Category Archives: Freedom

Freedom of Speech is being defended by two U.S. attorneys general and the Joe Biden censorship squad is being sued for social media collusion. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, bold warriors of justice are on the frontlines.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has been tweeting information at https://twitter.com/AGEricSchmitt/status/1522298313311096833.

Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us. William O. Douglas

Applause for the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana for initiating the recent lawsuit. But, where are the other state leaders of justice?

According to the National Association of Attorneys General, all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have an attorney general who serves as the chief legal officer in their jurisdiction, counsels its government agencies and legislatures, and is a representative of the public interest. Click the following link to find the attorney general in your state. https://www.naag.org/news-resources/research-data/who-are-americas-attorneys-general/.

According to The World Tribune, the lawsuit alleges Joe Biden, former press secretary Jen Psaki, Anthony Fauci, former Disinformation Governance Board executive director Nina Jankowicz, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and others)pressured and colluded with social media giants Meta, Twitter, and YouTube to censor free speech in the name of combating so-called disinformation and misinformation, which led to the suppression and censorship of truthful information on several topics, including COVID-19. Visit https://www.worldtribune.com/lawsuit-alleging-biden-collusion-with-social-media-to-censor-conservatives-allowed-to-proceed/.

Biden and Big Tech are also on the hotseat for allegedly trying to squash the Hunter Biden laptop story in the lawsuit.

In reference to the lawsuit, The New York Post reported, The suit specifically accuses the government of suppression in the case of The Posts Hunter Biden laptop story, the theory that COVID-19 stemmed from a Wuhan lab, the effectiveness of wearing masks to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the security of mail-in voting during the pandemic. Visit https://nypost.com/2022/05/05/biden-sued-for-colluding-with-big-tech-to-suppress-free-speech-on-hunter-laptop/.

Biden, top-ranking government officials and five social media autocrats must provide documents within 30 days. Twitter, Meta (aka Facebook), YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn were served third-party subpoenas. Visit https://ago.mo.gov/home/news/2022/07/19/missouri-louisiana-serve-discovery-requests-subpoenas-on-top-biden-administration-officials-and-social-media-giants.

Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech. Benjamin Franklin

Will attorney generals, judges, and courts encounter more censorship about the alleged censorship from the censorship caravan?

The D.C. spin machine must be twirling and whirling like rubbish in a tornado. The fiends of fib are working overtime while the puppet masters circle the wagons. And of course, mainstream media puppets are ignoring the elephant in the room. What elephant? What censoring of speech? What lawsuit?

What can citizens do? Contact Ohio Attorney General Don Yost and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and send them a link to my op-ed article. Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper. Tweet and retweet info on the ensuing lawsuit. Vote in the upcoming election. And attend peaceful gatherings to defend and preserve Freedom of Speech.

Wise up. Stand up. Speak Up. Ohioans, choose to fight for our freedoms.

Well, I wont back down. No, I wont back down. You can stand me up to the gates of hell, but I wont back down sang Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

Martin

Reach Melissa Martin at [emailprotected]

Melissa Martin, PhD., a freelance syndicated columnist, is published in various national and international print and digital newspapers. She is a semi-retired therapist and educator. Martin lives in southern Ohio.

Please submit comments and Letters to the Editor to [emailprotected] for publishing consideration by our editorial board.

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Will Ohio Attorney Don Yost join the fight for freedom of speech? - Portsmouth Daily Times

Story submitted by Thomas Pitcher

In early July of 1863, Henry Clay took a bayonet in the arm.

Clay, a slave, was trying to escape the victorious Federal army at Gettysburg. His Confederate master had either been killed or also taken prisoner by the Union Army. Following the aftermath of this decisive battle, nearly 7,000 rebel prisoners were taken to Baltimores Fort McHenry. Less discussed is the 64 captured African American slaves, like Clay, brought into the war to cook and clean for the southern army.

Lynne Belluscio, LeRoys town historian, first mentioned the other Henry Clay in 1998 and then with a more detailed article in the LeRoy Pennysaver in 2014. Through her research, we learned that Clay was born in Washington County, Georgia in 1849.

While the information is scarce, Clays place in American history is nothing short of remarkable.

Six months before the Battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves within the rebellious states. Despite the 4 million enslaved African Americans, the orders immediate impact was only felt by the roughly 50,000 slaves in Confederate regions occupied by the Union Army. Gettysburgs aftermath served as an important litmus test for Lincolns proclamation, specifically the treatment of Confederate slaves captured in battle.

Five weeks after Gettysburg, the commissary general of prisoners in the U.S Army, Colonel William Hoffman, declared that captured [African Americans] are ranked as camp followers and therefore prisoners of war. This meant that slaves like Clay would be returned to their masters as dictated through the prisoner exchange system. Colonel Peter A. Porter didnt buy it. He believed that captured slaves be employed in the service of the Government as paid laborers thus rendering service to the Government and avoiding the return to slavery . Raising the stakes, Porter suggested that the decision was beyond Hoffmans jurisdiction and that it be forwarded to the Secretary of War.

The Union Army sided with Porter. Of the 64 slaves captured at Gettysburg, half of them chose freedom and remained in the north. Sixteen joined as cooks in the regiments stationed in Baltimore. Henry Clay, only 14 years old at the time, joined Porters regiment as a cook in Company I, a group of men exclusively organized in Genesee County.

Ive been researching the 8th N.Y.H.A for fourteen years and up until Belluscios discovery hadnt come across a documented former slave within the regiments ranks.

From that moment onward, Clays life would only get more interesting. He was modest about his role in the regiment.

It wasnt much to be a cook in the army. I could carry water and peel potatoes and do things like that.

But it appears he may have done much more. While not on official muster roles, Clay was counted amongst the soldiers in several reunions held for the regiment after the war. Hes also listed as the first African American Civil War veteran in Genesee County.

By the end of 1863, Clay had already been present at several battles leading up to Gettysburg while a servant in the Confederate Army. Colonel Porters regiment left Baltimore for the field that following spring. Clay would now be dressed in blue for Ulysses S. Grants invasion of Virginia; battles such as Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, and the Siege of Petersburg.

One battle stands out. On June 3, 1864, Porters regiment, along with several others, were ordered to charge confederate breastworks at Cold Harbor, Virginia. History has looked unkindly on Grants decision to send so many men to their death on that blistering hot Friday morning. Colonel Porters last words were follow me boys before he was riddled with bullets. The story concerning the recovery of his body by several members of the regiment, under heavy fire, was re-told countless times at every reunion. According to different sources, there was either five or six men involved in that mission. As a result, one of them was awarded the Medal of Honor. Why the others were not held with similar praise is as large of a mystery now as it was when the medal was issued 34 years after the battle in 1898.

Its not known if Henry Clay ever discussed what his role was at Cold Harbor while he was alive. However, one 1925 obituary needs attention.

Mr. Clay was born a slave and was with Colonels Porter regiment when that gallant soldier laid down his life at Cold Harbor. He was a member of the detachment which retrieved Colonel Porters body.

There is a certain type of karma here that cant be lost one individual campaigns for the others' freedom while the latter, risks his life rescuing his dead body.

After the war, Clay moved to Batavia, married and took jobs as a farmer, janitor, and bank teller. Through the individuals mentioned in his will, we learn that Henry Clay was born to Henry Hugh Mayweather and Caroline Williams, two slaves from Sparta, Georgia. They may have been sold to William Monroe Clay of Washington County sometime in the 1840s or 1850s. He was a wealthy plantation owner who had three sons and a son-in-law who fought with the 49th Georgia, a confederate regiment at both Fredericksburg and Gettysburg where Clay was present.

In 1889, Clay returned to Georgia to visit family. Upon arriving there, he learned that his old slave master was dead. He didnt provide a lot of details on the trip other than the fact that his friends tried to persuade Henry to remain in Georgia, but his heart was in Batavia.

Originally posted here:

Slavery, Captivity and Freedom the story of Batavia's 'Other Henry Clay' - The Batavian

If you are a Mindhunter fan who has still not gotten over not getting a third season of your favourite show, Black Bird can provide some much-needed closure

If you are a Mindhunter fan who has still not gotten over not getting a third season of your favourite show, Black Bird can provide some much-needed closure

Black Bird is the story of James Keene, a fallen hero and his path to redemption and freedom. The six-episode limited series takes inspiration from a real-life story and is dramatised to suit our senses.

The Apple TV+ series, like many of its predecessors in the genre, attempts to bring the audience closer to the psyche of a serial killer. However, it is not veteran FBI agents who take us into the cells of the criminally insane.

James Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) was destined for greatness as an adolescent; a star football player with scholarships to elite colleges. That is until all his dreams come crashing down when he is drawn into the world of drugs and armed weapons. Little Jimmy stumbles and falls off the tracks and becomes the stereotypical American bad boy who sleeps around with women, deals in drugs, and stores armed weapons in his house. Jimmys nonchalant days come to an end when his apartment is raided and he is found in the possession of drugs and arms. He pleads guilty to the charges registered against him and is sentenced to ten years in prison.

However, FBI agent Lauren McCauley (Sepideh Moafi) offers Jimmy his freedom in exchange for a favour; Jimmy is to move to a maximum-security prison whose inmates are deemed criminally insane and get a confession out of Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), an inmate suspected of having killed over 14 women whose bodies remain undiscovered. McCauley picks Jimmy for the job as she believes that his charm coupled with his intelligence and childhood experiences will aid him in befriending Hall and eliciting a confession.

It takes about an episode and a half to set the stage and cue the music for the actors to dance to, and the establishment of the plot might seem slow and boring even... but steady yourself for the long haul, as all of this is worth the wait.

