thestream--2020-11-14--Here Are the Lessons We’ve Learned So Far from the 2020 Election

The last thing anyone wanted in 2020 was a complicated post-presidential election debacle .
Unfortunately , a combination of factors created a perfect storm for election chaos this year , and we are suffering in its aftermath .
Although the litigation , audits , and recounts are far from over , several lessons have emerged that , if implemented , could help avoid similar problems in future close races .
First , states should require all absentee ballots be due by the close of polls on Election Day .
( Not including military and overseas ballots , which are usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the cause of one of the biggest battles of the past few weeks , and litigation is likely to continue .
It is understandable to want to count every mail-in ballot by Election Day , but it is just not practical .
“ Elections must end sometime , a single deadline supplies clear notice , and requiring ballots be in by Election Day puts all voters on the same footing , ” stated Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in his concurring opinion to reject a trial court ruling that would have extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
Courts apply a balancing test to weigh the burden that a state places on electoral participation against a state ’ s need to run a fair and efficient election .
The Supreme Court has determined that if a burden to voting is not severe , the state may establish the necessary structure to run a smooth election .
Clear deadlines for returning ballots are not a severe burden on voters , and they are necessary to run a competent election .
As we have seen , the problem with allowing mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that it becomes very difficult to determine whether they were mailed before or after Election Day .
Many mail-in ballots never get postmarked by the U.S .
Postal Service , so you either have to throw away ballots without a postmark—which seems unfair , because the voter has no way to control whether USPS postmarks their ballot—or you have to take ballots without a postmark .
That is extremely dangerous , because even if no one puts their ballot in the mail after the election is over , just the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
If voters know that their ballot must arrive by Election Day , they can either mail it early , place it in an official drop box , or drop it off at a polling location .
Second , under Article II , Section 1 of the Constitution , only state legislatures have the authority to supervise presidential elections : “ Each State shall appoint , in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct , a Number of Electors … ” Thus , the making and modifying of election laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governors , election boards , and state or federal courts should not be making last-minute changes to state election statutes .
This year in many states , partisans have taken advantage of the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic to bypass state legislatures and make last-minute changes to state election rules .
Governors , secretaries of state , elections boards , and state supreme courts have all attempted to change the rules of the election , in clear contradiction of the Constitution .
Perhaps there are some emergency situations where it would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step in to slightly modify election rules—a power blackout , a hurricane , etc.—but a slow-burning pandemic , during which the state legislatures had months of notice and plenty of time to meet in order to modify election laws ( which many of them did ) , is not one of those situations .
These last-minute changes to election rules by nonauthorized actors have sown unnecessary confusion among voters and election administrators and spawned countless preventable lawsuits .
Finally , and perhaps most importantly , outdated voter rolls combined with mailing every registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disaster .
Nevada has illustrated perfectly in 2020 why many are so adamant about cleaning up voter rolls .
It is not to disenfranchise voters and remove eligible voters from the rolls .
It is absolutely to ensure that only eligible voters can cast a ballot .
Nevada ’ s state Legislature decided to send every registered voter a mail ballot—so did several other states .
But Nevada is a battleground state , and its voter rolls are notoriously outdated .
As a result , you have many reports of deceased voters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being sent mail ballots .
Some voters received multiple ballots .
Renters found previous tenants ’ ballots in their mailboxes .
Some of these ballots were allegedly filled out and returned .
This made Nevada ’ s process of verifying mail ballots much more difficult , and it greatly undermined the nation ’ s confidence in the process .
We do not yet know how many fraudulent ballots were cast , but even if the number is small , the damage to the country ’ s faith in the election system is extensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its election system since the fiasco that was the 2000 presidential election .
We do not have hanging chads anymore , voting systems have been modernized , and state laws have been updated .
Yet it is clearly nowhere near a perfect system .
All elections have problems , but it is only when the margins in important elections are razor-thin that the flaws in the system are so starkly exposed .
That is why every election administrator ’ s prayer is , “ Please , let it be a landslide !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lesson and work to make some simple , commonsense changes to avoid future postelection meltdowns in close races .

The last thing anyone wanted in 2020 was a complicated post-presidential election debacle. Unfortunately, a combination of factors created a perfect storm for election chaos this year, and we are suffering in its aftermath.
Although the litigation, audits, and recounts are far from over, several lessons have emerged that, if implemented, could help avoid similar problems in future close races.
First, states should require all absentee ballots be due by the close of polls on Election Day. (Not including military and overseas ballots, which are usually a small number.) This has been the cause of one of the biggest battles of the past few weeks, and litigation is likely to continue.
It is understandable to want to count every mail-in ballot by Election Day, but it is just not practical. “Elections must end sometime, a single deadline supplies clear notice, and requiring ballots be in by Election Day puts all voters on the same footing,” stated Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in his concurring opinion to reject a trial court ruling that would have extended Wisconsin’s deadline to receive absentee ballots.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Courts apply a balancing test to weigh the burden that a state places on electoral participation against a state’s need to run a fair and efficient election. The Supreme Court has determined that if a burden to voting is not severe, the state may establish the necessary structure to run a smooth election.
Mail-In Deadlines and Postmarks
Clear deadlines for returning ballots are not a severe burden on voters, and they are necessary to run a competent election.
As we have seen, the problem with allowing mail-in ballots to come in after Election Day is that it becomes very difficult to determine whether they were mailed before or after Election Day.
Many mail-in ballots never get postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, so you either have to throw away ballots without a postmark—which seems unfair, because the voter has no way to control whether USPS postmarks their ballot—or you have to take ballots without a postmark.
That is extremely dangerous, because even if no one puts their ballot in the mail after the election is over, just the fact that they could do so undermines confidence in the election.
If voters know that their ballot must arrive by Election Day, they can either mail it early, place it in an official drop box, or drop it off at a polling location.
Second, under Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, only state legislatures have the authority to supervise presidential elections: “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors … ”
Election Laws Are for Legislatures
Thus, the making and modifying of election laws should be left to state legislatures. Governors, election boards, and state or federal courts should not be making last-minute changes to state election statutes.
This year in many states, partisans have taken advantage of the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic to bypass state legislatures and make last-minute changes to state election rules. Governors, secretaries of state, elections boards, and state supreme courts have all attempted to change the rules of the election, in clear contradiction of the Constitution.
Perhaps there are some emergency situations where it would be appropriate for courts or a governor to step in to slightly modify election rules—a power blackout, a hurricane, etc.—but a slow-burning pandemic, during which the state legislatures had months of notice and plenty of time to meet in order to modify election laws (which many of them did), is not one of those situations.
These last-minute changes to election rules by nonauthorized actors have sown unnecessary confusion among voters and election administrators and spawned countless preventable lawsuits.
Voter Rolls Up To Date
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, outdated voter rolls combined with mailing every registered voter a ballot is a recipe for disaster. Nevada has illustrated perfectly in 2020 why many are so adamant about cleaning up voter rolls. It is not to disenfranchise voters and remove eligible voters from the rolls. It is absolutely to ensure that only eligible voters can cast a ballot.
Nevada’s state Legislature decided to send every registered voter a mail ballot—so did several other states. But Nevada is a battleground state, and its voter rolls are notoriously outdated.
As a result, you have many reports of deceased voters and voters who have moved out of state being sent mail ballots. Some voters received multiple ballots. Renters found previous tenants’ ballots in their mailboxes. Some of these ballots were allegedly filled out and returned.
This made Nevada’s process of verifying mail ballots much more difficult, and it greatly undermined the nation’s confidence in the process. We do not yet know how many fraudulent ballots were cast, but even if the number is small, the damage to the country’s faith in the election system is extensive.
Let’s Learn the Lessons
The United States has greatly improved its election system since the fiasco that was the 2000 presidential election. We do not have hanging chads anymore, voting systems have been modernized, and state laws have been updated. Yet it is clearly nowhere near a perfect system.
All elections have problems, but it is only when the margins in important elections are razor-thin that the flaws in the system are so starkly exposed. That is why every election administrator’s prayer is, “Please, let it be a landslide!”
States should use the 2020 election as a lesson and work to make some simple, commonsense changes to avoid future postelection meltdowns in close races.


thestream--2020-11-14--The Sin of Acedia — Spiritual Apathy — in the Age of Aquarius

