lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Everything you need to know about the coronavirus from a China expert

February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — In January , the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency .
Since then , cases of the coronavirus have been reported across the globe , and drastic measures are being taken to quarantine people who have potentially been exposed to the virus .
The U.S. recently evacuated over 300 people , 14 of whom tested positive for coronavirus , after they were held on a travel ban after being stuck on a cruise ship .
And despite all the frenzy to quarantine those possibly exposed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , the source of the outbreak .
What China is telling the world is also being called into question after China attempted to hide from the world the first few cases of coronavirus that were reported as early as November .
In a special segment for The John-Henry Westen Show , John-Henry Westen interviews the leading expert on China , Steve Mosher , about what is really going on with the coronavirus .
Mosher is the president of the Population Research Institute and is the person who exposed China ’ s forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also exposed China ’ s ghastly organ-harvesting protocols .
Mosher is a Stanford graduate with advanced degrees in biological oceanography , East Asian studies , and cultural anthropology .
In 1979 , he was selected by the National Science Foundation to be the first social scientist to do field research in China .
The horrific things Mosher discovered were happening in China surprised the world and , and his work has made him one of the few Americans who has firsthand experience regarding what is actually happening in China .
Mosher begins by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coronavirus gets its name from its crown-like extensions .
These extensions are what allow the virus to attach to cells in our body , infect them , and replicate , which is what causes the symptoms , such as a cough , etc .
What is odd about the coronavirus , Moher shares , is that it has not been seen before .
Many viruses are a mutation or variation of another virus .
With the coronavirus , this is not the case .
It “ bears some resemblance ” to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the source of the virus is still unknown .
The virus is spread by three methods : touching a surface containing the live virus ( from an infected person who touched the same surface ) , through coughing , and through aerosol transmission .
Aerosol transmission means that tiny water droplets in the air containing the virus can stay alive for some time .
Mosher emphasizes the misinformation being spread by the Chinese government , who originally hid the outbreak , allowing it to kill countless Chinese people , until it reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infection and the first death on January 20 .
We know , however , that by January 2 , universities and local institutions in Shanghai , 200 miles east of Wuhan , the source of the outbreak , were already warning people against travel and welcoming strangers and were taking precautions against what they called a raging outbreak .
Yet it took the Chinese government three more weeks to admit the first death to the world .
This lying has brought into question the figures the Chinese government has shared with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of those infected .
The government has reported 2,000 deaths and 70,000 infected individuals , but many , including Mosher , speculate that the figures must be much larger , considering that the outbreak has been raging for many months already .
Mosher tells listeners that if the outbreak had begun on December 20 , as is speculated , and spread at its current expansion rate , more than half a million people would be infected , and the death toll would be at or above 30,000 lives .
Mosher does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s poor handling of the outbreak , it is well contained in the U.S .
Researchers are developing more advanced methods of testing for the virus daily , and a vaccine is being worked on .
Additionally , the coronavirus has a mortality rate of only around 2 % , meaning that only two in every 100 people infected will die , as compared to the 10 % mortality rate of SARS .
Recently , Senator Tom Cotton ( R-Ark . )
went on Fox News claiming that the virus originated from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mosher agrees .
“ We can be fairly certain that the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
” Mosher shares two reasons we can be certain the coronavirus came from the Wuhan lab .
The first is the Chinese bioweapon research program .
The Chinese themselves have admitted to researching and creating bio-weapons that target specific ethnicities .
Laboratories must meet certain requirements to be capable of handling highly dangerous , volatile , or transmittable diseases .
The Wuhan lab is the only lab in China that meets those criteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well known fact that the Chinese carry out all their most advanced research at the Wuhan lab .
They even stole dangerous viruses from Canada in early 2019 and sent them to the Wuhan lab .
Secondly , Mosher points to the Chinese government ’ s call on February 14 for stronger safety measures for lab biosafety .
Xi Jinping referenced the coronavirus outbreak and said biohazard lab safety is a national security issue and must be treated as such .
The following day , the government issued new safety and security measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Science and Technology of China rolled out new regulations which are called strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses at the same level as the new coronavirus.
” Mosher highlights the poor security protocols of the Chinese labs that in 2004 allowed the extremely dangerous SARS virus to escape their labs twice , causing small centers of infection and numerous deaths .
Mosher claims that this entire epidemic was caused by the incompetence of the Wuhan laboratory and the Chinese government .
Mosher argues that the virus was transported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the government ’ s attempts to cover up the outbreak delayed treatment and allowed the virus to spread .
A swifter response could have saved tens of thousands of lives .
The WHO ’ s delayed response in calling for travel bans and quarantines only added to the Chinese incompetence .
Additionally , the Wuhan Institute of Virology is only a few miles from the seafood market being blamed as the source of the outbreak .
Mosher highlights the fact that originally , the sale of snakes was blamed for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not carry the coronavirus .
Then the sale of bat soup was blamed as the source of the outbreak , but bats are in hibernation in November and December , and bat soup is not sold in the market during that time .
Also , genetic analysis shows that bats don ’ t carry any coronavirus similar to the one that is causing the current outbreak .
Listen to the full interview here : Mosher warns people of the health threat China poses to the world .
China , specifically Wuhan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs sold in North America .
Additionally , China ’ s poor lab standards and carelessness seem to cause frequent escape of extremely dangerous pathogens .
The world , and especially the U.S. , needs to be prepared for the health threat posed by China .
Finally , Mosher warns against the Communist Party itself .
With the great famine of the 1960s , the political purges of the ’ 50s , ’ 60s , and ’ 70s , the one-child policy with forced abortions , and so much more , Mosher attributes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 million people .
The director of National Health Services outlined the Chinese government ’ s priorities as 1 ) politics , 2 ) safety , and 3 ) a cure .
Mosher shares brutal stories of how the government is working to keep people “ safe ” by physically removing those who are possibly infected with the coronavirus and forcing them into detention centers guarded by police .
Saving tens of thousands of Chinese lives by finding a cure for the coronavirus comes after ensuring the health of the Communist Party and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus epidemic will serve as the breaking point for the Chinese people and lead to the overthrow of the Communist Party .

John-Henry Westen interviews the leading expert on China, Steve Mosher, about what is really going on with the coronavirus.
PRAYER PLEDGE: VP Pence is right. We need prayer to fight coronavirus, not political antics! Sign the petition here.
February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — In January, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency. Since then, cases of the coronavirus have been reported across the globe, and drastic measures are being taken to quarantine people who have potentially been exposed to the virus.
The U.S. recently evacuated over 300 people, 14 of whom tested positive for coronavirus, after they were held on a travel ban after being stuck on a cruise ship.
And despite all the frenzy to quarantine those possibly exposed to the virus, little is being heard from China, the source of the outbreak. What China is telling the world is also being called into question after China attempted to hide from the world the first few cases of coronavirus that were reported as early as November.
In a special segment for The John-Henry Westen Show, John-Henry Westen interviews the leading expert on China, Steve Mosher, about what is really going on with the coronavirus. Mosher is the president of the Population Research Institute and is the person who exposed China’s forced abortion policy to the world. He also exposed China’s ghastly organ-harvesting protocols.
Mosher is a Stanford graduate with advanced degrees in biological oceanography, East Asian studies, and cultural anthropology. In 1979, he was selected by the National Science Foundation to be the first social scientist to do field research in China. The horrific things Mosher discovered were happening in China surprised the world and, and his work has made him one of the few Americans who has firsthand experience regarding what is actually happening in China.
Mosher begins by sharing some background on the coronavirus. The coronavirus gets its name from its crown-like extensions. These extensions are what allow the virus to attach to cells in our body, infect them, and replicate, which is what causes the symptoms, such as a cough, etc.
Watch the full interview here:
What is odd about the coronavirus, Moher shares, is that it has not been seen before. Many viruses are a mutation or variation of another virus. With the coronavirus, this is not the case. It “bears some resemblance” to a virus found in rats and bats, but the source of the virus is still unknown.
The virus is spread by three methods: touching a surface containing the live virus (from an infected person who touched the same surface), through coughing, and through aerosol transmission. Aerosol transmission means that tiny water droplets in the air containing the virus can stay alive for some time.
Mosher emphasizes the misinformation being spread by the Chinese government, who originally hid the outbreak, allowing it to kill countless Chinese people, until it reached epidemic proportions. The Chinese government reported the infection and the first death on January 20.
We know, however, that by January 2, universities and local institutions in Shanghai, 200 miles east of Wuhan, the source of the outbreak, were already warning people against travel and welcoming strangers and were taking precautions against what they called a raging outbreak. Yet it took the Chinese government three more weeks to admit the first death to the world.
This lying has brought into question the figures the Chinese government has shared with the world about the number of deaths and the number of those infected. The government has reported 2,000 deaths and 70,000 infected individuals, but many, including Mosher, speculate that the figures must be much larger, considering that the outbreak has been raging for many months already.
Mosher tells listeners that if the outbreak had begun on December 20, as is speculated, and spread at its current expansion rate, more than half a million people would be infected, and the death toll would be at or above 30,000 lives.
Mosher does reassure listeners that despite the Chinese government’s poor handling of the outbreak, it is well contained in the U.S. Researchers are developing more advanced methods of testing for the virus daily, and a vaccine is being worked on. Additionally, the coronavirus has a mortality rate of only around 2%, meaning that only two in every 100 people infected will die, as compared to the 10% mortality rate of SARS.
Recently, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) went on Fox News claiming that the virus originated from a high security biomedical lab in Wuhan. Mosher agrees. “We can be fairly certain that the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
Mosher shares two reasons we can be certain the coronavirus came from the Wuhan lab. The first is the Chinese bioweapon research program. The Chinese themselves have admitted to researching and creating bio-weapons that target specific ethnicities. Laboratories must meet certain requirements to be capable of handling highly dangerous, volatile, or transmittable diseases. The Wuhan lab is the only lab in China that meets those criteria.
Mosher shares that it is a well known fact that the Chinese carry out all their most advanced research at the Wuhan lab. They even stole dangerous viruses from Canada in early 2019 and sent them to the Wuhan lab.
Secondly, Mosher points to the Chinese government’s call on February 14 for stronger safety measures for lab biosafety. Xi Jinping referenced the coronavirus outbreak and said biohazard lab safety is a national security issue and must be treated as such. The following day, the government issued new safety and security measures for biohazard laboratories.
“The Ministry of Science and Technology of China rolled out new regulations which are called strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses at the same level as the new coronavirus.”
Mosher highlights the poor security protocols of the Chinese labs that in 2004 allowed the extremely dangerous SARS virus to escape their labs twice, causing small centers of infection and numerous deaths.
Mosher claims that this entire epidemic was caused by the incompetence of the Wuhan laboratory and the Chinese government.
“This is a man-made epidemic.”
Mosher argues that the virus was transported out of the lab due to incompetence and that the government’s attempts to cover up the outbreak delayed treatment and allowed the virus to spread. A swifter response could have saved tens of thousands of lives. The WHO’s delayed response in calling for travel bans and quarantines only added to the Chinese incompetence.
Additionally, the Wuhan Institute of Virology is only a few miles from the seafood market being blamed as the source of the outbreak. Mosher highlights the fact that originally, the sale of snakes was blamed for the coronavirus, but research shows that snakes do not carry the coronavirus.
Then the sale of bat soup was blamed as the source of the outbreak, but bats are in hibernation in November and December, and bat soup is not sold in the market during that time. Also, genetic analysis shows that bats don’t carry any coronavirus similar to the one that is causing the current outbreak.
Listen to the full interview here:
Mosher warns people of the health threat China poses to the world. China, specifically Wuhan and its province, produce most of the drugs sold in North America. Additionally, China’s poor lab standards and carelessness seem to cause frequent escape of extremely dangerous pathogens. The world, and especially the U.S., needs to be prepared for the health threat posed by China.
Finally, Mosher warns against the Communist Party itself. With the great famine of the 1960s, the political purges of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, the one-child policy with forced abortions, and so much more, Mosher attributes the Chinese Communist Party with killing over 500 million people.
The director of National Health Services outlined the Chinese government’s priorities as 1) politics, 2) safety, and 3) a cure. Mosher shares brutal stories of how the government is working to keep people “safe” by physically removing those who are possibly infected with the coronavirus and forcing them into detention centers guarded by police. Saving tens of thousands of Chinese lives by finding a cure for the coronavirus comes after ensuring the health of the Communist Party and “safety.”
Mosher hopes that perhaps the coronavirus epidemic will serve as the breaking point for the Chinese people and lead to the overthrow of the Communist Party.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Is Pope Francis ‘angry’ with pro-LGBT priest Fr. James Martin? U.S. bishops at odds