Black Bird

Developed by: Dennis Lehane

Cast: Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear, Ray Liotta

No. of episodes: 6

Storyline: Inspired by a true story, as Jimmy Keene begins a 10-year prison sentence, he gets an incredible offer: If he can elicit a confession from suspected killer Larry Hall, Jimmy will be freed

Taron Egerton as James Jimmy Keene and Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall are magnetic in their scenes together. The duo is so adept at working off of each others energies on-screen, that watching them act is like watching a well-choreographed ballet. Their performances transcend the bars of their cells to suck us in; Hauser, especially with his body language and the unique ticks he gives to Hall, creates a constant air of discomfort on-screen.

While the show opens up multiple avenues to address issues of patriarchy and misogyny that plague most serial killers, these plot points remain mere footnotes. Black Bird attempts to embody the academic nature of Mindhunter, but it never really ascends to realising its full potential, straying and becoming just another well-made thriller.

The show also fails to address the larger structural issues that plague prisons in America like the industrial-prison complex or the racial divide that exists within the walls of a prison, and is sometimes painfully microscopic.

However, the production of the series is clean with crisp sound and hushed tones. The colour grading is reminiscent of Finchers Mindhunter. If you are a Mindhunter fan who has still not gotten over not getting a third season of your favourite show, Black Bird can provide some much-needed closure.

And finally, the show is a fitting farewell to Ray Liotta who essays the role of Big Jim Jimmys father on-screen. Big Jim is a frail old man recovering from his stroke, forced to reckon with the idea of morality and the legacy he leaves behind in his son. He is one of the main reasons Jimmy fights for his freedom. Knowing that this was the last roles Liotta played, makes the musing of Big Jim on screen even more effective.

Black Bird is currently streaming on Apple TV+

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Black Bird review: A thrilling story of a bargain for freedom, and a fitting farewell to Ray Liotta - The Hindu

The Government of India has recently approved a proposal to release a commemorative postage stamp to honour freedom fighter Ondiveeran, who had fought against the British rule.

Ondiveeran was a trusted lieutenant in the Pulithevan Army that had taken on the imperialist forces.

The stamp is likely to be released in August, officials said. Since August 20 is the death anniversary of the freedom fighter and this year marks his 250th death anniversary, it may be chosen for the release, they said.

Ondiveeran was a native of Nerkattum Seval near Sankarankoil in the erstwhile Tirunelveli district (since bifurcated and now in Tenkasi district).

In 2011, the DMK government, under Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, laid the foundation for a memorial, named Maveeran Ondiveeran Manimandapam, in Palayamkottai. In 2016, the AIADMK government, under Jayalalithaa, inaugurated the Manimandapam with a statue of Ondiveeran.

Professor S. Seenivasan, of the Department of Tamil at a private college affiliated to Delhi University, said the ancestors of Ondiveeran were zamindars and palayakarars in the Sankarankoil area before conspiracies unseated them.

The author of Thamizhaga Arundhathiyar-Vaazhvum Varalarum has also requested the State government to name the Government Arts and Science College at Sankarankoil after Ondiveeran because Nerkattum Seval is closer to the town. He also pointed to the folklore lauding Ondiveeran for his valour in the fight against the British.

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Postage stamp to be released to honour freedom fighter Ondiveeran - The Hindu

Liberals in Canada seem to have lost their minds. The Trudeau government, under the pretext of climate policy, is reportedly going to force farmers to use less fertilizer at a time when inflation is rising and food poverty is growing.

Two years ago, the Liberal government introduced a 30% emissions reduction target for fertilizer use in the agricultural industry.Trudeau is now pushing for reforms and plans to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, a byproduct of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Groups associated with the agricultural sector claim that the only practical option to cut nitrous oxide emissions is by cutting back on fertilizer use which will diminish crop outputs.

Trudeau, the liberal poster boy, is so naive that he doesnt care about the timings of his policies. The world is under the grip of record-high inflation. Even powerful nations like the United States have plunged into recession. The food and energy security of the world is under an overwhelming threat and Canada is no exception. In June, Statistics Canada reported that the cost of food had risen by 8.8 per cent in the country the previous year.

Read More: All 13 premiers of Canada declare Justin Trudeau absconding over healthcare funding

Moreover, Canadas big arable land area gives it an edge in food production. It is impossible to overestimate the significance of Canada as a leading producer of food grains. It is the fifth-largest exporter of food, with over $82 billion in exports in the previous year. The sectors contribution to the Canadian economy in 2021 made up 6.8% of GDP and created millions of jobs.

It feels like Trudeau is asking for problems for himself and his country. Canada is the only country among the G7 that has imposed a tariff on Russian fertilizer imports, making things far worse for Canadian farmers.

Canadian farmers and citizens seem to be frustrated by the policies of their leader and possibly would soon rise in revolt. We have talked to other producer groups, were very concerned about exactly that same scenario. And will we go to these lengths like whats happening in the Netherlands? I dont know, President of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Gunter Jochum said.

But, you know, all I can say is, if you push farmers back right up against the wall where their livelihood is at stake and its a direct result of government overreach and non-science-based policies, then, who knows what could happen? he added.

Nationwide demonstrations have been prompted by the Netherlands governments strict nitrogen and ammonia emissions limitations. Farmers have even been fired upon by police as a result of the mayhem. Similar conditions seem to be possible in the future in Canada.

You see, Trudeau has been making bizarre decisions for far too long and the people of Canada are obviously frustrated. According to a poll, if an election were held now, the Conservatives would win 35% compared to 30% for the Liberals. Perhaps, Trudeaus stint as the Canadian PM would soon be over.

Trudeau has become the subject of historically low ratings. He has been surrounded by controversies for quite some time. Many issues like handling the COVID crisis and the issue of healthcare funding of the provinces have pushed him to the edge. Trudeaus latest policy would surely be the final nail in the coffin for his political career.

Read More: Scientists in the Netherlands drop a bombshell on the anti-farmers government

Remember, Trudeau is the same leader who repeatedly questioned Indias farm policies. The liberal poster boy expressed concerns about the protest by farmers in India against the now scrapped three farm laws. But when Canadians revolted against Trudeau, all the lofty discussions about the freedom to demonstrate were abandoned. Trudeau quickly invoked the Emergencies Act to clear the Freedom Convoy and completely trampled the rights of millions of Canadians.

Furthermore, the Canadian PM is widely believed to be one of the parties that fueled the protests against the farmers laws in India. It is almost humorous to witness the same coming back for him. The Indian farmers protest did not in any way weaken the Narendra Modi-led Indian Government of the country. However, the impending farmers protests in Canada will surely be the end of Trudeau.

The words of Sylvester Stallone hold true for Trudeau in the situation. Theres a natural law of karma that vindictive people, who go out of their way to hurt others, will end up broke and alone.

See more here:

Freedom movement 2.0: Farmers hit the final nail in Trudeaus coffin - TFI Global News

Another Wednesday. Another week without A/C. Home Warranties reinforce their scamminess as they refuse to cover thousands of dollars of work associated with repairing my A/C, so Im now on the market to just buy a new one. Fortunately, my work schedule has me extremely busy in their air conditioned buildings. Unfortunately, that leaves you all with some thin (and late) kicks today.

D.C. United Sign Midfielder Victor Plsson: Cool. New player. Wait. Designated Player?

Ooooh. A designated player only this year, seeing as we have unused open slots. Fair enough, I suppose.

From Plastic to Porcelain: The Julian Gressel fallout continues with an embarrassing reminder that the Loudoun training grounds are maybe not all that great.

Birmingham Legion FC vs Loudoun United: Speaking of Loudoun, theyre traveling to Alabama to face Birmingham Legion tonight.

Getting to Know: Averie Collins: Even little pieces like this are appreciated to form some sort of human relationship with our athletic superstars. I dont know the Washington Spirit half as well as Id like, so Im grateful for these little bones from the team. Now if we can get United to do these pieces as well so that I may know the thought behind every team members jersey number.

The United States appears to get an island to itself for the upcoming World Cup, and I just think thats interesting.

Somewhat fresh off of NASCARs recent extremely rare double disqualification in the Xfinity Series, NASCAR just this last weekend disqualified both 1st place Denny Hamlin and 2nd place Kyle Busch, teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing (yes, that Joe Gibbs). As if that isnt already controversial enough, this sent divisive most-popular-driver Chase Elliott to victory lane. NASCAR has been very serious about leveling the playing field this year with this new car; strict rules are in place to discourage teams from cheating, and we now see those rules will not prevent the governing body from taking away the win. I dont think Chase Elliotts going to be getting any of that winners champagne.

Thats all I have for you. Kick the rest of this afternoon away into a comfortable evening!

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Wednesday Freedom Kicks: A new DP (sort of), Loudoun United return to action, and more - Black And Red United

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Sunday said that efforts should be made to take the life story of every hero of the Indian independence movement to all the households in the country.

Mishra was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Constitution Park at Maharaja Ganga Singh University in Bikaner under the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' -- a governments initiative to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of Indian independence.

In a reference to the initiative, he said that for the first time, the festival of keeping the memory of freedom fighters alive and events related to the independence movement, culture and glorious history of India is being celebrated throughout the country.

The governor said that the basic objective of the construction of the Constitution Parks is to inspire the new generation to practically connect with the high ideals associated with the Constitution while getting education.

They should be aware that the same constitution which has given us rights, has also attached duties to it, Mishra said. He also emphasised the importance to inculcate the consciousness of environmental protection among the students. Union Minister of State for Art, Culture and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, who was also present at the event, said that countless freedom fighters sacrificed their lives while fighting the British for the country's independence.

