Dear Editor,
Racism is evil. Racism is real. Racism hurts everyone it touches at the individual level, the family level, and the community level.
Racism is an equal opportunity malady that ravages human nature. When racism raises its ugly head, it must be confronted.
In his letter to the Christians in Galatia, the Apostle Paul gave a stern and direct warning to the believers, Continue reading
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I am expanding my blog to also be a VLOG (Video Log). I encourage you to watch the 2 minute video.
With video I can talk to you like we are enjoying a cup of coffee, and the video is easy to share. Please like the video and subscribe to my channel to be sure that you get notification of new releases. Continue reading
by If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is a duck. 8th District Congressman Austin Scott dared to call out discrimination in the $1.9 trillion so-called Covid relief bill. He wrote an editorial entitled, “Woke Coke Wants Reparations, and Biden’s COVID Relief Bill Delivers Them.”
Bills in Congress usually have deceptive titles. “The American Rescue Act of 2021” is no exception. A more accurate name would be, Continue reading
by As I am out and around the 2nd District, one common question I hear is, “How are you going to win Albany and Columbus?” The real question being asked is, “How are you going to sway the black traditional Democrat voter?”
My answer is that I focus on the deep common values in our faith, our hopes and our dreams. I draw the contrast between the Democrats and Sanford Bishop and the values we hold.
I draw the striking contrast between the abysmal failure of the Obama agenda and the skyrocketing success of the Trump agenda for the black population. I focus on issues such as life, economic opportunity, jobs, taxes, growing wealth, illegal immigration, and the criminal justice reforms that President Trump and Republicans put into law.
I point out these striking contrasts and issue a simple challenge, “You must choose.” Now I am asking you to help me share these messages.
Message for the Black Traditional Democrat on Right to Life
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It hangs on the wall of a home you know, perhaps your own. It is a simple sign with the words from Joshua, “Choose you this day whom you will serve…. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Picture that sign hanging on the wall in that familiar place. Remember the smell of dinner on the table. Remember seeing your grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, mother, or father, sitting by the light reading from the Bible and preparing a Sunday School lesson.
Now, today, I ask you to let those words of Joshua ring in your ears as if you were standing there as he delivered God’s message. “Choose you this day.”
Over the past half century at least, most black voters have voted for candidates in the Democrat party. That path has become ingrained and traditional. There is something, though, that is beginning to make you uneasy about that path.
Your values are established on the foundation of the truth you learned from your family, your church, and your own prayer and study of the Bible. It is not merely tradition, it is truth.
Now you are noticing the striking contrast between the path of Democrats and the values that you learned in Sunday School and Church. Sanford Bishop and the Democrat party promote an agenda that directly contradicts your deeply held values.
Sanford Bishop has a 100% approval rating by Planned Parenthood and a 0% rating by the National Right to Life. In New York City, 60% of black babies die by abortion.
Republicans pushed the Fetal Pain Abortion bill to put an end to the torturous, barbarous, killing of babies in the womb. Babies can feel the stabbing, slashing, ripping of limbs from their bodies until the only end to their suffering and indescribable pain is death. Sanford Bishop fought against that bill – yes, he fought it!
We were shocked when we watched the video tapes of a Planned Parenthood executive dining in luxury. As she calmly ate dinner she callously talked about harvesting the body parts from the babies they killed. In between sips of wine, she described how, if they used just the right method with just the right timing, they could harvest the most organs.
My God, she is talking about a baby!
Republicans reacted with legislation to completely cut off all federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Sanford Bishop fought it.
There is a reason that Planned Parenthood gives Sanford Bishop a 100% rating. There is also a reason that the founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was so popular with the KKK.
The words of Joshua, “Choose you this day” keep ringing in your ears. You may desperately want to change the subject. The gnawing, clawing, burning bright light of truth floods every corner of your thinking. You realize that you can no longer avoid the issue.
Democrats presume that you will vote for them because that is what they expect you to do. Sometimes, they do not even bother to ask for your vote.
