westernjournal--2020-05-11--Newt Gingrich Blasts Pelosi and Biden for ‘Mystifying’ Views on Communist China

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have chosen the wrong side in the rift between the United States and China , according to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich .
Gingrich told Fox News ’ “ Fox & Friends ” on Monday that in his view , their comments have been “ very favorable ” to China ’ s Communist Party .
“ It is very hard to understand why the Democratic Party is increasingly pro-Communist Chinese Party , ” Gingrich said .
“ And you have in Speaker Pelosi a bitter hard partisan who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in Chinatown encouraging people to ignore all of this a couple of weeks ago.
” Gingrich said Democrats are alone in absolving China of blame for the coronavirus .
“ It is really mystifying why they are going down this road when it is so obvious to virtually everybody else in the world , that in fact , it is the Chinese Communist dictatorship which has caused this enormous level of pain literally to the entire planet , ” he said .
“ The pandemic which is now ravaging the world – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trillions of dollars of economic damage – originated in China and was hidden by the Chinese Communist dictatorship .
The dictatorship lied to the world and got its puppet head of the World Health Organization to also lie to the world , ” he wrote .
“ No reasonable person can doubt that the Chinese Communist dictatorship and its puppet head of the WHO are responsible for the greatest economic destruction on a worldwide scale since World War II .
“ It is time the Chinese Communist dictatorship paid for its lies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economies it has crippled.
” Republicans have said a partisan divide over coronavirus legislation impedes action .
Republican Rep .
Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania recently said that Pelosi is opposed to investigating the origins of the virus and that other Democrats are following suit , according to Breitbart .
“ They hate this president so badly that they would rather side with the Chinese Communist Party than defend Americans and defend our spending and spend wisely and just be honest .
That is their hatred for President Trump and disdain for President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Last week , House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Republicans will act with or without Democrats , and announced the formation of a “ China Task Force , ” The Hill reported .
RELATED : Twitter Announces It Will Liberally Apply Warning Labels to Coronavirus Content “ We have learned more about COVID , and one thing has become very clear : China ’ s cover-up directly led to this crisis , ” McCarthy said .
“ The Communist Party of China hid the seriousness of this disease , led a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their supplies to exert influence and continue to refuse international experts to investigate what happened.
” “ It follows the same threatening pattern of behavior we have seen from the Chinese Communist Party for years , something that has long been a bipartisan consensus in Washington , ” he added .
McCarthy said he wanted the group to be bipartisan , but Democrats declined to join him .
“ For more than a year I have worked with the leadership of the Democratic Party to put together a bipartisan committee on China with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equal number of Democrats .
I did get to that agreement , we got to the point to actually name the individuals , so far that one reporter has actually wrote the story , but did not post it yet , before the Democrats pulled back a few months ago .
Well , we can not wait any longer , ” he said .
“ The stakes are too high to sit idly by , which is why today I ’ m announcing the Republican-led China Task Force , and I invite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one moment in time they said yes , a few months ago they said no .
I ’ d say there was no more important time now to join with us together to work as one nation , as we face these challenges.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have chosen the wrong side in the rift between the United States and China, according to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich told Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” on Monday that in his view, their comments have been “very favorable” to China’s Communist Party.
“It is very hard to understand why the Democratic Party is increasingly pro-Communist Chinese Party,” Gingrich said.
“And you have in Speaker Pelosi a bitter hard partisan who was so far to the left that she was in Chinatown encouraging people to ignore all of this a couple of weeks ago.”
Gingrich said Democrats are alone in absolving China of blame for the coronavirus.
“It is really mystifying why they are going down this road when it is so obvious to virtually everybody else in the world, that in fact, it is the Chinese Communist dictatorship which has caused this enormous level of pain literally to the entire planet,” he said.
Gingrich slammed China last month in a Fox News Op-Ed.
“The pandemic which is now ravaging the world – killing an estimated 170,000 people and causing trillions of dollars of economic damage – originated in China and was hidden by the Chinese Communist dictatorship. The dictatorship lied to the world and got its puppet head of the World Health Organization to also lie to the world,” he wrote.
“No reasonable person can doubt that the Chinese Communist dictatorship and its puppet head of the WHO are responsible for the greatest economic destruction on a worldwide scale since World War II.
Do you think Democrats like Pelosi and Biden have been too accommodating toward China? Yes No
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“It is time the Chinese Communist dictatorship paid for its lies, the lives it has destroyed, and the economies it has crippled.”
Republicans have said a partisan divide over coronavirus legislation impedes action.
Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania recently said that Pelosi is opposed to investigating the origins of the virus and that other Democrats are following suit, according to Breitbart.
“They hate this president so badly that they would rather side with the Chinese Communist Party than defend Americans and defend our spending and spend wisely and just be honest. That is their hatred for President Trump and disdain for President Trump’s supporters,” Reschenthaler said.
Last week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Republicans will act with or without Democrats, and announced the formation of a “China Task Force,” The Hill reported.
“We have learned more about COVID, and one thing has become very clear: China’s cover-up directly led to this crisis,” McCarthy said. “The Communist Party of China hid the seriousness of this disease, led a propaganda campaign blaming the U.S., used their supplies to exert influence and continue to refuse international experts to investigate what happened.”
“It follows the same threatening pattern of behavior we have seen from the Chinese Communist Party for years, something that has long been a bipartisan consensus in Washington,” he added.
McCarthy said he wanted the group to be bipartisan, but Democrats declined to join him.
“For more than a year I have worked with the leadership of the Democratic Party to put together a bipartisan committee on China with an equal number of Republicans and an equal number of Democrats. I did get to that agreement, we got to the point to actually name the individuals, so far that one reporter has actually wrote the story, but did not post it yet, before the Democrats pulled back a few months ago. Well, we cannot wait any longer,” he said.
“The stakes are too high to sit idly by, which is why today I’m announcing the Republican-led China Task Force, and I invite the Democrats to join with us. There was one moment in time they said yes, a few months ago they said no. I’d say there was no more important time now to join with us together to work as one nation, as we face these challenges.”
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westernjournal--2020-05-11--Elderly Couple Shot and Killed While Visiting Cemetery

