Deacon Mike's first column after stroke

The Big (Almost) Return

The Wanderer / January 13, 2022

By Deacon Manno

(Editor’s Note: The Wanderer is delighted to welcome Mike Manno back to our pages, and we ask our readers to continue to pray for his full return to good health.)

Well, I’m back.

Sort of. You probably read in this space that I suffered a stroke last October.

 

Fortunately, my wife took me to the hospital immediately and I missed the worst aspects of a stroke.

For what seemed an eternity, people kept coming into my room wanting me to squeeze their fingers, and give them the date. It’s Halloween, I’d say, only to be asked a question I kept getting wrong: what year is it?

 

Once they even asked me who the president was, when I gave them my answer they never asked that question again.

Initially I couldn’t formulate my thoughts into words and only gobbledygook came out as I struggled to say something that made sense; I think I sounded like a complete idiot when my bishop came to visit and I couldn’t talk in coherent sentences. I’ve since seen him and I think he understands, about the stroke part, not so sure about the idiot part.
I was in the hospital six days and with my speech returning, I made a case to the hospital to let me go home and put myself at the mercy of my regular doctor. The hospital doctors agreed and it has been doctor and specialists appointments ever since. I think I’m currently booked through February.

Most of the effects of the stroke are gone: I have my balance, I don’t run into things anymore, I can navigate the stairs, go out for lunch, and attend Mass. What I can’t do is read or drive. Apparently, the specialists tell me, that what my eyes see is not registering with the brain (I really do have one), which hinders my ability to understand how the letters make up a word on a printed page.

I’m doing what the doctors say, which is to try to read every day and hopefully the brain will reconnect with the eyes. It seems to be working and I am gradually getting through a book that I ordered just before my stroke.

It does leave me with another problem, however. Since I cannot read without some difficulty, I cannot proclaim the Gospel at Mass, nor can I read the Prayers of the Faithful that the deacon is supposed to read.

Since we have several deacons at my parish, I’ve been effectively “laid-off” for the duration, although I was on the altar for one of the big Masses for Christmas where I simply helped distribute Communion.

The eyes/brain problem has also affected my peripheral vision. Until that clears I can’t drive which means I can’t do my home and hospital visits. How long it takes my eyes/brain to adjust and get back to normal no one knows.

All I know is I’m working hard to get there, and I appreciate all the prayers on my behalf.

I am restarting my radio program, Faith On Trial, as I write this (early January). After my stroke my friend and co-host Gina Noll took the reins the first week, but was notified that the show would be put on hiatus until I could return. The station manager did move my show from 10 a.m. to 9:30 Thursdays. I think that as long as I can get a ride to the studio, I can make this work.

Additionally, I reported to the courthouse that I was unable to continue with the cases to which I had been appointed and the judge kindly removed me from all of them, which, of course, takes an enormous responsibility off my shoulders.

So as I’ve been home recuperating, and due to my continuing eyesight difficulty, I’ve spent a lot of time watching the news on TV — okay, a lot of time with football, too — but the point is I’ve been frustrated that so many disgraceful things have been happening under the new administration concerning religious freedom and our rights under the Constitution and I couldn’t talk back.

Now my wife worries about that because the neuro-specialists have warned me to keep my blood pressure in check lest I have another stroke. Fortunately, this column and my radio program give me a chance to vent that frustration and at least try to challenge the situation.

So now this is no longer just a ministry; it’s my rehab therapy.
For the immediate future you’ll probably be seeing a bit shorter column as it takes a bit longer to review court opinions and press releases. But, the important thing, at least for me, is that I’ll at least be back in the game, probably not as a starter, but I’ll be on the field again.

And, good news for me, my wife will be retiring from her job later this month. That means she’ll shortly have all day to read court opinions and press releases to me. Nice how that is working out – not sure how she will feel about it, but I still have faith in my ability to sweet-talk her (by the way, don’t anybody show this column to her).
And, of course, it’s important that we do what we do. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., recently opined to Tucker Carlson that during the past year nine of the Bill of Rights have been eviscerated, and only the Second Amendment — the right to bear arms — has been left intact. The nine he referred to include freedom of religion, free speech, and the right to assemble — all contained in the First Amendment.

