lifesitenews--2020-02-05--Prof’s research destroys Democrat’s claim that ‘achievement gap’ is caused by lack of opportunity

February 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The significant discrepancies in educational performance between “ African American and Latinos on the one hand and white students on the other ” is not caused by “ race , ” argues William Jeynes at Public Discourse .
More than anything , he claims it is due to an intact family , as well as having a strong faith .
Jeynes , who teaches at California State University , Long Beach , says this is also true of the discrepancies , generally referred to as “ achievement gap , ” between students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those of higher levels .
As Jeynes explains in his article , one school of thought emphasizes the “ opportunity gaps ” of students currently disadvantaged , including gaps “ of a racial minority , discrimination , poor nutrition , inadequate health care , not having access to high-quality public education , coming from a family in which the parents are poorly educated or do not speak English as their first language , and lack of internet and computer access.
” Without denying that there is some truth to opportunity gaps playing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeynes points out that there are more causes than those considered opportunity gaps .
This second school of thought emphasizes , among other things , the decisions parents make for and with their children .
“ How involved will parents decide to become ?
” Jeynes asked .
“ How much will the household decide to emphasize faith in God , and the sense of purpose in life , and working hard to realize that purpose and please God , which normally follows ?
” After conducting the first meta-analysis of 30 different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap , the professor of education came to the conclusion : “ Parental family structure and parental involvement were major explanatory factors and solutions with respect to the achievement gap.
” In other words , if a student comes from a family where the student ’ s father and mother are living together , raising their children , questions of race and socioeconomic status are a lot less relevant .
As Jeynes put it with some humor , “ There is an old adage among many family scientists that when a Caucasian comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family structure , he or she loses the advantage of being white.
” What about faith , though ?
Jeynes , who studied the achievement gap for many years , found that “ regularly attending church , or another house of worship , and defining oneself as being a very religious person yielded the most significant reductions in the achievement gap.
” He draws this back to the fact that being a person of faith often means being aware of having a purpose in life , as well as pursuing a more disciplined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meta-analysis revealed that , if an African American or Latino student was a person of faith and came from a two-biological-parent family , the achievement gap totally disappeared , even when adjusting for socioeconomic status , ” Jeynes continued .
Contrary to Jeynes ’ research , many Democrat presidential candidates seem to subscribe to the school of thought arguing opportunity gaps are playing the main role in creating an achievement gap .
Joe Biden , who according to the RealClearPolitics average currently leads in the national polls , claims on his website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have access to the resources and support they need to support and ensure their children are developing healthily .
As a result , there ’ s an achievement gap in this country before our children even enter kindergarten.
” Similarly , Bernie Sanders , who is second in the polls , wants to invest heavily in early childhood education , claiming , “ This will give all children the opportunity to develop , learn , and reach their highest potential.
” Sanders is quoted on his campaign website as saying , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is unconscionable that we do not properly invest in our children from the very first stages of their lives.
” Elizabeth Warren , the only other contender polling in double digits , mentions the creation of opportunities for students ( and teachers ) very frequently in her plan for public education .
Here , too , having strong families with strong faith is not taken into consideration .
Jeynes proposes a different way forward .
In his piece for Public Discourse , he suggested , “ With all the hundreds of billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing the achievement gap with only marginal success , recognizing — and working to improve — family and faith factors would likely be much more effective in reducing racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps.
” How does this translate into practical policy ?
The professor calls the Department of Education , currently headed by Betsy DeVos , to adopt policies that are more faith-friendly , for instance , the promotion of school choice programs that include private schools .
As an additional first step , he proposes the clarification and expansion of guidelines on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools .
Jeynes laments the tendency “ among many academics to once again try an old initiative that has not worked especially well and to pretend that it is a new effort , simply by calling it by another name.
” A more comprehensive approach is needed .
The focus on closing “ opportunity gaps , ” Jeynes explained , had been in place for 55 years – with little to show for it .

The ‘achievement gap’ between rich and poor, black and white, disappears when students have both strong and faithful families behind them.
February 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The significant discrepancies in educational performance between “African American and Latinos on the one hand and white students on the other” is not caused by “race,” argues William Jeynes at Public Discourse. More than anything, he claims it is due to an intact family, as well as having a strong faith.
Jeynes, who teaches at California State University, Long Beach, says this is also true of the discrepancies, generally referred to as “achievement gap,” between students from lower levels of socioeconomic status and those of higher levels.
As Jeynes explains in his article, one school of thought emphasizes the “opportunity gaps” of students currently disadvantaged, including gaps “of a racial minority, discrimination, poor nutrition, inadequate health care, not having access to high-quality public education, coming from a family in which the parents are poorly educated or do not speak English as their first language, and lack of internet and computer access.”
Without denying that there is some truth to opportunity gaps playing a role in students’ educational performance, Jeynes points out that there are more causes than those considered opportunity gaps. This second school of thought emphasizes, among other things, the decisions parents make for and with their children.
“How involved will parents decide to become?” Jeynes asked. “How much will the household decide to emphasize faith in God, and the sense of purpose in life, and working hard to realize that purpose and please God, which normally follows?”
After conducting the first meta-analysis of 30 different studies examining attempts to reduce the achievement gap, the professor of education came to the conclusion: “Parental family structure and parental involvement were major explanatory factors and solutions with respect to the achievement gap.”
In other words, if a student comes from a family where the student’s father and mother are living together, raising their children, questions of race and socioeconomic status are a lot less relevant. As Jeynes put it with some humor, “There is an old adage among many family scientists that when a Caucasian comes from a single parent or a blended family structure, he or she loses the advantage of being white.”
What about faith, though? Jeynes, who studied the achievement gap for many years, found that “regularly attending church, or another house of worship, and defining oneself as being a very religious person yielded the most significant reductions in the achievement gap.” He draws this back to the fact that being a person of faith often means being aware of having a purpose in life, as well as pursuing a more disciplined lifestyle.
“Perhaps most significantly, the meta-analysis revealed that, if an African American or Latino student was a person of faith and came from a two-biological-parent family, the achievement gap totally disappeared, even when adjusting for socioeconomic status,” Jeynes continued.
Contrary to Jeynes’ research, many Democrat presidential candidates seem to subscribe to the school of thought arguing opportunity gaps are playing the main role in creating an achievement gap.
Joe Biden, who according to the RealClearPolitics average currently leads in the national polls, claims on his website that “too many parents don’t have access to the resources and support they need to support and ensure their children are developing healthily. As a result, there’s an achievement gap in this country before our children even enter kindergarten.”
Similarly, Bernie Sanders, who is second in the polls, wants to invest heavily in early childhood education, claiming, “This will give all children the opportunity to develop, learn, and reach their highest potential.” Sanders is quoted on his campaign website as saying, “In a society with our resources, it is unconscionable that we do not properly invest in our children from the very first stages of their lives.”
Elizabeth Warren, the only other contender polling in double digits, mentions the creation of opportunities for students (and teachers) very frequently in her plan for public education. Here, too, having strong families with strong faith is not taken into consideration.
Jeynes proposes a different way forward. In his piece for Public Discourse, he suggested, “With all the hundreds of billions of dollars that have been poured into reducing the achievement gap with only marginal success, recognizing — and working to improve — family and faith factors would likely be much more effective in reducing racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps.”
How does this translate into practical policy? The professor calls the Department of Education, currently headed by Betsy DeVos, to adopt policies that are more faith-friendly, for instance, the promotion of school choice programs that include private schools.
As an additional first step, he proposes the clarification and expansion of guidelines on religious liberty currently in place for public schools.
Jeynes laments the tendency “among many academics to once again try an old initiative that has not worked especially well and to pretend that it is a new effort, simply by calling it by another name.”
A more comprehensive approach is needed. The focus on closing “opportunity gaps,” Jeynes explained, had been in place for 55 years – with little to show for it.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--Trump impeachment deserves better than Chief Justice John Roberts