Police in Delaware are looking for answers after a man and woman in their 80s were gunned down while visiting a veterans ’ cemetery on Friday .
Wilmington ’ s The News Journal reported that the victims , who were married , were visiting the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the community of Bear just after 10 a.m. Friday when police say 29-year-old Sheldon Francis opened fire on them .
The woman , 85 , was shot and declared dead at the cemetery Friday .
According to police , the man , 86 , was transported to an area hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
Police reported exchanging gunfire with Francis after arriving at the scene after the man fled to a nearby wooded area .
Francis was found dead in the wooded area later Friday afternoon .
The News Journal shared an image of Francis on Twitter .
“ Francis was located deceased at approximately 4:00 p.m. , on the date of the incident , in a wooded area located just off of Brennan Blvd.
, in the development of Brennan Estates , which is adjacent to the grounds of the cemetery , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the incident .
It is not known if Francis died after being shot by police or if he took his own life .
“ This wooded area was where an exchange of gunfire between Francis and officers on scene had taken place at approximately 12:08 p.m .
Upon being located Francis was confirmed to have sustained a gunshot wound .
It is undetermined at this time if the wound was self-inflicted or as a result of the exchange of gunfire , ” police said .
The Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a short drive from the Maryland state line .
The deceased couple resided in Elkton , Maryland , just a few minutes away .
RELATED : Secretary of the Senate Denies Calls To Disclose Information About Complaint Against Biden Francis , meanwhile , lived a few minutes south of the cemetery in the community of Middletown , Delaware .
A witness described the chaotic scene to The News Journal .
A man named James Turner told the newspaper he was in the area just after the call came to police came in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars out there , ” he said .
“ I wasn ’ t sure what was going on.
” Turner said he headed to work as the situation unfolded , but came home later to find roads were closed in the area .
He added that his son told him he had heard dozens of gunshots .
“ I called him about 1 o ’ clock and he said he heard 40 to 50 gunshots , ” Turner told the paper .
“ I just told him to hunker down and shelter in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicles and a helicopter before the threat from Francis was neutralized .
There is no word on what might have motivated the alleged shooter to open fire on the couple .
The Delaware State Police said it is withholding the identities of the victims , pending notification of next of kin .
The state police homicide unit has taken over the investigation .
Democratic Delaware Gov .
John Carney commented on the situation Friday during his public health media briefing , describing the incident as “ heartbreaking , ” according to The News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Police in Delaware are looking for answers after a man and woman in their 80s were gunned down while visiting a veterans’ cemetery on Friday.
Wilmington’s The News Journal reported that the victims, who were married, were visiting the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the community of Bear just after 10 a.m. Friday when police say 29-year-old Sheldon Francis opened fire on them.
The woman, 85, was shot and declared dead at the cemetery Friday.
According to police, the man, 86, was transported to an area hospital in critical condition where he died on Saturday.
Police reported exchanging gunfire with Francis after arriving at the scene after the man fled to a nearby wooded area.
Francis was found dead in the wooded area later Friday afternoon.
The News Journal shared an image of Francis on Twitter.
An 86-year-old Elkton man died Saturday after his wife was killed on Friday. https://t.co/xtI7e2r94r — Delaware Online (@delawareonline) May 10, 2020
“Francis was located deceased at approximately 4:00 p.m., on the date of the incident, in a wooded area located just off of Brennan Blvd., in the development of Brennan Estates, which is adjacent to the grounds of the cemetery,” the Delaware State Police reported in an update on the incident.
It is not known if Francis died after being shot by police or if he took his own life.
“This wooded area was where an exchange of gunfire between Francis and officers on scene had taken place at approximately 12:08 p.m. Upon being located Francis was confirmed to have sustained a gunshot wound. It is undetermined at this time if the wound was self-inflicted or as a result of the exchange of gunfire,” police said.
The Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located just west of the Delaware River and is a short drive from the Maryland state line.
The deceased couple resided in Elkton, Maryland, just a few minutes away.
Francis, meanwhile, lived a few minutes south of the cemetery in the community of Middletown, Delaware.
A witness described the chaotic scene to The News Journal.
A man named James Turner told the newspaper he was in the area just after the call came to police came in.
“There were about 10 police cars out there,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what was going on.”
Turner said he headed to work as the situation unfolded, but came home later to find roads were closed in the area.
He added that his son told him he had heard dozens of gunshots.
“I called him about 1 o’clock and he said he heard 40 to 50 gunshots,” Turner told the paper. “I just told him to hunker down and shelter in place.”
Police eventually brought in armored vehicles and a helicopter before the threat from Francis was neutralized.
There is no word on what might have motivated the alleged shooter to open fire on the couple.
The Delaware State Police said it is withholding the identities of the victims, pending notification of next of kin.
The state police homicide unit has taken over the investigation.
Democratic Delaware Gov. John Carney commented on the situation Friday during his public health media briefing, describing the incident as “heartbreaking,” according to The News Journal.
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westernjournal--2020-05-11--Twitter Announces It Will Liberally Apply Warning Labels to Coronavirus Content

Twitter will now slap warning labels and other messages on coronavirus-related content the company deems harmful , but perhaps not harmful enough to warrant removal .
The social media company will begin providing additional context and warning messages on some tweets containing disputed or misleading information about the pandemic , Twitter announced in a blog post Monday .
Twitter ’ s move comes as Chinese officials engage in a concerted coronavirus disinformation campaign on the platform .
“ Moving forward , we may use these labels and warning messages to provide additional explanations or clarifications in situations where the risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less severe but where people may still be confused or misled by the content , ” Twitter noted in the post .
Twitter ’ s blog post noted that moderators will filter such content through three categories : misleading information , disputed claims , and unverified claims .
Misleading information will carry a label or be outright removed , depending on the severity of the content , while unverified claims will not have any action taken against them .
Disputed claims will contain a label or a warning .
“ Our teams are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proactively monitor content related to COVID-19 .
These systems help ensure we ’ re not amplifying Tweets with these warnings or labels and detecting the high-visibility content quickly , ” Twitter ’ s blog post notes .
The company will also rely on “ trusted partners to identify content that is likely to result in offline harm.
” Twitter revised some of its policies to “ protect the public conversation around COVID-19 , ” according to a March 4 blog post from the company .
Advertisements that “ opportunistically use the COVID-19 outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned , the March post added .
The tech company , meanwhile , is still refusing to remove a Chinese official ’ s tweets suggesting the U.S. Army is responsible for injecting coronavirus into Wuhan , China , where experts believe the virus originated .
Coronavirus , or COVID-19 , has killed more than 280,000 people worldwide .
“ When did Patient Zero appear in the United States ?
How many people are infected ?
What is the name of the hospital ?
” Lijian Zhao , deputy director of China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a March 12 tweet .
“ It may be that the US military brought the epidemic to Wuhan.
” Zhao added : “ America needs to be transparent !
The United States owes us an explanation !
” Zhao also falsely stated in the tweet that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield was “ arrested ” before floating the conspiracy theory to his 317,000 followers .
RELATED : Gang Member Returns to Prison 4 Days After Release for Breaking 'Compassionate Release ' Terms A spokesman told the Daily Caller News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tweets do not violate company policies .
Twitter has not responded to the DCNF ’ s request for comment about whether the labels will address misinformation from government officials .
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 our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards .

Twitter will now slap warning labels and other messages on coronavirus-related content the company deems harmful, but perhaps not harmful enough to warrant removal.
The social media company will begin providing additional context and warning messages on some tweets containing disputed or misleading information about the pandemic, Twitter announced in a blog post Monday.
Twitter’s move comes as Chinese officials engage in a concerted coronavirus disinformation campaign on the platform.
“Moving forward, we may use these labels and warning messages to provide additional explanations or clarifications in situations where the risks of harm associated with a Tweet are less severe but where people may still be confused or misled by the content,” Twitter noted in the post.
Twitter’s blog post noted that moderators will filter such content through three categories: misleading information, disputed claims, and unverified claims.
Misleading information will carry a label or be outright removed, depending on the severity of the content, while unverified claims will not have any action taken against them.
Disputed claims will contain a label or a warning.
“Our teams are using and improving on internal systems to proactively monitor content related to COVID-19. These systems help ensure we’re not amplifying Tweets with these warnings or labels and detecting the high-visibility content quickly,” Twitter’s blog post notes.
The company will also rely on “trusted partners to identify content that is likely to result in offline harm.”
Should Twitter censor coronavirus content? Yes No
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Twitter revised some of its policies to “protect the public conversation around COVID-19,” according to a March 4 blog post from the company.
Advertisements that “opportunistically use the COVID-19 outbreak to target inappropriate ads” are also banned, the March post added.
The tech company, meanwhile, is still refusing to remove a Chinese official’s tweets suggesting the U.S. Army is responsible for injecting coronavirus into Wuhan, China, where experts believe the virus originated. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has killed more than 280,000 people worldwide.
“When did Patient Zero appear in the United States? How many people are infected? What is the name of the hospital?” Lijian Zhao, deputy director of China’s Foreign Ministry Information Department, said in a March 12 tweet. “It may be that the US military brought the epidemic to Wuhan.”
Zhao added: “America needs to be transparent! The United States owes us an explanation!” Zhao also falsely stated in the tweet that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield was “arrested” before floating the conspiracy theory to his 317,000 followers.
A spokesman told the Daily Caller News Foundation on March 13 that the official’s tweets do not violate company policies.
Twitter has not responded to the DCNF’s request for comment about whether the labels will address misinformation from government officials.
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 our 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--2020-05-11--Owner Overcome with Emotion After Being Reunited with Dog Missing 6 Years

The first few days after losing a dog are often the most frantic , as the worried owners blast social media with photos and requests for information if anyone sees their pup .
They visit local shelters , scour the local neighborhoods and put up flyers in hopes that someone will see something and say something .
If the days turn into weeks , the doubt starts to creep in more .
When weeks turn to months , hope dwindles .
After a few years , most people assume their pet has either passed on or become part of someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories like this one come along , it ’ s beautiful because it ’ s so unusual : It ’ s what every owner of a lost dog hopes will happen to them .
A post on the Norman Community Page for Norman , Oklahoma , was what started things off .
A black and white pup was pictured sitting in a Walmart cart , his muzzle grayed and a sprinkle of white hairs above his eyes .
“ I ’ m lost !
I need my parents , ” the original post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I wandered into Walmart on Classen Blvd .
Come get me !
” According to the same post , a woman named Deb Melser came to check if the dog had a microchip .
What followed has been recorded on Melser ’ s own Facebook page .
“ I can ’ t believe I was part of something pretty amazing tonight , ” Melser shared on April 18 .
“ So , a dog walks into Walmart through the cart section – LOL – sounds like the beginning of a joke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I volunteer to scan him for a microchip .
Drive over to Walmart , where a very kind woman , the assistant manager of the store , has him in her office.
” “ Lo and behold , he HAS a chip !
!
Call the chip company and got owner info .
First number was incorrect .
Second number worked , and this lady ’ s mom said , she doesn ’ t think her daughter has that dog anymore.
” “ Sandy , the nice manager , said she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house him temporarily until his owner was connected.
” It didn ’ t take long until his owner called them back with an incredible story .
RELATED : Watch : Cops Save Helpless Stray Cat Found with Head Stuck in Soup Can “ Kimberly , who the chip is registered to , called and said she lost him 6 YEARS ago !
!
!
!
6 YEARS !
!
!
She looked everywhere for him , but had given up hope !
Well , here ’ s the ending of this story… ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman embracing and kissing her long-lost dog , clearly emotional .
Not everyone gets a second chance with their pet , but thanks to some kind people and a chip-reading volunteer , this dog was able to get back where he belonged — even if it took six years .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The first few days after losing a dog are often the most frantic, as the worried owners blast social media with photos and requests for information if anyone sees their pup. They visit local shelters, scour the local neighborhoods and put up flyers in hopes that someone will see something and say something.
If the days turn into weeks, the doubt starts to creep in more. When weeks turn to months, hope dwindles. After a few years, most people assume their pet has either passed on or become part of someone else’s family.
So when stories like this one come along, it’s beautiful because it’s so unusual: It’s what every owner of a lost dog hopes will happen to them.
A post on the Norman Community Page for Norman, Oklahoma, was what started things off. A black and white pup was pictured sitting in a Walmart cart, his muzzle grayed and a sprinkle of white hairs above his eyes.
“I’m lost! I need my parents,” the original post from a Walmart assistant manager read. “I wandered into Walmart on Classen Blvd. Come get me!”
According to the same post, a woman named Deb Melser came to check if the dog had a microchip. What followed has been recorded on Melser’s own Facebook page.
“I can’t believe I was part of something pretty amazing tonight,” Melser shared on April 18. “So, a dog walks into Walmart through the cart section – LOL – sounds like the beginning of a joke, right? True story, though.”
“I volunteer to scan him for a microchip. Drive over to Walmart, where a very kind woman, the assistant manager of the store, has him in her office.”
“Lo and behold, he HAS a chip!! Call the chip company and got owner info. First number was incorrect. Second number worked, and this lady’s mom said, she doesn’t think her daughter has that dog anymore.”
“Sandy, the nice manager, said she would be willing to take him home and house him temporarily until his owner was connected.”
It didn’t take long until his owner called them back with an incredible story.
“Kimberly, who the chip is registered to, called and said she lost him 6 YEARS ago!!!! 6 YEARS!!! She looked everywhere for him, but had given up hope! Well, here’s the ending of this story…”
The photos say it all: The woman embracing and kissing her long-lost dog, clearly emotional.
Not everyone gets a second chance with their pet, but thanks to some kind people and a chip-reading volunteer, this dog was able to get back where he belonged — even if it took six years.
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westernjournal--2020-05-11--Mike Weinberger: Flattening the Coronavirus Curve vs. Flattening Our Economy

The original shutdown orders were supposed to be necessary to “ flatten the curve ” of the coronavirus .
In other words , they were designed to spread the acute cases out over time so we didn ’ t overburden our medical system all at once .
There was some logic to this thinking , even if it was based on wildly inaccurate predictions of hundreds of thousands of deaths .
For example , if a community has 1,000 intensive care beds , it made sense to try to prevent a scenario where you have 2,000 intensive care patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ once would not only create a shortage of beds , it might also force medical staffs to work double and possibly even triple shifts .
We wanted to avoid that .
Moreover , there was the possibility that if we overworked our medical professionals and exposed them to so many infected patients , our doctors and nurses could get infected themselves .
Then what would we do ?
For all these reasons you could argue that flattening the curve made sense .
But now we have accomplished this .
The number of acute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month or two ago .
It is time , therefore , to reopen the economy .
This is especially so since we now know who is most at risk .
It isn ’ t the average American or the average worker .
Rather , it is older Americans and individuals who are medically compromised .
Younger , healthy citizens face much lower risks .
They constitute a small percentage of the virus ’ fatalities .
So it makes sense to allow younger , healthy people to return to work while we encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra precautions .
Indeed , we must do this , and we must do it quickly .
If we don ’ t , our economic system will collapse .
It is simply not possible to tell people not to work — and also to expect our economy to produce all the goods and services we want and need .
Printing paper money or issuing government checks is not a solution to this problem .
Paper money is not food .
Nor is paper money electricity , clothing , shoes , housing or anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only be made by people who work .
Housing , drinkable water and electrical power do not magically appear just because you have a government check .
And yet , one of today ’ s great ironies is that the same leftists who demand these things as “ human rights ” have absolutely no understanding that they can only be made affordably , and in large quantities , by participants in a free market economy .
In other words , government checks do not produce housing units , but free markets can .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Thunderbird Flyovers Are a Symbol of American Hope So now that we have flattened the curve , we must not flatten our economy .
That would not only create food shortages , a spike in mental illness and delayed cancer screening , to name a few consequences , but it could also give rise to street violence .
People are not used to spending day after day with nothing to do .
It ’ s abnormal .
Combine that abnormality with deserted urban streets and you have a recipe for chaos .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , which is why so many have boarded up their glass storefronts .
A wise man once said civilization is a thin veneer .
A functioning economy and bustling urban streets filled with ordinary citizens helps keep that veneer in place .
Let ’ s not peel it off .
It ’ s dangerous .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The original shutdown orders were supposed to be necessary to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus. In other words, they were designed to spread the acute cases out over time so we didn’t overburden our medical system all at once.
There was some logic to this thinking, even if it was based on wildly inaccurate predictions of hundreds of thousands of deaths.
For example, if a community has 1,000 intensive care beds, it made sense to try to prevent a scenario where you have 2,000 intensive care patients.
That many patients needing care all at once would not only create a shortage of beds, it might also force medical staffs to work double and possibly even triple shifts. We wanted to avoid that.
Moreover, there was the possibility that if we overworked our medical professionals and exposed them to so many infected patients, our doctors and nurses could get infected themselves. Then what would we do?
For all these reasons you could argue that flattening the curve made sense. But now we have accomplished this. The number of acute cases is not rising like it was a month or two ago.
It is time, therefore, to reopen the economy.
This is especially so since we now know who is most at risk. It isn’t the average American or the average worker. Rather, it is older Americans and individuals who are medically compromised.
Younger, healthy citizens face much lower risks. They constitute a small percentage of the virus’ fatalities. So it makes sense to allow younger, healthy people to return to work while we encourage the elderly and medically vulnerable to take extra precautions.
Do you think it's time to reopen communities across the country? Yes No
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Indeed, we must do this, and we must do it quickly. If we don’t, our economic system will collapse. It is simply not possible to tell people not to work — and also to expect our economy to produce all the goods and services we want and need.
Printing paper money or issuing government checks is not a solution to this problem. Paper money is not food.
Nor is paper money electricity, clothing, shoes, housing or anything else Americans want. These things can only be made by people who work. Housing, drinkable water and electrical power do not magically appear just because you have a government check.
And yet, one of today’s great ironies is that the same leftists who demand these things as “human rights” have absolutely no understanding that they can only be made affordably, and in large quantities, by participants in a free market economy.
In other words, government checks do not produce housing units, but free markets can.
So now that we have flattened the curve, we must not flatten our economy. That would not only create food shortages, a spike in mental illness and delayed cancer screening, to name a few consequences, but it could also give rise to street violence.
People are not used to spending day after day with nothing to do. It’s abnormal. Combine that abnormality with deserted urban streets and you have a recipe for chaos. Indeed, urban shopkeepers seem to understand that, which is why so many have boarded up their glass storefronts.
A wise man once said civilization is a thin veneer. A functioning economy and bustling urban streets filled with ordinary citizens helps keep that veneer in place. Let’s not peel it off. It’s dangerous.
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--2020-05-11--‘I’ll Be Open Until Jesus Walks In’: Michigan Barber Stands Up for Freedom, Defies Tyrannical Lockdo

