westernjournal--2020-10-17--Toddlers Can Be Killed Under Shocking New Euthanasia Law Proposal

In 2001 , after the practice of doctor-assisted euthanasia had been a de facto legal procedure in the Netherlands , the country codified it and became the first nation to legalized what was promised to be mercy killings for the terminally ill. “ This law will remove the uncertainty for patients and for doctors , ” Health Minister Els Borst said at the time , according to the BBC .
“ But [ assisted suicide ] is and remains a last resort that can not be seen as an alternative for poor health care.
” It didn ’ t work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Netherlands showed an 8.1 percent increase in assisted deaths , which equaled out to 6,600 people euthanized .
A last resort ?
Hardly .
“ There were 32 more cases of assisted suicide involving people with dementia , most of whom were in the early stages of the disease , ” DutchNews.nl reported in 2017 .
“ In addition , there were 60 cases involving people with severe psychiatric problems , a rise of four on 2015.
” TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP Things haven ’ t gotten better in the interim .
In 2018 , Aurelia Brouwers made international headlines when doctors helped a physically healthy 29-year-old end her life because of psychiatric ailments , according to the U.K .
Guardian .
“ Supply has created demand , ” professor Theo Boer , who once sat on a euthanasia regulatory body but resigned in 2014 because of the rising number of deaths , told the Guardian .
“ We ’ re getting used to euthanasia , that is exactly what should not happen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exceptional situations that the law was created for , but a gradual process towards organised death.
” And if you think we ’ d reached the bottom of the slippery slope in Europe ’ s euthanasia capital , well , sorry .
It seems that Dutch parliamentarians now want to expand the euthanasia law so that children aged one to 12 can also be killed .
According to the NL Times , Health Minister Hugo de Jonge told parliament that even the youngest individuals in society — individuals who aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves — will soon be able to be put to death .
“ End of life procedures carried out by doctors in the Netherlands were already possible for infants up to one year old , and for children above 12 years old , ” NL Times said .
Now , see if you ’ ve heard this before : De Jonge insists this will only affect “ a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope , and unbearable suffering.
” These children — estimated at between five to 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a long time “ without any prospect of improvement.
” “ For the children referenced in the new policy , doctors are only allowed to give palliative care , like sedation , or withhold nutrition over an extended period of time until the patient dies , ” the NL Times reported .
Doctors describe this as ‘ a gray area ’ between normal palliative care and active life termination , he said , and they have been calling out for more regulation .
RELATED : Under Cover of COVID , Medical Team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The party said it was inappropriate to push the significant legislation through with less than a half year remaining until the next election .
De Jonge said his proposal will protect the interests of children , and will afford more transparency to the ‘ gray area.
’ This in turn makes physicians more accountable to parents , and provides a basis for review and assessment of individual cases , which already exists for euthanasia patients of other ages.
” For the record , de Jonge ’ s own party , Christian Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , as is ChristenUnie , the other Christian party in the ruling government .
The Dutch Society of Pediatrics ( NVK ) , is for it , and it looks like it would have the votes to pass .
“ In response to the position of the NVK , I want to ensure more legal safeguards for doctors who , on the basis of their professional standard , proceed with life-ending actions of children aged 1 to 12 years , ” De Jonge said in a four-page brief .
Writing at First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ craven disregard for life this created — for even if it were consistently applied to children with excruciatingly painful , terminal diseases , authorities were still allowing individuals not nearly old enough to understand what they were doing to have some say in the termination of their own life ( If they didn ’ t , that would be worse ) .
“ Note that the Dutch euthanasia regime … has completely dispensed with the standard hitherto used by assisted suicide activists in most Western countries , ” Van Maren wrote Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to bodily autonomy justify so-called ‘ end-of-life care ’ — but by expanding these deadly services to infants and children , euthanasia advocates have abandoned that pretense .
A one-year-old infant can not choose to die , and children legally barred from voting , consuming alcohol , or driving can not understand what the offer of a quick and painless death really means.
” “ When a doctor gives a lethal injection to a suffering infant , regardless of his motivation , he is killing that child ; he and other adults @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead .
We used to understand how wrong that is .
The Dutch government — and medical professionals tasked with the preservation of life — appear to have forgotten , ” he concluded .
When de Jonge says that this will only apply to “ a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope , and unbearable suffering , ” we want to believe him .
We want to think the slippery slope doesn ’ t go down any further .
But then , we must look at the original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve tumbled already .
Rest assured , in the most unassured fashion , that if passed , this won ’ t remain “ a last resort that can not be seen as an alternative for poor health care.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

In 2001, after the practice of doctor-assisted euthanasia had been a de facto legal procedure in the Netherlands, the country codified it and became the first nation to legalized what was promised to be mercy killings for the terminally ill.
“This law will remove the uncertainty for patients and for doctors,” Health Minister Els Borst said at the time, according to the BBC. “But [assisted suicide] is and remains a last resort that cannot be seen as an alternative for poor health care.”
It didn’t work out like that. In 2017, the Netherlands showed an 8.1 percent increase in assisted deaths, which equaled out to 6,600 people euthanized. A last resort? Hardly.
“There were 32 more cases of assisted suicide involving people with dementia, most of whom were in the early stages of the disease,” DutchNews.nl reported in 2017.
“In addition, there were 60 cases involving people with severe psychiatric problems, a rise of four on 2015.”
Things haven’t gotten better in the interim. In 2018, Aurelia Brouwers made international headlines when doctors helped a physically healthy 29-year-old end her life because of psychiatric ailments, according to the U.K. Guardian.
“Supply has created demand,” professor Theo Boer, who once sat on a euthanasia regulatory body but resigned in 2014 because of the rising number of deaths, told the Guardian.
“We’re getting used to euthanasia, that is exactly what should not happen. We’re no longer speaking about the exceptional situations that the law was created for, but a gradual process towards organised death.”
And if you think we’d reached the bottom of the slippery slope in Europe’s euthanasia capital, well, sorry. It seems that Dutch parliamentarians now want to expand the euthanasia law so that children aged one to 12 can also be killed.
Does this law need to be struck down? Yes No
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According to the NL Times, Health Minister Hugo de Jonge told parliament that even the youngest individuals in society — individuals who aren’t in a place to make decisions for themselves — will soon be able to be put to death.
“End of life procedures carried out by doctors in the Netherlands were already possible for infants up to one year old, and for children above 12 years old,” NL Times said.
Now, see if you’ve heard this before: De Jonge insists this will only affect “a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope, and unbearable suffering.” These children — estimated at between five to 10 a year — will be in pain for a long time “without any prospect of improvement.”
“For the children referenced in the new policy, doctors are only allowed to give palliative care, like sedation, or withhold nutrition over an extended period of time until the patient dies,” the NL Times reported.
Doctors describe this as ‘a gray area’ between normal palliative care and active life termination, he said, and they have been calling out for more regulation.
“The party said it was inappropriate to push the significant legislation through with less than a half year remaining until the next election. De Jonge said his proposal will protect the interests of children, and will afford more transparency to the ‘gray area.’ This in turn makes physicians more accountable to parents, and provides a basis for review and assessment of individual cases, which already exists for euthanasia patients of other ages.”
For the record, de Jonge’s own party, Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), is against this, as is ChristenUnie, the other Christian party in the ruling government. The Dutch Society of Pediatrics (NVK), is for it, and it looks like it would have the votes to pass.
“In response to the position of the NVK, I want to ensure more legal safeguards for doctors who, on the basis of their professional standard, proceed with life-ending actions of children aged 1 to 12 years,” De Jonge said in a four-page brief.
Writing at First Things, Jonathon Van Maren noted the craven disregard for life this created — for even if it were consistently applied to children with excruciatingly painful, terminal diseases, authorities were still allowing individuals not nearly old enough to understand what they were doing to have some say in the termination of their own life (If they didn’t, that would be worse).
“Note that the Dutch euthanasia regime … has completely dispensed with the standard hitherto used by assisted suicide activists in most Western countries,” Van Maren wrote Thursday.
“Activists argue that consent and the right to bodily autonomy justify so-called ‘end-of-life care’ — but by expanding these deadly services to infants and children, euthanasia advocates have abandoned that pretense. A one-year-old infant cannot choose to die, and children legally barred from voting, consuming alcohol, or driving cannot understand what the offer of a quick and painless death really means.”
“When a doctor gives a lethal injection to a suffering infant, regardless of his motivation, he is killing that child; he and other adults have decided that child is better off dead.
We used to understand how wrong that is. The Dutch government — and medical professionals tasked with the preservation of life — appear to have forgotten,” he concluded.
When de Jonge says that this will only apply to “a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope, and unbearable suffering,” we want to believe him.
We want to think the slippery slope doesn’t go down any further.
But then, we must look at the original 2001 law and see how far we’ve tumbled already. Rest assured, in the most unassured fashion, that if passed, this won’t remain “a last resort that cannot be seen as an alternative for poor health care.”
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Democratic Senator, Mainstream Media Begin Pushing Biden Laptop Bombshell as Russian Disinfo Campaig

