westernjournal--2020-06-26--Leftist Neighborhood That Vowed To Not Call the Police Now Facing 300-Person Homeless Camp

It sounded like such a great idea , didn ’ t it ?
In the city where George Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes , the city where protests over his death began , the residents of one neighborhood renowned for its leftist politics began agreeing they wouldn ’ t call police , according to The New York Times .
This would put black people in danger , residents said , the same way George Floyd was put in danger over a trifle like alleged counterfeit money .
Instead , residents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corner of Minneapolis close to where Floyd died — would either ignore the issue or call social organizations .
What sounds good doesn ’ t work out in practice , however .
Just a few weeks after Floyd ’ s death began nationwide protests , a homeless encampment in a neighborhood park has some residents rethinking their commitment to not dialing 911 .
The Times describes a 300-strong homeless population in the park , comprised of people who were displaced during the protests and who began amassing there two weeks ago .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday piece , “ seems to grow larger and more entrenched every day .
They do laundry , listen to music and strategize about how to find permanent housing .
Some are hampered by mental illness , addiction or both .
TRENDING : Senior House Democrat Getting Trounced by Ex-Middle School Principal in Primary Shocker “ Their presence has drawn heavy car traffic into the neighborhood , some from drug dealers .
At least two residents have overdosed in the encampment and had to be taken away in ambulances.
” This has understandably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states the “ Neighborhood Vowed to Check Its Privilege.
” ( It ’ s never quite made evident how the decision to take this vow was reached , but that ’ s the premise and we ’ ll go with it . )
Shari Albers , who used to call the police regarding gang activity and prostitution in the neighborhood in her role as a block club leader , was one of the people who pledged to swear off law enforcement .
She now describes having visions of encampment members forcing their way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself with a baseball bat .
“ I am afraid , ” Albers said .
“ I know my neighbors are around , but I ’ m not feeling grounded in my city at all .
Anything could happen.
” According to the Star Tribune , the encampment originally sprung up when the owner of an abandoned Sheraton evicted homeless individuals who had appropriated it as an autonomous shelter .
A Vice article on the takeover said that the former hotel had “ been managed like a commune as residents are running their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs and wants , and communicate them with volunteers.
” Somewhere along the line , this arrangement went wrong .
There ’ s some question as to whether or not residents or looters caused the damage you see here , but either way , conditions inside the former hotel had deteriorated gravely : After the Sheraton residents moved into Powderhorn Park , police served them with an eviction notice , giving them 72 hours to leave .
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board of Commissioners decided against kicking them out , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bathrooms , electricity , showers and trash bins .
RELATED : Hotel Gets Absolutely Destroyed by Homeless After Libs Turn It Into a Sanctuary During Riots They ’ re letting the homeless stay in the city ’ s parks for the moment , although the board has stressed the need for housing .
“ We realize that this is not a permanent solution , so we are asking the City of Minneapolis , Hennepin County and State of Minnesota to step up and find a sustainable , dignified housing solution for folks who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement from the board said , according to the Southwest Minneapolis , MN Patch .
“ In the meantime , we are not going to push people out of public spaces when they have nowhere else to go.
” For right now , residents are dealing as best they can .
Carrie Nightshade , a 44-year-old mother of two , said she no longer feels safe letting her children play alone in the park .
“ I ’ m not being judgmental , ” she told The Times .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just not safe.
” Nightshade is described in the article as taking part in a meeting of five women who live in adjacent houses .
Just in case you were concerned about the racial breakdown of this small conclave , Dickerson noted that four of them are white .
“ Angelina Roslik burst into tears , explaining that she had spent the past four years fleeing unstable housing conditions and was struggling more than she cared to admit with the chaos the camp had brought into the neighborhood , ” she wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ walking her dog through the park because she was tired of being catcalled .
‘ My emotions change every 30 seconds , ’ said Tria Houser , who is part Native American.
” The women agreed that they wouldn ’ t call police and would instead rely on the American Indian Movement , an organization founded in Minneapolis in 1968 by Native Americans .
The group , which skews heavily left , already polices its own community .
Other residents of the community have experienced more pressing issues than property damage .
Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two blocks from the park , described finding a black man with a hospital bracelet in his apartment building ’ s elevator , passed out .
After not being able to reach a community activist , he ended up caving and calling 911 .
Even though he requested an ambulance and not police officers , what he got was a white cop who “ checked the situation out briefly and then returned to his squad car , ” according to The Times .
“ It didn ’ t resolve in a way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ All they did was offer to bring him back to the hospital .
He refused , so they kicked him out on a rainy night.
” Meanwhile , Mitchell Erickson said that he called the police after he was cornered by teens who pointed a gun at his chest and demanded the keys to his car .
He said he was so flustered he gave them the keys to his home .
After being frustrated by their inability to get into Erickson ’ s car , they left the scene and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said getting cops involved was a bad decision .
“ Been thinking more about it , ” he told The Times via text .
“ I regret calling the police .
It was my instinct but I wish it hadn ’ t been .
I put those boys in danger of death by calling the cops.
” Erickson also said he refuses to cooperate with prosecutors in a case against the young men .
But wasn ’ t his life in danger ?
And the lives of other people ?
“ Yeah I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cops didn ’ t really have much to add after I called them , ” he said .
“ I haven ’ t been forced to think like this before .
So I would have lost my car .
So what ?
At least no one would have been killed.
” There ’ s an interesting sentence in that text : “ I haven ’ t been forced to think like this before.
” You can definitely read that two ways .
That ’ s the ultimate issue with The Times ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
George Floyd ’ s death was an outlier ; crime generated by a homeless encampment isn ’ t .
Dickerson treats the subject as if it were the other way around .
The residents of Powderhorn Park are undergoing “ self-examination , ” Dickerson wrote .
Albers now feels bad about reporting crime in the neighborhood in her role as a block club leader because it might have led to gentrification .
Her daughter , who “ began a concerted effort last year to challenge her own privileges by taking a class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her “ feeling around [ the homeless encampment ] is those are symptoms of systemic oppression … [ a ] nd that ’ s not on them.
” She also views her decision to buy a house in the neighborhood as a bad one because it might have prevented a minority individual from buying it .
This is perfectly fine , if horribly misguided .
That doesn ’ t mean you shouldn ’ t call the police when someone sticks a gun in your chest , no matter what the dynamics of oppression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what the article wants you to think about , obsessively cataloguing the race of everyone in the article .
( Who cares if the policeman who responded to the black man passed out in the elevator was white ?
Would things have turned out differently otherwise ? )
Perhaps that ’ s what most Times subscribers will think , too .
Others will have a much different takeaway : This is a situation where police involvement is necessary , however dangerous or odious you might believe law enforcement to be .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective substitute for effective policing .
Neither is letting attempted armed car robbery slide as if it were a kid pilfering a candy bar from a store .
When you don ’ t report a crime like that , there ’ s a good chance the perpetrators going to rob someone else with that gun , and perhaps their frustration with getting the wrong set of keys doesn ’ t end so harmlessly then .
Again , it ’ s not entirely clear from Dickerson ’ s article how members of the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or how they plan to maintain it .
What is clear — unintentionally — is that it ’ s a bad decision .
The homeless encampment isn ’ t going anywhere , from the sound of things .
The tacit point Dickerson ’ s article admits to is that , whether you like to like it or not , that ’ s going to raise the crime rate in the neighborhood and stress community resources .
Dickerson noted that the people of Powderhorn Park are volunteering in substantial numbers — serving meals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure the homeless are kept safe .
That ’ s both good and necessary .
So are the police .
I know , this runs counter to the woker-than-thou assertion that defunding the police and reducing their role in society will somehow end well .
The idea that this is how you end up with situations like this in the first place is never seriously considered .
Neither is the fact that , if other neighborhoods adopt this strategy , they could end up with the same problem .
Perhaps The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Powderhorn Park and its left-wing activists , but I ’ ll admit to being doubtful .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

