lifesitenews--2020-05-12--Cardinal Müller and Bishop Schneider defend signing Archbishop Viganò’s corona crisis appeal

May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Cardinal Gerhard Müller and Bishop Schneider , two signatories of the recent Appeal concerning the corona crisis written by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò , have now both responded to sharp criticisms of this Appeal .
Müller reveals that none of his fellow German bishops who criticize him have contacted him personally , adding that “ it would have been more urgent for the German bishops to agree in their dioceses on the New Evangelization ” or to protest against the “ persecution of Christians ” in the world .
In the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Appeal for the Church and the World ” , Bishop Schneider feels now reminded of the strategy of totalitarian regimes to silence opponents and to avoid a discussion of the facts .
Both Cardinal Müller and Bishop Schneider have made their comments for the German Catholic newspaper Die Tagespost , which will soon publish longer texts by them .
In his new statement , Cardinal Müller said that “ it would have been more urgent for the German bishops to agree in their dioceses on the New Evangelization as proposed by Pope Francis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persecution of Christians in the world , instead of working themselves up over a three-page document which certainly is not the last word on the subject – as is also the case with some documents of the German Bishops ' Conference – but which is certainly an appeal for reflection.
” The German cardinal had stated already last Sunday that “ everybody calls now people of a different opinion conspiracy theorists , ” adding : “ Of course , interested circles within the Church have used this Viganò text in order to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposed opponents.
” Bishop Schneider , in his own response as to why he has signed this May 7 Appeal written by Archbishop Viganò , stated that he feels reminded of the strategy of totalitarian regimes to silence the opponent instead of taking in the facts .
Bishop Schneider insists upon a fair and honest debate and also warns against the possible danger of forced vaccinations which do not permit any alternate paths .
“ Thereby , ” Schneider explained , “ the citizens are being habituated to forms of a technocratic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courage , independent thinking and especially any form of resistance.
” Both prelates respond to criticism , especially in Germany , with regard to the May 7 Appeal that called into question the world-wide response of lockdowns and strong restrictions of freedoms of citizens as measures against the coronavirus outbreak .
The signatories of this Appeal – among them two other cardinals , Joseph Zen and Janis Pujats – are concerned for the Church and the world that the COVID-19 pandemic is being used as a “ pretext ” by world leaders to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their fundamental rights , while providing a “ disturbing prelude to the realization of a world government beyond all control.
” They also reminded the public of the liberty of the Catholic Church who “ firmly asserts her autonomy to govern , worship , and teach , ” thus making clear that the state has not the authority to decide over church closures .
So far , more than 34,000 people have signed this text .
In Germany , the head of the German Bishops ' Conference distanced himself from this Appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news website Katholisch.de especially picked out Cardinal Gerhard Müller as one of the signatories .
They especially call this group of prelates , as well as numerous journalists , experts , and priests who also signed this Appeal , “ conspiracy theorists.
” Even the successor of Cardinal Müller in the Diocese of Regensburg , Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer felt compelled to distance himself from this Appeal .
Other major German newspapers such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung have joined the public indignation over this Appeal .
The Italian church historian Professor Roberto de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Speaking with the Tagespost , he argued that the bishops are leaving their field of expertise – which is that of theology and morality – when making such statements on health matters and politics .
For him , it is understandable when people criticize the interdiction of public Masses and of the administration of the Sacraments during the pandemic .
However , he is perplexed when “ bishops make statements on the field of health measures taken by government , since this is beyond their field of expertise which is , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” At the same time , the Italian professor considers it to be legitimate when laymen , according to their own competence , discuss political , economical , or social measures taken by individual governments .
Such debate is legitimate , even though one 's opinion should not be turned into dogmas , “ since the science of medicine is neither based on Divine Revelation nor on the natural law .
”

May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Gerhard Müller and Bishop Schneider, two signatories of the recent Appeal concerning the corona crisis written by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, have now both responded to sharp criticisms of this Appeal.
Müller reveals that none of his fellow German bishops who criticize him have contacted him personally, adding that “it would have been more urgent for the German bishops to agree in their dioceses on the New Evangelization” or to protest against the “persecution of Christians” in the world.
In the face of the strong reaction against this “Appeal for the Church and the World”, Bishop Schneider feels now reminded of the strategy of totalitarian regimes to silence opponents and to avoid a discussion of the facts.
Both Cardinal Müller and Bishop Schneider have made their comments for the German Catholic newspaper Die Tagespost, which will soon publish longer texts by them.
In his new statement, Cardinal Müller said that “it would have been more urgent for the German bishops to agree in their dioceses on the New Evangelization as proposed by Pope Francis; or loudly to protest against the persecution of Christians in the world, instead of working themselves up over a three-page document which certainly is not the last word on the subject – as is also the case with some documents of the German Bishops' Conference – but which is certainly an appeal for reflection.”
The German cardinal had stated already last Sunday that “everybody calls now people of a different opinion conspiracy theorists,” adding: “Of course, interested circles within the Church have used this Viganò text in order to use it to make indignant capital against their supposed opponents.”
Bishop Schneider, in his own response as to why he has signed this May 7 Appeal written by Archbishop Viganò, stated that he feels reminded of the strategy of totalitarian regimes to silence the opponent instead of taking in the facts.
Bishop Schneider insists upon a fair and honest debate and also warns against the possible danger of forced vaccinations which do not permit any alternate paths.
“Thereby,” Schneider explained, “the citizens are being habituated to forms of a technocratic and centrally directed tyranny, which paralyzes civil courage, independent thinking and especially any form of resistance.”
Both prelates respond to criticism, especially in Germany, with regard to the May 7 Appeal that called into question the world-wide response of lockdowns and strong restrictions of freedoms of citizens as measures against the coronavirus outbreak. The signatories of this Appeal – among them two other cardinals, Joseph Zen and Janis Pujats – are concerned for the Church and the world that the COVID-19 pandemic is being used as a “pretext” by world leaders to “control” people, strip them of their fundamental rights, while providing a “disturbing prelude to the realization of a world government beyond all control.” They also reminded the public of the liberty of the Catholic Church who “firmly asserts her autonomy to govern, worship, and teach,” thus making clear that the state has not the authority to decide over church closures. So far, more than 34,000 people have signed this text.
In Germany, the head of the German Bishops' Conference distanced himself from this Appeal, and the German bishops' official news website Katholisch.de especially picked out Cardinal Gerhard Müller as one of the signatories. They especially call this group of prelates, as well as numerous journalists, experts, and priests who also signed this Appeal, “conspiracy theorists.” Even the successor of Cardinal Müller in the Diocese of Regensburg, Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer felt compelled to distance himself from this Appeal. Other major German newspapers such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung have joined the public indignation over this Appeal.
The Italian church historian Professor Roberto de Mattei had also made some distancing remarks. Speaking with the Tagespost, he argued that the bishops are leaving their field of expertise – which is that of theology and morality – when making such statements on health matters and politics.
For him, it is understandable when people criticize the interdiction of public Masses and of the administration of the Sacraments during the pandemic. However, he is perplexed when “bishops make statements on the field of health measures taken by government, since this is beyond their field of expertise which is, after all, a theological and moral one.”
At the same time, the Italian professor considers it to be legitimate when laymen, according to their own competence, discuss political, economical, or social measures taken by individual governments. Such debate is legitimate, even though one's opinion should not be turned into dogmas, “since the science of medicine is neither based on Divine Revelation nor on the natural law.”
Follow Maike Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. She now lives in the U.S. and is married to Dr. Robert Hickson, and they have been blessed with two beautiful children. She is a happy housewife who likes to write articles when time permits. Dr. Hickson published in 2014 a Festschrift, a collection of some thirty essays written by thoughtful authors in honor of her husband upon his 70th birthday, which is entitled A Catholic Witness in Our Time. Hickson has closely followed the papacy of Pope Francis and the developments in the Catholic Church in Germany, and she has been writing articles on religion and politics for U.S. and European publications and websites such as LifeSiteNews, OnePeterFive, The Wanderer, Rorate Caeli, Catholicism.org, Catholic Family News, Christian Order, Notizie Pro-Vita, Corrispondenza Romana, Katholisches.info, Der Dreizehnte, Zeit-Fragen, and Westfalen-Blatt.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--LifeSite is hiring an Email Marketing Coordinator. Apply today!

Are you passionate about the battle for life and family ?
We are facing a growing assault on all that is good and true in our world , and we need a passionate , faith-filled person to join us in the fight to restore our culture .
If you ’ re ready to give your life for the cause , then you ’ re in the right place .
Please apply through this link : https : //lifesitenews.bamboohr.com Here is the job ad below : LifeSiteNews is looking for a talented Email Marketing Coordinator to join our Marketing and Advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for managing LifeSite and LifePetitions ’ email campaigns to promote a culture of life to the world .
They will be responsible for the planning , development , and execution of the organization ’ s long-term email marketing strategies .
Location : This position is open to all US-based applicants and is open to tele-commuters .
This position reports to the Director of Marketing • Priority will be given to those familiar with Mailchimp • Managing , designing , and implementing direct email marketing campaign and helping it grow • Optimizing and improving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at each stage of our funnels • Providing clear visibility into campaign effectiveness by delivering reports and KPI ’ s for each program ( including A/B testing ) • Making and implementing recommendations for improvement to increase pipeline • Monitoring daily email campaign deliverability , ensuring high inbox success rate for all email campaigns • Working closely with the Director of Marketing and the Advocacy Director to manage multiple campaigns and projects .
• Working closely with the Development department for different projects • Ensuring prompt and accurate communication between departments regarding different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email best practices , technologies and trends • And other tasks as assigned Salary : This is a full-time position .
Rate is negotiable based upon need and experience .
Keep in mind that LifeSiteNews is a mission-based non-profit , although we always seek to meet our employees ’ legitimate financial needs .
Your application should include a resume , cover letter , at least three references , and answers to the list of questions provided on the job listing .
We will contact successful applicants for an interview .

We are looking to hire a passionate and dedicated Email Marketing Coordinator.
Are you passionate about the battle for life and family?
We are facing a growing assault on all that is good and true in our world, and we need a passionate, faith-filled person to join us in the fight to restore our culture.
If you’re ready to give your life for the cause, then you’re in the right place.
Please apply through this link: https://lifesitenews.bamboohr.com/jobs
Here is the job ad below:
Email Marketing Coordinator
LifeSiteNews is looking for a talented Email Marketing Coordinator to join our Marketing and Advocacy teams. This person will be responsible for managing LifeSite and LifePetitions’ email campaigns to promote a culture of life to the world. They will be responsible for the planning, development, and execution of the organization’s long-term email marketing strategies.
Location: This position is open to all US-based applicants and is open to tele-commuters.
This position reports to the Director of Marketing
Candidate Requirements:
Proven work experience with email marketing or digital marketing
Knowledge of SEO/SEM and Google Analytics
Ability to create engaging email nurture programs
Priority will be given to those familiar with Mailchimp
Excellent written communication and copywriting skills
Strong project management skills Ability to react to change productively
Responsibilities will include:
Managing, designing, and implementing direct email marketing campaign and helping it grow
Optimizing and improving the volume and quality of leads converting at each stage of our funnels
Providing clear visibility into campaign effectiveness by delivering reports and KPI’s for each program (including A/B testing)
Proofreading emails for clarity, grammar, and spelling
Making and implementing recommendations for improvement to increase pipeline
Monitoring daily email campaign deliverability, ensuring high inbox success rate for all email campaigns
Managing email calendar
Developing and creating email marketing campaigns including headline and subject line creation
Working closely with the Director of Marketing and the Advocacy Director to manage multiple campaigns and projects.
Working closely with the Development department for different projects
Ensuring prompt and accurate communication between departments regarding different campaigns
Maintaining knowledge of and implementing email best practices, technologies and trends
And other tasks as assigned
Salary: This is a full-time position. Rate is negotiable based upon need and experience. Keep in mind that LifeSiteNews is a mission-based non-profit, although we always seek to meet our employees’ legitimate financial needs.
Your application should include a resume, cover letter, at least three references, and answers to the list of questions provided on the job listing.
We will contact successful applicants for an interview.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--9th Circuit upholds Trump rule keeping govt funds away from abortionists

PETITION : Urge state governors to stop abortions during coronavirus crisis Sign the petition here .
May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Trump administration may exclude the abortion industry from federal family planning funds , thanks to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ’ decision not to review an earlier decision in the case siding with the White House .
The Protect Life Rule requires “ clear financial and physical separation between Title X-funded projects and programs or facilities where abortion is a method of family planning ” and bans “ referral for abortion as a method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has responded with multiple lawsuits , and Planned Parenthood chose to withdraw from Title X rather than comply with what they call a “ gag rule.
” A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit lifted a temporary injunction against enforcing the rule last June , and the full court affirmed that decision in February , predicting that that lawsuits brought in California , Oregon , and Washington “ will not succeed ” on the merits .
Last week , the 9th Circuit denied the abortion lobby ’ s request to have its February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or by all 29 judges on the court , Bloomberg reported .
“ The full court has been advised of the petitions , and no judge has requested a vote on whether to rehear the matter as a full court , ” the denial simply stated .
A different ruling against the administration , from the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals , means the Protect Life Rule can not be enforced within Maryland for the time being .
The Protect Life Rule is projected to cut almost $ 60 million from the $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most recent fiscal year .
The incoming presidential and congressional elections in November will decide whether funding to the abortion industry is further restricted or restored next year .

The Protect Life Rule is expected to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving close to $60 million.
PETITION: Urge state governors to stop abortions during coronavirus crisis Sign the petition here.
May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Trump administration may exclude the abortion industry from federal family planning funds, thanks to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision not to review an earlier decision in the case siding with the White House.
The Protect Life Rule requires “clear financial and physical separation between Title X-funded projects and programs or facilities where abortion is a method of family planning” and bans “referral for abortion as a method of family planning.” The abortion lobby has responded with multiple lawsuits, and Planned Parenthood chose to withdraw from Title X rather than comply with what they call a “gag rule.”
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit lifted a temporary injunction against enforcing the rule last June, and the full court affirmed that decision in February, predicting that that lawsuits brought in California, Oregon, and Washington “will not succeed” on the merits.
Last week, the 9th Circuit denied the abortion lobby’s request to have its February judgment reconsidered by a different 11-judge panel or by all 29 judges on the court, Bloomberg reported.
“The full court has been advised of the petitions, and no judge has requested a vote on whether to rehear the matter as a full court,” the denial simply stated.
A different ruling against the administration, from the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, means the Protect Life Rule cannot be enforced within Maryland for the time being.
The Protect Life Rule is projected to cut almost $60 million from the $616 million Planned Parenthood received during the most recent fiscal year. The incoming presidential and congressional elections in November will decide whether funding to the abortion industry is further restricted or restored next year.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--Flying may soon involve ‘on-the-spot blood tests,’ ‘thermal scanning’: Live coronavirus updates

LifeSite ’ s previous ( and future ) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE .
A May 10 Forbes article describes future air travel as possibly consisting of “ no cabin bags , no lounges , no automatic upgrades , face masks , surgical gloves , self-check-in , self-bag-drop-off , ” ( emphasis added ) .
“ Digital technologies and automation will play a critical role in the future of air travel , ” Forbes predicted .
“ The need to reduce ‘ touchpoints ’ at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that allows passengers to board planes with only their face as a passport.
” “ A number of airlines including British Airways , Qantas and EasyJet already are using the technology.
” Airports may use “ thermal scanning to check crowds for fever-grade body temperatures.
” May 12 , 2020 , 5:09 p.m. EST : As more people finally begin to acknowledge the “ deaths of despair ” that are accompanying draconian lockdowns , Wesley J. Smith explained “ New Jersey ’ s Suicide Confusion ” at National Review : May 12 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Times reports , “ Los Angeles County ’ s stay-at-home orders will ‘ with all certainty ’ be extended for the next three months , county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.
” May 12 , 2020 , 3:06 p.m. EST : In France , four Catholic priestly and religious associations , along with a lay Catholic group , will separately argue to the highest administrative court in France about overturning the continued ban against all public religious services .
In the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 100 million on needles and syringes for a “ COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign.
” And in Canada , Alberta ’ s health minister is allowing police access to confidential patient medical records .
Alberta Health Services will be allowed to “ provide information to police , confirming whether or not an individual has tested positive for COVID-19.
” Some jurisdictions in the U.S. – Florida , Massachusetts , Alabama , parts of North Carolina – have adopted similar measures .
May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – USA Today reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for more money to expand services to help people suffering amid the social isolation imposed by the coronavirus pandemic , as a new study estimates related deaths from alcohol , drug overdose and suicide could reach 150,000 ” ( emphasis added ) .
Elon Musk has reopened a California Tesla factory in defiance of the state ’ s lockdown .
“ If anyone is arrested , I ask that it only be me , ” he tweeted .
In San Jose , California , people have been advised not to continue the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically done to greet a friend or celebrate a birthday or milestone without getting close to the person physically or entering his house – because it ’ s not considered “ essential ” and is technically a “ violation of the shelter-in-place order issued by the county health officers.
” More than one million healthcare workers have lost their jobs as hospital revenues have plummeted , NPR reported last week .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) , the pro-abortion United Nations entity whose close relationship with communist China and poor handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scrutiny , has complained that governments are not implementing enough surveillance techniques as countries re-open .
The WHO ’ s Dr. Michael Ryan “ said that robust contact tracing measures adopted by Germany and South Korea provide hope that those countries can detect and stop virus clusters before they get out of control.
” He said “ other nations exiting lockdowns have not effectively employed contact tracing investigators who contact people who test positive , track down their contacts and get them into quarantine before they can spread the virus.
” Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who may have the coronavirus in family homes and “ remove them.
” The spread of the coronavirus has been “ taken off the streets and pushed back into family units , ” Ryan said on March 22 .
“ Now we need to go and look in families to find those people who may be sick and remove them and isolate them in a safe and dignified manner.
” “ Just so you know , we ’ re coming to your house , seizing your children and ‘ isolating them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever that means , ” he translated .
Ryan is not the only “ public health ” official to call for the state to remove people from their homes .
Discussing massive “ contact tracing ” efforts , Ventura County , California Director of Public Health Dr. Robert Levin said people with the coronavirus would be taken from their homes if they didn ’ t have what the government considered enough bathrooms .
“ We also realize that as we find more contacts some of the people we find are going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in a home where there 's only one bathroom and there are three or four other people living there and those people don ’ t have COVID infection we 're not going to be able to keep the person in that home , ” he said .
“ Every person who we 're isolating for instance needs to have their own bathroom and so we ’ ll be moving people like this into other kinds of housing.
” Levin ’ s comments , which he later walked back after public outcry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the passage of H.R .
6666 to fund the tracing of individuals believed to have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for coronavirus and require them to quarantine .
A South Florida barber who reopened his business in violation of lockdown orders explained why he did so : “ I didn ’ t get no stimulus , I didn ’ t get no unemployment .
Basically , we are just starving .
I got a family , I have got kids – we are just starving.
” In Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” has mobilized to prevent the arrest of a 77-year-old barber who reopened his shop .
The Mayor of Providence , Rhode Island told constituents that if they come across someone not wearing a face mask , “ You should socially shame them , so they fall in line.
” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been criticized for suggesting children be microchipped so authorities can make sure they are not getting too close to each other when the lockdown ends .
Russian President Vladimir Putin ’ s spokesman has tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• US bishop says he ’ ll ban faithful from Mass if they ‘ make scene ’ to receive Communion on tongue • Police scrutinizing Spanish cardinal for blessing city , showing image of Mary outside basilica • Now ’ s the time to make sure we ’ re ready to receive communion once public Masses resume • Hundreds of California pastors plan to defy ban on religious gatherings starting May 31

