Josh Benner

Category: News

  • Equality vs. Equity: Kamala sells impossible vision in ad


    Vice presidential candidate (and possible president, if the ticket wins), Kamala Harris shared an ad on her social media sites this weekend talking about equality vs equity.

     
    It’s a 50 second spot narrated by Harris which begins: “so there’s a big difference between equality and equity. Equality suggests how everyone should get the same amount. The problem with that, not everybody’s starting out from the same place. So if we’re all getting the same amount, but you started back there and I started out over here – we could get the same amount, but you’re still going to be that far back behind me. It’s about giving people the resources and the support they need, so that everyone can be on equal footing and then compete on equal footing. Equitable treatment means we all end up at the same place.” 


    It’s the last sentence of that ad that’s especially noteworthy. “Equitable treatment means we all end up at the same place?”

    I realize it’s a campaign ad. It’s pandering. 

    But really consider the logic of what she’s saying. The government cannot guarantee we all get to the same place because of the uniqueness of people. And the only way to even attempt to make such a thing happen would be for the government to control every aspect of life: education, industries, wages. 

    But even if that happened, we can’t all get to the same place. Because we’re different. Some people have better parents than others. You can’t guarantee equity in upbringing. Some people are more attractive than others, which attracts other attractive people. So you can’t guarantee equity in relationships and marriage. We don’t have equal genetics. Some of us are more prone to diseases or obesity. People have different skills, different interests. 

    Someone might say, “but it’s a great vision!” 

    No it isn’t. 

    She’s selling people an idea that the government should take care of every aspect of their lives. That isn’t a great thing for people. It’s dehumanizing. Because the ability to succeed, to take risks, to fail, to learn from failure and overcome adversity is part of what makes us human. Not some utopian vision of everyone having the same results in life. 

    It’s also hypocritical. She’s saying we should all get to the same place. Well she’s a vote away from being the vice president. She has the best healthcare a person can have. She has a big staff that tends to her. She has secret service protection.

    Reminds me of Orwell’s famous line from “Animal Farm” “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” 

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  • Falwell sues Liberty after receiving $10.5 million

    Falwell sues Liberty after receiving $10.5 million

    Jerry Falwell, Jr, the disgraced former president of Liberty University, the largest Christian university in America, is suing the school for defamation.

    In his court filings, Falwell also cites a non-disparagement clause in his contract. Falwell’s lawsuit talks of Liberty’s “abdication of its legal, contractual, and moral obligations not to defame him.” The lawsuit also claims that “Liberty set out to destroy Mr. Falwell’s reputation through numerous defamatory statements.” The lawsuit talks about the wonders of Falwell’s leadership.

    Background
    The major scandal with the Falwell’s was the salacious accusation that Jerry Falwell, Jr was aware of a years long affair between his wife and a business associate. Part of that story is not in dispute. Falwell had previously acknowledged his wife’s affair (but denied the ongoing nature of the affair as well as the allegation that he had watched the two engage in the affair). But at the time, Falwell was already on leave from the university in response to a photo he had posted of himself and a woman at a house boat party with their pants unzipped.

    And before being placed on leave from the university, Falwell had done several other objectionable actions. He had posted a custom face mask which depicted Virginia governor Ralph Northam in a klansman halloween costume. He had lied about attending clubs in Miami. He had called people “stupid” and “idiot” on his social media.

    The biggest bombshell Falwell faced was undoubtedly allegations of his awareness of his wife’s affair but he had already established a pattern of conduct which was inappropriate for the president of a Christian University (or for that matter, the president of any university). Long before these allegations, there were people who had called for Falwell to step down. There had been people who simply wanted an apology.

    Resignation
    In the wake of the reports about his wife’s affair, Falwell resigned from Liberty (and then he didn’t). And then he did. That was another debacle. But Falwell was given the very nice parting gift of $10.5 million to live the school.

    And now he’s suing.

