The Morning Briefing: State of the Union, Learn to Code, and Much, Much More

Good Tuesday morning!

So last night, we chatted in Bible Study about loving your enemies. That’s becoming increasingly difficult when my enemies engage in character assassination against the Covington High School boys for “smirking,” so do pray for the state of my soul. I do send a prayer to the SPLC once in a while, and boy! do they need it… (And yes, prayers for your enemy to repent of their evil are still prayers for their good.)

The state of our union is … ON

Trump has come to an agreement with one of his enemies (who shouldn’t be his enemy, but I digress), and the State of the Union will be happening in the House of Representatives as is traditional.

NEWS: Speaker Pelosi has invited President Trump to give #SOTU address on February 5, 2019 in the House Chamber. pic.twitter.com/5C4m0b4gAc

— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) January 28, 2019

The State of the Union will be a good break from the shutdowns, and I’m still thinking we’ll get a Valentine’s Day version next month — or a state of emergency. Imagine Trump declares a state of emergency during the State of the Union… crap, now it’s going to happen. I jinxed it.

Speaking of Trump and various states of being, the president may not be under investigation soon. As the screaming above-the-fold Drudge story tell us, acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker said Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe may be nearing its long-overdue end. Oh, and Michael Cohen may testify, after all.

Michael Cohen agrees to testify Feb. 8 before the House Intelligence Committee, panel Chairman Adam Schiff says https://t.co/Q6AHQLyeao

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 28, 2019

Whatever happens in the State of the Union, it’s going to be interesting. Whatever you do, don’t be morbid and watch Ruth Bader Ginsburg the whole time. Remember that praying for your enemies bit? That’s for her. We all want Amy Coney Barrett on that Supreme Court, but let’s be courteous and charitable and pray for Ginsburg’s health — and perhaps that she’d have the good sense to retire.

“Learn to Code” becomes hate speech

So, in the days of yore known as 2011, the “learn to code” meme was born. Journalists wrote articles urging coal miners to train themselves for another profession — coding. BuzzFeed’s Katie Notopoulos wrote a humorous quiz showing just how many people have been encouraged to learn to code.

Well, the journalists got their comeuppance on this one. BuzzFeed and HuffPost laid off dozens in the last week, and apparently, these laid-off reporters are receiving the same advice some of them gave the coal miners years ago. Only now, Twitter will suspend anyone who tweets “learn to code” at reporters.

I am told by a person in the know that tweeting "learn to code" at any recently laid off journalist will be treated as "abusive behavior" and is a violation of Twitter's Terms of Service

— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) January 28, 2019

That’s hate speech.

Apparently, this wasn’t hate speech.

Hey laid off journalists who are upset that people are telling you to "learn how to code":

Go mine some coal and then go fuck yourselves. pic.twitter.com/lYWDIIcCKm

— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) January 27, 2019

By the way, many of the reporters who were laid off also went after the Covington High School boys who dared to smirk at a Native American, as PJ Media’s Jim Treacher reported.

Okay, so…explain to me why bluechecks were able to wish violence or death upon a child whose awkward rictus smirk they misinterpreted as white privilege without any repercussions, but saying "learn to code" is a Delete-Or-Die offense. https://t.co/ZGHQXXeSIQ

— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 28, 2019

That doesn’t look good.

So this is cool w/ @Twitter, but "learn to code" is abusive. https://t.co/RWi6lEaPj4

— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) January 28, 2019

Donald Trump, Jr. was on point. (And no, it wasn’t trolling.)

Is this real or trolling that no one caught?

If real, I wonder why no one cared when many of those same journalists thought it was amusing that laid off Blue Collar workers were told to "Learn to code" when they lost their jobs??? https://t.co/cRPKqw2Ioq

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 28, 2019

Twitter later walked it back, but the damage was done.

UPDATE:

Source was a Twitter spokesperson. Company has issued following clarification.

"It's more nuanced than what you reported. Twitter is responding to a targeted harassment campaign against specific individuals — a policy that's long been against the Twitter Rules"

— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) January 28, 2019

The best burn came from Dave Rubin.

For the record I don’t think the journalists should learn to code, I think they should learn how to do journalism. https://t.co/EnABnOpK4d

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) January 28, 2019

Lesbian and radical feminists denounce the transgender movement

Yesterday, I went to an event at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. Riveting, I know. What I saw there was truly remarkable, however. Radical feminists and a man who used to identify as a woman spoke to a conservative audience, and received a standing ovation.

Feminists opposed transgender activism because the very concept of gender identity muddies the definition of biological sex. Key protections for women get usurped by men who identify as women. Some men who identify as women claim to be lesbians, and aim to have sex with lesbians. This naturally makes lesbians rather uncomfortable…

Here’s lesbian Julia Beck on the issue.

Julia Beck’s impassioned conclusion: “I am here because I care about women.” Transgender activism is about erasing women, and particularly lesbians. @Heritage @PJMedia_com pic.twitter.com/fycDFTkwuT

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 28, 2019

Kara Dansky, a spokeswoman for the radical feminist group Women’s Liberation Front, called the transgender movement a “Men’s Rights movement.”

Treansgender activism is a “men’s rights movement,” declares @kdansky. Men need to fight against the gender identity movement. @Heritage @PJMedia_com pic.twitter.com/lxRBTfi9Xr

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 28, 2019

Here’s more on that story.

.@kdansky at @Heritage: The transgender movement is "a Men's Rights movement." The "Equality Act" should be called the "Women's Erasure Act." https://t.co/rDNYBZ0RsA @PJMedia_com #Trending

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 28, 2019

By the way, the feminists dropped a bombshell about Planned Parenthood. One mother told the story of her daughter, whose psychiatrist judged to be mentally ill. Planned Parenthood, ever dedicated to the transgender agenda, prescribed her transgender hormones — testosterone. When the parents complained, citing the psychiatrist’s opinion and giving Planned Parenthood the doctor’s phone number, the abortion clinic didn’t reverse its decision.

Planned Parenthood prescribed transgender drugs to a mentally ill woman, refusing to check with her psychiatrist, the woman's mother says. If true, this seems grounds for a medical malpractice suit, in my opinion.https://t.co/FudEp3xgPs @PJMedia_com #Trending

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 28, 2019

In other news, Google may find itself trapped in RICO and defamation lawsuits directed at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Google's partnership with the SPLC could make the tech giant a party in RICO and defamation lawsuits. It should distance itself from the far-Left smear group. https://t.co/0DCKZQUlqP @PJMedia_com #Trending @libertycounsel @Heritage @CIS_org

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 28, 2019

Photo of the day

Or engraving of the day, rather.

Engraving of “The Raven” by Gustave Doré (1832-1883). Public domain.

As a wee lad, I learned Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” by heart. The poem was first published on this day (January 29) in 1845. I can’t remember the whole thing now, but I do remember the end.

“And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting,

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door.

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor,

Shall be lifted — nevermore.”

I highly recommend the entire dark and haunting poem. We moderns often fail to appreciate just how rich we are, in material and health terms. Edgar Allan Poe lived a life of poverty and sickness. His wife (and cousin) died of tuberculosis after 11 years of marriage, and he died at age 40 of unknown causes — variously attributed to alcohol, cholera, drugs, heart disease, rabies, tuberculosis, and others.

Poverty is the constant and historic state of the human race. It is only through free markets, free trade, limited government, science, and many other benefits of a Judeo-Christian heritage that we can count ourselves much better off than Edgar Allan Poe. But that does not mean we can’t be inspired by his powerful poetry.

Other morsels

Abortion Doesn’t Just Kill The Child, It Psychologically Kills The Mother

My friend Sam Pauken has a new post up on the New York abortion law:

The Cult of Moloch: Abortion and a Nation Under Judgment

Battle of the Billionaires?

Ann Coulter Launches Into Anti-Gingrich Tirade Over ‘Fantasy Land’ Comments

The Left Is Shunning Liberals With Concerns About Transgender Agenda

Hmmm… Trump Outfoxes the Democrats

Limbaugh: Here’s What We’ve Learned About Democrats From Their Response To Covington Teens, NY Abortion Law

Interesting question from John Zmirak: Did the Media Do to Rep. Steve King What it Did to the Covington Boys? (An African-American pastors group recently defended King…)

Christians, Be Like Athanasius and Machen. Stand Against the World

Why China Is Militarizing Its Himalayan Frontier