lifesitenews--2020-06-23--LGBT orgs sue Trump for axing Obama-era funding of ‘sex changes’

June 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Several pro-LGBT pressure organizations filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of reversing the Trump administration ’ s decision to roll back an Obama-era regulation that would allow healthcare providers that receive federal funds to perform “ gender transition ” operations and abortions .
In May 2016 , the Obama administration redefined “ sex discrimination ” under the so-called Affordable Care Act ( better known as Obamacare ) to include an individual ’ s “ internal sense of gender , which may be male , female , neither , or a combination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also covered “ termination of pregnancy ” under its definition of sex discrimination .
The rule was blocked in December of that year , meaning it hasn ’ t actually been enforced , but as long as it is on the books there remained the risk of a future court reviving it .
So the Trump administration ’ s Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) announced this month that it will “ enforce Section 1557 by returning to the government ’ s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as male or female and as determined by biology.
” The decision “ maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race , color , national origin , disability , age , and sex , and restores the rule of law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress , ” HHS said .
Under this interpretation , the regulation would not entail a right to abortion or gender-reassignment surgery , nor would it force healthcare workers to violate their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – prompting a coalition of “ LGBTQ health care providers and advocacy groups , ” including the [ email protected ] Coalition , to sue to preserve the Obama-era language , CNN reported .
HHS ’ s decision is “ part of the Trump administration 's concerted and aggressive effort to undermine protections for LGBTQ people , including Section 1557 's nondiscrimination protections and the regulatory structure and administrative processes the 2016 Final Rule established , ” the lawsuit states .
Although courts often find a way to invalidate such decisions on other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s efforts to undo its predecessors ' actions on immigration ) , there is little serious dispute that an action unilaterally taken by one president can be unilaterally undone by another .
And while there is no constitutional “ right ” to abortion , it remains to be seen how current Supreme Court precdent claiming otherwise , or the court ’ s decision last week to write “ sexual orientation and gender identity ” into the 1964 Civil Rights Act , will impact this case .

The definition of sex was restored to 'male or female as determined by biology' and not an person's 'internal sense of gender ... male, female, neither or a combination.'
PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
June 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Several pro-LGBT pressure organizations filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of reversing the Trump administration’s decision to roll back an Obama-era regulation that would allow healthcare providers that receive federal funds to perform “gender transition” operations and abortions.
In May 2016, the Obama administration redefined “sex discrimination” under the so-called Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare) to include an individual’s “internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female.” The rule also covered “termination of pregnancy” under its definition of sex discrimination.
The rule was blocked in December of that year, meaning it hasn’t actually been enforced, but as long as it is on the books there remained the risk of a future court reviving it. So the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this month that it will “enforce Section 1557 by returning to the government’s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word ‘sex’ as male or female and as determined by biology.”
The decision “maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, and sex, and restores the rule of law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress,” HHS said.
Under this interpretation, the regulation would not entail a right to abortion or gender-reassignment surgery, nor would it force healthcare workers to violate their consciences by taking part in either procedure – prompting a coalition of “LGBTQ health care providers and advocacy groups,” including the [email protected] Coalition, to sue to preserve the Obama-era language, CNN reported.
HHS’s decision is “part of the Trump administration's concerted and aggressive effort to undermine protections for LGBTQ people, including Section 1557's nondiscrimination protections and the regulatory structure and administrative processes the 2016 Final Rule established,” the lawsuit states.
Although courts often find a way to invalidate such decisions on other grounds (as with the Trump administration’s efforts to undo its predecessors' actions on immigration), there is little serious dispute that an action unilaterally taken by one president can be unilaterally undone by another.
And while there is no constitutional “right” to abortion, it remains to be seen how current Supreme Court precdent claiming otherwise, or the court’s decision last week to write “sexual orientation and gender identity” into the 1964 Civil Rights Act, will impact this case.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-23--Doctors told this mom to abort her sick baby twice. She gave birth to a healthy ‘miracle’ baby

WORCHESTER , England , June 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A first time mother , advised “ quite forcibly ” multiple times to abort her baby due to fatal prenatal conditions , gave birth to a healthy “ miracle baby.
” According to Metro , when Kimberly James , a veterinary nurse , had an ultrasound at 12 weeks at Worcestershire Royal Hospital , she was told that her baby had become dangerously swollen .
24-year old Kimberly was warned that her unborn daughter would not survive and should be aborted .
Kimberly ’ s unborn daughter was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fluids in the tissue around the lungs , heart , abdomen , or under the skin , which affects 1,000 pregnancies every year with a survival rate of 10 % .
Although she had been advised by two doctors to abort her baby , Kimberly was determined to trust her instinct and go ahead with her pregnancy , despite her baby ’ s low chance of survival .
After the ultrasound , Kimberly and her husband , Jack , were referred to a consultant .
“ It was then we were offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had seen her , ” Kimberly said .
“ We said no because it was absolutely not what we wanted to do .
We asked them why and unfortunately they couldn ’ t give an answer , ” she continued .
“ We thought if they don ’ t know what it is then we ’ ll say ‘ no ’ , even if it was a really poor diagnosis.
” The parents decided to pay for private scans and blood tests to check for other issues ; however , these all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the couple returned to the hospital for an ultrasound to learn that the hydrops fetalis had disappeared completely .
The doctors marvelled at the disappearance as it was unheard of .
But a later ultrasound revealed a fetal diagnosis of cystic hygroma , an abnormal growth on the neck or head that can lead to birth defects .
Kimberly was again pressured to abort her daughter , but she “ just trusted that she would survive.
” After 20 weeks , the cystic hygroma had likewise completely vanished .
“ The doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t expecting it to disappear and the consultant couldn ’ t believe it , ” Kimberly described .
Kimberly was told “ quite forcibly ” multiple times that abortion would be her best option .
However , Kimberly and her husband refused to submit to the pressure and decided to give their daughter life .
Giving birth in lockdown was “ surreal ” for Kimberly .
She was unable to have visitors ; however , this caused more unity between the women on the antenatal ward .
“ Everyone had their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another , ” Kimberly explained .
“ It was refreshing that we were all supporting each other through this bizarre time.
” On May 9 , after a 13-hour labor , Kimberly gave birth to a perfectly healthy little girl , Penelope , at the same hospital which had formerly advised her to abort her baby .
Penelope defied all odds , weighing 7lb and 6oz , with both her fatal conditions completely resolved .
The doctors were stunned when they checked for signs of her former conditions and found none .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their disappearance are still unknown .
Penelope ’ s parents call her “ a little miracle.
” “ We are so in love with her , ” Kimberly said .
“ And so thankful that we continued with the pregnancy despite the extremely poor prognosis at the start.
” Kimberly continued , “ We had a very rocky start to our pregnancy but had the most wonderful outcome and we couldn ’ t be more in love with our little girl .
”

After her baby was diagnosed with two dangerous medical conditions, a young mother refused abortion and gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby girl.
WORCHESTER, England, June 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A first time mother, advised “quite forcibly” multiple times to abort her baby due to fatal prenatal conditions, gave birth to a healthy “miracle baby.”
According to Metro, when Kimberly James, a veterinary nurse, had an ultrasound at 12 weeks at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, she was told that her baby had become dangerously swollen. 24-year old Kimberly was warned that her unborn daughter would not survive and should be aborted.
Kimberly’s unborn daughter was diagnosed with hydrops fetalis, abnormal buildup of fluids in the tissue around the lungs, heart, abdomen, or under the skin, which affects 1,000 pregnancies every year with a survival rate of 10%.
Although she had been advised by two doctors to abort her baby, Kimberly was determined to trust her instinct and go ahead with her pregnancy, despite her baby’s low chance of survival.
After the ultrasound, Kimberly and her husband, Jack, were referred to a consultant. “It was then we were offered a termination pretty much the second time we had seen her,” Kimberly said.
“We said no because it was absolutely not what we wanted to do. We asked them why and unfortunately they couldn’t give an answer,” she continued. “We thought if they don’t know what it is then we’ll say ‘no’, even if it was a really poor diagnosis.”
The parents decided to pay for private scans and blood tests to check for other issues; however, these all came back negative. At 16 weeks, the couple returned to the hospital for an ultrasound to learn that the hydrops fetalis had disappeared completely. The doctors marvelled at the disappearance as it was unheard of.
But a later ultrasound revealed a fetal diagnosis of cystic hygroma, an abnormal growth on the neck or head that can lead to birth defects. Kimberly was again pressured to abort her daughter, but she “just trusted that she would survive.”
After 20 weeks, the cystic hygroma had likewise completely vanished. “The doctors were really, really shocked because they weren’t expecting it to disappear and the consultant couldn’t believe it,” Kimberly described.
Kimberly was told “quite forcibly” multiple times that abortion would be her best option. However, Kimberly and her husband refused to submit to the pressure and decided to give their daughter life.
Giving birth in lockdown was “surreal” for Kimberly. She was unable to have visitors; however, this caused more unity between the women on the antenatal ward.
“Everyone had their curtains open and were chatting to one another,” Kimberly explained. “It was refreshing that we were all supporting each other through this bizarre time.”
On May 9, after a 13-hour labor, Kimberly gave birth to a perfectly healthy little girl, Penelope, at the same hospital which had formerly advised her to abort her baby. Penelope defied all odds, weighing 7lb and 6oz, with both her fatal conditions completely resolved. The doctors were stunned when they checked for signs of her former conditions and found none.
The cause of the two medical conditions and their disappearance are still unknown. Penelope’s parents call her “a little miracle.”
“We are so in love with her,” Kimberly said. “And so thankful that we continued with the pregnancy despite the extremely poor prognosis at the start.”
Kimberly continued, “We had a very rocky start to our pregnancy but had the most wonderful outcome and we couldn’t be more in love with our little girl.”
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lifesitenews--2020-06-23--Black Lives Matter activist calls for destruction of images and statues of ‘white’ Jesus and Mary