These are challenging times. Every voice needs to be heard and as long as I can write I intend to contribute.

Oh, and don’t ask me about the president. You don’t want to hear a deacon use those words like the poor nurse at Mercy Hospital did.

Thank you for all your well-wishes and prayers.

 

 (You can reach Mike at: DeaconMike@q.com.)

 

Vaccine mandates for the military even those religiously opposed – this Thursday (1-13)

Jeremy Dys

This week on Faith On Trial we have Attorney Jeremy Dys, special counsel for litigation at First
Liberty who will discuss the problems military members are having getting their religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate approved, as well as other legal matters surrounding the mandates themselves.  

FOT airs on Iowa Catholic Radio every Thursday morning at 9:30 CT on 1150 AM, and 94.5 FM, Des Moines; and 90.9 FM in Creston and 88.5 FM Adel. The program also streams on IowaCatholicRadio.com where you can also listen to broadcasts you may have missed.  

MassResistance reports on Drag Queen story hour for children at public library

Another library director is very candid about supporting sexually deviant “Drag Queens” from those who would promote sexual deviancy. Now those people are paid handsome salaries and given the support of public officials.

Back in September 2021, we got a call from a former School Committee member in Reading,

Massachusetts who’s also a MassResistance activist. He was very upset that the local public library had scheduled a bizarre “Pride Storytime” in the children’s room featuring Drag Queens and others. The event was categorized as appropriate for children “birth through 5” and (ages 6-11).

The Pride Storytime event on Sept. 18 was apparently such a “success” at introducing young children to sexual entertainers that the Reading Public Library has scheduled another one for Jan. 22.

Massachusetts state law requires that organizations such as public libraries do criminal background checks (known as “CORI checks”) on all adults who will be working with children:

The Reading Public Library is arrogantly ignoring this requirement. Even worse, as the Library Director admitted above, they don’t even know who the people are who will be coming in to work with the young children.

Many people still think (or want to believe) that “Drag Queen” presentations to children in public libraries somehow happen by mistake, or through an oversight. In fact, they are put there purposefully by library officials who take pride in presenting these deviant characters to children. And normal safety checks are thrown out the window.

These library officials are out to get children to accept deviant behavior as normal. But they blatantly don’t care how this can adversely affect young minds. In their opinion, it’s not their problem.

One thing that these library officials do get right, however, is that this kind of perversion does constitute “serving the LGBT community.” As we’ve observed before, LGBT activists are obsessed with children – and pushing their agenda on young people. While most of the community is sickened by these presentations, it’s the “LGBT community” and their allies who are thanking the library for hosting them.  

What you can do: Monitor your local library for similar events and work to cancel them.

Read more at: https://www.massresistance.org/docs/gen4/22a/Reading-MA-Library-Director/index.html

 

Faith On Trial is now back, and here is this week's (1-6-22) program

Mark Lippelmann

Our guest this morning was Mark Lippelmann, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, discussing the plight of a Christian adoption agency, New Hope Family Services, that sought the protection of the federal court against a claim of discrimination by the State of New York for failing to provide adoptions for same-sex and unmarried individuals in accordance with its religious beliefs. No sooner did the appeals court vindicate New Hope when a second state agency made a similar claim against it.

Our earlier booked guest on the state of abortion litigations was ill and will be re-scheduled. Deacon Mike is recovering nicely from his stroke and was back behind the FOT microphone today.

Listen to the program here:

https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/faith/episode/3655a68e/religious-discrimination-against-christian-adoption-services-1622

FOT airs on Iowa Catholic Radio every Thursday morning at the new time of 9:30 CT on 1150 AM, and 94.5, Des Moines; and 90.9 FM in Creston and 88.5 FM Adel. The program also streams on IowaCatholicRadio.com where you can also listen to broadcasts you may have missed. 

