thestream--2020-12-11--The Presidency Could Still Go Either Way. Here’s How Trump Could Still Win.

Republicans like Kellyanne Conway and supposed conservative publications are bending the knee to a Biden win .
They are calling for Trump to concede .
Meanwhile , millions of Americans are fixated on the merits of the election cases before the US Supreme Court .
But in reality , there are several paths being ignored that could change the election results .
We could still see President Trump return to the White House .
The Presidency Can Go Either Way Constitutionally speaking , there are still 3 inflection points in this process where the Presidency can go either way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ details emerge .
The first scenario has been gaining steam , but the window is closing rapidly .
State Legislatures should fulfill their duty under Article 2 , Section 1 of the Constitution .
They should choose the electors themselves .
The Supreme Court has affirmed this power over and over again .
There are uncertain outcomes in several states , even now .
So , this is the only sure way of a state being represented in the Electoral College in January .
The legislatures of PA , GA , MI , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Based on the lawlessness of democrat election officials and the overwhelming evidence of fraud , these Republican majority legislatures should award their electors whom they believe , based on the evidence , won the election .
When some Constitutional scholars first talked about this weeks ago , everyone scoffed .
But dozens of legislators are now pushing for this option .
That ’ s because the hearings in several states , like GA , have highlighted just how bad the election was compromised .
Unfortunately , several poorly informed members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this Constitutional authority and history .
They are blocking this logical solution to the chaos .
While brazen , shameless audacity abounds among Democrats , the Republican response of the day is too often cowardice and timidity .
These Republican legislators fail to realize that to not act is to endorse the lawlessness that has occurred .
The next option is the Supreme Court can do its job .
It can protect the Constitution and rule of law .
This option does not actually depend on the widespread fraud allegations .
It deals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whether election officials in a state can change election laws without the approval of the state legislature .
Government executives have become so accustomed to being COVID dictators with no accountability .
It carried over into the election laws being changed on a whim by people with zero authority to do so .
Just one example of this is Pennsylvania .
Pennsylvania decided to extend the deadline for receiving ballots .
The lawsuit from Texas , now joined by other states , adds that these actions by states like Pennsylvania violated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other states .
The Supreme Court has indicated they will take up this issue and it could be a game changer .
Prior to 2020 , the courts have been acting in ways they were never given authority to act .
However , throughout 2020 , the courts have failed to do their one actual job in protecting the Constitutional rights of Americans .
They have also failed to protect the republican form of government guaranteed by Article 4 , Section 4 .
The Supreme Court could end the year with another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could begin the process of restoring our Constitutional Republic and the rule of law .
The final option is the one that could be the most interesting and the most chaotic .
This option involves Congress doing its job and upholding the Constitution .
It meets in a Joint Session on Jan. 6th to open and count the Electoral College votes .
The process involved is laid out in the 12th Amendment and further detailed in federal law .
The action begins once any objection is raised by at least one Senator and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Legislators from PA have asked their Senators and House Members to do exactly this .
But any Senator from any state and any House Member from any state can be the ones to object .
They ’ ve done this several times over the years , including as recently as 2005 and 1969 .
Once the objection is filed , the Joint Session recesses so the Senators can return to the Senate and debate the issue .
The House Members do the same .
This option would bring a lot of fireworks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the English Parliament as portrayed on SNL than the typical CSPAN coverage of a boring Congressional debate .
With a very narrow Republican majority in the Senate and a very narrow Democrat majority in the House , anything could happen .
However , most likely the Senate will uphold objections and the House will reject the objections .
Scholars agree that federal law on what to do next is confusing at best , and perhaps even impractical .
The big uncertainty will be whether the Senate alone rejecting is enough , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law in question .
Part of that confusion stems from the fact that the counting of the electoral votes is governed by the Constitution .
So , Article 2 , Section 1.2 would supersede any federal statute .
Some experts argue that the process can be modified by the added federal statutes , but this question has yet to be answered .
If enough electors are rejected that no candidate gets to the magic 270 , the 12th Amendment would then give the final decision to the state delegations in the U.S. House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would vote to elect the vice president .
If that happens , President Trump and VP Pence will have four more years .
So , when Republican talking heads cave to the pressure and say it ’ s just time to move on , remember one thing : These legal remedies and Constitutional processes are absolutely essential to preserving our electoral system and preventing unlawful actions of petty tyrants from using chaos to undermine the entire Constitutional Republic .
Rick Green is a former Texas State Representative , national speaker , author , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family travel the nation speaking on America ’ s forgotten history and heroes , with an emphasis on our moral , religious and constitutional heritage .
Rick is the author and executive producer of Constitution Alive , America ’ s most engaging and entertaining study of the U.S. Constitution .

Republicans like Kellyanne Conway and supposed conservative publications are bending the knee to a Biden win. They are calling for Trump to concede. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are fixated on the merits of the election cases before the US Supreme Court.
But in reality, there are several paths being ignored that could change the election results. We could still see President Trump return to the White House.
The Presidency Can Go Either Way
Constitutionally speaking, there are still 3 inflection points in this process where the Presidency can go either way. The options get more interesting as more details emerge.
The first scenario has been gaining steam, but the window is closing rapidly. State Legislatures should fulfill their duty under Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution. They should choose the electors themselves. The Supreme Court has affirmed this power over and over again. There are uncertain outcomes in several states, even now. So, this is the only sure way of a state being represented in the Electoral College in January. The legislatures of PA, GA, MI, WI, and AZ should do this. Based on the lawlessness of democrat election officials and the overwhelming evidence of fraud, these Republican majority legislatures should award their electors whom they believe, based on the evidence, won the election.
State Legislators Push to Choose the Electors
When some Constitutional scholars first talked about this weeks ago, everyone scoffed. But dozens of legislators are now pushing for this option. That’s because the hearings in several states, like GA, have highlighted just how bad the election was compromised. Unfortunately, several poorly informed members of the leadership in these states do not understand this Constitutional authority and history. They are blocking this logical solution to the chaos. While brazen, shameless audacity abounds among Democrats, the Republican response of the day is too often cowardice and timidity. These Republican legislators fail to realize that to not act is to endorse the lawlessness that has occurred.
The Supreme Court Can Decide
The next option is the Supreme Court can do its job. It can protect the Constitution and rule of law. This option does not actually depend on the widespread fraud allegations. It deals more with the black and white question of whether election officials in a state can change election laws without the approval of the state legislature. Government executives have become so accustomed to being COVID dictators with no accountability. It carried over into the election laws being changed on a whim by people with zero authority to do so.
Just one example of this is Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania decided to extend the deadline for receiving ballots. The lawsuit from Texas, now joined by other states, adds that these actions by states like Pennsylvania violated the 14th Amendment. It defrauded the voters in other states. The Supreme Court has indicated they will take up this issue and it could be a game changer.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Prior to 2020, the courts have been acting in ways they were never given authority to act. However, throughout 2020, the courts have failed to do their one actual job in protecting the Constitutional rights of Americans. They have also failed to protect the republican form of government guaranteed by Article 4, Section 4. The Supreme Court could end the year with another swing and a miss, or it could begin the process of restoring our Constitutional Republic and the rule of law.
Congress Can Uphold the Constitution
The final option is the one that could be the most interesting and the most chaotic. This option involves Congress doing its job and upholding the Constitution. It meets in a Joint Session on Jan. 6th to open and count the Electoral College votes. The process involved is laid out in the 12th Amendment and further detailed in federal law. The action begins once any objection is raised by at least one Senator and one Member of the House. Seventy-Eight State Legislators from PA have asked their Senators and House Members to do exactly this. But any Senator from any state and any House Member from any state can be the ones to object. They’ve done this several times over the years, including as recently as 2005 and 1969.
These legal remedies and Constitutional processes are absolutely essential to preserving our electoral system and preventing unlawful actions of petty tyrants from using chaos to undermine the entire Constitutional Republic.
Once the objection is filed, the Joint Session recesses so the Senators can return to the Senate and debate the issue. The House Members do the same. This option would bring a lot of fireworks. It would play out more like the English Parliament as portrayed on SNL than the typical CSPAN coverage of a boring Congressional debate.
Anything Could Happen
With a very narrow Republican majority in the Senate and a very narrow Democrat majority in the House, anything could happen. However, most likely the Senate will uphold objections and the House will reject the objections. Scholars agree that federal law on what to do next is confusing at best, and perhaps even impractical. The big uncertainty will be whether the Senate alone rejecting is enough, which was the case prior to the 1888 federal law in question.
Part of that confusion stems from the fact that the counting of the electoral votes is governed by the Constitution. So, Article 2, Section 1.2 would supersede any federal statute. Some experts argue that the process can be modified by the added federal statutes, but this question has yet to be answered.
Preserving the Electoral System
If enough electors are rejected that no candidate gets to the magic 270, the 12th Amendment would then give the final decision to the state delegations in the U.S. House choosing the president. The U.S. Senate would vote to elect the vice president. If that happens, President Trump and VP Pence will have four more years.
So, when Republican talking heads cave to the pressure and say it’s just time to move on, remember one thing: These legal remedies and Constitutional processes are absolutely essential to preserving our electoral system and preventing unlawful actions of petty tyrants from using chaos to undermine the entire Constitutional Republic.
