Trump's win is good news for all Americans — so let's act like it



Conservatives and independents alike cheered Trump’s November 6 landslide.

“The country is saved! No more threat of WWIII or choosing between groceries and $7 per gallon gas,” was the victory cry.

The media has lied to them about Donald Trump’s intentions. Or they might have had a very poor experience with a conservative person. Either way, these human beings on the left have worked themselves up into a panic.

But as we revel in the joy of the second Trump presidency, let's keep in mind those across the aisle who are genuinely distraught.

Thanks to accounts like Libs of TikTok, we're all too familiar with how deranged — and downright dangerous — leftists can be. But these are the extremists. We shouldn't let people on the fringe blind us to the sincere (albeit irrational) despair of half the country.

The average Kamala Harris voter could be your sister, neighbor, aunt, friend, or coworker. And while they may be angry, anger usually comes from a place of deep hurt. As Ecclesiastes 3 puts it, “There is a time for everything ... a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

I ask you, Trump voter, not to dampen your joy but to thoughtfully consider how you express that joy.

A peek at social media gives a glimpse at how the "other side" is doing, revealing a range of emotions from rage to intense sorrow. We may scoff at these "liberal tears," but in some cases, they're a symptom of more serious problems. One mental health hotline saw an increase of 700% in calls and texts from LGBTQ+ youth.

These are real people who are under the impression — whether it's based in reality or not — that they are in some kind of legitimate danger. The media has lied to them about Donald Trump’s intentions. Or they might have had a very poor experience with a conservative person. Either way, these human beings on the left have worked themselves up into a panic.

Right now, our mission should be to reach out lovingly to these people and at least attempt to communicate with them. We can’t control how they respond, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying.

It can be tempting to gloat in the faces of those who called Trump supporters “garbage” or “deplorables,” but an eye for an eye won’t win us this battle. Being a gracious winner is just as important as being a gracious loser. If we don’t get this right, do not be surprised if the pendulum swings back to the left, as it tends to do.

If this is truly to be the party of unity, let it start now. Don't just invite those who agree with you into the fold. Loving kindness won’t win over everyone, but it may reassure some on the left that we as Christians, conservatives, or independents do not want to take away their rights or hurt them. We are not out to get them, and we hope that a Trump presidency produces a country where they can thrive too.

So celebrate Trump’s victory! But please be wise and thoughtful about how you do so, and use your joy to make America great again for all Americans.

The ultimate burger showdown: Whataburger vs. In-N-Out



If you have ever lived in Texas (or if you have ever met a Texan), you have heard of Whataburger.

With 740 locations in Texas alone, the iconic orange and white combo permeates the culture in a way that rivals no other fast food chain I’ve ever seen. Whataburger embodies “go big or go home.”

However, as the Californians have migrated to the Lone Star State, they brought In-N-Out with them. The Californian chain has cropped up in 43 locations, and it’s caused quite the divide. Their Christian values feel right at home in South, but challenging the state burger has ruffled some feathers.

The score must be settled. One burger must reign supreme. So we conducted an experiment.

Grace, a New Hampshire native, recently moved to Texas. Since her palate had not yet been exposed to either Whataburger or In-N-Out, she was the perfect test subject.

We devised a super-detailed, ultra-specific, rigidly-scientific process to test the merits of the warring burger joints.

1. Acquire the burgers

The two burgers had to be as similar as possible. A classic Number One with cheese from Whataburger with fries (and its patented spicy ketchup on the side, of course). A Combo Number Two cheeseburger with fries from In-N-Out. Sticking to the basics was essential if the chains were to be judged by merit alone. The Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit will have to wait.

2. Remove all branding

The orange and white packaging was discarded along with the Bible-verse-adorned bag. The burgers and fries were placed on plates, and then we were ready to bring in our subject.

3. Taste the burgers

Since we neglected to bring a blindfold for our blind tasting, Grace used the honor system and kept her eyes closed during the tasting. Unbeknownst to her, we served her the Whataburger burger and fries first. In-N-Out was next.

4. Tabulate the results

After we guided Grace’s hands to the Whataburger fries, the reception to the Texas classic was positive. However, she noted that “they need[ed] more salt.” According to Grace, most things need more salt. The burger was received with a bit less enthusiasm.

The In-N-Out fries were deemed soggier than the Whataburger fries. They also required more salt. In a fortunate turn of events for the Californians, the burger was immediately proclaimed superior to Whataburger’s.

Apparently, the ideal meal is fries from Whataburger and a cheeseburger from In-N-Out. But, as there can be only one winner, Grace announced that In-N-Out took the cake.

For all the Whataburger loyalists out there (like me), don’t despair. In-N-Out doesn’t have a Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger or a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. There are just some things that the simplicity of the In-N-Out cheeseburger can’t beat.

But it’s safe to say that the Californian chain’s values are worth supporting. The Bible verses hidden on the packaging reflect IN-N-OUT owner and president Lynsi Snyder’s personal faith in Jesus. So maybe it’s worth switching it up once in a while to support a company that values faith in Christ.

If it counts for anything, Whataburger is still better (in my humble Texan opinion). But I digress.

Should women date gamers? Should gamers watch 'Titanic'?



A couple of weeks ago, Liz Wheeler went viral on X for a post that listed men’s least attractive hobbies according to women.

While Wheeler (and now the community note) clarified that the statistics presented were satirical, it still managed to stir up quite a bit of controversy. The top hobby on the imaginary “most hated” list was video games.

What if regularly spending six consecutive hours playing video games isn’t bad because it’s unattractive but because it’s actually unhealthy?

Predictable gender war crossfire ensued. Men hissed back:

“Women like you assume your company is more interesting and valuable than a good video game. You are incorrect.”

“Women really do hate when men are happy doing something that isn’t centered around them.”

“Well, we're not going to sit around and watch the Titanic for the tenth time.”

On one hand, it is understandable to feel defensive when you perceive that something you personally enjoy or take pride in is generalized and belittled. This is the essence of stereotyping, and no one has the stomach for it any more. On the other, is the response proportional to the perceived offense, which was simply an expression of preference?

The internet has become a battleground for gendered infighting, and the constant bickering has done nothing but send us farther into our respective corners. We all want to generalize but not be generalized. Meme warfare offends this sensibility. It’s not for the faint of heart.

But — and hear me out — stereotypes exist for a reason. What if regularly spending six consecutive hours playing video games isn’t bad because it’s unattractive but because it’s actually unhealthy? In other words, what if it’s unattractive to women because it’s bad for men, not bad for men because it’s unattractive to women?

There's growing evidence to suggest that gaming can be just as addictive as gambling, leading to withdrawal from and loss of interest in social life and problems at school and work.

According to recent study on what's been termed internet gaming disorder:

Current prevalence estimates of IGD vary widely (2–15%). ... Prevalence may be underestimated due to low response (surveys take time away from gaming) and underreporting (a criterion of IGD is hiding one's extent of internet gaming). Yet, even by conservative estimates, with 318 million people in the US playing digital games, at least 5 million (probably many more) meet criteria for IGD, experiencing personal, social, and academic difficulties.

Perhaps women’s intuition isn’t as shallow as some have made it seem. Perhaps hard-core gaming, as the study suggests, indicates a deeper problem that impedes long-term social success in life. It’s too easy to dismiss Wheeler and the women who agree with her as nagging busybodies who just don’t like it when men “have fun.” Maybe some of them are. But maybe, deep down, some of these guys don’t like their reflection. Accountability is a bitter pill. Distraction is easier.

That said, on the particular level, does it really matter if a guy is a gamer as long as he isn’t hopelessly addicted and antisocial about it? If a gamer finds a woman and they fall madly in love, is he still “unattractive”? Certainly not to his sweetheart. And conversely, if you’re a woman who finds gaming unattractive, don’t date a gamer. It really is that simple. Who cares?

As one commenter said, “Attraction is subjective; hobbies don’t define someone’s worth or attractiveness. Crazy thought: Maybe we let people enjoy what they love without reducing their value based on personal preferences for entertainment.” Well said.

