The 3 - April 30, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes two stories relative to continued flashpoints on issues related to gender identity: federal officials have filed suit against an American state, Tennessee, to try to prevent a law to protect minor children from dangerous surgeries to try to change their biological gender.  And, Kansas lawmakers have passed strong legislation, overriding the governor's veto, to ensure privacy protections for women in the face of gender identity trends.  And, in Texas, one of the legislative chambers has voted to place the 10 Commandments in public school classrooms. 

Federal officials sue state of Tennessee over child protection bill

It's being described erroneously as a threat to health care for those who identify as transgender.  It's essentially a bill to protect minor children in Tennessee, and The Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family reports:

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued the state of Tennessee over its law protecting minors from harmful and experimental transgender medical interventions.

The DOJ is suing over Tennessee’s new law (SB1) that prevents healthcare providers from performing medical procedures on minors that enable “a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex.”

It is astonishing that, as this article points out, that a minor becoming a victim of experimentation under the premise of changing one's biological sex is somehow being denied health care.  The Daily Citizen piece notes:

“No person should be denied access to necessary medical care just because of their transgender status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a statement.

From Assistant Attorney General Clarke’s statement, you’d think that transgender-identified individuals were being denied annual physicals, medications, and routine surgeries because they are “transgender.”

No. This is certainly not “necessary medical care.”

The writer, Zachary Mettler, continues by saying: "SB 1 only prohibits irreversible and harmful puberty blockers, opposite-sex hormones and surgeries from being performed on minor children, who cannot consent to these harmful interventions." He also points out that, "Of note, the idea that gender-confused children will commit suicide if their chosen identity is not fully embraced and affirmed is wrong for a myriad of reasons, and various studies bear this fact out."

Kansas defines "woman" in new bill

While there has been cultural confusion over what a "woman" is, the state of Kansas, despite an attempt by its female governor to veto the bill, the "Women's Bill of Rights" passed the Legislature and both chambers of that body voted to override Gov. Kelly's veto.

Liberty Counsel, on its website, noted on Friday:

The Kansas legislature passed a “Women’s Bill of Rights” yesterday which legally defines male and female based on a person’s reproductive anatomy at birth, and stipulates Kansans must use public restrooms that correspond to their biological sex.

The report states:

The law attributes the “distinction between the sexes” as “substantially related to the important governmental objectives of protecting the health, safety and privacy of individuals,” the bill reads.

It says that the bill "specifically protects women in restrooms, locker rooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters, and rape crisis centers." And applies, according to Liberty Counsel to "'other areas,' an intentionally broad term to cover a myriad of situations where 'biology, safety, or privacy' justify separate spaces for men and women."

The new law also provides that government uses "biological sex" in its "vital statistics."

Texas Senate passes requirement for 10 Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms

You could make a strong case that if you want to teach young people in schools how to be good citizens and to understand the basis for our laws, then a reminder of the influence of the 10 Commandments would be helpful.  Lawmakers in Texas are attempting to require the display of the Commandments in public school classrooms, and a proposed bill has cleared its first hurdle with passage in the Texas Senate.

FoxNews.com reported that: "Texas public schools would be required to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting next school year under a bill that was approved by the Texas Senate...The legislation, Senate Bill 1515, will now head to the state House for consideration."

The article notes...

...Sen. Phil King said during a committee hearing earlier this month that he wanted the state to bring the Ten Commandments back into the classroom because they are a crucial part of the American heritage.

"[The bill] will remind students all across Texas of the importance of the fundamental foundation of America," King said during the hearing, according to the Texas Tribune.

The Senate also passed a bill, according to Fox, that "would allow public and charter schools to adopt a policy that would set aside time for students and employees to pray and read religious texts like the Bible at school."  In response, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick made a statement, which included these words: "Allowing the Ten Commandments and prayer back into our public schools is one step we can take to make sure that all Texans have the right to freely express their sincerely held religious beliefs..."

The 3 - April 23, 2023

In this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, the U.S. Supreme Court has continued to allow the sale of the abortion pill until the appeal of a lower court ruling against the FDA's original approval of the pill winds its way through the courts.  Also, a new law in Washington state would allow parents to lose custody of their children if they don't allow their children to try to change their sex.  And, in Kentucky, three church members who were ordered to quarantine after attending an Easter Sunday church service, have received a financial award from the state of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

U.S. Supreme Court allows abortion pill to be sold, for now

After a federal judge in Texas ruled that the abortion pill should never have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the case went on to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which put a hold on a portion of the ruling, but prevented the broader provisions of FDA approval implemented during the pandemic and even earlier, such as mail order abortions, from going back into place.

So, after an emergency appeal by the Administration and the manufacturer of the pill, the case ended up at the U.S. Supreme Court, which late Friday ruled that the distribution of the abortion pill could continue for now as the case works its way through the Fifth Circuit.

The SCOTUS Blog reported:

The battle over medication abortions, which account for over half of all abortions performed in the United States each year, now returns to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which is scheduled to hear oral argument in the case next month. The order means that the drug will remain widely available while litigation continues.

Two justices indicated that they would have denied the requests. Justice Clarence Thomas did not elaborate on his reasoning, but Justice Samuel Alito penned a four-page dissent in which he questioned the need for the court to act now.

Alito had issued the original stay of the lower court decision on April 14, which remained in effect until last Wednesday; the Court then extended its self-imposed deadline until last Friday. 

Alliance Defending Freedom, which filed the suit on behalf of a group of pro-life organizations and physicians, posted a quote from its Senior Counsel, Erik Baptist, on its website; he said:

“As is common practice, the Supreme Court has decided to maintain the status quo that existed prior to our lawsuit while our challenge to the FDA’s illegal approval of chemical abortion drugs and its removal of critical safeguards for those drugs moves forward...

He added, "The FDA must answer for the damage it has caused to the health of countless women and girls and the rule of law by failing to study how dangerous the chemical abortion drug regimen is and unlawfully removing every meaningful safeguard, even allowing for mail-order abortions. We look forward to a final outcome in this case that will hold the FDA accountable.”

Washington state allows children to be removed from parents who do not affirm gender identity

There are people in power in government who are so dedicated to furthering the LGBTQ+ agenda that they actually want to supersede parental rights.  That is the case in Washington, where, according to an article at Townhall.com:

Washington state passed a bill allowing children to legally be taken away from their parents for not consenting to gender transition procedures on their child.

According to Senate Bill 5599, shelters could contact the Department of Children, Youth, and Families instead of parents for minors seeking reproductive health services or gender-affirming care.

That phrase, "gender-affirming care," is, of course, a misnomer - it does not "affirm" a child's gender, but erroneously seeks to change it. And, it certainly cannot be consider "care." The article refers to the comments of Senator John Braun, who "said the troubling legislation 'clears the way' for kids to 'game the system' by taking away parent's God-given rights.  He said, "The only thing SB 5599 would do is cause harm by driving a wedge between vulnerable kids and their parents, at a time when a teen lacks the perception and judgment to make critical life-altering decisions."

Kentucky congregants receive positive outcome in COVID restriction case

During the COVID pandemic, you saw governors across America abuse the executive power of their office to enact a variety of restrictions.  Using an "emergency" as an excuse, governors bypassed their own legislatures, violated the separation of powers and placed impractical restrictions on their citizens.

And, very few governors in America were less restrictive than the governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear.  In case after case, churches found themselves slapped with draconian restrictions, while businesses were able to remain open.  

One such example was Maryville Baptist Church, where congregation members were actually contacted and told to quarantine after attending church on Easter Sunday.  Three attendees sued the state, and earlier this month, according to CNSNews.com, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling granting the trio a reward of in excess of $272,000 in attorneys' fees. 

The article states:

The fees were initially awarded after the plaintiffs successfully sued on the grounds that the governor violated their constitutional rights, The Daily Caller explains:

“Randall Daniel, Theodore Roberts, and Sally O’Boyle sued in August 2020 after they received notices logging their attendance at Maryville Baptist Church’s Easter Service and informing them they must quarantine or face “further enforcement measures.”

The Daily Caller article said that, "The group alleged...Beshear’s bans on religious gatherings and interstate travel violated their constitutional rights, which the Sixth Circuit affirmed in May 2020, according to court documents.”

CNS News notes: that in the "ruling, the appeals court notes that the initial decision reasoned that Gov. Beshear’s ban 'likely violated the Free Exercise Clause because it treated religious gatherings less favorably than comparable secular gatherings.'”