‘I’ll Be Open Until Jesus Walks In’: Michigan Barber Stands Up for Freedom, Defies Tyrannical Lockdowns

The United States won its independence from tyranny centuries ago , and that same spirit is alive today in the story of Karl Manke , a Michigan barber who is taking his stand simply by choosing to open his shop .
“ I ’ ll be open until Jesus walks in or until they arrest me , ” the owner of Karl Manke ’ s Barbershop told MLive .
Manke ’ s Owosso , Michigan , shop has been in business since 1961 but has been closed since just before Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive stay-at-home order on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus .
Although it was originally a temporary measure , the Democratic governor has extended the order until May 28 with some exceptions , the Detroit Free Press reported .
Whitmer has faced backlash , which included armed protesters at the state capital as well as criticism from state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey , who called her “ drunk ” on power .
Most recently , Michigan ’ s GOP controlled house and senate filed a lawsuit claiming that the governor unlawfully extended the executive orders without the approval of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press reported Wednesday .
“ We ’ ve attempted to partner with our governor , but she ’ s rejected , ” Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Lee Chatfield tweeted .
“ We offered cooperation , but instead she chose court .
This was avoidable , but today we filed a lawsuit in our state to challenge her unconstitutional actions.
” “ The law in Michigan is clear , and nobody is above it , ” Chatfield wrote .
A group of Michigan churches had also previously filed suit claiming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unconstitutional .
An amendment to the order later exempted houses of worship from the closures , prompting them to withdraw the complaint .
But none of that is what drove Manke .
He simply decided to do what ’ s best for him and his business .
“ I don ’ t need the governor to be my mother , ” Manke said of his decision to open May 4 against the governor ’ s orders .
“ I can take care of myself and run my own business the way I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he told MLive .
RELATED : Leftists Paint Man as White Supremacist , Here Is the Real Story Behind His Viral Photo Manke initially complied with Whitmer ’ s orders , but as the governor kept pushing back the reopening date , the financial impact became too much for the 77-year-old barber .
“ When it became the 28th of May , it just killed me , ” he said .
“ I just went to my knees .
I collapsed .
I just couldn ’ t do it .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time.
” Although he was afraid of the consequences , Manke felt he had to open his shop , and police subsequently slapped him with two citations for which he must appear in court next month , according to an update from MLive .
A representative from the office of the state attorney general deferred to law enforcement in a statement to MLive , but was “ confident those agencies will use their discretion and authority appropriately in enforcing the Governor ’ s orders.
” For his part , Manke was frustrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pawns ” as they are told to wait until the coronavirus fades away .
“ That could be when Jesus comes , ” he said .
“ It ’ s something that ’ s going to be with us for a while.
” Manke has the support of his family , as well as the people who sit in his chair for the simplicity of a shave and a haircut from a professional who is taking proper safety measures .
Nobody wants people sick or dying because of COVID-19 , but when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half a century ’ s work destroyed by out-of-control government officials , folks like Manke eventually decide to stand up for themselves .
“ I ’ m not a scofflaw .
I don ’ t want to appear like I ’ m this rebel lawbreaker , ” he said .
“ It was something that I have to do.
” With opportunistic politicians such as Whitmer using this emergency for a power grab , we must all be ready to fight against tyranny for the soul of America .
We are committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The United States won its independence from tyranny centuries ago, and that same spirit is alive today in the story of Karl Manke, a Michigan barber who is taking his stand simply by choosing to open his shop.
“I’ll be open until Jesus walks in or until they arrest me,” the owner of Karl Manke’s Barbershop told MLive.
Manke’s Owosso, Michigan, shop has been in business since 1961 but has been closed since just before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive stay-at-home order on March 23 to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Although it was originally a temporary measure, the Democratic governor has extended the order until May 28 with some exceptions, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Whitmer has faced backlash, which included armed protesters at the state capital as well as criticism from state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, who called her “drunk” on power.
Most recently, Michigan’s GOP controlled house and senate filed a lawsuit claiming that the governor unlawfully extended the executive orders without the approval of the state legislature, the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday.
“We’ve attempted to partner with our governor, but she’s rejected,” Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Lee Chatfield tweeted.
“We offered cooperation, but instead she chose court. This was avoidable, but today we filed a lawsuit in our state to challenge her unconstitutional actions.”
“The law in Michigan is clear, and nobody is above it,” Chatfield wrote.
We’ve attempted to partner with our governor, but she’s rejected. We offered cooperation, but instead she chose court. This was avoidable, but today we filed a lawsuit in our state to challenge her unconstitutional actions. The law in Michigan is clear, and nobody is above it. — Lee Chatfield (@LeeChatfield) May 6, 2020
A group of Michigan churches had also previously filed suit claiming the governor’s order to prevent worship was unconstitutional. An amendment to the order later exempted houses of worship from the closures, prompting them to withdraw the complaint.
But none of that is what drove Manke. He simply decided to do what’s best for him and his business.
“I don’t need the governor to be my mother,” Manke said of his decision to open May 4 against the governor’s orders. “I can take care of myself and run my own business the way I feel that I need to run it,” he told MLive.
Manke initially complied with Whitmer’s orders, but as the governor kept pushing back the reopening date, the financial impact became too much for the 77-year-old barber.
“When it became the 28th of May, it just killed me,” he said. “I just went to my knees. I collapsed. I just couldn’t do it. I cannot go without income that period of time.”
Although he was afraid of the consequences, Manke felt he had to open his shop, and police subsequently slapped him with two citations for which he must appear in court next month, according to an update from MLive.
A representative from the office of the state attorney general deferred to law enforcement in a statement to MLive, but was “confident those agencies will use their discretion and authority appropriately in enforcing the Governor’s orders.”
For his part, Manke was frustrated that business owners were being used as “pawns” as they are told to wait until the coronavirus fades away.
“That could be when Jesus comes,” he said. “It’s something that’s going to be with us for a while.”
Manke has the support of his family, as well as the people who sit in his chair for the simplicity of a shave and a haircut from a professional who is taking proper safety measures.
Do you think Whitmer's lockdown order is setting a dangerous precedent? Yes No
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Nobody wants people sick or dying because of COVID-19, but when the alternative is abject poverty and a half a century’s work destroyed by out-of-control government officials, folks like Manke eventually decide to stand up for themselves.
“I’m not a scofflaw. I don’t want to appear like I’m this rebel lawbreaker,” he said. “It was something that I have to do.”
With opportunistic politicians such as Whitmer using this emergency for a power grab, we must all be ready to fight against tyranny for the soul of America.
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westernjournal--2020-05-11--MLB Owners Approve Proposal To Begin Season