Democratic Senator, Mainstream Media Begin Pushing Biden Laptop Bombshell as Russian Disinfo Campaign

A theory has begun to propagate in left-wing and mainstream media circles that newly surfaced private emails that allegedly incriminate Hunter Biden in a foreign influence peddling scheme are part of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at manipulating the 2020 presidential election .
The communications from a laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden , published starting Wednesday in the New York Post , show Biden reportedly discussed granting U.S. vice presidential access to one of his business partners at the Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings .
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut was adamant that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post and other outlets , however , tweeting Saturday that the new allegations are just another example of the Russian intelligence community disseminating propaganda in the U.S. by way of uncritical and “ virulently pro-Trump ” figures .
“ Joe Biden — and all of us — SHOULD be furious that media outlets are spreading what is very likely Russian propaganda , ” Murphy wrote .
“ I ’ ve seen the intel .
The mainstreaming of misinformation is Russia ’ s 2020 goal .
Here ’ s what we know , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying down.
” TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP “ Russia knew it had to play a different game than 2016 , ” Murphy added .
“ So it built an operation to cull virulently pro-Trump Americans as pseudo-assets , so blind in their allegiance to Trump that they ’ ll willingly launder Kremlin constructed anti-Biden propaganda.
” According to the senator , a prime example is White House ally and former New York City Mayor Rudy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing Hunter Biden ’ s alleged emails to light .
“ Whether he knows it or not , Giuliani is effectively a Russian asset now , ” Murphy tweeted .
The claim was not original , having already been made days earlier by a series of establishment media outlets .
On Thursday evening , The Washington Post reported Giuliani had been flagged by the U.S. intelligence community last year as a likely target for Russian disinformation .
RELATED : Georgia Dem Ossoff Receiving Twice as Much in Big-Money Donations from California as He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from four anonymous former officials who suggested the White House was aware of the risk Giuliani posed while seeking out evidence against the Bidens in a corrupt Ukraine .
A variety of others have since followed up on the claim , with NBC News revealing less than two hours later that federal investigators were already probing the email scandal as a potential foreign intelligence stunt and matter of national security .
CNN was more specific , reporting that the FBI is looking into the matter as “ part of a larger investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impeachment inquiry last fall.
” Murphy expounded on the apparent virtues of his theory Saturday , alleging Russia ’ s master plan was to employ the “ major ” credibility of the media for the purpose of tricking the American people .
He suggested the logical workaround was total suppression of the story by editorial boards nationwide .
“ Why is it important for media to not simply pick this story up and amplify it ?
Why should we be offended that the VP is being asked about it ?
” Murphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s bet — that America , and its media , is so hungry for salacious stories that no one will vet their lies.
” “ American media do have major credibility , for good reason .
They do amazing work , and get most stories 100 % right .
Russia wants to use this credibility to their advantage , ” he wrote .
“ That ’ s why we all have to be vigilant .
Democracy depends on it.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism @ @ @ @ @ @

A theory has begun to propagate in left-wing and mainstream media circles that newly surfaced private emails that allegedly incriminate Hunter Biden in a foreign influence peddling scheme are part of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at manipulating the 2020 presidential election.
The communications from a laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden, published starting Wednesday in the New York Post, show Biden reportedly discussed granting U.S. vice presidential access to one of his business partners at the Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut was adamant that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden should be “furious” at the Post and other outlets, however, tweeting Saturday that the new allegations are just another example of the Russian intelligence community disseminating propaganda in the U.S. by way of uncritical and “virulently pro-Trump” figures.
“Joe Biden — and all of us — SHOULD be furious that media outlets are spreading what is very likely Russian propaganda,” Murphy wrote. “I’ve seen the intel. The mainstreaming of misinformation is Russia’s 2020 goal. Here’s what we know, and why we can’t take it lying down.”
2/ Russia knew it had to play a different game than 2016. So it built an operation to cull virulently pro-Trump Americans as pseudo-assets, so blind in their allegiance to Trump that they’ll willingly launder Kremlin constructed anti-Biden propaganda. Guiliani was a key target. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 17, 2020
“Russia knew it had to play a different game than 2016,” Murphy added.
“So it built an operation to cull virulently pro-Trump Americans as pseudo-assets, so blind in their allegiance to Trump that they’ll willingly launder Kremlin constructed anti-Biden propaganda.”
Do you think the "Russian disinformation" argument is a conspiracy theory? 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: 69% (247 Votes) No: 31% (111 Votes)
According to the senator, a prime example is White House ally and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who had a hand in bringing Hunter Biden’s alleged emails to light.
“Whether he knows it or not, Giuliani is effectively a Russian asset now,” Murphy tweeted.
The claim was not original, having already been made days earlier by a series of establishment media outlets.
5/ And you don’t have to believe me. Believe the Department or Justice – Trump’s own FBI is investigating the “leaked” Hunter Biden emails as Russian spycraft. https://t.co/iZ5sAD50FT — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 17, 2020
On Thursday evening, The Washington Post reported Giuliani had been flagged by the U.S. intelligence community last year as a likely target for Russian disinformation.
The confirmation apparently came from four anonymous former officials who suggested the White House was aware of the risk Giuliani posed while seeking out evidence against the Bidens in a corrupt Ukraine.
A variety of others have since followed up on the claim, with NBC News revealing less than two hours later that federal investigators were already probing the email scandal as a potential foreign intelligence stunt and matter of national security.
CNN was more specific, reporting that the FBI is looking into the matter as “part of a larger investigation into Russian disinformation that dates back to before the impeachment inquiry last fall.”
Murphy expounded on the apparent virtues of his theory Saturday, alleging Russia’s master plan was to employ the “major” credibility of the media for the purpose of tricking the American people.
He suggested the logical workaround was total suppression of the story by editorial boards nationwide.
8/ And American media do have major credibility, for good reason. They do amazing work, and get most stories 100% right. Russia wants to use this credibility to their advantage. And that’s why we all have to be vigilant. Democracy depends on it. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 17, 2020
“Why is it important for media to not simply pick this story up and amplify it? Why should we be offended that the VP is being asked about it?” Murphy asked. “Because this is Russia’s bet — that America, and its media, is so hungry for salacious stories that no one will vet their lies.”
“American media do have major credibility, for good reason. They do amazing work, and get most stories 100% right. Russia wants to use this credibility to their advantage,” he wrote.
“That’s why we all have to be vigilant. Democracy depends on it.”
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Supreme Court Will Decide if President Is Allowed To Exclude Illegal Immigrants from Census

The Supreme Court will take up President Donald Trump ’ s charge to exclude illegal immigrants from the 2020 census , which will be used to restructure congressional districts next year .
Politico reported the court will hear arguments on Nov. 30 regarding the exclusion of those who are in the country unlawfully with regard to determining each state ’ s share of the 435 House seats .
The Census ended its counting of the population just this past week and will deliver its results to Trump by the end of the year .
But the president has argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the population , states which refuse to enforce immigration laws are rewarded by disproportionate representation in Congress .
Trump ordered a change to existing procedure in July , but his directive was defeated last month by a lower court , which concluded the president ’ s order was not a lawful change .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP Now , the Supreme Court is expediting the case for its current session .
“ The 14th Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on ‘ counting the whole number of persons in each State , excluding Indians not taxed , ' ” Politico reported .
The White House views the numbers used to appropriate representation through the Census differently .
In a memorandum from July , President Trump ordered that illegal aliens not be considered by the Census numbers when used to allocate representation .
“ The Constitution does not specifically define which persons must be included in the apportionment base , ” the White House argued .
The memo further stated that “ Although the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State , excluding Indians not taxed , ’ to be enumerated in the census , that requirement has never been understood to include in the apportionment base every individual physically present within a State ’ s boundaries at the time of the census.
” “ Instead , the term ‘ persons in each State ’ has been interpreted to mean that only the ‘ inhabitants ’ of each State should be included.
” In the memo , Trump then ordered the use of numbers of illegal immigrants stricken from consideration when restructuring districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reapportionment of Representatives following the 2020 census , it is the policy of the United States to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status under the Immigration and Nationality Act , ” the memo said .
RELATED : Georgia Dem Ossoff Receiving Twice as Much in Big-Money Donations from California as He Is from Georgia “ Excluding these illegal aliens from the apportionment base is more consonant with the principles of representative democracy underpinning our system of Government.
” “ Affording congressional representation , and therefore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account of the presence within their borders of aliens who have not followed the steps to secure a lawful immigration status under our laws undermines those principles , ” it added .
“ I have accordingly determined that respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process warrant the exclusion of illegal aliens from the apportionment base , to the extent feasible and to the maximum extent of the President ’ s discretion under the law.
” The memo drew the fury of Democrats and immigration activists .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inhabitants of states in the Census gives Democrats a representative advantage , which is then perpetuated by more and more illegal immigrants flocking to states which refuse to enforce immigration law .
The matter will now be decided by the Supreme Court .
Even if the high court agrees with the White House on the issue , it is unclear if a ruling could come in time to make a difference with regard to this year ’ s Census and its use for legislative redistricting .
We are committed to truth and accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our editorial standards .