SANTA FE , New Mexico , February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― A U.S. archbishop is denying a report claiming that Pope Francis expressed anger towards Fr .
James Martin at a meeting of American bishops earlier this month .
The original report , published Thursday by Catholic News Agency ( CNA ) based on accounts from unnamed bishops who attended the meeting , sparked considerable discussion given the prominent backing Fr .
Martin has received from the Vatican under Pope Francis .
In a statement today at the National Catholic Reporter , Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wester was at the meeting with Samuel Joseph Aquila , Archbishop of Denver ; Steven Biegler , Bishop of Cheyenne ; Michael John Sheridan , Bishop of Colorado Springs ; Stephen Jay Berg , Bishop of Pueblo ; Oscar Azarcon Solis , Bishop of Salt Lake City ; James S. Wall , Bishop of Gallup ; Peter Baldacchino , Bishop of Las Cruces ; Thomas James Olmsted , Bishop of Phoenix ; and Edward Joseph Weisenburger , Bishop of Tucson , as well as Bishops Emeriti from the area .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis discussed Fr .
James Martin at his February 10 meeting with bishops from the American Southwest .
An unnamed bishop said that the pontiff was “ most displeased about the whole subject of Fr .
Martin and how their encounter had been used.
” He added that Pope Francis ’ s “ anger was very clear ” and that the pontiff “ felt he ’ d been used.
” Wester , however , says that he was present at this meeting and that “ the general tone of the Pope 's responses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angry ... ” “ [ N ] or do I remember the Pope saying or implying that he was unhappy with Father Martin or his ministry , ” he continued .
The CNA piece stated that Pope Francis had discussed his September 30 meeting with Fr .
Martin , a pro-LGBT Jesuit priest , but Wester has stated that it was several of his fellow bishops , not the pope , who brought him up .
Pope Francis ’ s supposed displeasure with Martin was a strong feature of the CNA article , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin the pontiff was upset with but “ the way others tried to use that encounter , one way or the other.
” “ In my view , the language subtlety , yet incorrectly , leads the reader to believe that Father Martin was the issue while in fact it was how others used their meeting that was in play.
” Wester , a strong advocate of Martin ’ s LGBT advocacy , stressed that he has “ no memory at all ” of Pope Francis being “ angry , upset or annoyed.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unnamed bishop as saying that Francis told the groups that he did not intend his meeting with Martin “ to convey any significance.
” The Archbishop of Santa Fe , however , says that he does not remember Francis saying that .
Finally , one of the bishops who spoke to CNA purportedly said that Pope Francis has told them “ that the matter had been dealt with ; that Fr .
Martin had been given a 'talking to ' and that his superiors had also been spoken to and made the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denies Francis said anything like this .
“ Not at all true from my vantage point , ” he wrote .
“ The Pope never said Father Martin was given a ‘ talking to , ’ nor did he say that he spoke to his superiors regarding him , ” he continued .
“ I vaguely remember some mention of people in leadership trying to clarify any misunderstandings about his ministry .
This may refer to an article he wrote in America about a year ago regarding his ministry .
In it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways in which his ministry was not contrary to Church teaching but in keeping with the Church 's mission and Gospel mandate.
” In his account , Wester stressed that CNA ’ s sources had been anonymous , a point not lost on Martin ’ s biographer Jon M. Sweeney .
Earlier today Sweeney tweeted his anger over the CNA piece .
“ This is disgraceful disinformation fueled by blind quotes that I 'm prepared to assume JD Flynn simply made up , ” he posted .
JD Flynn , the editor-in-chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fr .
Martin 's biographer is making a very serious charge.
” James Martin , SJ .
himself has weighed in , tweeting : “ Grateful to Archbishop Wester for going on the record to set the record straight about anonymous comments in a recent @ cnalive article .
( Also , I never heard anything negative from Jesuit superiors , nor was I ever given a ‘ talking to.
’ That 's also false . )
” Martin has strong support in the Vatican , among U.S. Bishops Martin ’ s private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September 30 for over 30 minutes in the papal library of the Apostolic Palace .
America , the magazine for which Martin is “ editor-at-large ” reported that Pope Francis invited Martin to the late-morning meeting during his greeting with members of the Holy See ’ s Dicastery for Communications .
This was not an unusual show of favor ; Martin was appointed a consultant to this department in 2017 .
Martin was also invited to speak at the Vatican ’ s 2018 World Meeting of Families .
He has been invited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-LGBT Building a Bridge has been endorsed by three U.S. prelates created cardinal by Francis : Blase Cupich of Chicago , Joseph Tobin of Newark , and Kevin Farrell , Prefect of the Vatican ’ s Dicastery for the Laity , Family and Life and Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church .
Martin ’ s work has also been endorsed by Bishop Jon Stowe of Lexington , Kentucky ; retired Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston ; Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland , New Zealand ; Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fe , New Mexico .
America interpreted the September 30 meeting as a “ highly significant public statement of support and encouragement ” for Pope Francis ’ fellow Jesuit .
Martin himself saw it as “ a sign of the Holy Father ’ s care for L.G.B.T .
people , ” support for his LGBT ministry , and an increase in his status .
Martin tweeted the news and photograph of his meeting with the pope the day it happened and again on October 30 , stating that the meeting was a sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also discussed the meeting in detail at a November 3 meeting for Catholics who identify as LGBT at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan .
According to investigative reporter George Neumayr , Martin “ bragged ” to the LGBT group of the respect he was getting from bishops thanks to his meeting with the pope .
`` Every bishop in the world saw the photo of us together , ” Martin apparently said .
`` This is a pope who uses signs to communicate .
The meeting with him gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Neumayr reported that Martin told his hearers that that Vatican is still a “ court ” and that those whom the pope “ favors with a meeting rise in it.
” “ He said that the day after his meeting with the pope he met with members of the Congregation for Education to complain about a document it produced on ’ gender ideology ’ .
According to him , they were eager to listen , having been wowed by his meeting with the pontiff the day before , ” Neumayr wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Martin but has not yet received a response .
CNA Editor JD Flynn declined to comment .

After unnamed bishops claimed the Pope felt 'used' by the priest, an archbishop has come out denying the account.
SANTA FE, New Mexico, February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― A U.S. archbishop is denying a report claiming that Pope Francis expressed anger towards Fr. James Martin at a meeting of American bishops earlier this month.
The original report, published Thursday by Catholic News Agency (CNA) based on accounts from unnamed bishops who attended the meeting, sparked considerable discussion given the prominent backing Fr. Martin has received from the Vatican under Pope Francis.
In a statement today at the National Catholic Reporter, Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester denies the veracity of the CNA story.
Wester was at the meeting with Samuel Joseph Aquila, Archbishop of Denver; Steven Biegler, Bishop of Cheyenne; Michael John Sheridan, Bishop of Colorado Springs; Stephen Jay Berg, Bishop of Pueblo; Oscar Azarcon Solis, Bishop of Salt Lake City; James S. Wall, Bishop of Gallup; Peter Baldacchino, Bishop of Las Cruces; Thomas James Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix; and Edward Joseph Weisenburger, Bishop of Tucson, as well as Bishops Emeriti from the area.
According to CNA’s episcopal sources, Pope Francis discussed Fr. James Martin at his February 10 meeting with bishops from the American Southwest. An unnamed bishop said that the pontiff was “most displeased about the whole subject of Fr. Martin and how their encounter had been used.” He added that Pope Francis’s “anger was very clear” and that the pontiff “felt he’d been used.”
Wester, however, says that he was present at this meeting and that “the general tone of the Pope's responses to issues raised with him was never angry…”
“[N]or do I remember the Pope saying or implying that he was unhappy with Father Martin or his ministry,” he continued.
The CNA piece stated that Pope Francis had discussed his September 30 meeting with Fr. Martin, a pro-LGBT Jesuit priest, but Wester has stated that it was several of his fellow bishops, not the pope, who brought him up.
Pope Francis’s supposed displeasure with Martin was a strong feature of the CNA article, but Wester says that it was not Martin the pontiff was upset with but “the way others tried to use that encounter, one way or the other.”
“In my view, the language subtlety, yet incorrectly, leads the reader to believe that Father Martin was the issue while in fact it was how others used their meeting that was in play.”
Wester, a strong advocate of Martin’s LGBT advocacy, stressed that he has “no memory at all” of Pope Francis being “angry, upset or annoyed.”
The CNA piece also quoted an unnamed bishop as saying that Francis told the groups that he did not intend his meeting with Martin “to convey any significance.” The Archbishop of Santa Fe, however, says that he does not remember Francis saying that.
Finally, one of the bishops who spoke to CNA purportedly said that Pope Francis has told them “that the matter had been dealt with; that Fr. Martin had been given a 'talking to' and that his superiors had also been spoken to and made the situation perfectly clear to him.” Wester denies Francis said anything like this.
“Not at all true from my vantage point,” he wrote.
“The Pope never said Father Martin was given a ‘talking to,’ nor did he say that he spoke to his superiors regarding him,” he continued.
“I vaguely remember some mention of people in leadership trying to clarify any misunderstandings about his ministry. This may refer to an article he wrote in America about a year ago regarding his ministry. In it, as I recall, he detailed the ways in which his ministry was not contrary to Church teaching but in keeping with the Church's mission and Gospel mandate.”
In his account, Wester stressed that CNA’s sources had been anonymous, a point not lost on Martin’s biographer Jon M. Sweeney. Earlier today Sweeney tweeted his anger over the CNA piece.
“This is disgraceful disinformation fueled by blind quotes that I'm prepared to assume JD Flynn simply made up,” he posted.
JD Flynn, the editor-in-chief of CNA, fired back, tweeting “Fr. Martin's biographer is making a very serious charge.”
James Martin, SJ. himself has weighed in, tweeting: “Grateful to Archbishop Wester for going on the record to set the record straight about anonymous comments in a recent @cnalive article. (Also, I never heard anything negative from Jesuit superiors, nor was I ever given a ‘talking to.’ That's also false.)”
Martin has strong support in the Vatican, among U.S. Bishops
Martin’s private audience with the pontiff took place on September 30 for over 30 minutes in the papal library of the Apostolic Palace. America, the magazine for which Martin is “editor-at-large” reported that Pope Francis invited Martin to the late-morning meeting during his greeting with members of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communications.
This was not an unusual show of favor; Martin was appointed a consultant to this department in 2017. Martin was also invited to speak at the Vatican’s 2018 World Meeting of Families. He has been invited to speak in several dioceses, and his pro-LGBT Building a Bridge has been endorsed by three U.S. prelates created cardinal by Francis: Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, and Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church. Martin’s work has also been endorsed by Bishop Jon Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky; retired Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston; Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland, New Zealand; Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego; and the abovementioned Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
America interpreted the September 30 meeting as a “highly significant public statement of support and encouragement” for Pope Francis’ fellow Jesuit. Martin himself saw it as “a sign of the Holy Father’s care for L.G.B.T. people,” support for his LGBT ministry, and an increase in his status.
Martin tweeted the news and photograph of his meeting with the pope the day it happened and again on October 30, stating that the meeting was a sign of Pope Francis’ support. Martin also discussed the meeting in detail at a November 3 meeting for Catholics who identify as LGBT at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan.
According to investigative reporter George Neumayr, Martin “bragged” to the LGBT group of the respect he was getting from bishops thanks to his meeting with the pope.
“Every bishop in the world saw the photo of us together,” Martin apparently said. “This is a pope who uses signs to communicate. The meeting with him gave me and us a lot of currency.”
Neumayr reported that Martin told his hearers that that Vatican is still a “court” and that those whom the pope “favors with a meeting rise in it.”
“He said that the day after his meeting with the pope he met with members of the Congregation for Education to complain about a document it produced on ’gender ideology’. According to him, they were eager to listen, having been wowed by his meeting with the pontiff the day before,” Neumayr wrote.
LifeSiteNews has reached out to Fr. Martin but has not yet received a response. CNA Editor JD Flynn declined to comment.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Dear Bernie Sanders: I survived socialism. It’s the worst political system ever invented

February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – With the rise of Bernie Sanders , many Americans are asking themselves a simple question .
What is the difference between a democracy and a socialist democracy ?
For anyone who has gone through the experience of living under a socialist regime , the difference between the two is like the difference between a chair and an electric chair .
You do n't believe me ?
Read on .
As I understand it , it is not that young Americans love socialism but that they think that capitalism and liberal democracy are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world : inequality , poverty , global crisis and even “ climate change.
” As a survivor of socialism , I can tell from my own experience , that socialism is in fact the worst political system ever invented and yet , somehow , it still has the support of much of the mainstream culture .
Socialism desires to be loved by everyone and that is why it proposes free healthcare , free education , equality , the elimination of corrupt extreme wealth .
It is also why socialism sees the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the people .
Socialism , regardless of whether it is imposed by brute force in the 20th century , as it was in Poland from 1945 to 1989 , or as it is still practiced in Venezuela , has some striking similarities with the medieval medical practice of phlebotomy or bloodletting .
That pseudo-science prescribed a treatment that consisted of extracting the blood from the patient for the supposed treatment of almost all ailments .
Both in medieval medicine and under socialism , the loss of blood is supposed to heal everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unsuspecting patient usually ends up dead .
Socialism asserts that its ultimate goal is to transform human relations under a spirit of equality and justice , and that it is the natural enemy of exploitation .
These are beautiful and far-sighted goals .
The problem is that socialism not only does not solve any of the problems it sets out to address , but worsens them with an unrivaled effectiveness .
Socialism has a feature that it can never get rid of : that is , when it ascends to power , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religion .
The secretary general or head of the party becomes a deity who will never give up his throne .
Those who do not profess the official state religion immediately become pariahs in their own country .
Whether political opponents can be condemned to mere civic or actual physical death depends only on the stage that has been reached on the unavoidable devolution of socialism .
Under socialism you can forget about God & Country , under socialism there is no god but the state and the secretary general is its prophet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern in every corner of the world where socialism has risen to power .
And that is why the socialist state needs more and more police force , officials , guards and above all a secret army of volunteers : some of them mere gossipers and others willing snitches eager to betray their own friends or even their brother .
If no one trusts anyone , how can the welfare state be built ?
Socialism knows very well that it needs to protect the illusion of a benevolent state at all costs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so with police force , because sooner or later the illusion is always challenged by free-thinking citizens who do not believe the falsehood presented by the reality of a socialist state .
Another thing that characterizes the socialist state is a permanent economic crisis , because a centralized , government-controlled economy always fails .
History has taught us that it is the free market , with its immutable law of supply and demand that can adequately regulate the economy .
The permanent economic crisis of a socialist democracy does consistently deliver one thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unnatural form of equality , one in which everyone is average , and nobody envies anyone else because everyone lives under the yoke of poverty .
Have you ever wondered why the `` socialist utopias '' of the world always cause a mass exodus of the best workers and the most enterprising of men ?
Have you ever heard of a similar mass exodus from capitalist countries ?
Would anyone wish to live in a country that promises an island of full happiness but always ends up as a prison where there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and instead puts up a fence with barbed wire so you do n't even think of choosing another `` paradise '' ?
It is no joke , toilet paper was a thing of dreams for the Poles of my youth , not to mention ham or chocolate !
Of course , such poverty requires free and frequent access to the doctor and the dentist .
But how is this to be done ?
The doctors in socialist utopias inevitably flee to the capitalist countries where their work is compensated .
And as for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poland , as must be the case in Venezuela , Cuba and most others , there are always a limited number of hospitals , to match the few qualified doctors ; and so , being patient number 340 in the queue , most people in these utopias prefer to take care of themselves .
But do n't worry !
Socialism , as the extraordinarily corrupt system that it is , will offer you a fast and high quality alternative , but only in exchange for a handsome bribe .
This is the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care can actually be very expensive .
In socialist utopias , the bribe is the unfailing key to success .
Wherever you go with a bribe , you will receive what you expect ; you just have to learn how to bribe discreetly .
In a socialist utopia , the bribe is king , if you learn to discretely bribe the doctor , the public official , the store manager , the police officer and all of those on whom your life depends , you might even live a comfortable life in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be easy to give away a bundle of money for these bribes , not only because you will not have it , but also because of the omnipresence of an amateur but efficient network of sneaks and snitches .
This is socialism in all of its glory : corruption and fear with a pinch of hate .
You hate people because , in this permanent crisis of poverty , the law of the jungle is applied , and everyone around you represents a threat .
You also learn to hate your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you and condemns you to an unbearable life ( that is precisely why free education in socialist utopias is so useful for everyone . )
The sooner you learn to become a proficient liar the better off you will be .
Of course , at every level of your `` free '' education , right up to the university , the state will expect you to be a humble cog in the system , but the most important thing is that education is free , right ?
In the end , the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroy all competition for the love of the people ; imagine no religion , no family , and no inequality .
To get there socialism will destroy churches , family values , and take all the wealth from the last few remaining rich who are able to survive the glorious socialist revolution .
Of course , none of these dystopic dreams ever become a reality .
People are made to love God .
People are made to be raised by families .
And yes , some people will accumulate more wealth than others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , socialism seems to work quite well , not openly , but efficiently nonetheless .
Socialism and great personal accumulation of wealth coexists perfectly with the socialist apparatus of power , with the leadership of the party and with the forces of repression .
All of them will accumulate obscene wealth and power , while everyone else will live in poverty and repression .
This is the socialism that I know .
It is the real face of socialism .
Perfect for the international socialist elite and a nightmare for everyone else .

'As a survivor of socialism, I can tell from my own experience, that socialism is in fact the worst political system ever invented.'
February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – With the rise of Bernie Sanders, many Americans are asking themselves a simple question. What is the difference between a democracy and a socialist democracy? For anyone who has gone through the experience of living under a socialist regime, the difference between the two is like the difference between a chair and an electric chair. You don't believe me? Read on.
As I understand it, it is not that young Americans love socialism but that they think that capitalism and liberal democracy are guilty of much of the evil in the world: inequality, poverty, global crisis and even “climate change.”
As a survivor of socialism, I can tell from my own experience, that socialism is in fact the worst political system ever invented and yet, somehow, it still has the support of much of the mainstream culture. Socialism desires to be loved by everyone and that is why it proposes free healthcare, free education, equality, the elimination of corrupt extreme wealth. It is also why socialism sees the family and religion as rivals for the love of the people.
Socialism, regardless of whether it is imposed by brute force in the 20th century, as it was in Poland from 1945 to 1989, or as it is still practiced in Venezuela, has some striking similarities with the medieval medical practice of phlebotomy or bloodletting. That pseudo-science prescribed a treatment that consisted of extracting the blood from the patient for the supposed treatment of almost all ailments. Both in medieval medicine and under socialism, the loss of blood is supposed to heal everything. Unfortunately, in both cases, the unsuspecting patient usually ends up dead.
Socialism asserts that its ultimate goal is to transform human relations under a spirit of equality and justice, and that it is the natural enemy of exploitation. These are beautiful and far-sighted goals. The problem is that socialism not only does not solve any of the problems it sets out to address, but worsens them with an unrivaled effectiveness.
Socialism has a feature that it can never get rid of: that is, when it ascends to power, it acquires the characteristics of a state religion. The secretary general or head of the party becomes a deity who will never give up his throne. Those who do not profess the official state religion immediately become pariahs in their own country. Whether political opponents can be condemned to mere civic or actual physical death depends only on the stage that has been reached on the unavoidable devolution of socialism. Under socialism you can forget about God & Country, under socialism there is no god but the state and the secretary general is its prophet.
Universal history has proven this same pattern in every corner of the world where socialism has risen to power. And that is why the socialist state needs more and more police force, officials, guards and above all a secret army of volunteers: some of them mere gossipers and others willing snitches eager to betray their own friends or even their brother.
If no one trusts anyone, how can the welfare state be built? Socialism knows very well that it needs to protect the illusion of a benevolent state at all costs and more often than not it will do so with police force, because sooner or later the illusion is always challenged by free-thinking citizens who do not believe the falsehood presented by the reality of a socialist state.
Another thing that characterizes the socialist state is a permanent economic crisis, because a centralized, government-controlled economy always fails. History has taught us that it is the free market, with its immutable law of supply and demand that can adequately regulate the economy. The permanent economic crisis of a socialist democracy does consistently deliver one thing that it promises – that is, an unnatural form of equality, one in which everyone is average, and nobody envies anyone else because everyone lives under the yoke of poverty.
Have you ever wondered why the “socialist utopias” of the world always cause a mass exodus of the best workers and the most enterprising of men? Have you ever heard of a similar mass exodus from capitalist countries? Would anyone wish to live in a country that promises an island of full happiness but always ends up as a prison where there is neither bread nor toilet paper, and instead puts up a fence with barbed wire so you don't even think of choosing another “paradise”?
It is no joke, toilet paper was a thing of dreams for the Poles of my youth, not to mention ham or chocolate! Of course, such poverty requires free and frequent access to the doctor and the dentist. But how is this to be done? The doctors in socialist utopias inevitably flee to the capitalist countries where their work is compensated. And as for hospitals, in the socialist utopia of Poland, as must be the case in Venezuela, Cuba and most others, there are always a limited number of hospitals, to match the few qualified doctors; and so, being patient number 340 in the queue, most people in these utopias prefer to take care of themselves.
But don't worry! Socialism, as the extraordinarily corrupt system that it is, will offer you a fast and high quality alternative, but only in exchange for a handsome bribe. This is the point when you find out that free health care can actually be very expensive.
In socialist utopias, the bribe is the unfailing key to success. Wherever you go with a bribe, you will receive what you expect; you just have to learn how to bribe discreetly. In a socialist utopia, the bribe is king, if you learn to discretely bribe the doctor, the public official, the store manager, the police officer and all of those on whom your life depends, you might even live a comfortable life in your socialist utopia. Of course, it will not be easy to give away a bundle of money for these bribes, not only because you will not have it, but also because of the omnipresence of an amateur but efficient network of sneaks and snitches.
This is socialism in all of its glory: corruption and fear with a pinch of hate.
You hate people because, in this permanent crisis of poverty, the law of the jungle is applied, and everyone around you represents a threat. You also learn to hate your own country, because it constantly humiliates you and condemns you to an unbearable life (that is precisely why free education in socialist utopias is so useful for everyone.) The sooner you learn to become a proficient liar the better off you will be. Of course, at every level of your “free” education, right up to the university, the state will expect you to be a humble cog in the system, but the most important thing is that education is free, right?
In the end, the real goal of the socialist utopia is to destroy all competition for the love of the people; imagine no religion, no family, and no inequality. To get there socialism will destroy churches, family values, and take all the wealth from the last few remaining rich who are able to survive the glorious socialist revolution.
Of course, none of these dystopic dreams ever become a reality. People are made to love God. People are made to be raised by families. And yes, some people will accumulate more wealth than others. At least on this last point, socialism seems to work quite well, not openly, but efficiently nonetheless. Socialism and great personal accumulation of wealth coexists perfectly with the socialist apparatus of power, with the leadership of the party and with the forces of repression. All of them will accumulate obscene wealth and power, while everyone else will live in poverty and repression.
This is the socialism that I know. It is the real face of socialism. Perfect for the international socialist elite and a nightmare for everyone else.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Preparing for Lent with perseverance and devotion

Formerly Heart to Heart with Mother Miriam , Mother Miriam Live brings you inspiration and solutions for life ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Miriam is a Catholic nun on a mission to bring hope to a world that @ @ @ @ @ let her share that hope and joy with you !
To tune into Mother Miriam @ @ @ @ @ Facebook page here every Monday to Friday at 10am .

Watch Mother Miriam's Live show from 2.21.2020. Today Mother reminds Catholics of the year round Friday fast from meat and preparing for lent. She discusses establishing lenten sacrifices for you and your family.
You can tune in daily at 10 am EST/7 am PST on our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live here.


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--US bishop: Not calling LGBT people ‘from sin’ condemns them to ‘destruction’

February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – When a Twitter user accused Bishop Joseph Strickland of “ condemning ” persons who identify as “ LGBT ” on account of his outspoken defense of Catholic sexual teaching , the Tyler , Texas prelate issued a gentle refutation : “ I ’ m not condemning anyone.
” “ Not calling a person away from sin is in fact condemning them to the destruction that sin brings , ” he stated .
Strickland was responding to a Tweet that claimed “ when people like the Bishop of Tyler condemn LGBT+ persons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus , and they are condemning the Lord.
” Many rushed to support the Texas bishop , who is a stalwart defender of Church teaching and protector of human life and dignity .
“ Condemn ?
By proclaiming the truth of Church teaching about human sexuality and marriage ?
” asked pro-life columnist , Jennifer Hartline .
“ I think you 're confused about who is condemning and who is actually concerned for souls .
Bishop Strickland is a true shepherd.
” Canon lawyer Edward Peters said , “ You do not need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bishop , but you totally have it .
Oremus pro invicem.
” “ You are a true shepherd amongst a legion of wolves , ” declared Twitter user Sean .
“ A witness to the truth .
I pray for you and all those souls under your care.
” “ That ’ s what is expected of our shepherds and priests , ” said Phyllis Gibson .
“ To teach correct Catholic Doctrine , including what is sin , counsel , encourage conversion & reconciliation.
” Another tweeted the words of St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one can render to any man consists in him from error to truth.
” Bishop Strickland frequently takes to social media to defend Catholic teaching .
He is also known to have challenged his fellow bishops about permitting priests to offer views that contradict Catholicism .
In a meeting of the USCCB in 2018 , he reminded them that “ homosexual activity is immoral ” and that “ real care comes from acknowledging the sin.
” “ Do we believe the doctrine of the Church or not ?
” Strickland asked .
Referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SJ , Strickland said , “ There ’ s a priest that travels around now basically saying that he doesn ’ t , and he seems to be very well promoted in various places , .
” “ Brothers , I think part of the fraternal correction , or the fraternal support , we offer each other is to say : Can that be presented in our dioceses ?
That same-sex marriage is just fine and the Church will one day grow to understand that ?
That ’ s not what we teach.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tobin was being called homophobic for defending church teaching for warning his Rhode Island Diocese against participating in “ Pride Month ” events , Strickland was the only U.S. bishop to publicly come to his defense : “ Please stop labeling bishops who speak the truth of the Gospel as homophobic , ” pleaded Strickland .
“ God gave us sexual intimacy for the procreation of children and the deeper union of a man & woman in marriage .
Stating this truth is not homophobia , it is simply reality .
”

Bishop Strickland took to twitter to defends himself against accusations that he condemns LGBT people.
February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – When a Twitter user accused Bishop Joseph Strickland of “condemning” persons who identify as “LGBT” on account of his outspoken defense of Catholic sexual teaching, the Tyler, Texas prelate issued a gentle refutation: “I’m not condemning anyone.”
“Not calling a person away from sin is in fact condemning them to the destruction that sin brings,” he stated.
I’m not condemning anyone. Not calling a person away from sin is in fact condemning them to the destruction that sin brings. https://t.co/YV1Uh3YZ2i — Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) February 20, 2020
Strickland was responding to a Tweet that claimed “when people like the Bishop of Tyler condemn LGBT+ persons, they are missing a chance to serve Jesus, and they are condemning the Lord.”
#1 way for people with privilege is to associate with people who are on the margins in society and in the Church. So when people like @Bishopoftyler condemn LGBT+ persons, they are missing a chance to serve Jesus, and they are condemning the Lord. https://t.co/AO5orUJ7wN — Do we do clever names for Lent? (@DisabledSaints) February 20, 2020
Many rushed to support the Texas bishop, who is a stalwart defender of Church teaching and protector of human life and dignity.
“Condemn? By proclaiming the truth of Church teaching about human sexuality and marriage?” asked pro-life columnist, Jennifer Hartline. “I think you're confused about who is condemning and who is actually concerned for souls. Bishop Strickland is a true shepherd.”
Condemn? By proclaiming the truth of Church teaching about human sexuality and marriage? I think you're confused about who is condemning and who is actually concerned for souls. Bishop Strickland is a true shepherd. — Jennifer Hartline (@jenniehartline) February 20, 2020
Canon lawyer Edward Peters said, “You do not need my encouragement to keep on keeping on, Bishop, but you totally have it. Oremus pro invicem.”
You do not need my encouragement to keep on keeping on, Bishop, but you totally have it. Oremus pro invicem. — Edward Peters (@canonlaw) February 20, 2020
“You are a true shepherd amongst a legion of wolves,” declared Twitter user Sean. “A witness to the truth. I pray for you and all those souls under your care.”
@Bishopoftyler you are true shepherd amongst a legion of wolves. A witness to the truth. I pray for you and all those souls under your care. — Sean (@e_supremi) February 20, 2020
“That’s what is expected of our shepherds and priests,” said Phyllis Gibson. “To teach correct Catholic Doctrine, including what is sin, counsel, encourage conversion & reconciliation.”
That’s what is expected of our shepherds and priests. To teach correct Catholic Doctrine, including what is sin, counsel, encourage conversion & reconciliation. — Phyllis Gibson (@NursGibson49) February 21, 2020
Another tweeted the words of St. Thomas Aquinas: “The greatest kindness one can render to any man consists in him from error to truth.”
Bishop Strickland frequently takes to social media to defend Catholic teaching. He is also known to have challenged his fellow bishops about permitting priests to offer views that contradict Catholicism. In a meeting of the USCCB in 2018, he reminded them that “homosexual activity is immoral” and that “real care comes from acknowledging the sin.”
“Do we believe the doctrine of the Church or not?” Strickland asked.
Referring to pro-homosexual Fr. James Martin, SJ, Strickland said, “There’s a priest that travels around now basically saying that he doesn’t, and he seems to be very well promoted in various places,.”
“Brothers, I think part of the fraternal correction, or the fraternal support, we offer each other is to say: Can that be presented in our dioceses? That same-sex marriage is just fine and the Church will one day grow to understand that? That’s not what we teach.”
Last June, when Bishop Thomas Tobin was being called homophobic for defending church teaching for warning his Rhode Island Diocese against participating in “Pride Month” events, Strickland was the only U.S. bishop to publicly come to his defense:
“Please stop labeling bishops who speak the truth of the Gospel as homophobic,” pleaded Strickland.
Please stop labeling bishops who speak the truth of the Gospel as homophobic. God gave us sexual intimacy for the procreation of children and the deeper union of a man & woman in marriage. Stating this truth is not homophobia, it is simply reality. https://t.co/71to9rU4A0 — Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) June 2, 2019
“God gave us sexual intimacy for the procreation of children and the deeper union of a man & woman in marriage. Stating this truth is not homophobia, it is simply reality.”
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Pro-lifers file lawsuit against abortion activist after assault at Toronto university

TORONTO , February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) - Two pro-life activists who were viciously attacked in 2018 at Toronto ’ s Ryerson University are suing their assailant and the school 's former student union body for mental and physical damages caused by the assault .
On October 1 , 2018 , pro-abortion activist Gabriela Skwarko attacked Katie Somers and Blaise Alleyne of the pro-life group Toronto Against Abortion ( TAA ) , at the tail end of a peaceful pro-life protest at Ryerson University .
Somers and Blaise are seeking $ 23,000 in damages in civil court against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryerson Students ’ Union .
Somers serves as a director for the volunteer-run pro-life roup , and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome ( PTSD ) as a result of the attack .
The attack was captured on video and shows Skwarko approach both Alleyne and Somers from behind .
Skwarko pushes and swings at Alleyne and tosses a metal dolly cart in her direction .
Somers then calls for help as she is pushed by Skwarko , who goes on to try and rip off Somers ’ backpack .
Skwarko can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a thermos .
Watch the video of the attack : The pro-life activists filed the civil suit in late December ; however , Somers and Alleyne do not expect a court date until sometime in March .
“ We go to court and see what the outcome is .
We are really hoping that justice will be served and we will win , and that will act as a deterrent to other people who feel that it is acceptable to resort to violence if they face a disagreement , ” Somers told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryerson Reproductive Justice Collective ( RRJC ) at the time of the assault .
Nearly a month after the attack took place , she was charged with assault and assault with a weapon .
She later was arrested after turning herself into Toronto Police .
As a result of the charges , Skwarko was suspended from the school and then barred from the university campus for a year .
She also lost a job working as an assistant at Ryerson ’ s Social Innovation Office .
In late April of 2019 , Skwarko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gave an apology to Somers and Alleyne .
She was given a conditional discharge along with 18 months ’ probation .
Due to the nature of her charges , she did not gain a criminal record .
Somers says the main reason for seeking damages from Skwarko is to seek justice for the attack , which caused her to suffer undue mental and physical harm .
“ There was a lot of damage done by the assault that I wouldn ’ t have foreseen at the time .
I was physically injured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychologist because I was terrified to go back on the street , ” Somers told LifeSiteNews .
Somers said the main reason for including the former Ryerson Students ’ Union in the suit along with Skwarko is because she feels they did not do their job in helping to prevent the escalation of violence occurring in the lead up to the assault .
“ We feel that the Ryerson Student Union did a very bad job of deterring this escalating violence and we would like to send a message that they had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to LifeSiteNews .
“ We would like it to send a message to other student unions that they have an obligation to deter violence on the part of their members towards the public and student body.
” Despite taking nearly a year for her to return to doing pro-life outreach , Somers says that she will continue with the pro-life cause in the Greater Toronto Area , even though it comes with risks and goes against the wishes of her family , who are concerned for her safety .
“ I went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having PTSD and not doing pro-life outreach for a long time .
We ’ re not just out there protesting abortion .
We are also acting as a representation of alternative choices , ” said Somers to LifeSiteNews .
“ And with us at all times when we are doing outreach are resources for women to make a different choice .
So , it ’ s not just about the freedom to protest abortion it ’ s also the freedom to offer women life-affirming choices as well as post-abortion healing.
” TAA always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Alleyne noted back in 2019 that this helps to stop the majority of aggressive behaviour , however that did not happen with Skwarko .
In 2019 , after Skwarko plead guilty to her charge , Alleyne said in comments to LifeSiteNews that he was the victim of three assaults .
He said at the time that he has filed nearly 30 reports to Toronto Police as well as campus security .
He noted that the situation at Ryerson University was not great and that incidents of harassment come , “ not exclusively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryerson Reproductive Justice Collective .
“ We know these incidents are not the norm but we ’ re fighting back hard and speaking out publicly because they ’ re increasingly common , ” Alleyne added .
• Abortion advocate pleads guilty to assault with weapon , apologizes to pro-lifers

