lifesitenews--2020-05-07--A virus threatens to dramatically change America and Christian civilization

May 6 , 2020 ( Tradition , Family & Property ) – America and the world now face a turning point in history that will define generations to come .
In addition to the suffering and death toll , the coronavirus pandemic might trigger the greatest changes that humanity has faced in Christianity ’ s 2,000 years .
Transformations are happening , but few commentators alert public opinion with an in-depth analysis or a comprehensive overview .
Amid a public calamity presented as an apocalypse , these transformations are being absorbed with resignation by many .
Saying that the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become a much-repeated mantra .
Prophets of a post-coronavirus world are appearing .
They propose to make the world more egalitarian , ecological , and post-industrial .
Their new world will neither correct past mistakes nor introduce a return to order1 based on natural law and the principles of organic society .
Instead , some liberals hope for the utopian world of radical ecologists and Indian tribalists .
Others dream of one-world rule , first in the area of public health , then ecology , politics and , finally , even philosophy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great danger , and inspired by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira ’ s essay Unperceived Ideological Transshipment and Dialogue , the American Society for the Defense of Tradition , Family , and Property — TFP presents this first analysis of the risks the nation faces at this critical time .
We hope this cry of alert will awaken generous but unwary souls , preserving them from the left ’ s ideological manipulation .
We base this analysis on the principles of Catholic social doctrine , which must be remembered now more than ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have long been silent about them .
These principles will provide the necessary guidance for a humanity that trusted in science and technology but now finds itself threatened by an unknown and ominous future .
1 .
The True Meaning of the Common Good In the name of the common good , public health experts present demands that have all but monopolized government handling of the crisis .
However , the common good is not limited to the utilitarian and secular meaning it acquired in modern democracies .
Its true meaning is broader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We quote from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church : 164 .
… According to its primary and broadly accepted sense , the common good indicates ‘ the sum total of social conditions which allow people , either as groups or as individuals , to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.
’ … Just as the moral actions of an individual are accomplished in doing what is good , so too the actions of a society attain their full stature when they bring about the common good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , can be understood as the social and community dimension of the moral good .
... 170 .
The common good of society is not an end in itself ; it has value only in reference to attaining the ultimate ends of the person and the universal common good of the whole of creation .
God is the ultimate end of his creatures and for no reason may the common good be deprived of its transcendent dimension , which moves beyond the historical dimension while at the same time fulfilling it .
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up transforming the common good into a simple socio-economic well-being , without any transcendental goal , that is , without its most intimate reason for existing.2 Separating concern for the economy from other aspects of human life reduces man to his merely historical and materialistic dimension .
Similarly , unless concern for physical health is harmonized with other human needs , some of which are transcendent , and unless it is subordinated to the moral good , it ends up denying the common good itself .
2 .
The Common Good Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inversion of values occurred when government closed churches and religious services , blocking the faithful ’ s access to the sacraments .
This action was a denial of society ’ s true common good .
Religious ministry is obviously essential and of public utility .
Churches must remain open , public worship must continue , and clergy must administer the sacraments , while respecting all prudential rules to avoid contagion .
Like healthcare providers , priests must have the freedom to circulate so that they can serve all the faithful , especially the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals .
This priestly ministering is lawful activity explicitly protected under the First Amendment .
Thus , as long as health safety measures are respected , the government may not forbid it .
Moreover , in sound Catholic social doctrine , the last word on this matter belongs to the Church , not the State.3 In this regard , Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò , a former papal nuncio in Washington , D.C. , stated in a recent interview : Respect for religious worship becomes all the more necessary knowing that the human immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gravely ill , is weakened by panic , stress , depression , and exhaustion .
Thus , depriving the sick of spiritual care that addresses these issues can only harm public health .
Many bishops and clergy went along with this unjust violation of the natural and constitutional freedom to practice the Faith .
They raised no protest .
This submission was a betrayal of their sacred mission .
Sadly , others outdid the authorities and applied stricter health safety measures than those promulgated by local government .
3 .
The Common Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While health is an important element of community life , it is not the supreme value .
Neither is it an absolute right that overrides the moral good or a nation ’ s very existence and future .
Quoting again from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church : 169 .
To ensure the common good , the government of each country has the specific duty to harmonize the different sectoral interests with the requirements of justice .
The proper reconciling of the particular goods of groups and those of individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most delicate tasks of public authority .
Thus , the government must balance its measures to fight the pandemic and the needs of society at large .
The latter can not be harmed by frantic decisions .
Hasty actions can lead not only to even more pandemic deaths but also to hunger and loss of life resulting from unpredictable social upheavals .
International agencies , liberal media , and ideological currents that have long advocated the sacrificing of innocent victims through abortion and euthanasia now passionately argue that we must defend life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this paradox reveals that their real motivation is the promotion of ideological agendas .
Some are pursuing a utopian and totalitarian new world order .
Others seek a mad drive to de-develop , dismantle all progress and civilization , and move humanity to the tribal life advocated by the choristers of post-Marxist liberation theology and deep ecology .
Both tracks are perverse .
4 .
For the True Common Good , Government ’ s Executive Branch Must Harmonize Conflicting Interests Fighting the coronavirus is not just a health issue .
It has social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( such as the closing of churches ) .
The role of the executive branch of government is to gauge the implications of its decisions on each sector of community life — not just public health .
Its decisions must suit society as a whole .
Moreover , determining the appropriate measures to combat the pandemic is its prerogative .
It is not the bailiwick of international organizations , epidemiology experts , the media , or ideological lobbies .
Public authorities receive graces from God ( which they can accept or reject ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their decisions must be obeyed unless they contradict the moral good , which is the foundation of natural law .
5 .
The Common Good Requires That Restrictions to Personal Freedoms Be Temporary For years , many leftists were loud defenders of public liberties and personal freedoms .
These same activists now champion extreme measures of social control .
Moreover , they would impose such rules indefinitely .
Some even advocate international control .
They acclaim the supposed success of the “ Chinese model , ” which , they say , suppressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Such restrictive measures have prevailed .
Due to the pandemic , many countries have adopted mandatory shelter-in-place .
More than 40 percent of the world population is now confined to their homes .
Are such “ police state ” measures legitimate ?
Can they be reconciled with Catholic social doctrine ?
In his masterpiece , Revolution and Counter-Revolution , Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira says that strong government measures are sometimes needed .
However , they must necessarily be transitory .
Addressing the issue if a State ’ s use of dictatorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wrote : “ There are circumstances that demand , for the sake of the salus populi ( the salvation of the people ) , a suspension of individual rights and a greater exercise of public power .
A dictatorship , therefore , can be legitimate in certain cases.
” However , he cites some requirements for the legitimate use of extraordinary powers .
The numbering is ours : 1 .
It must suspend rights to protect order , not to subvert it .
By order , we do not mean mere material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to their end and in accordance with the respective scale of values .
2 .
By definition , this suspension is temporary .
It must prepare circumstances for a return to order and normality as soon as possible .
A dictatorship , to the degree it is good , proceeds to put an end to its very reason for being .
The intervention of public authority in the various sectors of the national life must be undertaken in such a way that , as soon as possible , each sector may live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In contrast , a revolutionary ( leftist ) dictatorship aims to perpetuate itself .
It violates authentic rights and penetrates all spheres of society to destroy them .
It carries out this destruction by sundering family life , harming the genuine elites , subverting the social hierarchy , fomenting utopian ideas , and disorderly ambitions in the multitudes , extinguishing the real life of the social groups and subjecting everything to the State .
In short , it favors the work of the Revolution .
A typical example of such a dictatorship was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revolutionary dictatorship is fundamentally anti-Catholic.Revolution and Counter-Revolution , Part I , Ch .
3 , no .
5 , F.5 If we apply these criteria to the current pandemic , the restrictions to personal freedoms and normal life must obviously be kept to a minimum .
The government should not prolong them beyond what is urgently and unquestionably needed to cope with the emergency .
6 .
The Common Good Demands That the Principle of Subsidiarity Be Respected Even in Emergencies While public authority represents the head of the social body and plays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s life is the fruit of the energy and activity of all its cells and organs .
Fighting the pandemic is not a State monopoly .
All society has a role .
The government must not prohibit or hamper the efforts that can be done by intermediary associations and individuals .
Quoting once more from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine : 185 .
Subsidiarity is among the most constant and characteristic directives of the Church ’ s social doctrine and has been present since the first great social encyclical .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person without showing concern for the family , groups , associations , local territorial realities ; in short , for that aggregate of economic , social , cultural , sports-oriented , recreational , professional and political expressions to which people spontaneously give life and which make it possible for them to achieve effective social growth .
This is the realm of civil society , understood as the sum of the relationships between individuals and intermediate social groupings , which are the first relationships to arise and which come about thanks to “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network of relationships strengthens the social fabric and constitutes the basis of a true community of persons , making possible the recognition of higher forms of social activity .
From a practical perspective , respect for subsidiarity is even more necessary since the private sector finds solutions and applies remedies more quickly than the plodding State machinery .
A proper application of the principle of subsidiarity means that problems are tackled and solved at the lowest possible level .
The private sector ’ s contribution to the pandemic battle is indispensable .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort that will follow .
The pandemic revealed the vulnerability of our interconnected world .
Globalization ’ s siren song led countless businesses to sacrifice their roots in local communities to move offshore , especially to China , where labor was cheap and work conditions less restricted .
The resulting long supply chains are prone to disruption .
Our present plight should lead to a determined effort to repatriate our manufacturing base and establish ample trade partnerships with like-minded countries .
Not only will this policy make our economy independent of communist China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anchor industries at home in our communities .
For the same reason , we must defend private ownership in our energy , healthcare , manufacturing , mining , banking , ranching and agriculture , food processing , insurance , construction , shipping , transportation , and every other sector of the economy .
Innumerable businesses will suffer devaluation in the coming economic depression .
Ownership control over them must not be allowed to fall into the hands of dubious foreign capital , especially that of large Chinese companies controlled by the Communist Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abetted the pandemic with its negligence , lies , and obfuscation .
Nevertheless , this same totalitarian regime is now presented as a model on how to suppress the virus .
The Chinese Communist Party has widely publicized its use of state-of-the-art technology to identify and track people .
Through facial recognition and location software on smartphones , the Chinese rulers can identify each individual ’ s whereabouts and contacts .
The latter are forcibly quarantined .
Beijing claims it suppressed the coronavirus .
Is this true ?
No one knows .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regime filters both print and social media .
However , based on the “ Chinese model ” of social control , communists and leftists worldwide are preparing a post-corona , interconnected , globalized , and socialized society inside a dictatorial and increasingly egalitarian State .
This model could not be more opposed to the authentic individual freedoms found in an organic society that respects the principle of subsidiarity .
The coronavirus is a real danger to public health that should not be underestimated .
Its suppression favors the common good .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrificing values , breaking down ideological barriers vis-à-vis Communism , accepting a “ paradigm shift ” and ushering in a new world order contrary to Christianity .
It would lead to a dictatorship without morals or metaphysics .
This totalitarian regime would silence all those who hold that man is more than a physical body , economy involves more than money , or that the true common good must never dispense with moral values and the Faith .
In November 1965 , Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira published his study on Unperceived Ideological Transshipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described the maneuver through which an entire population can be led to change their perceptions and beliefs without fully realizing it .
Unperceived ideological transshipment should not be confused with brainwashing — an unscientific , journalistic term that denies human free will .
Through a discreet and profound maneuver operating in hearts and minds , unperceived ideological transshipment influences its unwary victims to shift in their beliefs and values , yet without violence to free will .
The immense pressure on public opinion has whipped up mass hysteria .
We might ask if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society under the pretext of battling a public health emergency .
Do we run the risk of becoming unwary victims of a major maneuver of unperceived ideological transshipment ?
Consider the comments of the renowned columnist Renaud Girard on April 6 , 2020 , in the Paris daily Le Figaro under the descriptive title “ Confinement : A Cure Worse Than the Disease ?
” In the present emergency , we must raise our eyes to the supernatural plane and consider events from a higher and more long-range perspective .
Throughout history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punishments .
It would be absurd to imagine that God , almighty and all-knowing , is unaware of this pandemic or that He can not change the course of events radically .
In His infinite wisdom , God has allowed secondary causes to trigger this coronavirus scourge .
It is not unreasonable to ask if His mysterious intention was not to correct our sins and vices , like a good Father , who wants to spare his children from eternal damnation .
On the Cross , Our Lord uttered that piercing cry : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why hast Thou forsaken Me ?
” ( Matt .
27:46 ) .
The Savior bore the burden of our sins for our redemption .
He was innocent .
We are not .
Like the Good Thief , we deserve this chastisement .
There is much for which we must beg forgiveness .
Over the last few decades , how many changes opposed to Divine and natural law have become accepted in society .
How many public blasphemies !
More than sixty million innocent Americans were killed through abortion .
Same-sex “ marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Queen Story Hours for children and transgender bathrooms !
Like the inhabitants of Nineveh in the Old Testament , what God wants from humanity is not death but repentance and conversion .
He wants this not only from each individual but also from the American nation so that we can authentically be “ one nation under God.
” This conversion will require many sacrifices from everyone with a view to the common good .
Yet we can always rely on the omnipotence of divine grace and the most powerful intercession of Mary Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foot of the Cross .
In that supremely tragic hour of suffering and fidelity , Our Lord gave her to us as our mother .
We should ask God for His urgent help , through Mary , His Blessed Mother .
It should be done with a sincere purpose of conversion and amendment of life .
While all should make this heartfelt prayer , God wants to hear it most from the President and our highest public authorities .
Should this official public prayer be made , God will hear it .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial , but it will be well-positioned to joyfully witness the fulfillment of Our Lady ’ s promise at Fatima when she said : “ Finally , my Immaculate Heart will triumph !
” • See John Horvat II , Return to Order : From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society ( York , Penn .
: York Press , 2013 ) .
https : //www.returntoorder.org/ .
• Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace , Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church , nos .
164 , 170 , accessed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html .
• Pope Leo XIII teaches : “ It is to the Church that God has assigned the charge of seeing to , and legislating for , all that concerns religion ; of teaching all nations ; of spreading the Christian faith as widely as possible ; in short , of administering freely and without hindrance , in accordance with her own judgment , all matters that fall within its competence.
” Encyclical Immortale Dei , Nov. 1 , 1885 , no .
11 , http : //www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_01111885_immortale-dei.html .
• Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Archbishop Viganò on COVID-19 and the Hand of God , ” The Remnant , Mar .
29 , 2020 , https : //remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/4827-a-remnant-interview-archbishop-vigano-on-covid-19-and-the-hand-of-god .
• Renaud Girard , “ Le confinement , remède pire que le mal ?
” Le Figaro , Apr .
6 , 2020 , https : //www.lefigaro.fr/vox/monde/renaud-girard-le-confinement-remede-pire-que-le-mal-20200406 .
Reprinted with permission from The American Society for the Defense of Tradition , Family and Property .

At this critical time, authentic Catholic social doctrine needs to be understood and followed.
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May 6, 2020 (Tradition, Family & Property) – America and the world now face a turning point in history that will define generations to come. In addition to the suffering and death toll, the coronavirus pandemic might trigger the greatest changes that humanity has faced in Christianity’s 2,000 years.
Transformations are happening, but few commentators alert public opinion with an in-depth analysis or a comprehensive overview. Amid a public calamity presented as an apocalypse, these transformations are being absorbed with resignation by many.
Saying that the world “will never be the same” has become a much-repeated mantra.
Prophets of a post-coronavirus world are appearing. They propose to make the world more egalitarian, ecological, and post-industrial. Their new world will neither correct past mistakes nor introduce a return to order1 based on natural law and the principles of organic society. Instead, some liberals hope for the utopian world of radical ecologists and Indian tribalists. Others dream of one-world rule, first in the area of public health, then ecology, politics and, finally, even philosophy and religion.
To warn against this great danger, and inspired by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira’s essay Unperceived Ideological Transshipment and Dialogue, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property — TFP presents this first analysis of the risks the nation faces at this critical time. We hope this cry of alert will awaken generous but unwary souls, preserving them from the left’s ideological manipulation.
We base this analysis on the principles of Catholic social doctrine, which must be remembered now more than ever, particularly because many bishops and priests have long been silent about them.
These principles will provide the necessary guidance for a humanity that trusted in science and technology but now finds itself threatened by an unknown and ominous future.
1. The True Meaning of the Common Good
In the name of the common good, public health experts present demands that have all but monopolized government handling of the crisis. However, the common good is not limited to the utilitarian and secular meaning it acquired in modern democracies. Its true meaning is broader with several implications for the current crisis.
We quote from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church:
164. … According to its primary and broadly accepted sense, the common good indicates ‘the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.’ … Just as the moral actions of an individual are accomplished in doing what is good, so too the actions of a society attain their full stature when they bring about the common good. The common good, in fact, can be understood as the social and community dimension of the moral good. …
170. The common good of society is not an end in itself; it has value only in reference to attaining the ultimate ends of the person and the universal common good of the whole of creation. God is the ultimate end of his creatures and for no reason may the common good be deprived of its transcendent dimension, which moves beyond the historical dimension while at the same time fulfilling it. … A purely historical and materialistic vision would end up transforming the common good into a simple socio-economic well-being, without any transcendental goal, that is, without its most intimate reason for existing.2
Separating concern for the economy from other aspects of human life reduces man to his merely historical and materialistic dimension. Similarly, unless concern for physical health is harmonized with other human needs, some of which are transcendent, and unless it is subordinated to the moral good, it ends up denying the common good itself.
2. The Common Good Is Above All Spiritual
Therefore, the first inversion of values occurred when government closed churches and religious services, blocking the faithful’s access to the sacraments. This action was a denial of society’s true common good.
Religious ministry is obviously essential and of public utility. Churches must remain open, public worship must continue, and clergy must administer the sacraments, while respecting all prudential rules to avoid contagion. Like healthcare providers, priests must have the freedom to circulate so that they can serve all the faithful, especially the sick and dying, in homes and hospitals. This priestly ministering is lawful activity explicitly protected under the First Amendment. Thus, as long as health safety measures are respected, the government may not forbid it. Moreover, in sound Catholic social doctrine, the last word on this matter belongs to the Church, not the State.3
In this regard, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a former papal nuncio in Washington, D.C., stated in a recent interview:
Clearly, I understand and share the basic worries about safety and protection which the authorities require for public health. However, just as they have the right to pass measures for things affecting our bodies, so the Church authorities have the right and the duty to worry about the health of our souls. They cannot deny the faithful the spiritual sustenance they receive from the Eucharist, not to mention the Sacrament of Confession, Mass, and Viaticum.4
Respect for religious worship becomes all the more necessary knowing that the human immune system, particularly of those elderly and gravely ill, is weakened by panic, stress, depression, and exhaustion. Thus, depriving the sick of spiritual care that addresses these issues can only harm public health.
Many bishops and clergy went along with this unjust violation of the natural and constitutional freedom to practice the Faith. They raised no protest. This submission was a betrayal of their sacred mission. Sadly, others outdid the authorities and applied stricter health safety measures than those promulgated by local government.
3. The Common Good Results from the Harmonization of Various Interests
While health is an important element of community life, it is not the supreme value. Neither is it an absolute right that overrides the moral good or a nation’s very existence and future.
Quoting again from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church:
169. To ensure the common good, the government of each country has the specific duty to harmonize the different sectoral interests with the requirements of justice. The proper reconciling of the particular goods of groups and those of individuals is, in fact, one of the most delicate tasks of public authority.
Thus, the government must balance its measures to fight the pandemic and the needs of society at large. The latter cannot be harmed by frantic decisions. Hasty actions can lead not only to even more pandemic deaths but also to hunger and loss of life resulting from unpredictable social upheavals.
International agencies, liberal media, and ideological currents that have long advocated the sacrificing of innocent victims through abortion and euthanasia now passionately argue that we must defend life at all costs. The hypocrisy of this paradox reveals that their real motivation is the promotion of ideological agendas.
Some are pursuing a utopian and totalitarian new world order. Others seek a mad drive to de-develop, dismantle all progress and civilization, and move humanity to the tribal life advocated by the choristers of post-Marxist liberation theology and deep ecology. Both tracks are perverse.
4. For the True Common Good, Government’s Executive Branch Must Harmonize Conflicting Interests
Fighting the coronavirus is not just a health issue. It has social, political, economic and religious implications (such as the closing of churches).
The role of the executive branch of government is to gauge the implications of its decisions on each sector of community life — not just public health. Its decisions must suit society as a whole. Moreover, determining the appropriate measures to combat the pandemic is its prerogative. It is not the bailiwick of international organizations, epidemiology experts, the media, or ideological lobbies.
Public authorities receive graces from God (which they can accept or reject) to make these decisions that affect all. Their decisions must be obeyed unless they contradict the moral good, which is the foundation of natural law.
5. The Common Good Requires That Restrictions to Personal Freedoms Be Temporary
For years, many leftists were loud defenders of public liberties and personal freedoms. These same activists now champion extreme measures of social control. Moreover, they would impose such rules indefinitely. Some even advocate international control. They acclaim the supposed success of the “Chinese model,” which, they say, suppressed the contagion without bothering about individual freedoms.
Such restrictive measures have prevailed. Due to the pandemic, many countries have adopted mandatory shelter-in-place. More than 40 percent of the world population is now confined to their homes.
Are such “police state” measures legitimate? Can they be reconciled with Catholic social doctrine?
In his masterpiece, Revolution and Counter-Revolution, Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira says that strong government measures are sometimes needed. However, they must necessarily be transitory. Addressing the issue if a State’s use of dictatorial powers can be legitimate or not, he wrote: “There are circumstances that demand, for the sake of the salus populi (the salvation of the people), a suspension of individual rights and a greater exercise of public power. A dictatorship, therefore, can be legitimate in certain cases.”
However, he cites some requirements for the legitimate use of extraordinary powers. The numbering is ours:
1. It must suspend rights to protect order, not to subvert it. By order, we do not mean mere material tranquility, but the disposition of things according to their end and in accordance with the respective scale of values.
2. By definition, this suspension is temporary. It must prepare circumstances for a return to order and normality as soon as possible. A dictatorship, to the degree it is good, proceeds to put an end to its very reason for being. The intervention of public authority in the various sectors of the national life must be undertaken in such a way that, as soon as possible, each sector may live with the necessary autonomy.
3. In contrast, a revolutionary (leftist) dictatorship aims to perpetuate itself. It violates authentic rights and penetrates all spheres of society to destroy them. It carries out this destruction by sundering family life, harming the genuine elites, subverting the social hierarchy, fomenting utopian ideas, and disorderly ambitions in the multitudes, extinguishing the real life of the social groups and subjecting everything to the State. In short, it favors the work of the Revolution. A typical example of such a dictatorship was Hitlerism. For this reason, a revolutionary dictatorship is fundamentally anti-Catholic.Revolution and Counter-Revolution, Part I, Ch. 3, no. 5, F.5
If we apply these criteria to the current pandemic, the restrictions to personal freedoms and normal life must obviously be kept to a minimum. The government should not prolong them beyond what is urgently and unquestionably needed to cope with the emergency.
6. The Common Good Demands That the Principle of Subsidiarity Be Respected Even in Emergencies
While public authority represents the head of the social body and plays an essential directive role, society’s life is the fruit of the energy and activity of all its cells and organs.
Fighting the pandemic is not a State monopoly. All society has a role. The government must not prohibit or hamper the efforts that can be done by intermediary associations and individuals.
Quoting once more from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine:
185. Subsidiarity is among the most constant and characteristic directives of the Church’s social doctrine and has been present since the first great social encyclical. It is impossible to promote the dignity of the person without showing concern for the family, groups, associations, local territorial realities; in short, for that aggregate of economic, social, cultural, sports-oriented, recreational, professional and political expressions to which people spontaneously give life and which make it possible for them to achieve effective social growth. This is the realm of civil society, understood as the sum of the relationships between individuals and intermediate social groupings, which are the first relationships to arise and which come about thanks to “the creative subjectivity of the citizen.” This network of relationships strengthens the social fabric and constitutes the basis of a true community of persons, making possible the recognition of higher forms of social activity.
From a practical perspective, respect for subsidiarity is even more necessary since the private sector finds solutions and applies remedies more quickly than the plodding State machinery. A proper application of the principle of subsidiarity means that problems are tackled and solved at the lowest possible level.
The private sector’s contribution to the pandemic battle is indispensable. It must also participate in the national reconstruction effort that will follow.
7. The Common Good Requires Strengthening National Sovereignty
The pandemic revealed the vulnerability of our interconnected world. Globalization’s siren song led countless businesses to sacrifice their roots in local communities to move offshore, especially to China, where labor was cheap and work conditions less restricted. The resulting long supply chains are prone to disruption.
Our present plight should lead to a determined effort to repatriate our manufacturing base and establish ample trade partnerships with like-minded countries. Not only will this policy make our economy independent of communist China’s influence, it will also anchor industries at home in our communities.
For the same reason, we must defend private ownership in our energy, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, banking, ranching and agriculture, food processing, insurance, construction, shipping, transportation, and every other sector of the economy. Innumerable businesses will suffer devaluation in the coming economic depression. Ownership control over them must not be allowed to fall into the hands of dubious foreign capital, especially that of large Chinese companies controlled by the Communist Party and State.