June 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As protests against alleged “ systemic racism ” continue to spread across the United States and have expanded to toppling statues of American historical figures , left-wing activists are now turning their attention to the supposed racial implications of religious imagery , and are calling for the destruction of images and statues of a “ white ” Jesus and Mary his mother .
Shaun King , a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) movement , best known for claiming to be half-black despite both parents on his birth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that statues , murals , and stained-glass windows depicting Jesus as white should be taken down for being “ form [ s ] of white supremacy , ” meant to be “ tools of oppression ” and “ racist propaganda ” : Christ ’ s skin color and exact physical features are a subject — beyond the common-sense assumption that they were in line with the Middle Eastern population into which He was born — of frequent debate among historical and biblical scholars , as well as activists like King who derive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is depicted .
However , throughout history , Jesus has generally been depicted in alignment with the majority race of whichever culture produced a given piece of artwork , and not entirely for reasons of cultural bias .
The Federalist ’ s Jonah Gottschalk notes that “ when Christianity spread throughout Europe , Africa , and Asia , independent churches made images of Jesus whose appearance and dress were familiar to community members .
This includes 1500 years of Ethiopian depictions of a black Jesus.
” Such points tend not to matter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian institutions to support BLM in other ways , the Associated Press reports .
Last week , Villanova University professor Shannen Dee Williams wrote in the dissident National Catholic Reporter that statements from Catholic leaders condemning the deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Ahmaud Arbery “ fall way short when it comes to acknowledging the church 's role in the contemporary crisis and direct complicity in the sins of anti-Black racism , slavery and segregation in the modern era.
” In addition , she demands that the Catholic Church formally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injustices ; stop closing active black parishes ; increase spending on black Catholic education and scholarship ; require the teaching of “ Black and Brown Catholic history ” ; and add “ anti-racist women and members of the laity ” to the formal church leadership ; and that Catholics “ take leading roles in campaigns working to protect Black lives , eliminate racism in the health care system , end mass incarceration and bail , and secure police reform and accountability.
” Her call was echoed in a letter signed by eight bishops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bishops endorsed BLM ’ s stance that “ the conscience of our nation is on trial as questions of race and equality confront each and every one of us , ” and that “ prayer and dialogue , alone , are not enough .
We must act to bring about true change.
” Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington DC , one of the letter ’ s signatories , went so far as to elevate BLM-style “ racial justice ” to same level as the fight to protect the sanctity of human life from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first moment of a person ’ s human dignity , which is never lost throughout the journey of life , ” he wrote in an email to the AP .
Floyd ’ s killing was instantly and unanimously condemned , and the police officers involved have been charged with murder .
As to BLM ’ s broader claim of “ systemic racism ” in law enforcement , research actually shows that police are not disproportionately likely to use excessive lethal force against black suspects .
Further , BLM ’ s own stated values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading of Christianity .
The group officially supports “ reproductive justice that gives us autonomy over our bodies.
” An estimated 40 percent of all U.S. abortions are sought by black women , meaning that Black Lives Matter supports the annual elimination of more than 344,800 black lives every year .
The group also pledges to “ disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘ villages ’ that collectively care for one another , especially our children , to the degree that mothers , parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We foster a queer‐affirming network , ” BLM continues .
“ When we gather , we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking , or rather , the belief that all in the world are heterosexual ( unless s/he or they disclose otherwise ) .
”

The Black Lives Matter activist said that statues, murals, and stained-glass windows depicting Jesus and Our Lady as 'white' should be taken down for being forms of 'white supremacy'
PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
June 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As protests against alleged “systemic racism” continue to spread across the United States and have expanded to toppling statues of American historical figures, left-wing activists are now turning their attention to the supposed racial implications of religious imagery, and are calling for the destruction of images and statues of a “white” Jesus and Mary his mother.
Shaun King, a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, best known for claiming to be half-black despite both parents on his birth certificate being listed as white, declared Monday that statues, murals, and stained-glass windows depicting Jesus as white should be taken down for being “form[s] of white supremacy,” meant to be “tools of oppression” and “racist propaganda”:
Yes. All murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends should also come down. They are a gross form white supremacy. Created as tools of oppression.
Racist propaganda. They should all come down. — Shaun King (@shaunking) June 22, 2020
Christ’s skin color and exact physical features are a subject — beyond the common-sense assumption that they were in line with the Middle Eastern population into which He was born — of frequent debate among historical and biblical scholars, as well as activists like King who derive racial or political significance from how He is depicted.
However, throughout history, Jesus has generally been depicted in alignment with the majority race of whichever culture produced a given piece of artwork, and not entirely for reasons of cultural bias. The Federalist’s Jonah Gottschalk notes that “when Christianity spread throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, independent churches made images of Jesus whose appearance and dress were familiar to community members. This includes 1500 years of Ethiopian depictions of a black Jesus.”
Such points tend not to matter to left-wing activists, who are also pressuring Christian institutions to support BLM in other ways, the Associated Press reports.
Last week, Villanova University professor Shannen Dee Williams wrote in the dissident National Catholic Reporter that statements from Catholic leaders condemning the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery “fall way short when it comes to acknowledging the church's role in the contemporary crisis and direct complicity in the sins of anti-Black racism, slavery and segregation in the modern era.”
In addition, she demands that the Catholic Church formally apologize for its role in past racial injustices; stop closing active black parishes; increase spending on black Catholic education and scholarship; require the teaching of “Black and Brown Catholic history”; and add “anti-racist women and members of the laity” to the formal church leadership; and that Catholics “take leading roles in campaigns working to protect Black lives, eliminate racism in the health care system, end mass incarceration and bail, and secure police reform and accountability.”
Her call was echoed in a letter signed by eight bishops representing Maryland and Washington DC. The bishops endorsed BLM’s stance that “the conscience of our nation is on trial as questions of race and equality confront each and every one of us,” and that “prayer and dialogue, alone, are not enough. We must act to bring about true change.”
Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington DC, one of the letter’s signatories, went so far as to elevate BLM-style “racial justice” to same level as the fight to protect the sanctity of human life from abortion. “Birth is only the first moment of a person’s human dignity, which is never lost throughout the journey of life,” he wrote in an email to the AP.
Floyd’s killing was instantly and unanimously condemned, and the police officers involved have been charged with murder. As to BLM’s broader claim of “systemic racism” in law enforcement, research actually shows that police are not disproportionately likely to use excessive lethal force against black suspects.
Further, BLM’s own stated values are intensely at odds with any authentic reading of Christianity. The group officially supports “reproductive justice that gives us autonomy over our bodies.” An estimated 40 percent of all U.S. abortions are sought by black women, meaning that Black Lives Matter supports the annual elimination of more than 344,800 black lives every year.
The group also pledges to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.”
“We foster a queer‐affirming network,” BLM continues. “When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise).”
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lifesitenews--2020-06-23--Virginia urges residents to anonymously report churches for congregating

PETITION : No to mandatory contact tracing and government surveillance for the coronavirus !
Sign the petition here .
RICHMOND , Virginia , June 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Virginia Department of Public Health is urging residents to “ snitch on ” public gatherings and other activities that violate Democrat Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s coronavirus orders , including churches .
The Washington Free Beacon reports that the health department ’ s website has been updated to include the option to anonymously report to the state neighbors who exceed the emergency limits on building capacity or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows users to specify the “ type of establishment ” they ’ re reporting , including “ indoor gun range ” or “ religious service.
” Additional types of establishments that can be reported are grocery or convenience stores , restaurants , brick and mortar retail stores , wineries or breweries , “ personal grooming service [ s ] , ” gyms , and “ other.
” “ If you have observed violations of Executive 63 or Executive Order 65 and wish to file a complaint , fill out this report form as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
“ The Virginia Department of Health ( VDH ) has the authority to enforce Executive Order 63 and section A of Executive Order 65 .
VDH will review your complaint and forward it to your Local Health Department.
” Under Northam ’ s Phase Two ” rules , “ religious services must be limited to no more than 50 % of the lowest occupancy load on the certificate of occupancy of the room or facility in which the religious services are conducted .
Individuals attending religious services must be at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice proper physical distancing at all times ” ( with the exception of family members ) .
“ These complaints can be made anonymously .
There is nothing to prevent businesses from snitching on competitors , or to prevent the outright fabrication of reports , ” Republican state Sen. Mark Obenshain responded .
“ So , it appears that the full force and weight of the state government is poised and ready to drop on restaurants , churches and wineries for perceived violations of the Governor ’ s orders while the Governor equivocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement in connection with protests , demonstrations and riots – as long as participants are his allies.
” As of June 23 , the United States is estimated to have seen more than 2.4 million COVID-19 cases , with more than 122,000 deaths and one million recoveries .
An estimated 40 percent of those deaths have come from nursing homes .
Virginia has more than 58,000 cases and 1,645 deaths .
As in many states , the draconian restrictions Northam has imposed on public activity in the name of containing the virus has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a lot at stake , ” Virginia Family Foundation president Victoria Cobb told LifeSiteNews earlier this month .
“ And we ’ re hoping Virginians realize there ’ s more at stake than ever.
” A Great Falls , Virginia Catholic family is suing Northam over his original March 30 order banning gatherings of more than 10 people .
Earlier during the coronavirus crisis , New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s tip line , to which New Yorkers were urged to text photos of violations of so-called social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with photos of genitalia , obscene hand gestures , de Blasio dropping the Staten Island groundhog ( it later died of internal injuries ) , and Hitler memes about how turning neighbors in is the “ Reich ” thing to do .
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews ’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world .