Live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to pro-life issues, faith, and freedom.
LifeSite’s previous (and future) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE.
A May 10 Forbes article describes future air travel as possibly consisting of “no cabin bags, no lounges, no automatic upgrades, face masks, surgical gloves, self-check-in, self-bag-drop-off, immunity passports, on-the-spot blood tests and sanitation disinfection tunnels ” (emphasis added).
“Digital technologies and automation will play a critical role in the future of air travel,” Forbes predicted. “The need to reduce ‘touchpoints’ at airports implies mandatory use of biometric boarding that allows passengers to board planes with only their face as a passport.”
“A number of airlines including British Airways, Qantas and EasyJet already are using the technology.”
Airports may use “thermal scanning to check crowds for fever-grade body temperatures.”
May 13, 2020, 7:45 p.m. EST: The Milwaukee Sentinel Journal reports: “The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Gov. Tony Evers' order shutting down daily life to limit the spread of coronavirus — marking the first time a statewide order of its kind has been knocked down by a court of last resort.”
Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara of Hawaii’s coronavirus response team said: “If we let the economy go the way it’s going, I feel there will be significant civil unrest that could lead to civil disobedience and, worst case, civil disturbance and rioting.”
Yesterday, the New Yorker reported:
Every year, nearly a billion people suffer from some form of hunger, brought about by war or climate change or simply a lack of means. But now, according to the United Nations, the number of people who are classified as having acute food insecurity—a level of hunger at which a person’s inability to consume adequate food endangers their life or livelihood—could rise from more than a hundred and thirty million to nearly three hundred million, owing to the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought world economies and supply chains to a standstill. And this estimate does not even begin to address the millions of people whose means of achieving a decent living have evaporated.
Pro-life activist and filmmaker Jason Jones has been warning about this since the beginning of the coronavirus.
Tesla’s Elon Musk again expressed his displeasure with the lockdowns, saying they are unconstitutional.
“My opinion is, if somebody wants to stay home, they should stay home, and if somebody does not want to stay home, they should not be compelled to stay home,” he said. “That’s my opinion. And if somebody doesn’t like that, well, that’s my opinion.”
May 13, 2020, 1:49 p.m. EST: District attorneys in “a growing number of Pennsylvania counties say they won’t prosecute those who defy stay-at-home measures” ordered by Gov. Tom Wolf, The Epoch Times reports.
May 13, 2020, 1:47 p.m. EST: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmet has now stripped the 77-year-old barber mentioned below of his operating license without a hearing.
May 12, 2020, 5:09 p.m. EST: As more people finally begin to acknowledge the “deaths of despair” that are accompanying draconian lockdowns, Wesley J. Smith explained “New Jersey’s Suicide Confusion” at National Review:
New Jersey recently became one of the seven states (plus the District of Columbia) to legalize assisted suicide by statute. In effect, New Jersey sanctions suicide for some residents through its public policy. Now, with COVID-19, New Jersey officials are worried about a spike in suicide caused by the shutdown, so for them, suicide is bad.
May 12, 2020, 3:22 p.m. EST: The Los Angeles Times reports, “Los Angeles County’s stay-at-home orders will ‘with all certainty’ be extended for the next three months, county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.”
May 12, 2020, 3:06 p.m. EST: In France, four Catholic priestly and religious associations, along with a lay Catholic group, will separately argue to the highest administrative court in France about overturning the continued ban against all public religious services.
In the United States, the federal government is spending $100 million on needles and syringes for a “COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign.”
And in Canada, Alberta’s health minister is allowing police access to confidential patient medical records. Alberta Health Services will be allowed to “provide information to police, confirming whether or not an individual has tested positive for COVID-19.”
Some jurisdictions in the U.S. – Florida, Massachusetts, Alabama, parts of North Carolina – have adopted similar measures.
May 12, 2020, 2:52 p.m. EST:
Sen. Rand Paul: “The history of this when we look back will be wrong prediction after wrong prediction after wrong prediction… As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don't think you're the end all, I don't think you're the one person that gets to make a decision.” pic.twitter.com/SP9T638y2B — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 12, 2020
May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – USA Today reports, “The federal mental health czar is calling for more money to expand services to help people suffering amid the social isolation imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, as a new study estimates related deaths from alcohol, drug overdose and suicide could reach 150,000” (emphasis added).
Elon Musk has reopened a California Tesla factory in defiance of the state’s lockdown.
“If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me,” he tweeted.
Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020
In San Jose, California, people have been advised not to continue the practice of “drive-by” parades – typically done to greet a friend or celebrate a birthday or milestone without getting close to the person physically or entering his house – because it’s not considered “essential” and is technically a “violation of the shelter-in-place order issued by the county health officers.”
More than one million healthcare workers have lost their jobs as hospital revenues have plummeted, NPR reported last week.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the pro-abortion United Nations entity whose close relationship with communist China and poor handling of the pandemic are under international criticism and scrutiny, has complained that governments are not implementing enough surveillance techniques as countries re-open.
The WHO’s Dr. Michael Ryan “said that robust contact tracing measures adopted by Germany and South Korea provide hope that those countries can detect and stop virus clusters before they get out of control.”
He said “other nations exiting lockdowns have not effectively employed contact tracing investigators who contact people who test positive, track down their contacts and get them into quarantine before they can spread the virus.”
Ryan previously suggested to authorities that they find those who may have the coronavirus in family homes and “remove them.”
The spread of the coronavirus has been “taken off the streets and pushed back into family units,” Ryan said on March 22. “Now we need to go and look in families to find those people who may be sick and remove them and isolate them in a safe and dignified manner.”
FOX News’s Tucker Carlson found this “threat” ominous.
“Just so you know, we’re coming to your house, seizing your children and ‘isolating them in a safe and dignified manner,’ whatever that means,” he translated.
Ryan is not the only “public health” official to call for the state to remove people from their homes. Discussing massive “contact tracing” efforts, Ventura County, California Director of Public Health Dr. Robert Levin said people with the coronavirus would be taken from their homes if they didn’t have what the government considered enough bathrooms.
“We also realize that as we find more contacts some of the people we find are going to have trouble being isolated for instance if they live in a home where there's only one bathroom and there are three or four other people living there and those people don’t have COVID infection we're not going to be able to keep the person in that home,” he said. “Every person who we're isolating for instance needs to have their own bathroom and so we’ll be moving people like this into other kinds of housing.”
Levin’s comments, which he later walked back after public outcry, come as U.S. House Democrats push for the passage of H.R. 6666 to fund the tracing of individuals believed to have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for coronavirus and require them to quarantine.
A South Florida barber who reopened his business in violation of lockdown orders explained why he did so: “I didn’t get no stimulus, I didn’t get no unemployment. Basically, we are just starving. I got a family, I have got kids – we are just starving.”
In Michigan, PJ Media reports that a “militia” has mobilized to prevent the arrest of a 77-year-old barber who reopened his shop.
The Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island told constituents that if they come across someone not wearing a face mask, “You should socially shame them, so they fall in line.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been criticized for suggesting children be microchipped so authorities can make sure they are not getting too close to each other when the lockdown ends.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has tested positive for the coronavirus and is in the hospital.
Recent LifeSiteNews articles on the coronavirus crisis include:
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--Netflix defends packing shows with LGBT ‘representation’: ‘every gay person is very necessary’

