thestream--2020-04-29--What Role Should Government Have in Education?

In the late 1980s , Jack Howell and his wife , Diana , were arrested .
They ’ d pulled their son and daughter out of public school and started homeschooling them .
At the time , the local judge did not entertain the fact that the Howells were providing their children with an education at home .
He fined them for each day the two children were not in public school .
The Howells couldn ’ t pay the enormous fine and were jailed for 3 months .
It was during this time that their daughter , Farah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeschooling as a method of education should not have come as a surprise to the judge or to the school district ’ s superintendent .
After all , education itself began at home .
The Stream ’ s Jay Richards and James Robison addressed the topic in their book , Indivisible .
They wrote , “ The main burden of education should fall , first , to parents and families , and then to their voluntary communities .
There ’ s nothing in the Constitution about the government administering education , and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should fall under the state or federal government ’ s jurisdiction [ emphasis added ] .
Over the years , however , education has become more and more a governmental function , so much so that we refer to government schools as ‘ public schools . '
” Government oversight of education did not materialize until , as John Lott , Jr. wrote , “ With the Free Schools Act of 1867 , the state simply took over the subsidized schools , which then became public institutions.
” After the government took over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secularized and more centralized , wrote Richards and Robison .
The eventual “ moral and cultural rot ” has invaded public schools by taking away the right to prayer , the right to talk about God , and even the right to hand out candy canes at “ winter parties.
” The state has a right to make decisions about education for children because , according to some , the child belongs to the state .
Jim Dwyer , a law professor at College of William and Mary , recently said on Michelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the “ guarantor of a child ’ s well-being .
There ’ s just no alternative to that.
” He goes on to say that the reason parent-child relationships exist “ is because the state confers legal parenthood on people through paternity and maternity laws .
It ’ s the state that ’ s empowering people to do anything with children , to take them home , to have custody , and to make any kind of decisions about that.
” “ This means that the state has a right to your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his recent podcast The Matt Walsh Show .
“ More of a right than you do , because you have none.
” The real issue is that when parents refuse to send their children to public school , “ you are depriving the state of what rightfully belongs to it.
” Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
“ Dwyer ’ s claim contradicts not just common sense but the natural law , ” Richards said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-political : it exists before any state , and would exist outside the state .
It is very much like our individual rights : these attach to us because of what we are , not because of what a government does or does not do .
A just and limited government recognizes these realities in its laws .
It doesn ’ t confer them.
” He adds : Dwyer is scheduled to mediate an upcoming “ anti-homeschool ” conference , when academics and policy advocates , along with other education and government leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeschooling in the United States .
Their goal , Walsh said , is to stop people from homeschooling .
As Richards and Robison point out , “ Though parents delegate some of their children ’ s education to schools and churches , parents should still closely oversee the process.
” It ’ s the parent ’ s responsibility to “ train up a child in the way that he should go ” ( Proverbs 22:6 ) .
Parents should be vigilant about the education they provide to their children .
There are many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are many methods of educating children besides public school , including private school , homeschool or charter school .
But not everyone can afford to send their children to Christian or private schools or homeschool them .
Another viable alternative is school vouchers .
In the voucher system , parents can decide what kind of school they want to send their children to .
However , to have real freedom and progress , Richards and Robison argue for educational choice , where parts of education are “ unbundled.
” “ Math , basketball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t all have to be taught in the same way , at the same place , or at the same pace , to groups of kids about the same age.
” They conclude that there are “ far better ways to educate a human being [ than public school ] .
” “ Our hope is that we will soon see true freedom in education , ” wrote Richards and Robison .
“ For that to happen , the government ’ s direct control over education must diminish and the private sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flowers bloom.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

In the late 1980s, Jack Howell and his wife, Diana, were arrested. They’d pulled their son and daughter out of public school and started homeschooling them. At the time, the local judge did not entertain the fact that the Howells were providing their children with an education at home. He fined them for each day the two children were not in public school. The Howells couldn’t pay the enormous fine and were jailed for 3 months. It was during this time that their daughter, Farah, joined my family’s homeschool.
Homeschooling as a method of education should not have come as a surprise to the judge or to the school district’s superintendent. After all, education itself began at home. The Stream’s Jay Richards and James Robison addressed the topic in their book, Indivisible. They wrote, “The main burden of education should fall, first, to parents and families, and then to their voluntary communities. There’s nothing in the Constitution about the government administering education, and there’s no natural reason that it should fall under the state or federal government’s jurisdiction [emphasis added].
Over the years, however, education has become more and more a governmental function, so much so that we refer to government schools as ‘public schools.’” Government oversight of education did not materialize until, as John Lott, Jr. wrote, “With the Free Schools Act of 1867, the state simply took over the subsidized schools, which then became public institutions.”
After the government took over the schools, the schools became more secularized and more centralized, wrote Richards and Robison. The eventual “moral and cultural rot” has invaded public schools by taking away the right to prayer, the right to talk about God, and even the right to hand out candy canes at “winter parties.”
The State and Parental Rights
The state has a right to make decisions about education for children because, according to some, the child belongs to the state. Jim Dwyer, a law professor at College of William and Mary, recently said on Michelle Malkin Investigates that the state needs to be the “guarantor of a child’s well-being. There’s just no alternative to that.” He goes on to say that the reason parent-child relationships exist “is because the state confers legal parenthood on people through paternity and maternity laws. It’s the state that’s empowering people to do anything with children, to take them home, to have custody, and to make any kind of decisions about that.”
“This means that the state has a right to your child,” Matt Walsh said on his recent podcast The Matt Walsh Show. “More of a right than you do, because you have none.” The real issue is that when parents refuse to send their children to public school, “you are depriving the state of what rightfully belongs to it.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“Dwyer’s claim contradicts not just common sense but the natural law,” Richards said in a statement. “The relationship of parent and child is pre-political: it exists before any state, and would exist outside the state. It is very much like our individual rights: these attach to us because of what we are, not because of what a government does or does not do. A just and limited government recognizes these realities in its laws. It doesn’t confer them.” He adds:
It’s true that a state (along with other social institutions) has a responsibility for the well-being within a child in its jurisdiction, but never in a way that violates the prior responsibility of parents for their children. A just state should only intervene when, for some reason, parents fail to fulfill their responsibility for the child.
Dwyer is scheduled to mediate an upcoming “anti-homeschool” conference, when academics and policy advocates, along with other education and government leaders, discuss child rights in connection with homeschooling in the United States. Their goal, Walsh said, is to stop people from homeschooling.
What’s the Answer?
As Richards and Robison point out, “Though parents delegate some of their children’s education to schools and churches, parents should still closely oversee the process.” It’s the parent’s responsibility to “train up a child in the way that he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Parents should be vigilant about the education they provide to their children. There are many ways to accomplish that goal.
There are many methods of educating children besides public school, including private school, homeschool or charter school. But not everyone can afford to send their children to Christian or private schools or homeschool them. Another viable alternative is school vouchers. In the voucher system, parents can decide what kind of school they want to send their children to. However, to have real freedom and progress, Richards and Robison argue for educational choice, where parts of education are “unbundled.” “Math, basketball, band, science and history don’t all have to be taught in the same way, at the same place, or at the same pace, to groups of kids about the same age.” They conclude that there are “far better ways to educate a human being [than public school].”
“Our hope is that we will soon see true freedom in education,” wrote Richards and Robison. “For that to happen, the government’s direct control over education must diminish and the private sector must be free to let a thousand flowers bloom.”
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-04-29--Trump Suggests He May Withhold Bailout Funds From States With Sanctuary Cities

President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that he may withhold federal bailout funds from states with cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities .
Trump was asked at a White House event with business leaders about the idea of another round of stimulus money for U.S. taxpayers .
The president said he liked the concept of payroll tax cuts , then shifted to the possibility of bailout funds for state governments .
“ The problem with the states is we ’ re not looking to recover 25 years of bad management and give them the money they lost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump said .
“ If it is COVID-related , we can talk about it , but we want certain things also , including sanctuary city adjustments , ” he continued .
“ We have so many people in sanctuary cities , which I don ’ t even think they are popular even by radical left because people are being protected that shouldn ’ t be protected and a lot of bad things are happening with sanctuary cities.
” Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ president continued to suggest that , for state governments to be eligible for more bailout aid , they would have to clamp down on their cities that refuse to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
“ If we are going to do something for states , I think they probably want something having to do with sanctuary cities and other different points that we can discuss a little bit later on , ” he said .
Trump has previously tried to withhold funds from sanctuary cities .
The 2nd U.S .
Circuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House is legally allowed to withhold millions of dollars in federal law enforcement grants from states and other localities that refuse to work with ICE , delivering a major victory for the administration in its fight against sanctuary jurisdictions .
Democrats , however , have tried to stop the administration from tying coronavirus aid to immigration policy .
The CARES Act , a $ 2.2 .
trillion stimulus relief package for Americans suffering from the coronavirus , included millions in law enforcement grants .
Language in the bill specifically forbid Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have sanctuary policies in place .
In response to the coronavirus pandemic , the Trump administration has closed the northern and southern borders to all “ nonessential ” traffic , and the president has issued an executive order that bars many green card applications from foreign nationals living abroad .
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 .

