The not unexpected but nevertheless sudden passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has changed the trajectory of this fall’s already critical election. Experts believe the president will win reelection on Nov. 3, but there is a deep concern for the recurrence of what has become known as the “blue wave” phenomenon. This involves the illegal practice of ballot harvesting, where ballots can be gathered by political operatives and strategically “discovered” as the days pass to overturn the election, almost always in favor of the Democratic Party.
As word of Ginsburg’s passing began to get out, the Supreme Court plaza filled with hundreds of people. What was originally a somber, peaceful commemoration of her legacy quickly turned into chaos, descending into intimidation led by the antifa-related organizations.
A backstory in Ginsburg’s life was the decades-long “love affair” of professional respect and deep friendship she had with the godly Justice Antonin Scalia, with whom she disagreed on nearly every issue. As Scalia put it when he took a bouquet of roses to his friend Ruth for her birthday, “There are some things that are more important than votes.” Scalia set the example for so many of the ability to be a proud believer, hold to principle and still be a part of society, maintaining a wide circle of relationships with people we fundamentally disagree with but with whom we do not have to be disagreeable.
Ginsburg, in contrast to her reputation as a liberal feminist, was in fact an opponent of Roe v. Wade, albeit from the perspective that it was weak law. As a reporter at a seminar at the University of Chicago where she spoke wrote, “Those more acquainted with Ginsburg and her thoughtful, nuanced approach to difficult legal questions were not surprised, however, to hear her say just the opposite, that Roe was a faulty decision. For Ginsburg, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman’s right to an abortion was too far-reaching and too sweeping, and it gave anti-abortion rights activists a very tangible target to rally against in the four decades since.”
It is believed by experts that the election, much like the election of 2000 but much more serious, will descend into chaos. It seems the current game plan is to overturn the election district by district, ultimately ending up once again in the Supreme Court, where until the sudden passing of Justice Ginsburg, the outcome would have been in serious doubt.
As the Supreme Court plaza filled up, antifa-allied operatives could be seen in a textbook operation, arriving with supplies, organization and preparation. And with no visible police presence except for two or three officers for a crowd of well over a thousand people, the crowd grew increasingly violent as the original mourners were replaced by seasoned antifa-related operatives.
The focus for the sudden turn to overt intimidation was a young, bearded evangelist who, along with two others and a loudspeaker, began to preach the gospel, centering on the defense for life and how Scripture is clear on all men being accountable to God. As soon as he began to speak, he was surrounded by a violent mob that surrounded him, attempting to take his signs, screaming at him and putting firsts and hands in his face to stop his preaching of the simple gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“All of us will be accountable to God one day, and whether we have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will be the deciding factor. Today is your opportunity. Please come to Christ,” was his simple plea: pure, kind and respectful.
This was countered by outbursts in which hundreds of activists screamed at him. At one point he was turned away with fellow believers, including me, protecting him when someone managed to open the back of his loudspeaker and steal a battery, which immediately stopped his preaching as stage sound was cut off.
Our plea to a nearby police officer was met by a request to the person who taken the battery to return it, while another officer said, “As long as they don’t hit anyone, we can’t do anything.” That send Christian bystanders hurrying to the nearest store for a supply of extra batteries so the evangelist could continue preaching the gospel. .
We believers then formed a human chain to surround him as he continued preaching while the mob grew louder and louder. What looked like relief arrived in the form of a group of about 30 Christians from a nearby church who said they come once a week to pray at the Supreme Court. Sadly, even in the face of repeated requests for help, the group refused and retreated to hide behind a barrier, leaving the evangelists and a band of only four believers at the mercy of the increasingly violent crowd.
Finally, in spite of repeated requests for police assistance, the situation became increasingly dangerous. The evangelist and those protecting him had to retreat. As we left, there sat the heroic band of believers huddled behind a barrier, praying but afraid to be seen serving God in front of the world.
As bestselling author of God, Trump and COVID-19 Steve Strang says, “The left has become emboldened and more radical, espousing an agenda that from a conservative, Christian perspective is downright evil.”
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how shall it be made salty? It is from then on good for nothing but to be thrown out and to be trampled underfoot by men” (Matt. 5:13).
In just 43 days, unless the nearly 59 million believers who failed to register in 2016 do so and the church exhibits boldness unlike what we witnessed the other night, the miraculous restoration of the historic vision of the godly “city on a hill” envisioned by the Puritans will all end. {eoa}
Amir George is the author of Liberating Iraq and directs The World Helpline at theworldhelpline.org.
People Needed: Capitol Hill Daily Prayer 7:30 a.m./12 p.m., Hart Senate Office Building, Constitution Ave./Supreme Court entrance.
Even if you can’t come, please pause to pray at 7:30/12 and let us know at [email protected].