activistpost--2020-08-04--Who Profits from Militarizing the Police?

Ever since images of the police deploying armored vehicles against peaceful demonstrators in Ferguson , Missouri , hit the national airwaves in 2014 , the Pentagon ’ s program for supplying “ surplus ” military equipment to local police departments has been a news item .
It ’ s also gotten intermittent attention in Congress and the executive branch .
Since 1997 , the Pentagon ’ s 1033 Program , as it ’ s called , has channeled to 8,000 separate law enforcement agencies more than $ 7.4 billion in surplus equipment , including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected ( MRAP ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan , along with rifles , ammunition , grenade launchers , and night vision devices .
As Brian Barrett has pointed out at Wired , “ Local law enforcement responding to even nonviolent protests has often looked more like the U.S. Armed Forces.
” Political scientist Ryan Welch coauthored a 2017 study suggesting , when it came to police departments equipped in such a fashion , “ that officers with military hardware and mindsets will resort to violence more often and more quickly.
” Under the circumstances and given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you won ’ t be surprised to learn that the 1033 Program also suffers from lax oversight .
In 2017 , the Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) created a fake law enforcement agency and was able to acquire $ 1.2 million worth of equipment through the program , including night vision goggles and simulated M-16A2 rifles .
The request was approved within a week of the GAO ’ s application .
The Obama administration finally implemented some reforms in the wake of Ferguson , banning the transfer of tracked vehicles , grenade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other things , while requiring police departments to supply more detailed rationales describing their need for specific equipment .
But such modest efforts—and they proved modest indeed—were promptly chucked out when Donald Trump took office .
And the Trump administration changes quickly had a discernible effect .
In 2019 , the 1033 Program had one of its biggest years ever , with about 15,750 military items transferred to law enforcement , a figure exceeded only in 2012 , in the Obama years , when 17,000 such items were distributed .
As noted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been shown to stoke the ever stronger “ warrior culture ” that now characterizes so many police departments , as evidenced by the use of Special Weapons and Tactics ( SWAT ) teams armed with military weaponry for routine drug enforcement activities .
It ’ s hardly just SWAT teams , though .
The weaponry and related items provided under the 1033 Program are widely employed by ordinary police forces .
NBC News , for instance , reported that armored vehicles were used at least 29 times in response to Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd , including in major urban areas like Philadelphia and Cincinnati .
NBC has also determined that more than 1,100 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles have been distributed to local law enforcement agencies under the MRAP program , going to communities large and small , including Sanford , Maine , population 20,000 , and Moundsville , West Virginia , population 8,400 .
Activist Post Recommended Book — Rise of the Warrior Cop : The Militarization of America ’ s Police Forces A report from the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) has similarly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no-knock home invasions , including driving up to people ’ s houses in just such armored vehicles to launch the raids .
The ACLU concluded that “ the militarization of American policing is evident in the training that police officers receive , which encourages them to adopt a ‘ warrior ’ mentality and think of the people they are supposed to serve as enemies , as well as in the equipment they use , such as battering rams , flashbang grenades , and APCs [ Armored Personnel Carriers ] .
” Companies in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selling weapons , as well as building and operating prisons and detention facilities , and supplying the police while theoretically dealing with problems with deep social and economic roots .
Generally speaking , by the time they ’ re done , those problems have only become deeper and more rooted .
Take , for example , giant weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin , Boeing , and Raytheon that profit so splendidly from the sales of weapons systems to Saudi Arabia , weaponry that in turn has been used to kill tens of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure there , and block the provision of desperately needed humanitarian assistance .
The result : more than a hundred thousand deaths in that country and millions more on the brink of famine and disease , including COVID-19 .
Such major weapons firms have also been at the front of the line when it comes to benefiting from America ’ s endless post-9/11 wars .
The Costs of War Project at Brown University estimates that the United States has spent over $ 6.4 trillion on just some of those overseas conflicts since 2001 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended up in the pockets of defense contractors , while problems in the US , left far less well funded , only grew .
And by the way , the Pentagon ’ s regular budget , combined with direct spending on wars , also manages to provide huge benefits to such weapons makers .
Almost half of the department ’ s $ 750 billion budget goes to them .
According to the Federal Procurement Data System ’ s latest report on the top recipients of government contracts , the five largest US arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Northrop Grumman , and General Dynamics—split well over $ 100 billion in Pentagon awards among them in 2019 .
Meanwhile , those same five firms pay their CEOs a total of approximately $ 100 million per year , with hundreds of millions more going to other top executives and board members .
Meanwhile , in the Trump years , the militarization of the border has become a particularly lucrative business opportunity , with General Atomics , for instance , supplying ever more surveillance drones and General Dynamics supplying an ever more intricate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are also millions to be made running privatized prisons and immigrant detention centers , filling the coffers of firms like CoreCivic and the GEO Group , which have secured record profits in recent years while garnering about half their revenues from those two sources .
Last but not least is the market for even more police equipment .
Local forces benefit from grants from the Department of Homeland Security to purchase a wide range of items to supplement the Pentagon ’ s 1033 Program .
Much has been written about America ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost trillions of dollars in taxpayer treasure , hundreds of thousands of lives ( American and otherwise ) , and physical and psychological injuries to hundreds of thousands more .
These wars have also propped up sectarian and corrupt regimes that have actually made it easier for terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS to form and spread .
Think of it as the ultimate boomerang effect , in which violence begets more violence while allowing overseas terrorist organizations to thrive .
As journalist Nick Turse has noted with respect to the militarization of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American military operations on that continent has proceeded rather strikingly in conjunction with a proliferation of new terrorist groups .
Put the best light on them and US counterterror operations there have been ineffective .
More likely , they have simply helped spawn further increases in terrorist activities in the region .
[ This is an selection from a longer essay published at TomDispatch.com . ]
William D. Hartung is the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy .
He is the author of Prophets of War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Military-Industrial Complex .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By William D. Hartung
Ever since images of the police deploying armored vehicles against peaceful demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri, hit the national airwaves in 2014, the Pentagon’s program for supplying “surplus” military equipment to local police departments has been a news item. It’s also gotten intermittent attention in Congress and the executive branch.
Since 1997, the Pentagon’s 1033 Program, as it’s called, has channeled to 8,000 separate law enforcement agencies more than $7.4 billion in surplus equipment, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles of the kind used on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, along with rifles, ammunition, grenade launchers, and night vision devices. As Brian Barrett has pointed out at Wired, “Local law enforcement responding to even nonviolent protests has often looked more like the U.S. Armed Forces.” Political scientist Ryan Welch coauthored a 2017 study suggesting, when it came to police departments equipped in such a fashion, “that officers with military hardware and mindsets will resort to violence more often and more quickly.”
Under the circumstances and given who’s providing the equipment, you won’t be surprised to learn that the 1033 Program also suffers from lax oversight. In 2017, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) created a fake law enforcement agency and was able to acquire $1.2 million worth of equipment through the program, including night vision goggles and simulated M-16A2 rifles. The request was approved within a week of the GAO’s application.
The Obama administration finally implemented some reforms in the wake of Ferguson, banning the transfer of tracked vehicles, grenade launchers, and weaponized aircraft, among other things, while requiring police departments to supply more detailed rationales describing their need for specific equipment. But such modest efforts—and they proved modest indeed—were promptly chucked out when Donald Trump took office. And the Trump administration changes quickly had a discernible effect. In 2019, the 1033 Program had one of its biggest years ever, with about 15,750 military items transferred to law enforcement, a figure exceeded only in 2012, in the Obama years, when 17,000 such items were distributed.
As noted, the mere possession of military equipment has been shown to stoke the ever stronger “warrior culture” that now characterizes so many police departments, as evidenced by the use of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams armed with military weaponry for routine drug enforcement activities. It’s hardly just SWAT teams, though. The weaponry and related items provided under the 1033 Program are widely employed by ordinary police forces. NBC News, for instance, reported that armored vehicles were used at least 29 times in response to Black Lives Matter protests organized since the murder of George Floyd, including in major urban areas like Philadelphia and Cincinnati. NBC has also determined that more than 1,100 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles have been distributed to local law enforcement agencies under the MRAP program, going to communities large and small, including Sanford, Maine, population 20,000, and Moundsville, West Virginia, population 8,400.
Activist Post Recommended Book — Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces
A report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has similarly documented the use of Pentagon-supplied equipment in no-knock home invasions, including driving up to people’s houses in just such armored vehicles to launch the raids. The ACLU concluded that “the militarization of American policing is evident in the training that police officers receive, which encourages them to adopt a ‘warrior’ mentality and think of the people they are supposed to serve as enemies, as well as in the equipment they use, such as battering rams, flashbang grenades, and APCs [Armored Personnel Carriers].”
