Fewer Kitschy Creeds, More Good Reads

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My shtick on Twitter is taking pictures of myself with kitschy signs that I find wherever I go. You know the signs I’m talking about. They are the signs that embody the motto of “Live. Laugh. Love.” If you go to your local Hobby Lobby, there is an aisle dedicated to this, um, décor.

Yes, most of these decorations seem designed for the conservative Christian crowd. For example: “I Stand for the National Anthem,” “Faith, Family, Football,” or “Jesus Guns Babies” (whoops — that was actually a campaign tagline, not a sign).

But liberals also seem interested in these cursed adornments. My favorites are the ones that begin with, “In This House/Home We …” “In this home, we believe Black Lives Matter,” “In this home, we believe in science,” or “In this home, we believe that if we have enough signs with ‘justice-y’ slogans, then we’ve done enough.” I’m trademarking that last one, as it does not yet exist.

Listen, the editors at Sojourners are convinced that reading full, textured, justice-oriented stories will be better for you than reading any of these signs. And while I share this conviction, I’m still going to keep my shtick up.

1. There’s Wonderful Pow’r in the Blood
Christ’s blood saves us and blood donation saves lives, but homophobic rules keep many queer men from donating. By Mitchell Atencio via sojo.net.

2. Our Numbness to Gun Violence Is a Spiritual Failure
Four days. That’s how long researchers have found that people’s sadness and outrage last after each major gun massacre in America. By Adam Russell Taylor via sojo.net.

3. Polling Is Clear: Americans Want Gun Control
Politicians diverge from voters when it comes to preventing gun deaths. By Rani Molla via Vox.

4. Chicago Church Preaches ‘the Gospel According to Dolly Parton’
For the past five weeks, each Sunday’s sermon at Church of the Three Crosses has focused on a different song by Parton. By Emily McFarlan Miller religionnews.com.

5. The Catholic Church Needs L.G.B.T. Saints
When L.G.B.T. people look at the communion of the saints, we should be able to see someone who looks like us. Jim McDermott via americamagazine.org.

6. Anatomy of a Fake
What a viral fake news story about “race-based grading” tells us about our media ecosystem. By Don Moynihan via donmoynihan.substack.com.

7. Delegates Repeal Membership Guidelines, Pass LGBTQ-affirming Resolution
‘Repentance and Transformation’ passes with 55.7 percent support. By Paul Schrag via anabaptistworld.org.

8. How To Learn a Heritage Language
Heritage language learners are different from people learning a second language for the first time. They often grow up hearing it, but that can come with its own set of challenges. By Shereen Marisol Meraji via NPR.

9. Abolition, Popular Culture, and Justice: Introducing ‘Pop Justice’
It’s time to examine how pop culture warps our understanding of policing and justice — and ultimately stalls overdue calls for abolition. By Ko Bragg via scalawagmagazine.org.

10. Progressives Take a Leaf Out of the Conservative Playbook to Target School Boards
There has been a groundswell of conservative enthusiasm around school politics in the last few years. Progressives are hoping to have their own source of organization to counter that enthusiasm. By Danielle Kurtzleben via NPR.