Christianity Under Attack Worldwide

The pious global news cartel has been strangely silent about the growing hostility towards Christians, especially in Muslim majority countries.  Undoubtedly, persecution of Christians does not fit the media's politically motivated narrative of Muslim victimhood, which explains the news blackout.

The latest Pew Research Center study confirms that Christian groups were harassed in 144 nations, a nearly 13 percent increase over the previous year.  Their findings are supported by United Kingdom sponsored research reporting cases of mushrooming violence against Christians.

The research documents that Christians, not Muslims, are most persecuted for their faith than any religious group on Earth.  Despite the evidence, the American media has been relentless in its coverage of China's repression of one million Uighur Muslims in China, triggering a U.S. response.

The Trump Administration recently weighed in, condemning the "brutal campaign of repression" against the Uighur minority.  Meanwhile, Christian minorities in Muslim countries such as Nigeria, are slaughtered by the thousands and driven from the homes without an official U.S. rebuke.

The media turns a blind eye to Christian massacres, beheadings and imprisonment.  Even Christian leaders, including the Catholic hierarchy, are too timid to sound the alarm, afraid the politically correct elitists and cultural luminaries will disapprove of their stance.

Their acquiescence has allowed the media and Muslim apologists to own the narrative about religious persecution.  Christians leaders must accept part of the blame for the ongoing exponential growth of government crackdowns on Christianity in virtually every corner of the globe.

For example, in 2017 China's President Xi Jinping approved new Draconian regulations clamping down on so-called "religious extremism."  In its wake, Christian leaders and members have been arrested. Many have been dispatched to "re-eduction" camps.  Official churches have been shuttered.

Despite the reprisals, religious organizations claim there remain tens of millions of underground churches that have eluded government detection.  Many of these "churches" are in private homes. President Xi now has those churches in his crosshairs in his scheme to end religious worship.

Despite China's very public move against Christianity the subject has never been broached in trade negotiations with the Communist regime.  The Christians in China have lacked support from global  governments because economic issues outweigh religious freedom considerations.

A report commissioned by the British Foreign Secretary this year delivered a somber warning that the pervasive persecution of Christians in many cases now amounts to genocide.  The report mentioned specifically the Middle East, where millions of Christians have suffered some of the worst horrors.

The UK report cites evidence of kidnappings, imprisonment and naked discrimination often driven by state authoritarianism.  Corrupt leaders of many countries tacitly sanction violence against Christian groups as a government policy, which emboldens its citizens to brutalize Christians.

In sync with these governments, Muslim religious leaders preach hate of Christians, especially in countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.  The propaganda of bigotry reinforced by clerics creates a religious intolerance that spreads throughout a country, poisoning minds for generations. 

UK Secretary Jeremy Hunt added; "What we have forgotten in this atmosphere of political correctness is actually the Christians that are being persecuted are among the poorest people on the planet.  In the Middle East, the populations of Christians used to be about 20%; now it's 5%."

In majority Muslim countries, Christians are being forced to evacuate in droves.  The population of Palestinian Christians has dropped from 15% to 2%.  In the Middle East and north Africa, the population has fallen to less than 4%.  This is a deliberate form of genocide that has been ignored.

Even the research data does not adequately capture the brutality of crimes against Christians.  On Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, 250 people were killed by suicide bombers. In Egypt and Libya, Christians have been beheaded, their homes burned to the ground and their churches desecrated.

Journalists have reported 47 documented cases of desecration of churches in France this year.  In Germany, three-fourths of resettled Christian refugees report they have been persecuted by Muslim immigrants. The number of attacks on Catholic churches in Europe has spiraled 25 percent this year.

Christian religious leaders must start demanding global action. They also have a duty to motivate billions of their followers worldwide to spur their governments to be accountable for religious freedom.  Pray the leaders don't dally so long there are no more Christians left to save.

