5.6.25 Debate over anti-Semitism legislation, interfering with ICE, and a doctor takes a stand on ethics

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – Episode 5.6.25 Release Date: May 6, 2025

Host: Mary Reichardt and Nick Eicher Produced by: WORLD Radio

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Introduction

In Episode 5.6.25 of The World and Everything In It, hosts Mary Reichardt and Nick Eicher delve into three pressing issues: the contentious debate over anti-Semitism legislation in Congress, the implications of judges interfering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and a poignant story of a doctor's ethical stand within the medical community. The episode weaves through legislative battles, constitutional debates, and personal narratives, providing listeners with in-depth analysis and diverse perspectives.

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1. Debate Over Anti-Semitism Legislation

Timestamp: 06:22 – 13:10

Overview: The episode opens with a heated Senate business meeting where lawmakers grapple with defining and curbing anti-Semitic harassment while balancing First Amendment rights. The focal point is the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, which seeks to empower civil rights offices within the Education and Justice departments to prosecute anti-Semitism more effectively.

Key Points:

• Committee Discussions: The Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee spends extensive time debating the bill's definitions and implications. Constitutional expert Ilya Shapiro emphasizes the delicate balance between combating bigotry and preserving free speech:

  "The Constitution, the Supreme Court ruled that you can say terrible things. That's unique about our country." [00:12]

• IHRA Definition: The bill incorporates the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, which includes examples that some argue could infringe upon free speech. For instance, denying the right to a Jewish sovereign state or comparing Israel to Nazis are cited as anti-Semitic under this definition.

• Amendments and Opposition: Democrat Senator Rand Paul and others express concerns that the definitions may overreach, potentially criminalizing legitimate discourse about Israel.

  "If you deny the Jewish people the right to a Jewish sovereign state, that's anti-Semitism." [09:00]

  Conservative voices, including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Heritage Foundation's Albert Mohler, argue that the bill's broad definitions could inadvertently target religious and academic expressions:

  "Certain conversations are not had, certain things are not questioned." [24:26]

• Legislative Stalemate: Despite passing the House the previous year, the bill faces significant hurdles in the Senate. Amendments aimed at clarifying protections for religious expressions lead to further delays, ultimately stalling the bill from moving forward.

  "The problem is, if you look at the IHRA examples of speech they're going to be limiting on college campuses." [09:40]

Notable Quotes:

• "If it's just a clean bill that says we're going to police anti-Semitism, I think that will probably get by. But once we start adding all the other things in there, you know, it, I think, loads up the definition and creates problems." – Ilya Shapiro [12:26]

• "Rebuking the Jewish people or the Jews as a category for the crucifixion of Jesus is an act of anti-Semitism." – Anna Johansen Brown [11:00]

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2. Interfering with ICE: Judges in Trouble

Timestamp: 13:10 – 19:40

Overview: The discussion shifts to recent federal actions against judges accused of interfering with ICE operations. Notably, Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan and former New Mexico Judge Joel Cano have been arrested for allegedly aiding illegal immigrants in evading federal authorities.

Key Points:

• Case Details: Judge Hannah Dugan is charged with helping an illegally deported individual escape by leading him out of her courtroom. Similarly, Judge Joel Cano faces accusations of harboring an illegal alien and destroying evidence.

• Constitutional Analysis: Constitutional scholar Ilya Shapiro explains that judges are not above the law and must adhere to federal laws. The concept of "anti-commandeering," which prevents the federal government from forcing states to enforce federal laws, does not apply here as these cases involve active interference rather than non-cooperation.

  "If you look at the IHRA examples of speech they're going to be limiting on college campuses." [09:40]

• Federalism Considerations: David Brooks elaborates on the interplay between state and federal authorities, emphasizing that while states cannot be compelled to enforce federal laws, they cannot obstruct federal law enforcement actions either.

  "It's not unusual for federal agents to arrest people in state courthouses, correct?" [15:22]

• Public Perception and Media: The arrests have sparked debates on access to justice and the role of judges within the legal system. Brooks likens the situation to historical events, cautioning against inappropriate comparisons while acknowledging the complexities of modern immigration enforcement.

