theblaze--2020-06-02--'Antifa kid' who smashed a police car and incited riots in Pittsburgh is escorted into custody — by

'Antifa kid' who smashed a police car and incited riots in Pittsburgh is escorted into custody — by his mom and dad

'Antifa kid ' who smashed a police car and incited riots in Pittsburgh is escorted into custody — by his @ @ @

Brian Bartels, the 20-year-old man who police say turned a protest into a riot on Saturday in Pittsburgh, turned himself in to law enforcement Monday — escorted by his mom and dad.
He faces charges of institutional vandalism, rioting, and reckless endangerment of another person, according to police.
Law enforcement had been investigating the destruction of a police SUV over the weekend that had been spray-painted and then set on fire during the demonstrations.
After receiving an anonymous tip from a co-worker identifying Bartels as the culprit, police executed a search warrant at his home. During the search they found two guns, six spray paint cans, gloves, and the sweatshirt that the suspect had been wearing during the protest, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
A video had also surfaced showing a young white male smashing the police SUV's windows and tagging it with spray paint. In the video, the suspect, believed to be Bartels, can be seen dressed in all-black Antifa-like gear.
A woman attempted to stop Bartels from causing damage to the SUV, but Bartels flipped her off in refusal and continued to smash that SUV's windows.
In the tweet of Bartels turning himself into police custody, Jason Howerton refers to him as an "Antifa kid" because his dress and actions were characteristic of the group's members. But an official link between Bartels and Antifa has not been established.
Pittsburgh Public Safety reported Sunday that 60 businesses and other properties were damaged and 44 arrests were made as a result of Saturday's protests. Police believe that Bartels' actions, which took place at around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, turned the protests into a violent riot.
During a news conference, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert called it a "damn shame" that Antifa-like rioters were taking advantage of the protests.
"I am so angry at the fact that some segment hijacked this and then took some of the youth and brought them into the mix," Schubert said. "There's no doubt that that's who's doing it and a lot of things we're seeing are white males, dressed in the anarchist, ANTIFA, they're ones who are fueling a lot of this. It's just a damn shame that they took advantage of the situation, for something, something happened in another state where somebody died who shouldn't have died, and they hijacked that message for their own."


theblaze--2020-06-02--Commentary: It's high time Fauci and the rest of the 'experts' were made to answer some questions

Commentary : It 's high time Fauci and the rest of the 'experts ' were made to answer some questions @ @ @ @ @ , and when did he know it ?

Now that all 50 states are in some phase of reopening, with some clearly more serious about it than others, the temptation will be to move on from the disastrous coronavirus lockdowns as soon as possible. To forget this calamity, and return to normalcy. To get back to making America great again.
And while I have been both one of the earliest and staunchest advocates of ending the lockdowns and returning America to the American people, there remains two lingering questions that must be answered in order to assure such a panic scam is never permitted to undermine our way of life ever again.
1. What happened to Anthony Fauci between Feb. 28 and March 11?
On Feb. 28, Dr. Fauci wrote the following about coronavirus in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine: "If one assumes that the number of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic cases is several times as high as the number of reported cases, the case fatality rate may be considerably less than 1%. This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of COVID-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%) or a pandemic influenza (similar to those in 1957 and 1968) rather than a disease similar to SARS or MERS, which have had case fatality rates of 9 to 10% and 36%, respectively."
If you're wondering where the much-panned talking point "coronavirus is just a bad flu" originally came from, this is it. It didn't come from Qanon or some MAGA Reddit forum. It first came from none other than Fauci, the pope of panic porn himself.
But then, just 11 days later while testifying before Congress, America's so-called chief infectious disease expert told a House committee that coronavirus was "10 times more lethal than the flu" in testimony that plunged the country into lockdown.
What changed with Fauci in just those 11 days? What new piece of data did he acquire that so dramatically altered his public position on the virus? Could it have been the disgraced Imperial College doomsday model? Perhaps he got an early glimpse, but the model wasn't published until four days later on March 15th. So how else can we possibly explain such a radical about-face from one of our most celebrated "experts"?
Ironically, thanks to the long overdue data from the CDC we're finally getting, Fauci's original measured analysis of coronavirus back on Feb. 28 is looking more and more accurate. We must learn what happened after that caused him to become the pied piper leading America into deep recession and destabilization of our healthcare system.
2. How come all the experts who opposed the lockdowns weren't listened to?
When I first began taking a contrarian view on our coronavirus public policy, I anticipated this was merely a proxy for climate alarmism. And while that likely drove Imperial College's doomsaying, the truth is there were plenty of other experts — who probably also believe there's more than two genders and salvation via the Green New Deal — that thought the lockdown strategy was anywhere from dumb to unnecessary. I was surprised to learn that not even within the echo chamber of institutional academia was there agreement this was the right strategy.
Here's just a sample:
Dr. John Ioannidis, Epidemiology and Public Health, Stanford
Dr. David Katz, Yale
Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director Center for Infectious Disease Research, University of Minnesota and served last five presidential administrations
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Stanford University, conducted the antibody test for MLB
Dr. Knut Wittkowski, former chief epidemiologist Rockefeller University Hospital
Dr. Sunetra Gupta, Oxford University Theoretical Epidemiology
Yoram Lass, Director Israeli Health Ministry
Johan Giesecke, Former Chief Scientist European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
This prestigious group of thinkers from elite universities and institutions all over the world questioned the efficacy of these lockdowns. Some of them going all the way back to March. Like Gupta, who questioned the Imperial College model's credibility the week after it was published. Ioannidis wrote a skeptical peer-reviewed white paper on March 19 that has turned out to be downright prophetic. And yet, all of them were ignored. Why?
If someone comes to you and says up to 2 million people will die unless you risk a Great Depression, wouldn't you want to get a second opinion before deciding which of those Kobayashi Maru scenarios to try? Aren't patients faced with a difficult diagnosis encouraged to get a second opinion? Then how come Dr. Fauci never sought a second opinion from this group of experts, who all have credentials to rival his own?
As a virus, coronavirus is certainly different from the flu. Adults with auto-immune disease or diabetes who don't have to social distance during a typical flu season, are probably wise to do so with COVID-19. However, those are decisions that can simply be made between an individual and their doctor without wholesale public disruption.
That's different from the attacking mice with an elephant gun macro public policy approach we went with, otherwise known as the lockdowns, which has turned out to be the worst management decision in American history. And it's highly unlikely it ever would've happened without Fauci's chicken little act before the Congress on March 11. Just as it's highly unlikely it would've continued past April 1 without Fauci using the disgraced IHME models to convince President Trump to go beyond the initial "15 days to flatten the curve."
What did Dr. Fauci know, and when did he know it? We must get the answer to these questions, even if it requires a Nuremberg-esque tribunal to do so. Otherwise, how will we know in the future whether to take the next viral threat seriously, or that we're being panic scammed? It's just as likely the next pandemic won't be relegated to our nursing homes, as it will be another anti-America media-driven hysteria directed by a pop culture false prophet.
The American people deserve to know how to tell if the next threat is a foreign virus or another domestic political narrative, and that requires answers to these questions.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Architect of lockdown policy admits Sweden achieved similar outcomes without lockdown

Ferguson was made to answer for his inaccurate predictions

The scientist architect behind the lockdown policy to stop the spread of the coronavirus admitted that Sweden, which rejected the lockdown model, had similar results to those nations with lockdowns.
Imperial College London scientist Neil Ferguson made the startling comments in his first public address since he was caught violating his own social distancing guidelines in order to continue an affair with a married woman.
"It is interesting that adopting a policy which is short of a full lockdown – they have closed secondary schools and universities and there is a significant amount of social distancing, but it's not a full lockdown – they have got quite a long way to the same effect," said Ferguson of Sweden.
His extreme social distancing policies have come under fire from those arguing that the cure might have become worse than the disease.
Ferguson was asked to explain why there had been far fewer deaths from the coronavirus in Sweden than he had predicted. Sweden has seen more than 40,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 4,500 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University study.
"I think it's an interesting question. It's clear there have been significant social distancing in Sweden. Our best estimate is that that has led to a reduction in the reproduction number," he explained, according to the Daily Wire.
Ferguson has also come under fire after he falsely predicted that there could be as many as 2 million deaths from the coronavirus in the United States. There have been more than 108,000 recorded deaths from the virus in the U.S.
"It's clear that when you look at their mortality, they are not seeing the rate of decline most European countries are seeing," he admitted of Sweden.
Here's the latest about coronavirus:


theblaze--2020-06-03--Troops guard Lincoln Memorial from further vandalism amid riots

