanda. In addition, confusion and hurt has been created in Rwanda and in North America, and there is much serious work ahead of us.
Representatives of the Anglican Church in North America and of the Pawleys Island leadership met today in Pittsburgh. For the Anglican Church in North America the starting point was the importance of our Provincial relationship with the Province of Rwanda (a sister GAFCON Province) and with His Grace Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, of our relationship with the North American Bishops Terrell Glenn and Thad Barnum and all the clergy licensed in Rwanda, and of our relationship to those represented by the Pawleys Island group with whom we were meeting. We, as the Anglican Church in North America, have been deeply connected to all three, and we can only move forward when issues and relationships have been adequately addressed and necessary transitions are in progress.
The agreement from today’s meeting in Pittsburgh was that the Anglican Church in North America is prepared to enter into a process by which our relationship with those who will rally to the Pawleys’ vision and leadership (Anglican Mission in the Americas, Inc.) might be restored to a status like the one existing before the Ministry Partner decision of 2010. All those at the meeting today agreed “that there were no subjects that were not on the table.” For the Anglican Church in North America, these subjects must include leadership, relationships, and jurisdictional participation in a way that is fully Anglican.
We made a partial beginning. Bishops Leonard Riches and Charlie Masters agreed to lead the negotiations from the Anglican Church in North America. Bishops Doc Loomis and TJ Johnston will lead from the AMiA side. There is much about what has happened that will have to be faced. The other part of this beginning will be to come alongside P.E.A.R. and their designated bishops (Barnum and Glenn), clergy, people and parishes in North America as they discern their next steps. The good news is that we know a God who has called us and who is able. [I Thess. 5:24] We are sure that He wants all the pieces back together in an ever-more dynamic, ever-more-submitted, ever-more transformed and transforming North American Church. [John 17]
Keep praying. With God nothing shall be impossible. [Luke 1:37] And besides that, He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. [Rom. 8:28] Blessed Christmas!
Faithfully in Christ,
+Robert Pittsburgh
Archbishop and Primate Anglican Church in North America
20th December, A.D. 2011
Eve of St. Thomas the Apostle
TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA:
Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Recent events within the Anglican Mission in the Americas have challenged us all. This letter is a brief report to you all about those events and about our efforts to find a path forward. The present reality is brokenness. The vision, however, that governs our fledgling Province remains unchanged: a Biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.
The resignation of nine Anglican Mission bishops, including the Bishop Chairman, from the House of Bishops of Rwanda, changed relationships with Rwanda, with fellow bishops and with the Anglican Church in North America. The resigned bishops lost their status in our College of Bishops as a result of their resignation from Rwanda. The Anglican Mission also lost its status as a Ministry Partner, since that status had been predicated on AMiA’s relationship with Rwanda. In addition, confusion and hurt has been created in Rwanda and in North America, and there is much serious work ahead of us.
Representatives of the Anglican Church in North America and of the Pawleys Island leadership met today in Pittsburgh. For the Anglican Church in North America the starting point was the importance of our Provincial relationship with the Province of Rwanda (a sister GAFCON Province) and with His Grace Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, of our relationship with the North American Bishops Terrell Glenn and Thad Barnum and all the clergy licensed in Rwanda, and of our relationship to those represented by the Pawleys Island group with whom we were meeting. We, as the Anglican Church in North America, have been deeply connected to all three, and we can only move forward when issues and relationships have been adequately addressed and necessary transitions are in progress.
The agreement from today’s meeting in Pittsburgh was that the Anglican Church in North America is prepared to enter into a process by which our relationship with those who will rally to the Pawleys’ vision and leadership (Anglican Mission in the Americas, Inc.) might be restored to a status like the one existing before the Ministry Partner decision of 2010. All those at the meeting today agreed “that there were no subjects that were not on the table.” For the Anglican Church in North America, these subjects must include leadership, relationships, and jurisdictional participation in a way that is fully Anglican.
We made a partial beginning. Bishops Leonard Riches and Charlie Masters agreed to lead the negotiations from the Anglican Church in North America. Bishops Doc Loomis and TJ Johnston will lead from the AMiA side. There is much about what has happened that will have to be faced. The other part of this beginning will be to come alongside P.E.A.R. and their designated bishops (Barnum and Glenn), clergy, people and parishes in North America as they discern their next steps. The good news is that we know a God who has called us and who is able. [I Thess. 5:24] We are sure that He wants all the pieces back together in an ever-more dynamic, ever-more-submitted, ever-more transformed and transforming North American Church. [John 17]
Keep praying. With God nothing shall be impossible. [Luke 1:37] And besides that, He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. [Rom. 8:28] Blessed Christmas!
Faithfully in Christ,
+Robert Pittsburgh
Archbishop and Primate Anglican Church in North America
Rep. West Calls Out Holder for Playing the Race Card
Oh. So people like me aren’t upset with Eric Holder and the Obama regime about Fast and Furious because of funneling guns to Mexican drug cartels, losing track of them, subsequent crimes with the guns, including the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and many others, of the cover-ups, etc, etc. We are upset because Holder and Obama are black. Yes, that explains everything.
Well, Rep. Allen West, who also happens to be black, has called out Holder for playing the race card.
“I think this is absolutely the last card in the deck, and that shows how weak their ground is,” West said in a phone interview. “But, what that means is they want to make white individuals afraid of continuing to put the pressure on Eric Holder because they don’t want to be seen as racist, and that is something that we have got to move beyond.”
West said Holder can’t logically assign race as a motivation behind the criticisms for his handling of Operation Fast and Furious. “What Fast and Furious has to do with is misleading the Congress and the American people about what you knew about this program, and if you did not know anything about this program, then who’s in charge of the Department of Justice?” West said. “It has nothing to do with your race — it has everything to do with competence, with your character and with your ability to lead the Department of Justice.”
West said Holder’s use of race as a way to attack his critics is “the most insidious thing I ever heard.”
But what should we expect from Holder and the Obama regime? After all, the Dear Leader Himself has been known to play the race card.
Well, Rep. Allen West, who also happens to be black, has called out Holder for playing the race card.
“I think this is absolutely the last card in the deck, and that shows how weak their ground is,” West said in a phone interview. “But, what that means is they want to make white individuals afraid of continuing to put the pressure on Eric Holder because they don’t want to be seen as racist, and that is something that we have got to move beyond.”
West said Holder can’t logically assign race as a motivation behind the criticisms for his handling of Operation Fast and Furious. “What Fast and Furious has to do with is misleading the Congress and the American people about what you knew about this program, and if you did not know anything about this program, then who’s in charge of the Department of Justice?” West said. “It has nothing to do with your race — it has everything to do with competence, with your character and with your ability to lead the Department of Justice.”
West said Holder’s use of race as a way to attack his critics is “the most insidious thing I ever heard.”
But what should we expect from Holder and the Obama regime? After all, the Dear Leader Himself has been known to play the race card.
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