lifesitenews--2020-06-15--54 NIH scientists resign or fired over secret foreign ties, 93% connected to China (live updates)

LifeSite ’ s previous ( and future ) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE .
“ An ongoing inquiry by the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) into grantees ’ failures to disclose foreign ties has resulted in the firings and resignations of 54 scientists , ” according to The Epoch Times .
“ The NIH investigation has investigated 189 scientists for undisclosed foreign ties , with 93 percent of the hidden funding coming from China .
Some 77 grantees have been removed from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probe ” ( emphasis added ) .
“ The NIH effort is part of a larger U.S. government campaign to counter the Chinese Communist Party ’ s ( CCP ) infiltration of American academia .
The Department of Justice ( DOJ ) and the FBI have made arrests and reached settlements in several cases involving researchers as part of its broader China Initiative launched in November 2018.
” June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) today revoked the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
The emergency use authorization had allowed for coronavirus patients to receive the drug , which President Donald Trump has been taking as a prophylactic , “ when a clinical trial was unavailable , or participation in a clinical trial was not feasible , ” according to the FDA .
The World Health Organization has said that “ breastfeeding mothers do not seem to be passing on the new coronavirus to their infants ” and that the live virus has not been detected in breastmilk .
This is consistent with advice from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which says that “ there is a growing body of research showing babies benefit from multiple and diverse immunologic proteins , including antibodies , provided in human milk , particularly through direct breastfeeding.
” “ Those who become infected shortly before giving birth and then begin breastfeeding , and those who become infected while breastfeeding , will produce specific secretory IgA antibodies and many other critical immune factors in their milk to protect their nursing infants and enhance their infants ’ own immune responses.
” The global overreaction to the coronavirus has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq .
Today it ’ s generally accepted that the presence of WMD [ weapons of mass destruction ] was the primary basis for the Iraq War .
Naturally , the absence of such weapons shook the world .
The media blamed the politicians , the politicians blamed US intel , and the intelligence actors involved mostly defended their work .
The Iraq War WMD debacle is arguably the greatest expert “ fail ” in generations .
The holy triumvirate—lawmakers , bureaucrats , and media—all failed to sniff out the truth .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that cost trillions of dollars and claimed the lives of 100,000-200,000 people likely could have been avoided .
It would be difficult to surpass the Iraq blunder , but emerging evidence on COVID-19 suggests the experts—again : lawmakers , bureaucrats , and media—may have subjected us to a blunder of equally disastrous proportions .
Globalist elites will gather in a Swiss resort town to plan the post-coronavirus “ Great Reset , ” which is not expected to be friendly toward the pro-life or pro-family cause .

Live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to pro-life issues, faith, and freedom.
LifeSite’s previous (and future) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE.
“An ongoing inquiry by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) into grantees’ failures to disclose foreign ties has resulted in the firings and resignations of 54 scientists,” according to The Epoch Times. “The NIH investigation has investigated 189 scientists for undisclosed foreign ties, with 93 percent of the hidden funding coming from China. Some 77 grantees have been removed from the NIH system as a result of the probe” (emphasis added).
“The NIH effort is part of a larger U.S. government campaign to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) infiltration of American academia. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI have made arrests and reached settlements in several cases involving researchers as part of its broader China Initiative launched in November 2018.”
June 17, 2020, 6:38 p.m. EST: An award-winning Chinese scientist expelled from Canada’s most secure microbiology lab sent several vials containing dangerous viruses from the lab to China last year. The CBC obtained documents showing the scientist sent 15 different strains of Ebola and Henipah viruses to Wuhan, China at the end of March 2019.
June 16, 2020, 1:35 p.m. EST: The Guardian published an article yesterday on Ukraine’s predatory surrogacy industry, which caters to wealthy foreign couples, and the dozens of newborns who are stranded in that country:
They are the children of foreign couples born to Ukrainian surrogate mothers at the Kyiv-based BioTexCom Centre for Human Reproduction, the largest surrogacy clinic in the world. They’re stranded in the hotel because their biological parents have not been able to travel in or out of Ukraine since borders closed in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic. …some 50 babies remain in the hotel and the saga is casting a harsh spotlight on the ethics and scale of the booming commercial child-bearing industry in Ukraine. …In Vinnytsia, a city south-west of Kyiv, Liudmyla is still waiting to receive the balance of her fee for giving birth to a baby girl for a German couple in February. She regularly texts her surrogacy agency (not BioTexCom), which she says owes her €6,000. “They keep telling me they can’t send the entire sum because of the lockdown,” she says.
Citing “individual privacy,” New York officials instructed coronavirus “contact tracers” not to ask people if they’ve taken part in left-wing Black Lives Matter protests. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo have been criticized for their strict restrictions of religious gatherings by Orthodox Jews and Christians.
June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today revoked the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine to be used to treat certain hospitalized coronavirus patients. The emergency use authorization had allowed for coronavirus patients to receive the drug, which President Donald Trump has been taking as a prophylactic, “when a clinical trial was unavailable, or participation in a clinical trial was not feasible,” according to the FDA.
The World Health Organization has said that “breastfeeding mothers do not seem to be passing on the new coronavirus to their infants” and that the live virus has not been detected in breastmilk. This is consistent with advice from the breastfeeding group La Leche League, which says that “there is a growing body of research showing babies benefit from multiple and diverse immunologic proteins, including antibodies, provided in human milk, particularly through direct breastfeeding.”
“Those who become infected shortly before giving birth and then begin breastfeeding, and those who become infected while breastfeeding, will produce specific secretory IgA antibodies and many other critical immune factors in their milk to protect their nursing infants and enhance their infants’ own immune responses.”
The global overreaction to the coronavirus has been compared to the disastrous U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The Foundation for Economic Education wrote Friday:
Today it’s generally accepted that the presence of WMD [weapons of mass destruction] was the primary basis for the Iraq War. Naturally, the absence of such weapons shook the world. The media blamed the politicians, the politicians blamed US intel, and the intelligence actors involved mostly defended their work. … The Iraq War WMD debacle is arguably the greatest expert “fail” in generations. The holy triumvirate—lawmakers, bureaucrats, and media—all failed to sniff out the truth. If any of them had, a war that cost trillions of dollars and claimed the lives of 100,000-200,000 people likely could have been avoided. It would be difficult to surpass the Iraq blunder, but emerging evidence on COVID-19 suggests the experts—again: lawmakers, bureaucrats, and media—may have subjected us to a blunder of equally disastrous proportions.
Globalist elites will gather in a Swiss resort town to plan the post-coronavirus “Great Reset,” which is not expected to be friendly toward the pro-life or pro-family cause.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-15--Police wife: Mainstream media ignores that my husband’s life matters too

June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The war on law enforcement by the mainstream media and those who misunderstand what officers of the law stand for is not new , but it has reached new heights because of the killing of George Floyd while in police custody and the riots this has triggered .
Mainstream media outlets are now pushing an anti-cop narrative where the bias is obvious .
Voices are amplified calling for the defunding of the police and for a society without law enforcement officers .
Reality shows like “ Cops ” and “ Live PD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been canceled .
While it ’ s unfortunately true that there are cops who do bad things , the vast majority of police officers , though imperfect , are honorable human beings doing their best to protect good honest citizens from evil .
Law enforcement is necessary to maintain good social order .
Mainstream media bias against law enforcement has affected my family in a very personal way – my husband is a police officer .
The recent actions of Officer Chauvin against George Floyd were despicable and horrible .
His actions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstream media , have forced good police officers , like my husband , to pay the price .
I don ’ t know anyone out there saying that what he did was right , or justified - because it wasn ’ t .
His actions are a stark example of the mental health crisis in law enforcement that has been left unchecked and ignored for far too long .
The mental health and PTSD resources available to law enforcement officers and their families are severely lacking , and there is so much work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened to George Floyd moving forward .
Officer Chauvin ’ s actions , that have been used to fuel hatred of police officers across the country , have not only put my husband ’ s life in greater danger — as he has been working on the frontlines during the riots — but it has put my family ’ s safety in jeopardy simply because my husband has sworn to protect our country and wear the badge .
The death threats that families of law enforcement officers are receiving , the threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement officers , and the complete hatred of what police officers represent has instilled an incredible fear in me as the wife of a police officer that I can not shake .
My husband left for work the day after the Minneapolis riots .
I couldn ’ t believe the news in Minneapolis , but like many Americans outside of Minneapolis , I didn ’ t think that the riots would affect my neighborhood .
I hadn ’ t quite wrapped my head around how the actions of one police officer in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect the safety of my family .
But now , they have .
I hadn ’ t heard from my husband for a few hours since he left for work , which was unusual .
I had just put our girls to bed when I saw the announcement that civil unrest had broken out where my husband works .
My mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario .
As a police wife , every day when you say goodbye to your husband as he leaves for work , you face the possibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will ever see or hug him again .
Shortly after I learned what was happening , I began receiving messages from other police wives asking if anyone had heard further details on what Officers were working at the riot , what was happening , or when we might expect to hear from our husbands .
It was terrifying .
I was shaking .
I was in tears .
I couldn ’ t sleep .
I was trying to put bits and pieces of information together to figure out what was going on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I finally heard from him .
As I heard more details , I was both relieved and terrified at the same time .
I learned my husband was hit by rocks and bottles that were thrown at him , as well as other officers , as they held the line .
He was sworn at , yelled at , flipped off , spit on – I can ’ t imagine the hatred that he and his fellow officers endured that night .
My husband finished his shift the next morning and returned home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours before waking up again to go back to work to hold the line at the riots again .
The unknown of what was about to happen was draining .
I scrolled social media and saw news reports , stories , and pictures of what the riots in other cities had done .
My husband 's parents went for a walk in their neighborhood where they came across graffiti that read , “ Good cops are dead cops , ” “ Kill cops , ” and “ Save a life .
Kill a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weight of hatred and division that had taken over our country overnight .
It was then that I realized what the rioters ( not the peaceful protestors ) wanted - they wanted our country destroyed , and they wanted my husband dead , simply because he is a police officer .
They wanted him dead – my husband , a human being with a wife and two kids .
My husband , a Marine , who served our country in the Armed Forces for 6 years was suddenly less valuable as a human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and serve our country as a law enforcement officer .
Somehow our country went from “ first responders are heroes .
We are all in this together ” during the pandemic , to “ Kill Cops .
Violence is the only answer ” during the riots .
I heard of rioters targeting the homes of police officers by tracking down their addresses and marking homes that showed signs that a police officer lived there .
Their goal was to terrorize the homes of officers , and threaten officers and their families .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while my husband was holding the line at the riot where he works , a riot two miles from our home went south and there were rumors of the rioters ' plans to come into the neighborhoods .
A shelter-in-place order was issued for our area until morning .
It was especially terrifying because a few of our neighbors are police officers , which made our neighborhood a target .
My fear was no longer just for my husband ’ s safety on the frontlines , but for my kids ’ safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time had to find the strength within me to protect my family if the rioters came into our subdivision .
I put my girls to sleep in my bedroom with me , since it ’ s on the backside of the house , and I grabbed our guns and extra ammo to keep at my bedside in case I needed them for self-defense .
I never thought I would live to see a day where I would be so afraid to go to sleep at night because of the violence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting more innocent lives in danger .
This is not the America that I grew up in .
I was talking to one of my police-wife friends about what had happened .
As tears ran down my face I told her , “ I ’ m not strong enough to be a police wife .
This is too much to bear .
I don ’ t know how to be strong for my family when I ’ m scared for our lives.
” She responded , “ You are stronger than you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are unprecedented times and you are built for this .
You are incredibly strong holding your family together , putting your babies to bed , packing up your ammo and guns without hesitation .
That is the definition of strong .
You may not realize how strong the little acts that you do are , but you are crazy strong.
” No one feels built for this kind of reality .
You really never know just how strong you are until being strong is your only option .
These last few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my life .
It ’ s so easy for those who aren ’ t in the trenches to not fully understand the anxiety and fear that I have experienced .
And I hope no one else ever has to .
Yet at the same time , it is these moments that I have come to deepen my faith and pray without ceasing .
I now understand more closely why Saints like Maximillian Kolbe were able to find strength in the most difficult , and fearful situations .
Corrie Ten Boom once said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep that God is not deeper still.
” I know without a doubt that God is greater than all of the hatred and evil that is running rampant in our nation .
Never underestimate the power of prayer .
It is in these times that we must pray without ceasing , speak the truth , and defend life against those who want to destroy it .
I work for LifeSiteNews in the development department .
When I read encouraging LifeSite articles like the recent letter from Archbishop Vigano to President Trump , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mainstream media and social media outlets want us to feel like we are the minority , like we are alone in our beliefs where we value life , family , and the good of living in a law-abiding society .
But I have found that the more I speak up , it has encouraged others to do the same .
Our collective voices can make a difference .
That ’ s one reason I ’ m so grateful for the mission of LifeSiteNews that exposes the darkness and stands with us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the battlefield .
The cultural crisis we are experiencing is unlike anything before .
It is clear that a major part of this crisis is the misinformation and censoring of the truth by mainstream media and social media outlets .
The propaganda and narrative that they are pushing is insane , and the masses are blindly following along .
I hope as a reader of LifeSite you will consider financially supporting the LifeSite mission because it is needed more now than ever before .
There are few news sources questioning the mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the culture battle .
LifeSiteNews is giving hope to many readers like me , who feel like there is no one else standing up for them .
I hope you will step out onto the battlefield and join LifeSite on the frontlines as we navigate these unprecedented times in 2020 .
You can follow this secure link to donate now .

