theblaze--2020-07-02--Trump campaign boasts record-breaking fundraising; Biden outraises in June with 'jaw-dropping sum of

Trump campaign boasts record-breaking fundraising; Biden outraises in June with 'jaw-dropping sum of money'

Trump campaign boasts record-breaking fundraising ; Biden outraises in June with 'jaw-dropping sum of money' June presidential campaign fundraising totals @ @ @ @ @ 2016 election .

Despite the Trump campaign enjoying record-breaking fundraising in the second quarter, the Joe Biden campaign outraised President Donald Trump in June thanks to an injection of a "jaw-dropping sum of money."
Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale announced the latest fundraising haul, which he described as "monumental."
The Trump and RNC committees raised a record $131 million in June, more than any single month of 2016. Parscale added that the campaign raised a record-setting $266 million in the second quarter.
The Trump campaign boasted that they had raised $947 million over the past two years, and have more than $295 million cash on hand.
"No one is excited about Joe Biden, which is why he has to rely so heavily on surrogates like Barack Obama and radical Hollywood elites," Parscale said. "In stark contrast, President Trump is tapping into support from real Americans all across the country who have reaped the benefits of his America First agenda."
"After yet another haul of record-breaking support, the voters are speaking loud and clear — they support President Trump," RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said. "As Joe Biden remains hidden in his basement, President Trump is leading this country to a Great American Comeback that will reignite our economy, restore law and order, and usher in a new era of strength."
The Biden campaign also basked in a record second-quarter fundraising total with $282 million between April and June. The Biden campaign beat Trump for a second consecutive month in fundraising by raising $141 million in June, which was by far the campaign's best month yet. Biden, the DNC, and related groups raised $563.3 million through June.
Two weeks ago, former President Barack Obama helped raise more than $11 million during a virtual fundraiser. On June 15, former Democratic presidential primary rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) raised $6 million for the Biden campaign in an online fundraiser.
"Not only is this a jaw-dropping sum of money, but we once again outraised Donald Trump!" Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon said in an email to supporters. "And this is before we have our final numbers!"
Dillon noted that 68% of the donors were new campaign contributors, and they added 2.6 million people to its email list.
The Biden campaign and the DNC didn't reveal how large their current war chest is, but they had a combined $122 million in the bank at the end of May.
In May, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee received $81 million, edging out the Trump campaign that fundraised $74 million.
The June 2020 fundraising totals obliterate the June 2016 numbers. Hillary Clinton's campaign and the DNC raised a combined $68.5 million in June 2016. Four years ago, Trump and the Republicans fundraised $55 million in June, including $3.8 million of his own money.


theblaze--2020-07-02--Federal authorities reportedly arrest longtime Jeffrey Epstein confidante, Ghislaine Maxwell

Maxwell , a British socialite and heiress , was an alleged accomplice in accused sex-trafficker Epstein 's alleged crimes .
Before his suicide in custody in August , Epstein — a registered sex offender — faced a bevy of charges of running a sex trafficking network , which reportedly included children as young as 14 years old .
During a deposition held just a day before his suicide , Epstein refused to say whether Maxwell helped him obtain the company of young girls .
What are the details of her arrest ?
Authorities reportedly arrested Maxwell in New Hampshire on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into Epstein 's possible accomplices .
Up to this point , her whereabouts since Epstein 's 2019 arrest have been largely unknown .
She is set for a Thursday court appearance on charges that she conspired with Epstein to sexually abuse underage girls , WNBC said .
The Manhattan U.S. Attorney 's office has been investigating Maxwell since 2019 , who reportedly helped facilitate Epstein 's recruitment of young girls and women .
A six-count indictment alleges that Maxwell would groom girls as young as 14 years old dating back to at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal indictment reads , `` In some instances , Maxwell was present for and participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims . ''
Several of Epstein 's accusers — including Virginia Roberts Giuffre — have also named Maxwell in their suits against the late financier 's estate .
`` [ Maxwell ] orchestrated the whole thing for Jeffrey , '' Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome told The New York Times in an interview .

Federal authorities reportedly arrested longtime Jeffrey Epstein confidante and associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, WNBC-TV reported.
What's a brief history here?
Maxwell, a British socialite and heiress, was an alleged accomplice in accused sex-trafficker Epstein's alleged crimes.
Before his suicide in custody in August, Epstein — a registered sex offender — faced a bevy of charges of running a sex trafficking network, which reportedly included children as young as 14 years old.
During a deposition held just a day before his suicide, Epstein refused to say whether Maxwell helped him obtain the company of young girls.
What are the details of her arrest?
Authorities reportedly arrested Maxwell in New Hampshire on Thursday in connection with the ongoing federal investigation into Epstein's possible accomplices. Up to this point, her whereabouts since Epstein's 2019 arrest have been largely unknown.
She is set for a Thursday court appearance on charges that she conspired with Epstein to sexually abuse underage girls, WNBC said.
The Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office has been investigating Maxwell since 2019, who reportedly helped facilitate Epstein's recruitment of young girls and women. A six-count indictment alleges that Maxwell would groom girls as young as 14 years old dating back to at least 1994.
A portion of the federal indictment reads, "In some instances, Maxwell was present for and participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims."
Several of Epstein's accusers — including Virginia Roberts Giuffre — have also named Maxwell in their suits against the late financier's estate.
"[Maxwell] orchestrated the whole thing for Jeffrey," Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome told The New York Times in an interview.


theblaze--2020-07-02--Outrage erupts after black cop hits black woman in her face. Video shows her race-baiting him just s

Outrage erupts after black cop hits black woman in her face. Video shows her race-baiting him just seconds before.

Outrage erupts after black cop hits black woman in her face .
Video shows her race-baiting him just seconds before @

A Miami-Dade police officer has been relieved from duty for hitting a black woman in the face during an altercation Wednesday night at Miami International Airport.
What are the details?
In a video obtained by the Miami Herald, a black woman can be seen approaching a black police officer in one of the airport's terminals.
It is unclear what occurs before the video picks up, but the woman can be heard taunting the black officer, "You acting like you white when you really black. ... What you wanna do?"
The unnamed cop can be seen speaking to the woman when she steps closer to the officer and puts her face in his.
She's there for just seconds when the officer hits her in the face and knocks her over.
A scuffle ensues following the strike, and amid the melee, a male can be heard saying, "She headbutted me!" as officers handcuff the unnamed woman.
A law enforcement source told the outlet that the woman had been "loudly" complaining about a flight inconvenience when a ticketing agent phoned authorities. When the officers showed up and attempted to diffuse the situation, the woman began shouting at the officer and taunting him over his race.
What's happening now?
On Wednesday, Miami-Dade County Police Director Alfredo Ramirez called for Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle to investigate the possible use of force in the incident.
"I am shocked and angered by a body cam video that I just saw involving one of our officers," Ramirez wrote on Twitter. "I've immediately initiated an investigation and ordered that the involved officers be relieved of duty."
In a statement, Steadman Stahl — president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association — said that the officer struck the woman with an "open-hand slap," used as a "diversionary strike."
"Clearly she was the aggressor," he said. "She was being asked to leave. She's being belligerent and she pushes her face right into his face."


theblaze--2020-07-03--Horowitz: We can no longer celebrate our independence. We must fight for it again.

Horowitz : We can no longer celebrate our independence .
We must fight for it again .

