May 7 Morning Edition

DIERSEN: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE RELIGIOUS, CONSERVATIVE, AND/OR REPUBLICAN, BUT WHO FAIL/REFUSE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST POT? ARE THEY REALLY DEMOCRAT PLANTS, LIBERTARIAN PLANTS, GREEN PLANTS, OR RINOS?

CITY OF WHEATON
— City Seeks Candidate for North District Council Seat
https://www.wheaton.il.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=235
(FROM THE PRESS RELEASE: The Wheaton City Council is seeking individuals who would be interested in being appointed to the currently vacant North District City Council position. The North District includes properties in the City located north of the railroad tracks. The position became vacant on May 6, 2019 as a result of Councilman Suess’ resignation and being sworn in as Wheaton City Mayor. The appointment to this position would be for the remaining two years of Councilman Suess’ term as Councilman for the North District, ending May 3, 2021. Individuals interested in being considered for this position are asked to submit the following documents to the Wheaton City Clerk, Wheaton City Hall, 303 W Wesley Street, Wheaton, IL 60187, no later than 5 p.m. on May 28, 2019: A complete resumè A statement identifying the reasons why you wish to be considered for an appointment to the City Council A statement identifying the three most important issues the City needs to address in the next two years, as well as your opinion on how those issues could be addressed. Any questions pertaining to this solicitation should be addressed to the City Clerk, Sharon Barrett-Hagen at 630-260-2012.)

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Madigan warns Pritzker that marijuana, sports betting bills may fail – Mike Flannery
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/local/speaker-madigan-warns-pritzker-that-marijuana-sports-betting-bills-may-fail

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PHOTO OF MOYLAN: Moylan rips legal pot bill: ‘Listen, do you want this stuff in your neighborhood?’ – Mitch Dudek
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190507/moylan-rips-legal-pot-bill-listen-do-you-want-this-stuff-in-your-neighborhood
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: BEYOND DISGUSTING, BEYOND TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20190507/take-a-look-inside-a-suburban-marijuana-farm

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Madigan: ‘Optimistic’ on graduated tax, marijuana could be controversial – Cassie Buchman
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190506/madigan-optimistic-on-graduated-tax-marijuana-could-be-controversial
— Moody’s: Graduated income tax can help credit rating if used for pensions – Doug Finke
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190506/moodys-graduated-income-tax-can-help-credit-rating-if-used-for-pensions

HERALD & REVIEW
— Legal pot opponents reject Pritzker’s social equity arguments – Jessica Villagomez
https://herald-review.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/legal-pot-opponents-reject-pritzker-s-social-equity-arguments/article_6d68e285-0b19-5aca-9036-97cd39dae84f.html
— Springfield seems in a rush to approve recreational marijuana – Editorial
https://herald-review.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-springfield-seems-in-a-rush-to-approve-recreational-marijuana/article_1140e0bf-9ff7-56c0-ac8b-99d0f77ce961.html

DEKALB DAILY CHRONICLE
— Madigan: Legal pot passage ‘not guaranteed today’ Speaker says expungement, diversity details could prove tough to sell – JERRY NOWICKI
https://www.daily-chronicle.com/2019/05/06/madigan-legal-pot-passage-not-guaranteed-today/a2gndhh/

SOUTHERN
— Madigan: Legal pot passage in Illinois ‘not guaranteed today’ – JERRY NOWICK
https://thesouthern.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/madigan-legal-pot-passage-in-illinois-not-guaranteed-today/article_9e83df32-dd59-5901-8a28-aba93309a442.html

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND DISGUSTING, BEYOND TRAGIC: Pot pushers want those who are minority, female, and/or poor to push pot.
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=283975#.XNFvLI5KiM8

FOX ILLINOIS
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Governor Pritzker’s plan to legalize marijuana takes a step forward – Amanda Henderson
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/governor-pritzkers-plan-to-legalize-marijuana-takes-a-step-forward

WGN RADIO
— “A true American hero and friend”: Military Vet and POW, John Borling – MICHAEL HEIDEMANN (DIERSEN: I had the honor of helping organize the Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC) 2003 Oktoberfest fundraiser and I organized the straw poll for U.S. Senate at that event in which John Borling competed against Chirinjeev Kathuria, Andy McKenna, Jim Oberweis, Steve Rauchenberger, Jack Ryan, and Jonathan Wright. About 600 attended that event and about 400 participated in the straw poll. Those who sponsored tables, took out ads in the MTRCC directory, and/or contributed auction items included the aforesaid candidates and Arndt, Birkett, Bolds, Bucholz, Carlson, Carney, Cox, Cronin, Diersen, Dillard, Dwyer, Eckhoff, Elsner, Falbo, Fawell, Flickinger, Glen Ellyn Republican Women, Gresk, Gumm, Heidorn, Henry, Hinkle, Hultgren, Hyde, Illinois Center Right Coalition, Illinois Republican Party, Jacobsen, Kachiroubas, Kilander, King, Kleeman, Leston, Lofgren, Marquardt, Moore, Muehlfelt, B. Murphy, Olson, Pankau, Philip, Pierotti, Pihos, Popejoy, Rasins, Roskam, Ruscitti, Russo, J. Ryan, P. Ryan, Sandberg, Schillerstrom, Sender, R. Smith, Stern, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Topinka, Wheaton Women’s Republican Club, Whelan, Zaruba, and Zay.)
https://wgnradio.com/2019/05/06/a-true-american-hero-and-friend-military-vet-and-pow-john-borling/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Lori Lightfoot to huddle with Ivanka Trump at the White House on Tuesday – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/lori-lightfoot-huddle-ivanka-trump-white-house-tuesday/
— Chicago lawmakers, advocates call for $10 million in legal help for poor – Andy Grimm (DIERSEN: I should write a book about attorneys who succeeded in getting me to retain them to file lawsuits, but then dumped me and dumped the lawsuits when the defendants refused to settle.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/legal-aid-westside-justice-center-bill-springfield-art-turner/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Illinois Democrats and Illinois RINOs a) want to replace those who they have driven out of Illinois with illegals and b) want to get those illegals counted in the census. 
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/government/census-undercount-could-cost-illinois-billions

WREX
— Illinois State Senator moves to make Daylight Saving Time permanent
https://wrex.com/category/2019/05/06/illinois-state-senator-moves-to-make-daylight-saving-time-permanent/

NPR ILLINOIS
— H&R Block, TurboTax Accused Of Obstructing Access To Free Tax Filing – LAUREL WAMSLEY 
https://www.nprillinois.org/post/hr-block-and-turbotax-are-being-sued-allegedly-undermining-free-tax-filing

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
— ILLINOIS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FACE ‘SERVICE INSOLVENCY’ OVER PENSION FUNDING – Ashley Herzog
https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/report-illinois-local-governments-face-service-insolvency-over-pension-funding

COOK COUNTY RECORD
— Judge: Dispute over whether Pritzker broke law in shutting down Sterigenics belongs in state, not federal, court – Jonathan Bilyk 
https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories/512480657-judge-dispute-over-whether-pritzker-broke-law-in-shutting-down-sterigenics-belongs-in-state-not-federal-court
— Group of seven Jewel store managers can jointly press age discrimination lawsuits, judge says – Dan Churne (DIERSEN: My lawsuit against GAO was pending for 7 years in federal courts between 1998 and 2005. It charged GAO with political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories/512479112-group-of-seven-jewel-store-managers-can-jointly-press-age-discrimination-lawsuits-judge-says

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— ‘FAIR TAX’ BACKER SPREADING FALSEHOODS, MISINFORMATION – Bryce Hill
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/fair-tax-backer-spreading-falsehoods-misinformation/