In November, you will enter the voting booth. This is your vote and yours alone. Your vote does not belong to Sanford Bishop, Stacy Abrams, or the Democrat Party.
Your vote belongs to you. As you stand in the voting booth, you stand at that point of decision. You must “choose you this day.”
In the race for US House of Representatives, you will see Don Cole on the ballot. I am the only one who will stand for the deeply held values that we share.
I am the only one who will stand for life. I am the only one who will stand for the people of the 2nd District and stand against the racist agenda of Planned Parenthood.
There is a clear and stark choice between the faith and family values that you deeply hold and the destructive agenda of the Democrats.
On one side is the crystal clear truth of faith, freedom, family values, and your future. On the other side are the Democrats who presume upon your vote and pursue policies that lead to collapse and ruin.
This is one of those critical points in your life. Today and on election day in the voting booth, you stand at the crossroads.
The words of Joshua roll through your mind like thunder. “Choose you this day.” You must choose.
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That’s my message on the Right to Life for the black traditional Democrat voter. It has an impact and will make a difference.
I must get this message to the black community. As important as sharing on social media is, and I want you to do that, I am not talking about merely sharing this on social media.
Now, I am calling on you, as one of my readers, to choose to financially support my campaign. We are under assault as a nation.
I will lead the charge in the 2nd District, and I will charge the hill with every fiber of my being. I am not playing games and I will not mince words. I need you.
What you invest in Don Cole for Congress goes to carry the message from Don Cole to the people of the 2nd District and for our nation.
This is me. I am sitting in my den at 5:00 am, drinking my coffee, praying for our President, our Governor, and our nation and banging furiously on this key board.
I am not begging you to help me meet some fundraising goal. I don’t give just to help politicians meet some fundraising goal and you don’t either.
I care about our nation. I care about proclaiming the truth that we might continue to live as a free people as one nation under God.
You cannot hope for someone else to give. You cannot hope for someone else do something.
Invest as you are led to invest, but for the sake of our nation, and for the love of God, invest something to get this message out!
Choose you this day! You’ve thought about it. You meant to do it. You were going to do it. Now, do it.
by Michelle Obama spoke at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago last Tuesday. She spoke of overcoming the challenges she experienced.
She said that “people” doubted her ability to make it at Princeton. She offered this advice, “All you can do is put your head down and do the work and let the work, your truth, speak for itself.”
In other words, do not let the opinions, or perceived opinions, of others hold you down. Put your best into what you are doing. That is wise counsel.
But then she continued:
“I can’t make people not afraid of black people. I don’t know what’s going on. I can’t explain what’s happening in your head, but maybe if I show up every day as a human, a good human, doing wonderful things, loving my family, loving our kids, taking care of things that I care about — maybe, just maybe that work will pick away at the scabs of your discrimination. Maybe that will slowly unravel it. That’s all we have, because we can’t do it for them, because they’re broken. Their brokenness in how they see us is a reflection of this brokenness. And you can’t fix that.” (Michelle Obama – Obama Foundation Summit Chicago, Il. October 29, 2019)
When she talks about “how they see us,” I assume that “us” is a reference to herself and other black individuals. I wonder, however, who are “they?” Who are “people” who are afraid of black people? Who are the “broken?”
I am not afraid of black people. Most people I know are not afraid of black people. As far as I can tell, black people are not afraid of me and they do not feel that I am afraid of them.
We live in the same neighborhoods. We go to the same schools. We cheer for the same football teams. We go to work together. We worship God together. We have the same concerns for those around us. We grieve when a loved one dies. We suffer and persevere through life’s difficulties and rejoice in life’s celebrations.
In other words, we don’t focus on each other’s skin color. We see each other as valued human beings.
I heartily agree with her wise advice to “do the work.” This is not black advice, white advice, or advice limited to any other racial or ethnic group. This is wise advice for all.
But she undermines that wise advice by making the blanket statement that black people are feared. She leaves the impression that anyone who is not black is afraid of black people.
