westernjournal--2020-06-23--Pro-Trump, Pro-Life Pastor Leads in the Bluest Congressional District in America

Something extraordinary may be happening in what the Washington Examiner calls “ the most liberal congressional district in the country.
” The Rev .
Ruben Diaz Sr. , a socially conservative , pro-Trump Pentecostal pastor , is in the lead among 12 Democratic contenders for New York ’ s 15th Congressional District seat .
A May poll conducted by the liberal think tank Data for Progress found Diaz leading the crowded field with 22 percent .
The winner of Tuesday ’ s Democratic primary is expected to be a shoo-in to win the seat in November .
CBS News describes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media call a candidate “ polarizing , ” you know there ’ s a very good chance he is terrific .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back Only conservatives , particularly social conservatives , are “ polarizing ” in the eyes of the establishment media .
Divisive Democrats such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are never described that way .
Speaking of Ocasio-Cortez , Diaz has described himself as “ the opposite of AOC.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The New York Times endorsed Diaz ’ s strongest opponent , New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres .
The Times is so scared of Diaz that it even headlined one of its articles with the question “ How Is This Man a Top Contender ?
” While Torres checks off all the usual left-wing boxes , Diaz boldly goes against the grain .
He proudly marched against same-sex marriage in the years before the Supreme Court ’ s Obergfell decision wrongly forced it on the entire nation .
He is unapologetically pro-life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holocaust and said “ murderers , assassins and criminals are pro-choice.
” Diaz wears a cowboy hat and is proudly Christian .
“ To God be all the Glory and all the Honor !
” he wrote in a Monday newsletter .
Diaz has long been a contrarian within his own party .
He endorsed Republican Rudy Guiliani as well as Hillary Clinton ’ s GOP opponent during her U.S. Senate campaign in New York .
( Ninety-three percent of Diaz ’ s district voted for Clinton in 2016 . )
More importantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past against calls from Democrats for his resignation over his views .
He has refused to back down in the face of such opposition .
RELATED : While Media Savages Trump 's Rally , Reporters Hardly Notice Biden Disaster at PA Rally This bodes well for Trump .
If Diaz makes it to Washington , D.C. , he could have thicker skin than some swamp creatures .
He might even hold strong to his principles .
Let ’ s hope so .
His lead also says a lot about New York City .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the most pro-Democratic district in America ; his message is resonating with many of its residents .
Is it possible that many Democrats in such traditionally blue urban enclaves are sick and tired of radical leftist policies ?
Could a pro-Trump conservative outsider stance be a winning message among Democrats , particularly in urban areas that the Republican Party apparatus has neglected for too long ?
What happens if conservatives run as Democrats in left-leaning districts and then get elected ?
These are interesting questions to ponder .
This race will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the energy behind Diaz is good news .
It is good news for Trump and for the district .
And if it is a sign of a growing sentiment within the nation , it is good news heading into the 2020 election .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Something extraordinary may be happening in what the Washington Examiner calls “the most liberal congressional district in the country.”
The Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., a socially conservative, pro-Trump Pentecostal pastor, is in the lead among 12 Democratic contenders for New York’s 15th Congressional District seat.
A May poll conducted by the liberal think tank Data for Progress found Diaz leading the crowded field with 22 percent.
The winner of Tuesday’s Democratic primary is expected to be a shoo-in to win the seat in November.
CBS News describes Diaz as “polarizing.” When establishment media call a candidate “polarizing,” you know there’s a very good chance he is terrific.
Only conservatives, particularly social conservatives, are “polarizing” in the eyes of the establishment media. Divisive Democrats such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are never described that way.
Speaking of Ocasio-Cortez, Diaz has described himself as “the opposite of AOC.” Her Bronx congressional district borders the 15th.
The New York Times endorsed Diaz’s strongest opponent, New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres. The Times is so scared of Diaz that it even headlined one of its articles with the question “How Is This Man a Top Contender?”
While Torres checks off all the usual left-wing boxes, Diaz boldly goes against the grain. He proudly marched against same-sex marriage in the years before the Supreme Court’s Obergfell decision wrongly forced it on the entire nation.
He is unapologetically pro-life. He has compared abortion to the Holocaust and said “murderers, assassins and criminals are pro-choice.”
Diaz wears a cowboy hat and is proudly Christian. “To God be all the Glory and all the Honor!” he wrote in a Monday newsletter.
Diaz has long been a contrarian within his own party. He endorsed Republican Rudy Giuliani as well as Hillary Clinton’s GOP opponent during her U.S. Senate campaign in New York. (Ninety-three percent of Diaz’s district voted for Clinton in 2016.)
More importantly, Diaz has held out in the past against calls from Democrats for his resignation over his views. He has refused to back down in the face of such opposition.
This bodes well for Trump. If Diaz makes it to Washington, D.C., he could have thicker skin than some swamp creatures. He might even hold strong to his principles. Let’s hope so.
His lead also says a lot about New York City. He is leading in what is seen as the most pro-Democratic district in America; his message is resonating with many of its residents. Is it possible that many Democrats in such traditionally blue urban enclaves are sick and tired of radical leftist policies?
Could a pro-Trump conservative outsider stance be a winning message among Democrats, particularly in urban areas that the Republican Party apparatus has neglected for too long?
Do you think Diaz will win? 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: 95% (2222 Votes) No: 5% (114 Votes)
What happens if conservatives run as Democrats in left-leaning districts and then get elected?
These are interesting questions to ponder. This race will likely provide some answers.
Either way, the energy behind Diaz is good news. It is good news for Trump and for the district.
And if it is a sign of a growing sentiment within the nation, it is good news heading into the 2020 election.
UPDATE, June 24, 2020: As of June 24, the Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. is no longer in the lead. However, a large number of absentee ballots were cast and will be counted on June 30. For the latest information on the primary election results for New York’s 15th congressional district, click here.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--Herman Cain: I Was There, And the Tulsa Trump Rally Crowd Was Huge and Enthusiastic

