The president of the United States has the power to make unwise decisions but still must follow procedures to do so, a federal court ruled Aug. 14 in a rebuke to the Trump administration’s efforts to purge public schools of…
Postcards from Occupied DC
“Lock the doors, kids.” When I was a kid, I remember my parents telling us to “lock the doors” when we drove into “the city.” This applied both to my hometown of Jackson and to bigger cities like Atlanta we…
In Washington, DC, the peace of Christ isn’t passive
Sometimes the Spirit’s timing feels downright intentional. Long before federal authorities would assume control of Washington, D.C., policing, our sermon calendar had us turning to Paul’s words about “the peace of God which is beyond all understanding.” This Sunday we’ll…
The rights of the born: An American dilemma
Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them. (Matthew 15:30) As a parent of a person with special…
Trump fires key officials on advice of conspiracist Laura Loomer
Laura Loomer doesn’t work for the government, but the right-wing social media star has President Donald Trump’s ear, and she has used her influence to have more than a dozen top administration officials fired, possibly endangering Americans’ national security and…
Lawsuit seeks to stop reversals of legal immigration status
The Trump administration faces yet another challenge in its efforts to deport immigrants who are in the country legally. A federal lawsuit filed Aug. 11 objects to the “sudden and unlawful” cancellation of parole status of immigrants living and working…
Environmentalists win temporary pause at Alligator Alcatraz
A federal court in Miami has ordered Florida to temporarily pause construction of the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center. And ICE is now hiring “patriotic Americans” as young as 18. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled Aug. 7 the state…
No matter how pervasive, resist a ‘new normal’ of cruelty
Cruelty has become a defining characteristic of our politics. It’s a shift that was troubling to many in the psychology community and began long before Donald Trump was elected president. Trump’s public persona is marked by a distinctive meanness. As…
Keep federal budget cuts coming, say 100 Christian and conservative leaders
Elon Musk has left Washington, D.C., but a who’s who of secular and Christian conservative leaders says the Trump administration should continue making chainsaw-style cuts to federal departments and programs Congress previously approved. “Conservatives are united behind the efforts of…
This is what your indifference has done
A few weeks ago, one of my dearest friends called me on a Saturday evening from the floor of his apartment closet, where he was huddled in fear of ICE breaking down his door. My friend lives on the 25th…
Equal Justice USA to shut down
Equal Justice USA has announced the “hard news” that it will shut down due to the Trump administration’s revocation of more than $3 million in federal grant funding. “After dozens of meetings and hours of analysis and deliberations, the leadership…
Trump admin says federal workers may proselytize
Federal workers are now free to preach and pray in the workplace and are even encouraged to proselytize colleagues while on the job, according to a new memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel and Management. “Employees may engage in…