Democrat Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Pushes Bill to Legalize Abortions Up to Birth - LifeNews.com

Democrat Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Pushes Bill to Legalize Abortions Up to Birth - LifeNews.com: Democrat U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal urged the U.S. Senate to end the filibuster Monday so that Congress can legalize the killing of unborn babies in abortions up to birth nationwide. Fearing that the U.S. Supreme Court soon may overturn Roe v. Wade, Jayapal said Congress needs to act quickly to “protect abortion rights,” The Daily Wire reports. […]

Faith On Trial returning at new time for the New Year

Denise Harle, ADF

After a brief hiatus due to Deacon Mike’s stroke, FOT will return at a new time on Thursday January 6, 2022 at 9:30 CT with a discussion of the abortion litigation that is now pending before the Supreme Court with Denise Harle, senior counsel and director of the center for Life with the Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, she leads her team’s litigation and advocacy efforts to
defend pro-life legislation around the nation.

FOT airs on Iowa Catholic Radio every Thursday morning at the new time of 9:30 CT on 1150 AM, and 94.5, Des Moines; and 90.9 FM in Creston and 88.5 FM Adel. The program also streams on IowaCatholicRadio.com where you can also listen to broadcasts you may have missed.

Join Gina and Deacon Mike every week for a discussion of issues that affect people of faith.

 

Inside the new Texas abortion law

This past week Gina, hosting Faith On Trial, interviewed Texas State Senator Brian Hughes, author and chief sponsor of the new Texas abortion law that is on its way to the U. S. Supreme Court. Some analysists think this may be the legal vehicle to end Roe v. Wade. Listen to the interview, along with guest co-host Mary Beth Beacom, which can be heard below:

https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/faith/episode/23917b1c/sb8-texas-heartbeat-bill-legal-challenges-111121

Faith On Trial is heard every Thursday on Iowa Catholic Radio.

This week (Oct.28) on Faith On Trial

Michael Austin

This week we’re going to look at the problem of child pornography placed in elementary school libraries as essential reading for children. Joining us this week is Michael Austin, a reporter for The Western Journal, discussing his recent article about the book, GenderQueer: a Memoir. Join Deacon Mike and Gina as they discuss the questions these books raise this Thursday at 10 a.m. CT on Faith On Trial on Iowa Catholic Radio.

Faith On Trial is broadcast every Thursday at 10 a.m. CT on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM & 94.5 FM; 90.9 FM Creston; 88.5 Adel, and streaming on IowaCathlicRadio.com.

A Dishonest Judge And The Fight For Life

By Deacon Mike Manno

(The Wanderer) – In  2013 the investigative journalist David Daleiden, and his firm, Center for Medical Progress, went undercover to expose the illegal activities of the abortion industry. During the following 30 months, he documented the sale and purchase of aborted baby parts. He was able to document that oftentimes these baby parts were purchased with tax dollars for research purposes.

He also found that some organs would fetch a higher price if the abortion was performed in a manner that might cause a higher risk to the mother seeking the abortion. His report also indicated that some of the fetal parts sold were from babies that were actually born alive.

In 2015 he began to release the undercover videos he had recorded. They confirmed evidence of illegal partial-birth abortions, of infants born alive and vivisected for their organs, as well as a spate of other financial and ethical violations relating to the illegal trafficking of aborted baby parts.

Congress, in response, conducted an investigation that led many states to defund Planned Parenthood. But it also brought multiple suits against Daleiden, including a criminal claim brought by then California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

During the pendency of one of the suits, Daleiden’s defense team became aware of several connections that the federal judge hearing the case, William Orrick, had with the abortion industry. They immediately requested that the judge recuse himself from the case, which the judge refused to do. When Daleiden persisted, another judge was named to resolve the issue who then found that Orrick was fine because the financial involvements were all in his wife’s name.

