Injustice in The Age of Tolerance

A sleepy college campus on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River languished for 53  years in anonymity.  Benedictine College was content with its unique role as private Catholic institution in Atchison, Kansas. A single commencement speech catapulted the college into the nation's headlines.

At the college president's invitation, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker delivered a 20-minute speech to the 485 graduating seniors.  His comments about his faith ignited ovations from students and parents who cheered his message, grudgingly admits the Associated Press.  

Once the national media became aware of Butker's speech, it created a firestorm of reaction over the NFL player's comments about the role of women as mothers and wives. Stinging rebukes filled the traditional media and online sites, condemning Butker for talking openly about his religious beliefs.

Here are samples of the vitriol that oozed into headlines: 

"Social media slams Butker as "sexist..." "Stars react to Harrison Butker"s controversial remarks..." Women roasting the KC Chiefs over Harrison Burker's speech.."  Every alphabet activist organization from LGBTQ to pro-abortion lashed out at the star kicker, once celebrated by Chiefs fans.

Mounting backlash forced National Football League brass to issue a statement distancing the organization from Butker's comments.  "His views are not those of the NFL.... The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which makes our league stronger," a spokesperson dutifully said.

A Kansas City Star columnist called on the Chiefs to fire Butker and replace him with a female kicker.  Social media erupted in a volcano of expletives and hateful ridicule of Butker, who was chosen as the commencement speaker specifically because of his conservative Catholic prospective.  

Judging from the coverage and accompanying fall out, few actually read the entirety of his speech.  Butker, who frequently espouses his faith, leveled his fiercest criticism at the Catholic Church and its leaders for bowing to the cultural vultures instead of upholding the faith's doctrinal traditions.  

Butker, a key member of the Chiefs' three Super Bowl titles, bemoaned society's impact on traditional Catholic morality, chiding bishops and priests for "pretending the Church of Nice is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice."

He derided church bishops for remaining silent on touchstone issues such as abortion, euthanasia and gender ideology.  The kicker's biggest sin in the media's eyes--singling out professed devout Catholic President Biden for full his throated support of abortion.  However, most failed to report the quote. 

The legacy media cast Butker as a misogynistic Neanderthal who wanted to enslave women and exclude females from the business world.     

Lacking even a pretense of objectivity, the media mocked Butker without putting his remarks in context.  The father of two children lauded his spouse, applauding her for living a vocation as a wife and mother.  Isabelle, who played basketball at Rhodes College in Tennessee, freely chose her role as homemaker. 

What a sad commentary that one person's profession of faith and moral values is savaged in the name of cultural compliance.  Elites and the media demand fealty to their doctrine on every issue.  No one is permitted to disagree without a public flogging, including destroying their livelihood if necessary. 

The critics figured the backlash would bully into silence anyone who might consider backing Butker. They were wrong. The daughter and spouse of the Kansas City's Chief's CEO Clark Hunt praised the 28-year old kicker's speech. Tavia Hunt, married to billionaire Clark for 30 years, weighed in:

"Affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted. It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman's hard work in raising children is not in vain."

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid defended Butker's right to express his views.  Others were embolden by the growing pushback to raise their voices, including the Catholic bishop of the Kansas City Diocese and former Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz.

Liberal talk show maven Whoopi Goldberg, while disagreeing with Butker's views, maintained his right to free speech. Actor Matthew McConaughey added his endorsement for the right to air your beliefs. Sales of Butker's Chiefs jersey rocketed to the top of the NFL list.  The majority was no longer silent.  

Contrast the media's trashing of Butker's brief remarks to the news cabal's sanitized coverage of the antisemitism roiling American college campuses in the wake of hundreds of protests from California to New York. The lackey media painted the protests as "anti-war" and "pro-Palenstinian."

In reality, the majority of the demonstrations were hate-filled attacks on Jews and Israel.  Chants of "death" to Zionists and calls for the destruction of the Jewish state were routine parts of the protests. Graffiti sprayed on campus buildings at USC, Columbia and Duke included the Nazi Swastika.   

The most egregious agitators masked their faces to avoid being identified as they spewed their ugly antisemitic tropes and epitaphs. Cowardly protestors vehemently declared their support for Hamas, a terrorist group dedicated to the murder of all Jews in Israel.

The media trumpeted free speech as rationale for administrators to allow students to erect tent cities, occupy buildings and trash campuses.  In today's climate, speech is free only if you adhere to the cultural dogma supported by the news media, elites and a few vociferous activist organizations.   

Dare to talk about issues from the perspective of your personal faith-based values and you will be excoriated, banished and disciplined.  Free speech dies when groups orchestrate plots to silence those who disagree with their cultural theology.  That's the lesson of Harrison Butker.  

Unimaginable Savagery of Hamas Terrorists

Hamas terrorists unleashed a barbaric attack on Israel, murdering 1,300 ordinary civilians, including 30 Americans.  The sheer scale of the horror shocked most of the civilized world. Babies decapitated. Elderly gunned down in their beds. Families burned alive in their houses. Women raped and kidnapped. 

Young concert goers were senselessly slaughtered after killers floated from the skies on paragliders.  Two Holocaust survivors were shot in cold blood. Terrorists on motorcycles sprayed cars with bullets and then kidnapped the occupants.  More than 4,500 Hamas rockets exploded in a quiet residential area.

