Gratitude Down the Manhole

Returning home after walking my regular course one afternoon, I came across an unusual scene.  In front of the Christian school that I pass by were two men I know who worked there. One was kneeling beside the sewer opening at the curb while the other was actually lying on the pavement and trying to reach down inside.  A nicely-dressed woman was standing nearby.

I stopped to help and discovered they were trying to retrieve a schoolbook that had a girl had dropped down into the sewer and which was lying, safe and dry for the moment, on a bit of concrete shelf.  Being dressed down in shorts and T-shirt and already dirty, I offered my help and got down beside my friend.  Though taller and having a longer reach, I couldn’t get to the book either even though I got down as far as I could into the sewer opening.  Even using a pole with a gripping device wouldn’t work.

Well, we worked at it quite awhile before my friend thought about possibly prying the manhole cover from its rust-encrusted position so that he could drop inside.  It wasn’t easy and the iron cover proved heavy and cumbersome -- but finally we got it off.  Once we had, it took just seconds for him to drop down, retrieve the book, and but another minute to maneuver the manhole cover back into place.  

Hooray! Our efforts had produced a successful conclusion and we all felt a wonderful sense of achievement. But the most notable detail of this story was one that wasn’t wonderful at all for that was the inaction of the young girl whose book had been saved.  

During the whole time of the adventure -- 15 minutes since I had showed up and who knows how long before that -- she had merely sat in a nearby car, messing with her phone.  It was the girl’s mother who had stood alongside watching our efforts in her daughter’s behalf. The mom was encouraging and very grateful.  But, even when the book was retrieved, the girl herself displayed absolutely no gratitude, not even any interest. 

The mother was terribly embarrassed by her daughter's attitude and she finally had to order her daughter to roll down the window and thank us for getting her book. (Remember, it was her book and she was the person who dropped it.) The girl, visibly perturbed, let the car window come down, snatched the book from her mom’s hand, gave us what was more of a quick smirk than a sincere smile, and…zip…up went the window and she returned her attention to her phone. The mom repeated her own thanks and assured us that her daughter was grateful too.  The evidence of that, however, could hardly been weaker.

I shook hands with the other guys and thanked them for their efforts in behalf of the student.  I thanked them too for letting me be a part of the project for, when all was said and done, it had been kinda’ fun. 

But, as I walked the rest of the way home, I thought about how sad an example this presented of modern youth, even in Christian circles.  Self-centered. Ungrateful.  A haughty indifference to elders -- even when beholden to them. Indifference to parental expectations or feelings. And being so tied to “social media” that true social responsibilities are ignored.

I wonder -- will those of us who are older finally recognize the trouble our youth are in (and, through them, the whole culture) because of the counter-productive polices we’ve practiced in the schools, the church youth programs, parenting priorities, and the tragic extent that we have allowed kids to be engulfed in technology, fad and fashion, and Hollywood media? 

And, even if we recognize the situation, will we begin to take steps to instruct (and require) our youth in respect, responsibility, a work ethic, humility, real life skills, rites of passage to adulthood, and a personal devotion to both the precepts and the power of biblical Christianity? 

Make no mistake, this is a critical matter, one that must be seriously and continually addressed. If not, the future of Christian culture (short of heaven) is bleak indeed. Lord, please help us to help them.

The Top 5 Plus (July 4)

1) “Beneath The Surface: The Spiritual Battlefield Surrounding The Nation of Israel” (John Rodrigues, Harbinger’s Daily)

From the article -- It was a geopolitical shift that left political analysts and casual observers alike absolutely stunned. President Donald Trump—the man whose entire public persona and political brand was built on unyielding strength, masterful negotiation, and the fame of The Art of the Deal—returned from highly anticipated high-level talks with Iran bearing a completely changed tune. The defiant, aggressive tone that had defined his approach to foreign policy for over a decade seemed to have vanished; everyone noted it. He appeared defeated, deflated, and even humiliated. 

In a staggering reversal, the self-proclaimed master negotiator gave in to virtually every demand of the Iranian regime. What the world witnessed was not the art of the deal; it was the art of the kneel. How does a man of such immense worldly confidence suffer such an absolute, sudden collapse of resolve? 

The answer does not lie in the realm of political strategy, economic leverage, diplomatic maneuvering or even secular psychology. President Donald Trump stepped into a room to negotiate a political contract, completely unaware that he was stepping onto a spiritual battlefield of an intense, ancient war. Because he was unequipped, unprepared, ‘in the flesh’ for a spiritual battle, he was utterly overwhelmed by his adversary.

2) “One-Third Of Americans Can Barely Read, But They Can Still Vote -- There is a culture of silence around the true status of American schools, and how their incompetence is destroying American self-government.” (Angela Morabito, Federalist)

From the article -- As Americans gear up for our country’s 250th Independence Day, a shamefully small percentage of the rising generation truly understands what we’re celebrating. On the latest Nation’s Report Card, only 22 percent of eighth graders had a proficient understanding of civics. A measly 14 percent were proficient in U.S. history.

This cohort, which was tested as eighth graders in 2022, graduated from high school this year. In practice, this means that emerging adults are woefully unprepared to take on the responsibilities of citizenship.

Most of this cohort is now eligible to serve on juries; less than half knew that the Bill of Rights guarantees citizens the right to a jury trial. Almost all of them will be eligible to vote in this year’s midterm elections, yet only 34 percent knew the functions of the three branches of government. All of them will participate in civic life, whether as neighbors, citizens, taxpayers, parents, or perhaps all of those things. This makes it all the more concerning that 31 percent could not identify why freedom of expression is important for a healthy society.

Ten generations ago, a group of patriots – most of whom were young adults – laid the groundwork for the greatest country the world has ever known. They did a lot of writing, winning the war for public opinion through Common Sense and The Federalist Papers. There was no public school system at the time, but there was a public that was willing and eager to read these texts, which most young people cannot understand today.

Now, not only are the public schools failing to deliver a history and civics education, they are also failing to teach the reading skills students would need to educate themselves on these topics.

3) “Islamist Terrorists Have Killed Almost 80,000 in Nigeria in Last 6 Years, Mostly Christians” (You Suarez, Washington Stand)

From the article -- In Nigeria, 79,323 people lost their lives in 15,434 attacks. These are the figures resulting from violence in the African nation during the six-year period between October 2019 and September 2025, according to a report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA). This amounts to an average of seven attacks per day within the country. Amidst this sea of bloodshed, Christian civilians were “disproportionately” affected, according to ORFA. They faced a relative risk of death 4.4 times higher and a relative risk of abduction 3.2 times higher than Muslim civilians...

In November 2025, the Nigerian government challenged President Donald Trump’s assertion that Christians were being “massacred” in the country, emphasizing that the claim “did not reflect reality.” Mainstream media — more interested in displaying their anti-Trump stance than in investigating the truth — repeated the words of Nigerian leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu without any critical thought. Tinubu is a political leader facing accusations ranging from money laundering and fraud to tax evasion.

The Nigerian government noted that, under the leadership of President Tinubu, the statement continued, Nigeria “remains committed to fighting terrorism, strengthening interfaith harmony, and protecting the lives and rights of all its citizens.” If that is the case, the truth is that it has not yielded results.

4) “The Israel they hate is imaginary: The younger generation’s opposition to a “genocidal” Jewish state has become one of the organizing principles of U.S. politics. But these toxic beliefs have nothing to do with the actual place.” (Jonathan S. Tobin, Jewish News Service)

From the article -- Israel, for those who come to know it, is a complicated place. It’s not the idealized fantasy of novels like Exodus or other classics of Zionist cheerleading. Bringing together Jews from different cultures and traditions from the world over is a wild and often difficult ongoing experiment that is still only eight decades old. Clashes between religious and secular, Ashkenazi and the Mizrachi, as well as adherents of right and left-wing political factions, remain a messy business and adds stress to everyday life. Not to mention the ongoing struggle against an entrenched government bureaucracy and the efforts of liberal elites to hold onto power, despite their diminishing share of the population. It can be a place of anger, inveterate political squabbling and endless arguments.

But the main takeaway from the experience of being in Israel after arriving back in the United States is that, whatever its great strengths and shortcomings, it’s nothing like the place described in the U.S. and international media.

