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There is a lot of wrong done, and very little of it is hidden. Often it is brazen and out in the open. So why does it continue? Because very few people are willing to say or do something about it. It is far more comfortable to be a coward.
Timestamps, Links, & Resources
0:00- Intro
3:30 – It’s Not For the Sake of the Gospel
July 5, 2023: Why I have empathy for Karen Swallow Prior
16:29- Cowardice is not a Virtue
Updates on Manipulation: Recognizing Manipulation: Propaganda & Politics / Recognizing Manipulators: Being On Guard / How Our School Board Prepared Me for the Taliban
Covering up is not God’s Way
When the Israelites tried to protect the temple despite its corruption, God responded by pretty much blasting them out of Israel. He didn’t preserve the structure because His temple is ultimately in the hearts of people, not in a system.
— Diane Langberg, PhD (@DianeLangberg) July 7, 2023
It’s important to have people that stand
I have little faith that committees or policy statements will fix these deep-seated problems. I learned that having stronger friends who are willing to confront bullies makes them back down permanently. I hope there are some of those for you among your colleagues. Stand together. pic.twitter.com/2BkYu6EMr2
— Dr. Sam McClatchie (@Huia_fishocean) July 7, 2023
Because manipulation and abuse happens everyhere
I was today year's old when I finally took a stand against a senior white male colleague who made unwanted sexual advances toward me and has been intermittently bullying me since I firmly turned him down. This has been a great source of stress-and I'm a fully tenured senior…
— Dr. Julia K. Baum (@baumlab) July 7, 2023
July 4, 2023 Research Unpacks A Gaslighter’s 2-Step Plan To Gain Control Over Their Partner
https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2023/07/04/research-unpacks-a-gaslighters-2-step-plan-to-gain-control-over-their-partner/
Whose side would you be on? Dumbledore’s or Voldemort’s?
I think Harry Potter 5 Order of the Phoenix is one of my favs. Always a good question for real life… would you be in Dumbledore’s Army, a bulwark, or Bonhoeffer or going along with the crazy and the evil?
— Christy Staats (@christy_staats) July 5, 2023
The Order of the Phoenix is about recognizing the enemy within
It takes courage to stand
Great question. Would you be on the side of the hero or a villain? A hero stands. From @TacosteaT@anujournal.
"It will do no good to call the army if it is comprised of hollow men … "
Looking at you @brianeharrison. Selling your soul never ends wellhttps://t.co/KvHcPssyqn https://t.co/1GDDTjIyFo pic.twitter.com/qGK8OPhOrD— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 5, 2023

21:27- Chaos over the 4th
Bombing in Washington D.C.
According to Washington DC, Metropolitan Police, someone detonated two explosive devices outside of a bank and a store in Washington, D.C. and then through a Molotov cocktail style object at a grocery store. https://t.co/vMM5e1IV8X
— Alex Plitsas 🇺🇸 (@alexplitsas) July 2, 2023
Three pipe bombs in DC over the 4th weekend & surprisingly little discussion about it … & they've shared the license plate publicly? https://t.co/yjKpsauczz pic.twitter.com/B6sdV6JlAG
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 4, 2023
July 2, 2023: Washington D.C. and Federal Authorities Hunt for Bomber
https://www.wbap.com/2023/07/02/washington-d-c-and-federal-authorities-hunt-for-bomber/
July 2, 2023: Police seek people who targeted multiple D.C. sites with explosive devices
The bank, a Nike store and a grocery store were closed at the time, around 4:30 a.m. Sunday. Security video captured an Acura TL sedan that was used in one attack.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-seek-suspects-targeted-multiple-dc-sites-explosive-devices-rcna92288
July 2 2023: Explosives and Molotov cocktail rock three DC businesses 15 minutes apart — suspect still on the run
https://nypost.com/2023/07/02/explosives-and-molotov-cocktail-rock-three-dc-businesses/
July 3 2023: A DC Nike store, Safeway and ATM were targeted with explosives. Now the hunt is on to catch a hooded suspect
Metropolitan Police are hunting for a hooded figure and suspect vehicle after explosive devices were detonated one by one across three Washington DC businesses.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/washington-dc-explosives-bomb-suspect-b2368365.html
Monday, July 3rd
July 3, 2023: 9 shot, 2 trampled in mass shooting at Wichita, Kansas night club
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/07/03/wichita-kansas-mass-shooting-city-nightz/70380269007/
July 3, 2023: Teen killed in south Wichita shooting Monday night
https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/one-not-breathing-after-shooting-in-south-wichita/
July 4, 2023: Philadelphia mass shooting victims named as ‘aggressive loner’ suspect arrested
The suspect accused of killing five people in a shooting in Philadelphia last night has been named. Kimbrady Carriker had ‘an aggressive approach to some things’, a former roommate said
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/suspect-philadelphia-mass-shooting-identified-30389756
July 4, 2023: EVEALED: Gunman behind July 4 Philly bloodbath that left five dead is firearm-obsessed computer nerd who had ‘aggressive approach to some things in life’
