westernjournal--2020-07-01--Anti-Trump Group Wrongly Claims Campaign Shirt Contains Nazi Symbols

For some anti-Trump outfits , there must be no such thing as bad publicity .
A D-list progressive group founded by Alex Soros , son of liberal financier George Soros , launched a social media attack Wednesday on President Donald Trump ’ s re-election campaign by branding one of the symbols it uses as a recycled Nazi Party emblem .
It got it plenty of attention , but there was a problem for the anti-Trumpers : It ’ s an American bald eagle they are attacking .
A Twitter post published by the political action committee called “ Bend the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2015 , according to a Politico report from the time , but appearing only sporadically in the news since ) tried to make the case that a perfectly normal red , white and blue eagle is somehow a reincarnation of a Third Reich image : It might somehow have escaped the notice of the Bend the Arc brain trust ( and the liberals who responded to its tweet ) , but the bald eagle has been the national symbol of the United States since the Second Continental Congress in 1782 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to power in Germany by 150 years .
It might also have somehow slipped by that the eagle is a fairly common image in the American government , appearing as it does on , among other things , the Great Seal of the United States , the Seal of the President , the ceremonial Mace of the House of Representatives ( so Nancy Pelosi is a Nazi , too ? )
and even — if anyone at Bend the Arc wanted to look — on the back of the $ 1 bill ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are displayed ) .
So , unless there are time-traveling Nazis even more insidious than the current “ hiding-under-every-bed ” white supremacists who liberals are so dead set on exterminating in the United States , this looks like a dry hole for even the most zealous anti-Trump activists .
But since it ’ s a good chance that even the most ignorant Black Lives Matter looter shattering a display window is at least dimly aware that an eagle might have a vague connection to United States history , it ’ s a virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Arc know it , too .
So while it ’ s possible Bend the Arc meant every empty-headed word of the Twitter post , it ’ s also possible there was an ulterior motive here , one that would put it things in a more sensible light .
If the goal here was for Bend the Arc to get some attention by hitching its name to a particular brand of mental illness that makes the coronavirus look tame , the group had some success .
Bend the Arc ’ s Twitter account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter post stirred , but there are doubtless more people aware of them than there were , say , yesterday .
Unfortunately for Bend the Arc , it wasn ’ t a terribly good impression .
Even in an era when Trump Derangement Syndrome runs wild in academia , Hollywood and the mainstream media , outright lunacy is rarely good look : RELATED : Biden Vows To End Trump Tax Cuts That Helped Millions of Working-Class Americans And some reached even further back than the founding of the United States to mock the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typical Trump haters who show up on any social media occasion slamming the administration on even the most ludicrous grounds .
Like this one — which found a Trump tweet replete with hidden white supremacist symbols : Some also brought up the incident in mid-June , when Facebook banned a Trump campaign ad because it contained an image of an inverted red triangle .
To Trump haters , it was proof of a Nazi tie because political prisoners in Nazi concentration camps were forced to wear similar triangles .
To sane people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was attacking the “ anti-fascist ” group known as antifa , which uses the inverted triangle as a symbol .
Even that exercise in Facebook ’ s malicious caprice might look like the height of political philosophy compared to the crassness of Bend the Arc : Jewish Action , but the Wednesday tweet had an undeniable effect .
By early evening , it had gathered almost 22,000 likes and more than 13,000 retweets .
That ’ s probably 35,000 more people than had ever heard of the group 24 hours earlier .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tweet had one benefit .
And for some anti-Trump outfits , there ’ s no such thing as bad publicity .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

For some anti-Trump outfits, there must be no such thing as bad publicity.
A D-list progressive group founded by Alex Soros, son of liberal financier George Soros, launched a social media attack Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign by branding one of the symbols it uses as a recycled Nazi Party emblem.
It got it plenty of attention, but there was a problem for the anti-Trumpers: It’s an American bald eagle they are attacking.
A Twitter post published by the political action committee called “Bend the Arc: Jewish Action” (established in 2015, according to a Politico report from the time, but appearing only sporadically in the news since) tried to make the case that a perfectly normal red, white and blue eagle is somehow a reincarnation of a Third Reich image:
The President of the United States is campaigning for reelection with a Nazi symbol. Again. On the left: an official Trump/Pence “America First” tee. On the right; the Iron Eagle, the official symbol of the Nazi party.
⁰It’s not an accident. Bigotry is their entire brand. pic.twitter.com/mSOBxwf7Wa — Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) July 1, 2020
It might somehow have escaped the notice of the Bend the Arc brain trust (and the liberals who responded to its tweet), but the bald eagle has been the national symbol of the United States since the Second Continental Congress in 1782, a gathering that predated Hitler’s rise to power in Germany by 150 years.
It might also have somehow slipped by that the eagle is a fairly common image in the American government, appearing as it does on, among other things, the Great Seal of the United States, the Seal of the President, the ceremonial Mace of the House of Representatives (so Nancy Pelosi is a Nazi, too?) and even — if anyone at Bend the Arc wanted to look — on the back of the $1 bill (where both sides of the Great Seal are displayed).
So, unless there are time-traveling Nazis even more insidious than the current “hiding-under-every-bed” white supremacists who liberals are so dead set on exterminating in the United States, this looks like a dry hole for even the most zealous anti-Trump activists.
Do you think this attack was nothing more than a publicity stunt? Yes No
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But since it’s a good chance that even the most ignorant Black Lives Matter looter shattering a display window is at least dimly aware that an eagle might have a vague connection to United States history, it’s a virtual certainty that the brilliant minds at Bend the Arc know it, too.
So while it’s possible Bend the Arc meant every empty-headed word of the Twitter post, it’s also possible there was an ulterior motive here, one that would put it things in a more sensible light.
If the goal here was for Bend the Arc to get some attention by hitching its name to a particular brand of mental illness that makes the coronavirus look tame, the group had some success.
Bend the Arc’s Twitter account showed what a storm of mockery its Twitter post stirred, but there are doubtless more people aware of them than there were, say, yesterday.
Unfortunately for Bend the Arc, it wasn’t a terribly good impression. Even in an era when Trump Derangement Syndrome runs wild in academia, Hollywood and the mainstream media, outright lunacy is rarely good look:
Oh come on. You can’t possible be this dumb. — Brian Cates //Flynn & Breitbart’s Army! (@drawandstrike) July 1, 2020
Ah yes, nobody has ever associated the eagle with the united states before — scansion goo (@anosognosically) July 1, 2020
Someone else used an eagle symbol for his seal: pic.twitter.com/p2JHM6rfgB — D. Moore – CHOP Minister of Lupin Redistribution (@Crapplefratz) July 1, 2020
If you truly believe those are the same because both of them feature eagles in similar poses, boy do I have a surprise for you! pic.twitter.com/B6jaVA6Irq — Aldous Huxley’s Ghost™ (@AF632) July 1, 2020
And some reached even further back than the founding of the United States to mock the idea:
You could just as well as complained that he’s attempting to use the iconography of Imperial Rome… why didn’t you use THIS one? pic.twitter.com/Himq9hAVCN — TheRazorOccam (non-flying) (@Tomaspain2) July 1, 2020
Naturally, there were the typical Trump haters who show up on any social media occasion slamming the administration on even the most ludicrous grounds. Like this one — which found a Trump tweet replete with hidden white supremacist symbols:
This sentence is 14 words. The character count for the entire tweet including spaces and the hashtag is 88 characters. And notice the H(eritage) H(istory) featured as well.https://t.co/rKdn0RgpcK — Leah McElrath ?? (@leahmcelrath) July 1, 2020
(If you don’t have a Nazi secrets decoder ring, search Goole for “88” and “14 words.”)
Some also brought up the incident in mid-June, when Facebook banned a Trump campaign ad because it contained an image of an inverted red triangle.
To Trump haters, it was proof of a Nazi tie because political prisoners in Nazi concentration camps were forced to wear similar triangles.
To sane people, it was proof that the Trump campaign was attacking the “anti-fascist” group known as antifa, which uses the inverted triangle as a symbol.
Even that exercise in Facebook’s malicious caprice might look like the height of political philosophy compared to the crassness of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, but the Wednesday tweet had an undeniable effect.
By early evening, it had gathered almost 22,000 likes and more than 13,000 retweets.
That’s probably 35,000 more people than had ever heard of the group 24 hours earlier. So as embarrassingly incoherent as it was, the tweet had one benefit.
And for some anti-Trump outfits, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--Hundreds of George W. Bush Alumni Turn Their Backs on GOP, Make Move To Help Biden