PETITION: Yes to reform. No to riots & revolution! Sign the petition here.
June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The war on law enforcement by the mainstream media and those who misunderstand what officers of the law stand for is not new, but it has reached new heights because of the killing of George Floyd while in police custody and the riots this has triggered.
Mainstream media outlets are now pushing an anti-cop narrative where the bias is obvious. Voices are amplified calling for the defunding of the police and for a society without law enforcement officers. Reality shows like “Cops” and “Live PD” that positively portrayed police have now been canceled. While it’s unfortunately true that there are cops who do bad things, the vast majority of police officers, though imperfect, are honorable human beings doing their best to protect good honest citizens from evil. Law enforcement is necessary to maintain good social order.
Mainstream media bias against law enforcement has affected my family in a very personal way – my husband is a police officer.
The recent actions of Officer Chauvin against George Floyd were despicable and horrible. His actions, and the ensuing anti-cop narrative promoted by mainstream media, have forced good police officers, like my husband, to pay the price.
I don’t know anyone out there saying that what he did was right, or justified – because it wasn’t. His actions are a stark example of the mental health crisis in law enforcement that has been left unchecked and ignored for far too long. The mental health and PTSD resources available to law enforcement officers and their families are severely lacking, and there is so much work to be done to prevent injustices like what happened to George Floyd moving forward.
Officer Chauvin’s actions, that have been used to fuel hatred of police officers across the country, have not only put my husband’s life in greater danger — as he has been working on the frontlines during the riots — but it has put my family’s safety in jeopardy simply because my husband has sworn to protect our country and wear the badge. The death threats that families of law enforcement officers are receiving, the threats of instigators terrorizing the homes of law enforcement officers, and the complete hatred of what police officers represent has instilled an incredible fear in me as the wife of a police officer that I cannot shake.
My husband left for work the day after the Minneapolis riots. I couldn’t believe the news in Minneapolis, but like many Americans outside of Minneapolis, I didn’t think that the riots would affect my neighborhood. I hadn’t quite wrapped my head around how the actions of one police officer in a different city and state could so greatly affect the safety of my family. But now, they have.
I hadn’t heard from my husband for a few hours since he left for work, which was unusual. I had just put our girls to bed when I saw the announcement that civil unrest had broken out where my husband works. My mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario. As a police wife, every day when you say goodbye to your husband as he leaves for work, you face the possibility of that moment being the last time you will ever see or hug him again.
Shortly after I learned what was happening, I began receiving messages from other police wives asking if anyone had heard further details on what Officers were working at the riot, what was happening, or when we might expect to hear from our husbands. It was terrifying. I was shaking. I was in tears. I couldn’t sleep. I was trying to put bits and pieces of information together to figure out what was going on.
The riots subsided at 3am, and I finally heard from him. As I heard more details, I was both relieved and terrified at the same time. I learned my husband was hit by rocks and bottles that were thrown at him, as well as other officers, as they held the line. He was sworn at, yelled at, flipped off, spit on – I can’t imagine the hatred that he and his fellow officers endured that night.
My husband finished his shift the next morning and returned home at 8am. He slept for three hours before waking up again to go back to work to hold the line at the riots again. The unknown of what was about to happen was draining.
I scrolled social media and saw news reports, stories, and pictures of what the riots in other cities had done. My husband's parents went for a walk in their neighborhood where they came across graffiti that read, “Good cops are dead cops,” “Kill cops,” and “Save a life. Kill a cop.” I was overwhelmed with the weight of hatred and division that had taken over our country overnight. It was then that I realized what the rioters (not the peaceful protestors) wanted – they wanted our country destroyed, and they wanted my husband dead, simply because he is a police officer.
They wanted him dead – my husband, a human being with a wife and two kids. My husband, a Marine, who served our country in the Armed Forces for 6 years was suddenly less valuable as a human being simply because he chose to protect and serve our country as a law enforcement officer. Somehow our country went from “first responders are heroes. We are all in this together” during the pandemic, to “Kill Cops. Violence is the only answer” during the riots.
I heard of rioters targeting the homes of police officers by tracking down their addresses and marking homes that showed signs that a police officer lived there. Their goal was to terrorize the homes of officers, and threaten officers and their families. This was my new reality.
That night, while my husband was holding the line at the riot where he works, a riot two miles from our home went south and there were rumors of the rioters' plans to come into the neighborhoods. A shelter-in-place order was issued for our area until morning. It was especially terrifying because a few of our neighbors are police officers, which made our neighborhood a target. My fear was no longer just for my husband’s safety on the frontlines, but for my kids’ safety. I was terrified and yet at the same time had to find the strength within me to protect my family if the rioters came into our subdivision. I put my girls to sleep in my bedroom with me, since it’s on the backside of the house, and I grabbed our guns and extra ammo to keep at my bedside in case I needed them for self-defense.
I never thought I would live to see a day where I would be so afraid to go to sleep at night because of the violence and hatred that is destroying our communities and putting more innocent lives in danger. This is not the America that I grew up in.
I was talking to one of my police-wife friends about what had happened. As tears ran down my face I told her, “I’m not strong enough to be a police wife. This is too much to bear. I don’t know how to be strong for my family when I’m scared for our lives.”
She responded, “You are stronger than you know! Trust me, you are. These are unprecedented times and you are built for this. You are incredibly strong holding your family together, putting your babies to bed, packing up your ammo and guns without hesitation. That is the definition of strong. You may not realize how strong the little acts that you do are, but you are crazy strong.”
No one feels built for this kind of reality. You really never know just how strong you are until being strong is your only option. These last few weeks have been surreal – a defining moment in my life.
It’s so easy for those who aren’t in the trenches to not fully understand the anxiety and fear that I have experienced. And I hope no one else ever has to. Yet at the same time, it is these moments that I have come to deepen my faith and pray without ceasing. I now understand more closely why Saints like Maximillian Kolbe were able to find strength in the most difficult, and fearful situations.
Corrie Ten Boom once said, “There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.” I know without a doubt that God is greater than all of the hatred and evil that is running rampant in our nation. Never underestimate the power of prayer. It is in these times that we must pray without ceasing, speak the truth, and defend life against those who want to destroy it.
I work for LifeSiteNews in the development department. When I read encouraging LifeSite articles like the recent letter from Archbishop Vigano to President Trump, I have found that I am not alone. Mainstream media and social media outlets want us to feel like we are the minority, like we are alone in our beliefs where we value life, family, and the good of living in a law-abiding society. But I have found that the more I speak up, it has encouraged others to do the same. Our collective voices can make a difference. That’s one reason I’m so grateful for the mission of LifeSiteNews that exposes the darkness and stands with us, people like me, on the frontlines of the battlefield.
The cultural crisis we are experiencing is unlike anything before. It is clear that a major part of this crisis is the misinformation and censoring of the truth by mainstream media and social media outlets. The propaganda and narrative that they are pushing is insane, and the masses are blindly following along.
I hope as a reader of LifeSite you will consider financially supporting the LifeSite mission because it is needed more now than ever before. There are few news sources questioning the mainstream media and the larger agenda at play in the culture battle. LifeSiteNews is giving hope to many readers like me, who feel like there is no one else standing up for them.
I hope you will step out onto the battlefield and join LifeSite on the frontlines as we navigate these unprecedented times in 2020. You can follow this secure link to donate now.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-06-15--Recognizing the real pain and anger in the black community is part of the path to healing, peace

June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – “ We are not makers of history , ” Martin Luther King Jr. told his congregation in 1954 , “ we are made by history.
” King , of course , would in the years ahead , with all his flaws , become a maker of history , too—and precisely because he understood that both his civil rights movement and those they faced off with on the streets from Birmingham to Chicago were shaped by their respective pasts .
If one didn ’ t understand that , one understood nothing .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , one viral video making the rounds is giving voice to the historical grievances of many African Americans .
Tweeted by activist Matthew A. Cherry and retweeted by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , it shows black author Kimberly Jones ( author of I ’ m Not Dying With You Tonight ) wearing a George Floyd shirt , raging with grief and anger .
She is standing in front of a building covered in graffiti , speaking to the camera , running through a litany of historical grievances : “ You broke the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets…You broke the contract for 400 years.
” My instinct on hearing that is to immediately recoil from the seeming advocacy of violence .
When my editor sent it to me , he noted that “ as I was watching the video , it ’ s obviously deeply problematic and dangerous , but at the same time , I felt there was righteous anger being expressed.
” I think that ’ s precisely right .
When you listen to Jones closely , she isn ’ t so much advocating for violence as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channelling the pain of the black community , the dry powder of hundreds of years of oppression sparked by the match of George Floyd ’ s murder .
It is also a powerful reminder that those who have no vested interest in the system are much less likely to share common cause with those who do .
It is easy to look at where anger has taken us and to condemn anger , without seeking to understand where that anger comes from .
That is a complicated question , with many answers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grifters and political carpetbaggers and race-baiters who are deliberately stoking anger for perceived gain .
But I ’ d like to focus on one source of that anger that all of us should understand : History .
I must note here that I am fully aware that the rioting on the streets in many cases has nothing to do with George Floyd .
I have already written a column noting that the protestors often tried in vain to stop Antifa infiltrators and others from hijacking the legitimate expression of their grievances , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not support the anti-Christian positions of the organization Black Lives Matter ( not the slogan , mind you , the organization . )
I ’ m aware that it is nearly impossible to write anything about what is going on right now without provoking rage from one side or the other .
But it would be a big mistake not to realize that while ideology plays a part in how we understand events , history is a far more powerful molder of persons—ideology is a hanger-on , exploiting what is there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe that without knowing our history , we can not understand our present .
People are not merely individuals , floating in a vast sea of other atomized individuals , coming from nowhere and heading nowhere .
We are the products of our families , our environments , our communities , and our shared experiences .
Many conservatives like to note that we have come far on issues of racial injustice , and that is obviously true .
But let ’ s think about it more deeply for a moment .
Imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jim Crow laws ?
Imagine if your father had been routinely infantilized and humiliated by those of a different skin color than him , forced to endure it because the status quo was often enforced by violence ?
This is not so very long ago .
The last lynching of an African American by the KKK was in Mobile , Alabama on March 21 , 1981 .
For many of us , the civil rights era is history .
For many of those expressing their pain right now , this is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands alive today , if not more , can recall this period with vivid pain .
To them , law enforcement was often the tool of injustice .
This is accepted by all as historical fact , but we often seem to think that those who endured this injustice , and their children and grandchildren who suffer the after-effects and hear the stories as their family history , can simply shrug it off and pretend that none of it happened .
Would you be able to do that if it was your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved the most ?
I doubt I would be able to .
This is not to advocate for anger .
It is simply to explain why it is there .
A few years ago , I interviewed 95-year-old George Walker , the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for music ( he has since passed away . )
He told me that when he was a boy , his aged grandmother had told him stories—about being a slave on a Southern plantation .
“ What did she tell you ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : They did everything but eat us , ” he told me .
It struck me that I was on the phone , speaking with an old man who had heard , first-hand , what slavery was like—from his beloved grandmother .
“ The past isn ’ t dead , ” William Faulkner once wrote .
“ It ’ s not even past.
” Nobody should understand that better than a conservative .
I ’ ll reiterate that none of this is saying that injustice calls for violent revolution , or that past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I think that a better understanding of history would inoculate us from some of the radical proposals being put forward right now , not make us more susceptible to them .
And as I noted in my column on the riots , the present situation calls for revival , not revolution .
But we should be aware of the historical context for all of this , and we should be aware that history echoes forward in time , not just backwards .
Many black Christians are coming forward and explaining how they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their perspective , and we should read their stories .
Nobody should be aware of injustice than Christians , and nobody should be more steeped in history than traditionalists and conservatives .
We can not simply pretend rage doesn ’ t exist .
We can seek to understand where it comes from .
Jonathon ’ s new podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , he interviews African-American pro-life leader Ryan Bomberger who speaks out about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter movement and the best way to respond to the injustices that are happening in the US and across the world .
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below :

'Nobody should be aware of injustice than Christians, and nobody should be more steeped in history than traditionalists and conservatives'
PETITION: Yes to reform. No to riots & revolution! Sign the petition here.
June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – “We are not makers of history,” Martin Luther King Jr. told his congregation in 1954, “we are made by history.” King, of course, would in the years ahead, with all his flaws, become a maker of history, too—and precisely because he understood that both his civil rights movement and those they faced off with on the streets from Birmingham to Chicago were shaped by their respective pasts. If one didn’t understand that, one understood nothing.
As America’s racial tensions erupt once again, one viral video making the rounds is giving voice to the historical grievances of many African Americans. Tweeted by activist Matthew A. Cherry and retweeted by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, it shows black author Kimberly Jones (author of I’m Not Dying With You Tonight) wearing a George Floyd shirt, raging with grief and anger. She is standing in front of a building covered in graffiti, speaking to the camera, running through a litany of historical grievances: “You broke the contract when you killed us in the streets…You broke the contract for 400 years.”
My instinct on hearing that is to immediately recoil from the seeming advocacy of violence. When my editor sent it to me, he noted that “as I was watching the video, it’s obviously deeply problematic and dangerous, but at the same time, I felt there was righteous anger being expressed.” I think that’s precisely right. When you listen to Jones closely, she isn’t so much advocating for violence as a practical means of protest so much as channelling the pain of the black community, the dry powder of hundreds of years of oppression sparked by the match of George Floyd’s murder. It is also a powerful reminder that those who have no vested interest in the system are much less likely to share common cause with those who do.
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It is easy to look at where anger has taken us and to condemn anger, without seeking to understand where that anger comes from. That is a complicated question, with many answers. One of them is that there are grifters and political carpetbaggers and race-baiters who are deliberately stoking anger for perceived gain. But I’d like to focus on one source of that anger that all of us should understand: History.
I must note here that I am fully aware that the rioting on the streets in many cases has nothing to do with George Floyd. I have already written a column noting that the protestors often tried in vain to stop Antifa infiltrators and others from hijacking the legitimate expression of their grievances, and I’ve explained—to much backlash—why I cannot support the anti-Christian positions of the organization Black Lives Matter (not the slogan, mind you, the organization.) I’m aware that it is nearly impossible to write anything about what is going on right now without provoking rage from one side or the other. But it would be a big mistake not to realize that while ideology plays a part in how we understand events, history is a far more powerful molder of persons—ideology is a hanger-on, exploiting what is there.
As a traditionalist and conservative person, I believe that without knowing our history, we cannot understand our present. People are not merely individuals, floating in a vast sea of other atomized individuals, coming from nowhere and heading nowhere. We are the products of our families, our environments, our communities, and our shared experiences. Many conservatives like to note that we have come far on issues of racial injustice, and that is obviously true. But let’s think about it more deeply for a moment.
Imagine if your father had been the victim of Jim Crow laws? Imagine if your father had been routinely infantilized and humiliated by those of a different skin color than him, forced to endure it because the status quo was often enforced by violence? This is not so very long ago. The last lynching of an African American by the KKK was in Mobile, Alabama on March 21, 1981. For many of us, the civil rights era is history. For many of those expressing their pain right now, this is the lived experience of their families.
Hundreds of thousands alive today, if not more, can recall this period with vivid pain. To them, law enforcement was often the tool of injustice. This is accepted by all as historical fact, but we often seem to think that those who endured this injustice, and their children and grandchildren who suffer the after-effects and hear the stories as their family history, can simply shrug it off and pretend that none of it happened. Would you be able to do that if it was your family? If it was those you loved the most? I doubt I would be able to. This is not to advocate for anger. It is simply to explain why it is there.
A few years ago, I interviewed 95-year-old George Walker, the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for music (he has since passed away.) He told me that when he was a boy, his aged grandmother had told him stories—about being a slave on a Southern plantation. “What did she tell you?” I asked him. “She said: They did everything but eat us,” he told me. It struck me that I was on the phone, speaking with an old man who had heard, first-hand, what slavery was like—from his beloved grandmother. “The past isn’t dead,” William Faulkner once wrote. “It’s not even past.” Nobody should understand that better than a conservative.
I’ll reiterate that none of this is saying that injustice calls for violent revolution, or that past sins are an excuse for present ones. I think that a better understanding of history would inoculate us from some of the radical proposals being put forward right now, not make us more susceptible to them. And as I noted in my column on the riots, the present situation calls for revival, not revolution. But we should be aware of the historical context for all of this, and we should be aware that history echoes forward in time, not just backwards. Many black Christians are coming forward and explaining how they saw George Floyd’s murder from their perspective, and we should read their stories.
Nobody should be aware of injustice than Christians, and nobody should be more steeped in history than traditionalists and conservatives. We cannot simply pretend rage doesn’t exist. We can seek to understand where it comes from.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, he interviews African-American pro-life leader Ryan Bomberger who speaks out about the harm being done by the Black Lives Matter movement and the best way to respond to the injustices that are happening in the US and across the world.
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-15--Trump admin reverses Obama-era rule forcing doctors to participate in ‘sex changes,’ abortions

UNITED STATES , June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — On Friday the Trump administration announced the reversal of a 2016 “ anti-discrimination ” rule which would have required healthcare providers receiving federal funds to perform “ gender transition ” operations and abortions .
In May 2016 the Obama administration redefined “ sex discrimination ” in section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) to include an individual ’ s “ internal sense of gender , which may be male , female , neither , or a combination of male and female.
” The 2016 rule also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its definition of sex discrimination .
The Obama-era regulations implied that medical providers would have to commit abortions and treat patients based on their asserted “ gender identity ” or risk losing government aid , along with facing a possible referral to the Department of Justice for legal action .
In December 2016 a federal court issued a nationwide injunction which blocked the enforcement of the Obama regulations on the grounds that they were likely to be contrary to civil rights laws and laws protecting religious freedom .
This ruling was subsequently upheld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which found the regulations to be unlawful .
And now the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) has announced that they will “ enforce Section 1557 by returning to the government ’ s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word ‘ sex ’ as male or female and as determined by biology.
” The HHS said that the move “ maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race , color , national origin , disability , age , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress.
” While Friday ’ s new HHS regulation is a victory for religious liberty and conscience rights in healthcare , this morning the U.S. Supreme Court dealt social conservatives a significant blow by ruling that Title VII ’ s prohibition of sex discrimination in employment also outlaws discrimination based on “ sexual orientation ” and “ gender identity.
” The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ’ ( USCCB ) praised Friday ’ s announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) for promulgating regulations restoring the long-standing position of the federal government that discrimination on the basis of ‘ sex ’ means just that and does not refer to ‘ termination of pregnancy ’ nor ‘ gender identity , ’ ” the USCCB said in a statement .
“ These regulations will help restore the rights of health care providers – as well as insurers and employers – who decline to perform or cover abortions or ‘ gender transition ’ procedures due to ethical or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve everyone who comes to them , regardless of characteristics or background .
However , there are ethical considerations when it comes to procedures .
We greatly appreciate [ this ] important action , ” the bishops continued .
Medicine not rooted in biological reality ‘ can be not only harmful , but deadly ’ Pro-life and pro-family groups across the United States also applauded the finalized rule .
Terry Schilling , executive director of the American Principles Project , said that the Trump administration affirmed a basic , self-evident truth that sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men , and women are women .
“ Although this truth used to be universally acknowledged , the radical Left has lately cowed Democrats and cultural elites into denying reality and instead accepting the ridiculous assertion that maleness and femaleness have no basis in biology .
This is not science — it ’ s pure ideology , and it should have no place in federal policy .
Thank goodness there are at least some still left in Washington brave enough to fight this insanity , ” Schilling said .
Susan B. Anthony List @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another important victory for conscience in America.
” “ Abortion is not health care and should never be mandated by the government , ” Dannenfelser said .
“ The Obama/Biden administration sought to expand abortion at every turn , even trying to reinterpret federal law to define abortion as a civil right.
” “ We thank President Trump and Secretary Azar for standing firmly on the side of the majority of Americans who reject taxpayer funding of abortion , and for the action taken today to roll back the Obama/Biden-era assault on conscience.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Senior Legislative Assistant for the Family Research Council , said the new rule will “ protect health care providers from being forced to participate in and perform services that substantially violate their consciences and help protect their patients.
” “ The Obama rule failed to recognize the many unintended consequences to patients – particularly those identifying as transgender , ” Waddell said .
“ For example , men and women often get different doses of medications and even different ones altogether .
Men and women sometimes exhibit different symptoms for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on their self-professed gender and not their biological make-up can be not only harmful , but deadly .
”

The Obama-era regulations implied that medical providers would have to commit abortions and treat patients based on their asserted 'gender identity' or risk losing government aid, along with facing possible legal action.
UNITED STATES, June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — On Friday the Trump administration announced the reversal of a 2016 “anti-discrimination” rule which would have required healthcare providers receiving federal funds to perform “gender transition” operations and abortions.
In May 2016 the Obama administration redefined “sex discrimination” in section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to include an individual’s “internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female.” The 2016 rule also included “termination of pregnancy” in its definition of sex discrimination.
The Obama-era regulations implied that medical providers would have to commit abortions and treat patients based on their asserted “gender identity” or risk losing government aid, along with facing a possible referral to the Department of Justice for legal action.
In December 2016 a federal court issued a nationwide injunction which blocked the enforcement of the Obama regulations on the grounds that they were likely to be contrary to civil rights laws and laws protecting religious freedom. This ruling was subsequently upheld by a second federal court in 2019, which found the regulations to be unlawful.
And now the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that they will “enforce Section 1557 by returning to the government’s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word ‘sex’ as male or female and as determined by biology.”
The HHS said that the move “maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, and sex, and restores the rule of law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress.”
While Friday’s new HHS regulation is a victory for religious liberty and conscience rights in healthcare, this morning the U.S. Supreme Court dealt social conservatives a significant blow by ruling that Title VII’s prohibition of sex discrimination in employment also outlaws discrimination based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) praised Friday’s announcement from HHS.
“We thank the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for promulgating regulations restoring the long-standing position of the federal government that discrimination on the basis of ‘sex’ means just that and does not refer to ‘termination of pregnancy’ nor ‘gender identity,’” the USCCB said in a statement.
“These regulations will help restore the rights of health care providers – as well as insurers and employers – who decline to perform or cover abortions or ‘gender transition’ procedures due to ethical or professional objections. Catholic health care providers serve everyone who comes to them, regardless of characteristics or background. However, there are ethical considerations when it comes to procedures. We greatly appreciate [this] important action,” the bishops continued.
Medicine not rooted in biological reality ‘can be not only harmful, but deadly’
Pro-life and pro-family groups across the United States also applauded the finalized rule.
Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project, said that the Trump administration affirmed a basic, self-evident truth that sex is biologically determined — that men are men, and women are women.
“Although this truth used to be universally acknowledged, the radical Left has lately cowed Democrats and cultural elites into denying reality and instead accepting the ridiculous assertion that maleness and femaleness have no basis in biology. This is not science — it’s pure ideology, and it should have no place in federal policy. Thank goodness there are at least some still left in Washington brave enough to fight this insanity,” Schilling said.
Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser called the move “another important victory for conscience in America.”
“Abortion is not health care and should never be mandated by the government,” Dannenfelser said. “The Obama/Biden administration sought to expand abortion at every turn, even trying to reinterpret federal law to define abortion as a civil right.”
“We thank President Trump and Secretary Azar for standing firmly on the side of the majority of Americans who reject taxpayer funding of abortion, and for the action taken today to roll back the Obama/Biden-era assault on conscience.”
Mary Beth Waddell, who serves as the Senior Legislative Assistant for the Family Research Council, said the new rule will “protect health care providers from being forced to participate in and perform services that substantially violate their consciences and help protect their patients.”
“The Obama rule failed to recognize the many unintended consequences to patients – particularly those identifying as transgender,” Waddell said.
“For example, men and women often get different doses of medications and even different ones altogether. Men and women sometimes exhibit different symptoms for the same disease. Treating a person differently based on their self-professed gender and not their biological make-up can be not only harmful, but deadly.”
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lifesitenews--2020-06-15--BREAKING: US Supreme Court votes 6-3 to redefine ‘sex,’ write transgenderism into 1964 law

WASHINGTON , D.C. , June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Republican-appointed Justices John Roberts and Neil Gorsuch joined the U.S. Supreme Court ’ s liberals Monday in ruling that longstanding anti-discrimination law should be reinterpreted to cover homosexuality and gender confusion , in a case that will have drastic ramifications on religious liberty and force Americans to adopt a “ fluid ” understanding of biological sex in scores of policies .
Gorsuch , President Donald Trump ’ s first addition to the nation ’ s highest court , wrote the majority opinion for the 6-3 ruling , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act should be interpreted to mean sexual orientation and gender identity , in addition to its original biological meaning .
The case consolidated several suits into one , including that of a Christian funeral home that fired a male employee who insisted on dressing as a woman on the job ; a skydiving instructor who was fired after informing a customer he was gay ; and a county child welfare services coordinator who was fired after his employer learned he was gay .
“ Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender , ” Gorsuch wrote .
“ The answer is clear .
An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex .
Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision , exactly what Title VII forbids.
” The majority ’ s reasoning flies in the face of both the plain statutory meaning of “ sex ” in 1964 and the clear legislative intent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civil Rights Act , as explained by Alliance Defending Freedom ( ADF ) senior counsel John Bursch .
“ There is little dispute that , in 1964 , the term ‘ sex ’ was publicly understood , as it is now , to mean biological sex : male and female , ” he writes .
“ After all , the term ‘ gender identity ’ wasn ’ t even part of the American lexicon at the time .
Its first use was at a European medical conference in 1963 .
And no semblance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1990.
” But Gorsuch ’ s opinion panned the notion of authorial intent , a bedrock principle of judicial originalism , by declaring that judges “ are not free to overlook plain statutory commands on the strength of nothing more than suppositions about intentions or guesswork about expectations .
In Title VII , Congress adopted broad language making it illegal for an employer to rely on an employee ’ s sex when deciding to fire that employee.
” Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented , panning the majority opinion as “ legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guise of “ interpreting a statute , ” reminding the majority that the court ’ s duty “ is limited to saying what the law is ” rather than adding to it .
Trump ’ s other appointee , Justice Brett Kavanaugh , wrote his own dissenting opinion , in which he noted that the “ responsibility to amend Title VII belongs to Congress and the President in the legislative process , not to this Court.
” Kavanaugh also wrote , however , that the majority opinion represented an “ important victory achieved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” who “ advanced powerful policy arguments , ” displayed “ extraordinary vision , tenacity , and grit , ” and “ can take pride in today ’ s result ” ... “ notwithstanding my concern about the Court ’ s transgression of the Constitution ’ s separation of powers.
” Conservatives warn that today ’ s ruling will not merely protect homosexual or gender-confused Americans from tangible harm .
Rather , it will require churches to recognize same-sex “ marriages ” ; force photographers , florists , and bakers to participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fund drugs and surgeries to help people imitate members of the opposite sex ; and make women and girls to share sleeping quarters , showers , changing areas , and restrooms with gender-confused males ( or men simply claiming trans status to get close to vulnerable women ) .
“ The core issue before the Court in this case was whether it is within the legitimate power of judges to suddenly redefine the meaning of words and rewrite a 55-year-old statute .
Sadly , the Court answered in the affirmative , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Family Research Council .
“ Allowing judges to rewrite the Civil Rights Act to add gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes poses a grave threat to religious liberty .
We 've already witnessed in recent years how courts have used the redefinition of words as a battering ram to crush faith-based businesses and organizations , ” concluded Perkins .
Today ’ s ruling also largely relieves congressional Democrats of the need to enact the so-called Equality Act , a bill that would legislatively impose those same requirements on the country ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applications may vary , meaning some LGBT activists will likely still demand that the act be passed to codify today ’ s ruling ) .
Gorsuch and Roberts ’ support for the decision has appalled numerous conservative legal observers , and vindicated voices who argued that Senate Republicans were too quick to confirm Gorsuch ’ s nomination without further vetting .
It also raises grave concerns over the caliber of jurists being groomed and promoted by “ conservative ” legal institutions such as the Federalist Society .
It remains to be seen whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative enthusiasm to turn out for Donald Trump ’ s reelection in November .
It is widely speculated , though not confirmed , that Trump ’ s third Supreme Court nominee would be Judge Amy Coney Barrett , someone believed to be more reliably conservative than Gorsuch or Kavanaugh .

