I think religious houses of worship should lose their status as tax exempt because the amount of politics in those places is outrageous. A big chunk of trump’s 36% got radicalized by their pastors in evangelical churches.
Nevertheless, Lemon was signaled out so brazenly by the govt. The racism is disgusting. It’s another case similar to Renee Nicole Good, where bondi, noem etc want to tell us what we saw.
Lemon was acting as a journalist, well within his bonds. We’ve watched the incident, don’t tell us what we saw.
It's nothing new, currently or historically, and personally, I am not aligned with any religion, but to the degree I studied Christianity what I saw salient themes of humility and kindness. Somehow, and it is not new, positions of extreme hatred of those who are poor and/or somehow different, glorification of great wealth, and a non-defensive desire to kill one's perceived opponents, seems like everything Jesus proscribed, and yet is adamantly justified as "Christian". I am aware of others, some self-identified Christians and some not, who promote kindness and compassion, and fiercely defended integrity, rather than exclusionary lies and hate, with MLK prominent among them. I can be pretty clueless and perhaps the voices of such people (and yes I do hear some of them) are louder and more numerous than I am aware, but I am wanting to hear a good deal more from those who identify as Christian and are alarmed by the way that hate-preaching, nominal-Christians have been hogging the mikes. We have to hear each other for democracy to work.
Once again, my hat is off to you. (If I wore a hat...) Your detailed research and fair comparisons are mind boggling. You have really done your homework! Now... my opinion is that the Trump Gang are reaching as far and as deep as they can in an effort to "prove" that any journalist not officially sanctioned by them must be a collaborator. As we recall, this is the same "logic" used in the Third Reich in its effort to discredit the news media that didn't kowtow to Der Fuehrer.
I keep remembering the drought before the Arab Spring, then the expulsion of Judges/lawyers from Syria. The line of our own courts is holding and quivering, but for how long?
Your careful, dispassionate and thorough explanation and analysis of how the press and social media are covering this story are amazing and very necessary. I will certainly repost it!
As a long-retired lawyer and the daughter of Jewish parents who lived through WWII, the current state of affairs is utterly terrifying. IMO, at the heart of the issue is the notion that The State has total control of information flow to the People, which is a foundation of fascist tyranny.
As a white person, it has also become glaringly obvious to me that Black Americans have been suffering from the State control of information for centuries. "First they came for the Communists ..." so the poem goes, but the reality is that first they came for the formerly enslaved Americans, and now the circle of oppression is expanding. [EDIT: Before that, they came for the indigenous Americans.] In attempting to fix this, let's remember not to throw anyone under the bus.
You’ve said everything I could say. Don was Documenting. He can document. No difference then Documenting a sermon. If he’s documenting a sermon and protestors come in screaming and he’s documenting it. He’s not doing anything wrong. He’s not participating in the screaming. It’s not right to protest in a church do it outside. People are worshiping. This administration uses the law when it fits them or their narrative. Using the Civil rights act against the KKK is just disgusting on Martin Luther King jr. Day. They are disgusting. I didn’t like all that hollering going on in church. Not the place for that. Whoever this guy is if he’s ice there are other people in there worshiping. Deal with him when he comes out of the church and then have your protest. This guy is vile for participating in ice raids. Make sure protest message gets heard and not gaslit into a different agenda. All they are doing is gaslighting. Don is a great anchor and journalist. Thank you for this great piece X.
The only real story they don’t want you to remember is that a pastor doubles as an ICE officer! So let’s go after a black journalist to distract everyone!
Niki Minaj….so much disrespect to yourself and other women, not to mention women of color! You could do so much with your position, as and yet you piss it away. Renee Nicole Good, had no prominence in this world and has done more to bring people together, to shine a light on the hate we still need to fix in this country, and to create unity….as for Minaj?? She’s just another suckling at the tit of DJT! Disgusting!!!!!
Right??? How does that even work?? It’s like you’re a racist pastor?? Nothing says feed the poor, care for the widow, give rest to the sojourner like this!!!
I apologize to any who find offense that my funny bone was tickled at the entire spectacle of a journalist trying to get a story, which is his profession. The absurdity of so many "grown" folks, in 2026 believe that churches are sacred is hilarious. How many churches are "sacredly" covering for pedophiles, as our federal government seems to be? Give me a bigly break!
My concern is that his church is being used as a bully pulpit for cruelty. And the pastor is part of it!! But you bring up a good point. When will Fox journalists be arrested for recording protests? And the government does NOT believe that churches are sacred. People in my own church are afraid to attend because they fear ICE raids, coming straight into the sanctuary during services! It's a legitimate fear because I live in an agricultural county with a high Hispanic population. The school where I teach has put up locked fences to protect the kids. And they added signs that it's a safe space for immigrants.
I think religious houses of worship should lose their status as tax exempt because the amount of politics in those places is outrageous. A big chunk of trump’s 36% got radicalized by their pastors in evangelical churches.
Nevertheless, Lemon was signaled out so brazenly by the govt. The racism is disgusting. It’s another case similar to Renee Nicole Good, where bondi, noem etc want to tell us what we saw.
Lemon was acting as a journalist, well within his bonds. We’ve watched the incident, don’t tell us what we saw.