That case resulted in a $16 million verdict in favor of Planned Parenthood against Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress. But even before the case ended, Judge Orrick issued a gag order preventing Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress from releasing any of the videos to the public and suppressed them at trial. Some of those videos showed how abortion clinic employees callously and flippantly negotiated the price of baby hearts, lungs, livers, and brains.

Daleiden’s legal team appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and in its petition noted Judge Orrick’s conflicts of interest. Recently, The Wall Street Journal included Orrick in a list of judges who broke judicial ethics, and perhaps the law, by hearing cases in which they might have a financial interest and who ruled in favor of their interests.

In the report it found that Orrick had founded a Planned Parenthood clinic that fed pregnant patients into “fetus-harvesting” programs. And before becoming a federal judge, he worked as the board secretary and legal counsel for an entity called the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, which partnered with Planned Parenthood. While Orrick was working there, it set up a PP facility on site.

So how will this new information affect the case on appeal?

“This may turn out to be determinative,” Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society, which represents Daleiden, told my Iowa Catholic Radio audience.

“This is something [the judge] should have told us, but didn’t,” Brejcha said, noting that the defense team didn’t find out about the judge’s prejudices until the trial was underway. He noted that they had tried to appeal the recusal matter after the second judge ruled against them, but interlocutory appeals during trial are normally disfavored. Now that the case is over, at least on the trial level, we have a better appellate case.

“We believe we have a good case on appeal on this issue and many others,” he said. “His [Orrick’s] view of the law was so jaundiced — negative to our side; much of our evidence and expert witnesses were barred.”

He added, “It was a one-sided adjudication before Judge Orrick. The Planned Parenthood connection was evident in his slanted instructions he gave to the jury.”

Noting that Daleiden was not trying to make a profit on his reporting, but to shine a light on the abortion industry’s actions, Brejcha said, “You never had a sense in his courtroom that David was only trying to affect public policy.”

Federal law requires judges to recuse themselves from cases in which they or a family member have a financial interest, or the “ownership of a legal or equitable interest, however small.” This Orrick not only did not do, but resisted attempts to have him removed from the case.

The Judicial Administrative Office had responded that the original reports were “troubling” and that the office is carefully reviewing the matter. “That may be something the Ninth Circuit will look at; his ties to Planned Parenthood should have disqualified him from hearing the case,” Brejcha said.

The appellate case is being briefed now, he said, and repeated that he believes they have a good case for reversal; if not, they are prepared to go to the Supreme Court.

Voris And Free Speech Rights

There’s another case that is being appealed to the Second Circuit that you might want to follow. It involves a traditional Catholic ministry that wants to hold a prayer rally in Baltimore near where the bishops are meeting next month.

The case is St. Michael’s Media, Inc. v. The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and it involves a well-known Catholic media personality, Michael Voris, whose daily “Vortex” episodes are distributed under the program name “Church Militant.”

Voris, as you might know, has been very critical of many of the bishops, especially over the sexual abuse scandal and his claim that the bishops are collectively not taking a strong enough stand against pro-abortion Catholic politicians who still present themselves — unworthily, he suggests — for Communion.

As a result he rented an outdoor city pavilion near the hotel where the bishops will be meeting in November, as he has done several times in the past. The idea is not only to pray for the bishops’ correction, but to be in a place where they can see the gathered crowd. The title for this year’s activity is called: “Bishops: Enough is Enough Prayer Rally.”

To make a long story short, Voris and the entity that controls the pavilion entered into a rental arrangement last summer to coincide with the bishops’ meeting. The city later canceled the agreement, citing reports that Voris and crowd were violent and had connections with the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Voris then brought suit in federal court claiming that the cancellation violated St. Michael’s Media’s First Amendment rights. A hearing was held before U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Hollander, a Clinton appointee, who, in an 86-page Memorandum Opinion, sided with Voris, finding no evidence to support the claims that the prayer rally would become violent or a public safety concern (“The City cannot conjure up hypothetical hecklers and then grant them veto power.”), and carefully took apart the constitutional argument that the city had proposed that its action would not violate anyone’s free speech rights (“The First Amendment to the Constitution is at the heart of this case.”).