Conservatives say this ruling could force churches to recognize same-sex 'marriages'; force photographers, florists, and bakers to participate in same-sex 'weddings'; compel employers to fund drugs and surgeries to help people imitate members of the opposite sex; and make women and girls to share sleeping quarters, showers, changing areas, and restrooms with gender-confused males.
PETITION: Tell Trump Christians can’t accept SCOTUS ruling imposing LGBT ideology Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Republican-appointed Justices John Roberts and Neil Gorsuch joined the U.S. Supreme Court’s liberals Monday in ruling that longstanding anti-discrimination law should be reinterpreted to cover homosexuality and gender confusion, in a case that will have drastic ramifications on religious liberty and force Americans to adopt a “fluid” understanding of biological sex in scores of policies.
Gorsuch, President Donald Trump’s first addition to the nation’s highest court, wrote the majority opinion for the 6-3 ruling, which concluded that “sex discrimination” in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act should be interpreted to mean sexual orientation and gender identity, in addition to its original biological meaning.
The case consolidated several suits into one, including that of a Christian funeral home that fired a male employee who insisted on dressing as a woman on the job; a skydiving instructor who was fired after informing a customer he was gay; and a county child welfare services coordinator who was fired after his employer learned he was gay.
“Today, we must decide whether an employer can fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender,” Gorsuch wrote. “The answer is clear. An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids.”
The majority’s reasoning flies in the face of both the plain statutory meaning of “sex” in 1964 and the clear legislative intent of the lawmakers who drafted and passed the Civil Rights Act, as explained by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) senior counsel John Bursch. “There is little dispute that, in 1964, the term ‘sex’ was publicly understood, as it is now, to mean biological sex: male and female,” he writes. “After all, the term ‘gender identity’ wasn’t even part of the American lexicon at the time. Its first use was at a European medical conference in 1963. And no semblance of it appeared in federal law until 1990.”
But Gorsuch’s opinion panned the notion of authorial intent, a bedrock principle of judicial originalism, by declaring that judges “are not free to overlook plain statutory commands on the strength of nothing more than suppositions about intentions or guesswork about expectations. In Title VII, Congress adopted broad language making it illegal for an employer to rely on an employee’s sex when deciding to fire that employee.”
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, panning the majority opinion as “legislation” written under the “deceptive” guise of “interpreting a statute,” reminding the majority that the court’s duty “is limited to saying what the law is” rather than adding to it.
Trump’s other appointee, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, wrote his own dissenting opinion, in which he noted that the “responsibility to amend Title VII belongs to Congress and the President in the legislative process, not to this Court.”
Kavanaugh also wrote, however, that the majority opinion represented an “important victory achieved today by gay and lesbian Americans,” who “advanced powerful policy arguments,” displayed “extraordinary vision, tenacity, and grit,” and “can take pride in today’s result”… “notwithstanding my concern about the Court’s transgression of the Constitution’s separation of powers.”
Conservatives warn that today’s ruling will not merely protect homosexual or gender-confused Americans from tangible harm. Rather, it will require churches to recognize same-sex “marriages”; force photographers, florists, and bakers to participate in same-sex “weddings”; compel employers to fund drugs and surgeries to help people imitate members of the opposite sex; and make women and girls to share sleeping quarters, showers, changing areas, and restrooms with gender-confused males (or men simply claiming trans status to get close to vulnerable women).
“The core issue before the Court in this case was whether it is within the legitimate power of judges to suddenly redefine the meaning of words and rewrite a 55-year-old statute. Sadly, the Court answered in the affirmative,” commented Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.
“Allowing judges to rewrite the Civil Rights Act to add gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes poses a grave threat to religious liberty. We've already witnessed in recent years how courts have used the redefinition of words as a battering ram to crush faith-based businesses and organizations,” concluded Perkins.
Today’s ruling also largely relieves congressional Democrats of the need to enact the so-called Equality Act, a bill that would legislatively impose those same requirements on the country (though some of the details and specific applications may vary, meaning some LGBT activists will likely still demand that the act be passed to codify today’s ruling).
Gorsuch and Roberts’ support for the decision has appalled numerous conservative legal observers, and vindicated voices who argued that Senate Republicans were too quick to confirm Gorsuch’s nomination without further vetting. It also raises grave concerns over the caliber of jurists being groomed and promoted by “conservative” legal institutions such as the Federalist Society.
The crisis moment for the “conservative legal movement” has arrived. The Roe v. Wade of religious liberty is here, and it was delivered by golden boy Neil Gorsuch. What comes next? — Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) June 15, 2020
While the question of whether to amend Title VII to add more categories may be a difficult one as a matter of policy, the question of the Court’s role on this issue was an easy one: Allow the people to decide the issue through their elected representatives. (2/x) — Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) June 15, 2020
Have no doubts about what happened today: This was the hijacking of textualism. You can't redefine the meaning of words themselves and still be doing textualism. This is an ominous sign for anyone concerned about the future of representative democracy. (end) — Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) June 15, 2020
So there is a right to transgenderism but not to self defense? States can't set capital cases without federal court intervention but they can nullify federal immigration? That's the upshot from the court in just 35 minutes. — Daniel Horowitz (@RMConservative) June 15, 2020
The answer is a rejection of judicial supremacy. Period. Read Federalist 78. Hamilton. Jackson. This grand experiment of deferring on every major issue to a few Ivy League educated elites is over. I couldn't care less what the Supreme Court says on any issue. We're done here. — Jon Schweppe ���� (@JonSchweppe) June 15, 2020
It remains to be seen whether this ruling will have any bearing on conservative enthusiasm to turn out for Donald Trump’s reelection in November. It is widely speculated, though not confirmed, that Trump’s third Supreme Court nominee would be Judge Amy Coney Barrett, someone believed to be more reliably conservative than Gorsuch or Kavanaugh.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-15--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In response to the coronavirus crisis , LifeSite is offering Catholics throughout the world a chance to be united in praying the rosary together , at the same time , every day at 12:00 noon EST .
The rosary is led by Father Anthony Pillari , an American priest currently in Italy .
To date , Catholics from Israel , Uganda , Italy , France , Germany , Ireland , the United Kingdom , the U.S. , Canada , Mexico , Chile , Brazil , Australia , New Zealand , the Philippines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as other countries , have been joining in .
The whole world – including the Church – has been thrown into chaos because of the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) .
Thousands of people have passed away as a result of the viral outbreak , while thousands more have been sickened .
And , across the world , business has come to a grinding halt , resulting in sudden job loss and threatening economic recession .
If there ever was a time for prayer , this is it .
Catholics around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sacraments , but in many places are unable to access them because of bishops ’ orders or government restrictions .
We know that community with other believers is vital all the time , but especially during this time of global calls for “ sheltering-in-place ” and quarantine .
“ The rosary is the weapon for these times , ” St. Padre Pio said .
Through prayer , we can shape history , change the world , and bring this painful crisis to an end .
Join us today !
Send photos or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rosary with Father Pillari to [ email protected ]