Kimbrady Carriker, 40, of Philadelphia, was identified as the suspected shooter
Police identified the five men killed in the shooting as Lashyd Merritt, 20; Dymir Stanton, 29; Ralph Moralis, 59; Daujan Brown, 15; Joseph Wamah, Jr., 31
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12263675/Gunman-July-4-Philly-bloodbath-left-five-dead.html
July 4th, 2023: Philadelphia shooting: Five killed and two wounded after man opens fire
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66061204
July 4th, 2023: Philadelphia police search for motive in mass shooting that left 5 dead, including a 15-year-old, and 2 children wounded
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/04/us/philadelphia-shooting-motive-suspect-tuesday/index.html
Juy 4th, 2023: Shooting in Fort Worth leaves at least 3 dead and 8 others wounded
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/04/us/fort-worth-shooting-deaths/index.html
July 1st, 2023
July 3, 2023: Baltimore investigators searching for suspects in block party mass shooting that killed 2 and injured 28 others
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/03/us/baltimore-block-party-shooting-monday/index.html
July 4th, 2023 At least 10 dead amid public gun violence in US cities over Forth of July weekend
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/07/04/shootings-reported-in-philadelphia-fort-worth-and-other-us-cities/70381557007/
U.S. Sees Record Number Of Mass Shootings Halfway Through 2023
https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/07/03/us-sees-record-number-of-mass-shootings-halfway-through-2023/?sh=1a29c0e0360f
July 4, 2023: Biden decries gun violence as shootings across US mar Fourth of July festivities
At least 15 people shot dead across the country in mass shootings so far on the holiday weekend celebrating the US’s independence
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/04/pennsylvania-texas-fourth-of-july-shootings
Speaking of the 4th, some cheap talk from Zalmay Khalilzad, co-author of the epicly disastrous Doha Agreement and betrayer of his people who turned Afghanistan over to the Taliban.
Words of advice from the Afghan Benedict Arnold. Your mileage may vary https://t.co/jZC35MWdLA
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 5, 2023
Not that this is a shocker, bc people have been saying this for a long time, but this study researched a group tested before & after COVID. COVID causes brain damage, particularly in the olfactory cortexhttps://t.co/yzE3gh9H4Z pic.twitter.com/ei85OLStzs
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) June 17, 2023
Brain changes after COVID-19
Even mild COVID-19 infection can lead to “significant, deleterious” damage to the brain.
https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/brain-changes-after-covid-19/
Damage to the olfactory cortex has been known to cause increased anxietyhttps://t.co/DFwq7JRJmw pic.twitter.com/IndnaseucM
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) June 17, 2023
Post-traumatic olfactory loss and brain response beyond olfactory cortex
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83621-2
The olfactory system plays a role in our perception of the world in how we feel about what we experience. Damage to it results in a lower quality of life bc it results in more negative perceptions, which naturally affects how we interact w/others https://t.co/Q8oRx1cqMl pic.twitter.com/FfRmmgHccn
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) June 17, 2023
Olfactory system and emotion: Common substrates
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879729610001237
25:19- When the U.S. is more dangerous than Afghanistan
Afghan ally shot in Washington D.C.
NEW: I’ve spent the day talking to family and friends of Nasrat Ahmad Yar, the Lyft driver shot, killed in NE DC. He was a respected interpreter in Afghanistan. His wife wanted him to come home in Alexandria that night but he chose to work so he could make money for rent. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/pn8QKsRyDA
— Matthew Torres (@News_MTorres) July 6, 2023
July 6, 2023: Man who served as interpreter in Afghanistan, escaped after Taliban takeover, killed in DC working as Lyft driver
Nasrat Ahmad Yar, a 31-year-old father of four, moved from Afghanistan to Pennsylvania after the Taliban takeover, and then to Alexandria in 2022.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/lyft-driver-killed-dc-afghanistan-interpreter-us-army-special-forces-escaped-taliban-father-of-four/65-9210b742-2fc8-4292-a440-07b8cee60ef6
26:46- Afghanistan News
Just a Reminder, The Taliban are Terrorists
Salons closed in Afghanistan
A spokesman for the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, Sadiq Akif Mahjer, provided the reasons for the closure of the salons in a video clip released on the Ministry’s social media channel. 1/4
— Lark Abroad (@Larkabroad) July 7, 2023
July 7, 2023: Taliban orders Afghanistan’s beauty salons to close in latest crackdown on women’s rights
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taliban-afghanistan-beauty-salons-ordered-to-close-erasing-womens-rights/
Teacher jailed for advocating for education
For over three months now, Matiullah Wesa has been held in a Taliban jail. His crime? A long career of advocating for every child in Afghanistan to receive an education.
