lifesitenews--2020-12-10--Facebook AGAIN censors image of Santa kneeling before baby Jesus as ‘violent content’

December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Facebook has once again censored an image of Santa Claus kneeling before the infant Jesus in a manger .
Two years ago Facebook first censored the now famous image , identifying it as ‘ violent ’ or ‘ graphic ’ content .
After a December 2018 LifeSiteNews story about the censoring went viral , Facebook relented , removed the warning , and uncovered the painting .
Last week , LifeSiteNews was made aware that Facebook had once again hidden the touching illustration , slapping the tender image of Santa on one knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually reserved for obscene material or photos depicting bloodied victims of terrorism : “ Sensitive content … This photo may show violent or graphic content.
” Users then had to click on a button to uncover the photo .
Facebook explains on its site what it means by “ Violence and graphic content ” : “ We also know that people have different sensitivities with regard to graphic and violent content .
For that reason , we add a warning label to especially graphic or violent content so that it is not available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so that people are aware of the graphic or violent nature before they click to see it , ” the social media giant states .
“ We err on the side of allowing content , even when some find it objectionable , ” declare Facebook ’ s community standards , saying they do so in order to maintain a “ safe environment ” for the “ Facebook community.
” LifeSiteNews reached out to Facebook in order to understand how and why the image of Santa adoring the newborn Christchild had been censored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but twice .
After several days of emails , Facebook offered a one sentence explanation blaming an automation mistake : “ Automated systems mistakenly applied a warning to this image which was removed as soon as we identified the error.
” Facebook users are now able to freely share the image without any additional step required to view the image .
“ I feel like Facebook and other social media entities get a pass or expect to get a pass by giving answers like that , ” Gaye Frances Willard , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baby Jesus and Santa in 2009 , told LifeSiteNews .
“ ‘ We didn ’ t have anything to do with it.
’ ‘ It just happens.
’ ‘ The technology did it , ’ ” said Willard , summarizing Facebook ’ s message .
“ Look at the things that they have blocked — things that lean conservative and especially when it comes to Christ .
General religion doesn ’ t really seem to bother them so much , but the Gospel does.
” “ Would it have been corrected if nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And Facebook doesn ’ t really provide an avenue for the general public to comment or complain .
You can ’ t talk to a person .
[ Social media ] companies like this , you can ’ t talk to a human being , and yet human beings are in fact in charge of the technology .
So it ’ s hard to buy that the technology did it and nobody was responsible.
” A portrait artist , Willard explained that a decade ago she painted the image for herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then one day , quite unexpectedly , the image went viral on the internet .
“ God has taken it and used it and done things that couldn ’ t have [ been done ] or even thought of in a hundred years.
” Willard summed up her reason for painting the image with a single word : “ Worship.
” “ Christmas is about worship , ” she said .
“ Santa Claus represents the whole of mankind .
This is a representation of what all of humanity is called to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A poem which accompanied the original posting of the painting on Facebook in 2015 expresses that same sentiment : My dear precious Jesus , I did not mean to take your place , I only bring toys and things and you bring love and grace .
People give me lists of wishes and hope that they came true ; But you hear prayers of the heart and promise your will to do .
Children try to be good and not to cry when I am coming to town ; But you love them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I leave only a bag of toys and temporary joy for a season ; But you leave a heart of love , full of purpose and reasons .
I have a lot of believers and what one might call fame ; But I never healed the blind or tried to help the lame .
I have rosy cheeks and a voice full of laughter ; But no nail-scarred hands or a promise of the hereafter .
You may find several of me in town or at a mall ; But there is only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sinner ’ s call .
And so , my dear precious Jesus , I kneel here to pray ; To worship and adore you on this , your holy birthday .
Facebook , Twitter , and others have come under increased scrutiny from members of Congress who sense the social media giants are using “ their monopoly on public discourse in the online arena ” to squelch ideas they disagree with “ There ’ s Republican and Democrat concern about the power that ’ s being used by social media outlets to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can ’ t : what ’ s true and what ’ s not , ” asserted Senate Judiciary Chair , Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) in a Capitol Hill hearing last month .
“ Facebook , and Twitter , and Google have massive power , they have a monopoly on public discourse in the online arena , ” said Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) .
He also expressed concern that Democrats “ consistently ” give the message for “ Facebook , Twitter and Google to censor more , to abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Senate Democrats disagree with , more .
”


lifesitenews--2020-12-10--6 states formally join Texas in lawsuit defending the security of the 2020 election

TEXAS , December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Missouri , Arkansas , Louisiana , Mississippi , South Carolina , and Utah have formally joined Texas in its Supreme Court suit against Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin—four battleground states who ran illegal and unconstitutional elections .
The joining states agree with Texas : the defendant states exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to justify unlawfully enacting last-minute changes and ignoring both federal and state election laws , thus skewing the results of the 2020 General Election .
“ Texas continues to lead the fight to protect election security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcome Missouri , Arkansas , Louisiana , Mississippi , South Carolina and Utah to this historic endeavor .
By flouting state and federal election laws , the defendant battleground states have tainted the integrity of citizens ’ votes across the entire nation , ” said Attorney General Ken Paxton .
“ To restore trust in the integrity of our election process , we must tirelessly defend its security and hold accountable those who discarded our Constitution for their own convenience .
Texas is proud to have these states by its side in shining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Paxton filed an original lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday , December 7 , arguing that the Supreme Court must require the four defendant-states to conduct their elections in a manner that complies with the Constitution and all federal and state laws .

PETITION UPDATE (12/12/2020) -
In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear the case filed by the state of Texas.
PETITION UPDATE (12/11/2020) -
6 states have formally joined Texas in its Supreme Court suit against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—four battleground states who ran illegal and unconstitutional elections.
Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Utah have formally joined Texas and agree that the defendant states exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to justify unlawfully enacting last-minute changes and ignoring both federal and state election laws, thus skewing the results of the 2020 General Election.
While Missouri and 16 other states filed an amicus brief with the Court supporting Texas, 20 other states plus the District of Columbia signed an amicus brief supporting the 4 defendant states.
Please SIGN this petition and STAND with Texas, as the state seeks justice in the 2020 general election for all citizens of the United States.
'6 states formally join Texas in lawsuit defending the security of the 2020 election' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/6-states-formally-join-texas-in-lawsuit-defending-the-security-of-the-2020-election
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The state of Texas has filed suit against Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia in the Supreme Court over changes which those states made to their election rules, claiming they violated the U.S. Constitution in the process.
Here is the central part of the argument: if Texas were to allow possible voter fraud to go unchecked in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia, it would be akin to committing fraud upon the people of Texas, who cast their ballots within the framework of the law.
Indeed, this would apply equally to all citizens who voted within the framework of the law across the United States!
Thankfully, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is stepping up to vindicate the right of all Texans - and, all Americans - to have every legal vote be counted.
But, the Supreme Court has only until Thursday morning to either accept or decline hearing the case.
Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition, now.
The main claim that Texas makes is that Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia violated the Electoral Clause of the U.S. Constitution by changing their election rules on mail-in ballots by executive or judicial action, rather than by action from the legislature.
But, America is a land of laws, and most people play by the rules. Citizens also want our state executives and judiciaries to play by the rules.
Bypassing state legislatures, even during a pandemic, cannot be justifiable as it goes against our system of checks and balances, and, ultimately, as it is the legislatures who have the power, vested by the people, to make determinations about state electoral regulations.
Texas also alleges that the defendant-states further violated the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause by applying different election rules for different parts of their respective states, meaning that election rules were not the same for every citizen of each state.
Texas approached the Supreme Court directly because in disputes between states, the Supreme Court is the court of "first impression." But, the Court only has a limited window to accept or decline hearing the case.
Please SIGN and SHARE this important petition today.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'‘This is the big one’, says Trump of Texas SCOTUS election challenge' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/this-is-the-big-one-says-trump-of-texas-scotus-election-challenge
'Texas asks Supreme Court to toss 4 states’ election results over illegal mail ballots' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/texas-asks-supreme-court-to-toss-4-states-election-results-over-illegal-mail-ballots


lifesitenews--2020-12-10--Michigan high schools sue state over COVID bans on in-person learning