8. The Chinese Model of Social Control
Communist China aided and abetted the pandemic with its negligence, lies, and obfuscation. Nevertheless, this same totalitarian regime is now presented as a model on how to suppress the virus. The Chinese Communist Party has widely publicized its use of state-of-the-art technology to identify and track people. Through facial recognition and location software on smartphones, the Chinese rulers can identify each individual’s whereabouts and contacts. The latter are forcibly quarantined.
Beijing claims it suppressed the coronavirus. Is this true? No one knows. No reliable data comes out of China since the regime filters both print and social media.
However, based on the “Chinese model” of social control, communists and leftists worldwide are preparing a post-corona, interconnected, globalized, and socialized society inside a dictatorial and increasingly egalitarian State.
This model could not be more opposed to the authentic individual freedoms found in an organic society that respects the principle of subsidiarity.
9. The Danger of Dictatorship
The coronavirus is a real danger to public health that should not be underestimated. Its suppression favors the common good. However, this effort cannot lead to sacrificing values, breaking down ideological barriers vis-à-vis Communism, accepting a “paradigm shift” and ushering in a new world order contrary to Christianity.
It would lead to a dictatorship without morals or metaphysics. This totalitarian regime would silence all those who hold that man is more than a physical body, economy involves more than money, or that the true common good must never dispense with moral values and the Faith.
10. Unperceived Ideological Transshipment
In November 1965, Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira published his study on Unperceived Ideological Transshipment and Dialogue.Unperceived Ideological Transshipment and Dialogue.6 He described the maneuver through which an entire population can be led to change their perceptions and beliefs without fully realizing it.
Unperceived ideological transshipment should not be confused with brainwashing — an unscientific, journalistic term that denies human free will. Through a discreet and profound maneuver operating in hearts and minds, unperceived ideological transshipment influences its unwary victims to shift in their beliefs and values, yet without violence to free will.
The immense pressure on public opinion has whipped up mass hysteria. We might ask if this is not a means to transform society under the pretext of battling a public health emergency. Do we run the risk of becoming unwary victims of a major maneuver of unperceived ideological transshipment?
Consider the comments of the renowned columnist Renaud Girard on April 6, 2020, in the Paris daily Le Figaro under the descriptive title “Confinement: A Cure Worse Than the Disease?”
Long before the appearance of Sars-CoV-2, classic obstructive pulmonary diseases were already killing large numbers. In 2016, according to WHO, they destroyed three million lives. However, that year the planet’s economy did not stop. Last year, traffic accidents killed more than a million people worldwide. However, we do not prohibit driving…. However, prolonged general confinement could greatly increase world mortality due to the disorganization it causes. The cure can be worse than the disease.7
Conclusion
In the present emergency, we must raise our eyes to the supernatural plane and consider events from a higher and more long-range perspective.
Throughout history, peoples considered plagues as divine warnings or punishments.
It would be absurd to imagine that God, almighty and all-knowing, is unaware of this pandemic or that He cannot change the course of events radically.
In His infinite wisdom, God has allowed secondary causes to trigger this coronavirus scourge. It is not unreasonable to ask if His mysterious intention was not to correct our sins and vices, like a good Father, who wants to spare his children from eternal damnation.
On the Cross, Our Lord uttered that piercing cry: “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46). The Savior bore the burden of our sins for our redemption. He was innocent. We are not. Like the Good Thief, we deserve this chastisement. There is much for which we must beg forgiveness.
Over the last few decades, how many changes opposed to Divine and natural law have become accepted in society. How many public blasphemies! More than sixty million innocent Americans were killed through abortion. Same-sex “marriage” was legalized! There are Drag Queen Story Hours for children and transgender bathrooms!
Like the inhabitants of Nineveh in the Old Testament, what God wants from humanity is not death but repentance and conversion. He wants this not only from each individual but also from the American nation so that we can authentically be “one nation under God.”
This conversion will require many sacrifices from everyone with a view to the common good. Yet we can always rely on the omnipotence of divine grace and the most powerful intercession of Mary Most Holy. She remained standing at the foot of the Cross. In that supremely tragic hour of suffering and fidelity, Our Lord gave her to us as our mother.
We should ask God for His urgent help, through Mary, His Blessed Mother. It should be done with a sincere purpose of conversion and amendment of life. While all should make this heartfelt prayer, God wants to hear it most from the President and our highest public authorities.
Should this official public prayer be made, God will hear it.
Not only will America then survive this present trial, but it will be well-positioned to joyfully witness the fulfillment of Our Lady’s promise at Fatima when she said: “Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”
Footnotes
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lifesitenews--2020-05-08--Britain’s top cardinal tells UK Catholics it would be ‘scandal’ to reopen churches

UNITED KINGDOM , May 7 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Cardinal Vincent Nichols , the U.K. ’ s senior Catholic cleric , told Catholics that it would be a “ scandal ” for churches to open for private prayer at present .
This comes after the bishops previously made it clear that they helped convince the government to close the churches .
The comment was made in a letter sent to Catholics in the U.K. who had written to the bishops asking that the churches be reopened .
“ I ask you to remember that the churches are closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government , ” Nichols ’ s letter states .
“ The Prime Minister said this explicitly on 23rd March .
These restrictions are still in place as part of the great effort to contain this deadly virus .
To do so is a serious moral imperative .
To act contrary to this guideline would be to endanger life and to act in a way that gave scandal , ” he continued .
The letter does not acknowledge that the bishops themselves , according to their own statement , played a key role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private prayer .
The Catholic bishops prohibited the celebration of public Masses before the lockdown came into force and , according to their own statement , played a crucial role themselves in convincing the government to require that churches be closed altogether .
A March 24 statement from the Catholic Bishops ’ Conference of England & Wales ( CBCEW ) explained the role played by Professor Jim McManus , a member of the health care reference group for the bishops ’ conference , in convincing the government to close churches after guidance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local government had stated that “ places of worship should remain open for solitary prayer.
” “ Professor Jim McManus has spoken with a senior civil servant and it was quite clear they just had not thought through the issues of infection and security of churches and when he made these points clear , they were appalled and agreed they had made a mistake , ” the diocese ’ s statement said .
Urgent appeal to the bishops of the world : Feed your flock Sign the petition here .
“ Keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and therefore they must be closed for the benefit of others and stopping infection , ” the bishops continued .
Maria Haynes , a Catholic housewife , mother , and NHS professional who has spent over thirty years working as a pro-family , pro-life activist , told LifeSite that “ when supermarkets are open , maintaining government guidelines , there is no case to support Catholic churches being closed.
” Haynes , who received the letter from Nichols , told LifeSite that she has written a response to the cardinal asking him if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been explained to the government that Catholics desperately need access to pray before the Blessed Sacrament .
“ In the secular world in which we are living , we Catholics can not assume that any of our government ministers have the slightest understanding of Catholic belief in this regard and therefore we must make sure that they are made aware of this , ” Haynes said .
Haynes told LifeSite she has respond to Nichols , asking him : In his letter , Nichols also suggested that Catholics contact the secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , and local government , Rt .
Hon .
Robert Jenrick , to express their “ deep desire ” to have renewed access to churches “ for prayer and for the celebration of Sacraments ” and to “ stress how essential these matters are in your life.
” Haynes told LifeSite she has responded to Nichols , asking : “ While we had already done this prior to receiving your letter , Your Eminence , I must ask you as our cardinal , have you done this on our behalf ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other Catholics in the U.K. who have received similar letters from Nichols .
“ Catholic parishes throughout England and Wales are perfectly capable of putting systems in place to ensure that government guidelines on social distancing are followed , ” she said .
Last month , Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth questioned the wisdom of churches being closed during the coronavirus lockdown .
LifeSite wrote to Egan to ask if , in light of his comments , he was planning to reopen his churches for private prayer but did not receive a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your wishes to your bishops , please use this search engine to find contact details for Catholic bishops in England and Wales and this one here for Catholic bishops in Scotland .
Cardinal Nichols can be contacted at [ email protected ]

'[T]he churches are closed because of the restrictions established by the Government,' Cardinal Vincent Nichols explained, without recalling that the bishops convinced the government to close the churches.
UNITED KINGDOM, May 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the U.K.’s senior Catholic cleric, told Catholics that it would be a “scandal” for churches to open for private prayer at present. This comes after the bishops previously made it clear that they helped convince the government to close the churches.
The comment was made in a letter sent to Catholics in the U.K. who had written to the bishops asking that the churches be reopened.
“I ask you to remember that the churches are closed because of the restrictions established by the Government,” Nichols’s letter states.
“The Prime Minister said this explicitly on 23rd March. These restrictions are still in place as part of the great effort to contain this deadly virus. To do so is a serious moral imperative. To act contrary to this guideline would be to endanger life and to act in a way that gave scandal,” he continued.
The letter does not acknowledge that the bishops themselves, according to their own statement, played a key role in the U.K. government closing churches even to private prayer.
The Catholic bishops prohibited the celebration of public Masses before the lockdown came into force and, according to their own statement, played a crucial role themselves in convincing the government to require that churches be closed altogether.
A March 24 statement from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales (CBCEW) explained the role played by Professor Jim McManus, a member of the health care reference group for the bishops’ conference, in convincing the government to close churches after guidance from the ministry of housing, communities, and local government had stated that “places of worship should remain open for solitary prayer.”
“Professor Jim McManus has spoken with a senior civil servant and it was quite clear they just had not thought through the issues of infection and security of churches and when he made these points clear, they were appalled and agreed they had made a mistake,” the diocese’s statement said.
Urgent appeal to the bishops of the world: Feed your flock Sign the petition here.
“Keeping churches open sends an utterly inconsistent message and therefore they must be closed for the benefit of others and stopping infection,” the bishops continued.
Maria Haynes, a Catholic housewife, mother, and NHS professional who has spent over thirty years working as a pro-family, pro-life activist, told LifeSite that “when supermarkets are open, maintaining government guidelines, there is no case to support Catholic churches being closed.”
Haynes, who received the letter from Nichols, told LifeSite that she has written a response to the cardinal asking him if at this time of great stress it has been explained to the government that Catholics desperately need access to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
“In the secular world in which we are living, we Catholics cannot assume that any of our government ministers have the slightest understanding of Catholic belief in this regard and therefore we must make sure that they are made aware of this,” Haynes said.
Haynes told LifeSite she has respond to Nichols, asking him:
Did the government “establish” these “restrictions” following consultation with you as leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales? I ask this because my understanding is that the government’s jurisdiction over Catholic Church matters ends at the front door of each Catholic church.
In his letter, Nichols also suggested that Catholics contact the secretary of state for the ministry of housing, communities, and local government, Rt. Hon. Robert Jenrick, to express their “deep desire” to have renewed access to churches “for prayer and for the celebration of Sacraments” and to “stress how essential these matters are in your life.”
Haynes told LifeSite she has responded to Nichols, asking: “While we had already done this prior to receiving your letter, Your Eminence, I must ask you as our cardinal, have you done this on our behalf?”
Haynes told LifeSite that she has spoken to other Catholics in the U.K. who have received similar letters from Nichols.
“Catholic parishes throughout England and Wales are perfectly capable of putting systems in place to ensure that government guidelines on social distancing are followed,” she said.
Last month, Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth questioned the wisdom of churches being closed during the coronavirus lockdown. LifeSite wrote to Egan to ask if, in light of his comments, he was planning to reopen his churches for private prayer but did not receive a response.
To respectfully and charitably communicate your wishes to your bishops, please use this search engine to find contact details for Catholic bishops in England and Wales and this one here for Catholic bishops in Scotland. Cardinal Nichols can be contacted at [email protected]
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lifesitenews--2020-05-08--Conservatives denounce Facebook’s new ‘Oversight Board’ for judgckerber ‘free expression’

WASHINGTON , D.C. , May 7 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A coalition of more than 60 conservative organizations has responded to Facebook ’ s announcement of the creation of an international “ Oversight Board ” — packed with leftists and those with ties to globalist George Soros — and which will wield massive power to judge what is acceptable free speech .
“ It is terrifying to imagine how a powerful , leftist group like this might ... control conservative speech — speech that defends free enterprise , traditional marriage , religious freedom , the lives of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to name but a few , ” wrote the group of conservatives , known as the Free Speech Alliance ( FSA ) , of which LifeSiteNews is a member .
“ The board is dominated not by believers in the U.S. Constitution and its protections of rights ; it is controlled overwhelmingly by members who live in nations in opposition to such protections , ” continues the statement .
“ The global view of rights — even in countries we consider strong allies like the U.K. or Australia — is as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geographically.
” According to Oversightboard.com , the Oversight Board was created to “ help Facebook answer some of the most difficult questions around freedom of expression online : what to take down , what to leave up , and why.
” “ The board uses its independent judgment to support people ’ s right to free expression and ensure those rights are being adequately respected .
The board ’ s decisions to uphold or reverse Facebook ’ s content decisions will be binding , meaning will have to implement them , unless doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the website adds .
The newly formed group of twenty members has been described as a “ Supreme Court–style body ” that “ will be up and running by the fall , hearing cases and issuing decisions on what content should or shouldn ’ t be removed from the world ’ s largest social network , ” according to Protocol.com .
That means they will begin to exercise their power to judge “ what content to take down or leave up ” just as the 2020 presidential campaign season reaches its climax .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Stanford Law School professor Michael McConnell , is seen to be somewhat conservative .
The other three are “ reliably liberal.
” • Catalina Botero-Marino , dean of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law of Colombia , is a member of the board of directors of the Center for Reproductive Rights , a pro-abortion group .
“ That is especially infuriating to pro-life groups that are regularly targeted on social media for their beliefs , ” wrote the FSA .
• Columbia Law professor Jamal Greene was an aide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings .
• Former prime minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt declared she “ does not believe in eternal life , salvation or heaven and hell , ” according to the publication Kristligt Dagblad .
Thorning-Schmidt is virulently anti-Trump .
She recently indicated on Twitter that she wishes Barack Obama were still president of the United States .
“ Co-chair of Facebook ’ s new ‘ independent ’ Oversight Board ( Censorship Overlords ) wishes Obama was still President , ” tweeted Mark Dice .
PETITION : Urge your governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sign the petition here .
“ Another ‘ fair and impartial ’ member of Facebook 's new Oversight Board who will decide which uses get banned and what content gets censored , ” noted Mark Dice of board member Nighat Dad , who said in 2016 , “ God forbid if Trump becomes the president , this will be my last visit to US.
” Others constituting the new board have shown great antipathy to President Donald Trump , his children , and conservatives in general .
Board member Pamela Karlan was forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump ’ s young son , Barron , during the Democrat-sponsored impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives last December .
“ She is now attacking Donald Trump 's 13 year old son Barron Trump in an attempt to smear President Trump , ” he added .
Alan Rusbridger , former editor of The Guardian , has seemingly gone from supporting a free press to endorsing censorship , according to the FSA .
He tweeted in March that the press should shut down President Donald Trump ’ s coronavirus press conferences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ laureate Tawakkol Karman , said in an interview with the Spanish daily El País that she does “ not trust Trump because I do not trust racist people , ” according to the FSA statement .
“ It ’ s not just what the members oppose that is the problem .
It ’ s what , and who , they support , ” wrote the FSA , pointing out strong ties of some board members to George Soros .
At least three members have ties to leftist billionaire George Soros .
One works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another was the founding dean at Central European University , which Soros founded and funded with nearly $ 1 billion .
Even Oversight Board Executive Director Thomas Hughes comes from Article 19 , which has received more than $ 2 million from Soros .
... Soros has far more influence with [ the new Facebook ] board than the entire American right who are represented by one traditional conservative and one libertarian .
Instead of supporting one another on rulings involving key social issues , [ the conservative and the libertarian ] would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is Orwellian .
The international left is not open to free speech ; it is intolerant of it .
It has proclaimed that “ climate change ” is “ settled science , ” therefore any challenge based on science is untrue .
The gay lifestyle is a moral right .
Any challenge to it is an assault on the “ dignity of man , ” and therefore constitutes hate speech .
Abortion “ rights ” are sacred ; therefore the rights of the unborn are non-existent , and therefore their advocates are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
... We believe Mark Zuckerberg was and continues to be committed to the free marketplace of ideas with Facebook a platform and not a publisher .
But Facebook has created yet another layer of control over that market , now dominated almost exclusively by non-American leftists .
In an op-ed published in The New York Times , the four co-chairs described the power being handed to them by the social media giant : “ The oversight board will focus on the most challenging content issues for Facebook , including in areas such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting people ’ s safety and privacy .
It will make final and binding decisions on whether specific content should be allowed or removed from Facebook and Instagram ( which Facebook owns ) .
” That power could spell trouble for conservatives , who find their voices increasingly pushed out of social media ’ s public square .
The significance of the new board ’ s “ Big Brother ” –type power may well eventually extend beyond Facebook to all the social media giants .