The idea that everyone whose skin is a different color, is afraid of you, creates defensiveness. It does not build trusting relationships and working together to build a stronger community.
By making undefined broad generalizations, Michelle Obama plants a seed of victimization. That seed sprouts fear, division, and prejudice.
Whatever it is that Michelle Obama sees in “people” who are afraid of black people, it does not reflect the truth. Perhaps the truth is that what Michelle Obama sees is actually a reflection of her own perspective.
by Crisp County recently joined the ranks of hundreds of other communities around the nation offering a course in religious instruction to students who are in public school. The Crisp County Center for Christian Learning, or C4 as it is commonly known, is a local organization of community leaders who desire to provide parents with an expanded educational option for their students in the public school.
Parents want the best for their children. They want them to have opportunities to learn and have a well rounded education. This is a universal desire that applies to demographic groups across the board.
In 1962 a New York state law included the text of a prayer for public schools. New York public schools were to begin each day with the prayer along with the Pledge of Allegiance. The United States Supreme Court, in Engel v. Vitale, ruled that the prayer was an unconstitutional violation of the 1st Amendment prohibiting government from establishing a religion.
For the vast majority, the public school system is the primary educational provider. Religion is one area where public schools are restricted.
That ruling led to more rulings which included prohibiting a one minute period of silent reflection, prayer at graduations, and prayer before events such as football games. School administrators often established even more restrictive policies in a precautionary mode to avoid litigation.
The 1962 decision addressed the first clause of the 1st Amendment that prohibited the government from establishing religion. It did not address the 2nd half of the clause, “or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
The Supreme Court ruled on the free exercise clause ten years earlier in the 1952 case, Zorach v. Clauson. In that case the state of New York offered a program of “Released Time Education.”
Released time allows parents to voluntarily enroll their children in a religious education program conducted off the school grounds. The public school does not pay for the facility, material, or faculty and the program is completely voluntary.
Justice William O. Douglas, in the majority opinion wrote, “We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being. We guarantee the freedom to worship as one chooses.”
He went on to say that the Released Time program, “follows the best of our traditions. For it then respects the religious nature of our people and accommodates the public service to their spiritual needs. To hold that it may not would be to find in the Constitution a requirement that the government show a callous indifference to religious groups. That would be preferring those who believe in no religion over those who do believe.”
The case established three basic requirements for released time: (1) The classes had to be off the school grounds, (2) The classes had to be voluntary, and (3) no public funds could be used to support the classes.
There are no fees required to take the classes. This is a positive option. The families of Crisp County along with school administration welcomed the idea with open arms.
I first witnessed this concept in Wilcox County. Last October, I wrote a commentary entitled, “The Solution,” about one of their community events.
In Crisp County we began last January when a group of interested citizens formed the founding Board of nine members. I was asked to serve as Chairman of the Board.
The community response has been positive in every corner. Pinecrest Baptist Church offered the use of their facilities for classroom space and their vehicles for transportation. Volunteers signed up to help with scheduling volunteers to drive.
We recruited qualified teachers. Individuals and churches are donating financially to support this faith-based initiative.
The classes meet during the elective periods. We send a van to pick the children up at school after home room, transport them to the off-campus classroom, and return them to school for their next class.
Our teacher provides attendance and grades to the Middle School. The time counts toward attendance requirements as it is part of their learning experience.
Our inaugural class of 8th graders will complete the 9 week course on October 3. We already have 35 students who want to take the class in the next nine weeks.
We are asked if it will be available for high school. Our answer is that we intend to expand the program as long as the funds are available to support it.
Funding does not come from a government program. Funding comes from churches, individuals, businesses, and others who agree that this is an important investment for the community.
I see something else in this initiative in our community. It brings the community together for a positive and edifying purpose.
Over the next year, our nation is going to be bombarded with political ads and messages of division and discord. These go beyond differences in policy and political philosophy. Many of these messages will sow the seeds of class envy, victimization, fear, and prejudice.
