thewakingtimes--2020-03-31--Internal Monsanto Documents Show It Knew of Predicted Damage to U.S. Farms

Documents unearthed in a lawsuit brought by a Missouri farmer who claimed that Monsanto and German chemical maker BASF ’ s dicamba herbicide ruined his peach orchard revealed that the two companies knew their new agricultural seed and chemical system would likely damage many U.S. farms , according to documents seen by The Guardian .
The lawsuit , which awarded the Missouri farmer $ 265 million , showed that Monsanto intentionally hid the risks involved in its plans and calculated how to profit off farmers worried about damage to their crops .
The documents also show Monsanto ’ s efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure there was no data that concerned regulators .
In fact , The Guardian reports that some BASF employees joked about their company sharing “ voodoo science ” and hoping that they stay out of jail .
The issue revealed by the documents was about dicamba and a new crop system from the two companies that addressed farmers ’ growing concerns that weeds resistant to Monsanto ’ s glyphosate weed-killer , Roundup , were taking over croplands .
The new system allowed farmers to plant dicamba-resistant soybeans and cotton .
Then farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill everything that had developed a resistance to glyphosate , according to The Guardian .
The documents , which date back to 2009 , show that Monsanto and BASF , despite assuring regulators that their system would prevent drift to neighboring farms , were aware that their system could have catastrophic consequences , as The Guardian reported .
It seems the companies were aware that farmers would likely use older versions of dicamba , which easily turns into vapor and carries away to neighboring farms that were not protected , ruining thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volatile and likely to carry away in hot weather .
According to AgJournal , dicamba can start to vaporize and drift away three days after it has been applied .
The revelations from the successful $ 265 million lawsuit come amidst a deluge of complaints in several states .
Regulators in Indiana , a soybean-intensive state , have been overwhelmed for the past three years by complaints that dicamba drift has ruined farmers ’ profits .
According to The Republic in Columbus , Indiana , “ Even small amounts of dicamba hitting unintended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 40 % yield reduction , agricultural experts said .
That can mean a $ 180 loss per acre , or $ 100,000 for a medium-size farm.
” In Missouri , complaints about dicamba misuse have grown into a backlog of more than 600 cases .
The Missouri Department of Agriculture had no cases of dicamba complaints in 2017 , but was inundated with 595 cases by the end of 2019 .
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , before dicamba-resistant crops existed , approximately 231,000 pounds of the herbicide was spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used more than 10 million pounds on cotton and soybean crops , as The News Tribune in Missouri reported .
The Guardian reported that Monsanto predicted this damage would happen .
A 2015 document showed that Monsanto estimated that dicamba damage claims from farmers would total more than 10,000 cases , including 1,305 in 2016 , 2,765 in 2017 and 3,259 in 2018 .

Internal Monsanto Documents Show It Knew of Predicted Damage to U.S. Farms
Jordan Davidson, EcoWatch
Waking Times
Documents unearthed in a lawsuit brought by a Missouri farmer who claimed that Monsanto and German chemical maker BASF’s dicamba herbicide ruined his peach orchard revealed that the two companies knew their new agricultural seed and chemical system would likely damage many U.S. farms, according to documents seen by The Guardian.
The lawsuit, which awarded the Missouri farmer $265 million, showed that Monsanto intentionally hid the risks involved in its plans and calculated how to profit off farmers worried about damage to their crops. The documents also show Monsanto’s efforts to stymie tests from third-party labs to make sure there was no data that concerned regulators.
In fact, The Guardian reports that some BASF employees joked about their company sharing “voodoo science” and hoping that they stay out of jail.
The issue revealed by the documents was about dicamba and a new crop system from the two companies that addressed farmers’ growing concerns that weeds resistant to Monsanto’s glyphosate weed-killer, Roundup, were taking over croplands.
The new system allowed farmers to plant dicamba-resistant soybeans and cotton. Then farmers could spray dicamba over their fields and kill everything that had developed a resistance to glyphosate, according to The Guardian.
The documents, which date back to 2009, show that Monsanto and BASF, despite assuring regulators that their system would prevent drift to neighboring farms, were aware that their system could have catastrophic consequences, as The Guardian reported. It seems the companies were aware that farmers would likely use older versions of dicamba, which easily turns into vapor and carries away to neighboring farms that were not protected, ruining thousands of acres of crops. Dicamba is particularly volatile and likely to carry away in hot weather.
According to AgJournal, dicamba can start to vaporize and drift away three days after it has been applied.
The revelations from the successful $265 million lawsuit come amidst a deluge of complaints in several states. Regulators in Indiana, a soybean-intensive state, have been overwhelmed for the past three years by complaints that dicamba drift has ruined farmers’ profits. According to The Republic in Columbus, Indiana, “Even small amounts of dicamba hitting unintended crops can lead to a 30% to 40% yield reduction, agricultural experts said. That can mean a $180 loss per acre, or $100,000 for a medium-size farm.”
In Missouri, complaints about dicamba misuse have grown into a backlog of more than 600 cases. The Missouri Department of Agriculture had no cases of dicamba complaints in 2017, but was inundated with 595 cases by the end of 2019. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, before dicamba-resistant crops existed, approximately 231,000 pounds of the herbicide was spread every year. In 2017, Americans used more than 10 million pounds on cotton and soybean crops, as The News Tribune in Missouri reported.
The Guardian reported that Monsanto predicted this damage would happen. A 2015 document showed that Monsanto estimated that dicamba damage claims from farmers would total more than 10,000 cases, including 1,305 in 2016, 2,765 in 2017 and 3,259 in 2018.
“The documents are the worst that I’ve ever seen for any case that I’ve worked on,” said lawyer Angie Splittgerber, a former tobacco industry defense attorney, as The Guardian reported. “So many of them put things in writing that were just horrifying.”
By Jordan Davidson | Creative Commons | EcoWatch


thewakingtimes--2020-03-31--3 States Pass Anti-Pipeline Protest Bills in Two Weeks

In just two weeks , three states have passed laws criminalizing protests against fossil fuel infrastructure .
Between March 16 and March 25 , the governors of Kentucky , South Dakota and West Virginia all signed laws designating oil and gas pipelines and facilities “ critical ” or “ key ” infrastructure and imposing new penalties for anyone caught tampering with them , HuffPost reported Friday .
The laws came as much of the nation was absorbed by the spread of the new coronavirus , which has killed more than 2,000 people in the U.S. so far .
The push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , however , and is part of a broader conservative movement to pass legislation that makes civil disobedience more difficult , as Greenpeace pointed out last year .
Since 2015 , bills have been introduced that target particular movement tactics like boycotts , strikes and traffic blockage and increase the penalties for already-illegal activities .
In the case of anti-pipeline protests , the laws have sold themselves as protecting “ critical infrastructure ” but follow a very specific playbook , as Greenpeace explained : To date , 11 states have enacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law ’ s U.S. Protest Law Tracker .
So what exactly do the three most recent laws say ?
The Kentucky law , signed by Democratic Gov .
Andy Beshear March 16 , designates “ natural gas or petroleum pipelines ” as “ key infrastructure assets.
” The area designated as key infrastructure is not limited to areas that have been fenced off or marked with “ no entry ” signs .
The law creates a new felony offense for “ tamper [ ing ] with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a manner that renders the operations harmful or dangerous.
” South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R ) signed two laws this month that could have a chilling effect on protests , according to HuffPost .
The first , signed March 18 , counts all oil and gas facilities and equipment as critical infrastructure and increases the charges for “ substantial interruption or impairment ” of these facilities to felonies .
The second , signed March 23 , defines a “ riot ” as “ any intentional use of force or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting together and without authority of law , to cause any injury to any person or any damage to property ” and creates a new felony offense for “ incitement to riot , ” according to the U.S. Protest Law Tracker .
The West Virginia law , signed by Gov .
Jim Justice ( R ) Wednesday , also designates a wide range of oil , gas and utilities as “ critical infrastructure ” and increases fines and sentences for trespassing , trespassing with intent to “ vandalize , deface , tamper with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” and actually vandalizing equipment or impeding operations , according to the U.S. Protest Law Tracker .
These bills are not the last on the horizon , according to HuffPost .
Another passed the Alabama Senate in March , and similar legislation has been introduced in Illinois , Minnesota , Mississippi , Ohio and Pennsylvania .

3 States Pass Anti-Pipeline Protest Bills in Two Weeks
Olivia Rosane, EcoWatch
Waking Times
In just two weeks, three states have passed laws criminalizing protests against fossil fuel infrastructure.
Between March 16 and March 25, the governors of Kentucky, South Dakota and West Virginia all signed laws designating oil and gas pipelines and facilities “critical” or “key” infrastructure and imposing new penalties for anyone caught tampering with them, HuffPost reported Friday. The laws came as much of the nation was absorbed by the spread of the new coronavirus, which has killed more than 2,000 people in the U.S. so far.
“While we are all paying attention to COVID-19 and the congressional stimulus packages, state legislatures are quietly passing fossil-fuel-backed anti-protest laws,” Greenpeace USA researcher Connor Gibson, who alerted HuffPost to the laws’ passage, told the news site. “These laws do nothing new to protect communities. Instead they seek to crack down on the sort of nonviolent civil disobedience that has shaped much of our nation’s greatest political and social victories.”
The push to criminalize anti-fossil fuel protests predates the coronavirus pandemic, however, and is part of a broader conservative movement to pass legislation that makes civil disobedience more difficult, as Greenpeace pointed out last year.
Since 2015, bills have been introduced that target particular movement tactics like boycotts, strikes and traffic blockage and increase the penalties for already-illegal activities. In the case of anti-pipeline protests, the laws have sold themselves as protecting “critical infrastructure” but follow a very specific playbook, as Greenpeace explained:
Generally, critical infrastructure bills share several common elements. (1) They create new criminal penalties for already illegal conduct — for example, turning misdemeanor trespass (a common charge for civil disobedience) into a felony. (2) They broadly redefine the term “critical infrastructure” to include everything from cell phone towers to trucking terminals; far greater than the fossil fuel pipelines the bills purport to protect. (3) The bills also seek to create liability for organizations that support protesters by treating such support as a criminal conspiracy.
To date, 11 states have enacted similar “critical infrastructure” legislation, according to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law’s U.S. Protest Law Tracker.
So what exactly do the three most recent laws say?
Kentucky
The Kentucky law, signed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear March 16, designates “natural gas or petroleum pipelines” as “key infrastructure assets.” The area designated as key infrastructure is not limited to areas that have been fenced off or marked with “no entry” signs. The law creates a new felony offense for “tamper[ing] with the operations of a key infrastructure asset… in a manner that renders the operations harmful or dangerous.”
South Dakota
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed two laws this month that could have a chilling effect on protests, according to HuffPost. The first, signed March 18, counts all oil and gas facilities and equipment as critical infrastructure and increases the charges for “substantial interruption or impairment” of these facilities to felonies. The second, signed March 23, defines a “riot” as “any intentional use of force or violence by three or more persons, acting together and without authority of law, to cause any injury to any person or any damage to property” and creates a new felony offense for “incitement to riot,” according to the U.S. Protest Law Tracker.
West Virginia
The West Virginia law, signed by Gov. Jim Justice (R) Wednesday, also designates a wide range of oil, gas and utilities as “critical infrastructure” and increases fines and sentences for trespassing, trespassing with intent to “vandalize, deface, tamper with equipment, or impede or inhibit operations,” and actually vandalizing equipment or impeding operations, according to the U.S. Protest Law Tracker.
These bills are not the last on the horizon, according to HuffPost. Another passed the Alabama Senate in March, and similar legislation has been introduced in Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
About the Author
Olivia is a freelance reporter for EcoWatch.


thewakingtimes--2020-04-01--Dr. Gabor Maté on the Fear, Trauma and Lessons We Can Learn from Coronavirus

With all of the pandemic chaos circling the globe , a massive wave of fear , anxiety , dread and worry is also taking its toll on the collective consciousness of the human race .
Individually , some are processing it better than others , but as a singular group of humanity , we are facing the reality that the world we have created for ourselves is coming undone .
Above and beyond the understandable and practical concerns over an issue as big as this , what we are also seeing is trauma response , according to Canadian physician Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the book , In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts : Close Encounters with Addiction , Maté specializes in uncovering the hidden connections between childhood trauma and addiction , and has become one of the world ’ s leading experts on this complicated subject .
Speaking recently on a podcast with Russel Brand , Maté shares his uniquely helpful insights into why we are feeling the way that we are right now , and what we might hope to learn once this crisis has passed .
Noting that people who suffer childhood trauma and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they reach adulthood are more prone to have a high fear response or a high dissociative response , causing them to detach from reality and lose themselves in addiction or other destructive behaviors .
“ When you ’ re traumatized , your brain is affected by that .
And particularly if you ’ re traumatized early in childhood , the fear center in the brain , the amygdala , is much more easily triggered .
So that means that people experience things in different ways , depending on how they were programmed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual facts and the actual realities of the spreading pandemic , but it ’ s also a response to people ’ s own subjectivity and the degree of fear that they are living with all their lives , and the more fear oriented they were in the first place the more likely they are to panic right now.
” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté He talks about how this was already happening in our society at large , well before the pandemic , by referring to what has been called the ‘ infodemic.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread much more rapidly than any actual disease , and that information alone can trigger this fear response in people .
Many people are so absorb in the information aspect of the current crisis that the panic sets in regardless of the actual physical danger they may face .
As a society , though , we are all faced with a never-ending barrage of crises laid on us by mass media , which has traumatized us and taken its toll on our development .
Now that we are all faced with a crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panic response is understandable .
He goes on to point out that we are experiencing the reality of something that has been out of sight and out of mind for us for a long time , while people in many parts of the world regularly experience death and epidemics from malnutrition , diarrhea and so on .
He notes that many are comparing this to 9/11 , which is not important in other parts o the world who ’ ve seen their countries bombed and destroyed in the ensuing global war on terror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have developed the propensity to ignore other serious conditions , like air pollution , which kill many millions of people every year .
This highlights our ability to selectively panic about new , sudden and surprising conditions like the pandemic .
“ Out of sight , out of mind .
If something doesn ’ t penetrate our awareness , or if we can operate without being impeded by it , we ’ ll happily do so , but I also think that the socio-economic impact of coronavirus has meant that whether or not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the condition you are affected psychologically .
Also I think it ’ s tapped into a deep and archetypal fear that we have that we are not in control of reality , because we are not in control of reality… I feel like we can suddenly feel , not just in the botanical world , could the vines and plants reclaim us , but in the microbiological world there are invisible forces that await , that can be unloaded , weaponized at any moment… ” ~ Russel Brand Maté continues , moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of this : “ In the West we ’ re always saying , ‘ panic !
panic !
everything is out of control.
’ But in the Buddhist world they say , relax , everything is out of control.
’ So , one of the teachings that maybe we could learn is precisely that .
Whether you are a Buddhist or not , just the idea of impermanence , and everything changes and we ’ re not in control .
And How to be with whatever happens , how to be with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Every crisis like this , as the Chinese say , a crisis is a combination of danger and opportunity , and so that in the crisis there is always an opporutnity .
So , like you I ’ m wondering , will this perhaps function as a teaching moment for a lot of humanity ?
I ’ m not that optimistic that it will , but it ’ s certainly a possibility , it ’ s certainly a potential.
” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté He continues , reflecting on the most important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting to see being revealed in the early stages of this crisis : “ Another thing is , doesn ’ t it just clarify all your values ?
Don ’ t we all at this point realize what ’ s really important in life ?
I mean hasn ’ t that been shocked into us by this pandemic ?
That all of a sudden things that we thought were so important , mmmm… what is really important ?
It is a possible learning moment .
The question is whether we will take that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the system militates against us doing so .
They ’ ll want us to go back to our ordinary , narrow , individualistic , dissociated , isolated mode of thinking .
That ’ s how the system survives , so whether or not we can transcend that , we ’ ll see.
” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté Finally , he comments on how healing from trauma takes place in an individual ’ s life , and therefore on a societal level as well : “ When individuals learn the sources of their problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it , and getting over the shame of acknowledging their own behavior and their own dysfunctions , and they learn that they didn ’ t do this deliberately , but that this was a defense , this was a protective , this was a pain-relieving mechanism , and therefore , and if they open themselves humbly… they can actually transform .
Well , that would also be true on a social level .
What if as a society we actually admitted all our dysfunctions ?
What if we said , this didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t work , what if we stopped being in denial ?
” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls : A Podcast About Transformation , both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation , societal awakening , and planetary renewal .
His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu , Qi Gong and Yoga .
After seven years of living in Costa Rica , he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains , where he practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with family .
He has written hundreds of articles , reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world .
This article ( Dr. Gabor Maté on the Fear , Trauma and Lessons We Can Learn from Coronavirus ) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .

Dr. Gabor Maté on the Fear, Trauma and Lessons We Can Learn from Coronavirus
Dylan Charles, Editor
Waking Times
“Society is just a clearing in the forest. It is not real.” ~ Osho
With all of the pandemic chaos circling the globe, a massive wave of fear, anxiety, dread and worry is also taking its toll on the collective consciousness of the human race. Individually, some are processing it better than others, but as a singular group of humanity, we are facing the reality that the world we have created for ourselves is coming undone.
Above and beyond the understandable and practical concerns over an issue as big as this, what we are also seeing is trauma response, according to Canadian physician Dr. Gabor Maté. As the author of the book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, Maté specializes in uncovering the hidden connections between childhood trauma and addiction, and has become one of the world’s leading experts on this complicated subject.
Speaking recently on a podcast with Russel Brand, Maté shares his uniquely helpful insights into why we are feeling the way that we are right now, and what we might hope to learn once this crisis has passed.
Noting that people who suffer childhood trauma and never effectively reconcile it by the time they reach adulthood are more prone to have a high fear response or a high dissociative response, causing them to detach from reality and lose themselves in addiction or other destructive behaviors.
“When you’re traumatized, your brain is affected by that. And particularly if you’re traumatized early in childhood, the fear center in the brain, the amygdala, is much more easily triggered. So that means that people experience things in different ways, depending on how they were programmed in childhood.The response isn’t only to the actual facts and the actual realities of the spreading pandemic, but it’s also a response to people’s own subjectivity and the degree of fear that they are living with all their lives, and the more fear oriented they were in the first place the more likely they are to panic right now.” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté
He talks about how this was already happening in our society at large, well before the pandemic, by referring to what has been called the ‘infodemic.’ That is, information today can spread much more rapidly than any actual disease, and that information alone can trigger this fear response in people. Many people are so absorb in the information aspect of the current crisis that the panic sets in regardless of the actual physical danger they may face.
As a society, though, we are all faced with a never-ending barrage of crises laid on us by mass media, which has traumatized us and taken its toll on our development. Now that we are all faced with a crisis of such magnitude and scale, our panic response is understandable.
He goes on to point out that we are experiencing the reality of something that has been out of sight and out of mind for us for a long time, while people in many parts of the world regularly experience death and epidemics from malnutrition, diarrhea and so on. He notes that many are comparing this to 9/11, which is not important in other parts o the world who’ve seen their countries bombed and destroyed in the ensuing global war on terror.
Furthermore, he notes that we have developed the propensity to ignore other serious conditions, like air pollution, which kill many millions of people every year. This highlights our ability to selectively panic about new, sudden and surprising conditions like the pandemic.
Brand comments on this point:
“Out of sight, out of mind. If something doesn’t penetrate our awareness, or if we can operate without being impeded by it, we’ll happily do so, but I also think that the socio-economic impact of coronavirus has meant that whether or not you’re affected medically or biologically by the condition you are affected psychologically. Also I think it’s tapped into a deep and archetypal fear that we have that we are not in control of reality, because we are not in control of reality… I feel like we can suddenly feel, not just in the botanical world, could the vines and plants reclaim us, but in the microbiological world there are invisible forces that await, that can be unloaded, weaponized at any moment…” ~ Russel Brand
Maté continues, moving on to what we may learn from all of this:
“In the West we’re always saying, ‘panic! panic! everything is out of control.’ But in the Buddhist world they say, relax, everything is out of control.’ So, one of the teachings that maybe we could learn is precisely that. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, just the idea of impermanence, and everything changes and we’re not in control. And How to be with whatever happens, how to be with the present moment regardless of what happens. Every crisis like this, as the Chinese say, a crisis is a combination of danger and opportunity, and so that in the crisis there is always an opporutnity. So, like you I’m wondering, will this perhaps function as a teaching moment for a lot of humanity? I’m not that optimistic that it will, but it’s certainly a possibility, it’s certainly a potential.” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté
He continues, reflecting on the most important personal lessons which many of are already starting to see being revealed in the early stages of this crisis:
“Another thing is, doesn’t it just clarify all your values? Don’t we all at this point realize what’s really important in life? I mean hasn’t that been shocked into us by this pandemic? That all of a sudden things that we thought were so important, mmmm… what is really important? It is a possible learning moment. The question is whether we will take that opportunity or not. And I think the system militates against us doing so. They’ll want us to go back to our ordinary, narrow, individualistic, dissociated, isolated mode of thinking. That’s how the system survives, so whether or not we can transcend that, we’ll see.” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté
Finally, he comments on how healing from trauma takes place in an individual’s life, and therefore on a societal level as well:
“When individuals learn the sources of their problem, and instead of being in denial about it, and getting over the shame of acknowledging their own behavior and their own dysfunctions, and they learn that they didn’t do this deliberately, but that this was a defense, this was a protective, this was a pain-relieving mechanism, and therefore, and if they open themselves humbly… they can actually transform. Well, that would also be true on a social level. What if as a society we actually admitted all our dysfunctions? What if we said, this didn’t work, this doesn’t work, what if we stopped being in denial?” ~ Dr. Gabor Maté
Watch the full conversation here:
Read more articles by Dylan Charles .
About the Author
Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls: A Podcast About Transformation, both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation, societal awakening, and planetary renewal. His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Yoga. After seven years of living in Costa Rica, he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family. He has written hundreds of articles, reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world.
This article (Dr. Gabor Maté on the Fear, Trauma and Lessons We Can Learn from Coronavirus) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.


thewakingtimes--2020-04-01--This Particle Physicist Believes that 5G is a Directed Energy Weapon Designed for Control