Rick Green is a former Texas State Representative, national speaker, author, and radio host. He and his family travel the nation speaking on America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage. Rick is the author and executive producer of Constitution Alive, America’s most engaging and entertaining study of the U.S. Constitution.


thestream--2020-12-11--Why Should Christians Support Free Speech?

Benjamin Franklin famously said , “ Freedom of speech is a principle pillar of a free government : When this support is taken away , the constitution of a free society is dissolved , and tyranny is erected on its ruins.
” The very same First Amendment that acknowledges our God-given right to practice our faith also recognizes our right to free speech .
The two are entwined together .
If you can not bear witness , if you can not share the gospel , neither your speech is free nor is your practice of religion .
The ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us being able to fulfill Christ ’ s Great Commission .
Please watch as we continue our Foundations Video Series and visit our Foundations page to explore more .
Marissa Hays works for LIFE Today – an innovative television talk show sharing the Gospel message with people all over the world .
Marissa is honored to serve as the host of The Stream : Foundations and is passionate about the unparalleled love and unprecedented grace available to us in Jesus Christ .
She and her husband currently reside in Texas with their adorable @ @ @ @ @

Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Freedom of speech is a principle pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins.” The very same First Amendment that acknowledges our God-given right to practice our faith also recognizes our right to free speech.
The two are entwined together. If you cannot bear witness, if you cannot share the gospel, neither your speech is free nor is your practice of religion. The ability to speak freely is at the heart of us being able to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission.
Please watch as we continue our Foundations Video Series and visit our Foundations page to explore more.
Marissa Hays works for LIFE Today — an innovative television talk show sharing the Gospel message with people all over the world. Marissa is honored to serve as the host of The Stream: Foundations and is passionate about the unparalleled love and unprecedented grace available to us in Jesus Christ. She and her husband currently reside in Texas with their adorable son and affectionate pug.


thestream--2020-12-11--Military Photo of the Day: Thanksgiving Football

U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Syria gather to play a Thanksgiving football game .
Have a safe weekend , everyone @ @ @ @ @ brave troops serving overseas .

U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Syria gather to play a Thanksgiving football game.
Have a safe weekend, everyone! May God protect our brave troops serving overseas.
React to This Article What do you think of our coverage in this article? We value your feedback as we continue to grow.


thestream--2020-12-11--This Week at War: Not Out of Africa — Yet

American forces are on their way out of Somalia , but the war against the al-Shabab , al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorist groups in East Africa is far from over .
U.S. fighter jets carried out two airstrikes on Thursday targeting al-Shabab and al-Qaeda near the town of Jilib , Somalia .
Military.com reports that strikes targeted “ explosives experts ” in the Lower Juba Valley .
Multiple terrorists were reportedly killed .
Stars and Stripes reports that while the Trump administration did decide to pull an estimated 700 U.S. troops out of Somalia , they are being sent to other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenya , ” where a U.S. Army soldier was killed in action earlier this year .
Special operations warriors will continue fighting al-Shabab , al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists in Somalia from bases outside the country , according to the report .
“ This action is not a withdrawal and an end to our efforts but a reposition to continue our efforts in East Africa , ” said AFRICOM commander Gen. Stephen Townsend in a statement , as quoted by Stars and Stripes .
Please pray for all U.S. troops fighting extremism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as their families here at home .
The U.S. military is reportedly on high alert throughout the Middle East for a potential attack by Iran .
POLITICO reports that “ specifically , the Pentagon is closely watching ‘ troubling indicators of potential attack preparations ’ from Iranian militias in Iraq.
” In addition to rocket attacks aimed at U.S. and Iraqi military bases in Iraq , Tehran has long been threatening even more severe retaliation against the U.S. and Israe after recent assassinations eliminated some of the rogue regime ’ s most ruthless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent B-52 bombers on round-trip flights from Louisiana to the Middle East on Thursday as a sign of strength to the Iranian government .
Despite recent announcements about troop withdrawals , the wars in Iraq , Syria and Afghanistan are not over .
Well over one million U.S. troops have served in these conflicts in the nearly two decades since 9/11 , with more than 7,000 American heroes making the ultimate sacrifice and many more wounded .
The U.S. military video embedded below shows what American soldiers , sailors , airmen and Marines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on ISIS in the Middle East .
We thank these valiant warriors for their service and pray for their safe return .
All around the country and world , brave U.S service members continue to fight the war on COVID-19 .