The day was July 4, 1826. As John Adams lay on his deathbed in the afternoon, he uttered his final words: "Thomas Jefferson survives." While in the literal sense, Adams was mistaken because Jefferson had died several hours earlier, in one way he was correct. The work that Jefferson completed on that very day exactly 50 years before – the work Adams helped him craft before the two became archenemies and then friends again – survived another two hundred years. Until now.
July 4, 2020, will be an Independence Day celebration like never before. In fact, it won't be a celebration at all, but merely a commemoration of what we have lost and hopefully a reminder of what we need to fight for all over again after 244 years. It will be marked not by the grand public displays of fireworks, for those are forbidden by restrictions upon the very liberties expressed in the Declaration of Independence, but rather by the sounds of fireworks being thrown by anarchists against police – anarchists who now dictate our way of life as we the people continue to be locked down.
It wasn't just the statue of Thomas Jefferson that was ripped down in Portland, Oregon. It was the foundational governing document he helped draft – the guiding light of our republic until it died 244 years later – that has been torn to shreds.
Ronald Reagan observed on July 4, 1986, as he related the story of the reuniting of Jefferson and Adams in friendship, that "the things that unite us – America's past of which we're so proud, our hopes and aspirations for the future of the world and this much-loved country – these things far outweigh what little divides us."
Well, indeed, 34 years later, we can now say with certainty that there are very few things that do not divide us, chief among them whether we are even proud of America's past or whether we seek to uproot every last vestige of its memory.
In order to understand what we have lost and what we need to fight for again, let's review the precious document that was signed on July 4, 1776. The product of five great men – Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson – in just the 201 words of its preamble, this founding charter of government established six inviolate principles of the morality of a just governing system – all of which have since been broken:
That individuals are born with natural rights that come from God, not from historical precedent, English Common Law, or the democratic whims of the majority in a given society. Those rights are beyond the reach of mob rule or a tyrannical political majority. That chief among those natural rights given by God are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, to earn a living and own property. Implicit in this is the natural right to self-defense. As Sam Adams, the Founding Father of the American Revolution, said, "Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First a right to life, secondly to liberty, and thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can." That individuals form a government as a social compact, not to infringe upon those rights but to protect those inalienable rights from threats in a way that could not be managed without a governing body. That on issues not affecting inalienable rights, government may exercise other just powers, primarily for the safety and stability of the society, but only by the consent of the people as expressed through some legitimate form of republican representation (consent of the governed). Inherent in this principle is that no outside forces not controlled by the members of that society itself may determine the destiny of the society. That all men were created equal in access to and defense of those inalienable rights, not societal outcomes, privileges, or other human pursuits, an ideal that runs to natural law. Also, implicit in the preamble is that all members of a given society are equal in the right to self-governance in their respective societies on their territories and that no ruling class or individual has the right to invasively govern over someone else's life. That when a long train of abuses and usurpations of the aforementioned principles continues without any other recourse, the people have the right, indeed a duty, to rebel against the existing system.
The first five principles have been abrogated beyond recognition, which leaves us struggling with how to apply the sixth.
Today, we are suffering from a perfect contortion of these self-evident truths – the worst mix of tyranny and anarchy and the most widespread violations of fundamental rights since our Founding. We have a government that undemocratically locks down our physical movement and right to earn a living based on distorted data and flat-earth "science," while facilitating unequal treatment for favored classes to riot. They strip us of the right to self-defense, while freely empowering their protected people and movements to maim, loot, block free movement, and even kill.
Everything our governments should be doing, they ignore, and everything they are prohibited from doing based on natural law, they elevate to the highest order of governance.
Mobs are allowed to roam freely and dictate policies through fear and intimidation.
Desires of foreign nationals who are not signatories to the social compact founded in the Declaration are elevated above the rights of the citizens governed by the compact.
Government by the consent of the governed? Our government is allowing people across the border to come here to get treated for the virus, then using those hospitalizations as a pretext to place curfews and other restrictions on the liberty and property of Americans.
"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men …" They are now allowing roving mobs to restrict our movement and attack motorists. In the process, they are spreading the virus, which gives this same illegitimate government further excuse to blame we the people and lock us down. We can't gather in small groups to work or socialize, while they can gather in the thousands to dismantle our republic. How is that for all men created equal?
As I laid out in my indictment of our illegitimate government, rather than a government built on promoting and protecting inalienable rights for all, we have a government that manufactures super-rights and privileges for some at the expense of foundational rights of the whole of the people. Liberty, according to our illegitimate politicians, now means the right to someone else's property or a public benefit, instead of freedom from restraint by someone else or by government.
Thus, this is not about a few or or even many policy disagreements. It all stems from the government's contortion of life, liberty, and property to mean the exact opposite of what our Founders knew them to be. There is no bridging the divide.
This government will not fix itself without deeper intervention and divine guidance. The Republican Party is part of the problem, not the solution. As we grope in the darkness and strategize and pray for a long-term or even short-term solution, we ourselves must never forget our liberty and property rights as well as the right to individual and jurisdictional sovereignty. We must never forget that these truths are still self-evident and that we are still willing to fight for them. We must never agree to this grotesque confluence of anarchy and tyranny as "the new normal." And we must certainly never legitimize this illegitimate usurpation of our social contract.
They might have torn down Jefferson's statue and perverted the government built on the contract he wrote, but we still have the actual contract. It belongs to us. And in that contract, Jefferson offered not only the moral imperative to break away from England but also the moral imperative to fight back against future government usurpations of that contract in the future. That contract is eternal, because it is built on natural law from God.
As Abraham Lincoln said following the Supreme Court's dreadful Dred Scott decision in 1858:
The assertion that "all men are created equal" was of no practical use in effecting our separation from Great Britain; and it was placed in the Declaration, not for that, but for future use. Its authors meant it to be, thank God, it is now proving itself, a stumbling block to those who in after times might seek to turn a free people back into the hateful paths of despotism. They knew the proneness of prosperity to breed tyrants, and they meant when such should re-appear in this fair land and commence their vocation they should find left for them at least one hard nut to crack.
Those infallible rights we are endowed with are inherent and don't come from government. They cannot be covered by a mask. They cannot be taken away.
So, where do we go from here? As we formulate a long-term solution to a problem that is much greater than any of us can deal with alone, we need to build an immediate movement and take steps. The first step is to rise up and fight back. Until now, only the mob's voices have been heard, because there is nobody else on the playing field. Nobody is representing us. To that end, we need to think beyond just the electoral process and take back our government under the following short-term propositions:
No American should be restricted by arbitrary coronavirus edicts so long as rioters are able to violate them while destroying public and private property.
No American without a criminal record should be barred from carrying a gun to protect himself from the lawlessness of gun felons who are allowed to roam the streets.
No American should be arrested for self-defense as the police stand back and allow rioters to attack them in cars and on their lawns. Patriotic sheriffs should start programs to deputize and train law-abiding owners to help keep the peace.
No American should have to pay local taxes until that governing authority reclaims the streets and the highways from roving bands of anarchists.
No federal tax funds should go to jurisdictions promoting lawless sanctuaries for the BLM mobs and criminal aliens. Patriots must demand that Trump veto any budget bill in September that does not defund anarchy.
Finally, it's time we organize citizen defense groups the way our Founders envisioned. No, we are not going to attack and harm innocent people as the governing mob is doing, but we will reclaim our right to defend our lives and property. We all respect law enforcement, but local police departments can't have it both ways. They can't abdicate their duties and throw us to the wolves but then swoop in when we try to fill the vacuum for our own protection or punish us for not wearing diapers on our faces even outside.
Just like the Minutemen of the 1770s, we need to form at the local level citizen defense groups to defend life, liberty, and property. After all, what made this great document we commemorate this week more than musings on paper was the signers' resolve to "mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." That pledge must be renewed at the local level in parts of the country where patriots are most common. Block by block, city by city, state by state, we must take our country back from the violent modern French revolutionaries and create another great American revolution that will make our Founders proud.
Eleven years after the signing of the Declaration, many of the same patriots assembled in the same hall in Philadelphia to codify the system of government based on the blueprint of this social compact. During the final day of triumph on September 17, 1787, Benjamin Franklin rose to speak. In his notes on the convention, James Madison captured his words as follows:
Whilst the last members were signing it [i.e., the Constitution] Doct FRANKLIN looking towards the Presidents Chair, at the back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, observed to a few members near him, that Painters had found it difficult to distinguish in their art a rising from a setting sun. I have said he, often and often in the course of the Session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting: But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting Sun.
Over two centuries later, we have come full-circle, just as the Earth rotates on its axis, and we no longer have a rising sun. We have a sun that has already set. But the good news is that through darkness comes light, and from storm clouds come the growth and sustenance of rain. The same God who birthed us with these inherent rights constantly accords us numerous opportunities in life to defend and renew those rights, just as yesterday's sunset gives birth to a new sunrise. All we have to do is show up and fight for it.
It won't be easy, but it wasn't easy the first time around, when the patriots were in the minority and most were loyalists or indifferent. As John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, the day before he signed the great contract of American sentiment, "I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory; I can see that the end is more than worth all the means, and that posterity will triumph."
"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." ~Proverbs 4:18


theblaze--2020-07-03--WATCH: Restoring Hope: Glenn Beck honors an America WORTH SAVING

Gather your friends and family .
Together , we will restore hope in America .

It's been a tough year, America. Our news media is inundating us with images of destruction, violence, and division in attempts not only to desecrate our nation, but to make us turn our backs on it. That's why now, more than ever, we need to take an up-close look at America's history to remember what it is we're fighting for and how to fight for it with practical action.
Join Glenn Beck, broadcasting from Standing Rock Ranch, as he takes us to Plymouth, Gettysburg, and Federal Hall on an important journey through America's remarkable history to inspire a brighter future. Glenn asks the hard questions of every American. Is this system worth saving? Is there a better way? Where do we go from here, and how do we answer those questions?
Featuring performances from the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras, David Osmond, a very special children's choir, and guests Bob Woodson, Tim Ballard, David Barton, Burgess Owens, Kathy Barnette, Anna Paulina Luna, and Tim Barton.
Watch the full special presentation below:
Want more from Glenn Beck?
To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-07-03--VIDEO: Hundreds of protesters block entrance to Mt. Rushmore ahead of Trump rally

VIDEO : Hundreds of protesters block entrance to Mt .
Rushmore ahead of Trump rally The National Guard has been @