The media worked very hard to scare people out of attending the Trump campaign rally last Saturday night in Tulsa .
People on TikTok worked very hard to gobble up all the tickets so real Trump supporters couldn ’ t get any .
And afterward , predictably , the media spent days taunting the president for supposedly enduring a disappointing crowd .
Everywhere you look , you hear that the rally was a “ flop.
” It wasn ’ t .
I was there .
Contrary to the reports that there were only 7,000 or so people in attendance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw with my own eyes that there were at least 16,000 people there .
Yes , there were some empty seats in the nosebleed sections , but 16,000 people in the COVID-19 era is pretty impressive .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back But there ’ s more than that .
Do you know how many people followed the president ’ s speech on his YouTube channel ?
Four million .
That ’ s how many .
While I was sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I took of the event .
The next morning , we counted more than 73,000 likes and retweets – just on the Herman Cain Twitter feed alone .
Also : When a candidate holds a rally , it seems to me that what he says should be on the news more than how many people show up .
That ’ s not consistent with the media ’ s never-ending crusade against the president , but if you ’ re trying to decide who gets your vote , you ’ d probably like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atmosphere was electric , and the president ’ s words were inspiring .
He presented a vision for uniting the country , overcoming the remaining effects of the pandemic and reinvigorating an economy he had going strong before the coronavirus showed up .
The crowd loved it , and it ’ s a great plan .
It ’ s far better than the incoherent nonsense Joe Biden offers .
The president was also strong and focused when he talked about the violence in the streets right now .
He was clear that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple lawlessness and will not be tolerated .
I understand why he said it .
I know what it is to grow up black in this country , and I know how to overcome racism in your personal life .
You don ’ t do it by tearing and burning things down .
You do it by embracing the right habits , the right values and the right goals for your life .
RELATED : Op-Ed : President Trump Is Empowering the Next Generation of Republican Leaders I appreciate the fact that President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black community , and I wish more people would pay attention to his plans for doing so .
But I ’ ve had about enough of the media telling us this rally was some sort of bust .
It was triumphant and electric .
Everyone who attended came away from it feeling good .
As usual , the story they tell you is very different from what actually happened .
Keep that in mind as they cover the rest of the election campaign , because they ’ re not going to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know anything true if you rely on them .
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The media worked very hard to scare people out of attending the Trump campaign rally last Saturday night in Tulsa. People on TikTok worked very hard to gobble up all the tickets so real Trump supporters couldn’t get any.
And afterward, predictably, the media spent days taunting the president for supposedly enduring a disappointing crowd. Everywhere you look, you hear that the rally was a “flop.”
It wasn’t. I was there.
Contrary to the reports that there were only 7,000 or so people in attendance, I can tell you from what I saw with my own eyes that there were at least 16,000 people there.
Yes, there were some empty seats in the nosebleed sections, but 16,000 people in the COVID-19 era is pretty impressive.
But there’s more than that. Do you know how many people followed the president’s speech on his YouTube channel? Four million. That’s how many.
While I was sitting there, I tweeted out several photos I took of the event. The next morning, we counted more than 73,000 likes and retweets – just on the Herman Cain Twitter feed alone.
Also: When a candidate holds a rally, it seems to me that what he says should be on the news more than how many people show up.
That’s not consistent with the media’s never-ending crusade against the president, but if you’re trying to decide who gets your vote, you’d probably like to know what the candidate said.
The atmosphere was electric, and the president’s words were inspiring. He presented a vision for uniting the country, overcoming the remaining effects of the pandemic and reinvigorating an economy he had going strong before the coronavirus showed up.
The crowd loved it, and it’s a great plan. It’s far better than the incoherent nonsense Joe Biden offers.
The president was also strong and focused when he talked about the violence in the streets right now. He was clear that the destruction of statues and other property is simple lawlessness and will not be tolerated.
I understand why he said it. I know what it is to grow up black in this country, and I know how to overcome racism in your personal life.
You don’t do it by tearing and burning things down. You do it by embracing the right habits, the right values and the right goals for your life.
I appreciate the fact that President Trump cares about making things better for the black community, and I wish more people would pay attention to his plans for doing so.
But I’ve had about enough of the media telling us this rally was some sort of bust. It was triumphant and electric. Everyone who attended came away from it feeling good.
As usual, the story they tell you is very different from what actually happened. Keep that in mind as they cover the rest of the election campaign, because they’re not going to change. That means you won’t know anything true if you rely on them.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--Selfless Widow Donates Kidney to Same Man Who Received Her Late Husband’s Organs

In 2004 , 35-year-old Bryan Herrington of Pensacola , Florida , died during a roofing accident .
Before that tragic day , though , he had made a very important decision : He had chosen to be an organ donor .
Jeff Granger was a man in need of a kidney and pancreas .
His kidneys had started failing , and he was fortunate enough to get what he needed from Herrington ’ s generosity .
In total , Herrington ended up helping four people with his donations , and it ’ s something that has changed life for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transplant , Granger started writing to Bryan ’ s family , including his wife , Terri Herrington .
She found that the communication helped them in their grieving process .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back “ Just hearing from them , and how much their life had changed , was a healing process for me and my boys in and of itself , ” she told UFHealth .
The Grangers sent cards to the Herringtons regularly , especially for holidays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Terri replied with her phone number in case Granger would like to talk .
“ I remember sitting down and thinking , ‘ Heck , I ’ ll give her a call , ' ” Granger recalled .
“ I didn ’ t know a thing about her.
” But that soon changed .
The Grangers were invited to Herrington events and soon became friends with the family .
At one event , the youngest Herrington son , Payton , approached Granger and put his hands on his belly .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the boy said .
“ Sure is , ” Granger replied .
“ And I ’ ll try to keep him alive as long as I can.
” He kept that promise until 2019 , when his kidneys started to fail again as a result of his body turning against them .
He had to tell Terri the awful news — but her response shocked Granger so thoroughly that he didn ’ t think she was serious .
“ I ’ m losing Bryan ’ s kidney .
I ’ m so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to which she replied , “ Well , I ’ ve got one.
” Granger posted his request for a kidney online , and Terri saw the post and reiterated her offer in no uncertain terms .
RELATED : Woman in Shock After Giving Birth to Baby on Toilet Despite 4 Negative Pregnancy Tests “ I ’ ll email you a packet if you ’ re really interested , ” he wrote .
But Terri was adamant : “ I ’ m not ‘ really interested.
’ You ’ re getting mine.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a match , so the surgery was set for November 2019 and Granger was looking forward to feeling back to himself again .
Unfortunately , as the Grangers and Herringtons arrived at the hospital , Jeff was found to have pneumonia , and the transplant was postponed .
Thankfully , on March 3 , the surgery did take place and it was a success .
Apparently , some people were concerned Terri would regret her decision — but she is absolutely certain she will not .
“ As we got closer to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people coming up to me and asking , ‘ What if you need it ?
’ And I said , ‘ Well , what if I don ’ t ?
’ If I lived off of what-ifs , I wouldn ’ t live.
” “ Jeff will still have Bryan ’ s pancreas , ” she added .
“ In a way , we ’ d be back together again.
” “ We aren ’ t organ donor and transplant recipient .
Through this connection , we ’ ve become family.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donor and gets kind of choked up when he talks about how everything fell into place so perfectly .
“ We were a perfect match , ” he said .
“ Just like me and Bryan were .
And I hope to stay in touch with them the rest of our lives.
” “ This girl was an angel .
She ’ s a single parent , and God ’ s gift of a parent , too .
I don ’ t know how I could thank her or repay her for such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

In 2004, 35-year-old Bryan Herrington of Pensacola, Florida, died during a roofing accident. Before that tragic day, though, he had made a very important decision: He had chosen to be an organ donor.
Jeff Granger was a man in need of a kidney and pancreas. His kidneys had started failing, and he was fortunate enough to get what he needed from Herrington’s generosity.
In total, Herrington ended up helping four people with his donations, and it’s something that has changed life for his family.
Within a month of the transplant, Granger started writing to Bryan’s family, including his wife, Terri Herrington. She found that the communication helped them in their grieving process.
“Just hearing from them, and how much their life had changed, was a healing process for me and my boys in and of itself,” she told UFHealth.
The Grangers sent cards to the Herringtons regularly, especially for holidays and special occasions — and after a year, Terri replied with her phone number in case Granger would like to talk.
“I remember sitting down and thinking, ‘Heck, I’ll give her a call,'” Granger recalled. “I didn’t know a thing about her.”
But that soon changed. The Grangers were invited to Herrington events and soon became friends with the family. At one event, the youngest Herrington son, Payton, approached Granger and put his hands on his belly.
“My dad’s in there,” the boy said.
“Sure is,” Granger replied. “And I’ll try to keep him alive as long as I can.”
He kept that promise until 2019, when his kidneys started to fail again as a result of his body turning against them. He had to tell Terri the awful news — but her response shocked Granger so thoroughly that he didn’t think she was serious.
“I’m losing Bryan’s kidney. I’m so sorry,” he told her, to which she replied, “Well, I’ve got one.”
Granger posted his request for a kidney online, and Terri saw the post and reiterated her offer in no uncertain terms.
“I’ll email you a packet if you’re really interested,” he wrote.
But Terri was adamant: “I’m not ‘really interested.’ You’re getting mine.”
It just so happened that she was a match, so the surgery was set for November 2019 and Granger was looking forward to feeling back to himself again.
Unfortunately, as the Grangers and Herringtons arrived at the hospital, Jeff was found to have pneumonia, and the transplant was postponed.
Thankfully, on March 3, the surgery did take place and it was a success.
Apparently, some people were concerned Terri would regret her decision — but she is absolutely certain she will not.
“As we got closer to the surgery date, I had a lot of people coming up to me and asking, ‘What if you need it?’ And I said, ‘Well, what if I don’t?’ If I lived off of what-ifs, I wouldn’t live.”
“Jeff will still have Bryan’s pancreas,” she added. “In a way, we’d be back together again.”
“We aren’t organ donor and transplant recipient. Through this connection, we’ve become family.”
Granger is still in awe of his donor and gets kind of choked up when he talks about how everything fell into place so perfectly.
“We were a perfect match,” he said. “Just like me and Bryan were. And I hope to stay in touch with them the rest of our lives.”
“This girl was an angel. She’s a single parent, and God’s gift of a parent, too. I don’t know how I could thank her or repay her for such a wonderful life-giving gift.”
“It’s kind of a miracle, you know?”
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--FBI Reveals Harmless Truth About ‘Noose’ in Bubba Wallace’s Garage