Hundreds of former staffers who worked for former President George W. Bush have formed a super PAC which they hope will help bring an end to the Trump administration .
The Hill reported a group calling itself 43 Alumni for Joe Biden launched on Wednesday and is made up of former senior Bush administration officials and other staffers .
The goal of 43 Alumni for Joe Biden , they say , is to “ restore dignity ” to the White House following the first three years of President Donald Trump ’ s presidency .
Jennifer Millikin , who served in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and also worked on his 2004 reelection campaign , is serving as somewhat of a de facto spokesperson for the super PAC .
According to Millikin , President Trump is a “ danger ” to the country , and the group of former Bush administration officials hopes to convince voters to elect former Vice President Joe Biden .
“ We ’ re looking for the largest conglomerate of folks who want to help , whether it ’ s writing a check , making phone calls , helping to get out the vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Hill .
“ We just feel the time now is to restore dignity to the White House , and the current gentleman is not , so that ’ s why we ’ re supporting Joe Biden , ” Millikin said .
“ We just want to focus on the positives , and the positive message to us is we need a gentleman who actually acts like a leader and , again , restores dignity.
” Millikin also spoke to NBC News on Wednesday .
“ We know what is normal and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing is highly abnormal .
The president is a danger , ” she told the outlet .
Biden , of course , is far from a conservative , which leads to questions about the motives of former Bush administration officials who are working to elect him .
The former vice president has vowed to raise taxes on American families , CNBC reported , has been relatively quiet on demonstrators taking down historical monuments and has flipped-flopped his support for abortion .
The Democratic presidential nominee is also facing allegations of corruption , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his cognitive health .
Still , conservatives and other former staffers who worked for former President Bush are undeterred by Biden ’ s progressive positions , and they want to help him take down President Donald Trump in November .
“ We as a group have policy differences with him .
We ’ re just looking to have someone in the office who will stand up and act like a leader .
We can debate the differences in the way we think about policies , we can have a robust debate , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ But that ’ s not happening now , and we feel it will definitely happen with Joe Biden in office , ” Millikin concluded .
According to the Trump administration , though , the 43 Alumni for Joe Biden PAC is the latest example of Beltway career politicians attempting to unseat the president .
“ This is the swamp — yet again — trying to take down the duly elected President of the United States , ” Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine told Reuters .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former President Bush intends to support the PAC to unseat Trump .
A spokesman for Bush told Reuters the former president had retired “ and won ’ t be wading into this election.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Hundreds of former staffers who worked for former President George W. Bush have formed a super PAC which they hope will help bring an end to the Trump administration.
The Hill reported a group calling itself 43 Alumni for Joe Biden launched on Wednesday and is made up of former senior Bush administration officials and other staffers.
The goal of 43 Alumni for Joe Biden, they say, is to “restore dignity” to the White House following the first three years of President Donald Trump’s presidency.
Jennifer Millikin, who served in the General Services Administration for Bush, and also worked on his 2004 reelection campaign, is serving as somewhat of a de facto spokesperson for the super PAC.
According to Millikin, President Trump is a “danger” to the country, and the group of former Bush administration officials hopes to convince voters to elect former Vice President Joe Biden.
“We’re looking for the largest conglomerate of folks who want to help, whether it’s writing a check, making phone calls, helping to get out the vote, basic campaign 101,” she told The Hill.
“We just feel the time now is to restore dignity to the White House, and the current gentleman is not, so that’s why we’re supporting Joe Biden,” Millikin said.
“We just want to focus on the positives, and the positive message to us is we need a gentleman who actually acts like a leader and, again, restores dignity.”
Millikin also spoke to NBC News on Wednesday.
Do you think the D.C. swamp will succeed in getting Biden elected? Yes No
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“We know what is normal and what is abnormal, and what we are seeing is highly abnormal. The president is a danger,” she told the outlet.
Biden, of course, is far from a conservative, which leads to questions about the motives of former Bush administration officials who are working to elect him.
The former vice president has vowed to raise taxes on American families, CNBC reported, has been relatively quiet on demonstrators taking down historical monuments and has flipped-flopped his support for abortion.
The Democratic presidential nominee is also facing allegations of corruption, a credible sexual assault allegation and questions regarding his cognitive health.
Still, conservatives and other former staffers who worked for former President Bush are undeterred by Biden’s progressive positions, and they want to help him take down President Donald Trump in November.
On Biden’s progressive positions, Millikin was dismissive.
“He’s a good man,” she told The Hill.
“We as a group have policy differences with him. We’re just looking to have someone in the office who will stand up and act like a leader. We can debate the differences in the way we think about policies, we can have a robust debate, that’s what America’s for,” she said.
“But that’s not happening now, and we feel it will definitely happen with Joe Biden in office,” Millikin concluded.
According to the Trump administration, though, the 43 Alumni for Joe Biden PAC is the latest example of Beltway career politicians attempting to unseat the president.
“This is the swamp — yet again — trying to take down the duly elected President of the United States,” Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine told Reuters.
According to NBC News, it is unclear if former President Bush intends to support the PAC to unseat Trump.
A spokesman for Bush told Reuters the former president had retired “and won’t be wading into this election.”
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--Texas Lt. Governor Goes Off on Fauci: ‘He Has Been Wrong Every Time on Every Issue’

Texas Lt. Gov .
Dan Patrick on Tuesday slammed White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci over what he said is Fauci ’ s penchant for being wrong about the country ’ s health crisis .
Fauci , who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 , has lost all credibility among officials in the Lone Star State , according to Patrick .
“ He has been wrong every time on every issue , ” Patrick told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on “ The Ingraham Angle.
” “ Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about states like Texas that skipped over certain things , ” Patrick told the program .
“ He doesn ’ t know what he ’ s talking about .
We haven ’ t skipped over anything .
The only thing I ’ m skipping over is listening to him , ” the Republican said .
Ingraham pointed out that a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases in Texas is being compared by some to a similar spike in New York from earlier this year .
Patrick took issue with any such comparison .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New York has had over 31,000 .
Even California has had almost three times as much as Texas , and remember Laura , those two states have been locked down the whole time while we have been open , so locking down doesn ’ t work , ” he told Ingraham .
“ If it did , those two states would be doing better than Texas , ” Patrick added .
Patrick said Texas leaders will follow science when dealing with the coronavirus , but he made it clear that state leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I don ’ t need his advice anymore .
We will listen to a lot of science , we will listen to a lot of doctors , and Gov .
Greg Abbott and myself and other state leaders will make the decision , ” Patrick said .
The comments from Patrick came after Fauci commented on rising infection rates in a number of states while addressing the Senate .
RELATED : Trump Promises New and Improved Phase of Federal Assistance “ We ’ ve got to make sure that when states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need to follow the guidelines that have been very carefully laid out , with regard to checkpoints , ” Fauci told lawmakers Tuesday , according to KXAN-TV .
“ What we ’ ve seen in several states are different iterations of that , perhaps maybe in some , going too quickly and skipping over some of the checkpoints , ” Fauci added .
Reuters reported Texas saw its largest single day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday , with 6,975 new cases reported .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editorial standards .

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Tuesday slammed White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci over what he said is Fauci’s penchant for being wrong about the country’s health crisis.
Fauci, who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, has lost all credibility among officials in the Lone Star State, according to Patrick.
“He has been wrong every time on every issue,” Patrick told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle.”
“Fauci said today that he’s concerned about states like Texas that skipped over certain things,” Patrick told the program.
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. We haven’t skipped over anything. The only thing I’m skipping over is listening to him,” the Republican said. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
Ingraham pointed out that a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases in Texas is being compared by some to a similar spike in New York from earlier this year.
Patrick took issue with any such comparison.
“We’ve had 2,424 people die and New York has had over 31,000. Even California has had almost three times as much as Texas, and remember Laura, those two states have been locked down the whole time while we have been open, so locking down doesn’t work,” he told Ingraham.
Do you trust Dr. Anthony Fauci? Yes No
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“If it did, those two states would be doing better than Texas,” Patrick added.
Patrick said Texas leaders will follow science when dealing with the coronavirus, but he made it clear that state leaders do not need Fauci’s advice.
“I don’t need his advice anymore. We will listen to a lot of science, we will listen to a lot of doctors, and Gov. Greg Abbott and myself and other state leaders will make the decision,” Patrick said.
“No thank you, Dr. Fauci.”
The comments from Patrick came after Fauci commented on rising infection rates in a number of states while addressing the Senate.
“We’ve got to make sure that when states start to try and open again, they need to follow the guidelines that have been very carefully laid out, with regard to checkpoints,” Fauci told lawmakers Tuesday, according to KXAN-TV.
“What we’ve seen in several states are different iterations of that, perhaps maybe in some, going too quickly and skipping over some of the checkpoints,” Fauci added.
Reuters reported Texas saw its largest single day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday, with 6,975 new cases reported.
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--Fred Weinberg: How Dumb Does the Left Think America Is?