In New York City, the creation of a similar tip-line backfired when angry citizens flooded it with obscene content.
PETITION: No to mandatory contact tracing and government surveillance for the coronavirus! Sign the petition here.
RICHMOND, Virginia, June 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Virginia Department of Public Health is urging residents to “snitch on” public gatherings and other activities that violate Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam’s coronavirus orders, including churches.
The Washington Free Beacon reports that the health department’s website has been updated to include the option to anonymously report to the state neighbors who exceed the emergency limits on building capacity or refuse to wear masks. The form allows users to specify the “type of establishment” they’re reporting, including “indoor gun range” or “religious service.”
Additional types of establishments that can be reported are grocery or convenience stores, restaurants, brick and mortar retail stores, wineries or breweries, “personal grooming service[s],” gyms, and “other.”
“If you have observed violations of Executive 63 or Executive Order 65 and wish to file a complaint, fill out this report form as completely as possible,” the portal states. “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has the authority to enforce Executive Order 63 and section A of Executive Order 65. VDH will review your complaint and forward it to your Local Health Department.”
Under Northam’s Phase Two” rules, “religious services must be limited to no more than 50% of the lowest occupancy load on the certificate of occupancy of the room or facility in which the religious services are conducted. Individuals attending religious services must be at least six feet apart when seated and must practice proper physical distancing at all times” (with the exception of family members).
“These complaints can be made anonymously. There is nothing to prevent businesses from snitching on competitors, or to prevent the outright fabrication of reports,” Republican state Sen. Mark Obenshain responded. “So, it appears that the full force and weight of the state government is poised and ready to drop on restaurants, churches and wineries for perceived violations of the Governor’s orders while the Governor equivocates and prevaricates when it comes to its enforcement in connection with protests, demonstrations and riots – as long as participants are his allies.”
As of June 23, the United States is estimated to have seen more than 2.4 million COVID-19 cases, with more than 122,000 deaths and one million recoveries. An estimated 40 percent of those deaths have come from nursing homes. Virginia has more than 58,000 cases and 1,645 deaths.
As in many states, the draconian restrictions Northam has imposed on public activity in the name of containing the virus has provoked a significant backlash.
“There’s a lot at stake,” Virginia Family Foundation president Victoria Cobb told LifeSiteNews earlier this month. “And we’re hoping Virginians realize there’s more at stake than ever.”
A Great Falls, Virginia Catholic family is suing Northam over his original March 30 order banning gatherings of more than 10 people.
Earlier during the coronavirus crisis, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s tip line, to which New Yorkers were urged to text photos of violations of so-called social distancing rules, backfired. It was flooded with photos of genitalia, obscene hand gestures, de Blasio dropping the Staten Island groundhog (it later died of internal injuries), and Hitler memes about how turning neighbors in is the “Reich” thing to do.
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-23--Ex-gay man: Why Cardinal Sarah is right that pro-LGBT churchmen are ‘doing work of prince of lies’

June 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As a same-sex attracted man who practices his Catholic faith , I can state unequivocally that Robert Cardinal Sarah , and not the likes of pro-LGBT Jesuit priest Fr .
James Martin , is the Church ’ s greatest champion for the same-sex attracted .
I said so in The Wall Street Journal in 2017 : While Cardinal Sarah is often described by detractors as being an enemy of LGBT rights , the contrary is true .
Those who experience same-sex attraction have no greater advocate , no greater pastor , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncompromising with the truth .
Cardinal Sarah rightly warns that we can not be more compassionate or merciful than Jesus .
Yet forces within the Church — powerful western prelates , celebrity priests , and those within the vast bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church — increasingly seek to normalize homosexuality and even have the Church bless same-sex relationships .
They display more faith in modern secular political correctness than they do in Jesus Christ , the Incarnate Word of God .
In his recent book , The Day Is Now Far Spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral , and political collapse of the Western world .
He pays particular attention to how the Church cares for those who experience same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria .
He has harsh words for clergy who depart from the Church ’ s clear sexual teachings and instead promote “ ambiguities.
” “ I think that the first victims of the LGBT ideology are the persons who experience a homosexual orientation , ” writes Sarah “ They are led by its militants to reduce their whole identity to their sexual behavior.
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to let themselves be shut away in this prison of LGBT ideology , ” he urges .
“ You are a child of God by baptism !
Your place is in the Church , like all Christians .
And if sometimes the spiritual combat becomes too hard , fraternal charity will support you.
” I know from experience that this is true .
Cardinal Sarah then turns his attention to clergy who dim the light of the Gospel ’ s perfect message for the same-sex attracted .
He does not mince words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliberately entertain ambiguities about the Christian view of homosexual behavior by saying that , morally speaking , all forms of sexuality are strictly equal , I tell them that they are doing the work of the prince of lies , ” asserts Sarah .
“ They lack charity toward the persons involved , ” he adds .
“ Why such statements ?
” he wonders .
“ Is it to justify their own behavior ?
Is it because they seek popularity ?
How can they offer ideological talk to those who ask us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are questions that many chaste same-sex attracted Catholics have for such clerics .
“ We do not have the right to abandon those who expect us to show them the way to holiness , including in the area of sexuality , ” he emphasizes .
“ Using one ’ s authority to preach a human doctrine and not the Catholic faith , ” writes Sarah , is a behavior that denies the profound truth of the priesthood and endangers the salvation of the faithful .
“ When the faith of the clergy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes place : the world is plunged into dark shadows , ” declares Sarah .
Sarah asserts that conversely , priests and religious who faithfully live out their vows and promote the Gospel day in and day out are “ unbearable to the prince of lies ” and “ make the world tremble.
” “ Satan has a fierce hatred of priests .
He wants to defile them , to make them fall , to pervert them , ” he explains .
“ Why ?
Because by their whole life they proclaim the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consecrated persons can not leave the world indifferent .
They proclaim down to the flesh this truth of the Cross .
They will always be a subject of scandal for the world .
They take Christ ’ s place.
” “ All you hidden and forgotten priests and religious , you whom society sometimes despises , you who are faithful to the promises of your ordination , you make the powers of this world tremble !
You remind them that nothing can resist the strength of the gift of your life for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unbearable to the prince of lies .
You are not the defenders of an abstract truth or a party .
You have decided to suffer for love of the truth , for Jesus Christ .
Without you , dear brother priests and consecrated religious , humanity would be less great and less beautiful .
You are the living rampart of the truth because you agreed to love it even to the Cross ” Cardinal Sarah is the Vatican ’ s most senior African prelate and has served as prefect of the Congregation for @ @ @ @ @