Operation Warp Speed has “ paired military planners with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ” to eventually deliver the coronavirus vaccine to an estimated 300 million Americans , according to the Department of Defense .
This week , the Pentagon confirmed its initial plans to vaccinate key members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the war on coronavirus .
According to the Associated Press , about 44,000 U.S. service members and veterans are set to receive the forthcoming Pfizer vaccine immediately upon Food and Drug Administration approval , “ with health care workers , emergency service personnel and residents of military retirement homes getting top priority.
” AP reports that in addition to 13 bases and military medical centers inside the United States , some U.S. troops selected for the first wave of vaccinations will receive doses in Germany , South Korea and Japan .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist with COVID-19 relief efforts .
In addition to running test sites and defending nursing homes and hospitals from the disease , our military keeps stepping forward to assist fellow Americans in need , as seen above .
Thank you to our compassionate men and women in uniform for your tireless efforts throughout this nine-month pandemic .
After four long months overseas , the brave U.S. Navy sailors serving aboard the USS Sioux City are finally home for the holidays .
Thank you for your service and welcome home , heroes !
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops at war and serving on other bases around the world .
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream .
He is co-author of Three Wise Men , Brothers Forever , 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes .
Follow Tom on Twitter @ TSileo and The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Africa
American forces are on their way out of Somalia, but the war against the al-Shabab, al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorist groups in East Africa is far from over.
U.S. fighter jets carried out two airstrikes on Thursday targeting al-Shabab and al-Qaeda near the town of Jilib, Somalia. Military.com reports that strikes targeted “explosives experts” in the Lower Juba Valley. Multiple terrorists were reportedly killed.
US Warplanes Hit Somali Rebels Days After US Troop Withdrawal Announced https://t.co/rQvZxXKeyP — Military.com (@Militarydotcom) December 10, 2020
Stars and Stripes reports that while the Trump administration did decide to pull an estimated 700 U.S. troops out of Somalia, they are being sent to other Eastern African nations “like Djibouti and Kenya,” where a U.S. Army soldier was killed in action earlier this year. Special operations warriors will continue fighting al-Shabab, al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists in Somalia from bases outside the country, according to the report.
“This action is not a withdrawal and an end to our efforts but a reposition to continue our efforts in East Africa,” said AFRICOM commander Gen. Stephen Townsend in a statement, as quoted by Stars and Stripes.
Please pray for all U.S. troops fighting extremism and evil in East Africa, as well as their families here at home.
Middle East
The U.S. military is reportedly on high alert throughout the Middle East for a potential attack by Iran. POLITICO reports that “specifically, the Pentagon is closely watching ‘troubling indicators of potential attack preparations’ from Iranian militias in Iraq.”
In addition to rocket attacks aimed at U.S. and Iraqi military bases in Iraq, Tehran has long been threatening even more severe retaliation against the U.S. and Israe after recent assassinations eliminated some of the rogue regime’s most ruthless figures. The U.S. Air Force also sent B-52 bombers on round-trip flights from Louisiana to the Middle East on Thursday as a sign of strength to the Iranian government.
U.S. military dispatches B-52 bombers to Middle East as show of force against Iran https://t.co/p8yD2VPaiX — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 10, 2020
Despite recent announcements about troop withdrawals, the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan are not over. Well over one million U.S. troops have served in these conflicts in the nearly two decades since 9/11, with more than 7,000 American heroes making the ultimate sacrifice and many more wounded.
The U.S. military video embedded below shows what American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have accomplished this year during the war on ISIS in the Middle East. We thank these valiant warriors for their service and pray for their safe return.
Since January 2020 the Coalition has been working hard to continue the mission to #DefeatDaesh in Iraq and Syria. Watch below for more on what the Coalition has done this year. pic.twitter.com/AALzpcU7E0 — Inherent Resolve (@CJTFOIR) December 10, 2020
COVID-19
All around the country and world, brave U.S service members continue to fight the war on COVID-19. Operation Warp Speed has “paired military planners with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” to eventually deliver the coronavirus vaccine to an estimated 300 million Americans, according to the Department of Defense.
This week, the Pentagon confirmed its initial plans to vaccinate key members of the military on the front lines of the war on coronavirus. According to the Associated Press, about 44,000 U.S. service members and veterans are set to receive the forthcoming Pfizer vaccine immediately upon Food and Drug Administration approval, “with health care workers, emergency service personnel and residents of military retirement homes getting top priority.”
AP reports that in addition to 13 bases and military medical centers inside the United States, some U.S. troops selected for the first wave of vaccinations will receive doses in Germany, South Korea and Japan.
