Crash Course: Southern Baptist battle goes full MAGA: Far right seeks to purge CRT and "Race Marxism"

America's largest Protestant denomination is dominated by the right — but still fears creeping "wokeism" Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Getty Images) Southern Baptist battle goes full MAGA: Far right seeks to purge CRT and "Race Marxism" Just weeks after the Southern Baptist Convention was rocked by a [report](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZG9jdW1lbnRjbG91ZC5vcmcvZG9jdW1lbnRzLzIyMDMxNzM3LWZpbmFsLWd1aWRlcG9zdC1zb2x1dGlvbnMtaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQtaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbi1yZXBvcnQ_cmVzcG9uc2l2ZT0xJnRpdGxlPTFXA3NwY0IKYqJCDatiWH2u7FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) documenting sweeping mishandling of sexual abuse, the nation's largest Protestant denomination gathered this week in Southern California for its annual meeting, where delegates known as "messengers" [elected](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0TcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wNi8xNC91cy9zb3V0aGVybi1iYXB0aXN0cy1jb252ZW50aW9uLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF90aF8yMDIyMDYxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD02NDA2OCZubD10b2RheXNoZWFkbGluZXMlQzIlQUVpX2lkPTM1NDYxMTQ5JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9OTUxNjYmdXNlcl9pZD1kNTNjYTJkNGFiZDgzNzQ0NWYxNWI5ZWY1NmU0ODQyZlcDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) a new SBC president: Texas pastor Bart Barber, who defeated right-wing Florida pastor Tom Ascol in a runoff late Tuesday night. What happens in the SBC, with its deep connections to the Republican Party and the anti-aborion movement, inevitably affects U.S. politics more broadly. But this year, the reverse was true as well: The fight for the SBC presidency didn't just track the nation's wider political divides but seemed largely driven by them. [Read the rest from Kathryn Joyce.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvc291dGhlcm4tYmFwdGlzdC1iYXR0bGUtZ29lcy1mdWxsLW1hZ2EtZmFyLXJpZ2h0LXNlZWtzLXRvLXB1cmdlLWNydC1hbmQtcmFjZS1tYXJ4aXNtL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Getty Images/Jeff Dai/Stocktrek Images) No, a Chinese telescope didn't just detect aliens. Here's what actually happened The astronomy world was abuzz after a report came out that China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), also nicknamed the "Sky Eye Telescope," may have detected a [radio signal](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTcvMDcvMjcvaG93LWRvLXlvdS13b3JrLW91dC1pZi1hLXNpZ25hbC1mcm9tLXNwYWNlLWlzLWEtbWVzc2FnZS1mcm9tLWFsaWVuc19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) originating from an [alien civilization](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDMvMDUvYXN0cm9ub21lcnMtaG9uZS1hLW5ldy13YXktb2Ytc2VhcmNoaW5nLWZvci1hbGllbi1jaXZpbGl6YXRpb25zLWluLXRoZS1zdGFyc19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Read the rest from Nicole Karlis.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvY2hpbmVzZS10ZWxlc2NvcGUtYWxpZW5zL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Enduring love and fear: 5 surprising takeaways from [Amber Heard](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvYW1iZXItaGVhcmQtam9obm55LWRlcHAtbG92ZS10b2RheS1zaG93L1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)'s "Today" show interview - [John Hinckley Jr](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvam9obi1oaW5ja2xleS1qci1pcy1vZmZpY2lhbGx5LWEtZnJlZS1tYW4vVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). is officially a free man - Have we hit [peak canned cocktail](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvaGF2ZS13ZS1oaXQtcGVhay1jYW5uZWQtY29ja3RhaWwtYS1yZWFkeS10by1kcmluay1qYWNrLWFuZC1jb2tlLWlzLWhlcmUtdG8tdXNoZXItaW4tbG93LWVmZm9ydC1zdW1tZXIvVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)? A ready-to-drink Jack & Coke is here to usher in Low-Effort Summer - In defense of little [Leia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0Q1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvbGVpYS1vYmktd2FuLWtlbm9iaS9XA3NwY0IKYqJCDatiWH2u7FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), the believable, bratty child on "Obi-Wan Kenobi" - "[The View](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvdGhlLXZpZXctcmVkLXdhdmUtYWx5c3NhLWZhcmFoLWdyaWZmaW4vVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)" erupts into chaos after Alyssa Farah Griffin claims, "The red wave is coming" - South Dakota voters overwhelmingly reject amendment that would make it harder to expand [Medicaid](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvc291dGgtZGFrb3RhLW92ZXJ3aGVsbWluZ2x5LXJlamVjdC1hbWVuZG1lbnQtdGhhdC13b3VsZC1tYWtlLWl0LWhhcmRlci10by1leHBhbmQtbWVkaWNhaWQvVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - DHS investigating "[challenge coins](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvZGhzLWludmVzdGlnYXRpbmctY2hhbGxlbmdlLWNvaW5zLWVtYmxhem9uZWQtd2l0aC1pbWFnZS1vZi1ib3JkZXItcGF0cm9sLWNvcnJhbGxpbmctbWlncmFudHMvVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)" emblazoned with image of border patrol corralling migrants - [GOP senator](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvc2VuYXRvci1zdWdnZXN0cy13aW5uaW5nLW1pZHRlcm0taXMtbW9yZS1pbXBvcnRhbnQtdGhhbi1zYWZldHktYWZ0ZXItdXZhbGRlL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) suggests winning midterm elections is more important than gun safety after Uvalde - Congress may actually get somewhere on gun safety — but [Republicans' misogyny](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvY29uZ3Jlc3MtbWF5LWFjdHVhbGx5LWdldC1zb21ld2hlcmUtb24tc2FmZXR5LS1idXQtcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtbWlzb2d5bnktaXMtZ2V0dGluZy1pbi10aGUtd2F5L1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) is getting in the way - “Absolute joke”: Republicans “disappointed” after [pro-Trump Nevada GOP primary loser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvYWJzb2x1dGUtam9rZS1kaXNhcHBvaW50ZWQtYWZ0ZXItcHJvLW5ldmFkYS1wcmltYXJ5LWxvc2VyLWNyaWVzLWZyYXVkL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) cries fraud - MSNBC’s [Katy Tur](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvbXNuYmNzLWthdHktdHVyLW9uLWNvdmVyaW5nLWFuZC1yZWxlbnRsZXNzLXRyYWdlZHktb24tdHYtaXQtZHJhZ3MtbWUtZG93bi9XA3NwY0IKYqJCDatiWH2u7FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on covering Trump and relentless tragedy on TV: “It drags me down” - [Jan. 6 hearings](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvamFuLTYtaGVhcmluZ3MtY29sbGVjdGl2ZS10aGVyYXB5LXdpdGgtbm8tY2F0aGFyc2lzLS1hbmQtcHJvYmFibHktbm8tY29udmljdGlvbnMvVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~): Collective therapy with no catharsis — and probably no convictions - From valedictorian to "honorary deputy": 5 times [Herschel Walker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvZnJvbS12YWxlZGljdG9yaWFuLXRvLWhvbm9yYXJ5LWRlcHV0eS01LXRpbWVzLWhlcnNjaGVsLXdhbGtlci13YXMtY2F1Z2h0LWluZmxhdGluZy1oaXMtcmVzdW1lL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) was caught inflating his resume Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) Accomplices to a coup: Trump's lackeys must be held to account for the Big Lie Back in 2018, the New York Times published an anonymous op-ed called ["I am part of the resistance inside the Trump administration."](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAxOC8wOS8wNS9vcGluaW9uL3RydW1wLXdoaXRlLWhvdXNlLWFub255bW91cy1yZXNpc3RhbmNlLmh0bWwuVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) It set off quite a stir throughout Washington and got everyone in the executive branch looking over their shoulders wondering if their officemate might be the writer. Donald Trump had a fit, of course, and set off on a crusade to find the nefarious leaker. Before too long, however, the whole thing had blown over and we were off to the next crisis. But the idea that there was a "resistance" to Trump's unpredictability and ineptitude within the government soothed many people and led to a certain complacency that there were "grown-ups" stopping the president from going off the rails and keeping the engine of government humming. [Read the rest from Heather Digby Parton](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvYWNjb21wbGljZXMtdG8tYS1jb3VwLWxhY2tleXMtbXVzdC1iZS1oZWxkLXRvLWFjY291bnQtZm9yLXRoZS1iaWctbGllL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). - "Senate Feminist Spends Last Days of ‘Roe’ Shilling for Crypto Bros," [The American Prospect](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9zcGVjdC5vcmcvcG93ZXIvc2VuYXRlLWZlbWluaXN0LXNwZW5kcy1sYXN0LWRheXMtb2Ytcm9lLXNoaWxsaW5nLWZvci1jcnlwdG8tYnJvcy9XA3NwY0IKYqJCDatiWH2u7FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Just so much bad stuff’: California and the West could see the cruelest summer in history," [San Francisco Chronicle](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL2JheWFyZWEvYXJ0aWNsZS9jcnVlbC1zdW1tZXItY2FsaWZvcm5pYS1kcm91Z2h0LWZpcmVzLTE3MjMzNDE5LnBocFcDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Dolly Parton donating $1M toward pediatric infectious disease research," [The Hill](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly90aGVoaWxsLmNvbS9ibG9ncy9pbi10aGUta25vdy8zNTI0MzgyLWRvbGx5LXBhcnRvbi1kb25hdGluZy0xLXRvd2FyZC1wZWRpYXRyaWMtaW5mZWN0aW91cy1kaXNlYXNlLXJlc2VhcmNoL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Giant tortoise believed extinct confirmed alive in the Galápagos Islands," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0SaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3dvcmxkLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvZ2FsYXBhZ29zLWdpYW50LXRvcnRvaXNlLWV4dGluY3QtYWxpdmUtZmVybmFuZGEvP3V0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj13cF9tYWluJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09c29jaWFsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9dHdpdHRlclcDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (William Campbell/Getty Images) Scientists say Yellowstone flood is a climate change red flag Last year scientists found that climate change is [melting the snow](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDcvMDYveWVsbG93c3RvbmUtaXMtbG9zaW5nLWl0cy1zbm93LWFzLXRoZS1jbGltYXRlLXdhcm1zLS1hLW5ldy1yZXBvcnQtZGV0YWlscy10aGUtY2hhbmdlc19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) atop the majestic mountains in Yellowstone National Park and its neighbor, Grand Teton. This was not the first dire update involving climate change destroying iconic natural landmarks — among other things, the same year brought the news that [Africa will lose all three of its glaciers](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvYWZyaWNhLWhvbWUtdG8tb25seS10aHJlZS1nbGFjaWVycy13aWxsLWxvc2UtYWxsLW9mLXRoZW0tZHVlLXRvLWNsaW1hdGUtY2hhbmdlL1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) — but it touched a special nerve because Yellowstone is so important to Americans. It is perhaps the nation's most famous national park; and it is, without question, one of the most beautiful, especially as it enters its 150th anniversary. [Read the rest from Matthew Rozsa.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTUvc2NpZW50aXN0cy1zYXkteWVsbG93c3RvbmUtZmxvb2QtaXMtYS1jbGltYXRlLWNoYW5nZS1yZWQtZmxhZy9XA3NwY0IKYqJCDatiWH2u7FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmKiQg2rYlh9ruxSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjZJCP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpiokINq2JYfa7sUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)