As trump hawked bibles [FN1] he posted, “Let’s Make America Pray Again.” Some, who claim to be devout Christians, claim to be persecuted by separation of church and State, i.e., if their god can’t run the lives of everyone, they are the ones who are (somehow) “victims.” 1/8

trump’s post is another reason to fear his return to power & anyone taking power who advances this belief. 1) We should take seriously that he & others will “make” us pray. In this context, the verb “make”…

Maybe it’d be fun to call Micah Beckwith [FN1] a gussied-up name, [FN2] but he doesn’t seem to read. As an HEPL board member, he did not seem to have read books in that library. Now he appears not to have read a description of an office, Lt Gov, he seeks via end run. 1/10

Beckwith’s “action plan for serving” as Lt Gov is redolent of a 1924 minority that ruled Indiana from offices on the Circle. The head of IN’s KKK, D.C. Stephenson, ran the State, but could not, as a candidate, win an…

The 2024 elections should frighten Hoosiers. [FN1] Indiana’s GOP is a not-for-profit corporation that acts like a closely-held, for-profit corporation. Insiders run Indiana’s GOP. The candidacy of one person running for Lt Governor, reflects an attempt to build distance from voters. 1/8

Micah Beckwith [FN2] wants to be GOP’s nominee for IN Lt Gov. He’s never won an election, general or primary, but on 9/8/22 w/o fanfare & w/a few minutes’ public notice he was appointed to HEPL’s…

This iteration of the Republican Party decries foreign individuals to the point of xenophobia. The Framers of The Constitution were concerned that foreign powers could attempt to influence our elections [FN1] or simply advance corruption. [FN2] Foreign assistance to a political 1/8

campaign is illegal. [FN3] This proscription applies to Federal, State and local campaigns. [FN4] It applies against a “foreign principal. [FN5] The assistance may be from a citizen or one who owes…

Mel Gibson’s “The Patriot” inspires Micah Beckwith [FN1]: no surprise. The 2000 film is fiction w/little basis in reality, especially when it comes to slavery. E.g., in the film slaves were offered freedom to fight for the colonists. The offer was from the British. [FN2] Tomorrow: 1/7

Federal holiday to celebrate Dr Martin Luther King’s birthday. Any who hold or seek elective office will praise Dr King. In America, voters supposedly have the ultimate say. Dr King worked to secure…

In posts these past several days, I have relied upon “primary sources” [FN1] to show this country was founded as neither theocracy [FN2] nor Christian. That several States record dates as “in the year of our Lord” [FN3] does not dispel the point, as primary sources illustrate. 1/12

States also noted dates as “A.D.,” [FN4] or “Latin ‘in the year of the Lord’[] Since the supposed year in which Jesus Christ was born; of the current era.” [FN5] Other States used no such tags. [FN6] No…

Each State was required to a hold convention to vote whether to ratify The Constitution. [FN1]. Few delegates to Philadelphia also served in their States’ conventions. [FN2]. Records of the state conventions do not support a claim that the USA either is a theocracy or Christian. 1/12

Delaware was the first State to ratify, on 12/7/87. Its report lists the names of the delegates, who voted 30-0 to ratify, two of whom had been delegates in Philadelphia. [FN3] The report refers to the…

“Conventions of nine States” [FN1] had to ratify the Constitution. Congress, in its record of the receipt of the draft constitution, recommended ratification procedure and transmittal letter [FN2] makes no mention of “God” or “Jesus Christ.” [FN3] Some chant “original intent,” i.e., 1/6

we must construe The Constitution based on the “subjective intention of the drafters or ratifiers of an authoritative text.” [FN4] The “drafters” were the 55 delegates to the Convention. [FN5] The…

On 9/17/1787, The Constitution was signed. [FN1] Ratification by “Conventions of nine States” was required. [FN2]. Neither “God” nor “Jesus Christ” appears in the Constitution or other founding documents, yet some insist our government was meant to be “Christian.” 1/10

For what The Constitution means, we look at the plain meaning of the text, broader legal context, applicable canons, and the legislative history. [FN3] I try to cite “primary sources,” or the “original records created…

Around 1980 some on the far right saw how useful religion can be to those who seek power. In 2024 they will continue to push for the USA to be ruled by their rigid form of Christianity. They lie about: (1) this nation’s history and (2) their claim to speak for all Christians. 1/9

A theocracy is “Government of a state by those who are believed to be or represent that they are acting under the immediate direction of God or some other divinity.” [FN1] The USA never has been a theocracy.…