Physicist Dr. Katherine Horton believes that not only is 5G toxic to your health , but it ’ s also a high-tech weapon of mass destruction that could be used to kill unwanted dissidents without leaving a trace .
Horton has a PhD in particle physics from Oxford University and has worked on some of the most interesting and dangerous projects in the world , including the famous Hadron Collider ( CERN ) in Genova Switzerland , and the slightly less well-known Electronsyncrotron ( DESY ) in Hamburg , Germany .
While at Oxford she also worked as a research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied medical physics and human systems , including systems analysis research of economics , law , and crime .
Her perspective on the technologies of societal control are highly valuable to the global conversation about the 5G rollout .
Directed energy weapons are the ultimate tool of tyrannical government to control a population .
With this technology , shadowy state actors can track all of our movements , target dissidents , and even incapacitate anyone they want without leaving behind a shred of evidence.. READ : THE 5G TROJAN HORSE : WHAT YOU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slave state that is being ushered in around the world as we speak .
In China , your actions are monitored 24/7 , and a social credit score is applied to you by the government .
If your score drops too low , you can be cut off from travel , made to pay higher hotel fees , your kids might not be able to attend their preferred college or high school , and even your pets can be taken away by the state .
It is known that Chinese critics of overreaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list .
In the United States , not only are corporations like Facebook , Apple , and Google creating their own forms of this score for their users , but the NSA and GCHQ have also employed similar projects , one of which is named Pattern of Life .
Remember that the list of consequences for a low score in China is always growing , and that same system is slowly being brought to the US via mass data collection , secret government programs , and the normalization of surveillance .
Add to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons .
If history is any indication of the future , it ’ s not farfetched to believe that we ’ re inching our way into a world where a government computer algorithm can decide that you ’ re a revolutionary , and you can be outright killed by technology without warning .
It doesn ’ t even have to be a computer algorithm that makes the decision , it could be anyone in a position of power who has access to this technology .
That ’ s the world in which Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse , none of the information about directed energy weapons is being publicized by the mainstream media .
5G is being sold as nothing more than a better version of 4G , but the technology is completely different .
To put it simply , 5G uses pulsating beams as opposed to outward waves , and the wavelengths of 5G are much closer to the gamma rays of radioactive activity than to regular radio waves .
READ : 5G NETWORK USES SAME EMF WAVES AS PENTAGON CROWD CONTROL SYSTEM As Dr. Horton points out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons manufacturer Deagel predicts publicly on their website that 100 million people will die in the US by the year 2025 .
Despite warnings from scientists and concerned citizens about the many dangers that 5G poses to our health and freedom , President Trump just passed the “ Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020 ” , solidifying the rollout of 5G over the entire nation .
Becoming informed about the dangers of 5G technology is most important thing you can do during the rollout .
If you ’ re feeling particularly inspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your privacy so that less of your data is being collected and processed by governments and corporations seeking to profile you .
Two great ways of doing this , both of which I use every day , are by using an RFID-Blocking Wallet to protect your cards , and a Virtual Private Network ( VPN ) to encrypt all of your internet traffic so the data collectors have a harder time figuring out who you are .
Phillip Schneider is a student as well as a staff writer and assistant editor for Waking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see more of his work , you can visit his website , or follow him on the free speech social network Minds .
This article ( This Particle Physicist Believes that 5G is a Directed Energy Weapon Designed for Control ) as originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Phillip Schneider and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .

This Particle Physicist Believes that 5G is a Directed Energy Weapon Designed for Control
Phillip Schneider, Staff Writer
Waking Times
Physicist Dr. Katherine Horton believes that not only is 5G toxic to your health, but it’s also a high-tech weapon of mass destruction that could be used to kill unwanted dissidents without leaving a trace.
Horton has a PhD in particle physics from Oxford University and has worked on some of the most interesting and dangerous projects in the world, including the famous Hadron Collider (CERN) in Genova Switzerland, and the slightly less well-known Electronsyncrotron (DESY) in Hamburg, Germany. While at Oxford she also worked as a research assistant at St. Johns College where she studied medical physics and human systems, including systems analysis research of economics, law, and crime.
Her perspective on the technologies of societal control are highly valuable to the global conversation about the 5G rollout.
“The 5G system should be best imagined as the government, or this shadowy group that has infested the government, taking over every city on the planet and every village and even the smallest town and even the forest, where you think there is nothing, and putting up hidden machine guns that follow you and your family, pointing right at you.” – Dr. Katherine Horton
Directed energy weapons are the ultimate tool of tyrannical government to control a population. With this technology, shadowy state actors can track all of our movements, target dissidents, and even incapacitate anyone they want without leaving behind a shred of evidence..
Imagine the slave state that is being ushered in around the world as we speak. In China, your actions are monitored 24/7, and a social credit score is applied to you by the government. If your score drops too low, you can be cut off from travel, made to pay higher hotel fees, your kids might not be able to attend their preferred college or high school, and even your pets can be taken away by the state.
It is known that Chinese critics of overreaching government are lowest on the social credit list. In the United States, not only are corporations like Facebook, Apple, and Google creating their own forms of this score for their users, but the NSA and GCHQ have also employed similar projects, one of which is named Pattern of Life.
Remember that the list of consequences for a low score in China is always growing, and that same system is slowly being brought to the US via mass data collection, secret government programs, and the normalization of surveillance.
Add to this the use of 5G directed energy weapons.
If history is any indication of the future, it’s not farfetched to believe that we’re inching our way into a world where a government computer algorithm can decide that you’re a revolutionary, and you can be outright killed by technology without warning. It doesn’t even have to be a computer algorithm that makes the decision, it could be anyone in a position of power who has access to this technology. That’s the world in which Dr. Horton is describing.
To make matters worse, none of the information about directed energy weapons is being publicized by the mainstream media. 5G is being sold as nothing more than a better version of 4G, but the technology is completely different. To put it simply, 5G uses pulsating beams as opposed to outward waves, and the wavelengths of 5G are much closer to the gamma rays of radioactive activity than to regular radio waves.
As Dr. Horton points out in her interview above, the American weapons manufacturer Deagel predicts publicly on their website that 100 million people will die in the US by the year 2025.
“And this crime cartel… they know what they’re doing, and their goal is to kill as many people as they possibly can, and that is because they realize that with the population growing and the Internet coming in, they cannot hold the same type of control on humanity.” – Dr. Katherine Horton
Despite warnings from scientists and concerned citizens about the many dangers that 5G poses to our health and freedom, President Trump just passed the “Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020”, solidifying the rollout of 5G over the entire nation.
Becoming informed about the dangers of 5G technology is most important thing you can do during the rollout. If you’re feeling particularly inspired, you can take steps to protect your privacy so that less of your data is being collected and processed by governments and corporations seeking to profile you.
Two great ways of doing this, both of which I use every day, are by using an RFID-Blocking Wallet to protect your cards, and a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt all of your internet traffic so the data collectors have a harder time figuring out who you are.
About the Author
Phillip Schneider is a student as well as a staff writer and assistant editor for Waking Times. If you would like to see more of his work, you can visit his website, or follow him on the free speech social network Minds.
This article (This Particle Physicist Believes that 5G is a Directed Energy Weapon Designed for Control) as originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Phillip Schneider and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.


thewakingtimes--2020-04-01--The Eagle And Condor Prophecy And The Virus

The Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor probably began more than two thousand years ago .
It says : “ Back in the mists of history , human societies took two routes .
The Eagle peoples flew the path of the mind , of science , technology , and industry .
The Condor peoples flew the path of the heart , of passion , intuition , and spiritual connections with nature.
” It goes on to explain that for centuries they would never meet .
Then in the Fourth Pachacuti ( in Quichua , the language of the Andes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which began in about 1500 AD on our calendar , their paths would cross ; the Eagle would nearly drive the Condor into extinction .
But not quite .
The prophecy says that five hundred years later , at the beginning of the Fifth Pachacuti—now—the opportunity arises for the Eagle and the Condor to fly together , to mate , and to produce a new offspring , higher consciousness History confirms the first prophecy .
Columbus , 1492 .
The Eagle swept into Condor territory and almost wiped out the Indigenous peoples .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundred years later the prophecy is being fulfilled again .
The Eagle and Condor are coming together to create higher consciousness .
It is happening !
Indigenous teachers have invited us to learn their ways .
There is a deep interest in traditional nature-based wisdom and shamanism among industrialized people around the world .
The coronavirus is giving us a new perspective and a new opportunity to fulfill the Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor .
Many Eagle people , including scientists , politicians , and business leaders emphasize that medical technology will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent future outbreaks ; human ingenuity will dominate nature ; and we will return to “ business as usual.
” Many Condor people maintain that Pachamama is sending a strong message that we must make radical changes in the ways we live , govern ourselves , and conduct business ; we are being shown that “ business as usual ” is ultimately self-destructive ; and we must move into a “ new normal.
” The good news is that more and more of us who have spent most of our lives predominantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now spreading our wings to soar together .
As I talk to people – virtually – and participate in on-line events , I hear over and over that this virus is telling us to reexamine who we are as individuals and as a species .
The message that the hurricanes , earthquakes , fires , and other “ once in one hundred years ” events that now happen every year or so failed to convey is now being heard around the globe – because of the coronavirus .
We once took satisfaction in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , earthquake or other catastrophe , within a week or two help would arrive from the “ outside ” world : bottled water , food , medical help .
Now we know : There is no “ outside ” world .
On a recent webinar call , an MD participant said , “ We undoubtedly will come up with a coronavirus vaccine and yet we must now admit that we can expect the unexpected to strike again in the future – unless we are mindful of the lessons we are learning , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to explain something that I hear these days from many people in both the Eagle and Condor communities .
People everywhere have come to understand that our future survival as a species – at least in a world we would recognize – depends on combining the rationality of the mind with the intuition of the heart .
They recognize that science only has some of the answers and that our willingness to listen to the messages of nature takes us to the other answers .
Both are essential .
Our successful navigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we simply must honor both , our Eagle and our Condor aspects .
We humans may see ourselves as belonging to one nation or another , but in the final analysis we are all citizens of this Living Earth .
This fact was recently expressed by United Nations Secretary General António Guterres : This virus is telling us that it is time for Eagle and Condor , mind and heart , to soar together , to mate , and to produce a new offspring : higher consciousness .
John is a founder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pachamama Alliance , non-profit organizations devoted to establishing a world future generations will want to inherit & the author of the NY Times bestseller , Confessions Of An Economic Hitman .

The Eagle And Condor Prophecy And The Virus
John Perkins, Guest
Waking Times
The Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor probably began more than two thousand years ago. It says: “Back in the mists of history, human societies took two routes. The Eagle peoples flew the path of the mind, of science, technology, and industry. The Condor peoples flew the path of the heart, of passion, intuition, and spiritual connections with nature.” It goes on to explain that for centuries they would never meet. Then in the Fourth Pachacuti (in Quichua, the language of the Andes, a five hundred– year interval), which began in about 1500 AD on our calendar, their paths would cross; the Eagle would nearly drive the Condor into extinction. But not quite. The prophecy says that five hundred years later, at the beginning of the Fifth Pachacuti—now—the opportunity arises for the Eagle and the Condor to fly together, to mate, and to produce a new offspring, higher consciousness History confirms the first prophecy. Columbus, 1492. The Eagle swept into Condor territory and almost wiped out the Indigenous peoples. But not quite. Now, five hundred years later the prophecy is being fulfilled again. The Eagle and Condor are coming together to create higher consciousness. It is happening! Indigenous teachers have invited us to learn their ways. There is a deep interest in traditional nature-based wisdom and shamanism among industrialized people around the world. – Touching the Jaguar, John Perkins, p.99
The coronavirus is giving us a new perspective and a new opportunity to fulfill the Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor. Many Eagle people, including scientists, politicians, and business leaders emphasize that medical technology will prevail; we will find a vaccine to prevent future outbreaks; human ingenuity will dominate nature; and we will return to “business as usual.” Many Condor people maintain that Pachamama is sending a strong message that we must make radical changes in the ways we live, govern ourselves, and conduct business; we are being shown that “business as usual” is ultimately self-destructive; and we must move into a “new normal.”
The good news is that more and more of us who have spent most of our lives predominantly either as Eagles or as Condors are now spreading our wings to soar together. As I talk to people – virtually – and participate in on-line events, I hear over and over that this virus is telling us to reexamine who we are as individuals and as a species. The message that the hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and other “once in one hundred years” events that now happen every year or so failed to convey is now being heard around the globe – because of the coronavirus.
We once took satisfaction in knowing that if we survived the hurricane, earthquake or other catastrophe, within a week or two help would arrive from the “outside” world: bottled water, food, medical help. Now we know: There is no “outside” world.
On a recent webinar call, an MD participant said, “We undoubtedly will come up with a coronavirus vaccine and yet we must now admit that we can expect the unexpected to strike again in the future – unless we are mindful of the lessons we are learning, and we change our priorities.” She went on to explain something that I hear these days from many people in both the Eagle and Condor communities. People everywhere have come to understand that our future survival as a species – at least in a world we would recognize – depends on combining the rationality of the mind with the intuition of the heart. They recognize that science only has some of the answers and that our willingness to listen to the messages of nature takes us to the other answers. Both are essential. Our successful navigation into the future depends on balance; we simply must honor both, our Eagle and our Condor aspects.
We humans may see ourselves as belonging to one nation or another, but in the final analysis we are all citizens of this Living Earth. This fact was recently expressed by United Nations Secretary General António Guterres:
“The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war,” he said on March 23, 2020. “That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives.” (1)
This virus is telling us that it is time for Eagle and Condor, mind and heart, to soar together, to mate, and to produce a new offspring: higher consciousness.
About the Author
John is a founder and board member of Dream Change & The Pachamama Alliance, non-profit organizations devoted to establishing a world future generations will want to inherit & the author of the NY Times bestseller, Confessions Of An Economic Hitman.


thewakingtimes--2020-04-01--‘Red Beacon of Doom’: New Yorkers Alarmed by ‘Nightmare’ Empire State Building Siren

As the world continues to battle the coronavirus , each of us owes a profound debt of gratitude to our medical and emergency frontliners , who have been performing feats of heroism with great costs to their own health and safety .
Nowhere is this truer than in New York City , which is currently the epicenter of the CoViD-19 pandemic in the United States .
With over 36,000 cases and nearly 800 deaths as of Monday , hospitals and other critical services in the city have been pushed near the breaking-point as New Yorkers contend with the unprecedented health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iconic Empire State Building made a gesture of gratitude with a glaring light display filled with symbolism that would make clear the city ’ s gratitude toward critical healthcare personnel and first responders .
Instead , the gesture came across to many New Yorkers as ominous , unsettling , and just plain frightening .
In an announcement on Twitter , the building ’ s management wrote : And while the idea of solidarity and togetherness is always welcome in the resilient Big Apple , the sight of the skyscraper ’ s pulsating in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents as simply bizarre—as if the city that never sleeps had become the realm of Mordor , fictional home to the Lord of the Rings arch-villain , Sauron .
“ The @ EmpireStateBldg reminding us that the city is in the middle of an emergency , ” tweeted Rita King , who accompanied her tweet with video of the menacing scene .
While supportive of the cause , she added that she “ recommend [ s ] that the siren be replaced by the iconic pulsing heartbeat effect to reassure our heroic healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and soothe nervous New Yorkers now sheltering in place.
” While New Yorkers greeted the poorly-executed gesture with characteristic good humor , the city has witnessed nothing less than a humanitarian disaster over the past days .
On Monday evening , the State of New York reported over 7,000 new cases of the virus , bringing the total to over 67,000 , with more than half of the cases in NYC alone .
Governor Andrew Cuomo reiterated that the worst of the novel virus outbreak is still yet to come despite hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

