theblaze--2020-06-27--Police announce charges against suspect who viciously beat Macy's employee in 'unprovoked attack'

Police announce charges against suspect who viciously beat Macy 's employee in 'unprovoked attack' 'This was an unprovoked attack '

Michigan police have finally announced criminal charges against the suspect who brutally attacked a Macy's store manager.
On Friday afternoon, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton announced he has charged 18-year-old Damire Palmer with "assault to do great bodily harm less than murder," WJRT-TV reported.
The crime is a felony and carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
In a viral video, Palmer is allegedly seen brutally beating a Macy's store manager in Flint. Palmer's brother, who filmed the attack, later claimed the victim called his brother the N-word, which provoked the attack. However, Macy's debunked the claim after investigating the June 15 incident, explaining the attack was completely "unprovoked."
Police have been searching for the brothers for more than a week, but they have yet to locate them.
At a press conference, Leyton confirmed the attack was unprovoked.
"This was an unprovoked attack," Leyton said. "The internal video for Macy's shows the suspect approaching from behind the victim. The store manager appears unaware that he's even there."
In fact, the district attorney explained that Palmer and the victim called prior to the attack, when Palmer asked if a jacket fit him.
Regarding the accusation that the store manager used a racial epithet, Leyton said there was no evidence proving that happened — and even if it had occurred, the use of racial slurs do not legally permit assault.
"Even if there were verbal provocation, which we have no evidence of, violent retaliation is not permitted by the law," Leyton explained, WJRT reported.


theblaze--2020-06-27--Biden cancer nonprofit paid millions to top executives before shuttering

The Biden Cancer Initiative spent nearly two-thirds on staff compensation

The Biden Cancer Initiative, the nonprofit that former Vice President Joe Biden established two years ago after leaving the White House, spent nearly two-thirds of its budget on staff compensation.
The Biden Cancer Initiative, a nonprofit to support cancer prevention and research, doled out high salaries to executives, according to a report from the Washington Free Beacon. The organization's president, Greg Simon, was paid $224,539 in 2017 and $429,850 in 2018.
Biden Cancer Initiative salaries made up nearly 65% of its total expenditures. The organization raised and spent $4.8 million over the two years it was in operation, and more than $3 million of that amount went to salaries, compensation, and benefits, according to 2017 and 2018 tax forms. The Biden Cancer Initiative spent $1.7 million on other expenses, including $740,000 for conferences, conventions, and meetings.
Charity Navigator, a website that rates charities for effectiveness, said charities "spending less than a third of their budget on program expenses are simply not living up to their missions."
The Biden Cancer Initiative did not cut a single grant check to other organizations. However, the nonprofit was not established as a grant-providing entity.
Many of the executives who were paid six figures at the Biden Cancer Initiative previously worked for the Obama administration's "Cancer Moonshot" program, that was created to "accelerate cancer research" and "aims to make more therapies available to more patients, while also improving our ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage."
The report questions if the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's organization "allowed associates to profit off their access to him."
The organization's mission was to "develop and drive implementation of solutions to accelerate progress in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, research, and care, and to reduce disparities in cancer outcomes."
Biden and his wife Jill left the organization's board in April 2019 to avoid a conflict of interest as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign. The Biden Cancer Initiative suddenly shuttered on July 11, 2019.
"Today, we are suspending activities given our unique circumstances. We remain personally committed to the cause, but at this time will have to pause efforts," Greg Simon, president of the Biden Cancer Initiative, said. "We thank the community for their incredible response to our mission to improve the cancer journey for patients and to improve outcomes for all patients for generations to come."
Fortune reported in July 2019 that the "nonprofit had trouble maintaining momentum" without the involvement of the Biden's. "And the roles played by Biden allies and health care-related firms in aiding the foundation's activities have raised questions about their potential interests if Biden won the presidency."
An Associated Press report from June of last year warned about the possible influence issues with Biden's close ties to health care companies. "The nonprofit's reliance on health care industry partners poses concerns."
Several of the health care companies Biden touted while the initiative was operating had financial and regulatory interests with the federal government.
Arthur Caplan, professor of bioethics at New York University, asked if Biden was elected as president, would his administration "give favorable treatment for anyone who supported his foundation in the past?"
Biden's son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015 at the age of 46.


theblaze--2020-06-27--Minneapolis City Council, which voted to disband police, hires private security on taxpayer dime

Minneapolis City Council , which voted to disband police , hires private security on taxpayer dime But law enforcement said @ @ @ @ @ filed detailing the threats

The Democrat-controlled Minneapolis City Council controversially voted to disband its police department in the wake of George Floyd's tragic death.
Now, three members of the city council are costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars per week because they have hired private security after receiving threats related to their support for defunding the Minneapolis Police Department.
Andrea Jenkins, Phillipe Cunningham, and Alondra Cano — who have been outspoken proponents of the radical law police reform measure — are costing city taxpayers $4,500 per day in private security fees, KMSP-TV reported.
Over the past three weeks, the city has spent $63,000 of taxpayer money on their private security details, a city spokesperson told KMSP.
The mayor of Minneapolis is traditionally provided with security by the city police department, but city council members are not afforded the same service, KMSP noted.
"My concern is the large number of white nationalist(s) in our city and other threatening communications I've been receiving," Jenkins told KMSP.
Cunningham said, "I don't feel comfortable publicly discussing the death threats against me or the level of security I currently have protecting me from those threats."
However, the Minneapolis PD told KMSP there has not been a filed police report for threats against any of the city's council members, though one could have been filed confidentially.
A city spokesperson said the private security details "are intended to be a temporary bridge until other security measures can be implemented by council members," KMSP reported.


theblaze--2020-06-27--Hostilities flare at Emancipation Memorial, black man slams protesters: 'Y’all don’t know the histor

Hostilities flare at Emancipation Memorial, black man slams protesters: 'Y’all don’t know the history of this statue'

Hostilities flare at Emancipation Memorial , black man slams protesters : ' Y ’ all don ’ t know the @ @ @ @ @ show tense confrontations , including the mob forcing a reporter out of Lincoln Park

Protesters amassed near the Emancipation Memorial in Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C., on Friday in an effort to have the statue torn down. Hostilities flared during the protest, and a reporter had to be escorted out of the park after the mob harassed him.
Protesters gathered in Lincoln Park to demand the Emancipation Memorial be removed, but one black man stood up to the crowd and attempted to educate them about the historic statue.
Don Folden, a tour guide in D.C., gave a history lesson on the statue that shows Abraham Lincoln freeing a slave.
"A lot of people out here are talking about tearing down something that they don't even know the history of," Folden told the protesters assembled outside the fence protecting the statue. "Y'all don't even know the history of this statue, but you want to tear it down because you are offended."
However, Folden's message did not resonate with much of the crowd. A man with a microphone declared: "We are gonna tear that motherf***er down!"
(Content Warning: The following video contains explicit language):
One woman angrily screamed at Folden for defending the Emancipation Memorial, also known as the Freedman's Memorial. "We gonna get it, one way or another," she yelled.
Folden asked the woman about the history of the statue, and asked who paid for the memorial that was dedicated in 1876. The bronze statue was "built almost entirely with funds donated by former slaves," according to Washington.org. On the 11th anniversary of Lincoln's death, famed abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass delivered the keynote address to President Ulysses S. Grant at the monument.
Tensions increased as protesters got in the faces of reporters covering the demonstration. The Daily Caller's Vincent Shkreli was harassed during the protest.
One America News Network host Jack Posobiec was also at the protest of the statue, and he had to be escorted out of the park after hostilities heightened. Folden attempted to stop the crowd from attacking Posobiec.
The security detail for Fox News' White House correspondent Kevin Corke escorted the OANN host out of the park after water was thrown at him and someone attempted to steal his cell phone. Washington, D.C., police had to separate Posobiec from the crowd.
Earlier in the week, a black pastor tried to promote unity at the Emancipation Memorial.
Others defended the Emancipation Memorial, including Howard University professor Carolivia Herron and Marcia Cole, a member of the Female RE-Enactors of Distinction, which is an auxiliary organization of the African American Civil War Museum.
"People tend to think of that figure as being servile but on second look you will see something different, perhaps," Cole explained. "That man is not kneeling on two knees with his head bowed. He is in the act of getting up. And his head is up, not bowed, because he's looking forward to a future of freedom."
"Things change. Our perceptions of how things should be presented change," Herron stated. "There's an intelligent, acceptable, proud way to interpret this statue. We need not be ashamed of what we came from."
Last week, rioters ripped down a nearly 100-year-old statue of George Washington. Vandals also tore down statues dedicated to Ulysses S. Grant, Francis Scott Key, and an 18th-century Spanish priest who was canonized as a saint.


theblaze--2020-06-27--New Jersey politicians charged in massive mail-in ballot voter fraud scheme, face years in prison

New Jersey politicians charged in massive mail-in ballot voter fraud scheme , face years in prison