The Supreme Court will take up President Donald Trump’s charge to exclude illegal immigrants from the 2020 census, which will be used to restructure congressional districts next year.
Politico reported the court will hear arguments on Nov. 30 regarding the exclusion of those who are in the country unlawfully with regard to determining each state’s share of the 435 House seats.
The Census ended its counting of the population just this past week and will deliver its results to Trump by the end of the year.
But the president has argued that by counting illegal immigrants as part of the population, states which refuse to enforce immigration laws are rewarded by disproportionate representation in Congress.
Trump ordered a change to existing procedure in July, but his directive was defeated last month by a lower court, which concluded the president’s order was not a lawful change.
Now, the Supreme Court is expediting the case for its current session.
“The 14th Amendment requires districts to apportion congressional seats based on ‘counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed,'” Politico reported.
The White House views the numbers used to appropriate representation through the Census differently.
In a memorandum from July, President Trump ordered that illegal aliens not be considered by the Census numbers when used to allocate representation.
Do you agree with President Trump on the matter of illegal immigrants and the Census? 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% (2891 Votes) No: 0% (10 Votes)
“The Constitution does not specifically define which persons must be included in the apportionment base,” the White House argued.
The memo further stated that “Although the Constitution requires the ‘persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed,’ to be enumerated in the census, that requirement has never been understood to include in the apportionment base every individual physically present within a State’s boundaries at the time of the census.”
“Instead, the term ‘persons in each State’ has been interpreted to mean that only the ‘inhabitants’ of each State should be included.”
In the memo, Trump then ordered the use of numbers of illegal immigrants stricken from consideration when restructuring districts.
“For the purpose of the reapportionment of Representatives following the 2020 census, it is the policy of the United States to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” the memo said.
“Excluding these illegal aliens from the apportionment base is more consonant with the principles of representative democracy underpinning our system of Government.”
“Affording congressional representation, and therefore formal political influence, to States on account of the presence within their borders of aliens who have not followed the steps to secure a lawful immigration status under our laws undermines those principles,” it added.
“I have accordingly determined that respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process warrant the exclusion of illegal aliens from the apportionment base, to the extent feasible and to the maximum extent of the President’s discretion under the law.”
The memo drew the fury of Democrats and immigration activists.
It has long been argued that including illegal inhabitants of states in the Census gives Democrats a representative advantage, which is then perpetuated by more and more illegal immigrants flocking to states which refuse to enforce immigration law.
The matter will now be decided by the Supreme Court.
Even if the high court agrees with the White House on the issue, it is unclear if a ruling could come in time to make a difference with regard to this year’s Census and its use for legislative redistricting.
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Watch: Seattle Police Car Torched with Officer Still Inside

A Seattle police officer is recovering from minor burns after a man threw a blazing piece of wood into a police cruiser Thursday .
Multiple videos of the incident show a man walking down an alleyway with a large burning wooden stick in the city ’ s South Lake Union neighborhood .
Videos from the responding police officer ’ s dash and body cameras were released by the Seattle Police Department , as well as another clip which was apparently taken from a nearby surveillance camera .
KIRO-TV anchor Dave Wagner shared the footage on his Twitter page .
WARNING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and violent images which some viewers might find disturbing : TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP In the videos released by police , the man with the burning wood was walking when he was ordered by the responding officer to “ stop.
” The officer also reported the subject ’ s activities on his radio .
The Seattle officer approached the subject from his police SUV and identified himself as a police officer .
But rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man screamed an expletive at him .
The officer pursued the subject from the SUV , and the man turned , approached the vehicle and threw the flaming piece of wood into the police cruiser through the driver ’ s side window .
The officer fired at least a half-dozen shots as he reversed the vehicle , but the attacker was apparently uninjured while succeeding in setting the car ablaze .
KCPQ-TV shared an image of the burned-out car , which appeared to be a total loss due to the fire damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have thrown the burning wood was later arrested at a nearby parking garage .
Police confirmed on Twitter that a person was arrested : “ [ The suspect ] lunged in , he ran and the driver ’ s seat was already in flames , ” a witness to the daylight attack on the officer told KIRO .
“ I thought the officer was still in the car , the driver ’ s seat was on fire and then within minutes the car was engulfed in flames.
” The car reportedly caught on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into custody .
“ All of a sudden the car blows , catches on fire .
We ’ re like ‘ oh snap.
’ And then flames just started getting bigger and bigger , ” a witness said .
The officer was treated for what KIRO reported to be non-life-threatening burns .
“ It was an incredibly dangerous situation for our officer .
He did suffer some minor injuries , some minor burn wounds , ” Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette said .
The Thursday incident occurred as Seattle ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over measures to partially defund the city ’ s police department , KING-TV reported .
Mayor Jenny Durkan has helped lead the charge to cut significant funding for police in the city , despite a summer crime wave and a month-long insurgency in one neighborhood by leftist activists who also took over a police precinct .
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best retired last month , citing anti-police sentiment and disagreements over policy with city leadership .
The department has yet to replace the 28-year veteran with a new permanent police chief .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A Seattle police officer is recovering from minor burns after a man threw a blazing piece of wood into a police cruiser Thursday.
Multiple videos of the incident show a man walking down an alleyway with a large burning wooden stick in the city’s South Lake Union neighborhood.
Videos from the responding police officer’s dash and body cameras were released by the Seattle Police Department, as well as another clip which was apparently taken from a nearby surveillance camera.
KIRO-TV anchor Dave Wagner shared the footage on his Twitter page.
WARNING: The following videos contain vulgar language and violent images which some viewers might find disturbing:
JUST-RELEASED video shows man in South Lake Union torch a Seattle Police cruiser with an officer inside. Officer is recovering from burns on his hands and a leg injury. (warning: graphic language) pic.twitter.com/tU4lx1FKSS — Dave Wagner (@DaveKIRO7) October 16, 2020
In the videos released by police, the man with the burning wood was walking when he was ordered by the responding officer to “stop.”
The officer also reported the subject’s activities on his radio.
Do you think cities that move to defund their own police departments should be denied federal funding? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (2155 Votes) No: 1% (23 Votes)
The Seattle officer approached the subject from his police SUV and identified himself as a police officer. But rather than obey the officer’s commands, the man screamed an expletive at him.
The situation then escalated quickly.
The officer pursued the subject from the SUV, and the man turned, approached the vehicle and threw the flaming piece of wood into the police cruiser through the driver’s side window.
The officer fired at least a half-dozen shots as he reversed the vehicle, but the attacker was apparently uninjured while succeeding in setting the car ablaze.
KCPQ-TV shared an image of the burned-out car, which appeared to be a total loss due to the fire damage.
Authorities took one person into custody after a Seattle Police car was set on fire with an officer inside.https://t.co/ogJSpmedei pic.twitter.com/AZwfVNa4Ui — Q13 FOX Seattle (@Q13FOX) October 15, 2020
KIRO reported the man alleged to have thrown the burning wood was later arrested at a nearby parking garage.
Police confirmed on Twitter that a person was arrested:
Seattle PD has one in custody in the area of Dexter Av and John St after suspect set fire to a police vehicle while officers were inside. PIO is on scene. — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) October 15, 2020
“[The suspect] lunged in, he ran and the driver’s seat was already in flames,” a witness to the daylight attack on the officer told KIRO. “I thought the officer was still in the car, the driver’s seat was on fire and then within minutes the car was engulfed in flames.”
The car reportedly caught on fire as the suspect was being taken into custody.
“All of a sudden the car blows, catches on fire. We’re like ‘oh snap.’ And then flames just started getting bigger and bigger,” a witness said.
The officer was treated for what KIRO reported to be non-life-threatening burns.
“It was an incredibly dangerous situation for our officer. He did suffer some minor injuries, some minor burn wounds,” Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette said.
The Thursday incident occurred as Seattle’s Democratic mayor and city council have squabbled over measures to partially defund the city’s police department, KING-TV reported.
Mayor Jenny Durkan has helped lead the charge to cut significant funding for police in the city, despite a summer crime wave and a month-long insurgency in one neighborhood by leftist activists who also took over a police precinct.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best retired last month, citing anti-police sentiment and disagreements over policy with city leadership.
The department has yet to replace the 28-year veteran with a new permanent police chief.
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--School District Demands Parkland Parents Turn Over Psychiatric Records in Mass Shooting

Parents of the victims in the 2018 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland , Florida , are being asked to prove they ’ ve suffered mental anguish .
The parents are suing the Broward School Board , the sheriff and other parties for the deaths of their children .
In turn , the Broward school district is demanding that parents of the victims turn over psychiatric records proving they suffered mental anguish over the tragic shooting deaths of their children .
Seventeen people — 14 students and three staff members — were killed and 17 were wounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former student at the high school , has confessed to the killings .
Lori Alhadeff , a member of the school board whose daughter died in the attack , called the district ’ s demand a “ harassing ” and “ burdensome ” invasion of privacy , according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP At least a dozen additional families have joined Alhadeff in objecting to the demand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pointed out how such a request was unprecedented .
Plaintiffs generally prove their pain and suffering with testimony and rarely are required to submit mental health records to prove their heartbreak , Kelley told the Sun Sentinel .
“ I personally don ’ t think the records are relevant , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t think anyone is going to dispute that these families have suffered mental anguish.
” The school district responded on Oct. 1 , saying that while it “ recognizes the sensitive nature of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mental pain and suffering .
The district has made about 75 demands , including asking victims ’ families to show evidence of funeral expenses , accounts of each and every media interview they have done , and their tax returns to prove lost incomes since the Feb. 14 , 2018 , shooting .
Reporting from the Sun Sentinel suggests the school and law enforcement was unprepared to deal with a mass shooting of this nature .
Multiple unarmed teachers who were trusted with security at the school failed to call a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down , the 911 call took a long time to transfer to the local sheriff ’ s office , the school ’ s armed resource officer waited outside while the assailant was killing students , and one of the first Broward County Sheriff ’ s Office deputies to arrive on the scene decided to block traffic rather than head into the school .
These are among the many perceived failures of the parties being sued by the parents of the victims , according to the Sun Sentinel .
In a May 2020 interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose 18-year-old daughter , Meadow , was killed in the massacre , spoke out against the reinstatement of Brian Miller , a Broward sheriff ’ s sergeant who was fired for “ neglect of duty ” after hiding behind his car during the shooting .
RELATED : Kashuv , Parent of Parkland Victim Speak Out Against Rehiring Officer Who Stood By and Did Nothing “ When you see the video , see how this guy just twiddled his thumbs while shots were ringing out in the school , watch him stand there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should fill anyone with disgust and disbelief , ” Pollack told The Western Journal in an email .
“ But while it ’ s certainly disgusting to hear that Broward is giving him his job back , I can ’ t say that I ’ m feeling any disbelief .
This is just how liberals are .
How they govern themselves .
It ’ s all totally consistent .
They want to put dangerous criminals on the street to protect their ‘ rights ’ — d— the consequences to the innocent .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let kids die back on the beat to protect their ‘ rights ’ — d— the consequences to the innocent .
“ I wouldn ’ t be surprised if this fat slob ’ s lazy negligence gets more people killed , ” Pollack added , referring to Miller .
“ But if it does , I fully expect him to keep his job .
Because it ’ s Broward — a liberal cesspool.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Parents of the victims in the 2018 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, are being asked to prove they’ve suffered mental anguish.
The parents are suing the Broward School Board, the sheriff and other parties for the deaths of their children.
In turn, the Broward school district is demanding that parents of the victims turn over psychiatric records proving they suffered mental anguish over the tragic shooting deaths of their children.
Seventeen people — 14 students and three staff members — were killed and 17 were wounded in the massacre. Nikolas Cruz, a former student at the high school, has confessed to the killings.
Lori Alhadeff, a member of the school board whose daughter died in the attack, called the district’s demand a “harassing” and “burdensome” invasion of privacy, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
At least a dozen additional families have joined Alhadeff in objecting to the demand. Alhadeff’s attorney, Robert Kelley, pointed out how such a request was unprecedented.
Plaintiffs generally prove their pain and suffering with testimony and rarely are required to submit mental health records to prove their heartbreak, Kelley told the Sun Sentinel.
“I personally don’t think the records are relevant,” he said. “I don’t think anyone is going to dispute that these families have suffered mental anguish.”
The school district responded on Oct. 1, saying that while it “recognizes the sensitive nature of these records,” it insists on proof of mental pain and suffering.
Did police and school officials fail to act during the Parkland shooting? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 97% (376 Votes) No: 3% (11 Votes)
The district has made about 75 demands, including asking victims’ families to show evidence of funeral expenses, accounts of each and every media interview they have done, and their tax returns to prove lost incomes since the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting.
Reporting from the Sun Sentinel suggests the school and law enforcement was unprepared to deal with a mass shooting of this nature.
Multiple unarmed teachers who were trusted with security at the school failed to call a “Code Red” alert to lock it down, the 911 call took a long time to transfer to the local sheriff’s office, the school’s armed resource officer waited outside while the assailant was killing students, and one of the first Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputies to arrive on the scene decided to block traffic rather than head into the school.
These are among the many perceived failures of the parties being sued by the parents of the victims, according to the Sun Sentinel.
In a May 2020 interview with The Western Journal, Andrew Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, was killed in the massacre, spoke out against the reinstatement of Brian Miller, a Broward sheriff’s sergeant who was fired for “neglect of duty” after hiding behind his car during the shooting.
“When you see the video, see how this guy just twiddled his thumbs while shots were ringing out in the school, watch him stand there while kids are getting murdered — it should fill anyone with disgust and disbelief,” Pollack told The Western Journal in an email.
“But while it’s certainly disgusting to hear that Broward is giving him his job back, I can’t say that I’m feeling any disbelief. This is just how liberals are. How they govern themselves. It’s all totally consistent. They want to put dangerous criminals on the street to protect their ‘rights’ — d— the consequences to the innocent. They want to put idiot loser cops who let kids die back on the beat to protect their ‘rights’ — d— the consequences to the innocent.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this fat slob’s lazy negligence gets more people killed,” Pollack added, referring to Miller. “But if it does, I fully expect him to keep his job. Because it’s Broward — a liberal cesspool.”
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Dem Senate Super PAC Pulls Out of Colorado, Convinced That Dem Hickenlooper Will Win

Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado is reportedly in big trouble in his re-election bid against Democratic former Gov .
John Hickenlooper .
Democrats are so certain of the Republican ’ s defeat next month that a high-profile political action committee has pulled its TV ads against Gardner .
Politico reported Friday the Senate Majority PAC , a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , will pull $ 1.2 million worth of remaining TV ads in Colorado .
The PAC has opted not to run the ads because it apparently views the race as essentially over .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has essentially flipped to a blue-leaning purple state in recent decades .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP Still , Gardner was successful in 2014 in unseating then-incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Udall .
Gardner defeated Udall with 48.5 percent of the vote , compared to the incumbent ’ s 46 percent .
But things don ’ t look quite as good for Gardner this time around .
According to FiveThirtyEight , recent polling shows both Gardner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Centennial State .
Polling , as well as Hickenlooper ’ s fundraising numbers , have Democrats confident they will flip Garnder ’ s Senate seat .
“ We ’ ve been encouraged for a long time about the race that Gov .
Hickenlooper is running .
Given his strong fundraising and multiple public polls showing him ahead by double digits , we believe Gov .
Hickenlooper is in good shape heading into the final stretch , ” Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Rachel Irwin told Politico .
Politico reported the PAC has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado in its efforts to defeat Gardner .
Democrats only need a net gain of four seats to win control of the Senate from Republicans , who currently hold a 53-47 majority .
Should Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden prevail over Trump , that number goes down to three , as the vice president can break 50-50 ties in the Senate .
RELATED : Georgia Dem Ossoff Receiving Twice as Much in Big-Money Donations from California as He Is from Georgia If Democrats take the Senate , the country could see an end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D.C. , and Puerto Rico .
Democrats could even a make good on threats to pack the Supreme Court with additional justices .
The party specifically views Gardner , along with GOP Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona , as particularly vulnerable .
McSally is behind in her race with Mark Kelly by double digits among registered voters , The Arizona Republic reported , citing a Monmouth University poll conducted between Oct. 9 and Oct. 13 .
But that poll was conducted before Kelly ’ s campaign spokesman was revealed to have referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pigs ” in comments which Kelly apologized for this week , Fox News reported .
Kelly staffer T.J. L ’ Heureux disparaged Chicago police officers in an August tweet , but he apparently still works for the campaign , though he has also apologized .
According to Gardner ’ s campaign , Democrats are celebrating victory a bit too early .
Gardner spokesman Jerrod Dobkin told Politico of the Senate Majority PAC ’ s decision to stop running ads in Colorado , “ It ’ s clear the Democrats also know John Hickenlooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado is reportedly in big trouble in his re-election bid against Democratic former Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Democrats are so certain of the Republican’s defeat next month that a high-profile political action committee has pulled its TV ads against Gardner.
Politico reported Friday the Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, will pull $1.2 million worth of remaining TV ads in Colorado.
The PAC has opted not to run the ads because it apparently views the race as essentially over.
Colorado, once a reliably red state, has essentially flipped to a blue-leaning purple state in recent decades.
Still, Gardner was successful in 2014 in unseating then-incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Udall.
Gardner defeated Udall with 48.5 percent of the vote, compared to the incumbent’s 46 percent.
But things don’t look quite as good for Gardner this time around.
According to FiveThirtyEight, recent polling shows both Gardner and President Donald Trump down double digits in the Centennial State.
Do you think Republicans will keep the Senate in 2020? 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: 94% (204 Votes) No: 6% (13 Votes)
Polling, as well as Hickenlooper’s fundraising numbers, have Democrats confident they will flip Garnder’s Senate seat.
“We’ve been encouraged for a long time about the race that Gov. Hickenlooper is running. Given his strong fundraising and multiple public polls showing him ahead by double digits, we believe Gov. Hickenlooper is in good shape heading into the final stretch,” Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Rachel Irwin told Politico.
Politico reported the PAC has spent $15 million in ads in Colorado in its efforts to defeat Gardner.
Democrats only need a net gain of four seats to win control of the Senate from Republicans, who currently hold a 53-47 majority.
Should Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden prevail over Trump, that number goes down to three, as the vice president can break 50-50 ties in the Senate.
If Democrats take the Senate, the country could see an end to the filibuster and statehood for Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Democrats could even a make good on threats to pack the Supreme Court with additional justices.
The party specifically views Gardner, along with GOP Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona, as particularly vulnerable.
McSally is behind in her race with Mark Kelly by double digits among registered voters, The Arizona Republic reported, citing a Monmouth University poll conducted between Oct. 9 and Oct. 13.
But that poll was conducted before Kelly’s campaign spokesman was revealed to have referred to police officers as “worthless f—ing pigs” in comments which Kelly apologized for this week, Fox News reported.
Kelly staffer T.J. L’Heureux disparaged Chicago police officers in an August tweet, but he apparently still works for the campaign, though he has also apologized.
According to Gardner’s campaign, Democrats are celebrating victory a bit too early.
Gardner spokesman Jerrod Dobkin told Politico of the Senate Majority PAC’s decision to stop running ads in Colorado, “It’s clear the Democrats also know John Hickenlooper has no chance of winning.”
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Black Veteran Says His Vote for Trump Is ‘Solidified’ After Rioters Fire Gun at His Cafe

