Recently failed presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke crudely told Americans he wanted to seize their guns. “Yes, we’re going to take your AR-15” he said.

Many decried this brazen call for a violation of the 2nd amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The right to bear arms is a crucial part of American liberty. It’s also a key part of protecting oneself in a dangerous world.

This past week, a Florida woman—eight months pregnant—and her family were brutally attacked by robbers. The robbers pistol-whipped her husband and manhandled her daughter. But the woman acted quickly. She ran into her bedroom, grabbed an AR-15, and fired. The robbers raced out of the house, one of them falling dead in a nearby ditch.

This story reminds us of fundamental truths:

Don’t rob people.

Don’t violate the constitutional rights of citizens.

And definitely don’t mess with a pregnant American woman—or her AR-15.

LeBron James recently made headlines for his comments about China. James argued that when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey supported Hong Kong democratic protestors, he was “misinformed.” Morey’s support caused “harm,” James said.

For those paying attention, there’s a revealing hypocrisy here. It’s common today among the left to speak against “immoral capitalism” and to decry unjust politics practiced by supposed American tyrants. Whatever one thinks about America, China is run by an actual tyrannical regime. Free speech doesn’t exist. Dissidents are placed in “re-education” camps.

There’s a reason NBA stars are speaking out for China here. They make tons of money from sneaker sales in China. There are many wonderful elements of the free market—but supporting tyranny to make millions is not one of them.

After the public outcry, LeBron says he’s staying quiet. But the damage is done.

Count this a big loss for LeBron … and the NBA.

“The rights of free speech and free exercise… are not limited to soft murmurings behind the doors of a person’s home or church…

These guarantees protect the right of every American to express their beliefs in public. This includes the right to create and sell words, paintings, and art that express a person’s sincere religious beliefs.”

So said the majority of the Arizona Supreme Court earlier this week.

With this win, artistic printers Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski of Phoenix were freed up to conduct their business according to their deeply held convictions.

SOGI policies we’ve seen elsewhere were turned on these two who had—respectfully—opted not to create wedding invitations for same-sex weddings.

Attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom stepped in—and religious liberty prevailed.

This is a big win for First Amendment freedom.

We should never have to murmur our convictions.

We should never be compelled to express views at odds with those convictions.

Is the Bible—and its teaching about marriage and the family—now hateful?

Some today seem to think so.

When NFL quarterback Drew Brees promoted Bring Your Bible to School day in partnership with Focus on the Family, activists in the LGBTQ world struck back hard.

They accused Brees of partnering with a “hate” group that does harm to homosexuals.

The attack on Brees was gratuitous—a cheap shot deserving a penalty. And Brees should not backtrack here. Teaching that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman isn’t hateful. Neither is helping people believe anything Scripture teaches about sexual sin. This is what virtue and health look like, actually.

It’s right to support marriage, the traditional family, and the sexes. Focus on the Family is doing great work. They can take their hits.

People of religious conviction everywhere must have the courage to stand firm in the pocket.

The best way to overhaul a culture is to change the way it thinks. Here’s one major way to change cultural thinking: stifle the free exchange of ideas.

This is what’s happening in California right now. Assembly Bill 2943 would make it an “unlawful business practice” to engage in “a transaction” aimed at promoting “sexual orientation change efforts with an individual.”

This pernicious bill is an attempt to silence those who want to help people with unwanted sexual feelings. Many religious and non-religious people agree that we flourish when we honor the basic design of our bodies for both sexual practice and personal identity. This bill is Orwellian: Silencing those who seek to provide help and wholeness to people who are reaching out.

California legislators ought to do what the people have elected them to do: protect free speech and enable people to live a free life.