I see in the New Hampshire Journal that the NHGOP is going to waste donor money in six figures again. It is the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, which correctly abandoned Roe v. Wade and sent the abortion question back to the states. Massachusetts and Mississippi are always going to decide differently, and under federalism, that is okay.

So New Hampshire Democrats are going to hold rallies, and the NHGOP is going to spend money — before the rallies — and pat itself on the back for being proactive rather than reactive. Here is the result:

1. Democrats will lie that Republicans want to take away your rights.
2. Republicans will whine that, no, that’s not what we intend.
3. Whom you believe will depend on whom you tend to believe.
4. So, does nothing change? No: New Hampshire Republicans are talking abortion — an issue where we ALWAYS LOSE.

And dissing our own evangelical faction in the process.

We are once again letting the enemy choose the battlefield.

The decision to devolve abortion to the states is correct and wise. The United States has regional social differences and there is no need, nor Constitutional mandate, to use federal force to put the regions in lockstep. Donald Trump really did get this done by appointing principled federalists to the Supreme Court. Early in this year’s campaign, he turned aside social conservatives and said that Republicans would run on abortion being an issue for the states.

He is wiser than the rest of you. Persuasive Karoline Leavitt (and I am so glad she’s making a difference with Trump rather than sucking up to the Sununu GOP to try to get them to lift a finger for her next time) repeatedly asserted she was not going to try to enact her religious beliefs into law. Unfortunately, “I have strong beliefs but am so libertarian I will do nothing to advance them” did not work for Mitt Romney, who does not have strong beliefs; it was a tougher sell for Karoline, a Catholic to the marrow, and it is the single issue that torpedoed her 2022 campaign.

So, obviously, New Hampshire Democrats want to go to that well again—and New Hampshire Republicans are spending six figures to help them—while Pretty Kelly Ayotte is adamant that she is running for state office to do nothing about it, while challenger Chuck Morse will slap back and make deals as he always has.

I voted for Karen Testerman twice because she’s in politics because she believes in stuff. But Republicans lose when the question is whether we want to use GUNPOINT to make people live more Christian lives. It’s the same as Democrats using GUNPOINT to make people conserve water, stop using hydrocarbons, wear feedbags if there’s a cold going around, treat minorities better, and promote cross-dressing. Republicans win when the question is whether we want to STOP USING GUNPOINT to force people who think abortion is murder to pay for abortions for strangers. When Jeanne Shaheen keeps saying this endangers “access to health care,” we should take apart that dishonest spin with specifics.

In the meantime, the correct response to the claim that a Republican candidate wants to limit abortion is: “No! But tax cuts and deregulation will get you a better job and put more money in your pocket.” Do we have any candidates with that level of intellectual dexterity?

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I do not want to write this article about the first impression I got when I saw a picture of Tyler Cherry, but it is hard not to. The White House is irate over the criticism of the current Interior Department assistant press secretary. Cherry is now associate communications director at the White House.

Cherry took action today to sterilize his online social fingerprint by deleting 2,496 tweets between Sunday night and Monday morning. Cherry’s actions were a good try, but his controversial tweets were out there for years. If any of them were damaging, they are already archived into people’s accounts who will use these radical tweets against the newly promoted staffer.

Biden is obviously rewarding this lifelong homosexual with a promotion during Pride Month to prove how WOKE he is. Still, you would think he would realize his most diverse administration has been an abject failure. In three-plus years, his staff may resemble the American quilt, but they have accomplished little and might as well be more like a comfort blanket. We have a perfect example of identity, or DEI hires, instead of choices made on meritocracy. Biden has satisfied a minute segment of his radical left, but as usual, he has done a disservice to the people of America. I am sure that Biden would have found thousands of qualified and competent applicants if he had searched for someone to fill this role without his preconceived requirements.

With Cherry, we have much more than a gay white man. We have someone who has views that are very dangerous for America and should have disqualified him from the job. Among the thousands of tweets he erased were some that showed his pure angst for the police, “Apt time to recall that the modern day police system is a direct evolution of slave patrols and lynch mobs.” “Abolish ICE,” and “Cheersing in bars to ending the occupation of Palestine no-hame and f-your glares.” He may have deleted these from X, but they will live on forever, as some of his followers shared them. Maybe he should have tried Hillary’s special bleach.