February 4 , 2020 ( American Thinker ) — Chief Justice John Roberts does n't seem to have the judicial acumen of a traffic court judge .
During the course of the impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate , Americans have now seen the chief justice have three historical strikes .
Consequently , the Senate should immediately vote to have case dismissed , against President Trump .
Our fairly elected president should be immediately acquitted of these most politically driven bogus charges in American constitutional history .
Strike one by John Roberts is simple , based on the conduct of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is obvious that he has been over-the-top prejudiced against President Trump by not holding House Democrat managers accountable for their gross breach of decorum .
Early in the proceedings , Chief Justice Roberts invoked a precedent from 1905 , using the word `` pettifoggery , '' to establish decorum during the impeachment trial the Constitution makes him preside over .
`` I think it is appropriate for me to admonish both the House managers and the president 's counsel in equal terms to remember that they are addressing the world 's greatest deliberative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One reason it has earned that title is because its members avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse . ''
Yet the chief justice of the United States allowed Chairman Nadler to call the president of the United States a dictator without a moment 's hesitation or admonishment on decorum and civil discourse .
That smacks of Justice Roberts being an inconstant intellectual coward against the Democrats .
`` This is a determination by President Trump that he wants to be all-powerful , he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he does not have to respect the representatives of the people , only his will goes , '' said Nadler .
`` He is a dictator . ''
If Representative Nadler ( D-N.Y. ) had said that personal insult during a House debate his words would have been `` taken down . ''
Rule XVII , clause 4 , of the standing rules of the House of Representatives describes a parliamentary mechanism whereby a Member may call another Member to order for the use of disorderly language .
Disorderly , or unparliamentary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of decorum .
This mechanism , which is referred to as `` words taken down , '' may be invoked during debate on the House floor , in the Committee of the Whole , or in the standing and select committees of the House .
In addition , Members whose words are determined to be unparliamentary may not be recognized to speak for the rest of the day ( even on yielded time ) unless the Member is allowed to proceed in order by unanimous consent or a motion .
Strike two for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown so far that there is no judicial admonishment or accountability for committing perjury .
We have a saying in the Marines about lying : the Democrat House managers put their back against the wall and lied like a rug .
Why have a witness if the person is allowed to lie without penalty ?
If the chief justice had instructed the House managers to stop committing perjury , then perhaps their posturing in calling witnesses to get at the truth may have been more credible .
If there is no penalty for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
So far , this entire impeachment is just more D.C. political blustering and fake news reporting theater of the absurd that Americans hate at so many levels .
Strike three , and you are called out , Mr. Chief Justice .
Senator Rand Paul asked a question that was not allowed that goes to the heart of my traffic court analogy in President Trump facing his accusers .
If the person reporting the transgression is not present , then the judge will issue a verdict of not guilty .
The judge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment ( facing one 's accusers ) , which , with the genius of the Founding Fathers , is actually built out from English Common Law and even Roman law .
The Sixth Amendment is one of the foundational stones upon which our entire edifice of a fair system of justice is built .
If the past is prologue for this entire sham process , and a witness can lie with impunity , and the president 's accusers can use `` disorderly language '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump can not face his accusers , then shame on everyone involved , and this has gone much too far .
End it .
Published with permission from the American Thinker .

February 4, 2020 (American Thinker) — Chief Justice John Roberts doesn't seem to have the judicial acumen of a traffic court judge. During the course of the impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate, Americans have now seen the chief justice have three historical strikes. Consequently, the Senate should immediately vote to have case dismissed, against President Trump. Our fairly elected president should be immediately acquitted of these most politically driven bogus charges in American constitutional history.
Strike one by John Roberts is simple, based on the conduct of his presiding over the trial. It is obvious that he has been over-the-top prejudiced against President Trump by not holding House Democrat managers accountable for their gross breach of decorum.
Early in the proceedings, Chief Justice Roberts invoked a precedent from 1905, using the word “pettifoggery,” to establish decorum during the impeachment trial the Constitution makes him preside over.
Definition of pettifogger 1: a lawyer whose methods are petty, underhanded, or disreputable : SHYSTER 2: one given to quibbling over trifles
“I think it is appropriate for me to admonish both the House managers and the president's counsel in equal terms to remember that they are addressing the world's greatest deliberative body,” Roberts said. “One reason it has earned that title is because its members avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse.”
Yet the chief justice of the United States allowed Chairman Nadler to call the president of the United States a dictator without a moment's hesitation or admonishment on decorum and civil discourse. That smacks of Justice Roberts being an inconstant intellectual coward against the Democrats.
“This is a determination by President Trump that he wants to be all-powerful, he does not have to respect the Congress, he does not have to respect the representatives of the people, only his will goes,” said Nadler. “He is a dictator.”
If Representative Nadler (D-N.Y.) had said that personal insult during a House debate his words would have been “taken down.”
Rule XVII, clause 4, of the standing rules of the House of Representatives describes a parliamentary mechanism whereby a Member may call another Member to order for the use of disorderly language. Disorderly, or unparliamentary, remarks are a violation of House rules of decorum. This mechanism, which is referred to as “words taken down,” may be invoked during debate on the House floor, in the Committee of the Whole, or in the standing and select committees of the House. In addition, Members whose words are determined to be unparliamentary may not be recognized to speak for the rest of the day (even on yielded time) unless the Member is allowed to proceed in order by unanimous consent or a motion.
Strike two for Chief Justice Roberts is that he has shown so far that there is no judicial admonishment or accountability for committing perjury. We have a saying in the Marines about lying: the Democrat House managers put their back against the wall and lied like a rug. Why have a witness if the person is allowed to lie without penalty?
If the chief justice had instructed the House managers to stop committing perjury, then perhaps their posturing in calling witnesses to get at the truth may have been more credible. If there is no penalty for perjury, then why have any witnesses? So far, this entire impeachment is just more D.C. political blustering and fake news reporting theater of the absurd that Americans hate at so many levels.
Strike three, and you are called out, Mr. Chief Justice. Senator Rand Paul asked a question that was not allowed that goes to the heart of my traffic court analogy in President Trump facing his accusers.
Senator Rand Paul: My question today is about whether or not individuals who were holdovers from the Obama National Security Council and Democrat partisans conspired with Schiff staffers to plot impeaching the president before there were formal House impeachment proceedings.
As I previously pointed out:
If the person reporting the transgression is not present, then the judge will issue a verdict of not guilty. The judge, in doing so, is actually reaching back to the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment (facing one's accusers), which, with the genius of the Founding Fathers, is actually built out from English Common Law and even Roman law. The Sixth Amendment is one of the foundational stones upon which our entire edifice of a fair system of justice is built.
If the past is prologue for this entire sham process, and a witness can lie with impunity, and the president's accusers can use “disorderly language” to attack him with no consequences, and President Trump cannot face his accusers, then shame on everyone involved, and this has gone much too far. End it.
Published with permission from the American Thinker.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--If Trump is not re-elected, the whole USA will become California

February 4 , 2020 ( American Thinker ) — I recently returned home to West Virginia from filming my Trump Train 2020 song music video in California .
It was exciting and fun — a sound stage ; green screen ; lights ; cameras ; and the director yelling , `` Action ! ''
With the mixed bag of enthusiastic locals we used as extras , the atmosphere in the studio felt like a Trump rally .
They love Trump and eagerly want to do their part to help him `` Keep America Great . ''
The Trump Train 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early February .
Folks , it is pretty crazy out there in California .
We were not in San Francisco , where they give tourists maps to avoid piles of human excrement .
We rode past a private home with a rainbow sign stating that all gender identities were welcomed .
The restrooms at the San Diego airport car rental center had signs assuring gender-confused men that they are welcome into women 's restrooms .
The average gasoline price was around $ 4.60 per gallon .
We pay around $ 2.40 in West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kirk , the director of the music video , gave me a sneak peek at his comedy short film , Nightmare in Paradise .
Robert 's hilarious movie is about a transgender who shows up for a job interview .
The interviewer must handle the transgender with kid gloves and extreme caution to avoid breaking laws .
Robert is a former prosecutor .
The scary thing about his brilliant script is that it is based on existing California laws .
Here is a link to watch Robert Kirk 's Nightmare in Paradise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad featuring abortion survivors , Fox proudly announced its plan to feature the first drag queen Super Bowl ad .
Drag queens are a minuscule percentage of the population .
Pro-lifers are a huge segment of the population .
Why are so many major corporations giving mainstream America their middle finger while bending over backwards to please an extreme tiny minority of counter-culturists ?
Even Democrat presidential candidates say , `` Screw you , mainstream America ; we 're pandering to transgenders . ''
Joe Biden tweeted , `` transphobia is the paramount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
As a proud American who happens to be black , it offends the heck out of me that a behavior is absurdly deemed the same as the racial discrimination fought by my late dad and his fellow black civil rights pioneers .
If elected , Elizabeth Warren pledges to reverse Trump 's ban on transgenders in the military .
Warren also vows that transgenders with be well represented in her administration .
Bernie Sanders tweeted , `` Transgender rights are human rights .
We are going to fight to end all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trans family . ''
Sanders hung a transgender pride flag outside his office .
Leading in the Democrat presidential polls , Sanders promises protections for illegals and transgenders , ensuring that they be addressed by their preferred pronouns .
Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg , who really gets off on kissing his male sex partner on national TV , promises nearly two dozen new initiatives to further the LGBT agenda .
Keep in mind that only 3 % of the population identify as LGBT .
Transgenders are destroying women 's sports , winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to backpedal from her statement that cisgenders ( real women ) have a right to be concerned .
Hillary 's cowardly retraction of her commonsense statement tells us she will surrender to the transgender agenda if she is ever elected president .
Democrat presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg epitomizes my statement that Democrats crave power to control every aspect of our lives because they are our intellectual and moral superiors .
In typical Democrat , we're-smarter-than-everyday-Americans fashion , then–N.Y .
mayor Bloomberg tried to ban large sugary beverages .
Bloomberg also promises to federally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced us to sponsor the murder of 60 million babies against the moral convictions of a majority of Americans .
Bloomberg will force us to fund transgender ideology , which is documented to be a mental illness and child abuse .
Bloomberg raves about California , promising to spread its intellectually superior policies across America .
California is a state that seeks to remove all parental rights and ban homeschooling , forcing parents to surrender their children for LGBT , socialist/progressive , and anti-American indoctrination .
This is a state that coddles illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to legal residents , while legal residents struggle to survive .
This is a state that has ushered in the resurgence of medieval diseases because vagrants are allowed to set up tent cities and defecate on the streets .
Criminals who steal under a thousand dollars ' worth of products are not charged .
If Bloomberg or any of his fellow wacko Democrats is elected president , America will immediately fall backward , resuming the economic , cultural , and world leadership decline of the Obama years .
An endless list of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All who oppose will be shamed , destroyed , and thrown into jail .
Trump must be re-elected in 2020 .
Meanwhile , laugh a bit .
Please enjoy Robert Kirk 's Nightmare in Paradise .
Lloyd Marcus , The Unhyphenated American Help Lloyd spread the Truth http : //LloydMarcus.com Published with permission from the American Thinker .

Folks, it is pretty crazy out there in the Golden State.
February 4, 2020 (American Thinker) — I recently returned home to West Virginia from filming my Trump Train 2020 song music video in California. It was exciting and fun — a sound stage; green screen; lights; cameras; and the director yelling, “Action!”
With the mixed bag of enthusiastic locals we used as extras, the atmosphere in the studio felt like a Trump rally. They love Trump and eagerly want to do their part to help him “Keep America Great.” The Trump Train 2020 song official music video will be released early February.
Folks, it is pretty crazy out there in California. We were not in San Francisco, where they give tourists maps to avoid piles of human excrement. We rode past a private home with a rainbow sign stating that all gender identities were welcomed. The restrooms at the San Diego airport car rental center had signs assuring gender-confused men that they are welcome into women's restrooms.
The average gasoline price was around $4.60 per gallon. We pay around $2.40 in West Virginia.
While in California, Robert Kirk, the director of the music video, gave me a sneak peek at his comedy short film, Nightmare in Paradise. Robert's hilarious movie is about a transgender who shows up for a job interview. The interviewer must handle the transgender with kid gloves and extreme caution to avoid breaking laws. Robert is a former prosecutor. The scary thing about his brilliant script is that it is based on existing California laws. Here is a link to watch Robert Kirk's Nightmare in Paradise.
While turning down a pro-life Super Bowl ad featuring abortion survivors, Fox proudly announced its plan to feature the first drag queen Super Bowl ad. Drag queens are a minuscule percentage of the population. Pro-lifers are a huge segment of the population. Why are so many major corporations giving mainstream America their middle finger while bending over backwards to please an extreme tiny minority of counter-culturists?
Even Democrat presidential candidates say, “Screw you, mainstream America; we're pandering to transgenders.”
Joe Biden tweeted, “transphobia is the paramount civil rights issue of the current era.” As a proud American who happens to be black, it offends the heck out of me that a behavior is absurdly deemed the same as the racial discrimination fought by my late dad and his fellow black civil rights pioneers.
If elected, Elizabeth Warren pledges to reverse Trump's ban on transgenders in the military. Warren also vows that transgenders with be well represented in her administration.
Bernie Sanders tweeted, “Transgender rights are human rights. We are going to fight to end all forms of discrimination and violence against our trans family.” Sanders hung a transgender pride flag outside his office. Leading in the Democrat presidential polls, Sanders promises protections for illegals and transgenders, ensuring that they be addressed by their preferred pronouns.
Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who really gets off on kissing his male sex partner on national TV, promises nearly two dozen new initiatives to further the LGBT agenda. Keep in mind that only 3% of the population identify as LGBT.
Transgenders are destroying women's sports, winning every competition hands-down. Hillary Clinton had to backpedal from her statement that cisgenders (real women) have a right to be concerned. Hillary's cowardly retraction of her commonsense statement tells us she will surrender to the transgender agenda if she is ever elected president.
Democrat presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg epitomizes my statement that Democrats crave power to control every aspect of our lives because they are our intellectual and moral superiors. In typical Democrat, we're-smarter-than-everyday-Americans fashion, then–N.Y. mayor Bloomberg tried to ban large sugary beverages. Bloomberg also promises to federally fund transgender genital-mutilating surgery.
Democrats have forced us to sponsor the murder of 60 million babies against the moral convictions of a majority of Americans. Bloomberg will force us to fund transgender ideology, which is documented to be a mental illness and child abuse.
Bloomberg raves about California, promising to spread its intellectually superior policies across America.
California is a state that seeks to remove all parental rights and ban homeschooling, forcing parents to surrender their children for LGBT, socialist/progressive, and anti-American indoctrination. This is a state that coddles illegal aliens, showering them will freebies unavailable to legal residents, while legal residents struggle to survive. This is a state that has ushered in the resurgence of medieval diseases because vagrants are allowed to set up tent cities and defecate on the streets. Criminals who steal under a thousand dollars' worth of products are not charged.
If Bloomberg or any of his fellow wacko Democrats is elected president, America will immediately fall backward, resuming the economic, cultural, and world leadership decline of the Obama years. An endless list of new perversions will be forced upon us. All who oppose will be shamed, destroyed, and thrown into jail.
Trump must be re-elected in 2020.
Meanwhile, laugh a bit. Please enjoy Robert Kirk's Nightmare in Paradise.
Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American
Help Lloyd spread the Truth
https://LloydMarcus.com
Published with permission from the American Thinker.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--Watch the electrifying speech that cemented Brexit and enraged the EU

February 4 , 2020 ( American Thinker ) — Brexit went through last week , and Britain is finally independent , free from the clutches of the European Union .
It 's a great event regardless of how it happens , but in this case , it was cool beyond description .
It all ended with a pretty amazing flourish , one that told us a lot about both the European Commission and newly sovereign Britain itself .
Chief Brexiteer Nigel Farage made his last speech before the European Commission , which was a great scolding and call to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was subversive enough .
But he drove it even farther .
Here was the great final moment : Farage and his buddies ended the whole thing by explicitly waving the British flag of sovereignty right in the faces of all the angry little European Commission eurocrats , even as they sputtered and cut off his mic .
Metaphor , anyone ?
It was the mother of all metaphors , a Britain that asserted its sovereignty in waving its symbolic flag as its soulless eurocrat masters got angry and tried to stop it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were afraid the other member-states might follow , but on petty rules grounds , little administrative state foot-stamping , insisting on cookie-cutter order and obedience , no exceptions , in the face of a newly freed state that just asserted that it can do what it wants .
The ending was absolutely perfect .
The mean librarian–looking woman of no memorable name repeatedly , humorlessly , ordering Farage and his allies to take his waved Union Jack flags down .
No flags here !
It came off as saying `` no sovereignty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slaves now . ''
And she had no idea how bad she looked doing it , something that is sure to give other restless states of the E.U .
some pause .
As she cut off his mic , Farage continued demonstrating his country 's newfound sovereignty by laughing at her and refusing .
Sovereigns , after all , have flags .
Vassal states do not .
It 's not the first time Farage has shown such sense of purpose .
His preceding speech had it — here 's the whole thing here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this same bunch of Eurocrats , telling them they laughed at him once but for that now got Brexit .
That , too , was electrifying .
Farage not only has a stellar sense of the theatrical ; he seems to understand the importance of creating memorable moments and understands how to do them .
In a way the self-unaware eurocrats would never understand , he understands the meaning in his movement .
That 's why his Brexit was so powerful — and is sure to redound to future acts of rebellion against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke away from .
Published with permission from the American Thinker .

