RUTHFULLY YOURS

Invitations to transgender activists, first openly gay U.S. Episcopal bishop and activist nun to White House event prompt pushback.
On the eve of Pope Francis’s arrival in the U.S., the Vatican has taken offense at the Obama administration’s decision to invite to the pope’s welcome ceremony transgender activists, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican for its silence on abortion and euthanasia.
Dignity Washington, a group of LBGT Catholics in Washington, D.C., are excited about Pope Francis’ visit on September 22nd and are hoping his message of non-judgement continues as they seek acceptance from the church.

According to a senior Vatican official, the Holy See worries that any photos of the pope with these guests at the White House welcoming ceremony next Wednesday could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities.

The tension exemplifies concerns among conservative Catholics, including many bishops, that the White House will use the pope’s visit to play down its differences with church leaders on such contentious issues as same-sex marriage and the contraception mandate in the health care law.

The White House didn’t respond to requests for comment on the Vatican’s reaction to the ceremony’s guest list. White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday he was unaware of the names of individuals on the guest list, but cautioned against drawing any conclusions on specific guests “because there will be 15,000 other people there too.”

Pope Francis will be at the White House next Wednesday as part of his tour through the United States in coming days—but this welcoming ceremony could have a distinctly chilly tone. The WSJ reports that the Vatican has some objections to the White House’s guest list:

On the eve of Pope Francis’s arrival in the U.S., the Vatican has taken offense at the Obama administration’s decision to invite to the pope’s welcome ceremony transgender activists, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican for its silence on abortion and euthanasia.
Bishop Gene Robinson, who has also been invited to the pope’s welcoming ceremony, is a former Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire and the first openly gay Episcopal bishop in the U.S. He is also an ex-spouse in a same-sex marriage. He didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Another guest, Mateo Williamson, is a former co-head of the transgender caucus of Dignity USA, a group for LGBT Catholics. He said the Vatican’s disapproval of his presence at the ceremony “speaks to the necessity for continued dialogue” between transgender Catholics and the church hierarchy. […]

Our first-time visitor will find a free-enterprise system that has lifted millions from poverty.

As lay Catholics, one of us a “cradle” Catholic, and one of us a convert, we add our warm welcome to you, Pope Francis, on your upcoming pastoral visit to the United States.

Americans deeply admire—and share—your commitment, as affirmed in your inaugural Mass, “to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest.” In that same Mass you called on all of us to share in this service to the person “so that the star of hope will shine brightly.”

Americans know this service well. Our nation was founded precisely on the basis of protecting the person. Our founders proclaimed the “self-evident” truth that all men are created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“Mrs. Clinton’s email abuses deserve public political accountability so voters can see how she’d operate with all of the government’s power at her disposal. And voters are catching on. A mere 35% of voters now consider her to be “honest” and “trustworthy” in a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll. A special prosecutor would let her hide this political character from public view.”
A special prosecutor for Clinton’s emails is a dumb idea.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell likes to say there’s no education in the second kick of a mule. Maybe not, but Mr. McConnell might want to kick his deputy John Cornyn anyway for asking Attorney General Loretta Lynch to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hillary Clinton’s email transgressions.

Mr. Cornyn, the senior Senator from Texas and number two in the Republican leadership, says that Justice’s political appointees can’t fairly investigate President Obama’s former Secretary of State. But as dumb political ideas go, a special prosecutor exceeds even Washington expectations. It would let the Administration and Mrs. Clinton off the hook through the 2016 election.

A special counsel would let FBI Director James Comey pass the buck, relieving pressure on his G-men to subject Mrs. Clinton’s mishandling of classified information to the same standards they have other officials.

http://jamieglazov.com/2015/09/18/jamie-glazov-moment-our-death-through-jihad-by-immigration/

In this new Jamie Glazov Moment, Jamie discusses Our Death Through Jihad-By-Immigration, unveiling how the Left is forcing suicide on Western civilization.

Don’t miss this special Jamie Glazov Moment:

Anne Marie Waters had planned to host a Mohammed cartoon exhibit in London today, but was forced to cancel the event due to the credible threat of violence against it. In response, she wrote the following essay on the significance of what did not happen today.

This is not how I expected to spend September 18th. I was supposed to be hosting an exhibition of harmless cartoons, along with others in this country and elsewhere who know the true value of freedom. Instead, I will write about it — while I still have the freedom to do at least that.

The Mohammed cartoon exhibition did not take place in London, not only because of the threat to those involved, and their families, but also because the Left went for our jugular and ensured that others would not support us. The despicable Hate Not Hope (I refuse to write that group’s name as they do), put together a complete fiction, aiming to intimidate others and discourage them from joining us. The far-Left extremists, accompanied by a Christian extremist, pretended that Tommy Robinson and I were using the cartoons to incite civil war. This was based on about ten minutes of speculation, to my memory, mostly initiated by said Christian extremist, stuck within about four hours of conversation — mostly about the Sharia Watch website. This is how low the Left is willing to stoop. Another left-wing blogger wrote that I might sue Vive Charlie; something else based on no truth whatsoever.

In an attempt to wrest some positive concessions from the Iranians in exchange for lifting sanctions against them under the Nuclear Iran Deal, an effort was made to require Iran to recognize Israel’s right to exist and to release American hostages from captivity through the form of an amendment on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Senate Democrats rejected the attempt, preferring to preserve the Nuclear Iran Deal in its current form, rather than to make even these limited demands on the Iranians.

The amendment was offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The vote was 53 – 45, and 60 senators were needed to move the measure forward.

Only one Senate Democrat voted in favor of the Protect Israel and Free Our Prisoners amendment, Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Neither Iran nor any other party has signed the ‘Iran Deal.’ That means there is no formal agreement. That means nothing bars Iran’s race to nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Iran Deal that is at the epicenter of a Congressional battle and the focus of so much attention for months is not actually any deal at all, as not one of the parties, including any representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has signed the Agreement.

This morning, Sept. 18, Cong. Mike Pompeo (R-KS-04) sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry. In that letter Pompeo informed the Secretary that while reviewing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Nuclear Iran Deal), he noted that there are no signatures on the so-called final Agreement.

The most remarkable aspect of this US surrender to Iran is that the Iranian regime is not some hypothetical threat
Democrats in the US Senate this week blocked a vote on the Iran deal for the third time.The most remarkable aspect of this US surrender to Iran is that the Iranian regime is not some hypothetical threat. It has been perpetrating acts of war against Western interests for more than three decades – including playing a key role in the 9/11 attacks on America.
That’s not just my opinion. It’s the view of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. In a judgment that has received virtually no attention, federal Judge George B. Daniels found in December 2011 that Iran, with the participation of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was directly and heavily involved in the 9/11 atrocities.

Linda McMahon is one of the great Republican women….smart, accomplished and a black-belt debater….rsk

Am I the only Republican who remembers Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican? Undoubtedly I’m not, but the people running for the party’s presidential nomination seem to be suffering from collective amnesia as they turn the campaign into a slugfest.

The Republican field is full of smart, talented, experienced candidates. But while they all pay tribute to the greatest president of the modern era, too many are ignoring his marvelously sensible rule.Perhaps CNN was simply seeking to boost its ratings by asking candidates during Wednesday night’s debate, ironically held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, to comment directly on things their opponents had said about them. I know better than most that conflict between strong characters makes good TV. But does it make a good democracy or an enlightened electorate?

Enough, already. What the American people want isn’t a Friars Club roast, it’s a blueprint for success. We Republicans need to inspire confidence with our optimism, courage and high purpose. We need to point the way to a better, brighter future by offering specific solutions to specific problems.