Today marks a striking coincidence in our calendar: the start of Ramadan for Islamists worldwide and Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for Christians. Both observances call for fasting, prayer, reflection, and renewal—profound spiritual disciplines rooted in devotion to God.
Politicians across the country, including many right here in Minnesota, wasted no time flooding social media with warm greetings for Ramadan. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar posted: “To those observing Ramadan in Minnesota and across the world, I’m wishing you a month of reflection and peace. Ramadan Mubarak!” Other leaders—from governors like Gavin Newsom to local figures—joined in with messages of peace, blessings, strength, and community. These well-wishes poured in as the moon was sighted and the holy month began.
Yet on the very same day, as millions of Christians—including countless Catholics in the Diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis—received ashes on their foreheads and entered the 40-day season of Lent, those same voices fell silent. No widespread posts wishing “Blessed Lent,” acknowledging Ash Wednesday, or recognizing the penitential journey toward Easter. No flood of solidarity for the faithful preparing their hearts through sacrifice and repentance. The contrast is impossible to ignore.
This isn’t about demanding equal social media likes for every religious observance. It’s about patterns that reveal priorities. When politicians selectively amplify one faith’s holy season while treating the largest religious tradition in our state as invisible, it sends a clear message: some communities merit public affirmation for political gain, while others do not. In Minnesota, where Christians form the majority and Catholic institutions serve hundreds of thousands, this omission feels less like oversight and more like calculated pandering.
The same dynamic plays out in broader governance. Billions in taxpayer dollars have vanished through daycare fraud schemes, COVID relief theft, and nonprofit grifts—often tied to networks that exploit vulnerabilities while deflecting scrutiny with cries of intolerance. Investigations surge, funds get frozen, and suddenly “protests” erupt, violence ticks up, and the playbook turns to gaslighting: label any exposure as bigotry to shield the syndicate. Virtue-signaling greetings become part of the camouflage—pander to key voter blocs, ignore the majority’s sacred times, and keep the extortion racket humming.
As a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander, a father, a farmer, and a man of faith in Christ, I refuse to sit quietly. Jesus didn’t whisper politely to the money-changers in the temple; He overturned their tables because they turned sacred space into a den of thieves (John 2:13-17). He called hypocrites what they were—whitewashed tombs—and commanded us to expose deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), hate evil, and defend the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9). True Christianity isn’t passive politeness in the face of corruption; it’s righteous confrontation wrapped in love.
Recognizing these patterns isn’t division or prejudice—it’s discernment. It’s refusing to let double standards hide behind “inclusivity.” It’s calling out when politicians chase optics over integrity, when fraud networks weaponize deflection, and when good people are extorted through guilt, fear, and falsehoods.
Minnesotans deserve better. We deserve leaders who speak truth without selective filters, who defend all the faithful without playing favorites, and who dismantle the grift instead of enabling it. This Lent, as we repent and renew, let’s commit to that clarity: no more pandering, no more gaslighting, no more silence in the face of theft.
The light exposes what hides in shadows. Let’s turn it on—loud, proud, and unyielding—for the restoration of our state and the glory of God.
For more information or to join the fight:
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
Campaign Manager: heidi@parrish4mn.com
Phone: 1 (612) 460-1717
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