So tell me .
How stupid does the left think Middle America — that ’ s my neighbors and you and I — is ?
Do you really think we ’ ll put up with mayhem in Seattle , Chicago and New York ?
With police officers being shot and killed in Tulsa ?
With a St. Louis family finding it necessary to bring out their guns to defend themselves and their house from a mob and then hear from a district attorney that she is considering bringing charges against not the mob but the property owners ?
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he were elected , he would sign an executive order making masks mandatory ?
In the words of the Chicago police officers on T-shirts at the Democratic National Convention in 1996 , “ We kicked your father ’ s a– in 1968 … Wait ‘ til you see what we do to you.
” How much of the hard left ’ s cave to Black Lives Matter and other assorted anarchists will we put up with until President Trump decides that it ’ s time to strike back and restore law and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re behind him 100 percent .
This isn ’ t about the 2020 election — not for us , anyway .
This is about driving down Michigan Avenue in Chicago and not getting shot .
Or living in Seattle and not having your property stolen — by a mob .
Or not getting murdered in New York .
And if the lefties who are the so-called leadership in every city that is out of control can not fix it , it ’ s time for the president to send in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government will have reason to declare the above actions what they are — violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 .
The same Middle America — the silent majority — that elected Richard Nixon in 1968 will happily send President Trump back for another four years .
And if we don ’ t — well , we will deserve what we get .
I have been around and in the media for a long time .
I have an abiding respect for the judgment and goodwill of my fellow Americans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
RELATED : Op-Ed : In 2020 , President Trump Must Drain the Swamp One Last Time But the pendulum usually swings back to the middle .
Joe Biden , however , is not out of the question because he is old .
I ’ m old .
Trump is old .
Old is not inherently bad .
In fact , usually , if old is accompanied by good health , it is much better than the alternative .
No , Biden is out of the question because he is completely out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as an example , that he made his son Hunter rich by his sleazy actions as vice president .
He has forgotten his position on things like law enforcement ( he was for it ) so he could maybe get elected .
America is just not that stupid .
And if I ’ m wrong , it can look forward to four years of the last 25 days .
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

So tell me. How stupid does the left think Middle America — that’s my neighbors and you and I — is?
Do you really think we’ll put up with mayhem in Seattle, Chicago and New York?
With police officers being shot and killed in Tulsa?
With a St. Louis family finding it necessary to bring out their guns to defend themselves and their house from a mob and then hear from a district attorney that she is considering bringing charges against not the mob but the property owners?
And, oh yeah, Joe Biden saying that if he were elected, he would sign an executive order making masks mandatory?
Really?
In the words of the Chicago police officers on T-shirts at the Democratic National Convention in 1996, “We kicked your father’s a– in 1968 … Wait ‘til you see what we do to you.”
How much of the hard left’s cave to Black Lives Matter and other assorted anarchists will we put up with until President Trump decides that it’s time to strike back and restore law and order? My educated guess is that we’re behind him 100 percent.
This isn’t about the 2020 election — not for us, anyway.
Do you think President Trump will win re-election in November? Yes No
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This is about driving down Michigan Avenue in Chicago and not getting shot. Or living in Seattle and not having your property stolen — by a mob. Or not getting murdered in New York.
And if the lefties who are the so-called leadership in every city that is out of control cannot fix it, it’s time for the president to send in the troops. At some point, the federal government will have reason to declare the above actions what they are — violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The same Middle America — the silent majority — that elected Richard Nixon in 1968 will happily send President Trump back for another four years.
And if we don’t — well, we will deserve what we get.
I have been around and in the media for a long time. I have an abiding respect for the judgment and goodwill of my fellow Americans. Have we made mistakes? Of course.
But the pendulum usually swings back to the middle.
Joe Biden, however, is not out of the question because he is old. I’m old. Trump is old. Old is not inherently bad. In fact, usually, if old is accompanied by good health, it is much better than the alternative.
No, Biden is out of the question because he is completely out of touch with reality.
He has forgotten, as an example, that he made his son Hunter rich by his sleazy actions as vice president.
He has forgotten his position on things like law enforcement (he was for it) so he could maybe get elected.
Sorry, Democrats.
America is just not that stupid.
And if I’m wrong, it can look forward to four years of the last 25 days.
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--2020-07-01--Trump Promises New and Improved Phase of Federal Assistance

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he supports a fresh round of government payments to individuals , but “ it has to be done properly.
” Trump also said he wants payments larger than the $ 1,200 the government sent to most individuals earlier this year .
He did not say how large he ’ d like the payments to be .
A $ 600 monthly federal unemployment benefit runs out at the end of July , and lawmakers are deciding whether to extend it .
Republicans have argued against doing so , saying it created a situation where some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would if they had returned to work .
“ We had something where … it gave you a disincentive to work last time .
And it was still money going to people and helping people , so I was all for that , ” Trump said during an interview with Fox Business Network .
“ But we want to create a very great incentive to work .
So we ’ re working on that and I ’ m sure we ’ ll all come together.
” The president also said he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the glitches that plagued the first round .
“ I want the money getting to people to be larger so they can spend it .
I want the money to get there quickly and in a non-complicated fashion , ” Trump said .
In May , Democrats pushed a $ 3 trillion relief bill through the House , including almost $ 1 trillion for state and local governments and another round of $ 1,200 direct payments to individuals .
Republicans derided the bill , and it was dead on arrival in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to see how $ 3 trillion in previously approved relief is working before authorizing additional spending .
GOP leaders also wanted to assess how states were reopening their economies before deciding on a new round of economic assistance , but many states have delayed or rolled back aspects of their reopening .
Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell want the next measure to protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits .
Democrats oppose that .
Trump also wants a payroll tax cut , which Democrats also oppose and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On the question of a fourth round of assistance , Trump said in May : “ Phase Four is going to happen .
But it ’ s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.
” RELATED : Hundreds of George W. Bush Alumni Turn Their Backs on GOP , Make Move To Help Biden We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he supports a fresh round of government payments to individuals, but “it has to be done properly.”
Trump also said he wants payments larger than the $1,200 the government sent to most individuals earlier this year. He did not say how large he’d like the payments to be.
A $600 monthly federal unemployment benefit runs out at the end of July, and lawmakers are deciding whether to extend it.
Republicans have argued against doing so, saying it created a situation where some people made more money collecting unemployment than they would if they had returned to work.
“We had something where … it gave you a disincentive to work last time. And it was still money going to people and helping people, so I was all for that,” Trump said during an interview with Fox Business Network.
“But we want to create a very great incentive to work. So we’re working on that and I’m sure we’ll all come together.”
The president also said he wants an easier distribution process free of some of the glitches that plagued the first round.
“I want the money getting to people to be larger so they can spend it. I want the money to get there quickly and in a non-complicated fashion,” Trump said.
In May, Democrats pushed a $3 trillion relief bill through the House, including almost $1 trillion for state and local governments and another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals.
Do you support another round of federal aid? Yes No
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Republicans derided the bill, and it was dead on arrival in the GOP-led Senate. Republicans have said they want to see how $3 trillion in previously approved relief is working before authorizing additional spending.
GOP leaders also wanted to assess how states were reopening their economies before deciding on a new round of economic assistance, but many states have delayed or rolled back aspects of their reopening.
Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell want the next measure to protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. Democrats oppose that.
Trump also wants a payroll tax cut, which Democrats also oppose and some GOP leaders do not yet support.
On the question of a fourth round of assistance, Trump said in May: “Phase Four is going to happen. But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”
[jwplayer JRNIK3ho]
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--2020-07-01--Woman Left in Hysterics After She Says PetSmart Couldn’t Finish Grooming Dog

There have been a multitude of stories and memes addressing the phenomenon of people being excited to go back to salons and handling their hair situations until they can .
Most people who don ’ t have experience in styling don ’ t do a great job with the quarantine cuts , and the results have been both embarrassing and terribly amusing .
But there ’ s been a similar trend for pets — specifically , dogs that need regular haircuts .
Most owners aren ’ t prepared to trim their pup ’ s coats , and many pups don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like Cheddar .
Cheddar is a small , white , fluffy pooch who is 8 years old and recently was a bit cross with his hairstylist .
Plenty of dogs can get snappy with groomers — clippers and strange people and scary noises can be traumatizing , especially if the dogs have had a bad past experience .
But Cheddar mostly behaved himself until he didn ’ t .
The result of his half-completed haircut put his owner in stitches .
“ Petsmart finally opened up for grooming so I took cheddar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his groomer , ” owner Lisa Torres posted June 18 on Facebook .
“ A couple minutes later I get a call from her saying she couldn ’ t do his cut because he bit her twice .
“ Now I have to walk around with this dude looking crazy .
I swear when i say i had tears in my eyes and stomach pains from laughing so hard .
“ I couldn ’ t even leave the parking lot for a good 10 minutes because I had to get myself together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dude up for adoption .
Lol.
” The pup was left sporting a body shave and a mostly untouched head poof .
Poor Cheddar ’ s eyes weren ’ t even visible through his frizzy white mop .
RELATED : Security Guard Hailed 'Hero ' After Protecting Dog from Rain Outside of Store The post has been shared over 161,000 times , and people have found the dog ’ s current hairstyle hilarious .
Torres shared his “ official ” Facebook page , and has said that all the fame has gone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He thinks because he went viral I work for him now , ” she posted in an update .
“ Got me feeding him his hot dogs .
Smh.
” Not everyone has found the situation so amusing , with at least one woman messaging Torres to say that she didn ’ t find the post very funny and stating that “ your dog bit someone he needs to be put to sleep.
” Torres clarified that Cheddar nipped at the groomer , and reassured people that what she was laughing at was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that he snapped at someone .
“ For those who don ’ t understand I DID NOT laugh at the groomer being bit , ” she wrote .
“ No blood was drawn or mark was left .
It was the hairstyle that he now has to walk around with.
” It ’ s unclear if Cheddar was able to get his look evened out — ( The Western Journal reached out to PetSmart for comment but did not hear back in time for publication of this article ) — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

There have been a multitude of stories and memes addressing the phenomenon of people being excited to go back to salons and handling their hair situations until they can.
Most people who don’t have experience in styling don’t do a great job with the quarantine cuts, and the results have been both embarrassing and terribly amusing.
Dog got a quarantine haircut. He’s not happy!! pic.twitter.com/wyunvwEku7 — stillhaventfoundit ?????????????? (@withnailandaye) April 26, 2020
But there’s been a similar trend for pets — specifically, dogs that need regular haircuts. Most owners aren’t prepared to trim their pup’s coats, and many pups don’t like having their hair done.
Like Cheddar. Cheddar is a small, white, fluffy pooch who is 8 years old and recently was a bit cross with his hairstylist.
Plenty of dogs can get snappy with groomers — clippers and strange people and scary noises can be traumatizing, especially if the dogs have had a bad past experience.
But Cheddar mostly behaved himself until he didn’t. The result of his half-completed haircut put his owner in stitches.
“Petsmart finally opened up for grooming so I took cheddar to get a much needed cut from his groomer,” owner Lisa Torres posted June 18 on Facebook. “A couple minutes later I get a call from her saying she couldn’t do his cut because he bit her twice.
“Now I have to walk around with this dude looking crazy. I swear when i say i had tears in my eyes and stomach pains from laughing so hard.
“I couldn’t even leave the parking lot for a good 10 minutes because I had to get myself together. I’m about to give this dude up for adoption. Lol.”
The pup was left sporting a body shave and a mostly untouched head poof. Poor Cheddar’s eyes weren’t even visible through his frizzy white mop.
The post has been shared over 161,000 times, and people have found the dog’s current hairstyle hilarious. Torres shared his “official” Facebook page, and has said that all the fame has gone to his large, fluffy head.
“He thinks because he went viral I work for him now,” she posted in an update. “Got me feeding him his hot dogs. Smh.”
Not everyone has found the situation so amusing, with at least one woman messaging Torres to say that she didn’t find the post very funny and stating that “your dog bit someone he needs to be put to sleep.”
Torres clarified that Cheddar nipped at the groomer, and reassured people that what she was laughing at was her dog’s appearance, not the fact that he snapped at someone.
“For those who don’t understand I DID NOT laugh at the groomer being bit,” she wrote. “No blood was drawn or mark was left. It was the hairstyle that he now has to walk around with.”
It’s unclear if Cheddar was able to get his look evened out — (The Western Journal reached out to PetSmart for comment but did not hear back in time for publication of this article) — but maybe he will start a new trend!
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--LA Announces Plan To Eliminate Cops from Nonviolent 911 Calls

The Los Angeles City Council approved a measure on Tuesday that would allow unarmed community responders to step in for uniformed officers on nonviolent calls , according to news reports .
The initiative was unanimous and will replace cops on calls for drug overdoses and mental health issues , among other nonviolent situations , according to KCAL .
The city is likely to draw on its health and homeless departments to strategize the new style of policing .
“ The Los Angeles City Council has just approved the first step in our plan to replace [ the Los Angeles Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency responders for non-violent calls for service , ” Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson wrote in a Tuesday tweet .
“ This is the dawn of a new era of public safety in Los Angeles.
” Wesson said the standard method of policing was “ not working.
” Calls to both reform and limit the scope of law enforcement have followed the death of George Floyd , who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly eight minutes .
Drastic police reforms have since taken place all over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slashed the New York Police Department ‘ s budget by over $ 1 billion on Wednesday after hundreds of protesters occupied the streets outside of city hall , and some city councilmen wanted to strip the police force of even more funding .
“ To everyone who is disappointed that we did not go farther , I want to be very honest and candid , I am disappointed as well , I wanted us to go deeper , ” New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said before the final vote , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Los Angeles City Council approved a measure on Tuesday that would allow unarmed community responders to step in for uniformed officers on nonviolent calls, according to news reports.
The initiative was unanimous and will replace cops on calls for drug overdoses and mental health issues, among other nonviolent situations, according to KCAL.
The city is likely to draw on its health and homeless departments to strategize the new style of policing.
“The Los Angeles City Council has just approved the first step in our plan to replace [the Los Angeles Police Department] with a community-based, unarmed emergency responders for non-violent calls for service,” Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson wrote in a Tuesday tweet.
“This is the dawn of a new era of public safety in Los Angeles.”
Wesson said the standard method of policing was “not working.”
The Los Angeles City Council has just approved the first step in our plan to replace LAPD with a community-based, unarmed emergency responders for non-violent calls for service. This is the dawn of a new era of public safety in Los Angeles. — Herb J. Wesson, Jr. (@HerbJWesson) June 30, 2020
Calls to both reform and limit the scope of law enforcement have followed the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly eight minutes.
Do you support this measure? 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: 9% (2 Votes) No: 91% (20 Votes)
Drastic police reforms have since taken place all over the country.
New York City officials slashed the New York Police Department‘s budget by over $1 billion on Wednesday after hundreds of protesters occupied the streets outside of city hall, and some city councilmen wanted to strip the police force of even more funding.
“To everyone who is disappointed that we did not go farther, I want to be very honest and candid, I am disappointed as well, I wanted us to go deeper,” New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said before the final vote, according to Syracuse.com.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of their original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--Department of Homeland Security Announces Extra Measures To Protect Monuments on July 4 Weekend