It sounded like such a great idea, didn’t it?
In the city where George Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, the city where protests over his death began, the residents of one neighborhood renowned for its leftist politics began agreeing they wouldn’t call police, according to The New York Times.
This would put black people in danger, residents said, the same way George Floyd was put in danger over a trifle like alleged counterfeit money. Instead, residents of Powderhorn Park — a bohemian, tree-lined corner of Minneapolis close to where Floyd died — would either ignore the issue or call social organizations.
What sounds good doesn’t work out in practice, however. Just a few weeks after Floyd’s death began nationwide protests, a homeless encampment in a neighborhood park has some residents rethinking their commitment to not dialing 911.
The Times describes a 300-strong homeless population in the park, comprised of people who were displaced during the protests and who began amassing there two weeks ago. The encampment, Caitlin Dickerson wrote in the Wednesday piece, “seems to grow larger and more entrenched every day. They do laundry, listen to music and strategize about how to find permanent housing. Some are hampered by mental illness, addiction or both.
“Their presence has drawn heavy car traffic into the neighborhood, some from drug dealers. At least two residents have overdosed in the encampment and had to be taken away in ambulances.”
This has understandably thrown residents off, although the headline states the “Neighborhood Vowed to Check Its Privilege.” (It’s never quite made evident how the decision to take this vow was reached, but that’s the premise and we’ll go with it.)
Shari Albers, who used to call the police regarding gang activity and prostitution in the neighborhood in her role as a block club leader, was one of the people who pledged to swear off law enforcement. She now describes having visions of encampment members forcing their way into her home and having to defend herself with a baseball bat.
“I am afraid,” Albers said. “I know my neighbors are around, but I’m not feeling grounded in my city at all. Anything could happen.”
Should these residents forswear calling police? Yes No
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According to the Star Tribune, the encampment originally sprung up when the owner of an abandoned Sheraton evicted homeless individuals who had appropriated it as an autonomous shelter. A Vice article on the takeover said that the former hotel had “been managed like a commune as residents are running their own meetings where they collectively determine their needs and wants, and communicate them with volunteers.”
Somewhere along the line, this arrangement went wrong. There’s some question as to whether or not residents or looters caused the damage you see here, but either way, conditions inside the former hotel had deteriorated gravely:
I spoke to a mother who came here looking for her daughter, to bring her food and a tent. She was in tears saying “this is just like out of a horror movie.” pic.twitter.com/MUW1U3CkmP — Max Nesterak (@maxnesterak) June 11, 2020
After the Sheraton residents moved into Powderhorn Park, police served them with an eviction notice, giving them 72 hours to leave. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board of Commissioners decided against kicking them out, however, and set up running water, portable bathrooms, electricity, showers and trash bins.
The homeless have taken over Powderhorn Park in south Minneapolis. In response, the City Park Board approved this behavior in all city parks. pic.twitter.com/unt3xkANLm — Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) June 19, 2020
They’re letting the homeless stay in the city’s parks for the moment, although the board has stressed the need for housing.
“We realize that this is not a permanent solution, so we are asking the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and State of Minnesota to step up and find a sustainable, dignified housing solution for folks who are experiencing homelessness right now,” a statement from the board said, according to the Southwest Minneapolis, MN Patch. “In the meantime, we are not going to push people out of public spaces when they have nowhere else to go.”
For right now, residents are dealing as best they can.
Carrie Nightshade, a 44-year-old mother of two, said she no longer feels safe letting her children play alone in the park.
“I’m not being judgmental,” she told The Times. “It’s not personal. It’s just not safe.”
Nightshade is described in the article as taking part in a meeting of five women who live in adjacent houses. Just in case you were concerned about the racial breakdown of this small conclave, Dickerson noted that four of them are white.
“Angelina Roslik burst into tears, explaining that she had spent the past four years fleeing unstable housing conditions and was struggling more than she cared to admit with the chaos the camp had brought into the neighborhood,” she wrote. “Linnea Borden said she had stopped walking her dog through the park because she was tired of being catcalled. ‘My emotions change every 30 seconds,’ said Tria Houser, who is part Native American.”
The women agreed that they wouldn’t call police and would instead rely on the American Indian Movement, an organization founded in Minneapolis in 1968 by Native Americans. The group, which skews heavily left, already polices its own community.
The women agreed they’d let property damage slide.
Other residents of the community have experienced more pressing issues than property damage.
Joseph Menkevich, a white man who lives two blocks from the park, described finding a black man with a hospital bracelet in his apartment building’s elevator, passed out. After not being able to reach a community activist, he ended up caving and calling 911. Even though he requested an ambulance and not police officers, what he got was a white cop who “checked the situation out briefly and then returned to his squad car,” according to The Times.
“It didn’t resolve in a way that I had hoped,” Menkevich said. “All they did was offer to bring him back to the hospital. He refused, so they kicked him out on a rainy night.”
Meanwhile, Mitchell Erickson said that he called the police after he was cornered by teens who pointed a gun at his chest and demanded the keys to his car. He said he was so flustered he gave them the keys to his home. After being frustrated by their inability to get into Erickson’s car, they left the scene and stole another vehicle, instead.
Erickson said getting cops involved was a bad decision.
“Been thinking more about it,” he told The Times via text. “I regret calling the police. It was my instinct but I wish it hadn’t been. I put those boys in danger of death by calling the cops.” Erickson also said he refuses to cooperate with prosecutors in a case against the young men.
But wasn’t his life in danger? And the lives of other people?
“Yeah I know and yeah it was scary but the cops didn’t really have much to add after I called them,” he said. “I haven’t been forced to think like this before. So I would have lost my car. So what? At least no one would have been killed.”
There’s an interesting sentence in that text: “I haven’t been forced to think like this before.” You can definitely read that two ways.
That’s the ultimate issue with The Times’ article, which has its obvious sympathies. George Floyd’s death was an outlier; crime generated by a homeless encampment isn’t. Dickerson treats the subject as if it were the other way around.
The residents of Powderhorn Park are undergoing “self-examination,” Dickerson wrote.
Albers now feels bad about reporting crime in the neighborhood in her role as a block club leader because it might have led to gentrification.
Her daughter, who “began a concerted effort last year to challenge her own privileges by taking a class on racial biases,” said that her “feeling around [the homeless encampment] is those are symptoms of systemic oppression … [a]nd that’s not on them.” She also views her decision to buy a house in the neighborhood as a bad one because it might have prevented a minority individual from buying it.
This is perfectly fine, if horribly misguided. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call the police when someone sticks a gun in your chest, no matter what the dynamics of oppression were.
Mind you, that’s what the article wants you to think about, obsessively cataloguing the race of everyone in the article. (Who cares if the policeman who responded to the black man passed out in the elevator was white? Would things have turned out differently otherwise?) Perhaps that’s what most Times subscribers will think, too.
Others will have a much different takeaway: This is a situation where police involvement is necessary, however dangerous or odious you might believe law enforcement to be.
The American Indian Movement isn’t an effective substitute for effective policing. Neither is letting attempted armed car robbery slide as if it were a kid pilfering a candy bar from a store.
When you don’t report a crime like that, there’s a good chance the perpetrators going to rob someone else with that gun, and perhaps their frustration with getting the wrong set of keys doesn’t end so harmlessly then.
Again, it’s not entirely clear from Dickerson’s article how members of the community reached the decision to not call police or how they plan to maintain it. What is clear — unintentionally — is that it’s a bad decision. The homeless encampment isn’t going anywhere, from the sound of things. The tacit point Dickerson’s article admits to is that, whether you like to like it or not, that’s going to raise the crime rate in the neighborhood and stress community resources.
Dickerson noted that the people of Powderhorn Park are volunteering in substantial numbers — serving meals, delivering medical care and patrolling the park to make sure the homeless are kept safe. That’s both good and necessary. So are the police.
I know, this runs counter to the woker-than-thou assertion that defunding the police and reducing their role in society will somehow end well. The idea that this is how you end up with situations like this in the first place is never seriously considered. Neither is the fact that, if other neighborhoods adopt this strategy, they could end up with the same problem.
Perhaps The Times is saving that for another installment on Powderhorn Park and its left-wing activists, but I’ll admit to being doubtful.
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westernjournal--2020-06-26--Here Are the States Where Unemployment Claims Are Dropping the Quickest