It's nothing new, currently or historically, and personally, I am not aligned with any religion, but to the degree I studied Christianity what I saw salient themes of humility and kindness. Somehow, and it is not new, positions of extreme hatred of those who are poor and/or somehow different, glorification of great wealth, and a non-defensive desire to kill one's perceived opponents, seems like everything Jesus proscribed, and yet is adamantly justified as "Christian". I am aware of others, some self-identified Christians and some not, who promote kindness and compassion, and fiercely defended integrity, rather than exclusionary lies and hate, with MLK prominent among them. I can be pretty clueless and perhaps the voices of such people (and yes I do hear some of them) are louder and more numerous than I am aware, but I am wanting to hear a good deal more from those who identify as Christian and are alarmed by the way that hate-preaching, nominal-Christians have been hogging the mikes. We have to hear each other for democracy to work.
As far as the threat to Greenland, you have to remember that the threat is from a guy whose nickname is “TACO”!
The only thing to realize is that TACO is deteriorating mentally at an alarming pace since he has been stonewalled by Europe on this effort.
He, the person whose niece said that this was stupid even for him, is the man who has the nuclear codes.
He could reduce Greenland to a mere spot and raise the ocean level with nuclear waste!
It’s time for cooler heads in the Oval Office!
Once again, my hat is off to you. (If I wore a hat...) Your detailed research and fair comparisons are mind boggling. You have really done your homework! Now... my opinion is that the Trump Gang are reaching as far and as deep as they can in an effort to "prove" that any journalist not officially sanctioned by them must be a collaborator. As we recall, this is the same "logic" used in the Third Reich in its effort to discredit the news media that didn't kowtow to Der Fuehrer.
I keep remembering the drought before the Arab Spring, then the expulsion of Judges/lawyers from Syria. The line of our own courts is holding and quivering, but for how long?
Your careful, dispassionate and thorough explanation and analysis of how the press and social media are covering this story are amazing and very necessary. I will certainly repost it!
As a long-retired lawyer and the daughter of Jewish parents who lived through WWII, the current state of affairs is utterly terrifying. IMO, at the heart of the issue is the notion that The State has total control of information flow to the People, which is a foundation of fascist tyranny.
As a white person, it has also become glaringly obvious to me that Black Americans have been suffering from the State control of information for centuries. "First they came for the Communists ..." so the poem goes, but the reality is that first they came for the formerly enslaved Americans, and now the circle of oppression is expanding. [EDIT: Before that, they came for the indigenous Americans.] In attempting to fix this, let's remember not to throw anyone under the bus.
Wow! Another deep, widely sourced, analytical, and therefore powerful post. X, you’re a wonder.
This is clearly another (one of many) dangerous turns of events, even if no charges are ever filed. Thank you for your diligence.
Thank you for your unbiased explanation of the story.
You’ve said everything I could say. Don was Documenting. He can document. No difference then Documenting a sermon. If he’s documenting a sermon and protestors come in screaming and he’s documenting it. He’s not doing anything wrong. He’s not participating in the screaming. It’s not right to protest in a church do it outside. People are worshiping. This administration uses the law when it fits them or their narrative. Using the Civil rights act against the KKK is just disgusting on Martin Luther King jr. Day. They are disgusting. I didn’t like all that hollering going on in church. Not the place for that. Whoever this guy is if he’s ice there are other people in there worshiping. Deal with him when he comes out of the church and then have your protest. This guy is vile for participating in ice raids. Make sure protest message gets heard and not gaslit into a different agenda. All they are doing is gaslighting. Don is a great anchor and journalist. Thank you for this great piece X.
The only real story they don’t want you to remember is that a pastor doubles as an ICE officer! So let’s go after a black journalist to distract everyone!
Niki Minaj….so much disrespect to yourself and other women, not to mention women of color! You could do so much with your position, as and yet you piss it away. Renee Nicole Good, had no prominence in this world and has done more to bring people together, to shine a light on the hate we still need to fix in this country, and to create unity….as for Minaj?? She’s just another suckling at the tit of DJT! Disgusting!!!!!
Yes, I noticed that, too. A pastor who is an ICE agent. Great. If I had a pastor like that, I'd start my own protest... and leave that church.
Right??? How does that even work?? It’s like you’re a racist pastor?? Nothing says feed the poor, care for the widow, give rest to the sojourner like this!!!
Thanks for this reporting, Sarge. I don't even know where to go with the contortions that MAGAts go through. WTAF do they use for brains?
<please excuse the vitriol. I just finished an intense 2 hour rehearsal and I am brain fried.
I apologize to any who find offense that my funny bone was tickled at the entire spectacle of a journalist trying to get a story, which is his profession. The absurdity of so many "grown" folks, in 2026 believe that churches are sacred is hilarious. How many churches are "sacredly" covering for pedophiles, as our federal government seems to be? Give me a bigly break!
My concern is that his church is being used as a bully pulpit for cruelty. And the pastor is part of it!! But you bring up a good point. When will Fox journalists be arrested for recording protests? And the government does NOT believe that churches are sacred. People in my own church are afraid to attend because they fear ICE raids, coming straight into the sanctuary during services! It's a legitimate fear because I live in an agricultural county with a high Hispanic population. The school where I teach has put up locked fences to protect the kids. And they added signs that it's a safe space for immigrants.
As others have said in various ways, well done, and thank you.