The 3 - April 16, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community includes two stories dealing with the life issue: a new bill has been passed in Florida that would ban abortion when a heartbeat can be determined and the U.S. Supreme Court has put on hold a lower court ruling on the distribution of the abortion pill.  Also, an Oregon mother who wishes to adopt two children has challenged the state's policy that would force her to affirm a child's so-called "gender identity."

Florida "heartbeat" bill signed into law

A bill banning abortion "once a preborn baby's heartbeat is detected" has passed the Florida Legislature and has been signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, according to the CBN News website, which adds that "The measure will take effect only if Florida's current 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge before the state Supreme Court."

The article says that:

...Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who carried the bill in the Florida House, pointed out that real lives are stake in the abortion fight. “We have the opportunity to lead the national debate about the importance of protecting life and giving every child the opportunity to be born and find his or her purpose," she said.

CBN adds that:

The Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group also celebrated the development, tweeting, "This enormous triumph in the battle for human rights means tens of thousands of precious boys and girls will live and have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, bless the lives of others, and enhance Florida's communities."

Liberty Counsel does point out that the bill "provides exception if the 'woman obtaining the abortion is doing so because she is a victim of rape, incest, or human trafficking' or if the life of the mother is threatened. In cases of fatal fetal abnormalities, abortion is allowed until the third trimester."  It also notes other elements of the bill, including a prohibition on taxpayer funding for transportation out-of-state for abortions, a ban on mail order abortions, and funding for pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

Mat Staver, the Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel said, “We commend Governor DeSantis for signing the ‘Heartbeat Protection Act’ yesterday as well as the 15-week ban last year. Tragically, after the Roe and Casey abortion decisions were overturned, Florida has become a sanctuary for abortion. Now the Florida Supreme Court must establish this as a state that values unborn life according to the State Constitution.”   

Abortion pill case goes to high court, lower court rulings put on hold

The week began with pro-life celebration that a federal judge in Texas had ruled the Food and Drug Administration was incorrect when it approved the "abortion pill," known as mifepristone. An appeals court, the Fifth Circuit, essentially trimmed the ruling, but allowed some restrictions on the sale of mifepristone to remain in place, such as the current trend of mail order abortions. 

But, on Friday, after the Administration appealed the lower court action, the U.S. Supreme Court has put the lower court rulings on the abortion pill on hold.  Alliance Defending Freedom, which filed the original lawsuit on behalf of four pro-life organizations said, well, "business as usual," with Senior Counsel Erin Hawley stating:

“The entry of a brief administrative stay is standard operating procedure whenever the Supreme Court is asked to consider an emergency request like this one. It gives the court sufficient time to consider the parties’ arguments before ruling. We look forward to explaining why the FDA has not met its heavy burden to pause the parts of the district court’s decision that restore the critical safeguards for women and girls that were unlawfully removed by the FDA.”

Oregon mother not allowed to adopt because of refusal to acknowledge a child's "gender identity"

Jessica Bates is the mother of five children and, because she is a widow, is now a single mom, according to a Christian Post article that reports on Bates' attempt to adopt two more siblings from foster care. 

But, the state has placed restrictions on Jessica's ambition and Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a lawsuit on her behalf.  The article says:

The lawsuit follows the Oregon Department of Human Services’ refusal to grant Bates the certification required to become an adoptive parent after she informed the state that her religious beliefs prevented her from complying with a state law requiring prospective adoptive parents to “respect, accept and support” the “sexual orientation, gender identity, [and] gender expression” of the children they seek to adopt.

Furthermore, according to The Christian Post:

The lawsuit contends that the Oregon Department of Human Services is violating Bates’ First Amendment rights to Freedom of Speech, Association and Assembly as well as the Free Exercise Clause. It also cites the state and local officials’ behavior as violations of Bates’ right to “equal protection of the laws” under the Fourteenth Amendment. The complaint is seeking an order declaring the Oregon state law unconstitutional, preventing the state from enforcing it and awarding Bates attorney’s fees.

The 3 - April 9, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes news of a significant ruling by a federal court judge who has rejected the FDA's approval of the abortion bill, mifepristone.  Also, there are several developments regarding individuals and groups committed to forcefully furthering the transgender agenda.  And, an Alabama university will be revising its speech codes that have been inhibiting free speech, according to a lawsuit; meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court will not be hearing the case of an evangelist wishing to speak publicly on another state campus.

