westernjournal--2020-08-10--Rachael Ray ‘Grateful’ To Be Alive After Fire Rips Through Home

Like many of us , Rachael Ray has been quarantining and working from home .
Unlike many of us , she ’ s a well-known chef and “ working from home ” means filming segments from home .
The 51-year-old had invited viewers into her custom kitchen at her home in Lake Luzerne , New York , near Lake Vanare through a tour on her YouTube in April .
She designed the space to include a pizza oven and a large gas range .
“ Rachael has been filming episodes from home over the past few weeks , giving our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she shares with her husband John Cusimano in upstate New York , ” the video caption reads .
“ If you ’ ve been tuning in , you ’ ve probably been seeing a lot of the kitchen ( of course ! )
, and many of you have asked for Rach to give a tour of the space.
” TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead “ I decorated the house before it was ever built , ” Ray said in the video .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece of paper so I knew what I wanted it to be in my mind.
” The space was lovingly designed and decorated and has seemed to serve Ray well .
But on Sunday evening , a fire broke out .
While it ’ s unclear exactly how the blaze started , witnesses told The Sun that it seemed to start as a chimney fire before engulfing the home .
By the time firefighters arrived , there wasn ’ t much they could do .
One witness claimed the flames leaped 70 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her husband , her mom and her dog were all safe .
“ Rachael , her husband and their dog Bella are safe , ” Ray ’ s representative , Charlie Dougiell , said in a statement , according to WTEN-TV .
“ The house is unfortunately damaged and we don ’ t yet know to what extent.
” RELATED : Simon Cowell Broke Back in Multiple Places , Nearly Left Paralyzed After Crash On Monday , Ray tweeted to let her followers know she and her family were OK and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Thank you to our local first responders for being kind and gracious and saving what they could of our home , ” she wrote .
“ Grateful that my mom , my husband , my dog… we ’ re all okay .
These are the days we all have to be grateful for what we have , not what we ’ ve lost.
” “ …I *did* lose my phone ( posting through a team member ) Thank you for all the well wishes , concern and outreach , but can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment… !
” While details on the state of the house have not yet been made available , the important thing is that the chef and her family were not harmed .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Like many of us, Rachael Ray has been quarantining and working from home. Unlike many of us, she’s a well-known chef and “working from home” means filming segments from home.
The 51-year-old had invited viewers into her custom kitchen at her home in Lake Luzerne, New York, near Lake Vanare through a tour on her YouTube in April. She designed the space to include a pizza oven and a large gas range.
https://youtu.be/LcpUP7vJbYw
“Rachael has been filming episodes from home over the past few weeks, giving our viewers an intimate look at the house she shares with her husband John Cusimano in upstate New York,” the video caption reads.
“If you’ve been tuning in, you’ve probably been seeing a lot of the kitchen (of course!), and many of you have asked for Rach to give a tour of the space.”
“I decorated the house before it was ever built,” Ray said in the video.
“I drew the house on a piece of paper so I knew what I wanted it to be in my mind.”
The space was lovingly designed and decorated and has seemed to serve Ray well.
But on Sunday evening, a fire broke out. While it’s unclear exactly how the blaze started, witnesses told The Sun that it seemed to start as a chimney fire before engulfing the home.
By the time firefighters arrived, there wasn’t much they could do. One witness claimed the flames leaped 70 feet above the home.
Thankfully, Ray, her husband, her mom and her dog were all safe.
“Rachael, her husband and their dog Bella are safe,” Ray’s representative, Charlie Dougiell, said in a statement, according to WTEN-TV.
“The house is unfortunately damaged and we don’t yet know to what extent.”
On Monday, Ray tweeted to let her followers know she and her family were OK and to thank those who helped during the fire.
“Thank you to our local first responders for being kind and gracious and saving what they could of our home,” she wrote.
“Grateful that my mom, my husband, my dog… we’re all okay. These are the days we all have to be grateful for what we have, not what we’ve lost.”
Thank you to our local first responders for being kind and gracious and saving what they could of our home. Grateful that my mom, my husband, my dog… we’re all okay. These are the days we all have to be grateful for what we have, not what we’ve lost. — rachael ray (@rachaelray) August 10, 2020
“…I *did* lose my phone (posting through a team member) Thank you for all the well wishes, concern and outreach, but can’t return texts and calls at the moment…!”
While details on the state of the house have not yet been made available, the important thing is that the chef and her family were not harmed.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--Cal Thomas: Did You Know 28 Million Mail-In Ballots Have Gone Missing?

Two weeks ago , I mailed an 8-by-10-inch envelope from a Miami post office to an address in New York state .
The postage was correct , as was the address and ZIP code .
One week passed and the recipient emailed me to say the envelope had not arrived , so I mailed another one .
Last week , he wrote to say that the second one had arrived .
A few days after that he wrote again to say the one mailed earlier had finally been delivered after a 10-day delay .
Normally , a first-class mailing would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
Multiply my experience by the 100 million that could be expected from an all-mail-in election and the problem should be obvious .
TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead President Trump has said the potential for fraud with all mail-in voting is enormous .
While he has said absentee ballots are safer , the New York Daily News reported , “ ‘ Systematic failures ’ at the state Board of Elections and U.S .
Postal Service resulted in nearly one in 10 absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being invalidated.
” That comes out to 84,000 out of nearly 319,000 ballots cast .
Many Democrats claim the fear over mail-in ballots is misplaced , but the evidence proves otherwise and in close elections , especially presidential elections , a few votes either way in key states can decide the winner .
In the 2018 congressional election , officials in Broward County , Florida , had trouble finding 2,040 ballots .
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported , “ The county ’ s eternally beleaguered Supervisor of Elections , Brenda Snipes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or mixed in with another stack.
” The Associated Press recently reported : “ Hundreds of thousands of applications for mail-in ballots that a voter-advocacy group sent to voters in Virginia had the wrong return addresses , adding another complication for state election officials who are already hard-pressed to pull off a smooth election in a pandemic.
” In Clark County , Nevada , which includes Las Vegas , the Public Interest Legal Foundation , a conservative election integrity watchdog firm , reported , according to The Western Journal , “ universal mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six ballots being ‘ undeliverable ’ in a recent primary…over 223,000 ballots bounced because the addresses were incorrect or outdated.
” The program set up a P.O .
box and sent 100 mock ballots to it .
A few days later the show sent 100 more .
Only 97 percent of the first batch arrived after a week and 21 percent of the second batch had not arrived after four days .
The show stated the obvious that in close elections such incidents could make a difference .
RELATED : New Book : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nixon To Court Black Voters & They 'll Re-Elect Him Then there is the possibility of fraud .
During the 2018 election campaign , the New York Post reported , “ Homeless people on Los Angeles ’ Skid Row were bribed with cash or cigarettes in exchange for bogus and forged signatures in a ‘ large-scale voter fraud scheme , ' ” according to state prosecutors .
There are many other examples of voting problems in several states .
Republicans are mostly opposed to universal vote-by-mail .
The Heritage Foundation , a conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claims the process invites fraud and cites over a thousand voter fraud convictions and a study showing that 28 million mail-in ballots are unaccounted for over the last decade .
For these reasons , mail-in balloting should be limited and thoroughly checked .
Voters can practice all the things medical experts tell us to do and vote in person .
It is a civic duty and a privilege .
It will also help reduce errors and fraud and improve the credibility and acceptance of the results .
The views expressed in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website .
If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal , you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

I begin with a personal story to make a greater point.
Two weeks ago, I mailed an 8-by-10-inch envelope from a Miami post office to an address in New York state. The postage was correct, as was the address and ZIP code.
One week passed and the recipient emailed me to say the envelope had not arrived, so I mailed another one. Last week, he wrote to say that the second one had arrived.
A few days after that he wrote again to say the one mailed earlier had finally been delivered after a 10-day delay. Normally, a first-class mailing would not have taken more than three business days.
Multiply my experience by the 100 million that could be expected from an all-mail-in election and the problem should be obvious.
President Trump has said the potential for fraud with all mail-in voting is enormous. While he has said absentee ballots are safer, the New York Daily News reported, “‘Systematic failures’ at the state Board of Elections and U.S. Postal Service resulted in nearly one in 10 absentee ballots cast in the June 23 primary being invalidated.”
That comes out to 84,000 out of nearly 319,000 ballots cast.
Many Democrats claim the fear over mail-in ballots is misplaced, but the evidence proves otherwise and in close elections, especially presidential elections, a few votes either way in key states can decide the winner.
In the 2018 congressional election, officials in Broward County, Florida, had trouble finding 2,040 ballots. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported, “The county’s eternally beleaguered Supervisor of Elections, Brenda Snipes, said they either misplaced, misfiled, or mixed in with another stack.”
Are you worried about the potential for fraud and inefficiency in a vote-by-mail system? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (1335 Votes) No: 1% (7 Votes)
The Associated Press recently reported: “Hundreds of thousands of applications for mail-in ballots that a voter-advocacy group sent to voters in Virginia had the wrong return addresses, adding another complication for state election officials who are already hard-pressed to pull off a smooth election in a pandemic.”
In Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, the Public Interest Legal Foundation, a conservative election integrity watchdog firm, reported, according to The Western Journal, “universal mail-in balloting resulted in one out of every six ballots being ‘undeliverable’ in a recent primary…over 223,000 ballots bounced because the addresses were incorrect or outdated.”
“CBS This Morning” ran a small test on mail-in ballots.
The program set up a P.O. box and sent 100 mock ballots to it. A few days later the show sent 100 more. Only 97 percent of the first batch arrived after a week and 21 percent of the second batch had not arrived after four days.
The show stated the obvious that in close elections such incidents could make a difference.
Then there is the possibility of fraud.
During the 2018 election campaign, the New York Post reported, “Homeless people on Los Angeles’ Skid Row were bribed with cash or cigarettes in exchange for bogus and forged signatures in a ‘large-scale voter fraud scheme,'” according to state prosecutors.
There are many other examples of voting problems in several states.
Republicans are mostly opposed to universal vote-by-mail. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., claims the process invites fraud and cites over a thousand voter fraud convictions and a study showing that 28 million mail-in ballots are unaccounted for over the last decade.
For these reasons, mail-in balloting should be limited and thoroughly checked.
Voters can practice all the things medical experts tell us to do and vote in person. It is a civic duty and a privilege. It will also help reduce errors and fraud and improve the credibility and acceptance of the results.
© 2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-10--Biden Gets Ultimatum from Prominent Black Leaders: Pick a Black Woman VP or Lose

For presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , the latest twist in his decision on a choice for a running mate was about as subtle as a bank holdup — and just as threatening .
A group of more than 100 prominent black men from the entertainment , sports and legal worlds published an open letter to the former vice president on Monday with a simple message : He can choose a black woman to fill out the Democratic presidential ticket , or he can lose the election .
TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has said throughout the campaign that VP Joe Biden needs to choose a Black woman VP , the urgency for that pick has gone from something that SHOULD happen to something that HAS to happen , ” the letter declared .
It went on to attack the criticisms Biden ’ s black potential running mates have received — particularly California Sen. Kamala Harris , whose ambition for the top job is barely disguised ( and would be disastrous for the country as a whole ) .
“ Was Joe Biden ever labeled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for president three times ?
Should President Obama not have made him the VP because he had to worry about his ‘ loyalty ; when he clearly had AMBITION to be president himself ?
” it asked .
Top signatories of the letter were Sean “ Diddy ” Combs , one of the most prominent African-American celebrities in the world , and Lenard “ Charlamagne Tha God ” McKelvey , the influential talk radio host who conducted the interview where Biden infamously stated that if an African-American had trouble deciding whether to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ you ain ’ t black.
” Those two names should be heavy enough , but just to make sure Biden got the message , other signers include Benjamin Crump , the attorney who represented the families of Michael Brown , the black man killed attacking a police officer in Ferguson , Missouri , in 2014 , and Trayvon Martin , the black teenager killed during an apparent fight with neighborhood watch member George Zimmerman in Sanford , Florida , in 2012 .
Crump is now representing the family of George Floyd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police on May 25 set off the country ’ s most recent round of rioting .
Van Jones , the former Obama White House adviser and current CNN talking head , also signed the letter .
Last week , Biden received a similar letter from more than 700 prominent black women , according to USA Today .
For a Trump supporter , the best part of the whole squabble was how Monday ’ s letter was received by liberals .
RELATED : Over 20 % of Mail-In Ballots Rejected in Single Primary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just say some of the responses showed the Democratic Party isn ’ t nearly as unified heading into November as the party and the mainstream media want the country to believe .
The heightened pressure comes as Biden dawdles over an announcement about his running mate – which he ’ d previously said would come out by Aug. 1 .
With the Democratic convention set to begin in Milwaukee on Aug. 17 , the former vice president is running out of time to make his selection known .
Biden , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choose a female running mate , since he foolishly pledged to do so during a March debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont .
Since he sewed up the delegates needed for the Democratic nomination , the pressure has mounted on him to choose a black woman .
The Biden camp has kept its cards close to the vest on the subject , but Benghazi attack liar Susan Rice , California Rep. Karen Bass and Florida Rep. Val Demings are all thought to be in the running along with Harris .
( Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been heard from in a while , but she ’ s still out there . )
Biden still has the option of choosing a white woman , of course , and top contenders are thought to be Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer — who is loathed by conservatives nationally for her behavior during the coronavirus lockdowns and who reportedly visited with Biden on Saturday in his Delaware home — and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , a favorite of the far-left Democrats but a lightning rod for conservatives as much as Whitmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country right now and Biden ’ s already shaky hold on a Democratic base that was riven by the primary campaign ( and Sanders ’ loss ) , Biden ’ s choices were already narrowing rapidly .
They ’ re almost certainly narrowing more after Biden ’ s remarks last week indicating he truly thinks blacks are monolithic as a voting bloc and as a social group — unlike the much more “ diverse ” Hispanic American community , in his eyes .
That couldn ’ t have helped him with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of his way to insult .
The letter published Monday sought to narrow his options even more — with the idea of what ’ s going to happen if he fails to obey .
“ For too long Black women have been asked to do everything from rally the troops to risk their lives for the Democratic Party with no acknowledgment , no respect , no visibility , and certainly not enough support , ” the letter stated .
“ Failing to select a Black woman in 2020 means you will lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to choose between the lesser of two evils and we don ’ t want to vote for the devil we know versus the devil we don ’ t because we are tired of voting for devils — period.
” That doesn ’ t sound like a threat .
That sounds like a promise .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

For presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, the latest twist in his decision on a choice for a running mate was about as subtle as a bank holdup — and just as threatening.
A group of more than 100 prominent black men from the entertainment, sports and legal worlds published an open letter to the former vice president on Monday with a simple message:
He can choose a black woman to fill out the Democratic presidential ticket, or he can lose the election.
NEW: More than 100 Black male leaders sign letter demanding Joe Biden pick Black woman as VP. “Failing to select a Black woman … means YOU WILL lose the election … Black women are defining the future of politics so it’s time you let one define the future of your campaign.” pic.twitter.com/HOJs0d8q8h — Kat Stafford (@kat__stafford) August 10, 2020
“As someone who has said throughout the campaign that VP Joe Biden needs to choose a Black woman VP, the urgency for that pick has gone from something that SHOULD happen to something that HAS to happen,” the letter declared.
It went on to attack the criticisms Biden’s black potential running mates have received — particularly California Sen. Kamala Harris, whose ambition for the top job is barely disguised (and would be disastrous for the country as a whole).
“Was Joe Biden ever labeled ‘too ambitious’ because he ran for president three times? Should President Obama not have made him the VP because he had to worry about his ‘loyalty; when he clearly had AMBITION to be president himself?” it asked.
Top signatories of the letter were Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of the most prominent African-American celebrities in the world, and Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey, the influential talk radio host who conducted the interview where Biden infamously stated that if an African-American had trouble deciding whether to support him or President Donald Trump, then “you ain’t black.”
Do you think this letter will intimidate Biden? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 79% (2369 Votes) No: 21% (613 Votes)
Those two names should be heavy enough, but just to make sure Biden got the message, other signers include Benjamin Crump, the attorney who represented the families of Michael Brown, the black man killed attacking a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, and Trayvon Martin, the black teenager killed during an apparent fight with neighborhood watch member George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, in 2012.
Crump is now representing the family of George Floyd, whose death in the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25 set off the country’s most recent round of rioting.
Van Jones, the former Obama White House adviser and current CNN talking head, also signed the letter.
Last week, Biden received a similar letter from more than 700 prominent black women, according to USA Today.
For a Trump supporter, the best part of the whole squabble was how Monday’s letter was received by liberals.
Let’s just say some of the responses showed the Democratic Party isn’t nearly as unified heading into November as the party and the mainstream media want the country to believe.
This is just embarrassing. Extortion is not a good look if you want to be broadly respected as a leader in a multi-cultural society. Same goes for the pro-Warren and pro-Sanders advocates threatening to withhold support for Biden unless they receive the trinkets they’re demanding — Joe Seither (@joeseither) August 10, 2020
This is…insane. I really, really have a preference here — Harris — but to THREATEN him. No, he will not be the lesser of two evils no matter who he picks. He will still be the best one for the job. — JustHope (@Hopes_Soaps) August 10, 2020
Sorry but threats are unacceptable. I hope he picks Kamala but it’s HIS choice; and you don’t get to tell him what to do, or who’s best for the country. — Debbie (@ilovepaulmcc) August 10, 2020
I don’t know how Joe responds to ultimatums, but I don’t do well. I lean heavily toward calling the bluff, even if I was leaning the other way before it was laid down. — Steve Wheelock (@jazzyndn) August 10, 2020
The heightened pressure comes as Biden dawdles over an announcement about his running mate – which he’d previously said would come out by Aug. 1. With the Democratic convention set to begin in Milwaukee on Aug. 17, the former vice president is running out of time to make his selection known.
(To be fair to Biden, he might not be quite aware the convention is coming, so he might not realize he’s under the gun.)
Biden, of course, is all but required to choose a female running mate, since he foolishly pledged to do so during a March debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Since he sewed up the delegates needed for the Democratic nomination, the pressure has mounted on him to choose a black woman.
The Biden camp has kept its cards close to the vest on the subject, but Benghazi attack liar Susan Rice, California Rep. Karen Bass and Florida Rep. Val Demings are all thought to be in the running along with Harris. (Former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams hasn’t been heard from in a while, but she’s still out there.)
Biden still has the option of choosing a white woman, of course, and top contenders are thought to be Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — who is loathed by conservatives nationally for her behavior during the coronavirus lockdowns and who reportedly visited with Biden on Saturday in his Delaware home — and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of the far-left Democrats but a lightning rod for conservatives as much as Whitmer.
But given the racially polarized atmosphere of the country right now and Biden’s already shaky hold on a Democratic base that was riven by the primary campaign (and Sanders’ loss), Biden’s choices were already narrowing rapidly.
They’re almost certainly narrowing more after Biden’s remarks last week indicating he truly thinks blacks are monolithic as a voting bloc and as a social group — unlike the much more “diverse” Hispanic American community, in his eyes. That couldn’t have helped him with an electorate he seems to have gone out of his way to insult.
The letter published Monday sought to narrow his options even more — with the idea of what’s going to happen if he fails to obey.
“For too long Black women have been asked to do everything from rally the troops to risk their lives for the Democratic Party with no acknowledgment, no respect, no visibility, and certainly not enough support,” the letter stated.
“Failing to select a Black woman in 2020 means you will lose the election. We don’t want to choose between the lesser of two evils and we don’t want to vote for the devil we know versus the devil we don’t because we are tired of voting for devils — period.”
That’s pretty clear language: “You will lose the election.”
That doesn’t sound like a threat. That sounds like a promise.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--‘Not the America I’ve Known’: Pastor John MacArthur Doubles Down on COVID-19 Defiance

Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley , California , is defying state orders that his church remain shuttered during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — and the move is sparking intense discussion and debate .
The preacher spoke about his decision in a recent episode of the “ Edifi With Billy Hallowell ” podcast , explaining that Grace Community Church initially complied with California ’ s restrictions before changing course in recent weeks .
“ I ’ ve been here 50 years ; the church is 63 years old , and this church has never had any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close , ” MacArthur said .
“ So , when they came up with this mandate it seemed to be so rare and so unusual that we were listening.
” Upon hearing dire predictions about the death toll , MacArthur said it was “ enough to make anybody with common sense ” pause and take steps to ensure no one was endangered .
The church initially moved to a livestream model and closed down in-person services — but within a few weeks , MacArthur said , parishioners started showing up again .
Listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defying orders : TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead “ They were beginning to realize that it wasn ’ t what they said it was going to be , ” he said of the COVID-19 impact , estimating that about 0.02 percent of California ’ s population had died .
“ There were 8,500 deaths [ in the state ] — half of them were people over 80 with obvious comorbidity issues.
” MacArthur continued , “ It just seemed to me that 99.98 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church , and people were crying out to open the church because of the fears — and then , of course , the church is the center of life for people who love the Lord , and they were cut off from their friends.
” And thousands of people have flooded back to the pews since Grace Community Church reopened , with around 3,000 attending the first weekend and an estimated 6,000 the second .
And despite threats of government crackdowns over defiance , MacArthur said he has no plans to change course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet … and we ’ re going to continue to meet and we ’ re going to always meet because Jesus Christ is the head of the church .
Jesus is Lord , ” he said .
“ And government has a certain purview given by God , but it doesn ’ t cross over into the realm of the kingdom of God , so we ’ re going to meet.
” MacArthur noted that the church has hired attorneys and that leaders will do everything they can within the court system to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t know what that ’ s going to look like … this is not the America that I ’ ve known for many , many decades , ” he said .
“ It ’ s just a bizarre reality that we haven ’ t navigated in the past .
I ’ m not a prophet , so I can ’ t predict what ’ s going to happen , but I can say this : Grace Community is going to meet.
” Critics have taken issue with the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government orders and is allowing crowds of people to congregate at a time when social distancing orders are being heralded for helping stop the spread of coronavirus .
Still , debate persists surrounding how far these orders should go .
RELATED : 102-Year-Old Survived 1918 Flu , Cancer and Now COVID-19 - Here 's Her Advice Debate and discussion aside , MacArthur believes California Gov .
Gavin Newsom simply doesn ’ t have the authority to deem churches “ non-essential ” entities .
“ The governor said the church is not essential .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were essential , abortion clinics were essential , grocery stores were essential but the church was not essential , ” MacArthur said .
“ Based on the Constitution , the governor doesn ’ t have the authority to say what is essential … the governor has no constitutional authority to say the church is not.
” In the end , MacArthur believes “ intentional discrimination ” is unfolding “ against biblical Christianity and the church.
” And he said there ’ s no end in sight to the restrictions ushered in by COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview for more .
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Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, is defying state orders that his church remain shuttered during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — and the move is sparking intense discussion and debate.
The preacher spoke about his decision in a recent episode of the “Edifi With Billy Hallowell” podcast, explaining that Grace Community Church initially complied with California’s restrictions before changing course in recent weeks.
“I’ve been here 50 years; the church is 63 years old, and this church has never had any kind of mandate from the government to close,” MacArthur said. “So, when they came up with this mandate it seemed to be so rare and so unusual that we were listening.”
Upon hearing dire predictions about the death toll, MacArthur said it was “enough to make anybody with common sense” pause and take steps to ensure no one was endangered. The church initially moved to a livestream model and closed down in-person services — but within a few weeks, MacArthur said, parishioners started showing up again.
Listen to MacArthur explain why his church is defying orders:
“They were beginning to realize that it wasn’t what they said it was going to be,” he said of the COVID-19 impact, estimating that about 0.02 percent of California’s population had died. “There were 8,500 deaths [in the state] — half of them were people over 80 with obvious comorbidity issues.”
MacArthur continued, “It just seemed to me that 99.98 is pretty good odds to come to church, and people were crying out to open the church because of the fears — and then, of course, the church is the center of life for people who love the Lord, and they were cut off from their friends.”
And thousands of people have flooded back to the pews since Grace Community Church reopened, with around 3,000 attending the first weekend and an estimated 6,000 the second. And despite threats of government crackdowns over defiance, MacArthur said he has no plans to change course.
“Grace Church is going to meet … and we’re going to continue to meet and we’re going to always meet because Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Jesus is Lord,” he said. “And government has a certain purview given by God, but it doesn’t cross over into the realm of the kingdom of God, so we’re going to meet.”
MacArthur noted that the church has hired attorneys and that leaders will do everything they can within the court system to defend themselves and to continue meeting.
“I don’t know what that’s going to look like … this is not the America that I’ve known for many, many decades,” he said. “It’s just a bizarre reality that we haven’t navigated in the past. I’m not a prophet, so I can’t predict what’s going to happen, but I can say this: Grace Community is going to meet.”
Critics have taken issue with the fact that the church is in violation of government orders and is allowing crowds of people to congregate at a time when social distancing orders are being heralded for helping stop the spread of coronavirus. Still, debate persists surrounding how far these orders should go.
Debate and discussion aside, MacArthur believes California Gov. Gavin Newsom simply doesn’t have the authority to deem churches “non-essential” entities.
“The governor said the church is not essential. Some things were essential — liquor stores were essential, abortion clinics were essential, grocery stores were essential but the church was not essential,” MacArthur said. “Based on the Constitution, the governor doesn’t have the authority to say what is essential … the governor has no constitutional authority to say the church is not.”
In the end, MacArthur believes “intentional discrimination” is unfolding “against biblical Christianity and the church.” And he said there’s no end in sight to the restrictions ushered in by COVID-19.
Listen to MacArthur’s entire interview for more.
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--Sweet Dog Makes National News After Owner Allegedly Abandons Him at Park

Dogs who have spent their lives being companions to their owners deserve care and comfort in their twilight years .
Fortunately , most loving owners spoil their pups to the end , doing their best to make sure their furry charges are happy and have a good quality of life .
It ’ s difficult — impossible , even — for us to understand when someone seems to use up a dog ’ s good years and then lose interest when the pet needs his or her help the most .
Henry is a 13-year-old Labrador retriever whose owner did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his years of being a good boy .
His abandonment was caught on a surveillance camera and shows an absolutely heartbreaking scene .
A Tesla drove up to the Orchards Community Park in Vancouver , Washington , on Thursday and a woman got out .
She opened the back door and coaxed Henry out before removing his collar .
He got out , wagging his tail , then he paused as the woman got back into the car .
She got out again , and as soon as she did , Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready for a hike .
TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead She started on the trail with the pup , only to backtrack to her car and drive off , leaving a confused Henry to wander back into the parking lot , looking hopefully at other cars that pulled in .
Alyssa Ott , who owns the house abutting the park and whose camera caught the incident on video , was shocked when she realized what had just happened .
“ I couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ott told KGW-TV .
“ I saw her let the dog out , take the leash and the collar off and got back in .
I thought she was going for a walk at the park and then she corrals the dog in the park and runs on out.
” A dog rescue , I Paw ’ d It Forward , came to collect the sad , elderly Lab and keep him safe until his case could be completed .
Video of his abandonment and his story were shared online , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vigilance of animal control officers and Ott ’ s video , the owner was identified and will be cited under animal cruelty laws .
While it ’ s unclear what the owner ’ s circumstances were that led to her crime , according to a post by the rescue , she admitted to the abandonment and said she ’ d even told some people that Henry had died .
Many people have asked about adopting Henry , but he will need to stay with the rescue until his case is closed .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prospective owners to give them some time and space to handle things fully .
“ We know this is heated for all of you , it is for us too , ” the shelter shared on Friday .
“ As you can imagine , people doing this has a ripple effect that we will spend the next year fighting .
I will explain more of that later.
” “ It is abhorrent to see this happen .
We know .
We feel you .
We are working hard on the answers and ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , legally .
“ To that end , this sweet boy is not available for adoption and [ won ’ t ] be while an investigation is happening .
“ We can not respond to all the request of folks that want to adopt him , we just don ’ t have the bandwidth .
Neither does the Humane Society or Animal Control so please , take a breath , and let us sort this out.
” While what the woman did is absolutely unacceptable , it was clear Henry wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have been the best thing for him .
Now he has people clamoring to adopt him and provide him with comfort and care for the rest of his years , a definite silver lining to this sad story .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Dogs who have spent their lives being companions to their owners deserve care and comfort in their twilight years. Fortunately, most loving owners spoil their pups to the end, doing their best to make sure their furry charges are happy and have a good quality of life.
It’s difficult — impossible, even — for us to understand when someone seems to use up a dog’s good years and then lose interest when the pet needs his or her help the most.
Henry is a 13-year-old Labrador retriever whose owner did not appear interested in paying him back for his years of being a good boy. His abandonment was caught on a surveillance camera and shows an absolutely heartbreaking scene.
A Tesla drove up to the Orchards Community Park in Vancouver, Washington, on Thursday and a woman got out. She opened the back door and coaxed Henry out before removing his collar.
He got out, wagging his tail, then he paused as the woman got back into the car. She got out again, and as soon as she did, Henry noticeably relaxed and wagged his tail, ready for a hike.
She started on the trail with the pup, only to backtrack to her car and drive off, leaving a confused Henry to wander back into the parking lot, looking hopefully at other cars that pulled in.
Alyssa Ott, who owns the house abutting the park and whose camera caught the incident on video, was shocked when she realized what had just happened.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Ott told KGW-TV. “I saw her let the dog out, take the leash and the collar off and got back in. I thought she was going for a walk at the park and then she corrals the dog in the park and runs on out.”
A dog rescue, I Paw’d It Forward, came to collect the sad, elderly Lab and keep him safe until his case could be completed.
Video of his abandonment and his story were shared online, and the internet seethed.
Thanks to the vigilance of animal control officers and Ott’s video, the owner was identified and will be cited under animal cruelty laws. While it’s unclear what the owner’s circumstances were that led to her crime, according to a post by the rescue, she admitted to the abandonment and said she’d even told some people that Henry had died.
Many people have asked about adopting Henry, but he will need to stay with the rescue until his case is closed. I Paw’d It Forward is asking prospective owners to give them some time and space to handle things fully.
“We know this is heated for all of you, it is for us too,” the shelter shared on Friday. “As you can imagine, people doing this has a ripple effect that we will spend the next year fighting. I will explain more of that later.”
“It is abhorrent to see this happen. We know. We feel you. We are working hard on the answers and ask that you give us time to get them, legally.
“To that end, this sweet boy is not available for adoption and [won’t] be while an investigation is happening.
“We cannot respond to all the request of folks that want to adopt him, we just don’t have the bandwidth. Neither does the Humane Society or Animal Control so please, take a breath, and let us sort this out.”
While what the woman did is absolutely unacceptable, it was clear Henry wasn’t wanted and staying with her might not have been the best thing for him.
Now he has people clamoring to adopt him and provide him with comfort and care for the rest of his years, a definite silver lining to this sad story.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--NFL To Ditch On-Field National Anthem Performance: Report

The NFL will ban national anthem singers from games in the upcoming season to help contain the spread of the coronavirus , a new report claims .
Michael McCarthy with Front Office Sports tweeted the report as breaking news Monday .
“ BREAKING : NFL won ’ t allow National Anthem singers on-field this year .
‘ The Star-Spangled Banner ’ will still be played , ” McCarthy wrote .
“ But due to COVID-19 concerns , performers will have to pre-tape the anthem – or have their rendition piped in live from an outside venue , ” he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead In a separate tweet , McCarthy wrote that he had been given an exclusive about the reported decision , which also limits the presence of military and police personnel at games .
Those who might see their presence on the field diminished are honor guards , who present the colors and escort American flags to and from events .
“ EXCLUSIVE : The NFL is ditching live on-field performances by U.S. National Anthem singers this season , ” McCarthy wrote .
“ Due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may also curtail on-field access of Military/Police Honor Guards who present the American flag before games , ” McCarthy added .
In his reporting , McCarthy wrote , “ The NFL will ditch live performances of the national anthem before games this season , sources said .
Given the abundance of American flag imagery inside stadiums on signs and video boards , the league could also curtail the on-field access of live military and police honor guards.
” “ The absence of anthem singers , and possibly military and police honor guards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside NFL stadiums this year as the league deals with weighty social justice issues this season , ” the report added .
RELATED : NFL Will Write 'Social Justice ' Messages on Fields for Week 1 “ It is also unlikely that fans will be allowed to attend games in several markets , with teams such as the New York Giants , Jets and Philadelphia Eagles already stating fans will not attend this season.
” If the report is true , then pre-game traditions such as the singing of the national anthem and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time being .
While McCarthy wrote that the changes will be made to limit the potential for the spread of the coronavirus , the report is sure to lead to speculation that by removing the national anthem from professional football , the NFL can limit decisive acts by players , such as kneeling during the anthem .
Other leagues that are now back after a sports hiatus have embraced the Black Lives Matter political movement , and baseball games and basketball games have seen entire teams refuse to stand during or before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusively linked to the embrace of leftist politics , ratings for Major League Baseball and the NBA have been underwhelming since the return of play for both leagues last month .
The poor ratings for professional baseball and basketball were released after countless fans expressed outrage at players refusing to stand for their county ’ s flag and anthem , and at professional sports ’ apparent complete embrace of the neo-Marxist Black Lives Matter movement .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards @

The NFL will ban national anthem singers from games in the upcoming season to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, a new report claims.
Michael McCarthy with Front Office Sports tweeted the report as breaking news Monday.
“BREAKING: NFL won’t allow National Anthem singers on-field this year. ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ will still be played,” McCarthy wrote.
“But due to COVID-19 concerns, performers will have to pre-tape the anthem – or have their rendition piped in live from an outside venue,” he added.
BREAKING: NFL won’t allow National Anthem singers on-field this year. ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ will still be played. But due to COVID-19 concerns, performers will have to pre-tape the anthem – or have their rendition piped in live from an outside venue. https://t.co/K1noWg81iw — Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) August 10, 2020
In a separate tweet, McCarthy wrote that he had been given an exclusive about the reported decision, which also limits the presence of military and police personnel at games.
Those who might see their presence on the field diminished are honor guards, who present the colors and escort American flags to and from events.
Do you plan to watch NFL games this season? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 2% (96 Votes) No: 98% (4091 Votes)
“EXCLUSIVE: The NFL is ditching live on-field performances by U.S. National Anthem singers this season,” McCarthy wrote.
“Due to COVID-19 risk to players, the league may also curtail on-field access of Military/Police Honor Guards who present the American flag before games,” McCarthy added.
EXCLUSIVE: The NFL is ditching live on-field performances by U.S. National Anthem singers this season. Due to COVID-19 risk to players, the league may also curtail on-field access of Military/Police Honor Guards who present the American flag before games. https://t.co/K1noWg81iw — Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) August 10, 2020
In his reporting, McCarthy wrote, “The NFL will ditch live performances of the national anthem before games this season, sources said. Given the abundance of American flag imagery inside stadiums on signs and video boards, the league could also curtail the on-field access of live military and police honor guards.”
“The absence of anthem singers, and possibly military and police honor guards, won’t be the only changes inside NFL stadiums this year as the league deals with weighty social justice issues this season,” the report added.
“It is also unlikely that fans will be allowed to attend games in several markets, with teams such as the New York Giants, Jets and Philadelphia Eagles already stating fans will not attend this season.”
If the report is true, then pre-game traditions such as the singing of the national anthem and displaying of American flags might disappear for the time being.
While McCarthy wrote that the changes will be made to limit the potential for the spread of the coronavirus, the report is sure to lead to speculation that by removing the national anthem from professional football, the NFL can limit decisive acts by players, such as kneeling during the anthem.
Other leagues that are now back after a sports hiatus have embraced the Black Lives Matter political movement, and baseball games and basketball games have seen entire teams refuse to stand during or before “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The @LAClippers and @Lakers kneel in solidarity as the Compton Kidz Club performs the National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/1WImoaHBsQ — NBA (@NBA) July 31, 2020
Watch as the #Nationals and #Yankees kneel together before the anthem while holding a black rope that connects both teams. pic.twitter.com/YjyshLvcWR — Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) July 23, 2020
While not conclusively linked to the embrace of leftist politics, ratings for Major League Baseball and the NBA have been underwhelming since the return of play for both leagues last month.
To be fair since I compared MLB vs NBA return night 1, here is night 2
MLB (last Friday, ESPN)
Mets-Braves (4p) – 922K
Brewers-Cubs(7p) – 1.0M
Angels-As (10p) – 797K NBA (last night ESPN)
Celtics-Bucks (6:30p) – 1.3M
Mavs-Rockets (9p)- 1.7M — Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) August 1, 2020
The poor ratings for professional baseball and basketball were released after countless fans expressed outrage at players refusing to stand for their county’s flag and anthem, and at professional sports’ apparent complete embrace of the neo-Marxist Black Lives Matter movement.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--Trump Issues Warning to Portland Mayor, Oregon Governor

President Donald Trump blamed elected officials in Oregon for more than two months of riots and protests and said they should activate the National Guard to secure the safety of their citizens .
“ Portland , which is out of control , should finally , after almost 3 months , bring in the National Guard , ” Trump tweeted on Monday .
“ The Mayor and Governor are putting people ’ s lives at risk .
They will be held responsible , ” the president added .
“ The Guard is ready to act immediately .
The Courthouse is secured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead Trump ’ s tweet came after another weekend of unrest in the city .
While protests , riots and assaults on officers have been ongoing since May , when George Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis , a riot on Saturday deviated away from the city ’ s downtown area .
Video shared online by journalist Andy Ngo showed citizens in the city being verbally assailed by a group of protesters .
WARNING : The following video contains graphic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the video Ngo shared , protesters threatened to burn down a residential building apparently full of people inside their homes .
Police later announced that the group of demonstrators vandalized a police union building .
They reportedly ripped off barricades around the building and set a fire inside of the Portland Police Association building .
RELATED : Trump Weighs In as College Football Teeters on the Brink Despite more than two months of civil unrest , Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has sided with those protesting and in some cases engaging in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets last month amid a nightly campaign to destroy the city ’ s federal building .
The Democrat previously made it clear that he felt federal law enforcement officers who were guarding the building were the cause of the violence .
Many officers have been targeted by projectiles and laser pointers .
Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown also blamed law enforcement officers for the violence in her state ’ s largest city last month .
The Democrat told NPR that the presence of federal officers in Portland attempting to prevent the destruction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was very , very clear with the Trump administration and the head of the Homeland Security to take their federal troops off the streets of Portland , ” she told the outlet in an interview .
“ The Trump administration needs to stop playing politics with people ’ s lives .
We don ’ t have a secret police in this country .
This is not a dictatorship .
And Trump needs to get his officers off the streets , ” she said after rioters were detained by federal authorities .
Brown further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained , ” and added , “ And frankly , they ’ re exacerbating an already challenging situation.
” The governor did agree to send in 50 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland in June , the Oregonian reported .
But comments from her and Wheeler have done little to dispel a notion that Oregon ’ s leaders have allowed lawlessness to rule for nearly three months in the city , with no apparent end in sight .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our @ @ @

President Donald Trump blamed elected officials in Oregon for more than two months of riots and protests and said they should activate the National Guard to secure the safety of their citizens.
“Portland, which is out of control, should finally, after almost 3 months, bring in the National Guard,” Trump tweeted on Monday.
“The Mayor and Governor are putting people’s lives at risk. They will be held responsible,” the president added.
“The Guard is ready to act immediately. The Courthouse is secured by Homeland!”
Portland, which is out of control, should finally, after almost 3 months, bring in the National Guard. The Mayor and Governor are putting people’s lives at risk. They will be held responsible. The Guard is ready to act immediately. The Courthouse is secured by Homeland! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Trump’s tweet came after another weekend of unrest in the city.
While protests, riots and assaults on officers have been ongoing since May, when George Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis, a riot on Saturday deviated away from the city’s downtown area.
Video shared online by journalist Andy Ngo showed citizens in the city being verbally assailed by a group of protesters.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive.
“We’re gonna burn your building down” “We know where you live” As #antifa have taken to Portland residential areas to riot, they’ve also assaulted & intimidated residents there. Tonight, they threatened those who looked out the window. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/1qiIOLk99j — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 9, 2020
In the video Ngo shared, protesters threatened to burn down a residential building apparently full of people inside their homes.
Police later announced that the group of demonstrators vandalized a police union building.
They reportedly ripped off barricades around the building and set a fire inside of the Portland Police Association building.
Despite more than two months of civil unrest, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has sided with those protesting and in some cases engaging in violence.
Wheeler joined activists in the streets last month amid a nightly campaign to destroy the city’s federal building.
The Democrat previously made it clear that he felt federal law enforcement officers who were guarding the building were the cause of the violence.
The best thing they can do is stay inside their building, or leave Portland altogether. Our goal is to end these violent demonstrations quickly and safely. And in the meantime, I asked him to clean up the graffiti on local federal facilities. — Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) July 14, 2020
Many officers have been targeted by projectiles and laser pointers.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown also blamed law enforcement officers for the violence in her state’s largest city last month. The Democrat told NPR that the presence of federal officers in Portland attempting to prevent the destruction of property contributed to unrest.
Do you think the federal government should intervene on behalf of Portland residents to stop the ongoing riots? Yes No
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“I was very, very clear with the Trump administration and the head of the Homeland Security to take their federal troops off the streets of Portland,” she told the outlet in an interview.
“The Trump administration needs to stop playing politics with people’s lives. We don’t have a secret police in this country. This is not a dictatorship. And Trump needs to get his officers off the streets,” she said after rioters were detained by federal authorities.
Brown further claimed that federal officers are “inappropriately trained,” and added, “And frankly, they’re exacerbating an already challenging situation.”
The governor did agree to send in 50 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland in June, the Oregonian reported.
But comments from her and Wheeler have done little to dispel a notion that Oregon’s leaders have allowed lawlessness to rule for nearly three months in the city, with no apparent end in sight.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--Dem-Appointed Health Secretary Used Misleading Chart To Push Mask Mandates