One of the most extraordinary developments of recent history is the way opinions about Israel have become one of the organizing principles of American politics. Opposition to the Jewish state and its supposed policies of “genocide” and “apartheid” have become ubiquitous not just in the liberal media that has long treated it unfairly and judged it by double standards not applied to any other democracy, let alone one fighting for its life. But the drumbeat of incitement against Israel and its supporters—Jewish and non-Jewish—has now become an ever-present topic not merely of debate but of political allegiance.

5) “Who Really Are These New Democratic Socialists and Their Fellow Travelers? -- The new socialist movement claims to speak for ordinary Americans, but its leaders often come from the very elite institutions they criticize.” (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

Who are the so-called Democratic Socialists of America and their fellow travelers? While it is difficult to generalize, many current and would-be socialist officeholders share several common traits. Most of them represent a relatively small slice of American life. Almost all are urban, with little knowledge of small-town or rural existence. Their world is subways, buses, high-rises, Uber, taxis, and proximity to corporate, academic, and financial institutions—yet often with little understanding of where their food, fuel, water, or everyday goods originate, or where their waste and sewage ultimately go. Their worldview is shaped more by consumption than production, as though goods simply arrive in and depart from cities on autopilot.

A disproportionate number of our most prominent radicals are either first- or second-generation immigrants, most originating from failed or illiberal states in what was once called the Third World. They or their parents left their homelands in search of wealthier countries, fairer societies, greater opportunity, and, in many cases, safety and freedom. Yet once here, many of their families have prospered, often aided by extensive educational and institutional support from the generous American host. Few have even tried to explain the paradox of fleeing failed states, only to become virulent critics of the charitable nation that they chose to join.

Many are college-educated, often with degrees in fields that did not translate into the professional pathways they believed they were entitled to. They are often glib but otherwise poorly educated. Few possess any real grounding in history, literature, or the STEM fields. Most of their major and minor courses of study are in the social sciences—political science, sociology, psychology, community relations, and the like—or the infamous “studies” programs.

When they graduate from left-wing universities, they emerge strikingly arrogant and ignorant at once. As elite radical egalitarians, they proudly brandish their degrees and constantly reference their university training. Yet for all the time and money poured into college during what were supposed to be the best years of their lives, prolonged adolescence and bitterness appear epidemic among the new young socialists.

Other Excellent Reads from this Week

* “Why Negotiating With Terrorist Regimes Such as Hamas and Iran Is a Terrible Idea -- Needed: Unconditional Surrender, as After World War II” (Khaled Abu Toameh, Gatestone Institute) 

* “The enduring promise of America: At 250 years old, the US remains a nation committed to freedom and prosperity.” (Joel Catkin, spiked!)

* “Save American Lives and Prosperity by Cutting the FDA Bureaucracy. -- The FDA’s mission is to protect patients, but its outdated bureaucracy can delay lifesaving medicines. Reforming drug approval could save lives, cut costs, and unleash American innovation.” (Thaddeus G. McCotter, American Greatness)

* “As Lessons Of History Are Ignored, It Has Never Been More Important For America To Remember The Consequences Of Deadly Ideologies” (Erick Stakelbeck, Harbinger’s Daily)

* “Whatever Happened to the Bicentennial Spirit? -- The joyous unity of 1976 offers a striking contrast to the fractured mood of the nation’s 250th anniversary.” (Greg Maresca, American Spectator)

A Thank-You Letter Regarding American Energy Independence

After reading this Fox News story a few days ago, "How American engineers unlocked the impossible beneath the Gulf of America," I wrote letters of commendation both to Chevron and Transoceanic. After all, innovation and hard work that pays off for America deserves appreciation. Right? The basic letter sent to both companies is below.

Dear Transoceaan, 

The recent accounts of your amazing breakthroughs in the Gulf of America with Deepwater Titan and Deepwater Atlas have made for a particularly relevant success story as we prepare to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America. Your optimistic and innovative work is paying off for your company AND for the grand goal of securing America’s energy independence.