The Cardinal said that 'churchmen who deliberately entertain ambiguities about the Christian view of homosexual behavior...are doing the work of the prince of lies'
PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
June 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As a same-sex attracted man who practices his Catholic faith, I can state unequivocally that Robert Cardinal Sarah, and not the likes of pro-LGBT Jesuit priest Fr. James Martin, is the Church’s greatest champion for the same-sex attracted.
I said so in The Wall Street Journal in 2017:
While Cardinal Sarah is often described by detractors as being an enemy of LGBT rights, the contrary is true. Those who experience same-sex attraction have no greater advocate, no greater pastor, no greater friend than this man who is uncompromising with the truth. Cardinal Sarah rightly warns that we cannot be more compassionate or merciful than Jesus.
Yet forces within the Church — powerful western prelates, celebrity priests, and those within the vast bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church — increasingly seek to normalize homosexuality and even have the Church bless same-sex relationships. They display more faith in modern secular political correctness than they do in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God.
In his recent book, The Day Is Now Far Spent, Cardinal Sarah analyzes the spiritual, moral, and political collapse of the Western world. He pays particular attention to how the Church cares for those who experience same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria. He has harsh words for clergy who depart from the Church’s clear sexual teachings and instead promote “ambiguities.”
“I think that the first victims of the LGBT ideology are the persons who experience a homosexual orientation,” writes Sarah “They are led by its militants to reduce their whole identity to their sexual behavior.”
“I beg Catholics who are tempted by homosexuality not to let themselves be shut away in this prison of LGBT ideology,” he urges. “You are a child of God by baptism! Your place is in the Church, like all Christians. And if sometimes the spiritual combat becomes too hard, fraternal charity will support you.”
I know from experience that this is true.
Cardinal Sarah then turns his attention to clergy who dim the light of the Gospel’s perfect message for the same-sex attracted. He does not mince words.
“As for the churchmen who deliberately entertain ambiguities about the Christian view of homosexual behavior by saying that, morally speaking, all forms of sexuality are strictly equal, I tell them that they are doing the work of the prince of lies,” asserts Sarah.
“They lack charity toward the persons involved,” he adds.
“Why such statements?” he wonders. “Is it to justify their own behavior? Is it because they seek popularity? How can they offer ideological talk to those who ask us for the Word of God?”
These are questions that many chaste same-sex attracted Catholics have for such clerics.
“We do not have the right to abandon those who expect us to show them the way to holiness, including in the area of sexuality,” he emphasizes.
“Using one’s authority to preach a human doctrine and not the Catholic faith,” writes Sarah, is a behavior that denies the profound truth of the priesthood and endangers the salvation of the faithful.
“When the faith of the clergy grows weak, something like an eclipse takes place: the world is plunged into dark shadows,” declares Sarah.
Sarah asserts that conversely, priests and religious who faithfully live out their vows and promote the Gospel day in and day out are “unbearable to the prince of lies” and “make the world tremble.”
“Satan has a fierce hatred of priests. He wants to defile them, to make them fall, to pervert them,” he explains. “Why? Because by their whole life they proclaim the truth of the Cross. Priests and consecrated persons cannot leave the world indifferent. They proclaim down to the flesh this truth of the Cross. They will always be a subject of scandal for the world. They take Christ’s place.”
“All you hidden and forgotten priests and religious, you whom society sometimes despises, you who are faithful to the promises of your ordination, you make the powers of this world tremble! You remind them that nothing can resist the strength of the gift of your life for the sake of truth. Your presence is unbearable to the prince of lies. You are not the defenders of an abstract truth or a party. You have decided to suffer for love of the truth, for Jesus Christ. Without you, dear brother priests and consecrated religious, humanity would be less great and less beautiful. You are the living rampart of the truth because you agreed to love it even to the Cross”
Cardinal Sarah is the Vatican’s most senior African prelate and has served as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship since 2014.
Follow Doug Doug Mainwaring is a journalist for LifeSiteNews, an author, and a marriage, family and children's rights activist. He has testified before the United States Congress and state legislative bodies, originated and co-authored amicus briefs for the United States Supreme Court, and has been a guest on numerous TV and radio programs. Doug and his family live in the Washington, DC suburbs.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-24--Marvelous film shows how power of family saved mom and daughter in Syrian civil war

June 23 , 2020 ( The Bridgehead ) — After nearly a decade of conflict , most in the West have tuned out news of the civil war in Syria .
There have been squabbles about whether intervention is wise , with strategists of different schools fighting for Donald Trump ’ s attention , controversies over whether Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his own people , and a general sense of fatigue at the very prospect of another Middle Eastern adventure .
After Afghanistan , Iraq , Libya , and the Arab Spring , the Syrians seem to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nobody in the West is interested in backing freedom fighters anymore .
Most are certain that we can not determine who , exactly , those would be in the first place .
The Syrian revolution began in March 2011 , after pro-democracy demonstrations began in the city of Deraa after decades of corruption , high unemployment , and a suffocating lack of freedom .
Mindful of the Arab Spring toppling leaders elsewhere , the government responded with a deadly crackdown .
This triggered opposition forces around the country to take up arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and push security forces out of their areas .
Violence escalated , and Assad vowed to crush what he referred to as “ terrorism.
” The ensuing war would trigger a refugee crisis in Europe , level ancient Christian communities where the language of Christ was still spoken , displace more than 6 million people , and result in at least 400,000 casualties in the first five years .
Hundreds of medical facilities have been attacked and hundreds of medical personnel killed .
Syria has become a battleground for nations and groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossibly complex .
Russia is using her Syrian military bases to back Assad , and Iran is believed to be assisting the dictator , as well .
Jihadists groups such as al-Quaeda and the Islamic State have taken advantage of the chaos to reassert themselves , while thousands of Shia militia men hailing from Hezbollah in Lebanon but also from Yemen , Afghanistan , and Iraq have joined Assad ’ s security forces .
Western nations such as the UK , the US , and France , which were once supporting rebel groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to focus on humanitarian aid since jihadists have become the dominant force in many areas .
Israel is concerned about Iran ’ s increasing foothold in Syrian and has launched airstrikes on Iranian weapons shipments to Hezbollah .
With the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe finally ceasing to dominate headlines , it is easy to forget the ongoing misery of the Syrian people .
Much of Syria ’ s rich cultural heritage has been devastated , with all six of the nation ’ s six UNESCO World Heritage sites being damaged .
Healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with most groups barring humanitarian agencies from coming in to address the shortage .
Neighborhoods have been leveled everywhere .
Hospitals have been bombed .
Millions of people live inside a civil war .
And one of the most powerful documentaries I have ever seen , the 2019 Oscar-nominated For Sama , tells the story of a few of those people .
For Sama is a love letter from a young Syrian mother Waad al-Kateab to her daughter .
With footage she shot herself , al-Kateab tells the story of the five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventual escape with her husband ( first to Germany , and then the U.K ) in 2016 .
The film unfolds like rising flames , and al-Kateab captures the laughter , the brutal losses , and the day-by-day slog for survival of those who live in Aleppo as block by block , barrel bomb by barrel bomb , the once-magnificent city—their home—is reduced to rubble .
Against this apocalyptic backdrop , al-Kateab falls in love with Hamza , a doctor , sets up a home with him ( and is particularly proud of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and gives birth to a daughter , the beautiful Sama .
Set in the centre of this inferno , the mundane seems miraculous .
The scenes in this film bring home the reality of war from a civilian ’ s perspective like none I have ever seen .
We see al-Kateab try to put her daughter—the same age as my own—to sleep as shells blow up nearby .
We see bombs hit and buildings shudder and the young mother clutching her daughter while the lights flicker—but the little girl no longer even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is her normal , like the sound of the rooster three doors down is for my daughter .
Even when fear overwhelms the adults , the little girl seems to take it in stride .
Al-Kateab chats to her little girl like all parents do , but civil war banter is surreal : “ Lots of airstrikes today , but they didn ’ t hit us .
Yay !
” A smile from Sama .
Al-Kateab worries about formula and baby food running out ; children use a bombed-out bus as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the family lives , and as smoke and dust races through the hallways , the mother calls through the darkness : “ Who ’ s got Sama ?
” I spoke to Waad al-Kateab a few months ago to ask her about her experience .
“ Before the revolution started , ” she told me , “ I was just a normal student who wanted to finish my university and to leave Syria and find my life outside .
There was no dream for us in Syria .
If you want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlled by the regime .
If you want to be a teacher , everything you teach your students is written by them .
If you are a doctor , there are certain rules .
Anything you wanted has been corrupted .
Anyone on the street can arrest you and beat you up in front of everyone , regardless of what you were doing.
” The arbitrary violence of totalitarianism is omnipresent , and one of the first scenes in the film shows the results of a massacre in east Aleppo .
The bodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regime , had been pulled out of the river and lay in rows .
Many of the dead were still handcuffs .
Al-Kateab recorded as shrouded bodies were tossed into a mass grave as the gathered crowd began to sing in defiance .
Rage and grief bubbled below the surface .
Most searing were the scenes of parents grieving their children .
One mother arrived at the hospital , hunting for her son Mohammed .
She found only his body and became hysterical , howling with grief : “ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milk , wake up !
” We see a boy break down as he realizes that his little brother is dead .
We see a mother carry her dead son off , refusing any help , insisting she will carry him herself—it is the last thing she can do .
The misery seems relentless at times , and when I asked al-Kateab if she watches herself in the film and sees someone else , she shook her head .
“ I feel like I am there now.
” The film shows her meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter was born and dissolving into tears .
It was because she realized that she had brought this beautiful little girl into a brutal hellscape , where familiar things and friends were flattened by airstrikes and life hung by a thread .
But it was Sama , she told me , that helped her and Hamza forget all of that .
When they talked to her , they could get lost in her beautiful face .
When they played with her , they could forget everything but the moment , drawn into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are times , ” she said , “ when you can see nothing but that.
” Sama also gave them a new responsibility—to fight for her .
They did not want her to grow up amid the destruction , and when she became older , al-Kateab told me , they wanted an answer when their daughter asked them what they had done when Syria was burning .
This documentary is their answer .
They took strength from their little girl .
Little children are the essence of hope , and spur us on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was for Sama , and all the others .
For Sama is particularly exceptional considering the circumstances of the filming .
When al-Kateab began recording what was going on around her , she didn ’ t even know how to use a camera .
She learned under pressure—to use mics , to charge batteries , to use the right hard drives and protect her files from viruses .
At first , she told me , she didn ’ t even realize that she should back up her footage , and it was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Journalists would jet into Aleppo for a day , and she would get tips from them .
And they all tried to cope with the horrors and stay sane .
“ Every time you lost someone , it was like the first time you lost someone , ” she told me .
“ We were strong because we needed to be strong , but nobody could truly adjust.
” Today , living in England with her family and working on stories for the BBC , she still feels a surge of fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nightmares have plagued the whole family .
By the end of the documentary , when Hamza , al-Kateab , Sama , and a few friends were permitted to leave Aleppo after being contacted by the Russians , the once-beautiful city had been reduced to craters of concrete and rebar , the medieval architecture leveled .
Drone footage revealed acre after acre of rubble , a metropolis ground to dust block by block like Warsaw in 1944 or Mogadishu decades later .
Even then , they did not want to leave , and Hamza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter would forgive them for going into exile and abandoning their beleaguered homeland .
Now the parents of two little girls , Hamza and al-Kateab still hope to return one day .
She is happy in London , al-Kateab told me , “ but I still can ’ t stop hoping I can go back to Syria.
” Watching the film and seeing how much they sacrificed to stay , it is impossible not to believe her .
For Sama is an essential record of wartime , of human suffering , of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It shows us the unspeakable power of the ties that bind us to home , of idealism tempered by blood , and most of all , of the power of children to give us hope in the midst of relentless tragedy .
Who among us could fathom bringing a daughter into the world in Aleppo , Syria , during a brutal war that brought daily death ?
It seems insane , but when you realize that the revolution , the risks , and the bizarre optimism are all for Sama and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sense .
For Sama is a testament to what parents will do for their children , of the power of family bonds , and of the loves that give people the courage to stand up to tyrants and to attempt the impossible task of building a new world .
Published with permission from the The Bridgehead .

June 23, 2020 (The Bridgehead) — After nearly a decade of conflict, most in the West have tuned out news of the civil war in Syria. There have been squabbles about whether intervention is wise, with strategists of different schools fighting for Donald Trump’s attention, controversies over whether Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his own people, and a general sense of fatigue at the very prospect of another Middle Eastern adventure. After Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and the Arab Spring, the Syrians seem to have picked the wrong time for a revolution. Nobody in the West is interested in backing freedom fighters anymore. Most are certain that we cannot determine who, exactly, those would be in the first place.
The Syrian revolution began in March 2011, after pro-democracy demonstrations began in the city of Deraa after decades of corruption, high unemployment, and a suffocating lack of freedom. Mindful of the Arab Spring toppling leaders elsewhere, the government responded with a deadly crackdown. This triggered opposition forces around the country to take up arms, call for Assad’s resignation, and push security forces out of their areas. Violence escalated, and Assad vowed to crush what he referred to as “terrorism.” The ensuing war would trigger a refugee crisis in Europe, level ancient Christian communities where the language of Christ was still spoken, displace more than 6 million people, and result in at least 400,000 casualties in the first five years. Hundreds of medical facilities have been attacked and hundreds of medical personnel killed.
Syria has become a battleground for nations and groups with differing agendas, making the conflict impossibly complex. Russia is using her Syrian military bases to back Assad, and Iran is believed to be assisting the dictator, as well. Jihadists groups such as al-Quaeda and the Islamic State have taken advantage of the chaos to reassert themselves, while thousands of Shia militia men hailing from Hezbollah in Lebanon but also from Yemen, Afghanistan, and Iraq have joined Assad’s security forces. Western nations such as the UK, the US, and France, which were once supporting rebel groups they considered moderate, have pulled back to focus on humanitarian aid since jihadists have become the dominant force in many areas. Israel is concerned about Iran’s increasing foothold in Syrian and has launched airstrikes on Iranian weapons shipments to Hezbollah.
With the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe finally ceasing to dominate headlines, it is easy to forget the ongoing misery of the Syrian people. Much of Syria’s rich cultural heritage has been devastated, with all six of the nation’s six UNESCO World Heritage sites being damaged. Healthcare is limited and difficult to access, with most groups barring humanitarian agencies from coming in to address the shortage. Neighborhoods have been leveled everywhere. Hospitals have been bombed. Millions of people live inside a civil war. And one of the most powerful documentaries I have ever seen, the 2019 Oscar-nominated For Sama, tells the story of a few of those people.
For Sama is a love letter from a young Syrian mother Waad al-Kateab to her daughter. With footage she shot herself, al-Kateab tells the story of the five years from the uprising in Aleppo to her eventual escape with her husband (first to Germany, and then the U.K) in 2016. The film unfolds like rising flames, and al-Kateab captures the laughter, the brutal losses, and the day-by-day slog for survival of those who live in Aleppo as block by block, barrel bomb by barrel bomb, the once-magnificent city—their home—is reduced to rubble. Against this apocalyptic backdrop, al-Kateab falls in love with Hamza, a doctor, sets up a home with him (and is particularly proud of the flowers in their little courtyard), and gives birth to a daughter, the beautiful Sama. Set in the centre of this inferno, the mundane seems miraculous.
The scenes in this film bring home the reality of war from a civilian’s perspective like none I have ever seen. We see al-Kateab try to put her daughter—the same age as my own—to sleep as shells blow up nearby. We see bombs hit and buildings shudder and the young mother clutching her daughter while the lights flicker—but the little girl no longer even starts or cries at the explosions. This is her normal, like the sound of the rooster three doors down is for my daughter. Even when fear overwhelms the adults, the little girl seems to take it in stride. Al-Kateab chats to her little girl like all parents do, but civil war banter is surreal: “Lots of airstrikes today, but they didn’t hit us. Yay!” A smile from Sama. Al-Kateab worries about formula and baby food running out; children use a bombed-out bus as a playground; a shell strikes the hospital where the family lives, and as smoke and dust races through the hallways, the mother calls through the darkness: “Who’s got Sama?”
I spoke to Waad al-Kateab a few months ago to ask her about her experience. “Before the revolution started,” she told me, “I was just a normal student who wanted to finish my university and to leave Syria and find my life outside. There was no dream for us in Syria. If you want to work in media, it is all controlled by the regime. If you want to be a teacher, everything you teach your students is written by them. If you are a doctor, there are certain rules. Anything you wanted has been corrupted. Anyone on the street can arrest you and beat you up in front of everyone, regardless of what you were doing.”
The arbitrary violence of totalitarianism is omnipresent, and one of the first scenes in the film shows the results of a massacre in east Aleppo. The bodies of butchered civilians, apparently opponents of the regime, had been pulled out of the river and lay in rows. Many of the dead were still handcuffs. Al-Kateab recorded as shrouded bodies were tossed into a mass grave as the gathered crowd began to sing in defiance. Rage and grief bubbled below the surface.
Most searing were the scenes of parents grieving their children. One mother arrived at the hospital, hunting for her son Mohammed. She found only his body and became hysterical, howling with grief: “It’s Mummy, I’ve got your milk, wake up!” We see a boy break down as he realizes that his little brother is dead. We see a mother carry her dead son off, refusing any help, insisting she will carry him herself—it is the last thing she can do. The misery seems relentless at times, and when I asked al-Kateab if she watches herself in the film and sees someone else, she shook her head. “I feel like I am there now.” The film shows her meeting Sama for the first time after her daughter was born and dissolving into tears. It was because she realized that she had brought this beautiful little girl into a brutal hellscape, where familiar things and friends were flattened by airstrikes and life hung by a thread.
But it was Sama, she told me, that helped her and Hamza forget all of that. When they talked to her, they could get lost in her beautiful face. When they played with her, they could forget everything but the moment, drawn into a child’s world. “There are times,” she said, “when you can see nothing but that.” Sama also gave them a new responsibility—to fight for her. They did not want her to grow up amid the destruction, and when she became older, al-Kateab told me, they wanted an answer when their daughter asked them what they had done when Syria was burning. This documentary is their answer. They took strength from their little girl. Little children are the essence of hope, and spur us on to the impossible. All of it was for Sama, and all the others.
For Sama is particularly exceptional considering the circumstances of the filming. When al-Kateab began recording what was going on around her, she didn’t even know how to use a camera. She learned under pressure—to use mics, to charge batteries, to use the right hard drives and protect her files from viruses. At first, she told me, she didn’t even realize that she should back up her footage, and it was a miracle that she lost none of it. Journalists would jet into Aleppo for a day, and she would get tips from them. And they all tried to cope with the horrors and stay sane. “Every time you lost someone, it was like the first time you lost someone,” she told me. “We were strong because we needed to be strong, but nobody could truly adjust.” Today, living in England with her family and working on stories for the BBC, she still feels a surge of fear every time she hears an airplane. Nightmares have plagued the whole family.
By the end of the documentary, when Hamza, al-Kateab, Sama, and a few friends were permitted to leave Aleppo after being contacted by the Russians, the once-beautiful city had been reduced to craters of concrete and rebar, the medieval architecture leveled. Drone footage revealed acre after acre of rubble, a metropolis ground to dust block by block like Warsaw in 1944 or Mogadishu decades later. Even then, they did not want to leave, and Hamza wondered aloud to the camera whether their daughter would forgive them for going into exile and abandoning their beleaguered homeland. Now the parents of two little girls, Hamza and al-Kateab still hope to return one day. She is happy in London, al-Kateab told me, “but I still can’t stop hoping I can go back to Syria.” Watching the film and seeing how much they sacrificed to stay, it is impossible not to believe her.
For Sama is an essential record of wartime, of human suffering, of a collapsing country, and of aborted dreams. It shows us the unspeakable power of the ties that bind us to home, of idealism tempered by blood, and most of all, of the power of children to give us hope in the midst of relentless tragedy. Who among us could fathom bringing a daughter into the world in Aleppo, Syria, during a brutal war that brought daily death? It seems insane, but when you realize that the revolution, the risks, and the bizarre optimism are all for Sama and for the other children, it begins to make sense. For Sama is a testament to what parents will do for their children, of the power of family bonds, and of the loves that give people the courage to stand up to tyrants and to attempt the impossible task of building a new world.
Published with permission from the The Bridgehead.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-24--Homosexual sues Catholic Relief Services for ‘spousal’ benefits for male ‘husband’