“ When the moon is in the Seventh House , ” begins the 1968 the musical “ Hair , ” “ And Jupiter aligns with Mars / Then peace will guide the planets / And love will steer the stars .
/ This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius !
” The Age of Aquarius will result in : Harmony and understanding Sympathy and trust abounding No more falsehoods or derisions Golden living dreams of visions Mystic crystal revelation And the mind ’ s true liberation .
As The Times ( UK ) noted , this song “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor for the youth-led cultural revolution where members touted a new age of peace , love and light beyond the then-current Age of Pisces.
” Meanwhile the non-astrological Christian world also felt a changing vibe .
Christian apologist and cultural critic , Francis Schaeffer had been introducing world-weary secularists to Christ at L ’ Abri in Switzerland since the mid-1950s .
In 1968 he went viral , publishing The God Who is There and Escape from Reason that year and Death in the City the following .
C. S. Lewis ’ Christian books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By the late ’ 60s it seemed as though Billy Graham was on television every night .
By 1976 Newsweek magazine proclaimed “ The Year of the Evangelical.
” The Gift of The Holy Spirit On the other side of the Tiber , Fulton Sheen was a sort of Catholic Graham .
The Second Vatican Council , despite its disruptive results , exuded a confidence that because of the Church ’ s updated witness , “ men throughout the world will be aroused to a lively hope — the gift of the Holy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will be caught up in peace and utter happiness in that fatherland radiant with the glory of the Lord ” ( Gaudium et Spes , 93 ) .
At the same time , the power of the charismatic movement — despite its defects — worked wonders on both Catholics and Protestants .
As a result , many people , particularly among the young , came to serious faith in Christ in the late ’ 60s and early ’ 70s .
I was one of them , and we were going to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems the whole culture — secular and religious — was going to either “ Let the sunshine in ” or “ Let the Son shine in.
” One way or the other , a new age had begun .
Except that it didn ’ t .
Today in the world and in the Church , harmony , understanding , sympathy and trust are in short supply .
Falsehoods and derisions define our public discourse .
“ Golden living dreams of visions ” and “ mystic crystal revelations ” have given way to dull @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our noisy contemporary protesters are not intent on ushering a new era of love and peace .
Their goal is destruction .
As William Butler Yeats wrote : One is tempted to say , “ We suffer from … , ” but let ’ s be more honest .
Our culture inside and outside the Church freely indulges in a sin called acedia .
One of the seven deadly sins , acedia is typically translated “ sloth.
” That implies simple laziness , making it a terrible translation .
Acedia is spiritual apathy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gift , the refusal to rise to our greatness as ones made in God ’ s image and adopted as His sons and daughters .
It ’ s the sin of not facing the world squarely , honestly , courageously and with love .
It finds its expression in turning away from the opportunities God gives us for growth , service and sacrifice to nostalgia , fantasy , amusement , entertainment and change , change and more change to distract us from what we know for certain : something is very wrong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; but in hell it is called despair .
It is the accomplice of the other sins and their worst punishment .
It is the sin that believes in nothing , cares for nothing , seeks to know nothing , interferes with nothing , enjoys nothing , loves nothing , hates nothing , finds purpose in nothing , lives for nothing and remains alive only because there is nothing it would die for .
We have known it far too well for many years .
The only thing perhaps that we have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mortal sin .
Given all that , it ’ s clear that acedia has no easy cure , but in his book The Noonday Devil : Acedia , the Unnamed Evil of Our Times , Fr .
Jean-Charles Nault suggests a simple beginning .
( N.B .
“ Simple ” and “ easy ” are not synonyms .
A golf swing is simple .
It is also excruciatingly difficult . )
Citing the Samaritan woman in John 4 as a case study in acedia , Nault notes , “ from acedia is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that encounter , conversion is born ; from conversion is born evangelization.
” Caring about salvation — our own and our neighbor ’ s — can bring us to repentance .
“ If whole sectors of our Christian civilization seem to be falling , ” he concludes , “ it is because it is time to get to work and to facilitate the action of the Holy Spirit , the Spirit of truth and charity , so as to touch hearts and accomplish his work.
” “ But the world is a mess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough .
What ’ s your point ?
The world has always been a mess and Jesus has always been unwelcome .
So what ?
It ’ s time to repent of our acedia , get off the mark , and “ Let the Son shine in.
” Dr. James Tonkowich , a senior contributor to The Stream , is a freelance writer , speaker and commentator on spirituality , religion and public life .
He is the author of The Liberty Threat : The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Good Life After Mid-Life .
Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college ’ s weekly podcast , “ The After Dinner Scholar .
”

“When the moon is in the Seventh House,” begins the 1968 the musical “Hair,” “And Jupiter aligns with Mars / Then peace will guide the planets / And love will steer the stars. / This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius!”
The Age of Aquarius will result in:
Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind’s true liberation.
An Age-of-Aquarius Vibe
As The Times (UK) noted, this song “became a rallying cry and badge of honor for the youth-led cultural revolution where members touted a new age of peace, love and light beyond the then-current Age of Pisces.”
Meanwhile the non-astrological Christian world also felt a changing vibe.
Christian apologist and cultural critic, Francis Schaeffer had been introducing world-weary secularists to Christ at L’Abri in Switzerland since the mid-1950s. In 1968 he went viral, publishing The God Who is There and Escape from Reason that year and Death in the City the following.
C. S. Lewis’ Christian books continued their remarkable growth in popularity. By the late ’60s it seemed as though Billy Graham was on television every night. By 1976 Newsweek magazine proclaimed “The Year of the Evangelical.”
The Gift of The Holy Spirit
On the other side of the Tiber, Fulton Sheen was a sort of Catholic Graham. The Second Vatican Council, despite its disruptive results, exuded a confidence that because of the Church’s updated witness, “men throughout the world will be aroused to a lively hope — the gift of the Holy Spirit — that some day at last they will be caught up in peace and utter happiness in that fatherland radiant with the glory of the Lord” (Gaudium et Spes, 93).
At the same time, the power of the charismatic movement — despite its defects — worked wonders on both Catholics and Protestants.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
As a result, many people, particularly among the young, came to serious faith in Christ in the late ’60s and early ’70s. I was one of them, and we were going to bring the whole world to Christ.
It seems the whole culture — secular and religious — was going to either “Let the sunshine in” or “Let the Son shine in.” One way or the other, a new age had begun.
Except that it didn’t.
The Sin of Acedia
Today in the world and in the Church, harmony, understanding, sympathy and trust are in short supply. Falsehoods and derisions define our public discourse. “Golden living dreams of visions” and “mystic crystal revelations” have given way to dull dead nightmares and mind-numbing electronic nihilism.
Our noisy contemporary protesters are not intent on ushering a new era of love and peace. Their goal is destruction. As William Butler Yeats wrote:
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
One is tempted to say, “We suffer from …,” but let’s be more honest. Our culture inside and outside the Church freely indulges in a sin called acedia.
One of the seven deadly sins, acedia is typically translated “sloth.” That implies simple laziness, making it a terrible translation.
Acedia is spiritual apathy, lack of excitement about life as gift, the refusal to rise to our greatness as ones made in God’s image and adopted as His sons and daughters. It’s the sin of not facing the world squarely, honestly, courageously and with love. It finds its expression in turning away from the opportunities God gives us for growth, service and sacrifice to nostalgia, fantasy, amusement, entertainment and change, change and more change to distract us from what we know for certain: something is very wrong.
Dorothy Sayers defined acedia:
In the world it calls itself tolerance; but in hell it is called despair. It is the accomplice of the other sins and their worst punishment. It is the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, loves nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing and remains alive only because there is nothing it would die for. We have known it far too well for many years. The only thing perhaps that we have not known about it is that it is a mortal sin.
No Easy Cure — But A “Simple” Beginning
Given all that, it’s clear that acedia has no easy cure, but in his book The Noonday Devil: Acedia, the Unnamed Evil of Our Times, Fr. Jean-Charles Nault suggests a simple beginning. (N.B. “Simple” and “easy” are not synonyms. A golf swing is simple. It is also excruciatingly difficult.)
Citing the Samaritan woman in John 4 as a case study in acedia, Nault notes, “from acedia is born the encounter with Christ; from that encounter, conversion is born; from conversion is born evangelization.”
Caring about salvation — our own and our neighbor’s — can bring us to repentance. “If whole sectors of our Christian civilization seem to be falling,” he concludes, “it is because it is time to get to work and to facilitate the action of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and charity, so as to touch hearts and accomplish his work.”
“But the world is a mess and people are downright anti-Christian.” True enough. What’s your point? The world has always been a mess and Jesus has always been unwelcome. So what?
It’s time to repent of our acedia, get off the mark, and “Let the Son shine in.”
Dr. James Tonkowich, a senior contributor to The Stream, is a freelance writer, speaker and commentator on spirituality, religion and public life. He is the author of The Liberty Threat: The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears, Grapes, and Dates: A Good Life After Mid-Life. Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college’s weekly podcast, “The After Dinner Scholar.”


thestream--2020-11-15--Like Cruel Scientists Who Torture Dogs, the Democrats Want to Teach Us Learned Helplessness