‘Red Beacon of Doom’: New Yorkers Alarmed by ‘Nightmare’ Empire State Building Siren
Elias Marat, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
As the world continues to battle the coronavirus, each of us owes a profound debt of gratitude to our medical and emergency frontliners, who have been performing feats of heroism with great costs to their own health and safety.
Nowhere is this truer than in New York City, which is currently the epicenter of the CoViD-19 pandemic in the United States. With over 36,000 cases and nearly 800 deaths as of Monday, hospitals and other critical services in the city have been pushed near the breaking-point as New Yorkers contend with the unprecedented health crisis.
On Monday evening, the iconic Empire State Building made a gesture of gratitude with a glaring light display filled with symbolism that would make clear the city’s gratitude toward critical healthcare personnel and first responders.
Instead, the gesture came across to many New Yorkers as ominous, unsettling, and just plain frightening.
In an announcement on Twitter, the building’s management wrote:
“Starting tonight through the COVID-19 battle, our signature white lights will be replaced by the heartbeat of America with a white and red siren in the mast for heroic emergency workers on the front line of the fight.”
Starting today, @empirestatebldg’s classic white lights will be replaced with America’s heartbeat and a siren of red and white in the mast as we pay respect to our heroic emergency workers on the front line of the fight. pic.twitter.com/XQB4UFr3GD — Empire State Realty Trust, Inc (@ESRTsocial) March 30, 2020
And while the idea of solidarity and togetherness is always welcome in the resilient Big Apple, the sight of the skyscraper’s pulsating in blood-red amid low cloud cover struck many residents as simply bizarre—as if the city that never sleeps had become the realm of Mordor, fictional home to the Lord of the Rings arch-villain, Sauron.
Right, so, New York is Mordor and the Empire State Bldg is Barad-dûr. That’s the world we live in now. Ok. Totes ok. This is ok. Ok. https://t.co/d7WyE2uyLn — Amaya Ramiel, PhD (@AmayaRamiel) March 31, 2020
“The @EmpireStateBldg reminding us that the city is in the middle of an emergency,” tweeted Rita King, who accompanied her tweet with video of the menacing scene. While supportive of the cause, she added that she “recommend[s] that the siren be replaced by the iconic pulsing heartbeat effect to reassure our heroic healthcare workers that their efforts will succeed, and soothe nervous New Yorkers now sheltering in place.”
The @EmpireStateBldg reminding us that the city is in the middle of an emergency. pic.twitter.com/50TjEjOogN — Rita J. King (@RitaJKing) March 31, 2020
Raheem Kassam wrote:
Turning the Empire State Building into a massive flashing siren was either a stroke of artistic genius or a seriously intense way of panicking people. Both? pic.twitter.com/GH407ArT2S — Raheem J. Kassam (@RaheemKassam) March 31, 2020
Another user added: “We know we’ve really screwed things up when the Empire State Building gets mad.” Other residents hilariously lambasted the good-intentioned gesture that resulted in what appeared to be a “Glowing Red Tower of Portending Doom.”
Me: I think I’m finally learning how to keep my late-night coronavirus anxiety under control The Empire State Building: https://t.co/DkZnp9dwwa — Matt Ford (@fordm) March 31, 2020
http://twitter.com/MollyJongFast/status/1244797940503371776
http://twitter.com/a_alesy/status/1244811809011482625
Cool very normal times with the Empire State Building turning into a blood red siren https://t.co/wyVG1gyPGl — Laura Hudson (@laura_hudson) March 31, 2020
While New Yorkers greeted the poorly-executed gesture with characteristic good humor, the city has witnessed nothing less than a humanitarian disaster over the past days.
On Monday evening, the State of New York reported over 7,000 new cases of the virus, bringing the total to over 67,000, with more than half of the cases in NYC alone.
Governor Andrew Cuomo reiterated that the worst of the novel virus outbreak is still yet to come despite hundreds of people dying in the 24 hours prior.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


thewakingtimes--2020-04-02--Draconian Lockdown Powers: It’s a Slippery Slope from Handwashing to House Arrest

We still have choices .
Just because we ’ re fighting an unseen enemy in the form of a virus doesn ’ t mean we have to relinquish every shred of our humanity , our common sense , or our freedoms to a nanny state that thinks it can do a better job of keeping us safe .
Whatever we give up willingly now—whether it ’ s basic human decency , the ability to manage our private affairs , the right to have a say in how the government navigates this crisis , or the few rights still left to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent years by a power-hungry police state—we won ’ t get back so easily once this crisis is past .
Neither should we .
Every day brings a drastic new set of restrictions by government bodies ( most have been delivered by way of executive orders ) at the local , state and federal level that are eager to flex their muscles for the so-called “ good ” of the populace .
This is where we run the risk of this whole fly-by-night operation going completely off the rails .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in social distancing in order to flatten the curve of this virus because we can ’ t afford to risk overwhelming the hospitals and exposing the most vulnerable in the nation to unavoidable loss of life scenarios .
However , there ’ s a fine line between strongly worded suggestions for citizens to voluntarily stay at home and strong-armed house arrest orders with penalties in place for non-compliance .
More than three-quarters of all Americans have now been ordered to stay at home and that number is growing as more states fall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many for the remainder of the academic year .
Many of the states have banned gatherings of more than 10 people .
At least three states ( Nevada , North Carolina , and Pennsylvania ) have ordered non-essential businesses to close .
In Washington , DC , residents face 90 days in jail and a $ 5,000 fine if they leave their homes during the coronavirus outbreak .
Residents of Maryland , Hawaii and Washington State also risk severe penalties of up to a year in prison and a $ 5,000 fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Alaska could face jail time and up to $ 25,000 in fines .
Kentucky residents are prohibited from traveling outside the state , with a few exceptions .
New York City , the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. , is offering its Rikers Island prisoners $ 6 an hour to help dig mass graves .
In San Francisco , cannabis dispensaries were included among the essential businesses allowed to keep operating during the city-wide lockdown .
New Jersey ’ s governor canceled gatherings of any number , including parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned the restrictions could continue for weeks or months .
One city actually threatened to prosecute residents who spread false information about the virus .
Oregon banned all nonessential social and recreational gatherings , regardless of size .
Rhode Island has given police the go-ahead to pull over anyone with New York license plates to record their contact information and order them to self-quarantine for 14 days .
South Carolina ’ s police have been empowered to break up any public gatherings of more than three people .
Of course , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( in more than 30 states and counting ) , the longest of which runs until June 10 .
Essential workers ( doctors , firefighters , police and grocery store workers ) can go to work .
Everyone else will have to fit themselves into a variety of exceptions in order to leave their homes : for grocery runs , doctor visits , to get exercise , to visit a family member , etc .
Throughout the country , more than 14,000 “ Citizen-Soldiers ” of the National Guard have been mobilized to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their fight against the coronavirus .
While the Guard officials insist they have not been tasked with martial law , they are coordinating with the Pentagon , FEMA and the states/territories on COVID-19 response missions .
A quick civics lesson : Martial law is a raw exercise of executive power that can override the other branches of government and assume control over the functioning of a nation , state , or smaller area within a state .
The power has been exercised by the president , as President Lincoln did soon after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and by governors , as was done in Idaho to quell a miner ’ s strike that broke out there in 1892 .
In areas under martial law , all power rests with the military authority in charge .
As British General Wellington wrote , “ martial law ” is not law at all , but martial rule ; it abolishes all law and substitutes for it the will of the military commander .
Military personnel are not bound by constitutional restrictions requiring a warrant , and may enter and search homes at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , civil courts would no longer be functioning to hear citizen complaints or to enforce their constitutional rights .
Thus far , we have not breached the Constitution ’ s crisis point : martial law has yet to be overtly imposed ( although an argument could be made to the contrary given the militarized nature of the American police state ) .
It ’ s just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose .
If this is not the defining point at which we cross over into all-out totalitarianism , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see how easily we will surrender .
Curiously enough , although Americans have been generally compliant with the government ’ s suggestions and orders with a few notable exceptions , there ’ s been a small groundswell of resistance within parts of the religious community over whether churches , synagogues and other religious institutions that hold worship services should be exempt from state-wide bans on mass gatherings .
While many churches have resorted to drive-in services and live-streamed services for its congregants , others have refused to close their doors .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ground , claiming that the government ’ s orders violate his right to religious freedom , was arrested after holding multiple church services during which attendees were reportedly given hand sanitizer and made to keep a six-foot distance between family groups .
It ’ s an interesting test of the First Amendment ’ s freedom of assembly and religious freedom clauses versus the government ’ s compelling state interest in prohibiting mass gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the virus .
Generally , the government has to show a compelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical rights such as free speech , assembly , press , search and seizure , etc .
Most of the time , it lacks that compelling state interest , but it still manages to violate those rights , setting itself up for legal battles further down the road .
These lockdown measures—on the right of the people to peaceably assemble , to travel , to engage in commerce , etc.—unquestionably restrict fundamental constitutional rights , which might pass muster for a short period of time , but can it be sustained for longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge before us , of course , if these days and weeks potentially stretch into months-long quarantines .
For example , the First Amendment guarantees “ the right of the people peaceably to assemble.
” While the freedom to travel has been specifically recognized only as in the context of interstate or international travel , the freedom of movement is implicit liberty given that government agents may not stop and question or search persons unless they have some legal justification .
As a rule , people are free to roam and loiter in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide police with their identity or give an account of their purpose for exercising their freedom .
However , as with all constitutional rights , these freedoms , as the Courts have ruled , are not unqualified .
Even content-based restrictions on speech are allowed under the First Amendment if the restriction is needed to serve a compelling government interest .
The Supreme Court long ago “ distinctly recognized the authority of a state to enact quarantine laws and health laws of every description [ . ]
” Such laws are an exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if there is a rational basis for believing they are needed to protect the public health , they will be deemed to serve a compelling government interest .
The point was made over 100 years ago in circumstances similar to today ’ s COVID-19 outbreak when a smallpox outbreak occurred in Cambridge , Mass.
, invoking a state law allowing localities to make vaccinations mandatory and enforceable by criminal penalties .
In upholding the law and local order against a claim that it violated the constitutional liberty to control one ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court declared : The Court went on to write that “ [ u ] pon the principle of self-defense , of paramount necessity , a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members.
” Most states have enacted laws that recognize the need for prompt action in times of emergency , including epidemics , and have delegated the authority to and executive officer to take action to address that emergency .
For example , Tennessee law provides that the governor is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the force and effect of law to address emergencies , which include disease outbreaks and epidemics .
That state ’ s law similarly grants mayors or other local chief executive officers the power to issue orders and directives deemed necessary , including closing public facilities , in order to address civil emergencies .
Courts have ruled that they will defer to the decisions of an executive authority on the decision as to whether an emergency exists and whether the means employed to address the emergency are reasonable and legal , although there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declare that the executive decision is arbitrary and unreasonable .
At the moment , the government believes it has a compelling interest—albeit a temporary one—in restricting gatherings , assemblies and movement in public in order to minimize the spread of this virus .
The key point is this : while we may tolerate these restrictions on our liberties in the short term , we should never fail to be on guard lest these one-time constraints become a slippery slope to a total lockdown mindset .
What we must guard against , more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become so accustomed to our prison walls—these lockdowns , authoritarian dictates , and police state tactics justified as necessary for national security—that we allow the government to keep having its way in all things , without any civic resistance or objections being raised .
Martin Niemoller learned that particular lesson the hard way .
A German military officer turned theologian , Niemoller was an early supporter of Hitler ’ s rise to power , having believed his promises to protect the church and not allow pogroms against the Jewish people .
It didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break those promises , but by the time the German people realized they had been double-crossed , it was too late .
The lesson for those of us housebound and watching from a distance as the Fourth Reich emerges from the shadows is this : all freedoms hang together .
Niemoller ’ s warning for our modern age would probably go something like this : First the government went after the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures , and I did not object , because I had nothing to hide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to not be spied upon , and I did not object , because I had done nothing wrong .
Then they went after the right to criticize the government , and I still did not object , because I had nothing to criticize them for .
Then they went after the right to speak—worship—and assemble freely , and I did not object , because I had nothing to say , no one to worship , and nowhere to congregate .
By the time the government came to lock me up , there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In other words , don ’ t be naïve : the government will use this crisis to expand its powers far beyond the reach of the Constitution .
The Justice Department has already signaled its desire to suspend parts of the Constitution indefinitely .
Travel too far down that slippery slope , and there will be no turning back .
Curiously enough , although Americans have not been inclined to agree on anything much lately , given the extreme polarization of the country politically , a recent survey indicates that “ people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermining core civil liberties in order to fight the pandemic.
” As I make clear in my book Battlefield America : The War on the American People , if you wait to speak out—stand up—and resist until the government ’ s lockdowns impact your freedoms personally , it could be too late .
What would be far worse , however , is handing over your freedoms voluntarily—without even a semblance of protest—to a government that cares little to nothing about your freedoms or your lives .
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute , where this article ( Draconian Lockdown Powers : It ’ s a Slippery Slope from Handwashing to House Arrest ) was originally published .
He is the author of A Government of Wolves : The Emerging American Police State and The Change Manifesto .