June 23 , 2020 ( Lepanto Institute ) — In apparent anticipation of the June 15 ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States that the 1964 Civil Rights Act extends anti-discrimination protections to homosexuals and transgenders , an anonymous plaintiff going by John Doe ( a man in a same-sex “ marriage ” ) , filed a lawsuit on Friday , June 12 , against Catholic Relief Services for sexual discrimination and “ breach of contract , detrimental reliance , and negligent misrepresentation.
” In the lawsuit , Doe accuses Catholic Relief Services of sexual discrimination for denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” claiming that CRS first promised prior to hiring him that such coverage would extend to him — later reneging on that promise .
Doe also claims that when he tried to get CRS to honor its promise , a senior CRS official threatened to fire him for continuing to pursue those benefits .
Within the 22-page complaint are several factors which immediately call into question the Catholic identity of the organization on the whole .
In the Background Information portion of the complaint , beginning on page 3 , Doe indicates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacted him “ regarding a potential job opportunity with the organization.
” Doe traveled to Maryland for an interview , and during a follow-up call with the recruiter , Doe asked if his “ husband ” would be covered by CRS ’ s spousal health insurance benefits , to which the recruiter responded , “ All dependents are covered.
” At this point , in mid-2016 , it should be noted that CRS was on the verge of hiring a man that CRS knew was in a same-sex “ marriage.
” But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior to the hiring of John Doe , the Lepanto Institute revealed the fact that CRS had a senior executive vice president who was in a same-sex “ marriage.
” The following month , the then CEO of CRS , Dr. Carolyn Woo , gave an interview to Aleteia regarding the situation , saying : CRS has a senior person who is in a civil gay marriage , and the question is , “ Is that a violation of Church teaching ?
” I just want to say we are working through this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a very complex issue .
The Church is very clear that marriage as a sacrament is a between a man and a woman open to procreation .
There ’ s also the Church teaching on natural law .
Those are the teachings .
nnn Does it mean that the Church should not employ anyone who is in a gay marriage ?
Are we giving a blanket No ?
...
If it ’ s not a blanket No , are there particular positions , such as positions that are ministerial in nature , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the faith of young children at school ?
...
While the teaching is clear , as it translates into practice there has not been defined a common approach for dealing with employment , particularly when the position is non-ministerial , when the person is not a Catholic , when the agency is not a school .
So , we ’ re in that area when there have been various steps forward , but not a clear path .
Civil marriage is protected by the State of Maryland and 36 other states , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re also dealing with a new intersection between in this case state law and Church teaching where the practice is being defined .
Exactly one year later , the Lepanto Institute again caught CRS employing a man in an active homosexual relationship .
It was right about this time that CRS was actively recruiting Mr. John Doe , who told them before being hired , that he is in a same-sex “ marriage , ” and for a time , received health insurance coverage for his “ spouse.
” According to the lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Doe was hired by CRS , CRS finally ended health insurance coverage for his same-sex partner .
The basis for Doe ’ s lawsuit is Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act ( MFEPA ) .
This past Monday , June 15 , the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII civil rights protections against discrimination on the basis of sex extend to homosexuals and transgenders .
As stated in the lawsuit , the MFEPA The suit then claimed that “ CRS engaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terminated Mr. Doe ’ s spousal benefits based on Mr. Doe ’ s sexual orientation and sex.
” Considering the previous discoveries made by the Lepanto Institute that CRS had employed other individuals ( no longer with the organization ) in same-sex relationships , it appears that Doe ’ s suit may be indicative of a much broader situation .
Page 10 of the lawsuit suggests that there are others employed by CRS which are also involved in same-sex relationships , stating : “ In the absence of injunctive relief , CRS will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The most intriguing aspect of the lawsuit is the charge that CRS is subject to the Title VII employment requirements under the Civil Rights Act .
The majority opinion in the recent SCOTUS decision indicated that it remains uncertain whether these protections would impact religious organizations saying that “ how these doctrines protecting religious liberty interact with Title VII are questions for future cases too.
” While Catholic Relief Services claims the title “ Catholic ” in its name , and is indicated as a “ religious organization ” under IRS regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plaintiff in this lawsuit could argue that while CRS claims to be Catholic in name , it is not Catholic in practice .
Despite the fact that the use of contraception ( including condoms ) and sterilization are identified by the Catholic Church in Her laws and in Her doctrines as intrinsically evil acts , CRS has been caught repeatedly participating in the promotion of the same .
• CRS documents obtained through a FOIA request revealed that CRS implemented a contraception-promoting curriculum in Kenya called Healthy Choices II • CRS is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , DC • CRS regularly lobbies Congress to provide billions of dollars to contraception-spreading organizations • In 2019 , the Lepanto Institute that CRS was a part of a project called Baho Neza , which is designed to spread contraception in Rwanda • CRS copyrighted documents from as recent as December 2019 promote condom use • CRS is the manager of an internet-based warehouse containing hundreds of documents that promote abortion , contraception and condoms • CRS led a project in Cameroon that refers young girls to organizations that advocate for abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a project called DREAMS , which is designed specifically for the promotion and spread of contraception In addition to CRS ’ s program activities which are in direct conflict with Catholic moral teaching , CRS ’ s annual revenue from the federal government is grossly disproportionate from the funding it receives from Catholics .
According to CRS ’ s most recent Annual Report , only about 25 % of its annual revenue comes from what could be considered Catholic sources , while a whopping 75 % comes from the public sector , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Of its overall revenue of $ 989 million , CRS received $ 226 million from private ( Catholic ) sources , and over $ 761 million from Commodities and freight , US Government grants , and “ other ” public grants .
Considering the fact that only 25 % of its annual revenue at best comes from what could be considered “ Catholic ” sources , and because CRS does not actively work to spread the Catholic faith , it remains to be seen how CRS can call itself a “ Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Doe is asking the court to award Doe what could amount to sizeable financial compensations for “ unpaid wages , ” “ punitive damages , ” “ attorney ’ s fees , ” and “ compensatory damages for economic and emotional harms.
” However , the most damaging requests being asked of the court could be orders to require “ CRS to reinstate Mr. Doe ’ s spousal benefits , ” “ CRS to modify its benefits policies to provide benefits for employees ’ same-sex spouses , ” and “ CRS to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are so ordered by the courts , then any Catholic contributing to CRS would , as a direct result of this decision , be contributing to “ spousal support ” for same-sex couples .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE ( Lepanto Institute ) : The fact of the matter is that CRS did this to itself .
By indiscriminately hiring active homosexuals and others hostile to Catholic moral teaching , it was only a matter of time before a lawsuit like this would happen .
And now , because CRS chose to align itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church , the agency is being forced to reap what it has sown .
As eloquently stated in the Book of Sirach , ‘ Who pities a snake charmer when he is bitten , or anyone who goes near a wild beast ?
So it is with the companion of the proud , who is involved in their sins.
’ Published with permission from the Lepanto Institute .