The Department of Homeland Security will be deploying a special federal unit trained in riot control across the country to protect federal monuments and statues over the July 4 weekend amid fears of a new wave of “ domestic extremist ” vandalism .
DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told the Fox News program “ Fox & Friends ” the idea came following weeks of “ lawlessness ” in communities , and President Donald Trump has taken “ strong action ” against the destruction of federal property .
“ So , we surged federal resources here into the D.C. area about four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these violent protests , ” Wolf said Wednesday .
“ We have seen a number of arrests .
We ’ ve seen an executive order from the president.
” There was a surge of demonstrations across the country following the death of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest .
In the midst of these protests , many people have gathered to topple statues and vandalize monuments .
While the protests first targeted Confederate generals and figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abraham Lincoln and George Washington as well .
Protesters were recently stopped by law enforcement from trying to topple a statue of former President Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square Park in D.C. , Fox News reported .
“ And , what the department is doing as we go into this July 4 holiday , we want to make sure that federal properties , federal facilities , buildings , statues , monuments , that the Department of Homeland Security protects , we want to make sure that we have the personnel there and ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve pre-deployed .
We are pre-deploying teams to certain areas and we will continue to make sure that we have personnel ready to go.
” Rapid Deployment Teams from the Protecting American Communities Task Force will be dispatched to Portland , Oregon ; Seattle , Washington ; and Washington , D.C. , according to a memo obtained by Fox News .
Federal Protective Service presence will also be ramped up this weekend in order to protect facilities from potential challenges .
Wolf said that the Trump administration is also working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Interior in order to create a “ coordinated whole-of-government approach.
” RELATED : South Dakota Governor : 'We Will Not Be Social Distancing ' at Big Mt .
Rushmore Independence Day Event “ As we look toward not only July 4 , but we look toward any other time period after that , we want to make sure that our facilities are protected , the statues and monuments on those facilities are protected , and , of course , the people [ who ] work in those buildings are protected as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so , again , the department is leaning in and pre-deploying what we call rapid response teams , rapid deployment teams to these areas.
” The DHS secretary added that while the department is focused on the possibility of foreign adversaries and terrorists trying to take advantage of the domestic violence , there are “ really violent extremists and violent anarchists here in the country.
” “ We are not going to let these individuals who clearly hate this country continue to terrorize and go after the destruction of federal property , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop them , ” Wolf said .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Department of Homeland Security will be deploying a special federal unit trained in riot control across the country to protect federal monuments and statues over the July 4 weekend amid fears of a new wave of “domestic extremist” vandalism.
DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told the Fox News program “Fox & Friends” the idea came following weeks of “lawlessness” in communities, and President Donald Trump has taken “strong action” against the destruction of federal property.
“So, we surged federal resources here into the D.C. area about four weeks ago to put down a lot of these violent protests,” Wolf said Wednesday.
“We have seen a number of arrests. We’ve seen an executive order from the president.”
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
There was a surge of demonstrations across the country following the death of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest.
In the midst of these protests, many people have gathered to topple statues and vandalize monuments.
While the protests first targeted Confederate generals and figures, they have quickly spread to target Abraham Lincoln and George Washington as well.
Protesters were recently stopped by law enforcement from trying to topple a statue of former President Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square Park in D.C., Fox News reported.
Do you think DHS is doing a good job of protecting these statues and monuments? 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: 66% (63 Votes) No: 34% (33 Votes)
“And, what the department is doing as we go into this July 4 holiday, we want to make sure that federal properties, federal facilities, buildings, statues, monuments, that the Department of Homeland Security protects, we want to make sure that we have the personnel there and ready,” Wolf said.
“So we’ve pre-deployed. We are pre-deploying teams to certain areas and we will continue to make sure that we have personnel ready to go.”
Rapid Deployment Teams from the Protecting American Communities Task Force will be dispatched to Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Washington, D.C., according to a memo obtained by Fox News.
Federal Protective Service presence will also be ramped up this weekend in order to protect facilities from potential challenges.
Wolf said that the Trump administration is also working with the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior in order to create a “coordinated whole-of-government approach.”
“As we look toward not only July 4, but we look toward any other time period after that, we want to make sure that our facilities are protected, the statues and monuments on those facilities are protected, and, of course, the people [who] work in those buildings are protected as well,” he said. “And so, again, the department is leaning in and pre-deploying what we call rapid response teams, rapid deployment teams to these areas.”
The DHS secretary added that while the department is focused on the possibility of foreign adversaries and terrorists trying to take advantage of the domestic violence, there are “really violent extremists and violent anarchists here in the country.”
“We are not going to let these individuals who clearly hate this country continue to terrorize and go after the destruction of federal property, federal monuments. We are here to stop them,” Wolf said.
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--Child Sexually Assaulted in Neighborhood That Refuses To Call Police

There used to be an understanding in civil society that vulnerable citizens , particularly children , deserve protection and care from the adults capable of doing so .
Then the leftists in America lost their collective minds and decided that police — not criminals — were dangerous , racist predators , particularly in Minneapolis , where residents in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood vowed never to call police fearing for the safety of its black residents .
They kept that promise even as a juvenile was sexually assaulted Thursday in the park where a homeless encampment of some 200 tents popped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
Although bystanders brought the juvenile to an area hospital for treatment , it was the staff at Abbott Northwestern Hospital who alerted police early Friday morning .
The victim was turned over to social services .
The park , which was patrolled only by civilians , also was the site of a shooting late last month .
The circumstances that allowed this to happen in the first place would be an amusing “ I told you so ” moment about the lunacy of leftism had they not ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come .
After the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody , leftists latched on to the insane narrative that police in general do not protect the public but rather are themselves vicious perpetrators who prey on innocent minorities .
Instead of seeing the incident as a crime committed by an individual officer who overstepped his bounds and will be punished accordingly , residents of Powderhorn Park decided all police were dangerous to people in their diverse , up-and-coming neighborhood and collectively vowed not to involve law enforcement no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times .
Residents had previously fought vigilantly to clean up the crime in their area , but being particularly vulnerable to the narrative that police were the problem , they decided to instead police themselves — with predictable results : more drugs , more crime and a growing homeless encampment that formed in the park last month .
After resident Mitchell Erickson was held up at gunpoint for his car keys near his home by the park , he called police but then had regrets after reflecting on the supposed danger it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
RELATED : Oklahoma Prosecutor Announces Steep Charges for Violent Protests : 'This Is Not Seattle' “ So I would have lost my car .
So what ?
At least no one would have been killed , ” Erickson told The Times , which did not address the glaring irony of a man who had a gun pointed at his chest worrying instead about police officers shooting his armed attackers .
And still , that narrative and mentality remained impervious to the glaring reality even as a heinous crime took place against a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Residents speaking about the incident to KMSP-TV excused the possible attackers and lamented the lack of government involvement , again blind to the irony of rejecting government help in the form of law enforcement .
“ Community response — not government response — we don ’ t have any government help in this situation , ” community advocate Sheila Delaney said in the report .
“ The conditions that allowed for the assault to happen are everywhere in our culture , ” Delaney said , “ and if you ’ re looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tents , of course the vulnerability is amplified.
” Delaney did not address the vulnerability of the juvenile victim or that of the residents who are at risk because the scads of homeless drug addicts and criminals are allowed free rein in order to assuage white guilt about the supposed scourge of racist police .
Lisa Clemons , the founder of A Mother ’ s Love Initiative , which provides outreach and support to vulnerable individuals and communities , seemingly excused the behavior of the offender .
“ I think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tragedy because I think we keep forgetting there is a reason a lot of them are in the park , ” Clemons said .
“ And those are addiction issues , so we have not addressed addiction issues , we have not addressed housing issues , and as a result we have a minor child who was sexually assaulted in that very park.
” It ’ s a shame she lavished her protective motherly instinct on the attacker rather than the young victim , but this misplaced sympathy is apparently typical of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioner Londel French said they “ try to make it as safe as possible ” in Powderhorn Park .
Of course , police are typically the first and best line of defense in public safety , but French instead lamented it was money that was the problem .
“ If I had control of billion-dollar budgets , yeah , help would be on the way , ” he said .
“ But I have control over me and eight other people have control over a park board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the problem of homelessness.
” “ We know the government can do a lot when it wants to , and I ’ m not seeing it here , ” Delaney told KMSP .
Delaney is correct that police can not address the issue of homelessness , but they sure can keep the public safe from its consequences .
Powderhorn Park is a microcosm for the broader movement to defund the police and demonstrates exactly the types of problems that arise in the absence of law enforcement .
In cities such as Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence spreads unimpeded and police are denigrated or defunded , leftists seem content with the violence as long as it is perpetrated by criminals and not police officers .
It is difficult for rational people not to look upon this movement and wonder whether they are all under some sort of mass delusion .
The left is always quick to advocate for children when it comes to bloated government programs , but when a juvenile is sexually victimized as a direct result of liberalism run amok , they side with the perpetrators .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of defending abortion on demand favoring the rights of the mother over those of the unborn child . )
Removing police from a community and then blaming the resulting problems on “ the system ” or some other vague boogeyman is sheer madness — in other words , liberalism .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