The number of Americans receiving jobless benefits fell below 20 million for the first time in two months , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
The BLS further reported that the largest decreases in initial jobless claims for the week ending June 20 came in Oklahoma , Kentucky , Oregon , Georgia and Texas while the largest increases were in California , Maryland , Indiana , Pennsylvania and New Jersey .
Meanwhile , the highest unemployment rates in the country for the week ending June 6 were Nevada ( 22.6 percent ) , Puerto Rico ( 20.6 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York ( 17.8 ) , California ( 17.3 ) , Michigan ( 16.9 ) , Louisiana ( 16.2 ) , Massachusetts ( 16.2 ) and Connecticut ( 15.8 ) .
According to Wallethub , though Connecticut still has one of the highest unemployment rates , it has also seen the quickest drop in overall unemployment claims since the start of COVID-19 .
Oregon came in second , followed by Vermont , New Jersey , Arkansas , California , Wisconsin , Wyoming , Illinois and Alaska .
TRENDING : Senior House Democrat Getting Trounced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number of people seeking unemployment benefits nationwide fell to 1.48 million last week , which was slightly below the previous week ’ s level of 1.54 million .
The latest numbers are significantly below the 7 million claim peak in mid-March .
For the week ending June 13 , there were approximately 19.5 million Americans receiving unemployment payments , which was down 767,000 from the previous week .
The unemployment rate nationally was 12.3 percent for the same time period , a decline of 0.3 percent ( page 2 BLS report ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other segments of the economy , indicating conditions have improved since hitting a low earlier in the crisis but have much ground to regain , ” The Wall Street Journal reported .
“ There ’ s still this two tracks of this ongoing hemorrhaging of jobs while we also see a lot of people getting rehired , ” said Heidi Shierholz , a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute .
Economists are anticipating a strong monthly jobs report for June when it is released next week , with 3 million jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Fed Judge : Protests Got 'Preferential Treatment ' over Churches in NY If accurate , that figure will come on top of the surprise 2.5 million additional jobs in May , as the unemployment rate dropped from 14.7 to 13.3 percent .
“ This is a rocket ship , ” Trump said of the May jobs numbers .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The number of Americans receiving jobless benefits fell below 20 million for the first time in two months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The BLS further reported that the largest decreases in initial jobless claims for the week ending June 20 came in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Oregon, Georgia and Texas while the largest increases were in California, Maryland, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the highest unemployment rates in the country for the week ending June 6 were Nevada (22.6 percent), Puerto Rico (20.6), Hawaii (18.3), New York (17.8), California (17.3), Michigan (16.9), Louisiana (16.2), Massachusetts (16.2) and Connecticut (15.8).
According to Wallethub, though Connecticut still has one of the highest unemployment rates, it has also seen the quickest drop in overall unemployment claims since the start of COVID-19.
Oregon came in second, followed by Vermont, New Jersey, Arkansas, California, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Illinois and Alaska.
Weekly jobless claims worse than forecast at 1.48 million https://t.co/GF1ewRKlN9 pic.twitter.com/HlnXQNhbY4 — Bloomberg Markets (@markets) June 25, 2020
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits nationwide fell to 1.48 million last week, which was slightly below the previous week’s level of 1.54 million.
The latest numbers are significantly below the 7 million claim peak in mid-March.
Do you think the economy is bouncing back quickly from COVID? 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: 87% (100 Votes) No: 13% (15 Votes)
For the week ending June 13, there were approximately 19.5 million Americans receiving unemployment payments, which was down 767,000 from the previous week.
The unemployment rate nationally was 12.3 percent for the same time period, a decline of 0.3 percent (page 2 BLS report).
“The claims trend mirrors shifts in other segments of the economy, indicating conditions have improved since hitting a low earlier in the crisis but have much ground to regain,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
“There’s still this two tracks of this ongoing hemorrhaging of jobs while we also see a lot of people getting rehired,” said Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute.
Economists are anticipating a strong monthly jobs report for June when it is released next week, with 3 million jobs added, according to Bloomberg.
If accurate, that figure will come on top of the surprise 2.5 million additional jobs in May, as the unemployment rate dropped from 14.7 to 13.3 percent.
President @realDonaldTrump: “we saved millions of lives and now we’re opening and we’re opening with a bang” “This is better than a ‘V,’ This is a rocket ship.”pic.twitter.com/uzexrqPKJN — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 5, 2020
“This is a rocket ship,” Trump said of the May jobs numbers.
“We made a big step in our comeback.”
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Mostly Peaceful Riots

For more A.F .
Branco cartoons , go to WesternJournal.com/opinion/cartoons .
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Bradley Cooper's latest role has not gone down well with everyone, particularly with regard to his use of a prosthetic nose.


westernjournal--2020-06-26--Rolling Stone Story Calls for Good Cops To Be Canceled, Says They Do Real-World Damage

I knew we were in trouble , as a culture , when Fox canceled “ Cops.
” Mind you , I hadn ’ t watched the show since I was in my early teens .
It always seemed like cheap voyeurism to me ; there are only so many shirtless men ambling down suburban streets with a beer in their hand who you can watch swear they have no idea how that bag of white powder got in their pocket before you get a little bored with the concept .
However , that wasn ’ t the police ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show — as people trying their best in the face of an oft-thankless job .
Some were more likable than others , and there were those few exceptions you wished would exchange a bit of testosterone for a trifle more gray matter .
That said , the program showed the human side of the job , and it did it effectively .
Too effectively : After calls from civil rights groups to end the show , it was canceled by Paramount Network , its former home , shortly after George Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat Getting Trounced by Ex-Middle School Principal in Primary Shocker Apparently , it humanized the cops too much ; Color of Change argued that it offered “ a highly filtered version of crime and the criminal justice system — a ‘ reality ’ where the police are always competent , crime-solving heroes and where the bad boys always get caught , ” according to The New York Times .
If you were broken up over this , consider the fact that there are 30-plus seasons of traffic stops gone wrong for you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of anti-police sentiment , it was a portent .
Anything that showed policing in a positive light was about to become fair game for the cancel culture .
Even recognizing that , I ’ m surprised how quickly they came for Olivia Benson .
It was a story that I overlooked when it was published in Rolling Stone on June 12 , but it still bears examination because it ’ s amazing how quickly the mob has come for the beloved “ Law and Order : SVU ” character , played by Mariska @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dickson makes it official : “ Sorry , Olivia Benson Is Canceled Too : The ‘ Law and Order : SVU ’ protagonist gets lionized as a TV ‘ good cop.
’ That does real-world damage.
” Now , there ’ s no question that she ’ s a fictional good cop — or “ good cop , ” as per Dickson .
I say this with full knowledge , too , that she ’ s a political mouthpiece of sorts , and one who doesn ’ t agree with me .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal women , Olivia Benson would be it , to the degree that Taylor Swift ( a totem for white femininity if ever there was one ) named one of her cats after her , ” Dickson wrote .
“ And to a large degree , this makes sense .
“ For 21 seasons , Olivia Benson has served as the quintessential Good Cop , the embodiment of all of the qualities we wish law enforcement figures would have : she ’ s tough but fair , vulnerable yet steely-eyed , displaying constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to abusers .
She always fights for and believes victims , a marked contrast to real-life law enforcement officials , whose record on convicting sexual offenders is abysmal .
The fact that in real life , Hargitay has used her platform to advocate for eliminating rape kit backlog only adds to the character ’ s bona fides .
“ Olivia is a social justice warrior in the truest , most non-pejorative sense , a law enforcement officer who isn ’ t motivated by quotas or high school bully impulses , but an earnest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all times .
Only a demon , a sociopath , or the President of the United States would take issue with her .
She is , by all standards and measures , awesome.
” Given all that , one might think that she ’ s a perfect example of didactic art , the kind of character that begs life to imitate her .
So why , pray tell , has Dickson cast his lot with the demons , sociopaths and Donald Trumps of the world ?
“ A not-insignificant number of police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enter law enforcement , and it ’ s safe to assume that an even larger number of viewers watches the show and believe that police officers like Olivia Benson are fundamentally on the side of the vulnerable and disenfranchised , ” Dickson wrote .
“ And this trope has significant real-life implications : according to a report from Color of Change ( which features a screen grab from SVU on the cover ) , crime series ‘ make heroes out of people who violate our rights ’ and ‘ do not depict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of [ racial disparities in the criminal justice system ] accurately.
’ ” Yet , Dickson noted ( correctly ) that in writers ’ rooms across Hollywood , police are going to be depicted differently .
You ’ re not going to see any more Barney Millers or Olivia Bensons .
And to the extent that Benson still exists , Dickson is disappointed she ’ s not going to be taken to task — even if her character “ is , by all standards and measures , awesome.
” “ But Olivia Benson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because nobody wants Olivia Benson to change , ” Dickson wrote .
“ We ’ re probably not going to see her making an effort to hire more police officers of color .
We ’ re probably not going to see George Floyd incorporated into plot lines in anything but a cursory , ripped-from-the-headlines way .
We ’ re probably not going to see her being taken to task in front of an internal review board for overseeing a cop roughing up a black male suspect.
” But her character is written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the effort to hire police officers of color .
She wouldn ’ t oversee a cop who roughed up a black male suspect without intervening .
Dickson acknowledges “ Law and Order : SVU ” is fantasy .
It operates in a New York City where the same set of police officers and prosecutors handle every high-profile sex crime and elder-abuse case in Gotham .
Benson is , like Joe Friday , a composite of everything viewers of the era want to see in a police officer .
Everyone understands this isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality of policing was a bit more like “ SVU , ” it sounds like Dickson would be happier .
The fact there are people joining police departments based on Benson ’ s example should hearten Dickson , not frighten him , then .
Instead , what activist groups — and Dickson , I suppose — apparently want is police shows that depict cops as sadists , crooks , bigots , power-trippers and orchestrators of systematic oppression .
As for plot development , I suppose these cops would be taken to task and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evils visited upon minorities and and the dispossessed by law enforcement .
And then they ’ d be defunded .
This sounds like a show I ’ d like to watch .
“ The truth is that , if you agree that the system is broken and great changes need to be made on all levels to fix it , you can ’ t pick and choose what needs to be changed .
No matter how much you love Olivia Benson , you have to be willing to grapple with the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perpetuating the idea that cops are inherently trustworthy and heroic , and that many viewers are unable to distinguish between the gossamer fantasy of how justice should be handled , and how it actually is , ” Dickson wrote .
He went on to argue we need a revolution and those “ can ’ t be built on the backs of the exceptions.
” “ It ’ s the simplest equation there is : if all cops are b—–ds , and Olivia Benson is a cop , that means she ’ s — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mariska is cool , though ) , ” he concluded .
Dickson seems to think Olivia Benson is bad because good cops are the exception , except he never proves good cops are the exception .
He assumes the truth of the argument he ’ s making from the beginning — presumably because the readership of Rolling Stone believes that , too .
The evidence he provides , such as it is , involves quotes from Color of Change .
I ’ m sure they mean well , but they ’ re an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide no concrete facts for the assertions made in the quotes Dickson used .
When this passes — and it will pass — Dickson and those who believe as him will be left with the uncomfortable truth that people like police procedurals and they ’ ll continue to like “ Law and Order : SVU.
” He ’ ll go down in some corner of pop culture history , however , as having written one of the more ridiculous pieces of cancel-culture folderol I ’ ve seen in 2020 .
We are committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

I knew we were in trouble, as a culture, when Fox canceled “Cops.”
Mind you, I hadn’t watched the show since I was in my early teens. It always seemed like cheap voyeurism to me; there are only so many shirtless men ambling down suburban streets with a beer in their hand who you can watch swear they have no idea how that bag of white powder got in their pocket before you get a little bored with the concept.
However, that wasn’t the police’s fault. They acquitted themselves well on the show — as people trying their best in the face of an oft-thankless job.
Some were more likable than others, and there were those few exceptions you wished would exchange a bit of testosterone for a trifle more gray matter. That said, the program showed the human side of the job, and it did it effectively.
Too effectively: After calls from civil rights groups to end the show, it was canceled by Paramount Network, its former home, shortly after George Floyd’s death.
Apparently, it humanized the cops too much; Color of Change argued that it offered “a highly filtered version of crime and the criminal justice system — a ‘reality’ where the police are always competent, crime-solving heroes and where the bad boys always get caught,” according to The New York Times.
If you were broken up over this, consider the fact that there are 30-plus seasons of traffic stops gone wrong for you to enjoy. However, as a sign of anti-police sentiment, it was a portent. Anything that showed policing in a positive light was about to become fair game for the cancel culture.
Even recognizing that, I’m surprised how quickly they came for Olivia Benson.
It was a story that I overlooked when it was published in Rolling Stone on June 12, but it still bears examination because it’s amazing how quickly the mob has come for the beloved “Law and Order: SVU” character, played by Mariska Hargitay.
Should Olivia Benson be canceled? Yes No
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But no, E.J. Dickson makes it official: “Sorry, Olivia Benson Is Canceled Too: The ‘Law and Order: SVU’ protagonist gets lionized as a TV ‘good cop.’ That does real-world damage.”
Now, there’s no question that she’s a fictional good cop — or “good cop,” as per Dickson. I say this with full knowledge, too, that she’s a political mouthpiece of sorts, and one who doesn’t agree with me.
“If there were a patron saint of liberal women, Olivia Benson would be it, to the degree that Taylor Swift (a totem for white femininity if ever there was one) named one of her cats after her,” Dickson wrote. “And to a large degree, this makes sense.
“For 21 seasons, Olivia Benson has served as the quintessential Good Cop, the embodiment of all of the qualities we wish law enforcement figures would have: she’s tough but fair, vulnerable yet steely-eyed, displaying constant compassion for survivors and providing no quarter to abusers. She always fights for and believes victims, a marked contrast to real-life law enforcement officials, whose record on convicting sexual offenders is abysmal. The fact that in real life, Hargitay has used her platform to advocate for eliminating rape kit backlog only adds to the character’s bona fides.
“Olivia is a social justice warrior in the truest, most non-pejorative sense, a law enforcement officer who isn’t motivated by quotas or high school bully impulses, but an earnest desire to do right by survivors at all times. Only a demon, a sociopath, or the President of the United States would take issue with her. She is, by all standards and measures, awesome.”
Given all that, one might think that she’s a perfect example of didactic art, the kind of character that begs life to imitate her. So why, pray tell, has Dickson cast his lot with the demons, sociopaths and Donald Trumps of the world?
“A not-insignificant number of police officers have credited the show with their deciding to enter law enforcement, and it’s safe to assume that an even larger number of viewers watches the show and believe that police officers like Olivia Benson are fundamentally on the side of the vulnerable and disenfranchised,” Dickson wrote.
“And this trope has significant real-life implications: according to a report from Color of Change (which features a screen grab from SVU on the cover), crime series ‘make heroes out of people who violate our rights’ and ‘do not depict the reality, causes, or consequences of [racial disparities in the criminal justice system] accurately.’”
Yet, Dickson noted (correctly) that in writers’ rooms across Hollywood, police are going to be depicted differently. You’re not going to see any more Barney Millers or Olivia Bensons.
And to the extent that Benson still exists, Dickson is disappointed she’s not going to be taken to task — even if her character “is, by all standards and measures, awesome.”
“But Olivia Benson won’t change, not fundamentally, because nobody wants Olivia Benson to change,” Dickson wrote. “We’re probably not going to see her making an effort to hire more police officers of color. We’re probably not going to see George Floyd incorporated into plot lines in anything but a cursory, ripped-from-the-headlines way. We’re probably not going to see her being taken to task in front of an internal review board for overseeing a cop roughing up a black male suspect.”
But her character is written in a way that she’d make the effort to hire police officers of color. She wouldn’t oversee a cop who roughed up a black male suspect without intervening.
Dickson acknowledges “Law and Order: SVU” is fantasy. It operates in a New York City where the same set of police officers and prosecutors handle every high-profile sex crime and elder-abuse case in Gotham. Benson is, like Joe Friday, a composite of everything viewers of the era want to see in a police officer.
Everyone understands this isn’t reality — although if the reality of policing was a bit more like “SVU,” it sounds like Dickson would be happier. The fact there are people joining police departments based on Benson’s example should hearten Dickson, not frighten him, then.
Instead, what activist groups — and Dickson, I suppose — apparently want is police shows that depict cops as sadists, crooks, bigots, power-trippers and orchestrators of systematic oppression.
As for plot development, I suppose these cops would be taken to task and punished severely so viewers at home know the evils visited upon minorities and and the dispossessed by law enforcement. And then they’d be defunded. This sounds like a show I’d like to watch.
“The truth is that, if you agree that the system is broken and great changes need to be made on all levels to fix it, you can’t pick and choose what needs to be changed. No matter how much you love Olivia Benson, you have to be willing to grapple with the fact that she plays a major role in perpetuating the idea that cops are inherently trustworthy and heroic, and that many viewers are unable to distinguish between the gossamer fantasy of how justice should be handled, and how it actually is,” Dickson wrote.
He went on to argue we need a revolution and those “can’t be built on the backs of the exceptions.”
“It’s the simplest equation there is: if all cops are b—–ds, and Olivia Benson is a cop, that means she’s — kind of — a b—–d. (Mariska is cool, though),” he concluded.
Dickson seems to think Olivia Benson is bad because good cops are the exception, except he never proves good cops are the exception. He assumes the truth of the argument he’s making from the beginning — presumably because the readership of Rolling Stone believes that, too.
The evidence he provides, such as it is, involves quotes from Color of Change. I’m sure they mean well, but they’re an activist organization with an obvious bias that provide no concrete facts for the assertions made in the quotes Dickson used.
When this passes — and it will pass — Dickson and those who believe as him will be left with the uncomfortable truth that people like police procedurals and they’ll continue to like “Law and Order: SVU.”
He’ll go down in some corner of pop culture history, however, as having written one of the more ridiculous pieces of cancel-culture folderol I’ve seen in 2020.
Congratulations, I guess.
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westernjournal--2020-06-27--Clueless White Liberals Get Schooled by Black Harlem Residents on ‘Defund Police’