The fact of the matter is that CRS did this to itself by indiscriminately hiring active homosexuals and others hostile to Catholic moral teaching.
June 23, 2020 (Lepanto Institute) — In apparent anticipation of the June 15 ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States that the 1964 Civil Rights Act extends anti-discrimination protections to homosexuals and transgenders, an anonymous plaintiff going by John Doe (a man in a same-sex “marriage”), filed a lawsuit on Friday, June 12, against Catholic Relief Services for sexual discrimination and “breach of contract, detrimental reliance, and negligent misrepresentation.”
In the lawsuit, Doe accuses Catholic Relief Services of sexual discrimination for denying medical insurance coverage for his “husband,” claiming that CRS first promised prior to hiring him that such coverage would extend to him — later reneging on that promise. Doe also claims that when he tried to get CRS to honor its promise, a senior CRS official threatened to fire him for continuing to pursue those benefits.
Within the 22-page complaint are several factors which immediately call into question the Catholic identity of the organization on the whole.
In the Background Information portion of the complaint, beginning on page 3, Doe indicates that in mid-2016, a CRS recruiter contacted him “regarding a potential job opportunity with the organization.” Doe traveled to Maryland for an interview, and during a follow-up call with the recruiter, Doe asked if his “husband” would be covered by CRS’s spousal health insurance benefits, to which the recruiter responded, “All dependents are covered.”
At this point, in mid-2016, it should be noted that CRS was on the verge of hiring a man that CRS knew was in a same-sex “marriage.” But in April of 2015, a full year prior to the hiring of John Doe, the Lepanto Institute revealed the fact that CRS had a senior executive vice president who was in a same-sex “marriage.” The following month, the then CEO of CRS, Dr. Carolyn Woo, gave an interview to Aleteia regarding the situation, saying:
CRS has a senior person who is in a civil gay marriage, and the question is, “Is that a violation of Church teaching?” I just want to say we are working through this. Gay marriage, of course, is a very complex issue . The Church is very clear that marriage as a sacrament is a between a man and a woman open to procreation. There’s also the Church teaching on natural law. Those are the teachings. nnn Does it mean that the Church should not employ anyone who is in a gay marriage? Are we giving a blanket No? … If it’s not a blanket No, are there particular positions, such as positions that are ministerial in nature, positions which relate to the formation of the faith of young children at school? … While the teaching is clear, as it translates into practice there has not been defined a common approach for dealing with employment , particularly when the position is non-ministerial, when the person is not a Catholic, when the agency is not a school. So, we’re in that area when there have been various steps forward, but not a clear path. Civil marriage is protected by the State of Maryland and 36 other states, as well as DC, so we’re also dealing with a new intersection between in this case state law and Church teaching where the practice is being defined .
Exactly one year later, the Lepanto Institute again caught CRS employing a man in an active homosexual relationship. It was right about this time that CRS was actively recruiting Mr. John Doe, who told them before being hired, that he is in a same-sex “marriage,” and for a time, received health insurance coverage for his “spouse.” According to the lawsuit filing:
During his onboarding session, CRS’s staff reiterated to Mr. Doe that all dependents would be covered under the CRS-sponsored health insurance, with no mention of exception for same-sex spouses . With this confirmation, Mr. Doe applied for his health insurance, including coverage for his husband by submitting his marriage certificate to human resources and registering himself and his husband on the CRS Employee Self-Service website.
A little over a year after Doe was hired by CRS, CRS finally ended health insurance coverage for his same-sex partner.
The basis for Doe’s lawsuit is Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (MFEPA). This past Monday, June 15, the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII civil rights protections against discrimination on the basis of sex extend to homosexuals and transgenders. As stated in the lawsuit, the MFEPA
prohibits an employer from engaging in discriminatory compensation when “an individual is affected by application of a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, including each time … benefits or other compensation is paid, resulting wholly or partly from the discriminatory compensation decision or other practice.
The suit then claimed that “CRS engaged in an unlawful employment action when it terminated Mr. Doe’s spousal benefits based on Mr. Doe’s sexual orientation and sex.”
Considering the previous discoveries made by the Lepanto Institute that CRS had employed other individuals (no longer with the organization) in same-sex relationships, it appears that Doe’s suit may be indicative of a much broader situation. Page 10 of the lawsuit suggests that there are others employed by CRS which are also involved in same-sex relationships, stating: “In the absence of injunctive relief, CRS will continue to discriminate against Mr. Doe and other employees similarly affected. ”
The most intriguing aspect of the lawsuit is the charge that CRS is subject to the Title VII employment requirements under the Civil Rights Act. The majority opinion in the recent SCOTUS decision indicated that it remains uncertain whether these protections would impact religious organizations saying that “how these doctrines protecting religious liberty interact with Title VII are questions for future cases too.”
While Catholic Relief Services claims the title “Catholic” in its name, and is indicated as a “religious organization” under IRS regulations, there is a possibility that the plaintiff in this lawsuit could argue that while CRS claims to be Catholic in name, it is not Catholic in practice. Despite the fact that the use of contraception (including condoms) and sterilization are identified by the Catholic Church in Her laws and in Her doctrines as intrinsically evil acts, CRS has been caught repeatedly participating in the promotion of the same.
In addition to CRS’s program activities which are in direct conflict with Catholic moral teaching, CRS’s annual revenue from the federal government is grossly disproportionate from the funding it receives from Catholics. According to CRS’s most recent Annual Report, only about 25% of its annual revenue comes from what could be considered Catholic sources, while a whopping 75% comes from the public sector, the majority of which is US Government grants. Of its overall revenue of $989 million, CRS received $226 million from private (Catholic) sources, and over $761 million from Commodities and freight, US Government grants, and “other” public grants. Considering the fact that only 25% of its annual revenue at best comes from what could be considered “Catholic” sources, and because CRS does not actively work to spread the Catholic faith, it remains to be seen how CRS can call itself a “Catholic” organization.
The lawsuit filed by John Doe is asking the court to award Doe what could amount to sizeable financial compensations for “unpaid wages,” “punitive damages,” “attorney’s fees,” and “compensatory damages for economic and emotional harms.”
However, the most damaging requests being asked of the court could be orders to require “CRS to reinstate Mr. Doe’s spousal benefits,” “CRS to modify its benefits policies to provide benefits for employees’ same-sex spouses,” and “CRS to implement anti-discrimination measures.” If these requirements are so ordered by the courts, then any Catholic contributing to CRS would, as a direct result of this decision, be contributing to “spousal support” for same-sex couples.
EDITOR’S NOTE (Lepanto Institute): The fact of the matter is that CRS did this to itself. By indiscriminately hiring active homosexuals and others hostile to Catholic moral teaching, it was only a matter of time before a lawsuit like this would happen. And now, because CRS chose to align itself more with the world than with the Church, the agency is being forced to reap what it has sown. As eloquently stated in the Book of Sirach, ‘Who pities a snake charmer when he is bitten, or anyone who goes near a wild beast? So it is with the companion of the proud, who is involved in their sins.’
Published with permission from the Lepanto Institute.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-24--Chinese communist govt cuts off widow’s pension for refusing to renounce Christ

FUZHOU , China , June 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A Catholic widow in Fuzhou city , Jiangxi province , has had her pension revoked because she refused to renounce her faith .
According to a report in Bitter Winter , the elderly woman had been receiving a small subsidy since her husband died in 2018 .
At the end of 2019 , local officials threatened that her subsidy would be stopped unless she would remove images of Jesus from her home .
“ Because the Communist Party feeds you , you must only believe in it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When she refused to remove the images of Jesus , they canceled her subsidy .
“ It has become difficult to maintain belief in God because of religious persecution , ” she told Bitter Winter .
Reggie Littlejohn , founder and president of Women ’ s Rights Without Frontiers , stated , “ It is a heartbreak and an outrage that widows and other elderly are forced to renounce their faith in order to receive stipends .
For many , they may need these funds to survive .
It is a pathetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to choose between their survival and their God .
This widow , who refused to renounce her faith potentially in the face of abject poverty , is heroic .
“ This form of religious persecution , ” Littlejohn continued , “ is on the rise in the area of China where we have our Save a Widow Campaign .
I was just informed that in our area , a government official has instructed our widows to stay home on Sundays and not to go to church .
He also ridiculed Jesus , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 160 RMB ( about $ 23 ) .
How much money does Jesus Christ give you ?
’ “ Fortunately for the widows in our area , they have a ready answer , ” Littlejohn added .
“ Our fieldworkers bring love and compassion to widows , along with practical help : a $ 25 monthly stipend that makes a huge difference in their lives , providing food and warmth .
Our fieldworkers encourage these widows in their faith , and many have found new hope that there is a God who loves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate of senior suicide .
The One Child Policy has destroyed the family structure in China .
In the past , the Chinese enjoyed large families and it was not a burden for children and grandchildren to support the elderly .
Now many elderly are completely abandoned and destitute , especially elderly widows .
And the sad solution for many is to end their lives .
“ We are extending a lifeline to abandoned widows , who are eternally grateful for the help , ” Littlejohn said .
To watch the “ Save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To learn more about the Save a Widow Campaign , click HERE .

