March 22, 2017

JOURNAL COURIER
— Proposal (SB 316 and HB 2353) would make marijuana legal in state  (DIERSEN: If you push pot in Illinois, you push the further destruction of Illinois.)
http://myjournalcourier.com/news/107260/proposal-would-make-marijuana-legal-in-state

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Big shot mayors can’t allow just anybody to be an email pal – Editorial (DIERSEN: QUESTION: When a mayor publicly insults one of his constituents, for example, at the end of one of his state of the city addresses, and cites anonymous sources to justify those insults, should that constituent file a FOIA request to identify those anonymous sources?)
http://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/big-shot-mayors-cant-allow-just-anybody-to-be-an-email-pal/
— Ethics board targets six more lobbyists who emailed Emanuel – Fran Spielman
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ethics-board-targets-six-more-lobbyists-who-emailed-emanuel/
— MARCH 13, 2017 FLASHBACK: BGA goes back to court to gain access to Emanuel’s private emails – Fran Spielman
http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/bga-goes-back-to-court-to-gain-access-to-emanuels-private-emails/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Ethics board to look into possible lobbying violations in Tribune report – Bill Ruthhart and Hal Dardick
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-chicago-ethics-board-met-0322-20170321-story.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Emanuel pushes his “municipal ID” plan to treasonously encourage people to come to America illegally, to stay in America illegally, and to bring others to America illegally.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-chicago-municipal-id-met-20170322-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Offering such an ID also allows Emanuel to plant a high-profile flag in his campaign to position himself in opposition to Trump as a defender of immigrants’ rights and Chicago as a safe haven for those living here without legal permission. The mayor’s handpicked city clerk, Anna Valencia, is heading up the ID initiative. Valencia’s office insists applicants’ information will be secure and those who apply will be properly vetted, though Valencia has offered no specifics on how the city will achieve those goals or when the program will launch. She declined to be interviewed.)
— VIDEO: Naperville’s 2017 State of the City on NCTV17 (DIERSEN: I did not watch this, but am sure that Mayor Chirico did not insult anyone during his address.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/community/chi-ugc-article-napervilles-2017-state-of-the-city-on-nctv17-2017-03-20-story.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD IN NAPERVILLE SUN WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: Naperville mayor proposes downtown outdoor Wi-Fi work space – Erin Hegarty
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-naperville-state-of-the-city-st-0322-20170320-story.html
— No speed limit on the Chicago Way – John Kass
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-rahm-emanuel-emails-kass-0322-20170321-column.html
— The NRA’s gun market crisis – Firmin DeBrabander  (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps talk, write, and act like they are going to get rid of Trump and like they are going to get rid of Trump’s supporters.  For their self-defense, I would expect that most, if not virtually all Trump supporters own firearms and lots of ammunition.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-guns-nra-conceal-open-carry-trump-market-manufacturers-perspec-0322-jm-20170321-story.html
— ‘Deep state’ troubles White House  Trump and staffers think holdovers are intent on sabotage – Jonathan Lemire
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20170322/281728384340900
— Pockets of strong Trump support in deep blue Democrat Chicago – Ted Gregory  (DIERSEN: In which precincts in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois did the highest percent of registered voters vote for Trump in the November 8, 2016 election?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-donald-trump-chicago-supporters-met-20170321-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Say yes to District 200 referendum – Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170322/discuss/170329738/

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Chicago officials shudder at Trump budget – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170322/BLOGS02/170329959

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Leaving the Land of Lincoln – Editorial
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017-03-21/leaving-land-lincoln.html

 

ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Not standing up to hate permits it to fester, breed – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, those who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors PROMOTE HATRED AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://thetelegraph.com/opinion/98727/editorial-not-standing-up-to-hate-permits-it-to-fester-breed

 

CHICAGO ARGUS
— Whose money is truly tainted? Or, Are Rauner bucks really holier than thou? – Gregory Tejeda
http://chicagoargus.blogspot.com/2017/03/whose-money-is-truly-tainted-or-are.html

 