Several monuments in Washington , D.C. , were defaced over the weekend

National Guard troops were deployed to stand guard Tuesday at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to prevent further vandalism of the site after it was defaced with graffiti by activists over the weekend.
President Donald Trump called in troops to assist in securing the capital as ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd have been violent in the city and across the country for several days.
What are the details?
The Washington Times reported that "photos posted Saturday by the National Park Service showed spray-painted messages on the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the statue of Gen. Casimir Pulaski."
The vandalized monuments were quickly cleaned by federal workers, but military personnel have been called in to make sure such destruction does not happen again.
On Monday, the president vowed to deploy the military and other federal resources to areas where state and local officials have not taken sufficient action to stop the looting and violence that has erupted throughout the nation.
On Tuesday, The Hill reported that "in an extraordinary scene, troops stood in separate rows along the steps of the monument as a throng of protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool."
The outlet noted that "troops from Indiana, South Carolina and Tennessee were expected to arrive by Tuesday night in the capital," and "Maryland and Ohio have also sent troops to the District," while Gov. Ralph Northam (D) of Virginia denied the request for assistance from the Pentagon.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Kamala Harris accuses Trump of using the words of a 'dictator' in speech against riots, says 'domina

Kamala Harris accuses Trump of using the words of a 'dictator' in speech against riots, says 'dominate' is one of those words

Kamala Harris accuses Trump of using the words of a 'dictator ' in speech against riots , says 'dominate ' @ @ @ @ @ 'Domination is just another way of saying supremacy '

Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California accused President Donald Trump of using the words of a dictator in a statement he made about combatting the riots gripping the nation.
She made the comments while calling in on CNN.
"These are not the words of a president, these are the words of a dictator," she said.
"He talked about domination, dominating the streets. You know domination is just another way of saying supremacy, and that is part of the theme of who Donald Trump is. And that is, you know, after a long career in running for office and being president, where he has spent full time trying to sow hate and division," Harris continued.
"But the fact that he's the commander in chief threatening the American people with the American military?" she added. "Um, prepared to use the military against his own people? That's not the sign of a commander in chief."
Did he use that word?
The president did indeed use the word "dominate" during his speech to the nation on Monday regarding quelling the riots.
"First, we are ending the riots and lawlessness that has spread throughout our country. We will end it now," he said.
"Today, I have strongly recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets," he added. "Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence until the violence has been quelled."
Harris was so proud of her statement against the president that she posted a video on her social media account.


theblaze--2020-06-03--'You killed this man over some TVs!': Retired black police captain murdered by looters in St. Louis

'You killed this man over some TVs ! '
: Retired black police captain murdered by looters in St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ was killed when he tried to stop criminals from raiding a pawn shop during riots

A retired black police captain was murdered by looters outside a pawn shop in St. Louis in the early morning hours on Tuesday, when he went to check on the business as violent protests in the city and across the U.S. continue to rage following the death of George Floyd.
What are the details?
David Dorn, 77, was shot in the torso by looters outside Lee's Pawn and Jewelry store around 2:30 a.m., according to KMOV-TV.
He was left to die on the sidewalk, and an apparent witness took video of Dorn struggling after he was shot. The footage was broadcast over Facebook Live, but has since been removed from the platform. TheBlaze has viewed the clip.
The voice of a person can be heard on the video repeatedly telling Dorn, "stay with me, stay with me," and screaming at the alleged perpetrators that they had just murdered "somebody's granddaddy ... over some TVs." The witness also yelled, "You killed this man over some TVs!"
Dorn was pronounced dead at the scene when officers found him. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Police have made no arrests and said they have no suspects."
The newspaper noted that Dorn served for 38 years as an officer for the St. Louis Police Department and retired as a captain in 2007. He then served as the chief of police for the small town of Moline Acres, Missouri.
Because of his extensive background in law enforcement and his friendship with the owner, Dorn would check on Lee's Pawn and Jewelry whenever its alarm went off. That is why he was at the business on Tuesday morning, when he tried to stop the looters.
KSDK-TV reported that "flowers and a candle were placed outside the store Tuesday next to a sign that read, "Y'all killed a black man because 'they' killed a black man??? Rest in peace."
Dorn's widow, Ann, is a sergeant with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Breaking: Medical examiner says George Floyd had contracted coronavirus

Did this have something to do with his death ?

In a stunning collision of two stories that are dominating headlines, the Hennepin County medical examiner revealed that George Floyd had contracted the coronavirus before he died in police custody.
The medical development was revealed Wednesday when the full autopsy report from the Hennepin County medical examiner was released.
The report said that he had first been diagnosed with the virus on April 3, about two months before he died.
The 46-year-old died during his arrest at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers on May 25, which precipitated national outrage, protests, and rioting.
The earlier, less detailed version of the autopsy report said that he had died from "a heart attack from subdural restraint and neck compression."
It also listed other conditions he suffered from, including hypertensive heart disease and fentanyl intoxication and indicated he had recently used methamphetamine.
An independent autopsy conducted at the request of the attorney for the family of Floyd found the cause of death to be "asphyxiation from sustained pressure" and added "neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain."
Also on Wednesday, the charges against Derek Chauvin, the former cop who kneeled on Floyd's neck, were elevated to second-degree murder, while three other former officers were charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Here's more about the George Floyd riots:
Thousands March Through NYC For Seventh Day Of Protests Over George Floyd's Death, Police Brutality www.youtube.com
This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-06-04--LEGO stops marketing police-themed toys 'in light of recent events'

The toy company also halted its promotion of 'The White House ' set

Toy company Lego requested Tuesday that marketing affiliates immediately cease advertising several of its law enforcement-related products and to even pull them from websites "in light of recent events," as protests rage nationwide over the death of George Floyd.
What are the details?
In an email obtained by The Toybook trade magazine sent on behalf of the Danish company, affiliated partners were notified that "In light of recent events, LEGO has requested the below products to be removed from sites and any marketing ASAP."
To be clear, the items are still available for purchase. It was only promotions for such products that were stopped.
More than 30 products were on the list, with a large majority containing the word "Police" in the name, including the Police Station, Police Patrol Car, Police Helicopter Transport, and even the Donut Shop Opening — which, according to The Toybook, "includes Police Officer 'Duke DeTain' and 'Crook' minifigures."
Lego responded to The Toybook's request for comment on the email, saying in a statement: "We requested that our affiliate partners refrain from posting promotional LEGO content as part of our decision to respect #BlackOutTuesday and pause posting content on our social media channels in response to the tragic events in the US. We regret any misunderstanding and will ensure that we are clearer about our intentions in the future."
But all of the products Lego stopped marketing were either associated with law enforcement or firefighting, with the exception of one: "The White House" set was also pulled.
Gaming critic Alex Donaldson noted on Twitter, "Wow, Lego has now gone a step further and is pulling down all the marketing for any sets they have that are based around the Police theme or include Police characters. That's a decades-long staple being stepped off."
He added, "This includes the Lego Architecture White House set, which pretty much spells out where they stand politically."


theblaze--2020-06-03--Pat Gray Reacts: Looter explains why he looted to a reporter

Pat Gray Reacts : Looter explains why he looted to a reporter

Tuesday, Pat Gray reacted to a news report out of Los Angeles involving a group of looters who broke into a New Balance retail store. As cops arrived on the scene, the group of vandals fled. Police were able to subdue and arrest one man who spoke with a Fox 11 reporter about his motive for looting. Pat's reaction was priceless.
"Essentially, he was out there with his real ones, trying to get some monies," Pat joked.
Watch the video below for more details.
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theblaze--2020-06-03--'Liberation begins where America dies': Lara Logan reveals the TRUTH about Antifa's role in violent

'Liberation begins where America dies': Lara Logan reveals the TRUTH about Antifa's role in violent riots

'Liberation begins where America dies ' : Lara Logan reveals the TRUTH about Antifa 's role in violent riots Antifa @ @ @ @ @ a whole network of radical extremist terrorist organizations

Award-winning investigative journalist Lara Logan told Glenn Beck on the radio program Wednesday that a network of radical extremist terrorist organizations, including Antifa, are coordinating and escalating many of the violent riots in the wake of George Floyd's death.
Lara, who has done extensive reporting on Antifa, said it's "extraordinary" that so many Americans in the media and politics are defending the "very violent terrorist organization."
"[The media is] pretending that they care about journalism. They don't. They care about silencing, intimidating, destroying, annihilating, and getting us all to self-sensor so we don't cover any of the subjects they don't want us talking about," she said.
"For those of us who've followed [Antifa] for a while, and know what they're doing and what their agenda is, what has always been troubling is the way so many people in the media and in the political establishment have given them cover to operate," Lara added. "These are extremists. And you see a lot of parallels between extremists on the left and the right ... they pretty much operate the same way, exactly. And there's no difference between what Antifa is doing and the 'Brown Shirts' of Nazi Germany. Or the 'Black Shirts' of Mussolini."
She read the 10 points of action listed by an extremist group called the "Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement," which culminates with "Liberation begins where America dies."
Glenn recalled a prediction he made about 15 years ago, that "socialist, communists, radicals, anarchists, [and] Islamists would all work together ... they would all see the opportunity and work toward the same goal. And that's destruction of capitalism, and destruction of the Western world."
"A few years ago, I probably would not have agreed with you on that," Lara responded. "But I now see that you're absolutely correct."
Watch the video below to hear Lara detail evidence to expose the truth about Antifa:
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theblaze--2020-06-03--Trump's former defense secretary Jim Mattis denounces the president and his response to the riots

