Nobody outside Covington, Kentucky had probably ever heard of teenager Nicholas Sandmann before he put on the "red hat" that says, "Make America Great Again" (MAGA).
Tuesday night millions watched "The Covington Kid," as he's now known, spoke at the Republican National Convention.
This kid---and his personal experience---defines the cultural battle raging in America today.
Not unlike the Civil War, this culture war is even dividing wonderful families, including the Billy Graham family.
Be informed, not misled.
Nicholas told the millions watching the Republican Convention Tuesday evening,
"Looking back now, how could I have possibly imagined that the simple act of putting on a red (MAGA) hat would unleash hate from the left and make myself the target of cable news networks nationwide?"
He says, "My life changed forever in that moment."
Here's what happened to Nickolas.
Nicholas and a group of kids had come to Washington DC to march in the 2019 March For Life event. At the conclusion of the march, he and a number of his friends who were traveling together were waiting for their bus.
While waiting, an Indian man who was beating a drum espousing far-left ideas walked toward the waiting Catholic boys---one of whom was Nicholas Sandmann.
Nicholas says he had seen the hats for sale and decided to buy one to take home from the pro-life march event. Several of the other kids had one as well.
The Indian guy---a Mr. Phillips, saw the kids and began approaching them beating his drum and chanting.
The video that went viral was of the man in the face of Nicholas, beating his drum, staring him down. Nicholas was standing there with a silly grin on his face doing nothing but looking at the man who was in his face.
From that, the press extrapolated that this Catholic teenager who had just marched in what they call an "anti-abortion" rally, and was a supporter of Trump, was harassing this old man who was exercising his First Amendment rights.
That story was reported on every mainstream newspaper and TV channel in the country---vilifying the kid.
However, Nicholas and his family responded. A longer version of the video clip that these so-called news organizations had reported and published showed the opposite. The old man had approached the kids trying to invoke a response. When the kids didn't respond to him, he finally moved on to another target.
Five minutes of investigation showed that the old man is a professional agitator. That's what he does---and is funded by several far-left organizations. He incites reaction, on tape, then that footage is often used for far-left propaganda purposes---showing Trump supporters harassing innocent people.
Nicholas' family responded.
They filed a defamation suit against 8 national media outlets---CNN, The Washington Post, NBC, ABC, CBS, the New York Times, Gannet, and Rolling Stone magazine.
Several of these organizations have already settled with the Sandmann family. Nic is going to end up with a good amount of money.
But, he says, that's not the point: "I fought back hard to expose the media for what they did to me, and I won a personal victory."
Nicholas' response
He says, "My life changed forever in that one moment."
"I would not be canceled," he said, despite "the full war machine of the mainstream media."
In his speech, he said:
"The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode. They did so without researching the full video incident, without investigation Mr. Phillips' motives or without ever asking me for my side of the story."
"And do you know why?" he asked, "Because the truth was not important. Advancing their anti-Christian, anti-conservative, anti-Donald Trump narrative was all that mattered. And if advancing their narrative ruined the reputation and future of a teenager from Covington, Kentucky, well, so be it. That would teach him not to wear a MAGA hat."
You can read the full text of his 2-3 minute speech here.
Nickolas admits he wasn't even familiar with the term "cancel" or "cancel culture" until they tried to do it to him.
He said he learned that's what's happening to people around the country who refuse to be silenced by the far-left.
He says, "I look forward to the day when the media returns to providing balanced, responsible, and accountable news coverage."
He says all this is worth "fighting for."
And it's worth "voting for."
"And this is what Donald Trump stands for."
Then he said--- "And one more thing, Let's make America Great Again," grinning while putting on his red MAGA hat.
How do think the far-left responded?
Joe Lockhart, a former spokesperson for Hillary and Bill Clinton, tweeted:
"I'm watching tonight because it's important. But I don't have to watch this snot nose entitled kid from Kentucky."
This, from the same far-left that is being led around like a donkey with a nose ring by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg---applauding every time she yells at world leaders for burning up her world because they won't fix climate change.
Two from the same generation with polar opposite worldviews. Come November, America will decide which path we choose.
The culture war convention.
The Federalist published an article this week that said in part:
Donald Trump oversaw a naturalization ceremony during Tuesday night’s Republican National Convention. He pardoned a convicted criminal. Nicholas Sandmann, the Covington Catholic student who was smeared by the corporate media in 2019, delivered remarks on cancel culture, donning a MAGA hat. Eric Trump lamented cancel culture too, and derided “elites in Paris.” Abby Johnson, a regretful former Planned Parenthood employee, talked about “the smell” of abortion. Billy Graham’s granddaughter warned that transgender ideology is threatening youth sports.
“You can’t tell me how to vote because of the color of my skin,” Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said, a line directed straight at Joe Biden.
Not unlike the Civil War itself, even the Billy Graham family is being torn by this war.
She said: "Trump is the only choice for voters of faith," adding that the Democrat ticket "leaves no room for them."
She said, unlike the Obama administration, people of faith suddenly have "a fierce advocate in the White House" citing the appointment of judges, "who respect the First Amendment."
Concluding, she said the "Biden Harris vision for America leaves no room for people of faith."
Her father, Franklin Graham, is leading a prayer march for our nation in Washington DC in September.
However.
Yesterday, USA Today published an op-ed written by another of Billy Graham's granddaughters.
Jerushah DuFord is the daughter of Gigi Graham, one of Franklin's sisters. She is well known among the so-called "Christian Left. She writes much...and often.
Her op-ed in USA Today trades on her relationship to her grandfather Billy Graham.
She attaches beliefs and positions her grandfather never held or believed according to others in the family.
This truly is a time of soul searching for our nation.
Can we, in the name of Jesus Christ, put our voice and vote behind what would be the most pro-abortion president and vice president--Biden-Harris?
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful.