lifesitenews--2020-10-19--USA Today article by former pro-lifer shows ignorance of pro-life position

October 19 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — On October 11 , USA Today published a hard-hitting editorial titled “ I was in the pro-life movement .
But then , widowed with 6 kids , I prepared for an abortion.
” The piece was clearly intended to be both a rebuke to the pro-life movement as well as evidence that pro-lifers are primarily motivated by ignorance of real-world situations , and timed to sync up with the Amy Coney Barrett hearings , in which Roe v. Wade would predictably take center-stage .
The column , written by Shannon Dingle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their six children last summer , her husband was killed in a freak accident at the beach after a wave knocked him over and broke his neck .
Widowed with a young family , Dingle was grief-stricken and overwhelmed .
And then she discovered that she was pregnant , with chronic health conditions that would complicate things further .
Her response was immediate : “ I knew I couldn ’ t have this baby .
I didn ’ t know how to be a single mom of six , so a seventh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survived the pregnancy .
And my kids couldn ’ t lose another parent.
” Dingle ’ s point in this is not that there are incredibly difficult circumstances facing pregnant women , and that there are scenarios in which a pro-life ethic means treating women even though the treatment could threaten the life or health of her pre-born child .
Rather , the point of her column is that pro-lifers are allegedly unaware of these circumstances .
Her evidence for this , it turns out , is that she had apparently been involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the implications of the pro-life worldview or considering real-world situations .
“ I had been a pro-life speaker for events sponsored by Focus on the Family and the Southern Baptist ’ s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission , ” she wrote .
“ By mid-2016 my views had begun to change , yet three years later , some of that rhetoric rose within me .
I worried , what if people offering us help would rescind those offers if they found out what I was considering ?
I wondered , would my living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the pregnancy of another child ?
” In short : “ This is how you think when you ’ ve been groomed by the pro-life movement to see pregnancy in black and white with no room for gray … I ’ m not pro-life anymore , not in the political sense .
I firmly believe that decisions regarding pregnancy should be between a patient and doctor , not predetermined impersonally by a mostly male governing body .
My body shouldn ’ t be up for public debate.
” I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with , but her ignorance regarding the pro-life position should not be taken as an accurate representation of what pro-life apologists have to say on the matter .
The organization I work for , the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform , lays out ethical responses to dangerous pregnancies on our website and we regularly discuss these situations with people we speak to on the streets .
Pro-life apologists like Randy Alcorn , Stephanie Gray , Scott Klusendorf , Robert P. George , and numerous others have spent an enormous amount of time dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-life movement of ignoring entirely .
If Dingle was “ groomed ” by the pro-life movement to believe that there are no difficult circumstances , or that people would hate her if she made the wrong choice , or that people would abandon a widow for doing something she disagreed with , then I feel genuinely sorry for her .
That is not the pro-life movement I know , and if she had reached out to almost any group that I know of , she would have received the advice and the help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been informed by ethics — and real-world situations .
Dingle then writes that she lost the child through miscarriage , and ends her column with a declaration that any pro-life activist could have written : “ Caricatures make for good propaganda but terrible policy .
People , real people , become pregnant .
And those people each carry their own stories , nuanced and unique .
Propaganda is easy .
Twitter insults from anonymous accounts are too .
But people , real people , have real stories , like mine .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tender .
But I need you to understand that real people like me are living real stories.
” Dingle ’ s story is both tragic and heartbreaking .
But I wish she understood that in the real pro-life movement—not the one she caricatured in her column -- pro-life activists are speaking with tens of thousands of real people every single day .
We are hearing their real stories .
They tell us those stories .
And we are there to help in any circumstance .
Perhaps it came as a shock to Dingle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push someone into considering abortion even when they shuddered at the thought .
It would not have come as a shock to any of the frontline pro-life activists that I know .
We ’ ve heard all of these stories before .
Those stories are the reason we keep on doing this work .
Jonathon ’ s podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , Dr. Michael New , a research scholar , joins Jonathon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates , and what would happen is Joe Biden was to repeal the Hyde Amendment .
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below :

Pro-life apologists have spent an enormous amount of time dealing with precisely the issue the Shannon Dingle accuses the pro-life movement of ignoring entirely.
October 19, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — On October 11, USA Today published a hard-hitting editorial titled “I was in the pro-life movement. But then, widowed with 6 kids, I prepared for an abortion.” The piece was clearly intended to be both a rebuke to the pro-life movement as well as evidence that pro-lifers are primarily motivated by ignorance of real-world situations, and timed to sync up with the Amy Coney Barrett hearings, in which Roe v. Wade would predictably take center-stage.
The column, written by Shannon Dingle, is heartbreaking to read. On vacation with their six children last summer, her husband was killed in a freak accident at the beach after a wave knocked him over and broke his neck. Widowed with a young family, Dingle was grief-stricken and overwhelmed. And then she discovered that she was pregnant, with chronic health conditions that would complicate things further.
Her response was immediate: “I knew I couldn’t have this baby. I didn’t know how to be a single mom of six, so a seventh child was unthinkable, if I even survived the pregnancy. And my kids couldn’t lose another parent.”
Dingle’s point in this is not that there are incredibly difficult circumstances facing pregnant women, and that there are scenarios in which a pro-life ethic means treating women even though the treatment could threaten the life or health of her pre-born child. Rather, the point of her column is that pro-lifers are allegedly unaware of these circumstances. Her evidence for this, it turns out, is that she had apparently been involved in pro-life events without actually thinking about the implications of the pro-life worldview or considering real-world situations.
“I had been a pro-life speaker for events sponsored by Focus on the Family and the Southern Baptist’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission,” she wrote. “By mid-2016 my views had begun to change, yet three years later, some of that rhetoric rose within me. I worried, what if people offering us help would rescind those offers if they found out what I was considering? I wondered, would my living children hate me because I chose us over the pregnancy of another child?”
In short: “This is how you think when you’ve been groomed by the pro-life movement to see pregnancy in black and white with no room for gray … I’m not pro-life anymore, not in the political sense. I firmly believe that decisions regarding pregnancy should be between a patient and doctor, not predetermined impersonally by a mostly male governing body. My body shouldn’t be up for public debate.”
— Article continues below Petition — URGENT PETITION: Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade Show Petition Text 61375 have signed the petition. Let's get to 70000 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition PETITION UPDATE (9/26/2020): With President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we are closer than we have been in decades to seeing Roe vs. Wade overturned. We now encourage the Senate to confirm Barrett as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Barrett has a fantastic track recond on sanctity of life issues, has seven children, and is a devout believer. She is the perfect remedy for Ruth Bader Ginsburg's radical pro-abortionism. Please READ the full story here: 'BREAKING: Trump nominates Catholic mom of 7 Judge Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court' And then, please SIGN this petition telling the High Court that it's now time to end the activist Roe vs. Wade judgment. Thank you! __________________________________________________________________ PETITION UPDATE (6/29/2020): In a decision which has imperiled more abortion-minded women, sentenced more preborn to death, and upset pro-lifers across the nation,the United States Supreme Court decided 5-4 to strike down a Louisiana law requiring basic medical precautions in the event of abortion complications, with Chief Justice John Roberts reversing his own past decision to uphold a similar Texas law. Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the majority opinion, which held that the Louisiana law was unconstitutional for the simple fact that it was “almost word-for-word identical” to the Texas one the court already struck down in 2016. In his concurring opinion, Chief Justice Roberts acknowledged that he had “joined the dissent in Whole Woman’s Health and continue to believe that the case was wrongly decided. The question today however is not whether Whole Woman’s Health was right or wrong, but whether to adhere to it in deciding the present case.” We call on the Supreme Court to stop supporting the culture of death and overturn Roe vs Wade, now. PETITION UPDATE (1/20/2020): Hundreds of thousands of people will gather in Washington, D.C., this coming Friday, January 24th, for the March for Life. They will be praying for an end to Roe vs Wade, as the Supreme Court will hear a crucial, abortion-related case later this year in March. United our voices can change the course of history. Sign this petition TODAY! (LEARN MORE BELOW) PETITION UPDATE (1/3/2020): In advance of the Supreme Court's hearing arguments in an important abortion case later this year in March, 207 U.S. Senators and Representatives have signed amicus briefs supporting a Louisiana law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a hospital nearby an abortion center. Some of these supporting briefs also suggest that now is the time to reconsider Roe vs Wade as sound law. Please SIGN this petition, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Roe vs Wade. _____________________________________________________________________________ More than 60 million Americans have been slaughtered in their mother's wombs as a result of Roe v. Wade. This activist, unconstitutional ruling in 1973 has left countless women emotionally and psychologically scarred. It was believed by many that Roe would be overturned in 1992 with Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Despite having eight Republican-appointed judges at the time, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold it. Since then, major gains have been made in the fight for life, and many lives have been saved. However, Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land, leaving millions of defenseless pre-born children vulnerable to murder. According to a 2016 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35% of aborted babies are African American, despite black women only making up six percent of the U.S. population. 19% of aborted babies are Hispanic. We thus again call on the court to do everything they can to end Roe vs Wade. Now is the time for pro-lifers to join together and ensure that all of God's children have a right to life. Roe v. Wade must come to an end! FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/supreme-court-strikes-down-louisiana-abortion-regulations https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/over-200-congressmen-as-us-supreme-court-to-reconsider-roe-v-wade https://www.foxnews.com/politics/congress-members-file-competing-legal-briefs-in-key-scotus-abortion-case Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
I’m not sure which pro-life movement Dingle was involved with, but her ignorance regarding the pro-life position should not be taken as an accurate representation of what pro-life apologists have to say on the matter. The organization I work for, the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, lays out ethical responses to dangerous pregnancies on our website and we regularly discuss these situations with people we speak to on the streets. Pro-life apologists like Randy Alcorn, Stephanie Gray, Scott Klusendorf, Robert P. George, and numerous others have spent an enormous amount of time dealing with precisely the issue Dingle accuses the pro-life movement of ignoring entirely.
If Dingle was “groomed” by the pro-life movement to believe that there are no difficult circumstances, or that people would hate her if she made the wrong choice, or that people would abandon a widow for doing something she disagreed with, then I feel genuinely sorry for her. That is not the pro-life movement I know, and if she had reached out to almost any group that I know of, she would have received the advice and the help that she sought. That advice would have been informed by ethics — and real-world situations.
Dingle then writes that she lost the child through miscarriage, and ends her column with a declaration that any pro-life activist could have written: “Caricatures make for good propaganda but terrible policy. People, real people, become pregnant. And those people each carry their own stories, nuanced and unique. Propaganda is easy. Twitter insults from anonymous accounts are too. But people, real people, have real stories, like mine. My story is heartbreaking. Telling it is tender. But I need you to understand that real people like me are living real stories.”
Dingle’s story is both tragic and heartbreaking. But I wish she understood that in the real pro-life movement—not the one she caricatured in her column–pro-life activists are speaking with tens of thousands of real people every single day. We are hearing their real stories. They tell us those stories. And we are there to help in any circumstance. Perhaps it came as a shock to Dingle that there were soul-crushing circumstances that could push someone into considering abortion even when they shuddered at the thought. It would not have come as a shock to any of the frontline pro-life activists that I know.
We’ve heard all of these stories before. Those stories are the reason we keep on doing this work.
Jonathon’s podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, Dr. Michael New, a research scholar, joins Jonathon to discuss how a Democratic Presidency impacts abortion rates, and what would happen is Joe Biden was to repeal the Hyde Amendment.
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-10-19--Twitter locks out Trump COVID adviser Scott Atlas for exposing mask failures

October 19 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – After several days of controversy over Twitter ’ s censorship practices , the social media giant temporarily suspended White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Scott Atlas over the weekend for pushing back against the prevailing orthodoxy on mask wearing .
Atlas is a medical doctor , internationally recognized medical scholar , and senior fellow at Stanford University ’ s Hoover Institution .
Conservatives have viewed Atlas as an antidote of sorts to the Trump administration ’ s previous point man for COVID-19 expertise , Dr. Anthony Fauci , who is much more supportive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlas out of his account Saturday over two tweets ( the first of which has since been deleted ) citing places where masks have failed to contain COVID-19 and arguing that instead masks should be used “ for their intended purpose - when close to others , especially hi ( sic ) risk .
Otherwise , social distance .
No widespread mandates.
” Like Facebook and Google , Twitter has assumed the role as a watchdog against COVID-19 “ misinformation , ” generally taken to mean anything that contradicts the opinion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in an email to The Federalist , Atlas cited several pieces of information that supported his tweets .
“ Cases exploded even with mandates : Los Angeles County , Miami-Dade County , Hawaii , Alabama , the Philippines , Japan , the United Kingdom , Spain , France , Israel , ” Atlas wrote .
He also cited material from Oxford ’ s Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) , and even the WHO itself , which conceded that “ widespread use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setting is not yet supported by high quality or direct scientific evidence and there are potential benefits and harms to consider.
” Atlas returned to Twitter on Monday with a literary warning about the suppression of evidence in support of a favored narrative : This is not the first time internet giants have censored Atlas over COVID-19 .
Last month , Google-owned YouTube deleted a June interview in which he offered a detailed critique of government lockdown policies .
This latest incident follows an ongoing uproar over Twitter censoring the New York Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to show Hunter Biden selling access to his father , former Vice President and current Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden , during the previous administration .

PETITION UPDATE (12/11/2020)
Right before Thanksgiving, YouTube deleted a LifeSite video of a distinguished Canadian physician protesting the "unfounded public hysteria" over COVID-19 and accused us of spreading "medical misinformation."
Our account was suspended, and we were prohibited from posting videos on our YouTube channel for one week. And, while that may not seem like a big deal, it's a huge deal for a news organization like LifeSite.
Then, earlier this week, YouTube again suspended our account – this time for two weeks – over an episode of The Bishop Strickland Show wherein Bishop Strickland said he would not take an unethical COVID-19 vaccine.
We were able to appeal the suspension, and our request was granted.
This means that in YouTube's three-strikes-and-you're-out content-policing, idea-cleansing scheme, we are back down to one strike. But, we still face the threat of losing our account permanently.
And, we're not the only ones.
In a recent turn of events, YouTube just announced that it will remove videos alleging widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
But, what is YouTube afraid of? The truth???
Thankfully, however, there is a one, big bright spot on the horizon: 48 states filed suit against Facebook just this week.
And, although this seems like a step in the right direction, the draconian measures which YouTube just rolled out, which are already wielded by Twitter, are an assault against free speech.
So, the fight for freedom of speech against Big Tech goes on. And, we must do everything we can to protect it!
Please SIGN and SHARE this petition today!
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-youtube-reverses-ban-on-lifesitenews?
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/youtube-bans-lifesite-over-video-of-bp-strickland-refusing-to-take-corona-vaccine
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/lifesites-channel-was-suspended-by-youtube-heres-how-you-can-still-watch-our-videos
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/youtube-starts-removing-videos-that-contain-allegations-of-mass-voter-fraud
https://tennesseestar.com/2020/12/10/facebook-sued-by-48-states-federal-trade-commission-over-allegations-of-monopolistic-practices/
________________________________________________________________________
PETITION UPDATE (11/18/2020)
Everyone thought the censorship by Big Tech corporations would decrease after the 2020 election, but the truth is that censorship is being felt just as much as it was before the election.
And, given the election outcome, perhaps Big Tech censorship now is even more consequential than it was before the election!
The two biggest social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter, and other Big Tech companies, are still censoring and suppressing stories and posts favorable to conservatives, and especially anything that has to do with election fraud.
Here are a few recent examples:
Women for America First organized the March for Trump on November 14, which was shut down by Facebook, MailChimp and Eventbrite. Despite Big Tech’s best efforts to cancel the event, the march went on and gathered a huge crowd.
Twitter has been suppressing a large number of President Trump’s Tweets. Most of his Tweets have been flagged arbitrarily with a warning stating: “This claim about election fraud is disputed."
Please READ this recent article about Big Tech's attempt to choke information conerning the recent Million MAGA March in Washington, DC: '5 things mainstream media won’t tell you about massive DC ‘Stop the Steal’ rally'
Then, please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition, which calls on the Congress, the president, and governors to defend freedom of speech as Big Tech continues their rampant censorship.
PETITION UPDATE (10/15/2020)
In a remarkable development, Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham have announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will be issuing subpoenas to Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Facebook's Mark Zuckerburg for their company's suppression of two critical expose news stories about how Hunter Biden and the Biden Family allegedly profited from business deals made because of Joe Biden's position as Vice President.
Please WATCH LifeSite's exclusive video of the announcement by Senator Ted Cruz below.
According to the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Lindsey Graham, the subpoenas will be issued next Tuesday, for hearings to be held on Friday of next week.
This is a MASSIVE development, and should be welcomed by those who champion freedom of speech.
Again, this is all happening because Twitter and Facebook refuse to allow their members to share stories which would be favorable to conservatives.
Here's the timeline:
Yesterday, Twitter and Facebook suppressed a NY Post story about how Hunter Biden allegedly profited from introducing a Ukrainian businessman to his then-Vice President father, Joe Biden. The story also alleges that Vice President Biden then subsequently pressured Ukrainian authorities to fire a prosecutor who was investigating the businessman's company.
And, just this morning, Twitter suppressed another expose by the NY Post alleging that the Biden Family improperly profitted from deals made with one of the largest Chinese energy companies because of Vice President Biden's position in government.
But, right after the story broke, Senator Cruz tried to share the latest story on Twitter and was blocked. Twitter says that they are blocking the stories because they claim that the information was obtained illegally. However, Twitter showed no problem allowing illegally obtained information about President Trump's tax returns to be shared.
Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition, which calls on the Congress, the president, and governors to defend freedom of speech as Big Tech continues their rampant censorship.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'GOP senators decry Big Tech censorship of NY Post story exposing Biden corruption' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/gop-senators-decry-big-tech-censorship-of-ny-post-story-exposing-biden-corruption
___________________________________________________________________________
PETITION UPDATE (9/17/2020)
Big Tech is out to kill free speech. LifeSite is out to protect it!
LifeSite has been digging deep into the many claims of liberal bias and selective censorship of pro-life, pro-family, and conservative voices on social media.
And, we are now launching our new series 'Uncensored: Big Tech vs. Free Speech', which will unpack how the actions of Big Tech censors actually affect conservative and Christian organization and individuals.
Please WATCH the first video in our series featuring Brigitte Gabriel, the Founder of ACT For America, one of the nation's premier national security grassroots organizations.
Ms. Gabriel's organization, ACT For America, has been targeted by Big Tech especially in the manipulation of search results.
Big Tech “think[s] they are God and they are exercising their godly power over everybody else,” Gabriel explained. "Because in today's world, anytime you want to find out any information about somebody, what do you do? Google. You go to the internet to find out some information about them. When you research anything about somebody, the first thing that comes up [in the search results] is the Southern Poverty Law Center’s labeling of ‘hate groups.’”
“And who are the ‘hate groups’? Family Research Council is a hate group because they are pro-family. American Family Radio is a hate group…LifeSiteNews is a hate group. My organization is a hate group because we sound the alarm about terrorism and protecting our constitutional freedom. And so they try to character assassinate you. And they control the language.”
LifeSite's research shows that Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and others have become far too dangerous for democracy.
They can and do sway elections and public opinion in whatever direction they want, primarily by manipulating search results, tracking our online behavior, and by blocking truthful content from their platforms.
Today, LifeSite is starting to fight back, with facts and with stories of conservatives and Christians who are being negatively impacted by Big Tech's liberal bias.
Please continue to follow our 'Big Tech vs. Free Speech' series which aims to launch a new video each week for the next eight weeks.
And, please sign our petition demanding that Big Tech monopolies are broken up. Thank you!
__________________________________________________________________________
ORIGINAL PETITION BACKGROUND TEXT:
The outrageous erasing of the White Coat Summit from the internet is only the latest in a long series of brazen acts of censorship against conservatives and all those who support legitimate free speech.
You may agree or disagree with the efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine against the coronavirus, but everyone should agree on this point:
No Big Tech company should have the power to erase from the internet the medical opinions of licensed practicing doctors simply because they do not like what they have to say about the coronavirus or their experience treating it. Americans and other free peoples do not need leftist computer programmers deciding what the best course of medical treatment is for them.
Google/Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Apple and their Big Tech friends want to control what you see, what you read, what you think, and ultimately, how you vote. Not only do they spend hundreds of millions of dollars on lobbying congress and buttering up big Washington DC think tanks, but now they brazenly and directly censor any content they don't want you to see.
Big Tech, like other interest groups, aggressively lobby to help their businesses thrive, but increasingly, Big Tech is using blatant internet censorship to impose its radical world view over those they consider to be "deplorables."
This must stop, but it won't unless we demand it as forcefully as legally possible. We believe that we have reached the point were Big Tech must be broken up if legitimate free speech is going to survive and continue to thrive on the internet.
Please sign our petition to demand real consequences for Big Tech's suppression of legitimate free speech.
In 2016, emails revealed by Fox News' Tucker Carlson proved that Google tried to influence the election by affecting voter turnout. Thankfully they failed. But they didn't give up. Instead, they have been preparing and testing how to manipulate information to continue to abuse their monopolistic power.
In 2018, Google/Youtube et. al. succeeded in manipulating the Irish abortion referendum by blacklisting pro-life videos, manipulating pro-life search terms and results and intentionally withholding pro-life information. Again, this is not an opinion or a conspiracy theory, Project Veritas obtained first hand information proving the intentional censorship by Big Tech.
And the Coronavirus has just made things worse. You see, scared people are more easily manipulated into giving up their freedom of speech. Children are being kept from going to school, tens of millions of Americans are out of work, and rioting has broken out in most major American cities.
Now, more than ever, freedom of speech is necessary to secure all of our freedoms. Freedom of speech is crucial to truly exercise the freedom to vote for the person that best represents one's own views, or the freedom to decide what course of medical treatment to accept - especially the decision to control what vaccines are administered to our children.
Some experts, like Dr. Robert Epstein, a behavioral psychologist who has testified before congress against Big Tech believes that we may already be too late to control Big Tech's tyrannical control over information.
President Trump took a step in the right direction with his Executive Order calling for increased regulation of Big Tech. But much more can be done and needs to be done right now.
In an era where almost everything is polarized, there is an overwhelming support for breaking up the Big Tech monopolies. A recent Pew poll found that 75% of Americans believe that Big Tech companies have too much influence.
It is time to bring serious accountability to Big Tech for their attempts to use their monopolies to kill free speech.
It is time to break up Big Tech.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Google, Facebook, Twitter shut down ‘frontline’ US doctors who promote ‘cure for COVID’ - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/google-facebook-twitter-shut-down-frontline-us-doctors-who-promote-cure-for-covid?utm_source=featured&utm_campaign=standard
Americans overwhelmingly agree Big Tech has too much power: Pew poll - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/americans-overwhelmingly-agree-big-tech-has-too-much-power-pew-poll
Leaked Google employee's email reveals effort to boost Latino vote, surprise that some voted for Trump - https://www.foxnews.com/tech/leaked-google-employees-email-reveals-effort-to-boost-latino-vote-surprise-that-some-voted-for-trump
Undercover video proves Google interfered in Irish abortion referendum - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/americans-overwhelmingly-agree-big-tech-has-too-much-power-pew-poll


lifesitenews--2020-10-19--Why abortion will end in America the moment Catholic bishops say it ends

October 19 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Catholic Church doesn ’ t take partisan positions in elections .
However , standing against evil isn ’ t a partisan position , it ’ s a primary duty .
The Church has a duty—a moral obligation—to speak publicly and proclaim the truth about those who are attacking our culture , families , marriages , and the most vulnerable—babies in the womb .
Religious duty only seems to be a political statement when evil is sponsored by a political party—but that just makes the situation more grave and urgent .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eternal .
“ The grave danger today is not religion in politics but politics in religion.
” — Venerable Abp Fulton Sheen The Democratic Party supports five non-negotiable intrinsic evils of abortion , homosexual `` marriage '' , embryonic stem cell research , euthanasia , and human cloning in their platforms or through public policy .
On page 32 of their 2020 National Platform , they promise to remove all Federal and State restrictions on abortion .
Pages 82-83 lay out their plan to remove every impediment to tax-funding of abortion—domestic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic who should be publicly excommunicated for her very public offenses against Catholic teaching on abortion and the sanctity of life , has promised to undo the Hyde Amendment in 2021 if Democrats gain power in this election .
The Hyde Amendment is a decades-old bipartisan deal that currently limits Federal funding on abortion .
Joe Biden made it clear in June that he no longer supports the Hyde Amendment .
The Biden-Harris presidential ticket is one of the most radically pro-abortion in history even though Joe Biden is also Catholic .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rebuke from the bishops ?
“ The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
” — sometimes attributed to Edmund Burke Politicians are campaigning for a job , nothing more .
Do not hire those who stand against the moral and religious values of the Church to make the laws we live under .
The bishops should call them out in the model of our Lord Who decried the leadership of the Scribes and Pharisees ( Matt 23 ) .
Although political from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious duty .
Is it wrong to name the political party in condemnation ?
Is that painting with too broad a brush ?
No one is saying “ Democrats are evil.
” Abortion is evil and it is a significant agenda item for the Democratic Party .
Catholics represent about 20 % of the electorate overall—down 5 % from just a few years ago .
No politician should be able to advocate for intrinsic evil and expect Catholic votes—no politician can be elected without Catholic acquiescence in a national or state election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the middle for a number of election cycles .
No one respects Catholic priorities because Catholics don ’ t stand for them , as a group .
Unfortunately , most bishops have done next to nothing to correct this problem .
Too many bishops waste political bandwidth explaining the priorities of the Church regarding immigration reform , publicly-funded healthcare , and climate change .
The Church must speak as one about real and threatening evil to human life and dignity .
This situation , with its lights and shadows , ought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil , death and life , the ‘ culture of death ’ and the ‘ culture of life ’ .
We find ourselves not only ‘ faced with ’ but necessarily ‘ in the midst of ’ this conflict : we are all involved and we all share in it , with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life.
” — Pope John Paul , II , “ Evangelium Vitae ” In the month before the election , Pope Francis produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sown confusion among many faithful Catholics .
Notably , it includes a forceful condemnation of the death penalty .
This is an ecclesial October surprise that further muddies the waters for Catholics forming their consciences , especially Pope Francis ’ recent attempt to change Church teaching regarding the death penalty .
It ’ s important to note , though , that intrinsic evil is wrong at all times , in all situations , and in all ways .
Abortion fits that definition .
The death penalty does not .
God Himself gave prescription @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of offenses .
God does not command us to commit evil .
This is a false equivalency that speaks more to political bias than fidelity to truth .
There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty , but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.
” — Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger , Prefect for the Doctrine of the Faith and Dean of the College of Cardinals ( before he was Pope Benedict XVI ) Scripture tells us there are four sins that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder ( Gen 4:10 ) , sodomy ( Gen 17:20-21 ) , oppression of orphans and widows ( Ex 2:23 ) , and cheating laborers of their due ( James 5:4 ) .
The first two are fundamentally in conflict with the moral law and always wrong no matter how they are conducted .
There is no “ right ” way to do either of them .
The latter two are subjects for public policy debates .
No political party has a plank in their platform advocating for the oppression of orphans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These sins are only an issue in any election to the extent of conflicting perspectives on public policy .
Those in the Church arguing for the “ Seamless Garment ” approach err in giving equal weight to all of these issues .
`` The care of human life and happiness , and not their destruction , is the first and only object of good government.
” — Thomas Jefferson Dissenting bishops and priests say they need to maintain the Church ’ s tax-exempt status .
How free is the Church when She considers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The Church isn ’ t tax-exempt because of 501c3 .
She was tax-exempt from the beginning—before churches were added to the code in 1954 .
The Church is tax-exempt because She pre-dates the government and our Founding Fathers did not want to have government control of churches .
It ’ s that simple .
The 501c3 code is a primary example of the way government takes control… government says it is merely codifying an existing relationship and nothing will change .
However , once codified , the government holds the threat to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the rescission is what existed for 200+ years before that… churches are still tax-exempt .
That is not what the government says will happen , though , so the Church complies .
Churches were added to the 501c3 code as a tool of control and specifically to silence the Church and other non-profits .
Sen. Lyndon Johnson did not like such organizations having a significant influence in shaping public policy .
The direct result of this action is the Church has a greatly reduced influence in public life and intrinsic evil has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Churches do not have to apply for 501c3 qualification .
Almost all qualifying organizations must fill out IRS Forms 990 , 1023 , and 1024 .
Churches are not required to file for qualification because they are considered covered by 501c3 automatically .
Donations to churches are automatically tax-deductible .
Churches have a mandatory exception to filing tax returns .
IRS code automatically exempts churches from its requirements .
In short , the bishops of the Catholic Church are voluntarily silent… and misguided .
It is not an endorsement of the GOP to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party .
Opposing the sponsors of evil seeking public office doesn ’ t compromise the authority of the Church .
Authority has been compromised by their failure to do so .
Will the GOP benefit from such condemnation in a two-party system ?
Yes .
Should this potential benefit silence the bishops ?
No .
If I say to the wicked , you shall surely die—and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade the wicked from their evil conduct in order to save their lives—then they shall die for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you responsible for their blood .
– Ez 3:18 The Democrats have made it clear that their priority is preserving Roe v Wade through the Supreme Court .
To that end , they oppose anyone proposed by a GOP president—even before the name has been released .
When the name is released , it ’ s axiomatic that the nominee will be mercilessly vilified in Senate confirmation hearings and the Press .
Kamala Harris even made issue of a nominee ’ s membership in the Knights of Columbus .
If they take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-life judges—and try to block faithful Catholic nominees .
If Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed prior to the election , Democrats have indicated they will pack the court with left-leaning justices to overcome a conservative tilt .
That ’ s not how our system of government is supposed to work .
For their support of intrinsic evil , the Democrats should lose elections—and lose badly .
Bishops should make support for evil the next “ third-rail ” of politics that no politician or party would ever dare touch again .
It isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its next Supreme Court challenge .
The challenges will simply continue until the court is sympathetic again—or the Democrats pack the court with ideologues .
The sponsors of the culture of death must know that the Church will stand against them as long as they promote abortion and other intrinsic evils .
They must know this will doom any campaign .
This is a lasting message to them and any other party seeking power .
That is a pro-life legacy for generations .
“ We must not be surprised when we hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wars , of hatred .
If a mother can kill her own child , what is left but for us to kill each other ?
... A nation that kills its children in the womb has lost its soul.
” — St Mother Theresa Unfortunately , the reality is that many bishops and priests are publicly giving support to the Democratic Party .
While the Democrats vow in their national platform to cut every barrier to taxpayer funding of abortion , Bishop Stowe of Lexington , KY , called President Trump “ anti-life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bishops have called for canonical penalties for those enforcing immigration laws under this administration .
When President Trump advocated for religious liberty at the John Paul II Shrine , Archbishop Gregory called his visit “ reprehensible.
” Can there be any wonder at the confusion sown among the faithful ?
Liberal Catholics don ’ t listen to conservative voices .
They listen to the biased press and the lying politicians .
In the absence of truth coming from the bishops , they are acting on those lies .
They have been taught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own consciences and the USCCB ’ s voting guide has been written vaguely enough to give cover to any position and rationale .
Buried near the end of the guide is the statement , “ Abortion , the deliberate killing of a human being before birth , is never morally acceptable and must always be opposed.
” This should be in the front of the guide as the first hurdle any candidate or party must cross before soliciting Catholic votes .
Readers should only go past page one for any political party not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic Party is one of the greatest advocates for abortion outside of China and they should be opposed by Catholic voters according to the guide published by the bishops .
It ’ s the truth !
Bishops should teach it—or at least not silence those who do !
So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it , it is a sin .
– James 4:1 Some bishops have spoken out—but none have done so directly .
Many note the “ pre-eminence ” of the issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements with other priorities… to be balanced and nuanced .
How many issues can be pre-eminent at the same time ?
Their words are carefully chosen to condemn the issue of abortion while making no mention of the sponsors of abortion .
Bishops seem to be in competition with one another to see who can get closest to the full truth of the situation ... without crossing that line .
In a representative republic , it makes no sense to fight against policies rather than the champions of those policies .
The most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Altman of the Diocese of La Crosse who made it very clear that being a Catholic is incompatible with being a Democrat .
His message was endorsed by Bishop Strickland of Tyler , TX and “ corrected ” by his own bishop… for his tone .
Despite his correction , Bishop Callahan noted the truth of Fr Altman ’ s statement .
Is there another instance where a priest was publicly reprimanded for his tone in speaking the truth ?
Once a clear statement has been endorsed , is there any further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Why stop there ?
It ’ s good to have priests speaking out ... but their views lack the level of authority that comes when a bishop speaks .
When a bishop speaks from the authority of his See , then the Church will have spoken… and pray that bishop won ’ t speak alone .
Abortion ends in America the moment the bishops say it ends .
They have had the authority , the power , and the responsibility to end it for almost 50 years .
There will be cries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak .
The real scandal is their silence until now .
What are the bishops waiting for ?
The enemy of life is right in front of them !
Speak the truth and let Christ , Who is Truth personified , go forth in defense of His Bride , the Church !
Patrick Yanke is the author of Defeating the Culture of Death : the Pro-Life Vote

Catholic bishops need to start calling out the Democratic Party over its support for the murder of preborn children via abortion
October 19, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Catholic Church doesn’t take partisan positions in elections. However, standing against evil isn’t a partisan position, it’s a primary duty. The Church has a duty—a moral obligation—to speak publicly and proclaim the truth about those who are attacking our culture, families, marriages, and the most vulnerable—babies in the womb. Religious duty only seems to be a political statement when evil is sponsored by a political party—but that just makes the situation more grave and urgent. The consequences of this battle are both temporal and eternal.
“The grave danger today is not religion in politics but politics in religion.” — Venerable Abp Fulton Sheen
The Democratic Party supports five non-negotiable intrinsic evils of abortion, homosexual “marriage”, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, and human cloning in their platforms or through public policy. On page 32 of their 2020 National Platform, they promise to remove all Federal and State restrictions on abortion. Pages 82-83 lay out their plan to remove every impediment to tax-funding of abortion—domestic and international. Nancy Pelosi, a baptized Catholic who should be publicly excommunicated for her very public offenses against Catholic teaching on abortion and the sanctity of life, has promised to undo the Hyde Amendment in 2021 if Democrats gain power in this election. The Hyde Amendment is a decades-old bipartisan deal that currently limits Federal funding on abortion. Joe Biden made it clear in June that he no longer supports the Hyde Amendment. The Biden-Harris presidential ticket is one of the most radically pro-abortion in history even though Joe Biden is also Catholic.
What does someone have to do to receive a rebuke from the bishops?
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” — sometimes attributed to Edmund Burke
Politicians are campaigning for a job, nothing more. Do not hire those who stand against the moral and religious values of the Church to make the laws we live under. The bishops should call them out in the model of our Lord Who decried the leadership of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23). Although political from their perspective, this is a moral and religious duty. Is it wrong to name the political party in condemnation? Is that painting with too broad a brush? No one is saying “Democrats are evil.” Abortion is evil and it is a significant agenda item for the Democratic Party.