President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that he may withhold federal bailout funds from states with cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Trump was asked at a White House event with business leaders about the idea of another round of stimulus money for U.S. taxpayers. The president said he liked the concept of payroll tax cuts, then shifted to the possibility of bailout funds for state governments.
“The problem with the states is we’re not looking to recover 25 years of bad management and give them the money they lost. That’s unfair to other states,” Trump said.
“If it is COVID-related, we can talk about it, but we want certain things also, including sanctuary city adjustments,” he continued. “We have so many people in sanctuary cities, which I don’t even think they are popular even by radical left because people are being protected that shouldn’t be protected and a lot of bad things are happening with sanctuary cities.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The president continued to suggest that, for state governments to be eligible for more bailout aid, they would have to clamp down on their cities that refuse to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“If we are going to do something for states, I think they probably want something having to do with sanctuary cities and other different points that we can discuss a little bit later on,” he said.
Trump has previously tried to withhold funds from sanctuary cities.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in February that the White House is legally allowed to withhold millions of dollars in federal law enforcement grants from states and other localities that refuse to work with ICE, delivering a major victory for the administration in its fight against sanctuary jurisdictions.
Democrats, however, have tried to stop the administration from tying coronavirus aid to immigration policy.
The CARES Act, a $2.2. trillion stimulus relief package for Americans suffering from the coronavirus, included millions in law enforcement grants. Language in the bill specifically forbid Trump from withholding those funds from jurisdictions that have sanctuary policies in place.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration has closed the northern and southern borders to all “nonessential” traffic, and the president has issued an executive order that bars many green card applications from foreign nationals living abroad.
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].


thestream--2020-04-29--Our Freedom Depends On It: We Must Rebel Against the ‘New Normal’

There ’ s a “ new normal ” about to be established as the nation recovers from the coronavirus .
So they ’ re trying to tell us , anyway .
Don ’ t buy it .
Don ’ t give in to it .
Above all , don ’ t let the language lull you into losing your freedom .
There are times when it ’ s healthy to resign yourself to a new normal .
My wife and I used to hike miles in the mountains .
After six foot surgeries with not-quite-complete recoveries , though , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was good enough .
That ’ s my new normal , but it isn ’ t anyone else ’ s .
I fought against it , too , for as long as I could , and I ’ m still fighting for full health .
We ’ ve got to fight against the coming new American “ normal , ” too .
It could be so tempting to give in now , as we start moving toward re-opening the country , yet still under strict government controls .
It would be so easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
I ’ ll live with it .
It ’ s better than it was when we were in total lockdown.
” The next stage may be better than this one .
We can be grateful for that .
We should be patient with the process , since it has to play out .
But let ’ s not attach the word “ normal ” to it , not in any way whatsoever , until it ’ s played out all the way .
Not until it really is normal again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s normal .
And words will do something to you .
The more we call it any kind of normal at all , the more likely we are to forget what ’ s really normal .
And if we do that , we give away something we dare not lose hold of .
This isn ’ t normal — this lockdown , this economic kill switch condition we ’ re in , this police control .
A professor friend of mine told me he ’ s been granted permission to visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week , to gather prep materials for next fall ’ s teaching .
They ’ ll allow four people in the building at once , one per floor .
Entry and exit will be enforced by campus police .
What about when it starts improving ?
Word is that restaurants in many states will soon be allowed to open their doors again , but only to 25 percent capacity .
That ’ s going to be very welcome , but it ’ s still not normal .
Closer to normal ?
Sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re accepting is the least normal thing of all , and when restaurants , hair cutters , and eventually schools re-open , it ’ s still going to be under control like we ’ ve never before accepted in this free country .
The same goes for churches , a hundred times over .
Let ’ s not abuse language by attaching the word “ normal ” to any of that in any way at all .
Words Can Lull You to Sleep Words will hypnotize you if you let them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ gay , ” “ hate ” and “ gender ” — they ’ ve all been twisted to political ends .
Look at the word “ extremist , ” which the left co-opted to define anyone today who believes what everyone believed 30 years ago — especially about marriage and morality .
It ’ s all politically motivated , obviously .
And there are politically-motivated people who ’ d like to normalize the state control we ’ ve allowed ourselves to live under lately .
They ’ ll twist “ normal ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ ve done with these other words .
It ’ s a great word for the job .
It ’ s a sleep-inducing word .
Drop your guard for a moment , and it ’ ll fool you into falling into somnolence .
Acquiescence .
Giving in without a fight .
It ’ s such a short distance , after all , between “ it ’ s normal , ” and “ it ’ s okay.
” Normal is ( normally ) “ the way things ought to be.
” It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , between “ the new normal , ” and “ the new way things ought to be.
” It ’ ll take us more than halfway to concluding it ’ s just the way things ought to be .
But we all know things aren ’ t the way they ought to be .
Nowhere near it .
And they won ’ t be until we ’ re recovered sufficiently from this virus — and from the state control we ’ ve submitted to for it — so that we ’ re a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have to guard ourselves , which includes guarding our language .
Hold On to What ’ s Really Normal Because we ’ ve already lost too much of normality in America .
( That ’ s the lesson of words like “ extremism.
” ) Not that our country has achieved its ideals , but it was normal to aspire to them — and especially to the ideal of freedom , upon which our country was born .
Yes , we sinned horrifically against God and that ideal through slavery , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our repentance from that sin , and we were even repenting against racism .
That change was about to bring about a new normal we could grab hold of .
But that was a long time ago , when it was also normal to believe marriage was for a man and a woman .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Anyway , the Founders knew that governments are necessary , but they also knew that governments are prone to considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And they ’ re crafty .
They ’ re not good at everything , but they tend to be skillful at persuading the people they need the state helping them more today than yesterday .
Manipulating language is one form of that craftiness .
Co-opting the media to help them do that has become another real government competency .
Rebel Against the New Abnormal We ’ ve got to resist that .
We ’ ve got to shout it down .
Call it the “ new abnormal ” instead , as we go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it whatever you want , as the country gradually releases itself from this hugely abnormal bondage .
Just don ’ t use language that makes it sound like it ’ s right .
Not until it is .
Language isn ’ t the only battle we have to fight in the campaign to fully recover our freedoms , but it ’ s crucial to keeping ourselves awake enough to keep fighting .
Don ’ t let it lull you to sleep .
Don ’ t let it hypnotize you .
Rebel against it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s no “ normal ” here until we ’ re a free nation again .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream , and the author of A Christian Mind : Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ and Critical Conversations : A Christian Parent ’ s Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens , and the lead editor of True Reason : Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism .

There’s a “new normal” about to be established as the nation recovers from the coronavirus. So they’re trying to tell us, anyway. Don’t buy it. Don’t give in to it. Above all, don’t let the language lull you into losing your freedom.
There are times when it’s healthy to resign yourself to a new normal. My wife and I used to hike miles in the mountains. After six foot surgeries with not-quite-complete recoveries, though, the three-and-a-half miles I walked the other day was good enough. That’s my new normal, but it isn’t anyone else’s. I fought against it, too, for as long as I could, and I’m still fighting for full health.
We’ve got to fight against the coming new American “normal,” too.
It could be so tempting to give in now, as we start moving toward re-opening the country, yet still under strict government controls. It would be so easy to say, “It is what is. I’ll live with it. It’s better than it was when we were in total lockdown.”
The next stage may be better than this one. We can be grateful for that. We should be patient with the process, since it has to play out. But let’s not attach the word “normal” to it, not in any way whatsoever, until it’s played out all the way. Not until it really is normal again.
Because it’s not normal until it’s normal. And words will do something to you. The more we call it any kind of normal at all, the more likely we are to forget what’s really normal. And if we do that, we give away something we dare not lose hold of.
It’s Not Normal
This isn’t normal — this lockdown, this economic kill switch condition we’re in, this police control. A professor friend of mine told me he’s been granted permission to visit his office on campus for one hour next week, to gather prep materials for next fall’s teaching. They’ll allow four people in the building at once, one per floor. Entry and exit will be enforced by campus police.
That’s not normal.
What about when it starts improving? Word is that restaurants in many states will soon be allowed to open their doors again, but only to 25 percent capacity. That’s going to be very welcome, but it’s still not normal. Closer to normal? Sure. But not much.
Rebel against it! Shout it down! There’s no “normal” here until we’re a free nation again.
The control we’re accepting is the least normal thing of all, and when restaurants, hair cutters, and eventually schools re-open, it’s still going to be under control like we’ve never before accepted in this free country. The same goes for churches, a hundred times over.
Let’s not abuse language by attaching the word “normal” to any of that in any way at all.
Words Can Lull You to Sleep
Words will hypnotize you if you let them. Look what’s happened with “gay,” “hate” and “gender” — they’ve all been twisted to political ends. Look at the word “extremist,” which the left co-opted to define anyone today who believes what everyone believed 30 years ago — especially about marriage and morality.
It’s all politically motivated, obviously. And there are politically-motivated people who’d like to normalize the state control we’ve allowed ourselves to live under lately. They’ll twist “normal” to suit their purposes, just as they’ve done with these other words. It’s a great word for the job. It’s a sleep-inducing word. Drop your guard for a moment, and it’ll fool you into falling into somnolence. Acquiescence. Giving in without a fight.
It’s such a short distance, after all, between “it’s normal,” and “it’s okay.” Normal is (normally) “the way things ought to be.” It’s an equally short distance, then, between “the new normal,” and “the new way things ought to be.” It’ll take us more than halfway to concluding it’s just the way things ought to be.
But we all know things aren’t the way they ought to be. Nowhere near it. And they won’t be until we’re recovered sufficiently from this virus — and from the state control we’ve submitted to for it — so that we’re a free country again. Until then, we have to guard ourselves, which includes guarding our language.
Hold On to What’s Really Normal
Because we’ve already lost too much of normality in America. (That’s the lesson of words like “extremism.”) Not that our country has achieved its ideals, but it was normal to aspire to them — and especially to the ideal of freedom, upon which our country was born.
Yes, we sinned horrifically against God and that ideal through slavery, but we fought a horrific war to begin our repentance from that sin, and we were even repenting against racism. That change was about to bring about a new normal we could grab hold of. But that was a long time ago, when it was also normal to believe marriage was for a man and a woman.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Anyway, the Founders knew that governments are necessary, but they also knew that governments are prone to considering themselves more necessary than they are. And they’re crafty. They’re not good at everything, but they tend to be skillful at persuading the people they need the state helping them more today than yesterday.
Manipulating language is one form of that craftiness. Co-opting the media to help them do that has become another real government competency.
Rebel Against the New Abnormal
We’ve got to resist that. We’ve got to shout it down. Call it the “new abnormal” instead, as we go from one abnormal to another. Call it whatever you want, as the country gradually releases itself from this hugely abnormal bondage. Just don’t use language that makes it sound like it’s right. Not until it is.
Language isn’t the only battle we have to fight in the campaign to fully recover our freedoms, but it’s crucial to keeping ourselves awake enough to keep fighting. Don’t let it lull you to sleep. Don’t let it hypnotize you. Rebel against it! Shout it down! There’s no “normal” here until we’re a free nation again.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream, and the author of A Christian Mind: Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ and Critical Conversations: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens, and the lead editor of True Reason: Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism.


thestream--2020-04-29--Is the Media Engaging in Psychological Warfare Against America?

A recent article written primarily by a medical doctor in Alabama claimed , “ The way in which the media has pushed fear nonstop amounts to psychological warfare against this country.
” He added , “ If it hasn ’ t occurred to you that we have heard one story and essentially one story alone for literally two months , well , that should have aroused suspicion.
” Is this doctor correct ?
Or is the media doing its best to be responsible in the midst of an unprecedented crisis ?
I ’ m quite confident that nothing I write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing for two reasons .
First , who am I that massive media organizations should listen to me ?
Second , fear sells and money talks .
That being said , the question remains : Is the media responsible in its reporting ?
Is it helping its audience to act wisely during a pandemic ?
Or is the media using fear tactics to get more viewers , listeners , and readers ?
And if the latter is true , does this amount to sustained psychological warfare ?
Obviously , “ the media ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost anything good or bad can be said about it .
But if we focus on the major , secular voices on TV , we can fine tune both our questions and our answers .
Psychological Warfare is “ Efficient , ” or at Least it Was in WW2 One of the secrets of psychological warfare ( called psywar by the military ) is to try to convince enemy troops that surrender is sweet , that it is better to capitulate than to continue to fight , that defeat is inevitable .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonel shared with me that during World War I , psywar pamphlets were airdropped among the German troops .
Shortly after the end of the war , Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg , the Chief of Staff of the Kaiser ’ s Army , complained : In the shower of pamphlets which was scattered by enemy airmen our adversaries said and wrote that they did not think so badly of us ; that we must only be reasonable and perhaps here and there renounce something we had conquered .
Then everything would soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together in peace , perpetual international peace .
As regards peace within our own borders , new men and new Governments would see to that .
What a blessing peace would be after all the fighting .
There was , therefore , no point in continuing the struggle .
( From the USAF Special Operations School : Psychological Operations . )
And what were the results of this strategy ?
Military historian Stanley Sandler writes : “ As German Army discipline wavered or broke , these leaflets became responsible for defections on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hitler termed Allied military psywar ‘ psychologically efficient.
’ ” Is the One-Sided , Fear-Based Flood of Information Truly Good for Us ?
Today , we are not having pamphlets dropped on us from the sky to break our spirits .
But we are hearing a constant flood of bad news .
Of distressing and depressing news .
Of fearful statistics .
And we are reminded daily of the danger of violating the status quo .
Does this mean that all these media outlets are ill-intentioned and motivated only by financial gain ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the talking heads all share a nefarious agenda and are under some hidden , central control ?
Not at all .
Does it mean that none of them are trying to do some good ?
Absolutely not .
But it does mean that , for whatever reason , we are basically being told that COVID-19 is the only story out there , that America is a real mess , and that things could get even worse in the days ahead .
Really now , is all that meant to be helpful ?
Encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this from a different angle , ask yourself this : If the goal of the media was to help Americans function in a healthy and hopeful way during this difficult time , would their reporting be the same ?
Doing a daily talk radio show , and through interaction with the public on social media , I have been sounding a “ fear not ” message for the last two months .
Yes , the virus is very serious , but it ’ s not the end of the world , and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the same time , I have had to counteract the attitude of fear and panic that arises by being subjected to day-and-night , negative reporting .
( Mix in partisan politics , and you have a real toxic mix . )
And in order to starve our fears and feed our faith and our practical wisdom , we can not sit glued in front of the TV or computer screen .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
But this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24-hour news networks .
The same stories get repeated endlessly , seriously undermining our ability to think for ourselves .
Are we not getting brainwashed by it all ?
Most Major News Networks Serve the Cause of State Control , Prager Says But there ’ s another angle to consider , and that ’ s the angle of control .
Dennis Prager recently wrote that “ the ease with which police state tactics have been employed and the equal ease with which most Americans have accepted them have been breathtaking.
” Could this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incessant , fear-producing drumbeat ?
Prager pointed to four principles signs of a police state , one of which was , “ A Mass Media Supportive of the State ’ s Messaging and Deprivation of Rights.
” He explained , “ The New York Times , CNN and every other mainstream mass medium — except Fox News , The Wall Street Journal ( editorial and opinion pages only ) and talk radio — have served the cause of state control over individual Americans ’ lives just as Pravda served the Soviet government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more dissent in The New York Times than there was in Pravda .
And the Big Tech platforms are removing posts about the virus and potential treatments they deem ‘ misinformation.
’ ” Recently , YouTube removed a viral video by two medical doctors in California .
The doctors disputed the state ’ s safety recommendations .
According to YouTube , “ We quickly remove flagged content that violate our Community Guidelines , including content that explicitly disputes the efficacy of local healthy authority recommended guidance on social distancing that may lead others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other words , disputed opinions offered by medical doctors ( in this case , emergency room doctors ) will be banned .
Does this concern you ?
What might be banned next ?
Can you not assess the information for yourself and make an informed choice ?
A colleague with a massive Facebook page ( I can ’ t share more details at this moment ) had a viral post removed because a so-called fact checker deemed it false .
Yet the content was entirely spiritual in nature .
So , not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fear-based , often sensationalistic reporting .
We have a dangerous form of censorship as well .
Does that constitute a form of psychological warfare ?
You can decide for yourself .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is When the World Stops : Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