That, of course, is also wonderful news for the average American whose savings accounts will be nicely helped as energy costs decline

Perhaps businesses do not receive many thank-you notes, but the Transocean team certainly deserves them So, as both a consumer and an American patriot, I send my thanks for the very impressive achievements you have made in partnership with Chevron and others. A good grip of the science. Boldness. Courage. Hard work. A unified team. Perseverance. You are truly to be congratulated and again, to be thanked.

Letters to Justices Thomas & Alito

Dear Justice Alito,

“When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at any price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.” (Abraham Kuyper)

Battle has indeed been your calling, Justice Alito, as you must so consistently fight through the drivel coming through grossly unqualified Justices, the inconsistencies and cowardice of so many other Justices, and then the rank foolishness of a once-grand culture now in sad decline.

But you have fought so well. And you remain such a critical pillar of reason and integrity and justice. The ripple effects of your defense of the Constitution, the rule of law, and the ideals of Judeo-Christian civilization are greater than what you can imagine. Thank you!

The Lord is well served and well pleased with your faithful stewardship. And may He continue to bless you, your family, and help you to stay the course in these challenging times. 

Dear Justice Thomas,

“Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” (William V. Wells)

I am once again moved to write to you in deep appreciation -- and admiration -- for the steady course you sail, despite the stormy seas arising from the “corrupt manners” of our times. For instance, you endure with great tolerance the drivel coming through grossly unqualified Justices, the inconsistencies and cowardice of other Justices who know better, and the general foolishness of a once-noble culture now in sad decline. Indeed, Justice Thomas, you not only endure, you have triumphed. Your decisions, arguments, and personal example are shining brighter than ever and you are accomplishing a very great deal for the causes of reason, freedom, and justice. 

Thank you so very much!

Stay the course and know that you are in our frequent prayers.

Dear President Trump...

 Dear President Trump,

I write as one who has enthusiastically promoted your ideas and agenda, defended you against foolish and mean-spirited criticism, and regularly prayed for God’s richest blessings on your life and family and leadership. 

However, I have become especially and increasingly disillusioned with two areas in your administration. 1) The fumbling away of the massive advantage you had won over Iran. Remarkably now, these arrogant, unrepentant terrorists who remain viciously anti-American and anti-Israel, are getting away with it! Getting away with mass murder, with jihadist intentions towards Israel, and with winning from the U.S. and other nations yet more millions of dollars as they profit from blackmail and violence. Why, oh why the hesitation, the second guessing, the gullibility, the hypocrisy? When your friends (Israel and the genuine conservatives in the Republican Party here) are alarmed and disappointed at your actions (or, in this case, the lack thereof), and your unprincipled enemies like Hillary Clinton are patting you on the back, something stinks very badly. 

Please, President Trump, get this thing over with!

And then 2) Your pro-life statements notwithstanding, sir, your administration’s ongoing promotion of abortifacient poisons is – quite -- literally killing millions of preborn kids and inflicting serious damage on the bodies and souls of thousands and thousands of moms. Please, Mr. President, stop the double-mindedness you’ve shown to date on this critically important issue and start today to truly protect human lives from the abortionists’ bloodthirsty designs.

Most sincerely,

The Top 5 Plus (June 27)

1) “Our ‘Terrible Masters’” (I & I Editorial Board)

From the article -- “Terrible masters” have been elected the mayors of New York City, Seattle, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Los Angeles will elect another one this fall, either the Castro-ite incumbent will get another four years to torment the citizenry, or her challenger, a council member who could drag the city of angels back to a demonic “Marxist 19th century” existence, will get her chance to ruin the town that had long been the envy of many but has become an oozing sore on the nation.

As we noted Tuesday, there could be 10 socialist mayors in the U.S. by the end of this year. If only that were the extent of it. Congress has a pair of prominent socialists in Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents the radical, the lazy, the ignorant, and the useful idiots in her Bronx-Queens district. Joining them might be Graham Platner of Maine, who has no interest in civil service and would rather be the raging fire that burned our connections to our past so that his tribe of political savages can take more ground for the far left.

We should expect, and even fear, more will come, because, as our poll shows, nearly half (46%) of Democrats hold a favorable view of socialism. No surprise there, though. Democrats have been trending toward socialism for decades, and this is who they are now: Terrible masters who are the irresponsible actors Washington cautioned us about. Their policies encumber rather than liberate. Their objective is to rule rather than respect constitutional boundaries. They can’t tolerate dissent, patriotism, or challenges to their power-hungry agenda.