C4 is one of many endeavors taking place across Crisp county to work together for a stronger, uplifting, vibrant, community. It is a worthy investment.
If you want to know how you can help, send me an e-mail: don@doncole.com or give me a call at 229-291-7114 and I’ll tell you more.
The Philosophy of Crisp County Center
for Christian Learning (C4)
The Crisp County Center for Christian Learning exists to provide Biblical based instruction in the areas of character, leadership, and personal discipline to the students of the Crisp County Public Schools.
We believe that students should be and can be an example to others in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity, and to that end, offer instruction in such Christian concepts as honoring parents, respecting authority, purity before marriage, developing trust in friendships, living a life of integrity, all while teaching leadership using biblical doctrine, examples and role models.
It is the desire of the Crisp County Center for Christian Learning that each Student be given the education in character studies, historical context, and moral reasoning using the Bible and Christian doctrine as the foundation to ensure that each student is instructed in a way that their uniqueness is embraced, and their success is promoted, with the understanding that they are valued as a Creation of God.
by The New York Times unveiled their new project named, “The 1619 Project” in their August 14, 2019 issue of the New York Time Magazine. The 1619 project is a series of essays that looks back to the 400th anniversary of the first slaves from Africa brought to the American colonies.
The Times made no effort to hide the project’s intent and primary thesis. Times stated that its purpose was to “reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as the true founding,” of America.
These essays are neither good journalism nor sound historical analysis. The heading of the first essay reads,
“Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written.”
Nikole Hannah-Jones – 1619 Project – NY Times Magazine August 14, 2019
The problem with the series is with the thesis itself. The essays blame every societal issue today affecting the minority population in the United States on slavery. One essay even relates the interstate highway system during the Eisenhower administration to the institution of slavery that had been abolished a century earlier.
The 1619 Project, in “reframing” history has both a short term and long term objective. Dean Baquet, Executive Editor of the Times, said that after Robert Mueller’s testimony before Congress, the Times was caught “a little tiny bit flat-footed.”
Before the Mueller testimony, the New York Times staff expected Mueller’s testimony would finally put Donald Trump out of office. They were more excited than a six year old on Christmas eve.
After Mueller’s stumbling testimony, their hopes and dreams were dashed. There was nothing under the Christmas tree – not even a lump of coal in the stockings.
In a town hall meeting with his newsroom staff, Baquet revealed the new strategy to end the Trump Presidency. They would turn from the failed Russian collusion story to a strategy of racial division. Baquet exhorted them to join him in the new vision.
“That, to me, is the vision for coverage. You all are going to have to help us shape that vision. But I think that’s what we’re going to have to do for the rest of the next two years.”
Slate Magazine – Transcript of NY Times Town Hall – August 15, 2019
The short term objective of The 1619 Project is to stoke the fires of race in the left’s ongoing war against President Trump. The strategy is historical revision and a division of the American people based on race.
There is a long term objective as well. The liberal media’s assaults look beyond President Trump. They are an assault on the greatness and exceptionalism of the United States.
The 1619 Project has already published student curriculum for young students including reading guides, activities, and other teaching resources. Media outlets and professional journals will present stories and hold workshops on The 1619 Project. Higher educational institutions, especially those who train teachers and write curriculum, will incorporate quotes and conclusions and use them to shape new curriculum for public school students.
Democrats played the race card against Republicans for decades. That well is running dry. President Trump’s policies have led to a booming economy and record high job and wage growth for black Americans.
Democrats can no longer point to economic indicators and accuse Republicans of racial discrimination. Their new approach is to go back 400 years and “reframe” America’s history.
Their strategy is a sign of misery and fear on the part of Democrat leadership. They know that they cannot win if even a small percentage of black voters leave the fold and vote Republican.
Democrats presumed that the black vote belonged to them. That presumption is evaporating before their very eyes.
The 1619 Project is an example of the last gasp of desperation. It may sound good to the New York Times, but it won’t work for Americans who are standing up and rejecting the strategy of revision and division.
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