westernjournal--2020-06-09--Bernie Sanders Rejects Left’s Call To Defund Police, Proposes the Opposite

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rejected the calls from progressive Democrats and protesters across the country to abolish police departments .
“ Do I think we should not have police departments in America ?
No , I don ’ t .
There ’ s no city in the world that does not have police departments , ” he told The New Yorker .
“ I called for police departments that have well-educated , well-trained , well-paid professionals.
” Sanders said that many police officers around the country don ’ t have much education or training and that they “ take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to change that , ” he said .
“ I also called for the transformation of police departments into — understanding that many police departments and cops deal every day with issues of mental illness , deal with issues of addictions , and all kinds of issues which should be dealt with by mental-health professionals or others , and not just by police officers.
” Sanders added that police officers should be given more support to do the jobs they ’ ve been asked to do .
“ Anyone who thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America , I don ’ t agree , ” he said .
Sanders ended his 2020 presidential campaign on April 8 and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden .
The two are working together on six different task forces to try to bridge the gap between Sanders ’ supporters and Biden ’ s .
On Monday , Biden said he also does not support the calls from the far left and Black Lives Matter to “ defund the police.
” “ No , I don ’ t support defunding the police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I support conditioning federal aid to police , based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness .
And , in fact , are able to demonstrate they can protect the community and everybody in the community.
” The movement to defund the police arose out of protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd , who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest .
RELATED : Pandemic Did Nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Care , Poll Finds Biden ’ s campaign blamed President Donald Trump for some of the issues in police departments across the country and pointed to what it said are reforms Biden has been advocating for , including more funding for training , more diverse police forces and providing body cameras for police officers .
“ There are many police departments across the country who are seeking to realize these kinds of changes , but haven ’ t had the resources to — and the Trump administration has in fact made obtaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told CNN .
“ This is at the core of Joe Biden ’ s plan to bring transformative change to our criminal justice system.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rejected the calls from progressive Democrats and protesters across the country to abolish police departments.
“Do I think we should not have police departments in America? No, I don’t. There’s no city in the world that does not have police departments,” he told The New Yorker.
“I called for police departments that have well-educated, well-trained, well-paid professionals.”
Sanders said that many police officers around the country don’t have much education or training and that they “take the job at very low payment.”
“I want to change that,” he said.
“I also called for the transformation of police departments into — understanding that many police departments and cops deal every day with issues of mental illness, deal with issues of addictions, and all kinds of issues which should be dealt with by mental-health professionals or others, and not just by police officers.”
Sanders added that police officers should be given more support to do the jobs they’ve been asked to do.
“Anyone who thinks that we should abolish all police departments in America, I don’t agree,” he said.
Sanders ended his 2020 presidential campaign on April 8 and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden.
Do you agree with Sanders that police officers should be paid more? 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% (1157 Votes) No: 3% (38 Votes)
The two are working together on six different task forces to try to bridge the gap between Sanders’ supporters and Biden’s.
On Monday, Biden said he also does not support the calls from the far left and Black Lives Matter to “defund the police.”
“No, I don’t support defunding the police,” he told CBS News this week.
“I support conditioning federal aid to police, based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness. And, in fact, are able to demonstrate they can protect the community and everybody in the community.”
The movement to defund the police arose out of protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest.
Biden’s campaign blamed President Donald Trump for some of the issues in police departments across the country and pointed to what it said are reforms Biden has been advocating for, including more funding for training, more diverse police forces and providing body cameras for police officers.
“There are many police departments across the country who are seeking to realize these kinds of changes, but haven’t had the resources to — and the Trump administration has in fact made obtaining those resources more difficult,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told CNN.
“This is at the core of Joe Biden’s plan to bring transformative change to our criminal justice system.”
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Bradley Cooper's latest role has not gone down well with everyone, particularly with regard to his use of a prosthetic nose.


westernjournal--2020-06-09--Watch: Black Cop Blasts BLM and LA City Councilwoman Over Police Budget Cut Plan

While all Americans can agree that the death of George Floyd was tragic and that police officers who abuse their power should face consequences for their actions , some on the far left have embraced the idea of throwing the baby out with the bathwater by “ defunding the police.
” In Los Angeles , America ’ s second-largest city , Mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed cutting up to $ 150 million from the police department ’ s $ 1.8 billion budget .
This proposal did not sit well with Sgt .
Jerretta Sandoz , vice president of the Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an African-American , blasted LA City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez on Friday for threatening to cut the police budget and furloughing city officials while “ finding the money to give $ 250 million to Black Lives Matter.
” Sandoz , surrounded by officers from the Valley Bureau , received a round of applause from her fellow men and women in blue as she slammed Rodriguez .
“ You bow down to Black Lives Matter , ” she said .
“ These police officers that are out here protecting this city , they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If it wasn ’ t for them , this city would be burnt down right now.
” After explaining that Black Lives Matter protesters had thrown bottles at police officers , “ cracking their skulls , ” Sandoz expressed dismay that “ you guys are listening to them ” while forgetting about the “ citizens that are law-abiding.
” According to Sandoz , all those citizens want “ is these officers to protect them.
” Sandoz definitely has a point .
It is law-abiding citizens , especially those in minority communities , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police , ” either in full or in part .
Unfortunately , the situation in Los Angeles is not unique .
In Minneapolis , where George Floyd died while in police custody , City Council President Lisa Bender has enthusiastically spoken out in favor of defunding her city ’ s police force .
When asked by CNN ’ s Alisyn Camerota who she would have to call if , “ in the middle of the night , my home is broken into , ” Bender gave an extremely pathetic and ignorant response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hear that loud and clear from a lot of my neighbors .
And I know — and myself , too , and I know that that comes from a place of privilege .
Because for those of us for whom the system is working , I think we need to step back and imagine what it would feel like to already live in that reality where calling the police may mean more harm is done.
” It is clear that Bender did not think about the consequences of defunding the police at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight of her 13 colleagues who say they share her desire to “ dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department.
” According to the left , all police officers are bad and racist and only people of “ privilege ” would ever need police protection .
Fortunately , most Americans disagree with that point of view .
According to a recent YouGov poll , just 16 percent of Americans support defunding the police .
The Black Lives Matter narrative about the police in America is wrong and misguided .
In Los Angeles , racial minorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2013 .
In other words , the idea of police as a white supremacist organization committed to terrorizing African-Americans does not hold up under scrutiny .
Do not expect the facts to get in the way of the far-left agenda to defund the police in America , which will move full steam ahead regardless of the negative externalities that will ensue for the “ law-abiding ” citizens that Sgt .
Jerretta Sandoz talked about .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

While all Americans can agree that the death of George Floyd was tragic and that police officers who abuse their power should face consequences for their actions, some on the far left have embraced the idea of throwing the baby out with the bathwater by “defunding the police.”
In Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city, Mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed cutting up to $150 million from the police department’s $1.8 billion budget.
This proposal did not sit well with Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz, vice president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
Sandoz, an African-American, blasted LA City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez on Friday for threatening to cut the police budget and furloughing city officials while “finding the money to give $250 million to Black Lives Matter.”
Video posted of LAPD officers outraged over proposed cuts following protests addressing LA City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. “Now you’re cutting from their families and they put everything on the line? We are going to fight… At the ballot box.” @CBSLA @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/9YXcMCd3Hd — JASMINE VIEL (@jasmineviel) June 5, 2020
Sandoz, surrounded by officers from the Valley Bureau, received a round of applause from her fellow men and women in blue as she slammed Rodriguez.
“You bow down to Black Lives Matter,” she said. “These police officers that are out here protecting this city, they’re protecting it from being on fire. If it wasn’t for them, this city would be burnt down right now.”
After explaining that Black Lives Matter protesters had thrown bottles at police officers, “cracking their skulls,” Sandoz expressed dismay that “you guys are listening to them” while forgetting about the “citizens that are law-abiding.”
Do you think cities that defund the police should lose federal funding? 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% (1848 Votes) No: 3% (55 Votes)
According to Sandoz, all those citizens want “is these officers to protect them.”
Sandoz definitely has a point. It is law-abiding citizens, especially those in minority communities, who will suffer the most from “defunding the police,” either in full or in part.
Unfortunately, the situation in Los Angeles is not unique.
In Minneapolis, where George Floyd died while in police custody, City Council President Lisa Bender has enthusiastically spoken out in favor of defunding her city’s police force.
Yes. We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety. https://t.co/FCfjoPy64k — Lisa Bender (@lisabendermpls) June 4, 2020
When asked by CNN’s Alisyn Camerota who she would have to call if, “in the middle of the night, my home is broken into,” Bender gave an extremely pathetic and ignorant response:
“Yes, I mean, I hear that loud and clear from a lot of my neighbors. And I know — and myself, too, and I know that that comes from a place of privilege. Because for those of us for whom the system is working, I think we need to step back and imagine what it would feel like to already live in that reality where calling the police may mean more harm is done.”
It is clear that Bender did not think about the consequences of defunding the police at all. Then again, neither did eight of her 13 colleagues who say they share her desire to “dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department.”
According to the left, all police officers are bad and racist and only people of “privilege” would ever need police protection.
Fortunately, most Americans disagree with that point of view. According to a recent YouGov poll, just 16 percent of Americans support defunding the police.
The Black Lives Matter narrative about the police in America is wrong and misguided. In Los Angeles, racial minorities comprised 64.6 percent of the force in 2013.
In other words, the idea of police as a white supremacist organization committed to terrorizing African-Americans does not hold up under scrutiny.
Do not expect the facts to get in the way of the far-left agenda to defund the police in America, which will move full steam ahead regardless of the negative externalities that will ensue for the “law-abiding” citizens that Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz talked about.
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westernjournal--2020-06-09--The Saga Continues: Twitter Censors GOP Candidate Twice in One Week