CATHOLIC CITIZENS OF ILLINOIS
— ‘Ending White Privilege Starts With Ending Jewish Privilege’ fliers hung at U. Illinois-Chicago – REBECCA DOWNS (DIERSEN: Government is nasty.  Politics is nasty. Democrats are nasty. I should write a book about my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government who focused on turning my many Jewish superiors and Jewish supervisors against me. They stressed that I was 100% German national origin and that I had been baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.  In my defense, I stressed that all my ancestors had immigrated to northeast Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s, that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and that my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.)
https://catholiccitizens.org/news/70421/ending-white-privilege-starts-ending-jewish-privilege-fliers-hung-u-illinois-chicago/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Fliers recently hung at the University of Illinois at Chicago declare “Ending White Privilege Starts With Ending Jewish Privilege.”  The fliers use Pew Research Center data in an attempt to validate the statement, including that while Jews make up 2 percent of the population in the United States that “44% of these Jewish Americans are in the top 1%.” “Is the 1% straight, white men? Or is the 1% Jewish?” the flier questions. The university acted swiftly, issuing a statement March 15, the same day the fliers were found on campus. “Such actions do not reflect the values we hold as a community. Acts that invoke hatred or violence toward members of our community will not be tolerated on our campus,” campus officials said. “We strongly encourage all members of our university to exercise their right to free speech in a manner that recognizes these principles and avoids prejudice or stereotypes,” they added. Despite the campuswide statement, more anti-Semitic fliers were found posted on campus over the weekend. One discussed “Jewish privilege” with regard to “the special privilege when it comes to top universities.” Another linked the de-hiring of Professor Steven Salaita with then-Chancellor Phyllis Wise’s meeting with “a wealthy Jewish Donor in Chicago.” A third criticized jail time for those who deny the Holocaust. Still another flier equated Auschwitz with Gaza, claiming the “largest Concentration Camp in the world today is owned and operated by Zionists.” While the fliers did not identify the student or organization responsible, they did include various hashtags: #BlackLivesMatter, #WeAreAllMuslims, #WhitePrivilege and #StandwithPalestine. Student Eva Zeltser, who posted images of the fliers on Facebook, said her “heart is broken.” “While I try to abstain from writing personal narratives on Facebook, enough is enough,” she stated. “If you are against hate crimes against one group, you should be against these acts of violence for ALL groups. Found all over the UIC campus. Things like these posters are actively posted to catalyze anti-Semitism and increase hate toward Jews.” The incident at the University of Illinois at Chicago comes as a strong uptick in anti-Semitic incidents on campuses nationwide has been observed. UIC Levine Hillel Center’s Executive Director Rabbi Seth Winberg condemned the posters in an email to The College Fix, noting they have caused anger and sadness. The center asked the university to “conduct a full investigation and to address the campus culture that would allow such hateful targeting of Jews.” “We will not let these hateful flyers deter us from our work to build a vibrant community at UIC,” Winberg added.)

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— NEW RANKING LISTS ILLINOIS AS #3 MOST CORRUPT STATE
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/03/new-ranking-lists-illinois-as-3-most-corrupt-state.html
— THORNER: WILL A RESURRECTION OF AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGE FROM ITS DEMISE?
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/03/thorner-will-a-resurrection-of-american-higher-education-emerge-from-its-demise.html
— COURT RULING CLEARS PATH FOR U.S. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR LAWSUIT TO END MANDATORY UNION FEES
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/03/appeals-court-ruling-clears-path-for-us-supreme-court-to-hear-lawsuit-to-end-mandatory-union-fees.html
— WHY ILLINOIS IS DEAD BROKE – Illinois Policy Institute
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/03/why-illinois-is-dead-broke-video.html

 

BREITBART
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Breitbart pushes pot in America. If you push pot in America, you push the destruction of America.
http://www.breitbart.com/marijuana/
https://pro.moneymappress.com/p/NVXMJ39TMRSHORT/LNVXT326/?SID=breitbart-ordamer_032217&h=true

 

FREEDOM’S JOURNAL
— A NATION OF LAW, NOT POLITICS, WITH GORSUCH – Star Parker (DIERSEN: Yes, but Democrats and RINOs elect politicians who have passed many laws that discriminate against individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, draft avoiders, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://freedomsjournalinstitute.org/latest-news/opinion/a-nation-of-law-not-politics-with-gorsuch/

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— White House: Md. school rape underscores Trump’s compassion for victims of illegal immigrant crimes – S.A. Miller
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/21/rape-underscores-trump-compassion-illegals-crime/
— Political partisans within the ivy-covered halls  Campus authorities may violate IRS rules with their Trump-hating activism – Anne Hendershott
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/21/betsy-devos-warned-colleges-inculcating-students/

 

GOPUSA
— Rich New Yorkers ask Cuomo to raise their taxes – AP
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=22154

 

FOX NEWS INSIDER
— Gorsuch: ‘No Such Thing as a Republican or Democrat Judge, Just Judges’ (DIERSEN: I should write a book about the judges in the lawsuits that I have filed. Their rulings show if they are Democrat, Libertarian, Green, or Republican.  By their rulings, the majority of the judges in Diersen v. GAO made it clear that they favored patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation, that is, that they were Democrats.)
http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/03/21/neil-gorsuch-senate-confirmation-hearing-no-republican-or-democrat-judges-country

 

