Thursday, March 31, 2016

Not the right kind of justice

Sadly, we've seen this movie before and it doesn't have a happy ending.

Two Minneapolis police officers will face no charges in the shooting death of Jamar Clark — a decision that prompted an immediate outcry from activists, who said they didn’t trust the way the case was handled and were livid about how the deadly encounter unfolded.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the decision Wednesday morning. He said the evidence in the case didn’t clear the “high bar” required to convict officers for using lethal force in the line of duty, instead laying out a version of events in which the officers shot Clark after he grabbed for an officer’s gun during a struggle last fall.

Freeman said forensic evidence — including DNA on the gun grip — supported the accounts of the two officers involved. He said it didn’t match accounts from other witnesses that Clark was handcuffed when he was shot.

Clark’s death came amid national public outcry against police shootings involving people of color; Clark was black and the two officers involved were white.

As anticipation grew over whether the officers would be charged, protesters from Black Lives Matter as well as the local NAACP made constant pleas of "Justice 4 Jamar!!!" Unfortunately, the only "justice" they appeared interested in would be the two officers being charged with murder. Anything less than that was unacceptable in their eyes, forensic evidence be damned.

“Your entire narrative today was to push the propaganda of the Minneapolis Police Department,” Raeisha Williams, communications chair of the Minneapolis NAACP, told Freeman amid a flurry of heated comments.

She added: “If the city burns, it’s on your hands.”

In response to Williams' threat, a Star Tribune editorial struck a rational tone.

No. If the city burns, it will be on the heads of those who do the burning. To date, BLM has done the difficult work of advancing its agenda while refraining from violence. It is more important than ever that protests remain peaceful.

While most of the protests and vigils have been peaceful, things started to get out of hand just before Midnight last evening. According to the MN Police Clips Facebook page, demonstrations were starting to become unruly outside of Minneapolis's 4th precinct.

Minneapolis - Protests - Outside the 4th Pct officers are reporting several pounding on the glass(In the doors I believe) and have locked them, but are expecting some property damage to occur - Protesters then burned a flag (Some others weren't happy about this) - There was some mention of them trying to get the PD's flag, but that hasn't occurred yet - Some mention of protesters trying to go on the roof, but unsure if they've accomplished that yet - Officers have locked down the back gated area due to the incidents in front - Appears some officers who will respond if needed re-positioned closer to the area - And now they're burning the little free library thing the PD had out front (UPDATE: The books were saved. Unsure if fire went out or was put out).

There was also a report of a police officer injured in neighboring Robbinsdale. Apparently a squad car was shot at which shattered a window thus resulting in the officer taking shards of glass in the face. Thankfully, it does not appear the bullet actually hit the cop.

While many of us are focused on the legalese as well as the ugly aftermath of this incident, the aforementioned Strib editorial once again puts this in its proper perspective.

A young man lost his life, leaving behind grieving family members and a community struggling to come to grips with yet another tragedy on city streets. But Freeman made the right decision based on the evidence and the law, and he did so with transparency and integrity.

I concur with the sentiment that Freeman handled this about as well as any public official could. The unprecedented amount of transparency put forth is something that has been sorely lacking among urban public officials and politicos.

I just hope and pray that the community can heal and that relations can be improved between law enforcement & the citizens. There's little doubt that both aspects will be lengthy processes.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Perpetual buffoonery

When an incident occurs between two people, there's typically three sides to the story. Version A, Version B and the actual Version (usually somewhere between A & B).

Earlier this month at a campaign stop in Florida, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump was approached by then Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields. Upon asking Trump a couple of questions, Fields was allegedly grabbed by Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in an attempt to shut down her inquiries. The day after that incident I saw a Tweet from Fields' boyfriend alleging Lewandowski was even more physical than that.




On the other end of the spectrum, the Trump campaigned flatly denied any incident occurred.




It appears that we now know the "in-between" version.

Donald Trump's presidential campaign manager was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery in Florida on Tuesday, the latest chapter in a raucous U.S. race marked by threats, insults and physical confrontations.

Police in Jupiter, Florida, charged Corey Lewandowski, 42, with intentionally grabbing and bruising the arm of Michelle Fields, then a reporter for the conservative news outlet Breitbart, when she tried to question Trump at a campaign event on March 8.

Republican front-runner Trump repeatedly defended Lewandowski, saying he was innocent and would fight the charges while continuing as campaign manager. Lewandowski was a good man who was "very, very seriously maligned, and I think it's very unfair," he said.

"I told him I think he should never settle this case. He should go all the way," Trump told reporters on his plane after he landed in Wisconsin for a campaign trip. "I just can't stand by and watch a man's life be destroyed."

Police released a video of the incident showing Fields walking alongside Trump and trying to question him. Lewandowski is seen grabbing her arm and pulling her backward. Previous videos of the incident had been obscured by people in the crowd.

At the time, Lewandowski called Fields "delusional" and said he never touched her.





Not only did Lewandowski call Fields' credibility into question, he went even further by attempting to publicly smear her good name.




If this were a normal presidential election cycle and Trump wasn't such a buffoon, a typical response would be along the lines of "I maintain the belief that my campaign manager is innocent of all charges but will not comment further until the legal process has run its course."


Ah, but you know as well as I that Trump isn't capable of handling much of anything in a dignified manner.




While I am fervently anti-Trump, I have to admit that footage of Lewandowski grabbing Fields looks rather benign and certainly didn't look to be an attempt to "pull her to the ground."




However, this incident got blown completely out of proportion because:

a) The Trump camp not only refused to apologize but they adamantly denied any impropriety.

b) Fields' employer Breitbart News, who is shamelessly in the bag for Trump, did not support her in this incident. She resigned shortly thereafter.


What's scary is about a week or two after the Fields incident, Lewandowski was caught on video grabbing a protester at a Tucson, AZ rally.




Since Lewandowski will not go to jail for misdemeanor battery, he will be back with the Trump campaign in due time. It's rather difficult for Trump's team to continue to decry the incidents of violence that take place at their rallies if they're willing to keep a confirmed thug on their payroll. But, once again, this is an election cycle where the only conventional wisdom is anything unconventional.

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Monday, March 28, 2016

Gaystapo prevails again

If the "Gaystapo" can bully conservative government officials in a state like Georgia, they're likely to become even more emboldened now.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Monday said he will veto legislation shielding opponents of same-sex marriage, after a groundswell of opposition from companies threatening to boycott the state if it became law.

The Republican announced his decision during a news conference in his office at the Georgia Capitol, saying, "I have examined the protections that this bill proposes to provide to the faith based community and I can find no examples of any of those circumstances occurring in our state."

Deal added, "I do not think that we have to discriminate against anyone to protect the faith-based community in Georgia."

I have maintained that the vast majority of those who look to enter into same-sex "marriage" have zero interest in forcing clergy to violate their religious conscience and thus be ordered to officiate the ceremony. If indeed a couple's wedding is viewed as one of the happiest occasions in their lives, why have anyone there who doesn't unconditionally support such a union?

With all that said, there is indeed a segment of the population (i.e. the "Gaystapo") which demands nothing less than 100% acquiescence to the homosexual lifestyle.

In Georgia, we will now see Christian pastors sued for refusing, against their own consciences and the tenets of their denomination, to perform a marriage rite for same-sex couples. It will happen.

By vetoing even the most gentle version of an RFRA, Deal betrayed churches who don’t want to offer their sanctuaries or worship centers for gay weddings.

In Georgia, we will now see churches sued and forced to rent their facilities, against their own consciences and tenets of their denomination, for same-sex weddings. It will happen.

And in the next election for governor, in 2018, any Republican running for office will have to carry the burden of surrender in the race. Meanwhile, all Jason Carter, who unsuccessfully ran against Deal in 2014, will have to do is say “I would have found a compromise.”

Every conservative voice has been silenced in Georgia, because we can’t call Disney on its threat to boycott Georgia, and expose their hypocrisy given that Florida has a stronger RFRA than Georgia. Wouldn’t it be great to call on Disney to boycott Florida and close Walt Disney World unless the state repealed its RFRA? But now we can’t because Governor Deal melted like wet toilet paper.

While Gov. Deal's statement would lead you to believe his veto decision was based on the legislation being overkill, I think we can all glean the real rationale.

Coca-Cola and other big-name Georgia companies joined the NFL, prominent Hollywood figures and film studios urging Deal to reject the proposal. Some threatened to boycott the state if Deal didn't veto.

Dr. Russell Moore, who is President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, definitely knows what's up.




The more we continue to give ground on licentious freedoms such as abortion and gay marriage, the more difficult (if not impossible) it becomes win any battles in the culture war. Religious Freedom is one we absolutely must not cede, now or ever.

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Sunday, March 27, 2016

If I'm doing my job then it's your resolve that breaks.....

Happy Easter, friends. If you have an hour to spare, I will be live today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network. My program The Closer will begin promptly at 2:00 PM Central Time.

No guests scheduled, so I'll take the hour to discuss the tragedy in Brussels, Belgium as well as the gutter political battle between GOP presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. But since today is Easter, I figure focusing on the real meaning of this holiday is a good way to wrap up the program.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast, if you so desire. Check it out here.  

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Thursday, March 24, 2016

R.I.P., Kevin Turner

I love the National Football League. Despite the myriad issues the NFL has endured recently (i.e. huge concussion lawsuit, players charged with domestic violence, etc.), it's still a multi-billionaire enterprise.

With that said, the more stories of former players dying young could very well put a dent in the league's appeal. Sadly yet another NFL alum is gone too soon.

Former NFL fullback Kevin Turner, who played eight seasons for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, died Thursday after a six-year battle with ALS. He was 46.

Turner was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- also known as Lou Gehrig's disease -- in 2010. According to his foundation, Turner was surrounded by his family and friends.

"Myra and I lost a great son today. He will be missed so much," his father, Raymond Turner, posted on Facebook. "Thanks to everyone so very much for your support and prayers during this journey. He was ready to go to Heaven, excited he said, Love y'all and God Bless."

I became familiar with Turner's struggle a couple of years ago after viewing the film American Man, which detailed his battle with A.L.S. and how he sought to bring awareness to a disease that was certain to take his life. If you haven't seen the film (set around 2010), it's worth checking out.





Perhaps one of the more poignant moments of the film was when Turner visited former NFL running back Steve Smith. Having played 9 seasons in the NFL (1987-1995) for both the Raiders and Seahawks, Smith was diagnosed with A.L.S. in 2002 and had been using a feeding tube since 2006. Despite Smith being bedridden and completely immobile, Turner paid him a visit knowing full well he would likely be in that same physical state within a couple of years. Nevertheless, Turner put his own fears and discomfort aside and prayed over Smith.

Turner was the leading plaintiff in the concussion lawsuit against the NFL. The initial judgement last year was for the NFL to pay $900 million to players who have been diagnosed with neurological disorders. The decision is still in the appeal process, which means Turner did not live to benefit financially.

Given the sad tales of the likes of Turner, Smith, Dave Duerson and Junior Seau, just to name a few, today's active NFL players are weighing the risk of playing more than a few seasons. There have even been notable players over the past couple of years who have decided to retire in the prime of their careers rather than expose themselves to the potential of additional brain trauma. That's the proverbial genie that may never get put back into the bottle.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

And the band played on....

The fact scores of people were killed or injured in the horrific terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday is a tragedy in and of itself. But the response to the attack (for which ISIS has, unsurprisingly, claimed responsibility) by President Obama and some of his media lapdogs (Chris Matthews being a notable exception) give a vibe that he continues to be disengaged from this persistent threat

A day after posing in front of a sculpture of Che Guevara and declaring America engages in its own version of human rights abuses (saying this in Cuba, no less), Obama chose to take in an exhibition baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team. Ah, but Obama didn't totally dismiss the tragedy in Belgium. He took the time to make a statement to the hard-hitting journalists at ESPN (not sure if this was before or after he did "the wave"). Obama also used the opportunity to offer "thoughts and prayers" to the people affected by this attack. I guess that's an appropriate gesture given they weren't killed by an American with a firearm.

But hey, I shouldn't be too critical of the President. After all, the newsworthiness of this historic trip to Cuba was suddenly usurped by the terror attack in Belgium. As such, Obama is the real victim here, right?




Yeah, poor him.



Perhaps the most disturbing statement came from an unnamed Belgian official.




Fortunately the situation doesn't appear to be as dire here in America. However, it's painfully obvious that ISIS will persist, which means they aim to carry out similar attacks in this country. I hope and pray that whomever is the next President will exercise the eternal vigilance needed to thwart this "nuisance."

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Monday, March 21, 2016

Quick Hits: Volume CXXV

- There's a belief among some Donald Trump for President supporters that Trump's alleged appeal to "non-traditional" Republican voters will result in some states which are normally not competitive in a presidential election to suddenly become "in play."

Erick Erickson has long been skeptical of this, but has now apparently seen the light

{I}n fact, Trump and his supporters are right. Donald Trump will put states in play for the GOP that have never been in play before.