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Illinois Senate approves requirement for employers to provide sick days – Benjamin Yount (DIERSEN: The Post Office provided me with sick days while a worked there 1966-1969. IRS provided me with sick days while a worked there 1971-1980. GAO provided me with sick days while a worked there 1980-1997. Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always been furious about that.)
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/illinois-senate-approves-requirement-for-employers-to-provide-sick-days/article_d8f59a78-7027-11e9-9e98-6744db16f16e.html

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Unhinged Anti-Life State Rep. Harasses Elderly Pro-life Woman Outside Planned Parenthood – Laurie Higgins 
https://illinoisfamily.org/life/unhinged-anti-life-state-rep-harasses-elderly-pro-life-woman-outside-planned-parenthood/

CAPITOL FAX
— Madigan on finding 60 votes for the cannabis bill and convincing “the minorities”
https://capitolfax.com/2019/05/07/madigan-on-finding-60-votes-for-the-cannabis-bill-and-convincing-the-minorities/

GOPUSA
— Ocasio-Cortez backs Massachusetts lawsuit to protect illegals from ICE (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrat states talk and act like they have constructively seceded from the United States and have joined up with Mexico and with other foreign countries against the United States.)
http://www.gopusa.com/ocasio-cortez-backs-massachusetts-lawsuit-to-protect-illegals-from-ice/
— Hillary Clinton: ‘Last several years’ under Trump have been ‘truly deplorable’ (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrat states talk and act like they have constructively seceded from the United States and have joined up with Mexico and with other foreign countries against the United States.)
http://www.gopusa.com/hillary-clinton-last-several-years-under-trump-have-been-truly-deplorable/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Mr. Clinton chimed in on Sunday, adding that the country had reverted back to “tribalism” similar to the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. “I’m a white Southerner, I come from what is now the president’s base — a small, rural town and all of that,” the former president said. “And it’s not exactly the same as the Civil War, but it’s sort of an updated strategy for what happened and the reaction to Reconstruction where we went back to divisive tribalism.”)
— More Latinos are becoming Muslims: ‘Islam is not as foreign as you think’
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=69115
— Blacks and Hispanics give Trump little credit for new jobs
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=69095

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Taxpayers fund research for world’s richest, most powerful companies, Adam Andrzejewski finds – James Varney
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/6/fortune-100-companies-research-funded-taxpayers-op/
— Drugs coming over the border is not only New Mexico’s problem – Mick Rich 
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/6/drugs-coming-over-the-border-is-not-only-new-mexic/

FOX NEWS
— Lara Trump defends Tiger Woods, Trump after newspaper’s blistering editorial – Victor Garcia 
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lara-trump-defends-tiger-woods-and-president-trump-against-racism-accusations
— Larry Elder: Democrats cry racism and sexism to combat Trump’s success – Victor Garcia 
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/larry-elder-dems-cry-racism-and-sexism-to-combat-trumps-success
— ICE creates ‘most wanted’ list to help track down criminal illegal immigrants
https://news.yahoo.com/ice-creates-most-wanted-list-113313738.html

AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE
— Is Demography Destiny? Experts know that eventually, minorities will outnumber whites in the U.S. and Europe. So how do we talk about it? – SCOTT MCCONNELL (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrat and RINO activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. demonize, denigrate, and condemn Whites as being White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, bigots, and even worse things who should be gotten rid of once and for all to curry favor with White-haters because “eventually, minorities will outnumber whites in the U.S.”)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/is-demography-destiny/

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Trump is Surrendering on Immigration – Pedro Gonzalez
https://www.amgreatness.com/2019/05/06/trump-is-surrendering-on-immigration/
— If Deplatforming Hoaxsters is OK, The News Media Should Be in Big Trouble – Julie Kelly
https://amgreatness.com/2019/05/06/if-deplatforming-hoaxsters-is-ok-the-news-media-should-be-in-big-trouble/
— Will the Good Economy Be Enough to Carry Trump to Reelection? – Christopher Roach
https://www.amgreatness.com/2019/05/06/will-the-good-economy-be-enough-to-carry-trump-to-reelection/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Judgment Day coming for Democrats – Lloyd Marcus
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/05/judgment_day_coming_for_democrats.html
— How Do We Push Back Against the Twitter Mob? – Christopher Chantrill
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/05/how_do_we_push_back_against_the_twitter_mob.html

BREITBART
— Double Down: Jerry Falwell Jr. Predicts Even Greater Evangelical Support for Trump in 2020 than 2016 – ROBERT KRAYCHIK
https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2019/05/06/double-down-jerry-falwell-jr-predicts-even-greater-evangelical-support-for-trump-in-2020-than-2016/

DAILY CALLER
— TRUMP’S POPULARITY SURGES AS DEMOCRATS GET EVEN CRAZIER – Derek Hunter
https://dailycaller.com/2019/05/07/trump-approval-soars-podcast/

TOWNHALL
— Let the Sunshine in at the Federal Reserve Transparency would also mean periodic, independent audits by outside institutions — perhaps the Government Accountability Office. – Stephen Moore
https://townhall.com/columnists/stephenmoore/2019/05/07/let-the-sunshine-in-at-the-federal-reserve-n2545948

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE
— JIHAD AT THE BORDER How the border crisis facilitates the entry of terrorists. – Michael Cutler
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/273652/jihad-border-michael-cutler

WORLD NET DAILY
— DEMOCRATS: AMERICA’S ORIGINAL HATE GROUP – RICH LOGIS
https://www.wnd.com/2019/05/democrats-americas-original-hate-group/

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Why Progressive Anti-Semitism — and Why Now? – VICTOR DAVIS HANSON
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/05/progressive-anti-semitism-multicultural-left-new-york-times/

EPOCH TIMES
— Migrant ‘Rents’ a Boy to Cross Border as Fake Family: DOJ – MIMI NGUYEN LY
https://www.theepochtimes.com/migrant-rents-a-boy-to-cross-border-as-fake-family-doj_2909842.html

COLLEGE FIX
— Georgetown prof blames ‘Trump’s white racist America’ for grandson being called N-word at school
https://www.thecollegefix.com/georgetown-prof-blames-trumps-white-racist-america-for-grandson-being-called-n-word-at-school/

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater promotes hatred against Trump.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/opinion/trump-far-right-twitter-facebook.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: In 2016, Russians Worked To Discourage Black Voters – Mihir Zaveri and Jacey Fortin (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who work to discourage the following from voting: Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older people, rich people, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/us/russia-disinformation-black-activists.html

WASHINGTON POST
— The failure of Reconstruction was a ruthless act of sabotage – Michael Gerson (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrat states talk and act like they have constructively seceded from the United States and have joined up with Mexico and with other foreign countries against the United States.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-failure-of-reconstruction-was-a-ruthless-act-of-sabotage/2019/05/06/64f72e3a-7030-11e9-8be0-ca575670e91c_story.html

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Riot Games workers walk out to protest forced arbitration of sex discrimination suits – SAM DEAN (DIERSEN: While I worked for GAO in its Chicago office 1980-1997, the closest thing that I saw to a walk out was in 1989 when the office’s GS-14 employees who were Republican, White, male, over 35 years old, and/or non-veteran wore black arm bands in the office to protest GAO’s merging its GS-13 and GS-14 together into a “Band II.” They correctly concluded that GAO had done that to help GAO get rid of its employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who had not made GS-15 (currently $136,495) by age 35 and Senior Executive Service (currently $165,500) by age 40.) 
https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-riot-games-walkout-protest-forced-arbitration-20190506-story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Uber Says No Kids—These Other Car Services Say Yes Harried parents who turn to ride-hailing services to solve child-chauffeuring dilemmas may be defying company age restrictions – Julie Jargon (DIERSEN: How old were you when your parents no longer had to chauffer you? As soon as I turned 16 in 1964, I got a driver’s license and bought a 1958 Chevy BelAir.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-says-no-kidsthese-other-car-services-say-yes-11557221402

