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It can be difficult to understand just what’s going on in Minnesota

Minnesota? Somalis? Nine billion dollars in alleged welfare fraud? To understand what’s going on from a distance, it helps to understand basic culture. Minnesota was settled largely by people of Scandinavian and German ancestry. In survey after survey, Minnesota has ranked No. 1 or No. 2 among states, often just behind neighboring and much smaller North Dakota, in social connectedness, civic participation, workforce participation and voter turnout. It has traditionally led the nation in levels of trust and conscientiousness. This has been coupled with political behavior that ...

Recent Decisions Amount To Attack On Republic

In a scene in Robert Bolt’s famous play “A Man for All Seasons,” about the treason trial of St. Thomas More, More argues with the attorney general of Wales about the law. The attorney general says he’d cut down all the laws in England to get to the Devil. More reminds him that the laws were written to protect us from those who’d cut them down, because, More asks, when the Devil turns round and seeks you, where would you hide, the laws having been flattened? Answer: nowhere. The recent statement of President Donald Trump in an interview with The New York Times that on the ...

Real Power Comes From The Ability To Lead Other People

We just celebrated the feast of the Three Kings (The Magi) also called Epiphany. The kings saw a star at its rising and followed it to find baby Jesus, the Savior. For some religions January 6th, the feast of Epiphany is bigger than Christmas because Jesus Christ was introduced to the Gentiles. (The rest of the world. Not just the Jewish people) The story of the Magi is one of our oldest son, Corey’s favorite Bible stories. As a child, Corey liked stories before bedtime. The Magi visit King Herod in Jeruselum to ask where the new king is. “We saw his star at its rising.” Herod ...

McLaughlin Defends Public Presence Of ICE

There is still chaos surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, and nowhere is the anger more palpable than in cities like Minneapolis. Protesters insist they are exercising their rights, even as some cross legal lines. The distinction matters. Observing ICE is lawful. Obstructing ICE is not. And when citizens interfere with a federal operation, they risk serious consequences under federal law. According to The Washington Post, “The fatal shooting of Renee Good last week, as ICE officers and residents faced off on a residential street here, has brought new attention ...

Tough-Guy Progressivism Is Itching For A Fight oit

On Saturday, Larry Krasner, the elected Democratic district attorney of Philadelphia, posted a photo of himself on social media. It was a black-and-white picture of a stern-looking Krasner in a dark suit, one hand to his sunglasses. At the bottom of the photo, in all caps, was “FAFO,” which of course stands for “f*** around and find out.” The accompanying message said, “To [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and the National Guard: if you commit crimes in Philadelphia, we will charge you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Made in the context of ...

Tragedy and reality on a street in Minnesota

Renee Good died on Wednesday in Minneapolis. She had been attempting to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents engaged in federal law enforcement activities. Along with other protesters, Good involved herself in what federal agents were doing and used her car to block them. Confronted by federal agents, Good accelerated with an agent in front of her car. He pulled his gun, she accelerated and struck him, he opened fire and shot her. She died. Watching the video footage, it is clear she accelerated with an agent directly in front of her car and struck him. Close observers ...