Photo of the Day: @AZNationalGuard members built boxes and then filled the boxes with food to be distributed at a local food bank. #InThisTogether https://t.co/93spoFN4Xh pic.twitter.com/TAwsvBcS44 — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) December 10, 2020
Here at home, American warriors continue to assist with COVID-19 relief efforts. In addition to running test sites and defending nursing homes and hospitals from the disease, our military keeps stepping forward to assist fellow Americans in need, as seen above.
Thank you to our compassionate men and women in uniform for your tireless efforts throughout this nine-month pandemic.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Coming Home
After four long months overseas, the brave U.S. Navy sailors serving aboard the USS Sioux City are finally home for the holidays.
Thank you for your service and welcome home, heroes! We will continue to pray for all U.S. troops at war and serving on other bases around the world.
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of Three Wise Men, Brothers Forever, 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-12-11--Trump Supporters Right to Doubt Election

Some accuse Trump supporters of manufacturing allegations of voter fraud out of whole cloth and resisting the presidential election results in response to their supposed cult leader ’ s wishes .
As usual , President Donald Trump is the villain and his supporters are complicit .
But again , the Trump-hating critics are wrong .
Nationwide GOP distrust and outrage over the election is a grassroots phenomenon .
Trump supporters did not take their cue from Trump .
They witnessed the numerous anomalies on election night and beyond and recognized mischief when they saw it .
Am I saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firmly believe that massive cheating occurred , especially in the so-called swing states .
I can ’ t be sure whether there was enough to change the outcome of the election , though I strongly suspect it .
Millions of Americans don ’ t just strongly suspect it ; they are sure of it .
You should see my emails — not from fringers but sober , reasonable people .
They are not , as some Trump haters have charged , trying to steal the election themselves by throwing out bogus claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even make sense .
It would be pointless for them to knowingly allege unprovable election fraud with any expectation of reversing the election in court .
Conservative , originalist judges wouldn ’ t do that without compelling evidence , and even then , they may not because of the monumental gravity of such an action .
Dishonest advocates might falsely allege voter fraud for partisan reasons , such as to delegitimize President-elect Joe Biden , but not to steal back the election .
A large percentage of Republicans , and a surprising percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
You don ’ t have to take my word for it , but if you have any interest in understanding the mindset of Trump supporters , you would be wise to realize they believe they were robbed .
Some of the Many Reasons People Believe Democrats Stole the Election Let me give you some of the many reasons .
We all see things through our own lens and filter them through our respective worldviews and presuppositions .
But consider what Trump supporters have observed over the past four years and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the media ) orchestrated and pursued a phony case of Trump-Russia collusion .
They ’ ve investigated and harassed him from the beginning and fraudulently impeached him .
— Many leftists believe Trump is Hitler — their words , not mine — and , for that reason alone , would cheat to beat him .
— The legacy media ’ s reporting on Trump has been almost 100 % negative , and it has willfully covered up Democratic corruption , including that of Hunter Biden .
— Democrats ran for president a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who didn ’ t campaign and whom the media insulated from scrutiny .
They deceptively presented Joe Biden as moderate and as nothing like the extreme leftists who control his party but couldn ’ t win a national election if honest about their agenda .
Democrats knew Biden would never be the real president and would only be a stand-in for his leftist puppet masters until he could be replaced by Kamala Harris , America ’ s most liberal senator .
Biden unwittingly confirmed this sinister Manchurian scheme recently .
Prefacing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said that he told “ Barack ” that while he and Harris agree on most everything , if they later disagree on a matter of moral principal , he will “ develop some disease ” and resign .
This was a chilling admission from a failing loose cannon who , if inaugurated , will have access to the nuclear launch codes — unless his handlers wisely withhold them .
— Social media giants Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Google clearly censored conservatives and overtly interfered with the election .
Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — that ’ s a third of $ 1 billion — to get out the Democratic vote .
— The leftist-dominated national Democratic Party subscribes to an end-justifies-the-means philosophy , meaning it schemes and cheats to advance its agenda .
It has shown this with its fealty to liberal judicial activism ; its plan to pack the Supreme Court and add territories as states to gain more Democratic electoral votes ; and its crusade to diminish election integrity through opposing voter identification measures , grossly expanding unverifiable mail-in voting under the cover of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black vote .
— Trump ’ s explosive popularity is undeniable , as shown by his mega-rallies , which contrasts with Democrats ’ utter indifference toward Biden .
Trump expanded the GOP base , especially with blacks and Hispanics .
Yes , many people hate Trump , but not enough to get millions of unengaged people who never voted before — millions more than voted for former President Barack Obama — to vote for Biden .
— On election night , Trump was way ahead .
Vote counting was stopped in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states , and Biden surged way ahead by morning .
Kraken aside , this is suspicious on its face and even more so considering the reported ballot drops in select cities in those states .
Statisticians have questioned the statistical unlikelihood of this dramatic vote reversal , even accounting for more mail-in ballots among Democrats .
I frankly don ’ t know what to make of this theory , but it certainly catches one ’ s eye .
— Hundreds of affidavits throughout the country allege vast voter fraud .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but reasonable Trump supporters — and many Democrats — view these events most skeptically .
— Republicans performed extraordinarily well in congressional races , yet Trump fell behind them in certain swing states .
Scoffers say this is due to Trump ’ s off-putting manner , which we ’ re told particularly offends suburban women .
But these same people say Trump ruined the GOP .
OK , so how did his ruined party outperform him ?
We had the equivalent of one of the greatest coattail effects in the modern era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the owner of that coat didn ’ t benefit from his own coat ?
Why would those who hated him reward his party — a party that has been extremely loyal to him ?
Truth be told , many who hate Trump are contemptuous of his supporters .
I can ’ t possibly know how much the Democratic Party cheated in this election , but I have given you ample reasons to understand why millions are highly suspicious and many among them are further convinced the cheating changed the outcome of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges fail in court , it won ’ t necessarily mean massive cheating didn ’ t occur .
It could mean any number of other things : that his lawyers couldn ’ t quantitatively prove sufficient cheating after the fact , that no viable legal remedy was available , that procedural hurdles ( like laches ) precluded consideration of the case on the merits or that the Supreme Court didn ’ t want to inject itself into a political question .
But be assured that people are rightly concerned and brushing them off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mollify them , especially when Democrats have telegraphed their intention of rigging the system to make future GOP victories increasingly difficult .
What a colossal mess !
Please pray for the nation .
David Limbaugh is a writer , author and attorney .
His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity : Why the Democrats Must Not Win .
Follow him on Twitter @ davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com .

Some accuse Trump supporters of manufacturing allegations of voter fraud out of whole cloth and resisting the presidential election results in response to their supposed cult leader’s wishes. As usual, President Donald Trump is the villain and his supporters are complicit.
But again, the Trump-hating critics are wrong. Nationwide GOP distrust and outrage over the election is a grassroots phenomenon. Trump supporters did not take their cue from Trump. They witnessed the numerous anomalies on election night and beyond and recognized mischief when they saw it.
Massive Cheating Occurred
Am I saying the election was stolen? Well, I firmly believe that massive cheating occurred, especially in the so-called swing states. I can’t be sure whether there was enough to change the outcome of the election, though I strongly suspect it.
Millions of Americans don’t just strongly suspect it; they are sure of it. You should see my emails — not from fringers but sober, reasonable people. They are not, as some Trump haters have charged, trying to steal the election themselves by throwing out bogus claims of election fraud.
That doesn’t even make sense. It would be pointless for them to knowingly allege unprovable election fraud with any expectation of reversing the election in court. Conservative, originalist judges wouldn’t do that without compelling evidence, and even then, they may not because of the monumental gravity of such an action. Dishonest advocates might falsely allege voter fraud for partisan reasons, such as to delegitimize President-elect Joe Biden, but not to steal back the election.
A large percentage of Republicans, and a surprising percentage of Democrats, genuinely believe Democrats stole the election. You don’t have to take my word for it, but if you have any interest in understanding the mindset of Trump supporters, you would be wise to realize they believe they were robbed.
Some of the Many Reasons People Believe Democrats Stole the Election
Let me give you some of the many reasons. We all see things through our own lens and filter them through our respective worldviews and presuppositions. But consider what Trump supporters have observed over the past four years and on election night.
— Democrats (and the media) orchestrated and pursued a phony case of Trump-Russia collusion. They’ve investigated and harassed him from the beginning and fraudulently impeached him.
— Many leftists believe Trump is Hitler — their words, not mine — and, for that reason alone, would cheat to beat him.
— The legacy media’s reporting on Trump has been almost 100% negative, and it has willfully covered up Democratic corruption, including that of Hunter Biden.
— Democrats ran for president a man who is clearly in cognitive decline, who didn’t campaign and whom the media insulated from scrutiny. They deceptively presented Joe Biden as moderate and as nothing like the extreme leftists who control his party but couldn’t win a national election if honest about their agenda. Democrats knew Biden would never be the real president and would only be a stand-in for his leftist puppet masters until he could be replaced by Kamala Harris, America’s most liberal senator. Biden unwittingly confirmed this sinister Manchurian scheme recently. Prefacing his remarks with “All kidding aside,” he said that he told “Barack” that while he and Harris agree on most everything, if they later disagree on a matter of moral principal, he will “develop some disease” and resign. This was a chilling admission from a failing loose cannon who, if inaugurated, will have access to the nuclear launch codes — unless his handlers wisely withhold them.