Federal judge halts FDA approval of abortion pill

Chemical abortion now accounts for over half of abortions in America, according to reported statistics, and the use of abortion pills, which not only take the life of a pre-born child, but also present danger to the mothers, has increased since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration relaxed restrictions on chemical abortion during the COVID pandemic.

But, a federal judge contends the FDA should have never approved the abortion pill, and a huge ruling was handed down on Friday; Live Action News reported:

District Court Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk ruled today to overturn the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, the abortion drug that was approved for use in the United States in 2000. The FDA is likely to appeal the decision. Kacsmaryk gave a week for the order to take effect, giving the Biden administration that time to file an appeal.

The article says that, "The ruling means that mifepristone, the first drug of the abortion pill regimen, no longer has FDA approval and could result in a new FDA review of mifepristone. In anticipation of this ruling, the abortion industry has been planning to move to a misoprostol-only abortion method that carries a high failure rate."

Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit challenging the approval of mifepristone last November, and on its website, it states:

Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys argued for this result on behalf of four medical groups and four doctors experienced in caring for pregnant and post-abortive women: the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Pediatricians, the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, and doctors Shaun Jester, Regina Frost-Clark, Tyler Johnson, and George Delgado.

ADF Senior Counsel Erik Baptist stated, “By illegally approving dangerous chemical abortion drugs, the FDA put women and girls in harm’s way, and it’s high time the agency is held accountable for its reckless actions..." He added: “Pregnancy is not an illness, and chemical abortion drugs don’t provide a therapeutic benefit—they can pose serious and life-threatening complications to the mother, in addition to ending a baby’s life. The FDA never had the authority to approve these hazardous drugs or to remove important safeguards. This is a significant victory for the doctors and medical associations we represent and, more importantly, the health and safety of women and girls.”

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America reported on its website:

In a separate case, State of Washington v. United States Food and Drug Administration, a federal court granted a preliminary injunction blocking any change in the status quo on mifepristone only in the plaintiff states, but declined to issue a nationwide order.

Katie Glenn, State Policy Director for SBA Pro-Life America, stated, "Finally the FDA is being held accountable for its egregious violation of its own rules to fast-track dangerous abortion drugs to market,” adding, “The abortion drug regimen rubber-stamped by the FDA has proven disastrous for women as well as unborn children, with the FDA’s own data showing women have died."

Trans activists seek to shut down dissent

Accept us - or else...that seems to be the rallying cry of transgender activists who have resorted to violence or at least unruly, non-peaceful protest, in order to silence those that disagree with their abhorrent lifestyle. Case in point: according to FoxNews.com, former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines was attacked at an event in which she spoke at San Francisco State University. The article says that, "Gaines posted a video to social media showing her being escorted by police after protesters seemingly surrounded her and followed her through a building's hallways while shouting at her."

The article pointed out that, "The incident involving Gaines followed a Supreme Court’s decision to allow a 12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia to continue competing on her middle school’s girls sports teams while a lawsuit over a state ban continues."

Recently, according to FoxNews.com, on the so-called Transgender Day of Visibility, the Florida House approved legislation that "would restrict the way teachers and students can use preferred pronouns in schools. The legislation also bolsters the ability of concerned parents, students and others to object to instructional materials and school library books." LGBTQ individuals "marched on the Florida Capitol" that day, as activists had done in Kentucky two days prior, when, according to Fox, "state police confirmed 19 people were arrested at the Capitol as large crowds gathered to protest...lawmakers overriding Gov. Andy Beshear's veto of legislation that bans puberty blockers, hormones and gender transition surgeries for children under 18."

 

And...according to the Fox News website:

Two days earlier in Texas, swaths of trans activists stormed the Capitol as the state House was debating a similar bill banning gender transition procedures for children. Protesters chanted "protect trans kids" and lay on the floor in an apparent effort to obstruct those trying to walk by.

Fox pointed out that "The protests came the same week police identified a transgender individual as the shooter responsible for murdering six people, including three 9-year-old children, in Monday's shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville."  Could it be deflection?  Certainly the actions of the Nashville shooter, Audrey Hale, do not paint the LGBTQ cause in a positive light. 