The damage from the Taliban's war on education will echo for generations. https://t.co/5NBs9410fT
— Heather Barr (@heatherbarr1) July 5, 2023
March 28, 2023: Taliban arrests prominent Afghan education campaigner Matiullah Wesa, founder of the Pen Path organization
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-taliban-arrest-education-campaigner-matiullah-wesa-pen-path-organization/
Afghan girls cannot attend school
🇦🇫 For the last 122 years, every single Afghan government except the Taliban has been committed to expanding education for girls and women.
And yet, bizarrely, the Taliban claim to represent tradition and continuity.
Even if they believe their own lies, we shouldn't. pic.twitter.com/cCEZ3af63t
— Stephan Jensen (@StephanAJensen) July 7, 2023
July 5, 2023: Woman reveals shocking accounts of abuse and torture by Taliban official
Woman reveals shocking accounts of abuse and torture by Taliban official
July 5, 2023: Female doctor severely beaten by Taliban members in Balkh hospital
Female doctor severely beaten by Taliban members in Balkh hospital
Forced marriage of 16-year-old
This is one of the "good" guys. He paid the family instead of just taking her and she's 16, not 12 https://t.co/RdSWcwuJN6
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 3, 2023
July 2, 2023: Taliban governor, 60, marries 16-year-old girl after paying family $30,000
https://kabulnow.com/2023/07/taliban-governor-60-marries-16-year-old-girl-after-paying-family-30000/
Taliban official forces an already married woman into marriage with him.
Mullah Aman, a Taliban official, coerced a married woman in Kunduz province into a forced marriage. The woman’s lawful husband filed a complaint but Taliban compelled him to stay silent. This isn’t an isolated case. Force marriages have become a trend among Taliban officials.… pic.twitter.com/yv68YRZAW4
— Nilofar Ayoubi 🇦🇫 (@NilofarAyoubi) July 5, 2023
Afghans shot at Iranian border
https://twitter.com/Voicefp/status/1675579717297242112
Part of our problem is assuming that not only do we know anything, but that we know best.
Yes, rather than treating them as partners that have the same desire for their people that we have, we had a condescending & patronizing attitude. The "ugly American" is a stereotype because it is very often true https://t.co/jHYeEgdkkB https://t.co/gGGUZPdazI
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 3, 2023
From Generation Jihad: Bin Laden was a conspiracy theorist
Really interesting episode from Generation Jihad. Roggio explains Al Qaeda as starting from an Islamic version of Qanon where there is a Zionist "deep state" intent on taking out the Muslim world. https://t.co/zcA4g99rnO
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 6, 2023
30:27- We are what we do, not what we say we are
What we like to think about ourself doesn’t determine who we are, our actions do. The “good guys” don’t abandon their friends
This is how we reward the Afghan soldiers who fought and died with us for two decades.
It's a moral catastrophe of epic proportions, that will haunt us for many years to come. 👇🇦🇫 https://t.co/0D70WoTee8— Stephan Jensen (@StephanAJensen) July 3, 2023
Pence lies about the Trump Administration actions
Trump tried to accelerate the withdrawal in Jan 2021 out of sheer spite in an effort to cause maximum chaos for Biden https://t.co/ZQ2QwTQ7pe https://t.co/cnPjkJhpcZ pic.twitter.com/fzFdB6Oa0A
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 3, 2023
33:40- What makes us American? What we believe
We are able to celebrate the 4th of July today because we had help from our friends.
Happy 4th of July, ie Great Britain Breakup Day when we said, "it's not me, it's you." 🇬🇧 So glad we can still be friends. And much ❤️ to France who gave some obnoxious colonists a fighting chance. May we ever be worthy of your gift of sacrifice.
Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité https://t.co/xf1byeVXjQ pic.twitter.com/9w5kpql9g6
— Carla Alvarez (@RaisedtoWalk) July 4, 2023
What it means to be an American
British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher famously once said, “Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.” Nearly all European nations trace their beginning to a common ethnic kinship or a cultural characteristic, but America was created by exiles united in… pic.twitter.com/dyTOo4HOA5
— Joshua Claybourn (@JoshuaClaybourn) July 3, 2023
39:09- Update on Afghan Christians
42:00- Welcome Corp Update
There is a big difference in experiences depending on the program a refugee comes to the U.S. under.
43:27- English language efforts
44:20- The challenges of immigration
A year since the war started, Ukrainians in Massachusetts now wait to see how long they can stay
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2023/02/24/a-year-since-the-war-started-ukrainians-in-massachusetts-now-wait-to-see-how-long-they-can-stay
53:17- Wrap up
Note: there were some slides out of sync, several interruptions, and a long side discussion on the Gospel of John, so I edited the stream.