One of the most heartbreaking phrases in the English language is “ learned helplessness.
” Here ’ s how Psychology Today explains it : Learned helplessness occurs when an individual continuously faces a negative , uncontrollable situation and stops trying to change their circumstances , even when they have the ability to do so .
The term was coined in 1967 by the American psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier .
The pair was conducting research on animal behavior that involved delivering electric shocks to dogs .
Dogs who learned that they couldn ’ t escape the shock stopped trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became possible to avoid the shock by jumping over a barrier .
I almost had to stop reading at that point .
As someone who rescues dogs , I ’ m all too familiar with the PTSD an abused dog displays .
You reach to pet them and they flinch .
They ’ re used to getting smacked .
You try to housetrain them , and they don ’ t learn .
Because nobody ever walked them — just left them all alone in a small concrete yard with some bowls of cheap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current rescues , Finnegan and Rayne , arrived four years ago .
They had raw , red furless necks from shock collars .
And six different parasites that took 43 days of deworming and pricey , weekly fecal tests to treat .
( They ’ d never been to the vet , or gotten heartworm medication . )
They had chronic diarrhea that lasted for months .
As year-old twins , they looked beaten-down and shabby , even elderly at first .
The worst part ?
They wouldn ’ t bark , yelp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first several days .
( Any beagle owner will realize how hideously unnatural that is . )
They ’ d learned that any sound at all would yield an excruciating shock .
So they raced around playing like silent Ninja dogs .
I ’ ll never forget the moment when Rayne couldn ’ t help herself , and let out a howl .
It took her a moment to process the new normal : She could speak , and not be shocked .
So she did it again , and again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined in .
Soon they were singing up a storm , and they haven ’ t quieted down since .
( I have an eviction notice to prove it . )
Remembering that moment , my eyes always tear up with joy .
My beagles were young enough and resilient enough that they could bounce back from their abuse .
They made a full recovery , and four years later , they look much younger than they did when I got them as one-year-olds .
I ’ ve encountered rescues who couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where learned helplessness really had taken root .
It broke my heart .
It ’ s equally sad when human beings display learned helplessness .
Battered wives who go on to find new abusive men .
Children of alcoholics who wed , and try to “ fix , ” other addicts .
Children of compulsive gamblers , who end up getting milked by money-hungry sociopaths .
( Guilty as charged ! )
Most darkly , boys who get sexually abused by authority figures , and go on to abuse young people in turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil , the bloody footprints of original sin itself .
And this , my friends , is what the Democrats and NeverTrump GOP elites are hoping for from President Trump ’ s supporters .
It ’ s what they are demanding from us , in fact .
They ’ re wielding threats of blacklists , “ truth and reconciliation ” committees , and permanent exclusion from decent society .
As if that still existed anymore , in the wake of the past four years .
These are the same people who told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Thomas Jefferson , Ulysses S. Grant , Christopher Columbus and Frederick Douglass got torn down and defaced in our cities ’ public squares .
Now they accuse us of not being “ civic-minded , ” of promoting “ national unity , ” this after they claimed that our nation was founded specifically to protect slavery from the great emancipator , King George III .
That crackpot conspiracy theory , the 1619 Project ( or “ The Protocols of the Elders of Jamestown ” ) is now being taught at schools in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeat myself , but point you to a column from last week that listed the dozens of ways in which Democrats and NeverTrump Republicans treated the presidency as their urinal , from the fake claims of Russian voter fraud to legal persecutions of good men like General Mike Flynn .
Please go read it , in case you forgot : this is the party of Julie Swetnik ’ s fake rape gang , Jussie Smollet ’ s phony lynching , and Andrew Cuomo ’ s euthanasia by COVID of helpless nursing home patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riots in the streets .
Now the people who pimped the “ Pee Tape ” dossier to the FBI demand that we impersonate sad little cartoons from a 1940s civics textbook .
What a cruel , sick joke — the kind you play if learned helplessness for your fellow citizens is your end game .
If it ’ s not a bug in your Utopia , but a feature .
Really , my friends , step back from all the details and even your emotions for a moment , and try to conceive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a entirely new way .
Think of it as a vast social experiment , conducted by elites .
The goal ?
To see if they can induce in the rest of the population the same learned helplessness as those poor , shocked dogs in Dr. Seligman ’ s lab .
To use the virus as the pretext for a Great Reset , stripping citizens throughout the West of their traditional liberties , especially private property rights .
Why else impose on us useless lockdowns , despite the plummeting number of virus deaths ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ found online , comparing techniques used in North Korean prison camps to “ break ” American POWs , with elites ’ repression of citizens under the pretext of COVID .
The left demands of us the same graceful surrender Richard Nixon made to vote fraud in 1960 .
As if the rules of the game were , “ We ’ re Democrats , so we get to cheat .
It ’ s your job to catch us , and prove it , or else we win , fair and square !
” As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stakes now are utterly different than they were back then .
The fiercely anti-Communist moderate Democrat John F. Kennedy didn ’ t represent a party that denied biological sex .
Or demanded legal infanticide .
Or wanted to persecute Catholic nuns who wouldn ’ t hand out abortion pills .
The Democrats in 1960 didn ’ t dream of opening the borders , giving Medicaid to illegal aliens , abolishing the Electoral College , or packing the Supreme Court with enemies of the Constitution itself .
This isn ’ t so much a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , and starting from scratch .
Like ice-hearted scientists in starched white lab coats , Dems and their GOP stooges repeat the cruel experiment , over and over again .
They ’ re waiting to see us stop twitching , stop even flinching .
They ’ re waiting to see our eyes turn cold and dead , like used-up dogs in the lab , ready for lethal injections and the incinerator .
Let ’ s give them a shock this time .
Let ’ s bite off the hand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