Schiff Show: Weaponizing Impeachment

Democrats have detonated the equivalent of a political nuclear bomb with their relentless impeachment "inquiries."  Whether they realize it or not, the fallout from their tactics will assure a mushroom cloud of partisanship,  leaving in its wake destruction of America's chance for unity.

After the special counsel investigation conducted by Robert Mueller failed to produce evidence of an impeachable offense, Democrats could have left the fate of President Trump in the hands of voters in next year's election.  But they decided Americans could not be trusted with the decision.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after months of sidestepping the issue, signaled she had surrendered to her party's progressive, socialist wing.  Impeachment of the president was greenlighted.  Rep. Adam Schiff was anointed the impeacher-in-chief as head of the House Intelligence Committee.

In past impeachment proceedings, the House Judiciary Committee had taken the lead, but Pelosi had not been impressed with chairman Jerry Nadler's recent performances.  Several top Democrats privately expressed their lack of confidence in Nadler.  That's how it became the Schiff Show.

And what a disaster it was.  Schiff began by announcing with much fanfare that a whistleblower would provide damning evidence of a quid-pro-quid deal between President Trump and his counterpart in the Ukraine.  Schiff claimed the whistleblower overheard a call between the leaders.

Then Mr. Trump released a transcript of the call.  The president of Ukraine made it clear there was no offer from the president to exchange information on Joe Biden and his son Hunter for American arms.  That never stopped Schiff from daily proclaiming new "bombshell" evidence.

The California Democrat interviewed witnesses in secret with a few Republicans present before trotting them out before his committee's public hearings.  Not a single "witness" ever heard first hand Mr.Trump offer a quid-pro-quid deal to the Ukrainian president. The hearings were a resounding flop.

Meanwhile, Speaker Pelosi vacillated almost daily about what "crimes" were being uncovered by her hand-picked impeacher.  She claimed Mr. Trump was guilty of quid-pro-quid.  But focus group testing revealed the obvious: the overwhelming majority of Americans had no idea of its meaning.

Then the speaker's narrative switched to "bribery," an easily understood sleazy description.  However, there was no proof.  Her terminology flipped again.  This time Mr. Trump was guilty of "extortion."  That didn't fly either.  Her latest: "Naked betrayal of American interests." Another wolf cry.

Nothing seemed to stick so the speaker has switched horses, handing Rep Nadler the reins for his own impeachment farcical hearings.  Any Americans paying attention are bored, cynical and antipathetic.  Impeachment has lost its seriousness as a legitimate exercise of the legislative branch.

The Democrats have succeeded in turning impeachment into a political instrument to bludgeon those the party opposes.  Even the most partisan Democrat must surely recognize this will backfire next time the Republicans control the house with a Democrat in the Oval Office.

The opening of this pandora's box will be akin to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's use of the "nuclear option" which emboldened Republicans to adopt it to thwart Democrats.  Likewise,
future commanders in chief will face the chilling prospect of impeachment, warranted or not.

Some Democrats may be shaking their heads and muttering: "Yeah, what about the impeachment of Bill Clinton?  It was purely political!"  They are, in this writer's opinion, correct.  But at least Republicans followed the norms of judicial protocol, transparency and Congressional procedure.

The sitting attorney general Janet Reno, an appointee of President Clinton, authorized the special counsel.  Prosecutor Ken Starr submitted his report and 18 boxes of supporting documents to the House of Representatives.  The House Judiciary Committee released 3,000 pages of evidence.

The Judiciary Committee conducted public hearings, recommended impeachment and the entire House voted 258-176 to authorize an impeachment inquiry.  None of those steps have been taken in this latest attempt by Democrats to overturn the 2016 election by impeaching Mr. Trump.

The lens of history will not be kind to Democrats for this sham process and it will render future inquiries nothing more than partisan political payback.  This will increase rancor between the parties, render bipartisanship utterly futile and sow more discord between Americans of opposing views. 

In the 243 year history of the U.S., only two presidents have been formally impeached by Congress.  No president has been removed from office by impeachment.  It is a grave undertaking that should only be invoked in the rarest of cases instead of being used as a political weapon of mass destruction.

