Lessons From Philadelphia
 
Thank God that all six of the officers shot last night in Philadelphia appear not to be seriously injured.  They were ambushed as they were attempting to serve a warrant.  But the eight-hour standoff holds lessons relevant to all of us.
 
To begin with, it is a stark reminder of the danger the men and women of law enforcement face every day.  Most of us get up and go to work every day never thinking for even a second that we might get shot on the job.  But every day police officers put their lives in extreme danger so we can enjoy that peace of mind.
 
Incredibly, the officers were harassed and heckled by some residents in the middle of the standoff.  This kind of disrespect didn't start overnight, but every time the left smears police as "fascists," they are contributing to this kind of behavior.
 
Is there any chance that the left and its media allies will stop their constant bashing of law enforcement?  Sadly, no.  They didn't stop after a Black Lives Matter extremist killed five Dallas police officers. 
 
The gunman in yesterday's standoff, identified as Maurice Hill, has an 18-year criminal record.  He has nearly a dozen arrests and six convictions for charges involving "illegal possession of guns, drug dealing, and aggravated assault."  He also spent time in federal prison for federal firearms violations.
 
Do left-wing politicians and anti-Second Amendment activists really think that Maurice Hill cares what the law says?  Clearly, he does not.  And he obviously did not get his guns after going through a background check!
 
Here's the key point:  There are good people living in that Philadelphia neighborhood.  They have to deal with criminals like Hill when the police are not there.  The left's anti-Second Amendment agenda will make it harder for those people to have the security that comes from owning a firearm when gangs and drug dealers run the streets.
 
 
 
Trump Protects Religious Liberty
 
The Trump Administration is continuing its bold efforts to protect religious liberty in the public square.  The Department of Labor issued new regulations yesterday intended to ensure that faith-based organizations are not forced to compromise their values when making hiring decisions.
 
In a press release, the Labor Department declared:
 
"Recent Supreme Court decisions . . . further address the protections afforded religious organizations and individuals under the Constitution and federal law.  Executive Orders . . . along with U.S. Department of Justice guidance, likewise instruct federal agencies to protect religious exercise and not impede it.
 
"In keeping with that rich history, the proposed rule would clarify that religious organizations may make employment decisions consistent with their sincerely held religious tenets and beliefs without fear of sanction by the federal government. . .
 
"Consistent with the President's policy to enforce the robust protections for religious freedom found in federal law, the proposed rule states that it should be construed to provide the broadest protection of religious exercise recognized by the Constitution and other laws, such as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act."
 
It is unfortunate that the administration has to issue such rules.  But the intolerant left is not content with a "live and let live" truce in the culture war. 
 
Having prevailed in its efforts to redefine marriage, the left is demanding much more than tolerance.  The Obama Administration attempted to force Catholic nuns to subsidize abortion.  Now the left is redefining gender, weaponizing pronouns and forcing its radical agenda on public libraries, public schools and public restrooms. 
 
How many more bakers, florists, photographers, fire chiefs, college administrators, Army chaplains and tech executives should be forced to lose their jobs and businesses in the name of tolerance?  And where's the tolerance for millions of orthodox Christians and Jews who happen to believe what the Bible teaches about marriage and family?
 
 
 
Poll Position
 
A new poll suggests Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is continuing to build momentum from her strong debate performance.  She has surged to a statistical tie with former Vice President Joe Biden in the latest Economist/YouGov poll.  Here are the results:
 
Biden 21%
Warren 20%
Sanders 16%.
 
No other candidate received double digit support.
 
Meanwhile, a new poll in New Hampshire finds Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders regaining his lead by six points over Biden.  As you may recall, Sanders won the New Hampshire primary four years ago by more than 20 points over Hillary Clinton.
 
And former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper ended his presidential bid today.  There is widespread speculation that Hickenlooper may jump into the race against Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO).