freebeacon--2020-08-12--ANALYSIS: Why China and the U.S. Aren’t So Different When It Comes to Freedom of The Press

Taylor Lorenz , the New York Times ‘ s resident expert on teen culture , recently highlighted an `` excellent piece '' by former Times editorial board member Sarah Jeong .
The piece , published in The Verge , criticized the Trump administration 's efforts to ban TikTok , the Chinese-owned social media app popular with sexy teens who like to dance .
Jeong , Lorenz , and other TikTok apologists appear to have settled on a familiar argument in response to concerns that the data-harvesting app 's relationship with the Chinese government is problematic .
In essence : Data-harvesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook also harvest data ; the Chinese government is bad , but the U.S. government is also bad .
Therefore , banning TikTok would be unfair and hypocritical—and probably racist as well .
When it comes down to it , the thorniest privacy dispute of 2020 isn ’ t about privacy or technology at all — it ’ s about China .
The question `` Is Facebook better , worse , or the same as TikTok ? ''
is more or less the same as `` Is the United States better , worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' And in 2020 , this is becoming a genuinely difficult question to answer .
China is detaining over a million Uighurs in internment camps , citing national security issues .
The United States detains migrants in its own internment camps , even going as far as to place children in cages .
China is not a democracy ; the American president has proposed to unconstitutionally delay this year ’ s election .
China brutally represses its political dissidents ; in America , law enforcement in military camouflage have grabbed protesters off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She 's got a point .
The Chinese campaign of ethnic cleansing against its Muslim citizens bears a striking similarity to the Obama-era policy of detaining undocumented immigrants and their children in cages .
The Chinese government 's brutal repression of political dissidents might be distressing , but so is the fact that people posted mean things about Sarah Jeong after she criticized the U.S. government .
Freedom of the press is an area where the differences between China 's government and ours are practically nonexistent upon close examination .
For example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-democracy journalism tycoon Jimmy Lai on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces , while hundreds of agents raided the Hong Kong offices of his Apple Daily newspaper .
Senior executives at the paper were also arrested , as were two of Lai 's sons , as was a freelance reporter for the U.K.-based network ITN .
Agnes Chow , a 23-year-old pro-democracy activist , was arrested and charged with `` inciting secession . ''
In the United States … CNN reporter Jim Acosta suffered the attempted theft of a microphone he was using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press conference at the White House .
When the Trump administration revoked Acosta 's press credentials after the incident , CNN sued in federal court to get his credentials restored , but dropped the suit after the White House backed down .
Acosta went on to publish The Enemy of the People : A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America , a bestselling memoir about being a journalist in the Trump era .
It really is quite eerie to see the situations in the two countries laid out next to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to police the media any more sinister than Trump 's ?
As Jeong correctly argues , that 's a genuinely difficult question to answer .
Failed novelist Ben Rhodes made yet another excellent point on Twitter , the social media app that is like TikTok for people who do n't have any hobbies or friends .
He argued that so-called `` democratic '' countries such as the United States and Israel are practically indistinguishable from authoritarian regimes in Russia , Turkey , Hungary , and Zimbabwe , among others .
It really makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Taylor Lorenz, the New York Times's resident expert on teen culture, recently highlighted an "excellent piece" by former Times editorial board member Sarah Jeong. The piece, published in The Verge, criticized the Trump administration's efforts to ban TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media app popular with sexy teens who like to dance.
Jeong, Lorenz, and other TikTok apologists appear to have settled on a familiar argument in response to concerns that the data-harvesting app's relationship with the Chinese government is problematic. In essence: Data-harvesting is bad, but U.S. companies like Facebook also harvest data; the Chinese government is bad, but the U.S. government is also bad. Therefore, banning TikTok would be unfair and hypocritical—and probably racist as well.
Jeong explains:
When it comes down to it, the thorniest privacy dispute of 2020 isn’t about privacy or technology at all — it’s about China. The question "Is Facebook better, worse, or the same as TikTok?" is more or less the same as "Is the United States better, worse, or the same as China?" And in 2020, this is becoming a genuinely difficult question to answer. China is detaining over a million Uighurs in internment camps, citing national security issues. The United States detains migrants in its own internment camps, even going as far as to place children in cages. China is not a democracy; the American president has proposed to unconstitutionally delay this year’s election. China brutally represses its political dissidents; in America, law enforcement in military camouflage have grabbed protesters off the streets and shoved them into unmarked vans.
She's got a point. The Chinese campaign of ethnic cleansing against its Muslim citizens bears a striking similarity to the Obama-era policy of detaining undocumented immigrants and their children in cages. The Chinese government's brutal repression of political dissidents might be distressing, but so is the fact that people posted mean things about Sarah Jeong after she criticized the U.S. government.
Freedom of the press is an area where the differences between China's government and ours are practically nonexistent upon close examination. For example:
In China ... authorities recently arrested pro-democracy journalism tycoon Jimmy Lai on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces, while hundreds of agents raided the Hong Kong offices of his Apple Daily newspaper. Senior executives at the paper were also arrested, as were two of Lai's sons, as was a freelance reporter for the U.K.-based network ITN. Agnes Chow, a 23-year-old pro-democracy activist, was arrested and charged with "inciting secession."
In the United States ... CNN reporter Jim Acosta suffered the attempted theft of a microphone he was using to ask President Trump a question during a press conference at the White House. When the Trump administration revoked Acosta's press credentials after the incident, CNN sued in federal court to get his credentials restored, but dropped the suit after the White House backed down. Acosta went on to publish The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America, a bestselling memoir about being a journalist in the Trump era.
It really is quite eerie to see the situations in the two countries laid out next to one another. Are China's efforts to police the media any more sinister than Trump's? As Jeong correctly argues, that's a genuinely difficult question to answer.
Failed novelist Ben Rhodes made yet another excellent point on Twitter, the social media app that is like TikTok for people who don't have any hobbies or friends. He argued that so-called "democratic" countries such as the United States and Israel are practically indistinguishable from authoritarian regimes in Russia, Turkey, Hungary, and Zimbabwe, among others.
It really makes you think, doesn't it?


freebeacon--2020-08-12--Federally Funded Nuclear Weapons Lab Made White Male Employees Participate in Racial Reeducation Tra

Federally Funded Nuclear Weapons Lab Made White Male Employees Participate in Racial Reeducation Training

Sandia National Laboratories , a government-contracted nuclear weapons laboratory , required its white male employees to participate in a racial reeducation seminar , leaked documents reveal .
At the three-day training session , called , `` White Men ’ s Caucus on Eliminating Racism , Sexism , and Homophobia in Organizations , '' participants were encouraged to examine their privilege as white , heterosexual men .
Christopher Rufo , a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation and contributing editor at City Journal , leaked documents from the seminar , which took place in September 2019 , in a tweet on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of words associated with white male culture , and created a list which included `` KKK , '' `` privileged , '' and `` MAGA hat . ''
An example of systemic privilege , according to one document , is having role models in the public eye that `` outweigh '' the `` Ted Kaczynskis of white maleness . ''
`` I routinely witness and benefit from the many positive white male role models displayed in the media , politics , and entertainment that far outweigh the Tim McVeighs and Ted Kaczynskis of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One document said , `` rugged individualism , '' a `` can-do attitude , '' and `` operating from principles and conscience '' are vestigial attitudes that once helped white men survive .
Another listed statements of privilege , which included assertions like , `` White privilege is being the first in line : first to be served ; first to be noticed ; first to be listened to , etcetera '' and `` Men can ogle women and get a pass from their colleagues . ''
Participants wrote apology messages to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other groups as a reflection at the end of the seminar .
The United States Department of Energy contracts Sandia National Laboratories to design non-nuclear components of nuclear weaponry .
The federally funded laboratory is one of three National Nuclear Security Administration laboratories .

Sandia National Laboratories, a government-contracted nuclear weapons laboratory, required its white male employees to participate in a racial reeducation seminar, leaked documents reveal.
At the three-day training session, called, "White Men’s Caucus on Eliminating Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia in Organizations," participants were encouraged to examine their privilege as white, heterosexual men. Christopher Rufo, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation and contributing editor at City Journal, leaked documents from the seminar, which took place in September 2019, in a tweet on Wednesday.
Trainers asked participants to think of words associated with white male culture, and created a list which included "KKK," "privileged," and "MAGA hat." An example of systemic privilege, according to one document, is having role models in the public eye that "outweigh" the "Ted Kaczynskis of white maleness."
"I routinely witness and benefit from the many positive white male role models displayed in the media, politics, and entertainment that far outweigh the Tim McVeighs and Ted Kaczynskis of white maleness," the document reads.
One document said, "rugged individualism," a "can-do attitude," and "operating from principles and conscience" are vestigial attitudes that once helped white men survive. Another listed statements of privilege, which included assertions like, "White privilege is being the first in line: first to be served; first to be noticed; first to be listened to, etcetera" and "Men can ogle women and get a pass from their colleagues."
Participants wrote apology messages to white women, people of color, and other groups as a reflection at the end of the seminar.
The United States Department of Energy contracts Sandia National Laboratories to design non-nuclear components of nuclear weaponry. The federally funded laboratory is one of three National Nuclear Security Administration laboratories.


freebeacon--2020-08-12--Dem Rep Left Private Plane and Million-Dollar Lake House Off Financial Disclosures

Rep. Matt Cartwright ( D. , Pa. ) , who has cast himself as a `` fighter '' for working people , failed to disclose his ownership of a private plane and million-dollar lake house in financial disclosures required by Congress .
Cartwright , who represents Pennsylvania 's toss-up Eighth Congressional District , has for years omitted from his financial disclosures a limited liability company that owns his $ 180,000 private plane as well as a trust that holds a Lake George , N.Y. , lake home valued at $ 1.35 million .
Neither the LLC , Archer Partners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Residence Trust , have appeared on any of the annual disclosures Cartwright has filed since his election in 2012 .
Members of Congress , political candidates , and high-level government employees are required to file annual financial disclosures to make public information that includes sources of income and assets .
Rules mandate they divulge `` information concerning each asset held in a trust '' in which the politician , spouse , or a dependent child has a beneficial interest .
Contacted by the Washington Free Beacon , a spokesman for Cartwright said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclosure , which now shows assets valued between $ 100,000 and $ 250,000 in Archer Partners LLC and between $ 250,000 and $ 500,000 in the Hague Personal Residence Trust , of which Cartwright is a part-owner .
The congressman also amended disclosures from prior years to include the LLC and trust .
`` Every year , the Congressman files his financial disclosures , along with any necessary and appropriate amendments to submit additional detail to prior disclosures , '' Cartwright spokesman Matthew Slavoski said in an email .
The updated financial disclosures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Munley are now worth between $ 4.3 and $ 15 million .
Cartwright purchased the four-seat private plane , valued at around $ 180,000 , and registered it to Archer Partners in 2017 .
State records show Archer Partners is registered at the congressman 's home address in Pennsylvania .
Flight logs indicate that the plane has been flown to the Lake George , N.Y. , area at least twice this year between April 20 and July 20 , a period much of the country has spent isolating at home due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active members in the lakefront community .
They were members of the Northern Lake George Yacht Club , where an individual must be sponsored by a current member and pay a `` capital assessment '' of $ 950 to join .
Annual memberships for families run up to $ 785 .
Cartwright 's wife has served on the board of the Lake George Land Conservancy .
Cartwright is facing Republican Jim Bognet , a former Trump administration official , in the upcoming Nov. 3 election .
Cartwright 's reelection campaign has raised more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who won the Republican primary in early June , has pulled in nearly $ 600,000 .
The race is considered a `` toss up '' by RealClearPolitics .

Rep. Matt Cartwright (D., Pa.), who has cast himself as a "fighter" for working people, failed to disclose his ownership of a private plane and million-dollar lake house in financial disclosures required by Congress.
Cartwright, who represents Pennsylvania's toss-up Eighth Congressional District, has for years omitted from his financial disclosures a limited liability company that owns his $180,000 private plane as well as a trust that holds a Lake George, N.Y., lake home valued at $1.35 million.
Neither the LLC, Archer Partners, nor the trust, the Hague Personal Residence Trust, have appeared on any of the annual disclosures Cartwright has filed since his election in 2012.
Members of Congress, political candidates, and high-level government employees are required to file annual financial disclosures to make public information that includes sources of income and assets. Rules mandate they divulge "information concerning each asset held in a trust" in which the politician, spouse, or a dependent child has a beneficial interest.
Contacted by the Washington Free Beacon, a spokesman for Cartwright said the congressman would be filing his new annual disclosure, which now shows assets valued between $100,000 and $250,000 in Archer Partners LLC and between $250,000 and $500,000 in the Hague Personal Residence Trust, of which Cartwright is a part-owner. The congressman also amended disclosures from prior years to include the LLC and trust.
"Every year, the Congressman files his financial disclosures, along with any necessary and appropriate amendments to submit additional detail to prior disclosures," Cartwright spokesman Matthew Slavoski said in an email.
The updated financial disclosures show that Cartwright and his wife Marion Munley are now worth between $4.3 and $15 million. Cartwright purchased the four-seat private plane, valued at around $180,000, and registered it to Archer Partners in 2017. State records show Archer Partners is registered at the congressman's home address in Pennsylvania.
Flight logs indicate that the plane has been flown to the Lake George, N.Y., area at least twice this year between April 20 and July 20, a period much of the country has spent isolating at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Cartwrights have been active members in the lakefront community. They were members of the Northern Lake George Yacht Club, where an individual must be sponsored by a current member and pay a "capital assessment" of $950 to join. Annual memberships for families run up to $785. Cartwright's wife has served on the board of the Lake George Land Conservancy.
Cartwright is facing Republican Jim Bognet, a former Trump administration official, in the upcoming Nov. 3 election. Cartwright's reelection campaign has raised more than $2.5 million while Bognet, who won the Republican primary in early June, has pulled in nearly $600,000. The race is considered a "toss up" by RealClearPolitics.


freebeacon--2020-08-12--N.Y. Cops Were on Top of a Crime Wave—Then the Protests Came

NYPD arrest rates cratered amid the protests following the death of George Floyd , official city data show , suggesting that the timing and tone of mass anti-police demonstrations may have contributed to New York City 's violent crime spike .
The city , like many across America , is struggling with a wave of shootings and homicides that has reached historic highs .
But for many weeks , the NYPD kept pace , amping up arrests in response to the rising violence .
In June , however , ratios of arrests to criminal complaints fell sharply , coinciding with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City officials have blamed the decline on the continuing rise in gun violence since then , while the NYPD complains of an underfunded department stretched further by the need to respond to protests and looting—and some police officers grumble about their treatment .
All that suggests that protests against the police may be indirectly contributing to a summer of violence unlike any over the past decade .
That linkage , which mirrors the trend in at least Minneapolis , suggests that the twin phenomena of nationwide demonstrations and an unexpected spike in homicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysts have suggested .
New York , for years lauded as one of America 's safest cities , is witnessing the same spike in violence that many other American metropolises have faced this year .
Data from the NYPD show that crime fell to historic lows in the days after the city was locked down for the coronavirus pandemic and New Yorkers sheltered in place .
But while property crimes have remained low—with the exception of a spike in looting during the protests—murders and particularly gun assaults quickly rebounded , reaching historically high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homicides and 156 more shooting incidents than July 2019 , a 59 percent and 177 percent increase , respectively .
The increase in homicide was actually less pronounced than the rise in shooting incidents .
By the first week of August , New York City had seen more shootings than over the entirety of 2019 .
Official data indicate that shootings were low in the first four months of the year , but began rising steadily in late April , continuing an upwards spike through the Floyd protests .
As with the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the NYPD withdrew slightly following the coronavirus lockdown , with ratios of arrests to complaints—a measure of police response to crime—falling in early April .
But as crime rose , those figures rebounded , with arrest ratios for felony assault , murder , and robbery all reaching historic highs .
Then , the protests came .
In the first full week following George Floyd 's death , data show , arrest ratios plummeted .
That trend persisted through the end of June , although the mayor 's office claims that they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other words , paint a picture of a rising crime spike to which the NYPD was adequately responding , until anti-police protests broke out across the city .
New York mayor Bill de Blasio ( D. ) , whose office did not respond to a request for comment for this article , has called the rising crime wave a `` perfect storm '' of events , but a report from his office obtained by the New York Times specifically blames the continued increase in violence on falling gun arrests .
The drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NYPD with an intentional `` slowdown , '' responding to anti-police sentiment in the city by stepping back amid a crisis of violence .
The department , which did not respond to a request for comment , has itself cited `` the strain of deep budget cuts , '' a wave of retirements , and the drag on department resources required to oversee massive protests in the midst of a pandemic .
That position is in large part a product of aggressive cuts to the NYPD made by de Blasio , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests .
In mid-June , Police Commissioner Dermot Shea was forced to disband a 600-man plainclothes unit tasked with combating violent crime ; later that month , de Blasio announced plans to cut $ 1 billion from the NYPD 's $ 5.5 billion budget—a move that has attracted criticism both from the police union and from black leaders in New York .
While the NYPD denies that police officers are deliberately slowing down , some beat cops see it differently .
One Brooklyn police supervisor told the New York Daily News that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as going the extra yard , that ’ s not happening .
Guys are not getting out of their cars .
They ’ re not going up to guys on corners . ''
`` If one feels a lot of restrictions and if they are going to be penalized for violating those restrictions , they are less likely to do anything and I think that is part of what is going on , '' Eli Silverman , a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice , told New York 1 .
Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morale , the slackening of NYPD activity is likely having an effect on crime in the Big Apple .
The trend mirrors that on display in Minneapolis , where crime spiked following the start of protests , leading to a drop in police activity that , in turn , may have driven crime still higher .

NYPD arrest rates cratered amid the protests following the death of George Floyd, official city data show, suggesting that the timing and tone of mass anti-police demonstrations may have contributed to New York City's violent crime spike.
The city, like many across America, is struggling with a wave of shootings and homicides that has reached historic highs. But for many weeks, the NYPD kept pace, amping up arrests in response to the rising violence.
In June, however, ratios of arrests to criminal complaints fell sharply, coinciding with the start of the Floyd protests. City officials have blamed the decline on the continuing rise in gun violence since then, while the NYPD complains of an underfunded department stretched further by the need to respond to protests and looting—and some police officers grumble about their treatment.
All that suggests that protests against the police may be indirectly contributing to a summer of violence unlike any over the past decade. That linkage, which mirrors the trend in at least Minneapolis, suggests that the twin phenomena of nationwide demonstrations and an unexpected spike in homicide may not be as unrelated as some analysts have suggested.
New York, for years lauded as one of America's safest cities, is witnessing the same spike in violence that many other American metropolises have faced this year. Data from the NYPD show that crime fell to historic lows in the days after the city was locked down for the coronavirus pandemic and New Yorkers sheltered in place.
But while property crimes have remained low—with the exception of a spike in looting during the protests—murders and particularly gun assaults quickly rebounded, reaching historically high levels. July 2020 saw 20 more homicides and 156 more shooting incidents than July 2019, a 59 percent and 177 percent increase, respectively.
The increase in homicide was actually less pronounced than the rise in shooting incidents. By the first week of August, New York City had seen more shootings than over the entirety of 2019. Official data indicate that shootings were low in the first four months of the year, but began rising steadily in late April, continuing an upwards spike through the Floyd protests.
As with the rest of the city, official data indicate that the NYPD withdrew slightly following the coronavirus lockdown, with ratios of arrests to complaints—a measure of police response to crime—falling in early April. But as crime rose, those figures rebounded, with arrest ratios for felony assault, murder, and robbery all reaching historic highs.
Then, the protests came. In the first full week following George Floyd's death, data show, arrest ratios plummeted. That trend persisted through the end of June, although the mayor's office claims that they have since rebounded.
The data, in other words, paint a picture of a rising crime spike to which the NYPD was adequately responding, until anti-police protests broke out across the city. New York mayor Bill de Blasio (D.), whose office did not respond to a request for comment for this article, has called the rising crime wave a "perfect storm" of events, but a report from his office obtained by the New York Times specifically blames the continued increase in violence on falling gun arrests.
The drop in arrests has caused some critics to charge the NYPD with an intentional "slowdown," responding to anti-police sentiment in the city by stepping back amid a crisis of violence. The department, which did not respond to a request for comment, has itself cited "the strain of deep budget cuts," a wave of retirements, and the drag on department resources required to oversee massive protests in the midst of a pandemic.
That position is in large part a product of aggressive cuts to the NYPD made by de Blasio, who has publicly aligned himself with the anti-police protests. In mid-June, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea was forced to disband a 600-man plainclothes unit tasked with combating violent crime; later that month, de Blasio announced plans to cut $1 billion from the NYPD's $5.5 billion budget—a move that has attracted criticism both from the police union and from black leaders in New York.
While the NYPD denies that police officers are deliberately slowing down, some beat cops see it differently. One Brooklyn police supervisor told the New York Daily News that his officers are demoralized: "As far as going the extra yard, that’s not happening. Guys are not getting out of their cars. They’re not going up to guys on corners."
"If one feels a lot of restrictions and if they are going to be penalized for violating those restrictions, they are less likely to do anything and I think that is part of what is going on," Eli Silverman, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told New York 1.
Whether due to tightly stretched resources or lowered morale, the slackening of NYPD activity is likely having an effect on crime in the Big Apple. The trend mirrors that on display in Minneapolis, where crime spiked following the start of protests, leading to a drop in police activity that, in turn, may have driven crime still higher.


freebeacon--2020-08-12--Dems, Media Holler Racism and Sexism Against Kamala Harris

Democrats and media figures warned before and after Joe Biden selected Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) as @ @ @ @ @ would be subjected to racist and sexist attacks .
David Rutz is senior writer at @ @ @ @ @ He was previously a sports reporter for two years in Atlanta and has done freelance @ @ @ @ @ Post .
He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2010 and lives in Marietta , Ga. @ @ @ @ @ DavidRutz .
He can be reached at rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Democrats and media figures warned before and after Joe Biden selected Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) as his running mate that she would be subjected to racist and sexist attacks.


HISTORIC!!!

The Washington Free Beacon analytics bureau , with the help of a proprietary algorithm purchased on the dark web , programmed a bot to read every single media report on Kamala Harris 's selection as Joe Biden 's running mate .
Then we asked it to write a Kamala Harris announcement story based on its analysis .
This was the result : Historic man Joseph R. Biden Jr. hired Sen. Kamala D. Harris ( D. , Calif. ) , a loud-speaking opponent of bad racism and the first ever Black woman who is also Asian American .
Finally .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fulfill his campaign pledge .
Racial justice fueled the Black choice , making history .
Harris is not an elderly man , she is vigorous and non-white .
Naturally gifted in the art of raw political electricity , she identifies as inspiring .
Moderate pragmatism defines her , a safe choice because of her successful career as a prosecutor , skilled in the art of combat .
Opponents of racism celebrated .
The choice was n't easy because Harris , 55 , assaulted Biden during the Democratic primary , alleging old bus racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his sex accuser who is also a woman .
The wounded man struggled to pronounce words in response , and suffered in the polls .
Biden 's forgiveness suggests a noble character who wants to be president , having tried and failed several times since 1988 .
Harris , for her part , has also demonstrated historic flexibility in politics , supporting left-wing policies at times before modifying her position .
This is a positive quality in a running mate .
Biden may have come to admire the panache of his debate assaulter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite not winning any votes .
Above all , his choice among the historically diverse field of candidates was a historic one .
Black voters supported Biden , a white man who appeared alongside historic Black president Barack H. Obama in a previous administration .
Many of them live in South Carolina , the turning point of Biden 's campaign failure .
Harris is also Black , historically , and strengthens the appeal as a rising star who inspires confidence in multiracial America , as well as the historic importance of Black women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Harris was born in California , a melting pot of politics and diversity .
The daughter of immigrant academics , Indian as well as Jamaican , she attended the historical Black university in Washington , D.C. , and developed a passion for criminal justice before becoming the second Black woman ever elected to the Senate .
Republicans plan to unleash attacks on Harris unfairly for `` extreme '' views .
President Donald J. Trump mispronounced her name , and used the word `` nasty , '' which is often associated with harsh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a woman of the Republican Party , was a political liability .
She is a bad example .

I forced a bot to read every Kamala Harris announcement story and write an announcement of its own
The Washington Free Beacon analytics bureau, with the help of a proprietary algorithm purchased on the dark web, programmed a bot to read every single media report on Kamala Harris's selection as Joe Biden's running mate. Then we asked it to write a Kamala Harris announcement story based on its analysis. This was the result:
Biden Taps Historic Black Woman
By A. Journalist
Historic man Joseph R. Biden Jr. hired Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D., Calif.), a loud-speaking opponent of bad racism and the first ever Black woman who is also Asian American. Finally.
Biden, 77, chose the woman to fulfill his campaign pledge. Racial justice fueled the Black choice, making history. Harris is not an elderly man, she is vigorous and non-white. Naturally gifted in the art of raw political electricity, she identifies as inspiring. Moderate pragmatism defines her, a safe choice because of her successful career as a prosecutor, skilled in the art of combat. Opponents of racism celebrated.
The choice wasn't easy because Harris, 55, assaulted Biden during the Democratic primary, alleging old bus racism on the debate stage, and believing his sex accuser who is also a woman. The wounded man struggled to pronounce words in response, and suffered in the polls. Biden's forgiveness suggests a noble character who wants to be president, having tried and failed several times since 1988.
Harris, for her part, has also demonstrated historic flexibility in politics, supporting left-wing policies at times before modifying her position. This is a positive quality in a running mate. Biden may have come to admire the panache of his debate assaulter, who was very exciting to voters despite not winning any votes. Above all, his choice among the historically diverse field of candidates was a historic one.
Black voters supported Biden, a white man who appeared alongside historic Black president Barack H. Obama in a previous administration. Many of them live in South Carolina, the turning point of Biden's campaign failure. Harris is also Black, historically, and strengthens the appeal as a rising star who inspires confidence in multiracial America, as well as the historic importance of Black women. The result is an emphatic one.
Harris was born in California, a melting pot of politics and diversity. The daughter of immigrant academics, Indian as well as Jamaican, she attended the historical Black university in Washington, D.C., and developed a passion for criminal justice before becoming the second Black woman ever elected to the Senate.
Republicans plan to unleash attacks on Harris unfairly for "extreme" views. President Donald J. Trump mispronounced her name, and used the word "nasty," which is often associated with harsh, derogatory sexism. Sarah Palin, a woman of the Republican Party, was a political liability. She is a bad example and therefore not historic.


freebeacon--2020-08-12--Fordham Requires Escort for Student Who Posed With Gun

A Fordham University student who was kicked off campus for posing with a legally owned firearm wo n't be allowed back without an escort .
Austin Tong , a rising senior who posted a picture of himself on Instagram holding an AR-15 rifle with the caption , `` Do n't tread on me , '' in commemoration of the Tiananmen Square massacre , said that a `` KGB overseer '' would have to escort him to and from classes if he wants to return to campus in the fall .
`` Fordham graciously offered me a realistic historical simulation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Tong told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` This just exposes the sensitivity of Fordham and colleges on safe speech , resorting to extreme means to make sure students stay in line . ''
Tong filed a lawsuit against Fordham on July 23 alleging that the university violated its own free speech policies when it disciplined him for posing in `` non-threatening social media posts on Instagram . ''
The suit demands that the school lift the sanctions , which require him to leave campus indefinitely , apologize for the picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fordham argued that the photograph ran afoul of its commitment to combating bias and hate crimes .
Tong , a Chinese immigrant , said he will not apologize for the photo because it does not pose a threat to his peers .
In response to the lawsuit , Fordham withdrew its restraining order against Tong pending the court 's ruling .
It also said that it would not require an apology note or implicit bias training before Tong 's return to campus but claimed that it was reasonable to require him to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and from his on-campus destination .
In addition , Tong must seek permission 48 hours in advance of his arrival .
Fordham did not respond to requests for comment .
Tong told the Free Beacon that he will not return to campus despite the withdrawal of the restraining order .
`` I 'm probably not going back to campus , '' Tong said .
`` I do n't think [ the school or my peers ] want to see me either .
Frankly , it 's not safe . ''

A Fordham University student who was kicked off campus for posing with a legally owned firearm won't be allowed back without an escort.
Austin Tong, a rising senior who posted a picture of himself on Instagram holding an AR-15 rifle with the caption, "Don't tread on me," in commemoration of the Tiananmen Square massacre, said that a "KGB overseer" would have to escort him to and from classes if he wants to return to campus in the fall.
"Fordham graciously offered me a realistic historical simulation of being overseen by the Soviet secret police," Tong told the Washington Free Beacon. "This just exposes the sensitivity of Fordham and colleges on safe speech, resorting to extreme means to make sure students stay in line."
Tong filed a lawsuit against Fordham on July 23 alleging that the university violated its own free speech policies when it disciplined him for posing in "non-threatening social media posts on Instagram." The suit demands that the school lift the sanctions, which require him to leave campus indefinitely, apologize for the picture, and undergo implicit bias training.
Fordham argued that the photograph ran afoul of its commitment to combating bias and hate crimes. Tong, a Chinese immigrant, said he will not apologize for the photo because it does not pose a threat to his peers.
In response to the lawsuit, Fordham withdrew its restraining order against Tong pending the court's ruling. It also said that it would not require an apology note or implicit bias training before Tong's return to campus but claimed that it was reasonable to require him to be escorted by a public safety officer to and from his on-campus destination. In addition, Tong must seek permission 48 hours in advance of his arrival.
Fordham did not respond to requests for comment.
Tong told the Free Beacon that he will not return to campus despite the withdrawal of the restraining order. "I'm probably not going back to campus," Tong said. "I don't think [the school or my peers] want to see me either. Frankly, it's not safe."


freebeacon--2020-08-12--Taiwanese President Touts U.S. Partnership, Slams China on Human Rights

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen extolled the progress of the Taiwanese-American relationship and sharply criticized China 's treatment of Hong Kong in a speech Wednesday , at a video event cohosted by the Center for American Progress and the Hudson Institute .
`` The relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. has never been closer , '' she said .
`` Taiwan is on the frontlines of freedom and democracy . ''
Tsai announced her focus on increasing military cooperation , multilateral engagement with `` a community of like-minded democracies , '' and working through a new free trade agreement with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Human Services secretary Alex Azar visited Taiwan in what one panelist called a `` gesture of goodwill '' between the two countries .
Azar engaged in constructive dialogue , particularly around Taiwan ’ s successful management of the coronavirus pandemic .
Beyond diplomatic overtures , the United States and Taiwan have worked together on securing the sale of high-tech drones to increase Taiwan ’ s asymmetric defense capabilities , as well as missile defense systems to deter an invasion from Taiwan 's increasingly aggressive cross-strait rival .
`` Beijing must recognize that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided by our own people , '' Tsai warned in her speech .
With Washington ’ s help , Taiwan ’ s defense systems are `` cost effective but lethal enough to become deterrents , to make the consideration of invasion very painful , '' Bi-khim Hsiao , Taiwan 's representative to the United States , said in a panel following the speech .
Aside from discussing Taiwan 's partnership with the United States , Tsai also gave renewed attention to China ’ s hostile takeover of Hong Kong .
`` When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in responding to one of the most significant crises in recent history , we ’ re seeing a growing effort to pose ever more challenging threats to free and democratic societies , '' she said .
`` Nowhere is this more apparent than in Hong Kong . ''
Tsai called upon the United States , Taiwan , and other allies to `` take a forceful stand in the defense of global democracy . ''
To this end , Bi-khim made note of fresh efforts to draw Taiwan closer to Japan and India as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature—was regarded by Taiwan 's diplomatic office as a milestone in the Taiwanese-American relationship .
`` This marks the very first time for these two influential U.S. think tanks to cohost a high-level event on Taiwan , which demonstrates the solid support from the U.S. think tank community on advancing robust Taiwan-U.S. relations , '' a statement from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office reads .

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen extolled the progress of the Taiwanese-American relationship and sharply criticized China's treatment of Hong Kong in a speech Wednesday, at a video event cohosted by the Center for American Progress and the Hudson Institute.
"The relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. has never been closer," she said. "Taiwan is on the frontlines of freedom and democracy."
Tsai announced her focus on increasing military cooperation, multilateral engagement with "a community of like-minded democracies," and working through a new free trade agreement with the United States.
This week, Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar visited Taiwan in what one panelist called a "gesture of goodwill" between the two countries. Azar engaged in constructive dialogue, particularly around Taiwan’s successful management of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beyond diplomatic overtures, the United States and Taiwan have worked together on securing the sale of high-tech drones to increase Taiwan’s asymmetric defense capabilities, as well as missile defense systems to deter an invasion from Taiwan's increasingly aggressive cross-strait rival.
"Beijing must recognize that Taiwan is a democracy whose future is decided by our own people," Tsai warned in her speech.
With Washington’s help, Taiwan’s defense systems are "cost effective but lethal enough to become deterrents, to make the consideration of invasion very painful," Bi-khim Hsiao, Taiwan's representative to the United States, said in a panel following the speech.
Aside from discussing Taiwan's partnership with the United States, Tsai also gave renewed attention to China’s hostile takeover of Hong Kong.
"When the rest of the world has been distracted in responding to one of the most significant crises in recent history, we’re seeing a growing effort to pose ever more challenging threats to free and democratic societies," she said. "Nowhere is this more apparent than in Hong Kong."
Tsai called upon the United States, Taiwan, and other allies to "take a forceful stand in the defense of global democracy." To this end, Bi-khim made note of fresh efforts to draw Taiwan closer to Japan and India as regional partners.
The event—and its bipartisan nature—was regarded by Taiwan's diplomatic office as a milestone in the Taiwanese-American relationship. "This marks the very first time for these two influential U.S. think tanks to cohost a high-level event on Taiwan, which demonstrates the solid support from the U.S. think tank community on advancing robust Taiwan-U.S. relations," a statement from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office reads.


freebeacon--2020-08-12--Chicago Looters Attack Charity

Chicago Looters Attack Charity

Looters targeted a Ronald McDonald House—a charity that provides free housing to families with sick children—in downtown Chicago Monday morning .
Thousands drove into Chicago early Monday to loot high-end retailers , department stores , and other businesses around the city ’ s Magnificent Mile .
Residents and staff in the nearby Ronald McDonald House were forced into lockdown as looters targeted the building , breaking the charity ’ s doors and windows .
The Chicago charity currently houses 30 families whose children receive treatment at a nearby children 's hospital .
Looters did not enter the building and nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the safety concerns caused by riots create extra stress for already strained families .
`` They 're already in a really really difficult spot , '' Mitchell said .
`` Having this kind of additional stress and worrying about being able to get to and from the hospital , even though we ’ re five blocks away because of safety concerns , is just doubling the strain . ''
The Chicago Police Department deployed hundreds of officers after discovering a widely circulated online video encouraging Chicago residents to ransack downtown businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection to the looting spree .
Two people were shot and 13 police officers were injured .
Chicago ’ s Second Ward alderman Brian Hopkins ( D. ) told Chicago ABC 7 news that law enforcement ’ s response to the violence was `` ineffective '' and `` passive . ''
`` It 's a recipe for ineffective law enforcement , and that 's what we saw with this wide-scale looting where the police officers were largely in a passive posture , letting it happen because they did n't know how to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago on Tuesday .
`` And in many cases if they did try to intervene , it was a threat to their own life and safety . ''
As a result of the looting , Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot—who , until the recent looting spree , voiced support for the anti-police protests—said she would restrict access to downtown at night .
Anti-police protests , many of which have turned into violent riots and looting , began earlier this summer following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .

Looters targeted a Ronald McDonald House—a charity that provides free housing to families with sick children—in downtown Chicago Monday morning.
Thousands drove into Chicago early Monday to loot high-end retailers, department stores, and other businesses around the city’s Magnificent Mile. Residents and staff in the nearby Ronald McDonald House were forced into lockdown as looters targeted the building, breaking the charity’s doors and windows.
The Chicago charity currently houses 30 families whose children receive treatment at a nearby children's hospital. Looters did not enter the building and nobody inside was injured. Staffer Lisa Mitchell said the safety concerns caused by riots create extra stress for already strained families.
"They're already in a really really difficult spot," Mitchell said. "Having this kind of additional stress and worrying about being able to get to and from the hospital, even though we’re five blocks away because of safety concerns, is just doubling the strain."
The Chicago Police Department deployed hundreds of officers after discovering a widely circulated online video encouraging Chicago residents to ransack downtown businesses. More than 100 people were arrested in connection to the looting spree. Two people were shot and 13 police officers were injured.
Chicago’s Second Ward alderman Brian Hopkins (D.) told Chicago ABC 7 news that law enforcement’s response to the violence was "ineffective" and "passive."
"It's a recipe for ineffective law enforcement, and that's what we saw with this wide-scale looting where the police officers were largely in a passive posture, letting it happen because they didn't know how to stop it," Hopkins told ABC 7 Chicago on Tuesday. "And in many cases if they did try to intervene, it was a threat to their own life and safety."
As a result of the looting, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot—who, until the recent looting spree, voiced support for the anti-police protests—said she would restrict access to downtown at night. Anti-police protests, many of which have turned into violent riots and looting, began earlier this summer following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Maine Democrat Sara Gideon Killed Bills Outlawing Female Genital Mutilation

Democratic Senate candidate Sara Gideon repeatedly killed bills to outlaw female genital mutilation during her tenure as the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives .
Gideon leveraged her leadership position in the Democrat-controlled legislature to kill two separate bills that would have criminalized the practice of severing the clitoris of infant girls and sewing their vaginas shut .
Instead , the Democrat supported a different law that would have funnelled $ 150,000 to her political allies to educate Mainers about the practice instead of criminalizing it , according to a former state legislator who spearheaded the push to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Maine Democrats argued that the bill was racist toward the state 's large immigrant community from Somalia , a country where the practice is `` nearly universal '' according to the United Nations .
The Democrats also argued that the practice rarely takes place in Maine and is already outlawed by existing federal and local laws .
Gideon 's efforts have helped make Maine one of only 12 states that have not banned female genital mutilation .
Such a legacy threatens to complicate her cultivated image as a champion of women 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for abortion access and the # MeToo movement .
The image strategy has paid off , translating into hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and outside money support from national pro-abortion groups .
Gideon did not respond to a request for comment .
F. A. Cole , a survivor of female genital mutilation who testified before the Maine legislature , expressed deep frustration for the bill 's failure .
`` The Democrats , especially the Speaker of the House Sara Gideon , did everything she could in her power to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Free Beacon .
`` I could not understand why . ''
Female genital mutilation is an archaic cultural custom practiced in parts of the Middle East and Africa that the United Nations considers a violation of human rights .
The procedure , which is done to discourage sex outside of marriage , causes numerous medical problems such as excessive bleeding , infections , difficulty passing urine , and sometimes death .
A 2012 Public Health Reports study estimated that more than 500,000 women and girls were at risk for female genital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States .
The controversy started in 2017 , when Republican state legislator Heather Sirocki introduced a bill that made it a crime for parents to force their child to undergo female genital mutilation .
Gideon and other Democrats initially cosponsored the bill , but soon Gideon embraced a different version of the legislation .
The new version struck out all penalties for the practice and instead allocated $ 150,000 from the state coffers to fund educational outreach programs to educate Mainers about female genital mutilation .
According to Sirocki , Democrats told her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resource Center of Maine , a nonprofit group run by Gideon ally Fatuma Hussein .
`` This bill was designed to funnel money to Fatuma Hussein 's Immigrant Resource network so they could educate the Somali community on why , ‘ naughty naughty , it 's bad to cut your little girl 's genitals , ' '' Sirocki said .
The nonprofit did not respond to a request for comment .
Gideon and House Democrats ultimately voted against the original version of the 2017 bill , leading to the bill 's failure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued that existing federal and local laws already prohibited the practice—even though the Maine Prosecutors ' Association testified that they `` do not feel confident that they can charge someone with committing Female Genital Mutilation without the passage of this bill . ''
Despite the setback , some Democrats and Republicans introduced a new bipartisan bill in 2018 that criminalized the practice and allocated funds for community outreach .
Cole , who testified before the Maine legislature in support of the bill , recalled that Democrats relentlessly grilled her , demanding evidence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While data are scant on the practice 's prevalence in the state , the nonprofit AHA Foundation estimates that roughly 1,600 women and girls are at risk of female genital mutilation in the state .
Cole said the hostility displayed by Democrats during the questioning pushed her into a panic attack , forcing her to take a break .
She said that as other legislators comforted her outside the committee room , Gideon briskly walked past her , avoiding eye contact .
The incident , she said , was emblematic of the cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies .
`` I could n't even breathe—that 's how bad it was , '' she said .
`` But this woman just walked on by us as if I was n't even a human being .
And that told me a lot about the type of person she is—she just does n't care . ''
Gideon and nearly all of her fellow House Democrats voted against the 2018 bill , leading to its failure .
Gideon 's efforts to kill the bill have allowed genital mutilators a free reign in Maine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child-rights attorney .
`` Maine has become a safe harbor for mutilators of girls ' genitals , '' she said .
Throughout the entire controversy , Democrats frequently charged that the bill is racist toward the state 's Muslim and Somali populations , despite the fact that the practice takes place among Christian groups as well .
Cole said that racism did play a role in the affair—in Gideon 's rationale to oppose the bill .
`` If these were white girls would [ Gideon ] have taken the same stand ?
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me something would have been done in Maine , '' she said .
`` But because these are brown and black girls , who cares ? ''

Democratic Senate candidate Sara Gideon repeatedly killed bills to outlaw female genital mutilation during her tenure as the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.
Gideon leveraged her leadership position in the Democrat-controlled legislature to kill two separate bills that would have criminalized the practice of severing the clitoris of infant girls and sewing their vaginas shut. Instead, the Democrat supported a different law that would have funnelled $150,000 to her political allies to educate Mainers about the practice instead of criminalizing it, according to a former state legislator who spearheaded the push to stop the mutilation.
Under Gideon's leadership, Maine Democrats argued that the bill was racist toward the state's large immigrant community from Somalia, a country where the practice is "nearly universal" according to the United Nations. The Democrats also argued that the practice rarely takes place in Maine and is already outlawed by existing federal and local laws.
Gideon's efforts have helped make Maine one of only 12 states that have not banned female genital mutilation. Such a legacy threatens to complicate her cultivated image as a champion of women's rights, one built on her consistent support for abortion access and the #MeToo movement. The image strategy has paid off, translating into hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and outside money support from national pro-abortion groups. Gideon did not respond to a request for comment.
F. A. Cole, a survivor of female genital mutilation who testified before the Maine legislature, expressed deep frustration for the bill's failure. "The Democrats, especially the Speaker of the House Sara Gideon, did everything she could in her power to just kill this bill," she told the Washington Free Beacon. "I could not understand why."
Female genital mutilation is an archaic cultural custom practiced in parts of the Middle East and Africa that the United Nations considers a violation of human rights. The procedure, which is done to discourage sex outside of marriage, causes numerous medical problems such as excessive bleeding, infections, difficulty passing urine, and sometimes death. A 2012 Public Health Reports study estimated that more than 500,000 women and girls were at risk for female genital mutilation or its consequences in the United States.


freebeacon--2020-08-14--Yale Discriminates Against Asian, White Applicants, Justice Department Says

The Department of Justice has concluded that Yale University unlawfully discriminates against Asian and white applicants in its admissions process .
Eric Dreiband , the assistant attorney general for the DOJ 's civil rights division , wrote in a letter Thursday that a federal probe showed race was a `` predominate criteria '' that dictated many admissions decisions at Yale .
The department warned that it could sue the university if it continues to use race in admissions for the upcoming year .
The government 's inquiry , which began in 2018 and is based on Yale 's own data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are significantly less likely to be admitted than students from `` preferred racial groups '' with similar qualifications .
`` Yale ’ s race discrimination imposes undue and unlawful penalties on racially-disfavored applicants , including in particular Asian American and White applicants , '' Dreiband wrote .
`` For the great majority of applicants , Asian American and White applicants have only one-tenth to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials . ''
The Department also accused Yale of racially engineering its admitted classes , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been `` remarkably stable for approximately the last decade . ''
While the Supreme Court has allowed colleges and universities to consider race in admissions , its affirmative action precedents could be vulnerable to the newly entrenched conservative majority .
Chief Justice John Roberts , now the bench 's decisive vote in ideologically fraught cases , is generally suspicious of race-based classifications or remedies .
Yale 's program is different from past cases , Dreiband said , because it does not just use race as part of a holistic review .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' of who gets in .
Since the school receives federal funding , it is subject to Title VI , which bars discrimination in any program or activity that receives taxpayer dollars .
Dreiband said Yale must abandon its race-based policy for the coming academic year or submit race-conscious practices for the Justice Department 's review .
`` We are dismayed that the DOJ has made its determination before allowing Yale to provide all the information the Department has requested thus far , '' Yale spokeswoman Karen Peart said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fairly weighed this information , it would have concluded that Yale ’ s practices absolutely comply with decades of Supreme Court precedent . ''
A similar dispute is underway in Boston , where a federal judge upheld Harvard 's admissions practices against a challenge from Students for Fair Admissions , a conservative advocacy group , in 2019 .
The case is now pending before the First U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals .
DOJ Letter to Yale on Admis… by Washington Free Beacon on Scribd

The Department of Justice has concluded that Yale University unlawfully discriminates against Asian and white applicants in its admissions process.
Eric Dreiband, the assistant attorney general for the DOJ's civil rights division, wrote in a letter Thursday that a federal probe showed race was a "predominate criteria" that dictated many admissions decisions at Yale. The department warned that it could sue the university if it continues to use race in admissions for the upcoming year.
The government's inquiry, which began in 2018 and is based on Yale's own data, shows that Asian and white applicants are significantly less likely to be admitted than students from "preferred racial groups" with similar qualifications.
"Yale’s race discrimination imposes undue and unlawful penalties on racially-disfavored applicants, including in particular Asian American and White applicants," Dreiband wrote. "For the great majority of applicants, Asian American and White applicants have only one-tenth to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials."
The Department also accused Yale of racially engineering its admitted classes, saying the racial composition of its student body has been "remarkably stable for approximately the last decade."
While the Supreme Court has allowed colleges and universities to consider race in admissions, its affirmative action precedents could be vulnerable to the newly entrenched conservative majority. Chief Justice John Roberts, now the bench's decisive vote in ideologically fraught cases, is generally suspicious of race-based classifications or remedies.
Yale's program is different from past cases, Dreiband said, because it does not just use race as part of a holistic review. Instead, racial preferences are "often determinative" of who gets in. Since the school receives federal funding, it is subject to Title VI, which bars discrimination in any program or activity that receives taxpayer dollars.
Dreiband said Yale must abandon its race-based policy for the coming academic year or submit race-conscious practices for the Justice Department's review.
"We are dismayed that the DOJ has made its determination before allowing Yale to provide all the information the Department has requested thus far," Yale spokeswoman Karen Peart said in a statement. "Had the Department fully received and fairly weighed this information, it would have concluded that Yale’s practices absolutely comply with decades of Supreme Court precedent."
A similar dispute is underway in Boston, where a federal judge upheld Harvard's admissions practices against a challenge from Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative advocacy group, in 2019. The case is now pending before the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
DOJ Letter to Yale on Admis... by Washington Free Beacon on Scribd