They thrive on lies, promise Heaven but deliver hell, sow division at every opportunity in hopes of creating chaos that only they can straighten out with the boot of the state, and traffic in political violence both directly and indirectly. The evil twin Cs, as they see it, are Christianity and capitalism, both of which must be stamped out. The virtuous C in their twisted minds stands for censorship.

2) “It Doesn’t Take A Brain Surgeon To See Through Iran’s Strategy In Lebanon… So Why Is America Putting Up With It?” (Erick Stakelbeck, Harbinger’s Daily)

From the article -- Israel has pounded Hezbollah and left it in tatters. Iran knows that Hezbollah is in very big trouble and badly wants to save the crown jewel of its proxy network. The regime not only demanded to have Lebanon included in the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by President Trump last week, but also ordered Hezbollah to continue attacking Israel. The Jewish State gets the blame when it responds, and the U.S. then calls for Israeli restraint. Do you see how this works?

Even though our leaders would obviously never tolerate a terror group on America’s borders launching rockets from Canada or Mexico, Israel, as usual, is held to a different standard. Israel is being asked very openly to not respond to Hezbollah attacks. It’s an impossible situation for the world’s one and only Jewish state. For some reason, US negotiators have allowed Iran to create this status quo. And it’s not good.

Related articles: “JD Vance Is Wrong: Israel Is Not Just Another Ally” (Ahmed Charai, Gatestone Institute)...“Iran: Did Trump Cave In?” (Amir Taheri, Gatestone Institute)...“Did Trump Snooker Iran? Trump may have given Iran everything it wanted on paper -- but the real question is whether Tehran fell for a deal that gives America the leverage to walk away.” (Ken Timmerman, American Greatness)

3) “Study Shows Christianity’s Role in U.S. Founding Excluded By Publishers” (Decision Magazine Staff)

From the article --  A study, which assessed more than 300 books curated by children’s publishers for America’s 250th anniversary, found that public libraries and publishers are ignoring Christianity’s role in the U.S. founding, focusing instead on progressive history.  “No books about the Pilgrims as religious refugees,” the report reiterated. “No books about the Great Awakening. No books about religious liberty as a founding principle. No books about the faith lives of the founders. No books about the Black church's role in American history, even on lists heavy with Black history content. No books about faith-motivated abolitionists, even on lists featuring abolitionist narratives. No titles from any faith-based publisher.”

Franklin Graham responded to the report’s release on social media, stating it is “up to us” to ensure “our children and grandchildren learn about the role that faith in God has played in the founding and history of our nation.” “As we approach our nation’s 250th birthday, a new study found that public libraries and publishers are censoring faith OUT of the American story—and actively pushing progressive, revisionist history,” Franklin said. “When they analyzed more than 300 books across 25 reading lists curated by children’s publishers, libraries, and other institutions, guess how many books the study found included faith, religious liberty, or Christianity’s role in the founding of the U.S.? Zero! Exactly none!”

Ben Carson and Riley Gaines, authors at Brave Books, the publisher that released the study titled “The America 250 Faith Gap,” both criticized the exclusion of Christianity’s influence in U.S. history.  “Dr. Ben Carson is right—'A generation that does not know where their freedoms come from will not know why those freedoms are worth fighting for,’” Franklin said. “I agree with Riley Gaines that ‘kids deserve more than a story of what is wrong with America!’”

The study discovered that among the 300 books found within 25 reading lists, there were no titles that directly acknowledged or centered on faith, religious liberty or Christianity's role in the nation's founding. Among the books, the most common themes were minority perspectives, the American Revolution, black history, civil rights and women’s history while books on the American Founders, civics, the classics and other American symbols were minority recommendations. Other titles centered on LGBTQ history, including the 1969 Stonewall Riots, an event considered by homosexual and transgender activists as pivotal to their movement.

4) “Embracing Masculinity: Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month: Men built, protected, and sustained civilization. If we want stronger families and communities, we must stop dismissing masculinity and start supporting men.” (White Papers Policy Institute and Cyan Quinn, American Greatness

From the article --  We pathologize masculinity, yet masculinity is the very quality that leads men to put their lives on the line for perfect strangers every day. Likewise, 93 percent of garbage truck drivers are men. Yet we don’t hear demands to diversify this section of the workforce.

Our men are in trouble. In America, White males, who make up 31 percent of the population, account for almost 70 percent of suicides in America—nearly four times the rate of women. In the UK, 74 percent of suicides are men. Whites made up 95 percent of those suicide deaths. Most of these men are between 40 and 50 and have difficulty with employment or are separated or divorced.

Also in the UK, 77 percent of men have suffered from symptoms of common mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, or depression, yet 40 percent of men have never talked about their mental health to anyone.

These don’t have to be simple grim statistics. We can actively create a policy environment that encourages male happiness by celebrating healthy masculinity and family formation.

5) “’Kill Your Parents’ at the Obama Presidential Center (Daniel Greenfield, Trajectories)

From the article --  Media reporting spent a good deal of time spotting celebrities in the VIP section. There was a sprightly Tom Hanks in sunglasses, there was Oprah, on her fortieth diet, and girlfriend Gayle King, and LA Mayor Karen Bass who had to return home after Los Angeles burned again which seems to happen every time she leaves town. And then again there were the people who actually mattered, who had made Obama and the era of radicalism he brought into national politics, happen.

“Dig it!” the old woman in the third row of the Obama Presidential Center, had once gloated over the brutal murder of Sharon Tate by the Manson Family. “First they killed those pigs, then they ate dinner in the same room with them. They even shoved a fork into the victim’s stomach! Wild!” “Kill all the rich people,” the old man wearing the Communist ‘red star’ had defined his radical movement. “Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, Kill your parents.”

Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, the former terrorist leaders of the Weathermen and the Chicago power couple who spotted Obama and moved him up the political ladder getting third row seats to the opening of the Obama Presidential Center spoke more eloquently about what Obama represented than any of the hollow political speeches and media press releases.

“We want to find a way to turn toward each other again,” Barack Obama claimed, insisting that he stood for the traditional American values of “fairness and common sense and mutual respect.” But what he actually stood for was sitting in the third row and wearing the Communist star. The media didn’t even believe that Obama’s mentor getting a front row seat to the opening of his presidential center while wearing the symbol of a movement responsible for the mass murder of millions mattered.

Related article: “Obama’s Hideous Monument to Hubris: It is the perfect symbol for a sociopathic solipsist and a failed presidency.” (David Catron, American Spectator)

Other Excellent Reads from the Week

* “Air Conditioning? It’s Illegal!” (John Hinderaker, Power Line)

* “Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Epstein, and the Questions That Won’t Go Away.” The public doesn’t seem to care about the former president’s close relationship with the convicted pedophile. (Ellie Gardey Holmes, American Spectator)

* “Why the EU is so much worse than when we left -- Ten years on from the Brexit vote, Brussels is more meddlesome, authoritarian and anti-democratic than ever.” (Fraser Myers, spiked!)

* “The Next Gutenberg Moment: Why Christians Should Lead the AI Storytelling Revolution” (Robert Maginnis, Washington Stand)

* “New Research Points to iPhone as Significant Factor in Plunging Birth Rate” (Dan Hart, Washington Stand)

For a Purposeful Life, Look Not Back

 Old adventures over? Well, in God, new adventures are available!

“Many people cannot reconcile themselves to seeing their finest adventures spent and declining. Well! The answer lies in the surrender of our lives to God, for He is the very source of life, a source that is always new. He brings one adventure to an end only to open another to us. He is tireless and inexhaustible. With Him we must be ready for anything. At any moment an unsatisfying life may become once more a grand adventure if we will surrender it to Him. What is different is the spirit in which it is lived; the person sees things in a different light -- the glow of the adventure…

How many disillusioned souls there are who no longer believe that any success is possible in their lives! Success is always possible for a person who will look, not back, but forward, who will not persist in dwelling on old adventures that are finished, but who will wait on God for new beginnings.” (Paul Tournier, The Adventure of Living, 1965, pages 196-8)