bevcarlson

Writer, communicator, public relations professional. Eternal optimist. Blessed....

[Imtiaz Mahmood @ImtiazMadmood]

Before the Crusades, two-thirds of the Christian world had already fallen under Islamic rule.
Your school probably skipped that part.

They taught you the Crusades began in 1095, as if Christians just woke up one morning and decided to march east for no reason.

But history did not begin in 1095.
By then, Islamic armies had already conquered massive portions of the Christian world:
Syria.
Egypt.
North Africa.
The Holy Land.
Spain.
In 711 AD, Islamic forces crossed into Spain.
By 732 AD, they had pushed all the way into France.
That is where Charles Martel met them at the Battle of Tours and stopped the advance into Western Europe.
Some historians consider it one of the most decisive battles in world history.
So when people talk about the Crusades without mentioning the 400 years before them, they are not giving you history.

They are giving you a narrative.
Were the Crusades complicated?
Of course.
Were Christians perfect?
No.

But the idea that the Crusades were some random act of Christian aggression is historically dishonest.
The real story begins long before 1095.

And once you know what happened before the Crusades, the entire conversation changes.

They buried this.
Now you know.

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

💯

[Rev .Vitus @Vitus_osst]

Listen to Jonathan Roumie. For those who don't know him, he was the actor who played the role of Jesus Christ in the film 🎥
" Passion of Christ"

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

Worth a listen. To the end. Please excuse the language

[Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 @seanhannity]

Broken Legs, Body Full of Shrapnel — He Still Got Every Man Out - Maj. James Capers, Jr. The First Black Marine Officer Nominated for the Medal of Honor Just Got It

[TSA @TSA]

If you’re visiting for a very large sporting event & you happen to discover RANCH while you’re here… pls pack it in your CHECKED BAG on the way home.

Thank you.

[Emanuel Quiñones @EQuinones6310]

The World Cup has turned America into a discovery channel for the rest of the world.

And they are not handling it well.
In the best possible way.

Here is what they are discovering:

Free public restrooms. Europeans pay every time.
Free water at every restaurant. Just appears.
Free refills. Coffee. Sodas. Iced tea. Unlimited.
Free chips and salsa before you even order.
Free warm bread with dinner.
Ice in drinks like civilized people.
Air conditioning everywhere. Not a moral debate. A fact.
Parking lots attached to the actual place you are going.
Drive throughs where the food comes to the car while you sit in it.
Ranch dressing by the gallon.
Tex-Mex that cannot be explained only experienced.
Dental care that actually works.
Buccee’s. There are no words for Buccee’s.

Then they found the grocery stores.

Five of them within one mile.
Each one the size of an aircraft hangar.
Burgers. Steaks. Brisket. Ribs. Pulled pork. Lamb. Veal. Every cut of every animal ever domesticated by human civilization available in one refrigerated aisle at ten in the morning on a Tuesday.

The Germans stood in the meat section for forty five minutes.
In silence.
Processing.

They finally understand why we do not have trains.

We have roads wide enough for the cars we actually drive.
Parking lots the size of small European countries.
Airports in every city worth visiting.

Why would we need trains.

The Germans are taking ranch home by the bottle.
The Dutch found queso and briefly lost the ability to speak.
The Japanese are photographing HEB like it is the Louvre.
The Czechs are weeping in West, Texas.

Welcome to America!
The greatest country on earth.

[Howard Luks MD @hjluks]

Seven Things This 63 Year Old Surgeon Would Tell My 40-Year-Old Self

I am 63 now, and I spend my days as an orthopedic surgeon watching how people's earlier choices show up in their bodies decades later. I see it in my college friends, high school buddies, and patients that I have known for 20+ years. If I could sit across from myself at 40, here is what I would want that man to understand. None of what follows is complicated, and all of it compounds over the decades… either against you… or in your favor. You are largely in control.

[Michael Casagrande @ByCasagrande]

My love letter to Omaha and the CWS. Book the ticket. Take that trip. https://t.co/Ycs0p8zBGP

[Jordan Moore @iJordanMoore]

Just wrapped up 4 days in Omaha and I can’t express how great this event is. It must be on your bucket list as a sports fan.

From my experience:
Stadium: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Weather: 10/10
Bar scene: 10/10
Family atmosphere: 10/10
Merch options: 10/10
Omaha: 10/10

It’s heaven.

[U.S. Air Force @usairforce]

What’s better than a rare Super Delta formation featuring the Thunderbirds and the @USNavy Blue Angels over Washington, D.C.?

Watching it from four different views for #UFCWhiteHouse as part of #Freedom250. 🇺🇸

[Mrs B @attackdogX]

Seeing so many videos of Europeans talking about how nice Americans are & how they don’t understand why we get a bad reputation.

I’ve seen some apologizing to us for having preconceived notions.

Bro, it’s the media. The media is never kind to America when they broadcast abroad. Hell, they ain’t even kind to us here.

But, it’s mostly the media that has caused such negative stereotypes about Americans.

It’s why there are so many Europeans who think that they don’t like us… until they come here 🥰

All Americans want is for yall to have the best time ever & we will absolutely help you do that!

[Nebraska Huskers @Huskers]

Through These Gates passes the greatest coach in College Football history.

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

Pretty sure I’ve never enjoyed @X as much as I am right now. I can’t get enough of our @mxnkind_ (World Cup) guests experiencing the magic of true American culture. Happy 250th! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🥰

[NEXTA @nexta_tv]

🌩 An incredible sunset over Nebraska is going viral online

The footage was captured today in Sidney, Nebraska, during a powerful storm.

The photographer managed to capture a massive supercell — one of the rarest and most spectacular types of storm clouds. These systems are often responsible for the strongest tornadoes, giant hail, and extreme rainfall.

Looks more like a scene from a disaster movie than real life.

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

@aredrewkidding

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

Brilliant writing. Great observation. Go Maria!

[NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯_夏樹蒼依 @japan_nobunaga]

Here in America, i returned to my hotel room at night and found that someone had entered, remade the bed, folded my toilet paper into an ARROWHEAD — and left a chocolate on my pillow.

A chocolate. On the pillow. Centered. Foil gleaming. A small sweet sentinel, waiting in the lamplight.

I assessed the scene as the intrusion it technically was. Someone had been here. They had touched my blankets. They had TIGHTENED them — to a tension my own mother never achieved, and she was not a gentle tucker. They had pointed my toilet paper like a compass. And then, as either signature or apology, they had left candy where my head goes.

I called the front desk to report all of this, in order.

The young woman heard my complete account and said:

"...Yes sir, that's turndown service. Is everything okay?"

TURNDOWN SERVICE. It has a NAME, America. It is SCHEDULED. While you dine, a professional enters and prepares the room for sleep — dims the lamps, draws the curtains, folds back one corner of the bedding into a welcoming triangle. The bed, OPENED for you, like a letter.

And the chocolate. I asked her why the chocolate. There was a pause. No one had ever asked her why the chocolate.

"It's just... a nice way to end the day?"

A NICE WAY TO END THE DAY. There is the entire doctrine, America. The chocolate is not food — it is two bites. It is not luxury — it costs pennies. It is a MESSAGE, stationed at head-height where it cannot be missed: someone thought about the exact moment you would lie down, stranger. Your day is over. Here is something sweet to close it. The curtains are already drawn.

In Japan, the ryokan prepares your futon while you bathe, and you return to a room transformed for rest. I have been moved by it all my life. Your version is the same vow in a different dialect: efficient, slightly anonymous, chocolate-based.

I ate the sentinel. Mint inside. The pillow mint contains MINT, America. Occasionally your naming conventions achieve perfection, and I want credit given.

A man does not ask who tightened the blankets. He eats the sentinel, and sleeps as instructed.

I left a tip the next morning with a note: "The triangle was noticed. The chocolate was understood."

That night, under a fresh chocolate, housekeeping had written back:

"They never notice!! Enjoy your stay! — Maria"

THEY NEVER NOTICE, America.

Maria is out there ending your days nicely, two bites at a time, unthanked, nightly, in every hallway in this nation.

NOTICE. That is the whole instruction. Maria has the rest handled.

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

💯

[Bernie🦚🐯✈👻🥥 @berniethepilot]

The best way to see the beauty around you is to see it through the eyes of someone who has never seen it.

Thank you to the World Cup Tourists for reminding us.

[bevcarlson @bevcarlson]

🎯🎯

[c@m @camoehlers]

There’s something happening inside of me that I haven’t felt in a while. Pride.

There are so many things I’d like to see changed in our country but for a brief moment I’m just in awe of foreigners exploring and discovering some American gems during their visit for World Cup. These posts are a beacon of light for me.

Distinctly it warms my heart to see people enjoying Texas Roadhouse or Biscuits & gravy. Or, the Japanese poet that is writing masterpieces about unlimited chips & salsa. Or, the Germans getting into Ella Langley. Even the compliments on our stadium here in LA.

I can’t speak on everyone’s behalf but I welcome you all into our flawed yet beautiful country. Despite the narratives and what some folks post about on here I promise that a majority of your experiences and interactions will be met with kindness and hospitality. I hope you’ll notice our citizens trying to relate to you and understand you.

[Jon Elder @BlackLabelAdvsr]

I'm seeing my feed flooded with posts about Europeans realizing that they were lied to about America.

The consensus of their posts is that America is safer, more prosperous, and more welcoming than they were told.

This might be the most powerful effect of the World Cup.