Upright: “At the civic, constitutional level the United States is not systemically racist. But systemic racism, at a theological level, is a real thing. … Why? Because people are sinners. … The problem with churches engaging civicly on the theological front on this is simple — the United States demands a separation of church and state. The answer to systemic racism is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The United States will not accept that answer. Therefore, churches are left to do what exactly? Work with those on the left who reject Christianity to enact public policy solutions that are devoid of Jesus, implemented by sinners who do not recognize systemic racism as a sin, and fueled by a movement that sees everything as an allocation of power? Good luck with that.” —Erick Erickson

Observations: “No personal agency is required, or indeed is any part, of a systemic phenomenon. And there’s the beauty of systemic-racism theory: ‘who’s to blame’ is never answered with any particularity that will fix responsibility on known persons, for the answer is ‘why, everyone!’ What could be more impervious to contrary evidence than a wholly impersonal conspiracy theory about human behavior?” —Matthew J. Franck

Political futures: “The ability for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Republicans to stop a potential Biden administration from passing the Equality Act or the Green New Deal would essentially be gone if Democrats take back the Senate and vote to remove the filibuster. This plan being devised by Democrat strategists to radically shape our country is unlike anything we have ever seen before. At stake in this election is not just the difference of a few executive actions or policy preferences but rather the difference between a country in which all human life is valued, families flourish, and religious liberty thrives or one that seeks to destroy innocent life, undermine families, and is hostile towards religion.” —Tony Perkins

For the record: “Over the past four years we have watched as factions within the Justice Department and the Pentagon have unilaterally decided that the American people made a horrible mistake in 2016 — a mistake that must be nullified. It is true that Trump’s volatility and habit of naming officials who are antagonistic to his goals doesn’t help his cause. It is also true that at no time in modern history has the bureaucratic machinery of the executive branch worked so openly to undermine the legal policy goals of the president.” —David Harsanyi

Nailed it: “Instead of us doing business with China and that leading to China becoming more free, what has happened is a place like China has bought our silence with their money. They have just completely shut down critical content about human rights abuses in China.” —Hollywood director Judd Apatow

Non compos mentis: “It’s bold. It’s feminist.” —"Cuties" director Maïmouna Doucouré

And last… “[Football’s] not for protesting one way or the other. What color you are, what you think, this or that. You play football. That’s it. You’re privileged. You got a gift from God that you can play the game because you got a body you can do it with. I don’t really understand what you’re protesting. … I would tell those players go to another country and play football there. You don’t have to come out. You don’t have to come out if you go to another country. You can’t! Because the game’s only played in this country. And if you can’t respect this country, get the hell out of it.” —Hall of Fame coach Mike Ditka