Notable Quotes:

• "Judges are not above the law. If a judge, federal or state, murders someone, they can be arrested and prosecuted." – David Brooks [14:15]

• "If you have to put in your legislation that this doesn't violate the Constitution, that's already a problem." – Ilya Shapiro [11:38]

• "I don't see how it's heroic to undermine the rule of law." – David Brooks [16:57]

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3. A Doctor’s Stand on Ethics: Dr. Scott Armistead’s Story

Timestamp: 21:53 – 30:04

Overview: The episode features an in-depth story of Dr. Scott Armistead, a missionary doctor who returned to the U.S. only to find himself at odds with evolving medical ethics policies. His journey highlights the challenges faced by medical professionals when personal convictions clash with institutional mandates.

Key Points:

• Background: Dr. Armistead served as a medical missionary in Pakistan for 16 years before joining the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Upon his return, he noticed a shift from viewing patients holistically to a more fragmented approach focusing on mental and emotional aspects over physical health.

• Conflict Over Policies: In 2019, the introduction of new intake forms and policies emphasizing gender identity and preferred pronouns sparked friction. Dr. Armistead and colleagues argued that these changes were culturally insensitive and lacked ethical consideration for conservative Muslim patients.

  "A general intake form represented a certain understanding that was just very inappropriate for very conservative cultures." – Dr. Armistead [25:00]

• Institutional Pushback: Attempts to address these concerns were met with resistance. Despite advocating for discussions on ethical ramifications, Dr. Armistead was disciplined and eventually terminated after being accused of harassment and discrimination following his focus on medical ethics over policy compliance.

• Advocacy and Legislation: Unbowed, Dr. Armistead is spearheading efforts to pass the Medical Ethics Defense Act in Virginia, aiming to protect medical professionals who face repercussions for upholding their ethical beliefs. His advocacy underscores a broader movement to defend conscience rights within the medical field.

• Personal Impact: Beyond legislative efforts, Dr. Armistead engages with medical students through ethical discussions and supports refugee families, embodying his commitment to principled medicine despite institutional challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• "I think it's a stressful time to be in medicine in the United States. Repeated violation of conscience is destructive and contributes to physician burnout." – Dr. Scott Armistead [28:04]

• "If our system is forming physicians who are not encouraged to follow their convictions and to think deeply about their ethics... then we are doing a disservice to the public good." – Dr. Scott Armistead [29:14]

• "So, what the player is worth..." – Transitioning to related stories [21:03]

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4. Brief Segment: Deion Sanders’ Son in the NFL Draft

Timestamp: 30:04 – 35:01

Overview: A lighter, yet insightful segment discusses NFL legend Deion Sanders and the media circus surrounding his son, Shedeur Sanders, during the NFL draft. World Opinions contributor Ted Kluck reflects on the phenomenon of over-competitive parenting and its impact on young athletes.

Key Points:

• Media Attention: Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, experienced intense media scrutiny and high expectations during the NFL draft, embodying the pressures faced by children of high-profile athletes.

• Parental Influence: Kluck draws parallels between Deion’s involvement in his son’s career and his own experiences as a "Little League dad," critiquing the overbearing nature of some parents in youth sports.

• Lessons Learned: The segment emphasizes the importance of balancing support with allowing children to develop independently, cautioning against the negative effects of excessive competitiveness and media exposure.

Notable Quotes:

• "God is sovereign, God is good, and God works in the lives of his children." – Ted Kluck [34:56]

• "It was legendary, but not in the way that he'd hoped." – Reflecting on Shedeur’s draft experience [34:45]

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Conclusion

Episode 5.6.25 of The World and Everything In It offers a comprehensive exploration of significant societal issues, from legislative debates and constitutional law to personal ethical stands in the medical field. Through expert analysis, personal stories, and critical discussions, the podcast provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding anti-Semitism legislation, judicial interference with federal enforcement, and the evolving landscape of medical ethics.

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Notable References:

• “The Constitution, the Supreme Court ruled that you can say terrible things.” – Mary Reichardt [00:05]
• “We have something that they all want.” – Ilya Shapiro [01:14]
• “Chasing Jewish students into a room, pounding on the door and threatening them with violence is wrong. That is not free speech.” – Ilya Shapiro [07:42]

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For more in-depth discussions and future episodes, tune into The World and Everything In It on Apple Podcasts and other major platforms.

Transcript

[Mary Reichardt]

Good morning. Congress targets antisemitism, but can lawmakers draw the line without crossing one?

[Ilya Shapiro]

The Constitution, the Supreme Court ruled that you can say terrible things. That's unique about our country.