Major League Baseball owners gave the go-ahead Monday to making a proposal to the players ’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans , a plan that envisioned expanding the designated hitter to the National League for 2020 .
Spring training would start in early to mid-June , a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the plan were not announced .
MLB officials are slated to make a presentation to the union on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ association is needed , and talks are expected to be difficult — especially over a proposal for a revenue split that would be unprecedented for baseball .
Each team would play about 82 regular-season games : against opponents in its own division plus interleague matchups limited to AL East vs. NL East , AL Central vs. NL Central and AL West vs. NL West .
Postseason play would be expanded from 10 clubs to 14 by doubling wild cards in each league to four .
Teams would prefer to play at their regular-season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stadiums or neutral sites if medical and government approvals couldn ’ t be obtained for games at home .
Toronto might have to play home games in Dunedin , Florida .
The All-Star Game , scheduled for Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14 , likely would be called off .
Teams will propose that players receive the percentage of their 2020 salaries based on a 50-50 split of revenues MLB receives during the regular-season and postseason , which likely will be among the most contentious aspects of the proposal during negotiations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal would take into account fans being able to return to ballparks at some point , perhaps with a small percentage of seats sold at first and then gradually increasing .
Baseball players have refused to consider even the frameworks for the type of revenue splits that have been agreed to by unions in the NFL , NBA and NHL .
The last attempt by baseball owners to gain a salary cap with a revenue split led to a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that wiped out the World Series for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be expanded from 26 to around 30 .
With minor leagues shuttered , there likely will be the addition of about 20 players per club , akin to the NFL ’ s practice squad .
Players and teams agreed to a deal on March 26 that called for each player to receive only a portion of salary , determined by what percentage of a 162-game schedule is played .
As part of that deal , if no season is played each player would receive 2020 service time matching what the player earned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there being no restrictions on mass gatherings at the federal , state , city and local level ; no relevant travel restrictions in the U.S. and Canada ; and a determination by Commissioner Rob Manfred , after consulting the union and medical experts , that there is no risk to playing in front of fans at regular-season ballparks .
Players and teams committed to “ discuss in good faith the economic feasibility of playing games in the absence of spectators or at appropriate neutral sites.
” Manfred has said about 40 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including concessions , parking , ballpark advertising , luxury suites and programs .
Union officials and players have cited the March 26 agreement as setting economic terms and say they have no inclination for additional cuts .
Players are more interested in medical protocols and testing designed to protect them from and detect the new coronavirus .
The proposal will detail the plan for dealing with players and staff who test positive .
Because players accrue salaries for the regular season only and not for spring training or the postseason , the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games during negotiations that could significantly alter or possibly even scuttle the restart plan .
The DH was adopted by the American League for the 1973 season but has been resisted by National League owners .
The players ’ union has favored it because it would create more jobs for high-paying hitters in their 30s , but MLB has looked at it as an economic issue .
Money , however , has disappeared as an issue at this stage for 2020 because nearly all veteran players have agreed to contracts .
Yasiel Puig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press contributed to this report .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Major League Baseball owners gave the go-ahead Monday to making a proposal to the players’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans, a plan that envisioned expanding the designated hitter to the National League for 2020.
Spring training would start in early to mid-June, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the plan were not announced.
MLB officials are slated to make a presentation to the union on Tuesday. An agreement with the players’ association is needed, and talks are expected to be difficult — especially over a proposal for a revenue split that would be unprecedented for baseball.
Each team would play about 82 regular-season games: against opponents in its own division plus interleague matchups limited to AL East vs. NL East, AL Central vs. NL Central and AL West vs. NL West.
Postseason play would be expanded from 10 clubs to 14 by doubling wild cards in each league to four.
Teams would prefer to play at their regular-season ballparks but would switch to spring training stadiums or neutral sites if medical and government approvals couldn’t be obtained for games at home. Toronto might have to play home games in Dunedin, Florida.
The All-Star Game, scheduled for Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14, likely would be called off.
Teams will propose that players receive the percentage of their 2020 salaries based on a 50-50 split of revenues MLB receives during the regular-season and postseason, which likely will be among the most contentious aspects of the proposal during negotiations with the players’ association.
That proposal would take into account fans being able to return to ballparks at some point, perhaps with a small percentage of seats sold at first and then gradually increasing.
Do you like this plan for the 2020 MLB season? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 59% (24 Votes) No: 41% (17 Votes)
Baseball players have refused to consider even the frameworks for the type of revenue splits that have been agreed to by unions in the NFL, NBA and NHL. The last attempt by baseball owners to gain a salary cap with a revenue split led to a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that wiped out the World Series for the first time in 90 years.
Rosters would be expanded from 26 to around 30. With minor leagues shuttered, there likely will be the addition of about 20 players per club, akin to the NFL’s practice squad.
Players and teams agreed to a deal on March 26 that called for each player to receive only a portion of salary, determined by what percentage of a 162-game schedule is played. As part of that deal, if no season is played each player would receive 2020 service time matching what the player earned in 2019.
But that deal is contingent there being no restrictions on mass gatherings at the federal, state, city and local level; no relevant travel restrictions in the U.S. and Canada; and a determination by Commissioner Rob Manfred, after consulting the union and medical experts, that there is no risk to playing in front of fans at regular-season ballparks.
Players and teams committed to “discuss in good faith the economic feasibility of playing games in the absence of spectators or at appropriate neutral sites.” Manfred has said about 40 percent of MLB revenue is tied to gate, including concessions, parking, ballpark advertising, luxury suites and programs.
Union officials and players have cited the March 26 agreement as setting economic terms and say they have no inclination for additional cuts. Players are more interested in medical protocols and testing designed to protect them from and detect the new coronavirus. The proposal will detail the plan for dealing with players and staff who test positive.
Because players accrue salaries for the regular season only and not for spring training or the postseason, the union might counter by asking for more regular-season games during negotiations that could significantly alter or possibly even scuttle the restart plan.
The DH was adopted by the American League for the 1973 season but has been resisted by National League owners. The players’ union has favored it because it would create more jobs for high-paying hitters in their 30s, but MLB has looked at it as an economic issue.
Money, however, has disappeared as an issue at this stage for 2020 because nearly all veteran players have agreed to contracts. Yasiel Puig is the most notable exception.
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--2020-05-11--Mother’s Day Greetings from Planned Parenthood Draw Brutal Backlash

From its top executives down to the workers who clear out its terrible product , everyone involved in the nation ’ s largest abortion mill understands that its mission is snuffing out human life developing in a mother ’ s womb .
But that didn ’ t stop it from engaging in what ’ s becoming an annual exercise in the macabre , as shown by a Twitter post Sunday offering Mother ’ s Day greetings to women who have chosen to carry their children to term .
“ Happy Mother ’ s Day , ” the post was captioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading “ from moms at home to moms on the front line – thank you.
” First of all , it ’ s not quite clear what an organization specifically set up to obliterate motherhood is thanking “ moms ” for .
Failing to avail themselves of Planned Parenthood ’ s murderous services ?
Deciding to bear a child at a time when progressive icons like Michelle Obama speak publicly about how having children meant dialing back her “ aspirations and dreams.
” Regardless , social media users are apparently much more aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whoever at the operation thought a Twitter post about Mother ’ s Day was a good idea .
Planned Parenthood ’ s message did not go over well .
RELATED : With Mother 's Day Coming , Michelle Obama Reveals Her Feelings About Motherhood : Cost Her 'Aspirations and Dreams' This one put it perfectly .
It ’ s beyond parody .
It ’ s almost beyond comprehension , but someone at Planned Parenthood thinks this is a viable idea .
Its Twitter post received a similar response for its Mother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Day last year , too .
( The organization is equal-opportunity offensive . )
Naturally , as Alexandra DeSanctis pointed out at National Review , there ’ s an element of fundraising to this .
A mass email that went out in addition to the Twitter post contained a pitch for donations , DeSanctis wrote .
Everything ’ s marketing when your product is death .
An organization where executives have been caught on video literally negotiating the price of body parts — and which ends up winning a court case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about picking up cash wherever it can .
Unfortunately , given the dedication of liberals to the sacrament of abortion – including allegedly devout Catholics like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden – Planned Parenthood is always going to have powerful supporters in American political life and the liberal culture .
What it will apparently never have , though , is the unflinching honesty of self-awareness .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