‘We are really hoping that justice will be served,’ say the assaulted pro-life advocates.
TORONTO, February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Two pro-life activists who were viciously attacked in 2018 at Toronto’s Ryerson University are suing their assailant and the school's former student union body for mental and physical damages caused by the assault.
On October 1, 2018, pro-abortion activist Gabriela Skwarko attacked Katie Somers and Blaise Alleyne of the pro-life group Toronto Against Abortion (TAA), at the tail end of a peaceful pro-life protest at Ryerson University.
Somers and Blaise are seeking $23,000 in damages in civil court against Skwarko, in addition to the now-folded Ryerson Students’ Union. Somers serves as a director for the volunteer-run pro-life group, and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) as a result of the attack.
The attack was captured on video and shows Skwarko approach both Alleyne and Somers from behind. Skwarko pushes and swings at Alleyne and tosses a metal dolly cart in her direction. Somers then calls for help as she is pushed by Skwarko, who goes on to try and rip off Somers’ backpack. Skwarko can also be seen tossing around what looks like a thermos.
Watch the video of the attack:
The pro-life activists filed the civil suit in late December; however, Somers and Alleyne do not expect a court date until sometime in March.
“We go to court and see what the outcome is. We are really hoping that justice will be served and we will win, and that will act as a deterrent to other people who feel that it is acceptable to resort to violence if they face a disagreement,” Somers told LifeSiteNews.
Skwarko was part of the Ryerson Reproductive Justice Collective (RRJC) at the time of the assault. Nearly a month after the attack took place, she was charged with assault and assault with a weapon. She later was arrested after turning herself into Toronto Police.
As a result of the charges, Skwarko was suspended from the school and then barred from the university campus for a year. She also lost a job working as an assistant at Ryerson’s Social Innovation Office.
In late April of 2019, Skwarko pleaded guilty to her charges in court and gave an apology to Somers and Alleyne. She was given a conditional discharge along with 18 months’ probation. Due to the nature of her charges, she did not gain a criminal record.
Somers says the main reason for seeking damages from Skwarko is to seek justice for the attack, which caused her to suffer undue mental and physical harm.
“There was a lot of damage done by the assault that I wouldn’t have foreseen at the time. I was physically injured, I had to go to a psychologist because I was terrified to go back on the street,” Somers told LifeSiteNews.
Somers said the main reason for including the former Ryerson Students’ Union in the suit along with Skwarko is because she feels they did not do their job in helping to prevent the escalation of violence occurring in the lead up to the assault.
“We feel that the Ryerson Student Union did a very bad job of deterring this escalating violence and we would like to send a message that they had a responsibility to do so,” Somers said to LifeSiteNews.
“We would like it to send a message to other student unions that they have an obligation to deter violence on the part of their members towards the public and student body.”
Despite taking nearly a year for her to return to doing pro-life outreach, Somers says that she will continue with the pro-life cause in the Greater Toronto Area, even though it comes with risks and goes against the wishes of her family, who are concerned for her safety.
“I went from having a harmonious life and now having PTSD and not doing pro-life outreach for a long time. We’re not just out there protesting abortion. We are also acting as a representation of alternative choices,” said Somers to LifeSiteNews.
“And with us at all times when we are doing outreach are resources for women to make a different choice. So, it’s not just about the freedom to protest abortion it’s also the freedom to offer women life-affirming choices as well as post-abortion healing.”
TAA always films its demonstrations as a safety measure. Alleyne noted back in 2019 that this helps to stop the majority of aggressive behaviour, however that did not happen with Skwarko.
In 2019, after Skwarko plead guilty to her charge, Alleyne said in comments to LifeSiteNews that he was the victim of three assaults. He said at the time that he has filed nearly 30 reports to Toronto Police as well as campus security.
He noted that the situation at Ryerson University was not great and that incidents of harassment come, “not exclusively but especially from members” of the Ryerson Reproductive Justice Collective.
“We know these incidents are not the norm but we’re fighting back hard and speaking out publicly because they’re increasingly common,” Alleyne added.
RELATED
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--EXCLUSIVE: Cardinal warns Church about slipping into idolatry of ‘mother earth…Gaia’ worship

February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes , the former President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and defender of the dubia cardinals , has written a review of biblical and other related sources with regard to the relationship between the Creator – God – and His creation , the earth , the cosmos , the animals .
His analysis , written for LifeSiteNews ( published in full below ) , is aimed to assess the question of whether or not it is fitting for a Christian to worship “ Mother Earth.
” This theme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rome which concluded in October .
As it is shown with the help of multiple sources – not the least St. Paul – creation that was originally “ good ” in God 's eyes , was deeply wounded after the Fall of Man .
Writes Cordes : “ In St. Paul , the contrast between God and the cosmos is evident ; the Apostle attributes it to sin , which came into the world through the First Man ( Rom 5:12 ) .
” The 85-year-old cardinal , who has lived in Rome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ brief biblical review is critical of any nature mysticism .
Homogenous planetary religions , esotericism and shamanism line its path.
” “ The light of Revelation opposes decidedly all worship that is not directed at God , ” he adds .
“ Not worship of cosmic powers , but deliverance from them is the biblical message .
The coming of Christ brings it about , ” the German cardinal writes .
“ Mother Earth ” is not only called Pachamama .
As a look into the Internet shows , she is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Gaia , you !
Bearer , Beloved , Nurturer , Divine .
Oh , You Mother of all Being , You our Earth .
Holy is Your wisdom .
Holy Thy Being .
Holy Thy Nature .
Holy Thy Perfection .
Holy Thy Heart .
Holy Your Source ... ” ( retrieved www.myananda.de , 17 February 2020 ) A new goddess ?
“ Mother Earth ” – a cult object ?
Here , for Christians , some questions are due with regard to God 's Word .
The Earth – the Fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Judeo-Christian Revelation , statements about nature and creation are not intended to present the genesis of the cosmos and of man .
Instead , they want to describe God in His relationship to man .
Material and earthly elements mentioned are nevertheless by no means to be interpreted metaphorically ; to dismiss them as secondary would not correspond to Semitic thinking that avoids abstractions and is integrally concrete .
That is why the objects mentioned in the Book of Genesis – snake , fruit , tree of life , Garden of Eden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right understanding .
The Bible begins : “ God saw all that he had made .
It was very good ” ( Gen 1:31 ) .
Yahweh has accomplished a work that is continually being qualified as “ good ” and “ beautiful.
” Thus the believer admires creation ( Ps 8 : “ Heaven , moon and stars ” ; Ps 104 : “ Earth , mountains , animals and seasons ” ) – not for its own sake , of course , but for the sake of Yahweh , who created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are your works !
With wisdom you have made them all ” ( Ps 104:24 ) .
Then , however , man transgresses God 's commandment and immediately faces the judgment ( Gen 3:16-19 ; 23 ) .
Yahweh imposes on the first parents a comprehensive diminishment of their existence : pain , toil , oppression , failure , expulsion from the Garden of Eden , the shadow of death .
Man 's relationship with God is destroyed to such an extent that creation as a whole perishes .
Talmudic rabbis and Apocrypha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of sin .
So it says in the “ Book of Jubilees ” ( 2nd century B.C . )
immediately after the account of the expulsion : “ And on that day was closed the mouth of all beasts , and of cattle , and of birds , and of whatever walks , and of whatever moves , so that they could no longer speak … And He sent out of the Garden of Eden all flesh that was in the Garden of Eden ” ( 3:28sq. )
.
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 A.D. ) writes : “ But when Adam transgressed my commandments , the creation was judged … Oh Adam , what have you done ?
When you sinned , the Fall came not only upon you , but also upon us , your descendants.
” The New Testament is also foreign to any hint of an apotheosis of the cosmos .
Jesus preaches – for instance in the “ Sermon on the Mount ” – its God-related beauty .
But He also knows about its transitoriness : “ Heaven and earth will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not pass away ” ( Mt 24:35 ) .
The eschatological goal of history is still to be achieved .
Christ calls His own to live already today in the light of tomorrow .
In St. Paul , the contrast between God and the cosmos is evident ; the Apostle attributes it to sin , which came into the world through the First Man ( Rom 5:12 ) .
And the whole universe must be included in the history of salvation : “ We know that all creation groans and is in labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8:22 ) .
The Letter to the Hebrews incorporates the Old Testament eschatology as described by the prophets with realism ; it is different from the Hellenistic cosmic worship , which is undramatic and idealizing : “ You , Lord , laid the foundations of the earth before time , the heavens are the work of Your hands .
They will pass away , but You remain .
They all age like a garment ; You roll them up like a cloak and like a garment they are changed ” ( Heb 1:10sq.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which destroys the perishable and gives way to the permanent : “ ... so that the unshakable may remain ” ( Heb 12:27 ) .
The strongest warning against all Gaia romanticism is given by the Evangelist St. John .
For him , the cosmos even proves to be an anti-divine force .
Without Christ – the light which darkness has not grasped ( cf .
Jn 1:5 ) – lies , sin and death prevail in the world and in history .
They are darkness .
And they are a force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelms , confuses and covers up .
Encircled by the cosmos , God 's creatures are loved by it and become its property ( cf .
Jn 15:19 ) ; it begins to rule over them .
This alien access to man comes from the “ ruler of this world ” ( Jn [ habe ich eingefuegt , translator ] 12:31 ; 14:30 ; 16:11 ) .
This brief biblical review is critical of any nature mysticism .
Homogenous planetary religions , esotericism and shamanism line its path .
The light of Revelation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directed at God .
Tempted in the desert , the Lord Himself answers the devil with a quote from the Old Testament : “ You shall not bow down before other gods and you shall not commit yourself to serve them .
For I , the Lord your God , am a jealous God ” ( Deut 5:9 ; Mt 4:10 ) .
Not worship of cosmic powers , but deliverance from them is the biblical message .
The coming of Christ brings it about .
Benedict XVI teaches it by referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ false doctrine ... which refers to the elementary powers of the world , not to Christ ” ( Col 2:8 ) : it is not the elements of the cosmos that are “ the God to whom one can pray ” ( Spes salvi 5 ) .
Any form of sentimental Gaia myth – von Balthasar called it a “ turning the globe into a love object ” [ “ Amorisierung des Erdballs ” ] – finally becomes downright cynical in view of recent earthquakes ( Albania , Philippines ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tsunami in 2004 .
“ Gaia – Mother , Beloved , Nurturer ” ?
Dreamy romantics stun us with their fantastic notions .
Instead , they should observe the brutal laws decreed by “ Mother Earth , ” for example , in the animal world .
The great Reinhold Schneider studied them in detail and recorded some of them in his notebooks Winter in Vienna ( 1958 ) .
Only two small sections : Whoever reads them no longer doubts that the curse of sin has marked creation .
Let us only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parasite living in the intestines of certain birds , whose eggs creep into the snails through the feces ; in these the germs grow into tubes which penetrate the feelers ; in the bloated feelers it develops a stimulating play of colors and similar movements ; this lures the birds to tear off the feelers ; in this way the parasites get back into their place .
And the snail always grows antennae again and they are always torn off ; the snail is only the producer of the destroyers that destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
191sq . )
After the nuptial flight , an ant from the Mediterranean countries enters the breeding chamber of another species , climbs up the back of the legitimate queen , slowly saws her head off with its jaws and now takes over her reign .
The tiny eyeless thievish ants bite into the bodies of the host individuals in enormous quantities ; hostile individuals enter into open field battles that rage undecided for days on end and are otherwise ended by rain or thunderstorms .
( pp .
221sq . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an awareness of the beauty of the cosmos and rightly calls us to reverence it .
Greta Thurnberg is on everyone 's lips .
It would be fatal , however , if we were to forget the Creator in light of creation , to bow down before the work instead of before its author .
Today more than ever it is valid to say : “ Our citizenship is in heaven ” ( Phil 3:20 ) .