May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Even in a world as uniformly left wing as Hollywood , Netflix ’ s wokeness stands out , from leading the pro-abortion mob against Georgia to controversial productions such as The Two Popes .
But one of the most pervasive manifestations of the streaming platform ’ s priorities is its glut of LGBT content .
“ LGBTQ ” is a specific searchable genre , and one 2017 list counted a whopping 57 shows on the platform featuring gay characters .
Naturally , not everyone is impressed , as evidenced by this tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparently resonated with enough people that Netflix ’ s social media team felt the need to respond in the most condescending way possible : “ Every person is necessary ” is certainly a lovely sentiment ( if a little hard to swallow coming from a company that was outraged by a state deciding all of its people deserve a chance to make it out of the womb ) .
Here ’ s the thing , though – fictional characters aren ’ t people .
Saturating your programming lineup with gay or transgender characters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population that consumes this stuff overestimates what percentage of the country is actually LGBT – isn ’ t an affirmation of LGBT humanity or equality .
It ’ s pandering , a statement about who matters the most to you .
It ’ s trading one type of uniformity for another and calling it “ diverse.
” And it ’ s a perfectly natural reaction for viewers to roll their eyes at – or worse , become bored by – having the same theme beaten over their heads with every other series .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cater to the LGBT community and social-justice crowd to the exclusion of the mainstream is Netflix ’ s prerogative … but the company would do well to ask itself whether it really thinks demeaning the customers it alienates is a viable strategy for long-term growth .

PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus Sign the petition here.
May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Even in a world as uniformly left wing as Hollywood, Netflix’s wokeness stands out, from leading the pro-abortion mob against Georgia to controversial productions such as The Two Popes.
But one of the most pervasive manifestations of the streaming platform’s priorities is its glut of LGBT content. “LGBTQ” is a specific searchable genre, and one 2017 list counted a whopping 57 shows on the platform featuring gay characters.
Naturally, not everyone is impressed, as evidenced by this tweet going viral last week:
Every damn new series pic.twitter.com/zLJstwiThm — ADAM (@AdamSB___) May 5, 2020
The visual apparently resonated with enough people that Netflix’s social media team felt the need to respond in the most condescending way possible:
sorry you have yet to realize that every gay person is very necessary https://t.co/xTOEcLWryc — Netflix (@netflix) May 6, 2020
“Every person is necessary” is certainly a lovely sentiment (if a little hard to swallow coming from a company that was outraged by a state deciding all of its people deserve a chance to make it out of the womb). Here’s the thing, though – fictional characters aren’t people.
Saturating your programming lineup with gay or transgender characters – to the point where the American population that consumes this stuff overestimates what percentage of the country is actually LGBT – isn’t an affirmation of LGBT humanity or equality. It’s pandering, a statement about who matters the most to you. It’s trading one type of uniformity for another and calling it “diverse.”
And it’s a perfectly natural reaction for viewers to roll their eyes at – or worse, become bored by – having the same theme beaten over their heads with every other series. To be sure, the decision to cater to the LGBT community and social-justice crowd to the exclusion of the mainstream is Netflix’s prerogative … but the company would do well to ask itself whether it really thinks demeaning the customers it alienates is a viable strategy for long-term growth.
Follow Calvin Calvin Freiburger is a Wisconsin-based conservative writer and 2011 graduate of Hillsdale College. His commentary and analysis have been featured on NewsReal Blog, Live Action, and various other conservative websites. Before joining LifeSiteNews, he spent two years in Washington, DC, working to build support for the Life at Conception Act with the National Pro-Life Alliance, then worked a year and a half as assistant editor of TheFederalistPapers.org. You can follow him on Twitter @CalFreiburger, and check out his personal website, ConservativeStandards.com.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--France’s highest administrative court to hear Catholics’ case for overturning public Mass ban

May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Four Catholic priestly and religious associations , along with a lay Catholic group , will separately argue to the highest administrative court in France about overturning the continued ban against all public religious services .
Four traditional Catholic priestly and religious associations and/or their personal representatives , and in a parallel procedure , the AGRIF ( General Alliance against Racism and for the respect of French and Christian Identity ) representing lay Catholics in France , have petitioned the highest administrative jurisdiction in France , the “ Conseil d ’ Etat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the dispositions of the “ deconfinement ” decree of May 11 prolonging the prohibition of all public religious services indefinitely .
The hearings in these emergency procedures will take place on Friday , May 15 and the Council of State ’ s decision should follow within 48 hours .
For the time being , as was the case during lockdown , only funeral ceremonies are allowed to take place in churches , with a maximum of 20 participants .
The four religious associations are the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter ( FSP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Superior of the district of France ; Fr Philippe Laguérie , former Superior general and founder of the Institute of the Good Pastor ( IBP ) ; the Association of the friends of the French province of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest ( ICKSP ) , together with its president Canon Gilles Guitard and the head of the French province , Canon Louis Valadier ; and the Dominican traditional fraternity of St Vincent Ferrier with its representative Fr Louis-Marie de Blignières .
All were linked to the former Ecclesia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Dom Louis-Marie , Father Abbot of the Barroux Benedictine Abbey in Provence , and will be represented at the Council of State by Jérôme Triomphe , who was one of the defendants of Pierre and Viviane Lambert in their bid to save the life of their son Vincent , the handicapped and minimally conscious young man who was dehydrated and starved to death in France last July .
Triomphe is also the main lawyer of the AGRIF .
The AGRIF itself , which has a juridical habitation to represent in particular the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism , ” is presenting a slightly different case for lay Catholics who have been deprived from public Masses and the Sacraments for nine weeks running .
Also signing its recourse are president and founder Bernard Antony and two vice-presidents , Guillaume de Thieulloy and the author of this article .
It is represented by Bruno Le Griel who is specialized in high court procedures .
With coronavirus infections and related respiratory disease and deaths on a downward trend , France officially entered into a period of “ deconfinement ” on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement were lifted and the partial reopening of shops , businesses , public transport , small museums and primary schools is taking place this week .
Circulation is free within a hundred kilometer radius from each individual ’ s home .
However , as announced by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe last week , churches ( and other religious venues ) may still not organize public religious ceremonies and reunions until further notice under any condition , even though individual faithful are allowed to enter and pray provided “ social distancing ” is observed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lay Catholics have made clear that they are prepared to observe any rules necessary to avoid the spread of COVID-19 .
Despite their assurances , the French government has adopted a secularist stance while at the same time showing itself more open to local mayors or public transport authorities .
For example , the government intended to keep the beaches closed but in Brittany , many beaches are to open shortly after local authorities finally received permission to manage the conditions under which small groups will be allowed to walk , swim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the sand .
Air transport authorities who complained about the stringent “ social distancing ” requirements that would compel them to fill the aircraft up to half capacity at most — forcing them to push up fares up to 43 percent — were also heard .
Now passengers will only have to pass a temperature test and wear a mask for planes to be filled to capacity .
The Paris Metro is also functioning once again at 75 percent of its capacity , but “ social distancing ” has revealed itself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines , cars are full to bursting , and the badly aired underground corridors to reach the trains are also full of travellers .
On the other hand , churches , which are generally big and well-aired buildings – where even congregations representing 50 percent of their nominal capacity can remain widely spaced apart , and that are mostly static by nature – are still being considered as potential nests of infection .
The religious associations ’ emergency procedure underscores that the inequality of treatment of which they consider themselves to be victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law of separation of State and Church of 1905 as well as international declarations of rights , which impose respect for all religions and freedom of worship , as a fundamental liberty .
It notes that while French Interior minister Christophe Castaner explained last week that believers have the option of praying at home , the law of separation strictly forbids interference of the State with the practice of religion : “ The believer is sole judge of what is necessary and urgent for himself , not the government , ” state the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Council of State .
Those arguments also insist that if psychological needs were taken into account even during the confinement in order to decide to open garden and do it yourself shops , spiritual needs also exist and are being “ violated in an extremely grave manner , ” because Catholic worship includes community worship and in particular access to Eucharistic Communion ( but also confession ) as an “ essential spiritual good.
” “ There is nothing symbolic or merely cosy about Communion for a Catholic .
It is the reception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with His body , His blood , His soul and His divinity , ” and “ the Catholic religion is the religion of Incarnation through which God makes himself truly present at Mass , ” as opposed to other , even Christian religions which can do without material realities .
“ No one is asking the government to profess the Catholic faith .
Instead , we are demanding respect for this faith and for its urgent necessities , ” the religious associations will plead .
Underscoring that Catholics are being treated as lesser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions have been found while the prohibition of public worship is absolute , the religious associations add that there is no sanitary justification for prohibiting all forms of public worship .
The prohibition is totally illegal in so far as many places and activities that are supposed to be more prone to the spread of COVID-19 , such as small shops and hairdressers , have been allowed to open and that gatherings of 10 people have become legal once more .
The recourse adds that following religious ceremonies on television is not in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no more than following the Tour de France on screen constitutes active cycling .
It is also illegal because it is not proportionate to its end because it is absolute , with no regard for the actual presence of the coronavirus or not in the different regions of France , and because there is no end date for the prohibition as was the case in former decrees relative to the COVID-19 crisis .
The AGRIF ’ s uses many of the same arguments , insisting on the fact that freedom of worship is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free access to “ goods necessary to the exercise of worship , ” including places of worship , as administrative jurisprudence has established .
It also underscores that during confinement , on April 2nd , the Council of State overturned the general prohibition of public food markets , allowing local authorities to decide whether or not these could be held because they could judge whether sanitary requirements could be upheld .
A large number of country markets were reopened from that date .
These requirements are much easier to implement in churches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that public ceremonies could only take place once a week , allowing churches and places of worship to be “ naturally ” totally disinfected through the absence of carriers of the coronavirus .
The AGRIF also underlines that 63 professions entered into discussions with the government in order to prepare deconfinement regulations , but that only the representatives of religions , who were ready to talk with the authorities , were not allowed to join this cooperation .
“ The question is not about knowing whether the extension of a general prohibition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the present sanitary situation .
It is to know whether these gatherings ( for collective prayer , religious ceremonies , weddings… ) can observe the same sanitary regulations as other activities that have been permitted to resume .
The answer is obviously in the affirmative… ” according to the AGRIF .
It concludes its arguments with reminders that it is not up to the state to decide what is necessary to the practice of religion or not and that freedom of worship is “ one and complete .
”