At Planned Parenthood, self-awareness isn’t a strong point.
From its top executives down to the workers who clear out its terrible product, everyone involved in the nation’s largest abortion mill understands that its mission is snuffing out human life developing in a mother’s womb.
But that didn’t stop it from engaging in what’s becoming an annual exercise in the macabre, as shown by a Twitter post Sunday offering Mother’s Day greetings to women who have chosen to carry their children to term.
“Happy Mother’s Day,” the post was captioned, with an image of a card reading “from moms at home to moms on the front line – thank you.”
First of all, it’s not quite clear what an organization specifically set up to obliterate motherhood is thanking “moms” for.
Failing to avail themselves of Planned Parenthood’s murderous services? Deciding to bear a child at a time when progressive icons like Michelle Obama speak publicly about how having children meant dialing back her “aspirations and dreams.”
Regardless, social media users are apparently much more aware of Planned Parenthood’s mission than whoever at the operation thought a Twitter post about Mother’s Day was a good idea.
Planned Parenthood’s message did not go over well.
…from the organization that does everything they can to stop women from becoming mothers. — Ben Jammin ?? (@xBenJamminx) May 10, 2020
You know, countless women are not mothers and are stuck with the deep regret of having aborted their children because of you. Not only because you perform abortions, but because you lobby viciously against informing women of better alternatives to killing their unborn children. — Leo Thuman (@leo_thuman) May 10, 2020
From the group who kills babies. Something creepy about that. — Paul Flynn (@PaulMegiddo) May 10, 2020
In 1978, you told my 16 year old mother to abort me. She instead walked out. You can just sit this day out, Planned Parenthood. Sit every day out. — Sam Casey (@scasey79) May 10, 2020
This one put it perfectly.
You are sick. PP saying Happy Mother’s Day is beyond parody — Mommy Esq (@Catatonic11) May 11, 2020
It’s beyond parody. It’s almost beyond comprehension, but someone at Planned Parenthood thinks this is a viable idea.
Its Twitter post received a similar response for its Mother’s Day greetings in 2019, and Father’s Day last year, too. (The organization is equal-opportunity offensive.)
Do you think the Trump presidency has gotten the country closer to ending legal abortion? Yes No
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Naturally, as Alexandra DeSanctis pointed out at National Review, there’s an element of fundraising to this. A mass email that went out in addition to the Twitter post contained a pitch for donations, DeSanctis wrote.
Everything’s marketing when your product is death.
An organization where executives have been caught on video literally negotiating the price of body parts — and which ends up winning a court case over it — obviously has no shame about picking up cash wherever it can.
Unfortunately, given the dedication of liberals to the sacrament of abortion – including allegedly devout Catholics like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden – Planned Parenthood is always going to have powerful supporters in American political life and the liberal culture.
What it will apparently never have, though, is the unflinching honesty of self-awareness.
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westernjournal--2020-05-11--Governor Says 1-on-1 Bible Studies Are Allowed After Banning All Religious Gatherings

One-on-one Bible studies are allowed in Washington state without restraint after a lawsuit was filed against the state claiming Democratic Gov .
Jay Inslee ’ s March ban on religious gatherings prevented such meetings .
Joshua Freed sued the state last month so that he could continue to host in-person Bible studies , according to Fox News .
Freed and his wife have held Bible studies in their home for the past two years .
However , Inslee ’ s March 23 order prohibited public and private gatherings of any size “ for social , spiritual and recreational purposes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freed found it difficult to host virtual meetings in light of the order , and wanted to start hosting outdoor , one-on-one meetings while following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s social distancing guidelines .
Because nothing in the order specified such an exception , he enlisted the help of First Liberty Institute and the North Creek Law Firm and sued the state last month .
An interpretation allowing one-on-one Bible study was agreed to Friday during a hearing on the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freed ’ s desire to hold a one-on-one Bible study session while practicing social distancing was always permissible under the governor ’ s order , ” Inslee spokesman Mike Faulk said Friday , according to the Seattle Times .
“ ‘ Religious counseling ’ is deemed essential .
We have never defined this phrase because we trust the individuals involved to determine whether an interaction is ‘ religious counseling ’ and whether that interaction must be performed in person , ” he said .
Mark Lamb , owner and founder of North Creek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an important victory .
“ Religious community , even one-on-one Bible study , is essential to many people of faith , ” Lamb said to Fox News .
“ We are grateful that , in this challenging time for our country , Gov .
Inslee was willing to concede that the ban does not apply to Joshua Freed ’ s home Bible study.
” Freed said he achieved a victory over the state .
RELATED : Trump , GOP Accuse Dems of Trying To Steal California Special Congressional Election “ I stared down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than two weeks of stalling and 146 pages of legalese , Inslee was forced to concede ( under pointed questioning by a federal judge ) that he can not enforce his own order banning religious gathering regardless of size , ” he tweeted .
“ When asked by the Judge if the Governor , as the chief law enforcement executive officer of the state , would enforce his order or expect local law enforcement to enforce his order against Freed ’ s religious gatherings , Gov .
Inslees attorney was forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ' ” he tweeted .
Hiram Sasser , executive general counsel at First Liberty , said the state gave way .
“ The governor conceded that Mr .
Freed can have a one-on-one Bible study and that he will not enforce the rules against home Bible studies on a one-on-one basis , ” Sasser said .
“ The governor ’ s attorneys , during the proceeding , made various statements that indicate the governor may not take any steps to enforce any shutdown orders that affect religious activities even beyond the Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
District Court Judge Benjamin Settle on Friday commented on the unprecedented nature of the times .
“ We all have been engaged in a journey through territories never lived by this generation or really any other , ” he said .
“ Never has the world seen a kind of universal quarantine in the form of required or advised stay-at-home orders from federal and state officials.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

One-on-one Bible studies are allowed in Washington state without restraint after a lawsuit was filed against the state claiming Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s March ban on religious gatherings prevented such meetings.
Joshua Freed sued the state last month so that he could continue to host in-person Bible studies, according to Fox News.
Freed and his wife have held Bible studies in their home for the past two years.
However, Inslee’s March 23 order prohibited public and private gatherings of any size “for social, spiritual and recreational purposes,” including “faith-based” events.
Freed found it difficult to host virtual meetings in light of the order, and wanted to start hosting outdoor, one-on-one meetings while following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing guidelines.
Because nothing in the order specified such an exception, he enlisted the help of First Liberty Institute and the North Creek Law Firm and sued the state last month.
An interpretation allowing one-on-one Bible study was agreed to Friday during a hearing on the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
“Mr. Freed’s desire to hold a one-on-one Bible study session while practicing social distancing was always permissible under the governor’s order,” Inslee spokesman Mike Faulk said Friday, according to the Seattle Times.
“‘Religious counseling’ is deemed essential. We have never defined this phrase because we trust the individuals involved to determine whether an interaction is ‘religious counseling’ and whether that interaction must be performed in person,” he said.
Should government stop trying to ban religion? Yes No
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Mark Lamb, owner and founder of North Creek Law, said the end result was an important victory.
“Religious community, even one-on-one Bible study, is essential to many people of faith,” Lamb said to Fox News. “We are grateful that, in this challenging time for our country, Gov. Inslee was willing to concede that the ban does not apply to Joshua Freed’s home Bible study.”
Freed said he achieved a victory over the state.
I stared down the Governor and he blinked. After more than two weeks of stalling and 146 pages of legalese, Inslee was forced to concede (under pointed questioning by a federal judge) that he cannot enforce his own order banning religious gathering regardless of size. — Joshua Freed (@FreedForGov) May 8, 2020
“I stared down the Governor and he blinked. After more than two weeks of stalling and 146 pages of legalese, Inslee was forced to concede (under pointed questioning by a federal judge) that he cannot enforce his own order banning religious gathering regardless of size,” he tweeted.
When asked by the Judge if the Governor, as the chief law enforcement executive officer of the state, would enforce his order or expect local law enforcement to enforce his order against Freed’s religious gatherings, Gov. Inslees attorney was forced to concede, “No, Your Honor”. — Joshua Freed (@FreedForGov) May 8, 2020
“When asked by the Judge if the Governor, as the chief law enforcement executive officer of the state, would enforce his order or expect local law enforcement to enforce his order against Freed’s religious gatherings, Gov. Inslees attorney was forced to concede, ‘No, Your Honor,'” he tweeted.
Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel at First Liberty, said the state gave way.
“The governor conceded that Mr. Freed can have a one-on-one Bible study and that he will not enforce the rules against home Bible studies on a one-on-one basis,” Sasser said.
“The governor’s attorneys, during the proceeding, made various statements that indicate the governor may not take any steps to enforce any shutdown orders that affect religious activities even beyond the Bible study at issue,” he added.
District Court Judge Benjamin Settle on Friday commented on the unprecedented nature of the times.
“We all have been engaged in a journey through territories never lived by this generation or really any other,” he said. “Never has the world seen a kind of universal quarantine in the form of required or advised stay-at-home orders from federal and state officials.”
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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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--2020-05-11--New Charges in Ahmaud Arbery Death Considered as Special Prosecutor Is Appointed

Georgia ’ s attorney general appointed a black district attorney Monday to take over the case of a white father and son charged with killing a black man , making her the third outside prosecutor in a slaying that ’ s prompted a national outcry over suspicions that race played a role in delaying arrests .
Ahmaud Arbery , 25 , was fatally shot Feb. 23 by the men who told police they chased him because they believed he matched the appearance of a burglary suspect caught on surveillance video .
Gregory McMichael and his son , Travis McMichael , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months later , after video of the shooting appeared online and provoked outrage .
Federal prosecutors are also considering hate crimes charges , the Justice Department said .
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes takes over the case from prosecutor Tom Durden , who the state ’ s attorney general said asked to be replaced by someone with a larger staff and more resources as “ this case has grown in size and magnitude.
” Holmes is based in metro Atlanta , more than 300 miles from the coastal Georgia community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ District Attorney Holmes is a respected attorney with experience , both as a lawyer and a judge , ” state Attorney General Chris Carr , a Republican , said in a statement .
“ And the Cobb County District Attorney ’ s office has the resources , personnel and experience to lead this prosecution and ensure justice is done.
” An attorney for Arbery ’ s father , Marcus Arbery , applauded the appointment of a new lead prosecutor .
“ In order for justice to be carried out both effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arbery , it is imperative that the special prosecutor has no affiliation with the Southeast Georgia legal or law enforcement communities , ” attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement .
He asked that Holmes “ be zealous in her search for justice.
” The McMichaels weren ’ t arrested until after the video became public and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to look into the killing .
It was not known Monday whether the McMichaels had attorneys to represent them .
They had no lawyers at their first court appearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Travis McMichael , 34 , have been jailed since Thursday on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault .
Gregory McMichael is a former Glynn County police officer who later worked 20 years as an investigator for the local district attorney ’ s office .
He retired a year ago .
Glynn County District Attorney Jackie Johnson recused herself from the case because the elder McMichael had worked under her .
The first outside prosecutor appointed , District Attorney George Barnhill of the neighboring Waycross Judicial Circuit , stepped aside about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson as an assistant prosecutor .
Durden got the case in mid-April .
Attorneys for Arbery ’ s parents and others , including Carr and the Southern Poverty Law Center , have asked for a federal investigation to weigh whether hate crimes charges should be brought .
Georgia has no hate crime law allowing state charges .
“ We are assessing all of the evidence to determine whether federal hate crimes charges are appropriate , ” Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement Monday .
According to Kupec ’ s statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s request for federal authorities to investigate how local police and prosecutors handled the case .
She said Carr has been asked to “ forward to federal authorities any information that he has.
” The father and son told police they thought Arbery matched the appearance of a burglary suspect who they said had been recorded on a surveillance camera sometime before , according to the Glynn County police report filed after the shooting .
Arbery ’ s mother , Wanda Cooper Jones , has said she thinks her son , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just jogging in the neighborhood before he was killed .
The leaked video shows a black man running at a jogging pace .
A truck is stopped in the road ahead of him , with one white man standing in the pickup ’ s bed and another beside the open driver ’ s side door .
The running man attempts to pass the pickup on the passenger side , moving briefly outside the camera ’ s view .
A gunshot sounds , and the video shows the running man grappling with a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or rifle .
A second shot can be heard , and the running man can be seen punching the other man .
A third shot is fired at point-blank range .
The running man staggers a few feet and falls face down .
A man who says he recorded the cellphone video of the shooting said he ’ s received death threats .
William R. Bryan — who reportedly goes by “ Roddie ” — is identified as a witness in the police report taken after Arbery ’ s shooting .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence of the report , which says Gregory McMichael told an officer that “ ’ Roddy ’ attempted to block ( Arbery ) which was unsuccessful.
” It ’ s not clear what that is referring to .
“ I had nothing to do with it .
I ’ m trying to get my life back to normal , and it ’ s been smeared for the last week , ” Bryan told WJAX-TV in an interview that aired Monday .
“ I was told I was a witness and I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than receiving a bunch of threats.
” Bryan has not been charged in the case .
The TV station reported Bryan would not discuss his involvement in the events that led to Arbery ’ s death .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Georgia’s attorney general appointed a black district attorney Monday to take over the case of a white father and son charged with killing a black man, making her the third outside prosecutor in a slaying that’s prompted a national outcry over suspicions that race played a role in delaying arrests.
Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was fatally shot Feb. 23 by the men who told police they chased him because they believed he matched the appearance of a burglary suspect caught on surveillance video.
Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, were arrested last week, more than two months later, after video of the shooting appeared online and provoked outrage. Federal prosecutors are also considering hate crimes charges, the Justice Department said.
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes takes over the case from prosecutor Tom Durden, who the state’s attorney general said asked to be replaced by someone with a larger staff and more resources as “this case has grown in size and magnitude.”
Holmes is based in metro Atlanta, more than 300 miles from the coastal Georgia community in Glynn County where the shooting happened.
“District Attorney Holmes is a respected attorney with experience, both as a lawyer and a judge,” state Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, said in a statement. “And the Cobb County District Attorney’s office has the resources, personnel and experience to lead this prosecution and ensure justice is done.”
An attorney for Arbery’s father, Marcus Arbery, applauded the appointment of a new lead prosecutor.
“In order for justice to be carried out both effectively and appropriately in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, it is imperative that the special prosecutor has no affiliation with the Southeast Georgia legal or law enforcement communities,” attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement.
He asked that Holmes “be zealous in her search for justice.”
The McMichaels weren’t arrested until after the video became public and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to look into the killing.
It was not known Monday whether the McMichaels had attorneys to represent them. They had no lawyers at their first court appearance Friday.
Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, have been jailed since Thursday on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault.
Gregory McMichael is a former Glynn County police officer who later worked 20 years as an investigator for the local district attorney’s office. He retired a year ago.
Glynn County District Attorney Jackie Johnson recused herself from the case because the elder McMichael had worked under her.
The first outside prosecutor appointed, District Attorney George Barnhill of the neighboring Waycross Judicial Circuit, stepped aside about a month later because his son works for Johnson as an assistant prosecutor. Durden got the case in mid-April.
Attorneys for Arbery’s parents and others, including Carr and the Southern Poverty Law Center, have asked for a federal investigation to weigh whether hate crimes charges should be brought. Georgia has no hate crime law allowing state charges.
“We are assessing all of the evidence to determine whether federal hate crimes charges are appropriate,” Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement Monday.
According to Kupec’s statement, the department is also considering Carr’s request for federal authorities to investigate how local police and prosecutors handled the case. She said Carr has been asked to “forward to federal authorities any information that he has.”
The father and son told police they thought Arbery matched the appearance of a burglary suspect who they said had been recorded on a surveillance camera sometime before, according to the Glynn County police report filed after the shooting.
Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, has said she thinks her son, a former high school football player, was just jogging in the neighborhood before he was killed.
The leaked video shows a black man running at a jogging pace. A truck is stopped in the road ahead of him, with one white man standing in the pickup’s bed and another beside the open driver’s side door.
The running man attempts to pass the pickup on the passenger side, moving briefly outside the camera’s view. A gunshot sounds, and the video shows the running man grappling with a man over what appears to be a shotgun or rifle. A second shot can be heard, and the running man can be seen punching the other man. A third shot is fired at point-blank range. The running man staggers a few feet and falls face down.
A man who says he recorded the cellphone video of the shooting said he’s received death threats.
William R. Bryan — who reportedly goes by “Roddie” — is identified as a witness in the police report taken after Arbery’s shooting.
He also appears to be mentioned in a single sentence of the report, which says Gregory McMichael told an officer that “’Roddy’ attempted to block (Arbery) which was unsuccessful.” It’s not clear what that is referring to.
“I had nothing to do with it. I’m trying to get my life back to normal, and it’s been smeared for the last week,” Bryan told WJAX-TV in an interview that aired Monday. “I was told I was a witness and I’m not sure what I am, other than receiving a bunch of threats.”
Bryan has not been charged in the case. The TV station reported Bryan would not discuss his involvement in the events that led to Arbery’s death.
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--2020-05-11--State Senator Warns Big Tech-Involved Testing Could Lurch Us Toward ‘1984’