Who Benefits?
Companies in the military-industrial complex earn billions of dollars selling weapons, as well as building and operating prisons and detention facilities, and supplying the police while theoretically dealing with problems with deep social and economic roots. Generally speaking, by the time they’re done, those problems have only become deeper and more rooted. Take, for example, giant weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon that profit so splendidly from the sales of weapons systems to Saudi Arabia, weaponry that in turn has been used to kill tens of thousands of civilians in Yemen, destroy civilian infrastructure there, and block the provision of desperately needed humanitarian assistance. The result: more than a hundred thousand deaths in that country and millions more on the brink of famine and disease, including COVID-19.
Such major weapons firms have also been at the front of the line when it comes to benefiting from America’s endless post-9/11 wars. The Costs of War Project at Brown University estimates that the United States has spent over $6.4 trillion on just some of those overseas conflicts since 2001. Hundreds of billions of those dollars ended up in the pockets of defense contractors, while problems in the US, left far less well funded, only grew.
And by the way, the Pentagon’s regular budget, combined with direct spending on wars, also manages to provide huge benefits to such weapons makers. Almost half of the department’s $750 billion budget goes to them. According to the Federal Procurement Data System’s latest report on the top recipients of government contracts, the five largest US arms makers alone—Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics—split well over $100 billion in Pentagon awards among them in 2019. Meanwhile, those same five firms pay their CEOs a total of approximately $100 million per year, with hundreds of millions more going to other top executives and board members.
Meanwhile, in the Trump years, the militarization of the border has become a particularly lucrative business opportunity, with General Atomics, for instance, supplying ever more surveillance drones and General Dynamics supplying an ever more intricate and expensive remote sensor surveillance system. There are also millions to be made running privatized prisons and immigrant detention centers, filling the coffers of firms like CoreCivic and the GEO Group, which have secured record profits in recent years while garnering about half their revenues from those two sources.
Last but not least is the market for even more police equipment. Local forces benefit from grants from the Department of Homeland Security to purchase a wide range of items to supplement the Pentagon’s 1033 Program.
The True Bottom Line
Much has been written about America’s failed post-9/11 wars, which have cost trillions of dollars in taxpayer treasure, hundreds of thousands of lives (American and otherwise), and physical and psychological injuries to hundreds of thousands more. These wars have also propped up sectarian and corrupt regimes that have actually made it easier for terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS to form and spread. Think of it as the ultimate boomerang effect, in which violence begets more violence while allowing overseas terrorist organizations to thrive. As journalist Nick Turse has noted with respect to the militarization of US Africa policy, the growth in American military operations on that continent has proceeded rather strikingly in conjunction with a proliferation of new terrorist groups. Put the best light on them and US counterterror operations there have been ineffective. More likely, they have simply helped spawn further increases in terrorist activities in the region.
Source: Mises.org
[This is an selection from a longer essay published at TomDispatch.com.]
William D. Hartung is the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy. He is the author of Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex.
Image: The Anti-Media
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-08-04--Ohio Governor Withdraws Ban of Hydroxychloroquine 24 Hours After Banning It

Ohio governor Mike DeWine says he wants to protect Ohioans from COVID-19 .
That ’ s why it made no sense when he banned doctors from being able to prescribe a drug that many doctors say has the potential to treat or prevent this illness .
Thanks to Zerohedge for this in-depth article which further details the magnitude of Dr. Fauci ’ s influence over American legislators : Update ( 1240ET ) : The Ohio Board of Pharmacy withdrew a rule preventing the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 after Governor Mike DeWine called on the board to halt the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News .
“ As a result of the feedback received by the medical and patient community and at the request of Gov .
DeWine , the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy has withdrawn proposed rule 4729:5-5-21 of the Administrative Code , ” reads a Thursday statement from the board .
“ Therefore , prohibitions on the prescribing of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in Ohio for the treatment of COVID-19 will not take effect at this time.
” The board will reexamine the rule with the help of the State Medical Board of Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next step .
The rule , which was scheduled to go into effect today , would prohibit pharmacies from selling or dispensing hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for coronavirus unless the use is approved by the board ’ s executive director .
The rule would also void all previous approvals of the drug .
–Dayton Daily News On Thursday , DeWine said that he agreed with FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn , who said that the decision to use HCQ should be between doctor and patient .
“ Therefore , I am asking the Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 , ” DeWine said earlier in the day .
Update ( 1240ET ) : Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ( R ) says he agrees with FDA Commissioner Steven Hahn ( see below ) , and has asked the state medical board to “ halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.
” Therefore , I am asking the @ OhioRxBoard to halt their new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 .
Therefore , I am asking the @ OhioRxBoard to halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 .
With the science behind the use of hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ ) to treat COVID-19 far from settled , more than a few people have noted the aggressive campaign against the widely-prescribed anti-malaria drug .
The anti-HCQ push has infected Silicon Valley as well – as tech giants have been labeling pro-hydroxychloroquine content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banishing a press conference by a group of doctors touting the drug from just about every platform .
To that end , Yale epidemiologist Dr. Harvey Risch has accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of waging a “ misinformation campaign ” against the drug , according to Just The News .
On Tuesday during an interview on “ Good Morning America , ” Fauci further downplayed the drug ’ s purported benefit , claiming that “ the overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Risch , however , is sharply criticizing Fauci ’ s approach to evaluating the drug ’ s effectiveness , arguing that repeated trials and tests have shown that it is markedly effective at treating COVID-19 so long as it is administered properly .
On Tuesday , Risch went further , charging in an interview with Just the News that Fauci is perpetrating a “ misinformation campaign ” in his opposition to the drug .
Fauci “ has been maintaining a studious position that only randomized controlled trial evidence has any value , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else he calls anecdotal.
” –Just The News In a Newsweek Op-Ed published last week , Risch called HCQ “ the key to defeating COVID-19 , ” and said it was particularly effective in conjunction with one of two antibiotics and zinc , saying it has “ shown to be highly effective.
” Risch said the drug could save 100,000 lives if widely deployed .
Meanwhile , Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) Commissioner Stephen Hahn noted that some medical observational studies “ suggest a benefit ” to the drug , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So the FDA looks at all what we call ‘ the totality of data , ' ” Hahn said in a Tuesday morning radio interview with Florida radio host Drew Steele .
“ There are observational studies that suggest a benefit .
There are five randomized trials that did not show a benefit to hydroxychloroquine , both in the prophylactic setting and in the treatment — both early and late.
” –Just The News More recently , Rep. Louie Gohmert ( R-TX ) announced that he would be taking “ zinc , erythromycin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 on Wednesday .
If you ’ re looking for those positive studies , click into this thread : And for an even longer thread on positive reports involving HCQ , click this tweet : Many insist that a vaccine is the most effective cure for stopping the spread of COVID-19 .
This includes Dr. Fauci .
However , rushing the approval of a Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 had devastating health consequences for thousands of Americans who sued the government for damages .
Ultimately , it will be left to the Food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approve a vaccine , which is really scary considering their track record for failing to protect the public from so many products which now include 101 toxic and potentially deadly hand sanitizers .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today @

By B.N. Frank
Fauci Accused of “Misinformation Campaign”
Ohio governor Mike DeWine says he wants to protect Ohioans from COVID-19. That’s why it made no sense when he banned doctors from being able to prescribe a drug that many doctors say has the potential to treat or prevent this illness.
Thanks to Zerohedge for this in-depth article which further details the magnitude of Dr. Fauci’s influence over American legislators:
Update (1240ET): The Ohio Board of Pharmacy withdrew a rule preventing the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 after Governor Mike DeWine called on the board to halt the rule, according to the Dayton Daily News.
“As a result of the feedback received by the medical and patient community and at the request of Gov. DeWine, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy has withdrawn proposed rule 4729:5-5-21 of the Administrative Code,” reads a Thursday statement from the board.
“Therefore, prohibitions on the prescribing of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in Ohio for the treatment of COVID-19 will not take effect at this time.”
The board will reexamine the rule with the help of the State Medical Board of Ohio, clinical experts and stakeholders to determine the next step. The rule, which was scheduled to go into effect today, would prohibit pharmacies from selling or dispensing hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for coronavirus unless the use is approved by the board’s executive director. The rule would also void all previous approvals of the drug. –Dayton Daily News
On Thursday, DeWine said that he agreed with FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn, who said that the decision to use HCQ should be between doctor and patient.
“Therefore, I am asking the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19,” DeWine said earlier in the day.
* * *
Update (1240ET): Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) says he agrees with FDA Commissioner Steven Hahn (see below), and has asked the state medical board to “halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.”
Therefore, I am asking the @OhioRxBoard to halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020
Therefore, I am asking the @OhioRxBoard to halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020
* * *
With the science behind the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 far from settled, more than a few people have noted the aggressive campaign against the widely-prescribed anti-malaria drug.
The anti-HCQ push has infected Silicon Valley as well – as tech giants have been labeling pro-hydroxychloroquine content as ‘misinformation’ – most recently banishing a press conference by a group of doctors touting the drug from just about every platform.
To that end, Yale epidemiologist Dr. Harvey Risch has accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of waging a “misinformation campaign” against the drug, according to Just The News.
On Tuesday during an interview on “Good Morning America,” Fauci further downplayed the drug’s purported benefit, claiming that “the overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in [treating] coronavirus disease.”
Risch, however, is sharply criticizing Fauci’s approach to evaluating the drug’s effectiveness, arguing that repeated trials and tests have shown that it is markedly effective at treating COVID-19 so long as it is administered properly.
…
On Tuesday, Risch went further, charging in an interview with Just the News that Fauci is perpetrating a “misinformation campaign” in his opposition to the drug.
Fauci “has been maintaining a studious position that only randomized controlled trial evidence has any value,” Risch said, “and everything else he calls anecdotal.” –Just The News
In a Newsweek Op-Ed published last week, Risch called HCQ “the key to defeating COVID-19,” and said it was particularly effective in conjunction with one of two antibiotics and zinc, saying it has “shown to be highly effective.”
Risch said the drug could save 100,000 lives if widely deployed.
Meanwhile, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn noted that some medical observational studies “suggest a benefit” to the drug, also according to Just The News.
“So the FDA looks at all what we call ‘the totality of data,'” Hahn said in a Tuesday morning radio interview with Florida radio host Drew Steele. “There are observational studies that suggest a benefit. There are five randomized trials that did not show a benefit to hydroxychloroquine, both in the prophylactic setting and in the treatment — both early and late.” –Just The News
More recently, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) announced that he would be taking “zinc, erythromycin and hydroxychloroquine” after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday.
If you’re looking for those positive studies, click into this thread:
It's not perfect as HCQ was also used in Belgium and Spain and later in Italy, but the idea is that Western Europe as a whole never embraced the 'treat early and often' strategy. Mostly they tried it with sick patients, didn't work..moved on They mainly followed the WHO position — Gummi Bear (@gummibear737) July 16, 2020
And for an even longer thread on positive reports involving HCQ, click this tweet:
Health officials from China, Korea, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Bahrain, Turkey, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Senegal, Cuba, Italy, and 65 scientific studies have shown hydroxychloroquine is effective when used early against COVID19. A thread. pic.twitter.com/ol4Z3VxmkY — CryptoNephilim (@cryptonephilim) July 29, 2020
Many insist that a vaccine is the most effective cure for stopping the spread of COVID-19. This includes Dr. Fauci. However, rushing the approval of a Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 had devastating health consequences for thousands of Americans who sued the government for damages. Ultimately, it will be left to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve a vaccine, which is really scary considering their track record for failing to protect the public from so many products which now include 101 toxic and potentially deadly hand sanitizers.
Image: Pixabay
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-08-04--FDA Now Says Avoid 101 Hand Sanitizer Products — Some Still Not Recalled (List Included)

Last week the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) warned about 87 toxic and potentially deadly hand sanitizers – some of which had been recalled .
Now they are warning about more .
The FDA ’ s list of dangerous hand sanitizers has now grown to more than 100 To see the list , click here to visit the FDA ’ s website and scroll down .
( CNN ) The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warning about hand sanitizers to avoid , with the list now topping 100 .
The agency first warned consumers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and potentially deadly if ingested .
Since then , several such products have been recalled by manufacturers and pulled from store shelves .
Now , the FDA is also warning about hand sanitizers containing insufficient levels of alcohol .
“ FDA test results show certain hand sanitizers have concerningly low levels of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol , which are active ingredients in hand sanitizer products , ” the agency said in its updated warning on July 31 .
“ The agency urges consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has expanded its list to include subpotent hand sanitizers , in addition to hand sanitizers that are or may be contaminated with methanol.
” Nearly all of the hand sanitizers on the FDA ’ s list were manufactured in Mexico .
The agency has recommended recalls for most of the products , and has also issued import alerts to halt them from entering the country .
Proper hand hygiene is an important part of the response to Covid-19 , according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention .
The CDC recommends that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 60 % alcohol if soap and water are not readily available .
The full list of hand sanitizers to avoid Below are all of the hand sanitizers that the FDA is warning consumers to avoid : • Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70 % Alcohol extra soft with glycerin and aloe The FDA is supposed to protect Americans from harmful products before they are made available to the public .
Unfortunately , they have an embarrassingly long track record of not doing so .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
Last week the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned about 87 toxic and potentially deadly hand sanitizers – some of which had been recalled. Now they are warning about more.
From CNN:
The FDA’s list of dangerous hand sanitizers has now grown to more than 100
To see the list, click here to visit the FDA’s website and scroll down.
(CNN)The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warning about hand sanitizers to avoid, with the list now topping 100.
The agency first warned consumers in June about hand sanitizers containing methanol, which can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and potentially deadly if ingested. Since then, several such products have been recalled by manufacturers and pulled from store shelves.
Now, the FDA is also warning about hand sanitizers containing insufficient levels of alcohol.
“FDA test results show certain hand sanitizers have concerningly low levels of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, which are active ingredients in hand sanitizer products,” the agency said in its updated warning on July 31.
“The agency urges consumers not to use these subpotent products and has expanded its list to include subpotent hand sanitizers, in addition to hand sanitizers that are or may be contaminated with methanol.”
Nearly all of the hand sanitizers on the FDA’s list were manufactured in Mexico. The agency has recommended recalls for most of the products, and has also issued import alerts to halt them from entering the country.
Proper hand hygiene is an important part of the response to Covid-19, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends that people use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not readily available.
The full list of hand sanitizers to avoid
Below are all of the hand sanitizers that the FDA is warning consumers to avoid:
Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol
Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70%
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
KLAR AND DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer
MODESA Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer
The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Clear
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol
BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender, with 70% alcohol
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe, with 70% alcohol
Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus
KLAR and DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer
Hello Kitty Hand Sanitizer
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe)
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers)
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers
BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free
BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera
Assured Aloe
bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer
LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 4 oz
LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz
QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer
NEXT Hand Sanitizer
Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol extra soft with glycerin and aloe
NuuxSan Instant Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer
NuuxSan Instant Hand Sanitizer
Assured Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Aloe and Moisturizers
Assured Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Vitamin E and Aloe
Modesa Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers and Aloe Vera
Modesa Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers and Vitamin E
Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced
Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol
Medicare Alcohol Antiseptic Topical Solution
GelBact Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer
TriCleanz
Sayab Antisepctic Hand Sanitizer 100
Jaloma Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 62% with Vitamin E
Leiper’s Fork Distillery Bulk Disinfectant per 5 gallon and Leiper’s Fork Distillery 16 oz bottle
Andy’s Best
Andy’s
NeoNatural
Plus Advanced
Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer
Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer
Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer
Selecto Hand Sanitizer
Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol
Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol Rinse Free Hand Rub
Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer 70% alcohol
Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer 65% Alcohol
Scent Theory — Keep It Clean — Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer
Cavalry
ENLIVEN Hand Sanitizing Gel
Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel
Scent Theory — Keep It Clean — Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer
Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free
Bersih Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer
Purity Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer Gel Alcohol 70%
TriCleanz Tritanium Labs Hand Sanitizer
Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%
Parabola Hand Sanitizer
Urbane Bath and Body Hand Sanitizer
Cleaner Hand Sanitizer Rinse Free 70%
Handzer Hand Sanitizer Rinse Free
Kleanz Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer Advanced
Be Safe Hand Sanitizer
Wave Hand Sanitizer Gel
DAESI Hand Sanitizer
The FDA is supposed to protect Americans from harmful products before they are made available to the public. Unfortunately, they have an embarrassingly long track record of not doing so.
Image: Pixabay
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-08-03--18-Year-Old Reacts To Seeing How Much Is Taken Out Of His First Paycheck For Taxes

In a new video currently circulating online , an 18 year old named Jojo is recorded by his dad as he opened his first paycheck and saw how much money was taken out for taxes .
“ Jojo , how ’ s it feel openin ’ up this first check , man ?
” his father asked at the beginning of the recording .
Jojo seemed to be shy about his father recording , as most 18 year olds would .
“ Oh , c ’ mon , Papa , let me just open it up , ” he replied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he opens his paycheck and shows the camera , but as soon as he starts to read how much he actually got paid after taxes , his expression began to change .
When he began to look distraught , his father asked , “ Why your face like that , Jojo ?
Were you expecting more ?
” Another young man in the car tried to explain , “ They took out taxes , Jo , ” adding , “ welcome to the world.
” Jojo became so upset that he left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jojo , where you goin ’ ?
” his father asked .
After collecting his thoughts , Jojo hops back into the car and said , “ They just finessed me !
” Jojo is still trying to understand what happened .
His father explains , “ Okay , so they took out employee Medicare , and they took out your Social Security employment.
” One of the other men in the car explained , “ No , you always have to pay taxes… you have to pay taxes every time you get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to you how this works .
Look , you earned $ 282 , but they still had to take out $ 28.42 in taxes , which is why you have this much to spend.
” Jojo ’ s dad explained .
“ So , if I earned that , why can ’ t I get it ?
” Jojo asked , and his question is perfectly valid .
Since the government is allowed to extract money from the people by force , this guarantees they will have funds for any project they want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with taxpayers .
This is because the public has no choice but to pay taxes , therefore they have no say in how their money is used .
See : 177 Different Ways to Generate Extra Income Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue @ @ @ @ @

By John Vibes
In a new video currently circulating online, an 18 year old named Jojo is recorded by his dad as he opened his first paycheck and saw how much money was taken out for taxes.
“Jojo, how’s it feel openin’ up this first check, man?” his father asked at the beginning of the recording. Jojo seemed to be shy about his father recording, as most 18 year olds would.
“Oh, c’mon, Papa, let me just open it up,” he replied.
There is a moment of joy when he opens his paycheck and shows the camera, but as soon as he starts to read how much he actually got paid after taxes, his expression began to change.
When he began to look distraught, his father asked, “Why your face like that, Jojo? Were you expecting more?”
Another young man in the car tried to explain, “They took out taxes, Jo,” adding, “welcome to the world.”
Jojo became so upset that he left the car for a moment.
“Jojo, where you goin’?” his father asked.
After collecting his thoughts, Jojo hops back into the car and said, “They just finessed me!”
Jojo is still trying to understand what happened.
His father explains, “Okay, so they took out employee Medicare, and they took out your Social Security employment.”
“But I got my Social Security number!” Jojo replied.
One of the other men in the car explained, “No, you always have to pay taxes… you have to pay taxes every time you get paid.”
“We have to explain to you how this works. Look, you earned $282, but they still had to take out $28.42 in taxes, which is why you have this much to spend.” Jojo’s dad explained.
“So, if I earned that, why can’t I get it?” Jojo asked, and his question is perfectly valid.
Since the government is allowed to extract money from the people by force, this guarantees they will have funds for any project they want, even if those projects are unpopular with taxpayers. This is because the public has no choice but to pay taxes, therefore they have no say in how their money is used.
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-08-04--Microphones Listening to More than Voice Commands with Google — ADT Home Security System

Like all wireless “ Smart ” devices , smart speakers emit harmful electromagnetic radiation which can make people and animals sick ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 .
5 .
6 .
7 ) AND increase their cancer risk ( see 1 .
2 .
3 , 4 ) while collecting data sometimes without users knowledge or consent .
According to a recent report , smart speakers are always listening and ready to react when connected to Google ’ s new home security system .
Google speakers are listening to more than just voice commands .
Using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s $ 450 million ADT deal .
Last week , Reddit user Brazedowl received a curious notification on his phone : Google was telling him that a smoke detector in his home had gone off .
Brazedowl , a teacher from North Carolina who goes by Drew in real life , knew about the smoke alarm — he was at home himself and had just fried some sausages in his kitchen .
But up until that moment , he had no idea that his smart speaker was able to detect such events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke detectors smart , ” he wrote on Reddit .
“ Pretty rad.
” A Google spokesperson told Protocol that the feature was accidentally enabled for some users through a recent software update and has since been rolled back .
But in light of Monday ’ s news that Google invested $ 450 million — acquiring a 6.6 % stake — in home security provider ADT , it may be a sign of things to come for Google , as it hints at the company ’ s secret home security superpower : millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s homes .
Once the deal closes , ADT ’ s more than 20,000 installers will also sell Google-made smart displays , security cameras and other hardware , and ADT will more closely integrate Google technology into its own home security offerings .
“ The goal is to give customers fewer false alarms , more ways to receive alarm events , and better detection of potential incidents inside and around the home , ” Google Nest VP and GM Rishi Chandra said in a blog post .
Brazedowl wasn ’ t the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preview of this kind of incident detection in recent days .
Other Reddit users reported getting security alerts after breaking glassware , as well as some false alarms triggered by sounds like popped bubble wrap and high-frequency noises that could be confused with a smoke alarm .
Google announced support for the detection of “ critical sounds ” for paying subscribers of its Nest Aware home security subscription service in May .
“ Your Nest speakers and displays will notify you if a critical sound is detected , like a smoke alarm or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Home app , ” the company wrote in a blog post .
“ From there , you can hear an audio clip or listen live within the Home app to confirm the alarm .
”

By B.N. Frank
Like all wireless “Smart” devices, smart speakers emit harmful electromagnetic radiation which can make people and animals sick (see 1, 2, 3, 4. 5. 6. 7) AND increase their cancer risk (see 1. 2. 3, 4) while collecting data sometimes without users knowledge or consent.
According to a recent report, smart speakers are always listening and ready to react when connected to Google’s new home security system.
From Protocol:
Google speakers are listening to more than just voice commands. Using them for home security could supercharge Google’s $450 million ADT deal.
Janko Roettgers
August 3, 2020
Last week, Reddit user Brazedowl received a curious notification on his phone: Google was telling him that a smoke detector in his home had gone off. Brazedowl, a teacher from North Carolina who goes by Drew in real life, knew about the smoke alarm — he was at home himself and had just fried some sausages in his kitchen. But up until that moment, he had no idea that his smart speaker was able to detect such events. “Google just made my dumb smoke detectors smart,” he wrote on Reddit. “Pretty rad.”
A Google spokesperson told Protocol that the feature was accidentally enabled for some users through a recent software update and has since been rolled back. But in light of Monday’s news that Google invested $450 million — acquiring a 6.6% stake — in home security provider ADT, it may be a sign of things to come for Google, as it hints at the company’s secret home security superpower: millions of smart speakers already in people’s homes.
Once the deal closes, ADT’s more than 20,000 installers will also sell Google-made smart displays, security cameras and other hardware, and ADT will more closely integrate Google technology into its own home security offerings. “The goal is to give customers fewer false alarms, more ways to receive alarm events, and better detection of potential incidents inside and around the home,” Google Nest VP and GM Rishi Chandra said in a blog post.
Brazedowl wasn’t the only Google smart speaker user receiving a possible preview of this kind of incident detection in recent days. Other Reddit users reported getting security alerts after breaking glassware, as well as some false alarms triggered by sounds like popped bubble wrap and high-frequency noises that could be confused with a smoke alarm.
Google announced support for the detection of “critical sounds” for paying subscribers of its Nest Aware home security subscription service in May. “Your Nest speakers and displays will notify you if a critical sound is detected, like a smoke alarm or glass breaking, by sending an alert to the Home app,” the company wrote in a blog post. “From there, you can hear an audio clip or listen live within the Home app to confirm the alarm.”
Read full article


activistpost--2020-08-04--P is for Predator State: The Building Blocks of Tyranny from A to Z

While America continues to fixate on the drama-filled reality show scripted by the powers-that-be , directed from the nation ’ s capital , and played out in high definition across the country , the American Police State has moved steadily forward .
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a convenient , traumatic , devastating distraction .
The American people , the permanent underclass in America , have allowed themselves to be so distracted and divided that they have failed to notice the building blocks of tyranny being laid down right under their noses by the architects of the Deep State .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : they have all been complicit in carrying out the Deep State ’ s agenda .
Unless something changes to restore the balance of power , the next president—the new boss—will be the same as the old boss .
Frankly , it really doesn ’ t matter what you call the old/new boss—the Deep State , the Controllers , the masterminds , the shadow government , the corporate elite , the police state , the surveillance state , the military industrial complex—so long as you understand that no matter who occupies the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unelected bureaucracy that is actually calling the shots .
If our losses are mounting with every passing day—and they are—it is a calculated siege intended to ensure our defeat at the hands of a totalitarian regime .
Free speech , the right to protest , the right to challenge government wrongdoing , due process , a presumption of innocence , the right to self-defense , accountability and transparency in government , privacy , media , sovereignty , assembly , bodily integrity , representative government : all of these and more are casualties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people .
Set against a backdrop of government surveillance , militarized federal police , SWAT team raids , asset forfeiture , overcriminalization , armed surveillance drones , whole body scanners , stop and frisk searches , and the like—all of which have been sanctioned by Congress , the White House and the courts—our constitutional freedoms are being steadily chipped away at , undermined , eroded , whittled down , and generally discarded .