TOWNHALL
— Trump Puts Economic Nationalism on the Agenda – Andy Schlafly
https://townhall.com/columnists/andyschlafly/2017/03/22/trump-puts-economic-nationalism-on-the-agenda-n2302223

 

THE BLAZE
— Professor whose in-class anti-Trump tirade went viral nominated for campus award – Jon Street
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/03/21/unbelievable-professor-whose-in-class-anti-trump-tirade-went-viral-nominated-for-campus-award/

 

POLITICO
— Trump’s penchant for vengeance casts shadow on health care vote  Republican lawmakers thinking of bucking the White House on Obamacare know they’ll face a president who loves exacting retribution. – SHANE GOLDMACHER  (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents are extremely vengeful and they focus on exacting retribution.  They blame me for all their problems and they crow that I am no longer a) the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, b) a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member, c) the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster, d) an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, e) an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest chapter board member, and that f) my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, did not promote me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take an $18,847 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, g) my Democrat IRS superiors did not promote me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions, and disallowed my partial day per diem claims, and h) my Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests.)
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/donald-trump-vengeance-threat-236320
— Trump to Republicans: Vote for Obamacare repeal or lose your seat  ‘I’m asking for your vote on Thursday,’ the president said. – KYLE CHENEY, RACHAEL BADE and JOHN BRESNAHAN
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/trump-health-care-obamacare-repeal-236281
— GOP Takes Up Russia-Aligned Attack On Soros – ISAAC ARNSDORF, ANDREW HANNA and KENNETH P. VOGEL (DIERSEN: Anti-Trumps side with Soros against America.)
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/george-soros-russia-republicans-214938

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Why Objectively False Things Continue to Be Believed – AMANDA TAUB and BRENDAN NYHAN (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents believe that I caused all their problems, that I am causing all their problems, and that I will forever cause all their problems. But in fact, my critics/opponents cause all their own problems, are causing all their own problems, and will forever cause all their own problems.  I should write a book about my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/upshot/why-objectively-false-things-continue-to-be-believed.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Alan Simpson says “During Donald Trump’s campaign, he repeatedly cast himself as a supporter of L.G.B.T. rights.”  Individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that promote LGBTQ activity have always worked extremely hard against me.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/opinion/how-a-trump-turnabout-on-gay-rights-hurts-republicans.html
— Spicer Says Rape Case Against Undocumented Student Shows Need for Crackdown – LIAM STACKMAR
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/us/politics/sean-spicer-high-school-rape.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Rockville High rape case draws attention at White House briefing – Bill Turque, Donna St. George and Ovetta Wiggins
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/2017/03/21/018ef7a6-0e49-11e7-9b0d-d27c98455440_story.html

 

NEW YORK POST
— White House calls alleged rape by immigrant teens ‘horrendous’ – Bob Fredericks and Danika Fears
http://nypost.com/2017/03/21/white-house-calls-alleged-rape-by-immigrant-teens-horrendous/

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Latinos are reporting fewer sexual assaults amid a climate of fear in immigrant communities, LAPD says – James Queally  (DIERSEN: When Clinton, Bush, and Obama were in the White House, illegals knew that they had a friend in the White House, that is, someone who put citizens of Mexico and of other foreign countries ahead of citizens of America. That is a major reason why Trump won.)
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-immigrant-crime-reporting-drops-20170321-story.html

 

USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PICTURE: Army says general Ron Lewis’ drunken escapades shouldn’t affect his secret clearance – Tom Vanden Brook  (DIERSEN: If Lewis claims to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican, he should be dumped.)
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/21/brig-gen-ron-lewis-ash-carter-eric-fanning-swinging-general/99456588/
— White House links teen rape case to failed immigration policies – Debra Alfarone
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/21/white-house-links-teen-rape-case-failed-immigration-policies/99459772/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— ‘Media Attention’ and IRS Abuse  A simple rule fix could end partisan targeting tomorrow. – JOHN J. VECCHIONE  (DIERSEN: Were it not Henry Hyde’s intervention, IRS would never have approved Adversity.Net’s 501(c)(3) application. SEE:
http://www.adversity.net/)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/media-attention-and-irs-abuse-1490137171
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of Americans for their political views may have ended with the Obama administration—or even with its exposure in 2013. But it could easily recur. Even now, an internal IRS rule singles out applicants for nonprofit status who might be tied to anything newsworthy. The genesis of the targeting scandal was Section 7.29.3 of the Internal Revenue Manual. As noted in a report my organization is issuing Wednesday, this manual dictates how IRS employees handle everything from customer service to criminal investigations. This particular section tells them to flag for further review any application for tax-exempt status that might “attract media or Congressional attention.” That’s a broad, vague and subjective command that career IRS employees are nevertheless required to follow. Emails between IRS personnel make clear that low-level employees were guided by this rule throughout the targeting scandal. They repeatedly cited “media attention” on the Tea Party as the reason to single out and delay applications from conservative groups. This rule means that IRS enforcement reflects the ideological biases of the media. Aside from a small number of groups related to the Occupy Wall Street movement and the defunct advocacy group Acorn, libertarian and free-market groups were almost exclusively targeted. These provisions of the IRS manual have nothing to do with the merits of a nonprofit application and everything to do with keeping the agency from looking bad. It is inappropriate for a group’s tax-exempt status to be deep-sixed because of negative publicity. In the targeting scandal, this approach allowed partisan concerns to overtake the application process, resulting in the unfair treatment of political viewpoints at odds with the Obama administration. Equal justice under the law demands that the IRS abandon the “newsworthy” criterion. To date, however, the agency has promised only to stop making lists of targeted groups “until further notice.” Even if the halt were permanent, it wouldn’t be enough. IRS officials are still required to follow the manual and pull high-profile applications for enhanced scrutiny. The IRS can change its employee manual today. No new law is required. The simplest explanation for why the agency has not done so lies in the nature of bureaucracies—they refuse to relinquish power even after demonstrated abuse. The procedure for newsworthy applicants provides a convenient cover to shield improper partisan decision-making.)
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Retirement Remains Worker Worry – ANNE TERGESEN  (DIERSEN: If you are not retired, are you prepared for retirement? Democrats are moral relativists who believe that their end justifies their means.  Democrats are disciples of Saul Alinsky.  In 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors used the following facts to justify their forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” when I was 49 years old: a) what my wife and I had saved for our retirement, b) my wife’s salary, c) we had no debts, d) our good health, e) we owned 915 Cove Court in Wheaton, f) we had no dependents, g) we owned a 1997 Chevy Cavalier, 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX, 1990 Ford Thunderbird LX, 1972 Chevy Corvette, 1968 Dodge Charger R/T, and 1962 Chevy Impala SS, and h) we could “afford” to suffer a $72,135/year loss of income in today’s dollars ($122,991 salary minus $50,856 pension).)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/workers-retirement-confidence-remains-below-pre-recession-levels-1490068865
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Women Gain as Skills Shift for High-Paying Jobs – LAUREN WEBER  (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my superiors were always under tremendous pressure from Democrat politicians to hire, to retain, and to promote Democrats who were minority, female, and/or younger.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-skills-shift-for-high-paying-jobs-women-see-advantages-1490101201
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Men are losing ground in the labor market, and it’s not just the ones without college degrees. Even those with higher education are seeing their chances of holding a good job drop relative to women, according to new research. Three economists found that the high-paying occupations of the past few decades—from doctors to software engineers to financial advisers—require increasing levels of interpersonal skills such as collaboration, empathy and managing others. “That’s been favoring women in high-paying jobs,” said one of the study’s authors Henry Siu, a professor at the University of British Columbia. Women’s advancement in those jobs accelerated from 1980 to 2000. The trend slowed from 2000 to 2014, but even during that period, college-educated women saw their job prospects essentially hold steady while male peers’ prospects declined, according to Mr. Siu and his co-authors, Guido Cortes at the University of Manchester in England and Nir Jaimovich at the University of Southern California. The economists have been presenting their working paper, “The End of Men and Rise of Women in the High-Skilled Labor Market,” at economics conferences in recent months. Men are still better-represented in so-called good jobs, which the authors define as paying in the top 25% of all occupations or requiring mostly cognitive skills like problem-solving and analysis. But their chances of being in such jobs have fallen over time while women’s chances are rising. In 1980, 66.2% of male college graduates worked in cognitive jobs; by 2000, that proportion had fallen to 63.3%, according to U.S. census data reviewed by the economists. Meanwhile, 58.8% of college-educated women held such roles in 2000, up from 54.2% in 1980. By 2014, 61.4% of college-educated men were in those good jobs, compared with 57.8% for their female counterparts.)
— An Obama Decree Continues to Make Public Schools Lawless  To improve education, allow teachers to administer discipline regardless of race. – JASON L. RILEY
https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-obama-decree-continues-to-make-public-schools-lawless-1490138783

 

INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Better Marriage Between College and Job Training – Paul Fain  (DIERSEN: My Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that the undergraduate and graduate courses that I took a) were not job-related, b) did not help me carry out my job duties, c) were taken by me to get a job in the private sector, and d) were a distraction.)
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/22/ideas-improving-higher-educations-primary-role-work-force-development

 

DAILY BEAST
— Manafort Secretly Worked for Russian Billionaire  (DIERSEN: Many thousands, if not millions, in America talk, write, and act like they are secretly working for foreign countries, especially for Mexico.)
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/03/22/manafort-secretly-worked-for-russians.html

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.