DEFUND THE THOUGHT POLICE: Here’s encouraging evidence that even on elite campuses like the University of Chicago there remain a few intellectually honest and courageous professors.

SURPRISE! SURPRISE? New data analysis shows least restrictive states clearly tend to have lower COVID-19 death rates than the most restrictive states.

ARE ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY THAT DIFFERENT? Well, yes, according to philosopher Kenneth Samples, the world’s two major religions share some superficial similarities, but peer a tiny bit below the surfaces and they are like night and day, on two different planets, in separate universes, occupying opposite dimensions. Did I mention they aren’t alike?

IF YOU WEAR RACIST LENSES, EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE RACISM TO YOU: There’s a reason far-left advocate Shaun King’s declaration about destroying all those stained-glass windows of “white Jesus” should come as no surprise. Sooner or later, Christianity always becomes a target.

HAS CORONAVIRUS GONE FROM ‘AGGRESSIVE TIGER’ TO ‘WILD CAT?’ I’m skeptical, but the guy FAITHWIRE quotes is an Italian doctor, where I am just a simple-minded American journalist. My question is this: Can one country develop herd immunity while another doesn’t?

IF YOU THOUGHT THE FED IS INDEPENDENT, THINK AGAIN: That’s the view, at least, of Thomas L. Hogan, writing for the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). He is particularly concerned that having the Fed provide municipal and state government loans is a bad idea.

He notes, among much else, that the $3 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Assistance Act (CARES) “gives the Fed permission to pursue these facilities, but it does not require the Fed do so. In contrast to previous Chairs [Ben] Bernanke and [Janet] Yellen, who publicly opposed the Fed funding municipal governments and other fiscal policy actions, presiding Chair [Jerome] Powell seems to be an enthusiastic supporter of such programs. However, it is not too late to close these fiscal-policy facilities before causing further harm to the Fed’s reputed independence.”

YOUR UNION SHORT ON FUNDS? TRY FORGERY! Hey, it allegedly works for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in three states, California, Oregon and Washington, according to the Capital Research Center. Amazingly (or maybe not), a California judge even upheld the practice of forging signatures so that non-union members have dues automatically deducted from their paychecks. The Freedom Foundation has filed five lawsuits against the practice.

5 WAYS CHRISTIANS ARE GETTING SWEPT INTO A SECULAR WORLDVIEW IN THIS CULTURAL MOMENT: Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear and certain other highly visible evangelical leaders should sit down and read carefully this courageous analysis by Christian apologist Natasha Crain. It is a loving, graceful and straightforward warning about the dangers of not understanding why our cities are torn by riots, crime and revolutionaries.

Here’s just one example, Crain’s point four:

“We’re unknowingly getting caught up in Critical Theory: Critical Theory is the ideology that underlies many of the popular responses to racial injustice that we’re seeing today, and it’s a secular view that is unfortunately spilling into the church in shocking degrees.

“This ideology views reality through the lens of power, dividing people into oppressed groups and oppressor groups along lines like race, class, gender, sexuality orientation, physical ability and age. Truth becomes relative based on your status in one of these groups. If you’re unfamiliar with the term Critical Theory, you’ll be blown away when you learn about it and see how it explains so much of what you see happening today.

“Dr. Neil Shenvi specializes in this area and has written extensively on his site about it. PLEASE read the introductory resources he has here. He has also reviewed several books on racial injustice on his site, exposing how they conflict with a Christian worldview given their grounding in Critical Theory (e.g., White Fragility). I highly recommend you search his site and read what he has to say about many of the popular books being recommended right now (even by churches).

“Additionally, I highly recommend the new ministry of Monique Duson, The Center for Biblical Unity. She came out of Critical Theory herself and is now working toward unity from a biblical perspective.”

WHY I SIGNED “THE STATEMENT ON SOCIAL JUSTICE & THE GOSPEL:” No, I’ve not caved to the SJWs, quite the contrary. But knowing there are legions of professing Christians among Instapundit’s fine readership, many of whom are concerned about the “critical theory” turbulence currently afflicting the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention and the wider evangelical community as well, just wanted to make my position clear. Be sure and read the whole statement, as it covers the waterfront of issues that are convulsing the whole nation.

CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS AS THE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE EARL WARREN: Warren was appointed by a Republican president, Eisenhower, as was Roberts, by Bush II. Kylee Zempel details the seven decisions in which Roberts appears to be intent on leading a new “Warren Revolution” on the High Court.

NO, MAIL-IN VOTING IS NOT THE SAME AS ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING: Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) is the Ranking Minority Member of the House Administration Committee, which oversees the daily operations of the lower chamber of Congress and oversight of federal elections. He’s been an aggressive battler of the Democrats’ mail-in voting proposals and their proxy voting system for House members.

In the following video, Davis talks with Washington state Secretary of State Kim Wyman, who, among much else, explains why and how Nancy Pelosi’s mail-in voting proposal is a far cry from using an absentee ballot. The difference is subtle but profoundly important, according to Wyman, who oversees her state’s mail-in system, which, Oh-By-The-Way, requires voter ID to vote.

FIGHT CENSORSHIP, READ THIS POST! The Heritage Foundation was censored by YouTube, but they are fighting back, according to The Federalist.

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF ORPHANED OIL WELLS IN THE U.S.? Me neither until I read this thoughtful analysis from the Institute for Energy Research. Turns out there is some creative, free-market thinking and doing on the problem.

JUDGE QUESTIONS $30 MILLION TRIAL LAWYER FEE: Trial lawyers who won the huge ($117.5 million)Yahoo Breach MDL settlement claim they should get $30 million. The judge in the case says she has a few questions about how they arrived at that preposterous figure.

WHICH HAS KILLED MORE PEOPLE, RELIGION OR ATHEISM: The answer may not be what you think, regardless which side you go with. And please play nice in the comments!

GET WOKE OR GET TOSSED: Issues & Insights assesses the times, using the deplorable situation at my alma mater as Exhibit A in reaching the conclusion that “what was a non-controversial statement last week is grounds for a death sentence tomorrow.”

I am so angered by the cowardice of Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis and Athletic Director Mike Holder, and disappointed by Coach Mike Gundy caving to Chubba Hubbard’s bullying. This is only the beginning, there will be more such blackmail and college football, like the NFL and so much more, will be politicized and utterly ruined.

IS THE SENATE’S YOUNGEST MEMBER ALSO ITS MOST HONEST? Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) speaks blunt truth to the Senate about the Senate, and the Supreme Court and federal bureaucracy.

DOES PELOSI PLAN TO KEEP HOUSE AWAY UNTIL 2021? Three Republicans in the House think she does.

WILL ZOOM ANSWER THESE PROBING QUESTIONS FROM 12 SENATORS? A bipartisan group of solons address eight key questions to Zoom’s chief executive officer.

SOME QUESTIONS JUST AIN’T FITTIN’ TO ASK: New York’s Mayor tells CCP Virus contact tracers not to ask about attendance at BLM rallies. The recently cancelled Hattie McDaniel was unavailable for comment.

THE ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND TO THE NEW LEFT’S MARCH THROUGH AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS: Eric Kaufman provides a thorough and mostly satisfying review of Mike Gonzalez’ upcoming essential history of “The Plot to Change America: How Identity Politics is Dividing the Land of the Free.” This book is required reading for anybody who doesn’t get that Seattle’s CHAZ is the SDS’ takeover of Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall in 1968 all over again, but much worse. Cancer metastasizes.

LEFT WANTS TO DEFUND THE COPS, BUT NOT THE HEAVILY ARMED FEDS: Issues & Insights wonders why the Left is howling for defunding local cops at the same time they give a free pass to those at such federal agencies as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA). Bet you didn’t know polluters and New England fishermen are such dangerous characters!

KATHY SULLIVAN HAS BEEN TO DEEP SPACE AND DEEP OCEAN, TOO: Kathy Sullivan was the first American woman to take a walk in space in 1984 and now she’s also been to the deepest point on Earth, the bottom of the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean.

HAWLEY CALLS FOR DOJ CIVIL RIGHTS PROBE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ABUSES: It may already be underway, but the Missouri Republican is urging Attorney General Bill Barr to move on it.

WANT TO DEFUND THE COPS? MEET MEXICO’S AUTODEFENSAS: Only here in the states, they would be leftwing ideologues wielding the weapons rather than the drug cartels’ enforcers.