The left loves to say black lives matter .
But they only seem to care about black lives when it is politically convenient .
White liberals , in particular , like to imagine that they speak on behalf of the black community , as The Babylon Bee hilariously parodied with the headline “ New Program Helps People Of Color Adopt A White Liberal To Speak On Their Behalf.
” Ami Horowitz , a documentary filmmaker and director of Fox News ’ “ Ami on the Streets , ” decided to ask white liberals in New York City what they thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He then asked black residents of East Harlem for their opinions on the matter .
His video of the two groups ’ answers shows striking differences .
When Horowitz asked white New Yorkers about abolishing the police , answers included : TRENDING : Two Politicians Hit with Multiple Voter Fraud Charges Connected to Mail-In Ballots “ Policing in this country is about keeping black people down.
” Horowitz asked one white man who hated the police how he thought people in East Harlem felt about police officers .
The man replied , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about them , you know ?
Probably worse.
” Then Horowitz interviewed East Harlem residents .
Here is what they thought of white leftists ’ opinions on abolishing police : “ I think they ’ re being somewhat ignorant.
” “ Abolishing the NYPD ?
That would be suicide.
” One East Harlem resident spoke of how his 8-year-old son wants to be a police officer and he was encouraging him .
Another black resident mentioned she had relatives who were police officers and she respected them .
“ I support the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutality , of course .
But I support the police , ” she said .
In other words , she understood nuance .
The government can make helpful reforms without destroying a vital system .
Instead , Democrats have rejected police reform efforts like the one introduced by Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina .
At the same time , white leftists are busy being caught on camera lecturing black police officers about racism or just screaming in black officers ’ faces .
In fact , a Pew Research Center study found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black and 46 percent are white .
A recent YouGov/HuffPost poll also found 49 percent of black Americans “ somewhat oppose ” or “ strongly oppose ” defunding the police .
Only 29 percent supported the measure .
Among respondents of all races , 45 percent strongly oppose defunding the police .
Crime statistics show why .
As Harvard social scientist Roland Fryer has documented , cities that reduce police activity see increased crime .
Shootings in New York City have already surged this month since the police department disbanded its plainclothes anti-crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of likely disaster , the Minneapolis City Council just unanimously approved a measure to abolish the city ’ s police department .
The Marxist-inspired defund the police movement may claim to speak on behalf of black Americans , but black Americans can speak for themselves .
And the majority want to keep police in their communities .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The left loves to say black lives matter. But they only seem to care about black lives when it is politically convenient.
White liberals, in particular, like to imagine that they speak on behalf of the black community, as The Babylon Bee hilariously parodied with the headline “New Program Helps People Of Color Adopt A White Liberal To Speak On Their Behalf.”
Ami Horowitz, a documentary filmmaker and director of Fox News’ “Ami on the Streets,” decided to ask white liberals in New York City what they thought of the idea of abolishing the police. He then asked black residents of East Harlem for their opinions on the matter. His video of the two groups’ answers shows striking differences.
When Horowitz asked white New Yorkers about abolishing the police, answers included:
“Absolutely.”
“They’re monsters.”
“Policing in this country is about keeping black people down.”
Horowitz asked one white man who hated the police how he thought people in East Harlem felt about police officers. The man replied, “Probably the same way I feel about them, you know? Probably worse.”
Do you agree with the East Harlem residents? Yes No
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Then Horowitz interviewed East Harlem residents. Here is what they thought of white leftists’ opinions on abolishing police:
“I think they’re full of crap.”
“I think they’re being somewhat ignorant.”
“Abolishing the NYPD? That would be suicide.”
One East Harlem resident spoke of how his 8-year-old son wants to be a police officer and he was encouraging him. Another black resident mentioned she had relatives who were police officers and she respected them.
“I support the police. I don’t support police brutality, of course. But I support the police,” she said. In other words, she understood nuance. The government can make helpful reforms without destroying a vital system.
Instead, Democrats have rejected police reform efforts like the one introduced by Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. At the same time, white leftists are busy being caught on camera lecturing black police officers about racism or just screaming in black officers’ faces.
In fact, a Pew Research Center study found that only one in six protesters are black and 46 percent are white. A recent YouGov/HuffPost poll also found 49 percent of black Americans “somewhat oppose” or “strongly oppose” defunding the police. Only 29 percent supported the measure.
Among respondents of all races, 45 percent strongly oppose defunding the police.
Crime statistics show why. As Harvard social scientist Roland Fryer has documented, cities that reduce police activity see increased crime.
Shootings in New York City have already surged this month since the police department disbanded its plainclothes anti-crime unit.
Yet despite all this evidence of likely disaster, the Minneapolis City Council just unanimously approved a measure to abolish the city’s police department.
The Marxist-inspired defund the police movement may claim to speak on behalf of black Americans, but black Americans can speak for themselves. And the majority want to keep police in their communities.
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westernjournal--2020-06-27--Barr Reveals Terrorism Task Forces Going ‘Full Bore,’ Have 500 Open Investigations Against Rioters

Attorney General William Barr says the book is not yet closed on the rioters whose recent spree of destruction has torched businesses , defaced property and toppled statues of Founding Fathers , abolitionists and anyone else who becomes a target .
Barr spoke out during Thursday ’ s episode of the podcast “ Verdict , ” which is hosted by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and conservative commentator Michael Knowles .
Barr noted that different levels of government have different roles .
“ The federal government is best positioned to address this kind of violence and lawlessness after it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI agents walking the beat , ” Barr said .
TRENDING : Two Politicians Hit with Multiple Voter Fraud Charges Connected to Mail-In Ballots “ When the real violence started around May 25 , 26 , so forth , we started using our joint terrorist task forces around the country , and there are 35 of them around the country .
It involves all state and local in those jurisdictions and all the federal agencies .
And it ’ s the system we designed to follow terrorists .
“ And now they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out investigations , indictments against the people who are involved in this violence , ” Barr said .
The investigations are already bearing fruit , he said .
“ We ’ ve had scores of indictments already for such things as arson , destruction of federal property , things like that .
And we have right now about 500 investigations underway , ” Barr added .
“ So it ’ s picking up pace and we are committed to holding accountable the people who are engaged in this .
But we still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens .
And that ’ s where the burden is right now on state and local .
And in many places , they ’ re not stepping up to the plate.
” Cruz asked Barr for his assessment of the level of coordination among the riots and protests .
“ We are seeing strong evidence of coordination in many of these violent episodes , ” Barr said .
“ Fundamentally , what you have here is you have demonstrators , some of them go there with the intent of demonstrating .
But you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes a significant group , that try to convert those into violent activity .
RELATED : Barr 's DOJ Is Stockpiling Ammunition for Possible Massive Action Against Google “ They seem to be very well coordinated when they show up , ” he added .
“ A number of them are associated with the movement called antifa , but they go by various names , but frequently anarchistic .
They want to tear down the country .
They are different than many traditional groups and frequently , the signs of coordination and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself .
So like the morning of or the day before , and things are very fast-moving .
But we definitely see signs out on the street of communication , of organization , of pre-planning , pre-positioning of things .
So it ’ s definitely organized activity.
” Barr said that in light of President Donald Trump ’ s call for the wholesale destruction of statues and monuments to cease , the federal role in preventing destruction takes on a new importance .
“ Because in some places , the local police are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to have to step up the federal effort to do that , ” he said .
As an example , he noted that “ all the videos involved in the attack on President Jackson ’ s statue , that ’ s carefully reviewed and we will go after people , ” referring to those who tried to topple the statue of Andrew Jackson outside of the White House in Washington , D.C. “ We have to do a better job to stop these groups before they are able to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Barr said .
In discussing the current statue-toppling craze , Barr labeled the movement “ anarchy ; and it ’ s from people who are very ignorant and don ’ t care about history at all.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Attorney General William Barr says the book is not yet closed on the rioters whose recent spree of destruction has torched businesses, defaced property and toppled statues of Founding Fathers, abolitionists and anyone else who becomes a target.
Barr spoke out during Thursday’s episode of the podcast “Verdict,” which is hosted by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and conservative commentator Michael Knowles.
Knowles asked Barr, “How do we restore order?”
Barr noted that different levels of government have different roles.
“The federal government is best positioned to address this kind of violence and lawlessness after it occurs because we don’t have FBI agents walking the beat,” Barr said.
“When the real violence started around May 25, 26, so forth, we started using our joint terrorist task forces around the country, and there are 35 of them around the country. It involves all state and local in those jurisdictions and all the federal agencies. And it’s the system we designed to follow terrorists.
“And now they are starting to go full bore, cranking out investigations, indictments against the people who are involved in this violence,” Barr said.
The investigations are already bearing fruit, he said.
“We’ve had scores of indictments already for such things as arson, destruction of federal property, things like that. And we have right now about 500 investigations underway,” Barr added.
Should those who damaged our communities be thrown in prison? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 100% (228 Votes) No: 0% (1 Votes)
“So it’s picking up pace and we are committed to holding accountable the people who are engaged in this. But we still have to try to stop it before it happens. And that’s where the burden is right now on state and local. And in many places, they’re not stepping up to the plate.”
Cruz asked Barr for his assessment of the level of coordination among the riots and protests.
“We are seeing strong evidence of coordination in many of these violent episodes,” Barr said.
“Fundamentally, what you have here is you have demonstrators, some of them go there with the intent of demonstrating. But you have a group of provocateurs and agitators, sometimes a significant group, that try to convert those into violent activity.
“They seem to be very well coordinated when they show up,” he added.
“A number of them are associated with the movement called antifa, but they go by various names, but frequently anarchistic. They want to tear down the country. They are different than many traditional groups and frequently, the signs of coordination and activity are very close to the event itself. So like the morning of or the day before, and things are very fast-moving. But we definitely see signs out on the street of communication, of organization, of pre-planning, pre-positioning of things. So it’s definitely organized activity.”
Barr said that in light of President Donald Trump’s call for the wholesale destruction of statues and monuments to cease, the federal role in preventing destruction takes on a new importance.
“Because in some places, the local police are not doing an adequate job, we’re going to have to step up the federal effort to do that,” he said.
As an example, he noted that “all the videos involved in the attack on President Jackson’s statue, that’s carefully reviewed and we will go after people,” referring to those who tried to topple the statue of Andrew Jackson outside of the White House in Washington, D.C.
“We have to do a better job to stop these groups before they are able to do damage to these monuments and statues,” Barr said.
In discussing the current statue-toppling craze, Barr labeled the movement “anarchy; and it’s from people who are very ignorant and don’t care about history at all.”
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westernjournal--2020-06-27--It Looks Like China Just Deployed Tanks and Artillery to Site of Deadly Clash with India, Moving Wor

It Looks Like China Just Deployed Tanks and Artillery to Site of Deadly Clash with India, Moving World Down Worrying Path

China is beefing up its presence along its disputed border with India near the spot where an unplanned June 15 clash between soldiers of two of the world ’ s largest militaries left several soldiers dead .
Satellite operator Maxar Technologies said that an image taken along the border , referred to as the Line of Actual Control , showed China ’ s expansion .
The site is near where a disputed June 15 clash left 20 Indian soldiers dead .
China has not said how many troops were killed on its side .
Maxar has found that China is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CNN .
“ The small outpost … has grown hugely in size , ” Nathan Ruser , a researcher at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute , tweeted on Thursday .
“ Indian troops aren ’ t dismantling this one.
” TRENDING : Two Politicians Hit with Multiple Voter Fraud Charges Connected to Mail-In Ballots The recent photos appear to show a Chinese tank company and artillery units near the border , Ruser said .
He added that Chinese troops regularly cross the border into India .
Maxar vice president Steve Wood said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed “ convoy after convoy of heavy trucks , diggers , bulldozers and some military armored equipment ” rumbling through the Galwan Valley toward the disputed border , according to The New York Times .
China was building up military assets before the clash and has continued to do so since , said Chris Biggers , senior analyst at geospatial intelligence company HawkEye 360 .
“ The Chinese were obviously pushing toward the junction and what they perceive as their claim line .
They have now built a post and a track reinforcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quo in the area , ” he said , saying that construction equipment , soldiers and military hardware have all been flowing to the border camp .
Fears that the collision could lead to something more were reflected in headlines such as that from Britain ’ s The Express that read , “ World War 3 : China ’ s troops massing on India border — new satellite images.
” Predictably , each side has blamed the other for the clash .
“ It was shocking that Indian troops publicly violated the agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LAC to provoke the Chinese side on June 15 , ” Wu Qian , a spokesman for China ’ s Defense Ministry , said Wednesday .
“ When Chinese military troops arrived to negotiate , they were suddenly attacked by Indian troops , and that led to a physical fight between the two sides and caused casualties.
” India ’ s Ministry of External Affairs , however , said that “ [ i ] t has been the Chinese actions thus far which have led to increase in tension in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15th June with casualties.
” “ At the heart of the matter is that since early May , the Chinese side has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC , ” the Indian ministry said .
India and China fought over the region in 1962 .
Hawkish voices in China are demanding that China not back down , according to the South China Morning Post .
“ We should not overestimate India ’ s response , but we must also not let our guard down , ” wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major general .
China must “ take the initiative ” if escalation takes place , he wrote .
“ If we must fight a war , we must strike quickly and contain the scale in a small and mid-sized war aimed at causing pain to our opponents and hence gaining respect via small wars , ” he wrote .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

China is beefing up its presence along its disputed border with India near the spot where an unplanned June 15 clash between soldiers of two of the world’s largest militaries left several soldiers dead.
Satellite operator Maxar Technologies said that an image taken along the border, referred to as the Line of Actual Control, showed China’s expansion.
The site is near where a disputed June 15 clash left 20 Indian soldiers dead. China has not said how many troops were killed on its side.
Maxar has found that China is continuing to expand its camp, according to CNN.
“The small outpost … has grown hugely in size,” Nathan Ruser, a researcher at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, tweeted on Thursday. “Indian troops aren’t dismantling this one.”
Satellite imagery from the Galwan Valley on June 22nd shows that ‘disengagement’ really isn’t the word that the government should be using. This gif shows the small outpost that sparked the June 15th clashes. It has grown hugely in size. Indian troops aren’t dismantling this one. pic.twitter.com/8Q78ftr3uW — Nathan Ruser (@Nrg8000) June 24, 2020
The recent photos appear to show a Chinese tank company and artillery units near the border, Ruser said. He added that Chinese troops regularly cross the border into India.
Maxar vice president Steve Wood said that since May 22, satellite images showed “convoy after convoy of heavy trucks, diggers, bulldozers and some military armored equipment” rumbling through the Galwan Valley toward the disputed border, according to The New York Times.
DO you fear this could turn into a major war? Yes No
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China was building up military assets before the clash and has continued to do so since, said Chris Biggers, senior analyst at geospatial intelligence company HawkEye 360.
“The Chinese were obviously pushing toward the junction and what they perceive as their claim line. They have now built a post and a track reinforcing their claim, thus changing the status quo in the area,” he said, saying that construction equipment, soldiers and military hardware have all been flowing to the border camp.
Fears that the collision could lead to something more were reflected in headlines such as that from Britain’s The Express that read, “World War 3: China’s troops massing on India border — new satellite images.”
Predictably, each side has blamed the other for the clash.
“It was shocking that Indian troops publicly violated the agreement, broke their own promise and crossed the LAC to provoke the Chinese side on June 15,” Wu Qian, a spokesman for China’s Defense Ministry, said Wednesday. “When Chinese military troops arrived to negotiate, they were suddenly attacked by Indian troops, and that led to a physical fight between the two sides and caused casualties.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs, however, said that “[i]t has been the Chinese actions thus far which have led to increase in tension in the region and also to the violent face-off of 15th June with casualties.”
“At the heart of the matter is that since early May, the Chinese side has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC,” the Indian ministry said.
India and China fought over the region in 1962.
Hawkish voices in China are demanding that China not back down, according to the South China Morning Post.
“We should not overestimate India’s response, but we must also not let our guard down,” wrote Qiao Liang, a retired air force major general.
China must “take the initiative” if escalation takes place, he wrote.
“If we must fight a war, we must strike quickly and contain the scale in a small and mid-sized war aimed at causing pain to our opponents and hence gaining respect via small wars,” he wrote.
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westernjournal--2020-06-27--Rush Announces Perfect Theme for Trump’s 2020 Campaign