LANSING , Michigan , December 10 , 2020 , ( LifeSiteNews ) – Two Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Lansing , Michigan are suing the state over its ban on in-person learning , arguing that the ban is unconstitutional .
Lansing Catholic High School , Father Gabriel Richard High School , and the Michigan Association of Nonprofit Schools filed suit against the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in federal court on Monday .
The Michigan Association of Nonprofit Schools represents about 400 schools across the state .
Earlier this week , the Michigan Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order , which was originally slated to end on December 8 , 2020 .
Governor Gretchen Whitmer ’ s extension forbids Michigan highs schools , colleges , and universities to hold in-person classes through December 20 , 2020 .
The schools are suing because they believe the order violates their right to a faith-based education under the First Amendment .
According to Brian Broderick , the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Nonprofit Schools , the decision to file suit against the state was not made lightly .
“ This isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to court , ” Broderick told Lansing ’ s WLNS .
“ We always try to work hand in hand with state government , but this issue is of such monumental importance the ability to offer in-person education and the ability to offer religious training and religious education that it became necessary to file suit.
” “ Our schools are doing a great job in protecting students [ and ] protecting faculty , ” he also told the news station .
Dominic Iocco , the President of Lansing Catholic High School said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three months we had in-person education at Lansing Catholic there were no COVID-19 outbreaks ; no spread of COVID-19 ; and no hospitalizations of students or staff , thus adding no burden to our healthcare system.
” “ We simply want to continue with our tried and tested COVID-19 safety plan to safely educate and form our students consistent with our constitutional religious liberties , ” Iocco added .
Data cited in the suit shows that both Lansing Catholic High School and Father Gabriel Richard had very few instances of people testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded only 15 positive COVID-19 cases in the last three months and is comprised of 437 students and 43 faculty members .
All 15 cases were believed to have been contracted off campus .
Comparatively , Father Gabriel Richard High School has 468 students and 47 faculty members and recorded 27 positive COVID-19 cases .
Like Lansing Catholic , Father Richard Gabriel believes all of their cases were contracted off campus .
Teachers and parents alike are becoming very concerned about the emotional and mental damage students are feeling because they are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , we choose to send our son to a Catholic school because we firmly believe that the human person is both soul and body and that the practice of our faith demands certain physical elements , such as the reception of the Holy Eucharist and Sacrament of Reconciliation , that can not be accomplished through video chats and other technological means , ” said Dr. Christopher J. Abood , who is a party to the suit and has a son at Lansing Catholic .
Jamie Collins , the mother of two students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have done everything they can to keep our children safe .
And our children should be in school .
They ’ re being kept safe and their mental health is at risk at this point.
” The schools which have filed suit against the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are seeking protection to be able to reopen legally .
LifeSiteNews is facing increasing censorship .
Click HERE to sign up to receive emails when we add to our video library .

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


lifesitenews--2020-12-10--State voter fraud hearings continue: Watch LIVE here

December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As Americans continue to demand answers about allegations of widespread voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ , some state legislatures , legislators , and local Republican parties have held hearings to @ @ @ @ @ the matter .
There is a hearing today in Wisconsin and another in Georgia .
@ @ @ @ @ reinstated YouTube channel for livestreams .
LifeSiteNews is facing increasing censorship .
Click HERE to @ @ @ @ @ when we add to our video library .


lifesitenews--2020-12-10--CNN in 2017: ‘The 2020 election will be hacked no matter what we do’

December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A former security adviser to the Obama administration , Jake Braun , suggested during a CNN interview in 2017 that the “ 2020 election will be hacked no matter what we do.
” After the election , which Democrat Joe Biden is projected to have won , concerns about election fraud have been mostly ridiculed by the cable channel .
The 2017 CNN report follows a group of white hat hackers attempting to discern the integrity of electronic voting machines by hacking into them .
According to the report , it took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress , and several machines “ were compromised within the first hour and a half.
” One of the members of the event organised by DEF CON , the world ’ s largest hacker convention , explained that “ if you ’ re a voter in America we ’ re likely hacking the machine that you vote on.
” At one point , a hacker demonstrates that a machine can be unlocked “ within 10 seconds , ” giving access to the operating system , where data stored on USB flash drives can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ go back and start looking at and reverse engineering what ’ s on this image and determining the various ways that [ they ] can impact this particular operating system.
” The report also details that voting machines are not the only means by which fraudsters can wreak havoc on electronic voting systems , as “ other election related systems , like campaign networks and registration databases , are also at risk.
” “ The vulnerabilities at the voting machine level are very localized and what we ’ re trying to simulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said one hacking expert .
Jake Braun , the former security adviser to the Obama administration and current CEO of Cambridge Global , said “ there ’ s a lot of mischief these guys [ hackers ] can do without ever actually having to physically get access to a machine.
” He admitted that “ if you wanted to go in and specifically manipulate vote counts on every single machine in America , that ’ d be really hard to do.
” At the same time , “ you don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impact on the election.
” The CNN reporter added that “ if it can be done there ’ s a chance it ’ s already being done.
” As part of the hacking convention , an electronic poll books system was able to be accessed .
The system still contained “ the personal data of over 650,000 Tennessee voters in Shelby County , ” even though this data was supposed to have been erased by the county before selling the machine .
Braun warned that “ if we don ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be one of the biggest threats to American democracy in our history.
” The CNN reporter asked Braun if he believed at that time whether or not the 2020 presidential election might be hacked , to which he responded , “ without question.
” “ The 2020 election will be hacked no matter what we do , even if we ’ re more successful than I think we could be in securing our elections , ” he added .
Although CNN released this report on the risks of voter fraud back in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has changed dramatically since allegations of fraud were raised in the 2020 election cycle by President Donald J. Trump and his supporters .
During his interview with CNN , Braun had this to say on voting machines ’ security : “ What we ’ re trying to do is get this industry [ electronic voting ] to mature from a cybersecurity perspective , so you don ’ t have folks saying what they are now , which is things like the machines are unhackable or databases are air-gapped and can ’ t be @ @ @