Let ’ s say you see a chart with two lines .
An orange line starts well above a blue line — but as you move right on the X-axis , the orange line dips well below the blue line .
The blue line , meanwhile , has slight peaks and valleys , but more or less remains unmoved .
The two lines are meant to represent the outcomes of a certain policy — the rolling 7-day average of coronavirus cases in counties enforcing a mask-wearing COVID-19 ordinance vs. those that aren ’ t enforcing it .
And let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases per 100,000 population .
( Totally random hypothetical , I assure you . )
The orange line represents the counties where the mandate is being enforced .
The blue line represents the counties where it isn ’ t .
You ’ re supposed to draw an obvious inference from this : That enforcing mask mandates leads to fewer cases of the coronavirus per 100,000 population than not enforcing mask mandates .
You ’ re still following and this seems reasonable enough , right ?
However , this conclusion rests on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , I would hope , is the assumption that the Y-axes values for both lines are the same .
In other words , that both lines chart the exact same numerical value .
That ’ s the only way the orange line and blue line could be considered comparable .
But that ’ s not how Kansas Department of Health & Environment Secretary Lee Norman rolls .
TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead Norman was out in front of the media for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what might be the single most deliberately misleading pieces of coronavirus information put forth by a major elected or appointed official in the during the annus horribilis of 2020 — and it has competition .
First , though , a short bit of background .
Kansas is a reliably red state in presidential elections , but the state Democratic Party has been reasonably successful in winning statewide office , particularly for governor , going back well over a half-century .
However , most of these Democrats are what you usually get when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Great Plains : More eggs-and-bacon and less latte .
Gov .
Laura Kelly , who managed to get elected after the state GOP imploded in the run-up to the 2018 midterms , is definitely more in the latte mold , having ushered through Medicaid expansion and now a universal mask order in a large state like Kansas , where infection rates and ability to distance can and do differ wildly .
However , according to The Week , the legislature limited her ability to enforce it so it ’ s up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced a mask order , others have declined .
Kansas Health Secretary Norman , in his Wednesday news conference , went out of his way to show the graph with the orange line and the blue line , each representing what I said they hypothetically might .
According to The Sentinel , a non-profit news service that ’ s a subsidiary of the conservative Kansas Policy Institute , it was presented as proof to Norman that the orange-line counties abiding by the Gov .
Kelly ’ s mask protocol were “ winning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t .
The Sentinel saw something different .
“ But he deceptively doctored the chart to justify mask mandates , ” The Sentinel reported .
RELATED : NYC Turned Luxury Hotel Rooms Into 'Temporary ' Homeless Housing , Left Residents To Deal with the Consequences Here ’ s video of the news conference .
At the 15-minute mark , a reporter asks , “ If the no-mask counties would start masking , would it [ blue line ] drop , and would it dip down below the mask counties ?
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Here ’ s the problem , however : The chart was wildly misleading .
The problem is that the orange and blue lines on the X-axis each had its own Y-axis values .
The orange line — the cases per 100,000 in counties which were enforcing the mask mandate — had a range between 15 and 25 cases .
The blue line — the cases in the counties not enforcing mask protocol — was between four and 14 cases per 100,000 .
That all sounds complicated , but the Twitter post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ values the same when you click on the picture on the left and how it was presented when you look at the picture at the right .
On the left , both lines are essentially similar — except the counties where the mask order is being enforced has a higher rate than those where it ’ s not being enforced .
In fact , the case numbers per 100,000 are roughly 77 times higher in counties with mask rules than without .
On the right , it ’ s clear that the graph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people believe the mask order had gotten COVID-19 cases under control , provided it was followed .
One official of the Kansas Policy Institute , a free-market think tank based Wichita , told WIBW-TV that Norman ’ s chart was deceptive .
“ It has nothing to do about whether masks are effective or not .
What it has to do is making sure Kansans can make sound conclusions from accurate information , ” Michael Austin , director of the Sandlian Center for Entrepreneurial Government at the Kansas Policy Institute , told WIBW-TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was shown prior in the week strongly suggested that counties that had followed Dr. Norman ’ s mask order outperformed counties that did not and that was most certainly not true.
” According to The Sentinel , Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins , a conservative Republican , blasted Normal and Kelly for the misleading data .
“ Governor Kelly and her administration have failed Kansans time and again , but manipulating data to intentionally deceive the entire state is a new low .
Tens-of-thousands of Kansans have lost their jobs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelly ’ s politics-first response to the COVID pandemic , and these individuals struggling to make ends meet deserve to know the truth , ” Hawkins said in a statement .
“ It is reprehensible for a public servant like Dr. Norman that we trusted to protect our health and safety in a nonpartisan way to intentionally spread misinformation .
The Kelly administration has lost all credibility.
” On Saturday , Norman responded to criticism from the Kansas Policy Institute on Twitter saying , according to KSNT-TV , that “ the data is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that cases dropped in mask-mandated counties and remained level in non-mask-mandated counties.
” That ’ s not really what it shows at all — and it still demonstrates counties that don ’ t follow the mask mandate do better than those that do .
There are alternative explanations for that .
There shouldn ’ t be alternative Y-axis values to make those explanations .
Those are what I believe the mainstream media used to like to refer to as “ alternative facts.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Let’s say you see a chart with two lines. An orange line starts well above a blue line — but as you move right on the X-axis, the orange line dips well below the blue line. The blue line, meanwhile, has slight peaks and valleys, but more or less remains unmoved.
The two lines are meant to represent the outcomes of a certain policy — the rolling 7-day average of coronavirus cases in counties enforcing a mask-wearing COVID-19 ordinance vs. those that aren’t enforcing it. And let’s say the chart reflects the number of cases per 100,000 population. (Totally random hypothetical, I assure you.)
The orange line represents the counties where the mandate is being enforced. The blue line represents the counties where it isn’t. You’re supposed to draw an obvious inference from this: That enforcing mask mandates leads to fewer cases of the coronavirus per 100,000 population than not enforcing mask mandates. You’re still following and this seems reasonable enough, right?
However, this conclusion rests on a couple of bedrock assumptions. First among them, I would hope, is the assumption that the Y-axes values for both lines are the same. In other words, that both lines chart the exact same numerical value. That’s the only way the orange line and blue line could be considered comparable.
But that’s not how Kansas Department of Health & Environment Secretary Lee Norman rolls.
Norman was out in front of the media for a COVID-19 update last week when he presented what might be the single most deliberately misleading pieces of coronavirus information put forth by a major elected or appointed official in the during the annus horribilis of 2020 — and it has competition.
First, though, a short bit of background.
Kansas is a reliably red state in presidential elections, but the state Democratic Party has been reasonably successful in winning statewide office, particularly for governor, going back well over a half-century. However, most of these Democrats are what you usually get when you look at Democrats who win office in the Great Plains: More eggs-and-bacon and less latte.
Gov. Laura Kelly, who managed to get elected after the state GOP imploded in the run-up to the 2018 midterms, is definitely more in the latte mold, having ushered through Medicaid expansion and now a universal mask order in a large state like Kansas, where infection rates and ability to distance can and do differ wildly.
Do you believe in wearing masks? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 17% (242 Votes) No: 83% (1215 Votes)
However, according to The Week, the legislature limited her ability to enforce it so it’s up to each individual county.
Some counties have enforced a mask order, others have declined. Kansas Health Secretary Norman, in his Wednesday news conference, went out of his way to show the graph with the orange line and the blue line, each representing what I said they hypothetically might.
According to The Sentinel, a non-profit news service that’s a subsidiary of the conservative Kansas Policy Institute, it was presented as proof to Norman that the orange-line counties abiding by the Gov. Kelly’s mask protocol were “winning the battle” while the blue-line counties weren’t.
The Sentinel saw something different.
“But he deceptively doctored the chart to justify mask mandates,” The Sentinel reported.
Here’s video of the news conference. At the 15-minute mark, a reporter asks, “If the no-mask counties would start masking, would it [blue line] drop, and would it dip down below the mask counties?”
[ffad_ic3] LIVE: KDHE COVID-19 UpdateKansas Department of Health and Enviroment’s Dr. Lee Norman is giving a COVID-19 update. Posted by 41 Action News – KSHB-TV on Wednesday, August 5, 2020
“I think it would,” Norman said.
Here’s the problem, however: The chart was wildly misleading.
The problem is that the orange and blue lines on the X-axis each had its own Y-axis values. The orange line — the cases per 100,000 in counties which were enforcing the mask mandate — had a range between 15 and 25 cases. The blue line — the cases in the counties not enforcing mask protocol — was between four and 14 cases per 100,000.
That all sounds complicated, but the Twitter post below shows the graph with the Y-axis values the same when you click on the picture on the left and how it was presented when you look at the picture at the right.
On the left, both lines are essentially similar — except the counties where the mask order is being enforced has a much higher rate than those where it’s not being enforced.
Data plotted on the same axis vs KDHE Secretary Lee Norman’s manipulated chart for comparison. *insert fake surprised face here* https://t.co/6D8vBWz8VK pic.twitter.com/aqVbrUKt23 — Nathan Hill (@nj_hill) August 8, 2020
On the right, it’s clear that the graph was meant to mislead — to make people believe the mask order had gotten COVID-19 cases under control, provided it was followed.
One official of the Kansas Policy Institute, a free-market think tank based Wichita, told WIBW-TV that Norman’s chart was deceptive.
“It has nothing to do about whether masks are effective or not. What it has to do is making sure Kansans can make sound conclusions from accurate information,” Michael Austin, director of the Sandlian Center for Entrepreneurial Government at the Kansas Policy Institute, told WIBW-TV.
“And unfortunately, the chart that was shown prior in the week strongly suggested that counties that had followed Dr. Norman’s mask order outperformed counties that did not and that was most certainly not true.”
According to The Sentinel, Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a conservative Republican, blasted Normal and Kelly for the misleading data.
“Governor Kelly and her administration have failed Kansans time and again, but manipulating data to intentionally deceive the entire state is a new low. Tens-of-thousands of Kansans have lost their jobs and businesses as a direct result of Governor Kelly’s politics-first response to the COVID pandemic, and these individuals struggling to make ends meet deserve to know the truth,” Hawkins said in a statement.
“It is reprehensible for a public servant like Dr. Norman that we trusted to protect our health and safety in a nonpartisan way to intentionally spread misinformation. The Kelly administration has lost all credibility.”
On Saturday, Norman responded to criticism from the Kansas Policy Institute on Twitter saying, according to KSNT-TV, that “the data is clear. He said it does show that cases dropped in mask-mandated counties and remained level in non-mask-mandated counties.”
That’s not really what it shows at all — and it still demonstrates counties that don’t follow the mask mandate do better than those that do. There are alternative explanations for that. There shouldn’t be alternative Y-axis values to make those explanations.
Those are what I believe the mainstream media used to like to refer to as “alternative facts.”
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--Trump Weighs In as College Football Teeters on the Brink

With reports indicating the coming college football season is in serious doubt , President Donald Trump weighed in Monday in support of the players who want to take the field this fall .
Conference officials and school presidents have been discussing the possibility of canceling the season because of the coronavirus pandemic .
However , many of the top players in the nation made it clear over the weekend that they do not want to see their countless hours of preparation go to waste .
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was a driving force in the # WeWantToPlay social media campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancellation .
TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with War Exercise , Utterly Humiliates Itself Instead Trump on Monday showed his support for the effort , sharing a post from Lawrence .
“ The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled .
# WeWantToPlay , ” the president wrote , sharing the quarterback ’ s post with the same hashtag .
Lawrence ’ s post contained a graphic with the logos of the Power 5 conferences and said , “ We all want to play football this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s platform asks for “ universal mandated health and safety procedures and protocols to protect college athletes against COVID-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA.
” Players further want the opportunity “ to opt out ” of the season with guaranteed “ eligibility whether a player chooses to play the season or not.
” # WeWantToPlay also asks to “ establish open communication and trust between players and officials : Ultimately create a College Football Players Association.
” Trump followed up with another tweet Monday that said , simply , “ Play College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen if efforts by the president and the players will be enough to prevent college football from being shut down this fall .
Dan Patrick reported Monday morning that the Pac-12 and Big Ten conferences would cancel their seasons Tuesday .
Other Power 5 conference officials told ESPN they believe the entire college football season is now in doubt .
Still , players around the country are signaling they want to have a say in what will become of their season .
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh added his voice to the # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy speculated that the # WeWanttoPlay movement might be the only thing that could save the season at this point .
“ Ultimately , I don ’ t know if it will make a difference , but it feels like the players are the only people that can make a season happen , ” McElroy wrote .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

With reports indicating the coming college football season is in serious doubt, President Donald Trump weighed in Monday in support of the players who want to take the field this fall.
Conference officials and school presidents have been discussing the possibility of canceling the season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, many of the top players in the nation made it clear over the weekend that they do not want to see their countless hours of preparation go to waste.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was a driving force in the #WeWantToPlay social media campaign to push against the season’s cancellation.
Not to mention the players coming from situations that are not good for them/ their future and having to go back to that. Football is a safe haven for so many people. We are more likely to get the virus in everyday life than playing football. Having a season also incentivizes – — Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
Players being safe and taking all of the right precautions to try to avoid contracting covid because the season/ teammates safety is on the line. Without the season, as we’ve seen already, people will not social distance or wear masks and take the proper precautions — Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
Trump on Monday showed his support for the effort, sharing a post from Lawrence.
“The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled. #WeWantToPlay,” the president wrote, sharing the quarterback’s post with the same hashtag.
The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled. #WeWantToPlay https://t.co/lI3CCKZ4ID — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Lawrence’s post contained a graphic with the logos of the Power 5 conferences and said, “We all want to play football this season.”
The #WeWantToPlay movement’s platform asks for “universal mandated health and safety procedures and protocols to protect college athletes against COVID-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA.”
Do you think the college football season should be canceled? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 12% (43 Votes) No: 88% (311 Votes)
Players further want the opportunity “to opt out” of the season with guaranteed “eligibility whether a player chooses to play the season or not.”
#WeWantToPlay also asks to “establish open communication and trust between players and officials: Ultimately create a College Football Players Association.”
Trump followed up with another tweet Monday that said, simply, “Play College Football!”
Play College Football! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
It remains to be seen if efforts by the president and the players will be enough to prevent college football from being shut down this fall.
Dan Patrick reported Monday morning that the Pac-12 and Big Ten conferences would cancel their seasons Tuesday.
DP was told an hour ago that the Big 10 and Pac 12 will cancel their football seasons tomorrow… The ACC and the Big 12 are on the fence.. And the SEC is trying to get teams to join them for a season. Watch live: https://t.co/sMaeXQkLfl pic.twitter.com/oSUNGMTEqw — Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020
According to Dan’s source, 12 of the 14 Presidents from the Big 10 have voted against having a Fall College Football season. Iowa and Nebraska were the two that have been pushing to play. — Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020
Other Power 5 conference officials told ESPN they believe the entire college football season is now in doubt.
“It doesn’t look good,” an athletic director told ESPN.
Still, players around the country are signaling they want to have a say in what will become of their season.
There’s been too much work put in!! #WeWantToPlay — Justin Fields (@justnfields) August 10, 2020
We NEED football, the country NEEDS football! We understand the precautions we have to take every single day for this to happen and we are more than willing to do that. There’s been too much hard work put in to bring everything to a hault. #WeWantToPlay !!! — Spencer Rattler (@SpencerRattler) August 10, 2020
I’d take a punch from @MikeTyson to be able to play#WeWantToPlay — Jake Venables (@_jakevenables) August 10, 2020
The Penn State football doctors, trainers, and coaches have always put our safety and well being before anything else. The precautions and guidelines that our team is following puts us in the best position possible to be healthy and successful. #WeWantToPlay — Will Fries (@willfries55) August 9, 2020
If opting-out is ok, then opting-in should hold just as much weight. Let those who wanna play, play and those who don’t, don’t. #WeWantToPlay — Rashad Weaver (@R_Weaver17) August 10, 2020
Worked way too hard for this. #WeWantToPlay — 11 (@HenryTootoo1) August 10, 2020
Yeah yeah let us play! — King (@DeriqKing_) August 10, 2020
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh added his voice to the #WeWanttoPlay chorus on Monday.
Letter from Jim Harbaugh on wanting to play the season and why he thinks it can happen. pic.twitter.com/wUlf8q4vYr — Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 10, 2020
ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy speculated that the #WeWanttoPlay movement might be the only thing that could save the season at this point.
All weekend, it felt like the 2020 College Football Season was doomed. But, the #WeWanttoPlay movement has given it new life. Ultimately, I don’t know if it will make a difference, but it feels like the players are the only people that can make a season happen. — Greg McElroy (@GregMcElroy) August 10, 2020
“Ultimately, I don’t know if it will make a difference, but it feels like the players are the only people that can make a season happen,” McElroy wrote.
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westernjournal--2020-08-10--AOC and Kamala Harris Introduce ‘Climate Equity Act’ That Links Climate Change to Racial Justice

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Kamala Harris introduced a new bill in Congress on Thursday meant to combat climate change .
How will this new legislation prevent the planet from heating up ?
By creating equal economic outcomes for all races .
In the same vein as the highly criticized “ Green New Deal , ” the “ Climate Equity Act ” forwards the philosophy of environmental and climate justice , an ideology that links the issue of the “ climate crisis ” to the liberal “ social justice ” agenda .
TRENDING : Iran Tries To Intimidate US with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ For a year , @ AOC and I have worked with communities on landmark legislation to ensure that as we fight the climate crisis , we center that fight in justice and equity , ” Harris wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday .
Among other things , the bill calls for an Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability to be created to ensure that all government legislation is furthering the goal of equity , or equal outcomes , among all minority communities .
“ Climate justice ” is a term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use climate change as a vessel or , to put it more accurately , a Trojan horse to introduce social justice ideas such as equity .
Proponents of “ climate justice ” urge governments to shift focus from real technological innovations like carbon capture ( which Republicans like Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas support ) , instead pushing for the focus to be on creating legislation directly targeting gender , race and other immutable characteristics .
New Discourses , a website that opposes social justice ideologies , describes the dangers of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] climate justice approach might argue that programs teaching intersectional feminism and critical race Theory are needed in developing countries , like in Africa , because better understanding how issues relevant to women and racism from a social-theoretical perspective will better inform and motivate us regarding the making of climate-relevant policy , especially with regard to preserving cultural identities and practices ( in a pre-industrial setting—see also , cultural relativism ) , ” the New Discourses article states .
“ This , rather alarmingly , may also include teaching ideas from postcolonial Theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western cultural product and just another ‘ way of knowing . '
” It isn ’ t just the strange , far-left theory of “ climate justice ” that makes this new legislation forwarded by Harris and AOC so troubling .
It is also the push for “ equity ” rather than equal opportunity .
RELATED : Biden Mixes Declaration of Independence and Constitution Into a Blender and It Comes Out Incomprehensible Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology Jordan Peterson explained the dangers of hoping for both “ equity ” and diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissecting the relationship between the two philosophies .
“ The emphasis on ‘ diversity , ’ for example , is in direct logical contradiction to the dogma of ‘ equity.
’ The two simply can not co-exist .
If people are in fact ‘ diverse , ’ for whatever reasons ( and , according to the collectivists , primarily for reasons of race , ethnicity , sexuality and sex ) then they bring distinctly and important different talents and abilities to the table , in precise proportion to their diversity , ” Peterson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging that diversity and giving it free play in the world will thus be an exacerbation of inequality , rather than its elimination .
If equity were the goal , then diversity would have to be done away with.
” Peterson ’ s conclusions are obviously true .
Different people are going to make different choices .
That leads to an unequal number of outcomes unevenly distributed amongst different groups .
Ensuring that those groups all have equal opportunities to succeed is far different from ensuring that they all have an equal amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example .
For quite some time , the left has been complaining about the “ gender pay gap , ” suggesting that women make only 82 cents on the dollar when compared with men .
However , the reason that “ gap ” exists is not because women are discriminated against in the workplace when compared with men , it is an effect of men and women making different choices .
The “ gap ” is found when comparing only the median earnings of full-time wage and salaried workers , ignoring important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience and hours worked .
When all of those variables are accounted for , the “ gender pay gap ” is all but gone .
Women make different choices from men .
This same logic can be applied to the priorities of different racial , ethnic and cultural groups .
Charles Negy , a psychology professor at the University of Central Florida , spoke with The Western Journal back in June about how different ethnic communities face various problems unique to those communities .
“ Everyone must worship with religious-like zealotry the ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mantra or else be smeared as a ‘ racist.
’ Diversity may have merit , but the way it is enforced on everyone is divisive .
We fight over everything both on and off campus in the broader society , ” Negy told The Western Journal .
“ Various groups are convinced they are perpetual victims of ‘ white supremacy , ’ and if their group , on average , does not achieve as much as other groups , the only explanation must be ‘ white racism.
’ As if members of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own to make good life decisions ( such as staying in school , trying to be the best student possible , avoiding crime , drugs , etc . )
.
” Equality and equity are two very different things .
True equality of opportunity within a diverse community means that there will always be some level of different outcomes among different groups .
Nevertheless , it seems that the left is determined to continue the never-ending war for equity and inclusion that is certainly doomed to fail .
We are committed to truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Read our editorial standards .

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Kamala Harris introduced a new bill in Congress on Thursday meant to combat climate change.
How will this new legislation prevent the planet from heating up? By creating equal economic outcomes for all races.
In the same vein as the highly criticized “Green New Deal,” the “Climate Equity Act” forwards the philosophy of environmental and climate justice, an ideology that links the issue of the “climate crisis” to the liberal “social justice” agenda.
For a year, @AOC and I have worked with communities on landmark legislation to ensure that as we fight the climate crisis, we center that fight in justice and equity. Today, we’re formally introducing the Climate Equity Act in Congress. https://t.co/vG86M8Kp6j — Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) August 6, 2020
“For a year, @AOC and I have worked with communities on landmark legislation to ensure that as we fight the climate crisis, we center that fight in justice and equity,” Harris wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday.
“Today, we’re formally introducing the Climate Equity Act in Congress.”
Among other things, the bill calls for an Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability to be created to ensure that all government legislation is furthering the goal of equity, or equal outcomes, among all minority communities.
“Climate justice” is a term used by social justice activists who wish to use climate change as a vessel or, to put it more accurately, a Trojan horse to introduce social justice ideas such as equity.
Do you think the Harris-Ocasio-Cortez bill will fail? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (845 Votes) No: 1% (11 Votes)
Proponents of “climate justice” urge governments to shift focus from real technological innovations like carbon capture (which Republicans like Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas support), instead pushing for the focus to be on creating legislation directly targeting gender, race and other immutable characteristics.
New Discourses, a website that opposes social justice ideologies, describes the dangers of “climate justice.”
“… [A] climate justice approach might argue that programs teaching intersectional feminism and critical race Theory are needed in developing countries, like in Africa, because better understanding how issues relevant to women and racism from a social-theoretical perspective will better inform and motivate us regarding the making of climate-relevant policy, especially with regard to preserving cultural identities and practices (in a pre-industrial setting—see also, cultural relativism),” the New Discourses article states.
“This, rather alarmingly, may also include teaching ideas from postcolonial Theory like that science is a white, Western cultural product and just another ‘way of knowing.'”
It isn’t just the strange, far-left theory of “climate justice” that makes this new legislation forwarded by Harris and AOC so troubling. It is also the push for “equity” rather than equal opportunity.
Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology Jordan Peterson explained the dangers of hoping for both “equity” and diversity in an extensive essay on his website dissecting the relationship between the two philosophies.
“The emphasis on ‘diversity,’ for example, is in direct logical contradiction to the dogma of ‘equity.’ The two simply cannot co-exist. If people are in fact ‘diverse,’ for whatever reasons (and, according to the collectivists, primarily for reasons of race, ethnicity, sexuality and sex) then they bring distinctly and important different talents and abilities to the table, in precise proportion to their diversity,” Peterson wrote.
“The inevitable consequence of encouraging that diversity and giving it free play in the world will thus be an exacerbation of inequality, rather than its elimination. If equity were the goal, then diversity would have to be done away with.”
Peterson’s conclusions are obviously true. Different people are going to make different choices. That leads to an unequal number of outcomes unevenly distributed amongst different groups.
Ensuring that those groups all have equal opportunities to succeed is far different from ensuring that they all have an equal amount of success.
Take men and women for example. For quite some time, the left has been complaining about the “gender pay gap,” suggesting that women make only 82 cents on the dollar when compared with men.
However, the reason that “gap” exists is not because women are discriminated against in the workplace when compared with men, it is an effect of men and women making different choices.
The “gap” is found when comparing only the median earnings of full-time wage and salaried workers, ignoring important factors such as education, occupation, experience and hours worked.
When all of those variables are accounted for, the “gender pay gap” is all but gone.
Women make different choices from men. This same logic can be applied to the priorities of different racial, ethnic and cultural groups.
Charles Negy, a psychology professor at the University of Central Florida, spoke with The Western Journal back in June about how different ethnic communities face various problems unique to those communities.
“Everyone must worship with religious-like zealotry the ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ mantra or else be smeared as a ‘racist.’ Diversity may have merit, but the way it is enforced on everyone is divisive. We fight over everything both on and off campus in the broader society,” Negy told The Western Journal.
“Various groups are convinced they are perpetual victims of ‘white supremacy,’ and if their group, on average, does not achieve as much as other groups, the only explanation must be ‘white racism.’ As if members of these social groups have no agency of their own to make good life decisions (such as staying in school, trying to be the best student possible, avoiding crime, drugs, etc.).”
Equality and equity are two very different things.
True equality of opportunity within a diverse community means that there will always be some level of different outcomes among different groups.
Nevertheless, it seems that the left is determined to continue the never-ending war for equity and inclusion that is certainly doomed to fail.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.