Despite other areas of society opening up like public transit and beaches, churches are still strictly forbidden from hosting public religious ceremonies.
Urgent appeal to the bishops of the world: Feed your flock Sign the petition here.
May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Four Catholic priestly and religious associations, along with a lay Catholic group, will separately argue to the highest administrative court in France about overturning the continued ban against all public religious services.
Four traditional Catholic priestly and religious associations and/or their personal representatives, and in a parallel procedure, the AGRIF (General Alliance against Racism and for the respect of French and Christian Identity) representing lay Catholics in France, have petitioned the highest administrative jurisdiction in France, the “Conseil d’Etat,” in order to obtain the suspension of the dispositions of the “deconfinement” decree of May 11 prolonging the prohibition of all public religious services indefinitely.
The hearings in these emergency procedures will take place on Friday, May 15 and the Council of State’s decision should follow within 48 hours.
For the time being, as was the case during lockdown, only funeral ceremonies are allowed to take place in churches, with a maximum of 20 participants.
The four religious associations are the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSP) and its representative Fr Benoît Paul-Joseph, Superior of the district of France; Fr Philippe Laguérie, former Superior general and founder of the Institute of the Good Pastor (IBP); the Association of the friends of the French province of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP), together with its president Canon Gilles Guitard and the head of the French province, Canon Louis Valadier; and the Dominican traditional fraternity of St Vincent Ferrier with its representative Fr Louis-Marie de Blignières. All were linked to the former Ecclesia Dei commission.
They received public support from Dom Louis-Marie, Father Abbot of the Barroux Benedictine Abbey in Provence, and will be represented at the Council of State by Jérôme Triomphe, who was one of the defendants of Pierre and Viviane Lambert in their bid to save the life of their son Vincent, the handicapped and minimally conscious young man who was dehydrated and starved to death in France last July. Triomphe is also the main lawyer of the AGRIF.
The AGRIF itself, which has a juridical habitation to represent in particular the interests of Catholics against discrimination and “racism,” is presenting a slightly different case for lay Catholics who have been deprived from public Masses and the Sacraments for nine weeks running. Also signing its recourse are president and founder Bernard Antony and two vice-presidents, Guillaume de Thieulloy and the author of this article. It is represented by Bruno Le Griel who is specialized in high court procedures.
With coronavirus infections and related respiratory disease and deaths on a downward trend, France officially entered into a period of “deconfinement” on Monday. A number of restrictions to liberty of movement were lifted and the partial reopening of shops, businesses, public transport, small museums and primary schools is taking place this week. Circulation is free within a hundred kilometer radius from each individual’s home.
However, as announced by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe last week, churches (and other religious venues) may still not organize public religious ceremonies and reunions until further notice under any condition, even though individual faithful are allowed to enter and pray provided “social distancing” is observed.
The French bishops, traditional communities and lay Catholics have made clear that they are prepared to observe any rules necessary to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
Despite their assurances, the French government has adopted a secularist stance while at the same time showing itself more open to local mayors or public transport authorities. For example, the government intended to keep the beaches closed but in Brittany, many beaches are to open shortly after local authorities finally received permission to manage the conditions under which small groups will be allowed to walk, swim and spend a little time just sitting on the sand.
Air transport authorities who complained about the stringent “social distancing” requirements that would compel them to fill the aircraft up to half capacity at most — forcing them to push up fares up to 43 percent — were also heard. Now passengers will only have to pass a temperature test and wear a mask for planes to be filled to capacity.
The Paris Metro is also functioning once again at 75 percent of its capacity, but “social distancing” has revealed itself to be a mental construct. On some lines, cars are full to bursting, and the badly aired underground corridors to reach the trains are also full of travellers.
On the other hand, churches, which are generally big and well-aired buildings – where even congregations representing 50 percent of their nominal capacity can remain widely spaced apart, and that are mostly static by nature – are still being considered as potential nests of infection.
The religious associations’ emergency procedure underscores that the inequality of treatment of which they consider themselves to be victims is in direct violation of the French law of separation of State and Church of 1905 as well as international declarations of rights, which impose respect for all religions and freedom of worship, as a fundamental liberty.
It notes that while French Interior minister Christophe Castaner explained last week that believers have the option of praying at home, the law of separation strictly forbids interference of the State with the practice of religion: “The believer is sole judge of what is necessary and urgent for himself, not the government,” state the written arguments that will be presented to the Council of State.
Those arguments also insist that if psychological needs were taken into account even during the confinement in order to decide to open garden and do it yourself shops, spiritual needs also exist and are being “violated in an extremely grave manner,” because Catholic worship includes community worship and in particular access to Eucharistic Communion (but also confession) as an “essential spiritual good.”
“There is nothing symbolic or merely cosy about Communion for a Catholic. It is the reception of the body of Christ truly present with His body, His blood, His soul and His divinity,” and “the Catholic religion is the religion of Incarnation through which God makes himself truly present at Mass,” as opposed to other, even Christian religions which can do without material realities.
“No one is asking the government to profess the Catholic faith. Instead, we are demanding respect for this faith and for its urgent necessities,” the religious associations will plead.
Underscoring that Catholics are being treated as lesser citizens because for all other activities, solutions have been found while the prohibition of public worship is absolute, the religious associations add that there is no sanitary justification for prohibiting all forms of public worship.
The prohibition is totally illegal in so far as many places and activities that are supposed to be more prone to the spread of COVID-19, such as small shops and hairdressers, have been allowed to open and that gatherings of 10 people have become legal once more. The recourse adds that following religious ceremonies on television is not in exercise of the right to worship, no more than following the Tour de France on screen constitutes active cycling.
It is also illegal because it is not proportionate to its end because it is absolute, with no regard for the actual presence of the coronavirus or not in the different regions of France, and because there is no end date for the prohibition as was the case in former decrees relative to the COVID-19 crisis.
The AGRIF’s uses many of the same arguments, insisting on the fact that freedom of worship is a “fundamental liberty,” including free access to “goods necessary to the exercise of worship,” including places of worship, as administrative jurisprudence has established.
It also underscores that during confinement, on April 2nd, the Council of State overturned the general prohibition of public food markets, allowing local authorities to decide whether or not these could be held because they could judge whether sanitary requirements could be upheld. A large number of country markets were reopened from that date.
These requirements are much easier to implement in churches, the AGRIF argues. It even suggests that public ceremonies could only take place once a week, allowing churches and places of worship to be “naturally” totally disinfected through the absence of carriers of the coronavirus.
The AGRIF also underlines that 63 professions entered into discussions with the government in order to prepare deconfinement regulations, but that only the representatives of religions, who were ready to talk with the authorities, were not allowed to join this cooperation.
“The question is not about knowing whether the extension of a general prohibition of gatherings in places of worship is justified by the present sanitary situation. It is to know whether these gatherings (for collective prayer, religious ceremonies, weddings…) can observe the same sanitary regulations as other activities that have been permitted to resume. The answer is obviously in the affirmative…” according to the AGRIF.
It concludes its arguments with reminders that it is not up to the state to decide what is necessary to the practice of religion or not and that freedom of worship is “one and complete.”
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--US spending $100 million on needles for ‘COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign’