Draconian Lockdown Powers: It’s a Slippery Slope from Handwashing to House Arrest
John W. Whitehead, Rutherford
Waking Times
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”—Viktor Frankl
We still have choices.
Just because we’re fighting an unseen enemy in the form of a virus doesn’t mean we have to relinquish every shred of our humanity, our common sense, or our freedoms to a nanny state that thinks it can do a better job of keeping us safe.
Whatever we give up willingly now—whether it’s basic human decency, the ability to manage our private affairs, the right to have a say in how the government navigates this crisis, or the few rights still left to us that haven’t been disemboweled in recent years by a power-hungry police state—we won’t get back so easily once this crisis is past.
The government never cedes power willingly.
Neither should we.
Every day brings a drastic new set of restrictions by government bodies (most have been delivered by way of executive orders) at the local, state and federal level that are eager to flex their muscles for the so-called “good” of the populace.
This is where we run the risk of this whole fly-by-night operation going completely off the rails.
It’s one thing to attempt an experiment in social distancing in order to flatten the curve of this virus because we can’t afford to risk overwhelming the hospitals and exposing the most vulnerable in the nation to unavoidable loss of life scenarios. However, there’s a fine line between strongly worded suggestions for citizens to voluntarily stay at home and strong-armed house arrest orders with penalties in place for non-compliance.
More than three-quarters of all Americans have now been ordered to stay at home and that number is growing as more states fall in line.
Schools have cancelled physical classes, many for the remainder of the academic year.
Many of the states have banned gatherings of more than 10 people.
At least three states (Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) have ordered non-essential businesses to close.
In Washington, DC, residents face 90 days in jail and a $5,000 fine if they leave their homes during the coronavirus outbreak. Residents of Maryland, Hawaii and Washington State also risk severe penalties of up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine for violating the stay-at-home orders. Violators in Alaska could face jail time and up to $25,000 in fines.
Kentucky residents are prohibited from traveling outside the state, with a few exceptions.
New York City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., is offering its Rikers Island prisoners $6 an hour to help dig mass graves.
In San Francisco, cannabis dispensaries were included among the essential businesses allowed to keep operating during the city-wide lockdown.
New Jersey’s governor canceled gatherings of any number, including parties, weddings and religious ceremonies, and warned the restrictions could continue for weeks or months. One city actually threatened to prosecute residents who spread false information about the virus.
Oregon banned all nonessential social and recreational gatherings, regardless of size.
Rhode Island has given police the go-ahead to pull over anyone with New York license plates to record their contact information and order them to self-quarantine for 14 days.
South Carolina’s police have been empowered to break up any public gatherings of more than three people.
Of course, there are exceptions to all of these stay-at-home orders (in more than 30 states and counting), the longest of which runs until June 10. Essential workers (doctors, firefighters, police and grocery store workers) can go to work. Everyone else will have to fit themselves into a variety of exceptions in order to leave their homes: for grocery runs, doctor visits, to get exercise, to visit a family member, etc.
Throughout the country, more than 14,000 “Citizen-Soldiers” of the National Guard have been mobilized to support the states and the federal government in their fight against the coronavirus. While the Guard officials insist they have not been tasked with martial law, they are coordinating with the Pentagon, FEMA and the states/territories on COVID-19 response missions.
A quick civics lesson: Martial law is a raw exercise of executive power that can override the other branches of government and assume control over the functioning of a nation, state, or smaller area within a state. The power has been exercised by the president, as President Lincoln did soon after the start of the Civil War, and by governors, as was done in Idaho to quell a miner’s strike that broke out there in 1892.
In areas under martial law, all power rests with the military authority in charge. As British General Wellington wrote, “martial law” is not law at all, but martial rule; it abolishes all law and substitutes for it the will of the military commander. Military personnel are not bound by constitutional restrictions requiring a warrant, and may enter and search homes at without judicial authorization or oversight. Indeed, civil courts would no longer be functioning to hear citizen complaints or to enforce their constitutional rights.
Thus far, we have not breached the Constitution’s crisis point: martial law has yet to be overtly imposed (although an argument could be made to the contrary given the militarized nature of the American police state).
It’s just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.
If this is not the defining point at which we cross over into all-out totalitarianism, then it is at a minimum a test to see how easily we will surrender.
Curiously enough, although Americans have been generally compliant with the government’s suggestions and orders with a few notable exceptions, there’s been a small groundswell of resistance within parts of the religious community over whether churches, synagogues and other religious institutions that hold worship services should be exempt from state-wide bans on mass gatherings. While many churches have resorted to drive-in services and live-streamed services for its congregants, others have refused to close their doors. One pastor of a 4,000-member church who stood his ground, claiming that the government’s orders violate his right to religious freedom, was arrested after holding multiple church services during which attendees were reportedly given hand sanitizer and made to keep a six-foot distance between family groups.
It’s an interesting test of the First Amendment’s freedom of assembly and religious freedom clauses versus the government’s compelling state interest in prohibiting mass gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
Generally, the government has to show a compelling state interest before it can override certain critical rights such as free speech, assembly, press, search and seizure, etc. Most of the time, it lacks that compelling state interest, but it still manages to violate those rights, setting itself up for legal battles further down the road.
These lockdown measures—on the right of the people to peaceably assemble, to travel, to engage in commerce, etc.—unquestionably restrict fundamental constitutional rights, which might pass muster for a short period of time, but can it be sustained for longer stretches legally?
That’s the challenge before us, of course, if these days and weeks potentially stretch into months-long quarantines.
For example, the First Amendment guarantees “the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” While the freedom to travel has been specifically recognized only as in the context of interstate or international travel, the freedom of movement is implicit liberty given that government agents may not stop and question or search persons unless they have some legal justification.
As Supreme Court Justice William Douglas once wrote:
The right to travel is a part of the “liberty” of which the citizen cannot be deprived without the due process of law under the Fifth Amendment. . . . Freedom of movement across frontiers in either direction, and inside frontiers as well, was a part of our heritage. Travel abroad, like travel within the country, may be necessary for a livelihood. It may be as close to the heart of the individual as the choice of what he eats, or wears, or reads. Freedom of movement is basic in our scheme of values.
As a rule, people are free to roam and loiter in public places and are not required to provide police with their identity or give an account of their purpose for exercising their freedom.
However, as with all constitutional rights, these freedoms, as the Courts have ruled, are not unqualified. Even content-based restrictions on speech are allowed under the First Amendment if the restriction is needed to serve a compelling government interest.
The Supreme Court long ago “distinctly recognized the authority of a state to enact quarantine laws and health laws of every description[.]” Such laws are an exercise of the state’s police power, and if there is a rational basis for believing they are needed to protect the public health, they will be deemed to serve a compelling government interest.
The point was made over 100 years ago in circumstances similar to today’s COVID-19 outbreak when a smallpox outbreak occurred in Cambridge, Mass., invoking a state law allowing localities to make vaccinations mandatory and enforceable by criminal penalties. In upholding the law and local order against a claim that it violated the constitutional liberty to control one’s own body and health, the Supreme Court declared:
The possession and enjoyment of all rights are subject to such reasonable conditions as may be deemed by the governing authority of the country essential to the safety, health, peace, good order, and morals of the community. Even liberty itself, the greatest of all rights, is not unrestricted license to act according to one’s own will.
The Court went on to write that “[u]pon the principle of self-defense, of paramount necessity, a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members.”
Most states have enacted laws that recognize the need for prompt action in times of emergency, including epidemics, and have delegated the authority to and executive officer to take action to address that emergency. For example, Tennessee law provides that the governor is given the power to issue orders that have the force and effect of law to address emergencies, which include disease outbreaks and epidemics. That state’s law similarly grants mayors or other local chief executive officers the power to issue orders and directives deemed necessary, including closing public facilities, in order to address civil emergencies.
Courts have ruled that they will defer to the decisions of an executive authority on the decision as to whether an emergency exists and whether the means employed to address the emergency are reasonable and legal, although there could be situations where a court would declare that the executive decision is arbitrary and unreasonable.
When governments act under their police power to control plagues and epidemics, those laws are valid even though they may restrict individuals in the exercise of constitutional rights. As one legal scholar recently noted, the balance between individual rights and protection of the public “assumes that there will be times when there are truly compelling emergencies justifying severe measures. A global pandemic that spreads even among those who are asymptomatic and could exceed the capacity of the American health care system would appear to be just such a compelling situation.”
At the moment, the government believes it has a compelling interest—albeit a temporary one—in restricting gatherings, assemblies and movement in public in order to minimize the spread of this virus.
The key point is this: while we may tolerate these restrictions on our liberties in the short term, we should never fail to be on guard lest these one-time constraints become a slippery slope to a total lockdown mindset.
What we must guard against, more than ever before, is the tendency to become so accustomed to our prison walls—these lockdowns, authoritarian dictates, and police state tactics justified as necessary for national security—that we allow the government to keep having its way in all things, without any civic resistance or objections being raised.
Martin Niemoller learned that particular lesson the hard way.
A German military officer turned theologian, Niemoller was an early supporter of Hitler’s rise to power, having believed his promises to protect the church and not allow pogroms against the Jewish people. It didn’t take long for Hitler to break those promises, but by the time the German people realized they had been double-crossed, it was too late.
As Niemoller warned: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
The lesson for those of us housebound and watching from a distance as the Fourth Reich emerges from the shadows is this: all freedoms hang together.
Niemoller’s warning for our modern age would probably go something like this: First the government went after the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and I did not object, because I had nothing to hide. Then they went after the right to not be spied upon, and I did not object, because I had done nothing wrong. Then they went after the right to criticize the government, and I still did not object, because I had nothing to criticize them for. Then they went after the right to speak—worship—and assemble freely, and I did not object, because I had nothing to say, no one to worship, and nowhere to congregate. By the time the government came to lock me up, there was no one left to set me free.
In other words, don’t be naïve: the government will use this crisis to expand its powers far beyond the reach of the Constitution. The Justice Department has already signaled its desire to suspend parts of the Constitution indefinitely.
That’s how it starts.
Travel too far down that slippery slope, and there will be no turning back.
Curiously enough, although Americans have not been inclined to agree on anything much lately, given the extreme polarization of the country politically, a recent survey indicates that “people of both parties seem rather okay with undermining core civil liberties in order to fight the pandemic.”
This way lies madness.
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, if you wait to speak out—stand up—and resist until the government’s lockdowns impact your freedoms personally, it could be too late.
What would be far worse, however, is handing over your freedoms voluntarily—without even a semblance of protest—to a government that cares little to nothing about your freedoms or your lives.
About the Author
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute, where this article (Draconian Lockdown Powers: It’s a Slippery Slope from Handwashing to House Arrest) was originally published. He is the author of A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State and The Change Manifesto.