Utah, the most Republican of all the Republican states, would go to Hillary Clinton according to new polling. If Trump is the nominee, the state that has always voted for a Republican Presidential nominee will suddenly go Democrat.

Trump and his supporters are right! They do put states in play that have never been put in play before.

By the way, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania all still go to Hillary, according to the polling.

Trump himself continually says he leads Clinton in most head-to-head polls and is also ginning up broader support than any other GOP presidential candidate in recent history. However, neither of those claims have any basis in reality. Kind of a microcosm of his whole campaign, eh?


- If there was ever any doubt that sports media is any less bias than regular news media, just check out these two tweets from perhaps the two most influential sports news outlets.



Within the SI story, the author also put scare quotes around the phrase "religious liberty." Nope, no ideological slant there.





Always ones to display courage, ESPN ended up deleting that tweet.


- Speaking of Cuba, President Barack Obama landed there Sunday, marking the first U.S. President to visit that country in nearly 90 years. The visit has been labeled as one where Obama hope to improve ties between the U.S. and Cuba.

Let's just hope our typically tone deaf president focuses more on the economic plight of the Cuban people as well as their lack of freedom and liberty as opposed to lecturing the country on LGBT issues as he is wont to do.


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Sunday, March 20, 2016

When it's through, it's through; Fate will twist the both of you......

March Madness is in full swing, but for the Northern Alliance Radio Network it's just another Sunday. As such, my 1-hour program The Closer will begin promptly at 2:00 PM Central Time.

In the first couple of segments I'll look back at this past week's presidential primaries. Is a Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton general election matchup pretty much set in stone? Also, President Obama put forth a Supreme Court nominee to replace the late Antonin Scalia. Will the GOP majority in the Senate hold firm in their belief that the next president should name Scalia's successor?

At 2:30 I welcome to the broadcast Miss Southwest Melissa Paakh. We'll discuss Melissa's platform The Authentic You: Promoting Positive Self-Image, as well as her preparation for the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant, which is a mere three months away.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast, if you so desire. Check it out here.  

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Saturday, March 19, 2016

FAQs

Between my blogging and uses of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, people can glean a lot of information about me. As such, my readers/friends/followers will often inquire about certain things I post.

So here is a list of some of the Frequently Asked Questions I receive when out and about.


Q: What's with you and all these pictures with beauty queens?
A: This has been the most popular question asked of me over the past several months. Around 2013, about 18 months after starting my weekly radio show on AM 1280 The Patriot, I became the radio station's official media contact for the Miss Minnesota organization (No idea how I was assigned that role. I'm not complaining, mind you). The folks at MM wanted their contestants to hone their media skills, so they figured why not have the young ladies talk to an audience (i.e. politicos) who typically aren't exposed to such personalities. I agreed to interview these young ladies and found them all to be absolutely delightful. Through my communications role, I also got know many of the officials within the Miss Minnesota organization, many of whom I now consider friends. And because I became such an avid supporter/promoter of the organization, I was asked to be the official emcee of the annual Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant, so I now feel like it's an extended family. And who objects to "family" photos?


Q: I see on your Facebook page that you check in often to Anytime Fitness. Do they pay for that publicity?
A: They do not. But I'm in media, so I am always open to new advertisers.


Q: Why do you call your wife "The Fetching Mrs Carlson?" Does she "fetch" things for you like beverages, tools, etc.?
A: Well first off, I use "fetching" as an adjective, not a verb. "Fetching" means "charming, captivating." If you knew or ever met my wife, you'd concur.


Q: Do you and your wife have kids?
A: No. But we've only been married 15-1/2 years, so we don't want to rush into anything.


Q: Yeah, yeah, we get it. You go to church every Sunday at Emmanuel Christian Center. Why do you advertise that on Facebook?
A: It opens a door for me to possibly share my faith (I got you talkin' about church, didn't I?). My relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is by far the most important aspect of my life. That, and I check in via the Swarm app, so I need to accumulate the points.


Q: Why do you hate Wisconsin sports teams (particularly the Green Bay Packers) so much? Jealous?
A: Ummm, "hate" is a very strong word (not to mention inaccurate in this case). Truth be told, I find many members of the Packers to be cool dudes who seem to live exemplary lives off the field. No, my disdain is due in large part to the fact I have literally scores of relatives who are Wisconsin natives and are borderline obsessed with their sports teams. Nothing wrong with being a passionate fan, but my rellies occasionally need to be knocked down a peg or two when they strut around like they themselves have accomplished something when their clubs win. This idea that anyone assigns value to their lives based on how a sports team performs is at best silly and at worst utterly deranged.