Trump 's former defense secretary Jim Mattis denounces the president and his response to the riots ' I have watched @ @ @ @ @ , angry and appalled '

Jim Mattis, former secretary of defense in the Trump administration, fired off a scathing criticism of President Donald Trump over the response to nationwide protests and rioting.
"I have watched this week's unfolding events, angry and appalled," Mattis said in the statement Wednesday.
"Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us," Mattis said. "We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children."
Mattis defended the protesters by excoriating efforts to paint the broad movement with the criminal actions of a smaller number of rioters and looters.
"The words 'Equal Justice Under Law' are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding," Mattis explained.
"It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind. We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers. The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values—our values as people and our values as a nation," he added.
Mattis also criticized the federal call to have the military bring order to the riots on American soil.
We must reject any thinking of our cities as a "battlespace" that our uniformed military is called upon to "dominate." At home, we should use our military only when requested to do so, on very rare occasions, by state governors. Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society. It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part. Keeping public order rests with civilian state and local leaders who best understand their communities and are answerable to them.
"We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution," he concluded.
Here's what Mattis said previously about the admin he left:


theblaze--2020-06-03--DRAMA: A behind-the-scenes look at Steven Crowder's Dallas riots interview

Use promo code LWC to save $ 10 Want more from Steven Crowder ?
To enjoy more of Steven 's @ @ @ @ @ actually funny , join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored @ @ @ @

If a man doesn't want to be seen as a criminal, stop committing crimes. If a cop doesn't want to be accused of abusing his or her authority, then stop taking lives from unarmed citizens. And, if a woman hates being asked if she's on her period because she hasn't laughed in two days, she should try taking some Midol.
We have all been stereotyped. Race or sex doesn't matter. Stereotypes are a result of collective human behavior, observed among society. Sometimes, stereotypes fit, whether we like them or not.
Don't misunderstand, stereotypes are never grounds for mistreatment, to provide insight into how our actions are perceived, or who we are vs. whom we strive to be. Okay?
Take, for example, a common female stereotype: being some variation of bitchy during our moon cycle. From the teenage years, women are conditioned to blame fits of bitchiness on hormonal issues rather than owning that maybe, we're allowing the bitchy to take over.
But if a woman doesn't want to be called bitchy, perhaps she should stop acting like a bitch. Regardless of fluctuating hormones. Accountability actually can overcome fits of rage frequently excused with "I feel bloated today."
My point is, we have control. Stereotypes don't mold us. We mold us. And with that, watch, learn, become enlightened.
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theblaze--2020-06-03--Newspaper apologizes for 'Buildings Matter, Too' headline

They have been accused of reflecting 'systemic racism in their newsroom and coverage '

The Philadelphia Inquirer has apologized and promised to "do better" after publishing an op-ed on Tuesday with the title, "Buildings Matter, Too."
The headline of the piece was changed amid uproar from critics, who have accused the newspaper of reflecting "systemic racism" for posting such a statement amid nationwide protests featuring "Black Lives Matter" in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
What are the details?
The day after the "Buildings Matter, Too" column was posted, the Inquirer issued a statement saying, "A headline published in Tuesday's Inquirer was offensive, inappropriate and we should not have printed it. We deeply regret that we did. We also know that an apology on its own is not sufficient."
It continued, "We need to do better. We've heard that loud and clear, including from our own staff. We will. A detailed explanation of how we got this so wrong will follow later today."
The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists strongly condemned the Inquirer's original headline for the op-ed along with the subtitle that read, "Yes, they can be rebuilt, while lives are lost forever. But that doesn't mean that they will be."
The PABJ called the original headline "tone-deaf" in a statement and called for "more than just a formal apology from the Philadelphia Inquirer, but immediate changes to their editorial process and vetting."
PABJ board member Tauhid Chappell noted on Twitter that the group has "proposed working together [with The Inquirer] on a collaborative plan that addresses the systemic racism that is reflected in their newsroom & coverage."
The headline of the op-ed now reads, "Damaging buildings disproportionately hurts the people protestors are trying to uplift." Columnist Inga Saffron argues in the piece:
'People over property' is great as a rhetorical slogan. But as a practical matter, the destruction of downtown buildings in Philadelphia — and in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and a dozen other American cities — is devastating for the future of cities. We know from the civil rights uprising of the 1960s that the damage will ultimately end up hurting the very people the protests are meant to uplift.
She concludes:
You can be appalled and heartbroken by our country's deadly racism, and yet still quake at what the damage to downtown portends for Philadelphia. Racism is built on strong foundations. The momentary satisfaction of destroying a few buildings does nothing to remove those structures. All it does is weaken our city.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Celebrities call for cuts to police budgets. Demand those funds be redistributed to benefit black co

Celebrities call for cuts to police budgets. Demand those funds be redistributed to benefit black communities.

Celebrities call for cuts to police budgets .
Demand those funds be redistributed to benefit black communities .

A horde of celebrities have signed an open letter calling for state and local governments to cut police budgets and reallocate the funds to necessary areas to benefit the black community.
The open letter is to supplement a petition of the same type from The Movement for Black Lives.
The Movement for Black Lives is a coalition of over 100 black rights organizations in the U.S.
What are the details?
Celebrities such as John Legend, Lizzo, Jane Fonda, The Weeknd, and Natalie Portman have signed the letter, which demands a decrease in police budgets.
The letter, which says police brutality and COVID-19 are "connected and consequential to each other," cites the need for such a move as based upon current and past events, such as the murder of George Floyd.
"The COVID-19 deaths and the deaths caused by police terror are connected and consequential to each other," a portion of the letter states. "The United States does not have a national healthcare system. Instead, we have the largest military budget in the world, and some of the most well-funded and militarized police departments in the world, too. Policing and militarization overwhelmingly dominate the bulk of national and local budgets. In fact, police and military funding has increased every single year since 1973, and at the same time, funding for public health decreased every year, crystallized most recently when the Trump administration eliminated the U.S. Pandemic Response Team in 2018, citing 'costs.'"
The letter continues, "Despite continued profiling, harassment, terror, and killing of Black communities, local and federal decision-makers continue to invest in the police, which leaves Black people vulnerable and our communities no safer."
Money should be siphoned from police budgets, the group says, and funneled to black neighborhood infrastructures, child care, education, and to help create a public national health care system.
The letter concludes, "Vote no on all increases to police budgets. Vote yes to decrease police spending and budgets. Vote yes to increase spending on Health care, Education, and Community programs that keep us safe."
What else?
The Weeknd revealed that he donated $200,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network, $200,000 to The Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative, and $100,000 to National Bail Out.
Actress America Ferrera also signed the letter, and taking to social media, wrote, "In my home city of Los Angeles, 54% of the city's budget goes to police! OVER HALF!!! I can't even find 'education resources' in the Mayor's budget pie! A healthy society is not built on policing! We need healthcare, education, jobs, and social services! If you're not enraged by this than [sic] you're not paying attention."
U.S. Women's national soccer team star Megan Rapinoe also made similar statements, signed the letter, and called for governments to defund the police.
"I signed on to #DefendBlackLives and to push to #DefundThePolice," Rapinoe wrote.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Police arrested 36 for rioting and looting in St. Louis this week — and all of them have been releas

Police arrested 36 for rioting and looting in St. Louis this week — and all of them have been released @ @ @ @ @ corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Tucker Boulevard on Tuesday in St. Louis .
@ @ @ @ @ protests things devolved into full scale riot with looting , fires and four police officers @ @ @ @ @ .
Louis Post-Dispatch/Tribune News Service via Getty Images )

Dozens of people were arrested this week for rioting and looting in St. Louis during demonstrations that started as protests of the police killing of George Floyd — and all of them have been released, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt criticized the release of 36 people who were arrested.
"In a stunning development, our office has learned that every single one of the St. Louis looters and rioters arrested were released back onto the streets by local prosecutor Kim Gardner," Schmitt tweeted.
From the Post-Dispatch:
Two were released after being issued a summons, eight were released after prosecutors refused to immediately file charges and the remainder were released while police apply for charges, the spokeswoman, Michelle Woodling, said in an email.
Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner's spokeswoman, Allison Hawk, said in an email that police only sought charges in "a few" cases of stealing during looting, and prosecutors refused charges because they wanted more investigation. "In an effort to hold the offenders accountable, we need essential evidence from the police. These matters remain under investigation," she wrote.
The suspects were arrested on suspicion of trespassing, burglary, causing property damage, stealing, and assault. They ranged in age from 17 to 36 but the majority of them were teens and people in their 20s.
Four police officers were shot Tuesday morning during the riots in St. Louis. All four of them survived. St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden said someone "randomly shot at the police line."
David Dorn, a 77-year-old retired St. Louis police captain, was shot and killed Tuesday morning outside a pawn shop. Dorn, who served as a volunteer Police Chief for Moline Acres, Missouri, was friends with the owner and went to check on the business when the alarm went off.
Footage of the shooting was broadcast on Facebook live, but has since been removed. Images of Dorn's body on the sidewalk was widely distributed on social media. No arrest has been made in the killing, and there are no suspects.