Give Thanks For Good Health In Bad Times

Every Thanksgiving as is my custom, I search for reasons to be grateful.  I confess this year it has been a stretch.  Like many in my age group, the aches and pains are mounting up.  Body parts are wearing out faster than the marble steps leading up to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa.

Not unlike those steps, years of repetitive human action extracts a toll on our bodies.  What makes it disheartening  is the first 70 years of my life were virtually pain free.  No broken limbs.  No surgeries, save for a tonsillectomy.  Few visits to doctors and a handful of x-rays over those decades.

It is not as if I didn't prepare for the onset of lost youth.  I exercised my entire life, beginning with sports at an early age.  Until recently, I did 50 minutes of cardio training religiously, taking a few days off every month.  I lifted free weights and worked on my core to build balance and strength.

As I watched others fight the ravages of advancing years, my pride swelled.  That would never happen to me.  I did the right things to avoid the pitfalls of inevitable decline.  Good health was won through my hard work alone. That was enough to stave off the effects of too many birthdays.

In hindsight, my foolish pride was my undoing.  I should have been giving thanks daily for the precious gift of good health instead of pounding my chest in celebration of what I had done to become fit.  I have learned a humbling lesson: no one earns nor is owed absolute health.

When I reached seven decades, I endured my first surgery in 64 years to repair a torn rotator cuff.  My recovery progressed well and within months I resumed my active life.  At that point, I figured I was good until I was housed on the wrong side of the grass.  I remained invincible.

Then this year brought a cascade of physical ailments.  I noticed it was becoming painful to walk.  X-rays and an MRI indicated I required a hip replacement.  As the orthopedic specialist explained, "Your hip has just worn out."  Not the worse news, but a reminder of my vulnerability.

About the same time knee pain forced me to walk with a limp. Osteoarthritis is the culprit.  Injections offered little relief.  The ortho doctor just winced and said, "It probably is related to your hip. It will get better after surgery."  As comforting as that sounds, at that time surgery was five months away,

Pain morphed into a daily grind. Then a frequent neck and shoulder ache turned into a fiery torment.  Another MRI and another doctor.  Diagnosis: multiple degenerative discs in my neck and a pinched nerve.  Sleeping, sitting and pounding my computer keyboard became challenging.

What followed next was rounds of physical therapy and physiotherapy on my hip and neck.  My calendar was clogged, not with golf or outdoor activities, but with therapy, pain management consultants, doctors and more imaging appointments.  For a once active guy, it is distressing.

I am not auditioning for a pity party.  I could be undergoing much worse, a life-threatening disease for instance.  Many friends are dealing with far more pain and crippling infirmities.  I consider myself blessed to be able to carry on with my life, even if my issues have limited my mobility and stamina.

My regret is that I never fully appreciated my superb health that allowed a vigorous lifestyle. I was blessed then and still am.  Health setbacks are part of life at any age. No one escapes them if their earthly existence includes too many revolutions around the sun.  It is the universal truth.

Throughout my episodes,  I am learning new traits.  Patience; something lacking in my DNA.  Endurance; life's journey is no sprint but a marathon run over a pothole pitted course.  Humbleness; more awareness of others sufferings.  Appreciation; especially for health care personnel.

I even find more joy in life's tiniest moments.  A sympathetic pat on the back.  A furtive glance of caring.  An ear that patiently listens to my complaints.  A nod from a fellow patient who understands the tribulation.  A wife who bears the brunt of the mood swings triggered by bouts of pain.

My hip surgery is scheduled January 13th.  Instead of dreading it, I am buoyed by each approaching day.  Questions surround my neck issues.  However, I am trusting a solution will be found.  Whatever happens, I refuse to wallow in regret or allow uncertainty to rob me of the joy for each day of life. 

All my training has prepared my body for surgery and recovery.  Yet I take no credit for the years of good health.  If I have learned anything, it is that we do not have full authority over our bodies.  Without God, we can't even draw our next breath.  That thought makes me thankful and at peace.