[Nick Eicher]

Also today, when the feds arrest judges, does that cross a line? We'll talk with constitutional expert Ilya Shapiro. And later, one doctor's story of what happens when his conscience clashes with the powers that be.

[Scott Armistead]

My nurse came to me and she said, Dr. Armstead, I just need to tell you they're watching you like a hawk.

[Nick Eicher]

And football, fatherhood and the gospel of winning.

[Mary Reichardt]

It's Tuesday, May 6th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Mary Reichardt]

It's time for the news. Here's Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump is hosting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney today at the White House. Trump told reporters on Monday, but I.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Guess he wants to make a deal. Everybody does. They all want to make a deal because we have something that they all.

[Kent Covington]

Want that something the president referred to. There is open access to the US Market. The meeting is expected to center on trade and tariffs. This will be their first meeting since the election victory last week of Carney's Liberal Party of Canada. For his part, the prime minister said.

[Ilya Shapiro]

It'S important to get engaged immediately, which.

[David Brooks]

Has always been my intention.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Has always been his intention. I go there with the expectation of constructive, difficult.

[Kent Covington]

The two leaders spoke by phone last week after Canada's election. In that call, the prime minister seemed to set aside the more fiery rhetoric of the campaign season. Trump said of Carney that he could not have been nicer. Monday was a busy day for the president. He signed several executive orders, including one aimed at so called gain of function research. That's a term many heard for the first time after the COVID 19 pandemic. The President remarked as he held the.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Order, it's a big deal. Could have been that we wouldn't have had the problem we had.

[Mary Reichardt]

A lot of people say that, sir.

[Ilya Shapiro]

If we had this done earlier. Thank you.

[Kent Covington]

Gain of function research is when scientists change a virus to make it stronger or more infectious so they can study how to fight it. But many experts argue that the risk of lab engineered super viruses escaping is simply too high to justify any potential benefits. White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Many people believe that gain of function.

[David Brooks]

Research was one of the key causes.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Of the COVID pandemic.

[Kent Covington]

Monday's order, among other things, bans federal funding for gain of function research in countries with weak oversight like China. It also pauses that kind of high risk research here in the US until new safety rules are developed. President Trump on Monday also said he's looking at slapping a 100% tariff on foreign made movies in an effort to bring more film production back to the.

[Ilya Shapiro]

U.S. other nations, a lot of them have stolen our moving industry and I'm saying if they're not willing to make a movie inside the United States and we should have a tariff on movies that come in.

[Kent Covington]

American studios have been filming a growing number of movies overseas to take advantage of lower costs and tax incentives. But the top Democrat in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, says that's a good thing.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Using the tax code in that way is actually a positive way to incentivize as much production as possible in the.

[Scott Armistead]

United States of America.

[Kent Covington]

Trump said he planned to meet with studio executives to get their feedback. The White House says no final decisions have been made regarding movie tariffs. The Department of Homeland Security is offering to pay illegal immigrants to leave of their own free will. DHS is offering those migrants financial travel assistance and as soon as they get back to their home countries, a payout of $1,000. Officials say that leaving voluntarily also leaves the door open for migrants to return legally in the future. But border czar Tom Homan says by contrast, if we have to formally deport.

[Nick Eicher]

You, that puts mandatory buyers against you, even if in other opportunities you can come back on a student visa, visitor's visa and come back the right way.

[Kent Covington]

The Trump administration says this will save taxpayer dollars, explaining that it costs roughly $17,000 to forcibly deport someone, including arrest, detention and removal. Israel struck back yesterday in retaliation for a weekend missile attack on an Israeli airport by the Yemen based Houthi rebels. Crews heard they're battling massive flames pouring from a cement factory in the Yemeni fort city of Hodea that after Israeli forces carried out at least six airstrikes in the city. Those retaliatory strikes came just hours after a leader with the Iran backed Houthi terror group vowed more attacks on Israeli airports. Israel is also gearing up for a new major offensive in Gaza. Israeli government spokesman David Mentzer this week.

[Mary Reichardt]

Israel is issuing tens of thousands of call up orders to reservists in order.

[David Brooks]

To strengthen and expand our operations in Gaza. Not to occupy but to expand the military operation.

[Kent Covington]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the operation will be aimed at crushing Hamas and rescuing the remaining Israeli hostages. Israel plans to leave a security force in the Gaza Strip indefinitely. I'm Kent Cuffington and straight ahead, judges in trouble for interfering with immigration enforcement. Plus, when doctors face hard choices when following their consciences. This is the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichardt]

It's Tuesday 6th May. Thank you for listening to the world and everything in it. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. First up, Congress clashes over how to define antisemitism.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment. Mr. Chairman. No, no, Senator Sanders, we got to.