Brexit is a great event regardless of how it happens, but in this case, it was cool beyond description.
February 4, 2020 (American Thinker) — Brexit went through last week, and Britain is finally independent, free from the clutches of the European Union. It's a great event regardless of how it happens, but in this case, it was cool beyond description.
It all ended with a pretty amazing flourish, one that told us a lot about both the European Commission and newly sovereign Britain itself. Chief Brexiteer Nigel Farage made his last speech before the European Commission, which was a great scolding and call to shut down the whole operation altogether, which was subversive enough. But he drove it even farther.
Here was the great final moment:
Farage and his buddies ended the whole thing by explicitly waving the British flag of sovereignty right in the faces of all the angry little European Commission eurocrats, even as they sputtered and cut off his mic.
Metaphor, anyone? It was the mother of all metaphors, a Britain that asserted its sovereignty in waving its symbolic flag as its soulless eurocrat masters got angry and tried to stop it, not on political grounds, not because they were afraid the other member-states might follow, but on petty rules grounds, little administrative state foot-stamping, insisting on cookie-cutter order and obedience, no exceptions, in the face of a newly freed state that just asserted that it can do what it wants.
The ending was absolutely perfect. The mean librarian–looking woman of no memorable name repeatedly, humorlessly, ordering Farage and his allies to take his waved Union Jack flags down. No flags here! It came off as saying “no sovereignty, you're all the EU's slaves now.” And she had no idea how bad she looked doing it, something that is sure to give other restless states of the E.U. some pause. As she cut off his mic, Farage continued demonstrating his country's newfound sovereignty by laughing at her and refusing. Sovereigns, after all, have flags. Vassal states do not.
It's not the first time Farage has shown such sense of purpose. His preceding speech had it — here's the whole thing here:
And remember his fierce speech to this same bunch of Eurocrats, telling them they laughed at him once but for that now got Brexit. That, too, was electrifying.
Farage not only has a stellar sense of the theatrical; he seems to understand the importance of creating memorable moments and understands how to do them. In a way the self-unaware eurocrats would never understand, he understands the meaning in his movement. That's why his Brexit was so powerful — and is sure to redound to future acts of rebellion against this nasty, petty little eurocracy Britain broke away from.
Published with permission from the American Thinker.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--Muslim dad: I’d rather go to jail than allow my son to attend LGBT school lessons

BIRMINGHAM , England , February 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A Muslim father in the United Kingdom says he is prepared to go to jail rather than withdraw his son from a controversial pro-LGBT sex education program .
Jabar Hussain , 51 , is the first parent to face prosecution after keeping his son , Amin , out of school for months rather than allowing him to attend lessons that promoting homosexual and transgender ideology through the “ No Outsiders ” program .
The “ No Outsiders ” program received significant media coverage last year when Muslim parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teach their children .
The program promotes LGBT lifestyles as normal , with the introduction to the book explaining that “ to be a person who is gay or lesbian or transgender or bisexual is normal , acceptable and OK. '' Its author , Andrew Moffatt , led the annual homosexual “ Pride ” march in Birmingham last year .
At the height of the protests , hundreds of parents gathered outside the school , chanting and holding placards .
Six hundred Muslim pupils between four and 11 years old were withdrawn from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would rather leave the UK than allow their children to continue attending the school .
During one of those protests outside the school last year , Hussain told BirminghamLive , `` We are not against anyone expressing their sexuality or being homosexual if that 's what they want .
We have no issue if Mr Moffat wants to put on a dress , or dance around like a ballet dancer , or put on a skirt , we have no issue .
We have an issue with teaching that nonsense to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son from attending the Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham since September 2019 but has kept him on the school register in hopes that he will eventually be able to return and complete his education there .
Hussain risks being fined for keeping his child out of school for an extended period and having a parenting order imposed .
If he fails to pay the fine , he may be sentenced to a prison term of up to three months .
But Hussain told The Times , `` If I have to go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court .
I would go to jail for this.
” Hussain is challenging the prosecution by Birmingham City Council , saying the lessons constitute a `` safeguarding risk.
” He has instructed lawyers to seek a judicial review if the council persists with the prosecution .
His lawyer , Paul Conrathe of Sinclairs Law , said , `` This prosecution criminalizes him for not submitting to teaching in breach of his rights . ''
After last year ’ s protest , an adapted version of the “ No Outsiders ” program was introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Faith Community.
” Moffat says the LGBT content has been retained and the lessons have not been “ watered down.
” In a recent interview with i News , Moffatt said last year ’ s protests , rather than stopping the implementation of No Outsiders , had in fact given the program a “ national profile.
” Moffatt claimed that the media attention resulted in other schools choosing to use it .
Hussain has said he is worried that the lessons will teach things that go against his religion , including `` that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body.
” “ This can cause confusion , ” he said .
“ If my son gets confused about this and about his own body , he might think he is a girl .
The school thinks this is OK and has to be accepted , even though transgender can mean medical treatment and surgery which could damage my son mentally and physically for life . ''

The child's father rejects the 'No Outsiders' program and says he will not have his child exposed to 'confusion.'
BIRMINGHAM, England, February 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A Muslim father in the United Kingdom says he is prepared to go to jail rather than be forced to keep his son in a controversial pro-LGBT sex education program.
Jabar Hussain, 51, is the first parent to face prosecution after keeping his son, Amin, out of school for months rather than allowing him to attend lessons that promoting homosexual and transgender ideology through the “No Outsiders” program.
The “No Outsiders” program received significant media coverage last year when Muslim parents in Birmingham protested against its use to teach their children. The program promotes LGBT lifestyles as normal, with the introduction to the book explaining that “to be a person who is gay or lesbian or transgender or bisexual is normal, acceptable and OK.” Its author, Andrew Moffatt, led the annual homosexual “Pride” march in Birmingham last year.
At the height of the protests, hundreds of parents gathered outside the school, chanting and holding placards. Six hundred Muslim pupils between four and 11 years old were withdrawn from classes.
Some demonstrators reportedly even said they would rather leave the UK than allow their children to continue attending the school.
During one of those protests outside the school last year, Hussain told BirminghamLive, “We are not against anyone expressing their sexuality or being homosexual if that's what they want. We have no issue if Mr Moffat wants to put on a dress, or dance around like a ballet dancer, or put on a skirt, we have no issue. We have an issue with teaching that nonsense to our kids.”
Hussain has stopped his son from attending the Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham since September 2019 but has kept him on the school register in hopes that he will eventually be able to return and complete his education there.
Hussain risks being fined for keeping his child out of school for an extended period and having a parenting order imposed. If he fails to pay the fine, he may be sentenced to a prison term of up to three months.
But Hussain told The Times, “If I have to go to court, I have to go to court. I would go to jail for this.”
Hussain is challenging the prosecution by Birmingham City Council, saying the lessons constitute a “safeguarding risk.” He has instructed lawyers to seek a judicial review if the council persists with the prosecution.
His lawyer, Paul Conrathe of Sinclairs Law, said, “This prosecution criminalizes him for not submitting to teaching in breach of his rights.”
After last year’s protest, an adapted version of the “No Outsiders” program was introduced, entitled “No Outsiders for a Faith Community.” Moffat says the LGBT content has been retained and the lessons have not been “watered down.”
In a recent interview with i News, Moffatt said last year’s protests, rather than stopping the implementation of No Outsiders, had in fact given the program a “national profile.” Moffatt claimed that the media attention resulted in other schools choosing to use it.
Hussain has said he is worried that the lessons will teach things that go against his religion, including “that some children are born in the wrong body.”
“This can cause confusion,” he said. “If my son gets confused about this and about his own body, he might think he is a girl. The school thinks this is OK and has to be accepted, even though transgender can mean medical treatment and surgery which could damage my son mentally and physically for life.”
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--LGBT movement show hypocrisy in hateful response to pro-marriage youth activist’s death

