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TimesLIVE
15-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
US Episcopal Church's frostiness is a hint — the ‘refugees' are in for a shock
Even before the 49 Afrikaner 'refugees' landed at Dulles International Airport near Washington DC on Monday, the Episcopal Church (we use the term Anglican) in that country made it clear that they would refuse to 'resettle' these white South Africans. The reasons were many, according to a story by the Associated Press. These were not 'refugees' by any stretch of the imagination. Said a conservative Christian friend in the US, never have fleeing refugees had so many earthly goods weighing down airport trolleys, and that after alighting from a private charter plane, nogal. In refusing, presiding Bishop Sean Rowe of Episcopal Migration Services was defying a federal government instruction to resettle white South Africans, citing his church's 'commitment to racial justice and reconciliation'. Yes, the church had a refugee resettlement grant with the federal government, but this distasteful act of racial provocation flew in the face of a long history of working with the Anglican Church of South Africa fighting the real racism of apartheid oppression. In other words, the Episcopalians saw right through this racist charade and took a stand that will surely exact a price from a vengeful Donald Trump. The white South Africans had jumped the queue. Real refugees wait for years to go through vetting processes and might still not get in. So what's the rush? Trump was doing what he does best: give a racist dog whistle to white supremacists around the globe. I am your man. These poor souls in South Africa, whose ears are well-attuned to shrill racist sounds, jumped to attention. The motley group that made their way to the US Embassy in South Africa are not wealthy farmers who lost their farms; these are ordinary whites, as brilliant historian Neil Roos called them, suddenly receiving attention from a white supremacist with a bully pulpit and enormous political clout. Like a used condom, Trump will discard them for he would have got out of the 'refugees' what he wanted — a political quickie to impress his MAGA base. Pushing white South Africans to the front of the refugee queue should not surprise us. Long before Trump even heard about South Africa (or Lesotho, the country he claimed nobody knows about), he called African nations 'shithole countries'. Channelling Hitler, Trump said of immigrants from Africa and Asia that they were 'poisoning the blood of our country'. On more than one occasion then candidate Trump expressed his preference for immigrants from 'nice countries' like Denmark or Switzerland. Whites, in other words. I hope these 'refugees', should they have any capacity for self-reflection, will see that their saviour is the same man who sent a legitimate American resident with a dark skin to a prison hellhole in El Salvador leaving his family in huge distress; that a brown-skinned mother had her little girl wrested from her arms and sent from Florida to Cuba; that a young Muslim student was thrown into the slammer for daring to co-write a pro-Palestinian editorial for her college newspaper. Or maybe they too don't give a damn; after all, those persecuted are not white people like themselves. The 'refugees' are in for a shock. There are millions of Americans disgusted with the racist bond between them and Trump that unfairly fast-tracked their clearance into a foreign country; it will not be long before they get an earful from the locals. From all over the US, I have received messages of shock and disgust that they came into their country on an openly racist ticket. The group will soon discover that Trump's Executive Order 14224 made English the official language (another political stunt) and that it will be hard to communicate in cultural isolation. Then they will find that having been part of this racist complot, it is going to be difficult to secure well-paying work in an economy reeling from Trump's tariffs, and this time you cannot blame 'the blacks'. Like a used condom, Trump will discard them for he would have got out of the 'refugees' what he wanted — a political quickie to impress his MAGA base. When that realisation hits them, I comfortably predict that some of the 'refugees' will begin to make their way home perhaps even before Trump leaves office in less than four years. Unlike the oppressive white state that spawned them, this government will not issue the 'refugees' one-way tickets into exile as was done to thousands of South Africans who had the decency to resist apartheid. Our government, with all its faults, has been remarkably restrained, even generous, in their handling of these people whom, make no mistake, spat in the faces of black South Africans with this dastardly act. They cheapened the hard work of reconciliation and showed no grace having been let off the hook for the crime of apartheid. As I searched the faces of the 'refugees' in photographs of them leaving Johannesburg and arriving in the Washington area, I felt for the young children with them. The little ones had no say in the matter, and I can only hope that they will one day wake up to the knowledge that they were pawns in a tryst with the devil.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Internal discussions' involved putting Biden in wheelchair if reelected, new book claims
A new book chronicling former President Joe Biden's fateful decision to seek reelection claims that White House aides considered the possibility he would need to use a wheelchair if elected to a second term. According to the book, 'Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,' by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, Biden staffers were concerned about the president's physical health as he campaigned for reelection at age 81, but felt it would be 'politically untenable' for him to use a wheelchair during the campaign. They believed his physical condition would increasingly suffer if he served four more years in power. 'Biden's physical deterioration — most apparent in his halting walk — had become so severe that there were internal discussions about putting the president in a wheelchair,' the authors write, according to excerpts published Tuesday by Thompson in Axios. The book, set to be released on May 20, is based on interviews with more than 200 people, mostly influential members of the Democratic Party, who witnessed the final two years of the Biden presidency, according to Axios. Almost all the interviews took place after the 2024 election, looking back on Biden's decision to drop out of the race over the summer and endorse then-Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, only for her to lose to Trump in November. According to the book, Biden staffers increasingly feared the president would have a bad fall after he tripped over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy in June 2023. They took measures to prevent a repeat before the election, including 'insisting on handrails for steps up to the stage at his appearances.' 'Given Biden's age, [his physician Kevin O'Connor] also privately said that if he had another bad fall, a wheelchair might be necessary for what could be a difficult recovery,' the authors wrote. In a statement to Axios, Biden's camp pushed back on the reporting. Medical exams of the president 'made clear that he had a stiffened gait caused, in part, by wear and tear to his spine — but that no special treatment was necessary and that it had not worsened," a spokesperson told the news outlet. 'He was transparent about this, and it was far from 'severe,'' the person said. 'Yes, there were physical changes as he got older, but evidence of aging is not evidence of mental incapacity.' 'And so far, we are still waiting for someone, anyone, to point out where Joe Biden had to make a presidential decision or make a presidential address where he was unable to do his job because of mental decline,' they continued. 'In fact, the evidence points to the opposite — he was a very effective president." Donald Trump takes credit for a 'new word' — a word first used in the 16th century Trump administration cuts another $450 million from Harvard Episcopalians tell Trump 'nee' to resettling white South Africans State House spat: lawmaker blocked from testifying on his own bills Markey, Mass. pols call on Trump to reverse course on AmeriCorps cuts Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Donald Trump takes credit for a ‘new word' — a word first used in the 16th century
President Donald Trump took credit for creating a new word while talking about lowering drug prices — a word first used in the late 16th century. During a press conference on Monday, Trump raised the issue of drug prices and said that, through an executive order, drug prices in the United States will be reduced by '60, 70, 80, 90%.' Lowering drug prices will 'equalize' with drug prices across the globe. 'Basically, what we're doing is equalizing,' Trump said. 'There's a new word that I came up with, which is probably the best word. We're going to equalize where we're all going to pay the same. We're going to pay what Europe's going to pay.' However, the word has been around for much longer despite the president's claim. 'Equalize' was first used in 1599, according to Merriam-Webster. The president has a history of making similar claims of making up words or introducing new words to the American lexicon. In April, Trump addressed his sweeping tariffs in the aftermath of 'Liberation Day' and used the word 'panican.' 'The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO,' he wrote on Truth Social on April 7. 'Don't be Weak! Don't be Stupid! Don't be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!' During his first term in May 2017, Trump tweeted a partial sentence that ended with the word 'covfefe' before he deleted the tweet and followed it hours later with, 'Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!' Almost a decade ago, in December 2015, Trump spoke in South Carolina on the campaign trail about his use of vocabulary while attacking the Obama administration. 'I'm very highly educated,' Trump told supporters. 'I know words, I know the best words. But there's no better word than stupid.' Episcopalians tell Trump 'nee' to resettling white South Africans Markey, Mass. pols call on Trump to reverse course on AmeriCorps cuts Harvard letter says university shares 'common ground' with Trump admin Key Trump policy more popular than his overall job performance - even among Democrats Mass. voters are increasingly pessimistic in new poll. Who they're not blaming Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Another major church is splitting with the Trump administration over refugees
On April 7, the Catholic Church announced that it was cutting ties with the federal refugee resettlement program. Now, another major religious denomination is following suit. The Episcopal Church announced on Monday that it will stop participating in the program, thereby ending a major funding partnership with the federal government. In a letter to church members, the Most Rev. Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, explained that the decision stemmed directly from the Trump administration's recent decision to prioritize the resettlement of white South Africans, who are also known Afrikaners. 'It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years,' the Rev. Rowe wrote. As was the case with the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church's decision to exit federal funding partnerships will drastically reshape its refugee resettlement program — at least in the short term. The Rev. Rowe's letter noted that Episcopal Migration Ministries had been receiving about $50 million annually from the United States government, too much to replace with private donations. 'We are hard at work on a churchwide plan to support migrants and refugees' in new ways, reads an explainer on the change that was also released by the Episcopal Church on Monday. Even before President Donald Trump signed an executive order on prioritizing white refugees from South Africa, the Episcopal Church was struggling with his administration's approach to refugee resettlement. Trump froze federal funding for resettlement after returning to office in January, which led Episcopalians, Catholics and other faith groups to reconsider their funding partnerships with the government — and some to file federal lawsuits seeking to block Trump's move. Since late January, 'virtually no new refugees have arrived, hundreds of staff in resettlement agencies around the country have been laid off, and funding for resettling refugees who have already arrived has been uncertain,' the Rev. Rowe wrote in his letter. He explained that the order on white Afrikaners broke an already crumbling relationship. 'Just over two weeks ago, the federal government informed Episcopal Migration Ministries that under the terms of our federal grant, we are expected to resettle white Afrikaners from South Africa whom the U.S. government has classified as refugees. In light of our church's steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation and our historic ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we are not able to take this step,' the Rev. Rowe said. In response to earlier pushback from Catholic leaders, the Trump administration accused faith groups of becoming too reliant on federal funds. 'I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?' Vice President JD Vance said in a January interview with CBS News, as the Deseret News reported at the time. The Rev. Rowe noted in Monday's announcement that Episcopal Migration Ministries has been serving refugees for four decades. Similarly, the Catholic Church's break with the federal government brought an end to a 50-year partnership. As the Catholic Church did in April, the Episcopal Church has promised to continue serving refugees in multiple ways moving forward. 'Jesus tells us to care for the poor and vulnerable as we would care for him, and we must follow that command. Right now, what that means is ending our participation in the federal government's refugee resettlement program and investing our resources in serving migrants in other ways,' the Rev. Rowe wrote. The Episcopal Church's funding partnership with the U.S. government will end in September.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri lawmakers should reject fake ‘chaplains' in schools bill
A chaplain is not just a pastor or a Sunday School teacher or a street preacher shouting through a bullhorn. This is a unique role, often in a secular setting that requires a chaplain to assist with a variety of religious traditions and oversee a number of administrative tasks (). As the 2025 legislative session of the Missouri General Assembly nears the finish line, one bill moving closer to Gov. Mike Kehoe's desk purports to allow public schools to hire spiritual chaplains. However, if one reads the text of the legislation, it's actually just pushing chaplains in name only. The bill already cleared the Senate and House committees, thus just needing support from the full House. As a Baptist minister and the father of a public school child, I hope lawmakers will recognize the bill remains fundamentally flawed. A chaplain is not just a pastor or a Sunday School teacher or a street preacher shouting through a bullhorn. This is a unique role, often in a secular setting that requires a chaplain to assist with a variety of religious traditions and oversee a number of administrative tasks. That's why the U.S. military, Missouri Department of Corrections, and many other institutions include standards for chaplains like meeting educational requirements, having past experience, and receiving an endorsement from a religious denominational body. In contrast, the legislation on school 'chaplains' originally sponsored by Republican Sens. Rusty Black and Mike Moon includes no requirements for who can be chosen as a paid or volunteer school 'chaplain.' Someone chosen to serve must pass a background check and cannot be a registered sex offender, but those are baseline expectations for anyone serving in our schools. While a good start, simply passing a background check does mean one is qualified to serve as a chaplain. The only other stipulation in the bill governing who can serve as a school 'chaplain' is that they must be a member of a religious group that is eligible to endorse chaplains for the military. Senators added this amendment to prevent atheists or members of the Satanic Temple from qualifying as a school 'chaplain.' Members of the Satanic Temple testified in a Senate Education Committee hearing that they opposed the bill but would seek to fill the positions if created, which apparently spooked lawmakers. That discriminatory amendment, however, does nothing to ensure a chosen 'chaplain' is actually qualified. For instance, the Episcopal Church is on the military's list of endorsing organizations. Just because some Episcopalians meet the military's requirements for chaplains and can serve does not mean all Episcopalians should be considered for a chaplaincy position. While rejecting this unnecessary bill is the best option, if lawmakers really want to create a school chaplaincy program, they must significantly alter the bill to create real chaplain standards. Lawmakers could look to other states for inspiration on how to fix it. For instance, Arizona lawmakers a few weeks ago passed a similar bill — except their legislation includes numerous requirements to limit who can serve as a chaplain. Among the various standards in the Arizona bill is that individuals chosen to serve as a school chaplain must hold a Bachelor's degree, have at least two years of experience as a chaplain, have a graduate degree in counseling or theology or have at least seven years of chaplaincy experience and have official standing in a local religious group. Rather than passing a pseudo-chaplaincy bill, Missouri lawmakers should add similar provisions. The Arizona bill also includes other important guardrails missing in Missouri's bill that will help protect the rights of students and their parents. Arizona lawmakers created provisions to require written parental consent for students to participate in programs provided by a chaplain. Especially given the lack of standards for who can serve as a school 'chaplain,' the absence of parental consent forms remains especially troubling. Additionally, Missouri's school 'chaplain' bill includes no prohibition against proselytization. This is particularly concerning since the conservative Christian group who helped craft the bill in Missouri and other states — and who sent a representative to Jefferson City to testify for the bill in a committee hearing — has clearly stated their goal is to bring unconstitutional government prayer back into public schools. To be clear, the U.S. Supreme Court did not kick prayer out of schools. As long as there are math tests, there will be prayer in schools. What the justices did was block the government from writing a prayer and requiring students to listen to it each day. Such government coercion violated the religious liberty rights of students, parents, and houses of worship, so the justices rightly prohibited it. Using 'chaplains' to return to such coercion is wrong and should be opposed. There are many proposals and initiatives lawmakers could focus on in these waning weeks of the session if they really want to improve public education. There are numerous ways they could work to better support our teachers and assist our students. Attempting to turn public schools into Sunday Schools is not the answer.