The alleged noose found hanging in Bubba Wallace ’ s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway had been there since at least last October , federal authorities said Tuesday as they announced there will be no charges filed in an incident involving NASCAR ’ s only full-time black driver .
U.S. Attorney Jay Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. said its investigation determined “ although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019 , nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week.
” A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rope on Sunday at the Alabama race track .
NASCAR was alerted and contacted the FBI , which sent 15 agents to the track to investigate .
They determined no federal crime was committed .
The statement said the garage stall was assigned to Wallace last week in advance of the race scheduled for Sunday but held on Monday because of rain .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back Through video it was discovered the rope “ was in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The agencies said the evidence did not support federal charges .
NASCAR said in a statement that “ the FBI report concludes , and photographic evidence confirms , that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall .
This was obviously well before the 43 team ’ s arrival and garage assignment.
” The Wood Brothers Racing team said one of its employees informed the team he recalled “ seeing a tied handle in the garage pull down rope from last fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in October .
The team said it immediately alerted NASCAR and assisted the investigation .
Wallace , a 26-year-old Alabama native , successfully pushed the stock car series to ban the Confederate flag at its venues less than two weeks ago .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The alleged noose found hanging in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway had been there since at least last October, federal authorities said Tuesday.
They announced there will be no charges filed in an incident involving NASCAR’s only full-time black driver.
U.S. Attorney Jay Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. said its investigation determined “although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week.”
A crew member for Richard Petty Motorsports discovered the rope on Sunday at the Alabama race track.
NASCAR was alerted and contacted the FBI, which sent 15 agents to the track to investigate.
They determined no federal crime was committed.
The statement said the garage stall was assigned to Wallace last week in advance of the race scheduled for Sunday but held on Monday because of rain.
Through video it was discovered the rope “was in that garage as early as October 2019.”
The agencies said the evidence did not support federal charges.
NASCAR said in a statement that “the FBI report concludes, and photographic evidence confirms, that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall.
“This was obviously well before the 43 team’s arrival and garage assignment.”
Are you surprised by the FBI's findings? Yes No
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The Wood Brothers Racing team said one of its employees informed the team he recalled “seeing a tied handle in the garage pull down rope from last fall,” when NASCAR raced at Talladega in October.
The team said it immediately alerted NASCAR and assisted the investigation.
Wallace, a 26-year-old Alabama native, successfully pushed the stock car series to ban the Confederate flag at its venues less than two weeks ago.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--ESPN’s Politics-Riddled Awards Show Tanks in the Ratings

The ratings for “ The 2020 ESPYs ” are in , and they ’ re woeful , especially considering sports fans have been starved for content for more than three months .
This year ’ s ESPN awards show centered mostly on social issues , not sports , and could signal what fans can expect when the major sports return after being sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic .
The all-virtual show Sunday attracted a mere 482,000 viewers on ESPN and ESPN2 , according to Sports Media Watch .
That ’ s bad enough to make it the lowest-rated ESPYs show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dating back to 1995 .
The pitiful viewership is an 88 percent decrease from the 2019 ESPYs , when 3.87 million people tuned in .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back Apparently few sports fans want to be lectured with leftist platitudes about politics , racial injustice and other issues , which is what those who refrained from tuning in missed out on .
The purported sports award show was chock full of preaching about the Black Lives Matter movement and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former NFL quarterback and national anthem protester Colin Kaepernick .
The network was roundly criticized online for its pivot away from sports and toward social commentary .
Sports Media Watch noted that ESPYs ratings peaked in 2015 with 7.75 million viewers and have declined each year since .
The 2015 awards , for context , saw ESPN honor Caitlyn Jenner with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for coming out as transgender .
The show has become a sports version of the Oscars , where Hollywood liberals spend hours annually castigating ordinary Americans about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home because of the coronavirus shutdowns , Americans are hungry for sports .
In a time of strife and division , they can offer an escape and bring people of different backgrounds together .
Consider the ratings for ESPN ’ s recent documentary series about the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls , and you ’ ll notice a striking difference from the ESPYs numbers .
“ The Last Dance ” set ratings records for ESPN last month , drawing an average of 5.8 million viewers for the premiere of its six episodes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s behind-the-scenes quest for basketball greatness without being drenched in leftist social commentary — and it was a smashing success .
The harsh reality for ESPN is that few people want to tune in just to be hectored about skin color and flooded with anti-police rhetoric .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The ratings for “The 2020 ESPYs” are in, and they’re woeful, especially considering sports fans have been starved for content for more than three months.
This year’s ESPN awards show centered mostly on social issues, not sports, and could signal what fans can expect when the major sports return after being sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic.
The all-virtual show Sunday attracted a mere 482,000 viewers on ESPN and ESPN2, according to Sports Media Watch.
That’s bad enough to make it the lowest-rated ESPYs show in the network’s history, dating back to 1995.
The pitiful viewership is an 88 percent decrease from the 2019 ESPYs, when 3.87 million people tuned in.
Apparently few sports fans want to be lectured with leftist platitudes about politics, racial injustice and other issues, which is what those who refrained from tuning in missed out on.
The purported sports award show was chock full of preaching about the Black Lives Matter movement and “white privilege” and praise for former NFL quarterback and national anthem protester Colin Kaepernick.
The network was roundly criticized online for its pivot away from sports and toward social commentary.
I’m out✌?
Push your agenda on someone else… — Jonathan Roberson (@JRob_YP) June 22, 2020
Is there any form of entertainment left that isn’t inundated with politics and social issues? — Mike Milly (@realmikemilly) June 22, 2020
I’m done with Professional Sports! It used to be a recreational place we could go to get away from all the politics and division. Not anymore! — Keith Harrison (@pastorrkh) June 22, 2020
Sports Media Watch noted that ESPYs ratings peaked in 2015 with 7.75 million viewers and have declined each year since.
The 2015 awards, for context, saw ESPN honor Caitlyn Jenner with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for coming out as transgender.
Did you watch this year's ESPY Awards show? Yes No
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The show has become a sports version of the Oscars, where Hollywood liberals spend hours annually castigating ordinary Americans about social issues.
With many people still at home because of the coronavirus shutdowns, Americans are hungry for sports. In a time of strife and division, they can offer an escape and bring people of different backgrounds together.
Consider the ratings for ESPN’s recent documentary series about the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls, and you’ll notice a striking difference from the ESPYs numbers.
“The Last Dance” set ratings records for ESPN last month, drawing an average of 5.8 million viewers for the premiere of its six episodes, NBA.com reported.
The documentary chronicled Jordan’s behind-the-scenes quest for basketball greatness without being drenched in leftist social commentary — and it was a smashing success.
The harsh reality for ESPN is that few people want to tune in just to be hectored about skin color and flooded with anti-police rhetoric.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--‘1619 Project’ Creator Floats Insane Conspiracy Theory: Kids with Fireworks Are a Gov’t ‘Attack’ on

‘1619 Project’ Creator Floats Insane Conspiracy Theory: Kids with Fireworks Are a Gov’t ‘Attack’ on Minorities

Nikole Hannah-Jones is having her moment .
It ’ s really been leading up to this for a while .
The creator of The New York Times ’ “ 1619 Project , ” which argues the real year of America ’ s founding should be the year slaves were first brought to America , Hannah-Jones won a Pulitzer for the essay that kicked the whole project off .
When the New York Post ran an opinion piece about the violence , statue-toppling and property destruction associated with the recent protests titled “ Call them the 1619 Riots , ” Hannah-Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It would be an honor .
Thank you.
” ( She would later tell The Post Millennial this was a “ tongue-in-cheek Twitter response.
” ) Recently , the Pulitzer winner appeared to have uncovered another potential scandal : The government ’ s use of illegal fireworks displays to destabilize the Black Lives Matter movement .
What , you hadn ’ t heard ?
Well , Hannah-Jones retweeted a thread of writer Robert Jones Jr ’ s , simply saying “ Read this.
” TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Artist Fires Back The viral thread — which she ’ s now apologized for seeming to lend her imprimatur to — discusses the multitude of backyard fireworks this year and the theory that those who set it off or sell the fireworks potentially have , as their goals , “ [ s ] leep deprivation as a means to create confusion and stoke tensions between Black and Brown peoples ” and “ [ d ] esensitization as a means to get us so used to the sounds of firecrackers and other fireworks that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on us we won ’ t know the difference .
It ’ s meant to sound like a war zone because a war zone is what it ’ s about to become.
” The fireworks are “ psychological warfare , the first wave before whatever the next stage of the attack is , ” Jones postulated .
“ My neighbors and I believe that this is part of a coordinated attack on Black and Brown communities by government forces ; an attack meant to disorient and destabilize the [ Black Lives Matter ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ 1619 Project ” for , The New York Times , has writers that have put forth , um , different explanations .
“ For some people , the fireworks serve as a release after months of boredom and seclusion in cramped apartments .
For others , they are a celebration of hard-fought strides made during the demonstrations , and a show of defiance toward the police , ” Corey Kilgannon and Juliana Kim wrote in a June 19 piece .
“ But not everyone is enamored by the pyrotechnics .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaints about fireworks came into the city ’ s 311 system , 80 times as many as the 21 in the same period last year.
” Jones Jr. wasn ’ t so convinced : “ We think this because there is NO WAY IN THE WORLD that young Black and Brown people would otherwise have access to these PROFESSIONAL fireworks .
These are Macy ’ s July 4th/New Year ’ s-level displays and sonic booms reserved generally for the wealthiest people and institutions , ” he tweeted .
“ And these kids are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hours and hours and days and days and weeks and weeks worth of explosives , y ’ all .
No young Black and Brown people would be able to afford even a FRACTION of this supply.
” RELATED : Trump : 'If Biden Was President , They Will Knock Down the Jefferson Memorial .
Not Going To Happen' “ We think the government is providing these to neighborhood young people .
These young people are unaware of how they ’ re being used against their own communities and think they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fun that is generally considered illegal.
” Actually , they seem to be the ones who ’ re buying it , and they have the money .
Time talked to Anthony LoBianco , who runs Intergalactic Fireworks in Pennsylvania — usually one of the go-to places if you want illegal fireworks in New York City .
“ Usually there ’ s one week before July 4th where it ’ s like a mad rush , ” he said .
“ But that level of activity is happening now .
Everyone is buying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they have nothing to do at night .
Fireworks fill in that little void instead of sitting at home and watching TV.
” Generally speaking , when the government is trying to disseminate fireworks into certain neighborhoods to destabilize the Black Lives Matter movement , they don ’ t buy retail .
Or is that just what Anthony LoBianco wants you to think ?
Jones Jr. also tweeted a photo of someone selling fireworks and a bottle of Hennessey that was posted on Facebook and compared the strap in the photo to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department ’ s gear : Anyhow , Hannah-Jones didn ’ t really follow up on this hot story , because she deleted her tweet and told National Review in an email that she ’ d made a mistake .
“ I should not have retweeted that tweet thread .
I was curious about what other people thought of it as I have seen lots of comments on the unusual nature of fireworks this year , but I did not make that clear , ” she said .
“ That was an irresponsible use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards , which is why I deleted my Tweet.
” I know the “ 1619 Project ” is factually challenged at best , but yes , this is very much beneath Hannah-Jones ’ standards .
In fact , both Hannah-Jones and Jones Jr. sounded a bit like another Jones — namely , Alex .
The idea that there was even a level of curiosity about this theory is a telling thing .
Reading through the thread , you get the idea this is a man on whom the coronavirus has taken a psychic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destabilizing Black Lives Matter , the NYFD selling fireworks and alcohol for reduced prices and this all it being “ psychological warfare , the first wave before whatever the next stage of the attack is , ” this is all tinfoil haberdashery stuff .
However , it was suitably divisive .
At least in that way , it was on-brand for Hannah-Jones .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Nikole Hannah-Jones is having her moment.
It’s really been leading up to this for a while. The creator of The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which argues the real year of America’s founding should be the year slaves were first brought to America, Hannah-Jones won a Pulitzer for the essay that kicked the whole project off.
When the New York Post ran an opinion piece about the violence, statue-toppling and property destruction associated with the recent protests titled “Call them the 1619 Riots,” Hannah-Jones retweeted it along with the quote, “It would be an honor. Thank you.” (She would later tell The Post Millennial this was a “tongue-in-cheek Twitter response.”)
Recently, the Pulitzer winner appeared to have uncovered another potential scandal: The government’s use of illegal fireworks displays to destabilize the Black Lives Matter movement.
What, you hadn’t heard? Well, Hannah-Jones retweeted a thread of writer Robert Jones Jr’s, simply saying “Read this.”
The viral thread — which she’s now apologized for seeming to lend her imprimatur to — discusses the multitude of backyard fireworks this year and the theory that those who set it off or sell the fireworks potentially have, as their goals, “[s]leep deprivation as a means to create confusion and stoke tensions between Black and Brown peoples” and “[d]esensitization as a means to get us so used to the sounds of firecrackers and other fireworks that when they start using their real artillery on us we won’t know the difference. It’s meant to sound like a war zone because a war zone is what it’s about to become.”
The fireworks are “psychological warfare, the first wave before whatever the next stage of the attack is,” Jones postulated.
“My neighbors and I believe that this is part of a coordinated attack on Black and Brown communities by government forces; an attack meant to disorient and destabilize the [Black Lives Matter] movement.”
This is incredibly irresponsible on every level. pic.twitter.com/hFSmxe8HtA — Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) June 21, 2020
The publication that Hannah-Jones created the “1619 Project” for, The New York Times, has writers that have put forth, um, different explanations.
“For some people, the fireworks serve as a release after months of boredom and seclusion in cramped apartments. For others, they are a celebration of hard-fought strides made during the demonstrations, and a show of defiance toward the police,” Corey Kilgannon and Juliana Kim wrote in a June 19 piece.
“But not everyone is enamored by the pyrotechnics. In the first half of June, 1,737 complaints about fireworks came into the city’s 311 system, 80 times as many as the 21 in the same period last year.”
Jones Jr. wasn’t so convinced: “We think this because there is NO WAY IN THE WORLD that young Black and Brown people would otherwise have access to these PROFESSIONAL fireworks. These are Macy’s July 4th/New Year’s-level displays and sonic booms reserved generally for the wealthiest people and institutions,” he tweeted.
“And these kids are being supplied these things by the TRUCKLOAD. Hours and hours and days and days and weeks and weeks worth of explosives, y’all. No young Black and Brown people would be able to afford even a FRACTION of this supply.”
And these kids are being supplied these things by the TRUCKLOAD. Hours and hours and days and days and weeks and weeks worth of explosives, y’all. No young Black and Brown people would be able to afford even a FRACTION of this supply. — Son of Baldwin (Robert Jones, Jr.) (@SonofBaldwin) June 20, 2020
“We think the government is providing these to neighborhood young people. These young people are unaware of how they’re being used against their own communities and think they’re simply being allowed to have the kind of fun that is generally considered illegal.”
We think the government is providing these to neighborhood young people. These young people are unaware of how they’re being used against their own communities and think they’re simply being allowed to have the kind of fun that is generally considered illegal. — Son of Baldwin (Robert Jones, Jr.) (@SonofBaldwin) June 20, 2020
Actually, they seem to be the ones who’re buying it, and they have the money. Time talked to Anthony LoBianco, who runs Intergalactic Fireworks in Pennsylvania — usually one of the go-to places if you want illegal fireworks in New York City.
“Usually there’s one week before July 4th where it’s like a mad rush,” he said. “But that level of activity is happening now. Everyone is buying radically: They’re bored, and they have nothing to do at night. Fireworks fill in that little void instead of sitting at home and watching TV.”
Generally speaking, when the government is trying to disseminate fireworks into certain neighborhoods to destabilize the Black Lives Matter movement, they don’t buy retail. Or is that just what Anthony LoBianco wants you to think?
Jones Jr. also tweeted a photo of someone selling fireworks and a bottle of Hennessey that was posted on Facebook and compared the strap in the photo to the strap on the New York Fire Department’s gear:
Fam–does the gear in these photos look similar to you? pic.twitter.com/cuQBiHUBpn — Son of Baldwin (Robert Jones, Jr.) (@SonofBaldwin) June 20, 2020
I’m convinced.
Anyhow, Hannah-Jones didn’t really follow up on this hot story, because she deleted her tweet and told National Review in an email that she’d made a mistake.
“I should not have retweeted that tweet thread. I was curious about what other people thought of it as I have seen lots of comments on the unusual nature of fireworks this year, but I did not make that clear,” she said. “That was an irresponsible use of my platform and beneath my own standards, which is why I deleted my Tweet.”
Was Nikole Hannah-Jones' apology enough? Yes No
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I know the “1619 Project” is factually challenged at best, but yes, this is very much beneath Hannah-Jones’ standards. In fact, both Hannah-Jones and Jones Jr. sounded a bit like another Jones — namely, Alex.
The idea that there was even a level of curiosity about this theory is a telling thing. Reading through the thread, you get the idea this is a man on whom the coronavirus has taken a psychic toll. Conspiracy theories about government fireworks destabilizing Black Lives Matter, the NYFD selling fireworks and alcohol for reduced prices and this all it being “psychological warfare, the first wave before whatever the next stage of the attack is,” this is all tinfoil haberdashery stuff.
However, it was suitably divisive. At least in that way, it was on-brand for Hannah-Jones.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--TV Host’s Shot at Barron Trump Earns Fierce Response from White House

The Office of the First Lady quickly came to Barron Trump ’ s defense after a Twitter attack from a Food Network host .
“ I hope Barron gets to spend today with whoever his dad is , ” John Henson wrote in a since-deleted tweet on Sunday , Father ’ s Day 2020 .
Henson is the host of “ Halloween Baking Championship ” and anchored seven seasons of ABC ’ s “ Wipeout , ” the Washington Examiner reported .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the comment “ inappropriate and insensitive ” in a statement to the Daily Caller .
“ Sadly we continue to see inappropriate and insensitive comments about the President ’ s son , ” Grisham said .
“ As with every other Administration , a minor child should be off limits and allowed to grow up with no judgment or hate from strangers and the media.
” Melania Trump has had to defend her son in the past when Pamela Karlan , a witness during the impeachment proceedings , referenced Barron by name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says there can be no titles of nobility , so while the president can name his son Barron , he can ’ t make him a baron , ” Karlan said in December .
“ A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics , ” she wrote .
“ Pamela Karlan , you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering , and using a child to do it.
” The East Wing also recently criticized a book from a Washington Post reporter that said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House so she could renegotiate her prenuptial agreement with President Donald Trump .
“ Yet another book about Mrs. Trump with false information and sources , ” Grisham told reporters , according to The Hill .
Grisham ’ s statement did not address any specific claims in the book .
UPDATE , June 23 , 2020 : After the publication of this article , John Henson deleted his tweet referencing Barron Trump .
This article has been updated to include that fact and a screen shot of the deleted tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Office of the First Lady quickly came to Barron Trump’s defense after a Twitter attack from a Food Network host.
“I hope Barron gets to spend today with whoever his dad is,” John Henson wrote in a since-deleted tweet on Sunday, Father’s Day 2020.
@FoodNetwork Is this what you meant when you tweeted that you’re committed to change? pic.twitter.com/YCK7P0TZvh — BellaLuna (@BellaLunaBotana) June 22, 2020
Henson is the host of “Halloween Baking Championship” and anchored seven seasons of ABC’s “Wipeout,” the Washington Examiner reported.
Melania Trump’s spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham called the comment “inappropriate and insensitive” in a statement to the Daily Caller.
“Sadly we continue to see inappropriate and insensitive comments about the President’s son,” Grisham said.
“As with every other Administration, a minor child should be off limits and allowed to grow up with no judgment or hate from strangers and the media.”
Melania Trump has had to defend her son in the past when Pamela Karlan, a witness during the impeachment proceedings, referenced Barron by name in her testimony.
Do you think the attacks against Barron are inappropriate? Yes No
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“The Constitution says there can be no titles of nobility, so while the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron,” Karlan said in December.
Melania Trump responded on Twitter.
“A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics,” she wrote.
“Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.”
A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it. — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 4, 2019
The East Wing also recently criticized a book from a Washington Post reporter that said the First Lady had waited to move to the White House so she could renegotiate her prenuptial agreement with President Donald Trump.
“Yet another book about Mrs. Trump with false information and sources,” Grisham told reporters, according to The Hill.
“This book belongs in the fiction genre.”
Grisham’s statement did not address any specific claims in the book.
UPDATE, June 23, 2020: After the publication of this article, John Henson deleted his tweet referencing Barron Trump. This article has been updated to include that fact and a screen shot of the deleted tweet.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--Trump: ‘If Biden Was President, They Will Knock Down the Jefferson Memorial. Not Going To Happen’