Twitter said it mistakenly censored a tweet from House Republican candidate Rich McCormick on Tuesday , the day of the Georgia primary election , less than a week after the social media platform disabled another video of the military veteran .
A video McCormick tweeted Tuesday showing him on the campaign trail was flagged with a warning for “ potentially sensitive content.
” “ It ’ s going to be a great day !
Primary vote today in Georgia and Trump Rallies are coming back !
I feel very blessed to be an American and have the right to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday morning .
McCormick , a physician and one of seven Republican candidates for Georgia ’ s 7th Congressional District , tweeted a photo of the censored video shortly thereafter along with a comment criticizing Twitter for “ censoring my campaign.
” He frequently posts tweets praising President Donald Trump and other Republicans who are running for office across the country .
A Twitter spokesman told the Daily Caller News Foundation that McCormick ’ s Tuesday video was censored in error .
The spokesman offered an identical explanation on June 4 after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of himself doing pushups with his sons .
McCormick ’ s campaign offered a potential reason why Twitter flagged the video , which doesn ’ t appear to violate any of the company ’ s content policies .
One of McCormick ’ s opponents is possibly “ reporting the videos as sensitive and Twitter has no internal controls over that , ” campaign spokesman John Simpson told the DCNF without providing evidence .
Simpson added : “ Still doesn ’ t absolve Twitter .
If they are that itchy with the censorship trigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Other conservatives have criticized Twitter ’ s moderators for targeting them for political reasons .
The social media giant immediately took action against Trump ’ s May 29 tweet that suggested the “ THUGS ” rioting in Minneapolis are “ dishonoring the memory of George Floyd ” and said that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts.
” Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after an officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes .
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Twitter said it mistakenly censored a tweet from House Republican candidate Rich McCormick on Tuesday, the day of the Georgia primary election, less than a week after the social media platform disabled another video of the military veteran.
A video McCormick tweeted Tuesday showing him on the campaign trail was flagged with a warning for “potentially sensitive content.”
It’s going to be a great day! Primary vote today in Georgia and Trump Rallies are coming back! I feel very blessed to be an American and have the right to vote! #Trump #MAGA2020 #KAG2020TRUMPVICTORY #GA07 #Gapol #TuesdayThoughts #KAG2020 #MAGA #Blessed pic.twitter.com/O0QISJR8WO — Dr. Rich McCormick for Congress (@RichforGA) June 9, 2020
“It’s going to be a great day! Primary vote today in Georgia and Trump Rallies are coming back! I feel very blessed to be an American and have the right to vote!” McCormick told his Twitter followers on Tuesday morning.
The tweet included a series of pro-Trump hashtags.
McCormick, a physician and one of seven Republican candidates for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, tweeted a photo of the censored video shortly thereafter along with a comment criticizing Twitter for “censoring my campaign.”
Hey @jack why are you censoring my campaign on Election Day? @realdonaldtrump is right we need to eliminate your Sec 230 immunity #Censorship #Trump #GA07 #Gapol pic.twitter.com/vzswzsEqEj — Dr. Rich McCormick for Congress (@RichforGA) June 9, 2020
He frequently posts tweets praising President Donald Trump and other Republicans who are running for office across the country.
Do you believe Twitter was intentionally silencing McCormick? 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% (64 Votes) No: 0% (0 Votes)
A Twitter spokesman told the Daily Caller News Foundation that McCormick’s Tuesday video was censored in error.
The spokesman offered an identical explanation on June 4 after the company disabled another video McCormick tweeted of himself doing pushups with his sons.
McCormick’s campaign offered a potential reason why Twitter flagged the video, which doesn’t appear to violate any of the company’s content policies. One of McCormick’s opponents is possibly “reporting the videos as sensitive and Twitter has no internal controls over that,” campaign spokesman John Simpson told the DCNF without providing evidence.
Simpson added: “Still doesn’t absolve Twitter. If they are that itchy with the censorship trigger finger it’s a real problem.”
Other conservatives have criticized Twitter’s moderators for targeting them for political reasons.
The social media giant immediately took action against Trump’s May 29 tweet that suggested the “THUGS” rioting in Minneapolis are “dishonoring the memory of George Floyd” and said that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after an officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes.
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
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--2020-06-09--Trump Cracks Down on the ‘Defund the Police’ Movement

President Donald Trump declared he would not be “ defunding ” law enforcement agencies as the movement to “ defund the police ” gains support from activists across the country and Democrats in Congress .
“ There won ’ t be defunding .
There won ’ t be dismantling of our police and there ’ s not going to be any disbanding of our police , ” Trump said during a roundtable meeting with law enforcement officers Monday .
“ Our police have been letting us live in peace .
We want to make sure we don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that “ 99 percent ” are “ great , great people.
” “ The president is appalled by the defund the police movement , ” McEnany told reporters Monday .
She pointed to Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as two of the many Democrats supporting the movement .
“ This is extraordinary .
This is rolling back the protective layers that protect Americans in their homes and in their places of business , ” McEnany said .
It ’ s unclear how exactly the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from being defunded if state and local governments decide to pursue such a policy .
Black Lives Matter activists and protesters have been circulating a petition to # DefundThePolice following the death of George Floyd , who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest .
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was introduced Monday by a multitude of Democratic members of Congress , including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey , BBC News reported .
“ America has a serious and deadly problem when it comes to the discriminatory and excessive policing of communities of color — and that policing exists within a system that time and again refuses to hold police accountable for their brutality , ” Booker said in a statement .
The bill says it will hold police accountable and change the culture of law enforcement by prohibiting federal , state and local law enforcement from “ racial , religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a summary on the House Judiciary Committee website .
RELATED : Trump Planning To Hold Campaign Rallies Soon for First Time Since Early March At the federal level , officers would be required to use dashboard cameras and body cameras , and no-knock warrants would be banned .
“ For every incident of excessive force that makes headlines , the ugly truth is that there are countless others that we never hear about .
This is a systemic problem that requires a comprehensive solution , ” House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformative legislation will finally ban chokeholds at the federal level and incentivize states to do the same , it will help end racial profiling , get weapons of war off our streets , hold police accountable , increase transparency and require and encourage greater use of body cameras.
” The bill aims to make it easier to hold police officers liable for civil rights violations , and would withhold federal funds from law enforcement agencies that do not make certain changes .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump declared he would not be “defunding” law enforcement agencies as the movement to “defund the police” gains support from activists across the country and Democrats in Congress.
“There won’t be defunding. There won’t be dismantling of our police and there’s not going to be any disbanding of our police,” Trump said during a roundtable meeting with law enforcement officers Monday.
“Our police have been letting us live in peace. We want to make sure we don’t have any bad actors in there.”
He added that “99 percent” are “great, great people.”
VIDEO: “We won’t be defunding our police. We won’t be dismantling our police,” says US President Donald Trump at a meeting with law enforcement officials in the White House. There have been calls for police reform in the United States after the death of George Floyd pic.twitter.com/MyU4DBCD1O — AFP news agency (@AFP) June 9, 2020
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany echoed the president’s remarks in a media briefing.
“The president is appalled by the defund the police movement,” McEnany told reporters Monday.
She pointed to Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as two of the many Democrats supporting the movement.
“This is extraordinary. This is rolling back the protective layers that protect Americans in their homes and in their places of business,” McEnany said.
It’s unclear how exactly the Trump administration would aim to stop local police departments from being defunded if state and local governments decide to pursue such a policy.
Black Lives Matter activists and protesters have been circulating a petition to #DefundThePolice following the death of George Floyd, who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest.
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was introduced Monday by a multitude of Democratic members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, BBC News reported.
“America has a serious and deadly problem when it comes to the discriminatory and excessive policing of communities of color — and that policing exists within a system that time and again refuses to hold police accountable for their brutality,” Booker said in a statement.
The bill says it will hold police accountable and change the culture of law enforcement by prohibiting federal, state and local law enforcement from “racial, religious and discriminatory profiling,” according to a summary on the House Judiciary Committee website.
Do you think the Democrats' proposed bill is a good idea? 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% (64 Votes) No: 98% (3523 Votes)
At the federal level, officers would be required to use dashboard cameras and body cameras, and no-knock warrants would be banned.
“For every incident of excessive force that makes headlines, the ugly truth is that there are countless others that we never hear about. This is a systemic problem that requires a comprehensive solution,” House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said in a statement.
“This bold, transformative legislation will finally ban chokeholds at the federal level and incentivize states to do the same, it will help end racial profiling, get weapons of war off our streets, hold police accountable, increase transparency and require and encourage greater use of body cameras.”
The bill aims to make it easier to hold police officers liable for civil rights violations, and would withhold federal funds from law enforcement agencies that do not make certain changes.
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westernjournal--2020-06-09--Jussie Smollett Seeks to Capitalize on Nationwide Police Protests in Latest Legal Argument