PETITION : No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus Sign the petition here .
WASHINGTON , D.C. , May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The federal government appears to be getting ready for hundreds of millions of Americans to receive a coronavirus vaccine .
According to Forbes , “ Two separate orders signed off on May 1 , 2020 , total $ 100 million and specify needles and syringes ‘ for a COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign.
’ ” “ One $ 27.5 million order went to Colorado-based Marathon Medical , the other $ 83.7 million to Texan business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The orders were placed by the Health and Human Services ( HHS ) department ’ s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response ( ASPR ) .
” The development of a vaccine is also heavily funded , both privately and by the government .
In March , Janssen Pharmaceuticals , which is part of Johnson & Johnson , was granted more than $ 456 million in federal funding for their vaccine project using the PER C6 cell line , which comes from retinal tissue of an aborted baby .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ given to Sanofi ( more that $ 30 million ) and Moderna ( more than $ 430 million ) .
On April 17 , Archbishop Joseph Naumann , who is responsible for the pro-life activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops , as well as other bishops and pro-life leaders from around the United States , sent an open letter to the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , calling for the ethical development of vaccines .
“ To be clear , we strongly support efforts to develop an effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as quickly as possible , ” they wrote .
“ However , we also strongly urge our federal government to ensure that fundamental moral principles are followed in the development of such vaccines , most importantly , the principle that human life is sacred and should never be exploited.
” Bill Gates , whose pro-abortion , pro-population control foundation is heavily involved in funding the research to create a coronavirus vaccine , said a vaccine would be ready next year , at the earliest .
“ Like America ’ s top public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to be 18 months , even though it could be as short as nine months or closer to two years , ” he wrote .
Pro-life and conservative activists have raised concerns about the role of the foundation , which is both pro-abortion and pro-contraception , in the coronavirus response .
Bill Gates has said that “ eventually we will have some digital certificates to show who has recovered or been tested recently or when we have a vaccine who has received it.
” He also suggested that life won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the population is “ widely vaccinated.
” As reported by SFGATE , Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed Gates ’ assessment during a press conference on May 5 , saying the Golden State was “ not going back to normal ” anytime soon .
“ It ’ s a new normal with adaptations and modifications , until we get to immunity and a vaccine.
” Earlier this month , The New York Times pointed out several logistical difficulties with vaccinating an entire population , if not the whole planet .
“ Here in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people may need to be inoculated .
That means at least as many vials and syringes – or double that amount , if two shots are required , ” The New York Times wrote .
“ To meet that demand , companies will have to ramp up manufacturing ; products that doctors give little thought to now could easily become obstacles to vaccine delivery in the future.
” According to the article , herd immunity , which is established once enough people are immune to a disease to also indirectly protect others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of the population are immune , either by having contracted the virus at some point , or by being vaccinated .
However , “ most vaccination campaigns aim to immunize a high proportion of the population – around 90 percent – to successfully prevent transmission of disease.
” It is unclear how much of the population would consent to a coronavirus vaccine .
Over 344,000 people have signed LifeSite ’ s petition against a forced coronavirus vaccine .
“ People of goodwill can disagree about the safety , efficacy and religious implications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the petition says .
“ But , everyone should agree on this point : No government can force anyone who has reached legal adulthood to be vaccinated for the coronavirus .
Equally , no government can vaccinate minors for the coronavirus against the will of their parents or guardians.
” US bishop : We must ‘ halt ’ development of any coronavirus vaccine derived from aborted babies

PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The federal government appears to be getting ready for hundreds of millions of Americans to receive a coronavirus vaccine.
According to Forbes, “Two separate orders signed off on May 1, 2020, total $100 million and specify needles and syringes ‘for a COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign.’”
“One $27.5 million order went to Colorado-based Marathon Medical, the other $83.7 million to Texan business Retractable Technologies,” Forbes added. “The orders were placed by the Health and Human Services (HHS) department’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).”
The development of a vaccine is also heavily funded, both privately and by the government.
In March, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which is part of Johnson & Johnson, was granted more than $456 million in federal funding for their vaccine project using the PER C6 cell line, which comes from retinal tissue of an aborted baby.
Taxpayer money for vaccine development was also given to Sanofi (more that $30 million) and Moderna (more than $430 million).
On April 17, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, who is responsible for the pro-life activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as other bishops and pro-life leaders from around the United States, sent an open letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), calling for the ethical development of vaccines.
“To be clear, we strongly support efforts to develop an effective, safe, and widely available vaccine as quickly as possible,” they wrote. “However, we also strongly urge our federal government to ensure that fundamental moral principles are followed in the development of such vaccines, most importantly, the principle that human life is sacred and should never be exploited.”
Bill Gates, whose pro-abortion, pro-population control foundation is heavily involved in funding the research to create a coronavirus vaccine, said a vaccine would be ready next year, at the earliest. “Like America’s top public health officials, I say that it is likely to be 18 months, even though it could be as short as nine months or closer to two years,” he wrote.
Pro-life and conservative activists have raised concerns about the role of the foundation, which is both pro-abortion and pro-contraception, in the coronavirus response. Bill Gates has said that “eventually we will have some digital certificates to show who has recovered or been tested recently or when we have a vaccine who has received it.” He also suggested that life won’t go back to “normal” until the population is “widely vaccinated.”
As reported by SFGATE, Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed Gates’ assessment during a press conference on May 5, saying the Golden State was “not going back to normal” anytime soon. “It’s a new normal with adaptations and modifications, until we get to immunity and a vaccine.”
READ: Illinois gov: Churches can’t fully reopen until corona vaccine or ‘effective treatment’ developed
Earlier this month, The New York Times pointed out several logistical difficulties with vaccinating an entire population, if not the whole planet.
“Here in the United States, more than 300 million people may need to be inoculated. That means at least as many vials and syringes – or double that amount, if two shots are required,” The New York Times wrote.
“To meet that demand, companies will have to ramp up manufacturing; products that doctors give little thought to now could easily become obstacles to vaccine delivery in the future.”
According to the article, herd immunity, which is established once enough people are immune to a disease to also indirectly protect others, will only be reached if 70 percent of the population are immune, either by having contracted the virus at some point, or by being vaccinated.
However, “most vaccination campaigns aim to immunize a high proportion of the population – around 90 percent – to successfully prevent transmission of disease.”
It is unclear how much of the population would consent to a coronavirus vaccine.
Over 344,000 people have signed LifeSite’s petition against a forced coronavirus vaccine.
“People of goodwill can disagree about the safety, efficacy and religious implications of a new vaccine for the coronavirus,” the petition says. “But, everyone should agree on this point: No government can force anyone who has reached legal adulthood to be vaccinated for the coronavirus. Equally, no government can vaccinate minors for the coronavirus against the will of their parents or guardians.”
RELATED:
US bishop: We must ‘halt’ development of any coronavirus vaccine derived from aborted babies
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--Alberta health minister allows police to access confidential patient medical records