On the occasion of Amrit Mahotsav, we have to take the stories of these anonymous freedom fighters and revolutionaries to the common people, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Stories of freedom fighters should be taken to every household: Raj Guv - Devdiscourse

The international community must emphatically condemn the egregious executions last weekend of four Burmese democracy advocates by the countrys ruling junta.

Kyaw Min Yu (also known as Ko Jimmy), Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung, and Aung Thura Zaw were hanged because of their unwavering support for freedom. It had been 34 years since rulers of Burma, now known as Myanmar,had summarily executed any of their own citizens and it was under a military regime then, too.

Amid challenges to democracy and human rights around the world, this horrific attack on freedom fighters in Burma must not go unanswered. The international community cannot remain silent as the military junta in control of the country threatens even more outrages. The Burmese people need to know that the democratic world stands behind them.

It has been 18 months since Burmas decade of transition to democracy was thwarted by a military coup dtat, and its becoming more evident with each passing day that the situation in the country is becoming ever more dire. Burma must not fall off the international communitys priority list. The Burmese people need our support now. And that means that the Biden administration, Congress, the media and civil society all have roles to play.

Sadly, the executions are just the latest atrocities committed by this oppressive regime to silence the Burmese people. Since the coup, almost 15,000 individuals across Burma have been arrested. About three-quarters of them are still detained, and over 2,000 have been killed, including women and children.

The militarys campaign of repression is an outright rejection of human dignity and the rule of law, conditions which modern nations recognize are critical for human beings to flourish, Bush Institute Executive Director Holly Kuzmich said in astatementcondemning the militarys actions. Thats why, despite threats to their well-being, the Burmese people continue their pursuit of democracy.

At the Bush Institute, weve engaged 79 young leaders across Burma since 2014 through our Liberty and Leadership Program (LLP) part of our work to support democracy activists around the globe. We know firsthand that the young people of Burma want to be free, and we believe that when democracies thrive, we all thrive. Since the coup, our LLP young leaders have been at the forefront of peaceful opposition, organizing protests and coordinating efforts to share what is truly happening on the ground.

Burma was well along the path to democracy before the February 2021 coup. Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy was in power after five decades of military rule. Young people were excited and tantalized by their first taste of freedom. But then the brutal, military-led campaign against the Rohingya population in the country started to chip away at this progress, and it all came to a screeching halt when the military seized power once again.

Freedom is something thats easy for us to take for granted in the United States. But its not an option for so many in our world. For the people of Burma, free speech is effectively silenced, media is censored and repression of minority ethnic groups continues without any possibility of recourse. The Burma they knew just a couple of years ago is no more.

The family members of the four executed pro-democracy activists are still waiting for information regarding their loved ones. This is the epitome of cruelty, and its unacceptable.

The situation in Burma is worsening. If we do nothing, I fear what these authoritarian leaders will do next. How far will they go? How far will democratic nations allow them to go?

The Biden administration and Congress must take effective, strong and coordinated action to hit members of the junta where it hurts most their wealth. The media should use their platforms to keep Burma at the forefront of our attention, and civil society organizations should continue supporting those who need it the most during this time.

Peaceful opposition to the junta has shown the world that the Burmese people long for democracy, and theyll do everything they can to restore their voice in government. But the military is not backing down either, and their tactics are becoming increasingly sinister.

The United States and other democracies have an opportunity to stand with the people of Burma in their quest for freedom. By doing this, we can signal to authoritarian leaders across the world that we will not tolerate their actions. We can demonstrate that the desire for freedom is universal, and we will always walk alongside those who pursue it.

Michael Bailey is senior program manager of Leadership Programs at the George W. Bush Institute.

Original post:

The world must condemn Burmas execution of freedom fighters - The Hill

Freedom is a tough word these days. It seems that it means so many things to so many different people. So many of the arguments that we seem to have in culture these days are about freedom and what it means to various people and how those freedoms bump up against each other.

The issue is that there are really two kinds of freedom. There is freedom from and freedom to. In our culture these days freedom from is the more dominant of the two. It shows a lack of restraint, a word not all that popular these days.

Someone who is pursuing this kind of freedom might sound like this: Im free from restraint and rules. I dont have to mediate my passions, impulses, or appetites because I am free from all external control, whether it be social, legal or moral.

In the process of this pursuit all too often people become enslaved to something else. I have seen this most poignantly in my own life with friends and acquaintances that suffer from addiction. All too often they use the language of freedom to justify their drug use or their drinking when in reality they are just slaves to the bottle or the needle or promiscuous sex or whatever passion, impulse or appetite to which they have given control of their lives.

Opposite of this, and what I would offer is the biblical ideal of freedom, is the freedom to pursue something noble and good. In biblical terms, we would think about this as freedom to pursue God. When the Apostle Paul states, in Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and dont submit again to a yoke of slavery, this is the kind of freedom that he is talking about. This is not a kind of freedom for the members of the church to go and do whatever they want. This is freedom from sin that allows them the freedom to pursue God and his design for their lives.

At the beginning of this little series several weeks ago we talked about the perfect design that God has for us and for the world and how our sin has led to brokenness and a falling away from Gods good and perfect design. We then looked at the gospel and how the gospel is the good news that God has taken care of this brokenness in the miraculous birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, and death-killing resurrection of the Son Jesus.

But the full context of this good news, of the gospel, is freedom. The work of Christ has set us free from our slavery to sin and death and gives us the freedom to recover and pursue Gods design for us. There are several things that one might call this journey to recover and pursue Gods design. We might call it the pursuit of holiness or sanctification. Ultimately what it is the desire of the disciple to become like the master.

The journey of the Christian does not end with the profession of faith and the decision to follow Jesus. Rather, that is but the beginning of the Christian journey. It is a journey, however, that we cannot start until God, in His grace, sets us free. It is also the journey of a lifetime.

This freedom to recover and pursue Gods design is not something that we will get correct from the beginning, because even though we will have been set free from the power of sin and death, we still live in a broken and fallen world. So, every day, we are on a journey to follow God more closely, to align ourselves more directly with His will, and to more completely pursue his design for ourselves, our families, our churches and our communities.

Points to consider:

1) How have you seen an unbiblical idea of freedom cause havoc in your own life or in the lives around you?

2) What does it mean to you that we have been set free, in Christ, to recover and pursue Gods good and perfect design for us?

3) What are some ways, this week, that you can work to follow God more closely?

S. Carter McNeese lives in Fairmont, NC with his wife, son, and various pets. He is pastor at Fairmont First Baptist Church. You can reach him at [emailprotected]

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Having freedom to recover and pursue - The Robesonian

In the music video for Maggie Rogers single Thats Where I Am, she dances across a New York bridge during golden hour with reckless abandon. She twirls and punches the air in a turquoise, feather lined jacket, charging ahead at full speed as ecstasy beams across her face, like shes finally found herself at the end of her own coming-of-age film. Its the kind of joy thats boundless, unstoppable almost feral. It tells you everything you need to know about her new album Surrender that Rogers is ready to live larger, sing louder and feel deeper than ever.

Two months before the albums release, NME meets Rogers in the dimly-lit restaurant of a central London hotel just before lunchtime, where the US singer-songwriter reflects on the spectrum of emotions she unearthed during the writing process. Joy and anger are two motions that really ask you to full-body give in, she says, coffee and half-eaten porridge in front of her. When youre feeling them, they completely take over. So much of this record is about giving into feeling.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

It was a process of surrender that, unsurprisingly, proves taxing to open up about. Post-pandemic, this takes so much more energy, she says after taking a second to reset, just two questions in. Im trying to be really present with you, and Im just struggling a little bit. So stay with me. Shes already moved NMEs dictaphone closer to her so she can speak a little quieter, still fatigued from jetlag, having flown into London just a few days before.

Its been over three years since the release of her debut album Heard It In a Past Life a soul-baring journey through heartache, growth and self-discovery which NME described as the work of an idiosyncratic talent who writes empowering, honest songs about falling hopelessly in love, getting your heart broken, discovering your self-worth and picking yourself up off the floor. It was an album that propelled Rogers even further into the spotlight, setting her up for a huge world tour and garnering praise from the likes of John Mayer and the Obamas the latter pair even sending her a letter in which they described themselves as huge fans.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

The album also earned Rogers a Best New Artist Grammy nomination in 2020 (she would lose out to Billie Eilish) and boldly reintroduced a singer who was always destined to outgrow her fairytale story of internet discovery. In 2016, a clip of Pharrell Williams being visibly moved by Rogers song Alaska during a songwriting masterclass at New York University (NYU), her alma mater, went viral. Within the first few moments of the song being played, Williams bobs his head to the buoyant melodies and breezy cadence of Rogers voice, glancing at her with awe and excitement. I have zero, zero, zero notes for that, he says. Ive never heard anyone like you before, and Ive never heard anything that sounds like that. It was a life-changing moment, helping to secure Rogers a record deal and launching her music career, albeit one that totally ignored all the work Ive been doing in my entire life, as she told NME in 2019.

I wanted to make a portrait of my life right now and tell the truth

But where Rogers debut was a portrait of transition and acceptance, her second record, co-produced by Kid Harpoon [Harry Styles, Florence + The Machine] is about trying to make sense of the emotional intensity of the past two years. Heard It In a Past Life was really my chance to tell my side of the story of this big moment where my career was sort of launched, and theres a lot of heartbreak and emotion and relationship within that, too, she explains. Surrender, by contrast, is way more about my intimate, internal life, because thats all that was going on.

A slew of emotions radiates throughout the albums 12 purging tracks channelled through distorted production and dense guitar riffs, balanced against hymnal piano compositions and raw, acoustic melodies which paint a textured portrait of Rogers life at the time of writing, from romances, to friendships, to the state of the world around her. Its the unapologetically honest work of an artist who spent the downtime of the last two years thinking deeply about what she wanted out of life, asking how she could live a sensual, full-bodied existence. When I hear the record now, when I hear that joy, I also hear the tension of the anger, and I think it makes the joy feel earned.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

In early 2020, Rogers relocated to the coast of Maine, New England to move back in with her parents. It allowed her to make music the way she did as a teenager, without pressure or expectation. I got to just slow down, be a person again and have desires outside of work, she says. She fell into a natural rhythm of making music that she hadnt experienced since she was 17. In taking that pressure off, I was like, Just dont worry about anybody hearing this. You dont need to think about that yet. Just write whats on your mind. Try and make a portrait of your life right now and tell the truth. And I think in that, I then became more unfiltered.

Rogers was raised in Easton, Maryland, where she grew up learning to play the harp, piano and banjo. As a teen, she wrote and recorded music in her bedroom, some of which are immortalised in two hauntingly raw EPs The Echo (2012) and Blood Ballet (2014), which can still be found on the singers Bandcamp profile. The former helped her secure a spot at NYU, where she turned her musical upbringing to a more structured curriculum.

Maggie Rogers on the cover of NME

During her time at university, she dabbled in music journalism, and is credited as a transcriber in Lizzy Goodmans romp through the 00s indie-rock scene, Meet Me In The Bathroom. Last year, Rogers revealed that she had enrolled at Harvard Divinity School to do a masters degree in Religion and Public Life a new course designed for experienced professionals who want to understand the complex ways religion influences public life.

Her decision to return to education coincided with a time in which she was living with intention, asking what it means to live a beautiful life and seeking a means to break out of the eerie numbness brought on by the uncertainty of the pandemic. Surrender, as a result, charts Rogers natural evolution to tell the truth of the person she is right now. Its an album that, while originating in more remote settings, is inspired by the city that was formative in her artistic growth. I think that theres often this desire to create this binary of city-country, but its not really that simple, she says. Its the same reason why, in the past, she has been labelled a nature girl, telling NME in her last cover interview that she felt nymph-fetishized.

I cold emailed David Byrne to appear in my video he feels a part of this record

It was a stereotype people were drawn to because of songs like Alaska (I was walking through icy streams / That took my breath away), and tracks that would sample organic sounds like birds or falling trees, along with the appeal of her natural-looking style long hair and freckles, which she didnt cover up in photoshoots. But such misconceptions only sought to push the singer into a box. I think that people like to make things smaller so they can understand them, she says. I never really quite understood it.

Rogers perception of the world around her, paired with the fluent ability to narrate her own personal growth so poetically, has allowed fans to connect deeply to Rogers music, finding a part of themselves in her own lyrics. As a storyteller, I feel like my work is to feel as much as possible and report back. And being able to explain my life or my own existence, thats my artform, she says. Scan the YouTube comments of her songs and it wont be long before you find someone recalling the air being knocked out of them on their first listen, or that they discovered the singer at a time in their life when they needed it most. I heard this song for the first time when I had depression, and it gave me a sense of hope, one comment reads on the video for Light On, in which she sings that everyone told her she should be so happy now when her life was the picture of success.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

In pushing through her own sense of apathy, Rogers was able to create her most visceral, life-affirming music yet propelled by roaring instrumental arrangements and vast, powerful vocals, as if her lungs have grown in capacity. The albums biggest anthem Want Want is about sensuality and sexual freedom, opening with a drum fill and waves of dense, grungy synths that reminds the singer of Black Sabbaths Iron Man a huge sonic departure from the crisp, polished finishes on Heard It In a Past Life. At one point, Rogers descends into a howl so cathartic that most people would have probably made a similar noise when they first got to experience dance floors and live gigs again.

Its the fiercely joyful voice of an artist who discovered that the beautiful existence she was seeking could be found in the pleasure of lifes most simple moments. Its about a glass of wine or the lighting in here, or the way a silk feels on your skin, she says. In Want Want, its sticky floors and fluorescent lit bathrooms as she wrote in a press release, which was accompanied by a music video in which Rogers dances around one of her favourite New York karaoke bars in a fluorescent wig.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

Lead single Thats Where I Am channels a similar carefree energy a song that sounds like Rogers is bellowing out to the whole of New York from the top of a skyscraper. Serving as her love letter to the city that never sleeps and the place that became the backdrop to all her claustrophobic fantasies during lockdown, its an ode to tantalising pleasure in the most unlikely of moments in a city that winks back. I longed for someone to sweat on me. Spill their beer on my shoes. Be too tall for me to see at a concert, she said in a press statement.

The music video also features cameos from classic New York characters The Walkmens Hamilton Leithauser, photographer Quil Lemons and Talking Heads David Byrne. I cold emailed him, she says of Byrne. Wed never met. Im a massive fan. And Strange Overtones was a song in the pandemic that I just deeply connected to and played over and over and over again. So he feels a part of this record in my brain because I was so connected to that song. Byrne was immediately up for the invitation. [He] was just like, Yeah, Im getting my haircut downtown tomorrow. Where? What time?. The timing and the stars, it seems aligned for Rogers. He was like, Yeah great. Ill ride my bike over. I think I can hang for like 20 minutes.

I used to feel the need to prove myself but I dont feel that anymore

Its the same shoot-your-shot strategy Rogers used when she cold DMd Florence Welch in 2019, inviting the singer to join her on stage at her Brixton show. Now the two are friends, or rather, as Rogers recently declared, shes her magical genius sorceress sister. Last summer, recording time overlapped for their respective albums at Electric Lady Studio in New York, so they traded their talents. Rogers vocals feature on Girls Against God and Dream Girl Evil from Welchs new album Dance Fever, who offered vocals and tambourine on Rogers track Shatter in return.

Its a super small studio, and we know each other. So wed have a coffee, go in, Id see her after work, it was just really natural, Rogers says. I played her Shatter, and she loved it. And then I was like, Dude, if you hear anything for it, or if you want to be a part of it, like, I love you. Shortly after Welch left the studio, she dreamed up an idea and asked if she could return to record it immediately. Shes one of a kind, Rogers adds.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

Rogers is also set to bring an entirely different live energy to this album, her upcoming shows being appropriately named The Feral Joy tour. Last year, she also described the work-in-progress as a record that shell tour for a lifetime. Watching the singers Coachella set back, its no coincidence that she looks so at home on stage, which sees her tap into that same unbridled joy that courses through her new music videos, performing with the kind of effortless, present moment flow that every artist aspires for. There was also more at stake than just the pressure of holding a crowd, with the performance actually serving as the public presentation requirement of her course. A lot of my masters degree was thinking about how we come together, how do we create meaning? What do I think the role of the artist is? And then how do I define that for as long as I choose to do this?

It allowed Rogers to look closely at the fine details of how she crafts a performance, from the set list and rehearsals, to stage layout and clothing. You know that meme of the girl with all the calculations above her head? I totally thought that was gonna be me on stage, she says. And then I just had a blast, she adds with an infectious smile. I couldnt think about any of it, in the best way. Because I think that really, theres so much about music that is unsaid, that is the best part.

Credit: Zoe McConnell for NME

In studying the ethics of power in pop culture, Rogers is aware that fans often turn to artists to provide spiritual guidance, seeking wisdom in the universal, transcendent language of music that we often assume every musician is qualified to offer counsel in. Ive done that too, she says. I look to music or musicians to have some sort of answer. Has her perception of this expectation, and the relationship between artists and their fans, changed after her studies? Part of what led me to go to grad school was the friction between feeling this expectation of having an answer, she says. I really am good in the studio, and Im really good on stage, and I know how to make music. But this other thing was not something I really thought about.

On Surrenders closing song, Different Kind of World, Rogers reflects on the state of the world, but notes that when were all riding together, Im a different kind of girl. I feel like thinking about the state of the world has always been a part of my record process. Its because I am a part of the world, she says. I dont know how you go through the pandemic, or the election, or the amount of social change the last couple years, and not have it be a part of what youre thinking in some way.

Reasserting joy feels like reasserting my fundamental right to live a full existence

The world is feeling particularly dark when we meet in early June. A month before our conversation, a leaked document reveals that the US Supreme Court has voted to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade abortion rights decision, essentially removing the constitutional right to an abortion on a statewide level. Two weeks after we meet, its made official. abortion is healthcare. bodily autonomy is a human right, Rogers tweeted on the day the news broke, having been vocal about reproductive rights for as long as she has been in the spotlight. Im thinking a lot about joy as a form of rebellion. Because I also feel that sense of helplessness. We cant give into that, she says when I ask how she feels when everything seems worse than ever. Reasserting joy feels like reasserting my fundamental right to live a full existence.

When NME last spoke to Rogers in 2019, she was the picture of an artist who was thriving. She had recently performed on Saturday Night Live, toured with Mumford & Sons and finally had a debut album to share with the world. But while the singer was learning to embrace her story, Rogers was still some way from the artist she wanted to be. Im just excited for the day when my music is enough, she told NME three years ago. Does she feel like she has finally arrived?

Man, that was a tough era, she says, looking taken aback by hearing the words of an artist who was still trying to grow into her fame. I want to hug that girl. I actually feel like this is that day. I think I felt the real need to prove myself then that I dont feel anymore. In that way, the music is enough, she adds.

That video going viral was like, Now I have a chance to do this thing Ive always wanted to, and it doesnt look or feel like what I thought it would. And now, I have a life as a musician that I get to define in the ways that I choose. And as were seeing in the United States, choice is the greatest sense of freedom.

Maggie Rogers Surrender is out now via Capitol Records

Originally posted here:

Maggie Rogers: Choice is the greatest sense of freedom - NME