FaithWalkers
The FaithWalker’s Daily is a quick review of key news stories of the day from the perspective of a conservative Christ-follower living in, but not of, the world.
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Black Man Shot after Punching Store Clerk, Triggers Protests
The Basics —
A 21-year-old black man, Alexander Halloway, was shot in the abdomen by a lighter-skinned convenience store clerk at 3:30 AM in Houston after arguing with and then puching the clerk in the face. The clerk has not been charged or arrested as the investigation continues. Protest have begun on the streets of Houston reminiscent of the Trayvon Martin incident. Halloway remains in crtitical condition.
Dig Deeper:
- Watch the video here via KHOU in Houston: Difficult for me to identify the shooter’s ethnic origins since I’m not good at putting people into categories based on the color of their skin. Thank God.
- The clerk had been shot by intruders in the store previously. The man who threw the punch had two other friends with him off-camera.
- Via KHOU: Their legal analyst rightly notes when the law justifies a shooting in self-defense. “We showed a portion of the video to our legal analyst Gerald Treece. Treece said it’s not a question of whether it was necessary. ‘The real question is before he shot this man, was he in reasonable fear for his own safety. And was he in reasonable fear that a crime was about to happen in his store,’ he said.”
- Community activist Quanell X is leading the protests: “The activist said if the clerk is not charged, a protest will be held Tuesday. ‘So let the owner know that there are going to be problems,’ Quanell X told a store employee. ‘What happened here should not have happened.’” It’s not clear what the store owner has to do with the charges.
A Few Thoughts…
Well, Quannell X and I agree on one thing — what happened there should not have happened. But let’s be clear: Halloway was a fool for stirring up strife in the first place. Whatever he said to the clerk, you don’t get into someone’s face like he did and not expect something stupid to happen next. Solomon wisely noted that “it is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel.” Of course, the same applies to the store clerk. At first glance, it would seem that he could have avoided the quarrel as well in any number of ways. Did he have to shoot? Did he fear for his life? These are questions that only a throrough investigations, unbiased by pressure from self-proclaimed “community activists” will be able to answer. Look for this situation to get worse, much worse if Halloway dies.
He who guards his mouth preserves his life.
Egyptian President Morsi Claims His Actions “God’s Will”
The Basics —
Egyptian President Morsi claimed that it was “God’s will” that put him in power to justify his sweeping power grab last weekend.
Dig Deeper:
- Via Con Coughlin UK Telegraph: Morsi gave justification for his dictatorial power grab by claiming “God’s will and elections made me captain of this ship.”
- Coughlin thinks Egypt may become the next Iran, another Muslim theocracy.
- Via Reuters: Egypt now rushing its new Constituion process to try to quell the growing protests. That can’t be good.
- Also via Reuters: Tear gas now being used on protesters. [VIDEO]
- Time Magazine’s interview with Morsi. I tried to make any sense of what he is saying but lost him long before his muddled Planet of the Apes analogy.
- Via Hot Air: Some people just think Morsi is nuts.
A Few Thoughts…
Imagine the outrage if, say, Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed it was God’s will that gave Israel the right to defend itself against Palestinian rockets. Imagine if any American politician, particularly a conservative made such a claim, or even hinted it. It’s bad enough that even our nation’s founders take grief for daring to suggest that God had a providential hand in our founding. Yet here is the Muslim Brotherhood President making the claim, with hardly awhimper frrm anyone in the liberal media complex. Must be the day for double standards [ see below]. One could twist an understanding of God’s decreetive will to agree with Morsi, in the same way that it would be “God’s will” for a serial murder go on a killing spree.
Profanity isn’t the only way to use God’s name in vain.
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Glenn Beck’s “Obama in Pee-Pee” Art Exposes Double Standard
The Basics —
Glenn Beck attempted to auction off for charity a work of art that depicted a figurine of Obama floating in what was claimed to be a jar of urine. E-bay, which was the hosting site for the auction, shut down the bidding, claiming it violated its policies on human waste being sold. The liquid was not actually urine.
Dig Deeper:
- Via The Blaze : Bidding had reached $11,300 for charity before E-bay shut it down. The auction is continuing via e-mail.
- From the Blaze story, the rational behind the art offering. “On Tuesday evening, Glenn Beck featured an Obama bobble head doll in a jar of yellow liquid, catalyzed by Michael D’Anouto’s painting titled, ‘Truth,’ which features a crucified Obama and also parodies the controversial ‘artwork’ dubbed ‘Piss Christ’ that defaced a crucifix in a glass of urine. Beck’s piece was meant to underscore the importance of adhering to the First Amendment and highlight the hypocrisy of those who adhere to it only when it suits them.”
- Via The Blaze: [Warning: Content] Death threats, profanity, and insults have ensued from the left, seemingly proving the point: “It highlights the hypocrisy of those who rail against disparaging Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. These same individuals remain silent or typically ignore the same treatment of Jesus and Christian symbolism.”
A Few Thoughts…
We can debate whether or not Beck’s move was wise one — and there’s plenty of room for debating that point — but the double standard is obvious. In yesterday’s FaithWalkers Daily, I noted the painting of Obama as the crucified Christ. Now someone dares to potray Obama in a potentially negative light and the backlash is fierce. I didn’t see any of the same treatment from the right over the Obama painting. Beck is taking a page from the late Andrew Breitbart’s book here by turning the tactics of the left back on themselves. And they’re not liking it apparently.
Sometimes the most effective response is to hold up a mirror.
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