There used to be an understanding in civil society that vulnerable citizens, particularly children, deserve protection and care from the adults capable of doing so.
Then the leftists in America lost their collective minds and decided that police — not criminals — were dangerous, racist predators, particularly in Minneapolis, where residents in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood vowed never to call police fearing for the safety of its black residents.
They kept that promise even as a juvenile was sexually assaulted Thursday in the park where a homeless encampment of some 200 tents popped up in the community, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
A juvenile was sexually assaulted overnight Thursday at Minneapolis’ Powderhorn Park, at one of the park’s growing homeless encampments. The people who took the victim to the hospital did not call police. https://t.co/e0nYz0RWGE — Star Tribune (@StarTribune) June 27, 2020
Although bystanders brought the juvenile to an area hospital for treatment, it was the staff at Abbott Northwestern Hospital who alerted police early Friday morning. The victim was turned over to social services.
The park, which was patrolled only by civilians, also was the site of a shooting late last month.
The circumstances that allowed this to happen in the first place would be an amusing “I told you so” moment about the lunacy of leftism had they not ended in real-life tragedy — with surely more to come.
After the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, leftists latched on to the insane narrative that police in general do not protect the public but rather are themselves vicious perpetrators who prey on innocent minorities.
Do you think the residents who refuse to call police are partly to blame for the attack? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (4374 Votes) No: 1% (42 Votes)
Instead of seeing the incident as a crime committed by an individual officer who overstepped his bounds and will be punished accordingly, residents of Powderhorn Park decided all police were dangerous to people in their diverse, up-and-coming neighborhood and collectively vowed not to involve law enforcement no matter what, according to The New York Times.
Residents had previously fought vigilantly to clean up the crime in their area, but being particularly vulnerable to the narrative that police were the problem, they decided to instead police themselves — with predictable results: more drugs, more crime and a growing homeless encampment that formed in the park last month.
EXCLUSIVE drone footage of the tent city that has overrun a public park in Minneapolis. The city recently passed a resolution allowing the homeless to remain camping in Powderhorn Park. Residents in the progressive neighborhood vow to not call the police on anyone in the park. pic.twitter.com/QnuTYGH5J5 — Alpha News MN (@AlphaNewsMN) June 26, 2020
After resident Mitchell Erickson was held up at gunpoint for his car keys near his home by the park, he called police but then had regrets after reflecting on the supposed danger it posed to the two black teenage perpetrators.
“So I would have lost my car. So what? At least no one would have been killed,” Erickson told The Times, which did not address the glaring irony of a man who had a gun pointed at his chest worrying instead about police officers shooting his armed attackers.
And still, that narrative and mentality remained impervious to the glaring reality even as a heinous crime took place against a child in the park last week.
Residents speaking about the incident to KMSP-TV excused the possible attackers and lamented the lack of government involvement, again blind to the irony of rejecting government help in the form of law enforcement.
“Community response — not government response — we don’t have any government help in this situation,” community advocate Sheila Delaney said in the report.
“The conditions that allowed for the assault to happen are everywhere in our culture,” Delaney said, “and if you’re looking at a situation where people are vulnerable in tents, of course the vulnerability is amplified.”
Delaney did not address the vulnerability of the juvenile victim or that of the residents who are at risk because the scads of homeless drug addicts and criminals are allowed free rein in order to assuage white guilt about the supposed scourge of racist police.
Lisa Clemons, the founder of A Mother’s Love Initiative, which provides outreach and support to vulnerable individuals and communities, seemingly excused the behavior of the offender.
“I think it’s sad and I think it’s a tragedy because I think we keep forgetting there is a reason a lot of them are in the park,” Clemons said. “And those are addiction issues, so we have not addressed addiction issues, we have not addressed housing issues, and as a result we have a minor child who was sexually assaulted in that very park.”
It’s a shame she lavished her protective motherly instinct on the attacker rather than the young victim, but this misplaced sympathy is apparently typical of the convoluted philosophy that pervades the neighborhood.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioner Londel French said they “try to make it as safe as possible” in Powderhorn Park. Of course, police are typically the first and best line of defense in public safety, but French instead lamented it was money that was the problem.
“If I had control of billion-dollar budgets, yeah, help would be on the way,” he said. “But I have control over me and eight other people have control over a park board budget that wasn’t meant to address the problem of homelessness.”
“We know the government can do a lot when it wants to, and I’m not seeing it here,” Delaney told KMSP.
Delaney is correct that police cannot address the issue of homelessness, but they sure can keep the public safe from its consequences.
Powderhorn Park is a microcosm for the broader movement to defund the police and demonstrates exactly the types of problems that arise in the absence of law enforcement.
In cities such as Seattle, New York and Minneapolis, where violence spreads unimpeded and police are denigrated or defunded, leftists seem content with the violence as long as it is perpetrated by criminals and not police officers.
It is difficult for rational people not to look upon this movement and wonder whether they are all under some sort of mass delusion.
The left is always quick to advocate for children when it comes to bloated government programs, but when a juvenile is sexually victimized as a direct result of liberalism run amok, they side with the perpetrators. (Maybe that’s a consequence of defending abortion on demand favoring the rights of the mother over those of the unborn child.)
Removing police from a community and then blaming the resulting problems on “the system” or some other vague boogeyman is sheer madness — in other words, liberalism.
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* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-07-01--NFL Super Bowl Champion Wins Key GOP House Primary

Former NFL star Burgess Owens been declared the winner of the GOP primary for Utah ’ s 4th Congressional District .
The district is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams , who Owens will face in November .
The Super Bowl-winning conservative defeated three Republican opponents to win the primary .
With 67 percent of the votes counted as of early Wednesday afternoon , Owens had garnered 43.5 percent support , considerably higher than than his closest opponent , state Rep. Kim Coleman , who won 23.8 percent of the vote , according to The New York Times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only how important our vote is [ but ] that by being engaged this time around we can literally be the linchpin that saves our country , ” Owens said Tuesday night , The Salt Lake Tribune reported .
The former NFL defensive back , who helped lead the Oakland Raiders to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV in 1981 , thanked supporters and shared a hopeful message on Twitter early Wednesday .
“ I am so grateful for all the support we ’ ve received .
Friends from across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have united behind our message of the American Dream , ” Owens wrote .
“ We are feeling good about the results we ’ ve seen so far , thank you for your support everyone !
” Owens , who has never held public office , ran on a platform of being a political outsider , and that message apparently resonated with his district ’ s Republicans .
The former Pro Bowler , who is black , has positioned himself against national anthem protests , and also opposes reparations for slavery .
RELATED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turn Their Backs on GOP , Make Move To Help Biden Owens told Sports Illustrated in June that if the league permits former quarterback Colin Kaepernick to make a return , or allows kneeling during the national anthem , he will not watch NFL games .
“ If [ NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ] allows Kaepernick to come back , if they allow players to kneel during the national anthem , I ’ m willing to not watch the game , ” Owens said .
“ The only thing that can change the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been going on way too long , it is four years of this mess.
” In testimony before congressional lawmakers last year , Owens expressed vehement opposition to paying black Americans financial reparations for slavery .
“ I do not believe in reparation , because what reparation does , it points to a certain race , a certain color , as evil , and it points to another race , my race , as one that has not only become racist , but also beggars , ” he said , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a Democrat until I did my history and found the misery that party brought to my race .
… Let ’ s pay restitution .
How about the Democratic Party pay for all the misery brought to my race ?
” “ And every white American , Republican or Democrat , who feels guilty because of the color of their skin , you can pony up also .
Then we can get past reparations and recognize this country has given us greatness , ” he told lawmakers .
The race for Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in favor of McAdams , according to the Cook Political Report , but Owens has the next four months to make his case .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Former NFL star Burgess Owens been declared the winner of the GOP primary for Utah’s 4th Congressional District.
The district is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams, who Owens will face in November.
The Super Bowl-winning conservative defeated three Republican opponents to win the primary.
With 67 percent of the votes counted as of early Wednesday afternoon, Owens had garnered 43.5 percent support, considerably higher than than his closest opponent, state Rep. Kim Coleman, who won 23.8 percent of the vote, according to The New York Times.
“I think the district understands not only how important our vote is [but] that by being engaged this time around we can literally be the linchpin that saves our country,” Owens said Tuesday night, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
The former NFL defensive back, who helped lead the Oakland Raiders to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV in 1981, thanked supporters and shared a hopeful message on Twitter early Wednesday.
“I am so grateful for all the support we’ve received. Friends from across the country, countless hours from volunteers have united behind our message of the American Dream,” Owens wrote. “We are feeling good about the results we’ve seen so far, thank you for your support everyone!”
I am so grateful for all the support we’ve received. Friends from across the country, countless hours from volunteers have united behind our message of the American Dream. We are feeling good about the results we’ve seen so far, thank you for your support everyone! — Burgess Owens (@BurgessOwens) July 1, 2020
Owens, who has never held public office, ran on a platform of being a political outsider, and that message apparently resonated with his district’s Republicans.
I have a record of getting things done and representing the values of our country. I’m ready to be your next Congressman. #UT04 pic.twitter.com/ZjkSXt5Wkm — Burgess Owens (@BurgessOwens) April 17, 2020
The former Pro Bowler, who is black, has positioned himself against national anthem protests, and also opposes reparations for slavery.
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Owens told Sports Illustrated in June that if the league permits former quarterback Colin Kaepernick to make a return, or allows kneeling during the national anthem, he will not watch NFL games.
“If [NFL commissioner Roger Goodell] allows Kaepernick to come back, if they allow players to kneel during the national anthem, I’m willing to not watch the game,” Owens said.
“The only thing that can change the league is to change commissioners. This has been going on way too long, it is four years of this mess.”
In testimony before congressional lawmakers last year, Owens expressed vehement opposition to paying black Americans financial reparations for slavery.
“I do not believe in reparation, because what reparation does, it points to a certain race, a certain color, as evil, and it points to another race, my race, as one that has not only become racist, but also beggars,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports.
“I used to be a Democrat until I did my history and found the misery that party brought to my race. … Let’s pay restitution. How about the Democratic Party pay for all the misery brought to my race?”
“And every white American, Republican or Democrat, who feels guilty because of the color of their skin, you can pony up also. Then we can get past reparations and recognize this country has given us greatness,” he told lawmakers.
The race for Utah’s 4th district is currently leaning in favor of McAdams, according to the Cook Political Report, but Owens has the next four months to make his case.
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westernjournal--2020-07-01--Famous Trump Hater Blasts NYT’s Claims About Trump Being Briefed on Alleged Russian Bounties