After the election in November, however, concerns about election fraud have been mostly ridiculed by the cable channel.
December 10, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A former security adviser to the Obama administration, Jake Braun, suggested during a CNN interview in 2017 that the “2020 election will be hacked no matter what we do.” After the election, which Democrat Joe Biden is projected to have won, concerns about election fraud have been mostly ridiculed by the cable channel.
The 2017 CNN report follows a group of white hat hackers attempting to discern the integrity of electronic voting machines by hacking into them. According to the report, it took little time for the hackers to make progress, and several machines “were compromised within the first hour and a half.” One of the members of the event organised by DEF CON, the world’s largest hacker convention, explained that “if you’re a voter in America we’re likely hacking the machine that you vote on.”
At one point, a hacker demonstrates that a machine can be unlocked “within 10 seconds,” giving access to the operating system, where data stored on USB flash drives can be copied. The hacker could then “go back and start looking at and reverse engineering what’s on this image and determining the various ways that [they] can impact this particular operating system.”
The report also details that voting machines are not the only means by which fraudsters can wreak havoc on electronic voting systems, as “other election related systems, like campaign networks and registration databases, are also at risk.”
“The vulnerabilities at the voting machine level are very localized and what we’re trying to simulate out here is the entire back-end network,” said one hacking expert.
Jake Braun, the former security adviser to the Obama administration and current CEO of Cambridge Global, said “there’s a lot of mischief these guys [hackers] can do without ever actually having to physically get access to a machine.”
He admitted that “if you wanted to go in and specifically manipulate vote counts on every single machine in America, that’d be really hard to do.” At the same time, “you don’t need to do that to have an impact on the election.” The CNN reporter added that “if it can be done there’s a chance it’s already being done.”
As part of the hacking convention, an electronic poll books system was able to be accessed. The system still contained “the personal data of over 650,000 Tennessee voters in Shelby County,” even though this data was supposed to have been erased by the county before selling the machine.
Braun warned that “if we don’t get our act together quickly, this could be one of the biggest threats to American democracy in our history.” The CNN reporter asked Braun if he believed at that time whether or not the 2020 presidential election might be hacked, to which he responded, “without question.”
“The 2020 election will be hacked no matter what we do, even if we’re more successful than I think we could be in securing our elections,” he added.
— Article continues below Petition — Stand with Texas in Supreme Court voter fraud challenge Show Petition Text 1464 have signed the petition. Let's get to 2500 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition PETITION UPDATE (12/12/2020) - In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear the case filed by the state of Texas. PETITION UPDATE (12/11/2020) - 6 states have formally joined Texas in its Supreme Court suit against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—four battleground states who ran illegal and unconstitutional elections. Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Utah have formally joined Texas and agree that the defendant states exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to justify unlawfully enacting last-minute changes and ignoring both federal and state election laws, thus skewing the results of the 2020 General Election. While Missouri and 16 other states filed an amicus brief with the Court supporting Texas, 20 other states plus the District of Columbia signed an amicus brief supporting the 4 defendant states. Please SIGN this petition and STAND with Texas, as the state seeks justice in the 2020 general election for all citizens of the United States. '6 states formally join Texas in lawsuit defending the security of the 2020 election' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/6-states-formally-join-texas-in-lawsuit-defending-the-security-of-the-2020-election ____________________________________________________________________ The state of Texas has filed suit against Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia in the Supreme Court over changes which those states made to their election rules, claiming they violated the U.S. Constitution in the process. Here is the central part of the argument: if Texas were to allow possible voter fraud to go unchecked in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia, it would be akin to committing fraud upon the people of Texas, who cast their ballots within the framework of the law. Indeed, this would apply equally to all citizens who voted within the framework of the law across the United States! Thankfully, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is stepping up to vindicate the right of all Texans - and, all Americans - to have every legal vote be counted. But, the Supreme Court has only until Thursday morning to either accept or decline hearing the case. Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition, now. The main claim that Texas makes is that Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia violated the Electoral Clause of the U.S. Constitution by changing their election rules on mail-in ballots by executive or judicial action, rather than by action from the legislature. But, America is a land of laws, and most people play by the rules. Citizens also want our state executives and judiciaries to play by the rules. Bypassing state legislatures, even during a pandemic, cannot be justifiable as it goes against our system of checks and balances, and, ultimately, as it is the legislatures who have the power, vested by the people, to make determinations about state electoral regulations. Texas also alleges that the defendant-states further violated the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause by applying different election rules for different parts of their respective states, meaning that election rules were not the same for every citizen of each state. Texas approached the Supreme Court directly because in disputes between states, the Supreme Court is the court of "first impression." But, the Court only has a limited window to accept or decline hearing the case. Please SIGN and SHARE this important petition today. FOR MORE INFORMATION: '‘This is the big one’, says Trump of Texas SCOTUS election challenge' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/this-is-the-big-one-says-trump-of-texas-scotus-election-challenge 'Texas asks Supreme Court to toss 4 states’ election results over illegal mail ballots' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/texas-asks-supreme-court-to-toss-4-states-election-results-over-illegal-mail-ballots Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
Although CNN released this report on the risks of voter fraud back in 2017, the company’s editorial line has changed dramatically since allegations of fraud were raised in the 2020 election cycle by President Donald J. Trump and his supporters.
During his interview with CNN, Braun had this to say on voting machines’ security: “What we’re trying to do is get this industry [electronic voting] to mature from a cybersecurity perspective, so you don’t have folks saying what they are now, which is things like the machines are unhackable or databases are air-gapped and can’t be changed.”
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lifesitenews--2020-12-10--Trudeau govt invited Chinese communists troops to learn Canadian ’winter’ warfare, military docs rev

Trudeau govt invited Chinese communists troops to learn Canadian ’winter’ warfare, military docs reveal

December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Top secret military documents reveal that under Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ’ s watch , communist troops from China ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) had been invited to Canada for military “ winter survival ” training last year at a military base in Ontario .
Documents sent to Rebel News by the Trudeau government via an access to information request also reveal that the Canadian military trained Chinese commanders at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto as well as military facilities in Kingston .
“ Chinese military participants included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contingent who would learn Canadian cold weather military tactics , ” reported Rebel News on Dec. 9 about the documents .
The documents can be viewed at TheChinaFiles.com .
While many portions of the 34 pages of documents were greyed out , presumably by government censors , the greyed out portions remain completely readable and provide damning evidence of Trudeau ’ s fawning relationship with China .
The Rebel ’ s Ezra Levant sounded the alarm on the significance of the documents .
“ These documents also reveal that Trudeau has been sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that country 's propaganda displays .
And , most incredible of all , Canada has been training Chinese military troops at our military colleges in Canada and , unbelievably , training Chinese soldiers at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa in how to wage cold weather warfare , ” he said in a Dec. 9 video about the documents .
“ Trudeau is literally training our enemies in how to kill us , ” Levant added .
Rebel News said that it was in April of 2019 when it made a freedom of information request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trudeau allegedly sending troops to China to participate in an international naval parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People 's Liberation Army .
Levant said he was dismayed to learn that Canada would participate in such an event given the arrest and imprisonment of two Canadians — Michael Kovrig , a former diplomat , and Michael Spavor , a businessman — by Chinese authorities in December of 2018 .
The apprehended men were charged with “ spying on national secrets ” along with leaking intelligence for “ outside entities.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this day .
The two were arrested just days after Chinese giant Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was detained by Canadian officials in Vancouver at the request of the United States .
The documents released to The Rebel last month not only confirm that Canada participated in the Chinese naval parade , but they also revealed Trudeau ’ s efforts to maintain a warm relationship with the Chinese communist government despite the fact that two Canadians were being held on what Canadian authorities called “ arbitrary ” charges in Chinese prisons .
Levant notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Trudeau and the Canadian military over how to relate to China after the arrest of the two Canadian men .
Shortly after Kovrig and Spavor were apprehended by Chinese authorities in December of 2018 , the Canadian Armed Forces decided not to proceed with a military activity training exercise in Canada planned for 2019 that consisted in training Chinese troops about “ winter survival , ” according to the military documents .
The military documents state that on account of the apprehension of the two Canadian men by Chinese authorities , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Canadian Armed Forces was reviewing its “ posture and commitment to its engagement with the People ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) .
” The documents also reveal that the U.S. military had expressed alarm that the training exercises could provide the Chinese with an opportunity to gain access to military secrets that could compromise Canada and Canada ’ s allies .
“ The review was also driven by concerns expressed by the U.S. military that at least one element of Canada-China military collaboration planned for 2019 risks unintended and undesired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the Canadian army states in the documents .
“ China remains reliant on the acquisition of foreign military technologies and weapons systems to advance key aspects of its military modernization , including through cyber espionage and the unintended transfer of military and military-civilian due-use technologies , ” the army warns .
In February of 2019 , Trudeau ’ s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Shugart responded in a letter ( a draft of which is included in the documents ) to the concerns laid out by the Canadian Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forces , essentially telling them to follow Trudeau ’ s lead and safeguard Canada ’ s relationship with China in all decisions .
Shugart warned that while it remains a “ top priority ” to resolve the situation of Chinese authorities jailing the two Canadian men , “ ensuring a certain amount of continuity in other parts of the Canada-China relationship remains important.
” Shugart added that any decision by Canada to “ reduce/cut ties should be carefully considered to avoid sending any unhelpful or unintended messages ” to China .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing relationship with China , ” Shugart wrote in his letter .
Levant commented that , reading between the lines , Trudeau and his staff are essentially “ lecturing the army ” on how to respond to the situation and are essentially telling them : “ Do n't you dare stand up for Canadian values , do n't you dare stand up for two Canadians illegally kidnapped .
You keep pretending everything is just fine .
That 's an order !
’ ” Levant also pointed out that the documents reveal that Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China than with America .
“ Trudeau was making the Canadian Armed Forces give private military training to China on a Canadian forces base in Ontario .
And , America said ‘ Whoa , you 're teaching them our secrets.
’ And , instead of Canada saying , ‘ You ’ re right , what are we thinking , ’ the entire Trudeau government says , ‘ Yeah you stupid Americans , we 're with China now.
’ That 's what this memo means , ” he commented .
In November 2013 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , Trudeau was asked by a group of women what nation ’ s administration he admired most .
Without hesitation , he responded that he admired China because of its “ basic dictatorship.
” “ There is a level of admiration I actually have for China , because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say we need to go green , we need to start , you know , investing in solar , ” he said .
The Rebel stated in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story is how “ Trudeau is turning Canada away from our democratic allies , and towards the world ’ s greatest dictatorship.
” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa , ON K1A 0A2 Find information to contact your MP here .