BLOOMBERG
— Winston & Strawn Client Accenture Gets Age-Bias Suit Tossed – Rick Mitchell (DIERSEN: My lawsuit against GAO was pending in federal courts for 7 years between 1998 and 2005. It charged GAO with political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://biglawbusiness.com/wake-up-call-winston-strawn-client-accenture-gets-age-bias-suit-tossed

USA TODAY
— Here’s where GM layoffs stand after stunning blow to factory workers – Jamie L. LaReau (DIERSEN: The Democrats who ran GAO during the 1980s and 1990s used Affirmative Action, Diversity, Inclusion, up-or-out, and budget cuts to get rid of virtually all of the agency’s employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $98,198) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $116,040) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $136,495) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $165,500) by age 40. I should write a book about those Democrats and their victims.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2019/05/06/gm-layoffs-jobs-general-motors-transfer/1119559001/
— ‘Medicare for All’: Bernie Sanders’ political pipe dream – Editorial
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/05/06/medicare-for-all-bernie-sanders-political-pipe-dream-editorials-debates/1093194001/

UNION LEADER
— Left projects its anti-Semitism onto President Trump – DEROY MURDOCK (DIERSEN: I should write a book about my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government who used my being 100% German national origin and my being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran to paint me as being an anti-Semite. Better yet, I should sue them.)
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/columnists/deroy-murdock-left-projects-its-anti-semitism-onto-president-trump/article_167fdc5b-fb0f-5ead-9e7e-9c783b596f6d.html

YOUNGSTOWN VINDICATOR
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Trump’s politics of division fuels victimhood and white supremacy.” Ever-increasingly, Democrats focus on promoting hatred.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2019/may/07/trumps-politics-of-division-fuels-victim/

WRAL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, in America, to get elected, Democrat candidates promote hatred against Whites and promote hatred against men. – Kewal Kapoor
https://www.wral.com/whites-and-men-only-harris-goes-there-on-the-electability-argument/18368773/

WBAP
— Have Democrats Gone Off The Deep End? – Rick Roberts (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrat states talk and act like they have constructively seceded from the United States and have joined up with Mexico and with other foreign countries against the United States.)
http://www.wbap.com/2019/05/06/rick-roberts-show-have-democrats-gone-off-the-deep-end/

GAO
— The Future of the Federal Workforce (DIERSEN: During the 1980s and 1990s, the Democrats who ran GAO had great success using Affirmative Action, Diversity, Inclusion, up-or-out, pay-for-performance, banding, and Republican budget cuts to get rid of virtually every one of its employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $98,198) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $116,040) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $136,495) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $165,500) by age 40.)
https://blog.gao.gov/2019/05/07/the-future-of-the-federal-workforce/

ENTREPRENEUR
— Ageism at Workplace: The Discrimination no-one Talks About Behind this subtle yet powerful discrimination are a series of myths associated with age and we need to address
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/333315

LADDERS
— What 50-year-olds know that 20-year-olds often don’t Here are some lessons I’ve learned during my half century on this planet. Life goes by really, really fast, but it’s better after 50. – PHYL BEAN
https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/what-50-year-olds-know-that-20-year-olds-dont

SALON
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Trump-haters promote hatred against Trump.
https://www.salon.com/2019/05/07/how-trumps-rhetoric-fuels-anti-semitic-violence-tim-wise-on-radical-christian-terrorism/

GAY STAR NEWS
— 8 reasons why every LGBTI person needs to go to Chicago Pride 2019 Join over a million people celebrating Chicago Pride’s 50th anniversary (DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will the Democrats who run Chicago officially banish all individuals, all organizations, all companies, all etc. that do not promote LGBTQ activity?)
https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/8-reasons-why-every-lgbti-person-needs-to-go-to-chicago-pride-2019/#gs.abhyrv

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.