(LifeSiteNews) — In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church, LifeSite is happy to promote Regina Angelorum Press’s Daily Rosary, which is offering Catholics throughout the world the chance to be united daily in prayer, in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade.
Catholics from all over the world — from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other countries — are gathering daily to pray the Rosary, led by Father Pillari, JCL, MCL, STL, an American priest currently studying in Italy.
The Daily Rosary is being offered each day at 12noon EST through Regina Angelorum Press’ YouTube Channel to which you can subscribe HERE.
The goal is, by means of this Daily Rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima, the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
To help obtain that goal, Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide Rosary crusade:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen. + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady’s message at Fatima, and about what you can do, please read Cardinal Burke’s 2017 address at the Rome Life Forum.
As St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Through prayer, God can shape history, change the world, and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world, through the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Join us today!
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this Rosary, you can access them HERE. The document also includes a brief F.A.Q. pertaining to the daily Rosary.
You can send your prayer requests to https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/
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lifesitenews--2020-06-15--US publisher drops renowned pro-gay Catholic hymnist for sex abuse accusations

UNITED STATES , June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A famous American Catholic hymnist whose songs are well known in churches throughout the country has lost his sponsorship from a major Catholic hymnal publisher following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct .
David Haas , 63 , is known by Catholics throughout the English-speaking world for such hymns as “ Blessed are They , ” “ You Are Mine , ” and “ Servant Song.
” Last year , the hymnist composed a chant to celebrate homosexuality .
GIA Publications said in a Facebook post published over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual misconduct by Haas earlier this year and that it subsequently learned that the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis was considering a decision not to provide him a letter of suitability .
“ In response , we suspended our sponsorship and publishing relationship with Mr. Haas , and have not sponsored his work since late January , ” the publishing company said .
“ New allegations of sexually abusive conduct by Mr. Haas continue to be reported .
We take these reports seriously .
GIA Publications supports and stands with victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and prevent sexual abuse .
If you would like to share any information or make a report , please contact www.intoaccount.org.
” In response to the GIA Publications Facebook post , which has attracted almost 300 comments , several users of the social media platform have called for Haas ’ s works to be removed from existing publications out of respect for Haas ’ s alleged victims .
“ His works must be removed from all publications and any current publications should be recalled , ” one user wrote .
“ One can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing the works of one ’ s assaulter magnified during a liturgy .
For the victims we must remove these triggers.
” The announcement by GIA Publications follows the release of an email written last month to Haas ’ s associates by the abuse survivor advocacy group Into Account .
“ We specialize in providing support to survivors in cases that involve churches , faith-based organizations , and perpetrators who abuse spiritual authority , ” IntoAccount ’ s executive director , Stephanie Krehbiel , explained in a May 29 letter addressed to Associates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ve received reports from multiple individuals reporting sexually predatory actions from the composer David Haas .
These individuals have asked IntoAccount to communicate our assessment of the information they ’ ve shared with us , ” Krehbiel continues .
Krehbiel claims that reports they have received suggest that Haas ’ s behavior shows a “ repeated , unethical abuse of the professional and spiritual power he has had in church music circles.
” “ Haas has allegedly targeted multiple women using techniques that abuse prevention experts identify as grooming , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obligated to perform sexual favors in exchange for professional opportunities .
His generosity , we are told , often came with a sexual price tag.
” The letter makes clear that IntoAccount has no knowledge of Haas perpetrating any sexual offenses against minors ” or knowledge of any behavior from Haas that has led to criminal charges .
“ What we do have , ” Krehbiel writes , “ is a series of disturbing allegations spanning thirty years , from multiple , credible individuals who know Haas well.
” “ The allegations we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ component of spiritual manipulation , ” the letter continues .
“ Haas reportedly focuses attention on women with past histories of abuse , then uses the vulnerabilities created by trauma to create intimacy .
Multiple women have reported to us that Haas is skilled at making his targets feel spiritually affirmed , seen , and loved , with a keen understanding of how that spiritual intimacy can then be exploited sexually.
” Krehbiel said that Haas came to their attention through an institutional report form .
“ Some women have described romantic relationships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning , but were then marked by sudden , overwhelming sexual aggression from Haas , in which any resistance was met with extreme anger .
Other women have described incidents that we would interpret as outright sexual battery , involving groping , forcible kissing , and aggressive , lewd propositions .
The youngest victim reported to us was nineteen years old at the time of the alleged sexual battery , while Haas was over fifty.
” The Catholic News Agency ( CNA ) reports that a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of St. Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diocese , told CNA that the archdiocese had also received reports of sexual misconduct by Haas .
“ In November of 2018 , the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis received two reports that Mr. Haas acted inappropriately with two adult women at a recent event in another state .
Both women complained that Mr. Haas ’ conduct that evening made them feel uncomfortable .
Mr. Haas denied misconduct .
In 1987 , the Archdiocese had received a complaint alleging that David Haas had made an unwelcomed sexual advance toward a young adult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” archdiocesan spokesman Tom Halden told CNA .
“ Following the 2018 complaints , the Archdiocese informed Mr. Haas that the Archdiocese would not provide him with a letter of recommendation that he had requested , ” Halden continued .
“ Furthermore , the Archdiocese advised Mr. Haas that he was not allowed to provide services at Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese without disclosure of the complaints made against him.
” LifeSiteNews contacted Haas requesting a comment on the allegations and GIA ’ s decision to suspend their sponsorship and publishing relationship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the time of publication .
In 2018 , Jesuit-run America Magazine described Haas as “ one of the most prolific and significant liturgical composers of the post-Vatican II English-speaking church.
” Last year , Haas composed a refrain to celebrate “ Pride Month ” and had been scheduled to provide the music later this month for Outreach 2020 , an “ LGBT Catholic Ministry Gathering , ” which has been promoted by pro-homosexual activist Fr .
James Martin .
The event has now been delayed due to the coronavirus crisis .