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Obama Alums Lash Out After Trump Announces Israel-U.A.E Peace Deal

Prominent Democrats took to social media to lash out at President Donald Trump after Washington helped broker a historic peace deal normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates .
The deal received high marks from national security experts—former White House Iran staffer and Foundation for Defense of Democracies adviser Rich Goldberg said it was `` likely the greatest foreign policy achievement of any president in a generation . ''
And national security adviser Robert O'Brien even suggested the deal should make Trump a front-runner for the Nobel Peace Prize .
But Democrats lamented the passage of the deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channels of communication , bilateral security agreements , and future collaboration between the two countries .
For Obama alum and Iran deal mastermind Ben Rhodes , the deal was `` dressed up as an election eve achievement from two leaders who want Trump to win . ''
`` We won ’ t be fooled by another Trump/Netanyahu deal , '' Squad member Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D. , Mich. ) said .
`` This Trump/Netanyahu deal will not alleviate Palestinian suffering—it will further normalize it . ''
Biden surrogate and Obama national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a success , but qualified his praise .
`` This is a rare victory for Israel 's long-term interests under Trump , who 's done little but imperil them , '' he wrote .
Price , Rhodes , and other top Obama security staffers and Biden campaign advisers have often cried foul at President Trump ’ s close relationship with Israel , particularly so in 2017 , when the White House moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem .
`` There 's a very simple concept that the establishment foreign policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arab states make peace with Israel when Israel is strong and when its alliance with the U.S. is strong , not when Israel and its alliance with the U.S. are weak , '' Washington Free Beacon contributor Noah Pollak said .

Prominent Democrats took to social media to lash out at President Donald Trump after Washington helped broker a historic peace deal normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
The deal received high marks from national security experts—former White House Iran staffer and Foundation for Defense of Democracies adviser Rich Goldberg said it was "likely the greatest foreign policy achievement of any president in a generation." And national security adviser Robert O'Brien even suggested the deal should make Trump a front-runner for the Nobel Peace Prize.
But Democrats lamented the passage of the deal, which opens the door for formal channels of communication, bilateral security agreements, and future collaboration between the two countries.
For Obama alum and Iran deal mastermind Ben Rhodes, the deal was "dressed up as an election eve achievement from two leaders who want Trump to win."
"We won’t be fooled by another Trump/Netanyahu deal," Squad member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) said. "This Trump/Netanyahu deal will not alleviate Palestinian suffering—it will further normalize it."
Biden surrogate and Obama national security alum Ned Price accepted that the deal was a success, but qualified his praise. "This is a rare victory for Israel's long-term interests under Trump, who's done little but imperil them," he wrote.
Price, Rhodes, and other top Obama security staffers and Biden campaign advisers have often cried foul at President Trump’s close relationship with Israel, particularly so in 2017, when the White House moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
"There's a very simple concept that the establishment foreign policy guild of Washington will never accept: Arab states make peace with Israel when Israel is strong and when its alliance with the U.S. is strong, not when Israel and its alliance with the U.S. are weak," Washington Free Beacon contributor Noah Pollak said.


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Chicago Cops’ Stops Plummeted After Protests

The Chicago police department substantially reduced routine investigatory stops in the wake of protests following the death of George Floyd , official data obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show , with daily stops dropping by as much as 80 percent against historical averages .
Investigatory stops fell in March during the coronavirus shutdown , but rebounded to pre-2020 averages by the end of May—until , that is , the onset of protests .
Then , as a wave of still-ongoing violence gripped the city , police drastically cut their street stop activities to levels which had not recovered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off may have contributed to the homicides and shootings that have plagued Chicago for much of the summer .
The reason for the decline in stops is unclear : Protests may have stretched limited police resources or , one Chicago-area think-tanker told the Free Beacon , a greater culture of hostility to the police may be encouraging officers to think twice before stopping .
Regardless of cause , the data from Chicago add to the evidence from Minneapolis and New York City that cops withdrew from routine street enforcement in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention or through fostering anti-cop sentiment , the nationwide protests may be worsening the spike in violence that has beset America 's big cities over the past six months .
Chicago police began cutting back on stops in late March as the city shut down in response to the coronavirus .
At the time , community organizers agitated for an even more comprehensive reduction , arguing against the CPD even enforcing the shut-down order issued by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( D. ) .
From the start of the year until March 17—four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ P.D .
stopped as many or more people as they had on the same day over the average of the preceding four years .
But as the shutdown commenced , stops plummeted , falling to less than 50 percent of the historical average .
Starting in early May , however , stops began to rebound , nearly returning to pre-shutdown levels—at least until the protests started .
In the days following the death of George Floyd and ensuing protests , stop counts fell to as little as 18 percent of the pre-2020 same-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of June—the latest data available—but remained well below pre-protest levels .
The data also reveal that while the Chicago P.D .
is conducting fewer stops overall , the share of stops which involve searches—a practice critics deem invasive , and proponents see as essential to fighting crime—has actually risen .
That suggests that while cops are doing less stopping , they are not deterred from conducting searches of those they do stop , as they were during Chicago 's last homicide spike , in 2016 .
The second , post-protest decline in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun crime and homicides that has plagued Chicago for much of the summer .
That spike has continued unabated into July , which was the single deadliest on record since 1992 .
The ongoing violence has prompted CPD plans to reinstate a hot-spot policing initiative , which it hopes will tamp down on the shooting .
What caused Chicago P.D .
to step back ?
One plausible explanation is that protests and looting have drawn police attention away from responding to ordinary street crime—simultaneously making it harder for them to do beat enforcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for comment , CPD spokesman Michael Malinowski emphasized that stops `` may fluctuate naturally over time from one area to another as criminals try to avoid apprehension . ''
He further further said that `` fewer people outside results in fewer investigatory stops '' —crime data , however , indicate that there are more offenders on the streets than there were during the CPD 's first lull .
`` The overall numbers may be down but make no mistake , CPD officers are working hard to keep neighborhoods safe , '' Malinowski said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen about a 15 percent increase over last year .
CPD remains partnered with the community and committed to addressing crime and disorder in every neighborhood as we all continue to deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic . ''
Jim Lakely , vice president at the Chicago-area conservative think tank the Heartland Institute , told the Free Beacon that another factor might be at play : hostility to the police .
`` When the entire culture and the political class in Chicago is embracing the idea of defunding the police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police morale ? ''
Lakely asked , adding that the decline in stops is likely `` because either they 've been ordered to do so , or they feel that it could be career suicide to do so , because you 're putting yourself in a position for something bad to happen in which you will take all the blame and the potential criminals will not . ''
As evidence of declining morale , Lakely pointed to the suicide death in July of Deputy Chief Dion Boyd , the ninth and highest ranking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own life in two years .
He also connected police reticence to a lack of support from Cook County D.A .
Kim Foxx , a `` progressive prosecutor '' who , a recent Chicago Tribune analysis found , has dropped 30 percent of cases against felony offenders during her time in office .
Whatever the cause , the decline in stops in Chicago mirrors trends in other cities struggling with surging violence .
A Free Beacon analysis found stops have plummeted in Minneapolis since the protests began , while another analysis of NYPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line with surging shootings and murders until the onset of protests caused a sudden drop off in police activity .
Update 7:17 p.m. : This post has been updated with comment from a Chicago PD spokesman .

The Chicago police department substantially reduced routine investigatory stops in the wake of protests following the death of George Floyd, official data obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show, with daily stops dropping by as much as 80 percent against historical averages.
Investigatory stops fell in March during the coronavirus shutdown, but rebounded to pre-2020 averages by the end of May—until, that is, the onset of protests. Then, as a wave of still-ongoing violence gripped the city, police drastically cut their street stop activities to levels which had not recovered by the end of June.
This backing off may have contributed to the homicides and shootings that have plagued Chicago for much of the summer. The reason for the decline in stops is unclear: Protests may have stretched limited police resources or, one Chicago-area think-tanker told the Free Beacon, a greater culture of hostility to the police may be encouraging officers to think twice before stopping.
Regardless of cause, the data from Chicago add to the evidence from Minneapolis and New York City that cops withdrew from routine street enforcement in the wake of the protests. Whether through diverting police attention or through fostering anti-cop sentiment, the nationwide protests may be worsening the spike in violence that has beset America's big cities over the past six months.
Chicago police began cutting back on stops in late March as the city shut down in response to the coronavirus. At the time, community organizers agitated for an even more comprehensive reduction, arguing against the CPD even enforcing the shut-down order issued by Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D.).
From the start of the year until March 17—four days before the statewide shutdown order—the Chicago P.D. stopped as many or more people as they had on the same day over the average of the preceding four years. But as the shutdown commenced, stops plummeted, falling to less than 50 percent of the historical average.
Starting in early May, however, stops began to rebound, nearly returning to pre-shutdown levels—at least until the protests started. In the days following the death of George Floyd and ensuing protests, stop counts fell to as little as 18 percent of the pre-2020 same-day average. They rebounded some through the end of June—the latest data available—but remained well below pre-protest levels.
The data also reveal that while the Chicago P.D. is conducting fewer stops overall, the share of stops which involve searches—a practice critics deem invasive, and proponents see as essential to fighting crime—has actually risen. That suggests that while cops are doing less stopping, they are not deterred from conducting searches of those they do stop, as they were during Chicago's last homicide spike, in 2016.
The second, post-protest decline in stops is coincident with the surge in gun crime and homicides that has plagued Chicago for much of the summer. That spike has continued unabated into July, which was the single deadliest on record since 1992. The ongoing violence has prompted CPD plans to reinstate a hot-spot policing initiative, which it hopes will tamp down on the shooting.
What caused Chicago P.D. to step back? One plausible explanation is that protests and looting have drawn police attention away from responding to ordinary street crime—simultaneously making it harder for them to do beat enforcing that can help curb crime.
Reached for comment, CPD spokesman Michael Malinowski emphasized that stops "may fluctuate naturally over time from one area to another as criminals try to avoid apprehension." He further said that "fewer people outside results in fewer investigatory stops"—crime data, however, indicate that there are more offenders on the streets than there were during the CPD's first lull.
"The overall numbers may be down but make no mistake, CPD officers are working hard to keep neighborhoods safe," Malinowski said. "In fact gun arrests have seen about a 15 percent increase over last year. CPD remains partnered with the community and committed to addressing crime and disorder in every neighborhood as we all continue to deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic."
Jim Lakely, vice president at the Chicago-area conservative think tank the Heartland Institute, told the Free Beacon that another factor might be at play: hostility to the police.
"When the entire culture and the political class in Chicago is embracing the idea of defunding the police, what do you think that does to police morale?" Lakely asked, adding that the decline in stops is likely "because either they've been ordered to do so, or they feel that it could be career suicide to do so, because you're putting yourself in a position for something bad to happen in which you will take all the blame and the potential criminals will not."
As evidence of declining morale, Lakely pointed to the suicide death in July of Deputy Chief Dion Boyd, the ninth and highest ranking Chicago P.D. officer to take his own life in two years. He also connected police reticence to a lack of support from Cook County D.A. Kim Foxx, a "progressive prosecutor" who, a recent Chicago Tribune analysis found, has dropped 30 percent of cases against felony offenders during her time in office.
Whatever the cause, the decline in stops in Chicago mirrors trends in other cities struggling with surging violence. A Free Beacon analysis found stops have plummeted in Minneapolis since the protests began, while another analysis of NYPD data shows that arrest rates were rising in line with surging shootings and murders until the onset of protests caused a sudden drop off in police activity.
Update 7:17 p.m.: This post has been updated with comment from a Chicago P.D. spokesman.


freebeacon--2020-08-13--WATCH: Liberal Pundits and Politicians Flaunt Their Racism by Mispronouncing Kamala’s Name

Fox News host Tucker Carlson mispronounced the name of Joe Biden 's running mate , Kamala Harris .
Our nation @ @ @ @ @ the case .
`` Tucker Carlson 's mangling of Kamala Harris 's name was all @ @ @ @ @ Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post .
`` Here 's the thing : It 's @ @ @ @ @ get Harris 's name right , '' Sullivan wrote .
Getting it wrong , of @ @ @ @ @ best and violently racist at worst .
That goes without saying .
Regrettably , prominent @ @ @ @ @ been mispronouncing Kamala 's name for a while now .
Numerous libs who claim to @ @ @ @ @ Biden , former president Barack Obama , and even Harris 's newly minted chief of @ @ @ @ @ have committed violent racism by mispronouncing her name in public .
It 's KA-ma-la Harris @ @ @ @ @ '' as in `` cop . ''
Have some respect .

Even her chief of staff got it wrong—It's KA-ma-la: 'KA' as in 'Cop'
Fox News host Tucker Carlson mispronounced the name of Joe Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris. Our nation's top journalists are on the case. "Tucker Carlson's mangling of Kamala Harris's name was all about disrespect," wrote Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post.
"Here's the thing: It's really not that hard to get Harris's name right," Sullivan wrote. Getting it wrong, of course, is disrespectful at best and violently racist at worst. That goes without saying.
Regrettably, prominent liberal pundits and politicians have been mispronouncing Kamala's name for a while now. Numerous libs who claim to oppose bigotry, such as Biden, former president Barack Obama, and even Harris's newly minted chief of staff, Karine Jean-Pierre, have committed violent racism by mispronouncing her name in public.
It's KA-ma-la Harris, folks. "KA" as in "cop." Have some respect.


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Touring Eastern Europe, Pompeo Blasts China and Russia

Touring Eastern Europe this week , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized the threat of Chinese and Russian anti-democratic aggression in a series of speeches and visits .
Pompeo is touring Poland , Slovenia , Austria , and the Czech Republic , addressing security partnerships , the future of democracy in Europe , and increasingly belligerent behavior from Moscow and Beijing .
`` As President Havel once reminded us , we must commit not to ‘ live the lie ' but to ‘ live in the truth . '
And here 's what 's true : China 's world dominance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors of our fate , '' Pompeo said Wednesday during a speech in Prague .
Pompeo 's visit comes at a critical time for Central and Eastern Europe .
While much of the region begins to close the door on Chinese telecom giant Huawei , some countries remain open to Chinese investment .
Last week , Serbia announced the purchase of new missile systems from China .
In his remarks , Pompeo emphasized the need for a coalition of democracies to counter authoritarianism .
`` It will take us working together here in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have the obligation to speak clearly and plainly to our people and without fear .
We must confront the complex questions presented by this challenge , and we must do so together , '' he said .
Although he focused on the rising threat posed by China , Pompeo also spent time warning American allies about the Kremlin 's activities .
`` Russia continues to seek to undermine your democracy , your security through disinformation campaigns and through cyberattacks .
It 's even trying to rewrite your history , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to jointly pressure Moscow with allies over the country 's crackdown on press freedom .
`` We 've condemned [ Russian press censorship ] .
We 've also imposed enormous sanctions on Russia for other elements of their malign activity , '' Pompeo said .
`` We hope that the rest of the world will join us in this .
We hope that those nations that value the freedom of press , who want independent reporters to be able to ask questions , even if sometimes leaders do n't like them , @ @ @ @ @ @

Touring Eastern Europe this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized the threat of Chinese and Russian anti-democratic aggression in a series of speeches and visits.
Pompeo is touring Poland, Slovenia, Austria, and the Czech Republic, addressing security partnerships, the future of democracy in Europe, and increasingly belligerent behavior from Moscow and Beijing.
"As President Havel once reminded us, we must commit not to 'live the lie' but to 'live in the truth.' And here's what's true: China's world dominance is not inevitable. We are the authors of our fate," Pompeo said Wednesday during a speech in Prague.
Pompeo's visit comes at a critical time for Central and Eastern Europe. While much of the region begins to close the door on Chinese telecom giant Huawei, some countries remain open to Chinese investment. Last week, Serbia announced the purchase of new missile systems from China.
In his remarks, Pompeo emphasized the need for a coalition of democracies to counter authoritarianism.
"It will take us working together here in Prague, in Poland, in Portugal. We have the obligation to speak clearly and plainly to our people and without fear. We must confront the complex questions presented by this challenge, and we must do so together," he said.
Although he focused on the rising threat posed by China, Pompeo also spent time warning American allies about the Kremlin's activities.
"Russia continues to seek to undermine your democracy, your security through disinformation campaigns and through cyberattacks. It's even trying to rewrite your history," he said Wednesday.
Pompeo also announced his efforts to jointly pressure Moscow with allies over the country's crackdown on press freedom.
"We've condemned [Russian press censorship]. We've also imposed enormous sanctions on Russia for other elements of their malign activity," Pompeo said. "We hope that the rest of the world will join us in this. We hope that those nations that value the freedom of press, who want independent reporters to be able to ask questions, even if sometimes leaders don't like them, will join with us."


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Trump Admin Designates Chinese Confucius Institute as Communist Outpost

The Trump administration on Thursday designated one of China 's central propaganda hubs in the United States as a Communist Party outpost , a move meant to limit its influence and crack down on the spread of Chinese disinformation on America 's college campuses .
The Confucius Institute U.S. Center ( CIUS ) will now be treated as an official mission of the People 's Republic of China .
For years , the CIUS has run a network of Chinese language learning centers that have spread Communist propaganda in U.S. classrooms , ranging from kindergarten to college .
The decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists and hawks in Congress who view the Confucius Institutes as a tool for Beijing 's influence operations in America .
The designation is meant to recognize `` CIUS for what it is : An entity advancing Beijing 's global propaganda and malign influence campaign on U.S. campuses and K-12 classrooms , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement announcing the decision .
`` Confucius Institutes are funded by the PRC and part of the Chinese Communist Party 's global influence and propaganda apparatus . ''
The crackdown on these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions taken by the Trump administration to combat Chinese influence and espionage operations .
It follows on the heels of a Trump administration order last month shuttering a CCP consulate office in Houston , which U.S. officials say was used as a hub for China 's theft of American intellectual property and medical data .
Pompeo said American universities should take a hard look at the Confucius Institutes operating on their campuses .
Universities will have to decide if they are comfortable permitting their students to be indoctrinated with Communist propaganda .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will now be held to a higher public reporting standard .
The designation is similar to recent orders mandating that Chinese media companies register as agents of the PRC .
The State Department will gain a greater understanding of how the Confucius Institutes are used to advance Beijing 's foreign policy objectives , according to U.S. officials .
CIUS will be required to provide the government with information about its personnel and real estate holdings .
It will also need permission to acquire any new properties in the United States .
CIUS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the operation of Confucius Institutes across the country , including educational curriculums and training materials .