February 4 , 2020 ( Family Life International ) — It was a great shock to learn of the death of young Queensland activist , Wilson Gavin , which happened under tragic circumstances .
Wilson had been involved in a protest against the taxpayer-funded “ drag-queen story time ” at a Brisbane library and was at the centre of the ensuing social-media pile-on .
His subsequent death was deemed by police “ not to be suspicious ” which usually indicates a case of suicide .
Those who knew Wilson well were very surprised to hear suggestions that he had taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional Catholic , who , from reports we have received , attended the Latin Mass several times a week .
Also , that he lived chastely with his same-sex attraction , as required by the Church .
Wilson apparently was well educated on his Catholic Faith .
Additionally , although only twenty-one , he was a seasoned political activist who knew what to expect from the LGBTIQ+ lobby , having campaigned prominently during Australia ’ s same-sex marriage debate .
That debate had sparked an extremely hostile and often depraved targeting of conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to via social media , but Wilson had taken that in his stride .
Close friends have even said that he “ thrived ” on this type of confrontation .
It isn ’ t only Wilson ’ s friends who have questioned the circumstances surrounding his death .
Here ’ s what the US-based Strategic Culture Foundation had to say about the media ’ s handling of the tragic events : In place of hard-hitting questions , the [ Guardian ] article provided the number for a suicide hotline as if the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gesture that is not the sort of information the public needs from the media .
Journalists need to be asking how a young man met his early demise at a train station in the wee hours of the morning following a protest that triggered a lot of controversy on social media .
The public deserves to know more about the circumstances of the alleged suicide considering the context of events prior to that tragic moment .
Why is the possibility of foul play not mentioned – not even within the context to deny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of impossibility – as a matter of protocol in such a case ?
Assume , though , that this poor young man did in fact take his own life in a moment of desperation and depression .
Such an outcome wouldn ’ t be outside the realm of possibility , given the nature of the vicious online bullying .
This terrible toll is frequently paid by those living with same-sex attraction who garner the attention of their ideological opposition , that is if the gay lobby is to be believed .
Were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign for extreme care to be taken with our comments , lest a young person who was same-sex attracted be pushed to the point of suicide ?
After showing such solicitude for young gay people , it is to be expected that members of the LGBTIQ+ lobby would have been extremely moved by the death of Wilson Gavin .
But sadly , generally this was not the case .
Said one commentator on Twitter : “ One less self hating dangerous person we have to deal with , ” followed by : This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who claimed that “ love won ” when same-sex marriage became a legal reality in Australia .
That is , until we remember that these are the same people who : • stormed onto the stage during a traditional marriage conference and disrupted events , • painted a giant , obscene mural of Tony Abbott and Cardinal Pell on the side of a pub , • vandalised churches during the campaign with slogans such as “ Crucify ‘ No ’ Voters , ” “ Bash Bigots , ” and “ Christians are Nazis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his job for quoting Scripture verses which included eternal consequences for homosexuals , and • to this day consistently vilify traditional marriage proponents , such as Lyle Shelton , on social media in an extremely disgusting manner .
This brings us to the crux of the problem : Israel Folau lost his lucrative football contract for one simple post on social media which apparently potentially caused offence to practising homosexuals .
Wilson Gavin lost his life but there were no repercussions for any member of the LGBTIQ+ lobby , even with countless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media and vilifying comments included in mainstream media reports .
Even the so-called conservative LNP party did not want to risk the ire of the drag-queen-loving public when the controversy began .
It was quick to remind the public that Gavin ’ s Young LNP group had previously been dis-endorsed by the parent group , although tributes flowed once news of the young man ’ s death became public .
Additionally , Christian conservatives such as Bernard Gaynor and Archbishop Julian Porteous are regularly hauled before anti-discrimination tribunals for simply stating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but politely .
But when LGBTIQ+ activists publicly shame and harangue a young man , basically harassing him to death , there are no consequences at all .
No tribunals , no hearings , not even basic human sympathy — unless it is qualified with a thinly-veiled attitude of “ I told you so .
”

After showing such solicitude for young gay people, it is to be expected that members of the LGBT lobby would have been extremely moved by the death of Wilson Gavin. But no.
February 4, 2020 (Family Life International) — It was a great shock to learn of the death of young Queensland activist, Wilson Gavin, which happened under tragic circumstances. Wilson had been involved in a protest against the taxpayer-funded “drag-queen story time” at a Brisbane library and was at the centre of the ensuing social-media pile-on. His subsequent death was deemed by police “not to be suspicious” which usually indicates a case of suicide.
Those who knew Wilson well were very surprised to hear suggestions that he had taken his own life. Wilson was a traditional Catholic, who, from reports we have received, attended the Latin Mass several times a week. Also, that he lived chastely with his same-sex attraction, as required by the Church. Wilson apparently was well educated on his Catholic Faith.
Additionally, although only twenty-one, he was a seasoned political activist who knew what to expect from the LGBTIQ+ lobby, having campaigned prominently during Australia’s same-sex marriage debate. That debate had sparked an extremely hostile and often depraved targeting of conservatives by gay-lobbyists, including but not limited to via social media, but Wilson had taken that in his stride. Close friends have even said that he “thrived” on this type of confrontation.
It isn’t only Wilson’s friends who have questioned the circumstances surrounding his death. Here’s what the US-based Strategic Culture Foundation had to say about the media’s handling of the tragic events:
In place of hard-hitting questions, the [Guardian] article provided the number for a suicide hotline as if the case was already closed. While a nice gesture that is not the sort of information the public needs from the media. Journalists need to be asking how a young man met his early demise at a train station in the wee hours of the morning following a protest that triggered a lot of controversy on social media. The public deserves to know more about the circumstances of the alleged suicide considering the context of events prior to that tragic moment. Why is the possibility of foul play not mentioned – not even within the context to deny it, as if this were some sort of impossibility – as a matter of protocol in such a case?
Assume, though, that this poor young man did in fact take his own life in a moment of desperation and depression. Such an outcome wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility, given the nature of the vicious online bullying. This terrible toll is frequently paid by those living with same-sex attraction who garner the attention of their ideological opposition, that is if the gay lobby is to be believed. Were there not repeated calls during the marriage campaign for extreme care to be taken with our comments, lest a young person who was same-sex attracted be pushed to the point of suicide?
After showing such solicitude for young gay people, it is to be expected that members of the LGBTIQ+ lobby would have been extremely moved by the death of Wilson Gavin. But sadly, generally this was not the case.
Said one commentator on Twitter:
Don’t get me wrong. I feel for the family and friends of this young man. He was obviously very troubled. But you can’t expect to do what he and his fellow UQ Young Liberals did and not expect people to call it [sic] out bigotry and homophobia? We all just sit by and condone that?
Another one tweeted:
“One less self hating dangerous person we have to deal with,” followed by:
… and to the people who don’t find this sad, you have absolutely no idea how many LGBTI people are still in the closet and living with shame and still coming to terms. Not to mention the reality of clinical depression which some people suffer.
A third example:
That ‘young conservative’ must have had serious issues for some time … Twitter didn’t cause him to take his own life. Indeed, he was a nasty piece of s— to harass people that didn’t affect him.
This seems like very hypocritical behaviour from those who claimed that “love won” when same-sex marriage became a legal reality in Australia. That is, until we remember that these are the same people who:
stormed onto the stage during a traditional marriage conference and disrupted events,
painted a giant, obscene mural of Tony Abbott and Cardinal Pell on the side of a pub,
regularly harassed ‘No’ campaigners, tearing away their signs,
vandalised churches during the campaign with slogans such as “Crucify ‘No’ Voters,” “Bash Bigots,” and “Christians are Nazis,”
hounded Israel Folau out of his job for quoting Scripture verses which included eternal consequences for homosexuals, and
to this day consistently vilify traditional marriage proponents, such as Lyle Shelton, on social media in an extremely disgusting manner.
This brings us to the crux of the problem: Israel Folau lost his lucrative football contract for one simple post on social media which apparently potentially caused offence to practising homosexuals. Wilson Gavin lost his life but there were no repercussions for any member of the LGBTIQ+ lobby, even with countless examples of crude and vicious comments made on social media and vilifying comments included in mainstream media reports.
Even the so-called conservative LNP party did not want to risk the ire of the drag-queen-loving public when the controversy began. It was quick to remind the public that Gavin’s Young LNP group had previously been dis-endorsed by the parent group, although tributes flowed once news of the young man’s death became public.
Additionally, Christian conservatives such as Bernard Gaynor and Archbishop Julian Porteous are regularly hauled before anti-discrimination tribunals for simply stating their opinion on traditional marriage, firmly but politely. But when LGBTIQ+ activists publicly shame and harangue a young man, basically harassing him to death, there are no consequences at all. No tribunals, no hearings, not even basic human sympathy — unless it is qualified with a thinly-veiled attitude of “I told you so.”
Love wins? Not for Wilson Gavin!
Published with permission from Family Life International.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--A pro-abortion society intensifies the suffering of mothers who miscarry