Judge Sanctions Asian-American Discrimination

In a landmark case naturally ignored by the news media, a federal judge recently ruled the bastion of self-proclaimed student diversity, Harvard University, can legally discriminate against Asian-Americans.  The verdict is a reminder of the insanity of race-conscious college admissions policies.

This breach of fairness and justice was so out of whack with American principles of equality that it is impossible to fathom how U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs, an appointee to the bench of President Obama, could ignore the plaintiffs compelling argument of discrimination.

As background, the lawsuit against Harvard was brought on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs by Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative legal activist organization.  Their case claimed admission metrics used by Harvard were biased against Asian-Americans.

In particular, the plaintiffs cited a metric called personal rating, which supposedly measures intangibles such as an applicant's kindness, empathy, self-confidence or leadership quality. The plaintiffs' evidence showed the metric penalizes Asian applicants due to unfair stereotypes.

At the heart of the issue is a practice many universities have concocted to enroll more Hispanic and African-American students by using nebulous or subjective measures to allow otherwise less qualified applicants to leapfrog others with proven academic achievements.

While admitting that Harvard's admission process could stand improvement, the judge's decision concluded: "That being said, the court will not dismantle a very fine admissions program that passes constitutional muster solely because it could do better."  Her ruling is tacit approval of discrimination.

To understand the folly of the ruling, additional context is required.  For instance, Asian-Americans make up only 5.6% of the U.S. population, certainly qualifying this ethnic group to be granted minority status.  By comparison, African-Americans represent 13 percent of the population.

Some of you are huffing right now about the enslavement of African-Americans as the rationale for now granting this group favored status in admissions.  But did you know Asian Americans were incarcerated in concentration camps in this country based solely on racial discrimination?

After Pearl Harbor, Democrat President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order forcing Japanese Americans to be relocated to camps in the Western U.S. as war hysteria and racial animus toward this ethnic group escalated.  More than 120,000 citizens endured imprisonment.

The Census Bureau used data to pinpoint the location of citizens of Japanese origin to assist in the roundup.  In 1988, Republican President Ronald Reagan signed legislation formally apologizing to Japanese Americans for "racial prejudice, war hysteria and failure of political leadership."

The mea culpa came appallingly late--43 years after the end of World War II.

During the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in the mid-1860's, Asian laborers from China and Hong Kong were recruited because few whites wanted to endure the back-breaking labor.  Chinese workers received 30-to-50% less pay than their white counterparts.

Hundreds of Chinese laborers died from explosions, landslides, accidents and disease.  Their white overlords worked the Chinese literally to death in many cases.  They were considered expendable and thus were treated with excessive cruelty.

Concerned with growing Chinese immigration, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the only U.S. law to prevent immigration and naturalization on the basis of race. The legislation restricted Chinese immigration for the next sixty years.  It was the ugliest form of discrimination.

Asian Americans have suffered racial discrimination at every level of society.  Yet there appears to be no recognition by Harvard, Judge Burroughs or many Americans.  The reason is America's political establishment, particularly Democrats, coddles blacks because of their clout at the ballot box.

In a stunning admission, Judge Burroughs wrote that eliminating consideration of race would cause the African-American student population to decline from 14% to 9%.  She failed to point out that the Asian-American student population has remained nearly stagnant, thanks to race-based favoritism.

In fact, the percentage of Asians admitted to Harvard declined from 1992 to 2013.  Meanwhile, the percentages of African-Americans and Hispanics have risen.  So who is being discriminated against here?  Apparently, facts don't matter to Judge Burroughs, the daughter of a Harvard graduate.

For the record, Judge Burroughs applied to Harvard and her application was rejected.  If only, she had been Hispanic or African-American, she might have earned a degree from this hypocritical university.  Sadly, an Asian American would have had even worse odds of admission than the judge.