Q: Uh huh. So tell me how many Super Bowl rings the Vi-Queens have?!?!?!
A: Same number of World Series rings as the Milwaukee Brewers. Why do you ask?


Q: You're a big Twins fan. How do you think they'll fare this season?
A: Right now I'd say 80-85 wins, with the high end number possibly being good enough to be a wildcard team.


Q: How's your relationship with your dad?
A: It consists of my calling him once per month to check in and find out if anything's new or exciting on his end. Typically there is not, but I nevertheless make the effort which I wasn't inclined to make 8-9 years ago.


Q: You're quite the political observer. What's the deal with a buffoon like Donald Trump leading the race for your party's nominee for President?
A. Remember the 2006 movie Idiocracy? The political climate we're in today lends credibility to the notion that the film was a documentary.

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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Forgone conclusion

If I were a betting man, I would feel safe on putting money on a Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton matchup for the 2016 presidential election.

Having won the GOP Florida primary handily (and thus collecting all 99 delegates in that winner-take-all contest), Trump also succeeded in knocking out of the race the Republican candidate who matched up best against Clinton in the general.

Marco Rubio is dropping out of the presidential race after losing the Florida primary to Donald Trump and failing to unite the Republican establishment against the billionaire front-runner.

"We live in a republic and our voters make these decisions," Rubio said in Miami Tuesday night as his supporters booed Trump's victory.

His speech was a thinly veiled rebuke of Trump's campaign tactics, as he warned that it would have been easier for him to exploit the anger and anxiety driving the race. He warned that the politics of division were going to leave America a "fractured nation."

"America is in the middle of a real political storm, a real tsunami and we should have seen this coming," Rubio said.

"While we are on the right side," he said," this year, we will not be on the winning side."

The "Trump-kins" have made it clear by their actions that winning in November is not the ultimate goal. No, fracturing the Republican party and bloodying the GOP "establishment" is all they care about. More power to them I guess, as one is free to choose whatever rationale they'd like in supporting a candidate. But these barking, clapping seals are being set up for a yuuuuuge disappointment if they believe Trump is going to act in anybody's interest other than his own.

Since 1992, I have never *not* voted for a Republican candidate for President. And while there's no way in hell I'll ever vote for Hillary, I may just abstain from voting for President and instead focus on Congressional and state races. And of course I'll get the standard retort of "Not voting for POTUS is the same as a vote for Hillary." To which I would reply "Yeah, but a vote for Trump is a vote for Trump."

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Monday, March 14, 2016

#LizzyStrong

In the 1998-1999 school year, a young lady by the name of Liz was a student in my wife Jennifer's 8th grade science class. Jen recalls Liz as a sweet, unassuming young lady. A couple of years later, Jennifer and I became members of a church in the Fridley area. Of the many people we met, we happened to sit near Dan and Marlene Call (Liz's parents) one Sunday. We maybe chatted with them one or two Sundays after that but didn't really get to know them that well. Shortly thereafter, the family moved out of state where Dan was called to minister.

We hadn't thought a lot about the Call family until we heard from mutual friends that Liz became engaged to her boyfriend Chris Shepherd in early 2010 and got married later that year. Another few years went by when we learned the news that Liz and Chris were expecting their first child. Upon miscarrying that pregnancy, they got pregnant again almost immediately.

In May 2014, while 20 weeks pregnant, Liz received the devastating news that she had cervical cancer. Given how the cancer had progressed, the doctors urged Liz to begin treatment immediately. Since there was no way possible Liz could carry her baby to term while enduring cancer treatments, she was advised to terminate the pregnancy. But given her indomitable faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Liz decided without hesitation that an abortion was not a viable option. She and husband Chris were unified in their decision that cancer treatments would commence right after daughter Sophie was born.

Despite not being due until October 9, 2014, Sophie arrived July 24, which was about 11 weeks premature. Weighing just under 2-1/2 lbs., Sophie spent a number of days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. But like her mama, Sophie was a fighter and thus used that strength to fully recover. Today, she is a very happy, healthy toddler.