Look , I ’ m not privy to the same information that intelligence reporters for The New York Times are .
However , I will say this much : When one of the cast members of “ The Young Turks ” is casting doubt upon your anti-Donald Trump article , it ’ s perhaps time to rethink its premises .
Ana Kasparian is the second-most famous host on the left-wing YouTube show ; she ’ s the one who didn ’ t run for Congress or endorse legalizing bestiality on the show .
( That ’ d be Cenk Uygur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Young Turks , ” Kasparian is best known for her rants , including her famous “ I ’ m f—ing better than you ” tirade about conservative social media users and her election night meltdown from 2016 .
All of this has to do with Trump , of course , so she has her passport to # TheResistance stamped .
That ’ s why it ’ s worth taking note when Kasparian is casting doubt upon the narrative that President Trump was briefed on a report that Russia was offering bounties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So , just in case you ’ re unfamiliar : According to reporting in The New York Times , the president was briefed on a Russian initiative to pay Taliban-linked militants when they killed American soldiers .
If he was and didn ’ t do anything , of course , that becomes extremely problematic .
Their reporting first stated that U.S. intelligence had evidence of bounties and added that the White House hadn ’ t acted on potential responses to the aggression .
“ Islamist militants , or armed criminal elements closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have collected some bounty money , the officials said .
Twenty Americans were killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2019 , but it was not clear which killings were under suspicion , ” the article read .
“ The intelligence finding was briefed to President Trump , and the White House ’ s National Security Council discussed the problem at an interagency meeting in late March , the officials said .
Officials developed a menu of potential options — starting with making a diplomatic complaint to Moscow and a demand that it stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions and other possible responses , but the White House has yet to authorize any step , the officials said.
” The Times reported that the bounties on American soldiers — described by Afghan militants and criminals during interrogation sessions — were paid amid peace talks between the United States and the Taliban .
A second story claimed transfers from a Russian bank account to a bank account linked to Islamist radicals had bolstered American intelligence ’ s case .
Equally problematic , however , is if all of this reporting wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News wrote in a Monday tweet that “ an intelligence official with direct knowledge tells CBS News there was an intel collection report and ‘ NSA assesses Report does not match well established and verifiable Taliban and Haqqani practices ’ + ‘ lack sufficient reporting to corroborate any links . '
” RELATED : Press Sec .
McEnany Utterly Destroys NYT During Briefing , Walks Out as They Scream This report , in part , led to Kasparian ’ s post .
“ Sooo…we ’ re just going to believe unverified CIA leaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” Kasparian said in a Tuesday tweet .
“ The Afghanistan Papers weren ’ t that long ago .
I hate Trump too .
Plenty of verified material to attack him on .
No need to align ourselves with war hawks like Liz Cheney & Lindsey Graham.
” First , in case you ’ ve forgotten , the “ Afghanistan Papers ” involved a major intelligence leak regarding evidence that officials allegedly misled the public about the war in Afghanistan .
And yes , saying Kasparian hates Donald Trump and his administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and not just in a bromidic fashion .
Just like the fish needs water to survive , Kasparian and “ The Young Turks ” troupe need hate of Donald Trump to survive this cold winter of The Administration Which Shall Not Be Named .
And I hate to say it , but Kasparian actually has several reasonable points here .
First , when it comes to the idea of the hawks being up to something nefarious , this isn ’ t the worst explanation for former National Security Advisor John Bolton ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , even as he declined to tell Bloomberg whether he briefed the president on the alleged Russian bounties .
Bolton ’ s recent book evinces a salty man who takes the worst possible interpretation of anything that Trump does .
This is a man who perpetually wants America to get more deeply involved in the conflicts that we ’ re in and to extend itself to new conflicts .
As for the “ unverified CIA leaks to New York Times stenographers , ” I have to give Kasparian some credit for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that , she ’ s right — there are competing narratives here , and even if the truth is somewhere in the middle , the broadside hit of The Times ’ piece is considerably blunted .
Either way , acting as stenographers for individuals within the intelligence community isn ’ t journalism .
Of course , it ’ s entirely possible The Times was right and the president ignored briefings about the alleged bounties on American troops in Afghanistan .
That ’ s decidedly a bad thing .
However , simply passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re saying is gospel is extremely problematic — particularly when the narrative the paper is trying to weave relies on anonymous sources whose positions and motives we ’ re not in a position to judge .
When even the second-most-visible host on “ The Young Turks ” thinks we shouldn ’ t accept this at face value , that says a lot .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Look, I’m not privy to the same information that intelligence reporters for The New York Times are.
However, I will say this much: When one of the cast members of “The Young Turks” is casting doubt upon your anti-Donald Trump article, it’s perhaps time to rethink its premises.
Ana Kasparian is the second-most famous host on the left-wing YouTube show; she’s the one who didn’t run for Congress or endorse legalizing bestiality on the show. (That’d be Cenk Uygur.)
However, this being “The Young Turks,” Kasparian is best known for her rants, including her famous “I’m f—ing better than you” tirade about conservative social media users and her election night meltdown from 2016.
All of this has to do with Trump, of course, so she has her passport to #TheResistance stamped.
That’s why it’s worth taking note when Kasparian is casting doubt upon the narrative that President Trump was briefed on a report that Russia was offering bounties to terrorists for killing American troops in Afghanistan.
So, just in case you’re unfamiliar: According to reporting in The New York Times, the president was briefed on a Russian initiative to pay Taliban-linked militants when they killed American soldiers. If he was and didn’t do anything, of course, that becomes extremely problematic.
Their reporting first stated that U.S. intelligence had evidence of bounties and added that the White House hadn’t acted on potential responses to the aggression.
“Islamist militants, or armed criminal elements closely associated with them, are believed to have collected some bounty money, the officials said. Twenty Americans were killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2019, but it was not clear which killings were under suspicion,” the article read.
Do you believe The New York Times' story on Russian bounties? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 1% (2 Votes) No: 99% (168 Votes)
“The intelligence finding was briefed to President Trump, and the White House’s National Security Council discussed the problem at an interagency meeting in late March, the officials said. Officials developed a menu of potential options — starting with making a diplomatic complaint to Moscow and a demand that it stop, along with an escalating series of sanctions and other possible responses, but the White House has yet to authorize any step, the officials said.”
The Times reported that the bounties on American soldiers — described by Afghan militants and criminals during interrogation sessions — were paid amid peace talks between the United States and the Taliban.
A second story claimed transfers from a Russian bank account to a bank account linked to Islamist radicals had bolstered American intelligence’s case.
Equally problematic, however, is if all of this reporting wasn’t accurate.
Catherine Herridge of CBS News wrote in a Monday tweet that “an intelligence official with direct knowledge tells CBS News there was an intel collection report and ‘NSA assesses Report does not match well established and verifiable Taliban and Haqqani practices’ + ‘lack sufficient reporting to corroborate any links.'”
DEVELOPING: An intelligence official with direct knowledge tells CBS News there was an intel collection report and “NSA assesses Report does not match well established and verifiiable Taliban and Haqqani practices” + “lack sufficient reporting to corroborate any links.” — Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) June 29, 2020
This report, in part, led to Kasparian’s post.
“Sooo…we’re just going to believe unverified CIA leaks to New York Times stenographers, huh?” Kasparian said in a Tuesday tweet.
“The Afghanistan Papers weren’t that long ago. I hate Trump too. Plenty of verified material to attack him on. No need to align ourselves with war hawks like Liz Cheney & Lindsey Graham.”
Sooo…we’re just going to believe unverified CIA leaks to New York Times stenographers, huh? The Afghanistan Papers weren’t that long ago. I hate Trump too. Plenty of verified material to attack him on. No need to align ourselves with war hawks like Liz Cheney & Lindsey Graham. — Ana Kasparian (@AnaKasparian) June 30, 2020
First, in case you’ve forgotten, the “Afghanistan Papers” involved a major intelligence leak regarding evidence that officials allegedly misled the public about the war in Afghanistan.
And yes, saying Kasparian hates Donald Trump and his administration is saying that a fish loves water, and not just in a bromidic fashion. Just like the fish needs water to survive, Kasparian and “The Young Turks” troupe need hate of Donald Trump to survive this cold winter of The Administration Which Shall Not Be Named.
And I hate to say it, but Kasparian actually has several reasonable points here.
First, when it comes to the idea of the hawks being up to something nefarious, this isn’t the worst explanation for former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s decision to slam Trump over the report, even as he declined to tell Bloomberg whether he briefed the president on the alleged Russian bounties.
Bolton’s recent book evinces a salty man who takes the worst possible interpretation of anything that Trump does. This is a man who perpetually wants America to get more deeply involved in the conflicts that we’re in and to extend itself to new conflicts.
As for the “unverified CIA leaks to New York Times stenographers,” I have to give Kasparian some credit for a decent funny line there. On top of that, she’s right — there are competing narratives here, and even if the truth is somewhere in the middle, the broadside hit of The Times’ piece is considerably blunted.
Either way, acting as stenographers for individuals within the intelligence community isn’t journalism.
Of course, it’s entirely possible The Times was right and the president ignored briefings about the alleged bounties on American troops in Afghanistan. That’s decidedly a bad thing.
However, simply passing along these sources as if what they’re saying is gospel is extremely problematic — particularly when the narrative the paper is trying to weave relies on anonymous sources whose positions and motives we’re not in a position to judge.
When even the second-most-visible host on “The Young Turks” thinks we shouldn’t accept this at face value, that says a lot.
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* 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.