A black Portland business owner and military veteran says his plans to cast his vote in the upcoming presidential race for President Donald Trump were “ solidified ” after his restaurant was hit with gunfire Sunday over what he says is its police-friendly stance .
John Jackson , the owner of Heroes American Cafe ’ s downtown Portland location , told Fox News this week that while he voted with hesitation for Trump in the 2016 election , he plans to vote for the president without question this year after his business was targeted on Portland ’ s “ Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his cafe ] solidified my Trump vote , ” said Jackson , who Fox News reported served in both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps .
“ I ’ m done with this weakness and we need some real strong leadership.
” According to Fox , the Twitter account @ DublinPDX fired its figurative warning shots in a tweet at Heroes American Cafe on Oct. 8 , reportedly slamming the eatery for donating proceeds “ to their heroes … cops.
” The Oregonian reported that Jackson received another forewarning of the ambush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone call informing his business partner at one of their shops to expect repercussions for their backing of police personnel .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP “ We kind of dismissed it as ‘ whatever , ' ” Jackson told the outlet .
But then , rioters allegedly shot out two of Heroes American Cafe ’ s windows on Sunday , and smashed a third with what Fox News reported was a “ blunt object — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked like a planned thing because they called us on Thursday and threatened us , ” Jackson told The Oregonian .
“ Whoever is doing it , whether it ’ s agitators or whoever it might be , they ’ re doing a disservice to everyone , ” he added KPTV in reference to the attack on his restaurant .
KPTV reporter Brenna Kelly said the events of Sunday in Portland “ might have been the most destructive night in the city since the riots began in May.
” The driving rain that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t deter rioters from engaging in a crime binge that stemmed from their “ Indigenous People ’ s Day of Rage.
” Demonstrators gathered in the South Park Blocks of Portland , and ended up toppling statues of Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln .
That destruction came in addition to the two souvenir bullet holes left in Heroes American Cafe ’ s rear wall .
Earlier that day , Jackson said he sat with his son at a table adjacent to one of the windows pierced with a bullet , which he believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been sitting there when the cafe was fired at .
Jackson told KPTV that Portland police were unable to respond to the scene that night and started their investigation on Monday .
He said the attacks won ’ t deter Heroes American Cafe from continuing its support of police .
“ We ’ re for all heroes and we don ’ t support zeroes , ” Jackson told Fox .
“ So if you ’ re a bad cop , we don ’ t really have time for you .
If you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re taking care of your people or you ’ re saving lives , we love you.
” KPTV reported that the business reopened on the Monday after the attack , with plywood still covering its windows .
“ We ’ re not changing what we do because of things that are to me , kind of terroristic in approach , ” Jackson said .
“ We ’ re just not yielding to any of that.
” In another interview with KOIN-TV , Jackson said he expected to shell out about $ 3,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of violence in Portland is a turnaround from a decade ago , Jackson told Fox News .
“ When I first came here about 10 years ago , it was one of the most accepting cities that I knew of , ” he said .
Trump responded to the Portland riots , retweeting two videos of some of the destruction on Monday .
“ These are Biden fools .
ANTIFA RADICALS .
Get them FBI , and get them now !
” Trump wrote in retweeting a video of the toppled Lincoln statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which showed the smashed windows of the Portland State University campus ’ public safety office , Trump wrote , “ Taking advantage of fools .
Law & Order !
Portland , call in the Feds !
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A black Portland business owner and military veteran says his plans to cast his vote in the upcoming presidential race for President Donald Trump were “solidified” after his restaurant was hit with gunfire Sunday over what he says is its police-friendly stance.
John Jackson, the owner of Heroes American Cafe’s downtown Portland location, told Fox News this week that while he voted with hesitation for Trump in the 2016 election, he plans to vote for the president without question this year after his business was targeted on Portland’s “Day of Rage.”
“This [attack on his cafe] solidified my Trump vote,” said Jackson, who Fox News reported served in both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. “I’m done with this weakness and we need some real strong leadership.”
According to Fox, the Twitter account @DublinPDX fired its figurative warning shots in a tweet at Heroes American Cafe on Oct. 8, reportedly slamming the eatery for donating proceeds “to their heroes … cops.”
The Oregonian reported that Jackson received another forewarning of the ambush on the same day, with a phone call informing his business partner at one of their shops to expect repercussions for their backing of police personnel.
“We kind of dismissed it as ‘whatever,'” Jackson told the outlet.
But then, rioters allegedly shot out two of Heroes American Cafe’s windows on Sunday, and smashed a third with what Fox News reported was a “blunt object — possibly a baseball bat.”
“It looked like a planned thing because they called us on Thursday and threatened us,” Jackson told The Oregonian.
“Whoever is doing it, whether it’s agitators or whoever it might be, they’re doing a disservice to everyone,” he added KPTV in reference to the attack on his restaurant.
Do you think antifa is responsible for the attack on Jackson's business? 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% (869 Votes) No: 1% (5 Votes)
KPTV reporter Brenna Kelly said the events of Sunday in Portland “might have been the most destructive night in the city since the riots began in May.”
The driving rain that night, Kelly added, didn’t deter rioters from engaging in a crime binge that stemmed from their “Indigenous People’s Day of Rage.” Demonstrators gathered in the South Park Blocks of Portland, and ended up toppling statues of Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
That destruction came in addition to the two souvenir bullet holes left in Heroes American Cafe’s rear wall.
Earlier that day, Jackson said he sat with his son at a table adjacent to one of the windows pierced with a bullet, which he believes would have struck him had he still been sitting there when the cafe was fired at.
Jackson told KPTV that Portland police were unable to respond to the scene that night and started their investigation on Monday. He said the attacks won’t deter Heroes American Cafe from continuing its support of police.
“We’re for all heroes and we don’t support zeroes,” Jackson told Fox. “So if you’re a bad cop, we don’t really have time for you. If you’re walking your beat and you’re taking care of your people or you’re saving lives, we love you.”
KPTV reported that the business reopened on the Monday after the attack, with plywood still covering its windows.
“We’re not changing what we do because of things that are to me, kind of terroristic in approach,” Jackson said. “We’re just not yielding to any of that.”
In another interview with KOIN-TV, Jackson said he expected to shell out about $3,000 to replace the damaged windows.
Heroes American Cafe Owner John Jackson: “It’s extremely tough, probably the toughest time in small business history right now. Just making it day today is tough enough without $3,000 worth of glass (damage) on top of it. #koin6news #PDX #PNW #Oregon #Portland #protests #riot pic.twitter.com/evULjxLsaZ — Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingKoin6) October 12, 2020
The rash of violence in Portland is a turnaround from a decade ago, Jackson told Fox News.
“When I first came here about 10 years ago, it was one of the most accepting cities that I knew of,” he said.
Trump responded to the Portland riots, retweeting two videos of some of the destruction on Monday.
“These are Biden fools. ANTIFA RADICALS. Get them FBI, and get them now!” Trump wrote in retweeting a video of the toppled Lincoln statue.
These are Biden fools. ANTIFA RADICALS. Get them FBI, and get them now! https://t.co/RI9fH6sC1g — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2020
Taking advantage of fools. Law & Order! Portland, call in the Feds! https://t.co/rJl9IVxdMM — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2020
Referring to the other video, which showed the smashed windows of the Portland State University campus’ public safety office, Trump wrote, “Taking advantage of fools. Law & Order! Portland, call in the Feds!”
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Defense Department Rep Amazed After 1 Shot with New Weapon Upgrade: ‘Be Expecting an Order from Us’

