An Appeal for Justice
We are living in the days the Bible said would come, where evil is called good and good is called evil. In the midst of this, some of our state governors and legislatures are taking action. They are not just acting in defense either, but are getting ahead of the corruption by putting laws in place to stop or minimize some federal actions.
Georgia’s Voter Laws
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed SB202 into law on March 25th and it has created a firestorm. This Election Reform Law features an increase in the early voting period and an option to extend voting hours. It dictates that absentee ballots must be counted by 5 PM the day after elections, and allows the use of drop boxes only in the early voting period.1
But the point in the law that is most at issue is the voter ID requirement. Voters must confirm their identity whether voting in person or requesting a mail-in or absentee ballot. The law states, “In order to confirm the identity of the voter, such form shall require the elector to provide his or her name, date of birth, address as the registered address where the elector wishes the ballot to be mailed, and the number of his or her Georgia driver’s license or identification card issued.”2 You can read the full law here.
Delta Airlines was one of the first to condemn the new law, saying it would cause limitations to voting among the black community. As Fox News host, Tomi Lahren said about this response, “Would that make Delta Airlines racist for requiring a driver’s license or other government issued ID to fly?”3 This is political to the core.
United Airlines has now followed Delta’s lead. Other prominent companies speaking out against the law are Salesforce, Patagonia, Coca-Cola, and Major League Baseball. As Senator Rand Paul tweeted, “Your sports league might be a little too woke if it will freely do business with communists in China and Cuba, but boycotts a U.S. state that wants people to show an ID to vote.” Insanity.
This has caused a wave of economic impact over the issue. In support of the law, Donald Trump has called for the boycott of Coca-Cola, in addition to Delta AIrlines. Some Republican legislators in Georgia have asked for the removal of Coca-Cola products from their offices. In opposition to the law, New Jersey Governor Murphy is seeking to entice Atlanta’s movie industry to relocate to his state.4
But the largest current economic effect could come from MLB’s decision to move the All-Star game from Atlanta to Coors Field in Denver, CO. The Atlanta Braves Organization said MLB’s decision “only hurts business, employees, and fans in Georgia.”5
There are reportedly a number of other conservative states looking to enact similar laws, so this battle is far from over. These states are trying to get ahead of potential Executive Orders or any legislation Congress might try to enact on election reform.
Arizona’s Recount
The battle over election integrity in Arizona has never ended. While the 2020 election results in Arizona may be “settled” in D.C. and the media, they have never been settled in that state. Republican State Senators have pressed ahead and are requiring an audit of Maricopa County’s results. “They have hired four firms to audit election results and recount all 2.1 million ballots cast.”6 The county did everything they could to stop this audit from occurring. The recounts will include all races, including the presidential race.
It is deemed necessary by the AZ Senate, “to bring election integrity to the election process,” according to Senate President Karen Fann. She continued, “As Board Chair (Jack) Sellers and County Recorder (Stephen) Richer wrote in The Arizona Republic, a democracy cannot survive if its people do not believe elections are free and fair.’”7
Children at the Border
One of the great humanitarian crises in the world today may be brewing at our southern border. The situation there, especially where it concerns children, was highlighted recently when two girls, ages 3 and 5, were dropped over the border wall near El Paso, TX, miles from any town. The world watched with horror as security cameras at the border wall captured the callous action. Thankfully, border agents saw it and moved quickly to save the sisters, who were not badly hurt. They have now become two of the thousands of children held in U.S. detention centers.
The U.K.’s Daily Mail provided some statistics to help us grasp the weight of this problem:
- Around 16,000 minors crossed the US-Mexico border in March, with 5,767 children in Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) custody on Sunday, 4/3, according to CBP data.
- Additionally, there are 11,886 children in the custody of Health and Human Services, meaning the Biden administration has more than 17,500 children in custody.
- Last week, the Biden administration finally allowed journalists inside the Donna facility in Texas for the first time, after weeks of shutting the media out and releasing their own photos. There, more than 4,000 migrants, including children and families, [are] crammed into pods with the facility now at 1700 percent capacity.
- Border guards say roughly one in seven of the migrant children have tested positive for COVID, while photos also show detainees being treated for lice.
- U.S. border officials estimate that up to 184,000 unaccompanied migrant children could arrive at the US-Mexico border this year, according to internal government data reviewed by Reuters.8 [Let that number sink in.]
Even CNN reported, “Border processing facilities for migrant children are ‘stretched beyond thin’ and experiencing ‘profound overcrowding’ that make social distancing ‘impossible,’ court-appointed monitors said in documents made public this weekend.”9
Amid growing criticism, the Biden Administration has become very defensive of its handling of the situation at the border.10 Reporters questioned Biden on his immigration policies in a press conference on March 25th, in which he said he would not send unaccompanied minors back. There was some pushback by reporters saying – if parents think they can get their children over the border, then be allowed to come to get them on the U.S. side, they will likely believe they can stay. You can read the entire press conference comments here on Whitehouse.gov.
The Lord loves and cares about these children and families. Struggling people in other nations see America as a land of opportunity. We know that and have compassion for their situation. The answers to this situation are complicated, and we must ask the Lord to grant our leaders His wisdom, and the necessary resolve to effectively deal with it. The church in these areas is being called in to help, as well. Pray for them; perhaps send them support. These are days of opportunity to show the love of Christ to those in pain. May it result in a harvest of souls.
“A lover of justice is our mighty King; he is right in all his ways. He insists on being fair to all, promoting true justice and righteousness” (Psalm 99:3-5)
Pray with me:
Father, we are living in very complicated days. Truth seems far from many. Unrighteousness abounds and we are told lies on a continuous basis. We are thankful for Your Holy Spirit living in us, guiding us into all truth.
Thank you for raising up and placing men and women of conviction in seats of government, especially at our state levels. We need them to uncover and remove corruption. We need them to enact righteous laws. We bless them for taking bold and righteous stands, unafraid of what can happen to them. Protect them from personal attacks on their reputations and families. Bless their states’ economies, which satan and the left is seeking to destroy.
Lord, please intervene in the tragic mess at our southern border. Send your holy angel armies to watch over the multitude of children being sent to America by their families. Forgive our nation for the government’s encouragement of this. Lord, give strategies to Your people to solve the problems associated with this crisis. We need answers that are beyond our natural knowledge. Save and heal the children that have come. Reunite them with their families. We say, “Grace to this mountain in Jesus’ name.” Amen.
Today’s decree:
We decree that righteousness, truth, justice, and mercy will prevail in America.
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2 https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20212022/201498
5 https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2021/4/5/22368566/corporate-response-georgia-sb202
7 Ibid.
9 https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/05/politics/border-facilities-migrant-children/index.html10 https://nypost.com/2021/04/05/white-house-defensive-over-poll-numbers-amid-border-crisis/