thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-16--Miami:  Cops Accuse Man Of Stealing His Own Car, Break His Arm, Nearly “Kill Him Like George Floyd”

Miami : Cops Accuse Man Of Stealing His Own Car , Break His Arm , Nearly “ Kill Him Like George Floyd ” ( Video ) Miami , FL — After his run-in with Miami-Dade police , Keeler Harris is lucky to be alive .
He was handcuffed and face down on the ground and cops still put a knee in his back as he muttered those often tragically fatal words , “ I can ’ t breathe.
” Harris , like so many people on which TFTP has reported , was accused of stealing his own car .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but when police approached him , he feared for his life — which was apparently justified — and then took off running .
When police caught up to him , Harris was taken to the ground as an officer begins punching him over and over as they handcuff him .
“ I can ’ t breathe .
My face is in the dirt , ” Harris is heard saying as the officer repeats , “ Do not get up.
” But Harris wasn ’ t attempting to get up , he wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He got handcuffed .
He was face down in the grass against the fence , ” says attorney Sebastian Ohanian .
The attorney says there was no reason for what happened next .
Another officer walked up and knelt down , putting his weight on top of Harris .
“ He puts his knee on Keeler ’ s neck , choking him , ” Ohanian said .
“ Grabs his wrist and puts him in a wrist lock.
” “ No matter what had happened before , the actions at this point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ohanian said .
“ At all.
” Ohanian explained that the situation was nearly fatal for Harris and resembled the last moments of George Floyd ’ s life as cops squeezed the breath out of him .
“ He ’ s handcuffed .
He ’ s not moving at all .
It ’ s a very sad video when you watch it .
It ’ s emotional.
” Ohanian says police used excessive force .
“ It ’ s a George Floyd-type scenario , ” he said .
“ Keeler is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” While police were on his back , and because Harris had his arms handcuffed behind his body , the cop ’ s knee snapped Harris ’ arm in two .
“ It ’ s shocking that someone could treat another human being in such a callous manner , ” Ohanian said .
Ohanian says the knee to Harris ’ back caused several injuries , including a broken arm .
“ During this , he manages to break Mr. Harris ’ arm , ” he said .
“ It ’ s required a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite not having committed a crime before police approached him , because he ran , Harris was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest .
He is scheduled to go to trial next month on the 29th .
“ There is not one point in the video where Mr. Harris hits anyone , ” Ohanian said .
Miami-Dade Police released a statement saying , “ The department has not received an official complaint .
Professional compliance bureau is reviewing the incident.
” Earlier this month , TFTP reported on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an innocent family of stealing their own car .
Police were looking for a stolen motorcycle when they stopped an innocent family in an SUV .
Brittany Gilliam was parked in a nail salon parking lot over the weekend and was looking on her phone to find another one since this one was closed .
As she scrolled down her phone , Gilliam and her family quickly found themselves surrounded by cops who ordered them out of the car at gunpoint .
Aurora cops accused Gilliam and all of the children in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there had been no theft and it was police negligence that led to small children being held at gunpoint and forced to the ground .
The family was lucky to escape with their lives .

Miami: Cops Accuse Man Of Stealing His Own Car, Break His Arm, Nearly “Kill Him Like George Floyd” (Video)
“It’s a George Floyd-type scenario.”
Miami, FL — After his run-in with Miami-Dade police, Keeler Harris is lucky to be alive. He was handcuffed and face down on the ground and cops still put a knee in his back as he muttered those often tragically fatal words, “I can’t breathe.”
Harris, like so many people on which TFTP has reported, was accused of stealing his own car. He had not actually stolen the car, but when police approached him, he feared for his life — which was apparently justified — and then took off running.
When police caught up to him, Harris was taken to the ground as an officer begins punching him over and over as they handcuff him.
“I can’t breathe. My face is in the dirt,” Harris is heard saying as the officer repeats, “Do not get up.”
But Harris wasn’t attempting to get up, he wasn’t even moving at some points.
“He got handcuffed. He was face down in the grass against the fence,” says attorney Sebastian Ohanian.
The attorney says there was no reason for what happened next.
Another officer walked up and knelt down, putting his weight on top of Harris.
“He puts his knee on Keeler’s neck, choking him,” Ohanian said. “Grabs his wrist and puts him in a wrist lock.”
“No matter what had happened before, the actions at this point in time were not justified at all,” Ohanian said. “At all.”
Ohanian explained that the situation was nearly fatal for Harris and resembled the last moments of George Floyd’s life as cops squeezed the breath out of him.
“He’s handcuffed. He’s not moving at all. It’s a very sad video when you watch it. It’s emotional.” Ohanian says police used excessive force. “It’s a George Floyd-type scenario,” he said. “Keeler is lucky to have left with his life.”
While police were on his back, and because Harris had his arms handcuffed behind his body, the cop’s knee snapped Harris’ arm in two.
“It’s shocking that someone could treat another human being in such a callous manner,” Ohanian said. Ohanian says the knee to Harris’ back caused several injuries, including a broken arm. “During this, he manages to break Mr. Harris’ arm,” he said. “It’s required a rod to be placed into it.”
Despite not having committed a crime before police approached him, because he ran, Harris was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. He is scheduled to go to trial next month on the 29th.
“There is not one point in the video where Mr. Harris hits anyone,” Ohanian said.
Miami-Dade Police released a statement saying, “The department has not received an official complaint. Professional compliance bureau is reviewing the incident.”
Earlier this month, TFTP reported on a similar incident in which police accused an innocent family of stealing their own car. Police were looking for a stolen motorcycle when they stopped an innocent family in an SUV.
Brittany Gilliam was parked in a nail salon parking lot over the weekend and was looking on her phone to find another one since this one was closed. As she scrolled down her phone, Gilliam and her family quickly found themselves surrounded by cops who ordered them out of the car at gunpoint.
Aurora cops accused Gilliam and all of the children in the car of stealing that car. But there had been no theft and it was police negligence that led to small children being held at gunpoint and forced to the ground.
The family was lucky to escape with their lives.
Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-16--Ben Swann: The Truth Is Being Systematically Erased

If there is one thing going on right now , it is an Orwellian-style censorship and purging of anything that does not fit the official narrative of any story that comes out that is key to controlling the people .
The truth is being systematically erased , and the latest evidence is YouTube ’ s unlawful ban on speaking about “ hacks , ” Edward Snowden and Julian Assange .
However , investigative journalist Ben Swann has also come to the same conclusion .
Journalist Ben Swann joined Derrick Broze for a discussion about his new media venture Ise.media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of vaccine mandates , and his censorship by CBS News .
Article posted with permission from Sons of Liberty Media SonsOfLibertyMedia.com , Minds , MeWe , Spreely , Tim Brown is an author and Editor at FreedomOutpost.com GunsInTheNews.com and TheWashingtonStandard.com .
He is husband to his `` more precious than rubies '' wife , father of 10 `` mighty arrows '' , jack of all trades , Christian and lover of liberty .
He resides in the U.S. occupied Great State of South Carolina .
.
Follow Tim on Twitter .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Steemit

If there is one thing going on right now, it is an Orwellian-style censorship and purging of anything that does not fit the official narrative of any story that comes out that is key to controlling the people. The truth is being systematically erased, and the latest evidence is YouTube’s unlawful ban on speaking about “hacks,” Edward Snowden and Julian Assange. However, investigative journalist Ben Swann has also come to the same conclusion.
Journalist Ben Swann joined Derrick Broze for a discussion about his new media venture Ise.media, the censorship of independent media, the future of vaccine mandates, and his censorship by CBS News.
Article posted with permission from Sons of Liberty Media


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-16--Top Pelosi Staffer Registered As ‘Foreign Agent’ to Lobby For Chinese State Media Outlet

The one entity the Democrats won ’ t serve or represent are the American people .
Democrat party of treason .
EXCLUSIVE : Top Pelosi Staffer Registered As ‘ Foreign Agent ’ to Lobby For Chinese State Media Outlet Brendan Daly , former Communications Director for Nancy Pelosi and a political appointee of the Obama administration , is a registered foreign agent who provided the Chinese Communist Party ’ s premier state-run media outlet China Central Television Network with “ strategic counsel ” as it expanded into the United States , The National Pulse can reveal .
During his tenure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Relations Worldwide , Daly secured a contract between the lobbying behemoth and China Central Television Network ( CCTV ) .
Specifically , the firm helped the state-run propaganda outfit CCTV expand into American homes by “ providing strategic counsel , identify relevant parties to communications activities , and media relations to support the launch of CCTV America.
” “ Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide will work with CCTV America to communicate to the American public that CCTV America will provide compelling , comprehensive , and balanced news programming from an Asian perspective that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2012 filing in accordance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act ( FARA ) noted .
Per CCTV ’ s FARA registration , however , the outlet is “ supervised , owned , directed , controlled , financed , and subsidized ” entirely by the Chinese Communist Party .
Pelosi accompanied by Daly , pictured on her right Email correspondence from Daly identifies him as taking the lead on the account , as he spoke with CCTV ’ s American representative on the phone .
He also provided the outlet with a memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count , detailing how to best bridge the gap between American homes and Chinese Communist Party propaganda : The memo , sent from Daly , outlines how Ogilvy would provide CCTV with comprehensive support , including “ influencer engagement ” and “ media relations support , ” to achieve the “ overall message that CCTV Americas is the source for business news in and with China , with credentialed , experienced and trusted journalists doing in-depth stories and reporting.
” “ We are excited about the prospect of working with you to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch to succeed in an interconnected global economy , ” the email concludes .
CCTV has been identified by Freedom House think tank as a “ long-standing weapon in Beijing ’ s arsenal of repression ” whose mission “ is to attack designated enemies of the Communist Party , ” chiefly the U.S. Daly informed fellow employees that CCTV had hired Ogilvy , noting the CCP-funded outlet would pay the firm $ 15,000 monthly for three months .
“ China Central Television is the national television station of the People ’ s Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureau located in Washington DC .
CCTV falls under the supervision of the State Administration of Radio , Film , and Television which is in turn subordinate to the State Council of the People ’ s Republic Of China , ” the FARA registration noted , placing Daly on the payroll of the Chinese Communist Party .