'It Ends with Us' offers unflinching look at domestic violence



I read “It Ends with Us” based on the recommendation of my college roommate. At the time, Colleen Hoover's tale of domestic abuse and intergenerational trauma was at the peak of its popularity, and you couldn't walk into a Barnes and Noble without seeing it at the front of the store’s prominent Colleen Hoover section.

I found the writing lackluster, to say the least. But I’m a harsh judge, as I grew up exclusively reading British and American classic literature. So naturally, I had to read the sequel. I’m just a girl, after all.

Unflinchingly honest yet hopeful, 'It Ends with Us' has the potential to make a difference in the lives of viewers struggling to free themselves and their children from similar cycles of abuse.

Director Justin Baldoni's adaptation was troubled from the get-go. Early glimpses of Blake Lively as the book's protagonist dismayed women — myself among them — who could not reconcile Lively's wardrobe with how they envisioned Lily Bloom.

Delays caused by the writers' strike and rumors of tension among cast members added to the offscreen drama.

The film's marketing was also confusing, as Baldoni (who also plays Lily's love interest/tormentor, neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid) and Lively often seemed to be promoting two very different films.

Baldoni, who kept noticeably separate from the rest of the cast during the press tour, spoke about the importance about raising awareness on the topic of domestic abuse.

In stark contrast, Lively brushed off such serious questions, choosing instead to plug her hair-care line and to brag about wearing Britney Spears’ Versace dress on the red carpet. If Lively’s promotion was the only exposure you had to the story, you would be forgiven for thinking that it was a romantic comedy.

Now that "It Ends with Us" is finally in theaters, however, those intending to see it should be warned. Whatever flaws the movie may have, it is excruciatingly faithful to the book's graphic depictions of domestic violence.

Hoover is intimately familiar with such violence; she based the novel on her childhood memories of watching her father abuse her mother. This also inspired her to tell the story from a woman's perspective, a perspective Baldoni's adaptation retains.

In stark contrast to the “Fifty Shades of Gray” culture of the last decade, “It Ends with Us” does not find any titillation in abuse. “The intention was to not glorify [domestic violence] in any way,” Baldoni said. Instead, it paints a complex picture of the harsh reality many women face. “Why did she stay?” becomes less black and white. The truth is never that simple.

Like the book, the movie begins with a stereotypical, yet convincing, romance between Lily and Ryle. Bad boy meets good girl. Bad boy falls for good girl. Bad boy reforms for good girl, until you realize that he didn’t.

For Baldoni, it was crucial that the audience see his character through Lily's eyes. "This movie hinges on this relationship working and there being real love, and real romance, and real passion there. 'Cause that is what happens in real life," Baldoni told Access Hollywood, adding that:

I wanted the film to reflect Lily’s emotional journey, to be in her mind in a way that an audience can understand the complexity, and the challenge, and the situation that she was in to choose something better for herself than maybe what was chosen for her. And the only way to do that was to make Ryle a human and to protect Lily in that way.

This emotional ambiguity makes the eventual violence Lily suffers all the more horrific. I’ll spare you the details — they’re so gory it’s hard to repeat. Suffice it to say that tears were shed over the brutalization depicted.

Other elements of the film were far less effective. In particular, the pivotal moment in which Lively and Baldoni's characters first meet. Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, apparently rewrote this scene without consulting screenwriter Christy Hall.

As much as I love Reynolds, it pains me to say that his contribution stands out — and not in a good way. The dialogue is disjointed and clunky, and the banter that was supposed to have been flirtatious is just ... strange. It's truly unfortunate.

That aside, Baldoni approaches this sensitive subject with obvious care. The film's delicate cinematography and tasteful, PG-13 love scenes keep the focus on Lily's fight to break free from her abuser.

Unflinchingly honest yet hopeful, “It Ends with Us" has the potential to make a difference in the lives of viewers struggling to free themselves and their children from similar cycles of abuse.

"It Ends with Us" has partnered with the No More foundation to raise awareness about domestic violence. If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-(800)-799-SAFE.