Veterans Day: America's Forgotten War

By most historical accounts, it was the deadliest conflict in military history.  More than 70 million soldiers and civilians perished.  The savagery of World War I played out in muddy trenches, leaving lasting scars in Europe.  But for many Americans, the century-old war has been long forgotten.

The last U.S. veteran of World War I, Frank Buckles, died in June, 1973 at the age of 101.  His passing was barely mentioned in the news media.  It was a sad reminder how little is remembered about the bravery of American soldiers engaged in the bloodiest war in modern history.

More than 126,000 American men sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom in the war.  Another 234,000 were wounded.  An estimated 50 million military casualties were recorded in the conflict that embroiled most of Europe and introduced the first use of large-scale chemical warfare.

America's entry into the war in 1917 changed the course of the conflict that had ravaged the European continent since 1914.  President Woodrow Wilson committed U.S. forces to join with Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania and Japan, an allied coalition that had suffered staggering losses.

The allies were facing armies from Germany, Austria, Hungry, Bulgaria and Turkey.  (Other countries sent troops but these were the major combatants.) Germany was first to unleash chemical weapons, using first chlorine gas and then mustard gas that inflicted horrific wounds and ultimately death.

The war ended on November 11, 1918, exactly 101 years to this day when Germany signed the armistice and the guns fell silent.  Memories of the gruesome war are still prominent in many European cities, which have erected war memorials in the town centers to salute fallen soldiers. 

However, in America there are few memorials or remembrances. While many Americans are familiar with World War II and Vietnam War heroes, most would be hard pressed to name a single one from World War I.  However, perhaps America's most unlikeliest war hero emerged in that conflict.

His name was Alvin C. York, a Tennessee native and pacifist who registered for the draft as required by law, but scribbled on his draft card, "Don't want to fight."  York had serious moral issues about war and had been advised by his pastor to seek conscientious objector status.

Although the Army considered his objections, York was drafted and sent to basic training.  The 30-year-old York eventually had a change of heart after consulting Biblical sources during a visit to his hometown.  He returned with a firm belief that God meant for him to fight in the war.

York was assigned to Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division.  Eventually promoted to corporal, York took part in the St. Mihiel offensive as the 82nd sought to protect the U.S. First Army's right flank. His unit was ordered to take a hill north of Chatel-Chehery in France.

As his unit inched forward, York and his fellow soldiers came under fierce German machine-gun fire from all sides in the surrounding Argonne forest.  By mid-morning York's platoon commander was killed and he assumed command of the remaining seven soldiers to repel the German onslaught.

During the bloody encounter, York was credited with killing more than 20 Germans and silencing 35-machine guns.  At one point, six Germans charged his position with fixed bayonets.  York keep firing his rifle, relying on his sharp-shooting skills he honed hunting in Tennessee, until the Germans fell.

Eventually, the Germans surrendered and York and the few men left in his platoon captured 132 prisoners.  For his gallantry, York was awarded two French medals for bravery and the allied commander called his achievement "the greatest exploit every accomplished by a common soldier."

His own country awarded him the Medal of Honor and promoted him to sergeant.  He was honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City.  In 1941, his life was immortalized in the film " Sergeant York" starring Gary Cooper.  After the war, York returned to his home in Tennessee.

Today on Veteran's Day, take a moment to remember those who have served our country in war and peace time.  And say a prayer for those brave men, like Sergeant York, who fought to save Europe from being overrun by the forces of evil in World War I.  They deserve to no longer be forgotten.

Anti-Worm Drug Holds Promise For Cancer Patients

An drug commonly used to eliminate parasites in dogs and cats has emerged as an unlikely but promising candidate to treat a variety of cancers in humans.  Researchers are optimistic that Fenbendazole, a staple of veterinary practice, eventually will be approved for cancer therapy.

Mounting research on mice has shown that the anti-worm treatment, one of a class of drugs called benzimidazoles, inhibits cancer tumor growth by killing diseased cells.  In addition, Fenbendazole blocks the intake of glucose in cancer cells, depriving them of their primary fuel.