Catholics represent about 20% of the electorate overall—down 5% from just a few years ago. No politician should be able to advocate for intrinsic evil and expect Catholic votes—no politician can be elected without Catholic acquiescence in a national or state election. Yet, Catholics have split their vote down the middle for a number of election cycles. No one respects Catholic priorities because Catholics don’t stand for them, as a group. Unfortunately, most bishops have done next to nothing to correct this problem. Too many bishops waste political bandwidth explaining the priorities of the Church regarding immigration reform, publicly-funded healthcare, and climate change. The Church must speak as one about real and threatening evil to human life and dignity.
— Article continues below Petition — PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden Show Petition Text 49274 have signed the petition. Let's get to 50000 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition PETITION UPDATE (3/15/21) - Reports suggest that the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference (USCCB) is preparing a vote on what to do about pro-abortion Joe Biden (and, presumably, other abortion-promoting politicians) who continues to present himself (themselves) for Holy Communion. Public excommunication would be a suitable response for Biden's obstinate, public and grave sin of scandalously promoting abortion. Please continue to SIGN and SHARE this important petition. __________________________________________________________________ PETITION UPDATE (2/4/20) Since Joe Biden was sworn-in on the 20th of January, he has wasted no time in signing Executive Orders to destroy the protections which former President Trump offered to the unborn and to the innocence and modesty of children of the United States. In one executive order, Biden rescinded the Mexico City Policy prohibiting the federal government from spending taxpayer monies on abortion and the promotion of abortion. And, in another executive order, Biden seeks to force girls' athletic programs, restrooms, and locker rooms to accept gender-confused males. Since the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was shamefully silent throughout the presidential campaign on the pre-eminent issues of abortion and gender ideology, and what Biden vowed he would do as president, it is cold comfort that their pro-life office is now speaking up about this Administration's wilful disregard for human life and for God's design of human nature (i.e., two biological sexes). Stated plainly, Joe Biden is as bad as he said he would be, and the bishop, acting in unison (as the USCCB) have an obligation to the Lord (first) and to the faithful (second) to refuse Holy Communion to this grave public sinner. With all due respect to these bishops, they diminish the Holy Eucharist and their high office, as well as cause grave scandal to the faithful, by dialoguing with a man who is promoting mass murder of the unborn against the constant teaching of the Church. A man who continues to use the church as a backdrop for statements about how "Catholic/religious" he is, but, at the same time, is now doing everything in his power to protect the murder of the innocent, needs to publicly repent before dialogue can begin. The bishops should not dialogue with or congratulate someone who has publicly betrayed the Church's teaching and who is leading others astray. It's an embarrassment and a scandal for the bishops to continue to allow him to receive Holy Communion. Please SIGN and SHARE this petition today! ________________________________________________________________________________________________ PETITION UPDATE (12/10/20) Prior to the election on November 3, the U.S. bishops did not address Joe Biden’s anti-Catholic position regarding faith and morals as a unified body. The USCCB, the organization to which every U.S. bishop belongs and which is staffed and led by bishops, remained disgracefully silent in the run-up to the election. What were the bishops afraid of, losing their charitable tax status with the IRS, or being deprived of fat checks from the HHS (immigration programs) and USAID (foreign aid programs)? Or, were they just too cowardly to clearly declare Christ's law to be above man's law and risk the ire of a Joe Biden as president? Either way, the bishops’ lack of clarity in this regard is a terrible scandal in itself and probably greatly contributed to the possible election of a pro-abortion, anti-Catholic Catholic to the presidency. Given the fact that exit polling shows Catholics split their vote 50-50 for Trump and Biden, even a slight deviation in the heavily-Catholic swing-states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania could have produced different results. The bishops could have spoken out against Biden’s pro-abortion stance collectively, but, again, they were overwhelmingly and shamefully silent. Because of this, they will be at least partly responsible for the policies advanced by a Biden administration, in the event that Biden is sworn into office. However, the bishops can, even now, mitigate the damage done by their inaction by taking the following steps: 1) Speak with one voice, as the USCCB, and plainly condemn Biden's pro-abortion stance; 2) Publicly advise Biden not to present himself for Holy Communion because of his scandalous position on abortion and homosexual "marriage;" and, 3) Tell Biden to publicly repent of publicly promoting the wilfull murder of the preborn, sins against nature, and diminishing the natural family. Thankfully, some individual bishops have spoken out forcefully on Biden's scandalous behavior, and his standing in the Church. On November 9, Archbishop Strickland of Tyler, Texas tweeted: “A dark cloud has descended on this nation when the USCCB and Planned Parenthood speak in unison in support of a Biden-Harris administration that supports the slaughter of innocents by abortion for all 9 months of pregnancy.” Additionally, Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver, Colorado and Archbishop Charles Chaput have both declared publicly that Joe Biden “should not receive Holy Communion." But, to add insult to injury, Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C. has said that he will give Holy Communion to Biden because “it’s a matter of the responsibility that I have as the archbishop to be engaged and to be in dialogue with him, even in those areas where we obviously have some differences.” And, Bishop W. Francis Malooly of Wilmington, Delaware and Bishop McElroy of San Diego also congratulated Biden in statements, but they have not indicated whether or not they would administer Holy Communion to him. With all due respect to these bishops, they diminish the Holy Eucharist and their high office, as well as cause grave scandal to the faithful, by dialoguing with a man who is promoting mass murder of the unborn against the constant teaching of the Church. A man who uses the church as a backdrop to make sickening political advertisements about how "Catholic/religious" he is, but, at the same time, says that he will do everything in his power to protect the murder of the innocent, needs to publicly repent before dialogue can begin. The bishops should not dialogue with or congratulate someone who has publicly betrayed the Church's teaching and who is leading others astray. It's an embarrassment and a scandal for the bishops to continue to allow him to receive Holy Communion. Please SIGN and SHARE this petition today! FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-bishops-concerned-about-pro-abortion-biden-previously-hailed-him-as-second-catholic-president https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abp-aquila-backs-call-for-pro-abortion-catholic-joe-biden-to-be-denied-holy-communion?utm_source=top_news&utm_campaign=standard https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/former-philly-archbishop-biden-not-in-full-communion-with-the-catholic-church https://www.thesoutherncross.org/news/bishop-mcelroy-offers-prayers-and-congratulations-to-president-elect-biden/ https://www.ncronline.org/news/politics/us-catholics-weigh-mixed-reaction-biden-win ____________________________________________________________________________ PETITION UPDATE (9/29/20) Cardinal Raymond Burke has stated that Democratic candidate Joe Biden should not receive Holy Communion because of his support for abortion. In an interview for Thomas McKenna's Catholic Action for Faith and Family podcast, Cardinal Burke states the following (starting around 5:00): First of all, I would tell him [Biden] not to approach to receive Holy Communion, out of charity toward him, because that would be a sacrilege and endanger the salvation of his own soul. But, also, he should not approach to receive Holy Communion because he gives scandal to everyone, because if someone says, 'I'm a devout Catholic," and, at the same time is promoting abortion, it gives the impression to others that it's acceptable for a Catholic to be in favor of abortion. Of course, it's absolutely not acceptable, and never has been, and never will be. We give thanks for Cardinal Burke's frankness and clarity. And, we call on every U.S. Catholic bishop to follow Cardinal Burke's lead and call out Joe Biden for his bloody-minded hypocrisy on the issue of abortion. To reiterate: You cannot be a Catholic and support abortion. Thank you for continuing to sign this urgent petition. ___________________________________________________________________________ PETITION UPDATE (8/17/20) The Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, keeps claiming to be Catholic but has said he will do everything in his power to support abortion. And, with his pick of California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, Biden has just cemented abortion into the Democrats' 2020 presidential ticket. Indeed, Harris is vehemently pro-abortion. During her time as attorney general of California, Harris played a key role in defending Planned Parenthood over its sale of aborted baby parts (which violated multiple federal laws, according to undercover video of abortion industry personnel). And, last year, Harris unveiled a plan to essentially force pro-life states to seek permission from the federal government before pro-life laws can take effect. Additionally, Harris has dangerous views on religious liberty and freedom of speech. Harris displayed anti-Catholic bigotry in the confirmation hearings of Judge Brian Buescher. Harris cited his membership in the “all-male society” the Knights of Columbus and its stances against abortion and same-sex “marriage” as grounds for rejecting Buescher for a federal district court in Nebraska. And, David Daleiden, head of the pro-life investigative group Center for Medical Progress, wrote that from his firsthand experience, he considers Harris the “greatest threat to First Amendment civil rights our country has ever seen.” Joe Biden has seriously erred by taking on Kamala Harris as his running mate, further distancing himself from the truths of the Catholic Faith, especially that every life is sacred from conception till natural death. Please CLICK HERE to read an article which details one U.S. bishop's warning about the Biden-Harris ticket. And, please continue to SIGN and SHARE this petition. _________________________________________________________________________________ Of course, these two things are incompatible: you cannot be Catholic and pro-abortion. And, a "Catholic" politician's responsibility in this regard is absolute: On pain of serious sin, he or she can never promote abortion because abortion is the wilful murder of innocent