— Social media giants Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google clearly censored conservatives and overtly interfered with the election. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg contributed $350 million — that’s a third of $1 billion — to get out the Democratic vote.
— Mainstream liberal polling outfits showed Biden with absurd leads over Trump.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
— The leftist-dominated national Democratic Party subscribes to an end-justifies-the-means philosophy, meaning it schemes and cheats to advance its agenda. It has shown this with its fealty to liberal judicial activism; its plan to pack the Supreme Court and add territories as states to gain more Democratic electoral votes; and its crusade to diminish election integrity through opposing voter identification measures, grossly expanding unverifiable mail-in voting under the cover of COVID-19 and falsely accusing Republicans of suppressing the black vote.
— Trump’s explosive popularity is undeniable, as shown by his mega-rallies, which contrasts with Democrats’ utter indifference toward Biden. Trump expanded the GOP base, especially with blacks and Hispanics. Yes, many people hate Trump, but not enough to get millions of unengaged people who never voted before — millions more than voted for former President Barack Obama — to vote for Biden.
— On election night, Trump was way ahead. Vote counting was stopped in the middle of the night in certain pivotal states, and Biden surged way ahead by morning. Kraken aside, this is suspicious on its face and even more so considering the reported ballot drops in select cities in those states. Statisticians have questioned the statistical unlikelihood of this dramatic vote reversal, even accounting for more mail-in ballots among Democrats. I frankly don’t know what to make of this theory, but it certainly catches one’s eye.
— Hundreds of affidavits throughout the country allege vast voter fraud. It’s impossible to know for sure what happened, but reasonable Trump supporters — and many Democrats — view these events most skeptically.
— Republicans performed extraordinarily well in congressional races, yet Trump fell behind them in certain swing states. Scoffers say this is due to Trump’s off-putting manner, which we’re told particularly offends suburban women. But these same people say Trump ruined the GOP. OK, so how did his ruined party outperform him? We had the equivalent of one of the greatest coattail effects in the modern era, and yet we are to believe that the owner of that coat didn’t benefit from his own coat? Why would those who hated him reward his party — a party that has been extremely loyal to him? Truth be told, many who hate Trump are contemptuous of his supporters.
I can’t possibly know how much the Democratic Party cheated in this election, but I have given you ample reasons to understand why millions are highly suspicious and many among them are further convinced the cheating changed the outcome of the election.
People are Rightly Concerned
If President Trump’s challenges fail in court, it won’t necessarily mean massive cheating didn’t occur. It could mean any number of other things: that his lawyers couldn’t quantitatively prove sufficient cheating after the fact, that no viable legal remedy was available, that procedural hurdles (like laches) precluded consideration of the case on the merits or that the Supreme Court didn’t want to inject itself into a political question.
But be assured that people are rightly concerned and brushing them off as partisan crazies will do nothing to mollify them, especially when Democrats have telegraphed their intention of rigging the system to make future GOP victories increasingly difficult. What a colossal mess!
Please pray for the nation.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity: Why the Democrats Must Not Win. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-12-11--Trump Brokers Deal Between Israel and Morocco, Kushner Says Saudi Arabia is ‘an Inevitability’

Israel and Morocco have agreed to a deal to normalize ties , President Donald Trump announced Thursday on Twitter .
Morocco is the fourth Muslim-majority nation to normalize relations with Israel in four months , following United Arab Emirates , Bahrain and Sudan .
Ron Dermer , the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. , celebrated the move on Twitter .
As part of the deal both countries have agreed to allow direct flights for airlines .
Jared Kushner , senior advisor to the president , told reporters the nations will “ reopen their liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He added that they will also “ promote economic cooperation between Israeli and Moroccan companies.
” “ This comes on four years of very , very hard work and diplomacy , ” Kushner said .
The Moroccan deal has been under discussion since 2017 , the New York Times reported .
The deal comes as the White House announced Thursday that it recognizes Morocco ’ s sovereignty over the Western Sahara , a disputed territory .
The proclamation promises “ the United States will encourage economic and social development with Morocco , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to that end will open a consulate in the Western Sahara territory , in Dakhla , to promote economic and business opportunities for the region.
” Trump announced this proclamation in two tweets at the same time as he announced the normalization of Israeli-Moroccan relations .
“ A Warm Peace ” That Many Palestinian Leaders Did Not Welcome At a Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony two hours after Trump ’ s announcement on Twitter , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the deal as “ historic.