'Trudeau is literally training our enemies in how to kill us,' The Rebel’s Ezra Levant commented.
December 10, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Top secret military documents reveal that under Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s watch, communist troops from China’s Liberation Army (PLA) had been invited to Canada for military “winter survival” training last year at a military base in Ontario.
Documents sent to Rebel News by the Trudeau government via an access to information request also reveal that the Canadian military trained Chinese commanders at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto as well as military facilities in Kingston.
“Chinese military participants included 1- and 2-star generals and an entire contingent who would learn Canadian cold weather military tactics,” reported Rebel News on Dec. 9 about the documents. The documents can be viewed at TheChinaFiles.com.
While many portions of the 34 pages of documents were greyed out, presumably by government censors, the greyed out portions remain completely readable and provide damning evidence of Trudeau’s fawning relationship with China.
The Rebel’s Ezra Levant sounded the alarm on the significance of the documents.
“These documents also reveal that Trudeau has been sending Canadian troops to China to participate in that country's propaganda displays. And, most incredible of all, Canada has been training Chinese military troops at our military colleges in Canada and, unbelievably, training Chinese soldiers at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa in how to wage cold weather warfare,” he said in a Dec. 9 video about the documents.
“Trudeau is literally training our enemies in how to kill us,” Levant added.
Rebel News said that it was in April of 2019 when it made a freedom of information request to the Canadian government for information about Trudeau allegedly sending troops to China to participate in an international naval parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Levant said he was dismayed to learn that Canada would participate in such an event given the arrest and imprisonment of two Canadians — Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Michael Spavor, a businessman — by Chinese authorities in December of 2018. The apprehended men were charged with “spying on national secrets” along with leaking intelligence for “outside entities.” They remain in separate Chinese prisons to this day. The two were arrested just days after Chinese giant Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was detained by Canadian officials in Vancouver at the request of the United States.
The documents released to The Rebel last month not only confirm that Canada participated in the Chinese naval parade, but they also revealed Trudeau’s efforts to maintain a warm relationship with the Chinese communist government despite the fact that two Canadians were being held on what Canadian authorities called “arbitrary” charges in Chinese prisons.
Levant notes that the documents show an internal battle between Trudeau and the Canadian military over how to relate to China after the arrest of the two Canadian men.
Shortly after Kovrig and Spavor were apprehended by Chinese authorities in December of 2018, the Canadian Armed Forces decided not to proceed with a military activity training exercise in Canada planned for 2019 that consisted in training Chinese troops about “winter survival,” according to the military documents.
The military documents state that on account of the apprehension of the two Canadian men by Chinese authorities, the Canadian Department of National Defense along with the Canadian Armed Forces was reviewing its “posture and commitment to its engagement with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).”
The documents also reveal that the U.S. military had expressed alarm that the training exercises could provide the Chinese with an opportunity to gain access to military secrets that could compromise Canada and Canada’s allies.
“The review was also driven by concerns expressed by the U.S. military that at least one element of Canada-China military collaboration planned for 2019 risks unintended and undesired knowledge transfer from Canada to the PLA,” the Canadian army states in the documents.
“China remains reliant on the acquisition of foreign military technologies and weapons systems to advance key aspects of its military modernization, including through cyber espionage and the unintended transfer of military and military-civilian due-use technologies,” the army warns.
In February of 2019, Trudeau’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Shugart responded in a letter (a draft of which is included in the documents) to the concerns laid out by the Canadian Department of National Defense along with the Canadian Armed Forces, essentially telling them to follow Trudeau’s lead and safeguard Canada’s relationship with China in all decisions.
Shugart warned that while it remains a “top priority” to resolve the situation of Chinese authorities jailing the two Canadian men, “ensuring a certain amount of continuity in other parts of the Canada-China relationship remains important.” Shugart added that any decision by Canada to “reduce/cut ties should be carefully considered to avoid sending any unhelpful or unintended messages” to China.
“There is still a desire to maintain an ongoing relationship with China,” Shugart wrote in his letter.
Levant commented that, reading between the lines, Trudeau and his staff are essentially “lecturing the army” on how to respond to the situation and are essentially telling them: “Don't you dare stand up for Canadian values, don't you dare stand up for two Canadians illegally kidnapped. You keep pretending everything is just fine. That's an order!’”
Levant also pointed out that the documents reveal that Canada is more interested in its relationship with China than with America.
“Trudeau was making the Canadian Armed Forces give private military training to China on a Canadian forces base in Ontario. And, America said ‘Whoa, you're teaching them our secrets.’ And, instead of Canada saying, ‘You’re right, what are we thinking,’ the entire Trudeau government says, ‘Yeah you stupid Americans, we're with China now.’ That's what this memo means,” he commented.
In November 2013, prior to being elected Prime Minister of Canada, Trudeau was asked by a group of women what nation’s administration he admired most. Without hesitation, he responded that he admired China because of its “basic dictatorship.”
“There is a level of admiration I actually have for China, because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say we need to go green, we need to start, you know, investing in solar,” he said.
The Rebel stated in its report about the documents that the real story is how “Trudeau is turning Canada away from our democratic allies, and towards the world’s greatest dictatorship.”
Contact information:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
Use online contact form here.
Find information to contact your MP here.
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lifesitenews--2020-12-10--BREAKING: Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard introduces born-alive bill in US House

WASHINGTON , D.C. , December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A Democratic congresswoman has introduced a “ born-alive ” bill in the U.S. House of Representatives , attempting to protect babies born after a failed abortion attempt .
Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , who was a contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination , has offered H.R .
8923 , which aims to amend Title 18 of the United States Code “ to ensure a health care practitioner exercises the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Committee on the Judiciary .
Although at times Gabbard has held a 100 percent pro-abortion voting record , during one of last year ’ s Democratic Presidential debates she at least took a stand against late-term abortion amid her virulently pro-abortion-until-birth fellow presidential hopefuls , including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris .
The Hill reported at the time : At last week ’ s Democratic debate , Gabbard has had the nerve to state the obvious ; abortions in the third trimesters when preborn babies can feel pain , when the risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ babies can live outside the womb should be curtailed .
While she stated her overall support for abortion , Gabbard said that she did not believe limitless abortion should be the goal .
“ I do , however , think that there should be some restrictions in place , ” she said .
“ I support codifying Roe v. Wade — while making sure that , during the third trimester , abortion is not an option unless the life or severe health consequences of a woman are at risk.
” Gabbard , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has also introduced multiple pro-LGBT measures , including legislation to mandate gender-confused individuals ’ “ access ” to opposite-sex restrooms , locker rooms , and dressing rooms .
Soon after announcing her presidential bid , various liberals attacked her progressive credentials over her past involvement in her father ’ s Alliance for Traditional Marriage , and her opposition to same-sex “ marriage ” and civil unions as recently as 2004 .
She apologized for her prior conservative position in 2012 , the same year former President Barack Obama dropped his formal opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached out to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for comment .
This story will be updated as more information becomes available .
To offer support to Rep. Gabbard for introducing legislation to protect children born alive during failed abortion attempts , contact her office and leave a message :