Make America Great Again is a bit difficult to pull off twice .
Keep America Great is difficult given the exigencies of the moment .
How , then , should President Donald Trump frame his re-election campaign ?
On his Wednesday show , Rush Limbaugh suggested one way , courtesy of a piece from Thomas Klingenstein , the chairman of the board of directors of the Claremont Institute , a California-based conservative think-tank .
In the piece , Klingenstein had a six-word slogan Rush thought would crystallize the Trump campaign : “ Preserve the American way of life.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” about the piece , Limbaugh said , “ because , folks , that ’ s what ’ s at stake , the American way of life .
That ’ s what is being fought over.
” TRENDING : Two Politicians Hit with Multiple Voter Fraud Charges Connected to Mail-In Ballots He quoted Klingenstein : “ What is the American way of life that Republicans should want to preserve ?
It would not be difficult to reach a consensus on this question among Republicans .
They want to preserve , and in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right way of life until a generation or two ago .
“ We then believed that we were the shining city on the hill , marked out to show the rest of the world that people can govern themselves .
We saw ourselves as one people with a single culture , which was directed by a creed ( expressed most notably in the Declaration ) , supported by the Judeo-Christian ethos , all flavored by our particular history .
“ True , there were sub-cultures , but we understood them as all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture .
There were no hyphenated Americans .
We insisted that immigrants be assimilated .
Colorblindness was our ideal.
” Limbaugh continued with Klingenstein ’ s piece : “ We believed we had done great things in the past and were capable of doing more .
This success , despite numerous missteps , made us a confident people .
No wonder we thought ourselves exceptional in both senses of the term : distinct and better .
No wonder we wore our patriotism on our sleeve and revered our military .
“ We believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most individualist , most religious people in the world .
We believed that success in life depends on one ’ s own talents and character and so we glorified the self-made man .
We valued work , no matter how humble , and self-reliance .
Dependency was thought to be shameful .
This was all part of the ‘ American Dream . '
” “ So we weren ’ t class-conscious , and rugged individualism was a part of America ’ s founding .
It certainly wasn ’ t anything that anybody was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person was an offshoot of freedom and liberty .
And we were the most religious people in the world , ” Limbaugh said .
“ So a generation or two ago and further , we glorified self-made people .
They were great .
They were great examples .
They were heroes .
The more obstacles they overcame , the more respect we had for them.
” There were other things Klingenstein pointed out as being part of the American way of life : “ doing good in this world … serving in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local government and political parties , and teaching one ’ s children what it meant to be a responsible citizen , ” among others .
There is , however , another potential way of life to be considered , and that ’ s multiculturalism .
RELATED : Here Is the 1st Thing Rush Does Every Morning During His Cancer Treatment “ As I am using the term , multiculturalism sees society not as a community of rights-bearing individuals with a shared understanding of a national good , but as a collection of cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victimhood ( though all oppressed by white males ) , and aggregated within highly permeable national boundaries , ” Klingenstein wrote .
“ Multiculturalism replaces American citizens with so-called ‘ global citizens.
’ Identity politics is the politics of multiculturalism .
Political correctness is its enforcement arm .
Multiculturalism involves a way of life that can not exist peacefully with the American way of life any more than could Communism or the antebellum South.
” One of the ways Klingenstein and Limbaugh thought the multiculturalists were destroying the American way of life was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system .
“ You are not going to destroy the American way of life , and you ’ re not gon na destroy Western civilization , just as you were not gon na destroy the concept of American greatness .
This is the battle that we are in , ” Limbaugh said .
“ Now , ‘ multiculturalism teaches its beliefs and values to its future citizens.
’ That ’ s why the multiculturalists have taken hold of the school curriculum — middle school , high school , and of course academe.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to be rewritten — especially through initiatives like The New York Times ’ “ 1619 Project , ” which traces America ’ s so-called actual founding back to the arrival of slaves in 1619 .
“ Multiculturalists , like totalitarians everywhere , understand that changing a culture requires rewriting its history so as to bring the past into line with the desired future , ” Klingenstein wrote .
“ The nation was not built on slavery .
Slavery was not one of the ideals that led to the American away life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a civil war to get rid of it .
The times version of American history makes slavery the cause of virtually everything .
But look , they ’ ve taught it ; they ’ ve had unfettered access to your kids for two generations .
That is why Millennial-aged , affluent , suburban , college-educated white women essentially run and promote Black Lives Matter .
“ They have had the guilt ladled all over them , ” Limbaugh said .
“ They have had ‘ the truth of this country , ’ quote-unquote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they hate America , that they ’ re embarrassed about it , that they believe in this silly ass notion of white supremacy and white privilege as defining aspects of the United States of America .
So they ’ re running around feeling guilty all day , every day with a need to prove that they ’ re not evil .
“ They are useful idiots , ” he concluded .
“ They ’ re tools.
” And those six words could be the way of fighting back against said tools : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are few times in our history where we ’ ve seen it seriously under question .
This is perhaps the most serious of them all — especially given the shocks we ’ ve endured over the past six months .
That said , most Americans — and certainly most American voters — still believe in the way of life Klingenstein laid out in the Claremont Institute piece .
It ’ s quite a bit longer than that and deserves a read , but Limbaugh hit upon the most valuable points .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the two worldviews : It ’ s 1619 vs. 1776 .
In a year in which we feel defeated , it ’ d seem easy for Americans to give in .
And yet , the one thing most of us wondered is when we would be able to get back to working as a country — not when the country would start taking care of us .
We are a nation that works hard , that takes pride in working hard , that takes pride in the fact our ancestors came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new life for themselves .
We believed in the American Dream and we still do .
We believe that you can rise above your station by working hard and by doing the right things .
We believe in the promise of this country and in the essential goodness of it .
The left believes in none of this .
Not only that , they believe this is all a lie fed to us to maintain a system of white supremacy .
If we are one people , it ’ s not as Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own country , we ’ re balkanized into little groups .
This is all deeply unappealing to most Americans — and it ’ s also something that Joe Biden , if he wants to win over the left , is going to have to gulp down .
It ’ s why , if Donald Trump wants to win a second term , he should make sure Americans know it ’ s 1619 vs. 1776 .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Make America Great Again is a bit difficult to pull off twice. Keep America Great is difficult given the exigencies of the moment.
How, then, should President Donald Trump frame his re-election campaign?
On his Wednesday show, Rush Limbaugh suggested one way, courtesy of a piece from Thomas Klingenstein, the chairman of the board of directors of the Claremont Institute, a California-based conservative think-tank.
In the piece, Klingenstein had a six-word slogan Rush thought would crystallize the Trump campaign: “Preserve the American way of life.”
“And that’s what struck me” about the piece, Limbaugh said, “because, folks, that’s what’s at stake, the American way of life. That’s what is being fought over.”
He quoted Klingenstein: “What is the American way of life that Republicans should want to preserve? It would not be difficult to reach a consensus on this question among Republicans. They want to preserve, and in some respects recover, what Americans thought was the right way of life until a generation or two ago.
“We then believed that we were the shining city on the hill, marked out to show the rest of the world that people can govern themselves. We saw ourselves as one people with a single culture, which was directed by a creed (expressed most notably in the Declaration), supported by the Judeo-Christian ethos, all flavored by our particular history.
“True, there were sub-cultures, but we understood them as all sharing the fundamental attributes of a single culture. There were no hyphenated Americans. We insisted that immigrants be assimilated. Colorblindness was our ideal.”
Limbaugh continued with Klingenstein’s piece: “We believed we had done great things in the past and were capable of doing more. This success, despite numerous missteps, made us a confident people. No wonder we thought ourselves exceptional in both senses of the term: distinct and better. No wonder we wore our patriotism on our sleeve and revered our military.
Will President Trump be re-elected? Yes No
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“We believed ourselves to be the least class-conscious, most individualist, most religious people in the world. We believed that success in life depends on one’s own talents and character and so we glorified the self-made man. We valued work, no matter how humble, and self-reliance. Dependency was thought to be shameful. This was all part of the ‘American Dream.'”
“So we weren’t class-conscious, and rugged individualism was a part of America’s founding. It certainly wasn’t anything that anybody was ashamed of. To be your own person was an offshoot of freedom and liberty. And we were the most religious people in the world,” Limbaugh said.
“So a generation or two ago and further, we glorified self-made people. They were great. They were great examples. They were heroes. The more obstacles they overcame, the more respect we had for them.”
There were other things Klingenstein pointed out as being part of the American way of life: “doing good in this world … serving in the military and participating in civic organizations, local government and political parties, and teaching one’s children what it meant to be a responsible citizen,” among others.
There is, however, another potential way of life to be considered, and that’s multiculturalism.
“As I am using the term, multiculturalism sees society not as a community of rights-bearing individuals with a shared understanding of a national good, but as a collection of cultural identity groups, ranked in order of victimhood (though all oppressed by white males), and aggregated within highly permeable national boundaries,” Klingenstein wrote.
“Multiculturalism replaces American citizens with so-called ‘global citizens.’ Identity politics is the politics of multiculturalism. Political correctness is its enforcement arm. Multiculturalism involves a way of life that cannot exist peacefully with the American way of life any more than could Communism or the antebellum South.”
One of the ways Klingenstein and Limbaugh thought the multiculturalists were destroying the American way of life was by inculcating young Americans through the educational system.
“You are not going to destroy the American way of life, and you’re not gonna destroy Western civilization, just as you were not gonna destroy the concept of American greatness. This is the battle that we are in,” Limbaugh said.
“Now, ‘multiculturalism teaches its beliefs and values to its future citizens.’ That’s why the multiculturalists have taken hold of the school curriculum — middle school, high school, and of course academe.”
To do this, however, history has to be rewritten — especially through initiatives like The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which traces America’s so-called actual founding back to the arrival of slaves in 1619.
“Multiculturalists, like totalitarians everywhere, understand that changing a culture requires rewriting its history so as to bring the past into line with the desired future,” Klingenstein wrote.
“It didn’t,” Limbaugh noted, calling it “a pack of lies.”
“The nation was not built on slavery. Slavery was not one of the ideals that led to the American away life,” he said.
“We had a civil war to get rid of it. The times version of American history makes slavery the cause of virtually everything. But look, they’ve taught it; they’ve had unfettered access to your kids for two generations. That is why Millennial-aged, affluent, suburban, college-educated white women essentially run and promote Black Lives Matter.
“They have had the guilt ladled all over them,” Limbaugh said. “They have had ‘the truth of this country,’ quote-unquote, spoon-fed them to the point that they hate America, that they’re embarrassed about it, that they believe in this silly ass notion of white supremacy and white privilege as defining aspects of the United States of America. So they’re running around feeling guilty all day, every day with a need to prove that they’re not evil.
“They are useful idiots,” he concluded. “They’re tools.”
And those six words could be the way of fighting back against said tools: “Protecting the American way of life.”
There are few times in our history where we’ve seen it seriously under question. This is perhaps the most serious of them all — especially given the shocks we’ve endured over the past six months.
That said, most Americans — and certainly most American voters — still believe in the way of life Klingenstein laid out in the Claremont Institute piece. It’s quite a bit longer than that and deserves a read, but Limbaugh hit upon the most valuable points.
One he left out is a simple way to reduce the two worldviews: It’s 1619 vs. 1776.
In a year in which we feel defeated, it’d seem easy for Americans to give in. And yet, the one thing most of us wondered is when we would be able to get back to working as a country — not when the country would start taking care of us.
We are a nation that works hard, that takes pride in working hard, that takes pride in the fact our ancestors came here to work hard and make a new life for themselves.
We believed in the American Dream and we still do. We believe that you can rise above your station by working hard and by doing the right things. We believe in the promise of this country and in the essential goodness of it.
The left believes in none of this.
Not only that, they believe this is all a lie fed to us to maintain a system of white supremacy. If we are one people, it’s not as Americans but as global citizens. In our own country, we’re balkanized into little groups.
This is all deeply unappealing to most Americans — and it’s also something that Joe Biden, if he wants to win over the left, is going to have to gulp down.
It’s why, if Donald Trump wants to win a second term, he should make sure Americans know it’s 1619 vs. 1776.
Americans will respond accordingly.
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westernjournal--2020-06-27--‘Days of Our Lives’ Star Sparks Outrage After Liking Post Questioning Where BLM Donations Go