theblaze--2020-06-03--NYPD chief ‘outraged’ at Gov. Cuomo for ‘sitting in his office' criticizing police officers while th

NYPD chief ‘outraged’ at Gov. Cuomo for ‘sitting in his office' criticizing police officers while they are out there ‘giving their blood’

NYPD chief ‘ outraged ’ at Gov .
Cuomo for ‘ sitting in his office ' criticizing police officers while @ @ @ @ @ giving their blood ’

NYPD Chief Terence Monahan shot back at New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday after the governor criticized the city's mayor and police department for failing to defend the city amid the protests and riots following George Floyd's death.
Cuomo had called the city's inability to stop looters and rioters from running rampant in the city over the last two nights "a disgrace," and threatened to work around New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and bring in the National Guard.
The governor's comments didn't sit well with Monahan, who noted that NYPD officers are "giving their blood" to protect the city against violence.
"Our guys are tired, they're bleeding," the city's top uniformed cop told the New York Post. "I think everyone you're going to see is walking around cut up. But they're out there again tonight. They're out there giving their blood to keep this city safe.
"I'm extremely outraged at the governor's comments," Monahan added. "I'm watching my men and women out there dealing with stuff that no cop should ever have to deal with — bricks, bottles, rocks, hit in the face with bottles — and continuing to go forward to make an arrest.
"The leadership from every angle of this department is out on the streets, working side by side with their men," he continued. "For a governor to be sitting in his office saying that we're not doing a good job — I'm outraged."
Monahan was also keen to note that the state's recent bail reform, which effectively bars judges from setting bail on crimes below violent felonies, is certainly not helping the struggle against rioters.
"When it comes to a burglary, which is a commercial store, which is looting, they're back out," he said. "Because of bail reform you're back out on the street the next day. You cannot be held on any sort of bail."
Swarms of looters have been taking advantage of the George Floyd protests in recent days, ransacking retail stores up and down the city from the famous Macy's store in Hudson Square to high-end boutiques in SoHo.
When asked if he's ever experienced a situation such as the city found itself in over the last several days, Monahan said: "I've never seen anything like this."


theblaze--2020-06-03--NJ governor admits COVID-19 double standard, says recent protests are different from business owners

NJ governor admits COVID-19 double standard, says recent protests are different from business owners' complaints

NJ governor admits COVID-19 double standard , says recent protests are different from business owners ' complaints

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy embraced a clear double standard in his enforcement of COVID-19 precautions, saying the peaceful protests of the George Floyd's killing are different from business owners protesting their inability to earn a living.
These protests, which aren't always peaceful, include crowds of hundreds or thousands of people gathering and marching, with not everyone wearing masks, and people often seen hugging each other and certainly standing closer than the recommended six feet apart. They violate COVID-19 rules in every way.
"It's one thing to protest what day nail salons are opening and it's another to come out and peaceful protest about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes," Murphy reportedly said, according to reporter Shlomo Schorr.
Restaurants in New Jersey won't be allowed to open for outdoor dining until June 15. Salons and barbershops won't be allowed to take customers until June 22, and even then they will be required to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Protests, Murphy claims, are subject to different rules for no other reason than he believes one cause to be more valid than the other.
While Murphy may have referred to nail salons dismissively, as if the primary concern is about people who haven't been able to get their nails done, he fails to acknowledge that nail salons are businesses owned and operated by people who depend on them for essential income.
One might reasonably argue that, as important as the right to peacefully assemble in protest is, it is even more important that someone be allowed to earn a living. At the very least, it seems that the two concerns should be subject to the same rules.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio made a comment similar to Murphy's recently, saying concerns from religious people who wanted to gather for services weren't the same as protesting in the context of "400 years of American racism."
The rhetoric around reopening states last month was legitimately apocalyptic, with detractors warning of spikes in deaths and overwhelmed hospitals if people were allowed to go to restaurants or stores. Now, some public health experts support mass gatherings, simply encouraging participants to be careful and social distance, if possible.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Charge against Derek Chauvin elevated, and three other fired officers charged with aiding and abet

Charge against Derek Chauvin elevated, and three other fired officers charged with aiding and abetting murder

Charge against Derek Chauvin elevated , and three other fired officers charged with aiding and abetting murder All four officers @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd are charged

The three other former Minneapolis police officers involved in the arrest that led to George Floyd's death have been charged by authorities, and the charge against former officer Derek Chauvin has been increased.
The charges were filed on Wednesday.
Former officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, according to Minnesota court records.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the charges in a statement to the media. The 44-year-old Chauvin now faces second-degree murder after he was originally charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Ellison used the platform to call for change in law enforcement policies that he believed led to the death of George Floyd on May 25.
"Our country has under-prosecuted these matters, in Minnesota, and throughout the country," Ellison said at the briefing. "That, I think, is the origin of the trust problem."
An attorney for the family of George Floyd said that their independent autopsy led to the conclusion that he died as a results of "asphyxiation from sustained pressure" during his arrest.
Protests and riots after the death of Floyd erupted across the nation, causing numerous deaths and untold property damage through arson and looting.
Here's more about the new charges:


theblaze--2020-06-03--Florida mayor declares state of emergency, issues temporary ban on sale and public possession of fir

Florida mayor declares state of emergency, issues temporary ban on sale and public possession of firearms

Florida mayor declares state of emergency , issues temporary ban on sale and public possession of firearms

West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James issued a declaration of state of local emergency on Sunday, banning the sale of firearms and ammunition due to the George Floyd protests taking place in the Florida area.
What are the details?
In his Sunday proclamation, James wrote, "There is reason to believe that there exists a clear and present danger of a riot or other general public disorder."
As such, the declaration expressly states that the sale of firearms is prohibited.
"The following acts shall be prohibited throughout the City during the State of Local Emergency," a portion of the proclamation reads. Those acts include "The sale of, or offer to sell, with or without consideration, any ammunition or gun or other firearm of any size of description."
"The intentional display by or in any store or shop of any ammunition or gun or other firearm of any size of description" is also banned, as well as "[t]he intentional possession in a public place of a firearm by any person, except a duly authorized law enforcement official or person in military service acting in the official performance of her or his duty."
The declaration also stipulates that the city is under curfew for 72 hours following the proclamation, and retailers also cannot sell alcoholic beverages during the 72 hours of declared local emergency. The curfew is in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
What else?
On Monday, James defended the proclamation, and WPEC-TV reported that he plans to ask the city commission for an extension on the declaration.
In a statement, he said, "The public's safety is my top priority, especially during this time of great unrest in cities nationwide."
You can read the city's full Declaration of Emergency below.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Oklahoma State college football player tests positive for COVID-19 after attending George Floyd prot

Oklahoma State college football player tests positive for COVID-19 after attending George Floyd protest

A few other players tested positive as well Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga ( # 11 ) of the Oklahoma State Cowboys @ @ @ @ @ during a game at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater , Oklahoma .
( Photo by @ @ @ @

An Oklahoma State University football player has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a George Floyd protest in Tulsa, highlighting the reality that social distancing has been totally disregarded in recent weeks and potentially complicating the return of college football teams to campus, The Hill reported.
The player, senior linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga, announced the positive test result on Twitter and warned others to be careful when participating in large protests.
"After attending a protest in Tulsa AND being well protective of myself, I have tested positive for COVID-19," he wrote. "Please, if you are going to protest, take care of yourself and stay safe."
Ogbongbemiga has been moved to isolated student housing for quarantine.
An Oklahoma State athletics official confirmed that three people in the athletics department tested positive. The Oklahoman reported that they were all football players who did not display symptoms of the disease.
"For the record: @OSUAthletics has tested over 150 staff/admins/student-athletes with 3 asymptomatic positives. All by SAs," associate athletic director Kevin Klintworth tweeted. "Positives were expected and the plan for that scenario has been activated. We will be as forthcoming as possible on the covid issues"
As a result of these positive tests, the expected move-in for freshman players has been delayed. OSU was one of the schools bringing football players back as normal for summer workouts. Other schools, such as the University of Oklahoma, are delaying the start of summer workouts until July.
OU head coach Lincoln Riley called the idea of bringing players back to campus on Monday "ridiculous" and advocated for starting as late as feasibly possible.
"In my opinion, we need to bring them in as late as we possibly can before we play a season," Riley said, according to Sports Illustrated. "Every day that we bring them in is a day we could have gotten better. It's a day we could've learned more about the virus. It's a day PPE maybe gets better. It's a day closer to vaccine. It's a day that our testing equipment and testing capabilities get better, and it's just not worth it. So we've got to be patient. We get one shot at this, and we've got to do it right."


theblaze--2020-06-03--Truck driver warns protesters who threaten, block truckers: 'You will move, or you will die'

Truck driver warns protesters who threaten , block truckers : 'You will move , or you will die' 'We will @ @ @ @ @ up to and including using our 80,000 lb trucks ... to run you over .
@ @ @ @ @ , but will if we have to , to save our own life . '

