bonginoreport--2020-07-30--Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft Attended CCP’s AI Conference

Corporates including Amazon , Microsoft , and Apple have participated in the Chinese Communist Party ’ s World Artificial Intelligence Conference every year since its 2018 inception , an event that bolsters collaboration between Chinese government and military-linked companies and their American technology and healthcare companies .
The event , organized annually by seven branches of the Chinese government and featuring dozens of high-level Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) apparatchiks as speakers , seeks to be the “ top platform for AI cooperation and exchange.
” State-owned enterprises and companies including Huawei — banned from operating in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CCP backdoor access to its devices and identified by the Defense Department as a Chinese military proxy — are listed as Strategic Partners of the event .
In addition to Microsoft and Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) sponsoring the event , Corporate Vice President and Head of Research at Microsoft Peter Lee , who was appointed to the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity by President Barack Obama , and Amazon ’ s Vice President of Machine Learning Swami Sivasubramanian addressed the conference .
Apple ’ s Vice President and Managing Director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the event along with Elon Musk , the founder of SpaceX and Tesla .
Musk has spoken at the event every year since its inception , commenting in 2020 : The conference also pushed for Chinese AI to make a foray into healthcare .
Executives from AstraZeneca , a global pharmaceutical manufacturer , joined the conference “ looking to solve 10 real-world problems with partners.
” Such collaboration is concerning in light of the CCP ’ s willingness to use artificial intelligence ( AI ) to implement its surveillance state against its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province – as Xi noted in 2013 : “ High-end science and technology is a national weapon in modern times.
” And the CCP is keen on weaponizing AI as part of its quest for global dominance , as even privately-owned companies can be requisitioned by the party per its National Intelligence Law demanding that “ any organization or citizen shall support , assist , and cooperate with state intelligence work in accordance with the law.
” In other words , any of the Chinese companies seeking to collaborate with American entities attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relinquish data to the CCP .
What ’ s more , the conference ’ s explicit purpose is to carry out CCP diktats and assist in China ’ s quest to become the world ’ s technological capital : For decades , American corporates have sought expanded market access in China , neglecting national security and data privacy concerns in the name of profit .
And now , your personal information is on the line .

Corporates including Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple have participated in the Chinese Communist Party’s World Artificial Intelligence Conference every year since its 2018 inception, an event that bolsters collaboration between Chinese government and military-linked companies and their American technology and healthcare companies.
The event, organized annually by seven branches of the Chinese government and featuring dozens of high-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) apparatchiks as speakers, seeks to be the “top platform for AI cooperation and exchange.”
State-owned enterprises and companies including Huawei — banned from operating in the U.S. by the Trump administration for providing the CCP backdoor access to its devices and identified by the Defense Department as a Chinese military proxy — are listed as Strategic Partners of the event.
In addition to Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) sponsoring the event, Corporate Vice President and Head of Research at Microsoft Peter Lee, who was appointed to the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity by President Barack Obama, and Amazon’s Vice President of Machine Learning Swami Sivasubramanian addressed the conference.
Apple’s Vice President and Managing Director of Greater China Isabel Ge Mahe also spoke at the event along with Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla.
Musk has spoken at the event every year since its inception, commenting in 2020:
“I am always amazed by how many smart and hardworking people that are in China and how much positive energy here is and that people are really excited about the future.”
The conference also pushed for Chinese AI to make a foray into healthcare.
Executives from AstraZeneca, a global pharmaceutical manufacturer, joined the conference “looking to solve 10 real-world problems with partners.”
Such collaboration is concerning in light of the CCP’s willingness to use artificial intelligence (AI) to implement its surveillance state against its own citizens and repress Uyghurs in Xinjiang province – as Xi noted in 2013: “High-end science and technology is a national weapon in modern times.”
And the CCP is keen on weaponizing AI as part of its quest for global dominance, as even privately-owned companies can be requisitioned by the party per its National Intelligence Law demanding that “any organization or citizen shall support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work in accordance with the law.”
In other words, any of the Chinese companies seeking to collaborate with American entities attending the event could be lawfully compelled to relinquish data to the CCP.
What’s more, the conference’s explicit purpose is to carry out CCP diktats and assist in China’s quest to become the world’s technological capital:
“In order to deepen the integration of the Internet, big data, artificial intelligence and the real economy as required by the Party’s 19th National Congress, better serve the national innovation-driven development strategy, follow the international trend of new round of technology revolution and industrial reform and to develop Shanghai into a globally known center of science and innovation.”
For decades, American corporates have sought expanded market access in China, neglecting national security and data privacy concerns in the name of profit.
And now, your personal information is on the line.


bonginoreport--2020-07-30--President Trump Questions Security of 2020 Election Over Mail-In Voting

President Trump suggested that the election could be delayed , questioning whether Americans can `` properly , securely and safely vote '' this year .
`` With Universal Mail-In Voting ( not Absentee Voting , which is good ) , 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history , '' Trump wrote in a Thursday tweet .
`` It will be a great embarrassment to the USA .
Delay the Election until people can properly , securely and safely vote ?
?
? ''
Trump has repeatedly suggested on Twitter and in interviews that mail-in voting could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the practice “ one of the biggest risks I have.
” Trump 's likely Democratic opponent Joe Biden has suggested that Trump could try to delay the election .
`` Mark my words , '' Biden said in April .
`` I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow , come up with some rationale why it ca n't be held . ''
When Biden floated in April that Trump may try to delay the election , Trump said : `` I never even thought of changing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do that ?
Nov. 3 .
It 's a good number . ''
Trump ’ s reelection campaign called the suggestion the “ conspiracy theory ramblings ” of a candidate “ out of touch with reality.
” “ Those are the incoherent , conspiracy theory ramblings of a lost candidate who is out of touch with reality , ” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement at the time .
“ President Trump has been clear that the election will happen on Nov. 3.
” The Trump campaign said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem with mail-in voting .
“ The President is just raising a question about the chaos Democrats have created with their insistence on all mail-in voting , '' said national press secretary for the Trump campaign Hogan Gidley .
`` They are using coronavirus as their means to try to institute universal mail-in voting , which means sending every registered voter a ballot whether they asked for one or not , '' Gidley said .
Voter rolls are notoriously full of bad addresses for people who have moved , are noncitizens , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invites chaos and severe delays in results , as proven by the New York congressional primary , where we still don ’ t know who won after more than a month.
” The date of the presidential election is set by law and would require both houses of Congress to vote in favor of a change , making the president 's suggestion unlikely .
“ The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors , and the Day on which they shall give their Votes ; which Day shall be the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution reads .
In an interview with Fox News this month , Trump declined to say if he would accept the results of the November election .
Pressed to give a “ direct answer , ” Trump said he would “ have to see.
” “ No , I ’ m not going to just say , 'Yes , ' '' the president said .
“ I ’ m not going to say , 'No , ' and I didn ’ t last time either.
” The exchange came after Trump was asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said he was not and speculated that “ mail-in voting is going to rig the election.
” Democrats argue that voting by mail aids voter participation , notably with older voters .
The Republican National Committee has also encouraged the practice .
In pre-recorded phone calls this year , Trump ’ s daughter-in-law Lara Trump , a top campaign adviser , and his son Donald Trump Jr. , asked voters in a California special election to return their ballots “ safely and securely ” by mail .

President Trump suggested that the election could be delayed, questioning whether Americans can "properly, securely and safely vote" this year.
"With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history," Trump wrote in a Thursday tweet. "It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
Trump has repeatedly suggested on Twitter and in interviews that mail-in voting could be subject to fraud and has called the practice “one of the biggest risks I have.”
Trump's likely Democratic opponent Joe Biden has suggested that Trump could try to delay the election. "Mark my words," Biden said in April. "I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can't be held."
When Biden floated in April that Trump may try to delay the election, Trump said: "I never even thought of changing the date of the election. Why would I do that? Nov. 3. It's a good number."
Trump’s reelection campaign called the suggestion the “conspiracy theory ramblings” of a candidate “out of touch with reality.”
“Those are the incoherent, conspiracy theory ramblings of a lost candidate who is out of touch with reality,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement at the time. “President Trump has been clear that the election will happen on Nov. 3.”
The Trump campaign said the president was trying to highlight the problem with mail-in voting.
“The President is just raising a question about the chaos Democrats have created with their insistence on all mail-in voting," said national press secretary for the Trump campaign Hogan Gidley. "They are using coronavirus as their means to try to institute universal mail-in voting, which means sending every registered voter a ballot whether they asked for one or not," Gidley said. Voter rolls are notoriously full of bad addresses for people who have moved, are noncitizens, or are even deceased. Universal mail-in voting invites chaos and severe delays in results, as proven by the New York congressional primary, where we still don’t know who won after more than a month.”
The date of the presidential election is set by law and would require both houses of Congress to vote in favor of a change, making the president's suggestion unlikely.
“The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States,” the Constitution reads.
In an interview with Fox News this month, Trump declined to say if he would accept the results of the November election. Pressed to give a “direct answer,” Trump said he would “have to see.”
“No, I’m not going to just say, 'Yes,'" the president said. “I’m not going to say, 'No,' and I didn’t last time either.”
The exchange came after Trump was asked if he was a gracious loser. Trump said he was not and speculated that “mail-in voting is going to rig the election.”
Democrats argue that voting by mail aids voter participation, notably with older voters. The Republican National Committee has also encouraged the practice.
In pre-recorded phone calls this year, Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, a top campaign adviser, and his son Donald Trump Jr., asked voters in a California special election to return their ballots “safely and securely” by mail.
Trump is trailing Biden in national polls.


bonginoreport--2020-07-30--China Sanctioned By E.U. Over Hong Kong National Security Law

The European Union will sanction China for its imposition of a harsh national security law on Hong Kong , the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday .
The new sanctions hope to mitigate the strength and reach of Chinese extraterritorial power by limiting the export of surveillance hardware to Hong Kong—technology China could use to extradite Chinese nationals from anywhere in the world under the new national security law .
Also following in the footsteps of the United Kingdom—which now offers a pathway to citizenship for Hong Kong refugees—the EU is attempting to provide visas for Hong Kongers .
Additional steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come at the end of the year .
China rebuffed these new policies , saying that it is time for the EU to `` to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China 's internal affairs in any way . ''
`` China is firmly against the EU 's wrong moves and has made serious representations with the EU side , '' a Chinese spokesman added .
A large amount of Chinese capital is bound up in EU countries—particularly the economic powerhouse of Germany—which has rendered European countries more hesitant to criticize China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition , the EU has also struggled to get all member states to take a stand against Beijing .
For example , the EU caved to Chinese pressure in April to soften its criticisms of the PRC in an official coronavirus disinformation report .
Washington hopes , however , that this unified stand against China 's hostile takeover of Hong Kong could signify further cooperation against the PRC in the future .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alluded to the necessity of a `` coalition '' to brush back China in his remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to see every nation who understands freedom and democracy … to understand this threat that the Chinese Communist Party is posing to them , '' Pompeo said .

The European Union will sanction China for its imposition of a harsh national security law on Hong Kong, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
The new sanctions hope to mitigate the strength and reach of Chinese extraterritorial power by limiting the export of surveillance hardware to Hong Kong—technology China could use to extradite Chinese nationals from anywhere in the world under the new national security law. Also following in the footsteps of the United Kingdom—which now offers a pathway to citizenship for Hong Kong refugees—the EU is attempting to provide visas for Hong Kongers. Additional steps to support those fleeing Hong Kong may come at the end of the year.
China rebuffed these new policies, saying that it is time for the EU to "to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any way."
"China is firmly against the EU's wrong moves and has made serious representations with the EU side," a Chinese spokesman added.
A large amount of Chinese capital is bound up in EU countries—particularly the economic powerhouse of Germany—which has rendered European countries more hesitant to criticize China than the United States. As a coalition, the EU has also struggled to get all member states to take a stand against Beijing. For example, the EU caved to Chinese pressure in April to soften its criticisms of the PRC in an official coronavirus disinformation report.
Washington hopes, however, that this unified stand against China's hostile takeover of Hong Kong could signify further cooperation against the PRC in the future. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alluded to the necessity of a "coalition" to brush back China in his remarks in London last week.
"We want to see every nation who understands freedom and democracy … to understand this threat that the Chinese Communist Party is posing to them," Pompeo said.


bonginoreport--2020-07-30--Iran Military Drill Shows Off Missiles, Presumably to Threaten U.S. and Israel

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Iran ’s “Great Prophet” military drill is a serious affair in some ways, yet comical in others.For instance, Iran had its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fast boats do circles around a model of a US aircraft carrier, which looked more like people doing antics on spring break in Lake Havasu than a serious military exercise.However, on Wednesday, Iran upped the rhetoric with images of masses of missiles, which it claims are the first of their type being shot from underground areas.Iran is using the naval drill to put US forces on alert and test them, similar to what Hezbollah is doing to Israel at the same time.“Watch the first images of missiles from the depths of the earth,” says Iran’s Fars News.
IRGC stages massive war game south of #Iran pic.twitter.com/WUZgmGEzZ9 — Press TV (@PressTV) July 28, 2020
The second day of the 14th Great Prophet drills, an annual event for Iran on the southern coast, illustrated “one of the important and strategic achievements of the IRGC Air Force as it is firing ballistic missiles from deep underground,” the report says.This final stage of the military drills included the use of drones in areas around the Straits of Hormuz.These were IRGC drones and Tasnim News says they attacked the model aircraft carrier and damaged the bridge of the ship. In addition, 22 Sukhoi aircraft strafed targets on an island.“The planes destroying hypothetical enemy targets that were rigorously designed and much smaller than their actual size, with a variety of smart bombs, was another part of this phase of the exercise,” Tasnim News says.Iran says it combined its air force and naval units as part of the drill, part of a strategy that could be used to confront enemies. Obviously, Iran’s message here is to the US and US ships in the area.This includes the US aircraft carrier Nimitz, which is on station with the 5th fleet.Iran used Mohajer UAVs and surface-to-surface missile operations, shore-to-sea operations, heavy artillery as well as minesweeping.“The firing of all kinds of artillery, RPGs and light weapons of the jihadi combat forces in a line and from fortresses around the islands, once again showed the determination of the border guards defending the Islamic Republic.”Iran has become better in the use of combined arms in recent years. For instance, it used drones and cruise missiles to attack Saudi Arabia last year.The overall goal of these drills is to showcase Iran’s firepower. Iran was pleased to read US media reports that its drill caused an alarm at Dhafra and Udeid airbases in the Gulf, where the US has drones and various warplanes.According to Fox News reporter Lucas Tomlinson, Indian fighter pilots at al Dhafra air base were told to take cover during the alert when Iran fired ballistic missiles as part of its exercise. The US condemned the irresponsible launchings.Tehran has shown that it can send US soldiers into alert even without having to actually attack US bases. For instance, it appears that the Iranian missiles did fall in the water “close enough” to US bases in the UAE and Qatar that the missiles triggered warning systems.That would appear to be a way for Iran to say that it owns the Persian Gulf and the US are just guests there. That has been Tehran’s rhetoric all along.The reality is that in any conflict with the US and Iran, the Iranian navy would be destroyed rapidly if the US brought its full force to bear.In the past, the US has generally eschewed this, with exceptions in the 1980s when the US did sink half of Iran’s operational naval fleet during the 1988 Operation Praying Mantis.Iran’s naval and IRGC commanders all remember the 1988 incident. They’d like to believe now that their missiles give them the stand-off range to strike fear into the US and US allies such as Israel.In fact, Iran is doing in the Gulf precisely what Hezbollah is doing in Lebanon to Israel: encouraging an alert, without doing anything. That is what Iran’s recent naval drill appears to have been all about.


bonginoreport--2020-07-30--Black Actress Says She Won’t Have Children Out of Fear Police Will Hunt Them Down Or Kill Them

Tiffany Haddish says she wo n't have children out of fear police will hunt them down or kill them The @ @ @ @ @ black people who were killed by police

Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish said that she has avoided having children because she's afraid the police will hunt them down and kill them.
Haddish became emotional when discussing her reasoning in an interview with Carmelo Anthony on his YouTube show, "What's In Your Glass?" Haddish was explaining why she joined a Black Lives Matter protest when she made the comments about avoiding children.
"I'm a little older now and people are always like, "You gonna have some babies? When are you gonna have some babies? You gonna drop some babies?'" she said.
"There's a part of me that would like to do that, and I always make up these excuses like, 'Oh, I need a million dollars in the bank before I do that, I need this, I need that,'" she explained.
"But really, it's like, I would hate to give birth to someone that looks like me, and then, knowing that they're gonna be hunted or killed," she added.
"Like, why would I put someone through that?" Haddish asked.
"And white people don't have to think about that. It's time to talk about that, and how we have to come together as a community and work as a unit. Maybe we don't all agree on the same things, but we need to just find some common ground and move forward as human beings not as like, you know," she said.
"We're all trying to figure out, how do you fix this? How do you stop this? And all I can think is we have to figure out how to change people's hearts, and that's what I've been trying to do my whole career," she added.
Haddish said also that she knew two black people in her life who were killed by police and said that it led to the feeling that black people were being hunted and killed by law enforcement.
Here's a video about Haddish's comments:


bonginoreport--2020-07-30--50 Musicians, Including Mick Jagger, Aerosmith, and Elton John Demand That Politicians Stop Playing

50 Musicians, Including Mick Jagger, Aerosmith, and Elton John Demand That Politicians Stop Playing Their Music at Events

