Journalists, or Obama's Lickspittles?

Almost exactly five years ago in the early days of Digital Publius I wrote an article called “An American Troika (тройка).”  Wherein I gave the etymology of the Soviet term “Troika:” Russian troĭka, from troe three; akin to Old English thrīe threea group of three; especially: an administrative or ruling body of three – Webster’s

Troika (triumvirate) of judges or political leaders. – Wikipedia

I draw the parallel between this Soviet concept and the prospect of having the left in complete law-making control through Pelosi, Reid and Obama--I asked: Is this really what you want to do America? Are you certain you are so fatigued by the Bush presidency you’re willing to bet the farm on what will be the most powerful far left leaning government in the history of our nation? We are talking about an unrestrained--extreme liberal--completely unchecked-- House of Representatives, Senate and Executive branch. If so, then (fairness) that word Senator Obama is so found of using so often will disappear from the American Lexicon.

The atrocious Affordable Care Act, the specter of which we are now beginning to see made manifest would be the most pronounced example of the results reaped through America’s bafflingly poor judgment in 2008. Tragically, a couple of the things I said near the end of the article have proven to be the most dire prophecies in that because they have come to pass—it insures too many in our nation are too unaware of the facts to realize how unfortunate the results of the 2008 election have proven to be.

I wrote about the appalling treatment the media subjected Joe the Plumber to for having the temerity to ask difficult questions of then Senator Obama during his campaign: Joe was not some political pundit who has an agenda; he was just a citizen in front of his home. This earned him the contempt of the hard left and the leftist presses full intrusion in Joe’s personal affairs. He was smeared across the collective liberal media, the kind of smear campaign only brought to bear on someone who has really struck a sore liberal nerve.

It brings to mind all those old cold war era movies, where the secret police agent menacingly says to the cowering worker. “You ask a lot of questions comrade, a lot of dangerous questions.” Think about it. We have been told that Joe owes taxes and he is not a bonded plumber yet. We have been told he does not make anywhere near 250K. But, how many headlines in the last two years have you seen showing that Obama, as a State Senator violated Illinois state tax laws and accepted payments for speaking engagements totaling around 100K? The press is uninterested in such things, when it involves their own.

I had no idea then how spot on I would be proven to be—one merely has to think of this in light of the revelations of the IRA’s unprecedented persecution of those espousing a view in conflict with the current administration. Further, the equally shocking overreach of the National Security Agency, which have come to light.

I continued: We are heading for real state controlled media, not in the form of some Orwellian totalitarian regime, complete with graphic, art deco posters, depicting bulging forearms wielding hammers--bullhorns blaring, work is better than sleep. Not that kind, rather what we will see, is an unchallenged media. A media that is already so far in the bag for Obama, that they are doing everything possible to hide the truth and suppress information about this guy.

Once we have a completely liberal government and no Republicans to blame everything on, we will never hear of governmental screw ups, because the “One” is the “One” and Democrats don’t make mistakes. What we need to think about is, what will happen when YOU ask the wrong question under the ultra fair American Troika?

A few weeks later I wrote a follow up piece: American Troika Hits the Ground Running, where my prescience concerning the rapid implementation of the left’s agenda and the media’s roll in the endeavor were already coming to fruition:



In an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Program we had this exchange: 

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Yeah, well, you know what? I want to do everything I can to make this thing work, this new presidency work, and I think that --

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Is that your job? You just talked about being a journalist!

MATTHEWS: Yeah, it is my job. My job is to help this country.

SCARBOROUGH: Your job is to make this presidency work?

MATTHEWS: To make this work successfully. This country needs a successful presidency.


Chris Matthews shocked even Joe Scarborough with that revelation. We knew Obama gave him a thrill, but he’s acting like he wants to start picking out curtains with the Obamas. It certainly wasn’t Chris Matthew’s position to help the previous presidency work.

The majority of the media are not going to be so obvious...Wait, what am I talking about; how much more obvious could the media have been in their boundless devotion to Obama. The Obama sycophants just thought it was normal.

 Mind-boggling how spot on I was back then! The Media Research Center just posted an article revealing the selective reportage marking 21^st century style American Journalism. It seems the mainstream media was positively giddy when reporting a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll showing the public place most of the blame for the government shut down on the Republicans rather than the President’s policies and the Democrats.

Yet, the media was completely silent regarding the same poll stating that 51% of those responding to the poll said President Obama: …is putting his own political agenda ahead of what's good for the country.  

As the MRC put it: I guess the majority of the nation feeling the President is putting his political agenda ahead of what's good for the country wasn't considered newsworthy by American so-called "journalists.

This becomes even more interesting when one learns the aforementioned poll neglected to give those responding to the poll an option to pick the Democrats! Positively stunning! Particularly when you consider there were no fewer than 11 bills offered by the Republicans to avoid the shut down. Not to mention the Republican controlled House passed a bill to keep government running only to be rejected by the Democrat controlled Senate.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Psalm 118:8

So long as the media works hand in glove to further the left’s agenda, it will be virtually impossible for an unengaged, apathetic and spiritually dead American public to be well informed enough to counter the death spiral we are being forced into.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Get your relationship with Christ in order before concerning yourself with what the enemy is doing—That’s my strategy, what’s yours?

Digital Publius

In Serving One Another, We Become Free

By Digital Publius contributor, Christopher Harris

According to folklore and medieval history, the legendary King Arthur was a leader in Great Britain who lived between the 5th and early 6th centuries. As to the veracity of the stories or even the actual existence of a King Arthur...that is a discussion for another time. However, there are many things about his story that have been extremely influential to western culture from the time his story was first written, to the present. One of the most fabled aspects of the story is his knights, and most importantly, their “Round Table”.

These men were reported to be among the most noble and greatest warriors in the land. They came together and sat around a special table in the castle of Camelot. They chose a round table, instead of a regular square or rectangular shaped table, because this was to be a sign that everyone who sat at the table was seen as an equal. They took a pledge that has now become famous, which was, “In Serving One Another, We Become Free”.

It was, and still is a beautiful principle to live by, and it is in fact, rooted and grounded in Judeo-Christian morality. It is also an idea that was influential in the hearts and minds of the Founding Fathers as they wrote our foundational documents forming this nation. Unfortunately, like many of Christ’s teachings contained in scripture, and the words of our Founding Fathers, this maxim has also been misconstrued, misinterpreted and outright twisted.

In the book of Galatians, Chapter 5 (NKJV), it speaks of “Christian Liberty”, explains how “Love Fulfills the Law”, and promotes “Walking in the Spirit”. Specifically speaking, in verse 1, it says “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” And in verse 13, it says “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

As I study American history, I see that same Judeo-Christian vein of philosophy and morality in the words of the Founding Fathers of our nation. I’m struck by the similarity between the sentiment and principles espoused by the Knights of the Round Table, and men like Patrick Henry. In his March 23, 1775 speech to the Virginia Delegates of the Provincial Congress at St. John's church in Richmond, VA, which has been called his “Liberty or Death” speech, he said, "If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!” He went on to say, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!” and of course, he famously ended his speech by saying, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Shortly thereafter, on April 19, 1775, the American Revolutionary War, also known as the “War for Independence” began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord, in the province of Massachusetts, near the city of Boston. Almost a year and a half later, in the summer of 1776 after enduring more trials and tribulations, and suffering through more tyranny from a ruler who thought himself to be a god with absolute power, a group of men got together as the Second Continental Congress in the city of Philadelphia. They met in the building that was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Colonial Legislature, which was opened in 1753, and has since been renamed as Independence Hall.

During their meeting and deliberations, they came to the conclusion it was time to make an official declaration of their independence, and as honorable, rational men, they decided it was necessary to draft a document to fully explain their decision. So on June 11, 1776, they appointed a "Committee of Five", which consisted of such august men as Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, John Adams of Massachusetts, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, who was the only man to sign all four of the great foundational papers of what was to become the United States of America: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

They penned and approved words which have stood the test of time, and also fall right in line with the principles of the Knights who sat at the "Round Table", and their aforementioned maxim. They famously stated: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." And those words have reverberated in the hearts of men and women throughout the world ever since.

Once again showing the influence of Judeo-Christian philosophy and morality, and providing an interesting parallel with the Knights of the Round Table, the 56 signers of this document finished their ‘Declaration of Independence” by saying. “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

In this day and age, especially with the rise of Socialism under its noms de guerre, like Progressivism and Modern-Liberalism, the beautiful and Christ-like philosophy of “In Serving One Another, We Become Free" has become bastardize, subverted and perverted almost beyond recognition. Instead, particularly here in the United States of America, what you have is a nation conceived, gestated and birthed under the principles of “Christian Liberty”, where 237 years later, a sizable number of Americans actually believe the Godless Marxist idea of "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs." is not only similar to “Christian Liberty”, but that they are one in the same.

It is a sad testimony to the lack of education, knowledge and wisdom of the average American today not only of the foundation of our nation, but the historical and Biblical ideals which inspired our Founding Fathers. Just as the Knights of the Round Table were valiant warriors and mighty (but imperfect) men willing to lay down their lives in support and defense of “Christian Liberty”, the Founding Fathers were also honorable (but imperfect) men, who understood the words of the Apostle Matthew, who quoted Christ in chapter 20, verse 28 (NKJV)  in the book bearing his name: “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Likewise, the Apostle Mark documented the actions and words of Christ in chapter 9, verse 35 (NKJV) in the book bearing his name, that, “And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

This belief in Divine Providence also meant they understood the words of 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV) that said, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” They recognized they had been given a gift from their creator, the gift of “Christian Liberty”. They recognized it was a gift that also carried with it a great responsibility to serve others, a responsibility the Knights of the Round Table espoused in their maxim, “In Serving One Another, We Become Free”. And when the Founding Fathers of this nation signed their names to what was essentially a death warrant (and many of them did lose their earthly lives as a result), they finished their grand document for “Christian Liberty” by saying “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” 

The Founders did this, because they understood and believed in the words the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the churches in southern Galatia when he said, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” and “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

BlackSheepDawg 

© C.L. Harris

Sleepy Shallow

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18.19

Despite the Book of Revelation[s] being often referred to in Fox Television’s new show “Sleepy Hollow,” there is no such thing. There is the Book of Revelation, but there is no Revelations.  The Revelation is singular because the message it conveys is such. It is the grandest message of all time!

The Revelation is only creepy or frightening if you are a person who is not spiritually prepared for it to occur. For those who fail to apprehend the message, it is a terrible thing to read. Unfortunately, most, (those who generally put an “S” at the end of the book) seldom read to the very end where one finds the culmination of the glorious hope that lies in the hearts of those who believe in Christ.

This is the purpose of shows like Sleepy Hollow, to obscure the ultimate message of the gospel and to give man the idea he has the ability to alter what God has ordained. That someone would want to stop the things foretold in Saint John’s Revelation—reveals a faithless lack of understanding.

“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life”

Programs like Sleepy Hollow do just what the Book they plumb for sensational ideas warns against. Sleepy Hollow “takes away,” the reason why the events in Revelation occur, namely the abject depravity of man and the return of Christ to mete out justice for our wickedness. This leads to the restoration of the world and the realization of the already finished work of salvation for all who put their trust in Him.

There is no stopping the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Two Witnesses spoken of are not working to stop the events foretold in Revelation like the two protagonists in Fox’s show—They do the exact opposite, the Witnesses speak the Word of God and prepare the way for the return of Christ and they are anything but weak and helpless.

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.  Revelation 11:3-6

The very idea you would have an evil force or forces as depicted in the show, working to hasten the end times is silly in that Satan knows his time is up once these events begin.

It is worth noting the Horsemen are like the Two Witnesses, sent by God, not Satan or evil forces—They too are sent to make way for the Fifth Horseman—Christ Himself!

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Revelation 19:11

That Satan wishes to become the controller of the horsemen is the way he operates and part and parcel to the spirit of anti-Christ. The reason shows like Sleepy Hollow are necessary for the enemy, is to blur the rolls of prophecy and God and Satan—good and evil, to deceive people and keep them blinded to the gospel message.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. Mark 4:15

Hence you have the diabolical idea of two covens of witches on opposite sides—One the “Good” coven, acting to check the Horsemen and an evil coven of witches working to aid the horsemen. There is no such thing as a good witch; all witchcraft depends upon the same demonic forces. People who work for God are called prophets, not sorcerers or witches.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. II Corinthians 2:11

But this is the way Satan twists things—subtlety! His work is made easier by the fact most today never read the Holy Bible to even know what it teaches about such things. That the writers of the show consistently, have all the characters, even 18^th century, Oxford professor, Ichabod Crain pluralize the final Book of the Holy Bible makes plain their profound ignorance and shallow understanding of the subject they chose to make the show’s premise.

Ignorance made all the more stunning when one realizes they had to at least open the Book in order to quote it—then again, perhaps like most today, they may be more likely to borrow information from the Internet via Google than to actually acquire knowledge first hand.

Superficially, Sleepy Hollow is just another police procedural with a more or less hapless but useful male asset, handled by a forceful and capable female cop. More often than not in today’s gender-neutral TV society, the woman carries the gun to protect the man.

I can hear the chorus, this article is sure to bring: “It’s just a TV show!” Is it? Perhaps. I will close with this thought, which permeates the Biblical subject matter Sleepy Hollow speciously wades in and relies upon so heavily. Whether your ends are to merely entertain or something more sinister, you can sow truth, evil or ignorance, whatever the case:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

Digital Publius 

Putting Your Trust in “Government”

Wonderful think piece offered by Digital Publius contributor, Christopher Harris

The modern Black community reminds me of the wayward “children of Israel”. Numerous studies and polls have been done that say, in general, Black Americans are some of the most “religious” people in America, with the overwhelming majority of us claiming to put all of our FAITH, HOPE & TRUST in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Unfortunately, the reality is quite a bit different from the rhetoric. What trips me out about modern Black folks in general, is while so many of us claim to trust Jesus with our mouths, for the past 45+ years, we have shown with our ballots that, in reality, we place all (or most) of our FAITH, HOPE & TRUST in "Government”.

Oddly enough, if asked, within moments of casting a ballot showing we actually have FAITH, HOPE & TRUST in “Government”, with our very next breath, we will tell you we "don't trust the police".

Uhhhhhhhh, last time I checked, the police are the ENFORCEMENT ARM of "Government". Now STOP and THINK a second. You supposedly TRUST and WANT MORE "Government", but you have an almost inherent (cultural) distrust of "Government".

There is a reason Leftist/Progressive/Socialist minded White Democrats generally treat Black folks in such a patronizing and paternalistic manner.

James 1:8 (NKJV)

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

It's time to grow-up Black folks. If we want to be respected, we have to start acting like rational, responsible adults.

1 Corinthians 13:11 (NKJV)

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Leftist/Progressive/Socialist minded White Democrats generally wouldn’t have this conversation with us and tell us these things, for two reasons:

1) They actually do not respect us at all; in fact they generally despise us.

2) They need us to remain in power, because without at least 85% of Blacks consistently voting for the DNC, the DNC will never win another national election.

The biggest shame is that our ancestors cried out for, and fought for freedom & liberty, because as soon as we were able to read, we picked up the Bible, and found that our Lord and Savior wanted us to be free.

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)

 **Christian Liberty**

 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage

Yet and still, instead of putting our FAITH, HOPE & TRUST in our heavenly father who worked on our behalf to give us that freedom & liberty…we decided to listen to the alluring words of Black Marxists like W.E.B. DuBois (who confirmed in 1961 at the age of 93 that he was, in fact, a Communist). We allowed folks like him to convince us the inherent righteousness of  “Government” was the reason we gained our freedom & liberty, and that if we only had more “Government”, we would have man-made equality, which is supposedly better than God-given freedom & liberty.

Time has proven beyond any reasonable doubt, more “Government” has done little or nothing to improve the overall condition of the Black Community. The empirical data is overwhelming and insurmountable. Yet, the Black Community as a whole still cries out for more “Government.”

When I pick up my Bible, I see so many interesting (and sad) parallels between the Black Community, and the children of Israel. The most interesting parallel of all is the similarity of the modern Black Community in this millennium, and the children of Israel at the end of the time of the Judges. I will leave you with this last scripture as something to STOP and THINK about.

1 Samuel 8 (NKJV)

**Israel Demands a King**

1 Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.

 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king.

11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.

12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

14 And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.

15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.

16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, [a] and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.

18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,

20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord.

22 So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.”And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

BlackSheepDawg 

© C.L. Harris