A new weapon sight soon could make its way to the U.S. armed forces , and a Department of Defense representative ’ s reaction to the technology means it could be a game-changer for troops .
The official was introduced to the sight during SHOT Show , a firearms convention in January that lured industry innovators , enthusiasts and government officials from around the world .
The convention , held in Las Vegas , reportedly is where the DOD representative first met with Matbock , the Virginia Beach company behind the design .
According to The Virginian-Pilot , Matbock founders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the convention when they met a program manager from the Department of Defense ’ s Unified Combatant Command .
The two founders , both former Navy SEALs , had a unique weapon sight that had been in development for years .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP The Acquire Read Deploy Sight , as the weapon upgrade is known , is designed to fit modern grenade launchers such as the MK19 or M320 .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ammunition , the sight will display the angle and distance the round will travel .
For the traditionally difficult-to-aim-precisely explosive rounds , the ARD Sight offers users a better alternative to analog leaf sights .
While at the range , the DOD representative was impressed with the gear ’ s performance , according to The Virginian-Pilot .
After entering information into the sight , the representative fired a single shot at a faraway target .
“ Sure enough , that round hit dead center of the tank target , ” Matson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper .
“ Basically , [ he ] immediately handed … back the gun and said , ‘ Yep .
Be expecting an order from us . '
” Take a look at the Acquire Read Deploy Sight , seen in a Matbock Facebook post , below .
Matbock has been awarded a whopping $ 757,180 contract by the Department of Defense for the sight , according to The Virginian-Pilot .
Weapons that fire 40 mm grenades , which it appears this sight will be fitted to , already give troops an edge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put punishing fire on a target and allow them to keep up the pressure even if the enemy is behind cover .
This is especially true of the MK19 , a belt-fed automatic grenade launcher .
Matson told The Virginian-Pilot that the sight ’ s performance also impressed law enforcement officials , who could use the upgrade on tear-gas launchers and other less-than-lethal systems .
Although the Acquire Read Deploy Sight has yet to see real field use , positive early impressions mean it could be a powerful upgrade for troops armed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A new weapon sight soon could make its way to the U.S. armed forces, and a Department of Defense representative’s reaction to the technology means it could be a game-changer for troops.
The official was introduced to the sight during SHOT Show, a firearms convention in January that lured industry innovators, enthusiasts and government officials from around the world.
The convention, held in Las Vegas, reportedly is where the DOD representative first met with Matbock, the Virginia Beach company behind the design.
According to The Virginian-Pilot, Matbock founders Sean Matson and Zach Steinbock were working at the convention when they met a program manager from the Department of Defense’s Unified Combatant Command.
The two founders, both former Navy SEALs, had a unique weapon sight that had been in development for years.
The Acquire Read Deploy Sight, as the weapon upgrade is known, is designed to fit modern grenade launchers such as the MK19 or M320.
When it is fed information about the weapons system and ammunition, the sight will display the angle and distance the round will travel. For the traditionally difficult-to-aim-precisely explosive rounds, the ARD Sight offers users a better alternative to analog leaf sights.
While at the range, the DOD representative was impressed with the gear’s performance, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
After entering information into the sight, the representative fired a single shot at a faraway target.
Will this be a game-changer for U.S. troops? 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: 98% (159 Votes) No: 2% (4 Votes)
“Sure enough, that round hit dead center of the tank target,” Matson, Matbock’s CEO, told the newspaper. “Basically, [he] immediately handed … back the gun and said, ‘Yep. Be expecting an order from us.'”
Take a look at the Acquire Read Deploy Sight, seen in a Matbock Facebook post, below.
Matbock has been awarded a whopping $757,180 contract by the Department of Defense for the sight, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
Weapons that fire 40 mm grenades, which it appears this sight will be fitted to, already give troops an edge in combat.
The explosives let soldiers put punishing fire on a target and allow them to keep up the pressure even if the enemy is behind cover. This is especially true of the MK19, a belt-fed automatic grenade launcher.
Matson told The Virginian-Pilot that the sight’s performance also impressed law enforcement officials, who could use the upgrade on tear-gas launchers and other less-than-lethal systems.
Although the Acquire Read Deploy Sight has yet to see real field use, positive early impressions mean it could be a powerful upgrade for troops armed with the device.
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Poll: Voters Believe Pence Is More Prepared Than Harris To Be President

A recent poll found that more voters believe Vice President Mike Pence is well prepared to serve as president in comparison to Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris .
The Washington Examiner/YouGov poll released Tuesday found that 56 percent of registered voters think Pence is well prepared to become president and 36 percent don ’ t believe he is , the Washington Examiner reported .
Registered voters are more split on Harris , a U.S. senator from California : 49 percent think she is well prepared and 44 percent think she is not .
When separated by political party , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Democrats think the sitting vice president is well prepared .
Democrats have the most confidence in Harris , with 86 percent responding that she is well prepared to be president .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP The debate over preparedness comes as voters have expressed concern over the ages of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Trump turned 75 in June , and Biden will turn 78 on Nov. 20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Examiner/YouGov poll found that 60 percent of registered voters are concerned about Biden ’ s age and 45 percent are concerned about Trump ’ s .
Even though more poll respondents think Pence is well prepared to lead the country , 51 percent think Harris would make a better president .
As of Thursday , Biden and Harris led Trump and Pence in the RealClearPolitics national polling average , 51.4 percent to 42.2 percent .
Pence became the face of Trump ’ s re-election campaign after the president announced earlier this month that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pence and Harris later participated in a vice presidential debate on Oct. 7 .
Rich Thau , president of the analytics group Engagious and moderator of the Swing Voter Project , spoke recently with 13 Michigan voters who cast ballots for Trump in 2016 but previously voted for Barack Obama for president .
Many people in the group indicated they were skeptical that Biden would complete a full term as president , which means Harris would take over .
RELATED : Georgia Dem Ossoff Receiving Twice as Much in Big-Money Donations from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many said they thought Harris did well against Pence on Oct. 7 , they described the emotions of “ fear , ” “ anger ” and “ indifference ” when watching her during the debate .
One 2016 Trump voter said she was outright “ scared ” with regard to the Democrat ’ s performance , which she said was strong enough that it could lead other voters to choose the Biden/Harris ticket on Nov. 3 .
The Washington Examiner/YouGov poll was conducted Oct. 11 among 1,195 registered voters , with a margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A recent poll found that more voters believe Vice President Mike Pence is well prepared to serve as president in comparison to Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
The Washington Examiner/YouGov poll released Tuesday found that 56 percent of registered voters think Pence is well prepared to become president and 36 percent don’t believe he is, the Washington Examiner reported.
Registered voters are more split on Harris, a U.S. senator from California: 49 percent think she is well prepared and 44 percent think she is not.
When separated by political party, 91 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of Democrats think the sitting vice president is well prepared.
Democrats have the most confidence in Harris, with 86 percent responding that she is well prepared to be president.
The debate over preparedness comes as voters have expressed concern over the ages of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Trump turned 75 in June, and Biden will turn 78 on Nov. 20, soon after the election.
The Washington Examiner/YouGov poll found that 60 percent of registered voters are concerned about Biden’s age and 45 percent are concerned about Trump’s.
Even though more poll respondents think Pence is well prepared to lead the country, 51 percent think Harris would make a better president.
Do you think Mike Pence would be a good president? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 97% (128 Votes) No: 3% (4 Votes)
As of Thursday, Biden and Harris led Trump and Pence in the RealClearPolitics national polling average, 51.4 percent to 42.2 percent.
Pence became the face of Trump’s re-election campaign after the president announced earlier this month that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Pence and Harris later participated in a vice presidential debate on Oct. 7.
Rich Thau, president of the analytics group Engagious and moderator of the Swing Voter Project, spoke recently with 13 Michigan voters who cast ballots for Trump in 2016 but previously voted for Barack Obama for president.
Many people in the group indicated they were skeptical that Biden would complete a full term as president, which means Harris would take over.
While many said they thought Harris did well against Pence on Oct. 7, they described the emotions of “fear,” “anger” and “indifference” when watching her during the debate.
One 2016 Trump voter said she was outright “scared” with regard to the Democrat’s performance, which she said was strong enough that it could lead other voters to choose the Biden/Harris ticket on Nov. 3.
The Washington Examiner/YouGov poll was conducted Oct. 11 among 1,195 registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.
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westernjournal--2020-10-17--Cal Thomas: People Voting for Dems Are Going To Get Brutal Tricks Instead of Sweet Treats

