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🇺🇸 R-E-S-P-E-C-T

🇺🇸 R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Plus, a Festivus for the rest of us.

December 19, 2022

POWERED BY

Good morning, and happy Monday! This documentary hits close to home. It covers immigrants who make American flags in Wisconsin, and what Old Glory means to them…

Plus, if you need help airing your petty grievances for Festivus, we’ve got you covered…

Also, our faithful readers might want to check out this politically-neutral newsletter that puts the emphasis on “faithful”...

FLAG POLLS

📉 President Biden Job Approval: Approve 47, Disapprove 51 (Rasmussen Reports)

📉 President Biden Job Approval: Approve 44, Disapprove 56 (Fox News)

📉 Congressional Job Approval: Approve 27, Disapprove 67 (Fox News)

🐎 General Election: Trump vs. Biden: Biden 45, Trump 43 (Wall Street Journal)

POWERED BY THE POUR OVER

Have These Christian Millennials Fixed the News?

It’s called The Pour Over, and it has two goals: 1. Keep its readers informed about world events 2. Keep its readers focused on Christ. That means providing politically neutral coverage of events and pairing it with brief Biblical reminders.

The question is… are they hitting the mark? See what you think. Subscribe in just one click. No seriously, one click.

QUICK CLICKS

Assisting Afghans, Title 42 Turmoil, Pavone's Posts

Sports: Lionel Messi won't retire from Argentina after World Cup title win (ESPN)

US: Twitter Files 'supplemental' shows even Trust and Safety chief not ‘comfortable’ with FBI ‘demanding’ answers (Fox News)

World: Former military leaders call on Congress to help Afghan refugees (Axios)

US: Jan. 6 committee finalizes its plan to issue criminal referrals against Trump (NBC News)

US: Lifting Title 42 will cause 'total chaos' on the border: Greg Abbott (NY Post)

Hollywood: 'Avatar 2' fails to live up to Disney box office hopes: report (Insider)

US: Anti-abortion priest Pavone defrocked for blasphemous posts (ABC News)

LEGISLATION

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Last week President Joe Biden signed the “Respect for Marriage Act,” codifying the right to same-sex and interracial marriage. This builds on the 2015 Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which ruled that same-sex marriage is legal.

Reporting from the Left: What the Respect for Marriage Act does and doesn't do (ABC News)

Reporting from the Right: Biden Invites Drag Queen Who Performs for Children to Attend ‘Respect for Marriage Act’ Signing (Breitbart)

From The Flag: This past summer we covered the bill after it was passed by the House of Representatives. Here’s fresh commentary from both sides.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

This Bill Was Unnecessary and Only Highlights Biden's Flip-Flop

The Respect for Marriage Act is unnecessary because the Supreme Court already declared, in the 2015 Obergefell decision, that gay marriage is a constitutional right.
Former Vice President Joe Biden expressed strong opposition to gay marriage in 2006. It's striking how much his stance has changed in less than two decades.
The Supreme Court already ruled that same-sex marriage is legal, so this law actually just serves to “disrespect” personal freedom.

"The needless act to 'protect' marriage" Byron York, Washington Examiner Opinion: "The reason [the Respect for Marriage Act] is unnecessary is [because] the Supreme Court has already declared, in the 2015 Obergefell decision, that gay marriage is a constitutional right. In the seven years it has been in effect, there has never been the slightest danger that Obergefell might be overturned. ... But [this recent] bill did more than say, 'Gay marriage is legal.' It created what is called a 'private right of action' for anyone to sue any government agency, official, contractor, or partner who did not recognize gay marriage. It could, in other words, become a gay marriage lawsuit machine. ... [Now] we will see whether it is simply a redundant protection of gay marriage already protected by the Supreme Court as a constitutional right or whether it is a lawsuit factory leading to a new wave of activism against religious conservatives around the country. We don't know what will happen. But we do know that activists love to file lawsuits, and they have just been given a new way to do so."