Upon giving birth to her daughter, Liz was to begin treatment immediately for her cancer which, due to her delaying treatment, had spread to other parts of her body. Liz and Chris had decided she would have treatments and surgery at a facility in Phoenix. While there, Liz made the determination to minister to others. Despite her own physical pain in addition to wondering if she would live to see her daughter grow up, Liz made the decision to be a shining light at that clinic. With a beaming smile and an enthusiastic demeanor, Liz wowed the medical professionals and other patients with strength she conveyed

After the initial treatments and surgery, Liz and her family were cautiously optimistic about the path forward. Unfortunately, in a matter of months, the cancer had returned. In mid-October, virtually every organ in Liz's body had shut down with the exception of her heart and lungs. Despite going without food or water for six days, Liz continued to fight for every last breath. Ultimately she took her last breath on Earth (and first in Heaven) on October 19, 2015.

In addition to her unconditional love for her Jesus and her family, Liz also had a passion for running and bringing awareness to the abhorrent practice of human trafficking. On April 9, many around the country will pay homage to Liz by running 4.11 miles in an effort to raise money to combat human trafficking.

At Liz’s funeral, Chris shared how she made a commitment to run every day for a year, and she stuck by that commitment no matter what. In fact, she ran for 411 days until she was injured. In honor of that, her friends are hosting a multi-city, 4.11-mile run, Run #Lizzystrong, in her honor on April 9. The run will help raise awareness to fight human trafficking, a cause Lizzy was passionate about.

Upon learning of Liz's inspirational story of faith, compassion and strength, I chose to participate in the 4.11 mile run. As such, I am also looking to raise money to help combat human trafficking once and for all.

If you feel moved to donate, please check out my fundraising link here. I appreciate any support (as well as motivation to run 4+ miles) that may come my way. However, given the way Liz Shepherd lived her life, I don't believe I'll have to dig too deep for any extra incentive.

Thanks, and God bless.

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Sunday, March 13, 2016

Oh, I can't close my eyes and make it go away.....

So much news, so little time on a 1-hour edition of the Northern Alliance Radio Network. Regardless, today's edition of The Closer kicks off at 2:00 PM Central Time.

Right at 2:00, we welcome Darlene Miller to the broadcast. Ms. Miller is seeking the Republican nomination in Minnesota Congressional District Two. She recently was endorsed by current CD2 Congressman John Kline, who is not seeking reelection in 2016.

At 2:30, Miss Morris Area Tori Fuhrman will stop by. Tori, who will be competing in the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant this June, recently had an incredibly successful fundraiser for the Wounded Warriors Guide Service, so she'll be on to tout that as well as how it fits with her platform.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast, if you so desire. Check it out here.  

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Saturday, March 12, 2016

No win situation

GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump has made subtle threats to those who would oppose him as well as look to "reform" a long standing tradition of a free press. There has also been more than a few incidents of violent behavior taking place at some of his campaign rallies.

Regardless of whether or not you're a believer in God, the time tested law of "whatever you sow, so shall you reap" is irrefutable.

Hence the ugly incident in Chicago on Friday evening.

The violence at Trump's event at the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion appeared to break out after Trump cancelled his appearance, amid angry protests inside and outside the venue. Five people reportedly were arrested.

Just to clarify that I absolutely do NOT condone the violence used by leftist protesters in an effort to silence Trump and his supporters. Assembling to oppose Trump's campaign is perfectly legitimate and even welcome. But to prevent others from assembling peacefully flies in the face of the First Amendment.

If Trump ever becomes President of the United States, his rhetoric would seem to suggest that he would use the power of that office to silence detractors. It does not appear this campaign cycle will have a happy ending, regardless of your political stripes.

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Friday, March 11, 2016

GOP Debate 12

After last week's GOP presidential debate where it devolved into front runner Donald Trump making reference to the size of a certain appendage of his, I had little interest in partaking in last night's debate. However, AM 1280 The Patriot had already scheduled a venue in which to host a debate party where our loyal listeners could attend, so I had to partake.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that this particular debate was pretty docile and each of the four remaining candidates stayed focused on the issues rather than engaging in personal attacks. With that in mind, here is my rundown.


Ted Cruz: He was certainly emboldened with his multiple primary/caucus victories over Trump the past two weeks. Endorsements from former candidate Carly Fiorina as well as Sen. Mike Lee certainly lent more credibility to his campaign. Cruz was terrific when discussing issues of free trade, ISIS and Israel, drawing clear distinctions between himself and Trump. In his closing statement, Cruz emphasized that this is a two person race and that it's time for others to coalesce behind him this late hour. I begrudgingly agree that this is the only methodology to stop Trump.

