Free-for-All Friday

TRUTH

"Our grand privilege is to know God, to bring our lives into conformity with truth, which leads us to that coherence within. Christ has said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." In a world increasingly enslaved by error and alienation and seduced by ideas and images to believe a lie, how wonderful to be freed by the truth to Christ's peace. The Scriptures tell us that the enemy of our souls is the father of all lies. He will do anything to keep us from coming to the truth because it is the most valuable thing in the world, and leads us to the source of all truth, to God alone."  Ravi Zacharias, Slice of Infinity

HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE

Pandemics call for a willingness to break medicine out of the usual red-tape mentality and accept some risks in combating a fast-moving, deadly virus. In that spirit, there was nothing wrong in theory with President Trump’s willingness to push the health-care system to consider hydroxychloroquine, although at his briefings he often sounded like a salesman desperate to make his quarterly quota. Hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, is a well-established medicine for other purposes, and its potential has been worth exploring. Some promising early results led Democratic governors such as Andrew Cuomo and Gretchen Whitmer to join the White House task force’s cautious optimism. Too many of the president’s critics instead dug themselves into actively rooting for the treatment to fail."  The Editors, National Review Online, 5/21

"For Democrats, both in and out of the media, the lie is everything and it must be protected. If COVID-19 positive people whose doctors recommend hydroxychloroquine recoil at the thought and refuse, ultimately dying, and it’s later proven that this time-tested, relatively harmless drug could have made a difference and saved lives, I don’t know how they will be able to live with themselves. Then again, given their exuberance for lies no matter the damage they do to anyone or the country and their willingness to use the power of government to impose their will on people who simply want to be free to live their lives and take care of their families, I don’t know how they live with themselves now."  Derek Hunter, Townhall, 5/21

THE MEDIA

"At this point, it seems that the mainstream media exists solely to refute and oppose anything the president says. Of course, Trump is not perfect. He exaggerates. He makes blanket statements without caveat. And he is known to protect himself to the point of stretching reality. Those who have come to know him and work with him on a daily basis understand his foibles. But they also understand that the president is merely human. He breathes the same air and eats the same food we all do. He has hopes and dreams for his own life and for America that echo our own. Despite his many faults, he was duly elected to lead the country; he has our best interests at heart."  Armstrong Williams, Townhall, 5/21

"The press has a natural affinity for catastrophes, which make compelling viewing and good copy. The pandemic is indeed a once-in-a-generation story. So, the media are naturally loath to shift gears and acknowledge that the coronavirus has begun to loosen its grip.

"Meanwhile, progressives and many journalists have developed a near-theological commitment to the lockdowns, such that any information that undermines them is considered unwelcome, even threatening. This accounts for the widespread sense that no one should say things have gotten better . . . or people are going to die."  Rich Lowry, NRO, 5/22

QUARANTINES

"Apparently, quarantines are for the little people. If quarantines are optional for the wealthy and well-connected, we should not be surprised that they find them much more tolerable and worthy of extension than everyone else."  Jim Geraghty, NRO, 5/22

TOUCHING THINGS

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adjusted its coronavirus guidelines slightly Wednesday, emphasizing that the virus spreads easily from person to person but “does not spread easily” in other ways, such as touching objects."  Jim Geraghty, NRO, 5/22

OBAMAGATE

"President Donald Trump has tweeted feverishly about "Obamagate," which is loosely defined as everything the Obama-Biden team did using their executive branch powers to ruin Trump's candidacy (and then presidency). The Trump-loathing press has responded with an unusual tactic. The self-appointed guardians of democracy who have auditioned themselves as America's great explainers are playing dumb."  Tim Graham, Townhall, 5/22