Embattled former TV actor Jussie Smollett is now using the ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd as he continues his fight against the city of Chicago .
Smollett , who is gay and black , was charged earlier this year with multiple felony counts stemming from an alleged hate crime attack hoax he staged against himself , according to Chicago police .
The new charges were filed in February after similar charges were dropped last year .
In his defense , the actor is now linking the Floyd protests to his case by invoking a nationwide conversation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News reported that the actor filed a motion on Friday demanding documents containing information about the 2019 firing of former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson , who was involved in the investigation into Smollett ’ s alleged hoax and was highly critical of him publicly .
“ As we see millions across the country rise up to protest and expose police misconduct , the city , by its refusal to produce the requested documents , is choosing to actively resist a citizen ’ s lawful efforts to reveal dishonesty , directly relating to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department , including the police superintendent who oversaw and publicly commented on the investigation of Mr. Smollett ’ s report of a vicious hate crime and assault , ” the motion , which was obtained by Fox , read .
“ Indeed , the city ’ s opposition to the motion to compel puts the cart before the horse and largely fails to appreciate that this case remains in the discovery phase .
“ Allegations are not proven facts , but the city improperly assumes that it has already proven that Mr. Smollett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the Smollett filing went on .
Johnson , who himself is black , was publicly angry after Smollet claimed in 2019 that he was assaulted , draped with a noose and berated with racist and homophonic slurs by supporters of President Donald Trump .
“ I know the racial divide that exists here .
I know how hard it ’ s been for our city and our nation to come together .
And I also know the disparities and I know the history , ” Johnson said of the former “ Empire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press .
Johnson added that Smollett “ took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.
” “ Why would anyone , especially an African-American man , use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations ?
” Johnson said .
“ How could someone look at the hatred and suffering associated with that symbol and see an opportunity to manipulate that symbol to further his own public profile ?
How can an individual who ’ s been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by making these false claims ?
” The AP reported that Smollett is facing six felony counts of disorderly conduct after he allegedly knowingly misled police to investigate charges which he knew were false .
According to Fox News , Smollett is also being asked to reimburse the Chicago Police Department for $ 130,000 over the investigation of the alleged hoax attack .
Johnson , who served as the Chicago Police Superintendent for three years , was fired by newly elected mayor Lori Lightfoot in December .
Commenting on Johnson ’ s termination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethical lapses , ” after Johnson reportedly fell asleep in his patrol car .
Johnson had been with the department since 1988 and was fired two weeks before his retirement , NBC News reported .
Chicago ’ s former top cop contended that Smollett hired two African brothers to assault him so that the actor could blame the attack on white Trump supporters and advance his career goals .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Embattled former TV actor Jussie Smollett is now using the ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd as he continues his fight against the city of Chicago.
Smollett, who is gay and black, was charged earlier this year with multiple felony counts stemming from an alleged hate crime attack hoax he staged against himself, according to Chicago police.
The new charges were filed in February after similar charges were dropped last year.
In his defense, the actor is now linking the Floyd protests to his case by invoking a nationwide conversation about racial disparities and police misconduct.
Fox News reported that the actor filed a motion on Friday demanding documents containing information about the 2019 firing of former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who was involved in the investigation into Smollett’s alleged hoax and was highly critical of him publicly.
“As we see millions across the country rise up to protest and expose police misconduct, the city, by its refusal to produce the requested documents, is choosing to actively resist a citizen’s lawful efforts to reveal dishonesty, directly relating to the charges against him, throughout the department, including the police superintendent who oversaw and publicly commented on the investigation of Mr. Smollett’s report of a vicious hate crime and assault,” the motion, which was obtained by Fox, read.
“Indeed, the city’s opposition to the motion to compel puts the cart before the horse and largely fails to appreciate that this case remains in the discovery phase.
“Allegations are not proven facts, but the city improperly assumes that it has already proven that Mr. Smollett made false statements to the CPD,” the Smollett filing went on.
Johnson, who himself is black, was publicly angry after Smollet claimed in 2019 that he was assaulted, draped with a noose and berated with racist and homophonic slurs by supporters of President Donald Trump.
Do you think Smollett is attempting to use the nationwide protests for his own selfish ends? 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% (525 Votes) No: 0% (0 Votes)
“I know the racial divide that exists here. I know how hard it’s been for our city and our nation to come together. And I also know the disparities and I know the history,” Johnson said of the former “Empire” star, according to The Associated Press.
Johnson added that Smollett “took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”
“Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations?” Johnson said. “How could someone look at the hatred and suffering associated with that symbol and see an opportunity to manipulate that symbol to further his own public profile? How can an individual who’s been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in this city in the face by making these false claims?”
The AP reported that Smollett is facing six felony counts of disorderly conduct after he allegedly knowingly misled police to investigate charges which he knew were false.
According to Fox News, Smollett is also being asked to reimburse the Chicago Police Department for $130,000 over the investigation of the alleged hoax attack.
The investigation ultimately cost taxpayers almost $500,000.
Johnson, who served as the Chicago Police Superintendent for three years, was fired by newly elected mayor Lori Lightfoot in December.
Commenting on Johnson’s termination, Lightfoot cited “a series of ethical lapses,” after Johnson reportedly fell asleep in his patrol car.
Johnson had been with the department since 1988 and was fired two weeks before his retirement, NBC News reported.
Chicago’s former top cop contended that Smollett hired two African brothers to assault him so that the actor could blame the attack on white Trump supporters and advance his career goals.
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westernjournal--2020-06-09--Army Reverses Course on Bases Named After Confederate Leaders

High-ranking officials at the Pentagon are now warm to a discussion about renaming U.S. military bases and installations which are named after confederate military fighters .
Amid the nation ’ s civil unrest following the death of George Floyd , a black man who died while in the custody of police in Minneapolis in May , demands to remove or rename monuments , symbols and places which honor Confederate leaders from the American Civil War have grown louder .
According to multiple reports , conversations are being held among the military ’ s top officials about what to do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighters .
An anonymous senior official in the U.S. Army told Fox News that the country ’ s military leadership is closely monitoring national sentiment against honoring Confederate military commanders and might adopt a new policy after years of avoiding the topic .
“ We must recognize history is important , but we must come together and have some sort of open discussion about race , ” the official explained .
“ This week highlighted the need to start understanding those feelings and the Army secretary is open to considering changing the names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Politico also cited an anonymous Army official who said that recent events “ made us start looking more at ourselves and the things that we do and how that is communicated to the force as well as the American public.
” According to Politico , Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy are also both in support of a bipartisan discussion on the matter .
In a statement , the Army confirmed to CNN on Monday that Esper and McCarthy are open to discussion , but added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a soldier who holds a significant place in our military history ” and “ the historic names represent individuals , not causes.
” Secretary McCarthy was among other U.S. Army leaders to comment on the country ’ s civil unrest in a letter last week to soldiers , veterans , their families and civilians .
“ Over the past week , the country has suffered an explosion of frustration over the racial divisions that still plague us as Americans .
And because your Army is a reflection of American society , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the letter stated .
The letter also asked service members to have discussions with one another on the topic of racial division .
The Commandant of the Marine Corps , Gen. David H. Berger , tweeted last week that his branch is also monitoring the national discussion .
RELATED : Like Trump , Ulysses S. Grant Beat the 'Elites ' To Win America 's Favor - It Just Took a Bit Longer “ Current events are a stark reminder that we must strive to eliminate division .
The trust we place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demands this .
By listening , we learn , by learning , we change , ” Berger tweeted .
In a Marine Corps blog post , the general said he decided to remove Confederate battle flags from bases in April , but explained that the move was not enough to mend an apparent racial divide among Marines .
“ Marines and Sailors , last summer , in my planning guidance , I stated there is no place in our Corps for racists – whether their intolerance and prejudice be direct or indirect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuation of that declaration , in April , I addressed the removal of the Confederate battle flag from our bases , and explained my views behind that decision .
I wrote , ‘ Anything that divides us , anything that threatens team cohesion , must be addressed head-on , ’ ” he wrote .
“ Current events are a stark reminder that it is not enough for us to remove symbols that cause division – rather , we also must strive to eliminate division itself , ” the general added .
Berger concluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other in conversation and to “ actively listen.
” There are currently 10 U.S. military facilities named after Confederate leaders : Fort Rucker in Alabama ; Forts Benning and Gordon in Georgia ; Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard in Louisiana ; Fort Bragg in North Carolina ; Fort Hood in Texas ; and Forts Pickett , A.P .
Hill , and Lee in Virginia .
The military has previously avoided the topic of renaming the installations .
Business Insider reported that in 2015 , Brig .
Gen. Malcolm Frost stated that bases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s history , and were not an endorsement of their ideology .
“ Every Army installation is named for a soldier who holds a place in our military history , ” Frost said at the time in a statement echoed this week by the Army .
“ Accordingly , these historic names represent individuals , not causes or ideologies.
” Frost added that the bases were also named in the spirit of “ reconciliation , not division.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
@ @ @ @ @

High-ranking officials at the Pentagon are now warm to a discussion about renaming U.S. military bases and installations which are named after confederate military fighters.
Amid the nation’s civil unrest following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in the custody of police in Minneapolis in May, demands to remove or rename monuments, symbols and places which honor Confederate leaders from the American Civil War have grown louder.
According to multiple reports, conversations are being held among the military’s top officials about what to do with bases that bear the name of Confederate fighters.
An anonymous senior official in the U.S. Army told Fox News that the country’s military leadership is closely monitoring national sentiment against honoring Confederate military commanders and might adopt a new policy after years of avoiding the topic.
“We must recognize history is important, but we must come together and have some sort of open discussion about race,” the official explained.
“This week highlighted the need to start understanding those feelings and the Army secretary is open to considering changing the names of these bases named for Confederate generals.”
Politico also cited an anonymous Army official who said that recent events “made us start looking more at ourselves and the things that we do and how that is communicated to the force as well as the American public.”
According to Politico, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy are also both in support of a bipartisan discussion on the matter.
In a statement, the Army confirmed to CNN on Monday that Esper and McCarthy are open to discussion, but added that “each Army installation is named for a soldier who holds a significant place in our military history” and “the historic names represent individuals, not causes.”
Do you think the military should rename bases named after Confederate leaders? Yes No
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Secretary McCarthy was among other U.S. Army leaders to comment on the country’s civil unrest in a letter last week to soldiers, veterans, their families and civilians.
“Over the past week, the country has suffered an explosion of frustration over the racial divisions that still plague us as Americans. And because your Army is a reflection of American society, those divisions live in the Army as well,” the letter stated.
The letter also asked service members to have discussions with one another on the topic of racial division.
The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David H. Berger, tweeted last week that his branch is also monitoring the national discussion.
Current events are a stark reminder that we must strive to eliminate division. The trust we place in one another on a daily basis demands this. By listening, we learn, by learning, we change. https://t.co/unegaPEtGn — David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) June 4, 2020
“Current events are a stark reminder that we must strive to eliminate division. The trust we place in one another on a daily basis demands this. By listening, we learn, by learning, we change,” Berger tweeted.
In a Marine Corps blog post, the general said he decided to remove Confederate battle flags from bases in April, but explained that the move was not enough to mend an apparent racial divide among Marines.
“Marines and Sailors, last summer, in my planning guidance, I stated there is no place in our Corps for racists – whether their intolerance and prejudice be direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional.
“As a continuation of that declaration, in April, I addressed the removal of the Confederate battle flag from our bases, and explained my views behind that decision. I wrote, ‘Anything that divides us, anything that threatens team cohesion, must be addressed head-on,’” he wrote.
“Current events are a stark reminder that it is not enough for us to remove symbols that cause division – rather, we also must strive to eliminate division itself,” the general added.
Berger concluded by asking servicemen and women to engage each other in conversation and to “actively listen.”
There are currently 10 U.S. military facilities named after Confederate leaders:
Fort Rucker in Alabama; Forts Benning and Gordon in Georgia; Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard in Louisiana; Fort Bragg in North Carolina; Fort Hood in Texas; and Forts Pickett, A.P. Hill, and Lee in Virginia.
The military has previously avoided the topic of renaming the installations.
Business Insider reported that in 2015, Brig. Gen. Malcolm Frost stated that bases were named to honor soldiers throughout the country’s history, and were not an endorsement of their ideology.
“Every Army installation is named for a soldier who holds a place in our military history,” Frost said at the time in a statement echoed this week by the Army. “Accordingly, these historic names represent individuals, not causes or ideologies.”
Frost added that the bases were also named in the spirit of “reconciliation, not division.”
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westernjournal--2020-06-09--Even the NAACP Questions Dems’ Push To Defund Police

Turns out , liberals are showing signs of realizing the lunatics in their ranks just might cost them the 2020 election .
While the radical left pushes its efforts to alienate sane Americans ever further with the insane idea of defunding police departments to deal with phantom “ racism , ” the head of the nation ’ s most famous civil rights organization isn ’ t ready to go that far .
And the widening split in the Democratic Party that the mainstream media is desperate not to play up just got put on public display — again .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ progressive ” wing has been dominating the news lately , with “ peaceful protesters ” who leave mountains of shattered glass and smoldering buildings in their wake .
The Black Lives Matter vanguard has managed to turn the death of a single man in police custody in Minneapolis into a revolutionary movement that includes defunding police departments at the local level .
But in an interview with The Associated Press published Monday , the president of the NAACP – the country ’ s best known civil rights organization – flashed a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stupidest leftist ideas since “ each according to his needs ” became part of the political vocabulary .
In an article about opposition to the idea among big-name Democrats — including the party ’ s presumptive nominee , former Vice President Joe Biden — the AP quoted NAACP President Derrick Johnson questioning what the whole “ defund ” concept means .
“ I support the energy behind it .
I don ’ t know what that substantively means , ” Johnson said .
“ As I ’ m talking to people about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different explanations .
We know there has to be a change in the culture of policing in this country.
” That ’ s a pretty far cry from the likes of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis , who told a crowd of supporters on Sunday that “ we need to completely dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department.
” That was the same day that a veto-proof majority of the Minneapolis City Council pledged to do exactly that — albeit with a vague enough timeline that it ’ s unlikely to ever happen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 election is the problem Democrats have heading into every election – convincing a majority of sane Americans that the party ’ s ideas and aims aren ’ t as truly crazy as they appear .
Sometimes they mask it with the personal popularity of their presidential candidates — Barack Obama , Bill Clinton — sometimes they mask it by presenting themselves as a “ moderate ” alternative , as in the 2018 midterms .
RELATED : NY Police Union Chief Erupts on Lawmakers : 'Stop Treating Us Like Animals and Thugs' But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ostensibly triggered by a single act of apparent police brutality — that have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in property destroyed or stolen .
The riots have caused 15 deaths , according to The Daily Caller .
Now , those same Americans are being treated to crazed leftists talking about literally defunding police departments , leaving civilians at the mercy of criminals .
As an organization devoted chiefly to the welfare of black people , the NAACP knows full well that the absence of a police force will mean a devastating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The reluctance of police to take proactive measures aftermath of riots over the 2014 police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri , was widely blamed for spikes in violent crime in large cities with large black populations , as publications like USA Today have reported .
It ’ s what makes a race-baiting call like “ defund the police ” so dangerous to black communities .
It ’ s one of the few areas where the NAACP and conservatives like Candace Owens seem to agree .
And if common sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any indication , most Americans understand that doing away with cops would mean simply giving away the streets to criminals .
And that means trouble for Democrats .
As the 2020 vote gets closer by the day , Democrats are scrambling to find something to defeat Trump .
They ’ ve tried “ Russia collusion , ” a theater-of-the-absurd impeachment attempt , and constant sniping attacks over his handling of the coronavirus crisis .
They ’ ve tried blaming him for the actions of a single police officer in a Democrat-dominated city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments , they ’ re talking about making the very voters they want to court vulnerable to being victims of crime .
Liberals in the “ moderate ” wing like Biden and the NAACP ’ s Johnson have to do everything they can to pretend the party ’ s far left is just a “ fringe ” element of the Democratic Party .
Not all liberals are lunatics after all — but they still have to hide their true selves to get sane people to vote for them .
We are committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Turns out, liberals are showing signs of realizing the lunatics in their ranks just might cost them the 2020 election.
While the radical left pushes its efforts to alienate sane Americans ever further with the insane idea of defunding police departments to deal with phantom “racism,” the head of the nation’s most famous civil rights organization isn’t ready to go that far.
And the widening split in the Democratic Party that the mainstream media is desperate not to play up just got put on public display — again.
There’s no doubt the Democrats’ “progressive” wing has been dominating the news lately, with “peaceful protesters” who leave mountains of shattered glass and smoldering buildings in their wake.
The Black Lives Matter vanguard has managed to turn the death of a single man in police custody in Minneapolis into a revolutionary movement that includes defunding police departments at the local level.
(So far, liberals aren’t big on explaining where that would leave crime victims to turn, beyond disjointed explanations that expecting police help is apparently some kind of privilege.)
But in an interview with The Associated Press published Monday, the president of the NAACP – the country’s best known civil rights organization – flashed a big yellow caution sign at one of the stupidest leftist ideas since “each according to his needs” became part of the political vocabulary.
In an article about opposition to the idea among big-name Democrats — including the party’s presumptive nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden — the AP quoted NAACP President Derrick Johnson questioning what the whole “defund” concept means.
“I support the energy behind it. I don’t know what that substantively means,” Johnson said.
Do you think Democrats are going to hush up the "Defund the Police" crowd to win votes in November? Yes No
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“As I’m talking to people about the concept, I’ve gotten three different explanations. We know there has to be a change in the culture of policing in this country.”
That’s a pretty far cry from the likes of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis, who told a crowd of supporters on Sunday that “we need to completely dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department.”
That was the same day that a veto-proof majority of the Minneapolis City Council pledged to do exactly that — albeit with a vague enough timeline that it’s unlikely to ever happen.
The problem for Democrats heading into the 2020 election is the problem Democrats have heading into every election – convincing a majority of sane Americans that the party’s ideas and aims aren’t as truly crazy as they appear.
Sometimes they mask it with the personal popularity of their presidential candidates — Barack Obama, Bill Clinton — sometimes they mask it by presenting themselves as a “moderate” alternative, as in the 2018 midterms.
But Americans have just watched nationwide riots — ostensibly triggered by a single act of apparent police brutality — that have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in property destroyed or stolen. The riots have caused 15 deaths, according to The Daily Caller.
Now, those same Americans are being treated to crazed leftists talking about literally defunding police departments, leaving civilians at the mercy of criminals.
As an organization devoted chiefly to the welfare of black people, the NAACP knows full well that the absence of a police force will mean a devastating increase in crime in black communities.
The reluctance of police to take proactive measures aftermath of riots over the 2014 police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, was widely blamed for spikes in violent crime in large cities with large black populations, as publications like USA Today have reported.
It’s what makes a race-baiting call like “defund the police” so dangerous to black communities.
It’s one of the few areas where the NAACP and conservatives like Candace Owens seem to agree.
And if common sense — and a recent poll — are any indication, most Americans understand that doing away with cops would mean simply giving away the streets to criminals.
And that means trouble for Democrats.
Prediction: as the ‘Defund Police’ push starts to crumble, they will come up with yet another rallying cry…https://t.co/Xe2mNy7gTA — Anne Campbell (@AnnieCampbell77) June 9, 2020
FYI: Even the president of the NAACP declined to endorse the idiotic “defund the police” movement that has gained momentum in recent days, be the far left fringe. SOURCE: The Associated Press — Neal Houston, Ph.D. ?? ⭐⭐⭐ (@DrNealHouston) June 9, 2020
What #DerrickJohnson, president of the @NAACP is saying is what I’m saying. There’s no consistent message of #DefundThePolice. He and the #Democrats know it’s a losing term this election. Think of another name or a better way to explain ithttps://t.co/D3oAKouJMU — Chow (@SimplyChow) June 9, 2020
President Donald Trump understands it, too.
LAW & ORDER, NOT DEFUND AND ABOLISH THE POLICE. The Radical Left Democrats have gone Crazy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2020
As the 2020 vote gets closer by the day, Democrats are scrambling to find something to defeat Trump.
They’ve tried “Russia collusion,” a theater-of-the-absurd impeachment attempt, and constant sniping attacks over his handling of the coronavirus crisis. They’ve tried blaming him for the actions of a single police officer in a Democrat-dominated city.
But when they talk about defunding police departments, they’re talking about making the very voters they want to court vulnerable to being victims of crime.
Liberals in the “moderate” wing like Biden and the NAACP’s Johnson have to do everything they can to pretend the party’s far left is just a “fringe” element of the Democratic Party.
Not all liberals are lunatics after all — but they still have to hide their true selves to get sane people to vote for them.
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westernjournal--2020-06-09--GOP Senator Calls Out Double Standard on Protests, Religious Gatherings

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has called for an investigation into free speech double standards , claiming that state officials have favored protests while targeting religious freedom .
The Missouri senator called on Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice to launch a “ full civil rights investigation ” into violations of “ free exercise and free speech rights of religious Americans ” in a Tuesday letter .
“ Under the First Amendment , state officials must not treat religious persons and groups worse than others , and they must not favor one kind of speech over another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have violated the free speech and free exercise rights of religious Americans by treating religious gatherings and speech differently than the speech and mass gatherings of protests .
I urge you to launch a full civil rights investigation.
” The move comes as governors like Democratic New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy refrain from telling protesters to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I can ’ t imagine what it would look like if we said to people , ‘ Actually , you have to stay in .
You have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m sorry , just ignore it .
Stay in , ’ ” the governor said , according to Politico .
“ I can ’ t imagine what that looks like as it relates to public safety.
” Murphy has spent the last several months warning residents to avoid large gatherings .
Hawley ’ s letter emphasizes that Americans have a constitutional right to peaceably protest , noting that “ millions of people are rightly angry about the death of George Floyd , and they should be able to protest peacefully.
” But state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests to infringe on religious freedom , Hawley warned .
“ Two weeks ago , in a 5-4 decision , the Supreme Court denied relief to a California church , ” according to Hawley ’ s letter .
“ The decision tilted in favor of the state , the Chief Justice wrote , because of uncertainty about whether the church was being treated worse than comparable secular organizations.
” He continued : “ Now , after two weeks of nationwide protests , no uncertainty remains .
Many jurisdictions across the nation are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — such as restricting religious gatherings to 10 or fewer people — even as those jurisdictions allow thousands of people to gather closely in protests .
States can not allow one but prohibit the other.
” The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has called for an investigation into free speech double standards, claiming that state officials have favored protests while targeting religious freedom.
The Missouri senator called on Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice to launch a “full civil rights investigation” into violations of “free exercise and free speech rights of religious Americans” in a Tuesday letter.
“Under the First Amendment, state officials must not treat religious persons and groups worse than others, and they must not favor one kind of speech over another,” Hawley wrote.
“State officials have violated the free speech and free exercise rights of religious Americans by treating religious gatherings and speech differently than the speech and mass gatherings of protests. I urge you to launch a full civil rights investigation.”
The move comes as governors like Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy refrain from telling protesters to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I can’t imagine what it would look like if we said to people, ‘Actually, you have to stay in. You have to ignore systemic racism — I’m sorry, just ignore it. Stay in,’” the governor said, according to Politico.
“I can’t imagine what that looks like as it relates to public safety.”
Murphy has spent the last several months warning residents to avoid large gatherings.
Hawley’s letter emphasizes that Americans have a constitutional right to peaceably protest, noting that “millions of people are rightly angry about the death of George Floyd, and they should be able to protest peacefully.”
Have lockdown orders targeted Americans' religious freedom? Yes No
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But state officials must not use their support of the protests to infringe on religious freedom, Hawley warned.
“Two weeks ago, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court denied relief to a California church,” according to Hawley’s letter.
“The decision tilted in favor of the state, the Chief Justice wrote, because of uncertainty about whether the church was being treated worse than comparable secular organizations.”
He continued: “Now, after two weeks of nationwide protests, no uncertainty remains. Many jurisdictions across the nation are imposing extraordinarily strict caps on religious gatherings — such as restricting religious gatherings to 10 or fewer people — even as those jurisdictions allow thousands of people to gather closely in protests. States cannot allow one but prohibit the other.”
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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--2020-06-09--Watch: De Blasio Says ‘We Do Not Want ICE In This City’ Amid Reports of Agents Showing Up at Protest

Watch: De Blasio Says ‘We Do Not Want ICE In This City’ Amid Reports of Agents Showing Up at Protests

Bill de Blasio is a man walking a very thin line very badly .
On one hand , de Blasio is the most progressive mayor in New York ’ s history .
When the protests over George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis police custody hit the city , he was expected to strike a different tone — to throw his lot entirely with the dispossessed and to realize that , if there were ( ahem ) excesses , they were insurrections against injustice , not riots .
After all , this was an unarmed black man who died at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept his knee on Floyd ’ s neck for almost nine minutes .
That kind of horror should obviously be met with a type of horror of its own .
On the other hand , de Blasio actually runs a city and that city ’ s in pretty bad shape .
New York is the worldwide locus of the novel coronavirus , and in addition to the human toll , the economic toll has been pretty rough , as well .
There ’ s also the strained relationship he has with his police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the civil servants who ’ re expected to maintain order in a civilized manner and to recognize what the law enforcement priorities ought to be when met with a situation like this .
And all of this is to say nothing of the fact that this comes in the middle of a pandemic during which de Blasio has come under fire for his public battles with the Orthodox Jewish community , a pitched conflict that has led to charges of anti-Semitism on Hizzoner ’ s part .
De Blasio has tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , even though the situation is out of control and every stakeholder in this mess loathes him , he ’ s still refusing help from Immigration and Customs Enforcement because — well , they ’ re Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
Yes , ICE is active in Gotham , and that ’ s probably going to make some people upset , given the fact that the agency isn ’ t particularly popular with the left .
However , this isn ’ t as part of an immigration roundup .
The revelation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city came after they detained a Puerto Rican man , which led to a viral video and all kinds of panic : According to a spokeswoman for HSI New York , however , this was about agents working with local law enforcement , not any kind of action against individuals based on their immigration status .
“ HSI has the authority to make criminal arrests as needed , ” HSI New York spokeswoman Rachel Yong Yow said , according to Time .
“ HSI Special Agents identified a person considered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a threat to the public safety .
No arrests were made.
” Thankfully , we know what the mayor thinks about this : RELATED : Watch Sen. Tim Scott , Trey Gowdy Rip Into 'Defund Police ' Push : 'Dumbest Idea I Have Ever Heard' “ I would not let ICE agents anywhere in the official capacity in New York City , except for what they ’ re allowed to do on their own , ” de Blasio said Monday .
“ I ’ ve said ICE agents are not welcome in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and really don ’ t believe that happened .
If anyone has evidence of it , I need to know it .
“ But no , we do not want ICE in this city .
And the times when they have come forward trying to get into a city building , for example , they ’ ve been told only if they have warrants and the law department approves it .
So we ’ ve been pretty consistent about that.
” This would be great if he were adequately supporting the NYPD .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about that , particularly after two officers were shot during the protests and de Blasio has made tentative moves toward defunding the department .
“ They feel abandoned by everyone , ” Paul DiGiacomo , the president of the NYPD ’ s detectives union , told Fox News Monday .
“ There is no one supporting the police , from the governor to the mayor to the DAs to the City Council.
” As for complaints that videos showed police officers using excessive force , DiGiacomo responded that it was a natural outgrowth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Listen , when there is unrest and criminality out there , it never looks pretty , ” he said .
“ Resisting arrest never looks pretty .
They never show you the whole video .
“ I challenge any elected officials who think they could do a better job with urine being thrown at them , bottles , and being shot at.
” A Tuesday report from the Washington Examiner quoted several rank-and-file New York police officers as saying they were planning to leave the force over their treatment during the riots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ At our level , it ’ s hard to say , but in the past , you felt like chiefs like [ Joseph ] Esposito had your back .
Even Ray Kelly .
Without Rudy [ Giuliani ] or even with [ Michael ] Bloomberg , things have changed , ” one sergeant told the Examiner .
“ The rumor is over 600 went to pension , ” he said .
“ I have less uniformed cops by me.
” “ There ’ s protests throughout the city almost every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Sergeants Benevolent Association Ed Mullins said of the situation under de Blasio .
“ But in my 16 years , this is , by far , probably the worst I ’ ve seen from upper management.
” Meanwhile , Black Lives Matter activists felt that the mayor was being too soft on the NYPD , and legitimate protesters were angered by the city ’ s curfews .
De Blasio attended a memorial for Floyd in Brooklyn over the weekend but was “ drowned out by booing , ” according to Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Orthodox Jewish community , which was blasted and threatened by de Blasio for hosting a funeral for a beloved rabbi while the much larger memorial for Floyd went on unabated .
The situation in New York City was so bad that New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , a fellow Democrat , called de Blasio ’ s handling of the riots a “ disgrace ” last Tuesday and said he had the power to “ displace ” de Blasio , although he didn ’ t plan to do so .
And now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I get that ICE isn ’ t a particularly popular arm of law enforcement in New York City at the moment , but the moment isn ’ t a particularly good one for anyone and , sans this viral video , the agency has kept a low profile .
The moment to appease the people who drowned him out with boos is over .
Meanwhile , the moment to potentially avert any more economic or criminal damage to the city hardest-hit by COVID-19 still exists .
Investigating how many ICE agents are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a useless task the city would do well to avoid .
The mayor is Bill de Blasio , however .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Bill de Blasio is a man walking a very thin line very badly.
On one hand, de Blasio is the most progressive mayor in New York’s history. When the protests over George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody hit the city, he was expected to strike a different tone — to throw his lot entirely with the dispossessed and to realize that, if there were (ahem) excesses, they were insurrections against injustice, not riots. After all, this was an unarmed black man who died at the hands of a white cop who kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes. That kind of horror should obviously be met with a type of horror of its own.
On the other hand, de Blasio actually runs a city and that city’s in pretty bad shape. New York is the worldwide locus of the novel coronavirus, and in addition to the human toll, the economic toll has been pretty rough, as well. There’s also the strained relationship he has with his police department, which is problematic when they are the civil servants who’re expected to maintain order in a civilized manner and to recognize what the law enforcement priorities ought to be when met with a situation like this.
And all of this is to say nothing of the fact that this comes in the middle of a pandemic during which de Blasio has come under fire for his public battles with the Orthodox Jewish community, a pitched conflict that has led to charges of anti-Semitism on Hizzoner’s part.
De Blasio has tried to balance all of these priorities — poorly.
Now, even though the situation is out of control and every stakeholder in this mess loathes him, he’s still refusing help from Immigration and Customs Enforcement because — well, they’re Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Yes, ICE is active in Gotham, and that’s probably going to make some people upset, given the fact that the agency isn’t particularly popular with the left.
However, this isn’t as part of an immigration roundup. The revelation that agents from Homeland Security Investigations were in the city came after they detained a Puerto Rican man, which led to a viral video and all kinds of panic:
‼ ALERT ‼ ICE is showing up at NYC protests: On Wednesday, this man was walking with protestors when 5 agents jumped out of a van with guns drawn & threw him to the ground, 1 wearing a POLICE/HSI (division of ICE) vest. This man is a US citizen of Puerto Rican descent. pic.twitter.com/aADNiQG1Co — Immigrant Defense Project (@ImmDefense) June 5, 2020
According to a spokeswoman for HSI New York, however, this was about agents working with local law enforcement, not any kind of action against individuals based on their immigration status.
“HSI has the authority to make criminal arrests as needed,” HSI New York spokeswoman Rachel Yong Yow said, according to Time. “HSI Special Agents identified a person considered to be in possession of a weapon and a threat to the public safety. No arrests were made.”
Thankfully, we know what the mayor thinks about this:
“We do not want ICE in this city.” — @BilldeBlasio pic.twitter.com/q4QoAFIoRz — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 8, 2020
“I would not let ICE agents anywhere in the official capacity in New York City, except for what they’re allowed to do on their own,” de Blasio said Monday. “I’ve said ICE agents are not welcome in our public buildings. I have no knowledge and really don’t believe that happened. If anyone has evidence of it, I need to know it.
“But no, we do not want ICE in this city. And the times when they have come forward trying to get into a city building, for example, they’ve been told only if they have warrants and the law department approves it. So we’ve been pretty consistent about that.”
This would be great if he were adequately supporting the NYPD. The NYPD might have something to say about that, particularly after two officers were shot during the protests and de Blasio has made tentative moves toward defunding the department.
Should ICE agents be in New York right now? Yes No
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“They feel abandoned by everyone,” Paul DiGiacomo, the president of the NYPD’s detectives union, told Fox News Monday. “There is no one supporting the police, from the governor to the mayor to the DAs to the City Council.”
As for complaints that videos showed police officers using excessive force, DiGiacomo responded that it was a natural outgrowth of the ugliness of the riots.
“Listen, when there is unrest and criminality out there, it never looks pretty,” he said. “Resisting arrest never looks pretty. They never show you the whole video.
“I challenge any elected officials who think they could do a better job with urine being thrown at them, bottles, and being shot at.”
A Tuesday report from the Washington Examiner quoted several rank-and-file New York police officers as saying they were planning to leave the force over their treatment during the riots that branched off of the Floyd protests.
“At our level, it’s hard to say, but in the past, you felt like chiefs like [Joseph] Esposito had your back. Even Ray Kelly. Without Rudy [Giuliani] or even with [Michael] Bloomberg, things have changed,” one sergeant told the Examiner.
“The rumor is over 600 went to pension,” he said. “I have less uniformed cops by me.”
“There’s protests throughout the city almost every single year, like Occupy Wall Street,” Sergeants Benevolent Association Ed Mullins said of the situation under de Blasio. “But in my 16 years, this is, by far, probably the worst I’ve seen from upper management.”
Meanwhile, Black Lives Matter activists felt that the mayor was being too soft on the NYPD, and legitimate protesters were angered by the city’s curfews.
De Blasio attended a memorial for Floyd in Brooklyn over the weekend but was “drowned out by booing,” according to Fox News.
De Blasio and Chirlane McCray arrive 20 mins late. Crowd boos and chants “De Blasio, go home” when he walks across the stage pic.twitter.com/H1J62mm69o — Rose Adams (@rose_n_adams) June 4, 2020
This is to say nothing of the Orthodox Jewish community, which was blasted and threatened by de Blasio for hosting a funeral for a beloved rabbi while the much larger memorial for Floyd went on unabated.
The situation in New York City was so bad that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, called de Blasio’s handling of the riots a “disgrace” last Tuesday and said he had the power to “displace” de Blasio, although he didn’t plan to do so.
And now we’re going after ICE.
I get that ICE isn’t a particularly popular arm of law enforcement in New York City at the moment, but the moment isn’t a particularly good one for anyone and, sans this viral video, the agency has kept a low profile. The moment to appease the people who drowned him out with boos is over.
Meanwhile, the moment to potentially avert any more economic or criminal damage to the city hardest-hit by COVID-19 still exists. Investigating how many ICE agents are in New York and what their roles are is a useless task the city would do well to avoid.
The mayor is Bill de Blasio, however.
New York won’t avoid it.
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westernjournal--2020-06-09--There Are Now Baptisms Taking Place on Corner Where George Floyd Was Killed

Sometimes the power of a movement starts from brokenness .
Even in the darkest hours , through the most debilitating trials , something beautiful can be waiting around the corner .
That doesn ’ t erase the sting of the original pain , but it honors that loss by turning grief into something bigger and even more meaningful .
That ’ s currently happening at the site of George Floyd ’ s killing .
Thanks to several groups — including Youth With a Mission , Circuit Riders and Worldwide Outreach for Christ — daily services are being held at 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Christophe Ulysse , a 37-year-old black Canadian Christian leader with Youth With a Mission , spoke to Fox News about the transformative power of the gospel that is spreading on that corner where a man lost his life .
“ I came here and I was broken , ” he said .
“ It affects team members differently , but those of us of color , as we ’ re here , we ’ re watching the change happen through the gospel.
” “ My heart is so filled with hope .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unprecedented unity .
They ’ re feeling an outpouring of love and hope from this nation.
” “ The pain went to the nation and now the globe , ” he said , “ but we believe that healing is now going out from the intersection to the nations and the globe.
” “ We need to show that we can affect positive change .
You have a voice and you can go to the nations .
You can carry this on .
We ’ re empowering them to be carriers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from pain and hatred to healing and hope , ” he added .
“ There ’ s this new narrative of the gospel.
” As a result of the teams ’ ministry and nightly services , people have been baptized and pledged to follow God .
A drug addict even showed up , was changed and enrolled in Bible school to bring others the help he received .
RELATED : Man Granted Dying Wish To Be Baptized : 'He Wanted To Show He Believed More Than Anything' “ Baptisms happening right now in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook .
“ Right at the corner of where George Floyd was killed !
“ Just got a text that a deaf ear was just opened by the power of Jesus !
Praise God !
” Photos of the location show people gathered with signs and masks while singing , weeping and listening to a message of love and sacrifice .
They ’ re finding out — some , perhaps , for the first time — just how much they matter .
“ We built a stage and have been sharing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Gorge Floyd since Saturday , ” Ulysse shared on Facebook early Tuesday morning .
“ It ’ s the epicenter of so much pain and hatred , now it is turning into a place of healing and HOPE .
“ People weeping and giving their life to the God .
Right at the site of the murder – LIFE !
!
!
“ We have seen people healed , baptized , and many set free .
Great to run with such amazing people in this , ” his post concluded .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from hatred to healing and hope !
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Sometimes the power of a movement starts from brokenness. Even in the darkest hours, through the most debilitating trials, something beautiful can be waiting around the corner.
That doesn’t erase the sting of the original pain, but it honors that loss by turning grief into something bigger and even more meaningful.
That’s currently happening at the site of George Floyd’s killing.
Thanks to several groups — including Youth With a Mission, Circuit Riders and Worldwide Outreach for Christ — daily services are being held at 6 p.m., and lives are being transformed.
Christophe Ulysse, a 37-year-old black Canadian Christian leader with Youth With a Mission, spoke to Fox News about the transformative power of the gospel that is spreading on that corner where a man lost his life.
“I came here and I was broken,” he said. “It affects team members differently, but those of us of color, as we’re here, we’re watching the change happen through the gospel.”
“My heart is so filled with hope. Those in the neighborhood are saying this is unprecedented unity. They’re feeling an outpouring of love and hope from this nation.”
“The pain went to the nation and now the globe,” he said, “but we believe that healing is now going out from the intersection to the nations and the globe.”
“We need to show that we can affect positive change. You have a voice and you can go to the nations. You can carry this on. We’re empowering them to be carriers of hope.”
“We’re going from pain and hatred to healing and hope,” he added. “There’s this new narrative of the gospel.”
As a result of the teams’ ministry and nightly services, people have been baptized and pledged to follow God. A drug addict even showed up, was changed and enrolled in Bible school to bring others the help he received.
“Baptisms happening right now in Minneapolis!” Joel Bomberger posted Monday on Facebook. “Right at the corner of where George Floyd was killed!
“Just got a text that a deaf ear was just opened by the power of Jesus! Praise God!”
Photos of the location show people gathered with signs and masks while singing, weeping and listening to a message of love and sacrifice.
They’re finding out — some, perhaps, for the first time — just how much they matter.
“We built a stage and have been sharing the love of God at the death site of Gorge Floyd since Saturday,” Ulysse shared on Facebook early Tuesday morning. “It’s the epicenter of so much pain and hatred, now it is turning into a place of healing and HOPE.
“People weeping and giving their life to the God. Right at the site of the murder – LIFE!!!
“We have seen people healed, baptized, and many set free. Great to run with such amazing people in this,” his post concluded. “We are seeing a new narrative emerge, from hatred to healing and hope!”
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-06-09--Iran Parliament Shouts ‘Death to America’ Amid US Riots

In the Cato Institute ’ s 2019 Human Freedom Index , which measures “ human freedom in the world based on a broad measure that encompasses personal , civil , and economic freedom , ” Iran placed 154th out of 162 nations .
It was two spots above Libya , a country which may or may not have an actual government depending on how you define that concept .
It was two spots below the Democratic Republic of the Congo , a repressive , corrupt cesspool that ’ s been embroiled in violence for years and where millions face starvation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place for you ’ re going to find much social justice , either .
Last June , the U.K. Telegraph reported , the country introduced 2,000 new morality policemen because there was “ increasing defiance ” of the country ’ s mandatory hijab laws ; the units were called “ resistance groups for verbal and practical response to bad-hijabi women , ” which is darkly funny until you consider the legal repercussions for whoever got caught by these police officers .
While those women end up in legal trouble because they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandated due to an extreme misogynistic interpretation of the official religion of Iran , the country ’ s parliament did give one of its rousing , not infrequent chants of “ Death to America ” to express their outrage at the death of George Floyd .
According to Newsweek , the Sunday session of the legislative body broke out in the chant after lawmaker Ahmad Naderi condemned the death and asked the body “ to show respect for the movement of the oppressed in the U.S. ” by , well , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not that this wasn ’ t bad enough .
Vice Speaker Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi , who was seen joining in on the “ Death to America ” chant , later tweeted out a video of a 2018 incident in Bellevue , Washington , in which a white police officer was seen kneeling on a black woman during an arrest .
“ The clip was initially posted by a civil rights activist and then shared by Iranian Ministry of Health spokesperson Kiavash Jahanapur , who said it showed one of many examples of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hashtag ‘ America rises against racism ’ in Persian , ” according to Newsweek .
Iran has been making an unusual amount of fuss about Floyd ’ s death , which is an interesting take for a nation where police enjoy almost total impunity .
It ’ s news enough that even Iran ’ s supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , has weighed in on Floyd ’ s death .
“ The crime committed against this black man is the same thing the U.S. government has been doing against all the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a televised speech , according to Reuters .
“ This is the U.S. government ’ s true nature and character that is being exposed today.
” “ In dealing with its people , the U.S. government has behaved in the worst manner .
The people of the United States have every right to feel embarrassed and ashamed by their governments , particularly the current one , ” Khamenei added .
RELATED : Muslim Man Got Saved in America , Now He 's On a Mission To Convert Iranians to Christianity Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather put things in context : “ Thousands were arrested and hundreds were killed in November when Iranians took to the streets to protest against a fuel price hike , believed to be Iran ’ s worst public unrest since the 1979 revolution that brought clerical rule.
” Apparently , though , this is a Big Thing in Iran , where the George Floyd protests have received plenty of coverage ( although assumedly not as object lessons in how to behave ) .
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , for instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] of African Americans ” and “ brutality against protesters & press ” in major American cities .
In a read-the-room moment , Zarif also tweeted about how the “ knee-on-neck ” technique used against Floyd being not dissimilar to the “ maximum pressure ” campaign the United States has launched against Iran ’ s economy via sanctions .
While China ’ s state media has also given significant coverage to the protests over Floyd ’ s death , Iran ’ s coverage is particularly hypocritical given the country ’ s recent history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no illusion the regime guarantees basic human rights .
In fact , they ’ d probably question the existence of the concept .
However , the Trump administration has irked Iran — as well as China — by getting involved in each country ’ s recent protests .
As ABC News pointed out , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Iranians to send the State Department videos of the crackdowns during the fuel protests last November .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump has remarked on China ’ s own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ happy and enlightened ending to the Hong Kong problem.
” Either way , there ’ s a certain kind of cognitive dissonance in Iran making a big deal out of the death of George Floyd .
In the United States , the officer who knelt on Floyd ’ s neck for almost nine minutes stands charged with murder .
In Iran , police could do this three times before lunch and face no repercussions .
In fact , the weapons the Iranian police use to kill people usually don ’ t involve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s nothing more than another excuse for a “ Death to America ” chant .
It does nothing to memorialize George Floyd .
In Iran , George Floyd would be a non-person the moment that he died — and there certainly wouldn ’ t be a shred of video on social media , not in a nation that ’ s actually less free than the Democratic Republic of the Congo .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

In the Cato Institute’s 2019 Human Freedom Index, which measures “human freedom in the world based on a broad measure that encompasses personal, civil, and economic freedom,” Iran placed 154th out of 162 nations.
It was two spots above Libya, a country which may or may not have an actual government depending on how you define that concept. It was two spots below the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a repressive, corrupt cesspool that’s been embroiled in violence for years and where millions face starvation.
Iran isn’t necessarily a place for you’re going to find much social justice, either. Last June, the U.K. Telegraph reported, the country introduced 2,000 new morality policemen because there was “increasing defiance” of the country’s mandatory hijab laws; the units were called “resistance groups for verbal and practical response to bad-hijabi women,” which is darkly funny until you consider the legal repercussions for whoever got caught by these police officers.
While those women end up in legal trouble because they didn’t want to wear a head covering mandated due to an extreme misogynistic interpretation of the official religion of Iran, the country’s parliament did give one of its rousing, not infrequent chants of “Death to America” to express their outrage at the death of George Floyd.
According to Newsweek, the Sunday session of the legislative body broke out in the chant after lawmaker Ahmad Naderi condemned the death and asked the body “to show respect for the movement of the oppressed in the U.S.” by, well, you know.
New video of #Iran MP Ahmad Naderi leading parliament with chants of ‘Death to America’ “in solidarity” with protesters in U.S. Naderi yesterday said talks with the U.S. would bring “eternal shame.” Vice-Speaker Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi is presiding. pic.twitter.com/RIQ0RtiYTd — Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) June 8, 2020
It didn’t end there, not that this wasn’t bad enough. Vice Speaker Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, who was seen joining in on the “Death to America” chant, later tweeted out a video of a 2018 incident in Bellevue, Washington, in which a white police officer was seen kneeling on a black woman during an arrest.
“The clip was initially posted by a civil rights activist and then shared by Iranian Ministry of Health spokesperson Kiavash Jahanapur, who said it showed one of many examples of injustice in the U.S. and wrote the hashtag ‘America rises against racism’ in Persian,” according to Newsweek.
Should Iran be remarking on the George Floyd situation? 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% (4 Votes) No: 98% (191 Votes)
Iran has been making an unusual amount of fuss about Floyd’s death, which is an interesting take for a nation where police enjoy almost total impunity.
It’s news enough that even Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has weighed in on Floyd’s death.
“The crime committed against this black man is the same thing the U.S. government has been doing against all the world,” Khamenei said last week during a televised speech, according to Reuters.
“This is the U.S. government’s true nature and character that is being exposed today.”
“In dealing with its people, the U.S. government has behaved in the worst manner. The people of the United States have every right to feel embarrassed and ashamed by their governments, particularly the current one,” Khamenei added.
Of course, the final paragraph of the Reuters story rather put things in context: “Thousands were arrested and hundreds were killed in November when Iranians took to the streets to protest against a fuel price hike, believed to be Iran’s worst public unrest since the 1979 revolution that brought clerical rule.”
Apparently, though, this is a Big Thing in Iran, where the George Floyd protests have received plenty of coverage (although assumedly not as object lessons in how to behave).
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, for instance, has tweeted about “abase[ment] of African Americans” and “brutality against protesters & press” in major American cities.
US cities are scenes of brutality against protesters & press, as military crackdown is threatened Europe—quick to be judge & jury about non-Western societies—keeps deafeningly silent. If it wants to keep lips sealed now, it should always keep them that way#WorldAgainstRacism — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 2, 2020
In a read-the-room moment, Zarif also tweeted about how the “knee-on-neck” technique used against Floyd being not dissimilar to the “maximum pressure” campaign the United States has launched against Iran’s economy via sanctions.
The “knee-on-neck” technique is nothing new: Same cabal—who’ve admitted to habitually “lie, cheat, steal”—have been employing it on 80M Iranians for 2 yrs, calling it “maximum pressure”. It hasn’t brought us to our knees. Nor will it abase African-Americans.#WorldAgainstRacism pic.twitter.com/SiKEHmXkdj — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 1, 2020
While China’s state media has also given significant coverage to the protests over Floyd’s death, Iran’s coverage is particularly hypocritical given the country’s recent history of violent repression and the fact there’s no illusion the regime guarantees basic human rights. In fact, they’d probably question the existence of the concept.
However, the Trump administration has irked Iran — as well as China — by getting involved in each country’s recent protests.
As ABC News pointed out, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Iranians to send the State Department videos of the crackdowns during the fuel protests last November.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has remarked on China’s own problems in that department, urging a “happy and enlightened ending to the Hong Kong problem.”
Either way, there’s a certain kind of cognitive dissonance in Iran making a big deal out of the death of George Floyd.
In the United States, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes stands charged with murder.
In Iran, police could do this three times before lunch and face no repercussions.
In fact, the weapons the Iranian police use to kill people usually don’t involve body parts but rather firearms or worse.
It’s nothing more than another excuse for a “Death to America” chant. It does nothing to memorialize George Floyd.
In Iran, George Floyd would be a non-person the moment that he died — and there certainly wouldn’t be a shred of video on social media, not in a nation that’s actually less free than the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


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