February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, the former President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and defender of the dubia cardinals, has written a review of biblical and other related sources with regard to the relationship between the Creator – God – and His creation, the earth, the cosmos, the animals. His analysis, written for LifeSiteNews (published in full below), is aimed to assess the question of whether or not it is fitting for a Christian to worship “Mother Earth.” This theme was present during the Amazon synod in Rome which concluded in October.
As it is shown with the help of multiple sources – not the least St. Paul – creation that was originally “good” in God's eyes, was deeply wounded after the Fall of Man. Writes Cordes: “In St. Paul, the contrast between God and the cosmos is evident; the Apostle attributes it to sin, which came into the world through the First Man (Rom 5:12).”
The 85-year-old cardinal, who has lived in Rome since 1980, shows that such a “brief biblical review is critical of any nature mysticism. Homogenous planetary religions, esotericism and shamanism line its path.”
“The light of Revelation opposes decidedly all worship that is not directed at God,” he adds.
“Not worship of cosmic powers, but deliverance from them is the biblical message. The coming of Christ brings it about,” the German cardinal writes.
***
Cardinal Cordes' full article on ‘Mother Earth’
“Mother Earth” is not only called Pachamama. As a look into the Internet shows, she is also worshiped worldwide under a different name.
“Gaia, you! Bearer, Beloved, Nurturer, Divine. Oh, You Mother of all Being, You our Earth. Holy is Your wisdom. Holy Thy Being. Holy Thy Nature. Holy Thy Perfection. Holy Thy Heart. Holy Your Source…” (retrieved www.myananda.de, 17 February 2020)
A new goddess? “Mother Earth” – a cult object? Here, for Christians, some questions are due with regard to God's Word.
The Earth – the Fall of Man – the Counter-Divine Power
In the Judeo-Christian Revelation, statements about nature and creation are not intended to present the genesis of the cosmos and of man. Instead, they want to describe God in His relationship to man. Material and earthly elements mentioned are nevertheless by no means to be interpreted metaphorically; to dismiss them as secondary would not correspond to Semitic thinking that avoids abstractions and is integrally concrete. That is why the objects mentioned in the Book of Genesis – snake, fruit, tree of life, Garden of Eden – retain their expressive value for the right understanding.
The Bible begins: “God saw all that he had made. It was very good” (Gen 1:31). Yahweh has accomplished a work that is continually being qualified as “good” and “beautiful.” Thus the believer admires creation (Ps 8: “Heaven, moon and stars”; Ps 104: “Earth, mountains, animals and seasons”) – not for its own sake, of course, but for the sake of Yahweh, who created it: “Lord, how numerous are your works! With wisdom you have made them all” (Ps 104:24).
Then, however, man transgresses God's commandment and immediately faces the judgment (Gen 3:16-19; 23). Yahweh imposes on the first parents a comprehensive diminishment of their existence: pain, toil, oppression, failure, expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the shadow of death. Man's relationship with God is destroyed to such an extent that creation as a whole perishes.
Talmudic rabbis and Apocrypha later underline this corruption of nature as a result of sin. So it says in the “Book of Jubilees” (2nd century B.C.) immediately after the account of the expulsion: “And on that day was closed the mouth of all beasts, and of cattle, and of birds, and of whatever walks, and of whatever moves, so that they could no longer speak … And He sent out of the Garden of Eden all flesh that was in the Garden of Eden” (3:28sq.). And the “4th Book of Ezra” (100 A.D.) writes: “But when Adam transgressed my commandments, the creation was judged … Oh Adam, what have you done? When you sinned, the Fall came not only upon you, but also upon us, your descendants.”
The New Testament is also foreign to any hint of an apotheosis of the cosmos. Jesus preaches – for instance in the “Sermon on the Mount” – its God-related beauty. But He also knows about its transitoriness: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Mt 24:35). The eschatological goal of history is still to be achieved. Christ calls His own to live already today in the light of tomorrow.
In St. Paul, the contrast between God and the cosmos is evident; the Apostle attributes it to sin, which came into the world through the First Man (Rom 5:12). And the whole universe must be included in the history of salvation: “We know that all creation groans and is in labor pains to this day” (Rom 8:22).
The Letter to the Hebrews incorporates the Old Testament eschatology as described by the prophets with realism; it is different from the Hellenistic cosmic worship, which is undramatic and idealizing: “You, Lord, laid the foundations of the earth before time, the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will pass away, but You remain. They all age like a garment; You roll them up like a cloak and like a garment they are changed” (Heb 1:10sq.). The apocalyptic catastrophe is announced, which destroys the perishable and gives way to the permanent: “…so that the unshakable may remain” (Heb 12:27).
The strongest warning against all Gaia romanticism is given by the Evangelist St. John. For him, the cosmos even proves to be an anti-divine force. Without Christ – the light which darkness has not grasped (cf. Jn 1:5) – lies, sin and death prevail in the world and in history. They are darkness. And they are a force that determines man, that oppresses and overwhelms, confuses and covers up. Encircled by the cosmos, God's creatures are loved by it and become its property (cf. Jn 15:19); it begins to rule over them. This alien access to man comes from the “ruler of this world” (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).
No Gaia Myth
This brief biblical review is critical of any nature mysticism. Homogenous planetary religions, esotericism and shamanism line its path. The light of Revelation opposes decidedly all worship that is not directed at God. Tempted in the desert, the Lord Himself answers the devil with a quote from the Old Testament: “You shall not bow down before other gods and you shall not commit yourself to serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Deut 5:9; Mt 4:10).
Not worship of cosmic powers, but deliverance from them is the biblical message. The coming of Christ brings it about. Benedict XVI teaches it by referring to the Apostle Paul. He warns against a “false doctrine…which refers to the elementary powers of the world, not to Christ” (Col 2:8): it is not the elements of the cosmos that are “the God to whom one can pray” (Spes salvi 5).
Any form of sentimental Gaia myth – von Balthasar called it a “turning the globe into a love object” [“Amorisierung des Erdballs”] – finally becomes downright cynical in view of recent earthquakes (Albania, Philippines), in view of the volcanic eruptions and a tsunami in 2004.
“Gaia – Mother, Beloved, Nurturer”? Dreamy romantics stun us with their fantastic notions. Instead, they should observe the brutal laws decreed by “Mother Earth,” for example, in the animal world. The great Reinhold Schneider studied them in detail and recorded some of them in his notebooks Winter in Vienna (1958). Only two small sections: Whoever reads them no longer doubts that the curse of sin has marked creation.
Let us only remember the everyday, often-told story of the parasite living in the intestines of certain birds, whose eggs creep into the snails through the feces; in these the germs grow into tubes which penetrate the feelers; in the bloated feelers it develops a stimulating play of colors and similar movements; this lures the birds to tear off the feelers; in this way the parasites get back into their place. And the snail always grows antennae again and they are always torn off; the snail is only the producer of the destroyers that destroy it and the birds… (p. 191sq.) After the nuptial flight, an ant from the Mediterranean countries enters the breeding chamber of another species, climbs up the back of the legitimate queen, slowly saws her head off with its jaws and now takes over her reign. The tiny eyeless thievish ants bite into the bodies of the host individuals in enormous quantities; hostile individuals enter into open field battles that rage undecided for days on end and are otherwise ended by rain or thunderstorms. (pp. 221sq.)
A new ecological sensitivity awakens in us an awareness of the beauty of the cosmos and rightly calls us to reverence it. Greta Thurnberg is on everyone's lips. It would be fatal, however, if we were to forget the Creator in light of creation, to bow down before the work instead of before its author. Today more than ever it is valid to say: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20).
Translation by LifeSite's Dr. Maike Hickson