[Ted Kluck]

Get out of here.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Senator Sanders. Mr. Chairman, you were commenting upon my amendment yesterday. Senator Sanders. Amendment.

[Nick Eicher]

A Senate business meeting turned into a shouting match last week over a bill called the Anti Semitism Awareness Act. Members of the Health, Education, labor and Pensions Committee spent two hours debating how to curb anti Semitic harassment and how to balance that with free speech.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Chairman Just Anti Semitism is wrong. Authoritarianism is not the answer. That's what we're debating right now.

[Mary Reichardt]

Here now is Washington bureau reporter Carolina lumeta.

[Ted Kluck]

From D.C. to Palestine, D.C. to Palestine.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Evictions for a crime. Last year, college campuses across the country were overrun by pro Palestinian protests, including George Washington university here in D.C. at some, Ivy Leagues, activists blocked Jewish students from walking through campus and tagged university property with slogans some consider anti Semitic. Lawmakers in Washington want to prevent that from happening again.

[Ilya Shapiro]

So let me be clear. There is no nuance in bigotry.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy is chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, labor and Pensions.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Chasing Jewish students into a room, pounding on the door and threatening them with violence is wrong. That is not free speech.

[Carolina Lumeta]

The act aims to give civil rights offices in the Education and Justice departments more leeway for prosecuting antisemitism. In the process, it would codify a particular definition, identifying it as a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. The definition comes from the International Holocaust remembrance alliance, often called IHRA. Back in 2016, the United States and 30 other nations adopted the non legally binding definition. Ellie Kohannon served as deputy envoy to combat antisemitism during the first Trump administration. Now she's a member of the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, which is hosted by the Heritage Foundation.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

The IHRA definition, clearly it has the.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Definition, but underneath it, it has examples.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Of when, for example, speech moves from.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Speech to antisemitism, when does that cross the line? The 11 examples listed include not only physical violence, but also rhetoric. What the IHR definition does clarify is.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

That if you deny the Jewish people the right to a Jewish sovereign state, that's anti Semitism.

[Carolina Lumeta]

If you start to compare the state.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Of Israel with the Nazis, that's antisemitism.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Those examples were a sticking point for the Senate markup of the Antisemitism Awareness Act. Every Democrat on the committee, along with Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, warned that passage would violate First Amendment rights to free speech.

[Ilya Shapiro]

The problem is, if you look at the IHRA examples of speech they're going to be limiting on college campuses. Everything on that list is politically protected by the First Amendment.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Paul went on to argue that even though he agrees that Jewish students were mistreated during pro Palestinian protests last year, the Constitution is there to protect even despicable speech. But the bill's sponsor, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, says it only applies to action that follows antisemitic speech.

[Ilya Shapiro]

If you do something that is a conduct that follows that speech, it gives you the link back to whether or not it's anti Semitic or not.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Still, Senator Paul broke ranks and helped the Democrats to pass four additional amendments, watering down when the law can be enforced on campus.

[Ilya Shapiro]

The Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled that you can say terrible things that's unique about our country.

[Carolina Lumeta]

This is not the first time the act has run into opposition. Although it passed the House last year, several conservative Christians voted against it. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia worried that the act was so broad it could find the New Testament anti Semitic. World Opinions editor Albert Mohler agrees.

[Ilya Shapiro]

It is because of the very subjective nature of the definition that I still have grave concerns about the law.

[Carolina Lumeta]

In a World Opinions article published last year, Mohler used the example of a Christian teaching that Jewish people were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. He says that nuance is required here, which the Antisemitism Awareness act might not provide.

[Ilya Shapiro]

And so there are those who say that to blame the Jewish people or the Jews as a category for the crucifixion of Jesus is an act of anti Semitism. Now, that language, I think, has been misused in an anti Semitic way. But on the other hand, it is also the language of the Gospel of John. And so we have to contend for biblical language not being inherently anti Semitic.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri told me that the bill ensures that religious expression is not part of the effort to define antisemitism. And the committee adopted an amendment from Senator Cassidy clarifying that. But Mueller says he still has concerns.

[Ilya Shapiro]

I do appreciate Senator Cassidy's proposed amendment, and I know it's presented in good faith, but if you have to put in your legislation that this doesn't violate the Constitution, that's already a problem.

