President-Elect Trump on Saturday, December 14th at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, attended the U.S. Army and Navy game. This is the 125th meeting of these two teams that represent our U.S. military’s future leaders.
Watch these videos of what happened and your will see that it’s morning in America, again.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Dr. Richard M. Swier, LTC U.S. Army (Ret.)http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Richard M. Swier, LTC U.S. Army (Ret.)2024-12-15 06:01:202024-12-15 09:07:30VIDEOS: President-Elect Trump, JD Vance and Daniel Penny at the Army and Navy Game — The Boss is Back!
1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV) says, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” In today’s culture, self-sacrificing masculinity is often frowned upon — or even criminalized. Marine veteran Daniel Penny experienced this firsthand when he acted courageously to protect others on a New York subway.
Penny, a 26-year-old architecture student, was arrested in May 2023 following an altercation with Jordan Neely. Neely had boarded the subway, threatening to kill someone. This all occurred after a series of violent incidents on the subway, including over 20 people being shoved off platforms in the prior year.
According to Penny, Neely’s threats were not the typical incoherent ramblings but seemed alarmingly real. Acting to safeguard himself and other passengers, Penny subdued Neely, who had a long criminal history, by putting him in a chokehold. Tragically, Neely died during the incident. Initially questioned and released, Penny was arrested two weeks later by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
This week, a jury acquitted Penny. Reflecting on his actions during an interview with Fox News’s Judge Jeanine Pirro, Penny said, “The guilt I would’ve felt if someone did get hurt, if [Neely] did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself.” He continued, “I’ll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me just to keep one of those people from getting hurt or killed.”
Penny’s actions stand out as heroic, especially in a society where masculinity is often vilified. Many men today are paralyzed into inaction, choosing rather to record the events on their smartphones while criminals prey on the innocent. Penny broke this mold by risking his freedom to protect others.
Fortunately, the jury dismissed Bragg’s charges and acquitted Penny. Their decision sends an important message: a society remains safe only when courageous individuals — especially men willing to act selflessly — are supported, not punished, for their bravery.
Courage and bravery to act on behalf of others is a characteristic that free societies cultivate, not criticize and criminalize. That is, if they understand what is required for a free and prosperous future.
Penny’s actions remind us of the strength and bravery called for in 1 Corinthians 16:13, a charge to remain vigilant and steadfast in doing what is right, even when it comes at great personal cost. And it’s not just physical courage that is needed — moral courage is needed to stand up for what is right and for the well-being of others. May the example of Daniel inspire others to embrace the courage to act against the destructive cultural forces that also endanger society when others won’t.
The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Family Research Councilhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngFamily Research Council2024-12-13 11:30:292024-12-13 11:32:49PERKINS: Embracing the Courage to Act
We have heard so much talk about “Good Samaritans” these days—especially with the Daniel Penny case in the news. As of this writing, Penny was just cleared of charges in the criminal case against him.
Penny physically subdued Jordan Neely, a homeless, allegedly mentally ill man, who was threatening other riders in a subway in New York City in May 2023. Neely, who had previously been arrested 42 times, including three times for assaulting women on the subway, died shortly after the incident, which was recorded on video by a bystander. Penny was white. Neely was black.
Many opine that it’s criminal that Daniel Penny was ever even charged as a criminal, with Neely’s death having been a clearly unintentional tragedy occasioned by Neely’s threatening behavior. Others call Penny a vigilante racist. Already some critics have noted that any potential would-be Good Samaritans might think twice before trying to help. Why get involved?
To many, it was tragic that Daniel Penny had to go through the anguish of the case. To Black Lives Matters protesters, Penny was a racist.
But step back a moment from this particular case, and look at the notion of a “Good Samaritan,” which is deeply imbedded in society. Where does this “Good Samaritan” ideal even come from?
Jesus told a parable one day, and He changed all of history. It is the parable of the Good Samarian. It’s found in Luke 10.
