Banning a Banner

For most of my life, I’ve lived in Minnesota. I grew up in Moorhead and moved to Minneapolis at 21. Eventually, I left the Twin Cities area when the Lord called me to travel as a full-time missionary. In recent years, I’ve returned to Minnesota for extended visits in the spring and summer. I prefer avoiding their brutally cold winters.

Another thing I don’t like is the state’s political climate. Minnesota legalized same-sex marriage before the U. S. Supreme Court did. One of their congresswomen is Somalian-born Ilhan Omar, who supports the BDS movement, Black Lives Matter, and defunding the police. Current governor Tim Walz got reelected despite the lockdowns he imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some locals have called the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” the “Land of 10,000 Taxes.” Minnesota has one of the highest taxation rates in America and ranks third on welfare spending per person.


Minnesota has become known for protests, including the ones that erupted after the deaths of George Floyd and Daunte Wright. Advocates have also called for changing the names of landmarks such as Lake Calhoun by the Uptown area of Minneapolis. That body of water had been named after a U. S. vice president who defended slavery. In 2018, the lake was renamed Bde Maka Ska. Certainly I don’t condone slavery, but I disagree with renaming places and sports teams because it offends a tiny percentage of the populace. I still refer to it as Lake Calhoun.


The state flag is now about to be changed. The Minnesota Seal features a Native American riding on horseback to symbolize their heritage. Because the rider is facing the other direction, some have interpreted that to mean American Indians were chased away by European settlers. As a result, a new flag will be adopted next year, chosen from many contest submissions. I prefer keeping the flag as is.


I wish more God-fearing people would take a stand against the politically correct. Voter apathy has contributed to the decline of Judeo-Christian values this nation was founded upon. There’s an old saying: “Give the devil an inch, and he will take a mile." A humanist in Minnesota once tried to get the Bible banned, but a large turnout (including yours truly) at a school board meeting hindered that from happening. Pushback makes a difference especially concerning spiritual issues.


“Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the Lord is my banner”) - Exodus 17:15 (NLT)

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