“Viewpoint discrimination,” the judge found. But when Voris went to check on arrangements, the city — ignoring the court order — shooed him away. As it turned out, the next morning the city was filing an appeal with the court of appeals which may be calculated to drag the legal proceedings out long enough for the bishops to conclude their meeting while things are pending.

This will be a classic First Amendment case. The court of appeals reaction will be interesting, especially if it acts immediately so as to allow the prayer rally should it decide to affirm Judge Hollander’s decision.

(You can reach Mike at: DeaconMike@q.com and listen to him every Thursday at 10 a.m. CT on Faith On Trial on IowaCatholicRadio.com.)

Court rules against Baltimore city -- Again

By Christine Niles  

BALTIMORE (ChurchMilitant.com) - In yet another blow to the city of Baltimore, a federal judge has once again ruled in Church Militant's favor.

Judge Ellen Hollander of the U.S. District Court of Maryland issued an order Wednesday morning rejecting the city's request to continue blocking St. Michael's plans for the "Bishops: Enough Is Enough" prayer rally and protest.

"It comes to me as no surprise that the Court denied this," said St. Michael's Attorney Marc Randazza in response to the court decision. "It does come to me as a surprise that the City's attorneys are representing SMG, too — yet they sought an injunction against their own client."

SMG manages the MECU Pavilion on Baltimore's Inner Harbor, where St. Michael's had originally scheduled the Nov. 16 rally. The city claims SMG is an independent, private third party, even as city attorneys serve as their legal representatives in this litigation and appear to be acting against SMG's interests.

"Further, it seems that Judge Hollander is seeing how unreasonable the City is behaving," Randazza continued. "When St. Michael's offered terms that would fully protect and insulate SMG, why is the City still interfering?"

City attorneys Renita Collins and Hannah Marie Sheehan had previously argued that if the judge did not grant their request to block SMG and St. Michael's from continuing with their contract, the city would suffer "irreparable harm," while St. Michael's would encounter only minor inconveniences by being forced to wait several weeks to continue plans for the rally.

The court disagreed.

Defendants could run out the clock by obtaining a stay.GabTweet

"[D]efendants could run out the clock by obtaining a stay, with no decision by the Fourth Circuit in time for the rally," Hollander wrote, adding:

And, November 16, 2021, is less than one month away. A stay pending a ruling by the Fourth Circuit — on some unknown date — could easily mean that the rally could not go forward, even if plaintiff were to prevail. A decision favorable to plaintiff could come too late to undo the stay.

She continued, "As described to the Court, the rally is a complicated undertaking, with many moving pieces, participants and costs."

"I cannot agree with defendants that the injury to St. Michael's from a stay would be as minor as they suggest," the judge noted. "To the contrary, it appears to me that the continuing burden to St. Michael's from not yet having a signed contract with SMG is substantial and increasing with each passing day."

Underscoring the point, she added, "There is a pronounced risk that, if the signing of a contract is pushed to the last minute, the ability of St. Michael's to host its rally will be seriously harmed."

Wednesday's decision is the second time the court has ruled in St. Michael's favor. Judge Hollander granted this apostolate's motion for preliminary injunction on Oct. 12, issuing an 86-page memorandum finding the city had violated St. Michael's First Amendment right to free speech.

A separate lawsuit filed by St. Michael's against the city remains ongoing in the district court.

Conflict of Interest

Unresolved issues remain, including not only the precise status of the Nov. 16 rally, but also the glaring conflict of interest mentioned above involving the city's representation of SMG while apparently working against SMG's interests, trying to prevent SMG from continuing talks with St. Michael's.

"The Plaintiff has argued, ad nauseum, that this is a conflict," Randazza noted in his Oct. 18 motion opposing the city. 

Judge Hollander acknowledged in Wednesday's order she has not formally decided the matter: "To be clear, the Court has made no such ruling on this issue."