“ The board is n't just for Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook 's leaders deliberately structured it so that it could have a life beyond the company , ” explained Protocol.com .
“ To do that , they formed a separate legal trust with an initial $ 130 million investment from Facebook .
But they also empowered that trust to both accept funding from sources outside Facebook and to form companies of its own .
That structure would ensure Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg could n't just shut down the board if he did n't like its decisions .
But it also opens up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spin off additional oversight boards for , say , YouTube , Twitter or any other platform that makes content moderation decisions.
” “ That was conscious on our part in building the trust , ” Brent Harris , Facebook ’ s director of governance and strategic initiatives , told Protocol .
“ It has been built in a way that it can go beyond Facebook and go to more parts of the industry.
” “ This is a big , big mission , ” said former prime minister Thorning-Schmidt on a call with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building a new model for platform governance.
” The FSA offered some advice to the Oversight Board at the conclusion of its statement : “ When you announce your next 20 members , ensure that they will balance out the aggressively leftist tilt of this new venture your company has taken.
” “ Better yet : Get rid of the whole thing , ” they added .
Here is a list of the members of the Free Speech Alliance ( FSA ) : The American Society for the Defense of Tradition , Family @ @

The international 'Oversight Board' is packed with leftists. It will wield massive power to judge what is acceptable free speech.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A coalition of more than 60 conservative organizations has responded to Facebook’s announcement of the creation of an international “Oversight Board” — packed with leftists and those with ties to globalist George Soros — and which will wield massive power to judge what is acceptable free speech.
“It is terrifying to imagine how a powerful, leftist group like this might … control conservative speech — speech that defends free enterprise, traditional marriage, religious freedom, the lives of the unborn, free speech and gun rights, to name but a few,” wrote the group of conservatives, known as the Free Speech Alliance (FSA), of which LifeSiteNews is a member.
“The board is dominated not by believers in the U.S. Constitution and its protections of rights; it is controlled overwhelmingly by members who live in nations in opposition to such protections,” continues the statement. “The global view of rights — even in countries we consider strong allies like the U.K. or Australia — is as far away from American beliefs as they are geographically.”
According to Oversightboard.com, the Oversight Board was created to “help Facebook answer some of the most difficult questions around freedom of expression online: what to take down, what to leave up, and why.”
“The board uses its independent judgment to support people’s right to free expression and ensure those rights are being adequately respected. The board’s decisions to uphold or reverse Facebook’s content decisions will be binding, meaning will have to implement them, unless doing so could violate the law,” the website adds.
The newly formed group of twenty members has been described as a “Supreme Court–style body” that “will be up and running by the fall, hearing cases and issuing decisions on what content should or shouldn’t be removed from the world’s largest social network,” according to Protocol.com.
That means they will begin to exercise their power to judge “what content to take down or leave up” just as the 2020 presidential campaign season reaches its climax.
Of the four co-chairs, only one, Stanford Law School professor Michael McConnell, is seen to be somewhat conservative. The other three are “reliably liberal.”
Catalina Botero-Marino, dean of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law of Colombia, is a member of the board of directors of the Center for Reproductive Rights, a pro-abortion group. “That is especially infuriating to pro-life groups that are regularly targeted on social media for their beliefs,” wrote the FSA.
Columbia Law professor Jamal Greene was an aide to Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.
Former prime minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt declared she “does not believe in eternal life, salvation or heaven and hell,” according to the publication Kristligt Dagblad. Thorning-Schmidt is virulently anti-Trump. She recently indicated on Twitter that she wishes Barack Obama were still president of the United States.
“Co-chair of Facebook’s new ‘independent’ Oversight Board (Censorship Overlords) wishes Obama was still President,” tweeted Mark Dice.
PETITION: Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here.
“Another ‘fair and impartial’ member of Facebook's new Oversight Board who will decide which uses get banned and what content gets censored,” noted Mark Dice of board member Nighat Dad, who said in 2016, “God forbid if Trump becomes the president, this will be my last visit to US.”
Another “fair and impartial” member of Facebook's new #OversightBoard who will decide which uses get banned and what content gets censored. https://t.co/F49xHsWr8a — Mark Dice (@MarkDice) May 6, 2020
Others constituting the new board have shown great antipathy to President Donald Trump, his children, and conservatives in general.
Board member Pamela Karlan was forced to apologize for a gratuitous attack on President Trump’s young son, Barron, during the Democrat-sponsored impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives last December.
“Democrat ‘witness’ Pamela Karlan is completely UNHINGED,” tweeted Steve Guest.
“She is now attacking Donald Trump's 13 year old son Barron Trump in an attempt to smear President Trump,” he added.
Democrat “witness” Pamela Karlan is completely UNHINGED. She is now attacking @realDonaldTrump's 13 year old son Barron Trump in an attempt to smear President Trump.#StopTheMadness #JerryRigged pic.twitter.com/4aktNR2Tps — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 4, 2019
Alan Rusbridger, former editor of The Guardian, has seemingly gone from supporting a free press to endorsing censorship, according to the FSA. He tweeted in March that the press should shut down President Donald Trump’s coronavirus press conferences.
There is no public interest in spreading disinformation. Completely agree that media should stop live broadcasting Trump, especially since he rejects robust challenge from reporters. https://t.co/7tOESzmzh3 — alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) March 24, 2020
Another board member, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman, said in an interview with the Spanish daily El País that she does “not trust Trump because I do not trust racist people,” according to the FSA statement.
“It’s not just what the members oppose that is the problem. It’s what, and who, they support,” wrote the FSA, pointing out strong ties of some board members to George Soros.
At least three members have ties to leftist billionaire George Soros. One works directly for his Open Society organizations. Another was the founding dean at Central European University, which Soros founded and funded with nearly $1 billion. Even Oversight Board Executive Director Thomas Hughes comes from Article 19, which has received more than $2 million from Soros. … Soros has far more influence with [the new Facebook] board than the entire American right who are represented by one traditional conservative and one libertarian. Instead of supporting one another on rulings involving key social issues, [the conservative and the libertarian] would likely cancel each other out. … It is Orwellian. The international left is not open to free speech; it is intolerant of it. It has proclaimed that “climate change” is “settled science,” therefore any challenge based on science is untrue. The gay lifestyle is a moral right. Any challenge to it is an assault on the “dignity of man,” and therefore constitutes hate speech. Abortion “rights” are sacred; therefore the rights of the unborn are non-existent, and therefore their advocates are disingenuous. On and on it goes. … We believe Mark Zuckerberg was and continues to be committed to the free marketplace of ideas with Facebook a platform and not a publisher. But Facebook has created yet another layer of control over that market, now dominated almost exclusively by non-American leftists.
A “big, big mission”
In an op-ed published in The New York Times, the four co-chairs described the power being handed to them by the social media giant: “The oversight board will focus on the most challenging content issues for Facebook, including in areas such as hate speech, harassment, and protecting people’s safety and privacy. It will make final and binding decisions on whether specific content should be allowed or removed from Facebook and Instagram (which Facebook owns).”
That power could spell trouble for conservatives, who find their voices increasingly pushed out of social media’s public square.
The significance of the new board’s “Big Brother”–type power may well eventually extend beyond Facebook to all the social media giants.
“The board isn't just for Facebook. In designing this new organization, Facebook's leaders deliberately structured it so that it could have a life beyond the company,” explained Protocol.com. “To do that, they formed a separate legal trust with an initial $130 million investment from Facebook. But they also empowered that trust to both accept funding from sources outside Facebook and to form companies of its own. That structure would ensure Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg couldn't just shut down the board if he didn't like its decisions. But it also opens up the possibility that the trust might some day spin off additional oversight boards for, say, YouTube, Twitter or any other platform that makes content moderation decisions.”
“That was conscious on our part in building the trust,” Brent Harris, Facebook’s director of governance and strategic initiatives, told Protocol. “It has been built in a way that it can go beyond Facebook and go to more parts of the industry.”
“This is a big, big mission,” said former prime minister Thorning-Schmidt on a call with reporters Wednesday. “We are basically building a new model for platform governance.”
The FSA offered some advice to the Oversight Board at the conclusion of its statement: “When you announce your next 20 members, ensure that they will balance out the aggressively leftist tilt of this new venture your company has taken.”
“Better yet: Get rid of the whole thing,” they added.