westernjournal--2020-07-01--Judge Sofia Vergara Tears Up on AGT Recalling Her Brother’s Murder

“ America ’ s Got Talent ” has seen so many acts over its 15 seasons on NBC .
Singing will always be a mainstay , but there ’ s also plenty of dancing , questionable magic shows and disillusioned contestants who think they have something special .
But spoken word poetry is a first , and Brandon Leake made sure to highlight that fact when he stepped onto the AGT stage during Tuesday ’ s show .
A former English teacher and current college counselor , Leake is also excited to provide the best life he can for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a first-time dad with a 2-week-old daughter at home , his act centered around another baby girl who was very dear to him : his sister .
“ So tonight ’ s poem is actually , uh , an ode to my sister , ” he said as he stood on the stage .
“ Are you close to your sister ?
” judge Howie Mandel asked .
“ Very much , ” Leake replied .
“ She is here with me now.
” Leake smiled and said “ kind of , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain the rest .
As he spoke , the story unfurled .
He spoke of love and loss , of his baby sister born on July 14 , 1996 , who died less than a year later on March 23 , 1997 .
He was only 4 years old , but he remembers her .
In the final line — which has now gone viral in its own right — Leake said , “ If this pain and these memories are all that I got left of you , I won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold onto you.
” Judge Sofia Vergara was tearing up , which Mandel noted .
“ My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away , ” Vergara told Leake .
Rafael Vergara , 27 , was murdered during an attempted kidnapping in Colombia , according to the Daily Mail .
RELATED : Carl Reiner 's Son , Actor Rob Reiner , Reacts to Dad 's Death : 'He Was My Guiding Light' “ I can feel your pain , ” she said .
“ I know what this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have somebody taken from you without you knowing .
But it was very beautiful for me.
” Even generally stoic Simon Cowell , who ’ d started out a bit skeptical , was thoroughly impressed .
“ Tell me , because , uh , I don ’ t really understand poetry , I ’ m gon na be honest with you , ” he said to Leake before the performance .
Leake assured him that he ’ d be a great introduction and that his topics were highly accessible .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impressed , calling Leake “ extraordinary ” and his poem “ an amazing tribute.
” “ There was something more raw in the way — it ’ s like singing and talking and just being a human a capella , ” Mandel said .
“ No music , no nothing , just a raw heart beating in front of us .
We feel your pain , we feel your love , and you moved me to do this … ” And with that , he hit the golden buzzer and a shower of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man .
“ I can finally share this moment… so surreal , thank you everyone for the love , I promise to keep going !
” Leake posted on Facebook on Wednesday .
“ We winning this y ’ all !
!
!
Thank you @ howiemandel for believing in me and my talent !
I will forever be grateful !
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

“America’s Got Talent” has seen so many acts over its 15 seasons on NBC. Singing will always be a mainstay, but there’s also plenty of dancing, questionable magic shows and disillusioned contestants who think they have something special.
But spoken word poetry is a first, and Brandon Leake made sure to highlight that fact when he stepped onto the AGT stage during Tuesday’s show. A former English teacher and current college counselor, Leake is also excited to provide the best life he can for his new arrival.
While 27-year-old Leake is a first-time dad with a 2-week-old daughter at home, his act centered around another baby girl who was very dear to him: his sister.
“So tonight’s poem is actually, uh, an ode to my sister,” he said as he stood on the stage.
“Are you close to your sister?” judge Howie Mandel asked.
“Very much,” Leake replied. “She is here with me now.”
“Oh she’s — she’s backstage?” Mandel said.
Leake smiled and said “kind of,” and then waited for his poem to explain the rest.
As he spoke, the story unfurled. He spoke of love and loss, of his baby sister born on July 14, 1996, who died less than a year later on March 23, 1997. He was only 4 years old, but he remembers her.
In the final line — which has now gone viral in its own right — Leake said, “If this pain and these memories are all that I got left of you, I won’t never regret these scars from just trying to hold onto you.”
Judge Sofia Vergara was tearing up, which Mandel noted.
“My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away,” Vergara told Leake.
Rafael Vergara, 27, was murdered during an attempted kidnapping in Colombia, according to the Daily Mail.
“I can feel your pain,” she said. “I know what this is. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. But it was very beautiful for me.”
Even generally stoic Simon Cowell, who’d started out a bit skeptical, was thoroughly impressed.
“Tell me, because, uh, I don’t really understand poetry, I’m gonna be honest with you,” he said to Leake before the performance. Leake assured him that he’d be a great introduction and that his topics were highly accessible.
After the poem was completed, Cowell was visibly impressed, calling Leake “extraordinary” and his poem “an amazing tribute.”
“There was something more raw in the way — it’s like singing and talking and just being a human a capella,” Mandel said.
“No music, no nothing, just a raw heart beating in front of us. We feel your pain, we feel your love, and you moved me to do this …”
And with that, he hit the golden buzzer and a shower of golden confetti rained down on the young man.
“I can finally share this moment… so surreal, thank you everyone for the love, I promise to keep going!” Leake posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
“We winning this y’all!!! Thank you @howiemandel for believing in me and my talent! I will forever be grateful!”
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.