westernjournal--2020-06-04--Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Call in ‘Sick and Tired’ Over Column Criticizing Destructive Protests

Employees of The Philadelphia Inquirer skipped work on Thursday in protest of a column headlined “ Buildings Matter , Too ” in Wednesday ’ s newspaper .
As of 9 a.m. Thursday , 44 members of the newspaper ’ s staff had called into work “ sick and tired ” in response to an article written by Inga Saffron , the paper ’ s architecture critic , decrying the destruction of buildings and property around Philadelphia .
The original headline was “ Buildings Matter , Too , ” an apparent reference to “ Black Lives Matter , ” which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2013 shooting of Trayvon Martin .
Protests have taken place in cities across the country for several days in response to the death of George Floyd .
Floyd died May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes .
Some of the protests have become violent riots .
The Inquirer staff wrote an open letter to the newspaper ’ s leadership on Thursday demanding change .
“ We ’ re tired of shouldering the burden of dragging this 200-year-old institution kicking and screaming into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Features reporter Brandon Bell was one of dozens of Inquirer employees to join in the protest , tweeting his support for the move .
“ Things need to change .
We call on The Inquirer to do better .
To be better , ” he tweeted .
The Inquirer , which is the largest paper in Philadelphia , changed the headline of the controversial story and added an editor ’ s note saying the story was “ inappropriate and we should not have printed it.
” “ We need to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The editors of the paper went further , publishing a separate story apologizing for the headline on Wednesday night .
The incident mimics a similar situation at The New York Times , which published an Op-Ed written by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas on Wednesday .
Journalists at The Times denounced the decision to publish Cotton ’ s piece .
A senior staff editor went as far as to tweet that the piece puts black staff at The Times “ in danger.
” A version of this article appeared on The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Employees of The Philadelphia Inquirer skipped work on Thursday in protest of a column headlined “Buildings Matter, Too” in Wednesday’s newspaper.
As of 9 a.m. Thursday, 44 members of the newspaper’s staff had called into work “sick and tired” in response to an article written by Inga Saffron, the paper’s architecture critic, decrying the destruction of buildings and property around Philadelphia.
The original headline was “Buildings Matter, Too,” an apparent reference to “Black Lives Matter,” which has been the rallying cry of activists since the 2013 shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Protests have taken place in cities across the country for several days in response to the death of George Floyd. Floyd died May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes. Some of the protests have become violent riots.
The Inquirer staff wrote an open letter to the newspaper’s leadership on Thursday demanding change.
“We’re tired of shouldering the burden of dragging this 200-year-old institution kicking and screaming into a more equitable age,” the letter said.
Features reporter Brandon Bell was one of dozens of Inquirer employees to join in the protest, tweeting his support for the move.
“Things need to change. We call on The Inquirer to do better. To be better,” he tweeted.
Today, I’m joining my colleagues of color at the @PhillyInquirer and calling in sick and tired. Things need to change. We call on The Inquirer to do better. To be better. Here is the open letter we sent our newsroom leadership yesterday:https://t.co/zWavZdCXgV pic.twitter.com/Epp9fZKDnJ — Brandon Bell (@brandontrevion) June 4, 2020
The Inquirer, which is the largest paper in Philadelphia, changed the headline of the controversial story and added an editor’s note saying the story was “inappropriate and we should not have printed it.”
“We need to do better,” the note added.
Was The Philadelphia Inquirer right to change the headline in question? Yes No
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The editors of the paper went further, publishing a separate story apologizing for the headline on Wednesday night.
The incident mimics a similar situation at The New York Times, which published an Op-Ed written by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas on Wednesday. Journalists at The Times denounced the decision to publish Cotton’s piece.
A senior staff editor went as far as to tweet that the piece puts black staff at The Times “in danger.”
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of their original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Major Store Closing 154 Locations This Summer

JCPenney released a list Thursday of 154 stores it plans to close this summer .
“ Following a comprehensive review of our retail footprint , JCPenney made the difficult decision to close 154 stores , ” the company announced in a statement .
The bankrupted company said it would announce additional closures in the next few weeks , CNBC reported .
The full list of stores that will be closed can be found on the JCPenney company blog .
“ While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision , our store optimization strategy is vital to ensuring we emerge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic as a stronger retailer with greater financial flexibility to allow us to continue serving our loyal customers for decades to come , ” Chief Executive Jill Soltau said in a statement .
JCPenney filed for bankruptcy on May 15 amid the coronavirus pandemic , CNN reported .
“ Until this pandemic struck , we had made significant progress rebuilding our company under our Plan for Renewal strategy — and our efforts had already begun to pay off , ” Soltau said while announcing a financial restructuring plan .
“ Implementing this financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best path to ensure that JCPenney will build on its over 100-year history to serve our customers for decades to come.
” Store closing sales are expected to start June 12 and last between 10 and 16 weeks .
The list of stores the retailer will be closing was released a week after JCPenney announced that by June 3 , nearly 500 stores would be reopened .
“ We ’ ve now reopened a third of our stores and to do this , we ’ re operating differently and taking a strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer safety as our top priority , ” executive vice president of stores Jim DePaul said in a statement .
“ We are excited to welcome back our loyal customers and dedicated associates , and we are so grateful to our associates for helping us navigate through this environment as we build on our long history and continue the JCPenney story.
” JCPenney opened its first store in Kemmerer , Wyoming , in 1902 before growing into a major retailer .
It reached its peak number of stores in 1973 with over 2,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The company has been struggling with debt for over 10 years as four different CEOs tried to make changes to revive the company .
Its most recent profitable year was 2010 , but it has since lost over $ 4.5 billion and has closed over 20 percent of its stores since the start of 2011 .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

JCPenney released a list Thursday of 154 stores it plans to close this summer.
“Following a comprehensive review of our retail footprint, JCPenney made the difficult decision to close 154 stores,” the company announced in a statement.
The bankrupted company said it would announce additional closures in the next few weeks, CNBC reported.
The full list of stores that will be closed can be found on the JCPenney company blog.
“While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision, our store optimization strategy is vital to ensuring we emerge from both Chapter 11 and the COVID-19 pandemic as a stronger retailer with greater financial flexibility to allow us to continue serving our loyal customers for decades to come,” Chief Executive Jill Soltau said in a statement.
JCPenney filed for bankruptcy on May 15 amid the coronavirus pandemic, CNN reported.
“Until this pandemic struck, we had made significant progress rebuilding our company under our Plan for Renewal strategy — and our efforts had already begun to pay off,” Soltau said while announcing a financial restructuring plan.
“Implementing this financial restructuring plan through a court-supervised process is the best path to ensure that JCPenney will build on its over 100-year history to serve our customers for decades to come.”
Do you think this is the start of the end of in-person shopping? Yes No
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Store closing sales are expected to start June 12 and last between 10 and 16 weeks.
The list of stores the retailer will be closing was released a week after JCPenney announced that by June 3, nearly 500 stores would be reopened.
As of this week, 150 additional JCPenney stores in 27 states have reopened their doors to in-store shoppers! We’ll have 500 stores reopened by next week. Learn more and read about our enhanced safety precautions on our blog: https://t.co/bjIYn21oeP pic.twitter.com/afxVI4uq6g — JCPenney News (@jcpnews) May 28, 2020
“We’ve now reopened a third of our stores and to do this, we’re operating differently and taking a strategic and consistent approach, keeping associate and customer safety as our top priority,” executive vice president of stores Jim DePaul said in a statement.
“We are excited to welcome back our loyal customers and dedicated associates, and we are so grateful to our associates for helping us navigate through this environment as we build on our long history and continue the JCPenney story.”
JCPenney opened its first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming, in 1902 before growing into a major retailer. It reached its peak number of stores in 1973 with over 2,000 locations across the country, CNN reported.
The company has been struggling with debt for over 10 years as four different CEOs tried to make changes to revive the company.
Its most recent profitable year was 2010, but it has since lost over $4.5 billion and has closed over 20 percent of its stores since the start of 2011.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Rioters Deface Monument to Black Civil War Veterans Who Served in the Union

A monument honoring the first northern all-volunteer black regiment of the Union Army during the Civil War was damaged by rioters over the weekend .
The Shaw Memorial depicts the 54th Massachusetts Regiment led by Col. Robert Gould Shaw and stands at the edge of the Boston Common in Boston , Massachusetts .
“ This monument is considered one of the nation ’ s greatest pieces of public art and the greatest piece to come out of the Civil War , ” Liz Vizza , executive director of the Friends of the Public Garden , told WBUR-FM .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ao on May 31st — the day it was defaced.
” On Sunday , a peaceful protest turned violent and destructive and the plywood that had been put in place to protect the statue during restoration was covered in obscene graffiti .
The granite backside of the monument also was painted with swear words and phrases including , “ Black Lives Matter , ” “ No Justice , No Peace ” and “ Police are Pigs.
” The $ 3 million restoration project had been granted clearance last week .
This was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been vandalized .
It was covered in paint in 2012 and Shaw ’ s sword was broken off in 2015 and 2017 , according to WCVB-TV .
Vizza was surprised that a sculpture celebrating men of color was singled out by rioters .
“ A thousand men signed up just after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation , just think about that , ” she said .
“ These are men who , if they were captured in the south , would be enslaved or murdered .
But this cause was so important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go fight for their freedom.
” The story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was also depicted in the 1989 film “ Glory.
” “ They did fight in a major battle at Fort Wagner , ” Vizza said .
“ And many of them were killed , including Shaw.
” Fifteen other memorials were damaged in Boston including the 9/11 Memorial in the Public Garden and the statue of Abigail Adams on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall , WBUR reported .
Vizza said the Friends of the Public Garden and the City of Boston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the graffiti and damage .
“ What is so hard to see is that there was a legitimate protest , and the Boston Common is the center stage of civic life in our city , ” she said .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A monument honoring the first northern all-volunteer black regiment of the Union Army during the Civil War was damaged by rioters over the weekend.
The Shaw Memorial depicts the 54th Massachusetts Regiment led by Col. Robert Gould Shaw and stands at the edge of the Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts.
“This monument is considered one of the nation’s greatest pieces of public art and the greatest piece to come out of the Civil War,” Liz Vizza, executive director of the Friends of the Public Garden, told WBUR-FM.
“It was, amazingly enough, dedicated 123 years ao on May 31st — the day it was defaced.”
On Sunday, a peaceful protest turned violent and destructive and the plywood that had been put in place to protect the statue during restoration was covered in obscene graffiti.
The granite backside of the monument also was painted with swear words and phrases including, “Black Lives Matter,” “No Justice, No Peace” and “Police are Pigs.”
The $3 million restoration project had been granted clearance last week.
Do you think the rioters had any idea what they were defacing? Yes No
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This was not the first time the memorial has been vandalized. It was covered in paint in 2012 and Shaw’s sword was broken off in 2015 and 2017, according to WCVB-TV.
Vizza was surprised that a sculpture celebrating men of color was singled out by rioters.
“A thousand men signed up just after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, just think about that,” she said.
“These are men who, if they were captured in the south, would be enslaved or murdered. But this cause was so important to them, they signed up to go fight for their freedom.”
The story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was also depicted in the 1989 film “Glory.”
“They did fight in a major battle at Fort Wagner,” Vizza said. “And many of them were killed, including Shaw.”
Fifteen other memorials were damaged in Boston including the 9/11 Memorial in the Public Garden and the statue of Abigail Adams on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, WBUR reported.
Vizza said the Friends of the Public Garden and the City of Boston rallied quickly to clean up all of the graffiti and damage.
“What is so hard to see is that there was a legitimate protest, and the Boston Common is the center stage of civic life in our city,” she said.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Trump Praises ‘One of the Greatest Quarterbacks,’ Rips Anthem Kneelers Again

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has become a lightning rod of criticism in recent days after he dared to speak out against the act of kneeling or otherwise protesting during “ The Star-Spangled Banner.
” “ I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country , ” the Saints signal-caller said in an interview with Yahoo .
Brees was responding to the possibility of the highly divisive national anthem protests , where players would raise a fist , sit or kneel , returning to the NFL amid the ongoing protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police .
Given the current tension and hostility in the world , it was unsurprising that Brees was subjected to an avalanche of criticism from sports pundits and his fellow athletes .
From Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to his own teammates to major media outlets , the quarterback was raked over the coals for his comments .
It was enough of a maelstrom of controversy that the 41-year-old quarterback issued two apologies on Instagram .
“ I would like to apologize to my friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orleans , the black community , NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday .
In speaking with some of you , it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused , ” Brees said in a lengthy Instagram post Thursday .
A second post included a video in which said , “ I know there ’ s not much I can say that would make things any better right now , but I just want you to see in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it hurt many people.
” One person who needed no apology ?
The leader of the free world .
“ I am a big fan of Drew Brees , ” President Donald Trump said Friday on Twitter .
“ I think he ’ s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks , but he should not have back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag .
OLD GLORY is to be revered , cherished , and flown high … “ We should be standing up straight and tall , ideally with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart .
There are other things you can protest , but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING !
” RELATED : LeBron James More Outraged Over Defense of American Flag Than Death of Democracy Trump has long been a proponent of properly observing the national anthem .
He came into a noted and very public feud with the NFL over anthem protests during the 2017-2018 season .
Since then , however , the league and the president have generally kept their distance from each other .
Trump even offered the rare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The NFL national anthem protests began in 2016 when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem as a form of protest against social injustice and police brutality .
While some Kaepernick fans dislike the president because of his stance , Trump told the media in August 2019 that he ’ d “ love to see ” Kaepernick back in the NFL .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has become a lightning rod of criticism in recent days after he dared to speak out against the act of kneeling or otherwise protesting during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Highlight: @readdanwrite asks @drewbrees what the star NFL quarterback thinks about “players kneeling again when the NFL season starts.”@drewbrees: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.” Full exchange: pic.twitter.com/MpCkFyOMed — Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) June 3, 2020
“I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country,” the Saints signal-caller said in an interview with Yahoo.
Brees was responding to the possibility of the highly divisive national anthem protests, where players would raise a fist, sit or kneel, returning to the NFL amid the ongoing protests and riots after the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Given the current tension and hostility in the world, it was unsurprising that Brees was subjected to an avalanche of criticism from sports pundits and his fellow athletes.
From Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to his own teammates to major media outlets, the quarterback was raked over the coals for his comments. It was enough of a maelstrom of controversy that the 41-year-old quarterback issued two apologies on Instagram.
“I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused,” Brees said in a lengthy Instagram post Thursday.
A second post included a video in which said, “I know there’s not much I can say that would make things any better right now, but I just want you to see in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments that I made yesterday. I know that it hurt many people.”
Do you agree with Trump about always standing for the national anthem? Yes No
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One person who needed no apology? The leader of the free world.
“I am a big fan of Drew Brees,” President Donald Trump said Friday on Twitter. “I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high …
“We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING!”
I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
…We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
Trump has long been a proponent of properly observing the national anthem. He came into a noted and very public feud with the NFL over anthem protests during the 2017-2018 season.
Since then, however, the league and the president have generally kept their distance from each other. Trump even offered the rare nicety to the NFL here and there.
The NFL national anthem protests began in 2016 when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem as a form of protest against social injustice and police brutality.
While some Kaepernick fans dislike the president because of his stance, Trump told the media in August 2019 that he’d “love to see” Kaepernick back in the NFL.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--If You Find This Mark on Your House, Antifa May Have Singled It Out

An insider document from the nation ’ s highest law enforcement agency is reportedly warning of a secret code used by far-left activists .
The mark , which could be overlooked for its simplicity , has already been found on at least one structure .
According to an FBI situation report obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation , it ’ s believed that antifa activists are behind the graffiti-based code .
The mark was discovered on the federal courthouse in Richmond , Virginia , earlier this week .
“ FBI Norfolk received information indicating the Richmond Federal Courthouse exterior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black line around the entire exterior , ” the FBI report said , according to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
The appearance of the mark in Richmond came shortly after the FBI was informed that antifa affiliates were overheard discussing an attack on the courthouse .
It ’ s not just ominous graffiti and dark conversations that have authorities on edge , either .
In the midst of the past week ’ s chaos , the Richmond Police Department seized accelerants that may have been intended for use against a building .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure the City of Richmond is safe for its citizens , ” the department wrote on Facebook .
“ Peaceful demonstrators continue to be infiltrated by those with destructive and/or potentially violent intent — many of whom are not from Richmond.
” It ’ s unclear how widespread this problem is or if any more structures are being targeted in the same manner .
When asked about the graffiti , the FBI acknowledged the existence of it but refused to release the details of an ongoing case .
“ FBI Richmond has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our territory lately , and continues to work with our law enforcement partners as appropriate , ” FBI Richmond spokeswoman Dee Rybiski told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
While the scope of antifa ’ s destructive plans is still unknown , it ’ s virtually guaranteed that the radical group will continue to use widespread unrest in America to further its goals .
RELATED : Official Says Antifa Has Been Planning Anti-Government Insurgency Long Before George Floyd Death The group ’ s apparent insurgency against the United States reportedly has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody , which sparked massive protests across the country , provided the perfect cover for the radical leftist group as several demonstrations turned chaotic .
With the protests looking unlikely to go away in the near future , there ’ s no telling how far antifa will now take its extremist activism .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

An insider document from the nation’s highest law enforcement agency is reportedly warning of a secret code used by far-left activists. The mark, which could be overlooked for its simplicity, has already been found on at least one structure.
According to an FBI situation report obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, it’s believed that antifa activists are behind the graffiti-based code.
The mark, a simple black line painted around buildings, allegedly designates potential arson targets.
The mark was discovered on the federal courthouse in Richmond, Virginia, earlier this week.
“FBI Norfolk received information indicating the Richmond Federal Courthouse exterior walls were spray painted with a thick black line around the entire exterior,” the FBI report said, according to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The appearance of the mark in Richmond came shortly after the FBI was informed that antifa affiliates were overheard discussing an attack on the courthouse.
It’s not just ominous graffiti and dark conversations that have authorities on edge, either. In the midst of the past week’s chaos, the Richmond Police Department seized accelerants that may have been intended for use against a building.
Is antifa behind the violent unrest now hitting several American cities? 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: 100% (4806 Votes) No: 0% (13 Votes)
“RPD officers are working tirelessly to ensure the City of Richmond is safe for its citizens,” the department wrote on Facebook. “Peaceful demonstrators continue to be infiltrated by those with destructive and/or potentially violent intent — many of whom are not from Richmond.”
It’s unclear how widespread this problem is or if any more structures are being targeted in the same manner.
When asked about the graffiti, the FBI acknowledged the existence of it but refused to release the details of an ongoing case.
“FBI Richmond has been aware of the vandalism and graffiti occurring in our territory lately, and continues to work with our law enforcement partners as appropriate,” FBI Richmond spokeswoman Dee Rybiski told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
While the scope of antifa’s destructive plans is still unknown, it’s virtually guaranteed that the radical group will continue to use widespread unrest in America to further its goals.
The group’s apparent insurgency against the United States reportedly has been in planning for months.
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, which sparked massive protests across the country, provided the perfect cover for the radical leftist group as several demonstrations turned chaotic.
With the protests looking unlikely to go away in the near future, there’s no telling how far antifa will now take its extremist activism.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Feds Disarm National Guard Deployed in DC

The District of Columbia National Guard and guardsmen from other states have been directed by the Defense Department not to use firearms or ammunition in response to the protests that have swept the country following the death of George Floyd , a new report says .
The decision was reportedly made without consulting the White House , according to The Washington Post , which cited “ officials familiar with the situation.
” President Donald Trump called on governors earlier this week to deploy National Guard units to “ dominate the streets ” in response to the protests , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the D.C. National Guard because the District of Columbia is a special federal jurisdiction and does not have the status of a state .
Guardsmen in the city originally carried guns while standing outside monuments , according to The Post .
But those working with the police in front of the White House didn ’ t carry firearms , the outlet said .
The 5,000 guardsmen who are either deploying to Washington , D.C. , or are already there have now been told not to use weapons or ammunition , The Post reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order.
” “ The whole purpose behind that was a purposeful show of de-escalation , ” a defense official told The Washington Post on condition of anonymity because the order hadn ’ t been made public at the time .
A senior defense official confirmed that the White House wasn ’ t involved in the decision .
“ The order affected only about 10 guardsmen who had been out on patrol with firearms that weren ’ t loaded but with ammunition in their packs , the senior defense official said , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially responded to the protests by deploying the D.C. guardsmen , calling up guardsmen from other states and bringing in personnel from the Bureau of Prisons and Customs and Border Protection to help keep the peace in the streets .
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser criticized the president for not requiring some federal law enforcement agents to wear identifying uniforms or badges .
The situation in the city became tense after the D.C. Guard began to conduct military maneuvers in helicopters to try to disperse crowds of protesters .
Trump and Defense Secretary Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s desire to use military force in response to the protests in D.C. On Thursday , another standoff with the Pentagon came to an end when Trump agreed to send home 82nd Airborne Division troops he had ordered to come to Washington , The New York Times reported .
The active-duty troops remained on alert outside the city while the National Guard was deployed near the White House and elsewhere in the city .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The District of Columbia National Guard and guardsmen from other states have been directed by the Defense Department not to use firearms or ammunition in response to the protests that have swept the country following the death of George Floyd, a new report says.
The decision was reportedly made without consulting the White House, according to The Washington Post, which cited “officials familiar with the situation.”
President Donald Trump called on governors earlier this week to deploy National Guard units to “dominate the streets” in response to the protests, according to ABC News.
The president technically controls the D.C. National Guard because the District of Columbia is a special federal jurisdiction and does not have the status of a state.
Guardsmen in the city originally carried guns while standing outside monuments, according to The Post.
But those working with the police in front of the White House didn’t carry firearms, the outlet said.
The 5,000 guardsmen who are either deploying to Washington, D.C., or are already there have now been told not to use weapons or ammunition, The Post reported, citing “four officials familiar with the order.”
“The whole purpose behind that was a purposeful show of de-escalation,” a defense official told The Washington Post on condition of anonymity because the order hadn’t been made public at the time.
“We’re here, but we’re walking things down.”
Do you think ordering these troops not to use firearms is a good idea? Yes No
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A senior defense official confirmed that the White House wasn’t involved in the decision.
“The order affected only about 10 guardsmen who had been out on patrol with firearms that weren’t loaded but with ammunition in their packs, the senior defense official said,” according to The Post.
Trump had initially responded to the protests by deploying the D.C. guardsmen, calling up guardsmen from other states and bringing in personnel from the Bureau of Prisons and Customs and Border Protection to help keep the peace in the streets.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser criticized the president for not requiring some federal law enforcement agents to wear identifying uniforms or badges.
The situation in the city became tense after the D.C. Guard began to conduct military maneuvers in helicopters to try to disperse crowds of protesters.
Trump and Defense Secretary Mark Esper have previously clashed over the president’s desire to use military force in response to the protests in D.C.
On Thursday, another standoff with the Pentagon came to an end when Trump agreed to send home 82nd Airborne Division troops he had ordered to come to Washington, The New York Times reported.
The active-duty troops remained on alert outside the city while the National Guard was deployed near the White House and elsewhere in the city.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--As Riots Spread Across America, May Gun Sales Set a Huge New Record Due to COVID

Americans are in a better position to defend themselves and their families after another record month of gun sales .
The coronavirus pandemic has seen citizens line up since March , when Americans bought more than 2.5 million firearms , to exercise their Second Amendment rights in record numbers .
The trend continued in April , when an estimated 1,797,910 guns were sold in the country — an increase from 71 percent from the year prior .
Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting , which tracks gun sales and federal background check statistics , reported that another 1.7 million guns were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of May , which is a record during what is generally a slower month .
The numbers represent an 80 percent increase in sales from the same time last year .
SAAF reported Americans purchased 1,726,053 guns in May , with 1,052,723 of those being handguns and 535,014 of them being shotguns or rifles .
The SAAF compiles the numbers by using data collected by the FBI ’ s National Instant Criminal Background Check System .
“ [ Y ] et again , firearms sales have surged in unprecedented ways , ” SAAF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement of May ’ s national gun sales .
Mark Oliva , a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation , the gun industry trade group , told the Washington Free Beacon in a statement that 40 percent of the guns sold recently were to first-time buyers .
Of those new gun owners , Oliva said , 40 percent of them were women .
“ Americans are being confronted with decisions regarding their personal safety and are voting with their wallets on their right to keep and bear arms , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s response to it , has likely been behind the spike in gun sales in recent months , it is noteworthy that there are roughly 6 million more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens as nightly waves of civil unrest have overtaken American cities in recent weeks .
While some people in American cities have been peacefully protesting over the treatment of George Floyd , who died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes , others have been violently attacking businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riots and looting have taken hold of major American cities , people are continuing to arm themselves .
A 26-year-old woman outside a Georgia gun store told USA Today on Monday she was buying a firearm after a portion of her Atlanta neighborhood was damaged during a riot .
“ During the times we ’ re living in , you just never know what might happen , ” Angel Rambert told the paper .
“ At first , I was surprised at the number of people , but I was happy to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she added .
Likewise , AL.com reported that multiple gun stores across central Alabama have reported a spike in gun sales since the beginning of the unrest .
Customers have been notably worried about their safety .
Randal Murphree , who owns a gun store in Blount County , Alabama , told the newspaper that first-time gun buyers are flocking to his store and that some of them reported previously not wanting to own firearms .
Murphree ’ s business , like many across the country , is having a difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the demand for guns and ammunition is not isolated to the South .
TMZ reported lines of people wrapped around the blocks of Los Angeles-area gun stores on Tuesday .
According to the entertainment industry tabloid website , people in California are looking to protect themselves and their businesses by purchasing mostly shotguns and handguns .
While the nation reels from the dual crises of an overreaching government response to the coronavirus pandemic and now the uncertainty surrounding widespread civil unrest , many Americans have chosen to respond by exercising their constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported those rights , and citizens have made it clear that they will not be infringed .
It appears that Democrats pushing for a radical gun control agenda are fighting a losing battle , at least for now .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Americans are in a better position to defend themselves and their families after another record month of gun sales.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen citizens line up since March, when Americans bought more than 2.5 million firearms, to exercise their Second Amendment rights in record numbers.
The trend continued in April, when an estimated 1,797,910 guns were sold in the country — an increase from 71 percent from the year prior.
Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting, which tracks gun sales and federal background check statistics, reported that another 1.7 million guns were purchased throughout the country in the month of May, which is a record during what is generally a slower month.
The numbers represent an 80 percent increase in sales from the same time last year.
SAAF reported Americans purchased 1,726,053 guns in May, with 1,052,723 of those being handguns and 535,014 of them being shotguns or rifles.
The SAAF compiles the numbers by using data collected by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
“[Y]et again, firearms sales have surged in unprecedented ways,” SAAF chief economist Jurgen Brauer said in a statement of May’s national gun sales.
Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry trade group, told the Washington Free Beacon in a statement that 40 percent of the guns sold recently were to first-time buyers. Of those new gun owners, Oliva said, 40 percent of them were women.
Do you think the unrest around the country has only further weakened the argument for gun control? Yes No
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“Americans are being confronted with decisions regarding their personal safety and are voting with their wallets on their right to keep and bear arms,” he said.
While the coronavirus, or the government’s response to it, has likely been behind the spike in gun sales in recent months, it is noteworthy that there are roughly 6 million more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens as nightly waves of civil unrest have overtaken American cities in recent weeks.
While some people in American cities have been peacefully protesting over the treatment of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, others have been violently attacking businesses, citizens and police officers.
As riots and looting have taken hold of major American cities, people are continuing to arm themselves.
A 26-year-old woman outside a Georgia gun store told USA Today on Monday she was buying a firearm after a portion of her Atlanta neighborhood was damaged during a riot.
“During the times we’re living in, you just never know what might happen,” Angel Rambert told the paper.
“At first, I was surprised at the number of people, but I was happy to see so many of us exercising our amendments,” she added.
Likewise, AL.com reported that multiple gun stores across central Alabama have reported a spike in gun sales since the beginning of the unrest.
Customers have been notably worried about their safety.
Randal Murphree, who owns a gun store in Blount County, Alabama, told the newspaper that first-time gun buyers are flocking to his store and that some of them reported previously not wanting to own firearms.
Murphree’s business, like many across the country, is having a difficult time keeping up with the demand.
But the demand for guns and ammunition is not isolated to the South.
TMZ reported lines of people wrapped around the blocks of Los Angeles-area gun stores on Tuesday.
According to the entertainment industry tabloid website, people in California are looking to protect themselves and their businesses by purchasing mostly shotguns and handguns.
While the nation reels from the dual crises of an overreaching government response to the coronavirus pandemic and now the uncertainty surrounding widespread civil unrest, many Americans have chosen to respond by exercising their constitutional rights.
President Donald Trump has overwhelmingly supported those rights, and citizens have made it clear that they will not be infringed.
It appears that Democrats pushing for a radical gun control agenda are fighting a losing battle, at least for now.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Singer Amy Grant Undergoes Open Heart Surgery

This year has held surprises for everyone .
For many musicians , 2020 has been a year full of changed plans .
Concerts and shows have been canceled or postponed , affecting not only the artists but the teams of staff that would have been hard at work and earning money keeping the shows running smoothly .
Perhaps one of the only musicians that has not had to alter their plans too drastically is six-time Grammy winner Amy Grant , 59 , who had already decided that she was taking the summer off to attend to some health matters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition means “ some of the pulmonary veins carrying blood from the lungs to the heart flow into other blood vessels or into the heart ’ s upper right chamber ( right atrium ) , instead of correctly entering the heart ’ s upper left chamber ( left atrium ) .
This causes some oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to mix with oxygen-poor blood before entering the right atrium.
” Thankfully for Grant , it was an asymptomatic condition , but it remained undiagnosed until just recently .
In February , Grant broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since February is heart health awareness month , I want to send a shout out to my doctor , John Bright Cage , ” she tweeted on Feb. 12 .
“ He suggested I have a check up because of my Dad ’ s heart history.
” “ As always , I am feeling great , but the battery of tests he put me through show that I have had a heart condition since birth .
The first good news is that I am completely asymptomatic.
” “ The second good news is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of concerts and camping trips this summer , I am going to take care of my heart.
” “ Are you taking care of yours ?
!
Please do.
” While hospitals pose their own set of risks at this time , Grant was able to get in for open heart surgery .
RELATED : Actor Nick Cordero 's Wife Says She Was Told To Say 'Goodbye ' But Husband Keeps Fighting “ From Team Amy – with all that is going on in our world that needs our collective prayer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy this week as she has heart surgery to correct her PAPVR condition , ” a post on her Facebook page this week read .
The surgery took place on Wednesday , and by all reports , it was a success .
A special thank you to fans was also posted on Amy ’ s social media accounts .
“ She had open-heart surgery to correct a condition from birth the doctors discovered during a heart checkup called PAPVR , ” Grant ’ s representative told People .
“ Thankfully the doctor said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re praying for a full and easy recovery over the next days , weeks and months to come.
” Many conditions go undetected until a person has a catastrophic health event , so thanks to the vigilance of Grant ’ s doctors , she was able to avoid future issues .
Hopefully she will continue to heal quickly , and will soon be able to get back to doing what she does best .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards @

This year has held surprises for everyone. For many musicians, 2020 has been a year full of changed plans.
Concerts and shows have been canceled or postponed, affecting not only the artists but the teams of staff that would have been hard at work and earning money keeping the shows running smoothly.
Perhaps one of the only musicians that has not had to alter their plans too drastically is six-time Grammy winner Amy Grant, 59, who had already decided that she was taking the summer off to attend to some health matters.
Grant was born with a heart defect, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition means “some of the pulmonary veins carrying blood from the lungs to the heart flow into other blood vessels or into the heart’s upper right chamber (right atrium), instead of correctly entering the heart’s upper left chamber (left atrium). This causes some oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to mix with oxygen-poor blood before entering the right atrium.”
Thankfully for Grant, it was an asymptomatic condition, but it remained undiagnosed until just recently. In February, Grant broke the news to her followers.
“Since February is heart health awareness month, I want to send a shout out to my doctor, John Bright Cage,” she tweeted on Feb. 12. “He suggested I have a check up because of my Dad’s heart history.”
“As always, I am feeling great, but the battery of tests he put me through show that I have had a heart condition since birth. The first good news is that I am completely asymptomatic.”
“The second good news is that it’s fixable, so instead of concerts and camping trips this summer, I am going to take care of my heart.”
“Are you taking care of yours?! Please do.”
Since February is heart health awareness month, I want to send a shout out to my doctor, John Bright Cage. He suggested I have a check up because of my Dad’s heart history… (look to image for full message from Amy)#HeartHealth #PAPVR #EveryHeartbeat pic.twitter.com/5bXt17qXQX — Amy Grant (@amygrant) February 13, 2020
While hospitals pose their own set of risks at this time, Grant was able to get in for open heart surgery.
“From Team Amy – with all that is going on in our world that needs our collective prayer, please also join us in praying for Amy this week as she has heart surgery to correct her PAPVR condition,” a post on her Facebook page this week read.
The surgery took place on Wednesday, and by all reports, it was a success. A special thank you to fans was also posted on Amy’s social media accounts.
“She had open-heart surgery to correct a condition from birth the doctors discovered during a heart checkup called PAPVR,” Grant’s representative told People.
“Thankfully the doctor said it could not have gone better. We’re praying for a full and easy recovery over the next days, weeks and months to come.”
Many conditions go undetected until a person has a catastrophic health event, so thanks to the vigilance of Grant’s doctors, she was able to avoid future issues.
Hopefully she will continue to heal quickly, and will soon be able to get back to doing what she does best.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Planned Parenthood ‘Outraged by Violence Against Black Lives’ but Kills Thousands of Black Babies Ev

Planned Parenthood ‘Outraged by Violence Against Black Lives’ but Kills Thousands of Black Babies Every Year

Planned Parenthood joined a long list of companies and organizations showing solidarity with the protests that have broken out across the nation in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody .
The nation ’ s largest abortion provider sent out a tweet Monday that demonstrated a startling lack of self-awareness .
“ We ’ re devastated , grieving , and outraged by violence against Black lives , ” it said .
“ We must continue to demand accountability , justice , and an end to the inequity that continues to define every moment of life for Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy.
” When it comes to Planned Parenthood ’ s outrage about “ violence against Black lives , ” actions speak louder than words .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , in 2016 , “ non-Hispanic black women had the highest abortion rates ( 25.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years ) and ratio ( 401 abortions per 1,000 live births ) .
” This tragic phenomenon is not unique to 2016 .
In a February Op-Ed for The Arizona Capitol Times , Arizona state Rep. Walt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a 2011 CDC report finding that while “ black women make up 14 percent of the childbearing population … 36 percent of all abortions were obtained by black women.
” Using those percentages , he estimated that “ of the 44 million abortions since the 1973 Roe vs Wade Supreme Court ruling , 19 million black babies were aborted.
” Blackman shared another startling statistic that calls into question the sincerity of Planned Parenthood ’ s virtue-signaling tweet .
“ A study by Protecting Black Lives , in 2012 , found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgical abortion facilities are located within walking distance of minority communities , ” he wrote .
Keeping all of the aforementioned statistics in mind , if Planned Parenthood really wants to hold “ racist institutions that uphold white supremacy ” accountable , it might want to start by looking in the mirror .
If any company in America deserves to be protested , it ’ s Planned Parenthood .
Fortunately , the First Amendment gives Americans the right to do just that .
RELATED : As Thousands of Rioters Go Free , 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in some places , not exactly .
Last weekend in New York City , two pro-life black women were arrested outside Planned Parenthood ’ s Margaret Sanger Center in Manhattan because they didn ’ t follow social distancing guidelines , Live Action News reported .
Their arrest came at a time when people were free to loot and destroy the city under the guise of protesting police brutality with very little fear of being apprehended .
As for concerns about the spread of coronavirus during those protests and riots , New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ 400 years of American racism ” is enough to overrule social distancing guidelines : Sadly , de Blasio and other liberal politicians remain utterly indifferent to the “ American racism ” continually perpetuated by Planned Parenthood .
This is probably because Planned Parenthood shares the same goal as the left : the ouster of President Donald Trump and other Republicans .
The abortion giant announced that it will spend $ 45 million in an effort to make that goal come to fruition .
It should not come as a shock that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions a day in 2019 chooses to ally itself so closely with the unabashedly pro-abortion Democratic Party .
If Planned Parenthood wants the American people to take its demands for “ justice ” and an end to “ inequity ” seriously , it must stop orchestrating the murder of innocent African-American babies in the womb .
Only then can the organization claim to be “ outraged by violence against black lives ” without inviting allegations of blatant hypocrisy .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read @ @ @ @

Planned Parenthood joined a long list of companies and organizations showing solidarity with the protests that have broken out across the nation in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody.
The nation’s largest abortion provider sent out a tweet Monday that demonstrated a startling lack of self-awareness.
“We’re devastated, grieving, and outraged by violence against Black lives,” it said. “We must continue to demand accountability, justice, and an end to the inequity that continues to define every moment of life for Black America from the racist institutions that uphold white supremacy.”
We’re devastated, grieving, and outraged by violence against Black lives. We must continue to demand accountability, justice, and an end to the inequity that continues to define every moment of life for Black America from the racist institutions that uphold white supremacy. — Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) June 1, 2020
When it comes to Planned Parenthood’s outrage about “violence against Black lives,” actions speak louder than words.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016, “non-Hispanic black women had the highest abortion rates (25.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years) and ratio (401 abortions per 1,000 live births).”
This tragic phenomenon is not unique to 2016.
In a February Op-Ed for The Arizona Capitol Times, Arizona state Rep. Walt Blackman, a black Republican, pointed to a 2011 CDC report finding that while “black women make up 14 percent of the childbearing population … 36 percent of all abortions were obtained by black women.”
Should Congress defund Planned Parenthood? 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% (590 Votes) No: 1% (6 Votes)
Using those percentages, he estimated that “of the 44 million abortions since the 1973 Roe vs Wade Supreme Court ruling, 19 million black babies were aborted.”
Blackman shared another startling statistic that calls into question the sincerity of Planned Parenthood’s virtue-signaling tweet.
“A study by Protecting Black Lives, in 2012, found that 79 percent of Planned Parenthood’s surgical abortion facilities are located within walking distance of minority communities,” he wrote.
Keeping all of the aforementioned statistics in mind, if Planned Parenthood really wants to hold “racist institutions that uphold white supremacy” accountable, it might want to start by looking in the mirror.
If any company in America deserves to be protested, it’s Planned Parenthood. Fortunately, the First Amendment gives Americans the right to do just that.
Well, in some places, not exactly.
Last weekend in New York City, two pro-life black women were arrested outside Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger Center in Manhattan because they didn’t follow social distancing guidelines, Live Action News reported.
Their arrest came at a time when people were free to loot and destroy the city under the guise of protesting police brutality with very little fear of being apprehended.
As for concerns about the spread of coronavirus during those protests and riots, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio made it clear that “400 years of American racism” is enough to overrule social distancing guidelines:
Hamodia reporter asks why protest is allowed when prayer services aren’t.@NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio: “400 years of American racism, I’m sorry, that is not the same question as the understandably aggrieved store owner or the devout religious person who wants to go back to services” — Matthew Chayes (@chayesmatthew) June 2, 2020
Sadly, de Blasio and other liberal politicians remain utterly indifferent to the “American racism” continually perpetuated by Planned Parenthood.
This is probably because Planned Parenthood shares the same goal as the left: the ouster of President Donald Trump and other Republicans. The abortion giant announced that it will spend $45 million in an effort to make that goal come to fruition.
It should not come as a shock that an organization that performed more than 1,000 abortions a day in 2019 chooses to ally itself so closely with the unabashedly pro-abortion Democratic Party.
If Planned Parenthood wants the American people to take its demands for “justice” and an end to “inequity” seriously, it must stop orchestrating the murder of innocent African-American babies in the womb. Only then can the organization claim to be “outraged by violence against black lives” without inviting allegations of blatant hypocrisy.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Op-Ed: I’m Black and There’s No Way I’m Voting for Joe Biden

“ If you have a problem figuring out if you ’ re for me or Trump , then you ain ’ t black.
” The plain racism radiating from Joe Biden ’ s comment was as disgusting as it was shocking .
Let me be as clear as humanly possible , Joe .
As a black man in America , I will not be casting my vote for you — and , in fact , I will proudly be voting for the most pro-black president in my lifetime , President Donald J. Trump .
Not only is Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a way to “ relate ” to the African-American community condescending , but it is also reprehensible that a 77-year-old white man from Delaware who has bragged about his friendships with known segregationists is now the litmus test for whether or not a person is black .
During this past legislative session here in Arizona , it was a moving moment for me when we opened the day ’ s floor session with a color guard provided by the 9th and 10th Cavalry Association , the organization that honors the legacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were African-American soldiers who served in the U.S. Cavalry at the end of the nineteenth century .
Despite facing prejudice and numerous hardships , the Buffalo Soldiers in the post-Civil War 1800s had the most Congressional Medal of Honor winners and the lowest desertion rate .
As a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army , it warms my heart when the memory of the Buffalo Soldiers is preserved .
As an African-American , it gives me hope that such a fine example is set before young black Americans .
That is just one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slap in the face when a national figure such as Joe Biden , in the year 2020 , can still use the “ you ain ’ t black ” pejorative for a person of color who disagrees with his political views .
So , Mr. Biden , I am an African-American , a veteran , a state elected official and a recipient of the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal who has no difficulty choosing between you and Donald Trump in this fall ’ s election .
I will vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military .
I will vote for Trump because before the shutdowns put our economy on pause , African-American unemployment was at the lowest rate ever .
I will vote for Trump because , despite big talk from previous presidents , he actually got federal criminal justice reform done , a cause I have championed at the state level .
Mr. Biden , you seem to believe that you can tell people of my skin color what to think .
But what has been exposed by your disgraceful remark is your true colors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much use for black people unless they bow down to your political agenda and support your electoral ambitions .
I truly hope that this is a tipping point in African-American support for you .
The true legacy of black Americans is a powerful legacy of freedom — freedom from the physical chains of slavery to freedom of opinion , belief and the right to stand and fight for our convictions regardless of what the Democratic elite dictate .
And on Nov. 5 , I will wake up knowing that I have done what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , my state and my community by having voted for Donald Trump for president .
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 .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

“If you have a problem figuring out if you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”
The plain racism radiating from Joe Biden’s comment was as disgusting as it was shocking.
Let me be as clear as humanly possible, Joe. As a black man in America, I will not be casting my vote for you — and, in fact, I will proudly be voting for the most pro-black president in my lifetime, President Donald J. Trump.
Not only is Biden’s use of “ain’t” as a way to “relate” to the African-American community condescending, but it is also reprehensible that a 77-year-old white man from Delaware who has bragged about his friendships with known segregationists is now the litmus test for whether or not a person is black.
During this past legislative session here in Arizona, it was a moving moment for me when we opened the day’s floor session with a color guard provided by the 9th and 10th Cavalry Association, the organization that honors the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers.
The Buffalo Soldiers were African-American soldiers who served in the U.S. Cavalry at the end of the nineteenth century.
Despite facing prejudice and numerous hardships, the Buffalo Soldiers in the post-Civil War 1800s had the most Congressional Medal of Honor winners and the lowest desertion rate.
As a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army, it warms my heart when the memory of the Buffalo Soldiers is preserved.
As an African-American, it gives me hope that such a fine example is set before young black Americans.
Do you think Joe Biden will lose some of his African-American support in light of his recent comments? 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: 97% (884 Votes) No: 3% (23 Votes)
That is just one of the reasons why it is such a slap in the face when a national figure such as Joe Biden, in the year 2020, can still use the “you ain’t black” pejorative for a person of color who disagrees with his political views.
So, Mr. Biden, I am an African-American, a veteran, a state elected official and a recipient of the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal who has no difficulty choosing between you and Donald Trump in this fall’s election.
I will vote for Trump because he has helped restore our military. I will vote for Trump because before the shutdowns put our economy on pause, African-American unemployment was at the lowest rate ever. I will vote for Trump because, despite big talk from previous presidents, he actually got federal criminal justice reform done, a cause I have championed at the state level.
Mr. Biden, you seem to believe that you can tell people of my skin color what to think.
But what has been exposed by your disgraceful remark is your true colors. It seems that you do not have much use for black people unless they bow down to your political agenda and support your electoral ambitions.
I truly hope that this is a tipping point in African-American support for you.
The true legacy of black Americans is a powerful legacy of freedom — freedom from the physical chains of slavery to freedom of opinion, belief and the right to stand and fight for our convictions regardless of what the Democratic elite dictate.
And on Nov. 5, I will wake up knowing that I have done what is right for my country, my family, my state and my community by having voted for Donald Trump for president.
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.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Amazon Bans Book on COVID-19 by Lockdown Critic Alex Berenson

The launch of a book written by a critic of government-imposed lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic was cancelled by Amazon on Thursday before the company eventually backed down .
Former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson posted on Twitter that the planned launch of his new book was scrapped by the company , supposedly because it did not meet Amazon ’ s standards .
“ Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns : Part 1 : Introduction and Death Counts and Estimates ” was initially slated to become available Thursday .
According to an email posted by Berenson on Twitter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be making the book available on its online store , and suggested he remove all references to COVID-19 .
“ Due to the rapidly changing nature of information around the COVID-19 virus , we are referring customers to official sources for health information about the virus .
Please consider removing references to COVID-19 for this book , ” the company ’ s full email to Berenson read .
Berenson said he was being censored .
“ I can ’ t believe it .
They censored it , ” he tweeted .
“ THEY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on published government data and scientific papers .
It doesn ’ t say coronavirus isn ’ t real or doesn ’ t kill people ( in fact , the worst-case death toll is likely to be striking to people ) .
And Amazon won ’ t run it , ” the author added .
Amazon ’ s actions incensed many online , and Berenson soon found a number of allies who attacked the company on his behalf .
The loudest and most prominent critic of the company ’ s move to pull the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elon Musk , who has been highly critical of lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic and even called stay-at-home orders “ fascist.
” In two tweets , Musk called out Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , and described the company as a monopoly in need of regulatory oversight .
“ Time to break up Amazon .
Monopolies are wrong !
” RELATED : Trump Admin Defies the Odds , 2.5M Jobs Added in May Despite 8M in Expected Losses Amazon has since backtracked , with a Kindle Direct Publishing executive apologizing to Berenson for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now up or sale on Amazon .
The 22-page book is the first of a series in which Berenson will apparently document the facts about government ’ s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Former New York Times reporter and prominent lockdown critic Alex Berenson provides a counterweight to media hysteria about coronavirus in this series of short booklets answering crucial questions about COVID , ” the book ’ s Amazon product description reads .
“ Whether you have been skeptical of the media ’ s panicked reporting all along or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predictions of doom from March and April have not come to pass , the Essential Guide will provide you with the factual , accurate , and impeccably sourced information you need , ” it adds .
Amazon , meanwhile , told Fox News the book was removed in “ error , ” though Berenson wasn ’ t necessarily buying it .
“ They didn ’ t say to me that it was a mistake , ” he told Fox .
“ I do believe that I ’ m not the only person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be clear what their position is on publishing controversial material on political issues.
” “ It doesn ’ t seem to me that this was an error , but I don ’ t know.
” The author told Breitbart News he was surprised to see the world ’ s largest seller of books initially censor his work , as the book is well sourced and he is an established author and journalist .
“ I briefly considered censorship but assumed I wouldn ’ t have a problem both because of my background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will realize it is impeccably sourced , nary a conspiracy theory to be found , and frankly because Amazon shouldn ’ t be censoring anything that doesn ’ t explicitly help people commit criminal behavior , ” Berenson said .
Bezos has seen his net worth increase by tens of billions of dollars in 2020 , despite widespread lockdowns due to the coronavirus .
Business Insider reported May 28 that Bezos has added $ 31.3 billion to his net worth since the beginning of the year , and is currently worth $ 146.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The launch of a book written by a critic of government-imposed lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic was cancelled by Amazon on Thursday before the company eventually backed down.
Former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson posted on Twitter that the planned launch of his new book was scrapped by the company, supposedly because it did not meet Amazon’s standards.
“Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns: Part 1: Introduction and Death Counts and Estimates” was initially slated to become available Thursday.
According to an email posted by Berenson on Twitter, Amazon informed the author it would not be making the book available on its online store, and suggested he remove all references to COVID-19.
“Due to the rapidly changing nature of information around the COVID-19 virus, we are referring customers to official sources for health information about the virus. Please consider removing references to COVID-19 for this book,” the company’s full email to Berenson read.
Berenson said he was being censored.
“I can’t believe it. They censored it,” he tweeted.
“THEY CENSORED IT! It is based entirely on published government data and scientific papers. It doesn’t say coronavirus isn’t real or doesn’t kill people (in fact, the worst-case death toll is likely to be striking to people). And Amazon won’t run it,” the author added.
THEY CENSORED IT! It is based entirely on published government data and scientific papers. It doesn’t say coronavirus isn’t real or doesn’t kill people (in fact, the worst-case death toll is likely to be striking to people). And Amazon won’t run it. — Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) June 4, 2020
Amazon’s actions incensed many online, and Berenson soon found a number of allies who attacked the company on his behalf.
The loudest and most prominent critic of the company’s move to pull the book was billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has been highly critical of lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic and even called stay-at-home orders “fascist.”
In two tweets, Musk called out Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and described the company as a monopoly in need of regulatory oversight.
“This is insane @JeffBezos,” Musk said, tagging Bezos.
“Time to break up Amazon. Monopolies are wrong!”
Time to break up Amazon. Monopolies are wrong! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 4, 2020
Amazon has since backtracked, with a Kindle Direct Publishing executive apologizing to Berenson for the “inconvenience.”
Looks official – @amazon BACKED DOWN! Of course I don’t know what anyone who doesn’t have @elonmusk and so many others pushing will do, but at least this time they backed down. pic.twitter.com/zCU4bJGUf6 — Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) June 4, 2020
Berenson’s book is now up or sale on Amazon.
Do you think government-imposed coronavirus lockdowns were an overreaction? Yes No
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The 22-page book is the first of a series in which Berenson will apparently document the facts about government’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Former New York Times reporter and prominent lockdown critic Alex Berenson provides a counterweight to media hysteria about coronavirus in this series of short booklets answering crucial questions about COVID,” the book’s Amazon product description reads.
“Whether you have been skeptical of the media’s panicked reporting all along or are just starting to wonder why the predictions of doom from March and April have not come to pass, the Essential Guide will provide you with the factual, accurate, and impeccably sourced information you need,” it adds.
Amazon, meanwhile, told Fox News the book was removed in “error,” though Berenson wasn’t necessarily buying it.
“They didn’t say to me that it was a mistake,” he told Fox.
“I do believe that I’m not the only person who has run into this. They need to be clear what their position is on publishing controversial material on political issues.”
“It doesn’t seem to me that this was an error, but I don’t know.”
The author told Breitbart News he was surprised to see the world’s largest seller of books initially censor his work, as the book is well sourced and he is an established author and journalist.
“I briefly considered censorship but assumed I wouldn’t have a problem both because of my background, because anyone who reads the booklet will realize it is impeccably sourced, nary a conspiracy theory to be found, and frankly because Amazon shouldn’t be censoring anything that doesn’t explicitly help people commit criminal behavior,” Berenson said.
Bezos has seen his net worth increase by tens of billions of dollars in 2020, despite widespread lockdowns due to the coronavirus.
Business Insider reported May 28 that Bezos has added $31.3 billion to his net worth since the beginning of the year, and is currently worth $146.2 billion.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Chris Cuomo Proves He Has No Idea What the Constitution Says During Humiliating Live Segment

Chris Cuomo must have skipped class the day his professor covered the First Amendment to the United States Constitution , but CNN hired him anyway .
Cuomo , the host of CNN ’ s “ Cuomo Prime Time , ” suggested protesters don ’ t have to be “ peaceful ” on his show Tuesday night .
“ Now too many see the protests as the problem .
No , the problem is what forced your fellow citizens to take to the streets : persistent , poisonous inequities and injustice , ” he said .
“ And please , show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be polite and peaceful .
Because I can show you that outraged citizens are what made the country what she is and led to any major milestone .
To be honest , this is not a tranquil time.
” For most Americans , the First Amendment is clear when it comes to protesting .
Here ’ s what it says , Mr. Cuomo : “ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion , or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ; or abridging the freedom of speech , or of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people peaceably to assemble , and to petition the government for a redress of grievances .
“ Sure , it can be conceded that protests don ’ t “ have to be polite , ” but this man holds degrees from Yale University and Fordham University and doesn ’ t know what the constitution says about protesting peacefully ?
What ’ s more alarming is that he is the host of a prime-time show and is paid to give his political commentary to the masses .
He should know the law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to .
Cuomo has been receiving backlash , all justified , for not knowing the basic foundation of our rights as United States citizens .
RELATED : Watch : CNN 's Cuomo Fails To Question Brother on Nursing Home Deaths , Plays with Giant Swabs Instead Donald Trump , Jr. could not hold his feelings back .
Cuomo ’ s uneducated opinion came the same day St. Louis retired police Captain David Dorn was killed by what Trump Jr. described as “ cold blood by looters ” during violent unrest .
Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spouting off seemingly in support of violence throws fuel on an already out-of-control inferno .
Protests , demonstrations and riots have erupted all over the nation after George Floyd , a black man , died after a former Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25 .
There have been many peaceful protests , but violent mayhem across America has dominated the media as businesses have been looted , cities have been set ablaze and innocent people have been killed .
Many citizens are exercising their rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and expressing their outrage in a lawful way .
Then there are those who are breaking the laws established by our Founding Fathers and putting the lives of countless others in jeopardy .
Clearly Cuomo can not distinguish between the two .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Chris Cuomo must have skipped class the day his professor covered the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, but CNN hired him anyway.
Cuomo, the host of CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time,” suggested protesters don’t have to be “peaceful” on his show Tuesday night.
“Now too many see the protests as the problem. No, the problem is what forced your fellow citizens to take to the streets: persistent, poisonous inequities and injustice,” he said.
“And please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because I can show you that outraged citizens are what made the country what she is and led to any major milestone. To be honest, this is not a tranquil time.”
For most Americans, the First Amendment is clear when it comes to protesting.
Here’s what it says, Mr. Cuomo:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. “
Sure, it can be conceded that protests don’t “have to be polite,” but this man holds degrees from Yale University and Fordham University and doesn’t know what the constitution says about protesting peacefully?
What’s more alarming is that he is the host of a prime-time show and is paid to give his political commentary to the masses. He should know the law, and it’s dangerous for him not to.
Cuomo has been receiving backlash, all justified, for not knowing the basic foundation of our rights as United States citizens.
CNN’s Chris Cuomo: “Please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful.” As riots and looting have broken out in cities across the country, this is the message the brother of New York governor Andrew Cuomo shares at the top of his show. pic.twitter.com/ZZ47zpyVlx — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 3, 2020
Yeah it’s not like the First Amendment specifies our rights as “peaceably to assemble”. https://t.co/GLqbyGZIpz — Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) June 3, 2020
Protests absolutely don’t have to be polite, but the law says they must be peaceful. https://t.co/krIHYMsoB0 — JERRY DUNLEAVY (@JerryDunleavy) June 3, 2020
Donald Trump, Jr. could not hold his feelings back.
Here’s @CNN’s @ChrisCuomo carrying water for violent criminals burning down communities and saying that he doesn’t think protests are supposed to be “peaceful.” Imagine saying that less than a day since Captain David Dorn was killed in cold blood by looters? Truly disgusting. https://t.co/LS34pNZVVV — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 3, 2020
Cuomo’s uneducated opinion came the same day St. Louis retired police Captain David Dorn was killed by what Trump Jr. described as “cold blood by looters” during violent unrest.
Cuomo’s obvious lack of knowledge and spouting off seemingly in support of violence throws fuel on an already out-of-control inferno.
Protests, demonstrations and riots have erupted all over the nation after George Floyd, a black man, died after a former Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25.
Can Chris Cuomo be trusted to be fair? Yes No
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There have been many peaceful protests, but violent mayhem across America has dominated the media as businesses have been looted, cities have been set ablaze and innocent people have been killed.
Many citizens are exercising their rights guaranteed to them in the First Amendment and expressing their outrage in a lawful way.
Then there are those who are breaking the laws established by our Founding Fathers and putting the lives of countless others in jeopardy.
Clearly Cuomo cannot distinguish between the two.
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westernjournal--2020-06-05--Google: Chinese and Iranian Hackers Targeted Campaigns of Biden and Trump

Google warned that foreign hackers targeted the campaigns of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden during recent phishing attacks .
Reuters reported that cyberattacks targeting Trump staffers originated in Iran , while similar attacks against the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee were traced to China .
Both of the attempted hackings were state-sponsored , according to Shane Huntley , the head of Google ’ s Threat Analysis Group .
“ Recently TAG saw China APT group targeting Biden campaign staff & Iran APT targeting Trump campaign staff with phishing , ” Huntley reported on Twitter .
“ No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our govt attack warning and we referred to fed law enforcement , ” he said .
Huntley also shared a company blog post about email security that offers advice on how to avoid “ government-backed phishing.
” “ One of the main threats to all email users ( whatever service you use ) is phishing , attempts to trick you into providing a password that an attacker can use to sign into your account , ” the blog post noted .
“ Beyond phishing for the purposes of fraud , a small minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world are still targeted by sophisticated government-backed attackers , ” Google said .
Reuters reported that the most recent attempt at hacking Trump ’ s campaign is not the first to originate in Iran .
Microsoft warned that a hacker group known as “ Charming Kitten ” targeted the president ’ s campaign in 2019 .
Reuters reported that the same group has been identified by Google as the one behind the recent attempt to compromise Trump staffers .
A Biden campaign staffer commented on the attempted Chinese-sponsored attack , telling Reuters the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event .
RELATED : First Four Facts You Need To Know About Stacey Abrams “ We are aware of reports from Google that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the personal email accounts of campaign staff , ” the Biden campaign staffer said .
“ We have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks and we are prepared for them , ” the staffer added .
Reuters reported that Russian hackers targeted companies associated with Burisma Holdings — where Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member — earlier this year .
The wire service noted that the Trump campaign declined to comment on the matter , as did the FBI , Chinese diplomats in Washington and Iranian diplomats at the United Nations in New York .
Google is taking a proactive approach to issuing alerts about electronic espionage during the 2020 campaign after the subject became a heated topic in 2016 , when Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign emails were obtained and released by Wikileaks .
Huntley warned on Twitter that people working on political campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks .
“ If you are working on a campaign this election cycle , your personal accounts may be targeted .
Use the best protection you can , ” Huntley wrote .
“ Two factor authentication or Advanced Protection really can make a difference , ” the Google security head added .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Google warned that foreign hackers targeted the campaigns of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden during recent phishing attacks.
Reuters reported that cyberattacks targeting Trump staffers originated in Iran, while similar attacks against the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee were traced to China.
Both of the attempted hackings were state-sponsored, according to Shane Huntley, the head of Google’s Threat Analysis Group.
“Recently TAG saw China APT group targeting Biden campaign staff & Iran APT targeting Trump campaign staff with phishing,” Huntley reported on Twitter.
“No sign of compromise. We sent users our govt attack warning and we referred to fed law enforcement,” he said.
Recently TAG saw China APT group targeting Biden campaign staff & Iran APT targeting Trump campaign staff with phishing. No sign of compromise. We sent users our govt attack warning and we referred to fed law enforcement. https://t.co/ozlRL4SwhG — Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) June 4, 2020
Huntley also shared a company blog post about email security that offers advice on how to avoid “government-backed phishing.”
“One of the main threats to all email users (whatever service you use) is phishing, attempts to trick you into providing a password that an attacker can use to sign into your account,” the blog post noted.
Do you think foreign entities are capable of affecting the outcome of an American election? 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: 59% (88 Votes) No: 41% (62 Votes)
“Beyond phishing for the purposes of fraud, a small minority of users in all corners of the world are still targeted by sophisticated government-backed attackers,” Google said.
Reuters reported that the most recent attempt at hacking Trump’s campaign is not the first to originate in Iran.
Microsoft warned that a hacker group known as “Charming Kitten” targeted the president’s campaign in 2019.
Reuters reported that the same group has been identified by Google as the one behind the recent attempt to compromise Trump staffers.
A Biden campaign staffer commented on the attempted Chinese-sponsored attack, telling Reuters the campaign has been prepared for such an event.
“We are aware of reports from Google that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the personal email accounts of campaign staff,” the Biden campaign staffer said.
“We have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks and we are prepared for them,” the staffer added.
Reuters reported that Russian hackers targeted companies associated with Burisma Holdings — where Biden’s son Hunter was a highly paid board member — earlier this year.
The wire service noted that the Trump campaign declined to comment on the matter, as did the FBI, Chinese diplomats in Washington and Iranian diplomats at the United Nations in New York.
Google is taking a proactive approach to issuing alerts about electronic espionage during the 2020 campaign after the subject became a heated topic in 2016, when Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign emails were obtained and released by Wikileaks.
Huntley warned on Twitter that people working on political campaigns should expect to become targets of online attacks.
“If you are working on a campaign this election cycle, your personal accounts may be targeted. Use the best protection you can,” Huntley wrote.
If you are working on a campaign this election cycle, your personal accounts may be targeted. Use the best protection you can. Two factor authentication or Advanced Protection really can make a difference. https://t.co/Y8shDx9eWu — Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) June 4, 2020
“Two factor authentication or Advanced Protection really can make a difference,” the Google security head added.
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