As a result , the American people have been treated like enemy combatants , to be spied on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ searched , subjected to all manner of intrusions , intimidated , invaded , raided , manhandled , censored , silenced , shot at , locked up , and denied due process .
None of these dangers have dissipated in any way .
They have merely disappeared from our televised news streams .
It ’ s time to get educated on what ’ s really going on .
Thus , in the interest of liberty and truth , here ’ s an A-to-Z primer that spells out the grim realities of life in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be talking about anymore .
A is for the AMERICAN POLICE STATE .
A police state “ is characterized by bureaucracy , secrecy , perpetual wars , a nation of suspects , militarization , surveillance , widespread police presence , and a citizenry with little recourse against police actions.
” B is for our battered BILL OF RIGHTS .
In the militarized police culture that is America today , where you can be kicked , punched , tasered , shot , intimidated , harassed , stripped , searched , brutalized , terrorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a police officer , and that officer is rarely held accountable for violating your rights , the Bill of Rights doesn ’ t amount to much .
C is for CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE .
This governmental scheme to deprive Americans of their liberties—namely , the right to property—is being carried out under the guise of civil asset forfeiture , a government practice wherein government agents ( usually the police and now TSA agents ) seize private property they “ suspect ” may be connected to criminal activity .
Then , whether or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken place , the government keeps the citizen ’ s property and it ’ s virtually impossible to get it back .
D is for DRONES .
It was estimated that at least 30,000 drones would be airborne in American airspace by 2020 , part of an $ 80 billion industry .
Although some drones will be used for benevolent purposes , many will also be equipped with lasers , tasers and scanning devices , among other weapons—all aimed at “ we the people.
” E is for EMERGENCY STATE .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subjected to an “ emergency state ” that justifies all manner of government tyranny and power grabs in the so-called name of national security .
The government ’ s ongoing attempts to declare so-called national emergencies in order to circumvent the Constitution ’ s system of checks and balances constitutes yet another expansion of presidential power that exposes the nation to further constitutional peril .
F is for FASCISM .
A study conducted by Princeton and Northwestern University concluded that the U.S. government does not represent the majority of American citizens .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government is ruled by the rich and powerful , or the so-called “ economic elite.
” Moreover , the researchers concluded that policies enacted by this governmental elite nearly always favor special interests and lobbying groups .
In other words , we are being ruled by an oligarchy disguised as a democracy , and arguably on our way towards fascism—a form of government where private corporate interests rule , money calls the shots , and the people are seen as mere economic units or databits .
G is for GRENADE LAUNCHERS and GLOBAL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 18 billion worth of battlefield-appropriate military weapons , vehicles and equipment such as drones , tanks , and grenade launchers to domestic police departments across the country .
As a result , most small-town police forces now have enough firepower to render any citizen resistance futile .
Now take those small-town police forces , train them to look and act like the military , and then enlist them to be part of the United Nations ’ Strong Cities Network program , and you not only have a standing army that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but one that is part of a global police force .
H is for HOLLOW-POINT BULLETS .
The government ’ s efforts to militarize and weaponize its agencies and employees is reaching epic proportions , with federal agencies as varied as the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration stockpiling millions of lethal hollow-point bullets , which violate international law .
Ironically , while the government continues to push for stricter gun laws for the general populace , the U.S. military ’ s arsenal of weapons makes the average American ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I is for the INTERNET OF THINGS , in which internet-connected “ things ” monitor your home , your health and your habits in order to keep your pantry stocked , your utilities regulated and your life under control and relatively worry-free .
The key word here , however , is control .
This “ connected ” industry propels us closer to a future where police agencies apprehend virtually anyone if the government “ thinks ” they may commit a crime , driverless cars populate the highways , and a person ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to track their movements , target them for advertising , and keep them under perpetual surveillance .
J is for JAILING FOR PROFIT .
Having outsourced their inmate population to private prisons run by private corporations , this profit-driven form of mass punishment has given rise to a $ 70 billion private prison industry that relies on the complicity of state governments to keep their privately run prisons full by jailing large numbers of Americans for petty crimes .
K is for KENTUCKY V. KING .
In an 8-1 ruling , the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into homes , without a warrant , even if it ’ s the wrong home as long as they think they may have a reason to do so .
Despite the fact that the police in question ended up pursuing the wrong suspect , invaded the wrong apartment and violated just about every tenet that stands between the citizenry and a police state , the Court sanctioned the warrantless raid , leaving Americans with little real protection in the face of all manner of abuses by law enforcement officials .
L is for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement and private agencies to track the whereabouts of vehicles , and their occupants , all across the country .
This data collected on tens of thousands of innocent people is also being shared between police agencies , as well as with government fusion centers and private companies .
This puts Big Brother in the driver ’ s seat .
M is for MAIN CORE .
Since the 1980s , the U.S. government has acquired and maintained , without warrant or court order , a database of names and information on Americans considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As Salon reports , this database , reportedly dubbed “ Main Core , ” is to be used by the Army and FEMA in times of national emergency or under martial law to locate and round up Americans seen as threats to national security .
There are at least 8 million Americans in the Main Core database .
N is for NO-KNOCK RAIDS .
Owing to the militarization of the nation ’ s police forces , SWAT teams are now increasingly being deployed for routine police matters .
In fact , more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out every year .
That translates to more than 200 SWAT team raids every day in which police crash through doors , damage private property , terrorize adults and children alike , kill family pets , assault or shoot anyone that is perceived as threatening—and all in the pursuit of someone merely suspected of a crime , usually possession of some small amount of drugs .
O is for OVERCRIMINALIZATION and OVERREGULATION .
Thanks to an overabundance of 4500-plus federal crimes and 400,000 plus rules and regulations , it ’ s estimated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day without knowing it .
As a result of this overcriminalization , we ’ re seeing an uptick in Americans being arrested and jailed for such absurd “ violations ” as letting their kids play at a park unsupervised , collecting rainwater and snow runoff on their own property , growing vegetables in their yard , and holding Bible studies in their living room .
P is for PATHOCRACY and PRECRIME .
When our own government treats us as things to be manipulated , maneuvered , mined for data , manhandled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and then jailed in profit-driven private prisons if we dare step out of line , we are no longer operating under a constitutional republic .
Instead , what we are experiencing is a pathocracy : tyranny at the hands of a psychopathic government , which “ operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups.
” Couple that with the government ’ s burgeoning precrime programs , which will use fusion centers , data collection agencies , behavioral scientists , corporations , social media , and community organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance , facial recognition , predictive policing , biometrics , and behavioral epigenetics in order to identify and deter so-called potential “ extremists , ” dissidents or rabble-rousers .
Bear in mind that anyone seen as opposing the government—whether they ’ re Left , Right or somewhere in between—is now viewed as an extremist .
Q is for QUALIFIED IMMUNITY .
Qualified immunity allows police officers to walk away without paying a dime for their wrongdoing .
Conveniently , those deciding whether a cop should be immune from having to personally pay for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same system , all cronies with a vested interest in protecting the police and their infamous code of silence : city and county attorneys , police commissioners , city councils and judges .
R is for ROADSIDE STRIP SEARCHES and BLOOD DRAWS .
The courts have increasingly erred on the side of giving government officials—especially the police—vast discretion in carrying out strip searches , blood draws and even anal and vaginal probes for a broad range of violations , no matter how minor the offense .
In the past , strip searches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where police were confident that a serious crime was in progress .
In recent years , however , strip searches have become routine operating procedures in which everyone is rendered a suspect and , as such , is subjected to treatment once reserved for only the most serious of criminals .
S is for the SURVEILLANCE STATE .
On any given day , the average American going about his daily business will be monitored , surveilled , spied on and tracked in more than 20 different ways , by both government and corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the electronic concentration camp in which we live , whether you ’ re walking through a store , driving your car , checking email , or talking to friends and family on the phone , you can be sure that some government agency , whether the NSA or some other entity , is listening in and tracking your behavior .
This doesn ’ t even begin to touch on the corporate trackers that monitor your purchases , web browsing , Facebook posts and other activities taking place in the cyber sphere .
T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as tasers , stun guns , rubber pellets and the like have been used by police as weapons of compliance more often and with less restraint—even against women and children—and in some instances , even causing death .
These “ nonlethal ” weapons also enable police to aggress with the push of a button , making the potential for overblown confrontations over minor incidents that much more likely .
A Taser Shockwave , for instance , can electrocute a crowd of people at the touch of a button U is for UNARMED CITIZENS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it unusual to hear about incidents in which police shoot unarmed individuals first and ask questions later , often attributed to a fear for their safety .
Yet the fatality rate of on-duty patrol officers is reportedly far lower than many other professions , including construction , logging , fishing , truck driving , and even trash collection .
