Good Morning!
Management guru Ken Blanchard once called feedback “The breakfast of champions.”
“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary,” said Sir Winston Churchill. “It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
We begin with a look at the power of critique:
- WATCH: Jim Daly Almost Flunked His First Dad’s Report Card
From Focus on the Family president Jim Daly:
As we approach Father’s Day this Sunday, a thought:
It’s been said that it’s easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father.
Sadly, that’s becoming more and more common.
There’s no test or final exam to qualify for fatherhood, though it would seem like a good idea if somehow there could be.
But some years ago, I developed what I call “Dad’s Report Card” for our boys, Trent and Troy – to evaluate me! Let me explain it:
Download a copy of the Dad’s Report Card and ask your children to evaluate the dad in their life. If you’re the dad, brace yourself – and commit to addressing any issues that arise.
To all the fathers out there, thank you for what you’re doing to benefit your children. What you do matters, so stay the course. More than ever, our culture needs you – and God sees what you do.
2. U.S. Abortion Rate Ends Decadeslong Decline
From the Wall Street Journal:
Abortions performed in the U.S. increased between 2017 and 2020, ending a decades long declining trend, according to a study released ahead of a pivotal Supreme Court decision that could alter abortion access nationwide.
Both the number of abortions performed and the rate of them increased between 2017 and 2020, according to new research from the Guttmacher Institute, a policy group that supports abortion rights and tracks national and state statistics.
There were 930,160 abortions performed in the U.S. in 2020—an 8% jump from 862,320 in 2017. The abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 increased to 14.4 in 2020 from 13.5 in 2017, the report said. The data measure the number of abortions provided in clinical settings.
The study, released Wednesday, didn’t determine the exact reasons for the reversal but pointed to several potential factors. Some states expanded Medicaid coverage for abortion and funds that help pay for the procedure expanded capacity, potentially increasing access, researchers said. A Trump administration policy stripped federal dollars from clinics that refer patients for abortions, which clinics said affected contraceptive care.
“It’s important to recognize that an increase in the number of abortions can be a positive thing if that means more people are getting the healthcare they want and need,” said Rachel Jones, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute.
3. Ben Shapiro Debunks Abortion Myths at Focus on the Family’s Pro-Life Event – SeeLife 2022
From The Daily Citizen:
It was standing room only on Tuesday night at Focus on the Family’s 4th annual SeeLife event, with more than 1,100 in-person attendees at the organization’s Colorado Springs campus and over 30,000 online viewers.
The evening opened to the sound of a baby’s heartbeat amplified throughout the event center as an ultrasound video gave visual witness to the miraculous development of a baby in the womb from the first heartbeat to 40 weeks gestation.
Dove Award-winning singer and songwriter Phil Wickham performed many well-known Christian songs and led the audience in a powerful time of worship.
Keynote speaker, Ben Shapiro, hit it out of the park as he debunked the eight most egregious abortion myths of our day.
The first myth is the proposition that abortion is a right. Shapiro said that’s just not true. There is no right to an abortion in the U.S. Constitution. He told the crowd, “There’s no such definition of a right that would encompass the right to kill another human being. The first freedom is the freedom to life. There is only one scientific answer as to when life begins, and the answer is at conception.”
The second myth is that preborn babies aren’t really human persons. In response, Shapiro argued that at conception, a unique human life comes into being. He said that human life should be synonymous with personhood because drawing the line anywhere else, like viability, would legitimize the murder of people who cannot take care of themselves.
Third, the left likes to argue that it is responsible to abort, especially if a woman is just not ready for a baby. In response, Shapiro rhetorically asked the audience, “Well, guess who else isn’t ready to have a baby? Any parent in the history of mankind.” He argued, just because something is hard doesn’t mean killing another human being is a responsible action. It’s immoral.
In addition to rallying those in the pro-life movement, SeeLife is also meant to equip individuals to live out their pro-life values by practically getting involved in the work of pro-life organizations. In-person attendees had the opportunity to learn more about many of these organizations at the event. If you are interested in connecting with a pro-life group in your community, consider these organizations doing great work!
If you missed the event land would like to view it in its entirety, you can do that here.
4. If Roe Goes, It’s Because Christians Were Willing to Fight
From The Daily Citizen:
If passivity was the ideal pathway, why would the Lord have urged Joshua to be “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
If we weren’t supposed to fight for righteousness in the culture, why would Nehemiah describe the scene of laborers building a wall with one hand while holding a sword in the other (Nehemiah 4:17)?