February 4 , 2020 ( Society for the Protection of Unborn Children ) — In December , there was widespread media coverage of a new study suggesting that one in six women who lose a baby in early pregnancy experience long-term symptoms of post-traumatic stress .
It was being discussed in workplaces , trended on Twitter , and sparked much needed conversations about how we as a society take care of women who experience the devastation of losing a baby .
The findings are certainly striking .
In the study of 650 women , by Imperial College London and KU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms of post-traumatic stress one month after pregnancy loss , declining only to 18 % after nine months .
One month following their loss , 24 % had symptoms of anxiety and 11 % of depression .
Given just how common miscarriage is ( up to one in two women experience pregnancy loss ) this represents a huge mental health toll .
Being a part of the pro-life movement means I probably think about motherhood , pregnancy and life in the womb more than most .
But it was n't until two close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a short space of time that I got some idea of the true impact .
I must have known intellectually how common it was , but I never thought about it happening to my friends — especially healthy women in their twenties who did everything `` right '' .
Likewise , while I knew that losing a baby was a sad thing to happen , that these were babies I would have loved , visited , bought presents for , and the mothers are friends still living with the losses made it something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of the study , many women have been bravely sharing their experiences , and I would find some of them hard to believe if they did n't chime so well with what I have heard from my friends .
One of the hardest things to hear is the indifference and coldness many women receive from medical professionals .
Women recount not being given any kind of aftercare or counselling , and hearing their baby described as a `` product '' or `` contents '' .
In response to the new study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a recent Facebook post : I have nothing but respect for the men and women who looked after me during my ectopic pregnancy , subsequent emergency surgery , and then miscarriage .
I know our nurses and doctors are insanely busy and overloaded and it 's difficult to establish an emotional connection to every patient you see — let alone find sympathy for something you see literally every day and know is a ) common and b ) inevitable .
BUT ...
These things stick with you .
I remember every casual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually try to use the `` bundle of cells '' line on me — and every action that seemed to imply me and my baby were not a priority .
I remember screaming at someone that my baby was dying as blood soaked my leggings , desperate to understand what was happening and how it COULD be happening to me ... She handed me a pad and told me to go and sort it out in the loo .
Knowing that my friends have suffered in this way makes me glad that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage , giving women the courage to speak out on public platforms , and hopefully leading to better care .
However , it does seem that some of these attitudes are almost inevitable in a society that has so little respect for unborn life generally .
For all the medics who are accused of being cold for dehumanising a much-wanted baby , there are others slammed for using emotive or unscientific language by referring to a baby as a baby when it is n't wanted .
It can seem disrespectful , even heartless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the same breath .
Indeed , one of the more pernicious tactics of abortion advocates recently is to conflate the two , especially with the push to normalise abortion pills .
However , there are some valid points that can , and should , be made .
Just days before the miscarriage study was released , the press was filled with another study — one claiming that the majority of women do n't regret their abortions .
There are methodological holes to pick in this research , but even at face value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two studies .
Yes , miscarriage is ethically and emotionally very different from elective abortion , but we have to at least ask the question of why one form of pregnancy loss is causing high levels of PTSD , while another apparently has no ill effects at all .
This question is even more pertinent when we consider the physical processes of miscarriage and abortion .
Distasteful though it is when abortion advocates try to justify abortion by likening it to miscarriage , it is true that the physical result of taking mifepristone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same — bleeding , cramping and passing the baby .
Some of the most harrowing parts of the accounts from the women who have suffered miscarriage are of passing the baby , often alone at home or in the bathroom .
To take one example , told to the BBC : Toni and husband Matt , from Leicester , had been told their baby had no heartbeat at 12 weeks , before she miscarried naturally at home in the bathroom .
But she did n't expect to bleed heavily for eight days and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I thought I was going mad , '' she says .
`` I had no information about what would happen to me or what I could expect to see . ''
In the end , something `` recognisable and the size of a palm '' fell between her legs in the middle of the night .
When she called the hospital the following day , they told her to `` bring the pregnancy tissue in and we 'll get rid of it '' .
`` It was n't 'tissue ' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Toni says .
Yet this incredibly traumatic experience is actually advocated by the abortion lobby when they argue for women being given abortion pills to take at home !
In this case , the talk is all about going through the abortion in the comfort of one 's own home .
The contrast in rhetoric could n't be starker — comfort is the last thing you 'd think of when hearing the reports of women unwillingly going through the same psychological process .
If abortion advocates are going to argue that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a miscarriage , then they at least have to admit that it is a physically traumatic process to go through .
Some of the emotional fallout is also likely to be the same .
Again , we do n't want to compare women who choose abortion to those who naturally lose a baby , but there are enough women who are coerced into abortion or who are told that it 's the only option for a much-wanted baby with disabilities for similar feelings of grief or loss of control to play a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account the compounded trauma caused by the guilt of choosing to take a child 's life .
I hope that this study and the general weakening of the taboo of talking about miscarriage will mean that women are better cared for during and after these traumatic experiences .
But I fear that society will find it difficult to recognise women 's grief and the value of their lost babies while at the same time promoting abortion as a simple , safe procedure to remove an unwanted bundle of cells .
Published with permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unborn Children .

Callous attitudes about miscarriage are almost inevitable in a society that has so little respect for unborn life generally.
February 4, 2020 (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) — In December, there was widespread media coverage of a new study suggesting that one in six women who lose a baby in early pregnancy experience long-term symptoms of post-traumatic stress. It was being discussed in workplaces, trended on Twitter, and sparked much needed conversations about how we as a society take care of women who experience the devastation of losing a baby.
The findings are certainly striking. In the study of 650 women, by Imperial College London and KU Leuven in Belgium, 29% showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress one month after pregnancy loss, declining only to 18% after nine months. One month following their loss, 24% had symptoms of anxiety and 11% of depression. Given just how common miscarriage is (up to one in two women experience pregnancy loss) this represents a huge mental health toll.
Being a part of the pro-life movement means I probably think about motherhood, pregnancy and life in the womb more than most. But it wasn't until two close friends suffered three miscarriages between them in a short space of time that I got some idea of the true impact. I must have known intellectually how common it was, but I never thought about it happening to my friends — especially healthy women in their twenties who did everything “right”. Likewise, while I knew that losing a baby was a sad thing to happen, that these were babies I would have loved, visited, bought presents for, and the mothers are friends still living with the losses made it something much more real and devastating.
In the wake of the study, many women have been bravely sharing their experiences, and I would find some of them hard to believe if they didn't chime so well with what I have heard from my friends.
One of the hardest things to hear is the indifference and coldness many women receive from medical professionals. Women recount not being given any kind of aftercare or counselling, and hearing their baby described as a “product” or “contents”.
In response to the new study, my friend Emma described her experience in a recent Facebook post:
I have nothing but respect for the men and women who looked after me during my ectopic pregnancy, subsequent emergency surgery, and then miscarriage. I know our nurses and doctors are insanely busy and overloaded and it's difficult to establish an emotional connection to every patient you see — let alone find sympathy for something you see literally every day and know is a) common and b) inevitable. BUT… These things stick with you. I remember every casual phrase that hurt me — someone did actually try to use the “bundle of cells” line on me — and every action that seemed to imply me and my baby were not a priority. I remember screaming at someone that my baby was dying as blood soaked my leggings, desperate to understand what was happening and how it COULD be happening to me… She handed me a pad and told me to go and sort it out in the loo.
Knowing that my friends have suffered in this way makes me glad that the impact of miscarriage is receiving more widespread coverage, giving women the courage to speak out on public platforms, and hopefully leading to better care.
However, it does seem that some of these attitudes are almost inevitable in a society that has so little respect for unborn life generally. For all the medics who are accused of being cold for dehumanising a much-wanted baby, there are others slammed for using emotive or unscientific language by referring to a baby as a baby when it isn't wanted.
It can seem disrespectful, even heartless, to refer to abortion and miscarriage in the same breath. Indeed, one of the more pernicious tactics of abortion advocates recently is to conflate the two, especially with the push to normalise abortion pills. However, there are some valid points that can, and should, be made.
Just days before the miscarriage study was released, the press was filled with another study — one claiming that the majority of women don't regret their abortions. There are methodological holes to pick in this research, but even at face value, it is hard to reconcile the two studies. Yes, miscarriage is ethically and emotionally very different from elective abortion, but we have to at least ask the question of why one form of pregnancy loss is causing high levels of PTSD, while another apparently has no ill effects at all.
This question is even more pertinent when we consider the physical processes of miscarriage and abortion. Distasteful though it is when abortion advocates try to justify abortion by likening it to miscarriage, it is true that the physical result of taking mifepristone and misoprostol to induce abortion is the same — bleeding, cramping and passing the baby. Some of the most harrowing parts of the accounts from the women who have suffered miscarriage are of passing the baby, often alone at home or in the bathroom.
To take one example, told to the BBC:
Toni and husband Matt, from Leicester, had been told their baby had no heartbeat at 12 weeks, before she miscarried naturally at home in the bathroom. But she didn't expect to bleed heavily for eight days and then have to go through painful contractions. “I thought I was going mad,” she says. “I had no information about what would happen to me or what I could expect to see.” In the end, something “recognisable and the size of a palm” fell between her legs in the middle of the night. When she called the hospital the following day, they told her to “bring the pregnancy tissue in and we'll get rid of it”. “It wasn't 'tissue' to me, it was our baby,” Toni says.
Yet this incredibly traumatic experience is actually advocated by the abortion lobby when they argue for women being given abortion pills to take at home! In this case, the talk is all about going through the abortion in the comfort of one's own home. The contrast in rhetoric couldn't be starker — comfort is the last thing you'd think of when hearing the reports of women unwillingly going through the same psychological process. If abortion advocates are going to argue that a medical abortion is essentially the same as a miscarriage, then they at least have to admit that it is a physically traumatic process to go through.
Some of the emotional fallout is also likely to be the same. Again, we don't want to compare women who choose abortion to those who naturally lose a baby, but there are enough women who are coerced into abortion or who are told that it's the only option for a much-wanted baby with disabilities for similar feelings of grief or loss of control to play a part. That's without even taking into account the compounded trauma caused by the guilt of choosing to take a child's life.
I hope that this study and the general weakening of the taboo of talking about miscarriage will mean that women are better cared for during and after these traumatic experiences. But I fear that society will find it difficult to recognise women's grief and the value of their lost babies while at the same time promoting abortion as a simple, safe procedure to remove an unwanted bundle of cells.
Published with permission from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-05--US priest bars pro-abortion state politicians from receiving Holy Communion