Tulsi Gabbard’s bill wants ‘to ensure a health care practitioner exercises the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.’
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 10, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A Democratic congresswoman has introduced a “born-alive” bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, attempting to protect babies born after a failed abortion attempt.
Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who was a contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, has offered H.R. 8923, which aims to amend Title 18 of the United States Code “to ensure a health care practitioner exercises the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.”
The legislation has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Although at times Gabbard has held a 100 percent pro-abortion voting record, during one of last year’s Democratic Presidential debates she at least took a stand against late-term abortion amid her virulently pro-abortion-until-birth fellow presidential hopefuls, including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
The Hill reported at the time:
At last week’s Democratic debate, Gabbard has had the nerve to state the obvious; abortions in the third trimesters when preborn babies can feel pain, when the risks to women dramatically rises, and as babies can live outside the womb should be curtailed. While she stated her overall support for abortion, Gabbard said that she did not believe limitless abortion should be the goal. “I do, however, think that there should be some restrictions in place,” she said. “I support codifying Roe v. Wade — while making sure that, during the third trimester, abortion is not an option unless the life or severe health consequences of a woman are at risk.”
Gabbard, a Major in the Hawaii Army National Guard, has also introduced multiple pro-LGBT measures, including legislation to mandate gender-confused individuals’ “access” to opposite-sex restrooms, locker rooms, and dressing rooms.
Soon after announcing her presidential bid, various liberals attacked her progressive credentials over her past involvement in her father’s Alliance for Traditional Marriage, and her opposition to same-sex “marriage” and civil unions as recently as 2004. She apologized for her prior conservative position in 2012, the same year former President Barack Obama dropped his formal opposition to same-sex “marriage.”
LifeSiteNews has reached out to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for comment. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
— Article continues below Petition — PETITION: Defend our right to "Choose Life"! Show Petition Text 11454 have signed the petition. Let's get to 12500 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition States are blocking pro-lifers from sharing the simple message “Choose Life” on their vehicles! Please SIGN this joint petition between LifeSite and The Children First Foundation to make "Choose Life" license plates available in every state! Tell governors and state officials to allow this pro-life freedom of speech. Advertising industry statistics show that, for the typical vehicle, a “Choose Life” plate and its simple, powerful message will be seen by other drivers 30,000 to 80,000 times a year. And, across the U.S., “Choose Life” vehicle license plates (or tags) have raised more than $28 million for pro-life pregnancy centers, maternity homes, safe havens, and adoption centers, varying with each state. The potential for expanding the “Choose Life” license plate program to new states and new members is incredible – but only if citizens are allowed to have the plates! It is appalling that seventeen U.S. states do not allow their citizens the right to put “Choose Life” license plates on their vehicles. The plates have been called pro-life “scare tactics” by Planned Parenthood and unlawful or hateful “private speech” by pro-abortion lawyers. The “Choose Life” message, however, is one of pure love that scares nobody except those who profit from death. It is unacceptable that we are blocked from our God-given and Constitutional right to spread the message of love and life for vulnerable unborn and newborn children. Your signature on this petition – no matter where you live – will help to get the “Choose Life” license plate program in states where it is not yet permitted! Please SIGN and SHARE this petition to make a real difference in persuading these state governments and Departments of Motor Vehicles to “Choose Life.” Consider, for example, our experience in New York, where Governor Andrew Cuomo is a nationally-recognized advocate of abortion and has been a relentless opponent of the pro-life movement. Cuomo has blocked the approval of “Choose Life” license plates in NY, despite widespread support for these truly positive messages of love and life. A headline in the New York Post declared, “The DMV Acts Like We Live in Pyongyang.” And, in nearby New Jersey and Connecticut, similar hurdles were faced. But we took the fight to the government officials and even to federal court. And, with the help of petitions, we were able to get “Choose Life” license plates on the road in both states. It is high time for us to convert EVERY state in America to choose life. Your signature on this petition - no matter where you live - will help make that happen by placing “Choose Life” license plates on tens of thousands more cars. For love, for life, for the babies, please SIGN and SHARE our worldwide petition to tell state officials and politicians to stop blocking approval of the “Choose Life” license plate! FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please click on this link to read many past LifeSite articles on "Choose Life" license plates: https://www.lifesitenews.com/tags/tag/choose+life+plates Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
To offer support to Rep. Gabbard for introducing legislation to protect children born alive during failed abortion attempts, contact her office and leave a message:
Capitol Hill Office Phone: (202) 225-4906
Hawaii Office Phone: (808) 541-1986
Email: [email protected]
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lifesitenews--2020-12-10--Scientists show COVID tests are ‘useless’, are based on ‘flawed science’

December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The original scientific paper establishing RT-PCR tests as the way to identify COVID-19 in individuals , thus fueling the lockdowns across the globe , has been thoroughly debunked by scientists , who call the tests “ useless ” and “ completely unsuitable ” to find COVID-19 , given they were developed without even having access to the virus itself .
The recently published report examined the original Corman-Drosten paper , in which Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ( RT-PCR/PCR ) tests were proposed as a validated means to detect COVID-19 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of tests globally and by over one hundred governments .
These tests promptly became the motivating factor behind the international phenomenon of nation-wide lockdowns , as cases of the virus were reported to rise .
But a group of 22 independent scientists , termed the International Consortium of Scientists in Life Sciences ( ICSLS ) , have studied and reviewed the Corman-Drosten ( CD ) paper , finding “ numerous technical and scientific errors , ” noting that neither the “ test nor the manuscript itself fulfils the requirements for an acceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper as “ flawed science ” and called its authors “ intellectually dishonest.
” The group presents “ ten fatal problems ” with the Corman-Drosten paper , and concludes that there is no other choice “ but to retract the publication.
” Each of the problems is described as being sufficient on its own to render the PCR test “ useless as a specific diagnostic tool to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
” The ICSLS report highlights the “ worldwide misdiagnosis of infections ” stemming from the CD protocols , resulting in “ stringent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lives and livelihoods.
” Lead author of the ICSLS report is Dr. Pieter Borger , an expert on the molecular biology of gene expression , and among the co-authors is Dr. Michael Yeadon , former Vice President of vaccine company Pfizer .
Dr. Paul Sacré offers a brief explanation of how the PCR test works , as an aid to understand the ICSLS ’ s criticisms of the CD paper .
The nasal or throat swab is “ processed to isolate genetic material , ” then primers — “ engineered genetic material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the viral genetic material , which begins “ amplification.
” During amplification , fluorescent markers “ bound to the copies during PCR ” are released , and if enough of these are detected , the test is termed positive .
The first “ major ” issue identified in the ICSLS review is that the CD paper and the trial PCR tests were written and conducted “ without having virus material available , ” in the words of the CD paper itself .
Instead , the PCR test method was based on “ silico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China.
” The CD paper ’ s aims of development and deployment of a test “ are not achievable without having any actual virus material available , ” according to the ICSLS .
On the day the CD paper was submitted to medical journal Eurosurveillance , Google data records only 6 deaths from the virus .
This leads the ICSLS to question why the CD report predicted “ a challenge for public health laboratories while there was no substantial evidence at that time to indicate that the outbreak was more widespread than initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the ICSLS .
The concentration of primers used in the development of the PCR tests are “ far too high ” for “ optimal specific amplifications of target genes.
” The variations of primer pairs used in the CD paper mean , “ The design variations will inevitably lead to results that are not even SARS CoV-2 related.
” Thus , various laboratories could assume they have detected a positive COVID case , using a formula that does not actually detect COVID .
In order for a PCR test to be reliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( primers ) of the virus under investigation is required.
” Yet the ICSLS found in the CD paper that “ in nearly all test procedures worldwide , merely 2 primer matches were used instead of all three .
This oversight renders the entire test-protocol useless with regards to delivering accurate test-results of real significance in an ongoing pandemic.
” Continuing , the ICSLS notes that the proposed PCR test contains “ severe design errors , ” and since the test is unable to distinguish between “ the whole virus and viral fragments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a diagnostic for SARS-viruses.
” A positive test , as mentioned in the CD paper , can not determine if one is infected with the virus , but “ merely indicates the presence of viral RNA molecules.
” The review then deals with the amplification cycles of the tests .
The CD paper does not even define what a positive or negative test result is , but does suggest that “ 45 PCR cycles ” are to be performed .
While a PCR test can have up to 60 cycles of amplification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point out that PCR test data from a cycle value of 35 or more is “ completely unreliable.
” “ Only non-infectious ( dead ) viruses are detected with [ cycle ] values of 35 , ” the group adds , as even above 30 cycles there is “ a grey area ” , where a positive result can not be trusted .
After the amplification process is complete , “ biomolecular validation ” is “ essential ” to determine the presence of COVID-19 , since “ amplified PCR products can be anything.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protocol does not do so , and the ICSLS consequently calls any PCR test developed on such a basis “ useless as a specific diagnostic tool to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
” The proposed PCR tests also ignore the “ essential scientific gold standard ” which is to have a positive control and a negative control , by which to identify COVID-19 from other coronaviruses .
Furthermore , the CD paper itself notes the gene used in the tests is not specific to COVID-19 , and thus detects “ a broad spectrum of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these errors , and even drawn from text in the CD paper itself , the ICSLS warns that it is “ inevitable ” that “ the PCR test described in the Corman-Drosten paper generates false positives.
” This is echoed by Dr. Sacré , who wrote that the chief limitation of PCR tests is the “ extreme sensitivity ( false positive ) if a suitable threshold of positivity ( Ct ) is not chosen.
” Swiss Policy Research has found that a positive PCR test run at 35 cycles or more , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has a 97 % chance of being a false positive .
No peer review , but conflict of interest authorship The Corman-Drosten paper appears to have received no peer review .
It was received to Eurosurveillance on January 21 , 2020 , accepted for publication the next day , and posted online on January 23 .
In fact , ICSLS reports that a version of the CD paper was published on the WHO website on January 13 , 2020 .
Evidence thus suggests no peer review has occurred , and the ICSLS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with RT-PCR design would have easily observed the grave errors present in the Corman-Drosten paper before the actual review process.
” The group contacted Eurosurveillance for a copy of a peer review , but was eventually told that “ disclosure would undermine the purpose of scientific investigations.
” Two authors of the CD paper , Christian Drosten and Chantal Reusken , were found to be part of the editorial board of Eurosurveillance , prompting the ICSLS to say that “ there is a severe conflict of interest which strengthens suspicions that the paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is seen as “ compromising scientific integrity.
” In addition to that , ICSLS found “ severe conflicts of interest for at least four authors , ” with two of the authors being the CEO and scientific advisor at PCR test producing company TIB-Molbiol .
Speaking to UncoverDC.com about the Corman-Drosten paper , Dr. Kevin Corbett from the ICSLS report said , “ Public Health England is a co-author on it .
All the public health authorities across the EU have co-authored this paper .
But here is the bottom line : There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were doing .
The PCR products of the amplification didn ’ t correspond to any viral isolate at that time .
I call it ‘ donut ring science.
’ There is nothing at the center of it .
It ’ s all about code , genetics , nothing to do with reality , or the actual person , the patient.
” Responding to the point that advocates of the PCR test claim the virus has , as a matter of fact , been isolated , Corbett said , “ Yes , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve produced viral isolates .
But there are no controls for them .
The CDC produced a paper in July , I think it was , where they said : ‘ Here ’ s the viral isolate.
’ Do you know what they did ?
They swabbed one person .
One person , who ’ d been to China and had cold symptoms .
One person .
And they assumed he had it to begin with .
So it ’ s all full of holes , the whole thing.
” The ICSLS paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-examination of the test protocol to identify SARS-CoV-2 described in the Corman-Drosten paper we have identified concerning errors and inherent fallacies which render the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test useless .
”

