David Restrepo

Dedicated husband and father. Love God, my family, my life, my ministry

[Pacho Santos @PachoSantosC]

¿Qué va a pasar con Venezuela? La respuesta depende en gran parte de una decisión que María Corina tiene que tomar. Mi análisis directo para ella 🧵 En este hilo mi análisis directo para ella ⬇

[David Restrepo @davidrestrepor]

https://t.co/tcdScl6FKR

[Gabriela Montero @monterogabriela]

CONFLICTED:
What difficult times we live in. It's particularly challenging to know what or when to write on social media. I often begin writing a post and then erase it. Words, intentions and reactions are so often taken out of context and mauled to fit any narrative that can be conveniently used against you, that it can become paralyzing. People shoot the messenger before listening to the message. It's quick and just like that- people are condemned, branded and discarded.
Because I have been so involved in denouncing the injustices in Venezuela for so many years, I've grown to understand that that can be difficult and taxing for my musical audience. After all, I am a musician, not a journalist or political commentator. I've lost public over the years that grew tired of reading or listening to our pain, our story and the relentless quest for freedom accompanied by endless telling of tragedies and loss. A part of me understands their need for a haven in music, away from so much darkness. Unfortunately, that's just what I and millions of Venezuelans have had to deal with for so long. It's our reality and it inevitably spills into my life and music. Because of this, I've been careful not to voice every opinion I hold for every world event. It's too much, and besides- what does it really matter what I think? It matters if I can help the outcome, as I hope I've contributed in the case of Venezuela by using my voice to educate and denounce tyranny, but not for every other issue.
I hate feeling that I have to curate every single word I write, constantly watching out for any potential minefields in what I've expressed or failed to do so. Both sides pounce at any opportunity to call you "theirs' or "traitor". It's impossible to win this fight because "your side' has already been called by whomever makes that judgement. You invariably end up disappointing "their" idea of "you" when you don't deliver exactly what they expect or want. It's an impossible situation. Never mind who you are and who you've proven yourself to be over time. I end up feeling you can't fight every fight and it's best to remain quiet- until you can't.
What's the point of this post?
I can't deny that I feel very conflicted that it was this administration which, in a brazen and necessary action on January 3rd, imprisoned two monsters that have brought so much suffering to us. Most of us spent days correcting, informing, blocking and growing increasingly frustrated at how the ignorance and arrogance of many created a wave of opinion that seemed intent on denying us the joy of our moment of justice. Still- it was THIS administration which gave us an opening and a glimmer of hope after so many years of hoping for a miracle.
But I also can't deny that what we are watching happen in the US is absolutely horrific. Executions, kidnappings and abuse of power that have no place in our society. We can expect that from Iran- from Maduro-but how can this happen here? I'm all for respecting the law and law enforcement, but this? It can't. It shouldn't.
I hope there is a way back to civility, to truth and humanity- on whatever side you stand. On BOTH sides. I feel the space where listening and caring happens is becoming increasingly suffocated by the need to point a finger and spew judgment and hatred. We can't continue to turn on each other as we see it happening everywhere now. We don't seem to be that far away from behaving much like the characters of that horrid, dystopian show, "The Squid Game". We can't remain silent when we observe injustice, cruelty and abuse take hold and spread its venom. As Venezuelans, we've experienced years of the world ignoring our reality and it falling on deaf ears. Silence is a very, very lonely place. We should always call out injustice whichever side it comes from. Being on the Left doesn't give you the right to give a free pass to lies and tyranny (as in the case of Venezuela) but neither should it be allowed to happen in the Center or on the Right. Nowhere and at no point in time. Let's speak out when we see it happen-regardless.
I hope Venezuela comes out of this turning point successfully and we can put all the darkness behind us.
I hope my adoptive country does, too.

[☧ Today in Christian History @HistoricalRook]

#OTD November 10, 1483:
Martin Luther, the German theologian who sparked the Reformation, was born in Eisleben, Saxony. Raised in a miner’s family, he studied law before a thunderstorm vow led him to monastic life. As a professor of biblical studies at Wittenberg, he posted his Ninety-Five Theses questioning indulgences. His teachings restored Scripture’s primacy and salvation by grace through faith alone.

[J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling]

If you believe free speech is for you but not your political opponents, you're illiberal.

If no contrary evidence could change your beliefs, you're a fundamentalist.

If you believe the state should punish those with contrary views, you're a totalitarian.

If you believe political opponents should be punished with violence or death, you're a terrorist.

[RNS @RNS]

OPINION: Charlie Kirk vigorously defended and modeled the principles of free speech, open debate and lively discussion, particularly on college campuses.
https://t.co/bzm47TiH3q

[David Restrepo @davidrestrepor]

@remnantjay

[Jennifer Greenberg 🕊️ @JennMGreenberg]

Telling the truth is not slander.

Telling the truth is not gossip.

If you don't want people to talk about your bad behavior, then stop behaving badly.

[David Restrepo @davidrestrepor]

Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
Psalms 42:8

[@lasanmiguel🐦‍⬛ @lasanmiguel]

Si alguien sin siquiera conocerte, se empeña en hablar mal de ti todo el tiempo, hay algo mal con esa persona, no contigo.

Es que la gente normal y sana, no anda por ahí intentando destruir a otros. 😌

[Ty Gibson @tyfgibson]

FREE SPEECH

Here’s the genius of free speech and how it works to mitigate evil:

If people are allowed to say whatever they want, other people are allowed to say whatever they want in response, and through this process erroneous and evil ideas can be extracted by truth from the minds and speech of honest people and the credibility of dishonest people can be destroyed by superior ideas. If free speech is restricted, erroneous and evil idea actually grow and spread for two self-evident reasons:

First, because when free speech is denied there is a general sense that an injustice is being committed against those forbidden to speak, which results in their bad ideas taking on the illusion of credibility.

Secondly, because those denied free speech don’t actually cease speaking, but simply take their ideas underground and into closed conversations where they cannot be critiqued or refuted.

Freedom to speak falsehood is the very means by which falsehood is most effectively destroyed, by virtue of the fact that it is brought out into the light where the larger community can speak truth against it. It is imperative, therefore, that all those who love truth be unwavering advocates for free speech, which necessarily includes the freedom to speak untruth.

[Miguel Núñez, MD @PastorMNunez]

Hermanos: mañana oremos en cada iglesia para que Dios finalize la situación de Venezuela por amor de Su nombre y la paz de Su pueblo. Clamemos al Dios y Juez del cielo y la tierra para que Su justicia sea hecha prontamente en aquella nación hermana.

[TalCual @DiarioTalCual]

#Opinión Fijar el inicio del odio genocida del mundo árabe contra Israel por la creación del Estado judío el 14 de mayo de 1948, es ignorar que al terminar la primera guerra mundial Gran Bretaña y Francia se repartieron el Medio Oriente, por Paulina Gamus https://t.co/m8P2lqO5DE

[Dr Jordan B Peterson @jordanbpeterson]

In order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive.

[Dr Jordan B Peterson @jordanbpeterson]

Women deeply want men who are competent and powerful. And I don’t mean power in that they can exert tyrannical control over others. That’s not power. That’s just corruption.