"2006 Clip of Joe Biden’s Opposition to Gay Marriage Surfaces" Editorial Staff, WIBC: "Former Vice President Joe Biden expressed strong opposition to gay marriage in ... 2006. President Trump’s campaign distributed the video of Biden defending the Defense of Marriage Act, saying 'marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that,' as evidence of the probable dementia sufferer’s one-time views on LGBTQ rights. Biden, who voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004 and 2006, said the measure was not worth Congress’ time. 'We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,' Biden said. 'We’ve all voted — not, where I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law, there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.'"

One more opinion piece from the Right: What the 'Respect for Marriage Act' Really Respects Tanya Berlaga, American Thinker

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Celebration Is In Order, Though There Are Still Concerns

This law’s passage represents Congress's steady progress toward recognizing civil rights and liberties.
Due to the law’s structure, religious freedoms and same-sex marriage are being put into direct opposition.
This is an important milestone, but individual states could still deny same-sex marriages if the right-leaning SCOTUS has its way.

“I’m proud to protect marriage as one of my last acts as speaker” Nancy Pelosi, Washington Post Op-ed: “This action is the latest step forward in House Democrats’ longtime fight for full equality, waged alongside generations of fearless activists. … There remains more work ahead. Horrifically, Republican states have sought to ban transgender athletes from the playing field, prosecute parents who seek gender-affirming care for their children and even muzzle teachers for acknowledging the existence of same-sex couples. Our nation is forever grateful for the many extraordinary contributions that LGBTQ Americans have made in the arts and sciences, health care and human rights, businesses and nonprofits, and as leaders in our communities. To our LGBTQ friends, family and neighbors: We see you, we stand with you and we will never rest until you can enjoy the respect, dignity and safety you deserve. … That is a truth that Democrats proudly honor this week as we carry on our mission to build a brighter, fairer future for generations to come.”

“The Respect for Marriage Act Is Also a Victory for Same-Sex-Marriage Opponents” Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker : “It includes a section providing that nonprofit religious organizations—everything from churches to faith-based social agencies and religious educational institutions—’shall not be required to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges for the solemnization or celebration of a marriage.’ In other words, if a Jewish community center or Brigham Young University has space that it rents out for weddings, it is permitted to refuse to do so for same-sex (or interracial) weddings. When this bill is signed into law, there will be a federal statute that makes a resolution of conflict between religious freedom and gay-rights claims explicit in a way that it arguably was not before, clearly favoring a religious group over a gay couple—even though the conflict involves open questions on the relationship between the First Amendment and antidiscrimination laws.”

One more opinion piece from the Left: As an American, I want the right to celebrate without fear Curtis Chin, CNN Opinion

FLAG THIS

How Has Gay Marriage Impacted Society?

In a poll conducted last month, 61% of respondents said same-sex marriage has been a net-positive for society, compared with 37% who said the opposite (Pew Research).

A separate survey determined 47% of voters opposed the Respect for Marriage Act, while 41% supported the measure.

When told the law encouraged lawsuits against religious institutions that refuse to participate in same-sex marriages, 53% said that made them less likely to support the bill (Heritage Foundation).

Do you support the recently enacted Respect for Marriage Act?

FLAG FINDS

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WATERCOOLER

Final Apollo, CIA Conspiracy Confusion, Good Guy Shaq

On December 19, 1972, the Apollo lunar-landing program ended when the last three astronauts to travel to the moon splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean. Apollo 17 had lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, 10 days before. Above is astronaut Eugene Cernan on the Moon during the final mission.

Miami Herald: Did the CIA use Cuban exiles in plot involving Oswald? Questions remain as Biden withholds JFK records

Quartz: The To-Do List Method for People With Crazy Lives and Short Attention Spans

Reader's Digest: How to Start a Book Club: The Complete Guide

Today I Learned after being scolded by a woman who felt that his shoes were too expensive for kids, Shaq walked away from a $40 million deal with Reebok and signed one with Walmart. He then brought in designers from Reebok so that his Walmart shoes would look costlier than the $20 price. Over 400 million pairs were sold.

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