V is for VIRUSES AND FORCED VACCINATIONS .
What started out as an apparent effort to prevent a novel coronavirus from sickening the nation ( and the world ) has become yet another means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. ) can expand their powers , abuse their authority , and further oppress their constituents .
With millions of dollars in stimulus funds being directed towards policing agencies across the country , the federal government plans to fight this COVID-19 virus with riot gear , gas masks , ballistic helmets , drones , and hi-tech surveillance technology .
The road we are traveling is paved with lockdowns , SWAT team raids , mass surveillance and forced vaccinations .
Now there ’ s talk of mobilizing the military to deliver forced vaccinations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact tracing , and heavy fines and jail time for those who dare to venture out without a mask , congregate in worship without the government ’ s blessing , or re-open their businesses without the government ’ s say-so .
W is for WHOLE-BODY SCANNERS .
Using either x-ray radiation or radio waves , scanning devices and government mobile units are being used not only to “ see ” through your clothes but to spy on you within the privacy of your home .
While these mobile scanners are being sold to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety measures , we can ill afford to forget that such systems are rife with the potential for abuse , not only by government bureaucrats but by the technicians employed to operate them .
X is for X-KEYSCORE , one of the many spying programs carried out by the National Security Agency that targets every person in the United States who uses a computer or phone .
This top-secret program “ allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails , online chats and the browsing histories of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Using your face , mannerisms , social media and “ you-ness ” against you , you are now be tracked based on what you buy , where you go , what you do in public , and how you do what you do .
Facial recognition software promises to create a society in which every individual who steps out into public is tracked and recorded as they go about their daily business .
The goal is for government agents to be able to scan a crowd of people and instantaneously identify all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs are being rolled out in states all across the country .
Z is for ZERO TOLERANCE .
We have moved into a new paradigm in which young people are increasingly viewed as suspects and treated as criminals by school officials and law enforcement alike , often for engaging in little more than childish behavior or for saying the “ wrong ” word .
In some jurisdictions , students have also been penalized under school zero tolerance policies for such inane “ crimes ” as carrying cough drops , wearing black lipstick , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Listerine or Scope , and carrying fold-out combs that resemble switchblades .
The lesson being taught to our youngest—and most impressionable—citizens is this : in the American police state , you ’ re either a prisoner ( shackled , controlled , monitored , ordered about , limited in what you can do and say , your life not your own ) or a prison bureaucrat ( politician , police officer , judge , jailer , spy , profiteer , etc. )
.
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality we must come to terms with is that in the post-9/11 America we live in today , the government does whatever it wants , freedom be damned .
We have moved beyond the era of representative government and entered a new age .
You can call it the age of authoritarianism .
Or fascism .
Or oligarchy .
Or the American police state .
Whatever label you want to put on it , the end result is the same : tyranny .
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America : The War on the American People is available at .
Whitehead can be contacted at [ email protected ] .
John W. Whitehead ’ s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge .
Please contact [ email protected ] to obtain reprint permission .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By John W. Whitehead
“When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; a culture-death is a clear possibility.” — Professor Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Discourse in the Age of Show Business
While America continues to fixate on the drama-filled reality show scripted by the powers-that-be, directed from the nation’s capital, and played out in high definition across the country, the American Police State has moved steadily forward.
Nothing has changed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a convenient, traumatic, devastating distraction.
The American people, the permanent underclass in America, have allowed themselves to be so distracted and divided that they have failed to notice the building blocks of tyranny being laid down right under their noses by the architects of the Deep State.
Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton: they have all been complicit in carrying out the Deep State’s agenda. Unless something changes to restore the balance of power, the next president—the new boss—will be the same as the old boss.
Frankly, it really doesn’t matter what you call the old/new boss—the Deep State, the Controllers, the masterminds, the shadow government, the corporate elite, the police state, the surveillance state, the military industrial complex—so long as you understand that no matter who occupies the White House, it is a profit-driven, an unelected bureaucracy that is actually calling the shots.
If our losses are mounting with every passing day—and they are—it is a calculated siege intended to ensure our defeat at the hands of a totalitarian regime.
Free speech, the right to protest, the right to challenge government wrongdoing, due process, a presumption of innocence, the right to self-defense, accountability and transparency in government, privacy, media, sovereignty, assembly, bodily integrity, representative government: all of these and more are casualties in the government’s war on the American people.
Set against a backdrop of government surveillance, militarized federal police, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, overcriminalization, armed surveillance drones, whole body scanners, stop and frisk searches, and the like—all of which have been sanctioned by Congress, the White House and the courts—our constitutional freedoms are being steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded.
As a result, the American people have been treated like enemy combatants, to be spied on, tracked, scanned, frisked, searched, subjected to all manner of intrusions, intimidated, invaded, raided, manhandled, censored, silenced, shot at, locked up, and denied due process.
None of these dangers have dissipated in any way.
They have merely disappeared from our televised news streams.
It’s time to get educated on what’s really going on. Thus, in the interest of liberty and truth, here’s an A-to-Z primer that spells out the grim realities of life in the American Police State that no one seems to be talking about anymore.
A is for the AMERICAN POLICE STATE. A police state “is characterized by bureaucracy, secrecy, perpetual wars, a nation of suspects, militarization, surveillance, widespread police presence, and a citizenry with little recourse against police actions.”
B is for our battered BILL OF RIGHTS. In the militarized police culture that is America today, where you can be kicked, punched, tasered, shot, intimidated, harassed, stripped, searched, brutalized, terrorized, wrongfully arrested, and even killed by a police officer, and that officer is rarely held accountable for violating your rights, the Bill of Rights doesn’t amount to much.
C is for CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE. This governmental scheme to deprive Americans of their liberties—namely, the right to property—is being carried out under the guise of civil asset forfeiture, a government practice wherein government agents (usually the police and now TSA agents) seize private property they “suspect” may be connected to criminal activity. Then, whether or not any crime is actually proven to have taken place, the government keeps the citizen’s property and it’s virtually impossible to get it back.
D is for DRONES. It was estimated that at least 30,000 drones would be airborne in American airspace by 2020, part of an $80 billion industry. Although some drones will be used for benevolent purposes, many will also be equipped with lasers, tasers and scanning devices, among other weapons—all aimed at “we the people.”
E is for EMERGENCY STATE. From 9/11 to COVID-19, we have been the subjected to an “emergency state” that justifies all manner of government tyranny and power grabs in the so-called name of national security. The government’s ongoing attempts to declare so-called national emergencies in order to circumvent the Constitution’s system of checks and balances constitutes yet another expansion of presidential power that exposes the nation to further constitutional peril.
F is for FASCISM. A study conducted by Princeton and Northwestern University concluded that the U.S. government does not represent the majority of American citizens. Instead, the study found that the government is ruled by the rich and powerful, or the so-called “economic elite.” Moreover, the researchers concluded that policies enacted by this governmental elite nearly always favor special interests and lobbying groups. In other words, we are being ruled by an oligarchy disguised as a democracy, and arguably on our way towards fascism—a form of government where private corporate interests rule, money calls the shots, and the people are seen as mere economic units or databits.
G is for GRENADE LAUNCHERS and GLOBAL POLICE. The federal government has distributed more than $18 billion worth of battlefield-appropriate military weapons, vehicles and equipment such as drones, tanks, and grenade launchers to domestic police departments across the country. As a result, most small-town police forces now have enough firepower to render any citizen resistance futile. Now take those small-town police forces, train them to look and act like the military, and then enlist them to be part of the United Nations’ Strong Cities Network program, and you not only have a standing army that operates beyond the reach of the Constitution but one that is part of a global police force.
H is for HOLLOW-POINT BULLETS. The government’s efforts to militarize and weaponize its agencies and employees is reaching epic proportions, with federal agencies as varied as the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration stockpiling millions of lethal hollow-point bullets, which violate international law. Ironically, while the government continues to push for stricter gun laws for the general populace, the U.S. military’s arsenal of weapons makes the average American’s handgun look like a Tinker Toy.
I is for the INTERNET OF THINGS, in which internet-connected “things” monitor your home, your health and your habits in order to keep your pantry stocked, your utilities regulated and your life under control and relatively worry-free. The key word here, however, is control. This “connected” industry propels us closer to a future where police agencies apprehend virtually anyone if the government “thinks” they may commit a crime, driverless cars populate the highways, and a person’s biometrics are constantly scanned and used to track their movements, target them for advertising, and keep them under perpetual surveillance.
J is for JAILING FOR PROFIT. Having outsourced their inmate population to private prisons run by private corporations, this profit-driven form of mass punishment has given rise to a $70 billion private prison industry that relies on the complicity of state governments to keep their privately run prisons full by jailing large numbers of Americans for petty crimes.