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that if someone like Joe Biden were president at this moment , vandals would be able to knock down the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington .
Given the almost complete silence by Biden and the Democrats as statues of heroes like Jefferson , George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant have been taken down , I ’ m inclined to think that Trump is right .
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade asked the president in an interview that aired Tuesday about the push to tear down and remove various statues .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump responded .
“ Now federal , I ’ ve stopped federal , but a lot of states are weak .
A lot of people are weak and they ’ re allowing it to happen.
” “ They want to take down Ulysses S. Grant , ” Trump continued , praising the Union general who became the country ’ s 18th president .
“ Well , he ’ s the one who stopped the Confederates .
He was a great general .
Nobody ’ s stock went up more than his stock over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back “ I ’ ve stopped them twice now from going over to the Jefferson Memorial , ” he added .
“ If I weren ’ t president … if a guy like Biden was president , they will knock down the Jefferson Memorial .
Not going to happen.
” Kilmeade asked Trump how he would address the issue of Jefferson and Washington and other founders being slaveowners .
“ You have to understand history .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so many other aspects of our country , ” the president responded .
“ And people can study that and hate it , and let ’ s all hate it , but you can ’ t take down George Washington ’ s statue and half of our country is named after Washington .
“ We have to remember the heritage , the culture of our country , ” he added .
While it is true Jefferson was a slaveholder in Virginia , he pushed for slavery ’ s abolition and Washington opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s being taught in The New York Times ’ 1619 Project curriculum in 3,500 classrooms across 50 states , a primary cause of the Revolutionary War was not the colonists ’ desire to protect slavery .
The Declaration of Independence , which lists dozens of grievances the Colonies had against the king and Parliament , makes just a passing reference to slavery by pointing to England ’ s efforts to “ excite domestic insurrections.
” RELATED : '1619 Project ' Creator Floats Insane Conspiracy Theory : Kids with Fireworks Are a Gov't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original draft submitted to the Continental Congress included a condemnation of the king ’ s support for the African slave trade , calling it a violation of the “ most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him , captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere , or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.
” The 1619 Project derives its name from the year slavery was introduced into the English colony of Virginia .
The Times ’ lead writer on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honest enough to admit that slavery in America predated the nation ’ s founding by over 150 years .
However , she alleged that by 1776 , Britain “ had grown deeply conflicted over its role in the barbaric institution.
” Slavery was abolished in Great Britain in 1833 — over a half-century after the founding of the United States .
Also working completely against Hannah-Jones ’ narrative is the fact that almost all the states north of the Mason-Dixon Line had voted to abolish slavery by the end of the Revolutionary War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Northern states had passed legislation ending slavery .
There were no other governments in the world taking such legislative action at that point in history .
In other words , the northern states in the U.S. led the world in launching the abolition movement .
Benjamin Franklin , who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and had owned slaves earlier in his life , became president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society after the Revolutionary War .
So to say that slavery was America ’ s “ original sin , ” as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founding generation , who took the initial steps to end the institution inherited from their English forebears .
In 1787 , the Continental Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance , which established the laws governing the territorial land encompassing the future states of Ohio , Michigan , Indiana , Illinois and Wisconsin .
The ordinance outlawed the introduction of slavery in the territory .
That same year , delegates to the Constitution Convention , which was presided over by Washington , specifically authorized the federal government to ban the importation of slaves in 1808 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the document was ratified ) .
Congress voted for the ban in 1807 so it could go into effect at the earliest possible date , and President Thomas Jefferson signed the bill into law .
Jefferson would write about the evils of slavery in his only published work , “ Notes on the State of Virginia ” in 1781 .
“ And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis , a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked .
“ That they are not to be violated but with his wrath ?
“ Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just : that his justice can not sleep for ever , ” Jefferson wrote .
Those words are inscribed in the Jefferson Memorial .
Also on the Memorial ’ s walls are these words by Jefferson from the Declaration , which have defined what it means to be an American : “ We hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
” Trump ’ s right .
The Jefferson Memorial must be protected , along with our heritage as Americans .
The founders , Grant , Abraham Lincoln — the people who helped positively shape our nation ’ s history — were not perfect ( as no one today is ) , but they played their part in the great unfolding story of liberty in the United States .
Randy DeSoto is the author of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” about the influence of the Declaration of Independence throughout U.S. history .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that if someone like Joe Biden were president at this moment, vandals would be able to knock down the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington.
Given the almost complete silence by Biden and the Democrats as statues of heroes like Jefferson, George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant have been taken down, I’m inclined to think that Trump is right.
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade asked the president in an interview that aired Tuesday about the push to tear down and remove various statues.
“I don’t like it at all,” Trump responded. “Now federal, I’ve stopped federal, but a lot of states are weak. A lot of people are weak and they’re allowing it to happen.”
“They want to take down Ulysses S. Grant,” Trump continued, praising the Union general who became the country’s 18th president. “Well, he’s the one who stopped the Confederates. He was a great general. Nobody’s stock went up more than his stock over the last 10 or 15 years.”
“If I weren’t president, if a guy like Biden was president, they will knock down the Jefferson Memorial. Not going to happen.”@realDonaldTrump says vandals are “ripping down things, they have no idea what they are ripping down.” pic.twitter.com/beiV2mioNB — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 23, 2020
“I’ve stopped them twice now from going over to the Jefferson Memorial,” he added. “If I weren’t president … if a guy like Biden was president, they will knock down the Jefferson Memorial. Not going to happen.”
Kilmeade asked Trump how he would address the issue of Jefferson and Washington and other founders being slaveowners.
Should those who damage memorials or pull down statues be prosecuted? Yes No
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“You have to understand history. You have to understand the culture, and so many other aspects of our country,” the president responded. “And people can study that and hate it, and let’s all hate it, but you can’t take down George Washington’s statue and half of our country is named after Washington.
“We have to remember the heritage, the culture of our country,” he added.
While it is true Jefferson was a slaveholder in Virginia, he pushed for slavery’s abolition and Washington opposed the institution too.
Contrary to what’s being taught in The New York Times’ 1619 Project curriculum in 3,500 classrooms across 50 states, a primary cause of the Revolutionary War was not the colonists’ desire to protect slavery.
The Declaration of Independence, which lists dozens of grievances the Colonies had against the king and Parliament, makes just a passing reference to slavery by pointing to England’s efforts to “excite domestic insurrections.”
Jefferson’s original draft submitted to the Continental Congress included a condemnation of the king’s support for the African slave trade, calling it a violation of the “most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.”
The 1619 Project derives its name from the year slavery was introduced into the English colony of Virginia.
The Times’ lead writer on the project, Nikole Hannah-Jones, was honest enough to admit that slavery in America predated the nation’s founding by over 150 years.
However, she alleged that by 1776, Britain “had grown deeply conflicted over its role in the barbaric institution.”
Slavery was abolished in Great Britain in 1833 — over a half-century after the founding of the United States.
Also working completely against Hannah-Jones’ narrative is the fact that almost all the states north of the Mason-Dixon Line had voted to abolish slavery by the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783.
By 1804, all the Northern states had passed legislation ending slavery.
There were no other governments in the world taking such legislative action at that point in history.
In other words, the northern states in the U.S. led the world in launching the abolition movement.
Benjamin Franklin, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and had owned slaves earlier in his life, became president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society after the Revolutionary War.
So to say that slavery was America’s “original sin,” as many do, is not fair to the founding generation, who took the initial steps to end the institution inherited from their English forebears.
In 1787, the Continental Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, which established the laws governing the territorial land encompassing the future states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. The ordinance outlawed the introduction of slavery in the territory.
That same year, delegates to the Constitution Convention, which was presided over by Washington, specifically authorized the federal government to ban the importation of slaves in 1808 (approximately 20 years from the date the document was ratified).
Congress voted for the ban in 1807 so it could go into effect at the earliest possible date, and President Thomas Jefferson signed the bill into law.
Jefferson would write about the evils of slavery in his only published work, “Notes on the State of Virginia” in 1781.
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God?” he asked. “That they are not to be violated but with his wrath?
“Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever,” Jefferson wrote.
Those words are inscribed in the Jefferson Memorial.
Also on the Memorial’s walls are these words by Jefferson from the Declaration, which have defined what it means to be an American: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Trump’s right. The Jefferson Memorial must be protected, along with our heritage as Americans.
The founders, Grant, Abraham Lincoln — the people who helped positively shape our nation’s history — were not perfect (as no one today is), but they played their part in the great unfolding story of liberty in the United States.
Randy DeSoto is the author of the book “We Hold These Truths” about the influence of the Declaration of Independence throughout U.S. history.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--Photographer Captures Heartwarming Reunion Between ‘Photobomber’ and Family on Father’s Day

Military families know a kind of separation that many of us will never have to face .
Their loved ones — siblings , parents , spouses — who have dedicated themselves to their country are often out of reach for long periods of time .
It can be especially difficult on the remaining spouse , who has to be strong and run the household single-handedly , but it ’ s also tough on the kids because they ’ re missing a parent .
That ’ s probably why surprise reunions are such a common theme .
Tears , laughter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not to love ?
Hannah Sanchez of Tampa , Florida , photographed those special moments when Lt. Col. Simon McKenzie greeted his family for the first time in months , which just happened to fall on Father ’ s Day .
TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back Sanchez has a photography business , so the photo shoot was set up at a park .
The photos tell the rest of the story .
As Kristin McKenzie and her three kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car parked in the background .
A door opened and closed .
A soldier in uniform got out .
He started walking up behind them .
By the time he was a few paces away , Kristin — who was in on the big surprise — lost it .
She balled up her fists and shut her eyes tight with anticipation as her kids smiled and continued looking forward , completely unaware of what was about to happen .
“ Can you guys believe that a car pulled up right behind this adorable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” Sanchez posted on her Facebook page , along with the resulting photos .
“ And then someone just jumped out and photobombed the entiiiiiire session !
?
The AUDACITY.
” Of course , the “ photobomber ” was none other than the kids ’ dad and Kristin ’ s husband , Simon .
“ But for real , what better day than Father ’ s Day for this dad to finally reunite with his family !
So many long months , but after being back in the US and quarantining , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kiss his family again.
” RELATED : Dad Loses a Whopping 129 Pounds To Give His Kids 'The Dad They Deserve' “ Congratulations !
I ’ m so happy for y ’ all !
” she concluded .
“ AND HAPPPPPY FATHER ’ S DAYYYY !
!
!
!
” The photos have been shared 11,000 times , with many reporting that they were unable to get through the series without shedding a few tears themselves .
Kristin also shared them , admitting that she started crying when she heard him approach .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his footsteps behind us , ” she said in a comment on her post .
“ Operation Surprise the Kids was a huge success , ” she shared .
“ Not a dry eye in the bunch.
” “ Blake : ‘ Is he done and home for good ?
’ Grey : ‘ Best day ever.
’ Lawton : ‘ Even I cried . '
” “ Shout out to Hannah Sanchez for killing it with the photography .
Everything I dreamed it would be and more.
” We are committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Military families know a kind of separation that many of us will never have to face. Their loved ones — siblings, parents, spouses — who have dedicated themselves to their country are often out of reach for long periods of time.
It can be especially difficult on the remaining spouse, who has to be strong and run the household single-handedly, but it’s also tough on the kids because they’re missing a parent.
That’s probably why surprise reunions are such a common theme. Tears, laughter, hugs and absolute joy — what’s not to love?
Hannah Sanchez of Tampa, Florida, photographed those special moments when Lt. Col. Simon McKenzie greeted his family for the first time in months, which just happened to fall on Father’s Day.
Sanchez has a photography business, so the photo shoot was set up at a park. The photos tell the rest of the story.
As Kristin McKenzie and her three kids posed and Sanchez snapped shots, a car parked in the background.
A door opened and closed. A soldier in uniform got out. He started walking up behind them.
By the time he was a few paces away, Kristin — who was in on the big surprise — lost it. She balled up her fists and shut her eyes tight with anticipation as her kids smiled and continued looking forward, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
“Can you guys believe that a car pulled up right behind this adorable family right when we started shooting?!” Sanchez posted on her Facebook page, along with the resulting photos. “And then someone just jumped out and photobombed the entiiiiiire session!? The AUDACITY.”
Of course, the “photobomber” was none other than the kids’ dad and Kristin’s husband, Simon.
“But for real, what better day than Father’s Day for this dad to finally reunite with his family! So many long months, but after being back in the US and quarantining, LTC McKenzie was able to hug and kiss his family again.”
“Congratulations! I’m so happy for y’all!” she concluded. “AND HAPPPPPY FATHER’S DAYYYY!!!!”
The photos have been shared 11,000 times, with many reporting that they were unable to get through the series without shedding a few tears themselves.
Kristin also shared them, admitting that she started crying when she heard him approach.
“I started sobbing when I heard his footsteps behind us,” she said in a comment on her post.
“Operation Surprise the Kids was a huge success,” she shared. “Not a dry eye in the bunch.”
“Blake: ‘Is he done and home for good?’ Grey: ‘Best day ever.’ Lawton: ‘Even I cried.'”
“Shout out to Hannah Sanchez for killing it with the photography. Everything I dreamed it would be and more.”
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--While Media Focuses on COVID Case Spike, US Sees Lowest Death Count in 3 Months

The past few months of the coronavirus pandemic have been a master class in how legacy media manipulate numbers to stoke fear .
Case in point : Have you heard that on Sunday , the United States reported its lowest single-day death count in three months ?
You probably have not , but it is true , according to a website tracking COVID-19 cases .
The “ Daily Deaths ” chart at Worldometer shows the dramatic decline : The 267 coronavirus deaths recorded Sunday were less than half the total of the previous day ( 573 ) and the fewest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed a total of 180 deaths .
But if you are watching CNN , you are only hearing more panic and fear , with headlines highlighting worries about the increased spread of the virus .
This is what the network reported Monday : “ Parts of Florida , South Carolina , Georgia , Texas and other states — many of which were some of the first to reopen following shutdowns — have reported that new coronavirus cases are being diagnosed in increasingly younger populations.
” TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Artist Fires Back Note the way CNN highlighted states that reopened earlier than others .
The dominating narrative in the mainstream media is that there are a lot of red states with spiking COVID-19 case numbers .
Of course , as more people get tested , more cases will appear .
But if deaths and hospitalizations are declining , our country is headed in the right direction .
Ashish Jha , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute , told CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer that younger people who get sick “ have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are going to go see those people .
… The more the virus spreads , the more everybody is vulnerable.
” Here is what Jha did not tell the audience : Vulnerable populations in states such as Florida have not died from the virus at the rates of those in Democrat-run states such as New York , New Jersey , Pennsylvania and Michigan .
That ’ s partly because Republican governors such as Ron DeSantis in Florida and Brian Kemp in Georgia moved fast and efficiently to protect the elderly in nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Guard send infection-control teams to nursing homes around the state early on to help limit the spread of the coronavirus .
While those states were ensuring that nursing homes had the protective equipment and training they needed , New York ’ s Democratic leaders forced nursing homes to take in COVID-infected patients .
The result is that New York and New Jersey have the highest COVID-19 death rates in the country , according to Worldometer : 1,609 and 1,472 , respectively , per million population , as of Monday .
Conversely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite its large elderly population : 152 deaths per million population .
The difference in reporting on these matters led DeSantis to speak out about how the media has manipulated the Wuhan virus narrative in the U.S .
While leftists initially tried to come up with conspiracy theories as to why states that opened early did not become apocalyptic in the aftermath , they are now reduced to trying to stoke new fears .
RELATED : County Institutes Mask Mandate That Only Applies to White People So don ’ t expect the establishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from coronavirus .
Good news for the nation is bad news for Democrats , after all .
Sadly , if you have friends or relatives who rely solely on CNN or other leftist outlets for their information , they likely will not hear anything about a drop in COVID-19 deaths .
The establishment media do not care about giving Americans the truth .
They care about keeping the coronavirus panic alive until the November election .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards @

The past few months of the coronavirus pandemic have been a master class in how legacy media manipulate numbers to stoke fear. Case in point: Have you heard that on Sunday, the United States reported its lowest single-day death count in three months?
You probably have not, but it is true, according to a website tracking COVID-19 cases.
The “Daily Deaths” chart at Worldometer shows the dramatic decline: The 267 coronavirus deaths recorded Sunday were less than half the total of the previous day (573) and the fewest since March 23, when the site listed a total of 180 deaths.
But if you are watching CNN, you are only hearing more panic and fear, with headlines highlighting worries about the increased spread of the virus.
This is what the network reported Monday: “Parts of Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas and other states — many of which were some of the first to reopen following shutdowns — have reported that new coronavirus cases are being diagnosed in increasingly younger populations.”
Note the way CNN highlighted states that reopened earlier than others. The dominating narrative in the mainstream media is that there are a lot of red states with spiking COVID-19 case numbers.
Of course, as more people get tested, more cases will appear. But if deaths and hospitalizations are declining, our country is headed in the right direction.
Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that younger people who get sick “have parents. They have grandparents, and they are going to go see those people. … The more the virus spreads, the more everybody is vulnerable.”
Do you trust the establishment media's reporting on the coronavirus? 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: 1% (26 Votes) No: 99% (1875 Votes)
Here is what Jha did not tell the audience: Vulnerable populations in states such as Florida have not died from the virus at the rates of those in Democrat-run states such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
That’s partly because Republican governors such as Ron DeSantis in Florida and Brian Kemp in Georgia moved fast and efficiently to protect the elderly in nursing homes. Kemp even had the Georgia National Guard send infection-control teams to nursing homes around the state early on to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.
While those states were ensuring that nursing homes had the protective equipment and training they needed, New York’s Democratic leaders forced nursing homes to take in COVID-infected patients.
The result is that New York and New Jersey have the highest COVID-19 death rates in the country, according to Worldometer: 1,609 and 1,472, respectively, per million population, as of Monday.
Conversely, Florida has a much lower death rate despite its large elderly population: 152 deaths per million population. The difference in reporting on these matters led DeSantis to speak out about how the media has manipulated the Wuhan virus narrative in the U.S.
While leftists initially tried to come up with conspiracy theories as to why states that opened early did not become apocalyptic in the aftermath, they are now reduced to trying to stoke new fears.
So don’t expect the establishment media to talk about the declining deaths from coronavirus. Good news for the nation is bad news for Democrats, after all.
Sadly, if you have friends or relatives who rely solely on CNN or other leftist outlets for their information, they likely will not hear anything about a drop in COVID-19 deaths.
The establishment media do not care about giving Americans the truth. They care about keeping the coronavirus panic alive until the November election.
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westernjournal--2020-06-23--Black Man Who Was Wrongfully Imprisoned in 2016 Saves Cop’s Life