Baltimore City Solicitor James Shea

Other apparent conflicts also exist between City Solicitor James Shea's close ties to the U.S. bishops and Shea's decision to quash a rally critical of the bishops' corruption.

Not only are the U.S. bishops, the Maryland Catholic Conference and the archdiocese of Baltimore clients of Venable law firm, where Shea is chairman emeritus and a managing partner, thus technically making them his clients, Shea used his public office as city solicitor to okay $2.3 million to the archdiocese and the bishops, via Catholic Charities.

His law firm also argued on behalf of Maryland's bishops against a 2019 bill proposed by lawmakers to make it easier for sex abuse victims to sue the Church.

Shea donates to the archdiocese of Baltimore, and was a bronze sponsor of the 2017 Baltimore archdiocese gala. A partner at his law firm also sits on the archdiocesan school board.

 

Faith On Trial, Iowa Catholic Radio|10/21/2021

David Kallman

Topic: 6th Circuit upholds religious rights v. vaccination against Western Michigan University 

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has unanimously upheld a lower court’s injunction against Western Michigan University which allows sixteen athletes who refused the Covid-19 vaccine for religious reasons to continue to play intercollegiate sports. The Great Lakes Justice Center filed the suit on behalf of the students claiming that the university had unlawfully denied their request for a religious accommodation from the school’s vaccine mandate to participate in sports.  

Guest: David Kallman, Kaliman Legal Group & Senior Counsel Great Lakes Justice Center

https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/faith/episode/22f79f79/religious-rights-vs-vaccination-102121

Faith On Trial is broadcast every Thursday at 10 a.m. CT on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM & 94.5 FM; 90.9 FM Creston; 88.5 Adel, and streaming on IowaCathlicRadio.com.

Shocking sex ed for young kids

Confronting Corporate Censorship, Advancing the Human Right to Life

 

This week – October 21 – on Faith On Trial

David Kallman

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has unanimously upheld a lower court’s injunction against Western Michigan University which allows sixteen athletes who refused the Covid-19 vaccine for religious reasons to continue to play intercollegiate sports. The Great Lakes Justice Center filed the suit on behalf of the students claiming that the university had unlawfully denied their request for a religious accommodation from the school’s vaccine mandate to participate in sports.  

This Thursday David A. Kallman, of the Kallman Legal Group and chief counsel for the Great Lakes Justice Center will be our guest. He’s a graduate from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he was an adjunct professor and has served as commissioner for the State Bar of Michigan. He has had a successful litigation practice in many areas, including: homeschooling, education law, family law, criminal law, administrative law as well as church/state and constitutional law.   

Faith On Trial is broadcast every Thursday at 10 a.m. CT on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM & 94.5 FM; 90.9 FM Creston; 88.5 Adel, and streaming on IowaCathlicRadio.com.

Has Mr. Biden Finally Poked The Bear?

By Deacon Mike Manno

(The Wanderer) – I don’t think you need to know much about wild life to know that one place you never want to be is between a mama bear and her cub.

Everyone knows that, except, apparently, Joe Biden.

During the past nine months we have suffered through an amazing display of arrogance, lies, incompetence, and stupidity on behalf of the president; but no matter how deep the crisis du jour, the border, Afghanistan, vaccination mandates, out of control crime, Mr. Biden, even with dwindling poll numbers, continues to say he is following the moderate policies on which he claims to have campaigned.

And, for the most part, his obedient shills in the media and the Progressive Left of his party have done their best to keep his flaws under wraps so as not to unnecessarily stir up the average low information voter. But this month he may have gone too far in trying to crack down on issues in which the president normally doesn’t have any interest: school masks and history curriculum.

And, for the mother bears among us, Mr. Biden has not only gotten between mama and her cub, but he has poked mama with a stick. This he will live to regret.

During the past two years as we have tried to deal with the COVID pandemic, two issues have come to the surface, both courtesy of the teachers’ unions. In an effort to keep schools closed as long as possible, the unions have worked with the new administration to erect barriers to reopening schools which have created hardships for parents who had depended on schools as a much needed care facility for their children allowing them to return to work.