Here is the hard and fast truth:
We’re on the verge of overturning Roe because millions of Christians have been fighting and praying faithfully against unjust law for nearly 50 years.
They haven’t given up. They haven’t walked away from the fight.
Righteous indignation to evil is an appropriate response. It’s okay to get mad. In fact, righteous anger, properly channeled and expressed, can lead to liberty, peace and freedom.
Did the slave abolitionists just shrug and shrivel away shyly? No. They pushed and pulled and raised their voices. The extraordinary spectacle of the Civil War in the United States is what led to President Lincoln’s decision to emancipate American slaves. It didn’t come easy. It rarely does.
Many of the stalwarts of the early pro-life movement are in Heaven now. They’ve earned their rest and their reward. But we should never forget them, nor the fight that was in them.
I’m thinking of Nellie Gray, the founder of the March for Life. She died almost ten years ago. Back in 1973, she had a comfortable job as a government attorney. It paid the bills and came with the promise of a pension. But then came the evil decision of Roe, and Nellie couldn’t stand to sit idly by – so she formed the first March for Life in 1974. She gave up her job and jumped into the fight.
- Congress passes bill to provide security to Supreme Court justices’ family members
From NBC News:
The House approved Senate-passed legislation Tuesday that would provide security to family members of Supreme Court justices, sending the bill to President Joe Biden nearly a week after an armed man was arrested outside Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house.
The legislation passed the House in a 396-27 vote. All the “no” votes came from Democrats.
Proponents argued that the incident outside Kavanaugh’s Maryland home last week called for urgent action.
“Supreme Court justices shouldn’t be subject to intimidation and violence,” Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., tweeted after the vote. “I voted to expand security for them and their families so they can do their jobs. It’s disgraceful that 27 Democrats voted no even after the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh.”
6. For Supreme Court Justices Thomas, Barrett and Others, It’s the Loss of Ordinary Days
From The Daily Citizen:
There are always consequences to the lunacy of radical policies, including the loss of simple joys that many people don’t even think much about.
“I go to Mass before I go to work, and the reason for that is not just habit,” once said Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. “It gives [me], a sinner … a way of doing this secular job, the right way for the right reasons.”
What most people don’t know is that Justice Thomas has been known to walk to and from church each morning before his day at the Supreme Court. Justice Alito has been known to do the same thing. Walking from a worship service to work may not be all that unusual for some, but the thought of our nation’s most illustrious judges doing so is remarkably refreshing.
Justice Thomas and his wife Ginni have also famously traveled the country in their 40-foot Prevost motorhome. Since 1999, they’ve vacationed in 27 states, and were known to “camp” overnight in unexpected places.
“We’ve been in dozens of Walmart parking lots across the country, reflected Mrs. Thomas, in an interview with Motorhome Magazine.
Supreme Court justices are all remarkably intelligent, brilliant and exceptional men and women – but we sometimes forget they’re also husbands and wives – and mothers and fathers.
Death threats and around-the-clock security inevitably and invariably take their toll on them. But it’s also the loss of the little things that hurt and hollow out some of the joys of the job. We should grieve that terrible turn.
Will justices ever again feel comfortable walking to and from church and court – or coaching a CYO team? What about going to a child’s high school graduation or taking a bike ride just to enjoy the sunrise? The privilege of being a Supreme Court judge has always come with a price – but it’s a sad commentary on a country when its public servants have more security guards than sunflowers and gardenias in front of their homes.
- Biden Fires Culture War Salvo with LGBT Celebration
From AFP:
“My message to all the young people: Just be you, you are loved,” Biden said to cheers. “I want you to know that as your president, all of us on this stage have your back. We have your back.”
Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and several cabinet members — including openly gay Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg — joined hundreds of cheering representatives from the LGBT community in the White House East Room to celebrate Pride Month.
Biden signed an executive order aimed at providing federal support on a variety of rights in the LGBT community that the White House sees as under attack from Republican state-level leaders — especially in Florida, where potential presidential candidate Governor Ron DeSantis has put combating “woke” culture at the heart of his agenda.
8. Transgender Organization Suggests Hormones and Surgeries Should Start Even Earlier for Gender-Confused Teens
From The Daily Citizen:
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) says it will lower the recommended age for so-called “gender transition treatments,” suggesting opposite-sex hormones start at age 14, instead of age 16, as previously recommended.