Hundreds of protesters blocked off the main access road to Mount Rushmore Friday night just hours before President Trump's scheduled speech at an Independence Day rally in front of the national monument.
According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, several protesters gathered early Friday evening around Highway 16A near Keystone and parked several vans across the road in order to form a blockade.
Soon after the blockade was formed, local authorities declared the gathering an "unlawful assembly" over a megaphone and demanded that protesters disperse. The local outlet added that at least one arrest was made and that the National Guard was called in to help clear the crowd.
Reporting live from the scene, Right Side Broadcasting Network said that protesters had slashed the tires on several of the vehicles in order to make them more difficult to move.
The Argus Leader reported that at 7:30 p.m. ET, the National Guard "fired close range smoke shells on remaining protesters." A little after 7:45 p.m. ET, the National Guard was seen moving in on the blockade wearing protective gear.
The Rapid City Journal posted a live feed of the protest.
Warning: Video may contain graphic content.
What's the background?
President Trump's decision to speak at Mount Rushmore Friday night as a kickoff to Independence Day weekend has angered many on the left, some of whom would like to see the monument removed.
Last week, two Sioux Falls tribal leaders called for the faces of the presidents carved into the rock to be removed. One tribal leader said that when his people look at the monument, they "see the faces of the men who lied, cheated and murdered innocent people whose only crime was living on the land they wanted to steal."
The president, however, has been firm in his criticism of proponents of so-called "cancel culture" and their calls for the removal of historic American statues and monuments such as Mount Rushmore.
Last week, he signed an executive order to protect monuments, memorials, and statues, punishing the vandalism or destruction of such structures with up to 10 years in prison.
According to Fox News, the president's speech is set to include much of the same rhetoric. The news site said Trump is planning to slam the "left-wing mob" for "totalitarian behavior" and speak of America as a "great and virtuous country" in his remarks.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include background information.


theblaze--2020-07-03--CVS adds men's makeup to thousands of stores as the industry begins to boom

CVS adds men 's makeup to thousands of stores as the industry begins to boom

America's largest drug store chain, CVS, announced this week that it would be adding a men's cosmetics line to 2,000 stores across the country in hopes of cashing in on the growing industry.
For decades, men's makeup consisted of niche products primarily sold in high-end stores, but that is all changing now as interest in male cosmetics has reportedly experienced a recent uptick, especially since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Men's grooming has seen incredible growth during this stay-at-home period," CVS said in a statement, according to Bloomberg News. The outlet noted that the move is part of an overarching strategy to capitalize on market demand for grooming products tailored to men. "Men are a top customer focus at CVS Beauty," the company said.
The company behind the products, Stryx, was founded in 2017 after chief executive Devir Kahan woke up on his wedding day with a zit on his face and had no socially acceptable way to fix it. He became convinced that he had discovered an underserved market — men looking for ways to have better looking skin without the stigma attached.
As such, the packaging for the new products, which are a concealer tool priced at $19.99 and a gel cleanser at $11.99, appears masculine in nature.
"Even though Stryx is pitching a product traditionally made for women, its presentation is stereotypical male," the Bloomberg report noted. "The packaging is black, grey and dark blue. The concealer tool is pitched as sleek and discreet and could be easily be mistaken for a black pen, clip included. A photo on Stryx's website rests the makeup on a wooden desk, next to a leather-bound notebook and rocks glass half-filled with booze. A slogan reads: 'Handsome made easy.'"
The company adds on its website that they "didn't just take a women's product and slap a 'For Men' label on it," rather their products are "meticulously formulated for male skin."
Though not all consumers of male cosmetics are looking for a product so discreet. Take for example, Max Belovol, 23, who, according to Bloomberg, "grew up wearing dazzling eyeshadows and foundation for figure-skating competitions."
While the move by CVS marks the first time that a major chain drug store has begun selling makeup products for men, opinions have been changing about the issue for some time.
Last year, BBC News asked, "is men's make-up going mainstream?" while noting that the male grooming business, valued at $57.7 billion in 2017, was "growing exponentially."
"We're not just talking Nivea; we're talking moisturizing foundation and bronzers, concealers and brow definers — proper cosmetics," the news publication added.


theblaze--2020-07-03--California bans singing in church

California bans singing in church

The order also instructs places of worship to stop offering self-service food and beverages .

California has banned singing in places of worship in the latest COVID-19 pandemic-related restriction. California's Department of Health issued an order Wednesday that temporarily prohibits worshipers from singing and chanting in a church, synagogue, or mosque.
"Even with adherence to physical distancing, convening in a congregational setting of multiple different households to practice a personal faith carries a relatively higher risk for widespread transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations," the order states.
"In particular, activities such as singing and chanting negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing," the order adds. "Places of worship must therefore discontinue singing and chanting activities and limit indoor attendance to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower."
"Discontinue singing (in rehearsals, services, etc.), chanting, and other practices and performances where there is increased likelihood for transmission from contaminated exhaled droplets," the order reads.
The order suggests that places of worship encourage congregation members to participate in singing activities that are held over the internet instead of in-person.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that shouting or singing can easily spread coronavirus. The CDC found that a 2.5-hour choir practice in Washington attended by 61 persons evolved into a superspreader event because of people singing. The CDC notes that 32 people at the March 17 choir practice caught coronavirus, and there were 20 probable secondary COVID-19 cases. Three people were hospitalized.
The order also instructs places of worship to stop offering self-service food and beverages and to not hold potluck dinners or any family-style eating events.
California has seen a 20% spike in COVID-19 cases over the past week. On Thursday, the Golden State set a new daily coronavirus case record with 9,352 confirmed COVID-19 cases. California has nearly 250,000 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, trailing only New York, which has over 420,000 cases.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom reversed course with the state's reopening plan this week when he shut down bars, wineries, museums, movie theaters, and inside restaurant dining in 19 counties for three weeks.


theblaze--2020-07-03--'Racist fish': Famous statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen harbor has been vandalized

'Racist fish ' : Famous statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen harbor has been vandalized One researcher said she @ @ @ @ @ seeing what is particularly racist ' about the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale the statue is @ @

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen's harbor has been vandalized with the phrase "racist fish" scrawled on its stone base, SkyNews reported.
The five-and-a-half foot bronze statue, erected more than a century ago, is based on the character created by Hans Christian Andersen and is one of Copenhagen's most popular attractions, the outlet said.
What are the details?
The Little Mermaid statue also has been a favorite target for vandals, having been painted on, knocked off its perch, and beheaded twice, SkyNews said, adding that anti-whaling and pro-democracy activists have defaced it previously.
But no one has come forward to claim responsibility for this latest act, the outlet said.
"We consider it vandalism and have started an investigation," a Copenhagen police spokesman told SkyNews.
Ane Grum-Schwensen, researcher at the Hans Christian Andersen Centre at the University of Southern Denmark, told the outlet she was "having a hard time seeing what is particularly racist" about the fairytale the figure is taken from.
Anything else?
Disney is working on a live action remake of its 1989 animated film based on The Little Mermaid, which is to star 20-year-old singer and actress Halle Bailey, SkyNews said.
Bailey reportedly announced her casting exactly one year ago:
More from the outlet:
Last month, another statue in Copenhagen of a Danish missionary who played a key role in the colonization of Greenland was doused with red paint and the word "decolonize."
It is not known whether that incident and the latest defacing of The Little Mermaid are linked.
The appropriateness of statues around the world is being reconsidered following Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.


theblaze--2020-07-03--Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti admits protests spreading COVID-19; gets ripped for double standard

Many are noticing the double standard how the L.A. mayor handles protests during the pandemic .

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has ordered the county's beaches, piers, and bike paths to be closed during the 4th of July weekend. Firework displays are also prohibited during the holiday weekend.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said gatherings with people other than those you live with are not permitted.
"I want to remind you, you still can't gather in groups. Whether you think you can get together to celebrate something like a birthday with folks who are not in your household, even if you know them or are related to them; that is still prohibited," the Democratic mayor said on Wednesday. "Gatherings and getting together with anyone, except those who you live with, will spread the virus."
During Garcetti's coronavirus press conference telling relatives that they can't visit each other, there was a crowded protest going on outside the city hall.
Dr. Drew Pinsky called out Garcetti for his "hypocrisy."
"I'll tell you one thing people cannot tolerate is hypocrisy or inconsistency," Pinsky said. "Then they will just not listen to you. And I think that's why we're getting some of the resistance to the thing we really need people to do: to distance and wear a mask and go about their life a little bit. But they have been so inconsistent and, frankly, let's just call it what it is: they've been deceptive on this and unwilling to answer it."
On Wednesday, Garcetti finally admitted that public protests are likely causing COVID-19 cases to spike, despite a day earlier saying the opposite. During Garcetti's coronavirus press briefing, he was asked if the Black Lives Matter protests were causing an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Garcetti responded by saying that he had consulted with Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the Los Angeles County director of public health, and she stated that the large demonstrations were a factor in the spread of coronavirus.
"I talked again with Dr. Ferrer about that this morning. She does think some of the spread did come from our protests," Garcetti replied. "It's not the act of protesting – that's a great and American thing to do no matter what your opinion is… but protesting without maintaining physical distancing, without wearing your mask, without having sanitizer – we just have to be smart. Whether you're at a protest or at your home, whether in your workplace or whether you're out shopping, these rules don't change."
"We do believe there is a connection, we don't believe that everybody has been doing this safely and wherever you can, please stay at home," he added.
Also on Wednesday, Dr. Ferrer acknowledged that the demonstrations are spreading the virus. "In situations where people are close together for longer periods of time and it's very crowded, we are certain that there is going to be spread," Ferrer said. "So, we've never said that there's no spread from people who were protesting."
"We've been really honest and said from the beginning that for any people that are in crowded situations for long periods of time — which long for us means more than 15 minutes — where you're in close contact with people, less than six feet apart and people aren't wearing a cloth face covering you have a heightened risk of either transmitting the virus if you are an asymptomatic spreader, or getting the virus from someone else who is spreading because they also are an asymptomatic spreader," she said.
During Garcetti's COVID-19 press conference on Tuesday, he said protests are not spreading the virus.
"We follow the data closely," Garcetti said. "There's no evidence yet that the protests led to much spread though it's something that Doctor Ferrer has hypothesized, but we haven't seen any conclusive evidence there."
Garcetti has participated in protests, where he didn't practice social distancing and even took his mask off.
California set a record for daily coronavirus cases on Thursday by adding 9,352 new cases.


theblaze--2020-07-03--'F*** Kate Brown': Video seems to show Oregon state trooper defying governor's mask order in coffee

'F*** Kate Brown': Video seems to show Oregon state trooper defying governor's mask order in coffee shop. Trooper later placed on leave.

' F*** Kate Brown ' : Video seems to show Oregon state trooper defying governor 's mask order in coffee @ @ @ @ @ on leave .
'Governor Brown has no authority to take our civil liberties .
We @ @ @ @ @ masks '

Oregon State Police placed a trooper on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation after video appears to show him defying Democratic Gov. Kate Brown's statewide mask order in a Corvallis coffee shop next to Oregon State University, the Oregonian reported.
What are the details?
The uniformed trooper was captured on surveillance video — which doesn't have audio — entering Allan's Coffee & Tea on Wednesday morning without a mask, and the shop's assistant manager, Travis Boss, told the trooper he needed to wear a mask, the outlet said.
"Governor Brown has no authority to take our civil liberties. We aren't going to wear masks," the trooper allegedly said, according to a written statement from Boss that was provided to the Oregonian.
Boss added that the trooper placed his order and said, "F*** Kate Brown," the paper reported, adding that the incident took place the same day Brown's order went into effect.
"He's a state trooper, he's in uniform," Boss said, according to the Oregonian, adding that the trooper is a regular with whom he has a good rapport. "He's more or less saying, 'This is how it's going to be, and this is what I want.'"
Soon three more troopers entered the coffee shop without masks and refused to wear them, after which they placed their orders and sat at a table with the first trooper, the paper said, adding that video shows the group remaining for about 10 minutes.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Boss added to the paper that he felt compelled to fill their orders since they were in uniform — despite having sent other patrons away earlier for not wearing masks.
More from the Oregonian:
Boss said two of the troopers are regulars and he expected them to leave after getting their drinks, which they usually do. Boss said he contacted the owners to determine what he should do next.
Boss said he was instructed to tell them that Corvallis police had been contacted and they should leave. The video shows Boss approaching them at their table, and the troopers stand up to go.
One of the troopers allegedly said, "That's Corvallis for you," as they walked out, Boss recalled.
What happened next?
Allan's Coffee & Tea reported the incident to local police, the paper said, adding that Oregon State Police launched an internal investigation.
"The involved trooper has been placed on administrative leave," OSP spokesman Capt. Timothy Fox told the Oregonian in a statement. "OSP is early in the investigation, but if found to be true, we are thoroughly disappointed and expect our troopers to follow the governor's executive orders and be examples in the community."
Fox added to the paper Thursday that all four uniformed officers on the video are state troopers assigned to Oregon State University, but he wouldn't name the trooper on leave.
"Let me be clear, Oregon State Police Troopers are not above the law and this conduct is being immediately addressed," Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton noted, according to the Oregonian. "As the leader of the Oregon State Police, I would like to offer my apology to the coffee shop employees and the community."
What did the governor have to say?
"It is inexcusable that a few Oregon State Troopers disregarded my face covering requirement yesterday, and ignored a request from a fellow Oregonian to follow the rule," Brown said Thursday, according to the paper. "Oregon State Police Superintendent Hampton and I agree that their actions and behaviors were absolutely unacceptable."
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Anything else?
The co-owners of coffee shop, Robert and Kathryn Morgan, told the paper they respect the work of troopers and didn't want the incident to turn political. But Kathryn Moran added to the Oregonian that it was "pretty upsetting" that the troopers wouldn't wear masks and put their business in an awkward position of being at risk for not following the rules.
"It's sad," she told the paper. "These are people in a position of power and leaders in the community. I think we look to them as examples. For them not to be following the orders, whether or not they agree with it, is telling."
More from the Oregonian:
A lieutenant from the Oregon State Police arrived at the coffee shop later in the morning to talk with Boss, and Robert Morgan participated via speaker phone. Boss said he explained what happened and what the trooper said, including the alleged use of profanity.
"I don't hold any grudges against him," Boss said. "I feel bad about the possible backlash that might come from this, on them, and at the same time I know that's not my doing."
Robert Morgan said the lieutenant didn't apologize for the incident but assured them it would not be swept under the rug.
All the same, Robert Morgan said the lieutenant told them they could share the information with whomever they wanted but "but they would prefer to keep it as an internal matter."
Robert and Kathryn Morgan told the paper they wrestled with whether or not to take the incident public but chose to do so in order to help businesses stay open and ensure everyone follows the mask order.


theblaze--2020-07-03--Twitter changing 'whitelist' to 'allowlist,' 'blacklist' to 'denylist' as it weeds out non-inclusive

Twitter changing 'whitelist' to 'allowlist,' 'blacklist' to 'denylist' as it weeds out non-inclusive language in its code, internal docs

Twitter changing 'whitelist ' to 'allowlist , ' 'blacklist ' to 'denylist ' as it weeds out non-inclusive language in @ @ @ @ @ 'At Twitter , the language we have been using in our code does not reflect @ @ @ @ @ or represent the people we serve .
We want to change that . '

Twitter Engineering said Thursday it's weeding out non-inclusive language in its code — which means, for example, that words like "whitelist" and "blacklist" will change to "allowlist" and "denylist," respectively..
"Inclusive language plays a critical role in fostering an environment where everyone belongs," the Twitter department said. "At Twitter, the language we have been using in our code does not reflect our values as a company or represent the people we serve. We want to change that."
What are the details?
Twitter Engineering added that "we're starting with a set of words we want to move away from using in favor of more inclusive language, such as":
Image source: Twitter
In addition, "master/slave" will become "leader/follower," "primary/replica," or "primary/standby." Rebel News noted that in programming language, "master" refers to the main code while "slave" is used to describe its controls.
Also, "sanity check" will become "quick check," "confidence check," or "coherence check"; and "dummy value" will become "placeholder value" or "simple value."
In its thread, Twitter Engineering said the language changes will be updated "across internal resources, Google Docs, runbooks, FAQs, readmes, technical design docs, and more. We are also implementing a browser extension that will help our teams identify words in documents and web pages, and suggest alternative inclusive words."
Anything else?
Regynald Augustin, a black engineer at Twitter, jumpstarted the changes months ago after seeing "an email come through to our eng org with the line 'automatic slave rekick.' Seeing it was infuriating."
He added that "our goal here is to apply this language to all of eng, and eventually adopt inclusive language across Twitter."
Twitter Engineering also offered that "this isn't just about eng terms or code. Words matter in our meetings, our conversations, and the documents we write. We know there's still a lot of work to do, but we're committed to doing our part."


theblaze--2020-07-03--Boeing's top communications exec resigns over article about women in combat he wrote 33 years ago

Boeing 's top communications exec resigns over article about women in combat he wrote 33 years ago The article was @ @ @ @ @ naval magazine when he was a US Navy lieutenant .

Boeing's senior vice president of communications resigned this week following a complaint about an article that was written 33 years ago. Niel Golightly resigned from the aerospace giant on Thursday after a co-worker resurfaced an article regarding women in combat roles that he wrote in 1987. Golightly has since called the decades-old article "embarrassingly wrong and offensive."
Golightly stepped down because he wrote an article arguing that women shouldn't serve in the military. Golightly served in the U.S. Navy for 14 years, including as a fighter pilot and as a speechwriter to the secretary of the Navy and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was a U.S. Navy lieutenant when he wrote the article titled "No Right to Fight" in the December 1987 issue of Proceedings, a monthly magazine published by the United States Naval Institute that was founded in 1873.
"At issue is not whether women can fire M-60s, dogfight MiGs, or drive tanks," Golightly wrote in the naval magazine. "Introducing women into combat would destroy the exclusively male intangibles of war fighting and the feminine images of what men fight for — peace, home, family."
Before leaving Boeing, Golightly released a statement on the situation.
"My article was a 29-year-old Cold War navy pilot's misguided contribution to a debate that was live at the time," Golightly said in his apology. "My argument was embarrassingly wrong and offensive."
"The dialogue that followed its publication 33 years ago quickly opened my eyes, indelibly changed my mind, and shaped the principles of fairness, inclusion, respect, and diversity that have guided my professional life since," Golightly added. "The article is not a reflection of who I am, but nonetheless, I have decided that in the interest of the company I will step down."
Golightly stepped down as communications chief for the commercial jetliners manufacturer after talking with top executives, including Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun.
"I greatly respect Niel for stepping down in the interest of the company," Calhoun said in a statement. Calhoun added that Boeing has an "unrelenting commitment to diversity and inclusion in all its dimensions."
Golightly was only with the company six months after he was named to the position of senior vice president of communications in January of this year.


theblaze--2020-07-03--Washington Redskins say franchise 'will undergo a thorough review of the team's name'

Washington Redskins say franchise 'will undergo a thorough review of the team 's name' Pressure from corporate sponsors on the @ @ @ @ @ week , as FedEx asked it to change the Redskins name and Nike 's website @ @ @ @ @

The Washington Redskins on Friday announced the franchise "will undergo a thorough review of the team's name" and that the move comes "in light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community."
The statement from the Redskins added that the review "formalizes the initial discussions the team has been having with the league in recent weeks."
Team owner Dan Snyder has said in the past that he'd never change the team's name, but he struck a different tone in the team's statement: "This process allows the team to take into account not only the proud tradition and history of the franchise but also input from our alumni, the organization, sponsors, the National Football League and the local community it is proud to represent on and off the field."
Adam Schefter, ESPN senior NFL insider, predicted on Twitter that "there's no review if there's no change coming. Redskins on way out."
What's the background?
As news hit this week that elected officials would fight the Redskins from building a new stadium in Washington, D.C., unless the team changes its name, FedEx on Thursday became the first major corporate backer of the Redskins to request that the team change its name, the Washington Post reported.
"We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name," FedEx said in a one-sentence statement Thursday afternoon, the paper said.
FedEx holds the naming rights to the team's stadium in Landover, Maryland, through 2026 under a 27-year, $205 million deal, the Post reported.
In addition, there's no longer any sign of Washington Redskins' items on Nike's website — a significant development as Nike supplies the NFL with uniform and sideline apparel:
Image source: Nike.com screenshot
FedEx's request came less than a week after a group of over 85 investment firms and shareholders representing $620 billion in assets called on FedEx, Nike, and PepsiCo to break ties with the Redskins unless team owner Dan Snyder changes its name, the Post reported.
The long-running controversy over the Redskins name, considered offensive to Native Americans by some, is igniting once again in conjunction with protests and riots across the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in the hands of Minneapolis police in May. Demonstrators have been pulling down and defacing statues and monuments of American icons they deem racist.
Washington, D.C., Democratic Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton specifically noted Floyd's killing as she indicated she'd battle the Redskins from getting a new stadium in D.C. unless the team changes its name.
"I call on Dan Snyder once again to face that reality, since he does still desperately want to be in the nation's capital," Norton said. "He has got a problem he can't get around — and he particularly can't get around it today, after the George Floyd killing."
Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio added that there is "no viable path, locally or federally" for a team with the name "Redskins" to call the district home.
The Post added that Snyder's profit margin has been suffering as it is, with the Redskins playing poorly of late, which has resulted in unsold seats, a dwindling season ticket base, and fewer sales of luxury suites.


theblaze--2020-07-03--World Health Organization admits China never reported coronavirus outbreak

The WHO changes its tune after a damning report about China 's COVID-19 response from House Republicans

The World Health Organization backtracked on their claim that China alerted the international public health agency about the initial coronavirus outbreak. The WHO now admits that China never notified them about the onset of the deadly disease.
The World Health Organization updated its "Timeline of WHO's response to COVID-19" on Tuesday. The initial timeline on WHO's website stated that on Dec. 31 the "Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province."
The timeline has been changed and now reads: "WHO's Country Office in the People's Republic of China picked up a media statement by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission from their website on cases of 'viral pneumonia' in Wuhan, People's Republic of China" on Dec. 31.
Taiwan claims it emailed WHO on Dec. 31 to request information on the outbreak in Wuhan, and asked if the virus could be transmitted between people. Taiwan, which is not a WHO member, alleged that the WHO never replied to their email, which robbed it of valuable time to prepare for the coronavirus outbreak.
In April, the WHO responded to Taiwan's allegations by saying, "We have asked how they communicated this to us, because we are only aware of that one email that makes no mention of human-to-human transmission, but they haven't replied."
"The first report came from Wuhan, from China itself, so Taiwan was only asking for clarification, and as some people were claiming, Taiwan didn't report any human-to-human transmission; this has to be clear," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in April. "So, the report first came from China — that's fact number one — from Wuhan itself."
On Jan. 12, the WHO tweeted: "Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China."
The update on the WHO website comes weeks after House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans released the "Interim Report on Origins of COVID-19 Pandemic, Including the Roles of the Chinese Communist Party and the World Health Organization."
"After months of investigating, it's become crystal clear the Chinese Communist Party's cover-up of the coronavirus, especially in the early days of the outbreak, played a significant role in turning what could have been a local epidemic into a global pandemic," Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas), lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of Congress's China Task Force, said last month.
"And, unfortunately, the World Health Organization under the leadership of Director-General Tedros only exacerbated the problem by repeatedly ignoring warnings about the severity of the virus, including from their own health experts, while at the same time parroting the CCP's propaganda without independently confirming their claims," McCaul said. "This was a failure of monumental proportions and it is imperative that we uncover the truth so we can set up future safeguards to prevent this from happening yet again."
This week, McCaul reacted to the WHO admitting that China never reported the COVID-19 outbreak.
"I'm glad to see the WHO and the Chinese Communist Party have both read my interim report on the origins of the pandemic and are finally admitting to the world the truth — the CCP never reported the virus outbreak to the WHO in violation of WHO regulations," McCaul said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "The question now is whether the CCP will continue their false propaganda campaign that continues to claim they warned the world or whether they will come clean and begin to work with the world health community to get to the bottom of this deadly pandemic."
At the end of May, President Donald Trump announced that the United States was formally severing its relationship with the World Health Organization. President Trump said the WHO is heavily influenced by China.
"China has total control over the World Health Organization despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year," Trump said. "The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency. Why is it that China shut off infected people from Wuhan to all other parts of China?"


theblaze--2020-07-03--Change My Mind: 'People are racist not the system'

Change My Mind : 'People are racist not the system '

Sometimes, we come across individuals who cause us to doubt the existence of intelligent life. Then, others restore our faith in humanity. While in Dallas, a young man named Zach joined Crowder at the Change My Mind table and brought a viewpoint that will restore your sense of hope for the future of humankind. Enjoy...
America Is Not Racist (Part Two) | Change My Mind youtu.be
Use code LWC to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.
Want more from Steven Crowder?
To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand.


theblaze--2020-07-03--Commentary: Donald Trump or Joe Biden? It doesn't matter who wins if this nation continues to reject

Commentary: Donald Trump or Joe Biden? It doesn't matter who wins if this nation continues to reject God

Commentary : Donald Trump or Joe Biden ?
It does n't matter who wins if this nation continues to reject @

Politics have never been more inadequate than they are now in their ability to address the crises our nation is facing.
Never has it been more futile than it is today to place one's hope in a politician, a political party, or a system of government to right the wrongs that ail our society.
Our way of life has been ravaged by circumstances outside of our creation or control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and by problems of our own creation, such as racial inequity and the deadly abuse of power by those tasked with enforcing our laws.
Faced with a pandemic, we are abused by mayors, governors, medical experts, and even a president who cannot be trusted to act in the best interest of the many if it comes at their own personal or political expense.
Faced with racial grievances and injustices, we are condescended to by politicians who pander and proclaim and scold while they fail to pass meaningful reforms. We are bombarded with virtue signaling from corporations and celebrities who seem to believe changing names and brands is the solution to our deeply rooted issues.
In both cases, the sinfulness and corruption of mankind is evident everywhere you look. People riot, loot, and murder, committing horrible acts of injustice in protest of injustice. Black lives are lost in protests that pretend to believe that black lives matter. A virus takes thousands upon thousands of lives as people bicker over them, hoping to frame statistics in a way that suits their political persuasion. We turn an issue as small as wearing masks in a viral pandemic into a battlefield.
We are lacking in love for one another. We don't forgive often enough, or extend enough grace to others. Empathy seems nonexistent. Giving the benefit of the doubt is treated as a weakness or flaw. We are splintered by disagreements about the most fundamental questions of our existence; questions of human nature and the definition of life, or the existence of objective morality.
Our society is defined by chaos as different individuals and factions rage about in mutual destruction, lost like sheep without a shepherd—lacking direction and anxious with fear and a sense of vulnerability.
Why would anyone think Donald Trump can fix this in the next four years? Why would anyone think Joe Biden will restore the positive trajectory of this nation? Why would you put your hope in a Republican majority or a conservative Supreme Court? What has any of that changed that gives you hope for what it might change in the future?
Many, if not most, of our political leaders are dishonest, corrupt, cowardly, or incompetent, or some combination of the four. Even the ones you like, or the ones I like. The very nature of politics requires most participants to compromise their own values and integrity to stay in the game.
And a game is what it is. Politics is a cruel, high-stakes game in which one side prevents the other from solving problems so they won't get credit for it. It's a game of stalling and obstruction and superficiality.
Every election, no matter who wins, causes more division and hostility, which will only get worse as the results are questioned more aggressively.
We are a nation that was founded on Christian principles and morality, and we are now largely ruled by people who outright reject those principles, and that morality. If our faith in God and our adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ were what caused this nation to become great, then we should expect nothing else but further disruption and failure as we drift further from that path.
The crises of the present day are not political problems, or race problems, or public health problems. Our problems are spiritual, and no politician can truly change the hearts of men and women.
By all means, vote for the best candidates you can. Vote for the Christians, vote for the conservatives, vote for the people who display wisdom and moral character. Participate in the political processes and use all the influence you have to put the best possible leaders in office.
But don't put your faith in them. Because whether your side wins every election, or loses every election, the resulting decline of the United States of America will continue unless we turn our hearts back to God.
"...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV).


theblaze--2020-07-03--New study finds hydroxychloroquine 'significantly' lowers COVID-19 death rate

Peer-reviewed study found treatment cut the coronavirus death rate by nearly half in already sick patients .

Hydroxychloroquine, the controversial anti-malaria drug that President Donald Trump touted as a possible treatment for coronavirus, lowered the death rate of COVID-19 patients, according to a new study.
The Henry Ford Health System researched the effects of hydroxychloroquine in treating coronavirus patients and found the drug cut the death rate by nearly half in already sick patients. "Treatment with hydroxychloroquine cut the death rate significantly in sick patients hospitalized with COVID-19," the Henry Ford Health System stated.
The study analyzed 2,541 patients who had been hospitalized in six hospitals between March 10 and May 2, 2020. The Henry Ford Health System published the results on Wednesday in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, a peer-reviewed publication of the International Society of Infectious Diseases.
"Our analysis shows that using hydroxychloroquine helped saves lives," Dr. Steven Kalkanis, Henry Ford Medical Group CEO and senior vice president and chief academic officer of the Henry Ford Health System, said. "As doctors and scientists, we look to the data for insight. And the data here is clear that there was benefit to using the drug as a treatment for sick, hospitalized patients."
The study found 13.5% of the coronavirus patients treated with hydroxychloroquine died, compared to 26.4% of patients who did not receive the drug.
"Overall crude mortality rates were 18.1% in the entire cohort, 13.5% in the hydroxychloroquine alone group, 20.1% among those receiving hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin, 22.4% among the azithromycin alone group, and 26.4% for neither drug," the researchers wrote.
Dr. Marcus Zervos, division head of Infectious Disease for Henry Ford Health System, said the timing of hydroxychloroquine treatment could be a key factor.
"For hydroxychloroquine to have a benefit, it needs to be given before the patient suffers some of the severe immune reactions that can occur with COVID," Zervos, who co-authored the study with Henry Ford epidemiologist Dr. Samia Arshad, said.
The vast majority of the COVID-19 patients in the study were administered HCQ early, 82% within 24 hours, and 91% within 48 hours of admission.
"Our dosing also differed from other studies not showing a benefit of the drug," Zervos said of the study. "And other studies are either not peer-reviewed, have limited numbers of patients, different patient populations or other differences from our patients."
The Henry Ford medical team was aware that there were reports of heart-related side effects when using hydroxychloroquine sulfate. "The combination of hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin was reserved for selected patients with severe COVID-19 and with minimal cardiac risk factors," the paper stated.
The study found that patients did not suffer heart-related side effects from taking the drug, and the medical team practiced "careful cardiac monitoring."
"Currently, the drug should be used only in hospitalized patients with appropriate monitoring, and as part of study protocols, in accordance with all relevant federal regulations," Zervos said.
Regardless of treatment, there was higher mortality rates for patients older than 65, whites, those with reduced oxygen levels, and people who required admission to the intensive-care unit.
Hydroxychloroquine is an FDA-approved drug used to prevent and treat certain types of malaria and lupus. Hydroxychloroquine became a national story when President Trump promoted the drug as a potential "game-changer." In May, Trump revealed that he took the drug for two weeks as a preventative measure after several White House officials were diagnosed with coronavirus.
In April, a Democratic representative in Detroit credited hydroxychloroquine for saving her life after she fell ill with COVID-19, and thanked Trump for bringing attention to the drug.
After the president announced he was taking the drug, Fox News host Neil Cavuto warned his audience, "I cannot stress enough, this will kill you!"
Earlier studies in April and May found that the controversial drug had no positive impact. A study published in Lancet that raised alarms about the safety of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment, which many critics used to attack Trump, was retracted on May 22 after overwhelming criticism.
In June, the Food and Drug Administration ended the emergency use authorization that allowed physicians to prescribe chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus. The FDA doubted the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate, and cited "serious cardiac adverse events and other serious side effects."


theblaze--2020-07-03--Suspects charged in brutal beating caught on video. Victim says one attacker told him 'Black Lives M

Suspects charged in brutal beating caught on video. Victim says one attacker told him 'Black Lives Matter' as he kicked him in face.

Suspects charged in brutal beating caught on video .
Victim says one attacker told him 'Black Lives Matter ' as @ @ @ @ @ .
One suspect is only 14 years old

Five suspects — three adults and two juveniles — have been charged in a brutal assault caught on video outside a convenience store in Klein, Texas, last month.
Arrest warrants have been issued for a pair of 19 year olds — Eric Bradley and Ezkeyeleon Wilson — as well as for 18-year-old Seth Coles, KTRK-TV reported. Two other suspects — ages 16 and 14 — are also charged with assault, KTRK said.
Anyone who knows how to find Bradley, Wilson, and Coles are asked to call the Harris County Sheriff's Office Violent Crime Unit at 713-274-9100 or Crime Stoppers, the station said.
What's the background?
The victim in the June 14 attack — a shopper at the Food Mart at 7134 Oakwood Glen Blvd. — was waiting to buy some items when a group tried to cut in line, KTRK-TV reported in an earlier story.
"I looked over and said, 'There's a line for a reason,'" the shopper told the station.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Words were exchanged, and he added to KTRK that the group mocked his hair and clothes.
Then comes the beatdown
After he paid and left, the group met him in the parking lot and took turns kicking and punching him, the station said.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
The victim told KTRK he just took the beating. Video of the attack shows he didn't fight back or protect himself.
"I don't know what else I could do," he added to the station. "The fifth one at the end came out of the store after purchasing goods and came up to me and kicked me in the face and said, 'Black lives matter, [expletive].'"
Image source: YouTube screenshot
The victim suffered a swollen lip, bruising, and a cut near his eye, KTRK reported, adding that Harris County Sheriff's deputies said he refused to seek treatment.
Here's surveillance video of the attack:
The victim and his girlfriend asked not to be identified out of fear for their safety, the station said, adding that she said she's received death threats.
"I really hope they're caught before someone else gets hurt," his girlfriend added to KTRK. "I hope that the people take this and don't say, 'It's white against black.' I don't want this to be the statement. I want it to be, 'Here's a man who was checking out and stood up for himself, and he was targeted for that.'"
Video shows brutal assualt outside Klein convenience store youtu.be
Some suspects are believed to be tied to another attack
Investigators believe some of the suspects in the Food Mart attack are tied to another brutal assault a few days later in southeast Houston, KTRK said in its latest story.
Video from the Houston attack shows a car backing up in a parking lot when it was hit by an SUV, the station said, adding that the SUV's driver got out and was beaten unconscious by up to six people.


theblaze--2020-07-04--American colonists unsettled by British Parliament’s far-reaching Stamp Act tax

Editor 's note : In order to allow our staff to enjoy the 4th of July holiday with their families , TheBlaze will be running a series of articles today commemorating the Revolutionary War , which won America her freedom .
God bless America , and all of you .
BOSTON ( MARCH 23 , 1765 ) — The British government levied a new tax yesterday on the North American colonies in the wake of the territories won from the French in the Seven Years ' War .
Parliament passed the Stamp Act without any debate .
The act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Whig , will impose a tax on all American colonists , requiring them to pay an additional fee for every piece of paper purchased .
The tax will apply to all ship 's papers , legal documents , licenses , newspapers , and other publications .
Playing cards are subject to taxation , too .
This new policy is particularly noteworthy , given it is the first tax levied directly on American colonists by British lawmakers .
The purpose of the tax is twofold , according to Dr. Samuel Smith , chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He told TheBlaze the tax is a show of force by Britain , reminding the colonies where the authority lies .
In addition , it will help the motherland pay down the debt incurred during the Seven Years ' War , which lasted from 1756 to 1763 .
“ This stamp is a visible reminder of royal presence , '' Smith said .
“ From the British perspective , it is a way to remind Americans who is in charge . ''
He went on to predict the Stamp Act would evoke “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new tax comes on the heels of the controversial Sugar Act , which was passed by the British Parliament just one year prior .
The Sugar Act , a renewal of the Sugar and Molasses Act of 1733 , added a three-penny import tax on refined sugar and molasses brought into the colonies from non-British sources , significantly shrinking the trade market for the colonists .
“ Now , all of the sudden , Parliament is saying , 'We virtually represent the colonies .
Even though you did n't vote for us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top-tier legislative body , ' '' Smith said .
Part of the money raised by the Stamp Act will also be used to maintain several regiments of British troops in North America — an effort to quell conflicts between the colonists and Native Americans .
Those who violate the Stamp Act , refusing the pay the fees associated with the policy , could be tried — and even convicted — without a jury of their peers in Britain 's vice-admiralty courts .
Many American colonists , though , do not believe Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , who noted the frustration brewing over the tax .
Though they respect Parliament , the professor noted , the settlers are convinced British lawmakers “ do not have jurisdiction to tax the colonists because the colonists had not voted for them . ''
Colonists are becoming increasingly frustrated with Britain , and this latest tax is n't improving the relationship .
The North American settlers are frustrated not only with the added cost , but also with the fact that they are being taxed by a legislative body that does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stamp Act , some colonists are beginning to shun the British market , opting instead to create and sell products within their own colonies .