It is curious that protests occurred in numerous state capitols during the same time period.  In Tennessee, a pro-gun control rally that turned unruly, a series of events that contained transgender support elements that were included in original accounts.  Two of the three lawmakers were actually expelled from the Legislature last Friday.  But, consider the intensity of these rallies just after the Nashville shooting - all contribute to what seems to be an effort to direct attention away from the victims and their families in Nashville. 

Plus, the Daily Mail website reports on the troubling case of William Whitworth, who is reportedly "transitioning" from male to female and uses the name, "Lilly." The article says that, "A transgender teen is in custody after authorities say they recovered a manifesto detailing" the teenager's "plan to attack three schools and churches in Colorado just four days after Audrey Hale murdered six people at the Covenant School in Nashville."

Free speech developments at two Alabama universities

The University of Alabama in Huntsville has agreed to abolish its "speech zones" and craft new policies, according to a settlement agreement reached last week. The Alliance Defending Freedom website says that, "the Circuit Court of Madison County entered a consent order Monday stating that the case will be dismissed once the university amends its policy. In addition to abolishing 'speech zones' and the prior permission requirement, the university’s amended policy also eliminates provisions that granted administrators discretion to deny permission to speak based on the viewpoint of the speaker."

Last November, the Alabama Supreme Court had ruled, according to the wording on the website, "that the university’s speech zones as alleged 'plainly' violate Alabama’s law and that 'serious doubt' existed about the legality of the university’s requirement that even a single student seek permission in advance before speaking in the outdoor areas of campus."

There's also the free speech quest involving an evangelist named Rodney Keister of a ministry called Evangelism Mission. The Christian Post reported that:

Keister attempted to preach on a sidewalk at the Tuscaloosa campus of the University of Alabama, but was told by campus police that he needed to have a permit.

Keister filed suit against the university, with a district court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit siding with the school. From there, Keister filed his first appeal with the Supreme Court in 2018, only to have the highest court in the land declined to hear arguments.

In 2019, Keister filed an amended civil rights suit against the university, only to have a federal judge rule against him in 2020 and a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit unanimously ruled against him last year.

“As state-funded entities, universities like the University of Alabama are subject to the First Amendment,” ruled the appeals court panel in March 2022.

“Nevertheless, the First Amendment does not guarantee a private speaker's right to speak publicly on all government property.”

The Christian Post article noted that, "The panel concluded that the sidewalk was a 'limited public forum,' which meant an area 'where only particular subjects may be discussed or that only certain groups may use.'”

The U.S. Supreme Court announced last week that it would not hear the case, so the lower court ruling stands. 

The 3 - April 2, 2023

In this week's edition of The 3, there is a brief review of the tragic shooting at a Christian school in Nashville and its possible implications - there is also an update on what several states are doing to protect children from permanent physical and emotional damage through surgeries and treatments designed to change their biological sex. Also, a negative attitude toward a Christian event at a local library in Tennessee has resulted in a librarian losing his job.  Plus, the governor of Virginia has signed a bill that protects churches from discrimination in the event of an emergency, which happened in the state during COVID.

Nashville Christian school endures shooting, state momentum on protecting children continues

There are six victims at the hands of a shooter who broke into the school she once attended and began to take lives until she herself was cornered by police and quickly lost her own life.  Because the tragedy occurred at a Christian school and because of the gender identity of the shooter, based on police comments, there has been speculation that the shooter's sexuality may have contributed to what occurred, especially in light of heightened rhetoric and threats within the transgender community.

CBN News reported that following the tragic event...

...investigators found more guns and evidence at Hale's home, including detailed maps, surveillance of the school, and a manifesto, all revealing a planned, targeted attack.

The Washington Stand quoted from Tennessee state representative Tim Burchett, who told Family Research Council President Tony Perkins: "Obviously, it’s a mental health issue, and it’s just a complete and total tragedy,” adding, "I honestly feel like this is some sort of demonic possession that has gotten into our world today. And it’s become accepted."

The article went on to say:

Perkins said the shooting shows that Christian school students are “not beyond the reach of” the “corrupting and chaotic influence of [U.S.] culture.”

Hale’s former classmate at the Nossi College of Art and Design confirmed that the shooter identified as male, using the name “Aiden Hale.” Reporters pressed Drake for additional details about what role Hale’s transgender identity played in the mass murder inside a church-run school.

