I trust you’ll recall the source of this verbal gaffe. It came from our esteemed former president, George W. Bush.

It was his attempt to define when someone undervalues or underestimates something. It was a malaprop we all understood.

Perhaps President Bush watched too many routines of the late comedian Norm Crosby. Norm often appeared with Dean Martin, Johnny Carson, and even showed up on telethons!

The New York Times once referred to him as the comedian who “had the wrong way with words.” 

We often “misunderestimate” those who are willing to lie and deceive. Especially for political purposes.

Take, for example, Christine Blasey Ford.

What, you say, is she doing back in the news? I’m hesitant to even tell you. After nearly ruining Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation with her easily disprovable sexual assault claims, she seeks attention once again.

In late March her new memoir was released titled, One Way Back.

In it she’s not done jabbing at the person she once accused. Her words,

“Once he (Kavanaugh) categorically denied my allegations as well as any bad behavior from his past during a Fox News interview, I felt more certainty than ever that after my experience with him, he had not gone on to become the consummately honest person befitting a supreme court justice.”

Hardly a voice for honesty herself!

It would appear that despite her notoriety in all those public hearings years ago, her side-door counseling business must be slow. Thus the memoir. She self-identifies as a clinical psychologist. Not sure if her training included studies on pathological, well, you know.

You may feel I’m being a little hard on her. But if it was your child who faced such accusations and the humiliation the Kavanaugh family has had to endure, you might feel differently. And if you need a little refresher on the unbelievability of Ms. Blasey Ford, please read this.

Let’s move on to more “misunderestimating.”

Clearly one would think that after numerous protests from female athletes to keep transitioned men out of their sports, it would be settled.

Hardly. 

It takes laws. Just last month, Republican state senators in Wisconsin passed one measure that would restrict the rights of transgender athletes to take part in female sports teams.

Almost half of states in the U.S. have done so or will do something similar. 

In Illinois, ESPN reported a year ago that the Illinois High School Association determines eligibility for student-athletes. As noted,

“A student must notify the school that their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth and provide medical documentation.”

A group from the IHSA then convenes to issue a ruling.

At last word, legislation aimed at restricting girls to play on girls’ and women’s teams “has been introduced in Illinois but not passed.”

Illinois was also considering legislation that would keep parents at bay from getting involved in their child’s decision for gender change. HB 5548 would amend the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution Act by mandating that the court can limit parental control over a child’s “gender change.”

However, HB 5548 has missed its Friday, April 19 deadline for passage of House bills so the bill, for now, is dead. It could be resurrected before the May 24 adjournment of the General Assembly.

Then we have Illinois House Bill 5473. This twisted perspective would make it legal for minors 12 years and over to make their own family planning decisions unilaterally without parental consent—if the family is on Public Aid.

However, the sponsor, Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) amended the language of HB 5473 onto another hideous bill, HB 5239, which prohibits the state from cooperating or providing any information to those seeking to impose a civil or criminal liability upon out-of-staters seeking abortion-related services in Illinois.

That legislation shields from liability anyone in Illinois refusing to cooperate with any out-of-state law enforcement entities or agencies. So we have two bad pieces of language in one bill now (HB 5239).

As I said, we must never “misunderestimate” the commitment of those who would readily dismantle the family structure…or lead a fight against healthy human sexuality.

There is an opposing force working on our behalf. One that we could say is willing to “stand in the gap.”

The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) (www.illinoisfamily.org) tracks the kind of legislation I’ve mentioned.

And they speak out to our legislators for us.

It was the prophet Ezekiel saying on behalf of God,

“I looked for anyone to repair the wall and stand in the gap for me on behalf of the land, so I wouldn’t have to destroy it. But I couldn’t find anyone. Not one.” Ezekiel 22:30 (MSG)

IFI, and similar state organizations across the country, provide a powerful influence to help preserve what’s best for families.

They are worthy of our support.

Indeed, these folks are a force not be misunderestimated!