Early animal studies have demonstrated Fenbendazole and its cousin Mebendazole could be effective in treatment therapy for a host of cancers, including prostate, lung, lymphoma, glioblastoma and brain tumors.  Oncologists would have a new weapon in their arsenal in the battle against cancer.

Researchers stumbled upon the the discovery by accident.  In 2014, a Johns Hopkins team was attempting to grow tumors in laboratory mice.  In one set of mice, they were stumped because it was the only group that showed no tumors.  They realized that group had been dewormed in advance.

As researchers dug deeper into the drug, they found that it had been previously reported Fenbendazole has anti-cancer properties.  Word spread about the discovery and soon researchers in various labs were conducting their own experiments with the anti-worm drug.

A 2018 study published in Nature further set the cancer world buzzing.  An article reported that researchers concluded there was evidence that Fenbendazole may be effective in the elimination of cancer cells.  As it turns out, the use of similar drugs was nothing new in the cancer field.

In the early 90's, a drug called Lemaziole was shown as a complementary treatment for colon cancer, which also restored a depressed immune system.  That means this class of drugs could be used in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation treatments to wipe out the disease.

Various articles have appeared in newspapers and other publications over the years offering testimonies of cancer patients who have claimed to use Fenbendazole or another similar drug with successful results.  However, this anecdotal evidence is no substitute for clinical research. 

The good news is that Fenbendazole has already been used in clinical trials and has been deemed safe for human consumption.  Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, there are no known serious side effects.  However, doctors still are wary about the effects of long-term use.

But that hasn't deterred researchers.  Bin Chen, a faculty member in Pediatrics in the Institute for Computational Health Sciences at University of California-San Francisco, conducted experiments in mice and expressed cautious optimism about the drug's effectiveness in killing cancerous liver tissue.

"We found these disease genes were reversed after six weeks of treatment in a patient-derived tissue in the mouse model," he was quoted on the UCSF website.  Chen said his team reviewed more than 1,000 current drugs before discovering deworming pills were effective.

Chen was able to evaluate that large a number of drugs quickly, using data tools to screen and identify candidates that would target genes in cancerous liver tissues.  He cross-referenced data on genes and common drugs to find the proverbial needle in the haystack.

Chen is at the forefront of a growing field of researchers looking at approved drugs to repurpose them in treating cancer patients. If successful, this will drastically reduce the millions of dollars spent on years of research and speed up the drug's time to market. 

The next step is for human trials, known as Phase I studies.  The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins has begun recruiting patients for research to determine the safety and side effects of large doses of Mebendazole to treat progressive pediatric brain tumors.

Mebendazole has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for parasitic infections in humans and has a long track record of human use.  The drug is frequently used in countries with tropical climates at high doses for rare parasitic infections of the brain.

The trial's primary objective will be to determine the maximum tolerated dose of oral Mebendazole in patients with either recurrent or progressive pediatric brain tumors, according to information posted by the National Cancer Institute.

The research will also gauge the safety, tolerance and toxicity of the drug in patients.  Another focus will be determining the overall survival rate of patients treated with escalated dosages of Mebendazole.

As is the case with most drug trials, the study will require at least two years.  The estimated study completion date is June, 2022.  However, an advantage is the anti-parasitic drug is widely available, so if it proves effective, large quantities can be immediately distributed to patients.

Sadly, too often potentially promising developments on the cancer front are dashed in trials that fail to produce evidence to support the optimism.  This time the hope is that the research outcome leads to the implementation of a new treatment to arrest cancer and save lives.

American Firms Unholy Alliance With China

The recent dustup over an NBA tweet and China is just the latest example of the Communist country's unapologetic censorship of free speech.  American companies discovered long ago the cost of doing business in China requires kowtowing to the regime's demands or risk banishment. 

In this latest incident, the general manager for the Houston Rockets took to social media to express his support for the courageous protesters in Hong Kong.  After China's official condemnation, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reprimanded the GM and apologized to the regime's government.