To paraphrase the story, a traveler is robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest walks by and goes to the other side, ignoring the poor man. So also does a Levite—a Levite being a man of the tribe of Levi who served an assistant to the priests.
But then another stranger sees the man in danger and stops to help him and to bring him to safety. The kind man was a Samaritan. And the parable concludes with Jesus telling His hearers, “You go, and do likewise.”
Today we think of a Samaritan as one who goes around doing good, precisely because of the influence of this particular parable. But Samaritans were viewed as “half-breeds” whose blood and worship were no longer Jewish, and therefore looked down upon by the Jews. Thus, the parable of Christ had a twist for its first century audience. The hero of his story was a hated Samaritan.
Jesus changes everything. He changed our views on charity, and He changed our views on treating others with dignity, regardless of their socio-economic class.
The Good Samaritan ethic, showing kindness to a stranger in need, has become a hallmark of our civilization. And like many aspects of our culture, it gets back to the Bible.
This influence is even recognized by legal scholars. For example, in a U.S. District Court case from 1983, Crockett v. Sorenson, the judges wrote of the influence of the Scriptures on American law—including the concept of the Good Samaritan.
They wrote, “Anglo-American law as we know it today is also heavily indebted to principles and concepts found in the Bible….The ‘good Samaritan’ laws use a phrase lifted directly out of one of Jesus’ parables.”
Jesus went around doing good, taught others to do the same, and He has unleashed the forces of charity in our society—through the Luke 10 parable and others as well.
The link between believing in Jesus and charitable giving and volunteering is well-documented.
Dr. Byron Johnson, a Baylor professor of social sciences, who is the founding director of the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, has been documenting the positive impact of practical Christianity.
For example, one of his 2021 research papers is entitled, “How Religion Contributes to the Common Good, Positive Criminology, and Justice Reform.” He writes of the “staggering economic benefit to American society” by volunteers.
And whence come the volunteers? “As it turns out, religious affiliation and participation is one of the key factors predicting volunteer engagement, both in sacred and secular organizations. In sum, the more religious people happen to be, the more likely they are to volunteer.”
Johnson adds, “Americans not only give financially, but they are also generous with their time. Volunteers donate to charity at considerably higher rates as non-volunteers.”
As the late Mother Teresa, a quintessential Good Samaritan, once said: “Today God has sent us into the world as he sent Jesus, to show God’s love to the world. And we must sacrifice to show that love, just as Jesus made the greatest sacrifice of all.”
Good Samaritanism is good for society, even if some naysayers abide by the principle that “no good deed should go unpunished.” Above all, Jesus’ imprimatur of the Good Samaritan ethic alone makes it worthwhile, whatever the cost.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Jerry Newcombe, D. Min.http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngJerry Newcombe, D. Min.2024-12-11 17:16:312024-12-11 17:18:07Reflections on the Good Samaritan Ethic
A Manhattan jury has found Daniel Penny not guilty on criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely.
Marine veteran Penny, 26, placed 30-year-old Neely in a chokehold after the older man began acting erratically on a New York City subway, according to law enforcement. Witnesses said Neely, a homeless man, was yelling and acting erratically on the F train after boarding, adding that they felt threatened by his behavior. Prosecutors said Penny held Neely in a chokehold for approximately six minutes.
The more serious charge of second-degree manslaughter was dismissed last week after the jury was hung.
Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the charges against Daniel Penny on June 28, 2023. Penny faced as many as 15 years behind bars. The veteran and architecture student pleaded not guilty.
New York City and the state of New York have faced an uptick in crime in recent years. City residents have said that the general quality of life has decreased as violent crime has risen, with under half of New Yorkers saying they felt safe using the subway in 2023. Liberal prosecutors, including Bragg, have been criticized for “soft-on-crime” policies, including a refusal to prosecute repeat-offenders. Jordan Neely was arrested 42 times prior to the subway altercation.