A recent article written primarily by a medical doctor in Alabama claimed, “The way in which the media has pushed fear nonstop amounts to psychological warfare against this country.” He added, “If it hasn’t occurred to you that we have heard one story and essentially one story alone for literally two months, well, that should have aroused suspicion.” Is this doctor correct? Or is the media doing its best to be responsible in the midst of an unprecedented crisis?
I’m quite confident that nothing I write here will influence what the media is doing for two reasons. First, who am I that massive media organizations should listen to me? Second, fear sells and money talks.
That being said, the question remains: Is the media responsible in its reporting? Is it helping its audience to act wisely during a pandemic? Or is the media using fear tactics to get more viewers, listeners, and readers? And if the latter is true, does this amount to sustained psychological warfare?
Is the media using fear tactics to get more viewers, listeners, and readers? And if the latter is true, does this amount to sustained psychological warfare?
Obviously, “the media” is a such a generalized term that almost anything good or bad can be said about it. But if we focus on the major, secular voices on TV, we can fine tune both our questions and our answers.
Psychological Warfare is “Efficient,” or at Least it Was in WW2
One of the secrets of psychological warfare (called psywar by the military) is to try to convince enemy troops that surrender is sweet, that it is better to capitulate than to continue to fight, that defeat is inevitable.
In keeping with this, an Air Force colonel shared with me that during World War I, psywar pamphlets were airdropped among the German troops.
Shortly after the end of the war, Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg, the Chief of Staff of the Kaiser’s Army, complained:
In the shower of pamphlets which was scattered by enemy airmen our adversaries said and wrote that they did not think so badly of us; that we must only be reasonable and perhaps here and there renounce something we had conquered. Then everything would soon be right again and we could live together in peace, perpetual international peace. As regards peace within our own borders, new men and new Governments would see to that. What a blessing peace would be after all the fighting. There was, therefore, no point in continuing the struggle. (From the USAF Special Operations School: Psychological Operations.)
And what were the results of this strategy? Military historian Stanley Sandler writes: “As German Army discipline wavered or broke, these leaflets became responsible for defections on a large scale. Not surprisingly, Adolph Hitler termed Allied military psywar ‘psychologically efficient.’”
Is the One-Sided, Fear-Based Flood of Information Truly Good for Us?
Today, we are not having pamphlets dropped on us from the sky to break our spirits. But we are hearing a constant flood of bad news. Of distressing and depressing news. Of fearful statistics. And we are reminded daily of the danger of violating the status quo.
Does this mean that all these media outlets are ill-intentioned and motivated only by financial gain? Certainly not.
Does this mean that the talking heads all share a nefarious agenda and are under some hidden, central control? Not at all.
For whatever reason, we are basically being told that COVID-19 is the only story out there, that America is a real mess, and that things could get even worse in the days ahead.
Does it mean that none of them are trying to do some good? Absolutely not.
But it does mean that, for whatever reason, we are basically being told that COVID-19 is the only story out there, that America is a real mess, and that things could get even worse in the days ahead.
Really now, is all that meant to be helpful? Encouraging? Useful?
Or, to approach this from a different angle, ask yourself this: If the goal of the media was to help Americans function in a healthy and hopeful way during this difficult time, would their reporting be the same?
Avoid Absorbing the Toxin of Negative Reporting
Doing a daily talk radio show, and through interaction with the public on social media, I have been sounding a “fear not” message for the last two months. Yes, the virus is very serious, but it’s not the end of the world, and there’s no need for panic.
At the same time, I have had to counteract the attitude of fear and panic that arises by being subjected to day-and-night, negative reporting. (Mix in partisan politics, and you have a real toxic mix.) And in order to starve our fears and feed our faith and our practical wisdom, we cannot sit glued in front of the TV or computer screen.
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But this is part of the vicious cycle of 24-hour news networks. The same stories get repeated endlessly, seriously undermining our ability to think for ourselves. Are we not getting brainwashed by it all?
Most Major News Networks Serve the Cause of State Control, Prager Says
But there’s another angle to consider, and that’s the angle of control.
Dennis Prager recently wrote that “the ease with which police state tactics have been employed and the equal ease with which most Americans have accepted them have been breathtaking.”
Could this have happened without the media’s incessant, fear-producing drumbeat?
Prager pointed to four principles signs of a police state, one of which was, “A Mass Media Supportive of the State’s Messaging and Deprivation of Rights.”
He explained, “The New York Times, CNN and every other mainstream mass medium — except Fox News, The Wall Street Journal (editorial and opinion pages only) and talk radio — have served the cause of state control over individual Americans’ lives just as Pravda served the Soviet government. In fact, there is almost no more dissent in The New York Times than there was in Pravda. And the Big Tech platforms are removing posts about the virus and potential treatments they deem ‘misinformation.’”
YouTube Bans Content That Disputes Social Distancing
Recently, YouTube removed a viral video by two medical doctors in California. The doctors disputed the state’s safety recommendations.
According to YouTube, “We quickly remove flagged content that violate our Community Guidelines, including content that explicitly disputes the efficacy of local healthy authority recommended guidance on social distancing that may lead others to act against that guidance.”
What might be banned next? Can you not assess the information for yourself and make an informed choice?
In other words, disputed opinions offered by medical doctors (in this case, emergency room doctors) will be banned.
Does this concern you? What might be banned next? Can you not assess the information for yourself and make an informed choice?
A colleague with a massive Facebook page (I can’t share more details at this moment) had a viral post removed because a so-called fact checker deemed it false. Yet the content was entirely spiritual in nature.
We’re Facing Fear-Based Reporting and State-Supporting Censorship
So, not only do we have the 24-hour droning drumbeat of fear-based, often sensationalistic reporting. We have a dangerous form of censorship as well.
Does that constitute a form of psychological warfare? You can decide for yourself.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.