For perspective, the massacre of 1,300 people in Israel is the equivalent to more than 35,000 civilians casualties in the U.S. That's ten, 9/11 attacks.  After 9/11, Americans united in support of military action against the terrorists. The same national resolve is fueling Israel's strategic preparations for war.   

Unlike past Hamas incursions, this surprise invasion was meticulously planned and executed with military precision. Hamas killers breeched a virtually impenetrable concrete barrier separating Gaza and Israel. Some 1,500 heavily armed Hamas thugs invaded Israel, creating mass panic. That was their goal. 

Terrorists videotaped their heinous butchery and posted the images on social media.  The invaders also sent photos and videotapes to friends and families of victims. These sadistic killers are not "militants" or "soldiers" as portrayed by some media.  They are terrorists.  Period. 

News organizations self-censored the most gruesome images. Palestinian defenders and Hamas jihadists complained Jewish leaders were exaggerating the carnage.  An outraged Benjamin Netanyahu was compelled to release graphic photos and videos online to rebuke the deniers and propagandists.

The attack bears the fingerprints of Iran, although the State Department used parsed language to point out there was no "direct evidence" the Islamic Republic was involved.  Yet U.S. officials readily acknowledge that Iran is complicit in funding Hamas and providing it weapons and training. 

It strains credulity to suggest the Iran's ruling Islamic mullahs did not green light the attack. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the Islamic Republic's elite military arm, regularly trains state-sponsored terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, according to intelligence sources.

Recent U.S. policy towards Iran has favored rapprochement and diplomacy in an effort to bring stability to the Middle East. The pursuit of peace is always preferable but Iran's malevolent words and its behavior make it clear the regime will never change under the current extremist leaders. 

The United States must course correct and implement every means possible to isolate Iran.  Deny the regime any funding.  Cut off its oil shipments, especially to China, the main buyers of Iran's crude. Launch a maximum campaign to pressure China to stop supporting the Iranian economy. 

Credit the Biden Administration for sending a flotilla of carriers and warships to the Mediterranean to deter a widening war against Israel. Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon, is stepping up rocket attacks and shelling in the north of Israel.  Lebanon's military has missiles that can reach Tel Aviv. 

One of the first priorities must be the release of potentially 13 Americans held hostage in Gaza. Terrorists have threatened to murder hostages.  President Biden should announce America will hold Hamas responsible and will hunt down and kill any terrorist who harms a U.S. citizen.    

Even in these darkest of times, the ugly face of Antisemitism has been unmasked, both in the U.S. and abroad.  It is a reprehensible,  grim reminder of the Nazi's campaign to demonize Jews, paving the way for public acquiescence to the Holocaust.  Leaders must condemn those who applaud Hamas's attacks. 

Black Lives Matter chapters across America manufactured an image of a Hamas paraglider descending over Israel with the caption: "We stand with Palestine."  Not one corporate funder of BLM condemned the organization.  African-American leaders need to hold BLM accountable.

Four congresswomen criticized accusing the U.S.  of aiding and abetting "apartheid",while condemning Israel's response to Hamas violence.  Not one castigated Hamas for its inhuman brutality. The Hamas apologists are: Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocascio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib. 

College students at campuses across the country rallied behind Palestine, which amounts to veiled support for Hamas.  A student group at a Wisconsin college chanted, "Glory to the Murderers." Yes, their numbers were small, but college administrations were slow to denounce their actions.

Billionaire CEO Marc Rowan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and a mega donor, demanded the college's leaders resign and rallied donors to shut their checkbooks. He was understandably upset after the UPenn president and provost failed to condemn the "hate filled" student protests at a Palestinian event. 

There were also demonstrations in many America cities, including in New York City, supporting Palestine and blaming Israel for the Hamas attacks. Simultaneous protests broke out in Atlanta, Chicao, Denver, San Diego, Washington, D.C. and other cities. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams made a powerful speech declaring Israel had a right to defend itself after the unprovoked attacks and said "we are not right" with Pro-Palestinian protests celebrating Hamas  in the nation's largest city. He was a lone voice among mayors across the country.  

In Australia, a crowd of 1,000 rallied near the Sydney Opera House, screaming "Gas the Jews."  In London, thousands of pro-palestinian protestors congregated near the Israeli Embassy, chanting "Israel is a Terrorist State." 

There were scores of demonstrations supporting Israel too.  But inevitably counter demonstrators backing Palestine and decrying Israel showed up at some, spoiling for a confrontation.  Heightened police presence is visible in the U.S. and the world as tensions rise.  

The media, often sympathetic to Palestine, is wringing its hands over Israel's bombardment of Gaza. The media fail to inform Americans the majority of Palestinians support Hamas terrorists and its leaders.  Palestinians regard Hamas as freedom fighters trying to take back disputed territory in Israel. 

The United Nations, a body known for its disdain for Israel, is already trying to head off an Israeli military response to attacks on its soil. Hamas is counting on worldwide condemnation of Israel so it can continue to stockpile weapons for an increasing number of bloody attacks.  

Hamas will resort to its playbook of using human shields once the ground war begins. Weapons, munitions and terrorists will relocated to hospitals, schools and residences.  Hamas wants civilian casualties. They have no regard for human life.  Innocents will be sacrificed in the name of jihad. 

The United States cannot bow to outside pressure.  Leaders must allow Israel to punish the perpetrators, just as the U.S. did after 9/11.  There can be no security for Israel until it roots out terrorists, who have traumatized its citizens for decades by killing Jewish civilians.