Pundits have argued that Penny being white while Neely was black played a role in the veteran being charged by Bragg’s office. Penny’s defense requested a mistrial, telling the judge that protesters were issuing veiled threats against the jurors. The judge denied the motion.
Penny gave his perspective of the incident in a June 2023 interview with Law&Crime Network.
He told the outlet Neely boarded the subway while appearing to be on drugs, then behaved erratically toward others while yelling. Penny said he took out his headphones. “The three main threats that he repeated over and over was, “I’m going to kill you,’ ‘I’m prepared to go to jail for life’ and ‘I’m willing to die,’” the veteran told the outlet.
Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran wrapped up her closing arguments Tuesday. She told the jury that “as the chokehold progressed, the defendant knew that Jordan Neely was in great distress and dying, and he needlessly continued.”
She said Monday that Neely boarded the F train in an “extremely threatening manner” but claimed “so much less than deadly physical force would have done the job of protecting the passengers from Mr. Neely,” according to ABC News.
MSNBC’s report on the death of Jordan Neely on NYC subway fails to mention that he had previously been arrested over 40 times. pic.twitter.com/X5r7tbPn3N
While Yoran told jurors that Penny’s intent was “laudable,” she claimed he held Neely for too long. The prosecutor also disputed the defense’s argument that Neely represented a continued threat to passengers several minutes into the altercation.
“Everyone the defendant wanted to protect had already left the train,” Yoran told the court.
Steven Raiser, Penny’s defense lawyer, closed on both days by asking the jury to place themselves in the train when the incident occurred. On Monday, he employed sound effects and showed police bodycam video featuring passengers telling officers that Neely “scared the living daylights out of everybody.”
Raiser presented the hypothetical to the jury again Tuesday. “Who do you want on that train ride with you?” he asked, according to the New York Post.
A defense lawyer claimed Monday that a “violent and desperate” Neely boarded the subway in 2023 while “filled with rage and not afraid of any consequences,” ABC News reported. Passengers were “frozen with fear” before the defendant “acted to save those people,” according to the attorney.
Penny’s team disputed the prosecution’s allegation that the veteran kept Neely in place for “way too long.” Raiser told the court his client wanted to release Neely but felt he could not because the homeless man was fighting him.
“Of course, he didn’t. He had to remain in place out of fear that Neely would break free,” the attorney argued.
Dr. Cynthia Harris, medical examiner for the city, testified that Neely suffered “an asphyxial death” due to Penny’s chokehold and added that she considered it “profoundly improbable” that abuse of synthetic marijuana or a sickle cell condition caused his demise, according to The Associated Press (AP).
She claimed “the consensus was unanimous” in the medical examiner’s office that Neely passed due to a chokehold. “There are no alternative reasonable explanations,” she told jurors.
Dr. Satish Chundru, however, testified that Neely’s medical documents and footage captured by witnesses did not appear to show the use of fatal chokehold methods. He told jurors that the areas and degree of bruising on Neely’s neck and the small number of red spots on his eyelids due to bleeding below the surface are inconsistent with a chokehold death.
“In your opinion, did Mr. Penny choke Mr. Neely to death?” Raiser asked Chundru, a former county examiner in Florida and Texas.
“No,” the examiner said, testifying that “the combined effects” of schizophrenia, drug abuse, his resistance and restraint and a blood condition that may result in death due to strain were responsible.
An officer can be heard saying Neely had a pulse in New York Police Department (NYPD) bodycam footage featuring the aftermath of the altercation.
“You got a pulse or no?” one officer queries.
“I feel a pulse,” a second officer replies.
“He’s breathing, right?” the first officer asks.
The video then shows a medic providing Neely chest compressions.
“He’s unconscious now. He’s not breathing,” one of the officers can be heard saying.
NYPD Officer Teodoro Tejada, the first witness called to the stand, testified that Neely had a “faint pulse” at first but said officers could not find it minutes after, according to the New York Post.
Neely’s autopsy showed indications of K2, or synthetic marijuana, in his system, Penny’s legal team said.
Penny gave his perspective of the incident in a June 2023 interview with Law&Crime Network.
He told the outlet Neely boarded the subway while appearing to be on drugs, then behaved erratically toward others while yelling. Penny said he took out his headphones. “The three main threats that he repeated over and over was, “I’m going to kill you,’ ‘I’m prepared to go to jail for life’ and ‘I’m willing to die,’” the veteran told the outlet.
What do Kyle Rittenhouse, Donald Trump, Nick Sandmann, Mark Houck, Sarah Comrie (the so-called “Bike Karen”) and Daniel Penny all have in common?
All of them are victims of the “two-tiered justice system” and the leftist media court of public opinion. Conservatives often protest this double standard, understandably since none of these people committed any crime. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s Justice Department has effectively become a symbol for this kind of persecution in tandem with its local lackeys, criminal foot soldiers and the corporate press.
Crying about double standards or “two-tiered justice,” however, misses the point. There is no “double standard” — only a hierarchy without you in it. Their persecution of everyone from political opponents to everyday people is designed to remind you that they are the elite and you exist at their pleasure.
To enforce this new hierarchy, Garland and his allies have created a new category of criminal straight out of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917: the “political criminal.”
Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote in Gulag Archipelago (pg. 505 if you’re interested) that in the early days of the USSR, thieves and murderers were often treated with kid gloves. They could be rehabilitated, the party line went, and they were often allowed to commit crime if they targeted the right people.
Not so for anyone considered a “political criminal,” either directly or by association. Those people eventually ended up in the GULAG. Now this might seem unsurprising, until you realize that the crime of opposing the state could be something as simple as having more money than your neighbor, belonging to the wrong ethnic group, being Christian or simply existing.
Such people were referred to as “terrorists.” Sound familiar when Joe Biden and the media constantly harping about “white supremacist, ultra-MAGA terrorism?” That label should terrify you.
We’ve seen how we deal with terrorism abroad. We lock them up, don’t give them any due process, or just kill them. That is what Biden and co. are implying they want for you, the political terrorist.
In the leftist mind, conservatives who oppose them are peons. Leftists and their minions are the elite (or at least above you in the social hierarchy) and can do whatever they want without consequences. As long as they serve a purpose, the party has their backs no matter how evil or depraved they are.
In practice, this relationship means that Kyle Rittenhouse was supposed to let his attackers bash his head in. They supported our corrupt system and held all the right views. Kyle Rittenhouse, regardless of his political views, was wrong for opposing them, making him an enemy of the state.
Donald Trump was supposed to roll over and surrender the presidency without a fight. His crime was opposing the Swamp. Same with Daniel Penny. Jordan Neely was part of the left’s strategy to foment chaos. He had every right to be a criminal. Penny had no right to stop his activities as far as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is concerned.
Don’t want your kids to be sexualized in schools and raped down the road? That makes you a terrorist too. You don’t even have the right to defend your own children.
As for Sarah Cowrie, even if she paid for that bike, as far as the left is concerned, she had no right to it because in the left’s twisted world, white people are always wrong – the facts be damned. And if things had gotten violent, you bet the media would have justified it all the way or covered it up.
And the list goes on, and on, and on.
Meanwhile, violent criminals get a pass every time. They are victims of society, liberals say. They can be rehabilitated if only we give a little more money to the system – usually money coming from the political enemies they persecute.
But the reality is that the criminals are coddled not because leftists love them but because they are useful. The Soviets even had a term for this – “social allies.” And for the left, every type of anti-social, child-grooming, murderous criminal is indeed an ally to knocking down the system that allows free people to flourish.
And one more thing: if leftists are trying to lock conservatives up for “terrorism” now, it won’t be long before they start trying to kill you.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00The Daily Callerhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngThe Daily Caller2023-05-27 14:34:132023-05-31 06:22:54Merrick Garland Is Slowly Defining A New Criminal Class, And Soon You’ll Be Part Of It