Editor's note: In order to allow our staff to enjoy the 4th of July holiday with their families, TheBlaze will be running a series of articles today commemorating the Revolutionary War, which won America her freedom. God bless America, and all of you.
BOSTON (MARCH 23, 1765) — The British government levied a new tax yesterday on the North American colonies in the wake of the territories won from the French in the Seven Years' War.
Parliament passed the Stamp Act without any debate. The act, proposed by Prime Minister George Grenville, a Whig, will impose a tax on all American colonists, requiring them to pay an additional fee for every piece of paper purchased.
The tax will apply to all ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, and other publications. Playing cards are subject to taxation, too.
This new policy is particularly noteworthy, given it is the first tax levied directly on American colonists by British lawmakers.
The purpose of the tax is twofold, according to Dr. Samuel Smith, chair of Liberty University's history department. He told TheBlaze the tax is a show of force by Britain, reminding the colonies where the authority lies. In addition, it will help the motherland pay down the debt incurred during the Seven Years' War, which lasted from 1756 to 1763.
“This stamp is a visible reminder of royal presence," Smith said. “From the British perspective, it is a way to remind Americans who is in charge."
He went on to predict the Stamp Act would evoke “a very emotional response."
The new tax comes on the heels of the controversial Sugar Act, which was passed by the British Parliament just one year prior. The Sugar Act, a renewal of the Sugar and Molasses Act of 1733, added a three-penny import tax on refined sugar and molasses brought into the colonies from non-British sources, significantly shrinking the trade market for the colonists.
“Now, all of the sudden, Parliament is saying, 'We virtually represent the colonies. Even though you didn't vote for us, we virtually represent you because we're the top-tier legislative body,'" Smith said.
Part of the money raised by the Stamp Act will also be used to maintain several regiments of British troops in North America — an effort to quell conflicts between the colonists and Native Americans.
Those who violate the Stamp Act, refusing the pay the fees associated with the policy, could be tried — and even convicted — without a jury of their peers in Britain's vice-admiralty courts.
Many American colonists, though, do not believe Britain has authority over them, according to Smith, who noted the frustration brewing over the tax. Though they respect Parliament, the professor noted, the settlers are convinced British lawmakers “do not have jurisdiction to tax the colonists because the colonists had not voted for them."
Colonists are becoming increasingly frustrated with Britain, and this latest tax isn't improving the relationship. The North American settlers are frustrated not only with the added cost, but also with the fact that they are being taxed by a legislative body that does not represent them.
In response to the Stamp Act, some colonists are beginning to shun the British market, opting instead to create and sell products within their own colonies.


theblaze--2020-07-04--Allie Beth Stuckey: The US and all we stand for are worth celebrating

Allie Beth Stuckey : The US and all we stand for are worth celebrating When we abide by our foundational @ @ @ @ @

With chaos raging in America's most populous cities, it may feel counterintuitive to celebrate the 4th of July. But the attempts at destruction from which our nation is suffering is precisely why we should be honoring Independence Day more gratefully and fervently than ever.
There's one thing on which all Americans can agree: Our country, like all countries, is imperfect. From slavery, Japanese internment camps, Jim Crow, questionable foreign policy, and abortion, it's clear that America has gotten things grievously wrong at times — even at the cost to human life.
What many of us cannot seem to agree on is whether or not, because of the injustices America has perpetuated, she is still worthy of our celebration. Moreover, is she really the "City on a Hill," the exceptional beacon of liberty, that she has been historically described as?
It's the question that divides us. A 2019 Gallup poll found that only 22% of Democrats are "extremely proud" to be an American, compared to 76% of Republicans. A Pew Research study shows that only 12% of 18-29-year-olds believe the United States is the best country in the world, compared to 44% of Americans aged 65+.
If you ask a college professor at an elite university whether America is exceptional, their answer will probably be no. America, many academics assert, is an inherently evil, irrevocably failed country built upon violent imperialism and white supremacy. A student of such a professor may even go so far as to say that the United States is the primary source of all modern international discord.
But is that really true? Could the country that welcomes the most immigrants, has historically harbored the most refugees and asylum seekers, is the most generous, adopts the most orphans, provides the most foreign aid to countries in need than any other nation on Earth, and twice helped save the world from tyranny really be as immoral as its critics claim?
The simple answer is: no. Yes, the American experiment, like all experiments, was at first tried imperfectly. But the revolutionary ideals upon which we were founded — that all men were created equal and were endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights — were good, and they still are.
Despite what leftist revolutionaries assert, our failures haven't occurred because of our founding, but in spite of it. When we ignore our foundational values, we allow injustice. But when we abide by them — that's when the magnificent occurs.
That's when men give their lives to end slavery. That's when emancipation happens. That's when we help save the world from Nazis and fascism. That's when we help topple the walls of communism. That's when the end of Jim Crow and desegregation happens. That's when a country moves from segregated schools to black Americans serving as justices on the Supreme Court, as Cabinet members, and as congresspeople, and a black man winning a presidential election by a landslide two times in a little over 50 years.
It is in moving toward America's good, timeless ideals that we have declared victories that have changed the world for the better. While virtually every other society in human history is riddled with a similar muddy past — bloody conquests, slavery, discrimination (all of which still exist to this day in much of the non-Western world) — no country has righted their wrongs or redeemed their past as quickly or as valiantly as we have.
This isn't to minimize the gravity of our moral failures. It is to say that history is complicated, and its participants even more so, but the unique light that shines through the complexities of America's fallible heroes and fragmented past is our relentless love for liberty, which has done more good for mankind than any earthly force in history.
There is, and always will be, progress to be made. As scholar John McWhorter writes, America is an ongoing rehearsal, and the more we rehearse, the better we get. Therefore it's not a revolution that we need, but remembrance. Americans need to re-familiarize ourselves with the principles that have set our young nation apart for the entirety of our existence, and, perhaps even more importantly, teach them to our children.
In many ways, the madness we're seeing in the streets is the tragic consequence of a failure of both parenting and education. Let this tenuous moment in our country's history wake parents up to the urgent reality that we cannot trust institutions to teach our children morality, humility, kindness and appreciation for American liberty.
As patriot and President Ronald Reagan famously stated in his 1967 inaugural address as California's governor: "Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction.It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again."
May we have strength and wisdom to keep fighting for the values we hold dear, and may God bless America.


theblaze--2020-07-04--Stu Burguiere: America is still the best

Stu Burguiere : America is still the best Take a minute to realize it

America is the greatest country on earth.
Until recently, this statement was essentially a jingoistic platitude. Maybe it was accurate, but it was so commonly repeated that it had become meaningless.
Yet, as we approach our Independence Day, it's worth asking, is it true? Is it still true? Was it ever true?
To quote America's cultural arbiter Colin Kaepernick about President Trump: "He always says 'Make America Great Again.' Well, America's never been great for people of color. And that's something that needs to be addressed. Let's make America great for the first time."
Kaepernick, who experienced a very nuanced type of oppression in which he signed a seven-year, $126 million contract to finish 38th of 39 qualifying quarterbacks in offensive rating according to Pro Football Focus, highlighted a common complaint about our nation's history.
Certainly, our timeline is filled with many missteps, some of them disastrous violations of our own stated principles. It seems obvious to us now, that a country who believed all men were created equal, should not enslave an entire race. And while sensible arguments of context are valid and important for our understanding, the fundamental cruelty of slavery should have been obvious to everyone.
Of course, many of the founders did realize this and fought passionately against it, including even the much-maligned Thomas Jefferson. In his original draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson criticized the King and slavery, accusing him of waging "cruel war against human nature itself" by carrying "distant people who never offended him" into "slavery in another hemisphere" where he was "determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought & sold."
The destruction of the existing institution of slavery was quite literally one of the original arguments for our country to exist.
Later, there were abolitionist heroes like Matthias Baldwin. Born soon after the constitution was ratified, he took an apprenticeship at the age of 16. He worked hard, innovated, and invented, and constructed an impressive resume. He built machines and locomotives.
He was an outspoken opponent of slavery, a fact that was used against him by his competitors in business. He didn't care. He co-founded the Franklin Institute, named after Ben Franklin, also an abolitionist. He took the money he made in business and opened up a school to educate African-Americans in Philadelphia, and paid the teachers out of his own pocket.
His statue, erected in the same city he built the school, was recently defaced by protesters who spray painted the words "colonizer" and "murderer" on its base.
One of the reasons America is great is because our foundation was essentially an All-Star team. It's made up of all the most ambitious people from around the world. These are men and women who had the guts to leave everything they ever knew, get on a boat that might just sail off the edge of the earth, and try to set up a life in a giant, empty field. They wanted a shot at freedom so badly, they risked everything on a bet that should never have paid off. And when things weren't going the right way, they declared independence and went to war over it.
Of course, while the talent level of an All-Star squad is high, it's not always easy for all of those big personalities to form a cohesive team. We don't always play nicely together. There are some selfish players. Sometimes, there are fights at practice. We've seen this a lot lately. But no one is arguing that America is a perfect country. Just that it's better than everyone else. We have had intense struggles, but where else would you rather be?
We still have our problems, some growing right in front of our faces, and others shrinking without our notice. But yes. This is America. The greatest country on earth.
On this Independence Day weekend, take a minute to realize it.


theblaze--2020-07-04--Trump proposes 'National Garden of American Heroes' to counter monument protests. Here's who is on t

Trump proposes 'National Garden of American Heroes' to counter monument protests. Here's who is on the list so far.

Trump proposes 'National Garden of American Heroes ' to counter monument protests .
Here 's who is on the list @ @ @

President Trump issued an executive order Friday for the creation of a "National Garden of American Heroes" that will commemorate prominent Americans with statues and memorials.
The president made the announcement during a speech at Mount Rushmore Friday in which he railed against left-wing activists who have been calling for the removal of American statues and monuments in the wake of George Floyd's death.
"Statues are silent teachers in solid form of stone and metal," the executive order reads. "[They] call forth gratitude for the accomplishments and sacrifices of our exceptional fellow citizens who, despite their flaws, placed their virtues, their talents, and their lives in the service of our Nation ... In preserving them, we show reverence for our past, we dignify our present, and we inspire those who are to come. To build a monument is to ratify our shared national project."
"To destroy a monument is to desecrate our common inheritance," the order continues. "My Administration will not abide an assault on our collective national memory. In the face of such acts of destruction, it is our responsibility as Americans to stand strong against this violence, and to peacefully transmit our great national story to future generations through newly commissioned monuments to American heroes."
The order establishes and commissions the Interagency Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes to begin work on the project with funding from the Department of the Interior. The task force will be required to submit proposals to the president for the establishing of the park within 60 days.
Also included in the order's text, was a list of prominent Americans to be included in the garden. That list is copied below:
The National Garden should be composed of statues, including statues of John Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Daniel Boone, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Henry Clay, Davy Crockett, Frederick Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Benjamin Franklin, Billy Graham, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Douglas MacArthur, Dolley Madison, James Madison, Christa McAuliffe, Audie Murphy, George S. Patton, Jr., Ronald Reagan, Jackie Robinson, Betsy Ross, Antonin Scalia, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Booker T. Washington, George Washington, and Orville and Wilbur Wright.
The garden is expected to be open for public access by no later than "the 250th anniversary of the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026." A location for the park is still to be determined by the task force.
Statues and monuments of historical figures have been the target of "cancel culture" antagonism in America as racial tensions have boiled over in recent weeks. But the president has been vehemently opposed to the destruction of such sites and last week signed an executive order to punish the vandalism or destruction of monuments, memorials, and statues by up to 10 years in prison.


theblaze--2020-07-04--Kimberly Guilfoyle, top Trump fundraising official and girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tests positiv

Kimberly Guilfoyle, top Trump fundraising official and girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tests positive for coronavirus

Kimberly Guilfoyle , top Trump fundraising official and girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr. , tests positive for coronavirus She has @ @ @ @ @ the president

Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of President Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and a top fundraising official for the Trump campaign, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Multiple news outlets reported the news late Friday night as the president was preparing to deliver remarks at Mount Rushmore to kick off Independence Day weekend.
According to the New York Times, Guilfoyle, who serves as national chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee, had traveled to South Dakota in anticipation of attending the event with Trump Jr. before receiving the positive test results. She did not travel aboard Air Force One.
The Hill reported that Guilfoyle was feeling fine at the time of the test and had not come into contact with the president. Her boyfriend, Trump Jr., tested negative, and the two reportedly plan to return to the east coast on their own.
Guilfoyle is the latest individual in somewhat close proximity to the president to test positive for the infectious disease since the start of the pandemic. In May, one of Trump's personal valets tested positive, as did Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary.
Another support of the president, Herman Cain, announced Thursday that he had also tested positive and was receiving treatment in the hospital.
Trump has been criticized by some for holding rallies without social distancing or mask requirements amid the pandemic. In addition to the celebration at Mount Rushmore on Friday, the president also held a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma last month.
This is developing story. Refresh for updates.


theblaze--2020-07-04--CNN reporter calls Mt. Rushmore a 'monument of two slave owners' on land 'wrestled away from Native

CNN reporter calls Mt. Rushmore a 'monument of two slave owners' on land 'wrestled away from Native Americans'

CNN reporter calls Mt .
Rushmore a 'monument of two slave owners ' on land 'wrestled away from Native Americans' @ @ @ @ @ it that way

Reporting from South Dakota ahead of President Trump's Independence Day speech Friday, CNN reporter Leyla Santiago referred to Mount Rushmore merely as a "monument of two slave owners" on land "wrestled away from Native Americans."
The two slave owners Santiago referred to are otherwise known as former President George Washington and former President Thomas Jefferson.
"Kicking off the Independence Day Weekend, President Trump will be at Mount Rushmore, where he'll be standing in front of a monument of two slave owners and on land wrestled away from Native Americans told that uh, be focusing on the effort to 'tear down our country's history,'" Santiago told CNN anchor Jake Tapper.
Tapper, despite appearing to be a bit taken aback by the remarks, made no effort to improve on them.
Instead, after a brief pause, he simply said: "All right. Leyla Santiago, with that report, thank you so much."
At the same time, the chyron running across the screen stated: "Reexamining 'Independence' Day" with "independence" in scare quotes.
As the Daily Wire notes, there is no reason for the quotes around the word "independence." After all, the official name of the holiday celebrated on the fourth day of July is in fact Independence Day, per 5 USC Section 6103.
The scathing report and unusual chyron from Friday stand in contrast to past reporting that CNN has done on Mount Rushmore, as some on social media were quick to point out.
Trump campaign Deputy Director of Communications Zach Parkinson posted a clip from 2016, which showed then-presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) visiting the monument.
"In 2016, CNN's Jeff Zeleny called Mount Rushmore a 'monument to four great American Presidents' ... Bernie Sanders said 'this is our country at its very best,' called it an 'incredible achievement,' and said it 'really does make one very proud to be an American,'" Parkinson wrote in a tweet.
GOP Rapid Response Coordinator Steve Guest retweeted the clip, adding, "this is what media bias looks like."
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-07-05--Steve Deace: Time for the US to lose the question mark about who we really are

Steve Deace : Time for the US to lose the question mark about who we really are

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
America's national anthem ends with a question mark.
That's easy to forget, because all of our best memories of it being performed are so declarative and unambiguous in their pride. Often times, there will be military jets racing across the sky over packed football stadiums to put an exclamation point on the song's soaring final notes. In those moments, the usual taken-for-grantedness of our blessings ebbs long enough and we are certain, if only fleetingly, that we are self-evidently part of something special.
That all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Happiness beyond words when watching an American athlete stand atop the Olympic podium with gold around their neck, and tears running down their cheeks, as they sing and gaze upon the rising colors. Or life and liberty beyond the last full measure of devotion, as veterans solemnly pause to salute a flag at a monument built by a grateful public to recognize the dignity of their sacrifice.
Behind it all is a sort of civic herd immunity, if you will, to the viciousness and the vices that sought to keep America from being birthed in the first place — or to keep it from flourishing once it took root. We, the people, have always been charged with passing that immunity on from generation to generation. We make declarative statements and take declarative action when it really matters to eliminate all doubt of our willingness to stand that post. That is supposed to be our defining legacy as a people.
No question marks on our watch.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish..."
"... this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
"You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you."
"...when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
But let's face it. Most of America at this point has never heard those historic words, let alone knows who said them. Yet many of those same ignorant people are ready and willing to virtue signal that it is time to tear all the statues down because the past is, by definition, racist.
Welcome to CHAZ, a place that exists in the hearts and minds of traitors within our ranks well beyond the bounds of Seattle. It is where the disconnect from the reality of the words laid out above is total and simply beyond repair. Up is not only down, but down is a dude who can menstruate.
Which is also why Fourth of July events are being given the lockdown treatment while violent BLM/Antifa mobs and the Rainbow Jihad are allowed to commandeer the streets with impunity. You are being told in no uncertain terms that this isn't your country. You, your hopes, your dreams, they are canceled and may even deserve a random beating if you are really lucky. Because America was never good anyway.
One political party in this country has a tramp stamp of that sentiment tattooed on its non-gender specific back, while the other has a not-so-secret fetish for being dominated into submission by such usurpers. A virus has consumed us, and it has nothing to do with COVID.
So I'm afraid I can't wish you a happy 4th this year. I simply don't know how. Land of the free? Home of the brave? All I see, all I hear, is the question mark.