Halloween , like so much else , will be different this year from previous years , but it also offers an analogy that can be applied to the current presidential campaign .
The purpose of Halloween masks is to hide the identity of the person wearing them .
They are also supposed to be scary .
Inversely , as I see it , the purpose of the “ masks ” being worn by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is to soothe those who see and listen to them and hide the scary faces beneath .
Politico reported last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the far left ) have put together an agenda they hope to use to pull a President Biden in their direction .
These include members of the House of Representatives , known as “ the squad , ” and groups such as Black Lives Matter , whose co-founder described herself and fellow organizers as “ trained Marxists , ” as well as labor leaders and other far-left organizations .
They are calling it the “ People ’ s Charter ” and if that sounds a little like titles favored by communist dictators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Think of the People ’ s Republic of China and the Democratic People ’ s Republic of Korea as two of several examples .
TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP Some conservatives believe Biden is a tool of the left , and this charter adds evidence to that claim .
Biden has no fixed positions , having flipped on numerous issues he once claimed were his principles , such as federal funding of abortions , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He refuses to say until after the election whether he would favor packing the Supreme Court or whether he would advocate for adding Puerto Rico and Washington , D.C. , as the 51st and 52nd states , along with four likely Democratic senators , solidifying a permanent Democratic majority and rendering the two-party system dead .
It ’ s the familiar agenda we have heard for years , but with a lot more that should scare everyone .
It includes more free stuff — medical care , college tuition , forgiveness of student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for it all , which is impossible at this level of spending .
Democrats style it as Americans caring for each other , but it is really the imposition of government “ caring ” for us .
It would addict even more to government and thus to the politicians and activists who run it .
Freedom and liberty would be lost as taxes and spending increases and new regulations are imposed on guns and virtually everything else we are used to doing on our own without government intrusion .
Am I exaggerating ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s People ’ s Charter .
While you ’ re at it , also peruse the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force Recommendations , which reads like it could have come from the Soviet Union , where Sanders and his wife took their honeymoon .
When asked about charges that he is a socialist , Biden likes to respond , “ Do I look like a socialist ?
” As with many of his statements the remark is meaningless .
What does a socialist look like ?
Better to look at those who lust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
History is full of incidents of what is referred to as “ the power behind the throne.
” For English literature students like me , a revisit to William Shakespeare ’ s play “ Macbeth ” depicts the plotting of Lady Macbeth to gain power over her husband .
It is a scenario familiar to many countries and cultures .
RELATED : Tim Graham : There 's a Word for Presidential Candidates Like Biden - 'Coward' The “ progressives ” inside and outside the Democratic Party have revealed their real agenda .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people will trade their freedoms in exchange for government promising to take care of them .
In the end , though , such people will find they have been tricked when they thought they were being given treats .
This is how dictators often rise to power .
Read history .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Halloween, like so much else, will be different this year from previous years, but it also offers an analogy that can be applied to the current presidential campaign.
The purpose of Halloween masks is to hide the identity of the person wearing them. They are also supposed to be scary. Inversely, as I see it, the purpose of the “masks” being worn by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is to soothe those who see and listen to them and hide the scary faces beneath.
Politico reported last week that “progressives” (that is, the far left) have put together an agenda they hope to use to pull a President Biden in their direction.
These include members of the House of Representatives, known as “the squad,” and groups such as Black Lives Matter, whose co-founder described herself and fellow organizers as “trained Marxists,” as well as labor leaders and other far-left organizations.
They are calling it the “People’s Charter” and if that sounds a little like titles favored by communist dictators, you would not be far off. Think of the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as two of several examples.
Some conservatives believe Biden is a tool of the left, and this charter adds evidence to that claim.
Biden has no fixed positions, having flipped on numerous issues he once claimed were his principles, such as federal funding of abortions, which he opposed for decades but now favors.
He refuses to say until after the election whether he would favor packing the Supreme Court or whether he would advocate for adding Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., as the 51st and 52nd states, along with four likely Democratic senators, solidifying a permanent Democratic majority and rendering the two-party system dead.
It’s the familiar agenda we have heard for years, but with a lot more that should scare everyone. It includes more free stuff — medical care, college tuition, forgiveness of student debt. The evil rich will pay for it all, which is impossible at this level of spending.
Do you think a Biden presidency would bring America closer to socialism? 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% (102 Votes) No: 1% (1 Votes)
Democrats style it as Americans caring for each other, but it is really the imposition of government “caring” for us.
It would addict even more to government and thus to the politicians and activists who run it. Freedom and liberty would be lost as taxes and spending increases and new regulations are imposed on guns and virtually everything else we are used to doing on our own without government intrusion.
Am I exaggerating? Read for yourself the Working Families Party’s People’s Charter. While you’re at it, also peruse the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force Recommendations, which reads like it could have come from the Soviet Union, where Sanders and his wife took their honeymoon.
When asked about charges that he is a socialist, Biden likes to respond, “Do I look like a socialist?” As with many of his statements the remark is meaningless. What does a socialist look like? Better to look at those who lust for power behind a potential Biden presidency.
History is full of incidents of what is referred to as “the power behind the throne.” For English literature students like me, a revisit to William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” depicts the plotting of Lady Macbeth to gain power over her husband. It is a scenario familiar to many countries and cultures.
The “progressives” inside and outside the Democratic Party have revealed their real agenda. It is a seductive one because many people will trade their freedoms in exchange for government promising to take care of them.
In the end, though, such people will find they have been tricked when they thought they were being given treats. This is how dictators often rise to power. Read history.
© 2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
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.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-10-17--University of Minnesota Treats Whiteness Like Mental Illness, Offers 12-Step Program To Beat It