February 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A Catholic priest in Rhode Island has decreed that every state legislator who voted last year for an extreme state abortion law may not receive Holy Communion .
Father Richard Bucci , a 72-year-old parish priest at Sacred Heart Church in West Warwick , made the announcement last week in the form of a flier that he gave to parishioners and also mailed them to the homes of several lawmakers .
“ In accord with the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years , the following members of the legislature may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the officers of the state of Rhode Island , as well as Rhode Island ’ s members of Congress , ” the flier reads .
Fr .
Bucci has been criticized in the media by several politicians in response to his flier .
One of those politicians , Rep. Carol McEntee , has called on Fr .
Bucci to resign immediately .
Fr .
Bucci told LifeSite that he has no intention of taking McEntee ’ s advice .
“ I ’ m not resigning and I ’ m not retiring either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think that someone who is pushing the slaughter of the unborn should tell a priest what to do.
” McEntee also called on Diocese of Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin , “ to withdraw and disown this notice and issue a full apology to all individuals who are listed in this notice.
” Bishop Tobin has not commented directly on the story , but diocesan spokeswoman Carolyn Cronin wrote in response to media inquiries last week that it was the “ pastor ’ s duty ” to apply the “ norms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacraments .
“ For every sacrament , the Church provides detailed norms for preparation and reception , ” she wrote .
“ It is the pastor ’ s duty to apply them within his parish , in accord with Church law .
This includes the proper reception of Holy Communion as outlined by the Code of Canon Law .
Because the Church entrusts to each pastor the duty of teaching , sanctifying , and governing his parish , the daily pastoral and administrative decisions are made at the local parish level.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be allowed “ to act as witnesses to marriage , godparents , or lectors at weddings , funerals or any other church function.
”  Fr .
Bucci told LifeSite that he was partly prompted to issue the flier by an incident at a recent funeral when he had to prevent McEntee from making a eulogy .
Fr .
Bucci does not permit eulogies during funeral services on any occasion and told LifeSite that it was only afterward that he realized who McEntee was .
His other motivation , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision , which imposed abortion on demand across the country .
Fr .
Bucci told LifeSite that he hopes that more Catholic clergy will take similar actions in order to defend the Holy Eucharist and the Church ’ s clear teaching on the duty of politicians not to vote for intrinsically unjust laws .
“ I ’ m saddened that there are not more bishops and priests doing this , because it is commanded in canon law , ” he said Fr .
Bucci said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nasty calls he has received lots of support since the story became public .

A Rhode Island representative called for Father Richard Bucci to resign, but he says he's standing his ground.
February 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A Catholic priest in Rhode Island has decreed that every state legislator who voted last year for an extreme state abortion law may not receive Holy Communion.
Father Richard Bucci, a 72-year-old parish priest at Sacred Heart Church in West Warwick, made the announcement last week in the form of a flier that he gave to parishioners and also mailed them to the homes of several lawmakers.
“In accord with the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years, the following members of the legislature may NOT receive Holy Communion, as are all the officers of the state of Rhode Island, as well as Rhode Island’s members of Congress,” the flier reads.
Fr. Bucci has been criticized in the media by several politicians in response to his flier.
One of those politicians, Rep. Carol McEntee, has called on Fr. Bucci to resign immediately.
Fr. Bucci told LifeSite that he has no intention of taking McEntee’s advice. “I’m not resigning and I’m not retiring either,” he said. “I don’t think that someone who is pushing the slaughter of the unborn should tell a priest what to do.”
McEntee also called on Diocese of Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin, “to withdraw and disown this notice and issue a full apology to all individuals who are listed in this notice.”
Bishop Tobin has not commented directly on the story, but diocesan spokeswoman Carolyn Cronin wrote in response to media inquiries last week that it was the “pastor’s duty” to apply the “norms for preparation and reception” of the sacraments.
“For every sacrament, the Church provides detailed norms for preparation and reception,” she wrote. “It is the pastor’s duty to apply them within his parish, in accord with Church law. This includes the proper reception of Holy Communion as outlined by the Code of Canon Law. Because the Church entrusts to each pastor the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and governing his parish, the daily pastoral and administrative decisions are made at the local parish level.”
The fliers also stated that pro-abortion lawmakers will not be allowed “to act as witnesses to marriage, godparents, or lectors at weddings, funerals or any other church function.”
Fr. Bucci told LifeSite that he was partly prompted to issue the flier by an incident at a recent funeral when he had to prevent McEntee from making a eulogy. Fr. Bucci does not permit eulogies during funeral services on any occasion and told LifeSite that it was only afterward that he realized who McEntee was. His other motivation, he said, was to mark the recent anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which imposed abortion on demand across the country.
Fr. Bucci told LifeSite that he hopes that more Catholic clergy will take similar actions in order to defend the Holy Eucharist and the Church’s clear teaching on the duty of politicians not to vote for intrinsically unjust laws. “I’m saddened that there are not more bishops and priests doing this, because it is commanded in canon law,” he said
Fr. Bucci said that with the exception of one or two nasty calls he has received lots of support since the story became public.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-04--Pro-abortion groups exploiting loopholes in Trump policy complain when Republicans notice

NEW YORK , February 4 , 2020 ( C-Fam ) — Abortion groups are scrambling to keep U.S. government funding after Senate and House Republicans caught them exploiting loopholes in the U.S. pro-life foreign policy that forbids them to receive taxpayer monies to promote and perform abortions abroad .
After President Trump put the policy in place upon taking office in 2017 , Population Services International ( PSI ) hosted a conference call to explain how it would use the loopholes in the Mexico City Policy , now called the Protecting Life in Global Health Policy .
The group would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in 2018 , even though they were not eligible .
When 59 Senate and House Republicans sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo last week exposing the abuse of taxpayer funds , PSI took down evidence of the conference call , which had been posted on its website since 2017 .
It is still available in archival web records .
On the call , PSI ’ s Chief Operating Officer Dr. Christine Sow told members of the PSI network that they would have to restructure the organization to get around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an example of Nigeria .
“ To continue to do work in Nigeria we need a PSI branch office that can work in tandem with the local office to actually deliver the services , ” she said .
She explained that since local PSI affiliate , Society for Family Health , would be considered a foreign NGO , they would run afoul of the Mexico City Policy , and therefore they would have to get U.S. funds to the local organization through a local branch of the parent U.S.-based organization .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we can sign those ( USAID agreements ) , with a clear conscience ...
But at the same time we are still able to do the safe abortion work through other mechanisms , ” she explained .
Sow also said that for the most part the Mexico City Policy did not have an enforcement mechanism aside from sporadic audits and therefore if individuals and their organization advocated for abortion it would not have any consequences .
“ There is no way for them to follow-up with compliance or ding us for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Population Action International ( PAI ) , a lobbying group that promotes the interests of the global abortion industry , accused the pro-life Congressmen of a “ malevolent intention , ” in a newsletter .
But they conceded that closing the loopholes “ would essentially dismantle the legacy of more than five decades of U.S. leadership on family planning and reproductive health around the world.
” According to PAI , the pro-life Congressmen ’ s letter put a “ bullseye ” on “ the largest and most competent service providers and recipients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program funding — because all unabashedly engage in the provision of legal , safe abortion services in developing countries with their private , non-USG funds.
” The six organizations listed in the Congressional letter to Pompeo are Population Services International , Pathfinder International , PATH , Population Council , Engender Health , and Woman Care International .
In 2018 these organizations alone received $ 284.4 million , among other things to manufacture and distribute abortion devices as well as promote and perform abortions overseas .
U.S.-based family planning groups have been able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance because they only prohibit foreign organizations that promote and perform abortions from receiving U.S. funds .
It still allows domestic organizations that promote and perform abortions abroad to receive U.S. funds .