preborn human beings, and also because doing so causes grave scandal to the Church and the faithful. Please SIGN this urgent petition asking the bishops of the United States to refuse to give Holy Communion to Joe Biden until he publicly repents from his scandalous promotion of abortion. Biden recently promised to “codify Roe v. Wade” as president, adding, "my Justice Department will do everything in its power to stop the rash of state laws that so blatantly violate a woman’s protected, constitutional right to choose." And, since starting his latest run for the presidency, Biden also flip-flopped against the Hyde Amendment, saying that he would allow federal funds to be spent on abortion - a position he claimed to be against for more than 40 years. In short, Joe Biden will do everything in his power to enable and defend the wilful murder of innocent preborn human beings. So, this should not be a hard decision for our U.S. bishops. In fact, in another circumstance, it was already done by an Illinois bishop. Indeed, Bishop Paprocki, of Springfield, Illinois, invoked Canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law to withdraw Holy Communion from two Illinois state politicians who had worked to enact radical new abortion legislation in 2019. Canon 915 states: "Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." Of course, no-one, least of all the bishops, wants anyone to be deprived of Holy Communion. A politician who publicly and obstinately advocates for the murder of innocent preborn babies puts himself out-of-communion with the Church and her teaching. Pro-abortion politicians should not think that they can advocate for the murder of the unborn and receive the Body of Christ at the same time. This would be to defile the Eucharist while giving scandal to the faithful. Depriving politicians of Holy Communion is not just meant to prevent scandal; it is also designed to bring a grave public sinner to repentance. In this way, such an action is meant to be for the good of their souls, too. Thank you for SIGNING this urgent petition which calls on the U.S. Catholic bishops to refuse to admit Joe Biden to Holy Communion until he publicly repents from his scandalous promotion of abortion. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joe Biden: I support abortion ‘under any circumstance’ - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/joe-biden-i-support-abortion-under-any-circumstance Catholic priest denies Joe Biden Holy Communion for pro-abortion stance - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-priest-denies-joe-biden-holy-communion-for-pro-abortion-stance Cardinal McCarrick and the Concealing of Rome’s Position on Denying Communion - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-mccarrick-and-the-concealing-of-romes-position-on-denying-communio **Photo Credit: Joshua Roberts / Getty Images Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
This situation, with its lights and shadows, ought to make us all fully aware that we are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the ‘culture of death’ and the ‘culture of life’. We find ourselves not only ‘faced with’ but necessarily ‘in the midst of’ this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life.” — Pope John Paul, II, “Evangelium Vitae”
In the month before the election, Pope Francis produced a 43,000 word letter that has already sown confusion among many faithful Catholics. Notably, it includes a forceful condemnation of the death penalty. This is an ecclesial October surprise that further muddies the waters for Catholics forming their consciences, especially Pope Francis’ recent attempt to change Church teaching regarding the death penalty. It’s important to note, though, that intrinsic evil is wrong at all times, in all situations, and in all ways. Abortion fits that definition. The death penalty does not. God Himself gave prescription for the death penalty for a number of offenses. God does not command us to commit evil. This is a false equivalency that speaks more to political bias than fidelity to truth.
There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.” — Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect for the Doctrine of the Faith and Dean of the College of Cardinals (before he was Pope Benedict XVI)
Scripture tells us there are four sins that cry out to God for vengeance: murder (Gen 4:10), sodomy (Gen 17:20-21), oppression of orphans and widows (Ex 2:23), and cheating laborers of their due (James 5:4). The first two are fundamentally in conflict with the moral law and always wrong no matter how they are conducted. There is no “right” way to do either of them. The latter two are subjects for public policy debates. No political party has a plank in their platform advocating for the oppression of orphans and widows or the cheating of laborers. These sins are only an issue in any election to the extent of conflicting perspectives on public policy. Those in the Church arguing for the “Seamless Garment” approach err in giving equal weight to all of these issues.
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.” — Thomas Jefferson
Dissenting bishops and priests say they need to maintain the Church’s tax-exempt status. How free is the Church when She considers Herself subject to the rules of government? The Church isn’t tax-exempt because of 501c3. She was tax-exempt from the beginning—before churches were added to the code in 1954. The Church is tax-exempt because She pre-dates the government and our Founding Fathers did not want to have government control of churches. It’s that simple. The 501c3 code is a primary example of the way government takes control… government says it is merely codifying an existing relationship and nothing will change. However, once codified, the government holds the threat to rescind the code. What should exist after the rescission is what existed for 200+ years before that… churches are still tax-exempt. That is not what the government says will happen, though, so the Church complies.
Churches were added to the 501c3 code as a tool of control and specifically to silence the Church and other non-profits. Sen. Lyndon Johnson did not like such organizations having a significant influence in shaping public policy. The direct result of this action is the Church has a greatly reduced influence in public life and intrinsic evil has become a staple of public policy. Churches do not have to apply for 501c3 qualification. Almost all qualifying organizations must fill out IRS Forms 990, 1023, and 1024. Churches are not required to file for qualification because they are considered covered by 501c3 automatically. Donations to churches are automatically tax-deductible. Churches have a mandatory exception to filing tax returns. IRS code automatically exempts churches from its requirements.
In short, the bishops of the Catholic Church are voluntarily silent… and misguided. It is not an endorsement of the GOP to point out the evil supported by the Democratic Party. Opposing the sponsors of evil seeking public office doesn’t compromise the authority of the Church. Authority has been compromised by their failure to do so. Will the GOP benefit from such condemnation in a two-party system? Yes. Should this potential benefit silence the bishops? No.
If I say to the wicked, you shall surely die—and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade the wicked from their evil conduct in order to save their lives—then they shall die for their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their blood. – Ez 3:18
The Democrats have made it clear that their priority is preserving Roe v Wade through the Supreme Court. To that end, they oppose anyone proposed by a GOP president—even before the name has been released. When the name is released, it’s axiomatic that the nominee will be mercilessly vilified in Senate confirmation hearings and the Press. Kamala Harris even made issue of a nominee’s membership in the Knights of Columbus. If they take the Senate, they will prevent any more pro-life judges—and try to block faithful Catholic nominees. If Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed prior to the election, Democrats have indicated they will pack the court with left-leaning justices to overcome a conservative tilt. That’s not how our system of government is supposed to work.
For their support of intrinsic evil, the Democrats should lose elections—and lose badly. Bishops should make support for evil the next “third-rail” of politics that no politician or party would ever dare touch again. It isn’t enough that abortion be narrowly defeated in its next Supreme Court challenge. The challenges will simply continue until the court is sympathetic again—or the Democrats pack the court with ideologues. The sponsors of the culture of death must know that the Church will stand against them as long as they promote abortion and other intrinsic evils. They must know this will doom any campaign. This is a lasting message to them and any other party seeking power. That is a pro-life legacy for generations.
“We must not be surprised when we hear of murders, of killings, of wars, of hatred. If a mother can kill her own child, what is left but for us to kill each other? … A nation that kills its children in the womb has lost its soul.” — St Mother Theresa
Unfortunately, the reality is that many bishops and priests are publicly giving support to the Democratic Party. While the Democrats vow in their national platform to cut every barrier to taxpayer funding of abortion, Bishop Stowe of Lexington, KY, called President Trump “anti-life”… because he’s selfish. Bishops have called for canonical penalties for those enforcing immigration laws under this administration. When President Trump advocated for religious liberty at the John Paul II Shrine, Archbishop Gregory called his visit “reprehensible.” Can there be any wonder at the confusion sown among the faithful?
Liberal Catholics don’t listen to conservative voices. They listen to the biased press and the lying politicians. In the absence of truth coming from the bishops, they are acting on those lies. They have been taught to believe that they should form their own consciences and the USCCB’s voting guide has been written vaguely enough to give cover to any position and rationale. Buried near the end of the guide is the statement, “Abortion, the deliberate killing of a human being before birth, is never morally acceptable and must always be opposed.” This should be in the front of the guide as the first hurdle any candidate or party must cross before soliciting Catholic votes. Readers should only go past page one for any political party not supporting abortion and other intrinsic evils. The Democratic Party is one of the greatest advocates for abortion outside of China and they should be opposed by Catholic voters according to the guide published by the bishops. It’s the truth! Bishops should teach it—or at least not silence those who do!
So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin. – James 4:1
Some bishops have spoken out—but none have done so directly. Many note the “pre-eminence” of the issues of life but then water down their statements with other priorities… to be balanced and nuanced. How many issues can be pre-eminent at the same time? Their words are carefully chosen to condemn the issue of abortion while making no mention of the sponsors of abortion. Bishops seem to be in competition with one another to see who can get closest to the full truth of the situation… without crossing that line. In a representative republic, it makes no sense to fight against policies rather than the champions of those policies.
The most direct statement so far was by Fr James Altman of the Diocese of La Crosse who made it very clear that being a Catholic is incompatible with being a Democrat. His message was endorsed by Bishop Strickland of Tyler, TX and “corrected” by his own bishop… for his tone. Despite his correction, Bishop Callahan noted the truth of Fr Altman’s statement. Is there another instance where a priest was publicly reprimanded for his tone in speaking the truth? Once a clear statement has been endorsed, is there any further barrier to an ecclesial proclamation of truth? Why stop there?
It’s good to have priests speaking out… but their views lack the level of authority that comes when a bishop speaks. When a bishop speaks from the authority of his See, then the Church will have spoken… and pray that bishop won’t speak alone. Abortion ends in America the moment the bishops say it ends. They have had the authority, the power, and the responsibility to end it for almost 50 years. There will be cries of “scandal!” when they speak. The real scandal is their silence until now.
What are the bishops waiting for? The enemy of life is right in front of them! Speak the truth and let Christ, Who is Truth personified, go forth in defense of His Bride, the Church!
Patrick Yanke is the author of Defeating the Culture of Death: the Pro-Life Vote
Share


lifesitenews--2020-10-19--Trump, Loeffler urge Senate to confirm FCC nominee who wants to rein in Big Tech

WASHINGTON , D.C. , October 19 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As social media discrimination against conservatives ramps up in the final weeks before the 2020 elections , some conservatives are expressing frustration that Senate Republicans have been slow to act on the nomination of President Donald Trump ’ s latest nominee to the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) , Nathan Simington .
The FCC is the federal agency that regulates interstate and international communications by radio , television , and other means , and is directed by five commissioners .
Breitbart reports that Trump nominated Simington to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Republican appointed by then-President Barack Obama .
O ’ Rielly has expressed doubts that the FCC has the authority to implement a Trump executive order meant to clarify how “ good faith ” is defined as it pertains to internet companies ’ takedown decisions .
Trump had originally re-nominated O ’ Rielly for the post , but withdrew his re-nomination after O ’ Rielly opposed touching the controversial Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act .
By contrast , it is believed Simington , an adviser within the National Telecommunications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more aggressive and reform-minded .
His nomination is said to have already alarmed longtime insiders simply by virtue of their unfamiliarity with him .
The Verge reports that Simington helped draft Trump ’ s executive order .
Trump has urged the Senate to confirm Simington “ ASAP , ” but conservatives have accused the Senate Commerce Committee , headed by Sen. Roger Wicker ( R-MS ) , of being slow to act .
Committee member Sen. John Thune ( R-SD ) initially suggested Trump should re-nominate O ’ Rielly instead , but committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible ” on Simington following coverage of his comments by Breitbart and others .
On October 15 , following Facebook and Twitter taking steps to suppress the circulation of a bombshell New York Post report on emails that appeared to show Hunter Biden selling access to his father , former Vice President and current Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden , Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) said the committee “ must confirm Nathan Simington as quickly as possible , ” as “ an independent voice who will always stand up for the First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally announced hearings on his nomination will begin on November 10 .
“ We know that Big Tech companies are biased against conservatives , and we know they are abusing their Section 230 powers , ” Loeffler said .
“ Currently , these platforms claim to operate like a public forum , but their selective censorship against conservatives makes these platforms content publishers , and they should not be entitled to Section 230 protections .
I have joined colleagues to ask the FCC chairman to re-examine this categorization , and I have introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censorship cold .
”


lifesitenews--2020-10-19--UK set to pass bill allowing police, gov’t agents to break law when ‘necessary’

LONDON , United Kingdom , October 19 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The U.K .
Houses of Parliament look set to soon pass a controversial new bill which would allow public authorities to approve and commit crimes without any clarification or restraints .
The Covert Human Intelligence Sources ( CHIS ) Bill was introduced to Parliament by the Home Secretary Priti Patel , with the much-publicized intention of permitting undercover operatives to break the law .
However , the bill is far more extensive in terms of who it extends such provision to , with a wide variety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force ; The National Crime Agency ; The Serious Fraud Office ; Any of the intelligence services ; Any of Her Majesty ’ s forces ; Revenue and Customs ; Her Majesty ’ s Revenue and Customs ; The Department of Health and Social Care ; The Home Office ; The Ministry of Justice ; The Competition and Markets Authority ; The Environment Agency ; The Financial Conduct Authority ; The Food Standards Agency ; The Gambling Commission.
” The bill proposes that criminal activity would thus be permitted for members of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document states that it is to : “ make provision for , and in connection with , the authorisation of criminal conduct in the course of , or otherwise in connection with , the conduct of covert human intelligence sources.
” The CHIS bill is deliberately vague about what crimes are to be permitted , stating that criminal conduct is necessary if it is “ in the interests of national security ; for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime or of preventing disorder ; or in the interests of the economic well-being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agent may grant permission for criminal activity , providing that he merely “ believes ” it to be necessary in accordance with the prescriptions mentioned .
No substantial proof seems to be required .
Whilst it purports to be in agreement with the Human Rights Act 1998 ( HRA ) which forbids murder and torture , the bill also provides the caveat that criminal action is allowed as long as it is proportionate to the end required : “ that the authorised conduct is proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed bill , prepared by five human rights organizations , mentions some major concerns regarding the legislation .
It warns that the new bill contains “ no express prohibition on authorising crimes that would constitute human rights violations , including murder , torture ( e.g .
punishment shootings ) , kidnap , or sexual offences , or on conduct that would interfere with the course of justice.
” This is in contrast to equivalent legislation in the U.S and Canada , which does forbid murder , rape , and torture .
The briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill apparently stating its alignment with the Human Rights Act , there is a loophole which could see the U.K. Government ignoring the act : “ The Bill relies on the Human Rights Act as a safeguard , despite the Government making clear that it does not believe that the Human Rights Act applies to abuses committed by its agents , even torture.
” Continuing , the briefing states : “ the HRA can not be seen as a safeguard against the authorisation of agent criminality because the Government has in fact taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the HRA does not apply to crimes committed by its covert agents.
” ‘ It ’ s hugely worrying that we ’ re a step closer to seeing this deeply dangerous bill become law .
MPs are signing off on a licence for government agencies to authorise torture and murder.
’ The document further warns that the safeguards which will be established in authorizing criminal activity are less stringent than those necessary for permitting phone tapping : “ The arrangements for authorisation oversight and post-operational accountability are weaker than those for phone tapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving potentially far more harmful conduct.
” David Kurten , a prominent pro-life candidate for London Mayor election 2021 , termed the CHIS bill as the “ latest utter abuse of power ” by the government .
Amnesty International also condemned the bill at its introduction , and after it passed the third reading : “ It ’ s hugely worrying that we ’ re a step closer to seeing this deeply dangerous bill become law .
MPs are signing off on a licence for government agencies to authorise torture and murder.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of a 2019 decision , dubbed the Third Direction case , which ruled that undercover agents and informants could legally break the law in certain occasions .
The decision was made with a majority of 3-2 , prompting the government to rush the CHIS bill through parliament before any legal challenge could successfully be made .
After having passed the final stage in the House of Commons , by a vote of 313-98 , the new CHIS bill will now proceed to the House of Lords for further debate .

Human rights groups have criticized a U.K. bill likely to become law which will allow criminal actions by government agencies.
LONDON, United Kingdom, October 19, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The U.K. Houses of Parliament look set to soon pass a controversial new bill which would allow public authorities to approve and commit crimes without any clarification or restraints.
The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) Bill was introduced to Parliament by the Home Secretary Priti Patel, with the much-publicized intention of permitting undercover operatives to break the law.
However, the bill is far more extensive in terms of who it extends such provision to, with a wide variety of governmental departments listed: “Any police force; The National Crime Agency; The Serious Fraud Office; Any of the intelligence services; Any of Her Majesty’s forces; Revenue and Customs; Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs; The Department of Health and Social Care; The Home Office; The Ministry of Justice; The Competition and Markets Authority; The Environment Agency; The Financial Conduct Authority; The Food Standards Agency; The Gambling Commission.”
The bill proposes that criminal activity would thus be permitted for members of all these bodies. The summary of the document states that it is to: “make provision for, and in connection with, the authorisation of criminal conduct in the course of, or otherwise in connection with, the conduct of covert human intelligence sources.”
The CHIS bill is deliberately vague about what crimes are to be permitted, stating that criminal conduct is necessary if it is “in the interests of national security; for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime or of preventing disorder; or in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom.”
Any government agent may grant permission for criminal activity, providing that he merely “believes” it to be necessary in accordance with the prescriptions mentioned. No substantial proof seems to be required.
Whilst it purports to be in agreement with the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) which forbids murder and torture, the bill also provides the caveat that criminal action is allowed as long as it is proportionate to the end required: “that the authorised conduct is proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by that conduct.”