Big tech is not on your side , even in the midst of the coronavirus panic .
This shouldn ’ t be a controversial statement .
It also shouldn ’ t be a jumping-off point for wild conspiracy theories , but the message ought to be plain : Your privacy is meaningless to these companies .
That hasn ’ t changed just because you ’ re wearing a mask in public .
Take the case of Verily Life Sciences , a company under the same corporate umbrella as Google .
Verily was , early in the process , touted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals who wanted to test for the coronavirus .
The company tested roughly 20 people on its first day and only about 30,000 by April 29 , according to The Washington Post .
That was out of 5.8 million tests that had been conducted in the country at that point .
The rollout has been slow , and the website lists only a very limited number of states where tests are available .
But we ’ re not here to talk about Verily ’ s incompetence .
We ’ re here to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report from Vice , the way Verily takes your data might not be in line with California ’ s strict privacy laws .
It also might not be in line with any reasonable concept of privacy .
Verily relies on a questionnaire to determine whether you can be tested .
But this also involves giving the company plenty of details , including your address , phone number and travel history .
On a separate part of their website , it also mentions it can collect web browsing data .
Verily is linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaning the company would have access to a lot more of your information .
“ What is concerning is that the state of California is partnering with these private companies , I think probably out of desperation , but there is very , very sensitive information that ’ s at stake , ” consumer privacy expert Mary Stone Ross , who helped legislators write California ’ s privacy law , told Vice .
“ There ’ s no reason why they don ’ t put safeguards in place to make sure that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious enough that even one Democratic state senator , Hannah-Beth Jackson , has compared it to “ 1984.
” In an April 28 letter to Gov .
Gavin Newsom , Jackson noted that in addition to the partnership with Verily , he had “ also discussed plans to partner with Apple and Google in order to use their tracing technology .
“ Although these efforts are critical to getting us back up and running , they also raise serious privacy concerns that must be addressed .
It is heartening to read that Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encryption specifications and to disable the service when the pandemic is contained .
However , more needs to be done to truly protect privacy , ” Jackson wrote .
She called upon the governor to protect privacy in partnerships like the one with Verily , lest we experience dystopian side effects .
RELATED : CA County Now Using COVID To Dictate How & Where People Can Drive Jackson Letter by The Western Journal on Scribd “ My hope is that when assessing contracts , partnerships , and processes that due regard is given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , ultimately , the protection of this sensitive information , ” Jackson said .
“ At the forefront of this effort must be the recognition that this information is NOT a commodity to be shared or sold to the highest bidder — or to any bidder , for that matter .
We must not lurch toward the dystopian world of Aldous Huxley ’ s ‘ Brave New World ’ or George Orwell ’ s ‘ 1984 ’ as the price of protecting our health and safety — nor do we have to.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was concerned that if big tech got involved in contact tracing — which it will almost certainly have to if it ’ s to work — it had already blown its credibility with the general public .
“ The way for contact tracing to work properly is that people have to trust the system , ” she said .
“ Like , you want them to disclose a lot of information .
And so if , if there ’ s no trust there , then I think it ’ ll be limited in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue where you can find Democrats and Republicans in concord .
Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley , a noted big-tech hawk , sent an April 21 letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook in which he noted that the “ possible implications this project could have for privacy are alarming.
” “ For example , your materials state that the data necessary for this project will be anonymized .
But anonymity in data is notoriously unstable .
Data typically can be reidentified simply by cross-referencing it with another data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project with the GPS data that both your companies already collect could readily reveal individual identities.
” Verily spokeswoman Carolyn Wang insisted the company was in compliance with the law , pointing to the privacy statement on its website .
“ We disclose all of the categories of personal information collected in detail in the privacy policy , ” Wang said .
“ We ’ re not collecting any data beyond that.
” It ’ s difficult to trust any company closely associated with Google , however .
This is a company that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censored search engine for the communist country under a program called “ Project Dragonfly.
” Google not only tracks mass amounts of geolocation data , but it can also give it to the police under what ’ s known as a “ geofence warrant.
” Essentially , if you were near an area of interest to authorities , the warrant gives them access to data from whoever was in the area from WiFi , Bluetooth , cellular and GPS data .
Is this really a corporate culture that sounds like it treats data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t the company you want to deal with a public-facing problem , no matter how big it is or how deep its resources go .
State Sen. Jackson is right : This could quickly turn very dystopian .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Big tech is not on your side, even in the midst of the coronavirus panic.
This shouldn’t be a controversial statement. It also shouldn’t be a jumping-off point for wild conspiracy theories, but the message ought to be plain: Your privacy is meaningless to these companies. That hasn’t changed just because you’re wearing a mask in public.
Take the case of Verily Life Sciences, a company under the same corporate umbrella as Google.
Verily was, early in the process, touted as a unique tool to screen and schedule individuals who wanted to test for the coronavirus.
The company tested roughly 20 people on its first day and only about 30,000 by April 29, according to The Washington Post. That was out of 5.8 million tests that had been conducted in the country at that point. The rollout has been slow, and the website lists only a very limited number of states where tests are available.
But we’re not here to talk about Verily’s incompetence. We’re here to talk about its potential malfeasance.
According to a report from Vice, the way Verily takes your data might not be in line with California’s strict privacy laws. It also might not be in line with any reasonable concept of privacy.
Verily relies on a questionnaire to determine whether you can be tested. But this also involves giving the company plenty of details, including your address, phone number and travel history.
On a separate part of their website, it also mentions it can collect web browsing data. Verily is linked to a Google account, too, meaning the company would have access to a lot more of your information.
“What is concerning is that the state of California is partnering with these private companies, I think probably out of desperation, but there is very, very sensitive information that’s at stake,” consumer privacy expert Mary Stone Ross, who helped legislators write California’s privacy law, told Vice.
“There’s no reason why they don’t put safeguards in place to make sure that it’s protected.”
It’s serious enough that even one Democratic state senator, Hannah-Beth Jackson, has compared it to “1984.”
In an April 28 letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Jackson noted that in addition to the partnership with Verily, he had “also discussed plans to partner with Apple and Google in order to use their tracing technology.
“Although these efforts are critical to getting us back up and running, they also raise serious privacy concerns that must be addressed. It is heartening to read that Apple and Google have committed to implement new encryption specifications and to disable the service when the pandemic is contained. However, more needs to be done to truly protect privacy,” Jackson wrote.
She called upon the governor to protect privacy in partnerships like the one with Verily, lest we experience dystopian side effects.
Jackson Letter by The Western Journal on Scribd
“My hope is that when assessing contracts, partnerships, and processes that due regard is given to transparency, disclosure, consent, and, ultimately, the protection of this sensitive information,” Jackson said.
“At the forefront of this effort must be the recognition that this information is NOT a commodity to be shared or sold to the highest bidder — or to any bidder, for that matter. We must not lurch toward the dystopian world of Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ or George Orwell’s ‘1984’ as the price of protecting our health and safety — nor do we have to.”
Meanwhile, Ross told Vice she was concerned that if big tech got involved in contact tracing — which it will almost certainly have to if it’s to work — it had already blown its credibility with the general public.
“The way for contact tracing to work properly is that people have to trust the system,” she said.
“Like, you want them to disclose a lot of information. And so if, if there’s no trust there, then I think it’ll be limited in its effectiveness.”
Do you think Google should be involved in contact tracing? 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% (6 Votes) No: 98% (247 Votes)
This is a rare issue where you can find Democrats and Republicans in concord. Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, a noted big-tech hawk, sent an April 21 letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook in which he noted that the “possible implications this project could have for privacy are alarming.”
“For example, your materials state that the data necessary for this project will be anonymized. But anonymity in data is notoriously unstable. Data typically can be reidentified simply by cross-referencing it with another data set. Pairing the data from this project with the GPS data that both your companies already collect could readily reveal individual identities.”
Verily spokeswoman Carolyn Wang insisted the company was in compliance with the law, pointing to the privacy statement on its website.
“We disclose all of the categories of personal information collected in detail in the privacy policy,” Wang said. “We’re not collecting any data beyond that.”
It’s difficult to trust any company closely associated with Google, however.
This is a company that partnered with China to develop a highly censored search engine for the communist country under a program called “Project Dragonfly.”
Google not only tracks mass amounts of geolocation data, but it can also give it to the police under what’s known as a “geofence warrant.” Essentially, if you were near an area of interest to authorities, the warrant gives them access to data from whoever was in the area from WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular and GPS data.
Is this really a corporate culture that sounds like it treats data and individuals with respect?
This isn’t the company you want to deal with a public-facing problem, no matter how big it is or how deep its resources go.
State Sen. Jackson is right: This could quickly turn very dystopian.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.