John Kasich: The Ohio governor kept touting how helped balance the federal budget and fix social security while he was in Congress in the 1990s. I guess I missed that. Kasich has no path to winning the nomination, something which he himself has said is not a prerequisite to staying in the race. I maintain he's looking to be the VP candidate, believing he can help deliver Ohio to the Republican POTUS candidate in November.

Marco Rubio: He was back to his old self, focusing solely on substance. Rubio shined brightest when conveying "climate change" is not something the government can fix, that the Israeli-Palestine conflict can't be resolved via negotiation and having "mic drop" moments when discussing American policy on Cuba. Yet despite having the best polling numbers head-to-head versus Hillary Clinton, Rubio is slowly fading in the Republican race. Apparently this GOP electorate doesn't view winning the general election as a top priority. Even if he wins the Florida primary on Tuesday, Rubio has no realistic shot to be the GOP nominee. A shame, really.

Donald Trump: We saw a "kinder, gentler" Trump on Thursday to the point I was wondering aloud if he had taken some Xanax. In fact, there were a few occasions where moderator Dana Bash tried to pit other candidates against Trump but he just wouldn't take the bait. I suspect that Trump's demeanor was the result of someone having his ear telling him his acerbic and nasty behavior is a sure loser against Clinton in the general (never mind that he still peddles the utterly false notion that he leads Hillary in many polls). Despite the toned down rhetoric, Trump still woefully lacked substance and facts on most issues. Perhaps the most absurd thing he said was there was no bigger supporter of Israel than he (despite vowing to be "neutral" between Israel-Palestine) simply because he was grand marshal of an Israeli Day parade on 5th Ave. To top it all off, Trump was touting an upcoming endorsement from Dr. Ben Carson, the same individual whom he once compared to a pedophile.


Only 11 more days until the next debate, taking place in Salt Lake City, UT.

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Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Missed this

Apparently March 8 was International Women's Day. To be honest I wasn't aware of such a concept though I'm being told it's been a thing for quite some time.

IWD originated a little more than a century ago with a specific focus on women's suffrage. These days it seems to be more of an opportunity for American politicians (particularly of the leftist persuasion) to demagogue "women's issues" in this country. What's disconcerting to me is the issues being peddled are an alleged gender pay gap (one where actual statistics are often taken out of context) or the fact birth control isn't being subsidized by taxpayers. Meanwhile in some countries, women are brutally beaten on a consistent basis if they're not dressed modestly enough.

Nicole Russell at Conservative Review offers up some perspective.

With knowledge at our fingertips, it’s not enough to live in America and tweet that the Empire State Building is magenta for the day. We must do more. In this brief video, the Thomas Reuters Foundation describes the five most dangerous countries for women (hint, none of them are in North America). In the five most dangerous countries for women to live — Afghanistan, Congo, Pakistan, India and Somalia — crimes against women range from forced child marriages, rape, genital mutilation and honor killings, to name a few.

While it’s fine to discuss ways we — even in America — can make things better for women, it’s important to maintain proper perspective and keep in mind there are real women fighting injustices beyond comprehension in much of the world. This alone should spur us to eschew whining and complaining about petty things and band together to make the world a safer, more inclusive place, for women.

From a personal perspective I've never felt that, in my near 47 years on this earth, women weren't on at least equal footing as men. My maternal grandmother lost her husband when she was 48 years old, and thus was left behind with two daughters still in high school and a business they owned. Despite that, grandma continued to run the business (a supper club) while finishing raising her daughters and even helping them through business school. One of those daughters (my mom) got married when she was 22 years old, only to go through a divorce eight years later and be left to raised two boys (ages 3 and 1) entirely on her own. Never one to openly lament her circumstances, mom worked diligently at 3M for more than 30 years and was able to retire in financial dignity while raising two boys to become upstanding, respectable citizens. During those years, she even purchased her own home while assisting me financially with college.

Now, am I saying my mom didn't face any injustices? Of course not. The corporate culture in the 1970s wasn't exactly favorable to women. However, my mom thrived in many facets of her life because she willingly refused to be a victim. I'm hard pressed to think of many men who would have been able to accomplish what my mom did when faced with such adversities.

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Monday, March 07, 2016

A friendly reminder...