K is for KENTUCKY V. KING. In an 8-1 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that police officers can break into homes, without a warrant, even if it’s the wrong home as long as they think they may have a reason to do so. Despite the fact that the police in question ended up pursuing the wrong suspect, invaded the wrong apartment and violated just about every tenet that stands between the citizenry and a police state, the Court sanctioned the warrantless raid, leaving Americans with little real protection in the face of all manner of abuses by law enforcement officials.
L is for LICENSE PLATE READERS, which enable law enforcement and private agencies to track the whereabouts of vehicles, and their occupants, all across the country. This data collected on tens of thousands of innocent people is also being shared between police agencies, as well as with government fusion centers and private companies. This puts Big Brother in the driver’s seat.
M is for MAIN CORE. Since the 1980s, the U.S. government has acquired and maintained, without warrant or court order, a database of names and information on Americans considered to be threats to the nation. As Salon reports, this database, reportedly dubbed “Main Core,” is to be used by the Army and FEMA in times of national emergency or under martial law to locate and round up Americans seen as threats to national security. There are at least 8 million Americans in the Main Core database.
N is for NO-KNOCK RAIDS. Owing to the militarization of the nation’s police forces, SWAT teams are now increasingly being deployed for routine police matters. In fact, more than 80,000 of these paramilitary raids are carried out every year. That translates to more than 200 SWAT team raids every day in which police crash through doors, damage private property, terrorize adults and children alike, kill family pets, assault or shoot anyone that is perceived as threatening—and all in the pursuit of someone merely suspected of a crime, usually possession of some small amount of drugs.
O is for OVERCRIMINALIZATION and OVERREGULATION. Thanks to an overabundance of 4500-plus federal crimes and 400,000 plus rules and regulations, it’s estimated that the average American actually commits three felonies a day without knowing it. As a result of this overcriminalization, we’re seeing an uptick in Americans being arrested and jailed for such absurd “violations” as letting their kids play at a park unsupervised, collecting rainwater and snow runoff on their own property, growing vegetables in their yard, and holding Bible studies in their living room.
P is for PATHOCRACY and PRECRIME. When our own government treats us as things to be manipulated, maneuvered, mined for data, manhandled by police and other government agents, mistreated, and then jailed in profit-driven private prisons if we dare step out of line, we are no longer operating under a constitutional republic. Instead, what we are experiencing is a pathocracy: tyranny at the hands of a psychopathic government, which “operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups.” Couple that with the government’s burgeoning precrime programs, which will use fusion centers, data collection agencies, behavioral scientists, corporations, social media, and community organizers and by relying on cutting-edge technology for surveillance, facial recognition, predictive policing, biometrics, and behavioral epigenetics in order to identify and deter so-called potential “extremists,” dissidents or rabble-rousers. Bear in mind that anyone seen as opposing the government—whether they’re Left, Right or somewhere in between—is now viewed as an extremist.
Q is for QUALIFIED IMMUNITY. Qualified immunity allows police officers to walk away without paying a dime for their wrongdoing. Conveniently, those deciding whether a cop should be immune from having to personally pay for misbehavior on the job all belong to the same system, all cronies with a vested interest in protecting the police and their infamous code of silence: city and county attorneys, police commissioners, city councils and judges.
R is for ROADSIDE STRIP SEARCHES and BLOOD DRAWS. The courts have increasingly erred on the side of giving government officials—especially the police—vast discretion in carrying out strip searches, blood draws and even anal and vaginal probes for a broad range of violations, no matter how minor the offense. In the past, strip searches were resorted to only in exceptional circumstances where police were confident that a serious crime was in progress. In recent years, however, strip searches have become routine operating procedures in which everyone is rendered a suspect and, as such, is subjected to treatment once reserved for only the most serious of criminals.
S is for the SURVEILLANCE STATE. On any given day, the average American going about his daily business will be monitored, surveilled, spied on and tracked in more than 20 different ways, by both government and corporate eyes and ears. A byproduct of the electronic concentration camp in which we live, whether you’re walking through a store, driving your car, checking email, or talking to friends and family on the phone, you can be sure that some government agency, whether the NSA or some other entity, is listening in and tracking your behavior. This doesn’t even begin to touch on the corporate trackers that monitor your purchases, web browsing, Facebook posts and other activities taking place in the cyber sphere.
T is for TASERS. Nonlethal weapons such as tasers, stun guns, rubber pellets and the like have been used by police as weapons of compliance more often and with less restraint—even against women and children—and in some instances, even causing death. These “nonlethal” weapons also enable police to aggress with the push of a button, making the potential for overblown confrontations over minor incidents that much more likely. A Taser Shockwave, for instance, can electrocute a crowd of people at the touch of a button
U is for UNARMED CITIZENS SHOT BY POLICE. No longer is it unusual to hear about incidents in which police shoot unarmed individuals first and ask questions later, often attributed to a fear for their safety. Yet the fatality rate of on-duty patrol officers is reportedly far lower than many other professions, including construction, logging, fishing, truck driving, and even trash collection.
V is for VIRUSES AND FORCED VACCINATIONS. What started out as an apparent effort to prevent a novel coronavirus from sickening the nation (and the world) has become yet another means by which world governments (including the U.S.) can expand their powers, abuse their authority, and further oppress their constituents. With millions of dollars in stimulus funds being directed towards policing agencies across the country, the federal government plans to fight this COVID-19 virus with riot gear, gas masks, ballistic helmets, drones, and hi-tech surveillance technology. The road we are traveling is paved with lockdowns, SWAT team raids, mass surveillance and forced vaccinations. Now there’s talk of mobilizing the military to deliver forced vaccinations, mass surveillance in order to carry out contact tracing, and heavy fines and jail time for those who dare to venture out without a mask, congregate in worship without the government’s blessing, or re-open their businesses without the government’s say-so.
W is for WHOLE-BODY SCANNERS. Using either x-ray radiation or radio waves, scanning devices and government mobile units are being used not only to “see” through your clothes but to spy on you within the privacy of your home. While these mobile scanners are being sold to the American public as necessary security and safety measures, we can ill afford to forget that such systems are rife with the potential for abuse, not only by government bureaucrats but by the technicians employed to operate them.
X is for X-KEYSCORE, one of the many spying programs carried out by the National Security Agency that targets every person in the United States who uses a computer or phone. This top-secret program “allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals.”
Y is for YOU-NESS. Using your face, mannerisms, social media and “you-ness” against you, you are now be tracked based on what you buy, where you go, what you do in public, and how you do what you do. Facial recognition software promises to create a society in which every individual who steps out into public is tracked and recorded as they go about their daily business. The goal is for government agents to be able to scan a crowd of people and instantaneously identify all of the individuals present. Facial recognition programs are being rolled out in states all across the country.
Z is for ZERO TOLERANCE. We have moved into a new paradigm in which young people are increasingly viewed as suspects and treated as criminals by school officials and law enforcement alike, often for engaging in little more than childish behavior or for saying the “wrong” word. In some jurisdictions, students have also been penalized under school zero tolerance policies for such inane “crimes” as carrying cough drops, wearing black lipstick, bringing nail clippers to school, using Listerine or Scope, and carrying fold-out combs that resemble switchblades. The lesson being taught to our youngest—and most impressionable—citizens is this: in the American police state, you’re either a prisoner (shackled, controlled, monitored, ordered about, limited in what you can do and say, your life not your own) or a prison bureaucrat (politician, police officer, judge, jailer, spy, profiteer, etc.).
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the reality we must come to terms with is that in the post-9/11 America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants, freedom be damned.
We have moved beyond the era of representative government and entered a new age.
You can call it the age of authoritarianism. Or fascism. Or oligarchy. Or the American police state.
Whatever label you want to put on it, the end result is the same: tyranny.
ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute . His new book Battlefield America: The War on the American People is available at www.amazon.com . Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org.
Publication Guidelines / Reprint Permission
John W. Whitehead’s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact staff@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


Madness in Melbourne

Melbourne , that glorious city in the state of Victoria in Australia , granted me some of the best travel days of my life during two separate trips each lasting a full week .
A happy , civilized , highly educated people are here living amidst modern architecture , inspiring bridges , and natural beauty , a place where even the police are kind , and when you ask them for directions they reply with a smile , and when you say thank you , they say “ No worries.
” Now there are big worries in Melbourne .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without precedent in this country ’ s history .
His name is Dan Andrews ( a sweet-sounding name that masks the tyrant he has become ) , and he tweets out pictures of empty streets to brag about what he has achieved in the name of suppressing a virus .
Tacitus ’ s line about the Roman empire comes to mind : “ Where they make a desert , they call it peace.
” Australia is the only country in the world that has a law that people can ’ t be mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host to one of the world ’ s meanest governments .
The catastrophe began with a spring lockdown before there were any cases of C-19 much less deaths .
The ethos in Australia was one of extreme exclusion and suppression of the virus , not as bad as New Zealand but pretty bad .
The rest of the world can catch this disease , but Australia would use its geographical isolation and political intelligence to ban the virus .
The virus will be in awe and know to stay away forever .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s not how viruses work .
Still , it seemed to work , at first .
That ’ s because the virus had yet to arrive .
When the virus did arrive , the futility of the suppression strategy was revealed .
Melbourne had set up quarantine hotels for people arriving from abroad or returning from cruises .
They would spend 14 days in isolation to purge themselves of possible infection .
Then all would be okay .
There was a problem : the wily virus escaped .
As a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having suppressed the virus turned to panic and full lockdown .
Internal borders are sealed .
And Melbourne has become a living hell , not because of the virus ( which is still mild ) but because of the unleashing of a hellish police state .
A friend summarized the situation for me : • Police may now enter anyone ’ s home without a warrant .
• $ 1,652 fine if outside without “ a valid reason ” – an amount being raised by the day .
• $ 200 fine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times ) .
• Can only exercise once per day , for up to 1 hour .
• Only one person per household , per day can leave the house ( including for groceries ) .
• Can ’ t go more than 3 miles from your home .
• No gatherings of any size .
• Army is on the streets fining/arresting people .
• “ Since March 21 , a total of 193,740 spot checks have been conducted by police across Victoria.
” • Protests/activism is illegal ; people have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Media is EXTREMELY biased , calls protesters “ right wing conspiracy nutjobs ” and won ’ t allow discussion of whether these lockdowns are right or not .
• Several thousand people were placed under house arrest and unable to leave for ANY reason , with food rations delivered by the army , leading to appalling levels of personal trauma .
• Australia won ’ t release how many fines they ’ ve given out , but an ABC news report says it ’ s over $ 5.2 million so far .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a city of 5 million+ people .
People are HATEFUL to each other , everyone is cannibalising their neighbours ( calling police to report any little infraction of the rules and turning on each other like some socialist hellhole ) .
• Billboards outside on the street that say in capital letters : “ WHAT ARE YOU DOING ?
STAY HOME.
” They feel extremely oppressive , like we ’ re being yelled at by a very oppressive government .
• The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews shows complete and utter disdain for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s blamed children ( yes , really ) for not taking this seriously enough .
Every chance he gets , he tells us it ’ s OUR fault the virus is spreading ( even though that ’ s what viruses do – they spread ) .
• It ’ s not just the Victorian Premier – the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is just as terrible .
He ’ s encouraged all of this , and he was responsible for the first lockdown .
• 1984 dystopian language : billboards everywhere saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Have they gone mad ?
• There ’ s probably more but at this point I honestly lost track of all the insanity that ’ s happened .
• All because 147 people died in the state of Victoria ( total population is 6.359 million ) , almost all of the deaths are over 70 with comorbidities , same as everywhere else in the world .
This is lockdown ideology at work .
It is tyranny without limit , at the expense of all human dignity , decency , and rights .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health .
Like everywhere else on the planet , Melbourne will have to reach herd immunity from C-19 at some point .
Those who deny that are risking not only liberty and health but civilization itself .
Perhaps the other states in Australia will observe the destruction in Victoria and learn to take another path when the virus first arrives in their territory , as it surely will .
Lockdowns are not science ; they are brutality .
I cry for the once-great city of Melbourne this day .
May there be justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be granted some modicum of decency and wisdom .
Jeffrey A. Tucker is Editorial Director for the American Institute for Economic Research .
He is the author of many thousands of articles in the scholarly and popular press and eight books in 5 languages , most recently The Market Loves You .
He is also the editor of The Best of Mises .
He speaks widely on topics of economics , technology , social philosophy , and culture .
Jeffrey is available for speaking and interviews via his email .
Tw | FB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Jeffrey A. Tucker
Melbourne, that glorious city in the state of Victoria in Australia, granted me some of the best travel days of my life during two separate trips each lasting a full week.
A happy, civilized, highly educated people are here living amidst modern architecture, inspiring bridges, and natural beauty, a place where even the police are kind, and when you ask them for directions they reply with a smile, and when you say thank you, they say “No worries.”
Now there are big worries in Melbourne.
The Premier has imposed a vicious police state without precedent in this country’s history. His name is Dan Andrews (a sweet-sounding name that masks the tyrant he has become), and he tweets out pictures of empty streets to brag about what he has achieved in the name of suppressing a virus.
Tacitus’s line about the Roman empire comes to mind: “Where they make a desert, they call it peace.”
Australia is the only country in the world that has a law that people can’t be mean to each other. Now it is host to one of the world’s meanest governments.
The catastrophe began with a spring lockdown before there were any cases of C-19 much less deaths. The ethos in Australia was one of extreme exclusion and suppression of the virus, not as bad as New Zealand but pretty bad. The rest of the world can catch this disease, but Australia would use its geographical isolation and political intelligence to ban the virus. The virus will be in awe and know to stay away forever.
It’s not a good theory because that’s not how viruses work.
Still, it seemed to work, at first. That’s because the virus had yet to arrive.
When the virus did arrive, the futility of the suppression strategy was revealed.
Melbourne had set up quarantine hotels for people arriving from abroad or returning from cruises. They would spend 14 days in isolation to purge themselves of possible infection. Then all would be okay. There was a problem: the wily virus escaped.
As a result, a nation’s pride in having suppressed the virus turned to panic and full lockdown. Internal borders are sealed. And Melbourne has become a living hell, not because of the virus (which is still mild) but because of the unleashing of a hellish police state.
A friend summarized the situation for me:
Police may now enter anyone’s home without a warrant.
Curfew 8:00pm.
$1,652 fine if outside without “a valid reason” – an amount being raised by the day.
Can’t visit any family or friends.
$200 fine for no mask (mandatory masks at all times).
Can only exercise once per day, for up to 1 hour.
Only one person per household, per day can leave the house (including for groceries).
Can’t go more than 3 miles from your home.
Weddings are illegal.
No gatherings of any size.
Army is on the streets fining/arresting people.
“Since March 21, a total of 193,740 spot checks have been conducted by police across Victoria.”
Protests/activism is illegal; people have already been arrested for peaceful gatherings.
Media is EXTREMELY biased, calls protesters “right wing conspiracy nutjobs” and won’t allow discussion of whether these lockdowns are right or not.
Several thousand people were placed under house arrest and unable to leave for ANY reason, with food rations delivered by the army, leading to appalling levels of personal trauma.
Australia won’t release how many fines they’ve given out, but an ABC news report says it’s over $5.2 million so far.
Streets of Melbourne are empty, even in a city of 5 million+ people. People are HATEFUL to each other, everyone is cannibalising their neighbours (calling police to report any little infraction of the rules and turning on each other like some socialist hellhole).
Billboards outside on the street that say in capital letters: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STAY HOME.” They feel extremely oppressive, like we’re being yelled at by a very oppressive government.
The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews shows complete and utter disdain for us, constantly blaming us. He’s blamed children (yes, really) for not taking this seriously enough. Every chance he gets, he tells us it’s OUR fault the virus is spreading (even though that’s what viruses do – they spread).
It’s not just the Victorian Premier – the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is just as terrible. He’s encouraged all of this, and he was responsible for the first lockdown.
1984 dystopian language: billboards everywhere saying “Staying apart keeps us together.” Have they gone mad?
There’s probably more but at this point I honestly lost track of all the insanity that’s happened.
All because 147 people died in the state of Victoria (total population is 6.359 million), almost all of the deaths are over 70 with comorbidities, same as everywhere else in the world.
This is lockdown ideology at work. It is tyranny without limit, at the expense of all human dignity, decency, and rights. The politicians make a desert and call it health.
Like everywhere else on the planet, Melbourne will have to reach herd immunity from C-19 at some point. Those who deny that are risking not only liberty and health but civilization itself.
Perhaps the other states in Australia will observe the destruction in Victoria and learn to take another path when the virus first arrives in their territory, as it surely will. Lockdowns are not science; they are brutality.
I cry for the once-great city of Melbourne this day. May there be justice. And may its future political leadership be granted some modicum of decency and wisdom.
Source: AIER.org
Jeffrey A. Tucker is Editorial Director for the American Institute for Economic Research. He is the author of many thousands of articles in the scholarly and popular press and eight books in 5 languages, most recently The Market Loves You. He is also the editor of The Best of Mises. He speaks widely on topics of economics, technology, social philosophy, and culture. Jeffrey is available for speaking and interviews via his email. Tw | FB | LinkedIn
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.