thestream--2020-04-29--Shouting for Censorship in a Burning Theater

I want to believe them .
My life would be much easier if I did .
Wouldn ’ t it be nice if we could trust the nice men from the government ?
And those from the rest of the Oligarchy ( Big Media and Big Tech ) ?
When they say that their sole concern is preserving innocent lives from the Chinese Virus , I wish that were true .
Don ’ t you ?
I don ’ t like feeling scared of the most powerful actors on earth .
They control my country — despite the best efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means well .
But he ’ s riding an elephant stampeding toward the abyss while trying to seem as if he ’ s steering it .
God watch over him , Trump ’ s a much better patriot than I am .
If I had his bucks I ’ d be sitting in some Baroque castle in Austria , peacefully cataloging my art collection .
The best part of my day ?
It ’ s the first few seconds , as the beagles jump all over me for breakfast .
My bleary mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my dreams .
None of them is as bad as what we each wake up to .
As I stumble into the kitchen to find the little packets of fresh salmon or turkey , it ’ s sometimes even a minute before I remember the plague that ’ s upon us .
Yes , the virus , but much more than that .
For all the thousands it ’ s killing , the virus is just the primary infection .
It broke our immune system .
We ’ re gravely sick with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill us .
The Constitution Has Been Suspended Let ’ s start with this : The U.S. Constitution has been effectively suspended .
Just as the German constitution was after the Reichstag fire .
Roll that around in your head for a while .
See how it changes your day .
Churches are closed .
Small businesses are dying like patients in an Albany nursing home .
And Speaker Nancy Pelosi is proposing that the government just print all the money required to put the whole country on a pension till … .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ goalposts of normalcy are moving so fast it gives you a headache .
First we needed to lockdown until we had enough ventilators and masks .
Then it was tests for the virus .
Then it was until the “ curve ” of patients had flattened , and hospitals weren ’ t overwhelmed .
Now we ’ re hearing that the “ new normal ” could be with us … forever .
That state governors will rule by decree and control our lives till … a vaccine gets invented .
If that ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to insist on using aborted babies to make it .
In the media , every network except a few shows on Fox broadcasts the same viewpoints and flogs the same targets of hate .
They also just happen to repeat without any mistakes the talking points of the Chinese Communist Party .
You know , the group that seems to have bioengineered this virus .
Then when they accidentally released it , locked down travel to the rest of China .
But they let thousands fly to the rest of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then bought up all the surgical masks , and tried to charge us 1000 times their ordinary price .
They ’ d already bought the World Health Organization , so it peddled their lies for months .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
The same government running concentration camps .
And stealing organs from imprisoned religious dissenters to sell on the black market for cash .
Those people .
We ’ re supposed to trust them .
And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Organization ?
Then the World Information Monopoly ( acronym : G.O.O.G.L.E . )
will tell its subsidiary YouTube to censor us .
We might be virologists or epidemiologists with vital alternative theories .
Or doctors curing patients with a cheap , safe malaria drug .
But the tech nerds working in Silicon Valley will silence us , since they know better .
Are you feeling safer yet ?
More trusting in the Oligarchy ?
More ready to leave those constitutional rights lying around in the driveway ?
Or are you maybe thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who cares about America , he should take action against it all ?
Maybe break up Google , and Facebook , and Amazon , into 50 little pieces the way we once split Ma Bell .
At least Ma Bell didn ’ t listen in on our phone calls and cancel our service if she didn ’ t like what we said on the phone .
Of course , everything any conservative or Christian does or says to push back will get the same kind of answer .
“ Lives , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who calls himself ‘ pro-life !
’ ” We have the right answer to that .
Any time someone says something like this , demand that he answer this question : What you ’ ll hear back is crickets , and you ’ ll never hear from that person again .
Consider that a win .
Two front-line doctors ( Dr. Dan Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi ) produced a video criticizing the lockdown , based on their medical judgment .
Go watch it here , while you still can .
It went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million views , and sparked debate over recommendations to lift the shelter-in-place order , ” as ABC News of Bakersfield , Calif. , reported .
Then YouTube shut it down , citing its “ community guidelines.
” Yes , that ’ s an official policy .
Read The Verdict ’ s report .
The WHO , which denounced Trump ’ s travel ban .
And denied as late as January that the virus was truly contagious .
And told us not to buy facemasks , since they wouldn ’ t work .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose their balance thanks to this crisis .
For instance the canny author and political analyst Scott Adams .
Yes , the guy who created “ Dilbert , ” and predicted Trump ’ s win against all the experts .
But he fell into a common , dangerous error recently .
He responded to YouTube ’ s act of medical censorship this way .
( You ’ ll also see my answer . )
In fact , that very cliché begs the question it asks .
If someone ’ s yelling “ Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s the first thing you want to know ?
But Is There Really a Fire ?
Well , is there a fire ?
What if the answer ’ s unclear ?
There ’ s smoke billowing somewhere .
It might be a fog machine .
Or smoke bomb thrown by a prankster .
How do you find out the truth ?
Not by sending police flooding down every aisle to make each person sit silently in his seat until the fire marshal arrives to render his expert judgment .
No , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see , what they think .
That ’ s what China refused to do , and why the virus escaped to afflict the world .
Now the far worse virus of Chinese-style tyranny is doing far more damage than the Wuhan Flu ever could — except to the poor elderly trapped by Andrew Cuomo in the nursing homes he seeded with plague .
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 @ @ @

I want to believe them. My life would be much easier if I did. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could trust the nice men from the government? And those from the rest of the Oligarchy (Big Media and Big Tech)? When they say that their sole concern is preserving innocent lives from the Chinese Virus, I wish that were true. Don’t you?
I don’t like feeling scared of the most powerful actors on earth. They control my country — despite the best efforts of President Trump. I know he means well. But he’s riding an elephant stampeding toward the abyss while trying to seem as if he’s steering it. God watch over him, Trump’s a much better patriot than I am. If I had his bucks I’d be sitting in some Baroque castle in Austria, peacefully cataloging my art collection.
The best part of my day? It’s the first few seconds, as the beagles jump all over me for breakfast. My bleary mind’s still clutching at fragments of my dreams. None of them is as bad as what we each wake up to. As I stumble into the kitchen to find the little packets of fresh salmon or turkey, it’s sometimes even a minute before I remember the plague that’s upon us. Yes, the virus, but much more than that. For all the thousands it’s killing, the virus is just the primary infection. It broke our immune system. We’re gravely sick with the Tyrannovirus, and it might very well kill us.
The Constitution Has Been Suspended
Let’s start with this: The U.S. Constitution has been effectively suspended. Just as the German constitution was after the Reichstag fire. Roll that around in your head for a while. See how it changes your day. Churches are closed. Small businesses are dying like patients in an Albany nursing home. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi is proposing that the government just print all the money required to put the whole country on a pension till …. Well, till when exactly?
The goalposts of normalcy are moving so fast it gives you a headache. First we needed to lockdown until we had enough ventilators and masks. Then it was tests for the virus. Then it was until the “curve” of patients had flattened, and hospitals weren’t overwhelmed. Now we’re hearing that the “new normal” could be with us … forever. That state governors will rule by decree and control our lives till … a vaccine gets invented. If that ever happens. And oh yeah, researchers are going to insist on using aborted babies to make it.
Every network except a few shows on Fox broadcasts the same viewpoints and flogs the same targets of hate. They also just happen to repeat without any mistakes the talking points of the Chinese Communist Party
China Writes Our Nightly News
In the media, every network except a few shows on Fox broadcasts the same viewpoints and flogs the same targets of hate. They also just happen to repeat without any mistakes the talking points of the Chinese Communist Party. You know, the group that seems to have bioengineered this virus. Then when they accidentally released it, locked down travel to the rest of China. But they let thousands fly to the rest of the world like Japanese Zeros hitting Pearl Harbor. Then bought up all the surgical masks, and tried to charge us 1000 times their ordinary price. They’d already bought the World Health Organization, so it peddled their lies for months.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The same government running concentration camps. And stealing organs from imprisoned religious dissenters to sell on the black market for cash. Those people. We’re supposed to trust them.
And if we say anything that contradicts the World Health Organization? Then the World Information Monopoly (acronym: G.O.O.G.L.E.) will tell its subsidiary YouTube to censor us. We might be virologists or epidemiologists with vital alternative theories. Or doctors curing patients with a cheap, safe malaria drug. But the tech nerds working in Silicon Valley will silence us, since they know better.
Break Up Big Tech and Amazon
Are you feeling safer yet? More trusting in the Oligarchy? More ready to leave those constitutional rights lying around in the driveway? Or are you maybe thinking that while we still have a president who cares about America, he should take action against it all? Maybe break up Google, and Facebook, and Amazon, into 50 little pieces the way we once split Ma Bell. At least Ma Bell didn’t listen in on our phone calls and cancel our service if she didn’t like what we said on the phone.
Of course, everything any conservative or Christian does or says to push back will get the same kind of answer. “Lives, you’re endangering lives! You hypocrite, who calls himself ‘pro-life!’” We have the right answer to that. Any time someone says something like this, demand that he answer this question:
Why is Governor Cuomo of New York forcing nursing homes to take in virus patients? Isn’t the whole point to protect the most vulnerable? Will you denounce him for that? I didn’t think so. Who’s the hypocrite?
What you’ll hear back is crickets, and you’ll never hear from that person again. Consider that a win.
The WHO Censors America
Two front-line doctors (Dr. Dan Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi) produced a video criticizing the lockdown, based on their medical judgment. Go watch it here, while you still can. It went insanely viral, “reaching over 5.46 million views, and sparked debate over recommendations to lift the shelter-in-place order,” as ABC News of Bakersfield, Calif., reported. Then YouTube shut it down, citing its “community guidelines.” Yes, that’s an official policy. Read The Verdict’s report.
YouTube will ban any content containing medical advice that contradicts World Health Organisation (WHO) coronavirus recommendations, according to CEO Susan Wojcicki. Speaking on CNN’s Reliable Sources, Wojcicki said that the Google-owned video streaming platform would be “removing information that is problematic”. She told host Brian Stelter that this would include “anything that is medically unsubstantiated”. “So people saying ‘take vitamin C; take turmeric, we’ll cure you’, those are the examples of things that would be a violation of our policy,” she said. “Anything that would go against World Health Organisation recommendations would be a violation of our policy.”
The WHO, which denounced Trump’s travel ban. And denied as late as January that the virus was truly contagious. And told us not to buy facemasks, since they wouldn’t work.
Feeling safer yet?
Turning America Into Red China
The worst thing is seeing typically sane people lose their balance thanks to this crisis. For instance the canny author and political analyst Scott Adams. Yes, the guy who created “Dilbert,” and predicted Trump’s win against all the experts. But he fell into a common, dangerous error recently. He responded to YouTube’s act of medical censorship this way. (You’ll also see my answer.)
This is a debate worth having. My starting opinion is that yelling fire in a crowded theater is data too. We do draw lines when it makes obvious sense to do so. Is this one of those situations, given that the fate of civilization is on the line? Who decides? https://t.co/C2ecqBuuZm — Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) April 28, 2020 The “fire in a theater” argument is so hackneyed and overused. It’s the go-to rationalization for every censor from here to Beijing. Mass censorship is what let this disease go wild in China. Do you trust YOUTUBE, frigging YOUTUBE to take over the CCP’s role here? — John Zmirak (@JZmirak) April 28, 2020
In fact, that very cliché begs the question it asks. If someone’s yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater, what’s the first thing you want to know?
But Is There Really a Fire?
Well, is there a fire? What if the answer’s unclear? There’s smoke billowing somewhere. It might be a fog machine. Or smoke bomb thrown by a prankster. How do you find out the truth? Not by sending police flooding down every aisle to make each person sit silently in his seat until the fire marshal arrives to render his expert judgment. No, you let various voices express what they see, what they think.
That’s what China refused to do, and why the virus escaped to afflict the world. Now the far worse virus of Chinese-style tyranny is doing far more damage than the Wuhan Flu ever could — except to the poor elderly trapped by Andrew Cuomo in the nursing homes he seeded with plague.
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.