The hardship of the closings and the collateral damage that was done to many children was regularly ignored by the politicians and pooh-poohed by the press. Yet even when the schools opened, too many, without any real medical logic, required students to wear masks in class, and some even required masks during recess. That set off another round of collateral damage that only the parents seemed to appreciate.

But school administrators and the unions soon came up with the idea of online classrooms, claiming that it was just as good as in-person instruction. That satisfied some, especially parents who were able to monitor the kiddies’ classes. And what they found was oft-times not teaching but indoctrination, especially in the area of race relations taught under the guise of Critical Race Theory or the 1619 Project.

Both, of course, had been complained of, but again this too was pooh-poohed and simply called teaching true history to include marginal groups. Of course that was false and the parents who actually saw the lessons delivered over the Internet were outraged. Throw in a student mask requirement and a fire was lit under mama bear.

She was finally awakened to the dangers presented to her cubs. Mama bear was none too happy. Mama bear then did something she normally would not do; she attended a school board meeting and with other moms who were pricked by school policies, once the bleeding started it did not stop. Everything from pornographic library books to sexual fluidity to cultural Marxism came pouring out and the fire that was already lit exploded.

Angry parents stormed their school board meetings with complaints and arrogant local officials turned a deaf ear to them shutting off their microphones, sometimes only for improperly wearing their masks, then finally adjourning meetings or shutting off public comment periods in a manner that seemed to challenge the mama bears.

Then the debate started: Who is primarily responsible for the education of your kids, you or school officials? And, how much input should parents be allowed?

School officials cried foul and using their political connections raised an alarm with the administration. Claiming that these uppity parents were a threat to the proper administration of the schools by “threats or actual acts of violence” against school leaders and teachers and that they have “incited chaos” during school board meetings, they have asked Mr. Biden for help. Send in the FBI, they said, arguing these parents may be domestic terrorists.

“As these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crime,” they said in a letter to the administration, urging it to use such laws as the Patriot Act and to employ the Postal Service to “filter threatening letters,” all to curb these unruly parents.

Now instead of simply replying that the local police are perfectly capable of handling any violent confrontation at a public meeting, Mr. Biden did what the local school officials wanted. He turned the matter over to the Justice Department where the obedient Merrick Garland, masquerading as a competent arbiter of justice, ordered the FBI to crack down on parents who protest against school officials over mask requirements and their indoctrination of the curricula.

Garland, President Obama’s unsuccessful Supreme Court nominee (glad he didn’t get that!), now Mr. Biden’s attorney general, said in an announcement that he will “address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel” by creating a task force of agents from the department’s “criminal, civil rights, and national security divisions.”

Interestingly, it turns out that Mr. Garland and his family actually have a financial “conflict of interest” when it comes to the issue of Critical Race Theory. His daughter is married to a man who co-founded and runs an education group that supplies Critical Race Theory materials to schools.

Got all of this, Mama Bear? You are going to be investigated for criminal behavior, civil rights violations, and as a national security threat if you dare raise your voice in protest. After all, you may be a domestic terrorist because your interest in your children’s education can be considered subversive in this the Era of Biden. You are warned, we will brook no resistance to our enlightened decisions, after all, it takes a village and Papa Joe and his minions are now the village.

Garland, in his announcement, claims that free-speech must yield when they represent “efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views.”

Sounds good, right? Except that Senators Sinema and Manchin might not agree. But I do wonder why nobody ever thought of that when Maxine Waters was telling her supporters how to intimidate Trump officials in public. Maybe somebody will ask her.

In the meantime we’ll see how docile mama bear becomes when she is threatened by the Biden Gestapo. My money is on mama; if our kids aren’t worth fighting for, all just might be lost.

(You can reach Mike at: DeaconMikeq.com and listen to him every Thursday at 10 a.m. CT on Faith On Trial on IowaCatholicRadio.com.)