Here is a list of the members of the Free Speech Alliance (FSA):
L. Brent Bozell III
Founder and President
Media Research Center
Saulius Anuzis
President
60 Plus Association
Brigitte Gabriel
President
ACT for America
Lori Roman
President
American Civil Rights Union
Phil Kerpen
President
American Commitment
Tim Wildmon
President
American Family Association
Terry Schilling
Executive Director
American Principles Project
R. Emmett Tyrrell
Founder and Editor-In-Chief
American Spectator
Mark Fitzgibbons
President of Corporate Affairs
American Target Advertising
Gary Bauer
President
American Values
Richard Manning
President
Americans for Limited Government
Tricia Erickson
President
Angel Pictures & Publicity
Bill Donohue
President
Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
Jeff Hunt
Director
Centennial Institute
Austin Ruse
President
Center for Family and Human Rights
Elaine Donnelly
Founder and President
Center for Military Readiness
Frank Gaffney
President
Center for Security Policy
John Hinderaker
President
Center of the American Experiment
Robert Allman
News Director
Christian Broadcasting Network
Theodore Baehr
Publisher, Founder
Christian Film & Television Commission
David Bossie
President and Chairman
Citizens United
Michelle Easton
Board President
Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women
Ryan Williams
President
Claremont Institute
Penny Nance
President
Concerned Women for America
Allen West
Senior Fellow
Media Research Center
George Rasley
Managing Editor
Conservative HQ
Ed Corrigan
Executive Director
Conservative Partnership Institute
James Nolan
President
Crossroads Pro-Life Walks Across America
Eunie Smith
President
Eagle Forum
Tony Perkins
President
Family Research Council
Sharon Slater
President and Founder
Family Watch International
Christie Lee McNally
President
Raven Strategies
Adam Brandon
President and CEO
FreedomWorks
Will Chamberlain
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
Human Events
Carrie Lukas
President
Independent Women's Forum
Charles Copeland
President
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
John-Henry Westen
Editor-in-Chief, Co-Founder
Life Site News
Steven Ertelt
Editor
LifeNews.com
Kassy Dillon
Founder and President
Lone Conservative
Gene Mills
President
Louisiana Family Forum
Justin Danhof
General Counsel
National Center for Public Policy Research
Brian Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage
Gavin Wax
Editor in Chief
The Spiel
Kevin Freeman
Founder and Chairman
NSIC Institute
Craig Strazzeri
Chief Marketing Officer
PragerU
James O'Keefe
President
Project Veritas
Tom Spence
President and Publisher
Regnery Publishing
Craig Shirley
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Shirley & Banister
Kristan Hawkins
President
Students for Life
Marjorie Dannenfelser
President
Susan B. Anthony List
Jenny Beth Martin
Chairman
Tea Party Patriots, Inc.
Preston Noell
President
The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property
Jim Lakely
Vice President and Director of Communications
The Heartland Institute
Morton Blackwell
President
The Leadership Institute
Rod Martin
Founder and CEO
The Martin Organization
Ryan Bomberger
Chief Creative Officer
The Radiance Foundation
Paul Gessing
President
The Rio Grande Foundation
Floyd Brown
Publisher
Western Journal
Joseph Farah
CEO and Editor
WND
Amy Kremer
Co-founder & Chairman
Women for Trump
Jessica Jensen
Chief of Staff
Young America's Foundation
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lifesitenews--2020-05-07--Government is taking control they don’t have, and we’re giving it to them

Formerly Heart to Heart with Mother Miriam , Mother Miriam Live brings you inspiration and solutions for life ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Miriam is a Catholic nun on a mission to bring hope to a world that @ @ @ @ @ let her share that hope and joy with you !
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Watch Mother Miriam's Live show from 5.7.2020. In today's episode, Mother Miriam discusses the government's infringement of our rights. She also emphasizes the importance of respectfully receiving the Holy Eucharist on the tongue.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-07--Church sues KY governor for right to resume religious gatherings

PETITION : Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here .
NICHOLASVILLE , Kentucky , May 7 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A Kentucky church is bringing a lawsuit against Democrat Gov .
Andy Beshear demanding the restoration of their freedom to assemble for in-person religious services .
First Liberty Institute is representing Tabernacle Baptist Church of Nicholasville , which has been unable to lawfully meet in person since Beshear issued his emergency order banning in-person gatherings that don ’ t qualify as “ life-sustaining , ” ostensibly in the name of containing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follows another lawsuit by Maryville Baptist Church in Bullitt County .
The church says it is committed to being safe and sanitary during services , including enforcement of 6-foot “ social distancing , ” regularly disinfecting surfaces , providing hand sanitizer , and encouraging the use of face masks .
“ Defendants ’ statewide ban on religious worship services is a substantial burden on the religious exercise of Tabernacle Baptist and its members if they can not meet for in-person corporate worship , ” First Liberty ’ s complaint reads .
“ For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tabernacle Baptist and its congregants have been unable to gather for religious worship in their sanctuary for fear of criminal prosecution despite their willingness to abide by social distancing precautions.
” Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron , who was elected independently of the Democrat governor , joined the lawsuit on Thursday , Fox News reported .
`` Even in times of crisis , the law must be followed , and it ’ s my job as attorney general to defend it when it comes under attack , ” he said .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( s ) to get people back — at the right levels and in a safe way — to an in-person service , but only if a church is ready , '' so churches should just continue with virtual or drive-in services for “ the next couple weeks.
” Beshear has been unwilling to ask the abortion industry to make a similar sacrifice , prompting the legislature to unsusccessfully attempt to authorize Cameron to independently take action against abortionists who continue elective abortions during the crisis .
First Liberty previously won an injunction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as to ban Christians from gathering in church parking lots and worshipping from the safety of their own cars .
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews ’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world .

The state's Republican Attorney General joined the church's lawsuit, saying that 'even in times of crisis, the law must be followed ... and defend(ed).'
PETITION: Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here.
NICHOLASVILLE, Kentucky, May 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A Kentucky church is bringing a lawsuit against Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear demanding the restoration of their freedom to assemble for in-person religious services.
First Liberty Institute is representing Tabernacle Baptist Church of Nicholasville, which has been unable to lawfully meet in person since Beshear issued his emergency order banning in-person gatherings that don’t qualify as “life-sustaining,” ostensibly in the name of containing the spread of COVID-19. The suit follows another lawsuit by Maryville Baptist Church in Bullitt County.
The church says it is committed to being safe and sanitary during services, including enforcement of 6-foot “social distancing,” regularly disinfecting surfaces, providing hand sanitizer, and encouraging the use of face masks.
“Defendants’ statewide ban on religious worship services is a substantial burden on the religious exercise of Tabernacle Baptist and its members if they cannot meet for in-person corporate worship,” First Liberty’s complaint reads. “For six weeks, since March 22, Tabernacle Baptist and its congregants have been unable to gather for religious worship in their sanctuary for fear of criminal prosecution despite their willingness to abide by social distancing precautions.”
Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who was elected independently of the Democrat governor, joined the lawsuit on Thursday, Fox News reported. “Even in times of crisis, the law must be followed, and it’s my job as attorney general to defend it when it comes under attack,” he said.
In response, Beshear claimed he “want(s) to get people back — at the right levels and in a safe way — to an in-person service, but only if a church is ready,” so churches should just continue with virtual or drive-in services for “the next couple weeks.”
Beshear has been unwilling to ask the abortion industry to make a similar sacrifice, prompting the legislature to unsusccessfully attempt to authorize Cameron to independently take action against abortionists who continue elective abortions during the crisis.
First Liberty previously won an injunction against a Louisville edict that went so far as to ban Christians from gathering in church parking lots and worshipping from the safety of their own cars.
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-07--Biden, facing sex assault claim, opposes Trump’s new due-process rules for accused college students

PETITION : Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here .
May 7 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Trump administration announced Wednesday new Title IX rules aimed at strengthening due process protections for college students accused of sexual assault , prompting opposition from former Vice President and Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden – who is currently fending off an sexual assault allegation of his own .
Reason reported that the new rules ensure the person who investigates a claim is not the same person who recommends what action should be taken , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cross-examine an accuser before such a recommendation is made , better ensure that harassment investigations are not brought solely over unwanted speech , and only allow universities to conduct investigations if the alleged victim wants them to .
The rules are slated to take effect in August .
`` Too many students have lost access to their education because their school inadequately responded when a student filed a complaint of sexual harassment or sexual assault , '' Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said .
`` This new regulation requires schools to act in meaningful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without sacrificing important safeguards to ensure a fair and transparent process .
We can and must continue to fight sexual misconduct in our nation 's schools , and this rule makes certain that fight continues . ''
In response , Biden accused the Trump administration of moving to “ shame and silence ” victims of sexual assault , and announced that he would reverse those rules if elected in November .
“ It ’ s wrong , ” he said .
