Citizen Sourced

Here’s a quick reminder of some important facts about Donald Trump: Ladies & Gentlemen, Please meet the President of the United States: 1. Flew on Epstein’s plane at least seven times. Just friends, I guess. 2. Pleaded the Fifth more than 400 times in a single deposition. Nothing says “innocent” quite like refusing to answer hundreds of questions about your own business. 3. 34 felony convictions. A record most people would call disqualifying. 4. 91 criminal charges. 5. Accused of sexual misconduct or assault by at least 26 women. But sure, tell me again how he’s a great guy. 6. 6 corporate bankruptcies. The self-proclaimed greatest businessman alive somehow keeps running out of money. 7. 5 draft deferments. Funny how the toughest guy in the room never actually showed up for duty. 8. 4 criminal indictments. Not two. Not three. Four. 9. 2 impeachments. A club of exactly one president. 10. 2 of his companies convicted of criminal tax fraud. Convicted. ...

America Doesn't Need to Be Called a Christian Nation I've been thinking a lot about people who say America is a Christian nation or that it should become one. As a Christian, this matters deeply to me because I love both my country and my Savior. But I think we've confused two very different ideas. I would love for every American to come to know Jesus Christ. That's my prayer. But faith can't be forced. The government can't make people Christians, and it shouldn't try. Jesus never told His followers to build His kingdom through political power. He told us to preach the gospel, make disciples, and love our neighbors. History should make us careful before we start calling America a Christian nation. Our country has done some terrible things. Native Americans were forced from their land. Some people used the Bible to defend slavery and Jim Crow. Churches have been rocked by sexual abuse scandals. A few extremists even committed violence against abortion cli...

The federal prosecution of Samuel Tunick should concern every American, regardless of political beliefs. On January 24, 2025, Tunick was detained at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport while returning to the United States from the Dominican Republic. During a border inspection, federal agents sought access to his Google Pixel smartphone. Prosecutors allege that instead of entering his normal unlock code, Tunick entered a duress passcode that securely erased the phone using a built-in GrapheneOS security feature. Before anyone assumes that sounds sinister, it's important to understand why duress passcodes exist in the first place. A duress passcode is not designed to help criminals destroy evidence. It is a security feature created to protect innocent users who are forced to unlock their phones under coercion. Imagine someone being robbed at gunpoint, kidnapped, assaulted by an abusive spouse, held hostage, or forced by a corrupt government official or criminal organ...

Most Americans don't spend their days tracking what happens in Congress. Between work, family, and everyday life, it's easy to assume our elected officials are focused on solving the country's biggest problems. But every so often, a proposal comes along that reminds us why paying attention matters. One such proposal is Representative Keith Self's resolution to repeal the 17th Amendment. The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913, gave the American people the right to directly elect U.S. senators. Before that, senators were chosen by state legislatures, a system plagued by political deadlock, backroom deals, and allegations of corruption. The amendment was adopted because Americans wanted greater accountability and a stronger voice in their own government. Repealing it would move the country in the opposite direction. Supporters argue that state legislatures should once again choose senators because it would strengthen federalism and make senators more responsive to state gove...

To those who believe President Trump was God's answer to America's problems, I'd simply ask that we apply the same standard to every president and stick to the facts instead of political talking points. President Obama never said America was "no longer a Christian nation." What he actually said was that America is not just a Christian nation but also a nation of people from many other faiths and those with no faith—a reflection of the First Amendment and America's religious diversity, not a denial of Christianity. He also never ordered that "all bathrooms be genderless." His administration issued guidance concerning transgender students in public schools, which is very different from what some people are are claiming. The idea that he "apologized for America" comes from a political slogan, not from an actual apology speech. And while Obama acknowledged that some manufacturing jobs would not return because of automation, he never said Americ...

I recently listened to a sermon by James Talarico about Christian nationalism that has been getting a lot of attention. As I listened, I found myself agreeing with some of what he said and disagreeing with other parts. What stayed with me afterward, though, wasn't simply where we disagreed. It was the overall direction of the sermon and what seemed to be missing from it. The sermon began with a joke about beer being better than religion. I understand it was meant to be humorous, but it struck me as an unusual way to begin a Christian sermon. When people gather to hear God's Word, I think the focus should immediately be on Christ and the gospel rather than on making light of religion, even if it's done for effect. As the sermon continued, I found myself agreeing with several biblical principles. Jesus rejected worldly power. He taught His followers to love their neighbors, care for the poor, live humbly, and serve others instead of seeking to dominate them. Those are timeles...