[Carolina Lumeta]

An asterisk at the end of the IHRA definition reads criticism of Israel, similar to that leveled against any other country, cannot be regarded as anti Semitic. But lawmakers pointed out that the federal government has already detained students who wrote critically of Israel but did not participate in protests. Here's Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.

[Ilya Shapiro]

The examples of the 11 examples, four are about anti Semitism, about Jews. Seven are really about Israel. We should allow people to state tough, tough points of view even if we don't agree with them.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Opposition from Kaine and his colleagues stalled a vote on the bill. Senator Paul left the meeting early and frustrated. He told me he would have supported the bill if it did not include those 11 examples.

[Ilya Shapiro]

If it's just a clean bill that says we're going to police anti Semitism, I think that will probably get by. But once we start adding all the other things in there, you know, it, I think, loads up the definition and creates problems.

[Carolina Lumeta]

In the end, the committee ran out of its allotted time to pass the bill and send it to the Senate floor. Chairman Cassidy told me he'll have to consult with leadership to figure out what to do next. Reporting for World, I'm Carolina Lumeta in Washington, D.C.

[Nick Eicher]

Coming up next on the World and everything in it, judges in handcuffs. Federal agents recently arrested Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan. She faces charges that she helped an illegal immigrant evade arrest by leading him out of her courtroom through a private door. The man was in court on domestic abuse charges, although he had been deported from the US during the Obama administration.

[Mary Reichardt]

A week earlier, they arrested former New Mexico Judge Joel Cano for allegedly harboring an illegal alien and destroying evidence. Now these cases are in early stages, but federal policy is clear. Here's border czar Tom Homan at a press briefing that same week.

[Nick Eicher]

And I've said this a thousand times, when you cross that line to impedement or annoyingly harboring, concealing an illegal alien mice, you will be prosecuted, judge or not. Joining us now is constitutional expert Ilya Shapiro. He's director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute.

[Mary Reichardt]

Ilya, good morning. And my first question is quite basic. Are judges above the law?

[David Brooks]

Well, judges are not above the law. If a judge, federal or state, murders someone, they can be arrested and prosecuted. There's no immunity from committing any other kind of crimes. The more interesting wrinkle is the federalism wrinkle. So here it's federal officials, federal prosecutors arresting a state judge. There's a doctrine called anti commandeering which says that the federal government cannot force states or their officials to enforce federal law. But that's not what's going on here. Here the allegations are that the Wisconsin judge actively prevented the enforcement of federal law. There were ICE agents ready to arrest someone and she helped him escape. Again, that has yet to be adjudicated. But those are the allegations in the charge sheet. If that is true, that does seem like interference with federal law enforcement and does not implicate this anti commandeering principle.

[Mary Reichardt]

Now, just to be clear, it's not unusual for federal agents to arrest people in state courthouses, correct?

[David Brooks]

Yeah, they're constantly looking for people who criminals who violate both federal and state laws. Often these are worked out ahead of time between local police and federal law enforcement. Sometimes they're not. And especially when a state disagrees with, say, the immigration enforcement priorities of the federal government. There can be non cooperation, but again, the federal government can't force a state to enforce its laws, immigration, criminal or otherwise, but it can't impede those federal officers.

[Mary Reichardt]

Ilya, I'm just curious, when you first hear these kinds of stories, what analysis does your mind go through?

[David Brooks]

Well, I want to know what she's actually accused of doing. You know, state judge arrested for defying immigration officials. If you go by just a headline like that, that's a misleading headline because at that point you think, oh, what state law is in conflict with federal law? Or what does the judge order that the feds are, is this a federalism issue? What's going on? But then you read, and again, it has nothing to do with any ruling that she's made. And I thought, oh, that's what you want to know. What are the facts?

[Mary Reichardt]

I saw some headlines that said arresting judges undermines access to justice. And yet in the Wisconsin court there sat alleged victims of domestic abuse who didn't get their day in court. And then David Brooks over on PBS said that Judge Dugan's alleged actions might be something illegal, but it also struck him as something heroic. Any comment?

[David Brooks]

I've also seen comparisons to hiding Anne Frank. One comparison was made on Holocaust Remembrance Day, which I thought was inappropriate. I mean, look, you can say that we're pursuing the wrong immigration policies, but if someone is in the country illegally, they can be removed. And so it's not like she was doing something to protect him from the Gestapo from getting sent to a concentration camp or something. If she has a disagreement over the immigration laws, and that's something to take up with her congressman, Senator, things like that, I don't see how it's heroic to undermine the rule of law.