It often seems as though another prominent celebrity , community leader , political commentator or historical figure falls victim to cancel culture on a daily basis .
This week , “ Days of Our Lives ” star Melissa Reeves has come under fire on social media for liking supposedly “ racist ” Instagram posts .
On Tuesday , a Twitter user posted screen shots appearing to show that Reeves had liked two Instagram posts from black conservative commentator Candace Owens .
In one of the posts , Owens noted that “ Black Lives Matter , Inc is NOT a charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell me where the hundreds of million BLM has raised goes ?
” “ I ’ m absolutely disgusted and sick right now and I am no longer in any denial about how @ missyreeves4 feels .
Take a look at a couple of disgusting and racist Instagram posts she liked , ” the user tweeted .
TRENDING : Two Politicians Hit with Multiple Voter Fraud Charges Connected to Mail-In Ballots A handful of social media users came to Reeves ’ defense : But there were many who heaped newfound disapproval on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t just angry Twitter users who criticized Reeves for liking Owens ’ posts .
Martha Madison , a former “ Days of Our Lives ” castmate of Reeves ’ who played Belle Black on “ Days of Our Lives , ” also expressed disappointment in the actress .
“ It ’ s so disappointing to watch folks I know either ignore or perpetuate the racism and hate we all see happening .
Even more , I ’ ll never understand using religion as a reason to only love selective groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole belief system .
It ’ s gross , ” Madison tweeted .
Reeves isn ’ t the only person to fall victim to “ cancel culture ” for simply following someone with conservative values and liking their posts .
In May , Pastor Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands , a megachurch in Alabama , caught some social media hate for following Turning Point USA president Charlie Kirk on Twitter and liking some of his tweets .
“ I would be upset if it comes off as me judging him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has since been taken down .
“ It ’ s not that .
I ’ m not saying he ’ s a racist .
I ’ m saying he likes someone who post things that do not seem culturally sensitive to me.
” The pastor would eventually publicly apologize to his congregation .
Reese has not apologized , but does appear to have removed her exposed likes from Owens ’ posts .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

It often seems as though another prominent celebrity, community leader, political commentator or historical figure falls victim to cancel culture on a daily basis.
This week, “Days of Our Lives” star Melissa Reeves has come under fire on social media for liking supposedly “racist” Instagram posts.
On Tuesday, a Twitter user posted screen shots appearing to show that Reeves had liked two Instagram posts from black conservative commentator Candace Owens. In one of the posts, Owens noted that “Black Lives Matter, Inc is NOT a charity” and asked: “Can anyone tell me where the hundreds of million BLM has raised goes?”
“I’m absolutely disgusted and sick right now and I am no longer in any denial about how @missyreeves4 feels. Take a look at a couple of disgusting and racist Instagram posts she liked,” the user tweeted.
I’m absolutely disgusted and sick right now and I am no longer in any denial about how @missyreeves4 feels. Take a look at a couple of disgusting and racist Instagram posts she liked. @carlivatiron @greg_meng @billymflynn @linseygodfrey @PaulTelfer #Days pic.twitter.com/KbnrnLYDY2 — The Pool is CLOSED (@mgmendacious) June 23, 2020
A handful of social media users came to Reeves’ defense:
She doesn’t agree with you politically & she’s a christian, so she’s automatically a bigot?
You all act like you’ve been besties with her for decades.
So ready to pounce on anything w/judgement and anger.
Why not focus on the thingswe have in common rather than our differences — Christy McLennan (@tutumclennan) June 24, 2020
But there were many who heaped newfound disapproval on the apparently “racist” celebrity:
So maybe it’s time for @nbcdays to fire Melissa Reeves again. You replaced her once, you can do it again. Just find someone who is not a racist. I actually liked Stephanie Cameron. We tolerated Melissa for years. Enough is enough. #Days #MelissaReeves #jenniferhorton pic.twitter.com/DzfYENNe2L — Monika (@monika_subasic) June 23, 2020
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN OPINION WHEN IT COMES TO RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA OR XENOPHOBIA. Please do some research I’m so tired of explaining how BLM gives and receives funds. You have a super computer in your hands. It takes 2 secs.
Not supporting BLM is racist. Period. — Linsey Godfrey (@linseygodfrey) June 24, 2020
I’m heartbroken. I’ve devoted so much of my time and money to support a person who has made it abundantly clear she values statues over human lives. I feel like a fool — ??? ???????? ????? (@DeverauxDaily) June 23, 2020
Smh. Candace is a horrid person and anyone who thinks otherwise needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and do some soul searching. I’ve seen several people I know like her posts and it really is a disheartening reality check. Adding missy to the list. — Kellie (@kellienfaith) June 23, 2020
It wasn’t just angry Twitter users who criticized Reeves for liking Owens’ posts.
Martha Madison, a former “Days of Our Lives” castmate of Reeves’ who played Belle Black on “Days of Our Lives,” also expressed disappointment in the actress.
“It’s so disappointing to watch folks I know either ignore or perpetuate the racism and hate we all see happening. Even more, I’ll never understand using religion as a reason to only love selective groups of humans. It’s antithetical to the whole belief system. It’s gross,” Madison tweeted.
It’s so disappointing to watch folks I know either ignore or perpetuate the racism and hate we all see happening. Even more, I’ll never understand using religion as a reason to only love selective groups of humans. It’s antithetical to the whole belief system. It’s gross. — Martha Madison (@Marth27) June 23, 2020
Reeves isn’t the only person to fall victim to “cancel culture” for simply following someone with conservative values and liking their posts.
Should people be "canceled" for following and liking conservative figures? Yes No
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In May, Pastor Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands, a megachurch in Alabama, caught some social media hate for following Turning Point USA president Charlie Kirk on Twitter and liking some of his tweets.
A local Alabama schoolteacher, Jasmine Faith Clisby, made a Facebook post attacking Hodge’s online interaction with Kirk’s content.
“I would be upset if it comes off as me judging him,” Clisby wrote in the post, which has since been taken down. “It’s not that. I’m not saying he’s a racist. I’m saying he likes someone who post things that do not seem culturally sensitive to me.”
The pastor would eventually publicly apologize to his congregation.
Reese has not apologized, but does appear to have removed her exposed likes from Owens’ posts.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
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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.