We tried to stay out of it. We bit our tongue as the story boiled.

But we can’t hold back anymore. It’d be disrespectful to all we do… a slap in the face to our mission.

You’ve surely heard of the NBA’s publicity fiasco and its billion-dollar fallout.

It’s been humorous to watch. But we’re glad it’s happening. We hope it wakes folks up and shows them where we’re headed… and how bad things have already gotten.

It’s more proof that dollars and Liberty have one hell of an odd relationship. Worship the wrong one and you’ll have none of the other.

Respect the right one… and the other doesn’t matter.

The Death of King James

The media loves to destroy careers. It has a new victim each week.

This week, it’s LeBron James, the star basketball player (who we admittedly thought had retired long ago).

We won’t rehash the whole story. It’s not important to our point.

But it is important to know that James – who has previously done some great things in the name of Liberty – sided with the Chinese this week.

He caved. He sold out. He betrayed his former good deeds.

And he did it for a reason that will surprise nobody.

Moolah.

James has a huge name in China – where the NBA’s popularity is exploding. He’s got mega-million deals with Nike, Warner Bros. and other brands that all hinge on his popularity in China.

That’s fine.

Every brand wants its mascot to stay out of trouble.

But it’s who is controlling the message in China that should have all of us fans of Liberty worried.

As soon as anti-China rhetoric began to leak out of the NBA, Beijing used its state-run media to control the message.

It pulled its cameras from exhibition games in the country. It cut sponsorship deals. And it kept fans from attending NBA-related events.

Again, this isn’t the free market at work – we wouldn’t have a beef if it were. This is the government… a government that tracks its people, what they say and who they support.

In other words, LeBron James doesn’t have much of a choice.

Beijing has him right where it wants him.

If he wants China’s burgeoning wealth… he’ll follow China’s oh-so-strict rules.

It’s the death of Liberty.

It’s why money and our freedom are tied so closely together.

If all we want is money, we’ll surely lose our freedom. We’ll be enslaved to a system that amply rewards us for selling our Liberty.

But we won’t be happy. And, of course, we’ll never be free.

James, in other words, is not speaking his thoughts. He doesn’t believe his latest message – his past actions prove it.

He’s speaking for Beijing… and his bank account.

It’s a tough spot.

But you’d better believe it’s coming to America. In many ways, it’s already here.

Friends and Politics

We imagine you don’t need proof.

You’ve seen it firsthand.

But something happened on Tuesday that proves our point. You may not have heard about it.

That’s when a dozen presidential wannabes took the stage in Ohio.

About two hours into the conversation of the sorts of lies and absurd promises the nation has come to worship, the host asked the panelists an insane question.

He talked about former President George W. Bush and his “controversial” friendship with Ellen DeGeneres.

The two were seen “laughing together” at a football game, he said, before asking for opinions from the stage.

This is what it’s come to.

Our politics define our Connections.

In a nation based on free thought… the left can’t be seen with the right?

It’s insane… but these are the questions being asked to prospective leaders of the most powerful and influential nation on the planet.

And what’s worse is the question is being asked… because it’s what the people (aka voters) want to know.

We’re in trouble.

We get heat for talking about the “slippery slope.” We get a sideways glance when we question the culture du jour. And we get censored when we try to spread our message.

But it’s why we do what we do.

Your health, wealth and happiness depend on winning this fight.

Our Liberty is under attack. Our Connections are being threatened. The only solution, our Triad begs, is Know-How.

We’ll stay above the politics.

But we’ll never hold our tongue when the truth is under attack.