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Florida senate votes to require abortionists to get parental consent before aborting teens’ babies

TALLAHASSEE , February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A proposed law to require minors seeking abortions in Florida to first obtain approval from a parent cleared its final legislative hurdle Thursday , opening the way for it to become law .
Florida already requires parents to be notified , but Senate Bill 404 forbids abortionists from going through with a minor ’ s abortion unless they receive a “ notarized written statement signed by a minor and either her mother , her father , or her legal guardian ” agreeing that “ the abortion is in the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be required in cases of “ medical emergency ” or if a judge grants a waiver .
Judicial waivers must be based on finding “ clear and convincing evidence ” of the minor ’ s maturity to make the decision or else that a “ preponderance of the evidence ” indicates that her parents are sexually abusing her .
The Florida Senate voted 23-17 to pass the bill earlier this month , and the Florida House voted 75-43 in favor of it this week , ABC News reports .
“ What we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and here were are talking about a child who is carrying a child , ” bill sponsor and Republican state Rep. Erin Grall said .
“ By including parents in this decision we empower the family .
It is the critical backbone of our civilized society.
” Pro-life Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis has already declared his support for parental consent requirements , and once he signs SB 404 it will take effect starting July 1 .
“ The fact is , there is widespread bi-partisan support among the citizens of Florida for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child ’ s life-altering decisions , ” Florida Voice for the Unborn executive director Andrew Shirvell said in a press release .
“ Parents are the ones who need to be involved – not the bloody merchants of death at Planned Parenthood !
The legislation passed today will allow parents to help their minor daughter choose life when faced with an unexpected pregnancy.
” The law is likely to face a lawsuit from the abortion lobby , which at the very least would delay its enforcement .
But while current US Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Court has also consistently upheld numerous lesser abortion regulations in the name of both respect for fetal life and concern for women ’ s safety , including parental involvement laws .

'What we are talking about is a child, and here were are talking about a child who is carrying a child.'
TALLAHASSEE, February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A proposed law to require minors seeking abortions in Florida to first obtain approval from a parent cleared its final legislative hurdle Thursday, opening the way for it to become law.
Florida already requires parents to be notified, but Senate Bill 404 forbids abortionists from going through with a minor’s abortion unless they receive a “notarized written statement signed by a minor and either her mother, her father, or her legal guardian” agreeing that “the abortion is in the best interest of the minor.”
Consent would not be required in cases of “medical emergency” or if a judge grants a waiver. Judicial waivers must be based on finding “clear and convincing evidence” of the minor’s maturity to make the decision or else that a “preponderance of the evidence” indicates that her parents are sexually abusing her.
The Florida Senate voted 23-17 to pass the bill earlier this month, and the Florida House voted 75-43 in favor of it this week, ABC News reports.
“What we are talking about is a child, and here were are talking about a child who is carrying a child,” bill sponsor and Republican state Rep. Erin Grall said. “By including parents in this decision we empower the family. It is the critical backbone of our civilized society.”
Pro-life Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has already declared his support for parental consent requirements, and once he signs SB 404 it will take effect starting July 1.
“The fact is, there is widespread bi-partisan support among the citizens of Florida for the involvement of parents in their minor child’s life-altering decisions,” Florida Voice for the Unborn executive director Andrew Shirvell said in a press release. “Parents are the ones who need to be involved – not the bloody merchants of death at Planned Parenthood! The legislation passed today will allow parents to help their minor daughter choose life when faced with an unexpected pregnancy.”
The law is likely to face a lawsuit from the abortion lobby, which at the very least would delay its enforcement. But while current US Supreme Court precedent forces states to allow most abortions, the Court has also consistently upheld numerous lesser abortion regulations in the name of both respect for fetal life and concern for women’s safety, including parental involvement laws.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Twitter demo of new ‘misinformation’ tool already shows bias

February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Twitter continues to evolve its ostensible war on “ harmful disinformation ” with the development of new tools to warn users about the veracity of the tweets they see , but the latest is only reinforcing long-standing grievances against the social network ’ s political biases .
This week , NBC News revealed that it has obtained a leaked copy of a demonstration of new features Twitter is developing , including a Wikipedia-style “ Community Notes ” feature that allows users themselves to rate a tweet as `` likely '' or `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Actively providing such feedback could earn users “ points ” for “ contribut ( ing ) in good faith and act ( ing ) like a good neighbor '' by `` provid ( ing ) critical context to help people understand information they see . ''
Another part of the demon displays a large orange box below tweets that have been deemed “ harmfully misleading , ” followed by corrections from journalists and fact-checkers that have been “ verified ” by Twitter .
`` We 're exploring a number of ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for tweets on Twitter , '' a Twitter spokesperson confirmed to NBC .
`` Misinformation is a critical issue and we will be testing many different ways to address it . ''
The new features do not currently have a launch date .
A screenshot of the latter feature shows how claims by politicians on both sides could be “ fact-checked ” : a claim about gun sales by Vermont Senator and Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders , and a tweet in which Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy shares a report by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process for filing whistleblower complaints ( such as the one that launched the failed impeachment of President Donald Trump ) : On Friday , Federalist publisher Ben Domenech responded to the report , noting that a Twitter spokesperson “ refused to provide any answers ” about “ who the individuals are at Twitter responsible for falsely characterizing The Federalist ’ s accurate story as ‘ harmfully misleading , ’ and why they chose to falsely attack The Federalist in their ‘ demo ’ of the proposed feature.
” “ Twitter and ( Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plenty of evidence that they can not be trusted when it comes to bias , shadowbanning , or the company ’ s ideological censorship of political content , ” he said .
“ Their latest gambit to suppress news stories Twitter dislikes was clearly designed to silence views that conflict with Twitter ’ s preferred narratives – and in that case will inevitably disproportionately hit accounts and publishers who dare to espouse conservative beliefs.
” “ If Twitter is going to acknowledge the fact that they are a political publisher , actively promoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions of those with whom the company ’ s executives disagree politically , then the special federal liability carve-outs they have long enjoyed will not survive , ” Domenech predicted .
There is substantial evidence of Twitter ’ s left-wing bias , from its policy that referring to someone by his actual sex rather than his “ gender identity ” is automatically “ hateful ” and long record of bans and suspensions affecting non-violent , non-hateful , non-obscene tweets from right-of-center perspectives ; to its double standards on violent rhetoric and the admissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentionally singled out conservative accounts and topics .

February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Twitter continues to evolve its ostensible war on “harmful disinformation” with the development of new tools to warn users about the veracity of the tweets they see, but the latest is only reinforcing long-standing grievances against the social network’s political biases.
This week, NBC News revealed that it has obtained a leaked copy of a demonstration of new features Twitter is developing, including a Wikipedia-style “Community Notes” feature that allows users themselves to rate a tweet as “likely” or “unlikely” to be “harmfully misleading.” Actively providing such feedback could earn users “points” for “contribut(ing) in good faith and act(ing) like a good neighbor” by “provid(ing) critical context to help people understand information they see.”
Another part of the demon displays a large orange box below tweets that have been deemed “harmfully misleading,” followed by corrections from journalists and fact-checkers that have been “verified” by Twitter.
“We're exploring a number of ways to address misinformation and provide more context for tweets on Twitter,” a Twitter spokesperson confirmed to NBC. “Misinformation is a critical issue and we will be testing many different ways to address it.”
The new features do not currently have a launch date.
A screenshot of the latter feature shows how claims by politicians on both sides could be “fact-checked”: a claim about gun sales by Vermont Senator and Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and a tweet in which Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy shares a report by The Federalist about controversial changes to the process for filing whistleblower complaints (such as the one that launched the failed impeachment of President Donald Trump):
The leaked demo features bright red and orange badges for tweets that have been deemed “harmfully misleading,” in nearly the same size as the tweet itself and prominently displayed directly below the tweet that contains the harmful misinformation.https://t.co/TciYv430l6 pic.twitter.com/xafDO29e8M — NBC News (@NBCNews) February 20, 2020
On Friday, Federalist publisher Ben Domenech responded to the report, noting that a Twitter spokesperson “refused to provide any answers” about “who the individuals are at Twitter responsible for falsely characterizing The Federalist’s accurate story as ‘harmfully misleading,’ and why they chose to falsely attack The Federalist in their ‘demo’ of the proposed feature.”
“Twitter and (Twitter CEO) Jack Dorsey have given us plenty of evidence that they cannot be trusted when it comes to bias, shadowbanning, or the company’s ideological censorship of political content,” he said. “Their latest gambit to suppress news stories Twitter dislikes was clearly designed to silence views that conflict with Twitter’s preferred narratives – and in that case will inevitably disproportionately hit accounts and publishers who dare to espouse conservative beliefs.”
“If Twitter is going to acknowledge the fact that they are a political publisher, actively promoting certain stories and censoring the news and opinions of those with whom the company’s executives disagree politically, then the special federal liability carve-outs they have long enjoyed will not survive,” Domenech predicted.
There is substantial evidence of Twitter’s left-wing bias, from its policy that referring to someone by his actual sex rather than his “gender identity” is automatically “hateful” and long record of bans and suspensions affecting non-violent, non-hateful, non-obscene tweets from right-of-center perspectives; to its double standards on violent rhetoric and the admissions of Twitter insiders that the company has intentionally singled out conservative accounts and topics.
Share