Cherry is much more than pro-Gaza. He is totally anti-Israel and has promoted “Russiagate”. He downplays these thousands of tweets as reflections of his beliefs when he was younger and does not mirror his current views. That line may work in Biden’s Human Resource Department, but not on the streets of America..These tweets are who Tyler Cherry is, and for the White House to be proud to have him on the staff is another indication the administration is not operating in our best interest but in satisfying those of every fringe group imaginable. Biden is getting redundant, though. We already have an incompetent gay, white male with Pete Buttigieg and a feckless gay black female with Karine Jean-Pierre. We didn’t need to check these boxes again. He could have done something different and unique and hired someone who could actually do the job.

The post Is Tyler Cherry A Diversity Promotion Or A Joke appeared first on Granite Grok.

A favorite travel terminal at Boston’s Logan Airport features numerous championship banners honoring Boston’s pro teams: Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox. Will a ceremony occur there when the Celtics’ 18th banner joins all the rest?

The afterglow from the Celtics’ recent NBA title triumph still lights our sports world. And it will for a while. One loves how a title team unites a community—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or political persuasion.

So, what can one add to all that’s been written about 6/17’s record 18th Celtic championship?

How about a Sport-Thought re: the extraordinary spiritual/religious reflections expressed by so many of the C’s following their wonderful win?

Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla shared that his family’s post-championship travels will take them to the Holy Land—as opposed to Disney Land.

Mazzulla is a devout Catholic who claims his identity flows from his “purpose” and “faith.” He has a green and gold wooden rosary made from the Boston Garden’s original parquet floor.

Other Celtics like Jayson Tatum were prayerful following the victory.

“First of all, God is the greatest,” said Tatum, according to NBC sports. “Not because we won, but to put me into a position to maximize my God-given ability to surround me with these guys, my family. It’s an incredible feeling.”

Thirty-eight-year-old C’s forward Al Horford is a devout member of the Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ International. He wasn’t shy about showing his grateful side on national television minutes after the Celtics’ penultimate 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks, proclaiming “La Gloria a Dios” (The Glory of God) to countless millions. Faith and perseverance eventually rewarded the Dominican star with a title, ending the league’s longest active streak of career playoff games without a championship (186). Horford had certainly been otherwise blessed in many ways. (His wife, Amelia Vega, was Miss Universe 2003.)

Celtic star Jrue Holiday has a Bible passage tattooed on his left forearm from Philippians 4:6-7 about finding peace through faith in God.

Other Celtics like backup center Luke Kornet also draw strength, hope and inspiration from their beliefs. A devout Catholic, Kornet is a “Knight of Columbus” who attends Mass whenever he can. He’s proud of the perspective and balance his faith has provided him during his life journey.

And so it goes with all of the above as well as other Celtics like playoff MVP Jaylen Brown, who like Tatum and Horford, also referenced the Almighty while speaking to those untold millions around the world during the post-game interviews. The players’ auras and actions speak to teamwork, mutual support, and cooperation. The team transmitted the positive energy typically exuded by true people of faith—as opposed to the angry energy we so often see surrounding non-believing progressives.
There’s no shortage of unhappy folks who denounce and demean people of faith. Progressives cite the 1st Amendment while seeking to allow pornographic materials in school libraries while often quashing religious expression—even though the 1st Amendment expressly guarantees freedom of religious expression! Our society has evolved into a lesser, coarser place since I was a youngster when most folks went to church, and we actually prayed in public schools.
To be sure, religious communities do have their share of hypocrites and charlatans—which angry progressives love to point out. And Celtic spiritual energy didn’t keep the C’s from losing a Game 7 at home to Miami last year.
Still, the Celtic post-game religious “afterglow” was compelling and inspiring, at least to those willing to enjoy—if not embrace—it all. Will this new “Celtic Way” positively influence others in the future?

One wag suggested that the Detroit Pistons—who just finished 50 games behind the Celtics—hire a chaplain as an assistant coach.

Maybe Al Horford?

“La Gloria a Dios.”

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