One of the most heartbreaking phrases in the English language is “learned helplessness.” Here’s how Psychology Today explains it:
Learned helplessness occurs when an individual continuously faces a negative, uncontrollable situation and stops trying to change their circumstances, even when they have the ability to do so. … The term was coined in 1967 by the American psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier. The pair was conducting research on animal behavior that involved delivering electric shocks to dogs. Dogs who learned that they couldn’t escape the shock stopped trying in subsequent experiments, even when it became possible to avoid the shock by jumping over a barrier.
I almost had to stop reading at that point. As someone who rescues dogs, I’m all too familiar with the PTSD an abused dog displays. You reach to pet them and they flinch. They’re used to getting smacked. You try to housetrain them, and they don’t learn. Because nobody ever walked them — just left them all alone in a small concrete yard with some bowls of cheap kibble and stagnant water.
Rescuing Dogs with PTSD from Abuse
My two current rescues, Finnegan and Rayne, arrived four years ago. They had raw, red furless necks from shock collars. And six different parasites that took 43 days of deworming and pricey, weekly fecal tests to treat. (They’d never been to the vet, or gotten heartworm medication.) They had chronic diarrhea that lasted for months. As year-old twins, they looked beaten-down and shabby, even elderly at first.
The worst part? They wouldn’t bark, yelp, or make any noise at all for the first several days. (Any beagle owner will realize how hideously unnatural that is.)
They’d learned that any sound at all would yield an excruciating shock. So they raced around playing like silent Ninja dogs. I’ll never forget the moment when Rayne couldn’t help herself, and let out a howl. It took her a moment to process the new normal: She could speak, and not be shocked. So she did it again, and again. Her brother, Finnegan, cautiously joined in. Soon they were singing up a storm, and they haven’t quieted down since. (I have an eviction notice to prove it.) Remembering that moment, my eyes always tear up with joy.
My beagles were young enough and resilient enough that they could bounce back from their abuse. They made a full recovery, and four years later, they look much younger than they did when I got them as one-year-olds.
I’ve encountered rescues who couldn’t unlearn the old bad lessons, where learned helplessness really had taken root. It broke my heart.
It’s equally sad when human beings display learned helplessness. Battered wives who go on to find new abusive men. Children of alcoholics who wed, and try to “fix,” other addicts. Children of compulsive gamblers, who end up getting milked by money-hungry sociopaths. (Guilty as charged!) Most darkly, boys who get sexually abused by authority figures, and go on to abuse young people in turn. We see, in such cyclical evil, the bloody footprints of original sin itself.
They Seek a Defeated People
Again, from Psychology Today:
In the real world, learned helplessness can emerge from and contribute to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. During a depressive episode, for instance, someone may believe that nothing will end their suffering, so they stop seeking help completely. The concept may also manifest in educational settings, when children feel they cannot perform well and therefore stop trying to improve. The experience is characterized by three main features: a passive response to trauma, not believing that trauma can be controlled, and stress.
And this, my friends, is what the Democrats and NeverTrump GOP elites are hoping for from President Trump’s supporters. It’s what they are demanding from us, in fact. They’re wielding threats of blacklists, “truth and reconciliation” committees, and permanent exclusion from decent society. As if that still existed anymore, in the wake of the past four years.
The Rioters Turn Into Civic Teachers
These are the same people who told the police to stand by while George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ulysses S. Grant, Christopher Columbus and Frederick Douglass got torn down and defaced in our cities’ public squares. Now they accuse us of not being “civic-minded,” of harming “national unity,” this after they claimed that our nation was founded specifically to protect slavery from the great emancipator, King George III. That crackpot conspiracy theory, the 1619 Project (or “The Protocols of the Elders of Jamestown”) is now being taught at schools in two dozen states.
Like ice-hearted scientists in starched white lab coats, Dems and their GOP stooges repeat the cruel experiment, over and over again.
I won’t repeat myself, but point you to a column from last week that listed the dozens of ways in which Democrats and NeverTrump Republicans treated the presidency as their urinal, from the fake claims of Russian voter fraud to legal persecutions of good men like General Mike Flynn. Please go read it, in case you forgot: this is the party of Julie Swetnik’s fake rape gang, Jussie Smollet’s phony lynching, and Andrew Cuomo’s euthanasia by COVID of helpless nursing home patients. Of locked down churches, and riots in the streets. Now the people who pimped the “Pee Tape” dossier to the FBI demand that we impersonate sad little cartoons from a 1940s civics textbook.
What a cruel, sick joke — the kind you play if learned helplessness for your fellow citizens is your end game. If it’s not a bug in your Utopia, but a feature.
A Vast Social Experiment
Really, my friends, step back from all the details and even your emotions for a moment, and try to conceive the past four years in politics in a entirely new way. Think of it as a vast social experiment, conducted by elites. The goal? To see if they can induce in the rest of the population the same learned helplessness as those poor, shocked dogs in Dr. Seligman’s lab. To use the virus as the pretext for a Great Reset, stripping citizens throughout the West of their traditional liberties, especially private property rights. Why else impose on us useless lockdowns, despite the plummeting number of virus deaths?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Please check out the enlightening chart I found online, comparing techniques used in North Korean prison camps to “break” American POWs, with elites’ repression of citizens under the pretext of COVID.
The left demands of us the same graceful surrender Richard Nixon made to vote fraud in 1960. As if the rules of the game were, “We’re Democrats, so we get to cheat. It’s your job to catch us, and prove it, or else we win, fair and square!” As the brilliant Paul Gottfried observed, the stakes now are utterly different than they were back then. The fiercely anti-Communist moderate Democrat John F. Kennedy didn’t represent a party that denied biological sex. Or demanded legal infanticide. Or wanted to persecute Catholic nuns who wouldn’t hand out abortion pills.
A Referendum on Abolishing America
The Democrats in 1960 didn’t dream of opening the borders, giving Medicaid to illegal aliens, abolishing the Electoral College, or packing the Supreme Court with enemies of the Constitution itself. This isn’t so much a presidential election as a referendum on abolishing the United States, and starting from scratch.
Like ice-hearted scientists in starched white lab coats, Dems and their GOP stooges repeat the cruel experiment, over and over again. They’re waiting to see us stop twitching, stop even flinching. They’re waiting to see our eyes turn cold and dead, like used-up dogs in the lab, ready for lethal injections and the incinerator.
Let’s give them a shock this time. Let’s bite off the hand that abused us.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-11-17--The Trump Administration’s Laudable ‘Tough on China’ Legacy

Even as chaos and litigation over the presidential election persist , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not skipped a beat in his effort to counter the Chinese government and its human rights abuses .
The Trump administration has taken a multiagency , whole-of-government approach to addressing China ’ s growing ideological , economic , and military challenges to the free world .
Though the current momentum might dissipate under a Biden administration — for now , Pompeo presses on to secure the administration ’ s “ tough on China ” legacy .
The days since the election have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s focus on China , to the vexation of Chinese officials .
On Nov. 9 , the State Department sanctioned four Chinese officials for their role in enforcing China ’ s new national security law for Hong Kong , blocking their assets and banning them from the United States .
Widely criticized upon its passage in June , the new law seeks to address “ national security ” concerns , which Chinese authorities interpret to be any form of dissent .
In typical fashion , a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China ’ s internal affairs .
The Trump administration has been critical of the Chinese government ’ s encroachment into Hong Kong , lamenting the stifling of the prosperous city under China ’ s authoritarian grasp and the end of all reasonable expectations for basic freedoms there .
The new sanctions followed the removal of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement ( ETIM ) from the State Department ’ s list of recognized terrorist organizations on Nov. 5 .
It was a commonsense move , because , as a State Department official said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there has been no credible evidence that ETIM continues to exist.
” The acknowledgement that this essentially defunct group poses no international terrorism threat delegitimizes Beijing ’ s insistence that its brutal crackdown on Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region is really “ counterterrorism ” measures .
Those actions are merely the latest in concerted efforts across U.S. agencies to hold China accountable for its violations of religious freedom and human rights .
The Treasury Department used perhaps the most powerful tool on the U.S. government ’ s tool belt for human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Magnitsky sanctions on several Chinese government officials and on a paramilitary organization in connection with their human rights abuses against the Uighur minority .
Global Magnitsky sanctions have a high evidentiary standard and rarely have been employed over violations of religious freedom , making this a bold move by the administration .
Meanwhile , dozens of Chinese companies remain on the Commerce Department ’ s blacklist for their contribution to China ’ s high-tech surveillance , forced labor , and mass arbitrary detention of Uighurs .
Some of the blacklisted artificial intelligence companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to surveil , intimidate , and control Uighurs in Xinjiang .
Listed entities are prohibited from access to U.S. technology without special government approval .
For its part , the Department of Homeland Security vigilantly has issued Withhold Release Orders on products imported from China suspected to be made with forced labor from Uighur detainees .
In July , Customs and Border Protection agents seized a 13-ton shipment of hairpieces thought to be valued at about $ 800,000 .
The use of Withhold Release Orders is critical to preventing the Chinese government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced labor of religious and ethnic minorities .
The wide-ranging approach from various federal agencies has proven highly effective at exactly what Chinese spokesmen accuse the U.S. of ; namely , “ interfering ” in the Chinese government ’ s violations of its people ’ s human rights .
By highlighting China ’ s atrocities on the world stage , the U.S. shamed Chinese leaders for their bad behavior .
And by targeting China ’ s ability to export products made with forced labor , profiting from human rights violations in Xinjiang will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials have routinely frustrated the Chinese government in its campaign of suppression against dissidents and religious believers .
For that , Pompeo and the others should be commended .
The Trump administration ’ s legacy of stalwart human rights advocacy for the Chinese people is unprecedented .
On human rights issues , a Biden administration would have a lot to live up to , should it be bold enough to try .
For the sake of those living within China ’ s borders , U.S. leaders ought to continue to use every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human rights until all in China live free from oppression .
Arielle Del Turco is assistant director of the Family Research Council ’ s Center for Religious Liberty .

Even as chaos and litigation over the presidential election persist, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not skipped a beat in his effort to counter the Chinese government and its human rights abuses.
The Trump administration has taken a multiagency, whole-of-government approach to addressing China’s growing ideological, economic, and military challenges to the free world.
Though the current momentum might dissipate under a Biden administration — for now, Pompeo presses on to secure the administration’s “tough on China” legacy.
The days since the election have not seen a slowing of the administration’s focus on China, to the vexation of Chinese officials.
On Nov. 9, the State Department sanctioned four Chinese officials for their role in enforcing China’s new national security law for Hong Kong, blocking their assets and banning them from the United States.
Widely criticized upon its passage in June, the new law seeks to address “national security” concerns, which Chinese authorities interpret to be any form of dissent.
In typical fashion, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the sanctions an attempt to “grossly interfere” in China’s internal affairs.
The Trump administration has been critical of the Chinese government’s encroachment into Hong Kong, lamenting the stifling of the prosperous city under China’s authoritarian grasp and the end of all reasonable expectations for basic freedoms there.
The new sanctions followed the removal of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) from the State Department’s list of recognized terrorist organizations on Nov. 5.
It was a commonsense move, because, as a State Department official said, “for more than a decade, there has been no credible evidence that ETIM continues to exist.”
The acknowledgement that this essentially defunct group poses no international terrorism threat delegitimizes Beijing’s insistence that its brutal crackdown on Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region is really “counterterrorism” measures.
Those actions are merely the latest in concerted efforts across U.S. agencies to hold China accountable for its violations of religious freedom and human rights.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The Treasury Department used perhaps the most powerful tool on the U.S. government’s tool belt for human rights this summer when it placed Global Magnitsky sanctions on several Chinese government officials and on a paramilitary organization in connection with their human rights abuses against the Uighur minority.
Global Magnitsky sanctions have a high evidentiary standard and rarely have been employed over violations of religious freedom, making this a bold move by the administration.
Meanwhile, dozens of Chinese companies remain on the Commerce Department’s blacklist for their contribution to China’s high-tech surveillance, forced labor, and mass arbitrary detention of Uighurs.
Some of the blacklisted artificial intelligence companies are responsible for the invasive facial-recognition technology used to surveil, intimidate, and control Uighurs in Xinjiang.
Listed entities are prohibited from access to U.S. technology without special government approval.
For its part, the Department of Homeland Security vigilantly has issued Withhold Release Orders on products imported from China suspected to be made with forced labor from Uighur detainees. In July, Customs and Border Protection agents seized a 13-ton shipment of hairpieces thought to be valued at about $800,000.
The use of Withhold Release Orders is critical to preventing the Chinese government from profiting off of its system of forced labor of religious and ethnic minorities.
The wide-ranging approach from various federal agencies has proven highly effective at exactly what Chinese spokesmen accuse the U.S. of; namely, “interfering” in the Chinese government’s violations of its people’s human rights.
By highlighting China’s atrocities on the world stage, the U.S. shamed Chinese leaders for their bad behavior. And by targeting China’s ability to export products made with forced labor, profiting from human rights violations in Xinjiang will become more difficult.
Pompeo and other administration officials have routinely frustrated the Chinese government in its campaign of suppression against dissidents and religious believers.
For that, Pompeo and the others should be commended.
The Trump administration’s legacy of stalwart human rights advocacy for the Chinese people is unprecedented. On human rights issues, a Biden administration would have a lot to live up to, should it be bold enough to try.
For the sake of those living within China’s borders, U.S. leaders ought to continue to use every feasible tool to promote religious freedom and human rights until all in China live free from oppression.
Arielle Del Turco is assistant director of the Family Research Council’s Center for Religious Liberty.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-11-16--President Trump Must Avoid a Frenzied Retreat From Syria That Would Get Christians Massacred

As President Trump battles to prove his allegations of election fraud , he is also struggling with internal resistance to his authority over the military .
Trump wants to complete the U.S. pullout from the 20-year quagmire in Afghanistan .
But his own subordinates are defying him .
Is the same thing happening in Syria ?
Or are allies and paid representatives of the Islamist regime in Turkey muddying the waters ?
The Stream ’ s John Zmirak interviewed regional expert and advocate for religious freedom Johannes de Jong to get the real story .
John Zmirak : As President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe was stolen , he ’ s also making some long-delayed foreign policy moves .
It appears he will pull most U.S. troops out of the failed war in Afghanistan — as most of his supporters want .
You ’ ve warned us that from the same impulse , he might pull U.S. advisors out of Syria .
What would that do to the region ?
Johannes de Jong : It would be a total disaster for the Christians .
Turkey would immediately attack that region and destroy all Christian communities there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened every time that Turkey invaded parts of Syria , such as Afrin .
Pictures of burning churches would hurt President Trump enormously at this very moment .
So everyone would lose .
Why would President Trump hurt himself and the people there by doing that ?
This situation is desperately urgent .
Turkey is prepared to attack immediately .
Cutting and running now would destroy all President Trump has achieved in terms of defeating ISIS .
Those terrorists are now trying again to make a comeback .
Both Turkey and the Assad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the region .
Only the Syrian Democratic Forces are blocking ISIS .
To maintain that , it is essential that a small U.S. force stays there for the time being .
Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory How are the two conflicts , in Syria and Afghanistan , different ?
Two words : success and failure .
My friends who have a real and immediate knowledge of Afghanistan make it very clear .
The U.S. presence there is a failure and delivers nothing .
There is no community in Afghanistan that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in peril .
So why the U.S. is still in Afghanistan is unclear .
In North-East Syria , American policy is successful .
There is a great partner there , the Syrian Democratic Forces .
They only need a small U.S. presence .
That blocks ISIS from coming back , protects the oil , and keeps the Christian community there safe .
Unlike Afghanistan , the people in North-East Syria love the U.S. forces .
That is why it makes sense to keep this small force there .
Small costs , big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leave Afghanistan .
But it only hurts President Trump and his legacy to leave North-East Syria .
The Deep State ’ s Still Trying to “ Play ” the President A lot of us have read that Trump is angry that his previous Syria draw-down order was circumvented .
That he is outraged at “ insubordination ” in the military and the State Department .
Is this true , or fake news ?
If it ’ s fake , who ’ s spreading it ?
James Jeffrey , the former U.S. State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story just before he left .
Why ?
It is extremely clear that Jeffrey favors Turkey and hates the U.S. presence in North-East Syria .
He has made it time and again clear to everyone that he is pro-Turkey .
So this is the story that Jeffrey sold to President Trump in order to help Turkey , and harm the people of North-East Syria who stood in the way of Jeffrey ’ s warped views .
Jeffrey wanted the U.S. to support the so-called “ rebels , ” who are nothing less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted the U.S. to deploy Patriot missiles to protect these jihadists in Idlib .
( I kid you not ) .
Jeffrey wanted to bring back the Obama policy .
He is very angry that Christians in the U.S. stood up to protect the churches and people of North-East Syria .
If it is true that President Trump is angry , he should know that it is Jeffrey who ’ s trying to “ play ” him .
The reality is simple .
North-East Syria needs just a small number of American forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some back and forth with rotation and supplies , but that is normal military logistics .
Jeffrey manipulated the troop presence in favor of Turkey and against the people of North-East Syria .
Why ?
Simply because he did not get his way on Syria policy .
President Trump should ignore him .
He should stick with a policy that has succeeded for him , and for the people of North-East Syria .
Abandoning Syrian Christians Would Unite Lindsey and Franklin Graham Against Trump If Turkish-backed al Qaeda forces started a massacre of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s Christian political base lose heart , even rebel — when he needs them most ?
Well , in October 2019 we saw what happened .
Erdogan blatantly ignored Trump and attacked North-East Syria .
A lot of Christians and Christian leaders raised urgent questions to President Trump and protested against what was happening .
Then he took action to stop Erdogan .
I would think that President Trump can easily avoid such trouble now by simply not leaving North-East Syria .
If he brings the troops home from Afghanistan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris has promised the Turkish-backed al Qaeda “ rebels ” that the U.S. will support them taking power over the whole of Syria .
This old neocon plan was popular among establishment Republicans , too , such as John McCain .
What would be the result , on the ground , if this happened ?
A disaster for the U.S. and for the Christians of Syria .
Would we see another cleansing of Syrian Christians , like the catastrophe suffered by Iraqi Christians under Bush and Obama ?
And in Afrin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that region ?
Absolutely .
As I said , we have seen this happening all over until that failed policy ended .
That is the policy that James Jeffrey wanted to repeat .
If Trump wins a second term when all legal votes have been counted , what would you advise him to do to protect religious freedom in the region ?
You know what ?
Here is the interesting thing .
He should just stick with the current policy , which is working .
Perhaps leave fewer forces in Iraq , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will play out very well as both Iran and Turkey will ultimately fail .
The less you tinker with an effective policy , the more you win .
President Trump is the first Western leader who won in Syria .
Keeping a small U.S. force in place will make sure that he stays a winner .
Johannes de Jong is director of the Christian Political Foundation for Europe .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

As President Trump battles to prove his allegations of election fraud, he is also struggling with internal resistance to his authority over the military. Trump wants to complete the U.S. pullout from the 20-year quagmire in Afghanistan. But his own subordinates are defying him. Is the same thing happening in Syria? Or are allies and paid representatives of the Islamist regime in Turkey muddying the waters? The Stream’s John Zmirak interviewed regional expert and advocate for religious freedom Johannes de Jong to get the real story.
John Zmirak: As President Trump battles an election millions of Americans believe was stolen, he’s also making some long-delayed foreign policy moves. It appears he will pull most U.S. troops out of the failed war in Afghanistan — as most of his supporters want. You’ve warned us that from the same impulse, he might pull U.S. advisors out of Syria. What would that do to the region?
Johannes de Jong: It would be a total disaster for the Christians. Turkey would immediately attack that region and destroy all Christian communities there. We know that for sure. It happened every time that Turkey invaded parts of Syria, such as Afrin. Pictures of burning churches would hurt President Trump enormously at this very moment. So everyone would lose. Why would President Trump hurt himself and the people there by doing that? This situation is desperately urgent. Turkey is prepared to attack immediately.
Cutting and running now would destroy all President Trump has achieved in terms of defeating ISIS. Those terrorists are now trying again to make a comeback. Both Turkey and the Assad regime have given it a free pass in the region. Only the Syrian Democratic Forces are blocking ISIS. To maintain that, it is essential that a small U.S. force stays there for the time being.
Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
How are the two conflicts, in Syria and Afghanistan, different?
Two words: success and failure. My friends who have a real and immediate knowledge of Afghanistan make it very clear. The U.S. presence there is a failure and delivers nothing. There is no community in Afghanistan that wants American protection, and no Christians are in peril. So why the U.S. is still in Afghanistan is unclear.
In North-East Syria, American policy is successful. There is a great partner there, the Syrian Democratic Forces. They only need a small U.S. presence. That blocks ISIS from coming back, protects the oil, and keeps the Christian community there safe. Unlike Afghanistan, the people in North-East Syria love the U.S. forces. That is why it makes sense to keep this small force there. Small costs, big gain.
So it would make sense to leave Afghanistan. But it only hurts President Trump and his legacy to leave North-East Syria.
The Deep State’s Still Trying to “Play” the President
A lot of us have read that Trump is angry that his previous Syria draw-down order was circumvented. That he is outraged at “insubordination” in the military and the State Department. Is this true, or fake news? If it’s fake, who’s spreading it?
James Jeffrey, the former U.S. State Department envoy for Syria spread that bogus story just before he left. Why? It is extremely clear that Jeffrey favors Turkey and hates the U.S. presence in North-East Syria. He has made it time and again clear to everyone that he is pro-Turkey.
President Trump is the first Western leader who won in Syria. Keeping a small U.S. force in place will make sure that he stays a winner.
So this is the story that Jeffrey sold to President Trump in order to help Turkey, and harm the people of North-East Syria who stood in the way of Jeffrey’s warped views. Jeffrey wanted the U.S. to support the so-called “rebels,” who are nothing less than Turkish-backed jihadists.
In February, Jeffrey wanted the U.S. to deploy Patriot missiles to protect these jihadists in Idlib. (I kid you not). Jeffrey wanted to bring back the Obama policy. He is very angry that Christians in the U.S. stood up to protect the churches and people of North-East Syria. If it is true that President Trump is angry, he should know that it is Jeffrey who’s trying to “play” him.
The reality is simple. North-East Syria needs just a small number of American forces at any given moment. There is some back and forth with rotation and supplies, but that is normal military logistics. Jeffrey manipulated the troop presence in favor of Turkey and against the people of North-East Syria. Why? Simply because he did not get his way on Syria policy. President Trump should ignore him. He should stick with a policy that has succeeded for him, and for the people of North-East Syria.
Abandoning Syrian Christians Would Unite Lindsey and Franklin Graham Against Trump
If Turkish-backed al Qaeda forces started a massacre of Christians and Kurds in Syria, would Trump’s Christian political base lose heart, even rebel — when he needs them most?
Well, in October 2019 we saw what happened. Erdogan blatantly ignored Trump and attacked North-East Syria. A lot of Christians and Christian leaders raised urgent questions to President Trump and protested against what was happening. Then he took action to stop Erdogan. I would think that President Trump can easily avoid such trouble now by simply not leaving North-East Syria. If he brings the troops home from Afghanistan, few Americans will object to that.
Why Follow Kamala Harris’s Policy Recommendation?
Kamala Harris has promised the Turkish-backed al Qaeda “rebels” that the U.S. will support them taking power over the whole of Syria. This old neocon plan was popular among establishment Republicans, too, such as John McCain. What would be the result, on the ground, if this happened?
A disaster for the U.S. and for the Christians of Syria.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Would we see another cleansing of Syrian Christians, like the catastrophe suffered by Iraqi Christians under Bush and Obama? And in Afrin, when Turkey put al Qaeda in control of that region?
Absolutely. As I said, we have seen this happening all over until that failed policy ended. That is the policy that James Jeffrey wanted to repeat.
If Trump wins a second term when all legal votes have been counted, what would you advise him to do to protect religious freedom in the region?
You know what? Here is the interesting thing. He should just stick with the current policy, which is working. Perhaps leave fewer forces in Iraq, just a shadow force. The rest will play out very well as both Iran and Turkey will ultimately fail. The less you tinker with an effective policy, the more you win. President Trump is the first Western leader who won in Syria. Keeping a small U.S. force in place will make sure that he stays a winner.
Johannes de Jong is director of the Christian Political Foundation for Europe.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-11-16--Government Needs to Own Up to Its Opioid Failures

Opioid abuse is a plague that is tearing apart American towns and families .
Between 1999 and 2018 , over 230,000 Americans died from overdosing on prescription opioids , and the government is finally taking serious actions to end opioid abuse .
The companies and people who caused this crisis must be held accountable , but a desire for justice doesn ’ t mean targeting those following the law .
Unfortunately , the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration are unfairly attacking pharmacies to deflect away from their mistakes .
Walmart — which runs thousands of pharmacies in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive in a preemptive move to get clear direction from the courts .
Their lawsuit argued , “ DOJ and DEA are placing pharmacists and pharmacies in an untenable position by threatening to hold them liable for violating DOJ ’ s unwritten expectations for handling opioid prescriptions — expectations that are directly at odds with state pharmacy and medical practice laws , the expert judgment of federal health agencies , and even DEA ’ s own public statements.
” Walmart is in a double bind as they are legally required to fill prescriptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them for doing so .
Instead of pursuing Walmart , the government should acknowledge years of lax enforcement poured fuel on the fire of the opioid crisis .
Hopefully , Walmart ’ s lawsuit forces the government to reevaluate its past policies , not scapegoat pharmacies .
The legal basis for the government ’ s claims against Walmart isn ’ t found in the Controlled Substances Act or any other law .
Government officials are creating extralegal duties and argue that informal letters and slide shows are sufficient to sue Walmart .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t follow non-binding and often contradictory statements , they should be punished .
Governing by PowerPoint is a recipe for arbitrary and capricious decisions .
Laws exist to clearly define what individuals and businesses can and can not do , and without this foundation , companies don ’ t know what to expect and are less likely to take risks or even open in the first place .
In a recent editorial on the lawsuit , The Wall Street Journal argued that the potential action against Walmart is straight out of the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informal guidance , ” not by actual law and regulation .
Officials from the DOJ and DEA are targeting pharmacies like Walmart because the government wants to avoid accountability for years of poor choices .
The DEA sets production quotas for opioids and controls who can prescribe these powerful painkillers .
Legally , the DEA acts as the gatekeeper and vets prescribing doctors , while pharmacists ensure the doctors have the necessary credentials .
Even a large corporation like Walmart doesn ’ t have the resources or data to determine whether particular doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regulators in the DEA raised opioid production limits for years , even though FDA experts recommended against doing so .
The DEA chose to listen to drug manufacturers who wanted higher limits to increase their profits instead of health experts who understood higher limits made it easier for opioids to be abused .
A report by the DOJ found there were “ weaknesses in DEA ’ s registration process , including that registrants may reapply for registration the day after their registration is revoked or surrendered for cause.
” And , “ from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of opioid-related deaths drastically increased , DEA significantly reduced its use of its strongest enforcement tool , the Immediate Suspension Order , to stop registrants from diverting prescription drugs .
In fact , DEA used more Immediate Suspension Orders in 2012 ( 45 ) than from 2013 – 2017 combined ( 43 ) .
” Investigations by others , including the Attorney General of West Virginia , also conclude the DEA wasn ’ t doing enough to prevent opioid abuse .
The DEA knew its policies were failing but still didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countless lives .
When Walmart and other pharmacies take the initiative to crack down on opioid prescriptions on their own , they are often met with state action .
Many states have taken legal action against Walmart because it doesn ’ t fill all prescriptions .
For example , the Wisconsin Board of Pharmacy issued an Administrative Warning to Walmart because it stopped filling prescriptions from a specific clinic .
Ideally , pharmacies wouldn ’ t be making judgment calls about medications , but Walmart is being forced to fill the breach .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not doing its job , the government is forcing Walmart into an impossible position .
Legally , Walmart must fill prescriptions but knows it might be sued for doing so .
Instead of attacking Walmart , the federal government needs to take a long look in the mirror and take responsibility for its mistakes .
Ken Blackwell was mayor of Cincinnati , Treasurer and Secretary of State for Ohio , and U.S .
Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission .

Opioid abuse is a plague that is tearing apart American towns and families. Between 1999 and 2018, over 230,000 Americans died from overdosing on prescription opioids, and the government is finally taking serious actions to end opioid abuse. The companies and people who caused this crisis must be held accountable, but a desire for justice doesn’t mean targeting those following the law.
Attacking Pharmacies
Unfortunately, the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration are unfairly attacking pharmacies to deflect away from their mistakes. Walmart — which runs thousands of pharmacies in its stores — recently went on the offensive in a preemptive move to get clear direction from the courts. Their lawsuit argued, “DOJ and DEA are placing pharmacists and pharmacies in an untenable position by threatening to hold them liable for violating DOJ’s unwritten expectations for handling opioid prescriptions — expectations that are directly at odds with state pharmacy and medical practice laws, the expert judgment of federal health agencies, and even DEA’s own public statements.”
Walmart is in a double bind as they are legally required to fill prescriptions while knowing the federal government might sue them for doing so. Instead of pursuing Walmart, the government should acknowledge years of lax enforcement poured fuel on the fire of the opioid crisis. Hopefully, Walmart’s lawsuit forces the government to reevaluate its past policies, not scapegoat pharmacies. Some people also fall prey to drug abuse and one wants to achieve the sober living in Austin without stress of any health issues.
Governing by PowerPoint
The legal basis for the government’s claims against Walmart isn’t found in the Controlled Substances Act or any other law. Government officials are creating extralegal duties and argue that informal letters and slide shows are sufficient to sue Walmart. The DOJ claims that because pharmacies didn’t follow non-binding and often contradictory statements, they should be punished.
Governing by PowerPoint is a recipe for arbitrary and capricious decisions. Laws exist to clearly define what individuals and businesses can and cannot do, and without this foundation, companies don’t know what to expect and are less likely to take risks or even open in the first place.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In a recent editorial on the lawsuit, The Wall Street Journal argued that the potential action against Walmart is straight out of the “Obama-Biden playbook” of “regulating by informal guidance,” not by actual law and regulation.
Avoiding Accountability
Officials from the DOJ and DEA are targeting pharmacies like Walmart because the government wants to avoid accountability for years of poor choices. The DEA sets production quotas for opioids and controls who can prescribe these powerful painkillers. Legally, the DEA acts as the gatekeeper and vets prescribing doctors, while pharmacists ensure the doctors have the necessary credentials. Even a large corporation like Walmart doesn’t have the resources or data to determine whether particular doctors are over-prescribing or illegally prescribing opioids.
Regulators in the DEA raised opioid production limits for years, even though FDA experts recommended against doing so. The DEA chose to listen to drug manufacturers who wanted higher limits to increase their profits instead of health experts who understood higher limits made it easier for opioids to be abused.
Investigations
A report by the DOJ found there were “weaknesses in DEA’s registration process, including that registrants may reapply for registration the day after their registration is revoked or surrendered for cause.” And, “from 2013 to 2017, as the number of opioid-related deaths drastically increased, DEA significantly reduced its use of its strongest enforcement tool, the Immediate Suspension Order, to stop registrants from diverting prescription drugs. In fact, DEA used more Immediate Suspension Orders in 2012 (45) than from 2013 – 2017 combined (43).”
Investigations by others, including the Attorney General of West Virginia, also conclude the DEA wasn’t doing enough to prevent opioid abuse. The DEA knew its policies were failing but still didn’t make immediate changes that could have saved countless lives.
When Walmart and other pharmacies take the initiative to crack down on opioid prescriptions on their own, they are often met with state action. Many states have taken legal action against Walmart because it doesn’t fill all prescriptions. For example, the Wisconsin Board of Pharmacy issued an Administrative Warning to Walmart because it stopped filling prescriptions from a specific clinic. Ideally, pharmacies wouldn’t be making judgment calls about medications, but Walmart is being forced to fill the breach.
Take a Look in the Mirror
By not doing its job, the government is forcing Walmart into an impossible position. Legally, Walmart must fill prescriptions but knows it might be sued for doing so. Instead of attacking Walmart, the federal government needs to take a long look in the mirror and take responsibility for its mistakes.
Ken Blackwell was mayor of Cincinnati, Treasurer and Secretary of State for Ohio, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.


thestream--2020-11-16--It’s Just Coincidence … The Miraculous Circumstances of Joe’s Alleged ‘Win’

I love coincidences !
And right now , we are surrounded by so many , we can pick ’ em like daisies and make a lovely bouquet .
If Joe Biden … the man who thought he was running for the Senate and couldn ’ t draw flies to a manure factory … actually won , it would be the result of the most amazing run of coincidences in modern world history .
The Lucky Coincidences of Dominion and Friends Sure , it is mere coincidence that the president of Smartmatic , the subsidiary of Dominion Voting Systems , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in swing states and beyond , is now part of the Biden transition team .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that Smartmatic ’ s chairman is a pal and business associate of George Soros .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that Smartmatic ’ s software has a long history of being used in dubious elections worldwide .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence the same media that used to report on the issues with Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems are suddenly silent about their own past reporting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top security guy at Dominion is an Antifa guy who allegedly told an Antifa chat room in September , “ Don ’ t worry about the election , Trump ’ s not gon na win .
I made f*cking sure of that !
” Sure , it is a coincidence that so many Democratic-controlled states choose Dominion Election Systems to tabulate their ballots despite security flaws so egregious the Associated Press and election security experts were shouting about it from the rooftops .
Sure , it is a coincidence that Dominion ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief of staff and a top aide to Georgia ’ s Gov .
Brian Kemp .
Sure , it is a coincidence that Georgia announced it was halting counting for four hours because of “ a pipe burst ” … when , in fact , they lied about a minor leak fixed in 90 minutes .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that Dominion has ties to the Clinton Foundation and George Soros .
Sure , it is a coincidence that the six states that suddenly and inexplicably stopped counting were the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a massive lead .
All about the same time .
Sure , it is a coincidence these six states all had the Dominion Voting System .
The Coincidence of Joe of Winning Big Exactly Where He Needed to Win Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that Joe Biden outperformed Hillary Clinton in four and only four major cities … and all four just happened to be in four swing states that stopped the count and had masses of votes for Biden pop up out of nowhere , and saw Biden score numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream of .
Indeed , the vote totals in these place often exceeded the number of registered voters .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that Donald Trump won 19 of the 20 counties that have picked the winner of every single presidential election since Reagan by an average of 16 , but Biden pulled off the win .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that state races were quickly called for Biden and not called for Trump .
Sure , it is a coincidence Biden managed to add countless votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty of law ) they saw wagons and coolers and crates of ballots role in ballot centers … in swing state cities where Biden was running further behind than expected .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that the rejection rate for mail-in ballots dropped by a factor of 30 in Pennsylvania .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that , according to Sidney Powell , nearly half a million ballots were cast with only Joe Biden ’ s name marked and nothing down ballot .
Sure , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were stolen in both Philadelphia and Georgia in the days before the election .
Sure , it is a coincidence that Pfizer waited until after the election to announce its vaccine success … and that the president of Joe Biden ’ s cancer charity is a former Pfizer executive .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that the only tweets that Twitter is blocking or flagging are ones that deviate from the “ Biden Won ” narrative .
Sure , it ’ s a coincidence that analysts or websites that question the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and/or de-platformed .
What are the Odds ?
What are the odds of all of these coincidences and oddities occurring in this election ?
All in Biden ’ s favor ?
What is more reasonable to believe ?
These are all amazing coincidences or not coincidence at all ?
What is the more reasonable explanation : Joe Biden won crucial swing states fair and square — despite getting blown away in bellweather Ohio and Florida , despite being down by hundreds of thousands of votes until the mysterious shutdowns in counting , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expectations , despite underperforming Hillary Clinton everywhere else in the country , despite not campaigning , despite having no ground game , despite having zero enthusiasm , despite losing support among minorities , despite pushing policies at odds with the desires of the public , despite aligning himself with BLM and Antifa .
And despite having trouble executing a coherent sentence .
Joe Biden was given a “ victory ” in those crucial swing cities — via the assistance of election hardware and software notoriously susceptible to fraud and manipulation , owned and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Democrats and hellbent on getting Trump out ; via Democratic ( and corrupt ) machines in Philly , Detroit , Milwaukee and Atlanta hellbent on winning , taking advantage of a dubious “ mail-in ballot ” scheme and last minute voting procedure changes via cities where workers were caught dragging crates of ballots , creating Biden votes out of thin air , and refused to allow Republicans to watch the counting of mail-in ballots ; via postal workers told to backdate late ballots ; via workers illegally tossed voting envelopes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tossed out all together .
We are being ordered to ignore common sense , public data , election history , Biden ’ s history and our own eyes .
Just concede defeat and accept the beating .
( Literally , in the case of Trump supporters at the hands of Biden ’ s BLM and Antifa Brigades . )
What are the odds of the American people letting that happen ?
We leave you with this .
If there is one city on the planet that knows odds and knows corruption it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Root happens to be a former odds-maker and gaming expert .
He notes some extremely peculiar betting behavior Election Night and into the next day .
Read how he and fellow bookies smell a rat .
Of course , maybe it ’ s all coincidence .
But I ’ m not betting on it .
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Streamdotorg .

I love coincidences! And right now, we are surrounded by so many, we can pick ’em like daisies and make a lovely bouquet.
If Joe Biden … the man who thought he was running for the Senate and couldn’t draw flies to a manure factory … actually won, it would be the result of the most amazing run of coincidences in modern world history.
The Lucky Coincidences of Dominion and Friends
Sure, it is mere coincidence that the president of Smartmatic, the subsidiary of Dominion Voting Systems, the software and hardware responsible for tabulating ballots in swing states and beyond, is now part of the Biden transition team.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that Smartmatic’s chairman is a pal and business associate of George Soros.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that Smartmatic’s software has a long history of being used in dubious elections worldwide.
Sure, it’s a coincidence the same media that used to report on the issues with Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems are suddenly silent about their own past reporting.
Sure, it is a coincidence that the top security guy at Dominion is an Antifa guy who allegedly told an Antifa chat room in September, “Don’t worry about the election, Trump’s not gonna win. I made f*cking sure of that!”
Sure, it is a coincidence that so many Democratic-controlled states choose Dominion Election Systems to tabulate their ballots despite security flaws so egregious the Associated Press and election security experts were shouting about it from the rooftops.
Sure, it is a coincidence that Dominion’s lobbyists include Pelosi’s former chief of staff and a top aide to Georgia’s Gov. Brian Kemp.
Sure, it is a coincidence that Georgia announced it was halting counting for four hours because of “a pipe burst” … when, in fact, they lied about a minor leak fixed in 90 minutes.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that Dominion has ties to the Clinton Foundation and George Soros.
Sure, it is a coincidence that the six states that suddenly and inexplicably stopped counting were the six swing states where Trump had built a massive lead. All about the same time.
Sure, it is a coincidence these six states all had the Dominion Voting System.
The Coincidence of Joe of Winning Big Exactly Where He Needed to Win
Sure, it’s a coincidence that Joe Biden outperformed Hillary Clinton in four and only four major cities … and all four just happened to be in four swing states that stopped the count and had masses of votes for Biden pop up out of nowhere, and saw Biden score numbers and percentages Obama and Clinton could only dream of. Indeed, the vote totals in these place often exceeded the number of registered voters.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that Donald Trump won 19 of the 20 counties that have picked the winner of every single presidential election since Reagan by an average of 16, but Biden pulled off the win.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that state races were quickly called for Biden and not called for Trump.
Sure, it is a coincidence Biden managed to add countless votes overnight right after witnesses swear (under penalty of law) they saw wagons and coolers and crates of ballots role in ballot centers … in swing state cities where Biden was running further behind than expected.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that the rejection rate for mail-in ballots dropped by a factor of 30 in Pennsylvania.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that, according to Sidney Powell, nearly half a million ballots were cast with only Joe Biden’s name marked and nothing down ballot.
Other Glorious Coincidences
Sure, it’s just a coincidence USBs and election laptops were stolen in both Philadelphia and Georgia in the days before the election.
Sure, it is a coincidence that Pfizer waited until after the election to announce its vaccine success … and that the president of Joe Biden’s cancer charity is a former Pfizer executive.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that the only tweets that Twitter is blocking or flagging are ones that deviate from the “Biden Won” narrative.
Sure, it’s a coincidence that analysts or websites that question the narrative are being kicked off social media and/or de-platformed.
What are the Odds?
What are the odds of all of these coincidences and oddities occurring in this election? All in Biden’s favor? What is more reasonable to believe? These are all amazing coincidences or not coincidence at all? What is the more reasonable explanation:
Joe Biden won crucial swing states fair and square — despite getting blown away in bellweather Ohio and Florida, despite being down by hundreds of thousands of votes until the mysterious shutdowns in counting, despite Trump outperforming Biden campaign’s own expectations, despite underperforming Hillary Clinton everywhere else in the country, despite not campaigning, despite having no ground game, despite having zero enthusiasm, despite losing support among minorities, despite pushing policies at odds with the desires of the public, despite aligning himself with BLM and Antifa. And despite having trouble executing a coherent sentence.
Or
Joe Biden was given a “victory” in those crucial swing cities — via the assistance of election hardware and software notoriously susceptible to fraud and manipulation, owned and operated by people with alliances to Biden and the Democrats and hellbent on getting Trump out; via Democratic (and corrupt) machines in Philly, Detroit, Milwaukee and Atlanta hellbent on winning, taking advantage of a dubious “mail-in ballot” scheme and last minute voting procedure changes via cities where workers were caught dragging crates of ballots, creating Biden votes out of thin air, and refused to allow Republicans to watch the counting of mail-in ballots; via postal workers told to backdate late ballots; via workers illegally tossed voting envelopes, where signature matching was greatly reduced or tossed out all together.
We are being ordered to ignore common sense, public data, election history, Biden’s history and our own eyes. Just concede defeat and accept the beating. (Literally, in the case of Trump supporters at the hands of Biden’s BLM and Antifa Brigades.) What are the odds of the American people letting that happen?
A Trip to Vegas
We leave you with this. If there is one city on the planet that knows odds and knows corruption it’s Las Vegas. Conservative commentator Wayne Root happens to be a former odds-maker and gaming expert. He notes some extremely peculiar betting behavior Election Night and into the next day. Read how he and fellow bookies smell a rat.
Of course, maybe it’s all coincidence. But I’m not betting on it.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-11-16--Rioter Who Punched Out Trump Supporter in Viral Video is Registered Child Sex Offender

A protester who was arrested after he punched a supporter of President Donald Trump is also a registered child sex offender , public records show .
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested 39-year-old Kenneth Wayne DeBerry on Saturday for disorderly conduct , including inciting violence , aggravated assault , and felon in possession of a firearm after police found he was carrying a handgun , according to an MPD press release .
According to the MPD Sex Offender Registry , DeBerry is a registered sex offender who was convicted in Washington , D.C. in 2008 of second degree child sexual abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age .
DeBerry was arrested with three others during the Saturday incident , according to MPD , which occurred in the 1700 block of I Street , Northwest during demonstrations following the Million MAGA March .
“ The suspects were involved in a collaborative effort to incite violence during first amendment assemblies at the listed location , ” the press release said .
“ One of the suspects struck the victim rendering him unconscious .
Other suspects assaulted the victim and took his property .
Four suspects were apprehended at the scene by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ventura identified DeBerry as an individual captured in the Daily Caller ’ s viral video footage showing a man punching and bloodying a Trump supporter .
Video footage showed the attacker come up behind the Trump supporter and punch him so hard that the victim fell on his face to the ground and lay still for several moments before those around him helped him to his feet .
As he lay on the ground , a person briefly stomped on him .
The video footage showed blood running down the victim ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around him helped him to his feet .
A man prayed over the bloody and stunned Trump supporter , and a police officer in the video appears to be calling the incident in .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

A protester who was arrested after he punched a supporter of President Donald Trump is also a registered child sex offender, public records show.
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested 39-year-old Kenneth Wayne DeBerry on Saturday for disorderly conduct, including inciting violence, aggravated assault, and felon in possession of a firearm after police found he was carrying a handgun, according to an MPD press release.
According to the MPD Sex Offender Registry, DeBerry is a registered sex offender who was convicted in Washington, D.C. in 2008 of second degree child sexual abuse against a person under 16 years of age.
DeBerry was arrested with three others during the Saturday incident, according to MPD, which occurred in the 1700 block of I Street, Northwest during demonstrations following the Million MAGA March.
“The suspects were involved in a collaborative effort to incite violence during first amendment assemblies at the listed location,” the press release said. “One of the suspects struck the victim rendering him unconscious. Other suspects assaulted the victim and took his property. Four suspects were apprehended at the scene by responding officers.”
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Daily Caller reporter Jorge Ventura identified DeBerry as an individual captured in the Daily Caller’s viral video footage showing a man punching and bloodying a Trump supporter.
Kenneth Wayne DeBerry, 39, of DC, charged w/aggravated assault, inciting violence & being a felon in possession of a gun per @MrAndyNgo https://t.co/BvAhG07umW pic.twitter.com/IqTF69tfZT — Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) November 16, 2020
BREAKING – Multiple Trump supporters assaulted by pro-BLM supporters in Washington D.C. One of the supporters assaulted was brutally knocked out. The scene is chaotic right now #MillionMAGAMarch pic.twitter.com/2Gjl8WC8Z0 — Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) November 14, 2020
Video footage showed the attacker come up behind the Trump supporter and punch him so hard that the victim fell on his face to the ground and lay still for several moments before those around him helped him to his feet. As he lay on the ground, a person briefly stomped on him.
The video footage showed blood running down the victim’s face and on his hands as people around him helped him to his feet. A man prayed over the bloody and stunned Trump supporter, and a police officer in the video appears to be calling the incident in.
Follow Mary Margaret on Twitter.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].