A briefing about the proposed bill, prepared by five human rights organizations, mentions some major concerns regarding the legislation. It warns that the new bill contains “no express prohibition on authorising crimes that would constitute human rights violations, including murder, torture (e.g. punishment shootings), kidnap, or sexual offences, or on conduct that would interfere with the course of justice.”
This is in contrast to equivalent legislation in the U.S and Canada, which does forbid murder, rape, and torture.
The briefing also points out that despite the CHIS bill apparently stating its alignment with the Human Rights Act, there is a loophole which could see the U.K. Government ignoring the act: “The Bill relies on the Human Rights Act as a safeguard, despite the Government making clear that it does not believe that the Human Rights Act applies to abuses committed by its agents, even torture.”
Continuing, the briefing states: “the HRA cannot be seen as a safeguard against the authorisation of agent criminality because the Government has in fact taken the (fundamentally wrong) position that the HRA does not apply to crimes committed by its covert agents.”
‘It’s hugely worrying that we’re a step closer to seeing this deeply dangerous bill become law. MPs are signing off on a licence for government agencies to authorise torture and murder.’
The document further warns that the safeguards which will be established in authorizing criminal activity are less stringent than those necessary for permitting phone tapping: “The arrangements for authorisation oversight and post-operational accountability are weaker than those for phone tapping or searches by law enforcement, despite involving potentially far more harmful conduct.”
David Kurten, a prominent pro-life candidate for London Mayor election 2021, termed the CHIS bill as the “latest utter abuse of power” by the government.
Amnesty International also condemned the bill at its introduction, and after it passed the third reading: “It’s hugely worrying that we’re a step closer to seeing this deeply dangerous bill become law. MPs are signing off on a licence for government agencies to authorise torture and murder.”
The bill has come about as a result of a 2019 decision, dubbed the Third Direction case, which ruled that undercover agents and informants could legally break the law in certain occasions. The decision was made with a majority of 3-2, prompting the government to rush the CHIS bill through parliament before any legal challenge could successfully be made.
After having passed the final stage in the House of Commons, by a vote of 313-98, the new CHIS bill will now proceed to the House of Lords for further debate.
— Article continues below Petition — PETITION: No to government and corporate penalties for refusing COVID-19 vaccine Show Petition Text 103183 have signed the petition. Let's get to 125000 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition **Photo credit: Shutterstock.com Mainstream media sources are promoting offensive suggestions by some doctors that people who refuse a vaccine for COVID-19 should be "punished" by the government and by business - effectively coercing them into taking the vaccine. One group of doctors writing in 'USA Today' suggested that the government impose special taxes (i.e., fines) on people who refuse the vaccination and that business simply refuse to serve them. [see story below]
Another doctor writing in an online publication called 'The Conversation' shamelessly suggested that people who refuse a vaccine should be given a psychoactive drug to induce compliance. [see story below] But, these suggestions are plain political posturing, and have nothing to do with science or with the recent trends of the disease. And, in case they haven't noticed, we live in a democracy not a medical dictatorship! Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks policy-makers and business people, at all levels, to pledge to respect the rights of those who, in good conscience, decide not to vaccinate themselves or their children. People should not have to live in fear of governmental or corporate retribution for refusing a vaccine which is being rushed to market by Big Pharma and their fellow-travelers in NGOs, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It would be intolerable and immoral for the government or business to coerce someone, and their family, to take a COVID vaccine against their will to avoid a fine, or just so they can do their weekly grocery shopping. Medical freedom must be respected in principle and also in practice. So, it is now time that our policy-makers listen to all voices involved in this vital conversation, and start to represent those who will not tolerate being punished for refusing a vaccine. Simply put, legislatures must begin to act as legislatures again. Questions must be asked. Hearings and investigations must be held. And, the legislatures of each state and country must return to the business of representing the people who voted for them, assuming their rightful place as the originator of legislation. We can no longer accept the dictates of executive branches without question, especially now that, statistically speaking, the initial brunt of the COVID crisis has passed. Neither can we accept the dictates of doctors who seem detached from reality and from science, and who only seem to be attached to the idea of promoting ideas which contribute to the agrandizement of power and control of political interests, and wealth of those who stand to make a lot of money from the sale of a COVID vaccine. Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks government and business leaders to pledge to respect the rights of those who refuse a COVID vaccine, and not seek to punish them for doing so. FOR MORE INFORMATION: 'Doctors lay out plan to ‘punish’ people who refuse coronavirus vaccine: ‘There is no alternative’' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/doctors-lay-out-plan-to-punish-people-who-refuse-coronavirus-vaccine-there-is-no-alternative 'US professor: ‘Psychoactive pill’ should be covertly administered to ensure lockdown compliance' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-professor-ensure-lockdown-compliance-by-drugging-dissenters-with-psychoactive-pill Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
Share


lifesitenews--2020-10-19--NY Times attacks satire site for ‘misinformation under the guise of comedy’

October 19 , 2020 ( NewsBusters ) — Thou shalt not mock the left , certainly not with an election looming .
In Saturday ’ s New York Times , tech reporter Kevin Roose talked with Times reporter Emma Goldberg about her previous humor-impaired article regarding The Babylon Bee ’ s brand of satire , which is controversial among the left and the media because unlike The Onion it mocks political figures and ideas other than Donald Trump and the GOP .
Roose ’ s piece appeared under the hostile but representative headline “ How The Babylon Bee , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The paper blurbed Roose ’ s story on Saturday ’ s front page under the heading “ Distortions.
” The print headline was no less hostile : “ A Right-Wing Satire Site That Sometimes Tricks a Bit Too Well.
” The site recently received renewed interest after Trump forwarded a Babylon Bee piece that referenced the social-media squelched New York Post story on Hunter Biden .
Goldberg actually came off more sympathetic to The Babylon Bee ’ s satirical strategy than Roose , who always managed to discover , or at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right .
His treatment strongly hinted that previous social media moves to fact-check the Bee had validity : On Friday , President Trump tweeted a story from an unusual source : The Babylon Bee , a right-wing satire site that is often described as a conservative version of The Onion .
“ Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network to Slow Spread of Negative Biden News , ” read the story ’ s headline .
The story was a joke , but it was unclear whether Mr. Trump knew that when he shared the link @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this has never been done in history.
” I chatted with Ms. Goldberg about her article , The Babylon Bee ’ s habit of skirting the line between misinformation and satire , and how it capitalizes on its audience ’ s confusion .
Some of Roose ’ s clueless questions are in italics , followed by Goldberg ’ s almost-as-silly replies : KR : So this is a blog about distortions and misinformation , and one thing I ’ ve noticed recently is that a lot of The Babylon Bee ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the ones that are … less obviously satirical .
EG : Totally .
And that ’ s landed them in some hot water .
KR : Like , one from the other day was called “ NBA Players Wear Special Lace Collars to Honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
” EG : People were sharing that thinking it was real .
The very fact that Roose considered the NBA-RBG tribute story believable suggested his own leftist gullibility .
He also huffed about how The Babylon Bee being “ a satire site ” was some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid Facebook ’ s “ fact-checking ” program , which of course is tilted toward Biden , accusing the Bee of “ misinformation under the guise of comedy.
” Such judgmental handwringing over that rare bird — a right-wing satire site — has become even more newsworthy , now that Facebook has apparently blocked a Babylon Bee story claiming Senator Mazie Hirono ( D-HI ) had accused Amy Coney Barrett of witchcraft during her Senate hearings .
The supposedly misleading headline : “ Senator Hirono Demands ACB Be Weighed Against A Duck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The smart folks at Facebook evidently can ’ t recognize a Monty Python tribute , or that there were no ducks involved in the hearings .
Roose and Goldberg blamed The Babylon Bee for the stupidity of Snopes and the gullibility of some online readers : KR : I ’ m wondering the extent to which being a satire site — which makes them exempt from Facebook ’ s fact-checking program — has allowed them to traffic in misinformation under the guise of comedy .
Do you think that ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s a great question , because it ’ s been a big source of controversy for them .
They ’ ve had a few articles that were fact-checked by Snopes and rated “ false.
” Which The Bee ’ s writers and editors claim prompted Facebook to threaten them with being demonetized ( Facebook denies this ) .
The Bee ’ s founder , Adam Ford , has claimed that Snopes fact-checked them in ways that were “ egregious , ” with standards that wouldn ’ t be applied to , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bee feels that they ’ re being targeted unfairly .
But Snopes has poked at the fact that their pieces can sometimes be easily mistaken for real news — which might fall on them , not their readers .
Before putting us out of our misery , here was Roose ’ s last question : “ So what I ’ m taking from this conversation is : The Babylon Bee is not a covert disinformation operation disguised as a right-wing satire site , and is in fact trying to do comedy , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people take their stories too seriously ?
” What ?
!
Can you imagine this lecturing disapproval about liberal satire sites like The Onion or The Hard Times ?