EDMONTON , Alberta , May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In what may be a serious breach of privacy and patient confidentiality , the Health Minister of one of Canada ’ s largest provinces has utilized new coronavirus related powers to authorize health workers to give police confidential patient medical information .
Last week , the Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro , announced via Twitter that Alberta Health Services ( AHS ) would be allowed to “ provide information to police , confirming whether or not an individual has tested positive for COVID-19.″ Ministerial Order ( MO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was issued under new powers gained by Alberta government ministers under Bill 10 , the Alberta Public Health ( Emergency Powers ) Amendment Act , 2020 .
The Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms ( JCCF ) announced on May 1 that it will be legally challenging the Alberta government over the constitutionality of Bill 10 .
They had warned earlier that Bill 10 gives Alberta government ministers too much power saying , “ A cabinet minister can now decide unilaterally , without consultation , to impose additional laws on the citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is personally of the view that doing so is in the public interest.
” MO 632/2020 adds a section to the Alberta Public Health Act as amended by Bill 10 allowing AHS the ability to disclose to law enforcement whether a person whom police have encountered has the coronavirus .
“ Information obtained by the Chief Medical Officer may be disclosed by the Chief Medical Officer to any police service , as defined in with the Police Act , to enable a police officer who has come into contact with the bodily fluids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comply with Record of Decision – CMOH Order 05-2020 ( or quarantine orders ) .
” Minister Shandro says that ( MO ) 632/2020 , which is in force for 90 days , was needed as a way to help police officers and enforcement agencies find out whether or not a person who has spit or coughed on officers claiming to have COVID-19 , does indeed have it .
Last Thursday , the JCCF released a message challenging the Alberta government under Premier Jason Kenney and Minister Shandro over the “ use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( MO ) 632/2020 .
The JCCF says that it violates the confidentiality of patient medical information , even though it is tailored for law enforcement use only .
The JCCF is considering additional legal action as a result of this new addition .
In April , a form letter circulating from the Kenney government as a means to clarify “ concerns ” about Bill 10 downplayed the JCCF claim that Bill 10 can be used to create new laws with no oversight .
However , the JCCF says that the new ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensitive patient medical information “ does precisely that.
” “ Minister Shandro ’ s unilateral creation of new laws without legislative involvement illustrates the extraordinary power that Bill 10 has given one politician , ” said Jay Cameron , Justice Centre Litigation Manager in the JCCF news release .
“ Minister Shandro ’ s new law is broad , and has all the markings of an unconstitutional intrusion on the lives and personal information of Albertans , and in our view constitutes an unjustified infringement of the right to be secure against unreasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
” Cameron told LifeSiteNews two weeks ago about his concerns regarding Bill 10 .
Kenney recently said he hopes to revise the “ concerning ” parts of Bill 10 , but has not yet done so .
The JCCF says that the newly added provision to Bill 10 is “ poorly worded ” and is “ drafted broadly enough ” so that it could “ allow for the blanket release to police of the names of all Albertans who have tested positive for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those who have not.
” “ Minister Shandro ’ s new law contains no safeguards outlining the use , storage , and retention of the personal data by police .
It is unclear why the names of people who once tested positive for the virus and have recovered should be conveyed to police , or how long this information will remain in the police ’ s possession , ” says the JCCF news release .
“ There are no limitations on how the police may use this private and personal information .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information will be destroyed at a later date .
Providing the personal information of patients to police so that it can be accessed at the police ’ s discretion is in effect a warrantless search without judicial checks and balances , and an alarming breach of privacy rights.
” ( MO ) 632/2020 was praised by the Chief of Police Dale McFee for the City of Edmonton , who told Global News last Thursday that the law is needed to help front line workers .
“ We have unfortunately had a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spit or coughed on by individuals claiming they have COVID-19 , so the ability to verify whether someone has tested positive will also help us quickly determine whether officers in this situation are required to isolate immediately , ” said McFee to Global News .
“ We take confidentiality seriously , but we will not tolerate our front-line workers being put at risk in this way as they work to keep the rest of us in this province safe.
” Alberta has seen protestors gather at the legislature on a few occasions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last week , an Edmonton man was fined $ 1200 while attending a peaceful rally at the Alberta Legislature expressing his concerns about the coronavirus .
Video of the event shows sheriffs forcibly grabbed Mr. Lefebvre by his arms and then detaining him for about 30 minutes .
Mr. Lefebvre is now challenging the fine with the help of the JCCF .
On May 10 , police arrested Cody Haller during a peaceful protest and dragged him out of the Alberta legislature grounds .
Video shows Haller asking police : `` Am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detained ?
What did I breach ? ''
Police ticketed him for “ contravening order of medical health officer of health , ” reported CTV news .
One day later , Premier Jason Kenney issued a statement about peaceful protests during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right that includes both the freedoms of speech and assembly .
We understand that a number of peaceful protests have occurred outside the legislature since a public health emergency was invoked , where protestors observed physical distancing guidelines largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time an arrest occurred , ” Kenney stated .
“ Elected leaders do not direct operational decisions of law enforcement officials .
We are inquiring why an arrest occurred yesterday , but not at previous protests .
If we are not satisfied with the explanation , the government will modify public health orders to clarify that it is acceptable for individuals who are respecting physical distancing guidelines to be present in outdoor public venues , including for the purpose of protesting , ” he continued .
“ We recognize that law enforcement is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this pandemic .
At the same time , we expect that law enforcement will exercise common sense in respecting both fundamental rights and protecting public health , ” he added .
Alberta was the first Canadian province to launch a coronavirus contact tracing application which since launching a week ago , has been downloaded more than 120,000 times .
Cameron told LifeSiteNews that they are closely keeping an eye on government-issued contact tracing apps .
“ We are watching carefully and remain concerned about the slippery slope and government comfort with accessing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro used powers gained from a new coronavirus law to issue the directive.
PETITION: Urge your premier to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here.
EDMONTON, Alberta, May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – In what may be a serious breach of privacy and patient confidentiality, the Health Minister of one of Canada’s largest provinces has utilized new coronavirus related powers to authorize health workers to give police confidential patient medical information.
Last week, the Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro, announced via Twitter that Alberta Health Services (AHS) would be allowed to “provide information to police, confirming whether or not an individual has tested positive for COVID-19.″
Ministerial Order (MO) 632/2020 was signed on May 4 and was issued under new powers gained by Alberta government ministers under Bill 10, the Alberta Public Health (Emergency Powers) Amendment Act, 2020.
The Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) announced on May 1 that it will be legally challenging the Alberta government over the constitutionality of Bill 10.
They had warned earlier that Bill 10 gives Alberta government ministers too much power saying, “A cabinet minister can now decide unilaterally, without consultation, to impose additional laws on the citizens of Alberta, if she or he is personally of the view that doing so is in the public interest.”
MO 632/2020 adds a section to the Alberta Public Health Act as amended by Bill 10 allowing AHS the ability to disclose to law enforcement whether a person whom police have encountered has the coronavirus.
“Information obtained by the Chief Medical Officer may be disclosed by the Chief Medical Officer to any police service, as defined in with the Police Act, to enable a police officer who has come into contact with the bodily fluids of an individual claiming to have COVID-19 to comply with Record of Decision – CMOH Order 05-2020 (or quarantine orders).”
Minister Shandro says that (MO) 632/2020, which is in force for 90 days, was needed as a way to help police officers and enforcement agencies find out whether or not a person who has spit or coughed on officers claiming to have COVID-19, does indeed have it.
Last Thursday, the JCCF released a message challenging the Alberta government under Premier Jason Kenney and Minister Shandro over the “use of new Bill 10 powers” in (MO) 632/2020. The JCCF says that it violates the confidentiality of patient medical information, even though it is tailored for law enforcement use only. The JCCF is considering additional legal action as a result of this new addition.
In April, a form letter circulating from the Kenney government as a means to clarify “concerns” about Bill 10 downplayed the JCCF claim that Bill 10 can be used to create new laws with no oversight.
However, the JCCF says that the new (MO) 632/2020 allowing police access to sensitive patient medical information “does precisely that.”
“Minister Shandro’s unilateral creation of new laws without legislative involvement illustrates the extraordinary power that Bill 10 has given one politician,” said Jay Cameron, Justice Centre Litigation Manager in the JCCF news release.
“Minister Shandro’s new law is broad, and has all the markings of an unconstitutional intrusion on the lives and personal information of Albertans, and in our view constitutes an unjustified infringement of the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure as protected by section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”
Cameron told LifeSiteNews two weeks ago about his concerns regarding Bill 10. Kenney recently said he hopes to revise the “concerning” parts of Bill 10, but has not yet done so.
The JCCF says that the newly added provision to Bill 10 is “poorly worded” and is “drafted broadly enough” so that it could “allow for the blanket release to police of the names of all Albertans who have tested positive for COVID-19, and perhaps even the medical records of those who have not.”
“Minister Shandro’s new law contains no safeguards outlining the use, storage, and retention of the personal data by police. It is unclear why the names of people who once tested positive for the virus and have recovered should be conveyed to police, or how long this information will remain in the police’s possession,” says the JCCF news release.
“There are no limitations on how the police may use this private and personal information. There is no clause that mandates that the information will be destroyed at a later date. Providing the personal information of patients to police so that it can be accessed at the police’s discretion is in effect a warrantless search without judicial checks and balances, and an alarming breach of privacy rights.”
(MO) 632/2020 was praised by the Chief of Police Dale McFee for the City of Edmonton, who told Global News last Thursday that the law is needed to help front line workers.
“We have unfortunately had a few incidents where our officers have been intentionally spit or coughed on by individuals claiming they have COVID-19, so the ability to verify whether someone has tested positive will also help us quickly determine whether officers in this situation are required to isolate immediately,” said McFee to Global News.
“We take confidentiality seriously, but we will not tolerate our front-line workers being put at risk in this way as they work to keep the rest of us in this province safe.”
Alberta has seen protestors gather at the legislature on a few occasions to voice their opposition to the lockdown measures.
Last week, an Edmonton man was fined $1200 while attending a peaceful rally at the Alberta Legislature expressing his concerns about the coronavirus.
Video of the event shows sheriffs forcibly grabbed Mr. Lefebvre by his arms and then detaining him for about 30 minutes. Mr. Lefebvre is now challenging the fine with the help of the JCCF.
On May 10, police arrested Cody Haller during a peaceful protest and dragged him out of the Alberta legislature grounds. Video shows Haller asking police: “Am I being arrested? Am I being detained? What did I breach?” Police ticketed him for “contravening order of medical health officer of health,” reported CTV news.
One day later, Premier Jason Kenney issued a statement about peaceful protests during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right that includes both the freedoms of speech and assembly. We understand that a number of peaceful protests have occurred outside the legislature since a public health emergency was invoked, where protestors observed physical distancing guidelines largely without incident. Yesterday was the first time an arrest occurred,” Kenney stated.
“Elected leaders do not direct operational decisions of law enforcement officials. We are inquiring why an arrest occurred yesterday, but not at previous protests. If we are not satisfied with the explanation, the government will modify public health orders to clarify that it is acceptable for individuals who are respecting physical distancing guidelines to be present in outdoor public venues, including for the purpose of protesting,” he continued.
“We recognize that law enforcement is dealing with a situation without precedent during this pandemic. At the same time, we expect that law enforcement will exercise common sense in respecting both fundamental rights and protecting public health,” he added.
Alberta was the first Canadian province to launch a coronavirus contact tracing application which since launching a week ago, has been downloaded more than 120,000 times.
Cameron told LifeSiteNews that they are closely keeping an eye on government-issued contact tracing apps.
“We are watching carefully and remain concerned about the slippery slope and government comfort with accessing and utilizing personal data,” said Cameron.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