thestream--2020-04-29--Military Photo of the Day: A Tribute to the Air Force Academy Class of 2020

An F-35A Lightning II flies over Colorado in tribute to graduates of the United States Air Force Academy on April @ @ @ @ @ to the Air Force Academy Class of 2020 !
Support The Stream : Serving the @ @ @ @ @ Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .

An F-35A Lightning II flies over Colorado in tribute to graduates of the United States Air Force Academy on April 17, 2020.
Congratulations to the Air Force Academy Class of 2020!
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thestream--2020-04-29--Businesses Not Reopening Because They’re Afraid of Being Sued?

Yes , COVID-19 kills people .
But so does a collapsed economy .
Finally , states are beginning to let more businesses open .
But there ’ s a problem .
A big one , that could keep crucial businesses closed .
Georgia allowed some businesses to open on Friday .
Several other states will do that on May 1 .
But some businesses might not open even when they can .
Why ?
Because an employee or customer might get COVID-19 and sue them .
As long as someone might get sick , businesses might get sued .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could lose .
They could face and lose dozens or hundreds of law suits .
They could lose tens of millions of dollars .
That would put the small and medium-sized business under .
Why risk it ?
Why not wait ?
Lawsuits have already been filed against businesses over COVID-19 .
Cruise lines were the first businesses to get hit with suits .
They ’ ve already lost almost a billion dollars worth of business .
They won ’ t be sailing for at least another three months .
With all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Suits against them have been hard to win in the past , but who knows how the pandemic will change the courts ? )
Other businesses look at them as a warning .
Small businesses that can ’ t afford lawyers are going to be very worried .
Some industries require close human contact .
They include hotels , hair salons , daycares , gyms and restaurants .
How are they going to achieve social distancing ?
They can ’ t guarantee employees or customers will always be safe .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the death of an employee .
Some of the businesses that were allowed to open in Georgia aren ’ t doing so .
Others are opening with numerous restrictions .
What ’ s the answer , then ?
Protect businesses from being sued .
More people are proposing this .
President Trump said on Tuesday that he wants to shield businesses from liability .
For example , he is going to order meat processing facilities to stay open , and will sign an executive order shielding them from lawsuits .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are asking Congress to set a federal standard that limits liability for employers who follow CDC guidelines .
White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow says reopened businesses shouldn ’ t be liable for coronavirus infections .
Lawsuits may put them out of business .
A writer at National Review urges state legislatures and Congress to pass laws shielding them .
Both see that America needs businesses opening as fast as they can .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House and Senate in Utah passed a bill last Thursday to protect businesses .
It would make business owners “ immune from civil liability for damages or an injury ” when someone has been exposed to COVID-19 while on the premises doing something associated with the business .
A law enacted in March in New York protects health care facilities and volunteer organizations from both civil and criminal liability due to COVID-19 .
While it shields businesses from negligence , they will still be liable for willful misconduct , recklessly or intentionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves in some ways .
But they also remain vulnerable .
Employees who contract COVID-19 at work can file a worker ’ s compensation claim , which removes their right to sue .
And they will have to prove they contracted the illness at work , which will not be easy .
However , a handful of states have shifted the burden to the employer when it comes to essential employees .
The states ’ laws presume that the employee caught COVID-19 at work .
However , a judge in Illinois issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business groups filed lawsuits opposing it .
Businesses can also protect themselves to some extent by following the CDC guidelines .
Only healthcare facilities are required to follow the guidelines , but businesses would be wise to .
A court will take that into consideration when deciding a lawsuit .
That means using social distancing , providing hand sanitizer , separating sick employees and possibly providing face masks .
The U.S .
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC ) is allowing employers — for the time being — to take the temperatures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a medical exam .
Businesses should also follow workplace guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration .
One lawyer recommends that businesses have employees sign a waiver making them aware of potential COVID-19 exposure .
Of course , there is always a risk .
Businesses with immunity might shirk their responsibility to take precautions against the virus .
But so far it appears from media reports that the businesses reopening are taking great precautions .
They should not be punished .
The country needs them open .
A sensible law should protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editor of The Stream .
Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC .
Follow The Stream at streamdotorg .
Send tips to rachel.alexander @ stream.org .

Yes, COVID-19 kills people. But so does a collapsed economy. Finally, states are beginning to let more businesses open. But there’s a problem. A big one, that could keep crucial businesses closed.
Georgia allowed some businesses to open on Friday. Several other states will do that on May 1. But some businesses might not open even when they can. Why? Because an employee or customer might get COVID-19 and sue them.
As long as someone might get sick, businesses might get sued. As long they’re sued, they could lose. They could face and lose dozens or hundreds of law suits. They could lose tens of millions of dollars. That would put the small and medium-sized business under. Why risk it? Why not wait?
A Warning
Lawsuits have already been filed against businesses over COVID-19. Cruise lines were the first businesses to get hit with suits. They’ve already lost almost a billion dollars worth of business. They won’t be sailing for at least another three months. With all the suits they might lose a lot more. (Suits against them have been hard to win in the past, but who knows how the pandemic will change the courts?)
Other businesses look at them as a warning. Small businesses that can’t afford lawyers are going to be very worried.
Small businesses that are less likely to be able to afford lawyers are going to be very worried.
Some industries require close human contact. They include hotels, hair salons, daycares, gyms and restaurants. How are they going to achieve social distancing? They can’t guarantee employees or customers will always be safe. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Walmart over the death of an employee.
Some of the businesses that were allowed to open in Georgia aren’t doing so. Others are opening with numerous restrictions.
Businesses Shouldn’t be Liable
What’s the answer, then? Protect businesses from being sued. More people are proposing this. President Trump said on Tuesday that he wants to shield businesses from liability. For example, he is going to order meat processing facilities to stay open, and will sign an executive order shielding them from lawsuits.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and several business groups are asking Congress to set a federal standard that limits liability for employers who follow CDC guidelines. White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow says reopened businesses shouldn’t be liable for coronavirus infections. Lawsuits may put them out of business. A writer at National Review urges state legislatures and Congress to pass laws shielding them. Both see that America needs businesses opening as fast as they can.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Some states are already working on this. The House and Senate in Utah passed a bill last Thursday to protect businesses. It would make business owners “immune from civil liability for damages or an injury” when someone has been exposed to COVID-19 while on the premises doing something associated with the business.
A law enacted in March in New York protects health care facilities and volunteer organizations from both civil and criminal liability due to COVID-19. While it shields businesses from negligence, they will still be liable for willful misconduct, recklessly or intentionally inflicting harm.
Protecting Themselves
Businesses can already protect themselves in some ways. But they also remain vulnerable. Employees who contract COVID-19 at work can file a worker’s compensation claim, which removes their right to sue. And they will have to prove they contracted the illness at work, which will not be easy. However, a handful of states have shifted the burden to the employer when it comes to essential employees. The states’ laws presume that the employee caught COVID-19 at work. However, a judge in Illinois issued a temporary restraining order against the rule after business groups filed lawsuits opposing it.
Businesses can protect themselves to some extent by following the CDC guidelines.
Businesses can also protect themselves to some extent by following the CDC guidelines. Only healthcare facilities are required to follow the guidelines, but businesses would be wise to. A court will take that into consideration when deciding a lawsuit. That means using social distancing, providing hand sanitizer, separating sick employees and possibly providing face masks.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is allowing employers — for the time being — to take the temperatures of on-site employees, even though this constitutes a medical exam. Businesses should also follow workplace guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. One lawyer recommends that businesses have employees sign a waiver making them aware of potential COVID-19 exposure.
Of course, there is always a risk. Businesses with immunity might shirk their responsibility to take precautions against the virus. But so far it appears from media reports that the businesses reopening are taking great precautions. They should not be punished. The country needs them open. A sensible law should protect them.
Rachel Alexander is a senior editor of The Stream. Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC. Follow The Stream at streamdotorg. Send tips to [email protected].
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.