Artists Aerosmith , Mick Jagger , Lionel Richie , Elton John , Sia , and more than 50 other singers signed an open letter demanding politicians and campaigns stop playing their music at rallies and events without their consent .
“ Being dragged unwillingly into politics in this way can compromise an artist ’ s personal values while disappointing and alienating fans , ” reads the letter from the Artist Rights Alliance .
“ For artists that do choose to engage politically in campaigns or other contexts , this kind of unauthorized public use confuses their message and undermines their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new problem .
Or a partisan one , ” the letter continued .
“ Every election cycle brings stories of artists and songwriters frustrated to find their work being used in settings that suggest endorsement or support of political candidates without their permission or consent.
” The letter was addressed to campaign committees on both sides of the political aisle , and implored the political organizations to “ pledge that all candidates you support will seek consent from featured recording artists and songwriters before using their music in campaign and political settings.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effectively protect your candidates from legal risk , unnecessary public controversy , and the moral quagmire that comes from falsely claiming or implying an artist ’ s support or distorting an artists ’ expression in such a high stakes public way , ” the letter added .
The letter went on to affirm that “ the legal risks are clear ” in its attempt to get the campaign committees to cease usage of their music .
“ More importantly , ” the letter adds , “ falsely implying support or endorsement from an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It undermines the campaign process , confuses the voting public , and ultimately distorts elections.
” Like all other citizens , artists have the fundamental right to control their work and make free choices regarding their political expression and participation .
Using their work for political purposes without their consent fundamentally breaches those rights – an invasion of the most hallowed , even sacred personal interests .
No politician benefits from forcing a popular artist to publicly disown and reject them .
Yet these unnecessary controversies inevitably draw even the most reluctant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compelling them to explain the ways they disagree with candidates wrongfully using their music .
And on social media and in the culture at large , it ’ s the politicians that typically end up on the wrong side of those stories .
“ We urge you to establish clear policies requiring campaigns supported by your committees to seek the consent of featured recording artists , songwriters , and copyright owners before publicly using their music in a political or campaign setting , ” declared the artists in their letter .
The letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had until August 10 to respond with how they plan “ to accomplish these changes.
” Signees to the letter included Aerosmith , Alanis Morissette , B-52s , Cyndi Lauper , Elton John , Elvis Costello , Green Day , Jewel , Keith Richards , Lionel Richie , Linkin Park , Lorde , Mick Jagger , Pearl Jam , R.E.M.
, Sheryl Crow , Sia , Train , and more .
Last week , rock group Linkin Park forced the removal of a pro-Trump Internet meme featuring their 2000 song “ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim after it was retweeted by President Donald Trump .
Similarly , left-wing rocker Neil Young complained that President Trump had played his music at his event at Mount Rushmore earlier this month .
“ I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me , ” Young proclaimed .
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ ARmastrangelo , on Parler at @ alana , and on Instagram .

Artists Aerosmith, Mick Jagger, Lionel Richie, Elton John, Sia, and more than 50 other singers signed an open letter demanding politicians and campaigns stop playing their music at rallies and events without their consent.
“Being dragged unwillingly into politics in this way can compromise an artist’s personal values while disappointing and alienating fans,” reads the letter from the Artist Rights Alliance. “For artists that do choose to engage politically in campaigns or other contexts, this kind of unauthorized public use confuses their message and undermines their effectiveness.”
“This is not a new problem. Or a partisan one,” the letter continued. “Every election cycle brings stories of artists and songwriters frustrated to find their work being used in settings that suggest endorsement or support of political candidates without their permission or consent.”
The letter was addressed to campaign committees on both sides of the political aisle, and implored the political organizations to “pledge that all candidates you support will seek consent from featured recording artists and songwriters before using their music in campaign and political settings.”
“This is the only way to effectively protect your candidates from legal risk, unnecessary public controversy, and the moral quagmire that comes from falsely claiming or implying an artist’s support or distorting an artists’ expression in such a high stakes public way,” the letter added.
The letter went on to affirm that “the legal risks are clear” in its attempt to get the campaign committees to cease usage of their music.
“More importantly,” the letter adds, “falsely implying support or endorsement from an artist or songwriter is dishonest and immoral. It undermines the campaign process, confuses the voting public, and ultimately distorts elections.”
The letter continued:
Like all other citizens, artists have the fundamental right to control their work and make free choices regarding their political expression and participation. Using their work for political purposes without their consent fundamentally breaches those rights – an invasion of the most hallowed, even sacred personal interests. No politician benefits from forcing a popular artist to publicly disown and reject them. Yet these unnecessary controversies inevitably draw even the most reluctant or apolitical artists off the sidelines, compelling them to explain the ways they disagree with candidates wrongfully using their music. And on social media and in the culture at large, it’s the politicians that typically end up on the wrong side of those stories.
“We urge you to establish clear policies requiring campaigns supported by your committees to seek the consent of featured recording artists, songwriters, and copyright owners before publicly using their music in a political or campaign setting,” declared the artists in their letter.
The letter concluded by informing the political organizations that they had until August 10 to respond with how they plan “to accomplish these changes.”
Signees to the letter included Aerosmith, Alanis Morissette, B-52s, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Green Day, Jewel, Keith Richards, Lionel Richie, Linkin Park, Lorde, Mick Jagger, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Sheryl Crow, Sia, Train, and more.
Last week, rock group Linkin Park forced the removal of a pro-Trump Internet meme featuring their 2000 song “In the End” by citing a copyright claim after it was retweeted by President Donald Trump.
Similarly, left-wing rocker Neil Young complained that President Trump had played his music at his event at Mount Rushmore earlier this month.
“I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me,” Young proclaimed.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler at @alana, and on Instagram.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--How Turkey Blackmailed Libya Into Energy, Mercenary Deals

Revelations by Libyan officials to the Associated Press have lifted the lid on more than six months of questions about how Turkey was able to push Tripoli to accept thousands of extremist Syrian mercenaries in exchange for Ankara getting energy rights - leaving Libya with little gains except being saddled with extremists.Last November, Libya’s embattled Government of the National Accord was under siege in Tripoli by the Egyptian-backed Khalifa Haftar. Haftar, with a rival government based in Benghazi, appeared to be on the verge of ousting the dysfunctional GNA.Suddenly Ankara, which along with Qatar had backed the GNA with limited weapons and financing, swept in to offer a deal.Turkey would get energy rights off the coast which would let it threaten Greece and potentially harm Israel’s interests in an East Mediterranean pipeline, and Ankara would aid Tripoli with some drones and Syrian rebels.At the time it seemed farcical. Why would Turkey, which backs the Syrian opposition, send Syrians to fight and die in Libya Wasn’t sending mercenaries and weapons to Libya an illegal involvement against UN sanctions there?But Turkey’s ruling party has a long track record of ignoring international laws and invading its neighbors, bombing civilians in northern Iraq and ethnically cleansing Afrin in Syria in 2018 – so recruiting vulnerable Syrians to fight in Libya was just one more violation of international norms.Turkey could count on support or silence from the European Union, NATO and the United Nations because it was threatening to force hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees into Europe in the winter of 2019.The message was clear to the European Union: Either let Turkey seize a swath of the Mediterranean and take over part of Libya and send Syrians there, or the Syrians – some of whom were extremists – will be Europe’s problem. With Germany and other European countries paying Ankara billions to keep Syrians in Turkey, there wasn’t much choice.NOW THE Libyan side of the story can be told in more details. We know that since Turkey has escalated the conflict in Libya, which previously was a ramshackle civil war with limited backing from a plethora of foreign powers, the Russians have sent warplanes, and Egypt has threatened to intervene.In short, Turkey’s involvement has made Libya a much larger conflict with stakes that now link to all of Europe and the Middle East. It has become a testing ground for Turkish drones, Russian air defense and Chinese armed drones, and has brought Egypt, the UAE, Greece and France closer together to complain about Turkey’s role.The AP reports assert that Turkey sent up to 3,800 mercenaries and some troops to support Libya’s GNA, which is run by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj.“They took advantage of our weakness at the time,” the Libyan officials now say.This has shocked and angered the pro-Ankara media in Turkey which is all pro-government and which has been sold a populist, militarist, religious narrative by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.For the pro-government media in Turkey, the adventure in Libya was part of Ottoman-era rights, and Turkish media claims there are “Turks” in Libya that need defending.The Muslim Brotherhood, which is linked to Hamas and Qatar which Ankara supports, also wants Turkey in Libya.So Turkey’s media called the Libyan war a “revolution” like the Arab Spring, fighting against “warlords.”But it now turns out that Ankara was pressuring Sarraj for a year for the energy and maritime deal. Turkey was the only country really ready to give support.“Islamists inside Sarraj’s administration” also supported the deal.TURKEY'S CURRENT regime, which has increasingly jailed tens of thousands of dissidents and suppressed Kurdish civil rights in recent years, has been accused of working with extremists in northern Syria.ISIS members are often found to have fled to Turkey or used it to transit to Idlib. ISIS leader Abu Baqr al-Baghdadi was found in October 2019 in Syria close to the Turkish border.ISIS members have even trafficked Yazidi genocide victims to Turkish-occupied Idlib province in Syria. The US has carried out airstrikes against Al-Qaeda, which operates in Turkish-occupied areas of Syria.It now appears that Turkey will milk Libya economically. The AP report says Ankara has given Tripoli a bill of $1.7 billion for money owed to Turkish companies.A role in oil and offshore energy and then military bases will likely come next. Tripoli appears to be concerned that it is becoming another colony of Ankara, similar to the instability Turkey unleashed in northern Syria, where local voices become subservient to its whims but have little control over their own destiny.It’s unclear if Turkey’s growing involvement will result in a deal with Russia now to divide Libya, the way Turkey has partitioned Syria.Some voices in Turkey may be wondering if the Libyan adventure was worth it, especially now with the criticism. It has united most Arab countries in opposition to Turkey’s role. It has also angered Greece.News on July 29 is that Ankara has a new deal to sell Greece drones and may be trying to reduce tensions in the Mediterranean with Athens. Perhaps Libya was not all it appeared to be in the end – and Turkey is now waiting to see where the next crisis will emerge.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--U.N. Investigating Secret Military Deal Between Venezuela and North Korea

The United Nations is investigating a potentially illegal military agreement between North Korea and its ally Venezuela , Reuters revealed , leading to calls from the government of President Juan Guaidó for the world to repudiate the socialist regime .
While Guaidó is legally the president of Venezuela , dictator Nicolás Maduro controls the nation ’ s military and law enforcement apparatus .
Both Guaidó and Maduro are running simultaneous , parallel diplomatic operations ; Guaidó ’ s diplomats operate in the countries that recognize him as president , while Maduro ’ s operate in the communist states that recognize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters directed to Maduro ’ s representative at the United Nations , Samuel Moncada , asking for details about agreements signed between Pyongyang and Caracas during a visit to the Asian nation by Diosdado Cabello , a senior Maduro henchman and U.S.-sanctioned drug trafficker .
Maduro and Cabello both openly boasted of diplomatic agreements signed at that meeting , though without providing details .
Excerpts Reuters published of the two letters reportedly demanded Moncada clarify that the agreements abided by the strict sanctions placed on North Korea , which were greatly strengthened after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
The main concern appeared to be the potential of a military agreement with North Korea .
While the U.N. does not block humanitarian aid and some economic activity , much potential engagement with the North Korean military is a violation of international law for member states .
“ Taking into consideration that such cooperation is a recognized way for the DPRK [ North Korea ] to violate relevant U.N. resolutions , the Panel would like to request a response … concerning information regarding above suspected cooperation , ” panel coordinator Alastair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , allegedly sent in mid-June .
It is not clear if Maduro ’ s regime responded in any way to the letters .
In response to the report , Guaidó ’ s top diplomat Julio Borges accused Maduro of attempting to “ weave undemocratic alliances ” to worsen the human rights situation on a global scale .
“ This confirms that the regime only seeks to weave undemocratic alliances to destabilize and violate international law , ” Borges wrote on Twitter .
“ Maduro has turned [ Venezuela ] into a hub @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond the region .
This demands a consensus on resounding action.
” Reuters claimed it could not confirm the existence of a military agreement between Maduro and North Korea .
Yet Maduro himself announced a military deal with Pyongyang in a broadcast in late September and early October 2019 , when Cabello was in Pyongyang .
“ Diosdado has just informed me of agreements concluded in all areas — technology , industry , military cooperation , ” Maduro announced .
Maduro ’ s vague comment is the most information publicly available on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , North Korea was careful not to divulge details .
The Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) , a communist state outlet , did report that the country hosted a reception to welcome Cabello , who also toured China and Vietnam during that trip .
“ Addressing the event [ the reception ] , [ legislative leader ] Pak Thae Song said that the Party , government , and people of Venezuela are achieving successes in the struggle for the victorious advance of the Bolivarian revolution , foiling the sanctions and sabotages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He expressed belief that the militant friendship and fraternal ties forged between the two countries on the road of anti-imperialist independence would invariably grow stronger.
” Maduro ’ s diplomatic arm published photos of Cabello arriving in Pyongyang on September 24 .
KCNA also reported that Cabello arrived with a personal gift to dictator Kim Jong-un from Maduro .
“ The personal letter and gift were conveyed to Choe Ryong Hae , member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee , first vice-chairman of the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Presidium of the Supreme People ’ s Assembly , by Diosdado Cabello , president of the National Constituent Assembly and first vice-chairman of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela who is the head of the party and government high-level delegation of Venezuela , on Wednesday.
” Socialist Venezuela has endeavored to maintain close ties to North Korea since late dictator Hugo Chávez took power .
Prior to Cabello ’ s visit , Kim Yong-nam , the president of North Korea ’ s puppet legislature at the time , visited Caracas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kim met personally with Maduro for “ an important work meeting … in which we agreed to strengthen diplomatic and political relations between the two states , ” according to Maduro .
The sanctions currently in place over North Korea took hold in 2017 and were the product of a major victory on the part of the Trump administration , convincing North Korea ’ s closest allies , Russia and China , to sign on .
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to impose significant sanctions on popular exports from the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petroleum .
A study published last year found that the sanctions cut North Korea ’ s trade volume by half in 2018 .

The United Nations is investigating a potentially illegal military agreement between North Korea and its ally Venezuela, Reuters revealed, leading to calls from the government of President Juan Guaidó for the world to repudiate the socialist regime.
While Guaidó is legally the president of Venezuela, dictator Nicolás Maduro controls the nation’s military and law enforcement apparatus. Both Guaidó and Maduro are running simultaneous, parallel diplomatic operations; Guaidó’s diplomats operate in the countries that recognize him as president, while Maduro’s operate in the communist states that recognize him.
Reuters claimed to have obtained letters directed to Maduro’s representative at the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, asking for details about agreements signed between Pyongyang and Caracas during a visit to the Asian nation by Diosdado Cabello, a senior Maduro henchman and U.S.-sanctioned drug trafficker. Maduro and Cabello both openly boasted of diplomatic agreements signed at that meeting, though without providing details.
Excerpts Reuters published of the two letters reportedly demanded Moncada clarify that the agreements abided by the strict sanctions placed on North Korea, which were greatly strengthened after its last nuclear weapons test in September 2017. The main concern appeared to be the potential of a military agreement with North Korea. While the U.N. does not block humanitarian aid and some economic activity, much potential engagement with the North Korean military is a violation of international law for member states.
“Taking into consideration that such cooperation is a recognized way for the DPRK [North Korea] to violate relevant U.N. resolutions, the Panel would like to request a response … concerning information regarding above suspected cooperation,” panel coordinator Alastair Morgan wrote in the letter, Reuters reported, allegedly sent in mid-June.
It is not clear if Maduro’s regime responded in any way to the letters.
In response to the report, Guaidó’s top diplomat Julio Borges accused Maduro of attempting to “weave undemocratic alliances” to worsen the human rights situation on a global scale.
“This confirms that the regime only seeks to weave undemocratic alliances to destabilize and violate international law,” Borges wrote on Twitter. “Maduro has turned [Venezuela] into a hub of crime and destruction that has expanded beyond the region. This demands a consensus on resounding action.”
Esto confirma que el régimen solo busca tejer alianzas no democráticas para desestabilizar y violar leyes internacionales. Maduro ha convertido a 🇻 en un centro de crimen y destrucción que ya se expande más allá del ámbito regional. Urge un consenso sobre acciones contundentes. https://t.co/qDMUZNUNVo — Julio Borges (@JulioBorges) July 28, 2020
Reuters claimed it could not confirm the existence of a military agreement between Maduro and North Korea. Yet Maduro himself announced a military deal with Pyongyang in a broadcast in late September and early October 2019, when Cabello was in Pyongyang.
“Diosdado has just informed me of agreements concluded in all areas — technology, industry, military cooperation,” Maduro announced.
Maduro’s vague comment is the most information publicly available on the deal. Through its state propaganda arms, North Korea was careful not to divulge details. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a communist state outlet, did report that the country hosted a reception to welcome Cabello, who also toured China and Vietnam during that trip.
“Addressing the event [the reception], [legislative leader] Pak Thae Song said that the Party, government, and people of Venezuela are achieving successes in the struggle for the victorious advance of the Bolivarian revolution, foiling the sanctions and sabotages by hostile forces,” KCNA claimed. “He expressed belief that the militant friendship and fraternal ties forged between the two countries on the road of anti-imperialist independence would invariably grow stronger.”
Maduro’s diplomatic arm published photos of Cabello arriving in Pyongyang on September 24.
KCNA also reported that Cabello arrived with a personal gift to dictator Kim Jong-un from Maduro.
“The personal letter and gift were conveyed to Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, first vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, by Diosdado Cabello, president of the National Constituent Assembly and first vice-chairman of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela who is the head of the party and government high-level delegation of Venezuela, on Wednesday.”
Socialist Venezuela has endeavored to maintain close ties to North Korea since late dictator Hugo Chávez took power. Prior to Cabello’s visit, Kim Yong-nam, the president of North Korea’s puppet legislature at the time, visited Caracas and signed more diplomatic deals of contents unknown. Kim met personally with Maduro for “an important work meeting … in which we agreed to strengthen diplomatic and political relations between the two states,” according to Maduro.
The sanctions currently in place over North Korea took hold in 2017 and were the product of a major victory on the part of the Trump administration, convincing North Korea’s closest allies, Russia and China, to sign on. The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to impose significant sanctions on popular exports from the country like seafood and pivotal ones like refined petroleum.
A study published last year found that the sanctions cut North Korea’s trade volume by half in 2018.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--Leaked Images Show Mexican Cartel Smuggling Into U.S. During Hurricane

As Hurricane Hanna arrived in south Texas , Border Patrol agents were still getting alerted to drug and human smuggling attempts .
Breitbart Texas was able to obtain exclusive stills from law enforcement drawbridge cameras from the Rio Grande City area in Starr County .
These cameras captured both drug and human smuggling incidents as Hurricane Hanna was making landfall .
Drawbridge cameras are low-cost , high-tech systems with enhanced capabilities used extensively by the Texas Department of Public Safety , Border Patrol , sheriff ’ s departments , and ranchers that act as tripwires to illicit activities .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gulf Cartel , given their current turf positions in the region .
Drug smugglers wasted no time as the outer bands swept ahead of the storm .
In the image above , high winds can be seen blowing vegetation as two smugglers carry large bundles consistent with methods used to manually transport marijuana .
The smugglers can also be seen wearing life vests .
“ This is a commonly seen tactic–wearing flotation devices–during extreme weather to help manage swimming across the river , ” one Border Patrol agent told Breitbart Texas in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : In many cases , during the storm , we observed larger than normal rafts being used to cross the river due to the level of speed at which the river flows during the storm .
Smugglers take advantage of extreme weather because agents are only able to respond by foot .
After all , the roads become too muddy and inaccessible to vehicles slowing down response to the border .
All other imaging , surveillance , and reconnaissance ( ISR ) assets are disabled due to extreme weather .
This leaves only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border security in areas where the wall does not exist .
The second image from Rio Grande City was taken two hours after Hanna made landfall .
Four drug smugglers can be seen wearing life vests .
The first individual is apparently carrying a large bundle , also likely to be marijuana .
Three people were also seen running almost directly under the Roma Port of Entry bridge along the muddy banks of the Rio Grande ( the featured image of this article ) .
“ It is very common to see human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ports of entry across the entire southwest border , ” the agent said .
“ The average American is most likely unaware that we have a specific mission and only granted specific authority that each can enforce on and off the ports .
Smugglers know only Border Patrol can apprehend them as long as they are not on the port property.
” One lone individual seen in high winds walking through in the pitch black of night .
According to a CBP release on events on that day , agents responded to several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near Rio Grande City .
They reportedly observed smugglers as they abandoned the bundles and ran back to Mexico .
Agents seized more than 230 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $ 188,000 .
Simultaneously , Rio Grande City agents responded to the second group of smugglers and seized seven bundles of marijuana weighing more than 380 pounds worth an estimated $ 306,000 .
Jaeson Jones is a retired Captain from the Texas Department of Public Safety ’ s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division and a Breitbart Texas contributor .
While on duty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rangers Border Security Operations Center .

As Hurricane Hanna arrived in south Texas, Border Patrol agents were still getting alerted to drug and human smuggling attempts.
Breitbart Texas was able to obtain exclusive stills from law enforcement drawbridge cameras from the Rio Grande City area in Starr County. These cameras captured both drug and human smuggling incidents as Hurricane Hanna was making landfall.
Drawbridge cameras are low-cost, high-tech systems with enhanced capabilities used extensively by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, sheriff’s departments, and ranchers that act as tripwires to illicit activities.
The footage captured activities most likely attributable to the Gulf Cartel, given their current turf positions in the region.
Drug smugglers wasted no time as the outer bands swept ahead of the storm.
In the image above, high winds can be seen blowing vegetation as two smugglers carry large bundles consistent with methods used to manually transport marijuana. The smugglers can also be seen wearing life vests.
“This is a commonly seen tactic–wearing flotation devices–during extreme weather to help manage swimming across the river,” one Border Patrol agent told Breitbart Texas in reaction to the footage. He continued:
In many cases, during the storm, we observed larger than normal rafts being used to cross the river due to the level of speed at which the river flows during the storm. Smugglers take advantage of extreme weather because agents are only able to respond by foot. After all, the roads become too muddy and inaccessible to vehicles slowing down response to the border. All other imaging, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets are disabled due to extreme weather. This leaves only agents and the drawbridge cameras available for border security in areas where the wall does not exist.
The second image from Rio Grande City was taken two hours after Hanna made landfall. Four drug smugglers can be seen wearing life vests. The first individual is apparently carrying a large bundle, also likely to be marijuana.
Three people were also seen running almost directly under the Roma Port of Entry bridge along the muddy banks of the Rio Grande (the featured image of this article).
“It is very common to see human smuggling incidents like this occurring right under ports of entry across the entire southwest border,” the agent said. “The average American is most likely unaware that we have a specific mission and only granted specific authority that each can enforce on and off the ports. Smugglers know only Border Patrol can apprehend them as long as they are not on the port property.”
One lone individual seen in high winds walking through in the pitch black of night.
According to a CBP release on events on that day, agents responded to several subjects running with suspected bundles of narcotics near Rio Grande City. They reportedly observed smugglers as they abandoned the bundles and ran back to Mexico. Agents seized more than 230 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $188,000.
Simultaneously, Rio Grande City agents responded to the second group of smugglers and seized seven bundles of marijuana weighing more than 380 pounds worth an estimated $306,000.
Jaeson Jones is a retired Captain from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division and a Breitbart Texas contributor. While on duty, he managed daily operations for the Texas Rangers Border Security Operations Center.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--Victor Davis Hanson: Our Summer of Cultural Suicide

Cultural suicide used to be a popular diagnosis of why things suddenly just quit .
Historians such as Oswald Spengler and Arnold Toynbee cited social cannibalism to explain why once-successful states , institutions , and cultures simply died off .
Their common explanation was that the arrogance of success ensures lethal consequences .
Once elites became pampered and arrogant , they feel exempt from their ancestors ' respect for moral and spiritual laws like thrift , moderation , and transcendence .
Take professional sports .
Over the last century , professional football , basketball and baseball were racially integrated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The three leagues offered fans a pleasant respite from daily barroom politics .
As a result , by the 21st century , the NFL , NBA and MLB had become global multibillion-dollar enterprises .
The owners , coaches and players were n't always racially diverse .
But that inconvenient truth did not stop the leagues from hectoring their fans about social activism — even as they no longer honored common patriotic rituals .
All three leagues have suffered terribly during the viral lockdown , as American life mysteriously went on without them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wo n't fully recover when the quarantine ends .
Many of their often-pampered multimillionaire players refuse to honor the national anthem .
In the NFL they now will broadcast their politics on their helmets .
They will virtue-signal their moral superiority to increasingly turned-off fans , as if to ensure that their sources of support flee .
Lots of American universities became virtual global brands in the 21st century .
Sky-high tuition , rich foreign students , guaranteed student loans , and Club Med-like facilities convinced administrators and faculty that higher education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every successful American had to have a bachelor 's degree , as if the higher-education monopoly deserved guaranteed customers .
But soon , $ 1.6 trillion in aggregate student-loan debt , lightweight and trendy curricula , ideological hectoring , administrative bloat , reduced teaching loads , poor placement of graduates , and the suspension of the Bill of Rights on campus began turning off both students and the public .
If students can Zoom or Skype their classes from home this fall , why pay $ 70,000 a year for the campus `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rioters this summer incoherently toppled or damaged the statues of everyone from Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant to Frederick Douglass and Miguel de Cervantes .
So the public might begin to wonder how the nation 's multitrillion-dollar investment in higher education actually served the country .
Soon , popular fury will beget more dangerous questions for American universities .
Maybe the country should subsidize the training of more essential electricians , plumbers , contractors , and masons instead of unemployable environmental and ethnic studies majors .
If a university president wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroy his university , he could not have come up with a better one than what has happened on campus in recent decades .
Hollywood should have been ecstatic over 21st-century globalization , which should have made filmmakers and stars even richer and more popular , with a potential audience of more than seven billion .
But quarantine has shut down most theaters .
Amazon , Netflix and Facebook , along with cable TV , have sent theater revenues diving for years .
Silicon Valley can create filmmakers who have no need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hollywood counts on bringing comic books to the big screen , or on making poor remakes of old classics .
When directors try to make a serious new movie , the result is often the monotony and boredom of thinly veiled woke propaganda .
Viewers can take only so many heroic green crusaders , diverse superhumans , and beautiful feminists — and only so many villainous cardboard-cutout Russian oligarchs , toothless and twangy Southern Neanderthals , and corporate yes-men .
The hypocrisy gets worse when the Chinese government often adjudicates movie content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market with more than a billion potential customers .
But viewers do seek out theaters for more lectures from beautiful multimillionaires on their racist , sexist , homophobic country .
Professional sports , universities , and the motion picture industry all know that what they are doing is bad for business .
But they still believe they are rich and powerful , and thus invulnerable .
They also are ignorant of history and can not be persuaded that they are destroying themselves .
At this late date , all that matters is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examples and heals itself .
If the U.S. is not to become an extinct Easter Island , it must rediscover a respect for its past , honor for the dead who gave us so much , the desire to invest rather than spend , and a need for some sense of transcendence .
If we do not believe that what we do today has consequences for our children after we are gone , there are ancient existential forces in the world that will intervene .
And it wo n't be nice .
Victor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Hoover Institution , Stanford University , and the author , most recently , of `` The Father of Us All : War and History , Ancient and Modern '' You can reach him by e-mailing author @ victorhanson.com .

Cultural suicide used to be a popular diagnosis of why things suddenly just quit.
Historians such as Oswald Spengler and Arnold Toynbee cited social cannibalism to explain why once-successful states, institutions, and cultures simply died off.
Their common explanation was that the arrogance of success ensures lethal consequences. Once elites became pampered and arrogant, they feel exempt from their ancestors' respect for moral and spiritual laws like thrift, moderation, and transcendence.
Take professional sports. Over the last century, professional football, basketball and baseball were racially integrated and adopted a uniform code of patriotic observance. The three leagues offered fans a pleasant respite from daily barroom politics. As a result, by the 21st century, the NFL, NBA and MLB had become global multibillion-dollar enterprises.
Then hubris ensued.
The owners, coaches and players weren't always racially diverse. But that inconvenient truth did not stop the leagues from hectoring their fans about social activism — even as they no longer honored common patriotic rituals.
All three leagues have suffered terribly during the viral lockdown, as American life mysteriously went on without them. And they have almost ensured that they won't fully recover when the quarantine ends. Many of their often-pampered multimillionaire players refuse to honor the national anthem. In the NFL they now will broadcast their politics on their helmets. They will virtue-signal their moral superiority to increasingly turned-off fans, as if to ensure that their sources of support flee.
Lots of American universities became virtual global brands in the 21st century. Sky-high tuition, rich foreign students, guaranteed student loans, and Club Med-like facilities convinced administrators and faculty that higher education was sacrosanct. The universities preached that every successful American had to have a bachelor's degree, as if the higher-education monopoly deserved guaranteed customers.
But soon, $1.6 trillion in aggregate student-loan debt, lightweight and trendy curricula, ideological hectoring, administrative bloat, reduced teaching loads, poor placement of graduates, and the suspension of the Bill of Rights on campus began turning off both students and the public.
If students can Zoom or Skype their classes from home this fall, why pay $70,000 a year for the campus "experience"?
Supposedly woke and informed rioters this summer incoherently toppled or damaged the statues of everyone from Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant to Frederick Douglass and Miguel de Cervantes. So the public might begin to wonder how the nation's multitrillion-dollar investment in higher education actually served the country.
Soon, popular fury will beget more dangerous questions for American universities. Maybe the country should subsidize the training of more essential electricians, plumbers, contractors, and masons instead of unemployable environmental and ethnic studies majors.
If a university president wanted to devise a plan for how to destroy his university, he could not have come up with a better one than what has happened on campus in recent decades.
Hollywood should have been ecstatic over 21st-century globalization, which should have made filmmakers and stars even richer and more popular, with a potential audience of more than seven billion. But quarantine has shut down most theaters.
Amazon, Netflix and Facebook, along with cable TV, have sent theater revenues diving for years. Silicon Valley can create filmmakers who have no need to get near Southern California.
In response, Hollywood counts on bringing comic books to the big screen, or on making poor remakes of old classics. When directors try to make a serious new movie, the result is often the monotony and boredom of thinly veiled woke propaganda.
Viewers can take only so many heroic green crusaders, diverse superhumans, and beautiful feminists — and only so many villainous cardboard-cutout Russian oligarchs, toothless and twangy Southern Neanderthals, and corporate yes-men.
The hypocrisy gets worse when the Chinese government often adjudicates movie content as the price of entering a Chinese market with more than a billion potential customers.
But viewers do seek out theaters for more lectures from beautiful multimillionaires on their racist, sexist, homophobic country.
Professional sports, universities, and the motion picture industry all know that what they are doing is bad for business. But they still believe they are rich and powerful, and thus invulnerable. They also are ignorant of history and cannot be persuaded that they are destroying themselves.
At this late date, all that matters is that the country itself learns from these suicidal examples and heals itself. If the U.S. is not to become an extinct Easter Island, it must rediscover a respect for its past, honor for the dead who gave us so much, the desire to invest rather than spend, and a need for some sense of transcendence.
If we do not believe that what we do today has consequences for our children after we are gone, there are ancient existential forces in the world that will intervene.
And it won't be nice.
Victor Davis Hanson is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and the author, most recently, of "The Father of Us All: War and History, Ancient and Modern" You can reach him by e-mailing author@victorhanson.com.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--Cal Thomas: By Any Other Name

Cal Thomas: By Any Other Name

Politicians and various social justice groups have long used labels that have nothing to do with the real intent of legislation or organizations to dupe the public .
But , to paraphrase Shakespeare , a rose by any other name is still a rose .
Numerous `` civil rights '' bills have been passed by Congress over the years that have nothing to do with civil rights , but how many members are brave enough to point that out and vote against them ?
Which brings me to the Black Lives Matter movement .
How many mainstream reporters have bothered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principles of the rapidly-spreading organization , to which even white CEOs are contributing gobs of money in what appears to be an attempt to protect themselves and their businesses from any potential charge of racism ?
The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty , which self-describes as `` an ecumenical , nonprofit research organization that promotes the benefits of free enterprise to religious communities , business people , students and educators , '' has exposed the ideology of Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) .
According to Acton , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum income for all black people , free health care , free schooling , free food , free real estate , gender reassignment surgery and free abortion ( already disproportionately high among African-American women -- '' 27.1 per 1,000 women compared with 10 per 1,000 for white women , '' -- but apparently unborn black lives do n't matter to BLM ) .
Washington , D.C. 's local BLM chapter has even called for `` no new jails '' ( which would likely guarantee an increase in crime , much of it perpetrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's crime stats , see Chicago , see Los Angeles ) .
BLM also demands reparations and wants to create a `` global liberation movement '' that will `` overturn U.S. imperialism ( and ) capitalism . ''
According to The New York Post , `` Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors said in a newly surfaced video from 2015 that she and her fellow organizers are 'trained Marxists . '
'' Breitbart News , a conservative syndicated news website , reported that `` Cullors , 36 , was the protege of Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Underground domestic terror organization , and spent years absorbing the Marxist-Leninist ideology that shaped her worldview . ''
There is a growing number of people , especially among the young , who have been `` educated '' in our once-great universities by some professors who support the BLM movement and promote similar or identical ideologies .
Part of what they are taught is that America began as a white , slave-owning patriarchy and that slaves actually built America .
They quickly absorb this , then come home to tell their parents they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major reason school choice is important if the nation is to be preserved .
It should also be obvious that parents must be more selective in where they allow -- and in many cases , pay for -- their children to attend colleges and universities , choosing one where their values are strengthened and the nation is not undermined .
Black lives matter because , like all lives , everyone is endowed with unalienable rights .
But the BLM movement might be more harmful than helpful to African Americans .
BLM 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those of China and the former Soviet Union .
If more people understood that , they might wake up and realize that the United States , as Ronald Reagan used to say , is only one generation from losing it all .

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bonginoreport--2020-07-31--Kurt Schlichter: Democrat Liars Are Barely Even Trying to Fool Us Anymore

You watch the freakish Rep. Jerry Nadler mouth off to AG William Barr about how those poor , hug-giving rioters of love in Portland are being cruelly provoked by that federal courthouse that racistly refuses to be burned down , and your mind generates several questions .
The first is whether he somehow forgot that we ’ ve actually seen pictures of those enthusiastic Biden supporters destroying property and attacking cops .
The next question is how someone as lumpy as The Nad ever managed to pull off his escape from Willie Wonka ’ s factory .
Maybe he hid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked because no one noticed him nestled inside , perfectly camouflaged .
But truth is still a thing , despite the efforts of Rep. Class Act and that witch Nancy Pelosi , who called our cops “ stormtroopers ” with a straight face – though in fairness to her , after all that Botox she no longer has any other kind .
Truth exists , and we can see it thanks to alternative outlets and social media .
And we still think lying is a bad thing , though our opponents disagree .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bourgeois conceit , something to be discarded as necessary in the struggle against horrible things like racism , sexism , transphobia , colonialization , and Democrats not being in power .
It ’ s optional .
And the left is opting out .
All this baloney happens to jibe with the theme of my new book , The 21 Biggest Lies About Donald Trump ( and You ! )
, which is that liberal liars ( along with their cackling , flaccid Never Trump Renfields ) are either remarkably stupid or think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a bit of both .
The kind of lies told by the Speaker of the House and the Oompa Loompa of the House are central to the success of the rioters .
Remember that all this disorder is an information operation designed to make us normal people think that chaos is descending upon America and that Donald Trump will be unable to protect us when these barbarians issue from the cities like Sauron ’ s hordes from Mordor and march on our suburban and rural homes .
The unspoken deal they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gropey old weirdo who lives in a basement then all this trouble will magically stop and , as a bonus , the Bat Soup Flu will be cured .
The Democrat denial of the lies right in front of us is a key component of their information operation strategy .
The media tries to help disguise what is actually happening , not just in terms of blaming Trump , but in terms of covering up the essential insignificance of the chaos they are trying to generate .
It ’ s not like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that these toxic Portland layabouts were just minding their own business being productive members of society when the courthouse rolled up on them and dumped out a bunch of federal officers who forced these honor students and Eagle Scouts into helmets , gave them shields , lasers , and Molotov cocktails , and compelled them , against their will , to try to torch the place .
The media keeps trying to make various narrative fetches happen , but it ’ s not happening .
The “ peaceful protestor ” thing is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Moms , ” a hackneyed bit of performance art that might fool dim bulbs like the flatulent Eric Swalwell but no one else , it ’ s unclear whether those hefty harpies even identify themselves as women .
Oh , wait , in their bizarro universe men can be moms too .
As for the “ Wall of Vets , ” those of us who are actual vets identify them as Blue Falcons .
While blaming Trump for what is manifestly the fault of these Democrat catspaws is important to the op @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poisonous scheme is convincing you that this is a movement of mass and not of bowel .
There simply are not that many people rioting .
They only manage to round up a few hundred cretins a night in Portland , but if you dive below the surface you see that this fight is an idiot magnet for losers across the country .
This is a nation of 330 million people , and maybe 2,000 are involved in the violence the mainstream media shows every night ( albeit in a sanitized and curated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
That ’ s nothing .
It is tactically insignificant , and if Portland and these other Democrat cities ’ mayors and district attorneys would stop flying top cover for the criminals , the police would pop this progressive protest pimple with about 15 minutes of riot cop TLC .
The thing you need to know is that they are not coming for you en masse .
That ’ s the big lie .
Why not ?
Besides the fact that they lack numbers , once they hit the big blue ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone .
Is your police department going to roll over ?
How about your DA ?
This garbage may play to the activists who actually vote in the cities , but we all vote in the suburbs and rural areas and we are not defunding nothing .
Our pols generally realize that if they lose control , they lose their job .
When those creatures slither into our communities , it ’ s stick time .
And that ’ s not even accounting for all the Second Amendment enthusiasts in the hinterlands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idiots who voted for chaos enjoy it .
If they refuse to learn the easy way , let them learn the hard way .
Pain is a better teacher than a million man-bunned TAs instructing Goucher College sophomores about 14th Century transgender poetry of Eritrea .
And another thing – while we are already woke , lots of people who don ’ t dog paddle through the political cesspool every day like many of us do are watching this unfold and they are getting angry .
How many folks have you talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who now whisper to you that we have got to reelect the president ?
I had one just yesterday , and I ’ m in Ted Lieu ’ s district .
Think of how much more prevalent that phenomenon is out in America .
Let that congressional Weeble Nadler lie .
Let them all lie .
It ’ s a loser ’ s game .
The truth is right there , and people are getting woke .
Then put your own wokeness to work .
For example , support Army combat vet Sean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puppet in Pennsylvania-17 .
Because if we don ’ t win in November , then all there will be left are lies .
Join Townhall VIP .
Also , be sure to go get my just-released Regnery non-fiction book , The 21 Biggest Lies About Donald Trump ( and You ! )
and make Jerry Nadler cry worse than the time the House cafeteria was out of biscuits .

You watch the freakish Rep. Jerry Nadler mouth off to AG William Barr about how those poor, hug-giving rioters of love in Portland are being cruelly provoked by that federal courthouse that racistly refuses to be burned down, and your mind generates several questions. The first is whether he somehow forgot that we’ve actually seen pictures of those enthusiastic Biden supporters destroying property and attacking cops. The next question is how someone as lumpy as The Nad ever managed to pull off his escape from Willie Wonka’s factory. Maybe he hid in a dumpster of garbage and it worked because no one noticed him nestled inside, perfectly camouflaged.
But truth is still a thing, despite the efforts of Rep. Class Act and that witch Nancy Pelosi, who called our cops “stormtroopers” with a straight face – though in fairness to her, after all that Botox she no longer has any other kind.
Truth exists, and we can see it thanks to alternative outlets and social media. And we still think lying is a bad thing, though our opponents disagree. To the left, truth is just a bourgeois conceit, something to be discarded as necessary in the struggle against horrible things like racism, sexism, transphobia, colonialization, and Democrats not being in power. It’s optional. And the left is opting out.
All this baloney happens to jibe with the theme of my new book, The 21 Biggest Lies About Donald Trump (and You!), which is that liberal liars (along with their cackling, flaccid Never Trump Renfields) are either remarkably stupid or think you are remarkably stupid. Perhaps it’s a bit of both.
The kind of lies told by the Speaker of the House and the Oompa Loompa of the House are central to the success of the rioters. Remember that all this disorder is an information operation designed to make us normal people think that chaos is descending upon America and that Donald Trump will be unable to protect us when these barbarians issue from the cities like Sauron’s hordes from Mordor and march on our suburban and rural homes. The unspoken deal they offer is that if we only elect the gropey old weirdo who lives in a basement then all this trouble will magically stop and, as a bonus, the Bat Soup Flu will be cured. The Democrat denial of the lies right in front of us is a key component of their information operation strategy.
The media tries to help disguise what is actually happening, not just in terms of blaming Trump, but in terms of covering up the essential insignificance of the chaos they are trying to generate. It’s not like people are going to buy the notion that these toxic Portland layabouts were just minding their own business being productive members of society when the courthouse rolled up on them and dumped out a bunch of federal officers who forced these honor students and Eagle Scouts into helmets, gave them shields, lasers, and Molotov cocktails, and compelled them, against their will, to try to torch the place.
The media keeps trying to make various narrative fetches happen, but it’s not happening. The “peaceful protestor” thing is just stupid. As for the “Wall of Moms,” a hackneyed bit of performance art that might fool dim bulbs like the flatulent Eric Swalwell but no one else, it’s unclear whether those hefty harpies even identify themselves as women. Oh, wait, in their bizarro universe men can be moms too. As for the “Wall of Vets,” those of us who are actual vets identify them as Blue Falcons.
While blaming Trump for what is manifestly the fault of these Democrat catspaws is important to the op, what is also vital to their poisonous scheme is convincing you that this is a movement of mass and not of bowel. There simply are not that many people rioting. They only manage to round up a few hundred cretins a night in Portland, but if you dive below the surface you see that this fight is an idiot magnet for losers across the country. This is a nation of 330 million people, and maybe 2,000 are involved in the violence the mainstream media shows every night (albeit in a sanitized and curated form designed to convey the official narrative).
That’s nothing. It is tactically insignificant, and if Portland and these other Democrat cities’ mayors and district attorneys would stop flying top cover for the criminals, the police would pop this progressive protest pimple with about 15 minutes of riot cop TLC.
The thing you need to know is that they are not coming for you en masse. That’s the big lie. Why not? Besides the fact that they lack numbers, once they hit the big blue ‘burgs’ city limits their cover is gone. Is your police department going to roll over? How about your DA? This garbage may play to the activists who actually vote in the cities, but we all vote in the suburbs and rural areas and we are not defunding nothing. Our pols generally realize that if they lose control, they lose their job. When those creatures slither into our communities, it’s stick time.
And that’s not even accounting for all the Second Amendment enthusiasts in the hinterlands.
Let the garbage cities burn. Let the idiots who voted for chaos enjoy it. If they refuse to learn the easy way, let them learn the hard way. Pain is a better teacher than a million man-bunned TAs instructing Goucher College sophomores about 14th Century transgender poetry of Eritrea.
And another thing – while we are already woke, lots of people who don’t dog paddle through the political cesspool every day like many of us do are watching this unfold and they are getting angry. How many folks have you talked to who were apolitical or even Democrat-curious who now whisper to you that we have got to reelect the president? I had one just yesterday, and I’m in Ted Lieu’s district. Think of how much more prevalent that phenomenon is out in America.
Let that congressional Weeble Nadler lie. Let them all lie. It’s a loser’s game. The truth is right there, and people are getting woke. Then put your own wokeness to work. For example, support Army combat vet Sean Parnell in his run against a Pelosi puppet in Pennsylvania-17. Because if we don’t win in November, then all there will be left are lies.
Join Townhall VIP. Also, be sure to go get my just-released Regnery non-fiction book, The 21 Biggest Lies About Donald Trump (and You!) and make Jerry Nadler cry worse than the time the House cafeteria was out of biscuits.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--Court Overturns Death Sentence of Boston Marathon Bomber

FILE - This file photo released April 19 , 2013 , by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , convicted and sentenced to death for carrying out the April 15 , 2013 , Boston Marathon bombing attack that killed three people and injured more than 260 .
On Friday , July 31 , 2020 , a federal appeals court overturned the Boston Marathon bomber 's death sentence .
( FBI via AP , File ) FILE - This file photo released April 19 , 2013 , by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , convicted and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 15 , 2013 , Boston Marathon bombing attack that killed three people and injured more than 260 .
On Friday , July 31 , 2020 , a federal appeals court overturned the Boston Marathon bomber 's death sentence .
( FBI via AP , File ) A federal appeals court Friday threw out Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ’ s death sentence in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing , saying the judge who oversaw the case did not adequately screen jurors for potential biases .
A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S .
Circuit Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on whether the 27-year-old Tsarnaev should be executed for the attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others .
“ But make no mistake : Dzhokhar will spend his remaining days locked up in prison , with the only matter remaining being whether he will die by execution , ” Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson wrote in the ruling , more than six months after arguments were heard in the case .
An attorney for Tsarnaev said they are grateful for the court ’ s “ straightforward and fair decision : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to death , it must make its case to a fairly selected jury that is provided all relevant information.
” “ It is now up to the government to determine whether to put the victims and Boston through a second trial , or to allow closure to this terrible tragedy by permitting a sentence of life without the possibility of release , ” David Patton said in an email .
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney ’ s office in Boston said they were reviewing the opinion and had no immediate comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear the case or go straight to the U.S. Supreme Court .
The mother of Krystle Campbell , the 29-year-old killed in the attack , expressed outrage at the court ’ s decision .
“ I just don ’ t understand it , ” Patricia Campbell told The Boston Globe .
“ It ’ s just terrible that he ’ s allowed to live his life .
It ’ s unfair .
He didn ’ t wake up one morning and decide to do what he did .
He planned it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing.
” Former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officer Dic Donohue , who was severely injured in a gunfight with the brothers , said the ruling was not surprising to him .
“ And in any case , he won ’ t be getting out and hasn ’ t been able to harm anyone since he was captured , ” he tweeted .
Tsarnaev ’ s lawyers acknowledged at the beginning of his trial that he and his older brother , Tamerlan Tsarnaev , set off the two bombs at the marathon finish line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is less culpable than his brother , who they said was the mastermind behind the attack .
Tamerlan Tsarnaev died in a gunbattle with police a few days after the April 15 , 2013 , bombing .
Dzhokar Tsarnaev is now behind bars at a high-security supermax prison in Florence , Colorado .
Tsarnaev was convicted on 30 charges , including conspiracy and use of a weapon of mass destruction .
The 1st Circuit upheld all but a few of the convictions .
Prosecutors told jurors that the men carried out the attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wars in Muslim countries .
In the boat where Tsarnaev was found hiding , he had scrawled a confession that referred to the wars and wrote , among other things , “ Stop killing our innocent people and we will stop.
” Tsarnaev ’ s attorneys identified a slew of issues with his trial , but said in a brief filed with the court that the “ first fundamental error ” was the judge ’ s refusal to move the case out of Boston .
They also pointed to social media posts from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even before the 2015 trial started .
One juror had said in Twitter posts that that she was “ locked down ” with her family during the manhunt and retweeted another post calling Tsarnaev a “ piece of garbage , ” but later told the court she had not commented on the case or been asked to shelter in place , the defense said .
On the day of Tsarnaev ’ s sentencing , the juror changed her Facebook profile picture to an image that said “ BOSTON STRONG , ” a rallying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bombing , the attorneys said .
Tsarnaev ’ s lawyers pushed several times to move the trial out of the city where the bombs exploded , arguing the intense media scrutiny and number of people touched by the attack in Boston would taint the jury pool .
But U.S. District Judge George O ’ Toole refused , saying he believed a fair and impartial jury could be found in the city .
The 1st Circuit said the “ pervasive ” media coverage featuring “ bone-chilling still shots and videos ” of the bombing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run a jury selection process “ sufficient to identify prejudice.
” But O ’ Toole fell short , the judges found .
The judges said O ’ Toole deemed jurors who had already formed the opinion that Tsarnaev was guilty qualified “ because they answered ‘ yes ’ to the question whether they could decide this high-profile case based on the evidence.
” Yet he didn ’ t sufficiently dig into what jurors had read or heard about the case , it said .
“ By not having the jurors identify what it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case , the judge made it too difficult for himself and the parties to determine both the nature of any taint ( e.g.
, whether the juror knew something prejudicial not to be conceded at trial ) and the possible remedies for the taint , ” Thompson wrote .
All three judges agreed that the death sentence should be tossed .
In a concurring opinion , Judge Juan Torruella wrote that the case should never have been tried in Boston .
“ If this case did not present a sufficient basis for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no set of circumstances that will meet this standard , at least not in the First Circuit , ” he wrote .
President Donald Trump weighed in on the ruling during an address to supporters on the tarmac of Tampa International Airport .
“ I see in Boston , where you have the animal that killed so many people during the Boston Marathon , ” Trump said .
“ They just sent this conviction for the death penalty back to the lower courts so they ’ ll argue about that for a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

A federal appeals court Friday threw out Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, saying the judge who oversaw the case did not adequately screen jurors for potential biases.
A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new penalty-phase trial on whether the 27-year-old Tsarnaev should be executed for the attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others.
“But make no mistake: Dzhokhar will spend his remaining days locked up in prison, with the only matter remaining being whether he will die by execution,” Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson wrote in the ruling, more than six months after arguments were heard in the case.
An attorney for Tsarnaev said they are grateful for the court’s “straightforward and fair decision: if the government wishes to put someone to death, it must make its case to a fairly selected jury that is provided all relevant information.”
“It is now up to the government to determine whether to put the victims and Boston through a second trial, or to allow closure to this terrible tragedy by permitting a sentence of life without the possibility of release,” David Patton said in an email.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston said they were reviewing the opinion and had no immediate comment. Prosecutors could ask the full appeals court to hear the case or go straight to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The mother of Krystle Campbell, the 29-year-old killed in the attack, expressed outrage at the court’s decision.
“I just don’t understand it,” Patricia Campbell told The Boston Globe. “It’s just terrible that he’s allowed to live his life. It’s unfair. He didn’t wake up one morning and decide to do what he did. He planned it out. He did a vicious, ugly thing.”
Former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officer Dic Donohue, who was severely injured in a gunfight with the brothers, said the ruling was not surprising to him.
“And in any case, he won’t be getting out and hasn’t been able to harm anyone since he was captured,” he tweeted.
Tsarnaev’s lawyers acknowledged at the beginning of his trial that he and his older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, set off the two bombs at the marathon finish line. But they argued that Dzhokar Tsarnaev is less culpable than his brother, who they said was the mastermind behind the attack.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev died in a gunbattle with police a few days after the April 15, 2013, bombing. Dzhokar Tsarnaev is now behind bars at a high-security supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
Tsarnaev was convicted on 30 charges, including conspiracy and use of a weapon of mass destruction. The 1st Circuit upheld all but a few of the convictions.
Prosecutors told jurors that the men carried out the attack to punish the United States for its wars in Muslim countries. In the boat where Tsarnaev was found hiding, he had scrawled a confession that referred to the wars and wrote, among other things, “Stop killing our innocent people and we will stop.”
Tsarnaev’s attorneys identified a slew of issues with his trial, but said in a brief filed with the court that the “first fundamental error” was the judge’s refusal to move the case out of Boston. They also pointed to social media posts from two jurors suggesting they harbored strong opinions even before the 2015 trial started.
One juror had said in Twitter posts that that she was “locked down” with her family during the manhunt and retweeted another post calling Tsarnaev a “piece of garbage,” but later told the court she had not commented on the case or been asked to shelter in place, the defense said. On the day of Tsarnaev’s sentencing, the juror changed her Facebook profile picture to an image that said “BOSTON STRONG,” a rallying cry used in the wake of the bombing, the attorneys said.
Tsarnaev’s lawyers pushed several times to move the trial out of the city where the bombs exploded, arguing the intense media scrutiny and number of people touched by the attack in Boston would taint the jury pool. But U.S. District Judge George O’Toole refused, saying he believed a fair and impartial jury could be found in the city.
The 1st Circuit said the “pervasive” media coverage featuring “bone-chilling still shots and videos” of the bombing and dayslong manhunt required the judge to run a jury selection process “sufficient to identify prejudice.” But O’Toole fell short, the judges found.
The judges said O’Toole deemed jurors who had already formed the opinion that Tsarnaev was guilty qualified “because they answered ‘yes’ to the question whether they could decide this high-profile case based on the evidence.” Yet he didn’t sufficiently dig into what jurors had read or heard about the case, it said.
“By not having the jurors identify what it was they already thought they knew about the case, the judge made it too difficult for himself and the parties to determine both the nature of any taint (e.g., whether the juror knew something prejudicial not to be conceded at trial) and the possible remedies for the taint,” Thompson wrote.
All three judges agreed that the death sentence should be tossed. In a concurring opinion, Judge Juan Torruella wrote that the case should never have been tried in Boston.
“If this case did not present a sufficient basis for a change of venue, there are no set of circumstances that will meet this standard, at least not in the First Circuit,” he wrote.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the ruling during an address to supporters on the tarmac of Tampa International Airport.
“I see in Boston, where you have the animal that killed so many people during the Boston Marathon,” Trump said. “They just sent this conviction for the death penalty back to the lower courts so they’ll argue about that for a long time. It’s ridiculous.”
___
Durkin Richer reported from West Harwich, Massachusetts.


bonginoreport--2020-07-31--Seattle City Council Moves to Abolish Police Department

The Seattle City Council proposed a motion to abolish its police department and to instead `` create a civilian led department of community safety & violence prevention . ''
The proposal states that the council plans to `` remove certain functions from the Seattle Police Department to and provide funding for a community-led process to inform the structure and function of a new department of community safety & violence prevention ; requesting modifications to policing practices ... '' The reasoning behind this measure , as stated in the proposal , if that the council `` recognizes that the nation 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current impact of institutional racism cause over-policing and underinvestment in communities of color and especially in Black communities . ''
The council states that they are `` committed to confronting structural and institutional racism as a fundamental step towards addressing the racist institution of policing . ''
The council directly notes the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis as a driving force behind their decision-making process .
Police departments in the US and to a lesser extent across the western world have come under fire in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several US cities are toying with the idea of defunding or even abolishing their police forces altogether .
Seattle ’ s City Council , however , has taken this concept to extremes .
The council recommends replacing the Seattle Police Department with : `` culturally-relevant expertise rooted in community connections , `` housing , food security , and other basic needs , '' and `` trauma-informed , gender-affirming , anti-racist praxis . ''
The standards of living for even poor Americans have gone way up in recent decades .
Economic disparity between whites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low , and many in the crusade to defund police consider it to be statistically insignificant .
The resolution calls for the ceding of property rights as well , with the `` immediate transfer of underutilized public land for BIPOC community ownership . ''
Seattle City Council has also voted to close the county jail as well as juvenile detention facilities .
Homelessness , crime and other social ills are growing exponentially in Seattle , and people are moving out of the city at a rate never before seen .

The Seattle City Council proposed a motion to abolish its police department and to instead "create a civilian led department of community safety & violence prevention."
Read thread to see how Seattle's hard-left city council is trying to abolish SPD & replace it with a university-style group of activists trained in "trauma-informed, gender-affirming, anti-racist praxis." https://t.co/Zd0SaT6Zyy — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 31, 2020
The proposal states that the council plans to "remove certain functions from the Seattle Police Department to and provide funding for a community-led process to inform the structure and function of a new department of community safety & violence prevention; requesting modifications to policing practices..."
The reasoning behind this measure, as stated in the proposal, is that the council "recognizes that the nation's and Seattle's history of racism and the current impact of institutional racism cause over-policing and underinvestment in communities of color and especially in Black communities."
The council states that they are "committed to confronting structural and institutional racism as a fundamental step towards addressing the racist institution of policing."
The council directly notes the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis as a driving force behind their decision-making process.
Police departments in the US and to a lesser extent across the western world have come under fire in the wake of Floyd's death, and several US cities are toying with the idea of defunding or even abolishing their police forces altogether. Seattle’s City Council, however, has taken this concept to extremes.
The council recommends replacing the Seattle Police Department with: "culturally-relevant expertise rooted in community connections, "housing, food security, and other basic needs," and "trauma-informed, gender-affirming, anti-racist praxis."
The standards of living for even poor Americans have gone way up in recent decades. Economic disparity between whites and non-whites is also at an all-time low, and many in the crusade to defund police consider it to be statistically insignificant.
The resolution calls for the ceding of property rights as well, with the "immediate transfer of underutilized public land for BIPOC community ownership."
Seattle City Council has also voted to close the county jail as well as juvenile detention facilities.
Homelessness, crime and other social ills are growing exponentially in Seattle, and people are moving out of the city at a rate never before seen.