Watching the new stories this week, and noticing how all the older stories like the Baltimore riots, the Iranian no-deal and so on get kicked to the back burner is mind-bending.

The news cycles are dictated by so-called “news sources.” They put out and harp on what they believe is most important to society as a whole, and they couldn’t care less what society really thinks is important.

Technology is one of the biggest fears to the hard left. It leaves residue … of speeches that should be heard only by certain groups, statistics of long ago (climate change, freeze, heating), comments like “what difference does it make?” and “I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” and the most memorable – “if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor” – until he was caught and then he said, “Let me be clear (yeah right), I said if you like your doctor AND he is part of the plan, you can keep your doctor.” With flip-flopping, wordsmithing, and backtracking like that, I have to ask: Are there any absolutes?

I’m a homophobe if I don’t agree that the gay and lesbian lifestyle is OK. I move to hater status if I take it to the next level with, “I don’t agree with same-sex marriage.” And I’m a racist if I don’t agree with just about anything the left says I should like, accept and approve of.

The words “racist,” “homophobe” and “hater” all have a specific meaning and, according to years and years of definition, are to be applied to very specific situations. It used to be, if you were labeled with one of those words, you needed to check yourself. They have now become a simple bullying tool for the left to get weak-spined, thin-skinned conservatives to bow to their wishes.

Remember: Strength comes when you bow only to truth.

In our world, we now teach our kids that there are no more boys and girls. Gender neutrality is good because it gives you time to figure out what gender you want to be when you get older. Oh, and you can change it any time you feel like. I’m sure that doesn’t cause any confusion at all.

Colleges are now also asking that you not call each other “Miss” or “Sir,” “young lady” or “young man.” But they also haven’t really given any clear direction as to what to call them or how to know. Is there a marker, a bandana, a wrist band or a T-shirt, perhaps? More non-definitive lines.

Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner is almost there, but not quite. He still has male parts … and now some female parts. His face has been redone to the tune of $72,000, and he wants to be called a “she” because he feels like a she. If his body (God forbid and I wish no ill on this person) were found charred beyond recognition in the remains of a house fire, DNA – the life source by which your body functions and grows – would definitely show him to be a man. But we are told science doesn’t matter; only one’s feelings and thoughts are real.

If Rachel Dolezal, the black – no, wait the white – girl were found charred (God forbid and I wish no ill on this person) beyond recognition in the remains of a house fire, DNA – the life source by which your body functions and grows – would definitely show her to be a Caucasian. But because she feels black, or identifies with the black community, she is allowed to call herself “black” with little outcry from the left. I wonder what her Party affiliation is?

As if that weren’t enough, the right Rev. Al Sharpton came out and questioned her parents’ motives. Let me help you Al. If she took a gun into NAACP headquarters and shot a bunch of black people, you’d be asking for tighter gun control, for her to be charged with a hate crime because a white person shot black people, and you’d be asking why her parents never spoke up about the fact that she had a lying problem and that she might have some issues “between the ears.” Al, is it wrong to lie, or not? The Bible says it is. What say you, reverend?

Guns kill people. Yup. And birds and rattlesnakes and alligators and lions and bears and a multitude of other animals. Talk about a foggy argument. How many people have been killed for no reason by law-abiding, sane citizens who legally carry? Anybody? None. That’s right, none.

The president’s unsubstantiated (as usual) claim that we have more violent killings than other developed countries is just a lie, plain and simple. And there’s still no talk about mental health. No talk about the dangers of bringing up our children without clear boundaries of right and wrong.

The people who have this 100 percent right are the people at the Charleston AME church. They called for no riots. They want prayer. No hatred. They want love. They are standing for the real, solid truth. The only truth that can free us all, get us out of the foggy and twisted thinking we have allowed to creep into society and take over. The truth that comes from the Word of God. The trust, as you heard many in the church say, that comes from Jesus Christ.

The government and the loons tell you there is no wrong or right. If it feels right, it’s right for you. You don’t need to sacrifice at all – ever. If you have all of the equipment of a male but feel like a female, that doesn’t matter. You can change it. If you feel like a female and you want to be a male, then change it. If you are born to a white family and you want to be identified as black, no problem. Lie on your applications and writings and change it.

There was an immediate outcry for the white maniac who killed nine people at the Charleston AME Church to be labeled a terrorist and categorized as a hate crime. Yet there was relative silence on the Fort Hood massacre being labeled a work-related crime. The first had mental illness and drugs attached to it. The second was pure hate for non-Muslims. Both have pure evil attached. Is there an absolute?

Mr. President, help. What constitutes a hate crime? When is it racial or religious? What do you actually mean by tougher gun laws? If Congress hasn’t come through, why don’t you submit a plan to them – and not by executive order.

People, your kids are confused, and it’s easy to see why. Black is not black. White is a schism and hateful. Boys aren’t, and neither are girls. You really work and do nothing because you can’t (build that) build anything on your own. What a confusing world for our children to have to find their way in.

I guess now I know what my mom meant when she said, “You can grow up and be anything you want to be.” Boy, did she call that one right.

Joe Messina is host of The Real Side (TheRealSide.com), a nationally syndicated talk show that runs on AM-1220 KHTS radio and SCVTV [here]. He is also an elected member of the Hart School Board. His commentary publishes Mondays.