PETITION: Thank President Trump for strengthening the ban on funding abortion overseas!” Sign the petition here.
NEW YORK, February 4, 2020 (C-Fam) — Abortion groups are scrambling to keep U.S. government funding after Senate and House Republicans caught them exploiting loopholes in the U.S. pro-life foreign policy that forbids them to receive taxpayer monies to promote and perform abortions abroad.
After President Trump put the policy in place upon taking office in 2017, Population Services International (PSI) hosted a conference call to explain how it would use the loopholes in the Mexico City Policy, now called the Protecting Life in Global Health Policy. The group would go on to receive over $180 million in 2018, even though they were not eligible.
When 59 Senate and House Republicans sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo last week exposing the abuse of taxpayer funds, PSI took down evidence of the conference call, which had been posted on its website since 2017. It is still available in archival web records.
On the call, PSI’s Chief Operating Officer Dr. Christine Sow told members of the PSI network that they would have to restructure the organization to get around the Mexico City Policy. She made an example of Nigeria.
“To continue to do work in Nigeria we need a PSI branch office that can work in tandem with the local office to actually deliver the services,” she said. She explained that since local PSI affiliate, Society for Family Health, would be considered a foreign NGO, they would run afoul of the Mexico City Policy, and therefore they would have to get U.S. funds to the local organization through a local branch of the parent U.S.-based organization.
“We are trying to restructure in a way that we can sign those (USAID agreements), with a clear conscience… But at the same time we are still able to do the safe abortion work through other mechanisms,” she explained.
Sow also said that for the most part the Mexico City Policy did not have an enforcement mechanism aside from sporadic audits and therefore if individuals and their organization advocated for abortion it would not have any consequences.
“There is no way for them to follow-up with compliance or ding us for it,” she said.
This week, Population Action International (PAI), a lobbying group that promotes the interests of the global abortion industry, accused the pro-life Congressmen of a “malevolent intention,” in a newsletter. But they conceded that closing the loopholes “would essentially dismantle the legacy of more than five decades of U.S. leadership on family planning and reproductive health around the world.”
According to PAI, the pro-life Congressmen’s letter put a “bullseye” on “the largest and most competent service providers and recipients of USAID family planning and reproductive health program funding — because all unabashedly engage in the provision of legal, safe abortion services in developing countries with their private, non-USG funds.”
The six organizations listed in the Congressional letter to Pompeo are Population Services International, Pathfinder International, PATH, Population Council, Engender Health, and Woman Care International. In 2018 these organizations alone received $284.4 million, among other things to manufacture and distribute abortion devices as well as promote and perform abortions overseas.
U.S.-based family planning groups have been able to work around pro-life restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance because they only prohibit foreign organizations that promote and perform abortions from receiving U.S. funds. It still allows domestic organizations that promote and perform abortions abroad to receive U.S. funds.
Published with permission from C-Fam.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-04--UN insists on abortion, contraception worldwide, even for women who don’t want them

WASHINGTON , D.C. , February 4 , 2020 ( C-Fam ) — Last November at a summit in Nairobi , the UN Population Fund announced that it would take $ 264 billion to reduce global maternal deaths and protect women and girls from violence .
The agency just released a publication outlining the details of how the billions would be spent — and the fine print includes abortion .
One of the enduring legacies of ICPD in 1994 is the compromise that was struck among nations : that the legal status of abortion was for national governments to determine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ safe.
” In the past quarter century , the same feminist organizations that sought to establish an international human right to abortion at the conference have continued to lobby for the same goal , calling it the “ unfinished agenda of ICPD.
” Nevertheless , no right to abortion exists in international human rights or humanitarian law , and UNFPA , which receives its directives from agreements reached by governments at the UN , has no mandate to promote abortion .
Its three central goals , set out in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliminate the “ unmet need ” for family planning , and end gender-based violence , including child marriage and female genital mutilation .
The price tag for achieving these three goals , set at $ 264 billion , was publicized at the Nairobi Summit , but the specific details were set out in January in a new publication .
In collaboration with researchers from several universities and other organizations , UNFPA broke down the specific interventions in each category , with cost estimates for each of the three targets .
The elimination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , estimated as costing $ 115.5 billion over the next ten years , requires ensuring that “ 29 interventions are universally available , ” one of which is “ safe abortion services.
” Unlike many UNFPA publications , which include a disclaimer specifying that references to abortion apply under circumstances in which it is legal , this estimate includes no such language .
The maternal health estimates also rely on another assumption : “ This study assumes that ending unmet need for family planning will also be achieved by 2030 , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ending preventable maternal deaths by 2030 could be substantially higher.
” The UNFPA report raised the question : what does eliminating “ unmet need ” mean in practice ?
According to the report , “ there are 232 million women in developing countries who want to prevent their pregnancies but are not using modern contraceptives.
” But researchers estimate that only about 5 % of “ unmet need ” can be attributed to lack of access to family planning .
The projected cost of $ 68.5 billion over the next ten years includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ variety of other efforts to address “ concerns about side effects and demand creation.
” Given that the leading reasons women opt out of using contraceptives include health concerns and religious objections , despite being described as having a “ need ” for them , it remains to be seen whether UNFPA ’ s insistence on increased voluntary contraceptive use includes the ability to take no for an answer .
UNFPA ’ s estimates rely heavily on increasing contraceptive use , both to eliminate “ unmet need ” and to keep maternal health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pregnancies that could result in maternal deaths due to insufficient health care , nutrition , and infrastructure , including transportation , electricity , and clean water .
UNFPA ’ s costing analysis does not anticipate the need to generate demand for these things .

No right to abortion exists in international human rights or humanitarian law, but a new U.N. report seems to call for abortion everywhere — even where it is illegal.
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 4, 2020 (C-Fam) — Last November at a summit in Nairobi, the UN Population Fund announced that it would take $264 billion to reduce global maternal deaths and protect women and girls from violence. The agency just released a publication outlining the details of how the billions would be spent — and the fine print includes abortion.
One of the enduring legacies of ICPD in 1994 is the compromise that was struck among nations: that the legal status of abortion was for national governments to determine, and that where legal, it should be “safe.” In the past quarter century, the same feminist organizations that sought to establish an international human right to abortion at the conference have continued to lobby for the same goal, calling it the “unfinished agenda of ICPD.”
Nevertheless, no right to abortion exists in international human rights or humanitarian law, and UNFPA, which receives its directives from agreements reached by governments at the UN, has no mandate to promote abortion. Its three central goals, set out in 2018, are to eliminate preventable maternal deaths, eliminate the “unmet need” for family planning, and end gender-based violence, including child marriage and female genital mutilation.
The price tag for achieving these three goals, set at $264 billion, was publicized at the Nairobi Summit, but the specific details were set out in January in a new publication. In collaboration with researchers from several universities and other organizations, UNFPA broke down the specific interventions in each category, with cost estimates for each of the three targets.
The elimination of preventable maternal deaths in 120 priority countries, estimated as costing $115.5 billion over the next ten years, requires ensuring that “29 interventions are universally available,” one of which is “safe abortion services.”
Unlike many UNFPA publications, which include a disclaimer specifying that references to abortion apply under circumstances in which it is legal, this estimate includes no such language.
The maternal health estimates also rely on another assumption: “This study assumes that ending unmet need for family planning will also be achieved by 2030,” and if not, “the costs of ending preventable maternal deaths by 2030 could be substantially higher.”
The UNFPA report raised the question: what does eliminating “unmet need” mean in practice? According to the report, “there are 232 million women in developing countries who want to prevent their pregnancies but are not using modern contraceptives.” But researchers estimate that only about 5% of “unmet need” can be attributed to lack of access to family planning. The projected cost of $68.5 billion over the next ten years includes not just delivering commodities but also a variety of other efforts to address “concerns about side effects and demand creation.”
Given that the leading reasons women opt out of using contraceptives include health concerns and religious objections, despite being described as having a “need” for them, it remains to be seen whether UNFPA’s insistence on increased voluntary contraceptive use includes the ability to take no for an answer.
UNFPA’s estimates rely heavily on increasing contraceptive use, both to eliminate “unmet need” and to keep maternal health costs down by reducing the number of pregnancies that could result in maternal deaths due to insufficient health care, nutrition, and infrastructure, including transportation, electricity, and clean water. UNFPA’s costing analysis does not anticipate the need to generate demand for these things.
Published with permission from C-Fam.
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