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

(LifeSiteNews) — In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church, LifeSite is happy to promote Regina Angelorum Press’s Daily Rosary, which is offering Catholics throughout the world the chance to be united daily in prayer, in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade.
Catholics from all over the world — from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other countries — are gathering daily to pray the Rosary, led by Father Pillari, JCL, MCL, STL, an American priest currently studying in Italy.
The Daily Rosary is being offered each day at 12noon EST through Regina Angelorum Press’ YouTube Channel to which you can subscribe HERE.
The goal is, by means of this Daily Rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima, the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
To help obtain that goal, Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide Rosary crusade:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen. + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady’s message at Fatima, and about what you can do, please read Cardinal Burke’s 2017 address at the Rome Life Forum.
As St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Through prayer, God can shape history, change the world, and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world, through the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Join us today!
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this Rosary, you can access them HERE. The document also includes a brief F.A.Q. pertaining to the daily Rosary.
You can send your prayer requests to https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/
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lifesitenews--2020-05-12--Single Republican joins dozens of Democrats sponsoring COVID govt tracking bill

PETITION : Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here .
WASHINGTON , D.C. , May 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Pro-abortion congressman Jeff Van Drew is the only Republican cosponsor of a bill that would grant $ 100 billion to entities engaging in contact tracing amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The bill , known as H.R .
6666 , would authorize the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to “ award grants to eligible entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID–19 , to trace and monitor the contacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quarantine of such contacts.
” Any funds would have to be used not for contact tracing directly , but “ to hire , train , compensate , and pay the expenses of individuals , ” as well as “ to purchase personal protective equipment and other supplies.
” Already , states “ are building armies of contact tracers , ” as The Hill reported .
“ Contact tracing , ” according to The Hill , “ is a pillar of basic public health , a critical element in battling infectious disease around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify those who have been infected with a virus and those with whom the infected person has come into contact.
” California is trying “ to build an army of 20,000 people to test , trace and isolate people who may have been infected.
” The numbers in other states are smaller but not insignificant .
Tech giants Apple and Google had announced a way to do contact tracing digitally , raising some concerns about privacy .
“ The software would silently keep track of people who ’ d been near someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those contacts to be tested and quarantined if necessary , ” WIRED explained .
Nevertheless , states and municipalities across the country “ have looked carefully at cutting-edge contact-tracing solutions and largely said , ‘ No thanks , ’ or ‘ Not now.
’ ” Instead , they continue to have men and women trace contacts the old-fashioned way .
This is precisely the point .
Public health officers , WIRED emphasized , “ are typically MDs and PhDs who aren ’ t dazzled by cool-looking software , especially if the pitch comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ re uncomfortable deploying untested technology during a pandemic , when glitches can cost lives.
” If signed into law , H.R .
6666 will appropriate $ 100 billion to support activities like contact tracing within the fiscal year 2020 .
However , the bill would also appropriate “ such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal year 2021 and any subsequent fiscal year during which the emergency period continues.
” Among the 39 original cosponsors of the bill , Jeff Van Drew was the only Republican .
As of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become cosponsors of the bill .
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in New Jersey in 2018 , Van Drew officially switched to the Republican Party in early 2020 .
His decision was made after disagreements with the vast majority of Democrats on impeaching President Donald Trump in 2019 .
According to Vote Smart , Van Drew ’ s position on abortion is quite clear .
He had written on his campaign website , “ I ’ m strongly and unequivocally pro-choice : I support Roe v. Wade and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Any efforts to weaken or undermine that right will face my fierce opposition , ” Van Drew said in 2018 .
( That statement has since disappeared from his campaign website . )
“ Proudly , I have consistently voted in the New Jersey State Legislature to support critical women ’ s healthcare funding that provides preventive health services , cancer screenings , and prenatal care for low-income women.
” As pro-abortion Rewire.News pointed out , “ Van Drew received a zero percent rating from National Right to Life and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fund in 2019 , as well as a 100 percent rating in 2016–2017 from Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey.
” However , as Politico reported in January , Van Drew signed “ a GOP discharge petition ... that would circumvent leadership and force a floor vote on anti-abortion legislation if it gets 218 signatures.
” Since then , his National Right to Life rating has increased to 17 percent .
Planned Parenthood Action Fund has not yet come out with a new rating .

Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey switched from Democrat to Republican in early 2020 over a dispute with other Democrats over whether to impeach the president.
PETITION: Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Pro-abortion congressman Jeff Van Drew is the only Republican cosponsor of a bill that would grant $100 billion to entities engaging in contact tracing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The bill, known as H.R. 6666, would authorize the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to “award grants to eligible entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID–19, to trace and monitor the contacts of infected individuals, and to support the quarantine of such contacts.”
Any funds would have to be used not for contact tracing directly, but “to hire, train, compensate, and pay the expenses of individuals,” as well as “to purchase personal protective equipment and other supplies.”
Already, states “are building armies of contact tracers,” as The Hill reported.
“Contact tracing,” according to The Hill, “is a pillar of basic public health, a critical element in battling infectious disease around the globe. The goal is to identify those who have been infected with a virus and those with whom the infected person has come into contact.”
California is trying “to build an army of 20,000 people to test, trace and isolate people who may have been infected.” The numbers in other states are smaller but not insignificant.
Tech giants Apple and Google had announced a way to do contact tracing digitally, raising some concerns about privacy.
“The software would silently keep track of people who’d been near someone who tested positive for the virus, prompting those contacts to be tested and quarantined if necessary,” WIRED explained.
Nevertheless, states and municipalities across the country “have looked carefully at cutting-edge contact-tracing solutions and largely said, ‘No thanks,’ or ‘Not now.’”
Instead, they continue to have men and women trace contacts the old-fashioned way. This is precisely the point.
Public health officers, WIRED emphasized, “are typically MDs and PhDs who aren’t dazzled by cool-looking software, especially if the pitch comes from people without public health backgrounds. They’re uncomfortable deploying untested technology during a pandemic, when glitches can cost lives.”
If signed into law, H.R. 6666 will appropriate $100 billion to support activities like contact tracing within the fiscal year 2020. However, the bill would also appropriate “such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal year 2021 and any subsequent fiscal year during which the emergency period continues.”
Among the 39 original cosponsors of the bill, Jeff Van Drew was the only Republican. As of May 12, six additional Democrats have become cosponsors of the bill.
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in New Jersey in 2018, Van Drew officially switched to the Republican Party in early 2020. His decision was made after disagreements with the vast majority of Democrats on impeaching President Donald Trump in 2019.
According to Vote Smart, Van Drew’s position on abortion is quite clear. He had written on his campaign website, “I’m strongly and unequivocally pro-choice: I support Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose.”
“Any efforts to weaken or undermine that right will face my fierce opposition,” Van Drew said in 2018. (That statement has since disappeared from his campaign website.) “Proudly, I have consistently voted in the New Jersey State Legislature to support critical women’s healthcare funding that provides preventive health services, cancer screenings, and prenatal care for low-income women.”
As pro-abortion Rewire.News pointed out, “Van Drew received a zero percent rating from National Right to Life and a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood Action Fund in 2019, as well as a 100 percent rating in 2016–2017 from Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey.”
However, as Politico reported in January, Van Drew signed “a GOP discharge petition … that would circumvent leadership and force a floor vote on anti-abortion legislation if it gets 218 signatures.”
Since then, his National Right to Life rating has increased to 17 percent. Planned Parenthood Action Fund has not yet come out with a new rating.
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