thestream--2020-04-30--Texas Parental Rights in Jeopardy as Non-Relative Wins Joint Custody of Child

A little girl in Denton County , Texas , is the subject of a custody battle between her biological father and her deceased mother ’ s fiancé .
The scary part ?
The Supreme Court of Texas may rule in the nonparent ’ s favor , giving him joint custody of the five year old .
“ Ann ” used to split her time between her mother and father .
In 2017 , Ann ’ s mother moved in with her then-boyfriend .
A few months later , the boyfriend ( J.D .
in court documents ) proposed .
Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was killed in car accident .
Since her mother ’ s death , Ann has spent her time with her father , Chris , who has been deemed a “ fit parent ” by the courts .
She only spent approximately five months with J.D .
over an 11-month period .
That same year , Ann ’ s maternal grandparents filed for joint custody .
They lost their case .
The court told them that they had not proven the father was an unfit parent and refused to grant them custody .
J.D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time seeking joint custody of Ann .
His case has been allowed to continue , even though he isn ’ t a blood relative .
J.D .
won joint custody in a lower court .
Ann ’ s father appealed this grant of custody by the trial court , but the court of appeals denied his request without comment .
To understand how J.D .
was allowed to request custody in the first place , you have to go back to the Texas Supreme Court case In the Interest of H.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the court stated that the Texas Family Code “ recognizes that a narrow class of nonparents , who have served in a parent-like role to a child over an extended period of time , may come to court and seek to preserve that relationship , over a parent ’ s objections.
” That 2018 case “ opened up the door pretty broadly ” to all kinds of people , Jeremy Newman , Director of Public Policy for Texas Home School Coalition ( THSC ) told The Stream .
THSC filed an amicus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her father .
They did so because of the broader implications in the case that will affect parental rights .
“ The issue is that homeschooling depends on the right you have as parents to raise your kids at all , ” Jeremy explained .
“ And so for that reason , we get involved in a lot of cases or legislative issues that have to deal with that broader right.
” Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be affected .
“ So you have a nanny , you have a live in boyfriend , you have a student who rents out the room in your house for the semester .
These types of people would be allowed to come in and say , ‘ Hey , because I cohabitated with your child , I think I have a significant enough relationship that I should be able to take custody.
’ And they could actually receive custody because there ’ s no presumption in your favor anymore.
” The precedent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is huge .
“ The important thing to understand here is that basically the question that ’ s being asked to the court is whether parents have a constitutional right to raise their children .
… And what the fiancé is arguing is , ‘ Hey , your status as a biological parent to your child is not good enough .
It doesn ’ t give you any greater right to raise your child than I have as an unrelated person who has spent less than six months with them . '
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parent now , but that will change should J.D .
win his case .
As it stands , a constitutional rule says that “ you don ’ t get custody of a parent ’ s child unless you can prove that they are an unfit parent.
” But Chris has been deemed a “ fit parent , ” something that the opposition doesn ’ t deny .
Parents everywhere should be concerned .
“ I think the most important thing for people to understand is that the father has not been accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newman .
“ The thing that makes [ this case ] so significant is that the courts have all found , and the fiancé acknowledges , that the father is an entirely fit parent .
He ’ s done nothing wrong .
He raises his daughter well and then they say , ‘ I should still have a right to take your daughter , take custody of your daughter . '
” The Supreme Court of Texas will likely hand down their ruling later this summer .
If Chris can afford it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court of the United States .
So far , he ’ s spent over $ 170,000 defending his right to have custody of his own child .
“ [ Ann is ] my everything , ” Chris told Western Journal .
“ She ’ s worth fighting for .
I don ’ t want it to happen to any more families in Texas .
It should end now.
” THSC launched a website last week called letherstay.com .
People can sign the petition and share the video posted of Chris talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

A little girl in Denton County, Texas, is the subject of a custody battle between her biological father and her deceased mother’s fiancé. The scary part? The Supreme Court of Texas may rule in the nonparent’s favor, giving him joint custody of the five year old.
The Case
“Ann” used to split her time between her mother and father. In 2017, Ann’s mother moved in with her then-boyfriend. A few months later, the boyfriend (J.D. in court documents) proposed. Three months later, Ann’s mother was killed in car accident. Since her mother’s death, Ann has spent her time with her father, Chris, who has been deemed a “fit parent” by the courts. She only spent approximately five months with J.D. over an 11-month period.
That same year, Ann’s maternal grandparents filed for joint custody. They lost their case. The court told them that they had not proven the father was an unfit parent and refused to grant them custody.
J.D. filed a similar petition around the same time seeking joint custody of Ann. His case has been allowed to continue, even though he isn’t a blood relative. J.D. won joint custody in a lower court. Ann’s father appealed this grant of custody by the trial court, but the court of appeals denied his request without comment.
To understand how J.D. was allowed to request custody in the first place, you have to go back to the Texas Supreme Court case In the Interest of H.S. (2018). In that decision, the court stated that the Texas Family Code “recognizes that a narrow class of nonparents, who have served in a parent-like role to a child over an extended period of time, may come to court and seek to preserve that relationship, over a parent’s objections.”
A Scary Precedent
That 2018 case “opened up the door pretty broadly” to all kinds of people, Jeremy Newman, Director of Public Policy for Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) told The Stream. THSC filed an amicus brief with the court defending Ann and her father. They did so because of the broader implications in the case that will affect parental rights. “The issue is that homeschooling depends on the right you have as parents to raise your kids at all,” Jeremy explained. “And so for that reason, we get involved in a lot of cases or legislative issues that have to deal with that broader right.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
If the fiancé wins the case, all parents will be affected. “So you have a nanny, you have a live in boyfriend, you have a student who rents out the room in your house for the semester. These types of people would be allowed to come in and say, ‘Hey, because I cohabitated with your child, I think I have a significant enough relationship that I should be able to take custody.’ And they could actually receive custody because there’s no presumption in your favor anymore.”
The precedent set by the decision in this case is huge. “The important thing to understand here is that basically the question that’s being asked to the court is whether parents have a constitutional right to raise their children. … And what the fiancé is arguing is, ‘Hey, your status as a biological parent to your child is not good enough. It doesn’t give you any greater right to raise your child than I have as an unrelated person who has spent less than six months with them.'”
Parental Presumption in Jeopardy
There is a presumption in favor of the parent now, but that will change should J.D. win his case. As it stands, a constitutional rule says that “you don’t get custody of a parent’s child unless you can prove that they are an unfit parent.” But Chris has been deemed a “fit parent,” something that the opposition doesn’t deny. Parents everywhere should be concerned. “I think the most important thing for people to understand is that the father has not been accused of doing anything wrong,” said Newman. “The thing that makes [this case] so significant is that the courts have all found, and the fiancé acknowledges, that the father is an entirely fit parent. He’s done nothing wrong. He raises his daughter well and then they say, ‘I should still have a right to take your daughter, take custody of your daughter.'”
The Supreme Court of Texas will likely hand down their ruling later this summer. If Chris can afford it, he’ll take the case to the Supreme Court of the United States. So far, he’s spent over $170,000 defending his right to have custody of his own child.
“[Ann is] my everything,” Chris told Western Journal. “She’s worth fighting for. I don’t want it to happen to any more families in Texas. It should end now.”
THSC launched a website last week called letherstay.com. People can sign the petition and share the video posted of Chris talking about the case.
Watch:
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-04-30--Military Photo of the Day: Tappin’ Elbows

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe and Pyeongtaek City mayor Jung Jang-seon tap elbows to greet each other at Camp @ @ @ @ @ April 9 , 2020 .
Thank you to all our troops serving overseas during the @ @ @ @ @ praying for your safe return .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This @ @ @ @ @ .
And No Fear .