A man who says he was wrongfully arrested in 2016 rescued a police officer from a burning police cruiser on Sunday , according to news reports .
Daylan McLee was in an apartment in Uniontown , Pennsylvania , when he heard a loud crash , the Associated Press reported .
McLee ran outside to find a burning police cruiser and removed officer Jay Hanley from the vehicle .
“ I don ’ t know what came across me , but I ripped the door open and just pulled him to safety across the street , ” McLee said on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to a reporter , McLee added : “ I know this man is my brother through Christ and I couldn ’ t leave him behind.
” TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back Several of Hanley ’ s relatives took to social media to thank McLee on Tuesday .
Hanley ’ s sister even called McLee to thank him , the AP reported .
“ Daylan actually said , ‘ I ’ m not going to let him die , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pittsburgh-based WTAE .
“ There ’ s just no words to describe , you know.
” McLee , who is black , spent a year in jail after a March 2016 incident before he was acquitted of his charges .
McLee had been accused of being involved in a fight outside a bar , but he was cleared of wrongdoing after video reviewed by a jury showed he had disarmed a man and thrown the gun away from the fight , according to the AP .
McLee has also been charged with fleeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred earlier this year .
McLee said he started running from a gathering after plainclothes officers approached with guns drawn , the AP reported .
However , McLee said he stopped running once he realized those chasing him were law enforcement officers .
He plans to fight the charges , the AP reported .
“ Those encounters make him the perfect candidate to hate and resent the police , ” McLee ’ s attorney Alec Wright said , according to the Associated Press .
“ But , that is not Daylan … The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the answer is to accept it for all that it is .
That is Daylan.
” “ There is value in every human life .
We are all children of God and I can ’ t imagine just watching anyone burn , ” McLee said , the Associated Press reported .
“ No matter what other people have done to me , or other officers , I thought , ‘ This guy deserves to make it home safely to his family.
’ ” A version of this article appeared on The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A man who says he was wrongfully arrested in 2016 rescued a police officer from a burning police cruiser on Sunday, according to news reports.
Daylan McLee was in an apartment in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, when he heard a loud crash, the Associated Press reported.
McLee ran outside to find a burning police cruiser and removed officer Jay Hanley from the vehicle.
“I don’t know what came across me, but I ripped the door open and just pulled him to safety across the street,” McLee said on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
According to a reporter, McLee added: “I know this man is my brother through Christ and I couldn’t leave him behind.”
Daylan McLee says when he saw a Uniontown officer pinned inside a burning police cruiser Father’s Day he thought, “I know this man is my brother through Christ and I couldn’t leave him behind.” He is credited with saving the officer’s life. A hero’s message @KDKA Tonight. pic.twitter.com/xoXlXXnWhy — PamSuranoKDKA (@PamSuranoKDKA) June 23, 2020
Several of Hanley’s relatives took to social media to thank McLee on Tuesday. Hanley’s sister even called McLee to thank him, the AP reported.
“Daylan actually said, ‘I’m not going to let him die,’” Uniontown Police Lt. Thomas Kolencik told Pittsburgh-based WTAE. “There’s just no words to describe, you know.”
Does McLee's message undermine the left's anti-cop narrative? Yes No
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McLee, who is black, spent a year in jail after a March 2016 incident before he was acquitted of his charges.
McLee had been accused of being involved in a fight outside a bar, but he was cleared of wrongdoing after video reviewed by a jury showed he had disarmed a man and thrown the gun away from the fight, according to the AP.
McLee has also been charged with fleeing and resisting arrest in an incident that occurred earlier this year. McLee said he started running from a gathering after plainclothes officers approached with guns drawn, the AP reported.
However, McLee said he stopped running once he realized those chasing him were law enforcement officers. He plans to fight the charges, the AP reported.
“Those encounters make him the perfect candidate to hate and resent the police,” McLee’s attorney Alec Wright said, according to the Associated Press.
“But, that is not Daylan … The answer is not to disregard human life; the answer is to accept it for all that it is. That is Daylan.”
“There is value in every human life. We are all children of God and I can’t imagine just watching anyone burn,” McLee said, the Associated Press reported.
“No matter what other people have done to me, or other officers, I thought, ‘This guy deserves to make it home safely to his family.’”
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--2020-06-23--African Country Tries To Convince Black Americans to ‘Come Home’ Amid Unrest in US

Ghana is sending a message to African-Americans in the midst of the unrest in the United States following the death of George Floyd : “ Come home.
” The African nation held a wreath-laying ceremony on June 5 in honor of Floyd , who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest .
During the ceremony , the minister of tourism , Barbara Oteng-Gyasi , said that the country ’ s arms are open and they are “ ready to welcome you home.
” “ We continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our brothers and sisters home .
Ghana is your home .
Africa is your home .
We have our arms wide open , ready to welcome you home , ” Oteng-Gyasi said .
“ Please take advantage .
Come home , build a life in Ghana .
You do not have to stay where you are not wanted forever .
You have a choice and Africa is waiting for you.
” TRENDING : Chicago Mayor Calls 'Scooby-Doo ' Parody Criticizing Her 'Racist , ' Then the Artist Fires Back In a statement prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president called for justice for Floyd .
“ We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times , and we hope that the unfortunate , tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head on the problems of hate and racism , ” President Nana Akufo-Addo said .
To commemorate 400 years since the first ship anchored in Jamestown , Virginia , carrying a small group of enslaved Africans , Ghana declared 2019 the “ Year of Return , ” Quartz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of African descent were encouraged to make the “ birthright journey home for the global African family.
” Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus were among those who made the trip .
Ghana ’ s Right of Abode law passed in 2000 also gives anyone of African descent who lives in the Americas the right to stay in Ghana indefinitely .
RELATED : Japanese Pray for Peace on 75th Anniversary of Battle of Okinawa Ghana ’ s history in the trans-Atlantic slave trade has complicated movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2020 ’ s postponed event , “ Beyond The Return.
” “ There is a willful amnesia about the roles that we played in the slave trade , ” local historian and former Accra mayor Nat Amarteifio told The World .
In the 1400s , the Portuguese heard about the gold in the region and showed up with guns for intimidation .
There was already a domestic slave trade in Ghana when the Portuguese arrived , but slaves had some rights and opportunities , unlike in America .
“ The system already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Europeans saw it .
And thought : ‘ Ah , we can try these people in our lands in the New World . '
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Ghana is sending a message to African-Americans in the midst of the unrest in the United States following the death of George Floyd: “Come home.”
The African nation held a wreath-laying ceremony on June 5 in honor of Floyd, who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest.
During the ceremony, the minister of tourism, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, said that the country’s arms are open and they are “ready to welcome you home.”
“We continue to open our arms and invite all our brothers and sisters home. Ghana is your home. Africa is your home. We have our arms wide open, ready to welcome you home,” Oteng-Gyasi said.
“Please take advantage. Come home, build a life in Ghana. You do not have to stay where you are not wanted forever. You have a choice and Africa is waiting for you.”
In a statement prior to the ceremony, Ghana’s president called for justice for Floyd.
“We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the unfortunate, tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head on the problems of hate and racism,” President Nana Akufo-Addo said.
To commemorate 400 years since the first ship anchored in Jamestown, Virginia, carrying a small group of enslaved Africans, Ghana declared 2019 the “Year of Return,” Quartz Africa reported.
During this time, people of African descent were encouraged to make the “birthright journey home for the global African family.”
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus were among those who made the trip.
Ghana’s Right of Abode law passed in 2000 also gives anyone of African descent who lives in the Americas the right to stay in Ghana indefinitely.
Ghana’s history in the trans-Atlantic slave trade has complicated movements like the “Year of Return” and 2020’s postponed event, “Beyond The Return.”
“There is a willful amnesia about the roles that we played in the slave trade,” local historian and former Accra mayor Nat Amarteifio told The World.
In the 1400s, the Portuguese heard about the gold in the region and showed up with guns for intimidation.
There was already a domestic slave trade in Ghana when the Portuguese arrived, but slaves had some rights and opportunities, unlike in America.
“The system already existed,” Arteifio said. “The Europeans saw it. And thought: ‘Ah, we can try these people in our lands in the New World.'”
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