“Do you have any reason to believe that how she identifies has any motive for targeting the school?" asked one journalist.

“We can give you that at a later time. There is some theory to that,” Drake answered.

Tennessee had just passed strong legislation preventing experimenting on minors by attempting to change their sex through surgeries and treatments.  The state also passed legislation preventing drag performances in front of children.  But, according to the Washington Examiner:

A federal judge in Tennessee temporarily blocked a new state law on Friday that would criminalize drag performances in public or in front of children. The ruling came just hours before the law was set to take effect at midnight.

Judge Thomas Parker issued a temporary restraining order, citing the law as a "vague and overly-broad" restriction to the constitutional protections of freedom of speech.

A number of states have passed legislation to protect children from the "gender identity" agenda, according to The Washington Stand, which reported:

In the first two months of 2023, four state legislatures passed bills offering some degree of protection to minors from health care professionals who would perform gender transition procedures on them. Utah’sSB 16 was signed into law on January 28. South Dakota’sHB 1080 was signed into law on February 14. Mississippi’sHB 1125 was signed into law on February 28. And Tennessee’sSB 1 was signed into law on March 2 (though passed in February).

This legislative progress accelerated in late March, as four state legislatures passed bills in rapid succession.

Those legislatures were in Iowa, Georgia, West Virginia, and Kentucky; about the Bluegrass State, the article said...

...on March 29, the Kentucky General Assembly voted (29-8 in the Senate and 76-23 in the House) to override a veto of SB 150 by Governor Andy Beshear (D). The measure protects children from gender transition procedures, as well as securing school locker rooms and bathrooms from members of the opposite sex and guaranteeing parental rights in education.

Actor's reading event results in librarian being fired

Also, in the Nashville area, actor Kirk Cameron was featured in an event in a library in suburban Hendersonville, Tennessee, reading his children's book, As You Grow. The Christian Post reported that the librarian there was generally unsupportive of the event. 

The article says:

The Sumner County Library Board voted 4-3 to fire Hendersonville Library Director Allan Morales, reported The Tennessean on Thursday, with Mayor John Isbell stating that the termination was "related to the Kirk Cameron event."

Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty, who was featured at the event, along with former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, had "...claimed that the library staff was talking loudly, playing music and banging cabinets when she and Cameron attempted to film a promotional video on the day of the event." The Post article also stated:

According to Robertson, a Brave Books team member then asked someone in charge if they could ask their staff to keep it down for a few minutes. While Robertson didn't mention Morales by name, that person allegedly told the Brave Books team member something to the extent of, "You're not even supposed to be here anyway."

According to the reality star, there had been "tension" leading up to the event, as some unnamed individual had attempted to lead a campaign against the library event.

The article goes on to say:

In a series of email messages between the library and a Brave Books representative obtained by CP, the former library director appeared concerned about the event's size and that it would be political.

The former library director noted that a recent Fox News article had created a "stir" and that the activities and guest appearances described by the outlet were not part of an original agreement.

County Commissioner Tim Jones made comments on the incident on Facebook. The article notes that Jones indicated that "Brave Books had a contract with the library stipulating that they could use the facility's community room for the event and that Morales 'reluctantly agreed' to let the group use the foyer to film promotional videos." It went on to say: "Jones believes that Morales did not intervene when his staff became disruptive, and he maintained a negative attitude despite the mayor expressing support for the event."

Virginia bill protects churches during emergencies

In state after state during the coronavirus pandemic, you saw governments that treated churches as second-class citizens, determining that churches were "non-essential" and had to remain closed, while businesses of different types, including liquor stores and abortion clinics, were allowed to stay open.

The state of Virginia had stringent regulations in effect, and a different governor, Glenn Youngkin has been elected.  Alliance Defending Freedom reported on its website that Youngkin signed "a bill that ensures churches are allowed to remain open during a state of emergency on the same or better terms as other businesses and services.

ADF Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen commented by saying:

While public officials have the authority and responsibility to protect public health and safety, the First Amendment prohibits the government from treating churches worse than shopping centers, restaurants, or gyms. This bill takes the modest step of ensuring that officials cannot use a public crisis to discriminate against religious services in churches and other houses of worship.