Silver with the support of wealthy NBA owners put profits over principle.  The NBA has lucrative television contracts for its games to be aired in China.  The league has long viewed China as its future with billions of potential viewers who buy league's jerseys and other merchandise.  

The NBA is not the only entertainment industry to bow to Chinese pressure.  China banned movies from Sony and Disney in 1997 after the two studios released films about Tibet.  Both entertainment giants groveled before the Communists to earn the right to distribute future films in China.

Chinese bullying of American firms has been a staple of its government.  However, it has grown more bellicose under the autocratic rule of President Xi Jinping.  The Communist ruler has made it clear that he will curtail freedom of speech even in America as a price for access to China's market.  

Since President Nixon's historic 1972 visit to China, globalists have advocated American investment in the Asian nation as a way to open up the Communist regime to democratic changes.  This theory has been discredited by decades of Chinese trampling of basic human rights of its citizens.

Under China's leader Xi Jinping, the regime has become increasingly insular, more hostile to democratic principles, militarily threatening and an economic behemoth with world domination as its goal.  No serious economist or politician can claim trade has loosened China's oppressive policies.

In spite of growing Chinese antagonism, American companies' investment in the Communist country continues unabated.  In 2018, U.S. businesses invested $116.52 billion in China, according to Statista, a global research firm.  That is a ten-fold hike from $11.4 billion almost two decades ago in 2000.

Meanwhile, the trade deficit with China has ballooned as the regime ships more goods and equipment to the U.S., while the Communists buy fewer American products.  This trade imbalance has resulted in the elimination or displacement of 3.2 million U.S. jobs, estimates the Economic Policy Institute.

Some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley--Apple, Google and Facebook--are heavily invested in China. All have caved at one time to demands from the government to alter its applications to placate the Communists, including deleting information about the recent Hong Kong protests.

Their conduct rankles many Americans, who view their behavior as hypocritical.  These same companies have been openly critical of objections by Congress and interest groups about their content.  The trio huff they will not cower to attempts to restrict free speech on their platforms.

The high-tech industry and other American firms--GE, Intel, Walmart, Starbucks, Boeing, GM--are complicit in the regime's dynamic global economic growth by spending lavishly on Chinese facilities and hiring local workers.  Meanwhile, China continues to steal American technology.

Beijing has made no secret of its ambition to become the global leader in key emerging industries, including information technology, alternative energy, biotechnology, alternative-fuel cars and high-end equipment manufacturing.  The regime will back Chinese firms with generous state funding. 

China's subsidy of these sectors will put American firms at a competitive disadvantage.  If you doubt China's ability to overtake America, you haven't been paying attention.  In 2011, Apple was the dominant smartphone in China.  Today, the top three brands, all Chinese, own a 71% market share.

China's long range plan is for its home-grown industries to be become not only the country's market leaders, but to supplant American brands worldwide.  Recent research by groups such as McKinsey document that Chinese consumers are increasingly showing a preference for China-made goods.

To secure its economic superiority, China has launched a multi-trillion-dollar project to revive the ancient "Silk Road," which could redefine global trade and signal the tipping point for a new Asian century.  The scope of the project is typical of the country's audacious economic dreams.

The regime already has invested billions in new infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, ports and maritime corridors that will span more than 60 countries and 4.4 billion people, covering up to 40 percent of the global GDP.  The plan includes linking Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

This unprecedented scale of the project should worry American firms.  China's aim is to end dependence on American goods, innovation and technology.  While it extends its economic power, China's blueprint includes exporting its brand of Communism worldwide.

American businesses may one day be forced to abandon the Chinese market, either because of dwindling profits or because the government decides to limit foreign investment.  China has employed this tactic in decades past.  There is no certainty it will not do it again.

The NBA, businesses, movie studios and others that appease China in the name of profits may rue the day they ignored the Communist nation's geopolitical and economic aspirations.  Not only will their profits be harmed, but they will have lost something more valuable: the American public's trust.