The one entity the Democrats won’t serve or represent are the American people. Democrat party of treason.
EXCLUSIVE: Top Pelosi Staffer Registered As ‘Foreign Agent’ to Lobby For Chinese State Media Outlet
By: Natalie Winters, August 13, 2020
Brendan Daly, former Communications Director for Nancy Pelosi and a political appointee of the Obama administration, is a registered foreign agent who provided the Chinese Communist Party’s premier state-run media outlet China Central Television Network with “strategic counsel” as it expanded into the United States, The National Pulse can reveal.
During his tenure as Executive Vice President at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Daly secured a contract between the lobbying behemoth and China Central Television Network (CCTV).
Specifically, the firm helped the state-run propaganda outfit CCTV expand into American homes by “providing strategic counsel, identify relevant parties to communications activities, and media relations to support the launch of CCTV America.”
“Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide will work with CCTV America to communicate to the American public that CCTV America will provide compelling, comprehensive, and balanced news programming from an Asian perspective that is relevant to a global audience,” the 2012 filing in accordance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) noted.
Per CCTV’s FARA registration, however, the outlet is “supervised, owned, directed, controlled, financed, and subsidized” entirely by the Chinese Communist Party.
Pelosi accompanied by Daly, pictured on her right
Email correspondence from Daly identifies him as taking the lead on the account, as he spoke with CCTV’s American representative on the phone.
He also provided the outlet with a memo detailing Ogilvy’s strategy on the count, detailing how to best bridge the gap between American homes and Chinese Communist Party propaganda:
The memo, sent from Daly, outlines how Ogilvy would provide CCTV with comprehensive support, including “influencer engagement” and “media relations support,” to achieve the “overall message that CCTV Americas is the source for business news in and with China, with credentialed, experienced and trusted journalists doing in-depth stories and reporting.”
“We are excited about the prospect of working with you to help establish CCTV Americas as the program to watch to succeed in an interconnected global economy,” the email concludes.
CCTV has been identified by Freedom House think tank as a “long-standing weapon in Beijing’s arsenal of repression” whose mission “is to attack designated enemies of the Communist Party,” chiefly the U.S.
Daly informed fellow employees that CCTV had hired Ogilvy, noting the CCP-funded outlet would pay the firm $15,000 monthly for three months.
“China Central Television is the national television station of the People’s Republic of China. CCTV America is the bureau located in Washington DC.
CCTV falls under the supervision of the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television which is in turn subordinate to the State Council of the People’s Republic Of China,” the FARA registration noted, placing Daly on the payroll of the Chinese Communist Party.
Article posted with permission from Pamela Geller


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-16--Snowden – Assange CENSORSHIP: Discussion of Wikileaks or any “Hacked Information” Banned Under New Y

Snowden – Assange CENSORSHIP: Discussion of Wikileaks or any “Hacked Information” Banned Under New YouTube Rules

YouTube ’ s decision to ban discussion of hacked information on its platform is unlikely to improve election integrity in the US , it will , however , continue to tilt the balance in favor of established corporate-funded outlets like Fox News and CNN .
Social media giant YouTube announced yesterday a host of new measures it says are aimed at preventing any interference in the upcoming presidential elections .
Chief among the list it wrote on its blog , is “ removing content that contains hacked information , the disclosure of which may interfere with democratic processes , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gives , would be deleting “ videos that contain hacked information about a political candidate.
” It also promised to “ raise up authoritative voices ” when it comes to current events and politics by changing its algorithm to show users more credible channels and “ reduce the spread of harmful misinformation and borderline content.
” Example channels that produce authoritative content , it tells readers , includes Fox News and CNN .
It also noted it would expand information panels underneath videos .
There are a number of reasons this new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Firstly , the great majority of leaked information — the lifeblood of investigative journalism — is anonymous .
Often , like in the cases of Edward Snowden , Chelsea Manning or Reality Winner , whistleblowers face serious consequences if their names become attached to documents exposing government or corporate malfeasance .
But without a name to go with a document , the difference between leaked data and hacked data is impossible to define .
Thus , powerful people and organizations could claim data was hacked , rather than leaked , and simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the platform .
Hearing the news , some feared already existing content from investigative journalists would be subject to removal under the new guidelines .
YouTube ’ s choice of Fox News and CNN as reliable sources might also raise eyebrows in some quarters .
According to the latest Reuters Institute Digital News Report , fewer than half of all Americans trust the two networks ( Fox at 42 percent and CNN at 47 percent ) .
And a new study from Gallup/Knight Foundation finds that fewer than a third of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more generally , including only 19 percent of those under thirty ( YouTube ’ s prime demographic ) .
Many go to the platform precisely because it offers alternative and more diverse opinions to corporate-dominated radio , print and television .
But YouTube is now funneling them back towards those same sources .
The 2016 presidential election was colored by Wikileaks ’ release of the Podesta emails , discussion of which would be banned under YouTube ’ s new rules .
The Hillary Clinton campaign alleges the emails were hacked from Podesta ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the authenticity of which is not in doubt , informed the country of the machinations of the Democratic Party , how it tipped the electoral scales in favor of Clinton and against Bernie Sanders in the primary , how Clinton stated to Wall Street that she had a “ public ” and a “ private ” position on regulation , insinuating she was lying to the nation , how representatives of Qatar wanted to meet with her husband Bill for “ five minutes ” to present him with a $ 1 million check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own staff held her in contempt .
The emails , Clinton contends , swung the election from her to Trump .
If this is the case , the decision to ban all discussion of them would have fundamentally altered the democratic process .
If YouTube ’ s actions seem drastic , the Australian state of Queensland introduced laws yesterday that made it illegal to publish allegations of corruption against any politician during election season .
Those found guilty would be punished with a six-month jail sentence and a fine of nearly U.S. $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law was overturned after only 24 hours .
While misinformation online is a problem , there exist other , more serious threats to electoral integrity .
President Trump , who said that Republicans would never get into power again if everybody voted , told Fox Business this week that he is actively withholding funds from the U.S .
Postal Service in order to undermine the election to his benefit .
“ They need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But if they don ’ t get those two items , that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting , because they ’ re not equipped to have it.
” Add decades of gerrymandering and a campaign of voter suppression that has seen over 1,200 polling stations across the South , primarily in black neighborhoods , and Trump might be able to overcome his polling deficit and beat Biden .
YouTube ’ s decision to ban discussion of hacked information on its platform is unlikely to significantly improve political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States .
It will , however , continue to tilt the balance in favor of established corporate-funded outlets , to the detriment of new , alternative voices .

YouTube’s decision to ban discussion of hacked information on its platform is unlikely to improve election integrity in the US, it will, however, continue to tilt the balance in favor of established corporate-funded outlets like Fox News and CNN. Social media giant YouTube announced yesterday a host of new measures it says are aimed at preventing any interference in the upcoming presidential elections. Chief among the list it wrote on its blog, is “removing content that contains hacked information, the disclosure of which may interfere with democratic processes, such as elections and censuses.” An example it gives, would be deleting “videos that contain hacked information about a political candidate.”
It also promised to “raise up authoritative voices” when it comes to current events and politics by changing its algorithm to show users more credible channels and “reduce the spread of harmful misinformation and borderline content.” Example channels that produce authoritative content, it tells readers, includes Fox News and CNN. It also noted it would expand information panels underneath videos.
There are a number of reasons this new policy could concern users of its platform. Firstly, the great majority of leaked information — the lifeblood of investigative journalism — is anonymous. Often, like in the cases of Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning or Reality Winner, whistleblowers face serious consequences if their names become attached to documents exposing government or corporate malfeasance. But without a name to go with a document, the difference between leaked data and hacked data is impossible to define. Thus, powerful people and organizations could claim data was hacked, rather than leaked, and simply block all discussion of the matter on the platform. Hearing the news, some feared already existing content from investigative journalists would be subject to removal under the new guidelines.
Youtube just announced that it will no longer allow videos that use information from…. Wikileaks and anything obtained in a ‘hack’ (no evidence was ever shown Wikileaks obtained hacked information) Does this mean @EmpireFiles & @JordanChariton videos will be taken down? pic.twitter.com/R8MBLS1hZZ — Robbie Martin (@FluorescentGrey) August 13, 2020
YouTube’s choice of Fox News and CNN as reliable sources might also raise eyebrows in some quarters. According to the latest Reuters Institute Digital News Report, fewer than half of all Americans trust the two networks (Fox at 42 percent and CNN at 47 percent). And a new study from Gallup/Knight Foundation finds that fewer than a third of the country has a favorable view of the media more generally, including only 19 percent of those under thirty (YouTube’s prime demographic). Many go to the platform precisely because it offers alternative and more diverse opinions to corporate-dominated radio, print and television. But YouTube is now funneling them back towards those same sources.
The 2016 presidential election was colored by Wikileaks’ release of the Podesta emails, discussion of which would be banned under YouTube’s new rules. The Hillary Clinton campaign alleges the emails were hacked from Podesta’s computer. The published communications, the authenticity of which is not in doubt, informed the country of the machinations of the Democratic Party, how it tipped the electoral scales in favor of Clinton and against Bernie Sanders in the primary, how Clinton stated to Wall Street that she had a “public” and a “private” position on regulation, insinuating she was lying to the nation, how representatives of Qatar wanted to meet with her husband Bill for “five minutes” to present him with a $1 million check for his birthday, and how her own staff held her in contempt. The emails, Clinton contends, swung the election from her to Trump. If this is the case, the decision to ban all discussion of them would have fundamentally altered the democratic process.
If YouTube’s actions seem drastic, the Australian state of Queensland introduced laws yesterday that made it illegal to publish allegations of corruption against any politician during election season. Those found guilty would be punished with a six-month jail sentence and a fine of nearly U.S.$5,000. After a public outcry, the law was overturned after only 24 hours.
While misinformation online is a problem, there exist other, more serious threats to electoral integrity. President Trump, who said that Republicans would never get into power again if everybody voted, told Fox Business this week that he is actively withholding funds from the U.S. Postal Service in order to undermine the election to his benefit. “They need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” he said. “But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting, because they’re not equipped to have it.” Add decades of gerrymandering and a campaign of voter suppression that has seen over 1,200 polling stations across the South, primarily in black neighborhoods, and Trump might be able to overcome his polling deficit and beat Biden.
YouTube’s decision to ban discussion of hacked information on its platform is unlikely to significantly improve political discourse or election integrity in the United States. It will, however, continue to tilt the balance in favor of established corporate-funded outlets, to the detriment of new, alternative voices.
Article posted with permission from MintPress News


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-16--The Facemask Study & The Health Belief Model: Understanding How Science Views Us

Can people freely choose their behavior ?
Or , are we controlled by environmental circumstances which can be traced to our so-called , evolutionary past ?
This is the debate that seems to be dominating society , whether we realize it or not .
God vs. science if you will .
Certainly , human behavior can be influenced by many factors , including the environment around us .
When presented with extenuating circumstances people can be forced to make certain decisions .
Some of us will make more informed choices based on past experiences , while others , will make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to whittle this reality down to an exact science claiming that our choices are nothing more than ingrained evolutionary responses to environmental factors , honed by thousands of years of instinct .
The unfortunate reality is that science views man as little more than a stimulus response mechanism .
Animals who have no control over our behavior , only able to react to whatever stimulus we are receiving .
Understanding the concept of stimulus-response mechanisms , also known as cause and effect psychology , is important because it is the lens from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in fact , the very basis of behavioral psychology ( Powers ) .
Behaviorists like B.F. Skinner have stated , and this writer has noted this several times , that any study of our behavior should be done from an evolutionary perspective .
This means that the study of human behavior should always be done from the perspective that man has no control over his own choices , and that it is only the environment that motivates our responses .
In what we may call the pre-scientific view ( and the word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s behavior is at least to some extent his own achievement .
He is free to deliberate , decide , and act , possibly in original ways , and he is to be given credit for his successes and blamed for his failures .
In the scientific view ( and the word is not necessarily honorific ) a person ’ s behavior is determined by a genetic endowment traceable to the evolutionary history of the species and by the environmental circumstances to which as an individual he has been exposed .
Neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in the nature of scientific inquiry that the evidence should shift in favor of the second .
( B.F. Skinner , Beyond Freedom and Dignity ) B.F. Skinner was a behavioral psychologist known for doing experiments on his own daughter He took the view that man is just another animal .
He narrowed down the study of behaviorism to either the scientific or pre-scientific views .
Pre-scientific means a time where it was believed men could freely choose their behavior and were , to some extent , in control of their decision-making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position that our behavior is determined .
This is essentially the battle between free will and evolution .
As he stated , “ neither can be proven but in the nature of scientific inquiry , the evidence should shift in favor of the second.
” This means that when your behavior is being studied , it is from the belief that you are an animal who has no control over your behavior .
As Powers said , it is the basis of behavioral psychology .
Interestingly , Powers refutes this thesis to some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always be determined simply by the stimulus-response mechanisms being influenced by environmental factors , because the right models are not always being used .
Come again ?
To be more specific , he says the models being used are not always appropriate to behavior .
Furthermore , he states that a controlled environment that determines what parameters the study will be conducted from will largely determine the results .
The apparent usefulness of variations of behavioral acts can be accepted as fact in the framework of a control system model of behavior .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its environment will produce whatever output is required in order to achieve a constant sensed result , even in the presence of unpredictable disturbances .
( Powers ) Why does any of this matter ?
What difference does it make ?
As this writer noted in his article Operant conditioning and the face mask pandemic , there was a study conducted in 2014 that was done to determine the public ’ s susceptibility to being forced to wear facemasks .
The study concluded that people could essentially be motivated to cover their face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afflicted with life-threatening diseases and , the perceived benefits of wearing a mask .
The study also noted that perceived perceptions of embarrassment could inhibit the desire to wear a mask .
Finally , the study found that a blitz in media efforts , supported by government , to promote public health was a huge factor in encouraging people to wear masks .
This study , as noted above , was done in 2014 .
As all studies are , this one was conducted based on a particular model of behavior called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Belief Model ?
Interesting you should ask .
It is a behavioral change model developed to predict or explain behaviors related to health and health related services .
It is also one of the most common models of behavior used to conduct health-related studies today .
All studies have independent and dependent variables , factors for which they establish controls .
The Health Belief Model did not account for the following ̶ ̶ • It does not account for a person ’ s attitudes , beliefs , or other individual determinants that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health behavior .
• It does not take into account behaviors that are habitual and thus may inform the decision-making process to accept a recommended action ( e.g.
, smoking ) .
• It does not take into account behaviors that are performed for non-health-related reasons such as social acceptability .
• It does not account for environmental or economic factors that may prohibit or promote the recommended action .
Interestingly , it does not account for persons attitudes , beliefs , or other determinants that dictate a person ’ s acceptance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to freely choose on their own which behavior they will engage in ?
This is a perfect example of B.F. Skinner ’ s assertion that all studies be done from a scientific opposed to pre-scientific viewpoint .
In other words , the propaganda you are being fed about wearing masks is based on a behavioral study where an individual ’ s ability to freely engage , in or disregard the behavior , is completely left out .
Furthermore , The Health Belief Model makes a few preconceived assumptions as well , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assumes that cues to action are widely prevalent in encouraging people to act and that “ health ” actions are the main goal in the decision-making process .
What is a cue to action ?
As described in the model itself , a cue to action is the stimulus needed to trigger an individual into engaging in the desired behavior .
According to The Health Belief Model , a cue to action can be perceived susceptibility to illness , or a newspaper article .
The study found that a blitz in media efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health was a huge factor in encouraging people to wear masks .
There is an ongoing debate between those that believe humans have free will and those that believe in , for a lack of a better term , evolutionary science .
B.F. Skinner said that scientific inquiry into human behavior should be conducted from the latter viewpoint even though neither can be proven .
Is that the way we really want to go ?
As demonstrated above , the study revolving around a major issue we are facing today , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without accounting for individual differences in the way we all perceive what is going on .
The study denied us our individuality .
Furthermore , the study also assumed , based on Skinner ’ s theories no less , that most of us would just accept what we are being told because of the perceived authority of media and government .
This is something that the American people need to understand if they are going to live in a free country .
We are governed by those who view us as nothing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a given stimulus , they study that response and learn from it .
Over the past five months , they have come to believe that we are a very compliant population .
In many ways , we have been .
They will continue to push until we assert ourselves in the name of our free will to choose our own lives .
To do that , however , we must first understand the lens from which we are viewed .
This writer believes the facemask study and the Health Belief Model provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an example we can all relate to .

Can people freely choose their behavior? Or, are we controlled by environmental circumstances which can be traced to our so-called, evolutionary past? This is the debate that seems to be dominating society, whether we realize it or not. God vs. science if you will. Certainly, human behavior can be influenced by many factors, including the environment around us. When presented with extenuating circumstances people can be forced to make certain decisions. Some of us will make more informed choices based on past experiences, while others, will make more erratic ones. Behaviorist’s attempt to whittle this reality down to an exact science claiming that our choices are nothing more than ingrained evolutionary responses to environmental factors, honed by thousands of years of instinct. The unfortunate reality is that science views man as little more than a stimulus response mechanism. Animals who have no control over our behavior, only able to react to whatever stimulus we are receiving.
“The human brain is not simply a switchboard by means of which one environmental event is connected to another environmental event.” (William T. Powers)
Understanding the concept of stimulus-response mechanisms, also known as cause and effect psychology, is important because it is the lens from which science studies our behavior. It is in fact, the very basis of behavioral psychology (Powers). Behaviorists like B.F. Skinner have stated, and this writer has noted this several times, that any study of our behavior should be done from an evolutionary perspective. This means that the study of human behavior should always be done from the perspective that man has no control over his own choices, and that it is only the environment that motivates our responses.
In what we may call the pre-scientific view (and the word is not necessarily pejorative) a person’s behavior is at least to some extent his own achievement. He is free to deliberate, decide, and act, possibly in original ways, and he is to be given credit for his successes and blamed for his failures. In the scientific view (and the word is not necessarily honorific) a person’s behavior is determined by a genetic endowment traceable to the evolutionary history of the species and by the environmental circumstances to which as an individual he has been exposed. Neither view can be proved, but it is in the nature of scientific inquiry that the evidence should shift in favor of the second . (B.F. Skinner, Beyond Freedom and Dignity)
B.F. Skinner was a behavioral psychologist known for doing experiments on his own daughter He took the view that man is just another animal. He narrowed down the study of behaviorism to either the scientific or pre-scientific views. Pre-scientific means a time where it was believed men could freely choose their behavior and were, to some extent, in control of their decision-making processes. The scientific view takes the position that our behavior is determined. This is essentially the battle between free will and evolution. As he stated, “neither can be proven but in the nature of scientific inquiry, the evidence should shift in favor of the second.” This means that when your behavior is being studied, it is from the belief that you are an animal who has no control over your behavior. As Powers said, it is the basis of behavioral psychology.
Interestingly, Powers refutes this thesis to some degree by saying that behavior cannot always be determined simply by the stimulus-response mechanisms being influenced by environmental factors, because the right models are not always being used. Come again? To be more specific, he says the models being used are not always appropriate to behavior. Furthermore, he states that a controlled environment that determines what parameters the study will be conducted from will largely determine the results.
The apparent usefulness of variations of behavioral acts can be accepted as fact in the framework of a control system model of behavior. A control system, properly organized for its environment will produce whatever output is required in order to achieve a constant sensed result, even in the presence of unpredictable disturbances. (Powers)
Why does any of this matter? What difference does it make? As this writer noted in his article Operant conditioning and the face mask pandemic, there was a study conducted in 2014 that was done to determine the public’s susceptibility to being forced to wear facemasks. The study concluded that people could essentially be motivated to cover their face based on the perceived vulnerability of being afflicted with life-threatening diseases and, the perceived benefits of wearing a mask. The study also noted that perceived perceptions of embarrassment could inhibit the desire to wear a mask. Finally, the study found that a blitz in media efforts, supported by government, to promote public health was a huge factor in encouraging people to wear masks. This study, as noted above, was done in 2014.
As all studies are, this one was conducted based on a particular model of behavior called the Health Belief Model. What is the Health Belief Model? Interesting you should ask. It is a behavioral change model developed to predict or explain behaviors related to health and health related services. It is also one of the most common models of behavior used to conduct health-related studies today. All studies have independent and dependent variables, factors for which they establish controls. The Health Belief Model did not account for the following ̶ ̶
It does not account for a person’s attitudes, beliefs, or other individual determinants that dictate a person’s acceptance of a health behavior.
It does not take into account behaviors that are habitual and thus may inform the decision-making process to accept a recommended action (e.g., smoking).
It does not take into account behaviors that are performed for non-health-related reasons such as social acceptability.
It does not account for environmental or economic factors that may prohibit or promote the recommended action.
Interestingly, it does not account for persons attitudes, beliefs, or other determinants that dictate a person’s acceptance of a health behavior. Like the ability to freely choose on their own which behavior they will engage in? This is a perfect example of B.F. Skinner’s assertion that all studies be done from a scientific opposed to pre-scientific viewpoint. In other words, the propaganda you are being fed about wearing masks is based on a behavioral study where an individual’s ability to freely engage, in or disregard the behavior, is completely left out. Furthermore, The Health Belief Model makes a few preconceived assumptions as well, that the facemask study surely considered. It assumes that cues to action are widely prevalent in encouraging people to act and that “health” actions are the main goal in the decision-making process. What is a cue to action? As described in the model itself, a cue to action is the stimulus needed to trigger an individual into engaging in the desired behavior. According to The Health Belief Model, a cue to action can be perceived susceptibility to illness, or a newspaper article.
The study found that a blitz in media efforts, supported by government, to promote public health was a huge factor in encouraging people to wear masks.
There is an ongoing debate between those that believe humans have free will and those that believe in, for a lack of a better term, evolutionary science. B.F. Skinner said that scientific inquiry into human behavior should be conducted from the latter viewpoint even though neither can be proven. Is that the way we really want to go? As demonstrated above, the study revolving around a major issue we are facing today, the forced wearing of masks, was conducted without accounting for individual differences in the way we all perceive what is going on. The study denied us our individuality. Furthermore, the study also assumed, based on Skinner’s theories no less, that most of us would just accept what we are being told because of the perceived authority of media and government. This is something that the American people need to understand if they are going to live in a free country. We are governed by those who view us as nothing more than stimulus-response animals. When we respond to a given stimulus, they study that response and learn from it. Over the past five months, they have come to believe that we are a very compliant population. In many ways, we have been. They will continue to push until we assert ourselves in the name of our free will to choose our own lives. To do that, however, we must first understand the lens from which we are viewed. This writer believes the facemask study and the Health Belief Model provided a good base from which to show an example we can all relate to.
Article posted with permission from David Risselada


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-17--Are Americans Being Hoodwinked By Trump’s UAE-Israel “Peace Deal”?

Much has been made about the “ peace deal ” that the Trump administration has facilitated between Israel and the United Arab Emirates , but is it was it is purported to be ?
In an analysis of the “ deal , ” Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold claim that the normalization between the UAE and Israel is both a “ shame and a sham ” in oppressing a people .
HUGE breakthrough today , ” crowed Donald Trump on Twitter as he announced the new peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arab state and the third Arab nation , after Egypt and Jordan , to have diplomatic ties with Israel .
But the new Israel-UAE partnership should fool no one .
Though it will supposedly stave off Israeli annexation of the West Bank and encourage tourism and trade between both countries , in reality , it is nothing more than a scheme to give an Arab stamp of approval to Israel ’ s status quo of land theft , home demolitions , arbitrary extrajudicial killings , apartheid laws , and other abuses of Palestinian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the context of over three years of Trump administration policies that have tightened Israel ’ s grip on the Palestinians : moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem , recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory , and creating a so-called peace plan with no Palestinian participation or input .
While no U.S. administration has successfully brokered a resolution to Israel ’ s now 53-year-long occupation , the Trump years have been especially detrimental to the Palestinian cause .
Palestinian leader Hanan Ashrawi wrote on Twitter that with this deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaring openly what it ’ s been doing to Palestine illegally & persistently since the beginning of the occupation.
” Indeed , with Donald Trump at the helm and son-in-law Jared Kushner as the primary strategist , even concessions for Palestinians have been done away with .
To add insult to injury , while the deal had been couched in terms of a commitment by Israel to suspend annexation of Palestinian territories , in his Israeli press conference announcing the deal , Netanyahu said annexation was “ still on the table ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to.
” Among the most brutal aspects of this period for Palestinians have been the loss of support for their cause in neighboring Arab states .
The Arab political party in Israel , Balad , said that by signing this pact , “ the UAE has officially joined Israel against Palestine , and placed itself in the camp of the enemies of the Palestinian people.
” The UAE has previously held a position consistent with public opinion in Gulf and Middle East countries that the acceptance of formal diplomatic relations with Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a just peace and in accordance with international law .
Back in June , Emirati ambassador to the U.S. Yousef al-Otaiba penned an an op-ed in the Yediot Ahronot newspaper , the Israeli equivalent to U.S.A Today , appealing directly in Hebrew for Israel not to annex the West Bank .
However , by working out an agreement with Trump and Netanyahu to normalize relations , the country has now made itself Israel ’ s partner in cementing de facto annexation and ongoing apartheid .
The UAE ’ s change from supporting Palestinian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s never-ending occupation is a calculated move by UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed , a shrewd Middle East dictator who uses his country ’ s military and financial resources to thwart moves towards democracy and respect for human rights under the guise of fighting Islamic terrorism .
His support for Israel cements his relationship with the Trump administration .
Trump has already gone out of his way to push billions of dollars in arms sales to the UAE , despite opposition from Congress because of high number of civilian casualties associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Secretary Pompeo has also defended the UAE from credible reports that U.S. weapons sold to the UAE have been transferred in Yemen to groups linked to Al Qaeda , hardline Salafi militias and Yemeni separatists .
The UAE was also stung by revelations of secret prisons it had been operating in Yemen where prisoners were subjected to horrific forms of torture , including “ the grill , ” where victims were “ tied to a spit like a roast and spun in a circle of fire.
” In Libya , the UAE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UN Security Council arms embargo by supplying combat equipment to the LAAF , the armed group commanded by General Khalifa Haftar with a well-established record of human right abuses .
So this deal with Israel gives the UAE a much-needed veneer of respectability .
But it is impossible to understand the impetus for this deal without putting it in the context of the ongoing hostilities between all three countries and Iran .
Following the old adage that “ the enemy of my enemy is my friend , ” in recent years Israel has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the UAE , to push back against Iran ’ s growing influence in the region .
As the communique announcing the Israeli-UAE deal asserted , the U.S. , Israel and the UAE “ share a similar outlook regarding threats in the region.
” This dovetails with Trump ’ s anti-Iran obsession , which includes withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and his “ maximum pressure ” campaign designed to force Iran back to the negotiating table to make a “ better deal.
” In announcing the UAE-Israeli pact , Trump declared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections , he ’ ll have a new deal with Iran within 30 days .
Anyone who believes this must be almost as delusional as Trump .
The fact that this agreement between two Middle East countries was first announced thousands of miles away in Washington DC shows how it is more about shoring up Trump ’ s slumping electoral campaign and improving Netanyahu ’ s battered image in Israel than bringing peace to the Middle East .
It also shows that Netanyahu and bin Zayed have a stake in seeing Trump win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead of pointing out the hollowness of the pact , Joe Biden ’ s response was unfortunately to congratulate Israel and the UAE and try to take credit for the deal .
“ I personally spent time with leaders of both Israel and the U.A.E .
during our administration , building the case for cooperation and broader engagement , ” he said .
“ I am gratified by today ’ s announcement.
” The normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel , facilitated by the U.S. , serves to prop up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and bin Zayed — and will cause further harm to Palestinians .
It is both a shame and a sham .
While I grant that Israel does have the right to defend itself , there have been many times that it has not been defensive but rather the aggressors .
In my interview with Dr. Chuck Baldwin , he recounts some of those oppressions from the book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe .
Click below to listen .

Much has been made about the “peace deal” that the Trump administration has facilitated between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, but is it was it is purported to be?
In an analysis of the “deal,” Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold claim that the normalization between the UAE and Israel is both a “shame and a sham” in oppressing a people.
HUGE breakthrough today,” crowed Donald Trump on Twitter as he announced the new peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The deal makes the UAE the first Gulf Arab state and the third Arab nation, after Egypt and Jordan, to have diplomatic ties with Israel. But the new Israel-UAE partnership should fool no one. Though it will supposedly stave off Israeli annexation of the West Bank and encourage tourism and trade between both countries, in reality, it is nothing more than a scheme to give an Arab stamp of approval to Israel’s status quo of land theft, home demolitions, arbitrary extrajudicial killings, apartheid laws, and other abuses of Palestinian rights.
The deal should be seen in the context of over three years of Trump administration policies that have tightened Israel’s grip on the Palestinians: moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, and creating a so-called peace plan with no Palestinian participation or input. While no U.S. administration has successfully brokered a resolution to Israel’s now 53-year-long occupation, the Trump years have been especially detrimental to the Palestinian cause. Palestinian leader Hanan Ashrawi wrote on Twitter that with this deal, “Israel got rewarded for not declaring openly what it’s been doing to Palestine illegally & persistently since the beginning of the occupation.” Indeed, with Donald Trump at the helm and son-in-law Jared Kushner as the primary strategist, even concessions for Palestinians have been done away with. To add insult to injury, while the deal had been couched in terms of a commitment by Israel to suspend annexation of Palestinian territories, in his Israeli press conference announcing the deal, Netanyahu said annexation was “still on the table” and that it was something he is “committed to.”
Among the most brutal aspects of this period for Palestinians have been the loss of support for their cause in neighboring Arab states. The Arab political party in Israel, Balad, said that by signing this pact, “the UAE has officially joined Israel against Palestine, and placed itself in the camp of the enemies of the Palestinian people.”
The UAE has previously held a position consistent with public opinion in Gulf and Middle East countries that the acceptance of formal diplomatic relations with Israel should only take place in exchange for a just peace and in accordance with international law. Back in June, Emirati ambassador to the U.S. Yousef al-Otaiba penned an an op-ed in the Yediot Ahronot newspaper, the Israeli equivalent to U.S.A Today, appealing directly in Hebrew for Israel not to annex the West Bank. However, by working out an agreement with Trump and Netanyahu to normalize relations, the country has now made itself Israel’s partner in cementing de facto annexation and ongoing apartheid.
The UAE’s change from supporting Palestinian dignity and freedom to supporting Israel’s never-ending occupation is a calculated move by UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, a shrewd Middle East dictator who uses his country’s military and financial resources to thwart moves towards democracy and respect for human rights under the guise of fighting Islamic terrorism. His support for Israel cements his relationship with the Trump administration. Trump has already gone out of his way to push billions of dollars in arms sales to the UAE, despite opposition from Congress because of high number of civilian casualties associated with the use of those weapons in Yemen.
Secretary Pompeo has also defended the UAE from credible reports that U.S. weapons sold to the UAE have been transferred in Yemen to groups linked to Al Qaeda, hardline Salafi militias and Yemeni separatists. The UAE was also stung by revelations of secret prisons it had been operating in Yemen where prisoners were subjected to horrific forms of torture, including “the grill,” where victims were “tied to a spit like a roast and spun in a circle of fire.” In Libya, the UAE has been criticized for violating a 2011 UN Security Council arms embargo by supplying combat equipment to the LAAF, the armed group commanded by General Khalifa Haftar with a well-established record of human right abuses. So this deal with Israel gives the UAE a much-needed veneer of respectability.
But it is impossible to understand the impetus for this deal without putting it in the context of the ongoing hostilities between all three countries and Iran. Following the old adage that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” in recent years Israel has been negotiating with various Gulf states, including the UAE, to push back against Iran’s growing influence in the region. As the communique announcing the Israeli-UAE deal asserted, the U.S., Israel and the UAE “share a similar outlook regarding threats in the region.” This dovetails with Trump’s anti-Iran obsession, which includes withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and his “maximum pressure” campaign designed to force Iran back to the negotiating table to make a “better deal.” In announcing the UAE-Israeli pact, Trump declared with ridiculous bravado that if he wins the elections, he’ll have a new deal with Iran within 30 days. Anyone who believes this must be almost as delusional as Trump.
The fact that this agreement between two Middle East countries was first announced thousands of miles away in Washington DC shows how it is more about shoring up Trump’s slumping electoral campaign and improving Netanyahu’s battered image in Israel than bringing peace to the Middle East. It also shows that Netanyahu and bin Zayed have a stake in seeing Trump win a second term in the White House. Instead of pointing out the hollowness of the pact, Joe Biden’s response was unfortunately to congratulate Israel and the UAE and try to take credit for the deal. “I personally spent time with leaders of both Israel and the U.A.E. during our administration, building the case for cooperation and broader engagement,” he said. “I am gratified by today’s announcement.”
The normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel, facilitated by the U.S., serves to prop up three repressive leaders — Trump, Netanyahu, and bin Zayed — and will cause further harm to Palestinians. It is both a shame and a sham.
While I grant that Israel does have the right to defend itself, there have been many times that it has not been defensive but rather the aggressors.
In my interview with Dr. Chuck Baldwin, he recounts some of those oppressions from the book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe. Click below to listen.


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-17--Mass Exodus Out Of Big Cities On Both Coasts Taking Place

In all of U.S. history , we have never seen anything like “ the mass exodus of 2020 ” .
Hundreds of thousands of people are leaving the major cities on both coasts in search of a better life .
Homelessness , crime and drug use were already on the rise in many of our large cities prior to 2020 , but many big-city residents were willing to put up with a certain amount of chaos in order to maintain their lifestyles .
However , the COVID-19 pandemic and months of civil unrest have finally pushed a lot of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both coasts are doing a booming business as wealthy and middle-class families flee at a blistering pace , and most of those families do not plan to ever return .
Los Angeles is a perfect example of what I am talking about .
Once upon a time , it attracted wealthy and famous people from all over the globe , but in 2020 it is “ a city on the brink “ … Almost half of the entire homeless population of the entire country now lives in the state of California , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drugs .
Needless to say , this has created a nightmarish environment… Could you imagine trying to raise a family in such a community ?
And the worse economic conditions become , the worse the problem gets .
Crime is skyrocketing in L.A. , and some residents have been shocked to discover strangers actually “ defecating in their front gardens ” … Of course , Los Angeles is definitely not the only major city dealing with such issues .
On a per-capita basis , drug use is even worse in San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is “ a mass exodus of people looking to get out of San Francisco real estate ” … In the end , a lot of people may have to take losses on their homes , but it will be worth it simply to get out of California .
And the state legislature has apparently decided that the mass exodus is not happening fast enough , because a bill is being introduced that would impose a new “ wealth tax ” on the very wealthy… In the old days , a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Seattle , but those two cities are not exactly desirable options at this point .
The civil unrest in Seattle never seems to end , and Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf recently said that there had been “ twelve official riots ” in the first ten days after federal law enforcement officials left Portland .
Sadly , the east coast has experienced plenty of chaos as well , and the mass exodus out of New York City has been particularly dramatic .
In a previous article , I discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had reported that 420,000 New Yorkers had moved out of the city between March 1st and May 1st .
But the exodus certainly didn ’ t end there .
According to the local Fox affiliate , between May and July , there was “ a 95 percent year over year increase in interest in moving out of Manhattan ” … And it isn ’ t just residents that are leaving .
Business after business is shutting down , and that includes some of the most iconic retailers in the city… Earlier today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken of all the boarded up shops along 5th Avenue .
If you have not seen that video yet , you can watch it right here .
I couldn ’ t believe what I was seeing .
At one time 5th Avenue was a playground for the elite of the world , but now it essentially looks “ like a demilitarized zone ” … De Blasio ’ s New York has finally hit an all-time low : the once bustling city is now on the verge of looking like a demilitarized zone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city , iconic 5th Avenue now looks more like a dystopian nightmare in a recently shot video posted to Twitter .
The video follows a car driving down a deserted 5th Avenue , with almost all of the area ’ s high end stores boarded up and shut down .
There are few people seen on what is usually a busy street .
“ Look at everything .
Everything ’ s boarded up .
Even the hotel .
Boarded up , ” the video ’ s narrator , who is obviously fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
In about six months , most of the progress that New York City has made since the dark days of the 1970s and 1980s has completely disappeared .
Homelessness and poverty are both exploding , and crime rates are shooting into the stratosphere .
If you can believe it , the number of shootings in July was 177 percent higher than for the same month last year .
If the deplorable conditions in our major cities were just going to be temporary , I don ’ t believe that we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But at this point , it should be clear to all of us that things aren ’ t going to turn around any time soon , and many people are convinced that things are just going to continue to get even worse .
Our major cities are degenerating right in front of our eyes , and there doesn ’ t seem to be any hope of reversing this process now that it has started .
In life , the decisions that we make always have consequences , and the consequences for the decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a whole will be very bitter indeed .

In all of U.S. history, we have never seen anything like “the mass exodus of 2020”. Hundreds of thousands of people are leaving the major cities on both coasts in search of a better life. Homelessness, crime and drug use were already on the rise in many of our large cities prior to 2020, but many big-city residents were willing to put up with a certain amount of chaos in order to maintain their lifestyles. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and months of civil unrest have finally pushed a lot of people over the edge. Moving companies on both coasts are doing a booming business as wealthy and middle-class families flee at a blistering pace, and most of those families do not plan to ever return.
Los Angeles is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Once upon a time, it attracted wealthy and famous people from all over the globe, but in 2020 it is “a city on the brink“…
Today, Los Angeles is a city on the brink. ‘For Sale’ signs are seemingly dotted on every suburban street as the middle classes, particularly those with families, flee for the safer suburbs, with many choosing to leave LA altogether. British-born Danny O’Brien runs Watford Moving & Storage. ‘There is a mass exodus from Hollywood,’ he says.
Almost half of the entire homeless population of the entire country now lives in the state of California, and a large proportion of them are addicted to drugs. Needless to say, this has created a nightmarish environment…
Junkies and the homeless, many of whom are clearly mentally ill, walk the palm-lined streets like zombies – all just three blocks from multi-million-dollar homes overlooking the Pacific. Stolen bicycles are piled high on pavements littered with broken syringes.
Could you imagine trying to raise a family in such a community?
I certainly couldn’t.
And the worse economic conditions become, the worse the problem gets. Crime is skyrocketing in L.A., and some residents have been shocked to discover strangers actually “defecating in their front gardens”…
TV bulletins are filled with horror stories from across the city; of women being attacked during their morning jog or residents returning home to find strangers defecating in their front gardens.
Of course, Los Angeles is definitely not the only major city dealing with such issues.
On a per-capita basis, drug use is even worse in San Francisco, and it is being reported that there is “a mass exodus of people looking to get out of San Francisco real estate”…
According to online real estate company Zillow, there is a mass exodus of people looking to get out of San Francisco real estate – as the housing market is on fire in the Bay Area suburbs, all the way to Lake Tahoe. According to the company’s “2020 Urban-Suburban Market Report,” home prices in the city have fallen 4.9% year-over-year, while inventory has jumped 96% during the same period, as a flood of new listings hit the market.
In the end, a lot of people may have to take losses on their homes, but it will be worth it simply to get out of California.
And the state legislature has apparently decided that the mass exodus is not happening fast enough, because a bill is being introduced that would impose a new “wealth tax” on the very wealthy…
Fast forward to today when the ultra-liberal state of California is now ready to take this “socialist” idea from concept to the implementation phase, with the SF Chronicle reporting that a group of CA state lawmakers on Thursday proposed a first-in-the-nation state wealth tax that would hit about 30,400 California residents and raise an estimated $7.5 billion for the general fund. The proposed tax rate would be 0.4% of net worth (most likely ended up far higher), excluding directly held real estate, that exceeds $30 million for single and joint filers and $15 million for married filing separately.
In the old days, a lot of Californians would just head north to Portland or Seattle, but those two cities are not exactly desirable options at this point.
The civil unrest in Seattle never seems to end, and Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf recently said that there had been “twelve official riots” in the first ten days after federal law enforcement officials left Portland.
Sadly, the east coast has experienced plenty of chaos as well, and the mass exodus out of New York City has been particularly dramatic.
In a previous article, I discussed the fact that the New York Times had reported that 420,000 New Yorkers had moved out of the city between March 1st and May 1st.
But the exodus certainly didn’t end there.
According to the local Fox affiliate, between May and July, there was “a 95 percent year over year increase in interest in moving out of Manhattan”…
According to the most recent data from United Van Lines, between May and July, there was a 95 percent year over year increase in interest in moving out of Manhattan. That compares with a 19 percent increase in moving interest in the U.S., overall. The top destinations for people who moved out of New York City between March and August were Florida and California – which together comprised 28 percent of relocations. Texas and North Carolina made up 16 percent of moves.
And it isn’t just residents that are leaving.
Business after business is shutting down, and that includes some of the most iconic retailers in the city…
J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus, the anchor tenants at two of the largest malls in Manhattan, recently filed for bankruptcy and announced that they would shutter those locations. The Subway restaurant chain has already closed dozens of locations in New York City in recent months, Le Pain Quotidien has permanently closed several of its 27 stores in the city and plans to leave others closed until more people return to the streets, an executive at the chain’s parent, Aurify Brands, told the Times.
Earlier today, I watched a video that someone had taken of all the boarded up shops along 5th Avenue.
If you have not seen that video yet, you can watch it right here.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. At one time 5th Avenue was a playground for the elite of the world, but now it essentially looks “like a demilitarized zone”…
De Blasio’s New York has finally hit an all-time low: the once bustling city is now on the verge of looking like a demilitarized zone. Between the pandemic and the riots in the city, iconic 5th Avenue now looks more like a dystopian nightmare in a recently shot video posted to Twitter. The video follows a car driving down a deserted 5th Avenue, with almost all of the area’s high end stores boarded up and shut down. There are few people seen on what is usually a busy street. “Look at everything. Everything’s boarded up. Even the hotel. Boarded up,” the video’s narrator, who is obviously fed up with how the city looks, says.
In about six months, most of the progress that New York City has made since the dark days of the 1970s and 1980s has completely disappeared.
Homelessness and poverty are both exploding, and crime rates are shooting into the stratosphere.
If you can believe it, the number of shootings in July was 177 percent higher than for the same month last year.
If the deplorable conditions in our major cities were just going to be temporary, I don’t believe that we would be seeing such a mass exodus.
But at this point, it should be clear to all of us that things aren’t going to turn around any time soon, and many people are convinced that things are just going to continue to get even worse.
Our major cities are degenerating right in front of our eyes, and there doesn’t seem to be any hope of reversing this process now that it has started.
In life, the decisions that we make always have consequences, and the consequences for the decisions that we have made as a nation as a whole will be very bitter indeed.
Article posted with permission from Michael Snyder


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-17--Warrant For Millie Weaver’s Arrest Was Almost a Month Old – How Did She Not Know?

Warrant For Millie Weaver ’ s Arrest Was Almost a Month Old – How Did She Not Know ?
On Friday Millie Weaver was arrested and while many claimed it was due to the nature of her documentary , nothing could have been further from the truth .
In fact , it ’ s been discovered that the warrant was actually issued on July 20 of this year , a full month in advance .
I ’ m not sure how she didn ’ t know about it , but clearly it was in place long before the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the video that she had no idea about it .
It ’ s also concerning as to why the arrest took nearly a month to fulfill the requirements of the warrant .
The warrant , which can be viewed here , states that the indictment against Weaver was filed in Portage County Common Pleas Court on July 20 , 2020 .
1 .
Weaver Is Accused of Helping Wince & Her Brother Tackle Her Mother , Felicia McCarron , in Order to Get Her Phone Millicent F. Weaver is facing felony charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Felicia McCarron .
The indictment , handed down by a Portage County Grand Jury , shows that the altercation happened on April 25 , 2020 .
McCarron ’ s first name was spelled “ Felecia ” in the indictment but a search of online records shows she spells her name “ Felicia.
” According to the criminal complaint , which Heavy obtained from the county prosecutor , McCarron had been living at the Portage County home for about a month at the time of the confrontation .
She moved in after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shut down .
The report states that on April 25 , McCarron was texting with a religious leader “ about her daughter being mean.
” McCarron accused Weaver of calling her names .
Deputies said they confirmed McCarron had sent a text message to her Bishop 26 minutes before dialing 911 .
McCarron told deputies she started recording on her phone because she wanted to document how the family treated her .
She claimed her son , Charles , along with Wince and Weaver , tackled her to the ground in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the house and used a neighbor ’ s phone to call 911 .
McCarron added that she saw Charles run to the back of the property and she assumed he was hiding her phone .
In a separate interview with responding deputies , Weaver denied her mother ’ s allegations .
She claimed McCarron had lost her phone two days earlier and was upset about it .
Weaver described her mother as “ mentally ill and not reliable.
” Weaver claimed her mother had threatened the rest of the family with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then ran outside the house yelling about calling the police .
Weaver told deputies they had considered calling 911 themselves but ultimately decided against it .
Weaver is accused of threatening to harm McCarron during the course of a robbery , which is a second-degree felony .
The indictment from the Portage County Grand Jury states : In attempting or committing a theft offense , or in fleeing immediately after the attempt or offense , recklessly inflict , attempt to inflict , or threaten to inflict physical harm upon Felicia McCarron .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroy evidence related to the dispute , a third-degree felony : Knowing that an official proceeding or investigation is in progress , or is about to be or likely to be instituted did , alter , destroy , conceal or removed a record , document or thing with the purpose to impair its value or availability as evidence in such proceeding or investigation .
The third count is obstructing justice , which is a fifth-degree felony charge : With purpose to hinder the discovery , apprehension , prosecution , conviction , or punishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weaver Jr and/or Gavon S. Wince for a crime or to assist another to benefit from the commission of a crime , communicate false information to ( any person ) , and the crime committed by the person aided is a felony of the fifth , fourth or third degree .
The fourth charge is a first-degree misdemeanor count of domestic violence .
The Grand Jury found probable cause that Weaver had “ recklessly caused serious physical harm to the family or household member.
” Davey Crocko breaks down what was going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documentary that she produced , Shadow Gate , the reality is that not much of anything is new news .
And frankly , I question some of those interviewed in the documentary .
I ’ m not saying they are not genuine , I ’ m just saying I question a lot of their involvement .
Weaver was released on a personal recognizance bond on Monday .
Both Gavin Wince and Charles Weaver remain in jail .
One thing is for sure , the GoFundMe Page set up by Ezra Levant has garnered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making out like a fat cat in all of this .
Navy veteran Walter Fitzpatrick , after seeing the indictment , stands by his previous assertion that the indictment itself is void .
Fitzpatrick claims that the indictment is void due to the following citations from the Supreme Court .
SECTION 2939.02 ( LAST SENTENCE ) : “ The judge of the court of common pleas who satisfies the qualifications of a juror and whose name is not included in the annual jury list to preside as foreperson of the grand jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall consist of the foreperson so selected and fourteen additional grand jurors selected from the annual jury list.
” .
The above citation comes from The Ohio practice is identical to the outlawed method of selection used in Tennessee .
I ’ ve been fighting this conflict for a decade .
Trust me .
Been there , done that , got the tee shirt , sold it in a garage sale .
The U.S. Supreme Court rulings on this are found in Rose v. Mitchell ( 1979 ) and Hobby v. U.S. ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the arrest were not about her documentary , but it ’ s clear that the arrest was used to promote the documentary .

Warrant For Millie Weaver’s Arrest Was Almost a Month Old – How Did She Not Know?
On Friday Millie Weaver was arrested and while many claimed it was due to the nature of her documentary, nothing could have been further from the truth. In fact, it’s been discovered that the warrant was actually issued on July 20 of this year, a full month in advance. I’m not sure how she didn’t know about it, but clearly it was in place long before the end of July.
Yet, she told everyone in the video that she had no idea about it. It’s also concerning as to why the arrest took nearly a month to fulfill the requirements of the warrant.
The warrant, which can be viewed here, states that the indictment against Weaver was filed in Portage County Common Pleas Court on July 20, 2020.
Heavy has the story.
1. Weaver Is Accused of Helping Wince & Her Brother Tackle Her Mother, Felicia McCarron, in Order to Get Her Phone
Millicent F. Weaver is facing felony charges because of a dispute with her mother, Felicia McCarron. The indictment, handed down by a Portage County Grand Jury, shows that the altercation happened on April 25, 2020. McCarron’s first name was spelled “Felecia” in the indictment but a search of online records shows she spells her name “Felicia.”
According to the criminal complaint, which Heavy obtained from the county prosecutor, McCarron had been living at the Portage County home for about a month at the time of the confrontation. She moved in after the coronavirus pandemic forced her employer in California to shut down. The report states that on April 25, McCarron was texting with a religious leader “about her daughter being mean.” McCarron accused Weaver of calling her names. Deputies said they confirmed McCarron had sent a text message to her Bishop 26 minutes before dialing 911.
McCarron told deputies she started recording on her phone because she wanted to document how the family treated her. She claimed her son, Charles, along with Wince and Weaver, tackled her to the ground in order to steal her phone. McCarron ran out of the house and used a neighbor’s phone to call 911. McCarron added that she saw Charles run to the back of the property and she assumed he was hiding her phone.
In a separate interview with responding deputies, Weaver denied her mother’s allegations. She claimed McCarron had lost her phone two days earlier and was upset about it. Weaver described her mother as “mentally ill and not reliable.” Weaver claimed her mother had threatened the rest of the family with a knife, put it away, and then ran outside the house yelling about calling the police. Weaver told deputies they had considered calling 911 themselves but ultimately decided against it. Weaver is accused of threatening to harm McCarron during the course of a robbery, which is a second-degree felony. The indictment from the Portage County Grand Jury states: In attempting or committing a theft offense, or in fleeing immediately after the attempt or offense, recklessly inflict, attempt to inflict, or threaten to inflict physical harm upon Felicia McCarron. Weaver is further accused of attempting to destroy evidence related to the dispute, a third-degree felony: Knowing that an official proceeding or investigation is in progress, or is about to be or likely to be instituted did, alter, destroy, conceal or removed a record, document or thing with the purpose to impair its value or availability as evidence in such proceeding or investigation. The third count is obstructing justice, which is a fifth-degree felony charge: With purpose to hinder the discovery, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of Millicent F. Weaver, Charles L. Weaver Jr and/or Gavon S. Wince for a crime or to assist another to benefit from the commission of a crime, communicate false information to (any person), and the crime committed by the person aided is a felony of the fifth, fourth or third degree. The fourth charge is a first-degree misdemeanor count of domestic violence. The Grand Jury found probable cause that Weaver had “recklessly caused serious physical harm to the family or household member.” Davey Crocko breaks down what was going on. If you have no seen the documentary that she produced, Shadow Gate, the reality is that not much of anything is new news. And frankly, I question some of those interviewed in the documentary. I’m not saying they are not genuine, I’m just saying I question a lot of their involvement. Weaver was released on a personal recognizance bond on Monday. Both Gavin Wince and Charles Weaver remain in jail. One thing is for sure, the GoFundMe Page set up by Ezra Levant has garnered nearly $140,000. Seems like someone is making out like a fat cat in all of this. Navy veteran Walter Fitzpatrick, after seeing the indictment, stands by his previous assertion that the indictment itself is void. Was Millie Weaver’s Grand Jury Indictment Lawful? Fitzpatrick claims that the indictment is void due to the following citations from the Supreme Court. SECTION 2939.02 (LAST SENTENCE): “The judge of the court of common pleas may select any person who satisfies the qualifications of a juror and whose name is not included in the annual jury list to preside as foreperson of the grand jury, in which event the grand jury shall consist of the foreperson so selected and fourteen additional grand jurors selected from the annual jury list.” THIS . The above citation comes from The Ohio practice is identical to the outlawed method of selection used in Tennessee. I’ve been fighting this conflict for a decade. Trust me. Been there, done that, got the tee shirt, sold it in a garage sale. The U.S. Supreme Court rulings on this are found in Rose v. Mitchell (1979) and Hobby v. U.S. (1984). Clearly, this indictment and the arrest were not about her documentary, but it’s clear that the arrest was used to promote the documentary.
Article posted with permission from Sons of Liberty Media


thewashingtonstandard--2020-08-17--Federal Judge Makes Radical Move To End Qualified Immunity For Bad Cops Nationally

When George Floyd was killed in May , the nation was shaken out of its slumber in regard to police brutality in this country .
Cities quite literally burned over the anger that has been boiling up over decades as cops kill people — who are often innocent , unarmed , and even children — and get away with it .
Sadly , however , the organized groups behind the protests only appear to be pushing a single , partial solution of “ defunding ” the police .
While this is certainly something to be considered , it is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To strike the root of the problem , we need bad cops held accountable .
One major way to do this is by ending Qualified Immunity .
Luckily , this idea is now picking up steam .
This month , U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves filed a 72-page opinion blasting qualified immunity which has given countless bad cops a pass all based on a severely flawed doctrine .
Jamison was entirely innocent , but police lied , manipulated , and violated his rights in a futile search for non-existent drugs .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even ended over the false allegations which are why he filed a lawsuit afterward .
But thanks to the doctrine of qualified immunity , Jamison was told to kick rocks .
This is in spite of the fact that McClendon was found to have actually violated the man ’ s rights .
Reeves determined that McClendon ’ s search of Jamison ’ s car violated the Fourth Amendment , which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures .
Nevertheless , Reeves was legally bound to rule against Jamison because of the qualified immunity defense .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a legal doctrine to protect law enforcement officers from having to face any consequences for wrongdoing , ” Reeves wrote .
“ The doctrine is called ‘ qualified immunity.
’ In real life , it operates like absolute immunity.
” However , he added , “ [ i ] mmunity is not exoneration .
And the harm in this case to one man sheds light on the harm done to the nation by this manufactured doctrine.
” Now , Reeves has made it his personal mission to abolish this tyrannical doctrine .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets remind us today , some have always stood up to face our nation ’ s failings and remind us that ‘ we can not be patient , ’ ” he wrote .
“ Through their efforts , we become ever more perfect.
” Reeves cited Congressman John Lewis , who “ stared down the racists of his era when he marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
” He mentioned the Supreme Court ’ s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education , which abolished the doctrine of “ separate but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question of today is whether the Supreme Court will rise to the occasion and do the same with qualified immunity.
” Truthout explains that since qualified immunity is a court-made rule , the courts could abolish it .
Although the Supreme Court declined to review the doctrine in the last term , the abolition of qualified immunity in Colorado state courts , together with Reeves ’ s comprehensive condemnation of it , may well lead the high court to reconsider the endurance of qualified immunity in its next term .
As TFTP has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accountability , one overarching question remains .
‘ Do we want to live in a society whereby law enforcement officials can completely violate a person ’ s constitutional rights and get away with it ?
’ For our society to be free , the answer to that question must be a resounding , powerful , unwavering , ‘ Hell No !
’ Unfortunately , however , this is the case most of the time thanks to law enforcement personnel ’ s use and abuse of Qualified Immunity .
The Supreme Court created qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invention , the court granted all government officials immunity for violating constitutional and civil rights unless the victims of those violations can show that the rights were “ clearly established.
” As Anya Bidwell points out , although innocuous sounding , the clearly established test is a legal obstacle nearly impossible to overcome .
It requires a victim to identify an earlier decision by the Supreme Court , or a federal appeals court in the same jurisdiction holding that precisely the same conduct under the same circumstances is illegal or unconstitutional .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Whether the official ’ s actions are unconstitutional , intentional or malicious is irrelevant to the test .
On top of the case above , another example of this would be the family of George Floyd attempting to seek compensation for his death .
Because there has never been a “ clearly established ” case of a cop kneeling on a man ’ s neck until he dies being declared unconstitutional , a judge in Minnesota could easily dismiss their case .
It is essentially a get out of jail free card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of police violence by giving bad cops a free pass .
Steps like this in Mississippi are essential to reining in the terror of bad cops .
This is why everyone needs to call their representatives and tell them to support the bill proposed by Libertarian Congressman Justin Amash ( L-Michigan ) , H.R .
7085 which will end Qualified Immunity on a national level .
“ Qualified immunity protects police and other officials from consequences even for horrific rights abuses , ” said Amash .
“ It prevents accountability for the ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s faith in law enforcement .
It ’ s at odds with the text of the law and the intent of Congress , and it ultimately leaves Americans ’ rights without appropriate protection .
Members of Congress have a duty to ensure government officials can be held accountable for violating Americans ’ rights , and ending qualified immunity is a crucial part of that.
” If you are interested in the other paradigm-shifting solutions into quelling police brutality and Americans ’ deprivation of rights , we propose five major solutions , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes .
You can read that here .

When George Floyd was killed in May, the nation was shaken out of its slumber in regard to police brutality in this country. Cities quite literally burned over the anger that has been boiling up over decades as cops kill people — who are often innocent, unarmed, and even children — and get away with it. Sadly, however, the organized groups behind the protests only appear to be pushing a single, partial solution of “defunding” the police. While this is certainly something to be considered, it is a bandaid on a sucking chest wound. To strike the root of the problem, we need bad cops held accountable. One major way to do this is by ending Qualified Immunity. Luckily, this idea is now picking up steam.
This month, U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves filed a 72-page opinion blasting qualified immunity which has given countless bad cops a pass all based on a severely flawed doctrine.
As Truthout reports:
In Jamison v. McClendon, U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves recently concluded that Officer Nick McClendon violated Clarence Jamison’s Fourth Amendment rights when he subjected Jamison to a nearly two-hour ordeal that included badgering, pressuring, lying and intrusively searching his car. But the judge’s hands were tied by the qualified immunity doctrine so he was forced to deny Jamison’s legal claim. Reeves, an African American man, traced the development of the law and the institutional racism and police brutality that continue to plague our society. “Black people in this country are acutely aware of the danger traffic stops pose to Black lives,” the judge wrote.
Jamison was entirely innocent, but police lied, manipulated, and violated his rights in a futile search for non-existent drugs. His life could’ve been ruined or even ended over the false allegations which are why he filed a lawsuit afterward.
But thanks to the doctrine of qualified immunity, Jamison was told to kick rocks. This is in spite of the fact that McClendon was found to have actually violated the man’s rights.
Reeves determined that McClendon’s search of Jamison’s car violated the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. Nevertheless, Reeves was legally bound to rule against Jamison because of the qualified immunity defense.
“[J]udges have invented a legal doctrine to protect law enforcement officers from having to face any consequences for wrongdoing,” Reeves wrote. “The doctrine is called ‘qualified immunity.’ In real life, it operates like absolute immunity.” However, he added, “[i]mmunity is not exoneration. And the harm in this case to one man sheds light on the harm done to the nation by this manufactured doctrine.”
Now, Reeves has made it his personal mission to abolish this tyrannical doctrine.
“[A]s people marching in the streets remind us today, some have always stood up to face our nation’s failings and remind us that ‘we cannot be patient,’” he wrote. “Through their efforts, we become ever more perfect.” Reeves cited Congressman John Lewis, who “stared down the racists of his era when he marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge.” He mentioned the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which abolished the doctrine of “separate but equal.” Reeves wrote, “The question of today is whether the Supreme Court will rise to the occasion and do the same with qualified immunity.”
Truthout explains that since qualified immunity is a court-made rule, the courts could abolish it. Although the Supreme Court declined to review the doctrine in the last term, the abolition of qualified immunity in Colorado state courts, together with Reeves’s comprehensive condemnation of it, may well lead the high court to reconsider the endurance of qualified immunity in its next term.
As TFTP has reported, when it comes to police accountability, one overarching question remains. ‘Do we want to live in a society whereby law enforcement officials can completely violate a person’s constitutional rights and get away with it?’ For our society to be free, the answer to that question must be a resounding, powerful, unwavering, ‘Hell No!’
Unfortunately, however, this is the case most of the time thanks to law enforcement personnel’s use and abuse of Qualified Immunity.
The Supreme Court created qualified immunity in 1982. With that novel invention, the court granted all government officials immunity for violating constitutional and civil rights unless the victims of those violations can show that the rights were “clearly established.”
As Anya Bidwell points out, although innocuous sounding, the clearly established test is a legal obstacle nearly impossible to overcome. It requires a victim to identify an earlier decision by the Supreme Court, or a federal appeals court in the same jurisdiction holding that precisely the same conduct under the same circumstances is illegal or unconstitutional. If none exists, the official is immune. Whether the official’s actions are unconstitutional, intentional or malicious is irrelevant to the test.
On top of the case above, another example of this would be the family of George Floyd attempting to seek compensation for his death. Because there has never been a “clearly established” case of a cop kneeling on a man’s neck until he dies being declared unconstitutional, a judge in Minnesota could easily dismiss their case.
It is essentially a get out of jail free card for cops and it perpetuates the problem of police violence by giving bad cops a free pass.
Steps like this in Mississippi are essential to reining in the terror of bad cops. This is why everyone needs to call their representatives and tell them to support the bill proposed by Libertarian Congressman Justin Amash (L-Michigan), H.R. 7085 which will end Qualified Immunity on a national level.
“Qualified immunity protects police and other officials from consequences even for horrific rights abuses,” said Amash. “It prevents accountability for the ‘bad apples’ and undermines the public’s faith in law enforcement. It’s at odds with the text of the law and the intent of Congress, and it ultimately leaves Americans’ rights without appropriate protection. Members of Congress have a duty to ensure government officials can be held accountable for violating Americans’ rights, and ending qualified immunity is a crucial part of that.”
If you are interested in the other paradigm-shifting solutions into quelling police brutality and Americans’ deprivation of rights, we propose five major solutions, including Qualified Immunity, that will have drastic changes. You can read that here.
Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist