Thursday, August 24, 2017

the last best hope

For those of us who hoped Donald Trump would offer “presidential” leadership after entering the Oval Office, and for those who waited for a “presidential moment” after the terror attack in Charlottesville, this week’s rally in Phoenix made one thing especially clear: the President does not intend to unify our country.

Friend,

For those of us who hoped Donald Trump would offer “presidential” leadership after entering the Oval Office, and for those who waited for a “presidential moment” after the terror attack in Charlottesville, this week’s rally in Phoenix made one thing especially clear: the President does not intend to unify our country.

Instead, he continues to pander to fears and prejudices, dividing and misleading our nation.

As we consider that disheartening reality, I’m encouraged by something President Lincoln said in 1862: “We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth.”

His words remind us that America has overcome such tests before and — even when faced with our steepest challenges — equality, liberty and truth have ultimately advanced. When we commit to it, freedom prevails against tyranny and populism.

Our core ideals have guided our progress as a nation, secured victories against foreign and domestic enemies, and propelled our country to prosperity. In contrast, our darkest moments have come when we’ve turned our backs on these ideals.

Though our current generation of leaders rarely defends these principles, they remain essential to overcoming the tribulations we face and reaching a brighter future for all Americans.

In light of the rhetoric we’ve heard this week, now is a good time to review a few key ideals and norms:

Equality. As they explicitly wrote in the Declaration of Independence, our Founders envisioned a government that treated its citizens equally. America’s early implementation of this ideal was limited and flawed. But Americans’ enduring pursuit of freedom has continuously expanded our recognition of the truth that all are created equal. Regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, income or ideology, we are equal in the eyes of Lady Justice and, in my faith, God.

Whenever a threat to equality emerges, our leaders must rush to neutralize it. In reality, every other American ideal, and even our system of government, is based on the equality of all. Because of its foundational importance to our way of life, our leaders must constantly and actively advocate on its behalf, not just in times of crisis.

Free Speech. The Constitution safeguards free speech, regardless of whether the message runs counter to our core ideals. Even those who spread hateful speech enjoy ample protections in our legal system. Despite these broad rights, not all ideas deserve the endorsement of our leaders, either explicitly or implicitly.

Rather, we rightfully expect our political leaders to be moral leaders. They must champion equality, promote decency and denounce hate. As citizens, we should do the same.

An Independent Press. Only an informed citizenry can hold its government accountable, and we cannot be informed without an independent press. When our leaders attack or threaten media that publish unfavorable but true information, we become less able to ensure leaders’ honest and wise public service.

The rise of partisan outlets — especially in the age of the Internet — has also blurred the lines between fact and fiction. In this context, it’s easy to dismiss information that challenges our existing opinions, but being open to new information from multiple sources helps us ascertain truth.

Make no mistake, actual fake news exists. But there is truth, and we can discern it. We should hold the media and our leaders accountable when they present false information or conceal intentional bias, yet we must also ensure that journalists can report facts without fear of retribution or intimidation by our leaders. Journalists play an indispensable role in our democracy.

Friend, if we adhere to these fundamental tenets, I’m confident the United States of America will remain Lincoln’s “last best hope of earth.”

That’s why Mindy and I co-founded Stand Up Republic: to provide a voice for principled, constitutional community and leadership. Without our commitment, we may lose that which has made America great from the beginning.

Thank you for being a part of our network. Onward!

Sincerely,
Evan






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Monday, August 21, 2017

AWESOME: D'Souza spoils leftist picnic with hard facts

WWII-era Nazis weren't merely street thugs—they intimidated people using the power of the state and cultural institutions like the media and academia. Sound familiar?




Tuesday, August 15, 2017

D'Souza drops truth bomb about where white nationalism REALLY comes from

What really happened in Charlottesville? This weekend Dinesh D'Souza debunked two of the biggest lies being propagated by the media about the clash of protestors.




Monday, August 14, 2017

Charlottesville

The neo-Nazi, alt-right and white supremacy movements that terrorized Charlottesville betray our nation’s most fundamental values: the timeless ideas of liberty and equality. We wholeheartedly denounce racism and bigotry today and every day, and call on all leaders to do the same.

 

Friend,

The neo-Nazi, alt-right and white supremacy movements that terrorized Charlottesville betray our nation’s most fundamental values: the timeless ideas of liberty and equality.

These repugnant ideologies and their reprehensible followers stole the lives of Heather Heyer, Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates — all innocent Americans.

We wholeheartedly denounce racism and bigotry today and every day, and call on all leaders to do the same.

Our full statement is below, via the Stand Up Republic blog.

Sincerely,
Evan and Mindy


Statement Regarding the Violent White Supremacist Protests in Charlottesville, Va.

WASHINGTON — Evan McMullin and Mindy Finn, co-founders of Stand Up Republic, issued the following statement in response to neo-Nazi and white supremacist agitation and violence in Charlottesville, Va.:

After two days of violent white supremacist protests in Charlottesville escalated to the point of terrorism and fatality, now is the time for principled American leaders to stand up and speak against the neo-Nazi, alt-right, and white nationalist movements. We must call for the liberty and equality of all, not only after tragedy shocks our conscience, but as a regular part of our labor on behalf of the American people and our Nation. With liberty, equality is the foundational cause of the United States of America, and it must be the same for all leaders and citizens.

Leaders especially have a patriotic and moral obligation to speak out against the hatred and bigotry expressed in Charlottesville. Those who fail to clearly condemn these hateful ideas do a deep disservice to our Nation and the world by allowing them to proliferate. History has judged harshly those who enable white supremacism and Nazism, but not before too many have suffered oppression and violence.

Our leaders and we must also answer our words of condemnation with action. While white supremacists reject our most fundamental values, we must fight daily for liberty and the bedrock truth that all men and women are created equal.

By blaming “many sides” in Charlottesville, President Trump failed a fundamental test of leadership. There are not “many sides.” There are neo-Nazi white supremacists practicing nationalist hatred, and there is America. He knows their names, and he should condemn their leaders, their ideas, and their movement, even though many are prominent, vocal supporters of his Presidency. Many in this pernicious movement take comfort that senior members of the Trump administration are said to be their allies. Trump’s neutrality is a practical endorsement of their evil and enables its harmful effects.

Anyone marching with a Nazi flag, or espousing the ideas of “blood and soil” or “white nationalism” dishonors the sacrifices of Americans who have died to protect our Country’s most basic ideas. From those who have died in battle, to those who sacrificed for civil rights, the next fight is happening now and demands that every American leader and citizen take the side of liberty and equality in America. Only through such commitment can we realize our brightest, American future.















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Thursday, August 10, 2017

Trump TV and the “Real News”

President Trump’s personal Facebook page recently unveiled a communications tool they’re calling Trump TV. With it, they plan to bypass traditional media gatekeepers and deliver “real news” directly to the American people.

 

Friend,

President Trump’s personal Facebook page recently unveiled a communications tool they’re calling Trump TV.

With it, they plan to bypass traditional media gatekeepers and deliver “real news” directly to the American people.

Trump TV

To be clear: presidents of both parties have long used their position in the White House to talk directly to the American people. President Obama, for example, became the first president to tweet from @POTUS and regularly took to platforms like YouTube and Facebook Live.

But Trump TV looks more like a propaganda machine than a harmless video stream.

It spreads actual fake news, blurring the lines between verifiable truth and subjective dishonesty by:

  • Positioning itself as a reporting bureau and producing content that stylistically mirrors traditional newscasts
  • Claiming to only disseminate “real news” while labeling everything else “fake news,” even when facts disprove its assertions
  • Employing popular TV personality Kayleigh McEnany as its anchor, drawing upon the implied credibility she brings from her previous role at CNN

Friend, masquerading falsehoods as reality erodes a society’s ability to discern fact from fiction. It suppresses dissenting ideas and fosters authoritarianism. There should be no place for it in America.

Watch our Truth video, then chip in $5 (or whatever you can) to help us continue defending a free press that’s predicated on truth.

Thank you for your support.

— Evan


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Shapiro & D'Souza steal the fascism card away from Democrats

Crazed Democrats have made President Trump out to be some sort of Hitlerian neo-fascist, but Ben Shapiro and Dinesh D'Souza thoroughly debunked this outlandish lie during "The Ben Shapiro Show" this week.




Wednesday, August 9, 2017

VIDEO: Crowder & D'Souza bust Democrats' shocking secrets wide open

Reducing the scope of government and giving more power to the individual doesn't sound like fascism, so why are Democrats trying to pretend Republicans are the fascists?