Local officials threatened that her subsidy would be stopped unless she removed images of Jesus from her home.
FUZHOU, China, June 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic widow in Fuzhou city, Jiangxi province, has had her pension revoked because she refused to renounce her faith.
According to a report in Bitter Winter, the elderly woman had been receiving a small subsidy since her husband died in 2018. At the end of 2019, local officials threatened that her subsidy would be stopped unless she would remove images of Jesus from her home. “Because the Communist Party feeds you, you must only believe in it, not God,” they told her. When she refused to remove the images of Jesus, they canceled her subsidy. “It has become difficult to maintain belief in God because of religious persecution,” she told Bitter Winter.
Reggie Littlejohn, founder and president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, stated, “It is a heartbreak and an outrage that widows and other elderly are forced to renounce their faith in order to receive stipends. For many, they may need these funds to survive. It is a pathetic act of cowardice to force desperate widows to choose between their survival and their God. This widow, who refused to renounce her faith potentially in the face of abject poverty, is heroic.
“This form of religious persecution,” Littlejohn continued, “is on the rise in the area of China where we have our Save a Widow Campaign. I was just informed that in our area, a government official has instructed our widows to stay home on Sundays and not to go to church. He also ridiculed Jesus, saying, ‘The Chinese government gives you 160 RMB (about $23). How much money does Jesus Christ give you?’
“Fortunately for the widows in our area, they have a ready answer,” Littlejohn added. “Our fieldworkers bring love and compassion to widows, along with practical help: a $25 monthly stipend that makes a huge difference in their lives, providing food and warmth. Our fieldworkers encourage these widows in their faith, and many have found new hope that there is a God who loves them.”
China also has a skyrocketing rate of senior suicide. The One Child Policy has destroyed the family structure in China. In the past, the Chinese enjoyed large families and it was not a burden for children and grandchildren to support the elderly. Now many elderly are completely abandoned and destitute, especially elderly widows. And the sad solution for many is to end their lives. “We are extending a lifeline to abandoned widows, who are eternally grateful for the help,” Littlejohn said.
To watch the “Save a Widow” video, click HERE.
To learn more about the Save a Widow Campaign, click HERE.
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lifesitenews--2020-06-24--Pro-freedom lawyers’ group: Ontario lockdown is ‘unjustified violation’ of Charter freedoms

TORONTO , June 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) -- The Justice Centre has released a comprehensive Charter analysis of the violations of Ontarians ’ freedoms to move , travel , assemble , associate and worship , as protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms .
Entitled “ Unprecedented and Unjustified , ” the Charter analysis of Ontario ’ s response to COVID-19 addresses : • the nature of the government ’ s lockdown measures and how they violate Charter freedoms ; • the Charter ’ s requirement of government to justify these violations ; • the inaccurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 2020 ; • the relationship between a prosperous economy and the ability to pay for good health care ; • the negative impact of the lockdown measures on health care ; and • a detailed analysis of the Command Table ’ s April 3 COVID-19 modelling and April 20 COVID-19 modelling .
“ Unprecedented and Unjustified ” questions whether the Ontario government has properly considered COVID-19 within its global and historical context .
The 1957-58 “ Asian flu ” and the 1968-69 “ Hong Kong flu ” each claimed one million lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population was less than half of what it is today .
In more average years , the flu sadly takes between 291,000 and 646,000 lives , most of them vulnerable elderly people who are already sick with one or more serious health conditions .
Likewise , the primary impact of COVID-19 has been on residents in long-term care homes – approximately 75 percent of all deaths have occurred in these homes , the population of which represents approximately half a percent of all Ontarians .
As of June 22 , COVID-19 had apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although this number includes people who died of other causes while also having the virus .
While very tragic , the number of deaths with COVID-19 is within the range of the annual flu and , like the flu , primarily impacts the elderly and vulnerable .
Yet the Ontario government ’ s lockdown measures are based on the now disproven notion that COVID-19 is an unusually deadly killer that everyone should be alarmed by and that is a dire threat to all segments of the population .
“ The concern that COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of deaths was already disproven many weeks ago , so why is the lockdown still in place ?
” asked lawyer John Carpay , president of the Justice Centre .
“ The Charter serves to protect Canada as a ‘ free and democratic society ’ where governments respect the fundamental freedoms of Canadians to move , travel , assemble , associate and worship .
The onus is on politicians in Ontario – not the citizens who elected them – to justify violations of these fundamental freedoms.
” “ The Ontario government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedoms of Ontarians to move , travel , assemble , associate , and worship .
The daily routines of millions of Ontarians , and their ability to earn a living to support themselves and their loved ones , have been dramatically impacted since large segments of the public and business spheres were ordered to close , ” Justice Centre staff lawyer Lisa Bildy said .
“ Tens of thousands of Ontarians were affected when hospitals were reserved primarily for COVID-19 patients , and many of these individuals are still suffering on long wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It will be months or even years before we know the full death toll of the decision to cancel and postpone tens of thousand of medically necessary surgeries , after counting all the cardiac patients who died while waiting for heart surgery , and after counting additional cancer deaths caused by lack of timely diagnosis and treatment .
Meanwhile , hospitals have not been operating at anything approaching full capacity , even when the curve was already flat.
” In Ontario , there were 1,092,000 fewer jobs in April than in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5.5 percent to 11.3 percent .
Of those who did not lose their jobs outright , most have been forced to work – and earn—much less .
“ Unemployment , poverty and social isolation predictably lead to increases in anxiety , depression , mental illness , alcoholism , drug overdoses , family violence and suicide , ” noted Carpay .
“ These mounting public harms are the ongoing collateral damage from Ontario ’ s myopic focus on stomping out all spread of a virus that is nowhere near as dangerous as once represented.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and first-rate , excellent health care requires a lot of it .
A prosperous economy is the only way to generate sufficient wealth to pay for good health care .
We don ’ t need to choose between the economy and saving lives ; we choose both or we choose neither , ” continued Carpay .
“ The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires the Ontario government to answer some crucial questions : In June of 2020 , why should schools , universities , places of worship , and many businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Are strict and costly conditions for opening based on facts and evidence ?
Or are they based on speculation and unfounded fear ?
When will the Ontario government stop violating Charter freedoms and destroying livelihoods by imposing and enforcing lockdown measures that appear to have caused more harm than good ?
” questioned Carpay .

Dire predictions never materialized as a result of the COVID-19 virus, but restrictions on movement and gatherings remain in place.
TORONTO, June 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The Justice Centre has released a comprehensive Charter analysis of the violations of Ontarians’ freedoms to move, travel, assemble, associate and worship, as protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Entitled “Unprecedented and Unjustified,” the Charter analysis of Ontario’s response to COVID-19 addresses:
the nature of the government’s lockdown measures and how they violate Charter freedoms;
the Charter’s requirement of government to justify these violations;
the inaccurate claims made about COVID-19 in March and April 2020;
the economic harm caused by lockdown measures;
the relationship between a prosperous economy and the ability to pay for good health care;
the negative impact of the lockdown measures on health care; and
a detailed analysis of the Command Table’s April 3 COVID-19 modelling and April 20 COVID-19 modelling.
“Unprecedented and Unjustified” questions whether the Ontario government has properly considered COVID-19 within its global and historical context. The 1957-58 “Asian flu” and the 1968-69 “Hong Kong flu” each claimed one million lives around the world, when the world population was less than half of what it is today. In more average years, the flu sadly takes between 291,000 and 646,000 lives, most of them vulnerable elderly people who are already sick with one or more serious health conditions.
Likewise, the primary impact of COVID-19 has been on residents in long-term care homes – approximately 75 percent of all deaths have occurred in these homes, the population of which represents approximately half a percent of all Ontarians.
As of June 22, COVID-19 had apparently killed 473,000 people around the world, although this number includes people who died of other causes while also having the virus. While very tragic, the number of deaths with COVID-19 is within the range of the annual flu and, like the flu, primarily impacts the elderly and vulnerable. Yet the Ontario government’s lockdown measures are based on the now disproven notion that COVID-19 is an unusually deadly killer that everyone should be alarmed by and that is a dire threat to all segments of the population.
“The concern that COVID-19 is going to result in hundreds of thousands of deaths was already disproven many weeks ago, so why is the lockdown still in place?” asked lawyer John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre. “The Charter serves to protect Canada as a ‘free and democratic society’ where governments respect the fundamental freedoms of Canadians to move, travel, assemble, associate and worship. The onus is on politicians in Ontario – not the citizens who elected them – to justify violations of these fundamental freedoms.”
“The Ontario government’s lockdown measures obviously violate the Charter freedoms of Ontarians to move, travel, assemble, associate, and worship. The daily routines of millions of Ontarians, and their ability to earn a living to support themselves and their loved ones, have been dramatically impacted since large segments of the public and business spheres were ordered to close,” Justice Centre staff lawyer Lisa Bildy said.
“Tens of thousands of Ontarians were affected when hospitals were reserved primarily for COVID-19 patients, and many of these individuals are still suffering on long wait lists today,” Bildy continued. “It will be months or even years before we know the full death toll of the decision to cancel and postpone tens of thousand of medically necessary surgeries, after counting all the cardiac patients who died while waiting for heart surgery, and after counting additional cancer deaths caused by lack of timely diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, hospitals have not been operating at anything approaching full capacity, even when the curve was already flat.”
In Ontario, there were 1,092,000 fewer jobs in April than in February, with unemployment more than doubling from 5.5 percent to 11.3 percent. Of those who did not lose their jobs outright, most have been forced to work – and earn—much less.
“Unemployment, poverty and social isolation predictably lead to increases in anxiety, depression, mental illness, alcoholism, drug overdoses, family violence and suicide,” noted Carpay. “These mounting public harms are the ongoing collateral damage from Ontario’s myopic focus on stomping out all spread of a virus that is nowhere near as dangerous as once represented.”
“Health care requires money, and first-rate, excellent health care requires a lot of it. A prosperous economy is the only way to generate sufficient wealth to pay for good health care. We don’t need to choose between the economy and saving lives; we choose both or we choose neither,” continued Carpay.
“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires the Ontario government to answer some crucial questions: In June of 2020, why should schools, universities, places of worship, and many businesses and recreational facilities, remain even partially closed? Are strict and costly conditions for opening based on facts and evidence? Or are they based on speculation and unfounded fear? When will the Ontario government stop violating Charter freedoms and destroying livelihoods by imposing and enforcing lockdown measures that appear to have caused more harm than good?” questioned Carpay.
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