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has filed voter fraud charges against four men, including two Paterson City officials, who allegedly engaged in a mail-in ballot scheme during a special election last month.
Grewal charged Paterson City Councilman Michael Jackson, Councilman-elect Alex Mendez, and two other men after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service alerted the state attorney general's office that it had found hundreds of ballots in a single Paterson City mailbox, InsiderNJ reported.
Michael Jackson (left), Alex Mendez (right). Image source: New Jersey Office of Attorney General
According to WNBC-TV, more than 3,000 ballots were set aside over voting fraud concerns in the Paterson City Council election — 16,747 were received, but only 13,557 were accepted — meaning a whopping 19%, or nearly 1-in-5, were rejected.
More than 800 of the rejected ballots were invalidated because they were found tethered together in mailboxes.
The alleged voter fraud is particularly significant in the election because one incumbent councilman kept his seat by just eight votes, while Mendez was elected by fewer than 250 votes, WNBC reported.
Jackson was charged with four crimes, including fraud in casting mail-in vote and falsifying records. From the attorney general's office:
It is alleged that Jackson violated state election laws as a candidate by approaching one or more voters in Paterson in the district where he was running and collecting their official mail-in ballots for delivery to the Passaic County Board of Elections. It is further alleged that these mail-in ballots were delivered to the Board of Elections without information identifying the bearer, in violation of state election laws. In addition, Jackson allegedly procured and had in his possession more than three official mail-in ballots which were neither his own ballots, nor ballots for which he was identified as an authorized bearer. Lastly, Jackson allegedly received the official mail-in ballot of one voter without the ballot having been voted or sealed, and that ballot was subsequently delivered to the Board of Elections in a sealed envelope without information identifying the bearer.
Mendez was hit with six criminal charges, including election fraud and falsifying records. From the Attorney General's Office:
It is alleged that Mendez violated state election laws as a candidate by approaching one or more voters in Paterson in the district where he was running and collecting their official mail-in ballots for delivery to the Passaic County Board of Elections. It is further alleged that these mail-in ballots were delivered to the Board of Elections without information identifying the bearer in violation of state election laws. In addition, Mendez allegedly procured or submitted one or more voter registration applications, which he knew to be false, fictitious, or fraudulent, in that he knew the person for whom the application was procured was not eligible to vote in the election district identified on the application.
"Today's charges send a clear message: if you try to tamper with an election in New Jersey, we will find you and we will hold you accountable," Grewal said. "We will not allow a small number of criminals to undermine the public's confidence in our democratic process."
According to the Paterson Times, Jackson faces more than 10 years in prison while Mendez faces more than 31 years in prison.
The charges were filed as Democrats nationwide push for mail-in voting as a method to reduce coronavirus spread. Republicans generally oppose mail-in voting, arguing it opens the door to voter fraud.


theblaze--2020-06-27--Ted Cruz exposes Democrats' motive for supporting DC statehood, explains why new vote meant nothing

Ted Cruz exposes Democrats ' motive for supporting DC statehood , explains why new vote meant nothing

House Democrats approved legislation on Friday that would grant statehood to Washington, D.C. The vote largely fell along party lines — only one Democrat opposed the bill — and it is doomed to fail in the Republican-controlled Senate.
D.C. residents have long sought official voting representation in Congress. However, Friday's vote was the first time any such measure found success in either chamber of Congress. Currently, residents in the nation's capital are represented only by a delegate — Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton — and are allotted three Electoral College votes via the 23rd Amendment.
After Friday's vote, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) exposed why Democrats are strongly pushing for D.C. statehood.
According to Cruz, Democrats only support D.C. statehood because it would help them further their political agenda by giving them two additional senators. If D.C. were allotted statehood, they would almost certainly elect two Democratic senators, considering the city is notoriously Democratic; in fact, in the modern era, the city has only elected Democratic mayors.
Plus, Cruz explained, Friday's Democratic-pushed legislation fails on its face because D.C. statehood requires a constitutional amendment.
"The House bill fails bc DC statehood requires a constl amendment," Cruz explained. "Just politics: every Dem supports bc you want 2 more Dem senators."
Cruz also rebutted Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), explaining that D.C. statehood may be bad news for his political career if Virginia had to return Arlington — the northern Virginia city that borders D.C. — to the nation's capital. Arlington is a heavily Democratic city, and was once a part of D.C.
"Am curious, would you still support if VA had to give Arlington back to DC? W/o northern VA, Virginia would likely return to 2 GOP senators...." Cruz tweeted.


theblaze--2020-06-28--Massive crowds gather in Chicago and NYC for Pride month as global COVID-19 deaths surpass 500,000

Massive crowds gather in Chicago and NYC for Pride month as global COVID-19 deaths surpass 500,000 Videos show clashes between @ @ @ @ @ marches

June is Pride month, and June 28 is a celebrated day in LGBTQ history as it is the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City on June 28, 1969. Most cities have canceled their Pride events and parades because of the coronavirus pandemic. But apparently not everyone got the message, especially in Chicago, where a massive crowd gathered.
"Aerial footage shows massive crowds rallying to celebrate #Pride in Chicago," the Bloomberg QuickTake Twitter account posted on Sunday with a video that featured people amassing with little or no social distancing.
Chicago's annual Pride Parade was canceled this year due to COVID-19 concerns, but another event called "reclaim Pride" was organized and hundreds of people gathered in the Windy City. There was also a Pride Without Prejudice Rally that had anti-Trump signs.
Thousands also gathered in New York City for the Queer Liberation March. Social distancing was rarely practiced at that event as well.
During a Pride march in New York City, there were clashes between NYPD cops and demonstrators.
The huge LGBTQ events happened on the same day that the coronavirus pandemic reached a new milestone — surpassing 10 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than half of a million COVID-19 deaths worldwide.


theblaze--2020-06-28--Oklahoma prosecutor charges allegedly violent protesters with terrorism: 'This is not Seattle'

Oklahoma prosecutor charges allegedly violent protesters with terrorism : 'This is not Seattle' 'We 're not putting up with this @ @ @

Oklahoma City prosecutors are charging three violent protesters, who allegedly participated in demonstrations triggered by the killing of George Floyd, with terrorism.
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater announced Friday that he has charged 21-year-old Isael Antonio Ortiz, 26-year-old Eric Christopher Ruffin, and 18-year-old Malachai Davis with terrorism, the Oklahoman reported.
During protests on May 30, Ortiz allegedly burned an Oklahoma County Sheriff's office van and attempted to burn a nearby bail bonds office. Ruffin allegedly encouraged the "wanton destruction" of the van, while Davis is accused of damaging the bail bonds office.
Prater said he hopes the stiff charge deters future violent protests.
"This is not Seattle," Prater said Friday, according to the Oklahoman. "We're not putting up with this lawlessness here."
Prater's reference to Seattle is presumably a reference to the six-block autonomous zone — which has been known as the "capital hill autonomous zone" and "capital hill occupied protest" — established by protesters on June 8 following protests related to George Floyd's tragic death.
Seattle leaders initially defended the autonomous zone, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin (D) even likened it to the "summer of love." Dunkin, of course, has now called for the violence plagued autonomous zone to be dismantled.
Those charged by Prater face years in prison if convicted, the Oklahoman reported.


theblaze--2020-06-28--NYPD sees 'exodus' after spike in uniformed cops retiring since George Floyd protests

NYPD sees 'exodus ' after spike in uniformed cops retiring since George Floyd protests

Following weeks of anti-cop rhetoric after the death of George Floyd, the "defund the police" movement gaining popularity nationwide, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) declaring that he will be shifting funds away from the NYPD, it appears that some law enforcement in the Big Apple have had it with the treatment they have received in the past month.
The New York Police Department announced that 272 uniformed officers have filed for retirement in the time since George Floyd's death on May 25 until June 23. Compared to the same period in 2019, this year is seeing a 49% increase, according to the New York Post.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said that NYPD cops are "at their breaking point, whether they have 20 years on the job or only two."
"We are all asking the same question: 'How can we keep doing our job in this environment?'" Lynch told the Post. "And that is exactly what the anti-cop crowd wants. If we have no cops because no one wants to be a cop, they will have achieved their ultimate goal."
"We are worried about a surge in attrition reducing our headcount beyond what we can sustain without new recruits, and are afraid the City Council has not taken the surge into account," a source told the Post.
Mayor de Blasio said he was "committed to moving resources from the NYPD to youth and social services." The Democratic mayor said New Yorkers "need to be reached, not policed."
Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said an "exodus" has begun and nearly 80 of his members have recently filed for retirement, and that morale is "at the lowest levels I've seen in 38 years."
"People have had enough and no longer feel it's worth risking their personal well-being for a thankless position," Mullins stated. "There is no leadership, no direction, no training for new policies. Department brass is paralyzed (and) too afraid to uphold their sworn oath in fear of losing their jobs. Sadly, the people of this city will soon experience what New York City was like in the 1980s."
Between May 28 and June 11, more than 350 NYPD officers were injured in the police brutality and Black Lives Matter protests that have turned violent at times.
Earlier this month, at least seven Minneapolis Police Department employees quit their law enforcement jobs. The MPD cops left their positions because they were frustrated with the way the police department and city leaders failed to support them following the George Floyd protests.
The entire SWAT team of the Hallandale Beach Police Department in Florida resigned three weeks ago after their police chief kneeled with protesters.


theblaze--2020-06-28--VIDEO: Protesters request police presence for 'defund the police' rally, citing their safety

VIDEO : Protesters request police presence for 'defund the police ' rally , citing their safety

Over the weekend, a video of a police officer went viral. In that video, an unidentified police officer explains that he was called to provide security for protesters.
The irony, the officer explained, is that the protesters requested police presence for a...wait for it..."defund the police" rally.
"So I come in this morning and we're informed there's gonna be a protest to 'defund the police.' Well, that's fine, I like protests," the officer explained.
"Except they requested a police presence, you know, for their safety, at the 'defund the police' event," he continued. "I s**t you not."
It was not clear where the officer worked, as he had removed his badge from his uniform, presumably so that his location could not be identified.


theblaze--2020-06-28--Report: Almost half of all COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes; Gov. Cuomo complains of 'pol

Report: Almost half of all COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes; Gov. Cuomo complains of 'political heat'

Report : Almost half of all COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes ; Gov .
Cuomo complains of 'political @ @ @ @ @ % of their coronavirus deaths connected to nursing homes

Nearly half of all COVID-19 deaths in the United States are connected to nursing homes and long-term care centers, according to a new report from the New York Times.
The analysis found that there were more than 54,000 residents and workers at nursing homes and long-term care centers who have died from coronavirus-related illnesses. There were over 282,000 people infected at 12,000 senior facilities across the country. COVID-19 cases at nursing homes made up only 11% of all COVID-19 cases, but accounted for approximately 43% of the total U.S. deaths.
There were 24 states that had more than half of all COVID-19 deaths linked to nursing homes. New Hampshire was the highest at 80% of coronavirus deaths connected to long-term facilities, followed by Minnesota at 77%, Rhode Island at 77%, and Connecticut at 73%.
New York was only at 21%, but they have by far the most total coronavirus deaths in the U.S. with over 31,000 as of Sunday afternoon. New York has recorded the most coronavirus-related nursing home deaths with 6,250, followed by Massachusetts at 5,115, and Pennsylvania at 4,518. That's compared to only 293 in New Hampshire and 715 in Rhode Island.
"I don't know if we've gotten a full and correct accounting of how many people died of COVID-19 in nursing homes and how many nursing residents transferred to hospitals died of COVID," state Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) told the New York Post.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the criticisms that he has received over the thousands of nursing home-related coronavirus deaths are politically-based. Cuomo appeared on "Meet the Press" on Sunday, where the Democratic governor dodged taking responsibility in nursing home fatalities.
"I've taken political heat, OK. There's facts and then there's politics," Cuomo told NBC News' Chuck Todd when asked if senior centers were safe.
Cuomo blamed the nursing home deaths in New York on "staff that got infected and brought it in."
"But in New York, we're No. 46 in the nation in terms of percentage of deaths at nursing homes compared to the total percentage. By the New York Times, we're No. 46," Cuomo said, referring to the New York Times report. "So, it's been unfortunate. In every state, we have to do more. We have to figure it out, but if they want to point fingers, not at New York. We're No. 46. You have 45 other states to point fingers at first."
"They are as safe – well, in this state we're testing every week every nursing home employee," Cuomo told Todd. "So you could argue that they are safer than a senior citizen at home who is receiving care at home. The safest environment? My mother? Stay home, don't see anyone. If you are at home and you have an aide coming in, that aide is not tested. In a nursing home, the staff is being tested once a week. And seniors do have to be careful, wherever they are."
A report from the Associated Press in May found that more than 4,300 recovering COVID-19 patients were sent to nursing homes and long-term care facilities under Cuomo's directive.
Cuomo's directive on March 25, which was in place until it was rescinded on May 10, sent coronavirus-infected elderly patients who were discharged from hospitals to "New York's already vulnerable nursing homes."


theblaze--2020-06-28--VIDEO: Black Lives Matter mob storms Target, threatens to 'shut down' business if they cooperate wit

VIDEO: Black Lives Matter mob storms Target, threatens to 'shut down' business if they cooperate with police

VIDEO : Black Lives Matter mob storms Target , threatens to 'shut down ' business if they cooperate with police

Black Lives Matters activists stormed a Washington, D.C., Target store on Saturday, demanding the business stop cooperating with police or they would "shut down" the business.
A video captured by journalist Drew Hernandez showed a man with a bullhorn leading a crowd of protesters in a chant while standing in the front of the Target store.
"All black people, living around this neighborhood, living around in this neighborhood, because you prioritize money over people, so until you stop calling the police, we continue to shut your business down," the crowd chanted.
"Black Lives Matter literally threatened @Target today in DC. Apparently if that @Target in DC ever calls the cops on a black person ever again BLM will shut them down," Hernandez explained. "Radicals."
Hernandez said the group's rhetoric mirrored that of Hawk Newsome, who co-founded the Greater New York chapter of Black Lives Matter.
As TheBlaze reported, Newsome appeared on Fox News last week where he promised that activists "will burn down this system" if the country "doesn't give us what we want."
"I said, if this country doesn't give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it," Newsome said. "All right? And I could be speaking ... figuratively. I could be speaking literally. It's a matter of interpretation."


theblaze--2020-06-28--Woman explodes after being asked to wear a face mask at Trader Joe's

Woman explodes after being asked to wear a face mask at Trader Joe's The woman is being dubbed the 'Karen @ @ @ @ @ '

A woman is being dubbed the "Karen of the San Fernando Valley" after she was caught on video launching into an angry tirade at a Trader Joe's grocery store in California this weekend.
A Trader Joe's opened up on Friday in North Hollywood, and one woman provided the fireworks for the grand opening. The woman was asked to wear a face mask by Trader Joe's employees, and she was not particularly fond of that idea.
Instead of putting on the mask, and proceeding to purchase her Everything but the Bagel Seasoning and cauliflower gnocchi, she lashed out at the employees with the fire of a thousand suns.
A viral video shows employees asking her to wear a mask, and she reacts by slamming down her shopping basket and screaming at the employees.
Before leaving Trader Joe's, the woman wearing a light blue Bebe shirt shrieks, "You're f***ing Democratic pigs, all of you!"
"That man harassed me for not wearing a mask," the furious woman is heard saying in the viral video before she is escorted out of the store. "Yes, I have a breathing problem, my doctor will not let me wear a mask. So anyone harassing me to wear a mask, you guys are violating federal law. Did you get that? Get that on camera."
(Content Warning: The following video contains explicit language):
This woman appears that she could use a few Two-Buck Chuck wines to calm her nerves, then again, adding alcohol to this situation could be a recipe for disaster.
With the coronavirus pandemic, the quarantine, and riots across the country, people have been on edge in the last month:
Video of mask-less customer clashing with a Walmart employee is going viral
Unhinged protester screams at drivers, 'Do black lives matter to you?!' One woman doesn't answer correctly — and things get scary.
VIDEO: Worked-up 'Karen' scolds mom for letting her kids drive toy Power Wheels car without a driver's license
Video of white woman calling police on black man in Central Park goes viral and her dog gets taken away


theblaze--2020-06-28--WaPo fails miserably at fact checking Trump, actually proves his point on Democrats, violent crime

WaPo fails miserably at fact checking Trump , actually proves his point on Democrats , violent crime Turns out , @ @ @ @ @ that have the most violent crime

The Washington Post attempted to fact check President Donald Trump last week on his claim that Democrat-run cities have the highest rates of violent crime.
However, the newspaper ended up just proving the president's point.
Last Wednesday, Trump said, "You hear about certain places like Chicago and you hear about what's going on in Detroit and other — other cities, all Democrat run. Every one of them is Democrat run. Twenty out of twenty. The 20 worst, the 20 most dangerous are Democrat run."
In response, the Post published an analysis article declaring that Trump was incorrect. "Trump keeps claiming that the most dangerous cities in America are all run by Democrats. They aren't."
Using FBI data on violent crime occurrences per city, the Post found that, indeed, Democrats control almost all of the top-20 most violent American cities.
From the Post:
Most of the current mayors of these cities are Democrats. Two of the mayors of cities with the most reported violent crimes overall, though, are independents and one, the mayor of Jacksonville, Fla., is a Republican. Among the 20 cities with the most violent crime per capita, one isn't a Democrat: the independent mayor of Springfield, Mo.
The graph included in the Post article was visually damning.
So, while Trump was incorrect to say that all of the top-20 most violent cities are ran by Democrats, the Washington Post confirmed the sentiment that Trump tried to convey: when Democrats are in charge, crime is more likely to happen with increased prevalence.
But, according to Washington Post writer Philip Bump, that doesn't really matter.
"Trump would no doubt shrug at that detail, decrying as 'fake news' the revelation that his assertion was only slightly wrong. And, in fairness, it actually doesn't matter that four of the 32 cities listed above have non-Democratic mayors — because it doesn't really matter that the other mayors are Democrats," Bump, the author behind the analysis, wrote.
Bump justified the correlation between crime and Democrat-controlled cities by showing that Democrats almost always win urban areas, which typically have higher occurrences of crime than suburban and rural areas.


theblaze--2020-06-28--One dead after shots fired into crowd at Breonna Taylor protest

One person is dead and another injured after a gunman fired shots into the crowd at a Breonna Taylor protest in Kentucky.
Demonstrators gathered at Jefferson Square Park in downtown Louisville on Saturday in a call for justice for the police shooting of Breonna Taylor. Around 9 p.m., the Louisville Metro Police Department started receiving calls about gunfire at the park.
Jefferson County Sheriff's Department personnel arrived at the park to perform life-saving measures on a man, who eventually died at the scene. Another person from the incident was found near the Hall of Justice, which is across the street from the park. That person was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police evacuated the park, and are currently "trying to gather as much information as possible in order to identify all who were involved in the incident." Police have not announced any possible suspects or arrests in the shooting.
An unverified video was posted on Twitter that shows a man opening fire into the park. The graphic video reportedly shows one of the alleged victims of the shooting on the ground and receiving medical attention.
"Fatal shooting reported at Jefferson Square Park. Another person injured. Still waiting to get updates and details from #lmpd," WAVE-TV reporter Phylicia Ashley wrote on Twitter. "Witness videos allege a man was asked to leave the memorial and protest space then came back with a gun and started shooting into the crowd."
Following the shooting, the LMPD announced that "peaceful gatherings can continue during the day," but people will no longer be able to stay overnight at the park, and no tents are permitted.
"I am deeply saddened by the violence that erupted in Jefferson Square Park tonight, where those who have been voicing their concerns have been gathered," Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said on Twitter. "It is a tragedy that this area of peaceful protest is now a crime scene."
At least seven people were shot on May 28 during a Breonna Taylor protest in Louisville.
Demonstrations were being held over the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman who was shot in her Louisville home by undercover police who were serving a no-knock warrant. Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, believed the police were home invaders and shot at the officers, striking one of the cops.
Taylor was shot eight times. Police were serving a search warrant for a narcotics investigation. No drugs were reportedly found at Taylor's apartment.
Louisville has since banned no-knock search warrants.
Protesters have been calling for the officers involved in Taylor's death to be charged. One of the officers involved in the shooting, Brett Hankison, has been fired from the LMPD.


theblaze--2020-06-28--Four men face federal charges for trying to tear down Andrew Jackson statue after Trump signed order

Four men face federal charges for trying to tear down Andrew Jackson statue after Trump signed order to protect monuments @ @ @ @ @ injury ' of federal property is 10 years in prison

Four men have been charged for attempting to topple a statue of President Andrew Jackson near the White House last week. The suspects have been charged with the destruction of federal property, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Saturday.
The four men were at protests at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The men attempted to use ropes to topple the bronze statue of Andrew Jackson, who served as the seventh president of the United States.
As police attempted to protect the statue, there were clashes with the crowd. Two U.S. Park Police officers were injured, and two rioters were arrested.
On Thursday, the U.S. Park Police released photos of 15 suspects who were alleged to be connected to defacing the Jackson monument that including spray-painting "killer" and "scum" on the marble base of the memorial.
"The U.S. Park Police and FBI are attempting to identify the individuals responsible for Destruction of Property and other related crimes," the bulletin read.
On Saturday, the DOJ announced federal charges against four suspects — who hail from D.C., Maine, Maryland, and Virginia. The suspects are Lee Michael Cantrell, 47; Connor Matthew Judd, 20; Ryan Lane, 37; and Graham Lloyd, 37.
Based on videos, prosecutors allege Cantrell was attempting to "pry the statue off its base with a wooden board and trying to pull the statue down with the aid of a yellow strap."
The complaint alleges that Judd is seen on video trying to pull down the statue, and that Lane is seen on video affixing a rope to one part of the statue and then pulling on another rope tied to the statue. The complaint also alleges that video of the incident shows Lloyd as he breaks off and destroys the wheels of cannons located at the base of the statue. Lloyd is also captured on video pulling on ropes in an effort to topple the statue, and handing a hammer to an unidentified individual involved in the incident.
Judd was arrested by the FBI on Friday at his residence "without incident," according to David Bernhardt, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Judd appeared in Superior Court of the District of Columbia on Saturday. The other suspects remain at large, according to U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin.
"This office remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the sacred First Amendment right of individuals to peacefully protest, but these charges should serve as a warning to those who choose to desecrate the statues and monuments that adorn our nation's capital," Sherwin said.
Rioters targeted the Jackson statue because he owned slaves. The Democratic president, who served from 1829 to 1837, also signed the Indian Removal Act that forcibly relocated nearly 50,000 Native Americans, which is now called "The Trail of Tears."
The federal charges arrived one day after Trump signed an executive order cracking down on protesters who vandalize or topple American statues. Trump's executive order instructs federal law enforcement to prosecute "anyone that destroys or vandalizes a monument, memorial, or statue" to the "fullest extent permitted under Federal law."
The maximum penalty for "willful injury" of federal property is 10 years in prison under the Veterans' Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003.
Last week, there was a movement to remove the Emancipation Memorial in Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C., that features Abraham Lincoln and a freed slave.
Earlier this month, vandals toppled a nearly 100-year-old statue of George Washington. Rioters also ripped down statues dedicated to Ulysses S. Grant, Francis Scott Key, and an 18th-century Spanish priest who was canonized as a saint.


theblaze--2020-06-28--Newt Gingrich predicts what will cause Trump to 'probably' lose re-election to Joe Biden

Newt Gingrich predicts what will cause Trump to 'probably ' lose re-election to Joe Biden 'There 's a lot riding @ @ @ @ @ months to work '

The coronavirus could spell disaster for President Donald Trump, according to Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, predicted Friday that if a second wave of COVID-19 infections trigger new lockdown measures, especially in states that have already lifted lockdowns, Trump will "probably" lose re-election.
"I think the jury is out. If Trump is right and we can reopen safely with reasonable precautions, he'll probably get re-elected. If Trump is wrong, and as a result states have to shut down again and the economy goes back in the tank, then he probably won't get re-elected, no matter what the consequence is, because at that point, people will say, 'Well, that didn't work,'" Gingrich told Just The News.
"There's a lot riding on getting the next couple months to work," he added.
Gingrich's comments came in response to questions about whether holding public rallies, including the upcoming Republican National Convention, would hurt Trump and the Republican Party at the ballot box in November.
Gingrich: Trump will ‘probably get re-elected' if ‘we can reopen safely with reasonable precautions’ www.youtube.com
On the flip side, Gingrich said that Joe Biden's strategy of staying out of the spotlight may pay dividends.
"For some people, they prefer safety to risk taking, and it's very clear that Trump is a risk taker, and it's very clear that between the virus and the economy and the Chinese… we have a lot of risk out there right now," Gingrich said. "So it's conceivable that Biden, by hiding, looks passive, and looks non-threatening and that may be reassuring to people, they may say, 'Oh, wow, you know, Biden would never do any of these things.' Now, it's also true that Biden probably wouldn't do anything."
Unfortunately, some states have already begun reimposing COVID-related restrictions.
Texas, for example, re-closed bars on Friday, in addition to slashing restaurant dine-in capacity to just 50%.
Still, as COVID-19 cases surge across the south, states and localities nationwide are working to prevent a COVID-19 flare-up by implementing mandatory mask ordinances.


theblaze--2020-07-01--Heavily armed Seattle police infiltrate CHOP, shut down the whole leftist operation

Heavily armed Seattle police infiltrate CHOP , shut down the whole leftist operation

Members of the Seattle Police Department stormed the Capitol Hill Organized Protest, or CHOP, neighborhood on Wednesday.
Leftists occupied the lawless area for weeks following the killing of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis.
What are the details?
Fox News reported that the department made more than a dozen arrests in connection with the Wednesday operation.
In a statement, Seattle Police Department said, "Due to ongoing violence and public safety issues in the East Precinct/Cal Anderson Park area, Mayor Jenny Durkan has issued an executive order to vacate the area. Seattle police will be in the area this morning enforcing the Mayor's order."
The statement added, "Since demonstrations at the East Precinct area began on June 8th, two teenagers have been killed and three people have been seriously wounded in late-night shootings. Police have also documented robberies, assaults, and other violent crimes."
The department added, "Officers enforcing today's order are wearing a higher-level of protective gear. Police are utilizing this equipment because individuals associated w/the CHOP are known to be armed and dangerous/may be associated with shootings, homicides, robberies, assaults & other violent crimes."
As highlighted by the Daily Wire, journalist Andy Ngo pointed out that the demonstrators in the zone "didn't put up much resistance this morning."
"CHAZ was retaken by police in a matter of minutes," Ngo added.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said that it was high time to shut down CHOP.
"The CHOP has become lawless and brutal," Best said. "Four shootings – two fatal – robberies, assaults, violence and countless property crimes have occurred in this several block area."
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the mayor said, "Seattle has a long tradition of peaceful protest and advocacy for progressive change, and Mayor Durkan strongly supports those rights. Mayor Durkan will continue to listen to the leaders in Seattle's Black community. She is working hard to translate the calls for change into real, tangible changes to policing and all the other systems needed for strong and healthy communities."
The statement concluded, "She has prioritized these as Mayor, with investments in housing, education, youth opportunity, and economic equity. She proposes investing an additional $100 million into the Black community."


theblaze--2020-07-01--Outrage erupts after black fetus doll is found hanged by the neck at a fire station

A black fetus doll was discovered hanging by its neck from a ribbon at the Milwaukee Fire Department, according to WISN-TV.
What are the details?
Officials launched an investigation into the incident, which took place in February, but was not disclosed until Sunday.
According to reports, the department said the member who hung the figure admitted to the incident.
A spokesperson for the Milwaukee Fire Department says that disciplinary action will be taken against anyone found to be involved with the hanging of the doll.
The Milwaukee Fire Department Administration says that "numerous members" of the department in question — including people in positions of power — were aware that the doll's presence proved that the department was not the "diverse, welcoming, safe, and non-hostile" environment that it professed itself to be.
A woman who asked to remain anonymous said her relative — a black female new-hire at the station — was the target of the doll, reports add.
"She was the only African American in that unit and she was the only female," she said. "I want people to know the truth, it wasn't just a figurine sitting up there dancing around, it was an African American doll. It had a pink noose around his neck."
"She was just distraught and she was asking what should she do," she added. "There was a lot of other people who probably knew about it and did nothing."
What else?
In a statement, Mayor Tom Barrett said that the incident was "disgusting" and said that anyone involved in the incident should be prosecuted.
According to Newsweek, "Numerous members will also have letters of reprimand placed in their files because of their 'failure to maintain good order.'"
"The investigation's findings do not reveal a deliberate or intentional racist or sexist intent, nor an effort to target any individual member or group, it is no small matter that our failure, collectively, to maintain and reinforce an environment and culture within which an occurrence such as this would instantly be questioned and stopped, bears much responsibility for this," the statement on the official investigation added.
WISN reported that any charges will not be of a criminal nature.
As a result of the incident, the department will be undergoing anti-harassment training.


theblaze--2020-07-01--Armed veterans stand guard at memorial against 'violent thugs' who might try to destroy it

Armed veterans stand guard at memorial against 'violent thugs ' who might try to destroy it ' A show of @ @ @ @ @ powerful deterrent '

In the wake of protesters topping statues and vandalizing monuments across the nation, a group of veterans decided to take matters into their own hands upon hearing rumblings that the same fate might be awaiting the Wilson County Veterans Memorial in Lebanon, Tennessee.
In short, the vets picked up their rifles and began standing guard, WKRN-TV reported.
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
What are the details?
Keith Sikora started his watch a week ago and told the station "a show of force can be a very powerful deterrent" but that he and his fellow veterans won't "fight unless we have to."
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
Veteran Joe Hester added to WKRN that he isn't standing guard "to promote violence, I'm not here against any race whatsoever. I'm for all good people and all good things in this country and preserving them."
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
Sikora and Hester served in the United States Marine Corps and told the station the memorial is special to them.
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
"It's a big target because who else gave more for this country than the ones who gave their life?" Sikora asked WKRN. "And if you're on the other side, and you hate this country — the way they're portraying the way they hate it — this is the best target to hit."
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
'Violent thugs'
Hester told the station he's seen "violent thugs" in certain cities — "all in the name of being against racism" — have been "attacking innocent people, burning down cities, destroying communities and intimidating innocent people" and it's "angered me so much that I'm tired of sitting back and talking about it."
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
"I went and served this country for the country and everybody in it," Sikora added to WKRN. "My Marines and I, we're not black, we're not white, Mexican, or Chinese. We all call each other green. ... That's how we were trained, that's how we think, that's the way we are now. We don't stand against any particular race; we stand for them, all of them, unified, and equally. We stand behind the Constitution that all men are created equal, and we will fight and die for that."
Image source: WKRN-TV video screenshot
The station reported that as night fell Saturday, about a dozen armed individuals were standing watch at the memorial and said they hoped their presence would send a message.
Sikora told WKRN that protesters "aren't coming here with just words. They are people who are trying to tear down this country. That's what I stand against."
The armed vets noted to the station that they intend to keep standing guard at the memorial until they know it's safe. Lebanon is about 25 miles east of downtown Nashville.


theblaze--2020-07-01--Former Antifa member slams Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler for calling Antifa 'imaginary'

A former Antifa member criticized House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler ( D-N.Y. ) for dismissing the organization as `` imaginary '' during a hearing last week , according to the Daily Wire .
Nadler attacked Republicans for prioritizing Antifa concerns over addressing racial injustice or police reform efforts .
`` They could n't utter the phrase 'black lives matter ' and could barely [ broach ] the subject of police reform , '' Nadler said Thursday .
`` Instead , their amendments .
I 've given you about half of them , just listed here , were arrant nonsense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Antifa and completely negating the entire purpose of the bill . ''
Former Antifa member Gabriel Nadales told Fox News that Nadler was wrong in his assessment of Antifa .
`` Let 's look at what Rep. Nadler 's really saying , '' Nadales said .
`` He 's saying that this is imaginary .
That 's just false .
I mean , the only thing that 's imaginary here is Rep. Nadler 's sense of justice .
I mean , the protests I attended , they were n't imaginary .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they were n't imaginary .
Yet every single time that we have left-wing politicians like Rep. Nadler denying and ignoring and even justify Antifa violence , it 's only going to continue to grow . ''
Nadales said he was indoctrinated by the media and the educational system to believe that America was the enemy and that he was a victim , which led him to join Antifa , and that he only left the movement when he began asking questions about it and realizing it was something he should be condemning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one thing to remember is , where is Antifa really coming from ? ''
Nadales asked .
`` Because Mr. Nadler thinks it 's imaginary .
Well , it 's coming , oftentimes , from college campuses .
I mean , there 's a professor out there who wrote a book called 'Antifa : The Anti-Fascist Handbook , ' and there 's also so many other professors that promote this type of violence . ''

A former Antifa member criticized House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) for dismissing the organization as "imaginary" during a hearing last week, according to the Daily Wire.
Nadler attacked Republicans for prioritizing Antifa concerns over addressing racial injustice or police reform efforts.
"They couldn't utter the phrase 'black lives matter' and could barely [broach] the subject of police reform," Nadler said Thursday. "Instead, their amendments. I've given you about half of them, just listed here, were arrant nonsense, off-topic, dealing with imaginary things like Antifa and completely negating the entire purpose of the bill."
Former Antifa member Gabriel Nadales told Fox News that Nadler was wrong in his assessment of Antifa.
"Let's look at what Rep. Nadler's really saying," Nadales said. "He's saying that this is imaginary. That's just false. I mean, the only thing that's imaginary here is Rep. Nadler's sense of justice. I mean, the protests I attended, they weren't imaginary. Also, the windows that I regrettably broke, they weren't imaginary. Yet every single time that we have left-wing politicians like Rep. Nadler denying and ignoring and even justify Antifa violence, it's only going to continue to grow."
Nadales said he was indoctrinated by the media and the educational system to believe that America was the enemy and that he was a victim, which led him to join Antifa, and that he only left the movement when he began asking questions about it and realizing it was something he should be condemning, not participating in.
"But one thing to remember is, where is Antifa really coming from?" Nadales asked. "Because Mr. Nadler thinks it's imaginary. Well, it's coming, oftentimes, from college campuses. I mean, there's a professor out there who wrote a book called 'Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook,' and there's also so many other professors that promote this type of violence."


theblaze--2020-07-01--British PM Boris Johnson offers 3 million Hong Kong citizens refuge in the UK to hit back at China o

British PM Boris Johnson offers 3 million Hong Kong citizens refuge in the UK to hit back at China over city's new security law

British PM Boris Johnson offers 3 million Hong Kong citizens refuge in the UK to hit back at China over @ @ @ @ @ ' A clear and serious breach of the Sino-British joint declaration '

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that his country will offer 3 million Hong Kong residents refuge and a path to citizenship in the United Kingdom in retaliation to China's new national security law, which effectively ends autonomy in the city.
According to Business Insider, Johnson told the House of Commons Wednesday that the law is in violation of the Sino-British joint declaration, which was signed by the U.K. and China in 1984.
The new law, which was met with global opposition, outlaws "foreign interference" and cracks down on pro-democracy demonstrations within the city. On Wednesday, it was put into effect as police arrested nearly 200 Hong Kong residents after thousands participated in a rally against the legislation.
Under the U.K. order, Hong Kong citizens eligible to apply for a British national overseas passport, along with their dependents, will be able to seek 5 years of limited right to remain in the U.K. — that number amounts to about 3 million.
After their 5-year stay and an additional year of settled status, arrivals will be eligible to apply for full U.K. citizenship.
"The enactment and imposition of this national security law constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British joint declaration," the prime minister told Parliament. "It violates Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and is in direct conflict with Hong Kong basic law. The law also threatens the freedoms and rights protected by the joint declaration.
"We made clear that if China continued down this path we would introduce a new route for those with British national overseas status to enter the U.K., granting them limited right to remain with the ability to live and work in the U.K. and thereafter to apply for citizenship — and that is precisely what we will do now," he added.
According to BBC, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said there would be no limit on numbers or quotas, telling members that the U.K. "will not look the other way on Hong Kong" and "will not duck our historic responsibilities to its people."
Pro-democracy legislators in Hong Kong sounded the alarm over the new law last month, saying it marked the end of the "one country, two systems" agreement between Beijing and the autonomous city.
Soon after, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agreed, officially declaring that with the imposition of the new law, Hong Kong could no longer be considered autonomous.


theblaze--2020-07-01--St. Louis man who protected home shuts down Chris Cuomo after CNN host calls him 'face' of racial re

St. Louis man who protected home shuts down Chris Cuomo after CNN host calls him 'face' of racial resistance

St. Louis man who protected home shuts down Chris Cuomo after CNN host calls him 'face ' of racial resistance @ @ @ @ @ 's a completely ridiculous statement '

CNN host Chris Cuomo claimed Tuesday that St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey, who went viral for confronting a mob of protesters with firearms, has become "the face of political resistance to the Black Lives Matter movement."
During the contentious interview, in which McCloskey reaffirmed that protesters who broke an iron gate to access his private property threatened to kill him and his family, Cuomo declared that McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, have become the "face of white resistance" because President Donald Trump retweeted a video of the couple defending their property.
McCloskey did not react kindly to the accusation.
Mark McCloskey and his wife, Patricia. (Image source: Twitter video screenshot)
Cuomo said, "To me, it's not about what's right and wrong in a court of law, it's what we have right and wrong about how we treat each other. And that's why the president retweeted this tweet ... Mr. McCloskey, you know it. He retweeted it because he liked the image of white resistance to [the Black Lives Matter] movement."
McCloskey fired back, "I'm glad you are a mind reader. Because no one else thinks you are."
The exchange was the second time that Cuomo baited McCloskey or his lawyer to speak for the president, suggesting Trump has exploited the McCloskeys.
In response to Cuomo's original accusation, when he called McCloskey the "face of the political resistance to the Black Lives Matter movement," McCloskey fired back:
First of all, that's a completely ridiculous statement. I am not the face of anything opposing the Black Lives Matters movement. I was a person scared for my life, who was protecting my wife, my home, my hearth, my livelihood. I was a victim of a mob that came through the gate. I didn't care what color they were. I didn't care what their motivation was. I was frightened. I was assaulted and I was in imminent fear that they would run me over, kill me, burn my house.
Later in the interview, Cuomo suggested the McCloskeys committed wrongdoing by "pointing a loaded weapon at a group of people who were walking past."
"They did not go up your steps. They didn't go to your house. They didn't touch you, they didn't try to enter your home or do anything to your kids, but you say you were assaulted," Cuomo later added.
Despite Cuomo's claim, law enforcement has confirmed they are investigating the protesters for both trespassing and fourth-degree assault by intimidation.
This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-07-01--Ex-New York City drug lord explains how meeting Christ changed everything for him: 'I was a walking

Ex-New York City drug lord explains how meeting Christ changed everything for him: 'I was a walking dead man'

Ex-New York City drug lord explains how meeting Christ changed everything for him : ' I was a walking dead @ @ @ @ @ everything

Herman Mendoza was once a New York drug lord with the world at his fingertips. With millions of dollars, women and worldly possessions, Mendoza thought he had it all — until his arrests and detainments led him on a path to discovering God and transforming his life.
Mendoza, author of the new book, "Shifting Shadows: How a New York Drug Lord Found Freedom in the Last Place He Expected," is now a Christian pastor in New York City.
And he recently told "The Pure Flix Podcast" about his foray into narcotics, explaining that he started experimenting with drugs as a teenager.
But it wasn't until Mendoza's 20s when he couldn't find employment that he really dove deep into the drug trade, following in the footsteps of his brothers.
"I was married and living with my wife and I was laid off from a job that I was working at," Mendoza said. "And so I was desperate for money."
Listen to Mendoza reveal how he went from a New York drug lord to a pastor preaching the gospel across the globe and finding faith, hope, and encouragement:
So, Mendoza joined his brothers in distributing cocaine. It didn't take long for him to feel untouchable, as money came flooding in and he began to party and enjoy his newfound riches.
"I thought that, 'Hey, this is an easy way to make money and get rich,'" he said, noting, though, that his riches and fun were halted when cops found loads of cocaine in the trunk of his car.
Suddenly, Mendoza was facing life in prison — a reality that left him reeling.
"My mind was racing. My heart was like in my throat. It struck a chord with me because the reality of what I was involved in hit home," he said. "I was facing 25 years to life, and at the time I had one child and I was thinking about my child, 'What's going to be of my child?'"
(Watch: See the Powerful Moment Two Agnostic Teens Accept Christ)
Mendoza struck a deal and ended up going to prison before being released and jumping right back into the crime mix.
"I was a fool ... and I went right back into what they call in the streets, 'the game,'" he said.
Once again, Mendoza found himself arrested and behind bars, with his legal conundrum becoming even more complex and troubling. But then something life-altering happened: His brother, who was also behind bars, became a Christian and set off on a mission to bring Mendoza to faith.
Remarkably, Mendoza's brother saw his prayers answered.
"I gave my life to the Lord ... there was no other recourse," Mendoza said. "I said, I need to try God, I've tried anything else. ... I had millions of dollars, but it was never satisfying."
Despite his legal problems and past mistakes, Mendoza decided to become a Christian — an experience that deeply and profoundly impact his heart and mind.
"I felt this warmth that enveloped me. I felt the presence of God," he said, noting that he suddenly wanted to heal his past mistakes and relationships. "I realized that Jesus paid the price for my sin ... I was a walking dead man and now I'm alive in Christ."
After Mendoza's release, he started traveling the globe to share the gospel. And today he's a pastor who is ministering to people in the New York City area.
For more of his incredible story, read his new book, "Shifting Shadows: How a New York Drug Lord Found Freedom in the Last Place He Expected."
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.


theblaze--2020-07-01--Kanye West stuns with timely, moving new single, video, 'Wash Us in the Blood'

Kanye West stuns with timely , moving new single , video , 'Wash Us in the Blood' He hit the @ @ @ @ @ this one

Rapper Kanye West has released his latest single, "Wash Us in the Blood," from his forthcoming album "God's Country."
This is the Christian rap mogul's first new music since releasing "Jesus is King" in October and also drops with a music video.
What are the details?
West's video features the rapper's current vision of America in 2020 — complete with a morally degraded culture, violent and racist law enforcement officers, and living amid a global pandemic.
In the video, West begs for God's deliverance for His people through Jesus' blood sacrifice.
"Rain down on us," West pleads in the lyrics, "wash us in the blood."
He later adds, "Whole life being thugs/ no choice, selling drugs/ genocide, what it does/ slavery, what it does."
The track also features rapper Travis Scott, who sings, "Thirty states still execute/ thou shall not kill."
In another portion of the chorus, West also raps, "Wash us in the blood/ wash us in the blood/ and as we live in this evil and crooked and Jezebelic world."
On the bridge, West and Scott together chant, "Holy Spirit, come down, Holy Spirit, come down, Holy Spirit, help now, Holy Spirit help now."
Clips of the late Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor can also be seen throughout the video.
The video concludes with sobering footage from one of West's Sunday Services rehearsals.
What are people saying about this?
Music critic Ben Beaumont-Thomas, in The Guardian, lauded West for the new song, calling it "masterful."
"[West] is at his most powerful when he doesn't try to be calm, but corrals his anger," Beaumont-Thomas writes. "There's a wider lesson there, perhaps, as the US faces its own moment of revelation."
Critic Sam Moore, writing for NME, added that anyone on the fence about West will change their mind after listening to the new track.
"The purpose of 'Wash Us In The Blood': a familiar, in-yer-face kind of Kanye West creation that'll pull his on-the-fence fans back in with the die-hards, all while setting us up nicely for our imminent trip to 'God's Country,'" he wrote.


theblaze--2020-07-01--The truth behind 'separation of church and state'

Have you ever argued with a know-it-all progressive about the "separation of church and state" clause, what it means, and how it applies? Few Americans understand our nation's founding principles. The vast majority depend on the small few willing to do the work necessary to make sense of our country's history. But this work is required so we can better navigate the future. Steven Crowder and historian David Barton explain the real reason behind the separation of church and state.
The Truth Behind "Separation of Church and State" | Louder With Crowder Historian David Barton explains the real reasoning behind the separation of church and state. Want to watch the full show every day? Join #MugClub! http://lo...
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--2020-07-01--Boston Art Commission votes unanimously to remove statue of Abraham Lincoln with emancipated slave

The Boston Art Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to remove a statue commemorating Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery.
The statue, erected in 1879, was the focus of criticism in the wake of protests after the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Some protests had turned violent and targeted statues and monuments considered racist.
The statue is called Emancipation Memorial in Park Square and includes a slave based on the historical figure Archer Alexander who helped the Union army, escaped slavery and was later captured by fugitive slave hunters. The statue is a replica of the Washington, D.C., statue designed by sculptor Thomas Ball in 1876.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh issued a statement of support for the decision.
"As we continue our work to make Boston a more equitable and just city, it's important that we look at the stories being told by the public art in all of our neighborhoods," Walsh said.
"After engaging in a public process, it's clear that residents and visitors to Boston have been uncomfortable with this statue, and its reductive representation of the Black man's role in the abolitionist movement. I fully support the Boston Art Commission's decision for removal and thank them for their work."
One petition garnered more than 12,000 signatures to remove the statue.
The inscription on the statue reads, "A race set free/ and the country at peace / Lincoln / Rests from his labors."
Here's a local news report about the statue vote:


theblaze--2020-07-01--South Dakota citizens launch billboard campaign supporting law enforcement

Organizers hope communities across the Midwest will join in the effort

A group of citizens in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has purchased ad space on billboards in the city to show their support for the men and women in blue, in an effort to push back against the attacks on the law enforcement community amid nationwide anti-police protests.
What are the details?
The Argus Leader reported the campaign was launched by Kirby Proehl, who decided to buy two billboards at the beginning of the effort. But when word got out, money started pouring in.
"What compels me, and so many others working with me, is to say thank you to the overwhelming amount of ethical law enforcement out there, at a time when they need to hear it most," Proehl told the newspaper. "Police have a very difficult job. In the current environment, they have nearly an impossible job.
"So, let's offer some humanity when it seems to be in limited supply today because I believe it to be contagious," he added. "And if law enforcement feels the compassion, I assure you that they will spread it too when they are out protecting our community."
The quiet effort started by Proehl has spread. Another member of his group, Rob Thurston, explained that their goal for the campaign "is extremely large."
They want to see other communities in the Midwest join them in sending the simple message displayed on billboards in their city: "THANK YOU LAW ENFORCEMENT. Paid for by your law abiding citizens."
Anything else?
The effort in Sioux Falls comes after weeks of protests in the U.S. sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. The movement has spurred a push by activists calling for the "defunding of police."
Riots have also devolved into vandalism during several demonstrations, often leaving behind anti-police graffiti in their wake. Several police officers have also been killed in the violence.
The backlash against police is taking its toll. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms (D) told CNN that she believes morale in her city's police department is down "tenfold," and the outlet reported that one Los Angeles Police Department supervisor told them morale in his department "is the worse he's seen it since the aftermath of the 1992 riots."


theblaze--2020-07-01--Watch: Protesters run NYC's 'Naked Cowboy' from City Hall demonstration

'They 're throwing me out for doing the exact same thing they are . '

New York City's infamous Times Square street performer, the "Naked Cowboy," was shouted down and run off by protesters during a demonstration Tuesday at City Hall.
The activists accused the artist — whose given name is Robert Burck — of "antagonizing them," but Burck says he was just trying to lighten up the mood at the gathering.
What are the details?
The New York Post reported that Burck showed up outside City Hall in the afternoon "where hundreds of demonstrators have vowed to dig in unless the next budget includes a $1 billion funding cut to the NYPD."
Protesters yelled at Burck, telling him he was not welcome, with one reminding the tighty-whitey-clad guitarist that he "supported Donald Trump." Others accused a black man accompanying Burck of being an "Uncle Tom."
Burck, 49, told the group, "I'm not trying to antagonize," but he was cut by off an activist who argued, "You are antagonizing!"
In the end, the mob won, and Burck left as demonstrators followed to make sure he stayed away from their protest.
The Naked Cowboy told The Post, "It could've been something positive. I thought I was coming down here literally [to] spice up the entertainment."
He noted that he even removed the pro-Trump stickers from his guitar before approaching the group, so as not to provoke trouble.
"It'll be a free country until they get a hold of it," Burck added. "They're throwing me out when I'm doing the exact same thing they are."
Anything else?
The protest outside City Hall has been dubbed the "Occupy City Hall" movement, and the demonstrators have been holding a sit-in there for a week demanding action on "defunding" the NYPD, Fox News reported. The deadline for the NYPD budget, which is about $6 billion, is Wednesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, activists clashed with police and two people were arrested.
WPIX-TV reported that demonstrators covered the Surrogate's Courthouse with "anti-police graffiti" overnight. Messages such as "Euthanize Swine" and "we're taking what we deserve" could be seen spray-painted on the building.


theblaze--2020-07-01--Rand Paul berates Dr. Fauci over the politicization of the coronavirus response

Rand Paul berates Dr. Fauci over the politicization of the coronavirus response Paul was incensed about kids returning to school

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) berated Dr. Anthony Fauci over what he called the politicization of the coronavirus response, specifically in relation to the reopening of schools.
The top expert on the president's White House coronavirus task force was testifying before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee when Paul accosted him.
"When are we gonna tell the people the truth?" Paul asked.
"That it's OK to take their kids back to school. Dr. Fauci, every day, virtually every day we seem to hear from you things we can't do. But when you're asked, 'Can we go back to school?' I don't hear much certitude at all, I hear, 'Well maybe it depends,' " Paul said.
"All of this body of evidence about schools around the world shows there's no surge. All of the evidence shows it's rare. I mean, we're so politicized this and made it politically correct that the WHO releases that it's rare, you have a scientist up there honestly giving her opinion. What happens to her? She's blackballed and her report that she refers to is taken off the website!" he continued.
"When you go to that scientist's speech and you try to click on the link, the WHO has now screened it from us because it said something that's not politically correct. Guess what? It's rare for kids to transmit this. But I hear nothing of that coming from you! All I hear, Dr. Fauci, is we can't do this, we can't do that, we can't play baseball, even that's not based on the science! I mean flu season peaks in February, we don't know if COVID is gonna be like the flu season, it might, but we don't know that!" Paul said.
"But we wouldn't ban school in October. You might close some schools when they get the flu, we need to not be so presumptuous that we know everything!" he added.
"But my question to you is can't you give us a little bit of more on schools, that we can get back to school, that there's a great deal of evidence, and that it's actually good. Good evidence that kids aren't transmitting this, it's rare! And that kids are staying healthy and that yes, we can open our schools?" Paul concluded.
Fauci responds
"So very quickly, Senator Paul, I agree with a lot of what you say about you know, this idea about people having to put their opinions out without data. And sometimes you have to make extrapolations because you're in a position where you need to at least give some sort of recommendation," Fauci said.
"But if you were listening, and I think you were, to my opening statement and my response to one of the questions, I feel very strongly we need to do whatever we can to get the children back to school," he explained. "So I think we are in lock agreement with that."
Fauci then explained how the media had misreported his statements about whether or not certain sports could be played under the pandemic.
"I agree with you," he said. "I am completely unqualified to tell you whether you can play a sport or not. The only thing that I could do, is to the best of my ability give you the facts and the evidence associated with what I know about this outbreak."
Here's the debate between Sen. Paul and Dr. Fauci:


theblaze--2020-07-01--Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signs law retiring state flag to remove Confederate emblem

'This was a hard conversation for Mississippi , but family conversations can often be hard . '

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed historic legislation into law on Tuesday, officially retiring the state flag from 1894 that contained the Confederate battle emblem.
What are the details?
WLBT-TV reported that Reeves signed House Bill 1796 during a ceremony at the Governor's Mansion, flanked by Reena Evers, the daughter of the slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers.
"Tonight, I am signing a law to turn a page in Mississippi by retiring the flag that we have flown since 1894," Reeves declared. "This was a hard conversation for Mississippi, but family conversations can often be hard."
The Republican added, "We may not always agree, but as members of the Mississippi family, we do know the bonds we all share: God's grace, Mississippi grit, a foundation in our history and a hope in our future."
Mississippi governor signs bill removing state flag with Confederate emblem www.youtube.com
The new law not only retires the state's flag, but initiates the creation of a commission to present a new design to be voted on by the people of Mississippi.
In recent weeks, Mississippi faced increased pressure to remove the Confederate emblem from its flag as a movement to do away with such tributes sweeps the nation amid anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis.
Also, the NCAA's Southeastern Conference threatened to prohibit the state from hosting SEC championships until it changed the flag.
Mississippi was the last remaining state in the U.S. to exhibit the Confederate battle flag on its banner.


theblaze--2020-06-30--Four Toledo City Council members, all Democrats, arrested by FBI on bribery charges

Four Toledo City Council members , all Democrats , arrested by FBI on bribery charges The FBI has been investigating @ @ @

Four members of the Toledo City Council, all Democrats, were arrested and charged in a bribery scheme by federal law enforcement authorities on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Tyrone Riley, Yvonne Harper, Larry Sykes, and Garrick Johnson, were involved in a scheme that extorted money from business owners in the Ohio city in exchange for favorable council votes. The FBI began its investigation into the council members in early 2018.
Each of the accused members could face up to 10 years in prison for the bribery charges, and up to 20 years on the extortion charges.
Also charged in the scheme was an attorney who is accused of helping orchestrate the crimes.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz issued a statement calling it a terrible day for the city.
"I am shocked and heartbroken by today's arrests. This is a terrible day for Toledo — and for everyone who believes in the good that can be accomplished through public service," Kapszukiewicz said.
"I have no tolerance for public officials who abuse the trust of the citizens," he added. "I encourage all Toledoans to say a prayer for our city and for the hope that justice will be done in this case."
Kapszukiewicz went on to remind Toledo citizens that the accused are innocent until proven guilty.
Mark Wagoner, the chair of the Lucas County Republican Party, called for the resignation of all four Democrats.
"Democrat domination of Toledo city politics has consequences, and today we see them. Lucas County Republicans have long pointed to the culture of corruption within the City of Toledo and have put forward quality candidates to end Democrat domination," he said.
Councilwoman Harper is reportedly the executive director of the Lucas County Democratic Party.
Here's a local news report about the arrests:


theblaze--2020-06-30--Michael Malice EXPOSES how the MSM manipulates the facts and why, in interview with Dave Rubin

Michael Malice EXPOSES how the MSM manipulates the facts and why , in interview with Dave Rubin

Author, columnist, and media personality, Michael Malice, joined Dave Rubin on "The Rubin Report" to talk about the mainstream media's dangerous levels of hypocrisy and deception, and how severely our trust in media institutions has been eroded.
Dave argued that the internet and social media have led to the culture of fake news in the mainstream media.
"By and large, the mainstream media — The New York Times, CNN, Washington Post, and the rest — they have been unmasked. There has been a slow unmasking over the last few years ... partisan isn't strong enough of a word. They have decided that they are going to pick the winners and losers. They are going to destroy some people, while saving others," Dave said. "It's become a cabal in that they're all in on it together."
Michael added that the mainstream media has gone beyond bias — which he believes is simply a function of human perception — and now are operating with a leftist agenda.
Dave and Michael also discuss some of the people who have been targeted and smeared by the media, such as Nick Sandmann, James Damore, Bret Weinstein, Lindsay Shepherd, and Ben Shapiro, only to come out stronger afterward.
Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:
Want more from Dave Rubin?
To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-06-30--'Defunding police means defunding police': AOC says plan to cut $1B from NYPD does not go far enough

'Defunding police means defunding police ' : AOC says plan to cut $ 1B from NYPD does not go far @ @ @ @ @ New York City 's proposal as being a 'disingenuous illusion '

Far-left New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) slammed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's (D) proposal to cut nearly $1 billion from the New York City Police Department on Tuesday, calling the plan a "disingenuous illusion" and insisting that "defunding the police means defunding the police."
What are the details?
CBS News reported that de Blasio announced a plan on Monday for cutting $1 billion from the NYPD, amid a citywide budget crunch and after weeks of progressive activists calling for "defunding police" across the nation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The next day, the Gotham Gazette reported that the mayor and city council reached an agreement on the cuts to the department, "though nearly half will be through shifting school safety from the police to the Department of Education" by "shifting school safety and school crossing guards out of the NYPD's purview."
In response, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez issued a statement, saying:
Defunding police means defunding police. It does not mean tricks or funny math. It does not mean moving school police officers from the NYPD budget to the Department of Education's budget so that the exact same police remain in schools. It does not mean counting overtime cuts as cuts, even as NYPD ignores every attempt by City Council to curb overtime spending and overspends on overtime anyways. It does not mean hiring more police officers while cutting more than $800M from NYC schools. If these reports are accurate, then these proposed 'cuts' to NYPD's budget are a disingenuous illusion. This is not a victory. The fight to defund policing continues.
What else?
Fox News noted that "establishment Democrats and progressives have debated over what 'defund the police' actually means," as "some argue the phrase shouldn't be taken literally and just stands to represent police reforms."
The city of Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed in police custody, has already voted to disband its police department and replace it with a "community safety" model to be determined over the next year.
According to The Hill, "mayors in San Francisco and Los Angeles have pledged to cut police budgets, while city councils in places such as Washington, D.C., have passed a slate of reform measures to enhance law enforcement oversight."


theblaze--2020-06-30--Noted environmentalist pens article apologizing for 'climate scare' foisted on public for decades —

Noted environmentalist pens article apologizing for 'climate scare' foisted on public for decades — but piece is taken down reportedly just hours later

Noted environmentalist pens article apologizing for 'climate scare ' foisted on public for decades — but piece is taken down @ @ @ @ @ change is happening .
It 's just not the end of the world .
It @ @ @ @ @ serious environmental problem . '

Editor's note: TheBlaze does not take responsibility for Shellenberger's claims or vouch for their scientific accuracy. Shellenberger's article may contain scientific or factual inaccuracies. The focus of this article is solely upon the decision of Forbes to publish and then unpublish it. Shellenberger's claims are presented so that readers may understand some of the claims made in his article. For the perspective of some scientific experts who disagree with some of Shellenberger's claims, click here.
Michael Shellenberger is no slouch when it comes to environmental issues.
Besides his TED talks garnering more than 5 million views, he's a Green Book Award Winner, a frequent contributor to publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Scientific American — and he also authored "Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All," which was released Tuesday by HarperCollins.
But Shellenberger said a Forbes article — "On Behalf of Environmentalists, I Apologize for the Climate Scare" — based on his new book was soon "censored" soon after it went up Sunday. The Daily Wire reported that his piece was taken down from the Forbes website "a few hours" after it was published. The Forbes site on Tuesday showed where Shellenberger's article should be — but only says it's "no longer active."
Image source: Forbes website
TheBlaze on Tuesday didn't immediately hear back from Forbes in regard to the reasons Shellenberger's article was removed or the reported time frame in which it was shuttered.
But Shellenberger has a few ideas on why his article is no longer there: "No book on the environment has ever been praised by a more prestigious group of scientists & scholars than 'Apocalypse Never,'" he wrote on Twitter. "And no book has ever been more devastating to green alarmism. No wonder they're so terrified you'll read it."
In a statement to the Daily Wire — which published his piece in its entirety — Shellenberger said, "I am grateful that Forbes has been so committed to publishing a range of viewpoints, including ones that challenge the conventional wisdom, and was thus disappointed my editors removed my piece from the web site. I believe Forbes is an important outlet for broadening environmental journalism beyond the overwhelmingly alarmist approach taken by most reporters, and look forward to contributing heterodoxical pieces on energy and the environment in the future."
What does his article say?
Editor's note: Many scientific experts disagree with some of the claims in Shellenberger's article. For their perspective, click here.
Here's how Shellenberger opens his article: "On behalf of environmentalists everywhere, I would like to formally apologize for the climate scare we created over the last 30 years. Climate change is happening. It's just not the end of the world. It's not even our most serious environmental problem."
He also says he feels "an obligation to apologize for how badly we environmentalists have misled the public."
Shellenberger then details a list of "facts few people know":
Humans are not causing a "sixth mass extinction"
The Amazon is not "the lungs of the world"
Climate change is not making natural disasters worse
Fires have declined 25% around the world since 2003
The amount of land we use for meat — humankind's biggest use of land — has declinedby an area nearly as large as Alaska
The build-up of wood fuel and more houses near forests, not climate change, explain why there are more, and more dangerous, fires in Australia and California
Carbon emissions have been declining in rich nations including Britain, Germany and France since the mid-seventies
Adapting to life below sea level made the Netherlands rich not poor
We produce 25% more food than we need and food surpluses will continue to rise as the world gets hotter
Habitat loss and the direct killing of wild animals are bigger threats to species than climate change
Wood fuel is far worse for people and wildlife than fossil fuels
Preventing future pandemics requires more not less "industrial" agriculture
"I know that the above facts will sound like 'climate denialism' to many people," he adds. "But that just shows the power of climate alarmism."
More from Shellenberger's article:
Some people will, when they read this imagine that I'm some right-wing anti-environmentalist. I'm not. At 17, I lived in Nicaragua to show solidarity with the Sandinista socialist revolution. At 23 I raised money for Guatemalan women's cooperatives. In my early 20s I lived in the semi-Amazon doing research with small farmers fighting land invasions. At 26 I helped expose poor conditions at Nike factories in Asia.
I became an environmentalist at 16 when I threw a fundraiser for Rainforest Action Network. At 27 I helped save the last unprotected ancient redwoods in California.
In my 30s I advocated renewables and successfully helped persuade the Obama administration to invest $90 billion into them. Over the last few years I helped save enough nuclear plants from being replaced by fossil fuels to prevent a sharp increase in emissions.
Until last year, I mostly avoided speaking out against the climate scare. Partly that's because I was embarrassed. After all, I am as guilty of alarmism as any other environmentalist. For years, I referred to climate change as an "existential" threat to human civilization, and called it a "crisis."
But mostly I was scared. I remained quiet about the climate disinformation campaign because I was afraid of losing friends and funding. The few times I summoned the courage to defend climate science from those who misrepresent it I suffered harsh consequences. And so I mostly stood by and did next to nothing as my fellow environmentalists terrified the public.
He also added some highlights from his new book:
Factories and modern farming are the keys to human liberation and environmental progress
The most important thing for saving the environment is producing more food, particularly meat, on less land
The most important thing for reducing air pollution and carbon emissions is moving from wood to coal to petroleum to natural gas to uranium
100% renewables would require increasing the land used for energy from today's 0.5% to 50%
We should want cities, farms, and power plants to have higher, not lower, power densities
Vegetarianism reduces one's emissions by less than 4%
Greenpeace didn't save the whales, switching from whale oil to petroleum and palm oil did
"Free-range" beef would require 20 times more land and produce 300% more emissions
Greenpeace dogmatism worsened forest fragmentation of the Amazon
The colonialist approach to gorilla conservation in the Congo produced a backlash that may have resulted in the killing of 250 elephants
Shellenberger writes toward the end of his piece, "Once you realize just how badly misinformed we have been, often by people with plainly unsavory or unhealthy motivations, it is hard not to feel duped."


theblaze--2020-06-30--Joe Biden: The gov't has an 'obligation' to protect monuments to people like George Washington, Thom

Joe Biden: The gov't has an 'obligation' to protect monuments to people like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and ... Christopher Columbus

Joe Biden : The gov't has an 'obligation ' to protect monuments to people like George Washington , Thomas Jefferson @ @ @ @ @

Far-left woke radicals have been taking advantage of current racial justice protests to attempt to tear down several memorials of historical figures important to the United States' founding and heritage.
Set aside the controversial statues of Confederate leaders and military men, these leftist are determined to see monuments to the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, and others removed from the public square. And if their demands are not met forthwith, they've made it clear that they'll start the defacing and destruction on their own.
So what is a liberal member of the Democratic Party base to do when their party's presumptive nominee not only says the statues of genuine American heroes should be left alone but issues a call for the government to expend resources protecting those statues?
Surely the unhinged protesters in the street were not thrilled to hear former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democrats' only hope to end President Donald Trump's reign, make just such a declaration Tuesday.
What did Biden say?
During Biden's first news conference in months, one reporter asked the former veep for his views on the current controversy over memorials.
Biden made his stance pretty clear: Put the rebel statues in museums and protect those that honor the likes of Jefferson, Washington, and even Columbus.
He began by noting that memorials for Confederates who fought against the United States in support of secession and slavery "belong in museums; they don't belong in public places."
Then he went there.
"With regard to those statues and monuments, like the Jefferson Memorial or whatever, I think there's an obligation that the government protect those monuments," he said, noting that they were "different" because they were "a remembrance" and not a "revering" of people known for their controversial views on race and slavery.
He noted that the Founders and other historically important figures had "much broader views," while acknowledging that they might have also had troubling views on race "in their past" that were "distasteful."
"Taking down, toppling a Christopher Columbus statue or George Washington's statue or et cetera," Biden continued, "I think that is something that the government has an opportunity and a responsibility to protect from happening."


theblaze--2020-06-30--Seattle mayor demands city council investigate and punish member for leading protest to mayor's home

Seattle mayor demands city council investigate and punish member for leading protest to mayor 's home Durkan says the protest @ @ @ @ @ children

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is calling for the city council to investigate one of their own after she led a protest at the mayor's home on Sunday.
Durkan, who praised and supported the protests at the Capitol Hill, said the protest endangered her family and her children when it came to her house.
She blamed Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, who spoke at the protest.
"She and organizers knew that my address was protected under the state confidentiality program because of threats against me due largely to my work as U.S. Attorney," the mayor wrote in the letter on Tuesday.
"All of us have joined hundreds of demonstrations across the city, but Councilmember Sawant and her followers chose to do so with reckless disregard of the safety of my family and children," she added.
"I completely respect that any of us may disagree on policy issues, sometimes strongly," Durkan continued. "However, policy disagreements do not justify a council member who potentially uses their position in violation of law or who recklessly undermines the safety of others, all for political theatre."
Protesters targeted her home after Durkan announced last week that the city would no longer support the Capitol Hill Organized Protest encampment and would seek to remove the concrete barriers that helped define the autonomous zone. But the CHOP remains intact.
Sawant is an avowed socialist who has openly advocated for the complete dismantling of capitalism.
When asked about the mayor's letter, she told the Seattle Times it was an attack on the entire Black Lives Matter movement. She also denied organizing the protest at Durkan's home.
Here's the video from the protest at Durkan's house:


theblaze--2020-06-30--Father who lost son in CHOP/CHAZ violence wants National Guard deployed to clear it out

Father who lost son in CHOP/CHAZ violence wants National Guard deployed to clear it out 'This does n't look like @ @ @ @ @ more '

The father of a teenager who was shot and killed in the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone in Seattle said the National Guard needs to come clear out the protesters and end the demonstration, KIRO-TV reported.
Horace Lorenzo Anderson's 19-year-old son was killed in the area last weekend, just one of several young people who have been killed or injured there over the past two weeks.
Early Monday morning, a 16-year-old was killed and a 14-year-old was critically injured when gunfire broke out in the CHOP. City and police officials have called for an end to the occupation of the Capitol Hill area by anti-police protesters after a string of violent incidents, but some people remain. No suspects have been arrested in Monday's shooting
"I ain't been sleeping," Anderson said. "You see my eyes. I've been crying. I'm trying not to cry on TV. ... This doesn't look like a protest to me no more. That just looks like they just took over and said we can take over whenever we want to."
Anderson said the National Guard should be deployed to disperse the protest if the city is unwilling or unable to take back control.
"They should deploy them (the National Guard) here to say 'Man, it's time to go,'" Anderson said, according to The Daily Wire. "'It's time to move on. And break this up.'"
The city still hasn't regained control of a police precinct in the Capitol Hill area of the city, and despite repeated calls from Mayor Jenny Durkan and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best for the protest to end, definitive action to restore order to the area has not been taken. City officials haven't given a timeline for when officers will return to the precinct.
"Enough is enough here," Chief Best said, KING-TV reported. "This is something that's going to need to change. We're asking that people remove themselves from this area for the safety of the people. If they care about people, they're going to have to try to help us to make it safe."