The ‘worldwide misdiagnosis of infections’ stemming from the tests has resulted in ‘stringent lockdowns which have destroyed many people’s lives and livelihoods,’ the scientists argue.
December 10, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The original scientific paper establishing RT-PCR tests as the way to identify COVID-19 in individuals, thus fueling the lockdowns across the globe, has been thoroughly debunked by scientists, who call the tests “useless” and “completely unsuitable” to find COVID-19, given they were developed without even having access to the virus itself.
The recently published report examined the original Corman-Drosten paper, in which Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR/PCR) tests were proposed as a validated means to detect COVID-19. The protocol proposed is used in around 70% of tests globally and by over one hundred governments. These tests promptly became the motivating factor behind the international phenomenon of nation-wide lockdowns, as cases of the virus were reported to rise.
But a group of 22 independent scientists, termed the International Consortium of Scientists in Life Sciences (ICSLS), have studied and reviewed the Corman-Drosten (CD) paper, finding “numerous technical and scientific errors,” noting that neither the “test nor the manuscript itself fulfils the requirements for an acceptable scientific publication.” They dubbed the CD paper as “flawed science” and called its authors “intellectually dishonest.”
The group presents “ten fatal problems” with the Corman-Drosten paper, and concludes that there is no other choice “but to retract the publication.” Each of the problems is described as being sufficient on its own to render the PCR test “useless as a specific diagnostic tool to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus.” The ICSLS report highlights the “worldwide misdiagnosis of infections” stemming from the CD protocols, resulting in “stringent lockdowns which have destroyed many people’s lives and livelihoods.”
Lead author of the ICSLS report is Dr. Pieter Borger, an expert on the molecular biology of gene expression, and among the co-authors is Dr. Michael Yeadon, former Vice President of vaccine company Pfizer.
Dr. Paul Sacré offers a brief explanation of how the PCR test works, as an aid to understand the ICSLS’s criticisms of the CD paper. The nasal or throat swab is “processed to isolate genetic material,” then primers — “engineered genetic material” — are added and bound to the viral genetic material, which begins “amplification.” During amplification, fluorescent markers “bound to the copies during PCR” are released, and if enough of these are detected, the test is termed positive.
Breakdown of scientific problems
The first “major” issue identified in the ICSLS review is that the CD paper and the trial PCR tests were written and conducted “without having virus material available,” in the words of the CD paper itself. Instead, the PCR test method was based on “silico sequences, supplied by a laboratory in China.” The CD paper’s aims of development and deployment of a test “are not achievable without having any actual virus material available,” according to the ICSLS.
On the day the CD paper was submitted to medical journal Eurosurveillance, Google data records only 6 deaths from the virus. This leads the ICSLS to question why the CD report predicted “a challenge for public health laboratories while there was no substantial evidence at that time to indicate that the outbreak was more widespread than initially thought?”
Many errors are presented by the ICSLS. The concentration of primers used in the development of the PCR tests are “far too high” for “optimal specific amplifications of target genes.” The variations of primer pairs used in the CD paper mean, “The design variations will inevitably lead to results that are not even SARS CoV-2 related.” Thus, various laboratories could assume they have detected a positive COVID case, using a formula that does not actually detect COVID.
In order for a PCR test to be reliable, “amplification from 3 different genes (primers) of the virus under investigation is required.” Yet the ICSLS found in the CD paper that “in nearly all test procedures worldwide, merely 2 primer matches were used instead of all three. This oversight renders the entire test-protocol useless with regards to delivering accurate test-results of real significance in an ongoing pandemic.”
Continuing, the ICSLS notes that the proposed PCR test contains “severe design errors,” and since the test is unable to distinguish between “the whole virus and viral fragments” it “cannot be used as a diagnostic for SARS-viruses.” A positive test, as mentioned in the CD paper, cannot determine if one is infected with the virus, but “merely indicates the presence of viral RNA molecules.”
The review then deals with the amplification cycles of the tests. The CD paper does not even define what a positive or negative test result is, but does suggest that “45 PCR cycles” are to be performed. While a PCR test can have up to 60 cycles of amplification, both Dr. Sacré and the ICSLS point out that PCR test data from a cycle value of 35 or more is “completely unreliable.” “Only non-infectious (dead) viruses are detected with [cycle] values of 35,” the group adds, as even above 30 cycles there is “a grey area”, where a positive result cannot be trusted.
After the amplification process is complete, “biomolecular validation” is “essential” to determine the presence of COVID-19, since “amplified PCR products can be anything.” But the CD paper’s protocol does not do so, and the ICSLS consequently calls any PCR test developed on such a basis “useless as a specific diagnostic tool to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”
— Article continues below Petition — PETITION: No to government and corporate penalties for refusing COVID-19 vaccine Show Petition Text 103183 have signed the petition. Let's get to 125000 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition **Photo credit: Shutterstock.com Mainstream media sources are promoting offensive suggestions by some doctors that people who refuse a vaccine for COVID-19 should be "punished" by the government and by business - effectively coercing them into taking the vaccine. One group of doctors writing in 'USA Today' suggested that the government impose special taxes (i.e., fines) on people who refuse the vaccination and that business simply refuse to serve them. [see story below]
Another doctor writing in an online publication called 'The Conversation' shamelessly suggested that people who refuse a vaccine should be given a psychoactive drug to induce compliance. [see story below] But, these suggestions are plain political posturing, and have nothing to do with science or with the recent trends of the disease. And, in case they haven't noticed, we live in a democracy not a medical dictatorship! Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks policy-makers and business people, at all levels, to pledge to respect the rights of those who, in good conscience, decide not to vaccinate themselves or their children. People should not have to live in fear of governmental or corporate retribution for refusing a vaccine which is being rushed to market by Big Pharma and their fellow-travelers in NGOs, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It would be intolerable and immoral for the government or business to coerce someone, and their family, to take a COVID vaccine against their will to avoid a fine, or just so they can do their weekly grocery shopping. Medical freedom must be respected in principle and also in practice. So, it is now time that our policy-makers listen to all voices involved in this vital conversation, and start to represent those who will not tolerate being punished for refusing a vaccine. Simply put, legislatures must begin to act as legislatures again. Questions must be asked. Hearings and investigations must be held. And, the legislatures of each state and country must return to the business of representing the people who voted for them, assuming their rightful place as the originator of legislation. We can no longer accept the dictates of executive branches without question, especially now that, statistically speaking, the initial brunt of the COVID crisis has passed. Neither can we accept the dictates of doctors who seem detached from reality and from science, and who only seem to be attached to the idea of promoting ideas which contribute to the agrandizement of power and control of political interests, and wealth of those who stand to make a lot of money from the sale of a COVID vaccine. Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks government and business leaders to pledge to respect the rights of those who refuse a COVID vaccine, and not seek to punish them for doing so. FOR MORE INFORMATION: 'Doctors lay out plan to ‘punish’ people who refuse coronavirus vaccine: ‘There is no alternative’' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/doctors-lay-out-plan-to-punish-people-who-refuse-coronavirus-vaccine-there-is-no-alternative 'US professor: ‘Psychoactive pill’ should be covertly administered to ensure lockdown compliance' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-professor-ensure-lockdown-compliance-by-drugging-dissenters-with-psychoactive-pill Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
The proposed PCR tests also ignore the “essential scientific gold standard” which is to have a positive control and a negative control, by which to identify COVID-19 from other coronaviruses. Furthermore, the CD paper itself notes the gene used in the tests is not specific to COVID-19, and thus detects “a broad spectrum of other SARS viruses.”
Based on all these errors, and even drawn from text in the CD paper itself, the ICSLS warns that it is “inevitable” that “the PCR test described in the Corman-Drosten paper generates false positives.” This is echoed by Dr. Sacré, who wrote that the chief limitation of PCR tests is the “extreme sensitivity (false positive) if a suitable threshold of positivity (Ct) is not chosen.”
Swiss Policy Research has found that a positive PCR test run at 35 cycles or more, as is common in Europe and the U.S., has a 97% chance of being a false positive.
No peer review, but conflict of interest authorship
The Corman-Drosten paper appears to have received no peer review. It was received to Eurosurveillance on January 21, 2020, accepted for publication the next day, and posted online on January 23. In fact, ICSLS reports that a version of the CD paper was published on the WHO website on January 13, 2020. Evidence thus suggests no peer review has occurred, and the ICSLS writes, “Any molecular biologist familiar with RT-PCR design would have easily observed the grave errors present in the Corman-Drosten paper before the actual review process.”
The group contacted Eurosurveillance for a copy of a peer review, but was eventually told that “disclosure would undermine the purpose of scientific investigations.”
Two authors of the CD paper, Christian Drosten and Chantal Reusken, were found to be part of the editorial board of Eurosurveillance, prompting the ICSLS to say that “there is a severe conflict of interest which strengthens suspicions that the paper was not peer-reviewed.” Such an action is seen as “compromising scientific integrity.”
In addition to that, ICSLS found “severe conflicts of interest for at least four authors,” with two of the authors being the CEO and scientific advisor at PCR test producing company TIB-Molbiol.
Author’s comments on the ICSLS report
Speaking to UncoverDC.com about the Corman-Drosten paper, Dr. Kevin Corbett from the ICSLS report said, “Public Health England is a co-author on it. All the public health authorities across the EU have co-authored this paper. But here is the bottom line: There was no viral isolate to validate what they were doing. The PCR products of the amplification didn’t correspond to any viral isolate at that time. I call it ‘donut ring science.’ There is nothing at the center of it. It’s all about code, genetics, nothing to do with reality, or the actual person, the patient.”
Responding to the point that advocates of the PCR test claim the virus has, as a matter of fact, been isolated, Corbett said, “Yes, there have since been papers saying they’ve produced viral isolates. But there are no controls for them. The CDC produced a paper in July, I think it was, where they said: ‘Here’s the viral isolate.’ Do you know what they did? They swabbed one person. One person, who’d been to China and had cold symptoms. One person. And they assumed he had it to begin with. So it’s all full of holes, the whole thing.”
The ICSLS paper concludes, “In light of our re-examination of the test protocol to identify SARS-CoV-2 described in the Corman-Drosten paper we have identified concerning errors and inherent fallacies which render the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test useless.”
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lifesitenews--2020-12-10--Lockdowns contribute to record mental health decline: New Gallup survey

December 10 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — After months of lockdowns and social distancing US adults have reported the lowest mental health ratings ever recorded as part of a decades-long survey project by Gallup .
On December 7 , Gallup released results from a poll of 1,018 Americans , showing that only 34 % considered their mental or emotional health “ Excellent ” - a nine point drop from 2019 .
“ The latest weakening in positive ratings , from a Nov. 5-19 poll , are undoubtedly influenced by the coronavirus pandemic , which continues to profoundly disrupt people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views of the election and the state of race relations , both of which were on Americans ' minds this year , ” the Gallup report states .
76 % of respondents claimed to have a generally positive view of their mental state , down from 85 % last year .
Mental health ratings historically have stayed relatively stable , falling only two points during the Great Recession , for example .
The Gallup poll , taken soon after the November 3 election , found self-described Republicans as the most affected subgroup .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ than Democrats to characterize their mental status as “ Excellent.
” The December 7 survey results follow months of warnings of widespread psychological damage due to COVID-19 and the measures deployed in response to it .
A study published by the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) in June highlighted “ considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19.
” 40 % of adults surveyed by the CDC “ reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition.
” The CDC identified social distancing and stay-at-home orders as likely culprits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation from July showed that the percentage of Americans whose mental wellbeing has been “ negatively impacted ” by the coronavirus crisis had reached 53 % .
Americans ’ self-reported psychological states have only continued to degrade in subsequent CDC interviews .
The agency ’ s Household Pulse Surveys has revealed a roughly 20 % jump in symptoms of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults between June and November .
Older people have been hit particularly hard , with rates of mental disorder indicators among the elderly up nearly three times higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
According to a study by the University of Michigan in the summer , habitual feelings of isolation in older and middle-aged Americans topped 56 % ; double that of 2018 .
In October , nursing home residents in Colorado made headlines for protesting COVID-19 restrictions .
Some said that they would “ [ r ] ather die from COVID than loneliness.
” Young adults and children appear to have fared even worse .
Nearly three quarters of Americans aged 18-24 exhibited one or more symptoms of mental health deterioration in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , the CDC published a report which related that emergency department visits due to mental or emotional health issues rose 24 % among children between 5-11 and 31 % among adolescents since January .
In another Gallup survey , published May , nearly a third of parents attested that COVID-19 restrictions already were causing their kids mental or emotional harm .
CDC chief Robert Redfield has spoken to these issues , stating in a July webinar : “ there has been another cost [ of the COVID-19 crisis ] that we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ We ’ re seeing , sadly , far greater suicides ” and “ deaths from drug overdose ” “ than we are deaths from COVID , ” Redfield said .
Medical professionals across the world have raised the same concerns .
The Great Barrington Declaration , which urges that those at low risk for COVID-19 “ immediately be allowed to resume life as normal ” claims to have over 50,000 signatures from doctors and scientists worldwide .
The declaration cites “ grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great Barrington Declaration reports having collected an additional 686,000 signatures from concerned citizens , with the highest number of them from the United States .
In fact , as Americans ’ mental wellbeing has worsened , their resistance to COVID-19 lockdowns has correspondingly heightened .
Last month , 51 % of respondents told Gallup that they would be unlikely or only somewhat likely to follow another stay-at-home order .
The percentage of respondents who said that they were “ very/somewhat unlikely ” to accept stay-at-home guidance has jumped from 15 % since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Democrats , whose near-unanimous acceptance of COVID-19 restrictions remains virtually unchanged , despite the psychological consequences that undoubtedly have impacted many of their families .
While mental wellbeing of American adults wanes in the midst of an increasingly questionable pandemic , mental health indicators actually are on the rise for those actively living out their faith .
Of the subgroups identified in Gallup ’ s survey , weekly religious service attendees were the only ones to notch higher mental wellness ratings than in 2019 .
Researchers have demonstrated the clear salutary effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study from 2014 that found religious practitioners to have “ thicker portions of brain cortices that may protect against depression.
” Contrary to New York Governor Cuomo ’ s statement that “ religious institutions have been a problem , ” religion offers significant public health benefits .
Besides being an inalienable , Constitutional right , free religious exercise is arguably helping to mitigate a psychological crisis brought on by the policies of Cuomo and like-minded mayors and governors .