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe and Pyeongtaek City mayor Jung Jang-seon tap elbows to greet each other at Camp Humphreys in South Korea on April 9, 2020.
Thank you to all our troops serving overseas during the coronavirus crisis. We are praying for your safe return.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-04-30--The Communists Lied and the People Died

The Communists Lied and the People Died

Worldviews have consequences .
The pandemic that grips the whole world is symptomatic of the deadly grip that the ungodly leadership in China holds over a wide populous ( including tens of millions of Chinese Christians ) .
The coronavirus did not just come out of nowhere .
The Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) claims that it came out of the wet markets of Wuhan , a city of about 11 million people .
But there is evidence that it may have originated in a biolab , the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
Steven Mosher , the president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
He says corners were being cut , leading to the virus escaping from the lab .
But the CCP tried to hide these things .
As we know now , they allowed flights from Wuhan to the rest of the world , but not flights from Wuhan to other parts of China .
Recently I interviewed Mosher on my radio show .
He argued , And yet millions of Americans are ready to blame President Trump for the virus crisis rather the actual perpetrators .
Furthermore , millions of young Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation — which often leads to communism .
They think socialism means sharing and fairness to everybody .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
A recent Gallup poll found that the younger you are in America , the higher your view of socialism .
Only 51 % of Americans aged 18-39 had a high view of capitalism with 49 % preferring socialism .
At the same time , of those older than 55 , 68 % were positive toward capitalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socialism .
Gary Bauer of American Values told me in a recent TV interview : Mosher noted the CCP ( and communism everywhere ) is built on a series of lies : • There is no God .
• Man is not made in the image of God ; instead he ’ s just a little higher than the apes .
• The Party can create paradise on earth , if you give it all power .
Chairman Mao who forced communism on China in 1949 is the greatest mass-murderer in the history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 45 million of his own people .
When he took over the world ’ s most populated country , one of the goals was to “ dominate wider parts of the world , ” notes Mosher .
And in 1958 , Mao set up the “ Earth Control Committee.
” Thus , it is possible that the whole world has been upended by a group of atheists who reacted criminally in response to accidents in a lab that was dealing with very dangerous substances .
No wonder the state of Missouri filed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
At least we can say that their irresponsible reaction to the virus once it began to spread has brought misery to many parts of the world .
Many Chinese people themselves would gladly not have the Communists rule over them .
But , amazingly , as noted , we have many in America who want communism or socialism .
I asked Mosher about this trend among young people .
He chalked it up to the naivete of the young and the “ miseducation ” many of them receive in the schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if just the right people put it into practice .
But in every communist regime , Mosher observes , they kill at least about 10-15 % of their own people in order to remove the “ counter-revolutionaries.
” Of all the sins and crimes of communism throughout the last century and a half — and there have been many — the outbreak of the coronavirus and the failure of the CCP to truly cooperate with other agencies to control this before it became a pandemic has got to be among the greatest crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying during the Cold War , “ You can trust the communists to act like communists.
” It is about time naïve Americans woke up to the rotten fruit of communism .
Jerry Newcombe , D.Min.
, is a senior producer and an on-air host for D. James Kennedy Ministries .
He has written or co-written 32 books , such as The Unstoppable Jesus Christ , American Amnesia : Is American Paying the Price for Forgetting God ?
, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born ?
( with D. James Kennedy ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Sacred Fire ( with Peter Lillback ) .
Learn more at www.jerrynewcombe.com and follow him on Twitter @ newcombejerry .

Worldviews have consequences. The pandemic that grips the whole world is symptomatic of the deadly grip that the ungodly leadership in China holds over a wide populous (including tens of millions of Chinese Christians).
The coronavirus did not just come out of nowhere. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that it came out of the wet markets of Wuhan, a city of about 11 million people. But there is evidence that it may have originated in a biolab, the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Steven Mosher, the president of the Population Research Institute, certainly thinks so. He says corners were being cut, leading to the virus escaping from the lab. But the CCP tried to hide these things. As we know now, they allowed flights from Wuhan to the rest of the world, but not flights from Wuhan to other parts of China.
Wuhan’s Biolab
Recently I interviewed Mosher on my radio show. He argued,
This didn’t come from nature. This came from man. This came from the leadership of the Communist Party, which was putting a rush on research in their biolab in Wuhan. And I think they were putting so much pressure on the research that the researchers cut corners, and this dangerous coronavirus … escaped from the lab.
Mosher continued,
And there the story gets even worse. Because after it escapes, it could have been contained very, very quickly by using means that we’re all familiar with — contact-tracing, finding out who Patient Zero was, tracing that person’s contacts, putting those people under quarantine. Instead, the deadly virus was allowed to spread throughout the city of Wuhan. China hid it. … Even to this present day, they are still hiding what they know about the virus.
And yet millions of Americans are ready to blame President Trump for the virus crisis rather the actual perpetrators.
Misguided Support for Socialism
Furthermore, millions of young Americans want to see America become a socialist nation — which often leads to communism. They think socialism means sharing and fairness to everybody.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
A recent Gallup poll found that the younger you are in America, the higher your view of socialism. Only 51% of Americans aged 18-39 had a high view of capitalism with 49% preferring socialism. At the same time, of those older than 55, 68% were positive toward capitalism with only 32% in favor of socialism.
Gary Bauer of American Values told me in a recent TV interview:
I think all of us have been disturbed by polling data that shows that young Americans particularly seem to be very open, if not outwardly and completely supportive, of socialism. … The majority of students that are saying that socialism is a good thing have not been educated in any way shape or form about what socialism is.
Mosher noted the CCP (and communism everywhere) is built on a series of lies:
There is no God.
Man is not made in the image of God; instead he’s just a little higher than the apes.
The Party can create paradise on earth, if you give it all power.
China and Communism
Chairman Mao who forced communism on China in 1949 is the greatest mass-murderer in the history of humanity, exterminating as many as 45 million of his own people. When he took over the world’s most populated country, one of the goals was to “dominate wider parts of the world,” notes Mosher. And in 1958, Mao set up the “Earth Control Committee.”
The outbreak of the coronavirus and the failure of the CCP to truly cooperate with other agencies to control this before it became a pandemic has got to be among the greatest crimes of all.
Thus, it is possible that the whole world has been upended by a group of atheists who reacted criminally in response to accidents in a lab that was dealing with very dangerous substances. No wonder the state of Missouri filed a lawsuit last week against the government of China.
At least we can say that their irresponsible reaction to the virus once it began to spread has brought misery to many parts of the world. Many Chinese people themselves would gladly not have the Communists rule over them. But, amazingly, as noted, we have many in America who want communism or socialism.
The Rotten Fruit of Communism
I asked Mosher about this trend among young people. He chalked it up to the naivete of the young and the “miseducation” many of them receive in the schools.
They think socialism can work — if just the right people put it into practice. But in every communist regime, Mosher observes, they kill at least about 10-15% of their own people in order to remove the “counter-revolutionaries.”
Of all the sins and crimes of communism throughout the last century and a half — and there have been many — the outbreak of the coronavirus and the failure of the CCP to truly cooperate with other agencies to control this before it became a pandemic has got to be among the greatest crimes of all.
There was an old saying during the Cold War, “You can trust the communists to act like communists.” It is about time naïve Americans woke up to the rotten fruit of communism.
Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is a senior producer and an on-air host for D. James Kennedy Ministries. He has written or co-written 32 books, such as The Unstoppable Jesus Christ, American Amnesia: Is American Paying the Price for Forgetting God?, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (with D. James Kennedy) and the bestseller, George Washington’s Sacred Fire (with Peter Lillback). Learn more at www.jerrynewcombe.com and follow him on Twitter @newcombejerry.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.