“ And it will be put to a quick end in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ll be right where I always have been throughout my career — on the side of survivors , who deserve to have their voices heard , their claims taken seriously and investigated , and their rights upheld.
” The stance is an ironic one for Biden , who is currently professing his own innocence in the face of allegations by former Senate staffer Tara Reade .
She says that in 1993 , then-Senator Biden assaulted her in a “ semi-private ” stairwell on Capitol Hill .
“ He had me against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And then his hands were down my skirt and up my skirt .
And I was wearing – I wasn ’ t wearing anything underneath .
And then , with his hand , he went from there and entered me – with his hand – and as he was trying to kiss me , and saying things to me.
” Biden vociferously denies Reade ’ s claims , but has so far refused calls to unseal the University of Delaware ’ s records of his time in the Senate , which Reade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the complaint she filed with his office , as well as notes corroborating that she brought it up to former staffers of his at the time .
Some of the political left , such as New York Times columnist Liz Bruenig , have called on Democrats to start thinking about replacing Biden with a new candidate , and others have declared that whether Biden assaulted Reade won ’ t affect their support of the pro-abortion , pro-LGBT candidate .
“ Let ’ s be clear : I believe Tara Reade , ” Linda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual abuse , wrote in the Times .
Even so , she admits she favors “ sacrificing Ms. Reade for the good of the many , ” i.e.
, removing President Donald Trump from office .

The regulation is aimed at supporting survivors of sexual misconduct, but the Democrat presidential candidate claims it will 'shame and silence' victims.
PETITION: Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 Sign the petition here.
May 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Trump administration announced Wednesday new Title IX rules aimed at strengthening due process protections for college students accused of sexual assault, prompting opposition from former Vice President and Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden – who is currently fending off an sexual assault allegation of his own.
Reason reported that the new rules ensure the person who investigates a claim is not the same person who recommends what action should be taken, enable a representative for the accused to cross-examine an accuser before such a recommendation is made, better ensure that harassment investigations are not brought solely over unwanted speech, and only allow universities to conduct investigations if the alleged victim wants them to. The rules are slated to take effect in August.
Two years ago, I promised to address the scourge of sexual misconduct on our nation’s campuses. The new #TitleIX regulation delivers on that promise. It treats all students fairly and holds all schools accountable if they fail to protect their students: https://t.co/HEuugNWBe0 — Secretary Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) May 6, 2020
“Too many students have lost access to their education because their school inadequately responded when a student filed a complaint of sexual harassment or sexual assault,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said. “This new regulation requires schools to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct, without sacrificing important safeguards to ensure a fair and transparent process. We can and must continue to fight sexual misconduct in our nation's schools, and this rule makes certain that fight continues.”
In response, Biden accused the Trump administration of moving to “shame and silence” victims of sexual assault, and announced that he would reverse those rules if elected in November.
“It’s wrong,” he said. “And it will be put to a quick end in January 2021, because as president, I’ll be right where I always have been throughout my career — on the side of survivors, who deserve to have their voices heard, their claims taken seriously and investigated, and their rights upheld.”
The stance is an ironic one for Biden, who is currently professing his own innocence in the face of allegations by former Senate staffer Tara Reade. She says that in 1993, then-Senator Biden assaulted her in a “semi-private” stairwell on Capitol Hill. “He had me against the wall,” she says. “And then his hands were down my skirt and up my skirt. And I was wearing – I wasn’t wearing anything underneath. And then, with his hand, he went from there and entered me – with his hand – and as he was trying to kiss me, and saying things to me.”
Biden vociferously denies Reade’s claims, but has so far refused calls to unseal the University of Delaware’s records of his time in the Senate, which Reade says may still contain a copy of the complaint she filed with his office, as well as notes corroborating that she brought it up to former staffers of his at the time.
Some of the political left, such as New York Times columnist Liz Bruenig, have called on Democrats to start thinking about replacing Biden with a new candidate, and others have declared that whether Biden assaulted Reade won’t affect their support of the pro-abortion, pro-LGBT candidate.
“Let’s be clear: I believe Tara Reade,” Linda Hirshman, author of a book about sexual abuse, wrote in the Times. Even so, she admits she favors “sacrificing Ms. Reade for the good of the many,” i.e., removing President Donald Trump from office.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-07--Illinois gov: Churches can’t fully reopen until corona vaccine or ‘effective treatment’ developed

PETITION : Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19 !
Sign the petition here .
SPRINGFIELD , May 7 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – On Tuesday , Democrat Gov .
J.B. Pritzker laid out his five-phase plan for reopening Illinois , including the alarming revelation that , if he has his way , churches will be unable to seat more than 50 people at a time until the coronavirus is effectively abolished .
“ We have to figure out how to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished – and to do so in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and our healthcare systems , and saves the most lives , ” Pritzker said , NBC Chicago reports .
“ This is also a data-driven plan that operates on a region-by-region basis , a recognition that reality on the ground looks different in different areas of our state.
” Phase One is total lockdown for anything except “ essential businesses , ” with some counties having moved to Phase Two , meaning the rate of known infections has slowed enough that some “ non-essential ” businesses and outdoor activities can resume limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not allowed to begin until May 29 at the earliest , is predicated on further declines or stabilization of infections or hospital admissions , and would allow more businesses and services to reopen , as could public gatherings such as religious services , albeit limited to just ten people .
Even more declines would trigger Phase Four , which would allow schools , daycares , restaurants , and bars to reopen , as well as allow a maximum of 50 people to gather .
However , the remaining limits would not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or highly effective treatment widely available or the elimination of any new cases over a sustained period.
” The development , testing , and release of a working coronavirus vaccine is believed to be 12 to 18 months away , meaning that , unless a drug that cures the virus is developed sooner , churches would be forbidden from returning to full capacity for another year .
As of Thursday , the United States is estimated to have seen more than 1.2 million cases of the coronavirus , with 75,587 deaths and 213,664 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 68,232 known cases and 2,974 deaths .
As of May 1 , 44 percent of the state ’ s coronavirus deaths came from nursing homes .
Pritzker and other Illinois officials have been criticized for the scope of the restrictions they ’ ve imposed on residents .
Last month , a judge forced the McHenry County , Illinois , Health Department to hand over the names of COVID-19 patients to police .
This week , a group of Chicago pastors declared they will no longer abide by the 10-person congregation limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court to regain their rights .
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews ’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world .

'We have to figure out how to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished,' said Gov. Pritzker.
PETITION: Urge your governor to reject mandatory government surveillance post COVID-19! Sign the petition here.
SPRINGFIELD, May 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – On Tuesday, Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker laid out his five-phase plan for reopening Illinois, including the alarming revelation that, if he has his way, churches will be unable to seat more than 50 people at a time until the coronavirus is effectively abolished.
“We have to figure out how to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished – and to do so in a way that best supports our residents’ health and our healthcare systems, and saves the most lives,” Pritzker said, NBC Chicago reports. “This is also a data-driven plan that operates on a region-by-region basis, a recognition that reality on the ground looks different in different areas of our state.”
Phase One is total lockdown for anything except “essential businesses,” with some counties having moved to Phase Two, meaning the rate of known infections has slowed enough that some “non-essential” businesses and outdoor activities can resume limited operations.
Phase Three, which localities are not allowed to begin until May 29 at the earliest, is predicated on further declines or stabilization of infections or hospital admissions, and would allow more businesses and services to reopen, as could public gatherings such as religious services, albeit limited to just ten people.
Even more declines would trigger Phase Four, which would allow schools, daycares, restaurants, and bars to reopen, as well as allow a maximum of 50 people to gather. However, the remaining limits would not be lifted until Illinois sees “a vaccine or highly effective treatment widely available or the elimination of any new cases over a sustained period.”
The development, testing, and release of a working coronavirus vaccine is believed to be 12 to 18 months away, meaning that, unless a drug that cures the virus is developed sooner, churches would be forbidden from returning to full capacity for another year.
As of Thursday, the United States is estimated to have seen more than 1.2 million cases of the coronavirus, with 75,587 deaths and 213,664 recoveries. Illinois is the fourth-most-affected state, with 68,232 known cases and 2,974 deaths. As of May 1, 44 percent of the state’s coronavirus deaths came from nursing homes.
Pritzker and other Illinois officials have been criticized for the scope of the restrictions they’ve imposed on residents. Last month, a judge forced the McHenry County, Illinois, Health Department to hand over the names of COVID-19 patients to police.
This week, a group of Chicago pastors declared they will no longer abide by the 10-person congregation limit, and are prepared to go to court to regain their rights.
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world.
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