However, mental health indicators actually are on the rise for those actively living out their faith.
December 10, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — After months of lockdowns and social distancing US adults have reported the lowest mental health ratings ever recorded as part of a decades-long survey project by Gallup.
On December 7, Gallup released results from a poll of 1,018 Americans, showing that only 34% considered their mental or emotional health “Excellent” – a nine point drop from 2019.
“The latest weakening in positive ratings, from a Nov. 5-19 poll, are undoubtedly influenced by the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to profoundly disrupt people's lives, but may also reflect views of the election and the state of race relations, both of which were on Americans' minds this year,” the Gallup report states.
76% of respondents claimed to have a generally positive view of their mental state, down from 85% last year. Mental health ratings historically have stayed relatively stable, falling only two points during the Great Recession, for example.
The Gallup poll, taken soon after the November 3 election, found self-described Republicans as the most affected subgroup. Republicans nevertheless remained 29% more likely than Democrats to characterize their mental status as “Excellent.”
The December 7 survey results follow months of warnings of widespread psychological damage due to COVID-19 and the measures deployed in response to it.
A study published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in June highlighted “considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19.” 40% of adults surveyed
by the CDC “reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition.” The CDC identified social distancing and stay-at-home orders as likely culprits.
Another poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation from July showed that the percentage of Americans whose mental wellbeing has been “negatively impacted” by the coronavirus crisis had reached 53%.
Americans’ self-reported psychological states have only continued to degrade in subsequent CDC interviews. The agency’s Household Pulse Surveys has revealed a roughly 20% jump in symptoms of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults between June and November.
— Article continues below Petition — PETITION: No to government and corporate penalties for refusing COVID-19 vaccine Show Petition Text 103183 have signed the petition. Let's get to 125000 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition **Photo credit: Shutterstock.com Mainstream media sources are promoting offensive suggestions by some doctors that people who refuse a vaccine for COVID-19 should be "punished" by the government and by business - effectively coercing them into taking the vaccine. One group of doctors writing in 'USA Today' suggested that the government impose special taxes (i.e., fines) on people who refuse the vaccination and that business simply refuse to serve them. [see story below]
Another doctor writing in an online publication called 'The Conversation' shamelessly suggested that people who refuse a vaccine should be given a psychoactive drug to induce compliance. [see story below] But, these suggestions are plain political posturing, and have nothing to do with science or with the recent trends of the disease. And, in case they haven't noticed, we live in a democracy not a medical dictatorship! Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks policy-makers and business people, at all levels, to pledge to respect the rights of those who, in good conscience, decide not to vaccinate themselves or their children. People should not have to live in fear of governmental or corporate retribution for refusing a vaccine which is being rushed to market by Big Pharma and their fellow-travelers in NGOs, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It would be intolerable and immoral for the government or business to coerce someone, and their family, to take a COVID vaccine against their will to avoid a fine, or just so they can do their weekly grocery shopping. Medical freedom must be respected in principle and also in practice. So, it is now time that our policy-makers listen to all voices involved in this vital conversation, and start to represent those who will not tolerate being punished for refusing a vaccine. Simply put, legislatures must begin to act as legislatures again. Questions must be asked. Hearings and investigations must be held. And, the legislatures of each state and country must return to the business of representing the people who voted for them, assuming their rightful place as the originator of legislation. We can no longer accept the dictates of executive branches without question, especially now that, statistically speaking, the initial brunt of the COVID crisis has passed. Neither can we accept the dictates of doctors who seem detached from reality and from science, and who only seem to be attached to the idea of promoting ideas which contribute to the agrandizement of power and control of political interests, and wealth of those who stand to make a lot of money from the sale of a COVID vaccine. Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks government and business leaders to pledge to respect the rights of those who refuse a COVID vaccine, and not seek to punish them for doing so. FOR MORE INFORMATION: 'Doctors lay out plan to ‘punish’ people who refuse coronavirus vaccine: ‘There is no alternative’' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/doctors-lay-out-plan-to-punish-people-who-refuse-coronavirus-vaccine-there-is-no-alternative 'US professor: ‘Psychoactive pill’ should be covertly administered to ensure lockdown compliance' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-professor-ensure-lockdown-compliance-by-drugging-dissenters-with-psychoactive-pill Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
Older people have been hit particularly hard, with rates of mental disorder indicators among the elderly up nearly three times higher than they were at the onset of the crisis. According to a study by the University of Michigan in the summer, habitual feelings of isolation in older and middle-aged Americans topped 56%; double that of 2018.
In October, nursing home residents in Colorado made headlines for protesting COVID-19 restrictions. Some said that they would “[r]ather die from COVID than loneliness.”
Young adults and children appear to have fared even worse. Nearly three quarters of Americans aged 18-24 exhibited one or more symptoms of mental health deterioration in the CDC’s June study. Last month, the CDC published a report which related that emergency department visits due to mental or emotional health issues rose 24% among children between 5-11 and 31% among adolescents since January.
In another Gallup survey, published May, nearly a third of parents attested that COVID-19 restrictions already were causing their kids mental or emotional harm.
CDC chief Robert Redfield has spoken to these issues, stating in a July webinar: “there has been another cost [of the COVID-19 crisis] that we’ve seen, particularly in high schools.”
“We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides” and “deaths from drug overdose” “than we are deaths from COVID,” Redfield said.
Medical professionals across the world have raised the same concerns. The Great Barrington Declaration, which urges that those at low risk for COVID-19 “immediately be allowed to resume life as normal” claims to have over 50,000 signatures from doctors and scientists worldwide. The declaration cites “grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies.”
The Great Barrington Declaration reports having collected an additional 686,000 signatures from concerned citizens, with the highest number of them from the United States. In fact, as Americans’ mental wellbeing has worsened, their resistance to COVID-19 lockdowns has correspondingly heightened.
Last month, 51% of respondents told Gallup that they would be unlikely or only somewhat likely to follow another stay-at-home order. The percentage of respondents who said that they were “very/somewhat unlikely” to accept stay-at-home guidance has jumped from 15% since the spring to 33%. The outliers are Democrats, whose near-unanimous acceptance of COVID-19 restrictions remains virtually unchanged, despite the psychological consequences that undoubtedly have impacted many of their families.
While mental wellbeing of American adults wanes in the midst of an increasingly questionable pandemic, mental health indicators actually are on the rise for those actively living out their faith. Of the subgroups identified in Gallup’s survey, weekly religious service attendees were the only ones to notch higher mental wellness ratings than in 2019.
Researchers have demonstrated the clear salutary effects of religion before, as in a study from 2014 that found religious practitioners to have “thicker portions of brain cortices that may protect against depression.”
Contrary to New York Governor Cuomo’s statement that “religious institutions have been a problem,” religion offers significant public health benefits. Besides being an inalienable, Constitutional right, free religious exercise is arguably helping to mitigate a psychological crisis brought on by the policies of Cuomo and like-minded mayors and governors.
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