[Mary Reichardt]

There's a new executive order from President Trump to compile a list of sanctuary cities. Now, a lot of people may wonder, why doesn't the Supremacy Clause dictate that federal law wins here? I mean, federal law usually takes precedence over state law.

[David Brooks]

This has come up in the marijuana context. I mean, at this point, I think more than half the states have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. But not so long ago, there are only a handful. And the question was, I think Colorado was one of the first. And the question was, well, what is the Justice Department going to do? And understandably, they prioritized violent gangs and human trafficking and weapons and things like that over just simple possession of marijuana, even if it was still federally illegal. And the question was, well, what are the Colorado police supposed to be doing? And the answer is they don't have to help federal officials in prosecuting marijuana violations, but they cannot get in the middle of it. They can't interfere.

[Mary Reichardt]

All right, so is it accurate then to say this guy is not falling despite some of the headlines?

[David Brooks]

I mean, there's been so much legal action, including in the immigration space. And most of the talk of so called constitutional crisis involves the man who was deported to El Salvador. And there's some question about whether he should have been, whether it was a mistake, can it be brought back? You know, that's not a constitutional crisis. That's kind of high stakes poker and the role of federal judges with respect to the foreign affairs power of the executive branch. This is even more of a nothing burger. You know, a future court will determine whether indeed this person who happens to be a judge, obstructed a federal investigation or pursuit of this person who had an immigration arrest warrant out against him. And that's it.

[Mary Reichardt]

Ilya Shapiro is a constitutional scholar at the Manhattan Institute. Ilya, thanks so much.

[David Brooks]

Thanks so much. I also write a substack newsletter called Shapiro's Gavel.

[Mary Reichardt]

Very good. Thanks again.

[Nick Eicher]

Additional support comes from Eyewitness, an immersive.

[Kent Covington]

Audio drama exploring stories of faith and.

[Nick Eicher]

Transformation on podcast apps. Or at the letter I witnesspod.com from.

[Kent Covington]

Asbury University, where summer for teens can.

[Nick Eicher]

Be an epic adventure. Asbury Edu camps. And from the Joshua program at St. Dunstan's Academy in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Work, prayer and adventure for young men. St. Dunstansacademy.org yeah, Woody Woodpecker is cracking up again, but life is imitating art in Rockport, Massachusetts. Apparently up there there's a real life rogue cracking up the side views on people's cars.

[Ted Kluck]

We're Dealing with a woodpecker that likes to break mirrors.

[Nick Eicher]

Yeah, it turns out it's mating season up there. And this Romeo is targeting what he sees as a rival for the lady woodpeckers. Local man Benjamin Favolora.

[Ted Kluck]

We've had close to 25 mirrors in the last three or four weeks.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Broken.

[Nick Eicher]

Now, as you can imagine, when I heard this one, I thought Seinfeld.

[Kent Covington]

Of course, all I see is Woody Woodpecker. Got a problem with Woody Woodpecker?

[Ted Kluck]

Yeah.

[Kent Covington]

What is he, some sort of an instigator?

[Nick Eicher]

Yeah. No problem at all though, for Barbara Smith. She is charmed by the renegade Romeo. Or at least she understands him.

[Mary Reichardt]

You look at yourself in the mirror.

[Kent Covington]

Sometimes you do have to peck at that mirror.

[Scott Armistead]

You don't like what you see.

[Nick Eicher]

Now, this guy is quite impressed with what he sees. It's just he has no time for that kind of self reflection. It's the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichardt]

Today is Tuesday, May 6th. So glad you've turned to world radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Mary Reichard.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the World and everything in it, Medicine, conscience and world one doctor's stand. Conscience. Protections for doctors have existed for decades, but they only work when they're enforced.

[Mary Reichardt]

Under the Biden administration. That didn't happen. Scott Armistead found out the hard way. World's Adi Afran spoke with Dr. Armistead. And Anna Johansen Brown brings you his story.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

It's a mild spring day in Richmond, Virginia. Virginia. Perfect for a game of pickleball. Scott Armistead and a group of four refugee men from Afghanistan meet regularly to play and talk. Armistead speaks Urdu fluently. He picked it up on the mission field.