Please read this paragraph and tell me that it doesn ’ t read like a blurb from the LinkedIn profile of a minor-league cult leader : “ In 2015 , after years of struggling to navigate the role and presence of whiteness in her personal , academic , and professional journeys , Cristina developed the Model of Recovery from White Conditioning .
She is grateful for all the thought leaders , healers , mentors , and humans who have shared their authentic selves with her , nurturing and challenging a pursuit of lifelong learning , innovation , and growth.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however .
Instead , Cristina Combs received a masters in social work from the University of Minnesota back in 2008 and , since then , “ has worked as in-home family therapist , outpatient therapist , and clinical supervisor of a school-based mental health program.
” The blurbs above are part of her bio for her webinar series at the Center for Practice Transformation and the University of Minnesota ’ s School of Social Work and Continuing Education Series .
( You can ’ t even really acronym that one , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
The topic is “ Deconstructing & Decentralizing White-ness in Practice : A Three-Part Series , ” and Part I is called “ Recovery from White Conditioning : Building Anti-Racist Practice and Community.
” TRENDING : Checkmate : Twitter Will Have To Block a Government Website To Censor Hunter Biden Bombshell After Creative Move by GOP I ’ m sure what follows is was intended to be harmless as these things go , although the description of the event makes it sound like a nicer version of Synanon for extirpating racial guilt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White Conditioning , a derivative work based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous , is rooted in love and accountability , ” the University of Minnesota ’ s website says .
“ It involves white people , working in our community to transform violent legacies of whiteness into healthier , white , anti-racist community … and it requires us to have the courage to start with ourselves .
“ During this webinar , we will review the 12 steps of the Model of Recovery from White Conditioning , discuss implementation lessons learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice in various settings .
We look forward to you joining us as we call forward white people to recover and reclaim our full humanity.
” The university ’ s website says you can earn a continuing education credit for the the webinar .
So , was it worth it ?
One of The College Fix ’ s writers sat through it so I didn ’ t have to , and the verdict seems to be no .
Combs began the two-hour lecture by saying : “ I also want to hold that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model , we are , in fact , centering whiteness , but we are centering it differently : to expose it , study its patterns and to transform its violent legacy.
” The goal of the lecture , however , was to “ decenter whiteness.
” Centering to de-center — there ’ s something almost vaguely Hegelian there .
I don ’ t think that was brought up , however , even though Hegel is one of those old white men you ’ re kind of allowed to like these days .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was based on the 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous model , so of course there was a similar outline of how you could cure yourself from whiteness .
But first , Combs made sure you knew one of the core tenets of anti-racism : White supremacy isn ’ t what you think it is .
RELATED : Christian Walker : Dems Used To Be for the KKK and White Supremacy , Now It 's BLM and Black Supremacy You ’ ve probably heard a great deal about anti-racism of late , and explaining the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forever .
However , how it defines “ white supremacy ” is probably different than how you do .
Combs noted that while people thought of the Ku Klux Klan and other such groups as being symbols of white supremacy , that ’ s not quite what “ anti-racists ” mean when they say it .
It ’ s not about white people being white supremacists .
It ’ s about systems white people have constructed over the years … that engender white supremacy .
“ When BIPOC [ black , indigenous and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the term ‘ white supremacy ’ to talk about the systems that needed to change and the work that white people needed to do , my instinct was to recoil .
It felt like too hard or too raw of a word , and I didn ’ t like it .
And I ultimately realized that that is my ego , ” Combs said .
“ Stepping into that tension and accepting my connection to white supremacy has been a freedom of sorts to show up in better alignment with my values and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my life.
” That work brought forth these 12 steps : • “ We admitted that we had been socially conditioned by the ideology of white supremacy.
” • “ We came to believe that we could embrace our ignorance as an invitation to learn.
” • “ We developed support systems to keep us engaged in this work.
” • “ We journeyed boldly inward , exploring and acknowledging ways in which white supremacist teachings have been integrated into our minds and spirits.
” • “ We confessed our mistakes and failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We were entirely ready to deconstruct previous ways of knowing , as they had been developed through the lens of white supremacy.
” • “ We humbly explored new ways of understanding … proactively seeking out new learning and reconstructing a more inclusive sense of reality.
” • “ We committed ourselves to ongoing study of our racial biases , conscious or unconscious , and our maladaptive patterns of white supremacist thinking.
” • “ We embraced the responsibility of focusing on our impact , more than our intentions , in interactions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed ourselves to sharing this message with our white brothers , sisters , and siblings … in order to build a supportive recovery community and to encourage personal accountability within our culture.
” Some of the work white people had to do on each of the steps is , well , predictable .
On step seven , for instance , Combs recommended that people read black racial theorists like Audre Lorde , Chimamanda Adichie and Ta-Nehisi Coates .
( I ’ m sure her oversight of Ibram X. Kendi was just a mistake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said white people had to do some serious work to view people of color in a positive light .
She highlighted the strategy employed by one of her members , which was to say to herself , “ Hello my brother , hello my sister , hello my sibling ” whenever she saw a black person .
I think I ’ ve been able to maintain a positive image of black people without having to recite any mantra to myself — although I ’ m sure Combs would tell me I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a meme involving “ The Matrix , ” because of course there was .
Quoth the meme : “ What if I told you it ’ s OK to change your opinion based on new information.
” “ Step six is really about just acknowledging and sitting with that , ” she said .
It ’ s literally nothing like that , the same way that 12-step programs for whiteness aren ’ t — or shouldn ’ t be — a way to “ treat ” racism .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after racism , it ’ s targeting “ whiteness ” — and treating it as if it were a mental illness .
If there ’ s any way to turn people off to your message , it ’ s the message that their race is an original sin and needs to be dealt with as if it were an addiction .
As it stands , this doesn ’ t solve anything other than an exciting new role for Cristina Combs at the University of Minnesota .
We are committed to truth and accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our editorial standards .

Please read this paragraph and tell me that it doesn’t read like a blurb from the LinkedIn profile of a minor-league cult leader:
“In 2015, after years of struggling to navigate the role and presence of whiteness in her personal, academic, and professional journeys, Cristina developed the Model of Recovery from White Conditioning. She is grateful for all the thought leaders, healers, mentors, and humans who have shared their authentic selves with her, nurturing and challenging a pursuit of lifelong learning, innovation, and growth.”
She’s not a cult leader, however. Instead, Cristina Combs received a masters in social work from the University of Minnesota back in 2008 and, since then, “has worked as in-home family therapist, outpatient therapist, and clinical supervisor of a school-based mental health program.”
The blurbs above are part of her bio for her webinar series at the Center for Practice Transformation and the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work and Continuing Education Series. (You can’t even really acronym that one, as CPTUMSSWCES doesn’t really help much.)
The topic is “Deconstructing & Decentralizing White-ness in Practice: A Three-Part Series,” and Part I is called “Recovery from White Conditioning: Building Anti-Racist Practice and Community.”
I’m sure what follows is was intended to be harmless as these things go, although the description of the event makes it sound like a nicer version of Synanon for extirpating racial guilt.
“The Model of Recovery from White Conditioning, a derivative work based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, is rooted in love and accountability,” the University of Minnesota’s website says.
“It involves white people, working in our community to transform violent legacies of whiteness into healthier, white, anti-racist community … and it requires us to have the courage to start with ourselves.
“During this webinar, we will review the 12 steps of the Model of Recovery from White Conditioning, discuss implementation lessons learned to date, and explore implications for practice in various settings. We look forward to you joining us as we call forward white people to recover and reclaim our full humanity.”
Should taxpayers be forced to pay for this sort of thing? 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% (4 Votes) No: 99% (657 Votes)
The university’s website says you can earn a continuing education credit for the the webinar. So, was it worth it? One of The College Fix’s writers sat through it so I didn’t have to, and the verdict seems to be no.
Combs began the two-hour lecture by saying: “I also want to hold that alongside the tension that, in this model, we are, in fact, centering whiteness, but we are centering it differently: to expose it, study its patterns and to transform its violent legacy.”
The goal of the lecture, however, was to “decenter whiteness.” Centering to de-center — there’s something almost vaguely Hegelian there. I don’t think that was brought up, however, even though Hegel is one of those old white men you’re kind of allowed to like these days. (I think.)
Anyhow, this was based on the 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous model, so of course there was a similar outline of how you could cure yourself from whiteness.
But first, Combs made sure you knew one of the core tenets of anti-racism: White supremacy isn’t what you think it is.
You’ve probably heard a great deal about anti-racism of late, and explaining the whole suite of beliefs it encompasses would take forever.
However, how it defines “white supremacy” is probably different than how you do. Combs noted that while people thought of the Ku Klux Klan and other such groups as being symbols of white supremacy, that’s not quite what “anti-racists” mean when they say it.
It’s not about white people being white supremacists. It’s about systems white people have constructed over the years … that engender white supremacy.
“When BIPOC [black, indigenous and people of color] activists would use the term ‘white supremacy’ to talk about the systems that needed to change and the work that white people needed to do, my instinct was to recoil. It felt like too hard or too raw of a word, and I didn’t like it. And I ultimately realized that that is my ego,” Combs said.
“Stepping into that tension and accepting my connection to white supremacy has been a freedom of sorts to show up in better alignment with my values and do the work for the rest of my life.”
That work brought forth these 12 steps:
“We admitted that we had been socially conditioned by the ideology of white supremacy.” “We came to believe that we could embrace our ignorance as an invitation to learn.” “We developed support systems to keep us engaged in this work.” “We journeyed boldly inward, exploring and acknowledging ways in which white supremacist teachings have been integrated into our minds and spirits.” “We confessed our mistakes and failing to ourselves and others.” “We were entirely ready to deconstruct previous ways of knowing, as they had been developed through the lens of white supremacy.” “We humbly explored new ways of understanding … proactively seeking out new learning and reconstructing a more inclusive sense of reality.” “We committed ourselves to ongoing study of our racial biases, conscious or unconscious, and our maladaptive patterns of white supremacist thinking.” “We developed strategies to counteract our racial biases.” “We embraced the responsibility of focusing on our impact, more than our intentions, in interactions with people of color.” “We engaged in daily practices of self-reflection.” “We committed ourselves to sharing this message with our white brothers, sisters, and siblings … in order to build a supportive recovery community and to encourage personal accountability within our culture.”
Some of the work white people had to do on each of the steps is, well, predictable.
On step seven, for instance, Combs recommended that people read black racial theorists like Audre Lorde, Chimamanda Adichie and Ta-Nehisi Coates. (I’m sure her oversight of Ibram X. Kendi was just a mistake.)
On step nine, Combs said white people had to do some serious work to view people of color in a positive light. She highlighted the strategy employed by one of her members, which was to say to herself, “Hello my brother, hello my sister, hello my sibling” whenever she saw a black person. I think I’ve been able to maintain a positive image of black people without having to recite any mantra to myself — although I’m sure Combs would tell me I’m deluding herself.
And of course, there was a meme involving “The Matrix,” because of course there was. Quoth the meme: “What if I told you it’s OK to change your opinion based on new information.”
“Step six is really about just acknowledging and sitting with that,” she said.
It’s literally nothing like that, the same way that 12-step programs for whiteness aren’t — or shouldn’t be — a way to “treat” racism.
That’s because it’s not even going after racism, it’s targeting “whiteness” — and treating it as if it were a mental illness.
If there’s any way to turn people off to your message, it’s the message that their race is an original sin and needs to be dealt with as if it were an addiction.
As it stands, this doesn’t solve anything other than an exciting new role for Cristina Combs at the University of Minnesota.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.