....to those in the LGBT community: The secular left in this country will celebrate your opportunity to live your life freely and openly if and only if you are politically aligned with them.

Don't believe me? Just ask the likes of  Bruce Caitlyn Jenner or Townhall political editor Guy Benson what kind of feedback they receive upon expressing their respective conservative ideologies.

Being expected to vote in lockstep with a single worldview seems rather counter intuitive to that whole freedom thing, no?

You know what else likely freaks out the left? When conservatives have an insightful, thought provoking panel discussion on the issues of gay marriage and religious liberty while at a major right-of-center political conference.





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Sunday, March 06, 2016

I know, I've been foolin' myself too long.....

I love March! The spring season is within sight which means the opportunity for some outdoor broadcasts. For today however, we'll be in the Patriot bunker for the latest edition of The Closer. The 1-hour festivities begin at 2:00 PM Central Time.

I'll take the first couple of segments to discuss Super Tuesday, where my home state Republicans know what's up. 

Oh, and are you interested in attending AM 1280 The Patriot's 15th birthday party?!?! We have two 4-packs of tickets to give away, so be sure to be prepared to answer some simple trivia questions (you can always use Google to ascertain the answers. I won't tell anyone). 

At 2:30, Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) will stop by to discuss the upcoming Minnesota Legislative session which will be kicking off on Tuesday. 


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast, if you so desire. Check it out here.  

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Friday, March 04, 2016

Drained

I admit it. I have presidential election fatigue. And mercy's sake, the next eight months are going to be insufferable if this sh*t show continues.

No, I did not watch the GOP presidential debate last evening. I also didn't tune in for Mitt Romney's scathing rebuke of Republican front runner Donald Trump on Thursday morning. While Romney's many criticisms of Trump were justified and pretty much spot on, Mitt probably isn't the most credible messenger at this point. Sure, reelecting Barack Obama as President over Romney in 2012 was a grave error. But even though he was seemingly vindicated on several issues he broached on the campaign trail, Romney's detractors in the GOP were also justified in their skepticism when he appeared to laud Obamacare late last year. 

Unless Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio form a unity ticket within the next week or so, it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that Trump will be the GOP nominee. Heck, even if Cruz/Rubio do indeed unify this weekend, I'm not even sure Trump can be stopped at this point. 

If I didn't have a political talk radio show, I would likely withdraw from presidential campaign news until November. As it is, I may spend some extra time immersed in cat videos. Who's with me?!?!?!








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Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Proud of my home state

It's not often that my home state of Minnesota can be lauded as one which turns away authoritarianism in favor of liberty and common sense. However, Tuesday evening provided a welcome reprieve from the obligatory political oppression we MN conservatives often feel.

In the GOP presidential straw poll, the tyrannical Donald Trump finished a distant third with Marco Rubio winning handily.




Flashback to three years ago: In one of the more disgusting displays of political kickbacks, the MN Democrats voted to allow childcare providers to form unions. The problem was that the vast majority of childcare providers did not want to be unionized since they were independent business owners, not employees. However, only about 25% of licensed daycare workers were eligible to vote in such an election due to that being the percentage of providers who cared for children receiving state subsidies. So of the 2,384 eligible voters, 1,406 ballots were returned. Simple math indicates that if there had been 704 "yes" votes to unionize, that means a paltry 7.4% of MN childcare providers would have decided the fate of all providers.

Ah, but common sense prevailed!

Minnesota child-care providers have overwhelmingly voted against unionizing, likely ending a debate that has been emotionally charged and politically divisive for a decade.

The fight pitted some child-care workers against others and sharply divided legislators along party lines when they passed a law in 2013 that would allow the vote to unionize.

By the time the votes were tallied Tuesday, the lopsided results dealt a decisive loss to labor: 1,014 "no" votes to 392 who favored unionization.

Yes, for one day anyways, my home state was a beacon of light for freedom and liberty. I know I sure embraced it!

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Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Four years ago today....

....we lost the "happy warrior," the most persistent thorn in the political left's side, Andrew Breitbart.

Andrew & I at Brit's Pub in Minneapolis - June 2011



When I think of Andrew today, I can't help but wonder what he would have to say about the 2016 presidential race. And would he be appalled at the news site which bears his name and how they're seemingly in the tank for Donald Trump? There was a time 4-1/2 or so years ago where Andrew was not convinced of Trump's alleged conservative bona fides

Above all else, I certainly hope and pray that Andrew's widow Susie and their four children are doing well.

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