Democrats

On terrorism, look at the facts — not preconceived narratives 

On terrorism, look at the facts — not preconceived narratives 

Erick Erickson

Much of the media and Democratic Party obsess about narratives. It is not enough for reporters to report facts, data, and events. They must all be shaped into story-telling elements to tell a larger story or narrative. This approach has become common among both the press and politicians. The Obama administration, in particular, has become obsessed with narratives at the expense of our national security.

Saadiq Long is one data point in the quest for narratives. In 2013, liberal journalists wove the facts of Saadiq Long into the greater narrative that the United States was still an oppressive regime under Barack Obama. The "no fly list" was but one example, and Saadiq Long was on the no fly list. The cause of Saadiq Long was championed by MSNBC, Glenn Greenwald, Mother Jones magazine, and more.

Abandoned but not forgotten: The Lazarus Ministry
Massachusetts

Abandoned but not forgotten: The Lazarus Ministry

Mary McCleary

The Lazarus Ministry at St. Anthony's Shrine in Boston is an oasis of hope in a harsh cultural climate that dismisses "inconvenient" human life. One of the great human tragedies is to die alone and abandoned. But the self-effacing friars and volunteers at the church respond generously whenever the Boston Medical Examiner's office calls for help with an unclaimed deceased person. Their discreet ministry provides funerals and burials for the homeless, the poor, and abandoned infants.

Although they are Catholic, the Lazarus Ministry is open to anyone in need, irrespective of religion, nationality, or economic status. They are "dedicated to the entire person, in death and in life." It is an inspiring witness that each human life is worthy of our respect, even after death. The Franciscan friars stand by people whom they never knew and affirm the intrinsic value of their existence, if only in memory.

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