[Scott Armistead]

When I was an undergrad, I felt called to become a medical missionary. Missionary doctor. And we ended up going to Pakistan and we're there for 16 years from 1999 to 2015.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

During that time, he gained a lot of experience helping Muslim patients. When he returned to the United States, Armistead took a job teaching second year medical students at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. The school's family medicine clinic serves low income patients. Many of them are immigrants and refugees. Armistead was doing what he loved, teaching medical students and befriending Muslim refugees. But he soon realized the US Medical field had changed while he was away.

[Scott Armistead]

The ideological shift was moving from understanding the patient as an integrated whole to sort of dividing the patient so that the center of the person moved more to the mind and the feelings and the affections than it did to the body.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

The way society understood the role of the American physician had also changed.

[Scott Armistead]

The language of professionalism had sort of disappeared, and the language of provider had taken center stage. Professional is someone who has something to profess, something that they actually believe to be good and true. And a provider could be somebody who's just providing a service, almost like a vending machine or somebody giving you a latte at the coffee shop.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

That perspective had already crept into Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Armistead found the new academic medical environment eerily similar to living under blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

[Scott Armistead]

Certain conversations are not had, certain things are not questioned. But it was particularly odd because there was all of this talk about diversity and inclusion.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

The changes started subtly. In 2019, clinic administrators introduced a new intake form that asked patients to describe their sexual pract in detail and included specific questions about transgender forms of intimacy, all before the patient's first visit. Armistead knew that would not go over well with the many conservative Muslim refugees who visited the clinic to put it on.

[Scott Armistead]

A general intake form represented a certain understanding that was just very inappropriate for very conservative cultures.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Shortly after, a group of students affiliated with the Christian Medical and Dental Associations approached Armistead with concerns about a new school.

[Scott Armistead]

And they were telling me that they were being told they needed to introduce themselves with their preferred pronouns and ask the preferred pronouns of the patients.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Armistead approached administrators with another co worker and together they argued the policy change wasn't culturally competent, that it disrespected the students convictions. Administrators told them individual teachers like Armistead could discuss the change with their students. But one year later, the school declared the clinic transgender friendly.

[Scott Armistead]

So what that meant was that we would start seeing patients and giving cross sex hormones and being referring to different departments for reconstructive surgeries, vaginoplasties, and that kind of thing. I suggested to the medical director that we talk about it among ourselves because of the ethical ramifications of doing that and knowing that not everybody was on the same page. Not just me, but others. But I was told that there would be no discussion and that it was a priority of the department.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Eventually, the school also began docking the grades of students who failed to ask patients for their preferred pronouns. It all came to a head for Armistead one day when he was introducing a new group of students to the clinic. As usual, Armistead encouraged the students to reflect on what using someone's preferred pronouns reveals about our understanding of the body and medicine.

[Scott Armistead]

And that got me in trouble with a student, at least one student who went to HR and complained about that. A couple months later, I got called to a meeting with the head of the department and with HR and with my immediate supervisor, and I got accused of harassment and discrimination.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Administrators banned Armistead from working with students for six months, though he could still see patients on his own. But Armistead got the feeling the school was looking for an excuse to get rid of him.

[Scott Armistead]

My nurse came to me and she said, Dr. Armstead, I just need to tell you they're watching you like a hawk. But at the end of those six months, there was another meeting called and I was accused of clinical near misses and sort of irreconcilable relationships among staff. And then I was let go.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

Clinical near misses are medical errors that had the potential to cause harm but didn't. Armistead is hopeful that under the second Trump administration, hospitals and medical schools may be more wary of violating the conscience rights of medical professionals professionals. But he's worried that without state level change, conscience protections will continue to be at the mercy of whoever occupies the White House and that doctors will continue to leave the field.

[Scott Armistead]

I think it's a stressful time to be in medicine in the United States. Repeated violation of conscience is destructive and contributes to physician burnout.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

That's why Armistead is advocating for a Virginia bill called the Medical Ethics Defense Act. It would give medical workers more legal recourse when their rights are violated.

[Scott Armistead]

It didn't make it through the subcommittee just recently, but we realized that these fights often take a long time. So I think the plan is to reintroduce it in the future. And I'm encouraged that in other states this has been passed. And my hope is that in Virginia it will be in the future.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

He's determined to keep fighting for other Christian doctors and the next generation who will soon take their place in the workforce.

[Scott Armistead]

So the thing that Pellegrino says that.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

I regular meetings with Christian medical students is a key part of that effort. On Fridays, Armistead and a group of Christian students meet for a book club to discuss medical ethics. After a recent meeting, they continue that conversation in the car. They were on their way to help an Afghan family move furniture into their new home.

[Scott Armistead]

If our system is forming physicians who are not encouraged to follow their convictions and to think deeply about their ethics and to think deeply about issues of virtue, then we are doing a disservice to the public good for world.

[Anna Johansen Brown]

I'm Anna Johansen Brown with reporting from Addie Offerins.

[Mary Reichardt]

Today is Tuesday, May 6th. Good morning, this is the World and everything in it from L listeners supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reigerd.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iker. Football great Deion Sanders made headlines during the NFL draft back in April, but not for what he did as a player or a coach. This time it was his son Shedeur Sanders in the spotlight and the spotlight moment didn't quite go as planned. World Opinions contributor Ted Kluck says there is a deeper lesson here, especially for over competitive dads watching from the sidelines.

[Ted Kluck]

Perhaps the term Little League dad is a new one for you. Full disclosure, I was one and I'm not proud of it. We stand along practice or game field fences and our sweatsuits and critique what other coaches are doing. We often coach our kids. We often let our own undealt with hyper competitiveness lead to sin and we often let it ruin our kids experiences with their various sports. I regret being this way, but there are a lot of us Little League dads. The highest profile example at present may be NFL great Deion Sanders. In case you're not a football fan, let me fill you in. Deion Sanders is arguably the greatest lockdown cover cornerback in NFL history. He was also a dual threat offensive player both as a wide receiver and one of the greatest punt returners of all time. He's currently the head coach at the University of Colorado where he coached his quarterback son. He has coached his son Shedeur Sanders since his Pee Wee football days, making him one of the most prolific and famous Little League dads of all time. Let's start with the good. Deion Sanders clearly loves his son and has been very involved in his son's life. These are both good things. Sanders has also been very open about his faith in God. However, that openness comes with some challenges. I'm not questioning his sincerity, but he doesn't talk about his faith in the same ways that I would talk about my faith. That's not necessarily bad, but what's distracting for me and others is that he talks about that faith while literally draped in his millions of dollars and clothing emblazoned with his own personal brand. That makes things complicated. As a recovering Little League dad myself, I think there are some things I can also point out that are clearly not good. The Cleveland Browns have not only drafted Chadur Sanders, they've also drafted the circus that will come to town with him. By circus I mean media availability every day around Shedeur's locker, media questions to his dad every day when Deion speaks to the media and an outsized degree of focus and attention on a player who will probably start his career as a backup quarterback. To be fair, this was the self same circus that followed the most famous evangelical of my lifetime, Tim Tebow. The question is, is the player worth the circus? The younger Sanders is a pretty good quarterback with a pretty good arm and his speed is average. He was one of the best players on a pretty good Colorado squad, where he became famous for two things, throwing touchdown passes to Travis Hunter, the best player in college football, and for waving his gold watch in front of some opposing fans. Behavior a father should have curtailed, not encouraged. Unfortunately, it is a move that became akin to T. Boeing. People now sort of hold up their forearms and wave them around as though they're showing off their own hypothetical gold watches. Perhaps Deion Sanders has just done what all of us who have little League dad tendencies would have done. If we had all been hall of Famers with unlimited financial resources, we would have probably used our money and influences to completely mold and shape our son's experiences in ways that wouldn't have been healthy or edifying for father or son. Before last month's draft, the NFL Network aired a commercial dozens of times featuring an overconfident Shador Sanders, boasting that in his words, draft night will be legendary. It's a sad bit of on the nose irony. It was legendary, but not in the way that he'd hoped. Shedeur was expected to be picked in the first round. Turned out he watched from the sidelines as 143 others were picked before him. Perhaps it's just what Chadour and Deion Sanders needed. God is sovereign, God is good, and God works in the lives of his children. And if he's using these circumstances for the sanctification of his children, these are unqualified goods, even if they're hard for little League dads. I'm Ted Kluck.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, Washington Wednesday, A bipartisan effort to protect people online fighting to remove videos and images that exploit and one woman's story of caring for her husband through long term illness. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Iger.

[Mary Reichardt]

And I'm Mary Reichardt. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says we know that we all possess knowledge, but knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God part of verse 1 through verse 3 of 1 Corinthians 8. Go now in grace and peace.