Truck driver Mark Staite saw the writing on the wall over the weekend.
An independent driver who offers tips and advice to young truckers, Staite told TheBlaze he'd read in online trucking groups about drivers getting stopped and looted amid protests and rioting over George Floyd's death.
He said his mind immediately flashed back to the 1992 Los Angeles riots and trucker Reginald Denny getting beaten to within an inch of his life by rioters while news cameras rolled.
Reginald Denny youtu.be
What happened next?
So Staite said he hopped on Facebook and warned protesters who think they can get away with putting truckers' lives at risk by trying to block their way or otherwise violate them.
"The American trucker will not be held hostage, threatened, robbed, or killed," he wrote. "We will not be a victim. We will not be this generation's version of Reginald Denny. Every driver knows that name. Do you?"
Staite added that truckers "will defend ourselves every time, up to and including, using our 80,000 lb trucks ... to run you over. We don't want to, but will if we have to, to save our own life."
He also said "cities where looting, rioting, and stopping trucks is happening" are now "on notice."
"Threaten, delay, attempt to stop a truck, [and] we... the American trucker will consider that act as an attack on our lives. We will defend ourselves, our equipment, and our load," Staite wrote.
More from his post:
Food, medicine, hospital supplies, gasoline, and a million other daily items we deliver to your cities ARE A-POLITICAL. Everyone needs them, including your dumbass. We don't 'need' to come to your lawless city. YOU NEED us to deliver your food and supplies to your city.
We drivers have social media, too. If your city becomes too chaotic and violent. Becomes too unsafe for us... Word will spread very quickly amongst the 3.5 million truckers. We will stop delivering to your city. Period. No driver will travel into a city that reminds us of scenes from a "Mad Max" movie.
Threaten an American truck driver while he's working and it will take you, and your city, down a path where YOU WILL LOSE."
He concluded by telling protesters to "keep your silly s**t off the U.S. Interstate and U.S. highway system. Congregating in the roadway will only get you run over. Having people standing and blocking the highway is a threat to our physical safety, and we will respond appropriately to your attack. Standing in the roadway is NOT a protest. It is an attack on our safety. Air horns will sound, steering wheels will be held tightly, but those brakes will not be touched. You will move, or you will die. 80,000 pounds at 70mph will win every time. STAY OUT OF THE ROADWAY."
And then his sign off: "DON'T F*** WITH THE AMERICAN TRUCKER!"
Then it happened
Staite isn't on the Internet much over the course of most days because he sometimes drives his rig for as many as 11 hours in a day, so he didn't know about the incident involving a FedEx truck driver who stepped on the gas and got away from protesters attacking and looting his rig but not realizing one of them died after becoming trapped between trailers, getting dragged, and then getting run over.
And hours after Staite posted his Facebook message, a trucker drove toward hundreds of protesters blocking Interstate 35 in Minneapolis and scattered them before he stopped and was dragged out and beaten by the angry mob. Turns out that trucker, Bogdan Vechirko, was delivering fuel for a black-owned business.
Soon Staite's post was getting an awful lot of media attention — and as he explained to TheBlaze, what he wrote on Facebook doesn't tell half the story.
For starters he emphasized that his Facebook message isn't about encouraging truckers to hit protesters. He did say, however, that when truckers are confronted by human blockades or mobs climbing all over their rigs and kicking in their windshields, they should slow down to a crawl if they can but never stop moving.
He also said there's a big difference between "peaceful protesters" and the "lawless, violent thugs and thieves who have nothing to do with real protest. We support the protest."
Staite also emphasized that Floyd suffered a wrongful death, and that those responsible should be punished.
Lack of training
Staite also said truck drivers "aren't trained" for protester reactions and how to handle things when roads or highways are blocked — and that they should be.
He also maintained that Vechirko — the trucker on the Minneapolis freeway — was going around a "blind curve" on an incline and likely never saw the protesters until the last second. Moreover, police said barricades were not yet up, and Vechirko was in the wrong place in the wrong time on what he likely assumed was an empty highway. He was released from jail Tuesday without charges as the investigation continues.
Mug Shot Of Semi-Truck Driver Who Drove Into Crowd On I-35W Released www.youtube.com
The last resort
Staite added to TheBlaze that truck drivers have the "right to save" their own lives and exercise "self-defense" when confronted by protesters, particularly because it's generally against trucking company policies to carry weapons.
What do they have left to defend themselves?
Their trucks, he said.
This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Larry Elder: Obama made things WORSE for black Americans — not Trump

'Race relations fell precipitously in the second half of Obama 's second term '

Attorney, author, and radio personality Larry Elder joined Mark Levin on "LevinTV" this week to compare the state of race relations in America during the Obama and Trump administrations, and discuss what the mainstream media gets wrong about the black community and police.
"When you really look at what Donald Trump has done, he has had a concentrated interest in the black community and he's done things specifically, he feels, to help the black community — whether it's economic, whether it's criminal justice reform — whatever it is, he gets absolutely no credit for that," Levin said. "Whereas Obama is treated like, 'Wow, look at all the wonderful things he's done for the black community.' As best as I can tell, he didn't do anything significant for the black community."
"Not only did [Obama] not do anything significant, he made things worse," Elder said.
He went on to review a number of counter-productive actions and statements made by the former president that have been especially damaging to race relations in the United States.
"In my opinion, Obama has made things worse, has given black people the impression that the police are out to get them," Elder emphasized. "And, if you look at the polls, race relations fell precipitously in the second half of Obama's second term, and have improved during the three years that President Trump has been in office."
Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:
Want more from Mark Levin?
To enjoy more of "the Great One," Mark Levin, as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Defense Secretary Esper breaks with President Trump on using military to police rioters: 'I do not s

Defense Secretary Esper breaks with President Trump on using military to police rioters: 'I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act'

Defense Secretary Esper breaks with President Trump on using military to police rioters : ' I do not support invoking @ @ @ @

In a clear break with President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters Wednesday that he does not support using the United States military to police the streets as protests and riots rage across the country following George Floyd's death.
Esper announced that he opposes invoking the Insurrection Act, a law which would allow Trump to use active-duty military personnel as law enforcement, saying the act should only be used as "a last resort" and in the most "dire of situations."
"We are not in one of those situations now," the secretary said.
Esper's remarks expanded on comments he made Tuesday night during an exclusive interview with NBC News, in which he insisted that "we have more than enough National Guard capacity out there."
Some media sources are reporting that Esper's comments were not received well by White House officials, including Axios' Jonathan Swan and multiple reporters at CNN. But that reporting has not been confirmed by the White House.
Trump discussed the possibility of using the Insurrection Act during a Rose Garden address Monday.
"If a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them," Trump said at the time.
On Wednesday, Esper reiterated his suggestion that the National Guard, and not active-duty military, be deployed to manage the unrest.
"I've always believed and continue to believe that the National Guard is best suited for performing domestic support to civil authorities in these situations in support of local law enforcement," Esper said.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Black business owner goes off on protesters, looters: 'Tell me black lives matter — you lied!'

Black business owner goes off on protesters , looters : 'Tell me black lives matter — you lied ! '
@ @ @ @ @ the neighborhood — we trying to build it up and you tearing it down '

The emotional plea of a black woman, whose New York City store was destroyed by rioters, is going viral over the blunt message that she has for those unleashing destruction across America.
The woman, standing in front of the ransacked Brooklyn store front where she is part-owner, condemned violent protesters, charging those who chant "black lives matter," yet destroy the businesses that black people own, do not care about black lives at all.
"Do you know the problem that bothers me — you said black lives matter," the woman explained
"I worked here. Part-time. Plus I am a part-owner of the store," she continued, pointing to her destroyed business.
"You said black lives matter. Why don't you choke me? I'm black. Look what you did to my store. Look!" she continued. "Look at the things you done! We've been here all night cleaning up!"
"Tell me black lives matter? You lied — you wanted to loot this store. You needed money — get a job like I do!" she went on to say. "Stop stealing. This is the neighborhood — we trying to build it up and you tearing it down."
The video comes as protests — including peaceful demonstrations as well as violent riots and looting — continue in cities across America.
As the woman in the video highlights, the riots are negatively impacting the black community.
A Minneapolis firefighter, who spent his life savings to open a sports bar, had his dream restaurant destroyed by looters last week. Fortunately, a GoFundMe campaign raised more than $1 million for the fledging restaurateur.
In another tragic story, 77-year-old David Dorn, a retired police chief, was shot and killed on the sidewalk by looters in St. Louis early Tuesday morning; he was simply trying to stop looters from stealing TVs.


theblaze--2020-06-03--NYPD officers shove AP journalists, force them to stop covering protests

What is happening here ?

Police officers were caught on camera manhandling at least two Associated Press journalists Tuesday night on the streets of New York City.
According to reports, both journalists were wearing AP identification.
What are the details?
Associated Press broadcast producer Robert Bumstead and photographer Maye-E Wong were on the streets reporting on the George Floyd protests and riots and on what tactics police were using to disperse the growing crowds.
Several New York City police officers approached Bumstead and Wong while they were covering the protests, demanding that they immediately leave. WNBC-TV reported that no less than six officers approached the two.
"Get the f*** out of here, you piece of s**t," one officer could be heard shouting.
Bumstead attempted to justify his and Wong's presence on the street, as essential workers are considered exempt from any imposed curfews, but the officer wasn't having it.
"I don't give a s**t!" the officer added.
Bumstead was not relenting, however, and attempted to explain to the officers that they were employed by the Associated Press.
The officers responded by physically forcing Bumstead and Wong out of the area, even as Bumstead attempted to leave in his car.
Wong said that the officers refused to listen to reason over the journalists' presence, according to KTLA-TV.
"They didn't care," Wong said. "They were just shoving me."
A spokesperson for the NYPD said that the department was looking into the incident, according to the station.
Lauren Easton, a spokesperson for the Associated Press, said that the officers' actions were inexcusable.
"The role of journalists is to report the news on behalf of the public," Easton said. "It is unacceptable and deeply troubling when journalists are harassed simply for doing their job."


theblaze--2020-06-03--'Safe sex' might now mean couples wearing face masks during intercourse, new study says

'Safe sex ' might now mean couples wearing face masks during intercourse , new study says

A new study from researchers at Harvard University reported that people engaging in sex should also consider wearing a face mask in addition to other typical preventative measures.
What are the details?
The research was published in May in the Annals of Internal Medicine and ranked situations based on their individual likelihood of catching COVID-19.
The riskiest sexual scenario is sex with people other than those with whom a person is quarantined. Other high-risk behaviors include having sex with someone outside your household, and even sometimes sex with someone inside your household, depending on who they may have come in contact with during outdoor ventures.
The research suggested avoiding kissing as well as any other oral actions that involve bodily fluids. Couples are encouraged to clean themselves thoroughly before and after intercourse, and sanitize the area with disinfectant afterward.
Researchers said that the best option to avoiding infection is abstinence, as it is "low risk for infection" despite being "not feasible for many." Another option that is considered safer includes "sexual activity via digital platforms, such as the phone or video chat." Researchers, however, encourage people to be aware of the heightened risk of "sexual extortion" in which a person takes a screenshot of the encounter and shares with other people.
The study's authors wrote: "SARS-CoV-2 is present in respiratory secretions and spreads through aerosolized particles. It may remain stable on surfaces for days. On the basis of this information, all types of in-person sexual activity probably carry risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Infected individuals have the potential to spread respiratory secretions onto their skin and personal objects, from which the virus can be transmitted to a sexual partner. Because many SARS-CoV-2–infected people are asymptomatic, HCPs are left with little to offer beyond guidance to not engage in any in-person sexual activity."


theblaze--2020-06-03--6 million guns have been sold since the US coronavirus outbreak began

Gun sales have reached record heights in the past three months, with more than 6 million guns sold in the United States since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
That 6 million includes 1.7 million sold in May — typically a slower spring month — which is an all-time record for the month and an 80% increase from May 2019. Gun sales at the end of the month may have been boosted by the widespread riots and looting in major cities in response to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
Many of the purchasers are first-timers, and many of those first-timers are women purchasing handguns for personal protection. From the Free Beacon:
The record-setting sales pace has been driven in large part by new gun owners, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry's trade group.
"Our recent survey of firearm retailers shows us that 40 percent of these gun buyers are buying a firearm for the first time," Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the group, said in a statement. "Of those first-time gun owners, 40 percent are women and these buyers are overwhelmingly purchasing handguns for personal protection."
The COVID-19 pandemic also appears to have driven gun sales, as people feared that government-imposed lockdowns might lead to unrest, and worries about gun-buying restrictions may have led some to stock up.
"People are nervous that there's a certain amount of civil disorder that might come if huge numbers of people are sick and a huge number of institutions are not operating normally," said Timothy Lytton, a law professor at Georgia State University with expertise in the gun industry, according to the New York Times. "They may have an anxiety about protecting themselves if the organs of state are starting to erode."


theblaze--2020-06-03--NY Times writer, author of ‘1619 Project,’ says 'destroying property' — as seen during riots — 'is n

NY Times writer, author of ‘1619 Project,’ says 'destroying property' — as seen during riots — 'is not violence'

NY Times writer , author of ‘ 1619 Project , ’ says 'destroying property ' — as seen during riots @ @ @ @ @ ... these are not reasonable times '

Nikole Hannah-Jones, the New York Times writer behind the "1619 Project," claimed on Tuesday that the destruction of property during the violent riots happening across America is not actually violence.
Speaking on CBS News, Hannah-Jones said that violence is what fired Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin did to George Floyd — and that it is not comparable to the destruction of property.
"Violence is when an agent of the state kneels on a man's neck until all of the life is leached out of his body. Destroying property, which can be replaced, is not violence. And to put those things — to use the same language to describe those two things I think really — it's not moral to do that," Hannah-Jones said.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist said "we need to be very careful with our language" in order to not conflate the destruction of life with the destruction of "things."
"I think any reasonable person would say we shouldn't be destroying other people's property — but these are not reasonable times," she explained, citing police brutality.
"So when we have people who say that people should respect the law, they're not respecting the law because the law is not respecting them. You can't say that regular citizens should play by all of the rules when agents of the state are clearly are not," Hannah-Jones said.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Top medical journal may have to retract negative hydroxychloroquine conclusions after its study used

Top medical journal may have to retract negative hydroxychloroquine conclusions after its study used suspect data

One of the world's leading medical journals has issued an "expression of concern" about its hydroxychloroquine findings after it was revealed that it may have used faulty data in its study.
What are the details?
Last month, the Lancet published a study that purported to find that the anti-malarial drug often touted by President Trump was ineffective in treating COVID-19, and also increased the risk of death in patients.
This was a major report. In fact, the findings led the World Health Organization to halt a major international study on the drug and resulted in several countries banning the use of the drug to treat the coronavirus. Trump was openly chastised by the media for promoting a drug that was now allegedly proven to be deadly.
But after more than 100 scientists and clinicians questioned the quality of the information used in the study, the leading journal was forced on Tuesday to put out a notice about its work.
In its "expression of concern," the Lancet wrote "to alert readers to the fact that serious scientific questions have been brought to our attention" regarding its publication. The journal also noted that "an independent audit of the provenance and validity of the data has been commissioned."
What drew ire from outside researchers and scientists was the study's use of a massive hospital database owned by a small company based in Chicago called Surgisphere. Scientists began to take note when Surgisphere's data on tens of thousands of hospitalized patients from around the world did not square with government reporting.
A second study using Surgisphere's data published by the New England Journal of Medicine also had an "expression of concern" issued on it. That study was unrelated to hydroxychloroquine, but researched the effect ACE inhibitors may have on COVID-19 patients with underlying cardiovascular disease.
NEJM similarly wrote that "substantive concerns have been raised about the quality of the information" in the Surgisphere database researchers used.
Both the Lancet and the NEJM studies were co-authored by Surgisphere's chief executive, Sapan Desai.
What else?
Publicly available information about the company reported by the Guardian suggests that Surgisphere is a sham company and raises questions about how leading journals came to be associated with the firm.
Here are some of the highlights from the Guardian report:
Surgisphere's employees have little or no data or scientific background. An employee listed as a science editor appears to be a science fiction author and fantasy artist. Another employee listed as a marketing executive is an adult model and events hostess.
The company's LinkedIn page has fewer than 100 followers and last week listed just six employees. This was changed to three employees as of Wednesday.
While Surgisphere claims to run one of the largest and fastest hospital databases in the world, it has almost no online presence. Its Twitter handle has fewer than 170 followers, with no posts between October 2017 and March 2020.
Until Monday, the "get in touch" link on Surgisphere's homepage redirected to a WordPress template for a cryptocurrency website, raising questions about how hospitals could easily contact the company to join its database.
Anything else?
It should be noted that the Lancet study on hydroxychloroquine is not the only large-scale study to release disappointing results about the drug's effectiveness in treating COVID-19.
An analysis, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on May 12, found no noticeable benefit from the drug and also concluded that the drug, when used in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin, may cause increased cardiac risk in some patients.
Nonetheless, the Lancet's use of faulty data is sure to call into questioning both its findings about the drug as well as its reputation as a trusted source for accurate medical information.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Alleged looter brags about stolen merchandise. Social media does its thing. Now police are on the hu

Alleged looter brags about stolen merchandise. Social media does its thing. Now police are on the hunt.

Alleged looter brags about stolen merchandise .
Social media does its thing .
Now police are on the hunt .

An alleged looter bragged about his ill-gotten haul on social media — but it's apparent he didn't get away with what he might have thought.
What are the details?
The suspect, apparently based near Santa Monica, California, shared a video on Twitter featuring boxes upon boxes of stolen merchandise.
Twitter user Santa Monica Problems tweeted the video, captioning it, "One of the looters bragging on social media about all the merch he stole. Twitter: do you work. Let's find this guy & expose him! #SantaMonica #SantaMonicaLooting #FIRECHIEFRENAUD @Lane_Dilg @GleamDavis @TedWinterer @santamonicacity @SaMoMayor @KevinMcKeownSM."
After the video went viral — with 989 retweets at the time of this writing — KTTV-TV's Bill Melugin tweeted the video with his own remarks.
He wrote, "Not only is this clown stupid enough to show his face while he brags about all the merchandise in he looted in #SantaMonica, he also reveals his location. Someone knows who he is. Do your thing internet. Anyone have his @?"
Hours later, Melugin revealed that the suspect had been located.
In a follow-up tweet, the Los Angeles-based reporter wrote, "UPDATE: Found him :) And he has quite a bit of Champion loot which makes me believe he was one of the guys @bobbydtv was watching loot live on the air in the Fairfax District on Saturday."
Social media users weren't the only ones who took notice of the suspect's video: The police also caught wind of the theft, and made sure the online world knew about it.
The Los Angeles Police Department's official Twitter page wrote, "We see this video, as will @SantaMonicaPD."
The Santa Monica Police Department did indeed take notice, responding, "This video has been shared with SMPD detectives for follow up."


theblaze--2020-06-03--Trump announces GOP Convention is moving out of North Carolina;  party is seeking other states to ho

Trump announces GOP Convention is moving out of North Carolina;  party is seeking other states to host

Trump announces GOP Convention is moving out of North Carolina ; party is seeking other states to host Democratic governor @ @ @ @ @ plans

President Donald Trump announced on Twitter Tuesday night that the Republican Party will no longer host the 2020 Republican National Convention in North Carolina as was previously planned, but instead will be seeking other locations to host.
The president blamed Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for the change in plans, saying that the governor is still in "Shelter-In-Place Mode" and has thus far refused to guarantee that the Spectrum Arena in Charlotte would be able to operate at full capacity for the convention Aug. 24-27.
"Because of [Gov. Cooper], we are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention," Trump said.
The move was becoming more and more expected as the weeks waned on since the start of the coronavirus outbreak and the two leaders sparred over capacity restrictions.
Last week, Trump delivered an ultimatum to Cooper, threatening to move the convention out of state unless an immediate guarantee from the governor that "full attendance" would be allowed. Cooper evidently refused to comply and so the party will look elsewhere.
Upon news of the ultimatum, governors and party leaders in several states — including Georgia, Florida, and Texas — offered up their states to host the huge event.
In response to Trump's Tuesday night tweet, Cooper shot back saying "it's unfortunate" the GOP "never agreed to scale down" the convention in lieu of the pandemic.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Health experts back protests despite coronavirus since 'white supremacy is a lethal public health is

Health experts back protests despite coronavirus since 'white supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19'

Health experts back protests despite coronavirus since 'white supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to @ @

Dozens of public health and disease experts said the risks of contracting COVID-19 at large protests shouldn't deter people from demonstrating against racism, National Public Radio reported, citing an open letter penned by the health experts.
What are the details?
"White supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19," the letter said, according to NPR.
Initially written by infectious disease experts at the University of Washington, the letter cited a number of systemic problems, from the disproportionately high rate at which black people have been killed by police in the U.S. to disparities in life expectancy and other vital categories — including black Americans' higher death rate from the coronavirus. [...]
Local governments should not break up crowded demonstrations "under the guise of maintaining public health," the experts said in their open letter. They urged law enforcement agencies not to use tear gas, smoke and other irritants, saying they could make people more susceptible to infection and worsen existing health conditions.
According to Slate, the letter said protests shouldn't be viewed primarily as potentially adding to coronavirus cases but rather as a tool to promote public health, as protests address "the paramount public health problem of pervasive racism. We express solidarity and gratitude toward demonstrators who have already taken on enormous personal risk to advocate for their own health, the health of their communities, and the public health of the United States."
More from Slate:
By Tuesday afternoon, more than 1,000 epidemiologists, doctors, social workers, medical students, and other health experts had signed the letter. The creators had to close a Google Sheet with signatures to the public after alt-right messages popped up, but they plan to publish a final list soon, says Rachel Bender Ignacio, an infectious disease specialist and one of the letter's creators. The hopes for the letter are twofold. The first goal is to help public health workers formulate anti-racist responses to media questions about the health implications. The second is to generate press to address a general public that may be concerned about protests spreading the virus.
But not all protests are created equal, apparently
Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire put together a Twitter thread of reaction to recent protests against the coronavirus lockdowns. (Remember those?) It goes without saying that the experts and the powers that be — and that arbiter of all things moral (and blackface wearer) Jimmy Kimmel — weren't too sympathetic to those protesters.
Here are a few examples Walsh cited:
Image source: Twitter
Image source: Twitter
Image source: Twitter


theblaze--2020-06-03--Virtue signaling white guys shout ‘We’re on your side’ to rioters — they get their windows smashed a

Virtue signaling white guys shout ‘We’re on your side’ to rioters — they get their windows smashed anyway

Virtue signaling white guys shout ‘ We ’ re on your side ’ to rioters — they get their windows @ @

A group of white guys partying in their apartment attempted to show their solidarity with protesters walking on the street — but things didn't end well when it turned out to be the angry mob.
The video, posted to Twitter Tuesday night by filmmaker Ami Horowitz, shows a young white man giving a thumbs-up to the passing crowd as some individuals on the street are seen picking up rocks and heaving them at the window.
The man in the apartment begins to ask why the crowd is throwing things at them when suddenly a rock strikes one of the windows, completely shattering it.
"We're on your side!" another partier shouted to the crowd. "We're on your side!"
Then another rock struck and shattered the other window.
"Holy s**t! We're on your side! We're on your f***ing side! What the f***!" he continued to yell out to no avail.
The location where the event took place was not immediately clear.
Content wanting: rough language
Several social media users mocked the partiers for thinking their virtue signaling would be met with appreciation.
"Sad, but kind of hilarious," Horowitz said in the caption for the tweet.
TheBlaze's Jessica Fletcher also couldn't help but finding the video somewhat humorous, tweeting that it's "the best illustration that no one cares about your virtue signaling."
Another person on Twitter wrote: "They are on the side of Antifa? Well they should not be surprised when this is what they get."
Protests across the country in recent days following the death of George Floyd have been, in many cases, exploited by anarchist and Antifa-like rioters. The mob has infiltrated peaceful demonstrations and turned them violent, which has resulted in the burning and damaging of property and the loss of more human life.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Three other former officers involved in George Floyd's death will be charged, family lawyer says

Three other former officers involved in George Floyd 's death will be charged , family lawyer says

The attorney representing George Floyd's family said during an interview on NBC's "Today" that authorities have told him the three other former officers involved in Floyd's death will also be charged.
Derek Chauvin, the former officer seen in viral videos with his knee on Floyd's neck, was charged last week with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Videos show two other officers — one "held Mr. Floyd's back" and the other "held his legs" — during the incident, and the fourth officer standing nearby watching.
"They will be charged. That is what the family is hearing from authorities," civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said.
Chauvin and the two other officers were on Floyd's neck and back for more than eight minutes, even after he fell unconscious. He had no pulse and was unresponsive when first responders arrived, and his condition never improved even as medical workers tried to revive him for more than an hour on the way to the hospital and at the emergency room.
The death was ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County medical examiner and by an independent autopsy done at the family's request, although the two reports listed different causes of death.
The county's report said he died of "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression," and pointed out that he had "arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease," fentanyl intoxication, and recent methamphetamine use.
The independent report listed the cause of death as asphyxia, saying his brain and other organs stopped functioning because his oxygen was cut off due to the pressure on his neck and back.
All four officers have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. The University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Public School district cut ties with the department as a result of the incident. The state Human Rights Department has launched an investigation into the MPD to examine its practices and policies for potential patterns of discrimination.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Chris Cuomo demands to know where it says protests must be 'peaceful.' Then he gets a lesson on the

Chris Cuomo demands to know where it says protests must be 'peaceful.' Then he gets a lesson on the Constitution.

Chris Cuomo demands to know where it says protests must be 'peaceful . '
Then he gets a lesson on @ @ @

CNN host Chris Cuomo is a law school graduate and licensed attorney — but he apparently does not know what the First Amendment says.
Speaking on his show Tuesday, Cuomo rebuked those who "see the protests as the problem" and demanded that riot critics show him where it says demonstrators must protest peacefully.
"Now too many see the protests as the problem. No, the problem is what forced your fellow citizens to take to the streets: persistent, poisonous inequities and injustice," Cuomo said. "And please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because I can show you that outraged citizens are what made the country what she is and led to any major milestone. To be honest, this is not a tranquil time."
Later, Cuomo declared that police officers are those required to remain peaceful — not demonstrators.
"Police are the ones required to be peaceful, to de-escalate, to remain calm," he said.
As many people on social media were quick to point out, there is a very prominent place in American law that says protests must be peaceful: the U.S. Constitution.
People responded:
Ben Domenech: "Yeah it's not like the First Amendment specifies our rights as 'peaceably to assemble'"
Dana Loesch replied with screenshots of the First Amendment, where the it declares protests must be peaceful
Sean Fitzgerald: "1st Amendment @ChrisCuomo 'the right of the people peaceably to assemble'"
"Uhhhh ... that would be the #1A. In the Constitution. Apparently Chris Boy has never read it," another person responded
"It's literally the 1st amendment," Twitter user Kenny Chessor said
Indeed, the First Amendment enumerates five well-known rights to all citizens — but there is a caveat added to the fourth right, the right to assemble in protest.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances," the First Amendment declares.
There's your answer, Christopher Cuomo, Esq.


theblaze--2020-06-03--LIVE: Steven Crowder follows up on his visit to Deep Ellum

LIVE : Steven Crowder follows up on his visit to Deep Ellum

Today, Steven covers Seth Rogan's ignorant Instagram post, the unmentioned names of black men tragically killed by rioters, a follow-up on Dallas' Deep Ellum neighborhood situation, and so much more.
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theblaze--2020-06-04--NYT employees accuse paper of putting 'black staff in danger' by running GOP senator's op-ed

NYT employees accuse paper of putting 'black staff in danger ' by running GOP senator 's op-ed Sen. Tom Cotton @ @ @ @ @ issued a call to 'send in the troops ' to stop riots

Several employees of the New York Times have unified in open revolt over the newspaper's decision to publish an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), wherein he calls on President Donald Trump to "send in the troops" to stop the rioting in cities across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd.
In public condemnation of their own employer, a number of the Times' employees tweeted in response to the column, "Running this puts Black @NYTimes staff in danger."
What are the details?
Cotton writes in the piece that police forces across the nation are outnumbered — noting multiple instances of officers who have been killed by criminals — and called on the president to invoke the Insurrection Act, pointing to times in the past when commanders in chief have employed the military "to protect law-abiding citizens from disorder."
The senator argued, "Some elites have excused this orgy of violence in the spirit of radical chic, calling it an understandable response to the wrongful death of George Floyd. Those excuses are built on a revolting moral equivalence of rioters and looters to peaceful, law-abiding protestors. A majority who seek to protest peacefully shouldn't be confused with bands of miscreants."
The Arkansas Republican also cited a Morning Consult poll indicating that most of the public agrees with him.
But employees of the Times made it clear they didn't believe Cotton's opinion piece should have been printed. The Daily Wire editor-in-chief Ben Shapiro cited five Times staffers who all tweeted, "Running this puts Black @NYTimes staff in danger."
Shapiro wrote, "Perhaps my favorite thing about the idiotic NYT employees enraged at the paper running an op-ed from a US Senator that happens to reflect the views of 7 in 10 Americans is that they're doing the stupid 'repeat this slogan after me' tactic they learned in college."
Not all of them used the same line, however. Reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones tweeted, "I'll probably get in trouble for this, but to not say something would be immoral. As a black woman, as a journalist, as an American, I am deeply ashamed that we ran this."
Opinions on social media were split over the New York Times' move to publish Cotton's op-ed, with several expressing their support of the employees who were against it being printed and others who argued that differing opinions are the purpose of such columns.
Veteran political analyst Jeff Greenfield tweeted on the topic, "If you don't want an op-ed page that prints views you strongly disagree with, you don't really want an op-ed page; you want a 'my-ed' page."


theblaze--2020-06-04--'Feed our babies and we won't have this problem!' — Teacher defends riots, even on black-owned busin

'Feed our babies and we won't have this problem!' — Teacher defends riots, even on black-owned businesses in news interview

'Feed our babies and we wo n't have this problem ! '
— Teacher defends riots , even on black-owned @ @ @ @ @ took summer youth away from the youth , what you thought was gon na happen @ @

An interview with a protester by a television news station displayed the complex motivations of some of those protesting and rioting since the death of George Floyd.
The unnamed black woman identified herself as a social studies teacher and a mother before she justified the looting and arson of stores owned by large corporations, then offered a justification for destroying small minority-owned stores as well.
"I mean, I'm a black mother and a Social Studies teacher and I'm raising a black son in America so I have no choice but to fight and walk. That's all I can do," she said to the reporter from NY1 News, outside of Brooklyn's Barclays Center during a protest Tuesday.
She was asked about whether the looting and rioting had overshadowed the message of the protests.
"I mean these white mobs came and rioted in Tulsa and did the same s**t, excuse my language, but I'm just sayin' like, what's the difference?" she said, referring to the historical incident in 1921 when a prosperous black community in Oklahoma was leveled by white residents.
"You gave, the government gave $1,200 to people to survive on in March, what you thought was gonna happen? You took summer youth away from the youth, what you thought was gonna happen?" she continued.
"They need jobs!" she added. "Feed our babies and we won't have this problem!"
She went on to justify the looting and arson against stores owned by large corporations and also those neighborhood businesses owned by minorities.
"These are multibillion-dollar corporations that got insurance. So, no offense, but they'll be all right," she continued.
"What about some of the mom and pop stores on Fordham road that are owned by people of color?" asked the reporter.
"Hmmm, define owned by people of color, because the banks actually run those businesses," she responded. "So they own, they could be a mom and pop store, but it's probably someone else that is not of their color funding their business."
Her sentiment has been mirrored by some on the left who have tried to erase the distinction between the peaceful protests, which many Americans support, and the rioting and looting condemned by many.
"They're sick and tired of being sick and tired and this is what sick and tired looks like," she said of the looters.
Here's the video of the interview:


theblaze--2020-06-04--President Trump reacts after being criticized by former defense chief Jim Mattis

President Trump reacts after being criticized by former defense chief Jim Mattis The commander in chief did not mince words

President Donald Trump fired back harsh words against his former secretary of defense, Jim Mattis, on Wednesday, after the general publicly criticized the commander in chief for his response to the ongoing protests and rioting across the U.S.
What are the details?
In a statement published by the Atlantic, Mattis wrote, "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us."
"We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort," Mattis continued. "We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children."
Mattis went on to criticize President Trump's threat to deploy troops to states in order to quell the violence, and condemned the president for bringing the National Guard in to help secure Washington, D.C.
He wrote, "When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens — much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside."
A few hours after the article was published, President Trump tweeted, "Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world's most overrated General. I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it. His nickname was 'Chaos', which I didn't like, & changed to 'Mad Dog'..."
The president added, "His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom 'brought home the bacon". I didn't like his 'leadership' style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone!"
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany reacted to Mattis' criticisms of President Trump on Twitter, too, writing, "Former Secretary Mattis' 'article' is little more than a self-promotional stunt to appease the DC elite. President @realDonaldTrump is the law and order President that has restored peace to our nation's streets. Mattis' small words pale in comparison to @POTUS' strong action."
She added, "Under President @realDonaldTrump's leadership, there will be NO burning of churches, looting of businesses, destruction of property, and assaults on civilians and police. America will unite in LAW AND ORDER!"


theblaze--2020-06-04--LIVE NOW: Candace Owens: This is what’s REALLY driving the race riots in America

LIVE NOW : Candace Owens : This is what ’ s REALLY driving the race riots in America

With cops under fire, businesses destroyed, and innocent civilians beaten and killed, where is the justice that well-meaning protesters were seeking for George Floyd?
On Wednesday night's special, Glenn Beck goes one on one with Blexit founder and "Blackout" author Candace Owens about what's really driving the riots, white privilege in America, and why it sickens her that Floyd has become a martyr for Black America.
Watch the full special below:
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theblaze--2020-06-04--Medical examiner says George Floyd had contracted the coronavirus

Medical examiner says George Floyd had contracted the coronavirus Did this have something to do with his death ?

In a stunning collision of two stories that are dominating headlines, the Hennepin County medical examiner revealed that George Floyd had contracted the coronavirus before he died in police custody.
The medical development was revealed Wednesday when the full autopsy report from the Hennepin County medical examiner was released.
The report said that he had first been diagnosed with the virus on April 3, about two months before he died.
The 46-year-old died during his arrest at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers on May 25, which precipitated national outrage, protests, and rioting.
The earlier, less detailed version of the autopsy report said that he had died from "a heart attack from subdural restraint and neck compression."
It also listed other conditions he suffered from, including hypertensive heart disease and fentanyl intoxication and indicated he had recently used methamphetamine.
An independent autopsy conducted at the request of the attorney for the family of Floyd found the cause of death to be "asphyxiation from sustained pressure" and added "neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain."
Also on Wednesday, the charges against Derek Chauvin, the former cop who kneeled on Floyd's neck, were elevated to second-degree murder, while three other former officers were charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Here's more about the George Floyd riots:
Thousands March Through NYC For Seventh Day Of Protests Over George Floyd's Death, Police Brutality www.youtube.com
This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-06-03--Pat Gray Reacts: Looter arrested for breaking into a New Balance retail store has a message for othe

Pat Gray Reacts: Looter arrested for breaking into a New Balance retail store has a message for other thieves

Pat Gray Reacts : Looter arrested for breaking into a New Balance retail store has a message for other thieves

Tuesday, Pat Gray reacted to a news report out of Los Angeles involving a group of looters who broke into a New Balance retail store. As cops arrived on the scene, the group of vandals fled. Police were able to subdue and arrest one man who spoke with a Fox 11 reporter about his motive for looting. Pat's reaction was priceless.
"Essentially, he was out there with his real ones, trying to get some monies," Pat joked.
Watch the video below for more details.
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