New designation meant to crack down on proliferation of Communist propaganda in the U.S.
The Trump administration on Thursday designated one of China's central propaganda hubs in the United States as a Communist Party outpost, a move meant to limit its influence and crack down on the spread of Chinese disinformation on America's college campuses.
The Confucius Institute U.S. Center (CIUS) will now be treated as an official mission of the People's Republic of China. For years, the CIUS has run a network of Chinese language learning centers that have spread Communist propaganda in U.S. classrooms, ranging from kindergarten to college. The decision follows a years-long pressure campaign from anti-China activists and hawks in Congress who view the Confucius Institutes as a tool for Beijing's influence operations in America.
The designation is meant to recognize "CIUS for what it is: An entity advancing Beijing's global propaganda and malign influence campaign on U.S. campuses and K-12 classrooms," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement announcing the decision. "Confucius Institutes are funded by the PRC and part of the Chinese Communist Party's global influence and propaganda apparatus."
The crackdown on these Confucius Institutes is one of several recent actions taken by the Trump administration to combat Chinese influence and espionage operations. It follows on the heels of a Trump administration order last month shuttering a CCP consulate office in Houston, which U.S. officials say was used as a hub for China's theft of American intellectual property and medical data.
Pompeo said American universities should take a hard look at the Confucius Institutes operating on their campuses. Universities will have to decide if they are comfortable permitting their students to be indoctrinated with Communist propaganda.
While the CIUS will not be shuttered, it will now be held to a higher public reporting standard. The designation is similar to recent orders mandating that Chinese media companies register as agents of the PRC.
The State Department will gain a greater understanding of how the Confucius Institutes are used to advance Beijing's foreign policy objectives, according to U.S. officials. CIUS will be required to provide the government with information about its personnel and real estate holdings. It will also need permission to acquire any new properties in the United States.
CIUS will also provide information about its funding and the operation of Confucius Institutes across the country, including educational curriculums and training materials.


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Harris Choice Suggests Racial Growth for Biden, Notorious Harasser of Black Journalists

Joe Biden 's selection of former rival Kamala ( emphasis on first syllable ; `` KA '' as in `` cop '' ) Harris as his running mate suggested a willingness to bury the hatchet .
It was also an indication of profound racial growth for an elderly white man with a history of disrespectful behavior toward journalists of color .
Biden , for example , recently snapped at Errol Barnett , a black correspondent for CBS News , in response to a question about whether the 77-year-old candidate had taken a cognitive test .
`` No , I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hell would I take a test ?
Come on , man , '' Biden told the black journalist .
`` That 's like saying you , before you got in this program , you 're taking a test whether you 're taking cocaine or not .
What do you think , huh ?
Are you a junkie ? ''
Biden has answered similar questions from white journalists about his cognitive ability , but has not lashed out the way he did at Barnett .
In June , for example , Biden was asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Fox News , if he had been `` tested for some degree of cognitive decline . ''
The former vice president not only kept his cool ; he gave an entirely different answer .
`` I ’ ve been tested , I ’ m constantly tested , '' Biden told the white journalist .
`` Look , all you ’ ve got to do is watch me . ''
Peter Hamby , a white contributor to Vanity Fair , interviewed Biden in May , and asked the former VP to respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the internet , '' which include the moniker `` Dementia Joe , '' and often portray Biden as `` creepy and old and out of touch and kind of lame . ''
Biden laughed off the white journalist 's question , before falsely suggesting that most young people `` are not getting all their news from the internet . ''
Barnett was not the first journalist of color to be on the receiving end of a Biden tantrum .
The candidate exploded during a May 22 interview with black radio host Charlamagne tha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's staff attempted to end the interview , the former VP appeared to take issue with Charlamagne 's remark that `` you ca n't do that to black media , '' and with his desire to ask `` more questions . ''
Biden became noticeably agitated at the suggestion that a member of the black media would want to know anything other than the fact that he is running against Donald Trump .
`` If you have a problem figuring out whether you 're for me or Trump , then you ai n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's tendency to express animosity toward people of color who challenge him will be put to the test now that Harris is part of the ticket .
His vice-presidential selection committee reportedly worried that she might be too `` ambitious '' for the largely ceremonial position .
Those concerns could potentially be alleviated if and when social distancing guidelines are eased to allow for closer physical contact between the candidates—specifically when it comes to the rubbing of shoulders and the smelling of hair .

Joe Biden's selection of former rival Kamala (emphasis on first syllable; "KA" as in "cop") Harris as his running mate suggested a willingness to bury the hatchet. It was also an indication of profound racial growth for an elderly white man with a history of disrespectful behavior toward journalists of color.
Biden, for example, recently snapped at Errol Barnett, a black correspondent for CBS News, in response to a question about whether the 77-year-old candidate had taken a cognitive test. "No, I haven't taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test? Come on, man," Biden told the black journalist. "That's like saying you, before you got in this program, you're taking a test whether you're taking cocaine or not. What do you think, huh? Are you a junkie?"
Biden has answered similar questions from white journalists about his cognitive ability, but has not lashed out the way he did at Barnett. In June, for example, Biden was asked by Doug McKelway, a white correspondent for Fox News, if he had been "tested for some degree of cognitive decline." The former vice president not only kept his cool; he gave an entirely different answer. "I’ve been tested, I’m constantly tested," Biden told the white journalist. "Look, all you’ve got to do is watch me."
Peter Hamby, a white contributor to Vanity Fair, interviewed Biden in May, and asked the former VP to respond to the "anti-Biden memes out there on the internet," which include the moniker "Dementia Joe," and often portray Biden as "creepy and old and out of touch and kind of lame." Biden laughed off the white journalist's question, before falsely suggesting that most young people "are not getting all their news from the internet."
Barnett was not the first journalist of color to be on the receiving end of a Biden tantrum. The candidate exploded during a May 22 interview with black radio host Charlamagne tha God. After a member of Biden's staff attempted to end the interview, the former VP appeared to take issue with Charlamagne's remark that "you can't do that to black media," and with his desire to ask "more questions."
Biden became noticeably agitated at the suggestion that a member of the black media would want to know anything other than the fact that he is running against Donald Trump. "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black," Biden huffed.
Biden's tendency to express animosity toward people of color who challenge him will be put to the test now that Harris is part of the ticket. His vice-presidential selection committee reportedly worried that she might be too "ambitious" for the largely ceremonial position. Those concerns could potentially be alleviated if and when social distancing guidelines are eased to allow for closer physical contact between the candidates—specifically when it comes to the rubbing of shoulders and the smelling of hair.


freebeacon--2020-08-13--Iran Seizes Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Iran briefly seized an oil tanker flying a Liberian flag in the Strait of Hormuz , an official in the U.S. Central Command ( CENTCOM ) told the Associated Press Thursday .
CENTCOM released a black-and-white video showing what were supposedly Iranian special forces rappelling from a helicopter onto the deck of the tanker .
Iranian naval forces held the vessel for five hours before releasing it , a U.S. military official told AP .
Maritime intelligence group Dryad Global told AP it is also probable that two additional ships were stopped by Iran ’ s Revolutionary Guard in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The International Maritime Security Construct , a United States-led consortium of countries tasked with maintaining security in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman , denounced Iran 's boarding of the oil tanker .
`` Iran 's use of its military forces to conduct an armed boarding of a commercial vessel in international waters constitutes a blatant violation of international law that undermines freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce , '' a statement from the consortium reads .
`` This type of reckless , aggressive behavior by Iran destabilizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international order . ''
Tehran has repeatedly flexed its naval muscles in recent weeks .
In late July , CENTCOM reported an Iranian exercise in which the Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a missile at what appeared to be a mock American aircraft carrier .

Iran briefly seized an oil tanker flying a Liberian flag in the Strait of Hormuz, an official in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) told the Associated Press Thursday.
CENTCOM released a black-and-white video showing what were supposedly Iranian special forces rappelling from a helicopter onto the deck of the tanker. Iranian naval forces held the vessel for five hours before releasing it, a U.S. military official told AP.
Maritime intelligence group Dryad Global told AP it is also probable that two additional ships were stopped by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the Persian Gulf over the last week.
The International Maritime Security Construct, a United States-led consortium of countries tasked with maintaining security in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, denounced Iran's boarding of the oil tanker.
"Iran's use of its military forces to conduct an armed boarding of a commercial vessel in international waters constitutes a blatant violation of international law that undermines freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce," a statement from the consortium reads. "This type of reckless, aggressive behavior by Iran destabilizes the region and threatens the rules based international order."
Tehran has repeatedly flexed its naval muscles in recent weeks. In late July, CENTCOM reported an Iranian exercise in which the Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a missile at what appeared to be a mock American aircraft carrier.