    Response
    I’m not a lawyer. So I can’t speak to whether or not Falwell has a legal case. But a few thoughts come to mind. First, Falwell had previously claimed that when Liberty put him on leave, that this went against the terms of his contract. I consider that clause and his suggestion that he also had a non-disparagement clause, and I can’t help but question why he wanted all of these guardrails in his contract to protect his own poor conduct?

    Again, maybe he has a legal case. Maybe the school will have to pay him millions of dollars. That I don’t know. But it’s shameful that the head of a Christian University would put so many provisions in his contract which so greatly reduced the university’s ability to hold him accountable.

    Second, I can’t help but question the school and why they agreed to all of these provisions and gave themselves so little ability to hold him accountable and provide oversight. Shame on Liberty’s board.

    Third, did Liberty pay Falwell $10.5 million and not have him sign any sort of release or agreement that he wouldn’t sue them?!

    This whole thing is a debacle.

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  • San Diego school district lowers standards to combat racism

    San Diego school district lowers standards to combat racism

    San Diego Unified School District is the second largest district in California. Their district recently approved major changes in their grading system to combat racial disparities in academic out comings.

    NBC San Diego explains the background for policy changes:
    According to data presented by the district, under the old grading system, teachers fail minority students more than White students – a lot more. During the first semester of last year, 30% of all D or F grades were given to English learners. One in four, 25%, of failing marks went to students with disabilities. By ethnicity, 23% went to Native Americans. Another 23% of failing grades went to Hispanics. And 20% of D or F grades went to Black students.

    Among the changes, if assignments are turned in late, that will not count against a student’s academic score. Grading will not be based on cumulative scores throughout a term but by academic mastery of a subject by the end of a term.

    The policies also lessen penalties for cheating. Quoting from the San Diego Union Tribune:
    Under the new grading policy, when a student is caught cheating, schools must give the student a chance to reflect on what he or she did, repair trust and receive counseling or other help.

    This is insanity.

    Their grand solution to disparities in grading is to lower standards?

    Lower expectations do not help to overcome disparities. Lower expectations do not help the world to overcome racism. They make everyone worse off. Basic academic expectations such as not cheating and turning things in on time help to prepare people for life in the real world. Because in life, there are consequences for cheating. In life, there are consequences for not making deadlines. In life, your performance matters.

    On paper, that might show some improvements in these academic disparities. But at what cost? Are these making people perform at a higher level? It seems like this could far more easily have people performing at an even worse level. They’re removing basic consequences of student’s actions. On paper, grades might be better, but if they’re doing a worse job of preparing people for the real world, I ask of what value that is.

    Part of the heart behind these changes is that some students can come from dysfunctional homes and study academically. That is a sad reality. And I recognize that there is not an easy solution to these issues. But in lowering standards to boost grades, that doesn’t change the risk of harmful unintended consequences.

    Also, I question how these policies are themselves not racist? In focusing on late assignments or cheating, they say that it’s healing to fight racism to eliminate these policies? It’s the racism of low expectations.

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  • Amy Coney Barrett and the anti-religion of the left

    Amy Coney Barrett and the anti-religion of the left

    This weekend, President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court. Coney Barrett is a judge on the 7th circuit court of appeals in Chicago, a law professor at Notre Dame, and a former clerk for former justice Antonin Scalia. She’s also a mother of seven and a devout Catholic and her faith has come into question in regards to her potential SCOTUS rulings.

    This isn’t new for Coney Barrett. During her senate hearings to be on the 7th circuit court in 2017, several democrat senators questioned her faith. Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked Coney Barrett if she considered herself an “Orthodox Catholic.” Diana Feinstein (D-CA) stated “Whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. And I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern.”

    Her Catholic faith is already coming into question again as her October confirmation hearings rapidly approach. Numerous articles have been written about Coney Barrett’s affiliation with an ecumenical, Charismatic Movement called People of Praise which drew comparisons to the Handmaid’s Tale. On MSNBC, they made it a point to reference the group in a graphic during her nomination. ABC incorrectly claimed that People of Praise inspired the Handmaid’s Tale novel (now TV series). The Guardian wrote about the “authoritarian structure” of People of Praise. And there have been other attacks. And there will be more.

    But it’s interesting.

    Joe Biden is a “practicing Catholic,” as we’re told. He’s spoken many times about his faith. So is House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Once upon a time, Nancy Pelosi who once talked about her faith and said “My favorite word is the word, is the word. And that is everything. It says it all for us. And you know the biblical reference, you know the Gospel reference of the word. We have to give voice to what that means in terms of public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the word.”

    Major political players who talk about their faith. And the vast majority of democrats in American politics claim a religious affiliation. But it’s Amy Coney Barrett who’s faith must seriously come into question. And the reason for that is because, unlike many of the democrats in congress, she lives it out. Someone who actually has sincere religious convictions terrifies the liberal elites. Because Christian ethics and teachings go against so much of the platform of the DNC.

    My point is not to judge the faith of Biden or Pelosi or anyone else in politics. But I will question the actions of leaders who support things which are totally contrary to the teachings of their faith.

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  • Falwell Jr. on leave after inappropriate Instagram photo

    Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

    The largest Christian university in the world should not be led by a person who’s controversial because of his antics. It’s one thing to be controversial due to conviction or controversial due to moral stances which cut against the grain of society.

    But Jerry Falwell, Jr’s controversies largely stem from his antics. This week, Falwell posted a photo on his Instagram of him and a woman (who he later said is his wife’s assistant) at a yacht party. In the photo – which was later deleted – Falwell has his arm around the woman, both have their shirts lifted above their stomachs, and show their pants unzipped. Along with the photo, Falwell included the caption:  “Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that’s just black water in my glass. It was a prop only.”

    The following day, Falwell explained the photo in a slurred radio interview where he said:  “She’s pregnant so she couldn’t get her — she couldn’t get her pants up,” he said. “And I was like, trying to like — my — I had on pair of jeans that I hadn’t worn in a long time so I couldn’t get mine zipped either. And so — and so — I just put my belly — I just put my belly out like hers.” Falwell said that he was “gonna try to be a good boy.”

    Everything about that situation looks bad. And his explanation didn’t do him any favors. “I’m gonna try to be a good boy?” You’re the president of the largest Christian University on earth and a 58 year old man. Also, in the photo when he says “I promise it’s just black water?” That sounds like an excuse an underage drinker would make when getting caught.

    Appearances matter. Being above reproach matters. Falwell failed on both fronts with that photo. Video from the yacht party also emerged showing people in a themed party based off of the Canadian television series “Trailer Park Boys.”

    Today, Liberty announced that Falwell will be taking an indefinite leave of absence, effective immediately. It’s a decision which is long overdo. It’s a microcosm of a larger problem in evangelical Christianity where organizations and churches fail to hold influential leaders accountable.

    If a student at Liberty had done what Falwell did, they would face disciplinary action. For Falwell, the standard for his conduct should be higher, not lower, than for his students.

    And again, it’s not an isolated incident. In May, Falwell Tweeted a picture of a custom surgical face mask which displayed the image of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam in a racially insensitive photo from his medical school yearbook. Falwell said that it was in protest to budget cuts for higher education made by Northam. Thousands called for Falwell to apologize and resign.

    He eventually did apologize. Kind of. Although his Instagram account still features a link in the bio section to a Breitbart story which paints Falwell as the victim in that story.

    Last year, there were photos which emerged of photo and his family at a Miami nightclub. Not the worst thing in the world (although not a great look for the president of a major Christian University, either). But Falwell vehemently denied the photos and said they were photoshopped, which prompted a response from the photographer who had taken the photos.

    Last October, there was a bizarre settlement involving a business deal gone awry.

    On social media, there are numerous occasions where Falwell has called people “stupid” and “idiot.”

    I appreciate Liberty University. But they deserve better. Standards and accountability matter. I’ve written about numerous influential pastors who have been fired or resigned due to misconduct. And so often, I feel like those situations could have been averted had their respective boards held leaders accountable in the beginning. And we see it here with Falwell. His board has allowed him to run wild time and again. And each time, it further diminishes the institution.