Micah Beckwith [FN1], in a FB video shot shortly after 1/6/21, says “God” told him: “I sent those riots to Washington.” Any claim that the insurrection was staged to discredit trump flies in the face of “God.” Tucker Carlson can’t say it was an FBI “false flag” [FN2] [FN3] 1/6

Evangelicals must be held to a premise. “God” [F4] would neither lie nor joke about such things. 1) I’m unaware of any passage of either testament in which the supreme deity says it’s all a prank or practical…

Gosh golly! Micah Beckwith [FN1] on FB posted a photo of U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presides over trump’s prosecution on charges related to his attempt to subvert the 2020 election [FN2] and said trump “‘does not have the right to say what he pleases.’” 1/11

CNN reports Her Honor’s limited gag order bars trump from making public statements “about witnesses who might testify against him, as well as prosecutors and court staff.” trump still can campaign. Beckwith says “we…

Micah Beckwith [FN1]says he is a “Christian Nationalist.” In June, 2020, Beckwith, on FB, praised Sean Feucht: “Him and I are very similar and saw the assault happening in this nation on our freedoms, and specifically our religious freedoms.” On 03/18/23 Beckwith promoted 1/7

Feucht’s 5/7/23 event at our Statehouse with “TPUSA Faith’s ‘Kingdom To The Capital.’ Sean Feucht will be leading worship! You won’t want to miss it.” Improper grammar (“Him and I”) + incorrect spelling…

Ham Co preacher Micah Beckwith [FN1] posted a campaign ad under a header “I’m under attack by the Left.” It’s easy to play down Beckwith’s claims. He is a clown, not very smart & lies about our history. He says he talks to “God” about politics & says “They’re scared of me winning.” 1/8

Only 1 person should be more scared of Beckwith winning than friends of mine, conservatives who fear a Beckwith in office. Beckwith has weapons training for people in his church. As a board…

We had few books in the country. A 1948 encyclopedia had stale prose w/photos black & white. Alto & New London elementary schools had no libraries. A few times a year we got flyers to order books by mail. The 1965 Palm Sunday tornados wiped out schools in Alto & 1/7

Russiaville. Schools consolidated & 6th grade was in a new building w/its own library. Books about history & mythology were not simply “facts” but maps of so much that has gone before. I learned to…

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: This blog/thread of tweets contains material that some (incl me) might find objectionable or repulsive. Going on? Please read to the end. “Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury has been banned or censored various places since its release in 1951. Set in a 1/7

future where ALL books are banned. Montag, the protagonist is a fireman whose job is to burn books, wonders why books are banned. His boss, Capt Beatty, says: “‘Colored people don’t like ‘Little Black Sambo.’ Burn…

HEPL [FN1] board held meetings 8/24 (2 & 3-5 pm) in Noblesville. Sign-in sheets, 1 for each meeting, were on a table outside a packed room. [FN2] A sheet of paper listing “guidelines” for attendees & for public comments was handed to all who entered the room. 1/9

1) Tough to follow: a) poor sound system & b) unclear who presided. [FN3]

2) Barnes & Thornburg (B&T) att’y asserted atty-client privilege when Bd member Michelle Payne asked about items on the bills…

HEPL [FN1] Fishers’ board of trustees (“Bd”) canceled “executive sessions” 4 8/21 & 8/23 but an 8/24 gen’l meeting is 3 pm. HEPL-Fishers was set up on 9/8/22. A backdoor appointment put Micah Beckwith [FN2] on the Bd w/a 4-3 majority he loses on 9/1. He said he’s after porn. 1/9

With no proof books harmed anyone since a Fishers library was opened in 1993, the Bd required books to be removed from a teen section, reviewed by library staff and, if a book violates standards the Bd…

This morning my friend, John Schmitz, objected to comments/behaviors of some ppl (including me) who oppose recent policies of the directors of HEPL [FN1.] One objection is to “spying.” To “spy”: “to observe secretively or furtively w/hostile intent.” [FN2] I think he refers to 1/9

a post fr 8/18, re-posted by author John Green [FN3]: “I stopped into my favorite local coffee shop today around 3:15pm. Imagine my surprise to see HEPL board member Ray Maddalone, soon to be former HEPL…

Machiavelli would be disappointed w/Micah Beckwith. [FN1] Beckwith says he’s running for IN Lt Gov in the GOP, but state conventions, not primary voters, nominate Lt Gov & usually vote 4 the person party’s Gov nominee wants. Beckwith is telling ppl how to become delegates 1/8

to the GOP convention. Machiavelli usually is cited as an example of the worst aspects of pursuit of power as such set out in “The Prince.” [FN2] and, were he alive today, might nod in approval about Beckwith…