Heartbreak

Two stories I ran across that speak to heartache and grief I carry.

One is about the deepening issue of Christian nationalism. I had called it culturalized Christianity years ago, and things are only worse.

The Christian right has been intertwined with American conservatism for decades, culminating in the Trump era. And elements of Christian culture have long been present at political rallies. But worship, a sacred act showing devotion to God expressed through movement, song or prayer, was largely reserved for church. Now, many believers are importing their worship of God, with all its intensity, emotion and ambitions, to their political life.

More HERE.

The second was the decision not to prosecute police officers responsible for the shooting death of Amir Locke. This needs to sends chills through all of us because NONE of us have any safety against police executing no knocks warrants and blasting away even if we legally own firearms and believe someone is invading our own space. This isn’t just about race. This is about individual safety as well.

Mr. Locke was not a suspect on the warrant, which was being carried out in connection with a homicide investigation in nearby St. Paul. But after the killing, the Police Department’s first statement about it described Mr. Locke as a suspect — a misstatement that fueled anger in the community and drew comparisons to the department’s first, misleading, statement about Mr. Floyd, which said he died after a medical emergency.

More HERE.