Post–Vatican II hymnist David Haas is known throughout the English-speaking world for such hymns as ‘Blessed are They,’ ‘You Are Mine,’ and ‘Servant Song.’
June 16, 2020 update: This report now includes a statement from Haas.
UNITED STATES, June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A famous American Catholic hymnist whose songs are well known in churches throughout the country has lost his sponsorship from a major Catholic hymnal publisher following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.
David Haas, 63, is known by Catholics throughout the English-speaking world for such hymns as “Blessed are They,” “You Are Mine,” and “Servant Song.” Last year, the hymnist composed a chant to celebrate homosexuality.
GIA Publications said in a Facebook post published over the past weekend that it became aware of allegations of sexual misconduct by Haas earlier this year and that it subsequently learned that the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis was considering a decision not to provide him a letter of suitability.
“In response, we suspended our sponsorship and publishing relationship with Mr. Haas, and have not sponsored his work since late January,” the publishing company said.
“New allegations of sexually abusive conduct by Mr. Haas continue to be reported. We take these reports seriously. GIA Publications supports and stands with victims. We must join together to address and prevent sexual abuse. If you would like to share any information or make a report, please contact www.intoaccount.org.”
Haas says he “denies” the allegations, denouncing them as “false, reckless and offensive.”
He told LifeSiteNews in a statement (see full statement below) that he was “sad and disappointed that Into Account Inc. chose to use social media- a public forum- to deprive him of a fair and legitimate venue to face his accusers, but instead launched a marketing effort with the mission to destroy his reputation and livelihood.”
In response to the GIA Publications Facebook post, which has attracted almost 300 comments, several users of the social media platform have called for Haas’s works to be removed from existing publications out of respect for Haas’s alleged victims.
“His works must be removed from all publications and any current publications should be recalled,” one user wrote. “One can only imagine the emotional distress caused by hearing the works of one’s assaulter magnified during a liturgy. For the victims we must remove these triggers.”
The announcement by GIA Publications follows the release of an email written last month to Haas’s associates by the abuse survivor advocacy group Into Account.
“We specialize in providing support to survivors in cases that involve churches, faith-based organizations, and perpetrators who abuse spiritual authority,” IntoAccount’s executive director, Stephanie Krehbiel, explained in a May 29 letter addressed to Associates of Haas.
“In that capacity, we’ve received reports from multiple individuals reporting sexually predatory actions from the composer David Haas. These individuals have asked IntoAccount to communicate our assessment of the information they’ve shared with us,” Krehbiel continues.
Krehbiel claims that reports they have received suggest that Haas’s behavior shows a “repeated, unethical abuse of the professional and spiritual power he has had in church music circles.”
“Haas has allegedly targeted multiple women using techniques that abuse prevention experts identify as grooming, to create conditions in which women felt obligated to perform sexual favors in exchange for professional opportunities. His generosity, we are told, often came with a sexual price tag.”
The letter makes clear that IntoAccount has no knowledge of Haas perpetrating any sexual offenses against minors” or knowledge of any behavior from Haas that has led to criminal charges.
“What we do have,” Krehbiel writes, “is a series of disturbing allegations spanning thirty years, from multiple, credible individuals who know Haas well.”
“The allegations we’ve received also contain a disturbing component of spiritual manipulation,” the letter continues.
“Haas reportedly focuses attention on women with past histories of abuse, then uses the vulnerabilities created by trauma to create intimacy. Multiple women have reported to us that Haas is skilled at making his targets feel spiritually affirmed, seen, and loved, with a keen understanding of how that spiritual intimacy can then be exploited sexually.”
Krehbiel said that Haas came to their attention through an institutional report form.
“Some women have described romantic relationships with Haas that felt consensual in the beginning, but were then marked by sudden, overwhelming sexual aggression from Haas, in which any resistance was met with extreme anger. Other women have described incidents that we would interpret as outright sexual battery, involving groping, forcible kissing, and aggressive, lewd propositions. The youngest victim reported to us was nineteen years old at the time of the alleged sexual battery, while Haas was over fifty.”
The Catholic News Agency (CNA) reports that a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Haas’s local diocese, told CNA that the archdiocese had also received reports of sexual misconduct by Haas.
“In November of 2018, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis received two reports that Mr. Haas acted inappropriately with two adult women at a recent event in another state. Both women complained that Mr. Haas’ conduct that evening made them feel uncomfortable. Mr. Haas denied misconduct. In 1987, the Archdiocese had received a complaint alleging that David Haas had made an unwelcomed sexual advance toward a young adult woman, which he also denied,” archdiocesan spokesman Tom Halden told CNA.
“Following the 2018 complaints, the Archdiocese informed Mr. Haas that the Archdiocese would not provide him with a letter of recommendation that he had requested,” Halden continued.
“Furthermore, the Archdiocese advised Mr. Haas that he was not allowed to provide services at Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese without disclosure of the complaints made against him.”
In 2018, Jesuit-run America Magazine described Haas as “one of the most prolific and significant liturgical composers of the post-Vatican II English-speaking church.” Last year, Haas composed a refrain to celebrate “Pride Month” and had been scheduled to provide the music later this month for Outreach 2020, an “LGBT Catholic Ministry Gathering,” which has been promoted by pro-homosexual activist Fr. James Martin. The event has now been delayed due to the coronavirus crisis.
***
David Haas full statement on allegations
David Haas Denies Into Account Inc.’s Allegations.
David Haas, a Catholic composer, recording artist, author, and presenter denies recent allegations by Into Account Inc. – a Lawrence, Kansas non-profit whose website mission statement purports to work with abuse survivors.
Into Account Inc. claims to have received information from anonymous individuals regarding various allegations against David Haas that it characterized as sexual or spiritual abuse.
Into Account Inc.’s website includes a disclaimer that states in part, “We cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of survivor stories shared.” https://intoaccount.org/
Despite its own disclaimer, Into Account Inc. gained access to David Haas’ personal, professional, and business contacts to electronically publish its allegations and conclusory opinions throughout the United States and beyond. Into Account’s communication also included an “Institutional Report Form” to market and solicit for potential clients.
David Haas denounces Into Account Inc.’s allegations as false, reckless and offensive. He is also sad and disappointed that Into Account Inc. chose to use social media- a public forum- to deprive him of a fair and legitimate venue to face his accusers, but instead launched a marketing effort with the mission to destroy his reputation and livelihood.
As an advocate for survivors of clergy sexual abuse and discrimination of all kinds, David Haas stands in solidarity and prayerful support of sexual abuse victims and encourages survivors to seek legitimate and appropriate professional services and/or to report any allegations to law enforcement.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-15--Pro-life protesters decry New York for arresting them while allowing Black Lives Matter crowds

June 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A pair of pro-life New Yorkers arrested for sidewalk counseling outside of an abortion facility in alleged violation of state “ social distancing guidelines ” is calling out the hypocrisy of forbidding safe , peaceful pro-life demonstration while allowing the massive , crowded protests of the Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) movement .
On May 30 , Bevelyn Beatty and Edmee Chavannes were outside Manhattan ’ s Margaret Sanger Center Planned Parenthood in hopes of persuading women entering the facility not to go through with abortion , Live Action reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ordered them to leave for “ social distancing ” reasons .
When they didn ’ t , they were arrested for failure to disperse .
Planned Parenthood is “ not following social distancing , mind you — the person I ’ m standing with I actually live with so we don ’ t need to follow social distancing .
But the police were saying we were violating social distancing and the only ones that are supposed to be there are the ones that work there , ” Beatty told Live Action News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s just another reason Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo can just push this agenda because the reality is this : How is abortion essential ?
How are stores closing and we can ’ t have Red Lobster and we can ’ t go to church or fellowship but you can still go and kill a baby ?
” Since then , intense BLM protests and rioting has spread across the country , including the Big Apple , in response to the killing of black Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer Derek Chauvin , who has been fired from the force and charged with murder .
Beatty and Chavannes told Fox News that the hypocrisy of the situation was clear .
“ This is a clear statement of their bias now .
It ’ s blatant now , ” Beatty said .
“ It ’ s really truly biased against Christians , against pro-life abolitionists.
” “ We ’ re black women but we do not support Black Lives Matter because they ’ re hand-in-hand with Planned Parenthood that kills African-American babies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re fraudulent hypocrites ... and I believe all lives matter because God created them .
There are thousands of George Floyds that die every day in their mother ’ s womb and it ’ s just as unjust as when he died at the hands of that police officer.
” Police are not disproportionately likely to use excessive lethal force against black suspects , according to researchers from the Universities of Michigan and Maryland .
At the same time , BLM supports “ reproductive justice that gives us autonomy over our bodies.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions are sought by black women , meaning that Black Lives Matter supports the annual elimination of more than 344,800 black lives every year .

'This is a clear statement of their bias now. It’s blatant now. It’s really truly biased against Christians, against pro-life abolitionists.'
June 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A pair of pro-life New Yorkers arrested for sidewalk counseling outside of an abortion facility in alleged violation of state “social distancing guidelines” is calling out the hypocrisy of forbidding safe, peaceful pro-life demonstration while allowing the massive, crowded protests of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
On May 30, Bevelyn Beatty and Edmee Chavannes were outside Manhattan’s Margaret Sanger Center Planned Parenthood in hopes of persuading women entering the facility not to go through with abortion, Live Action reports. A security guard called the police, who ordered them to leave for “social distancing” reasons. When they didn’t, they were arrested for failure to disperse.
Planned Parenthood is “not following social distancing, mind you — the person I’m standing with I actually live with so we don’t need to follow social distancing. But the police were saying we were violating social distancing and the only ones that are supposed to be there are the ones that work there,” Beatty told Live Action News. “We feel like it’s just another reason Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo can just push this agenda because the reality is this: How is abortion essential? How are stores closing and we can’t have Red Lobster and we can’t go to church or fellowship but you can still go and kill a baby?”
Since then, intense BLM protests and rioting has spread across the country, including the Big Apple, in response to the killing of black Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of white Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer Derek Chauvin, who has been fired from the force and charged with murder.
Beatty and Chavannes told Fox News that the hypocrisy of the situation was clear. “This is a clear statement of their bias now. It’s blatant now,” Beatty said. “It’s really truly biased against Christians, against pro-life abolitionists.”
“We’re black women but we do not support Black Lives Matter because they’re hand-in-hand with Planned Parenthood that kills African-American babies,” she continued. “They’re fraudulent hypocrites… and I believe all lives matter because God created them. There are thousands of George Floyds that die every day in their mother’s womb and it’s just as unjust as when he died at the hands of that police officer.”
Police are not disproportionately likely to use excessive lethal force against black suspects, according to researchers from the Universities of Michigan and Maryland. At the same time, BLM supports “reproductive justice that gives us autonomy over our bodies.” An estimated 40% of all U.S. abortions are sought by black women, meaning that Black Lives Matter supports the annual elimination of more than 344,800 black lives every year.
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