The organization is also lowering its suggested age for surgeries by one year, saying some “transgender” surgeries can begin as early as age 15.
WPATH gave an advance copy of the new guidelines to The Associated Press, which first reported the news. The final guidelines are set to be published later this year.
WPATH is not a medical organization; it is a transgender activist group. But its last guidance, Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender and Nonconforming People, was produced in 2012, and are viewed as authoritative by other transgender activists and allies in the health professions.
RELATED:
Starbucks Is Trying To Take Away ‘Gender-Affirming’ Care, Unionizing Workers Complain
From Bloomberg:
Starbucks Corp. managers in several states have told baristas that its vaunted transgender-inclusive health-care benefits could go away if they unionize, employees alleged in interviews and a new complaint filed with the US labor board.
“I think the company realizes that we as trans partners feel particularly vulnerable at this time,” said Oklahoma Starbucks employee Neha Cremin. “I think that in some cases they are willing to take advantage of that.”
In a Monday filing with the National Labor Relations Board, the union Workers United accused the coffee chain of “threatening employees with loss of benefits” including “loss of gender-affirming health care for transgender employees” at Cremin’s store. The union, which has prevailed in votes at over 100 of the coffee chain’s 9,000 US corporate-run restaurants since securing an initial landmark victory in New York last December, alleges that Starbucks was trying to coerce employees not to exercise their organizing rights.
Starbucks denied wrongdoing. “We are not threatening our partners with the loss of benefits if they join a union,” spokesperson Reggie Borges said Tuesday. “We take a great deal of pride in offering industry-leading benefits and have done so for more than 50 years.”
RELATED:
New York judge says Jewish university isn’t religious and must approve LGBT club
From the Washington Times:
A New York state judge ruled that the Jewish Yeshiva University in New York City did not qualify as a “religious corporation” and must therefore approve the creation of an LGBT club under the city’s anti-discrimination law.
Lynn Kotler, a judge in the New York Supreme Court First Judicial District, ruled that under state law, Yeshiva University was considered an “educational corporation,” not a religious one, and must comply with the New York City Human Rights Law.
The ruling came after a group of students who attempted to organize a gay and transgender student club, the Yeshiva University Pride Alliance, sued the university after their attempt to gain recognition was denied.
In her ruling, Kotler wrote that the university violated the city’s human rights law because, according to the university’s own charter, the university’s purpose is to be an educational institution, not a religious one.
9. New Study: Parenting style may determine if children become conservative or liberal
From Study Finds:
Being a “helicopter” or “free-range explorer” parent may determine the direction of America’s political future. A new study finds a person’s parenting style can influence whether their child grows up to become a conservative or a liberal.
A team from Carnegie Mellon University found that the two main philosophies for raising children lead to very different outcomes, which can even predict that child’s voting habits and feelings regarding education, elder care, and medicine. Overall, the team found that helicopter parenting (or being a disciplinarian) leads to children leaning more conservative in the future. Meanwhile, free-range explorer parenting (or being a nurturing mom or dad) leads to children growing up to be more liberal.
“There’s a new dimension of parenting philosophy that has emerged [in recent decades] — free-range vs. helicopter parenting,” says Danny Oppenheimer, professor of social and decision sciences in the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, in a university release. “If the [helicopter parenting] trend continues, we can expect people to endorse greater intervention in personal liberty in most social institutions.”
10.‘I Was So Lost’: Bradley Cooper Reveals When He Realized He Had ‘A Problem With Drugs’ And The Actor Who Helped Him Turn Everything Around
From the Daily Wire:
Bradley Cooper opened up about the moment he realized he had “a problem with drugs and alcohol” and how he credits actor Will Arnett with the reason he was able to turn everything around.
The “American Sniper” star said he had “zero self-esteem” back then and wasn’t aware he was hurting others because “how could I if I’m worthless? I was so lost, and I was addicted to cocaine.”
“Will took that risk of having that hard conversation with me in, like, July of 2000 and that put me on a path of deciding to change my life,” Cooper explained. “It truly was Will Arnett — he is the reason.”
The “A Star Is Born” actor was previously romantically linked with supermodel Irina Shayk, with whom he shares a 5-year-old daughter. At one point in the interview, the actor talked about the joys of being a father.
“Fatherhood … everything changed,” Cooper said. “Every single thing is absolutely shaded by or brought out in glorious colors by the fact that I get to be a father to a wonderful human being. It’s just the absolute greatest thing.”