” “ This will be a very warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light of peace has never shone brighter than today in the Middle East , ” Netanyahu said .
Palestinians have been critical of the Abraham Accords for normalizing relations with Israel without the longstanding demand of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
Terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad both called the deal a “ betrayal.
” Moroccan King Mohammmed defended his decision to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas , saying he still stands by a two-state solution .
Kushner said Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel in time .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having full normalization at this point is an inevitability , but the timeframe , obviously , will come — is something that has to be worked out , ” Kushner told reporters .
Aliya Kuykendall is a staff writer and proofreader for The Stream .
You can follow Aliya on Twitter @ AliyaKuykendall and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Israel and Morocco have agreed to a deal to normalize ties, President Donald Trump announced Thursday on Twitter. Morocco is the fourth Muslim-majority nation to normalize relations with Israel in four months, following United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations – a massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., celebrated the move on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/AmbDermer/status/1337067454531559426
As part of the deal both countries have agreed to allow direct flights for airlines. Jared Kushner, senior advisor to the president, told reporters the nations will “reopen their liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv immediately with the intention to open embassies.” He added that they will also “promote economic cooperation between Israeli and Moroccan companies.”
“This comes on four years of very, very hard work and diplomacy,” Kushner said. The Moroccan deal has been under discussion since 2017, the New York Times reported.
Trump Makes Proclamation Recognizing Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara
The deal comes as the White House announced Thursday that it recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, a disputed territory. The proclamation promises “the United States will encourage economic and social development with Morocco, including in the Western Sahara territory, and to that end will open a consulate in the Western Sahara territory, in Dakhla, to promote economic and business opportunities for the region.”
Trump announced this proclamation in two tweets at the same time as he announced the normalization of Israeli-Moroccan relations.
Today, I signed a proclamation recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal is the ONLY basis for a just and lasting solution for enduring peace and prosperity! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is thus fitting we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
“A Warm Peace” That Many Palestinian Leaders Did Not Welcome
At a Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony two hours after Trump’s announcement on Twitter, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the deal as “historic.”
“This will be a very warm peace. On this Hanukkah, the light of peace has never shone brighter than today in the Middle East,” Netanyahu said.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Palestinians have been critical of the Abraham Accords for normalizing relations with Israel without the longstanding demand of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad both called the deal a “betrayal.”
Moroccan King Mohammmed defended his decision to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying he still stands by a two-state solution.
Saudi Arabia Coming Soon?
Kushner said Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel in time.
“Israel and Saudi Arabia coming together and having full normalization at this point is an inevitability, but the timeframe, obviously, will come — is something that has to be worked out,” Kushner told reporters.
Aliya Kuykendall is a staff writer and proofreader for The Stream. You can follow Aliya on Twitter @AliyaKuykendall and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-12-11--Yes, We Need More Fossil Fuels in the Developing World

Energy has been a key factor in lifting people out of poverty .
With the invention of ingenious methods to harness fuel resources , the energy extracted from naturally available resources like fossil fuels increased rapidly in the past two centuries .
As a result , economies grew and people rose out of poverty .
However , the energy revolution and industrialization occurred largely in Europe , North America , and a few Asian countries .
The oil boom in the Middle East helped many of the states there develop dramatically , though with extreme income inequality , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South America , Asia and Africa remained either undeveloped or underdeveloped .
Late arrival of industrialization meant these countries lag far behind the Western world economically .
If there ever was a time in history when the developing nations needed fossil fuels , it is now .
Here is why .
This gap in development between the West and other nations is reflected in key factors that determine the development index of countries .
Life expectancy — the number of years the average newborn baby will live — is the most important .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of fossil fuel-powered industrial growth , life expectancy in the United Kingdom and other Western countries grew rapidly .
For example , in the UK , it improved from 71 in 1960 to 81 in 2011 .
Meanwhile , in underdeveloped countries like India and Indonesia life expectancy was only 41 and 48 respectively in 1960s and by 2011 reached only about 66 and 68 , respectively — still way behind that in the UK and US in the 1960s .
Developing and under-developed nations have to go a long way before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and life expectancies that are so common in the developed West .
But this can not be achieved without a strong energy sector that acts as the backbone for the technology transition that these countries must undergo .
Fossil Fuels Propel Economic Growth , and Developing Countries Know It A comparison between electricity use and GDP reveals that countries with higher per capita electricity use have higher GDP than those countries with relatively lower per capita electricity use .
Electricity use per capita and GDP per capita .
Source : U.S. Energy Information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and UK — use highly efficient technologies and have a higher per capita energy consumption .
Developing countries can not transition to a highly productive , technology-dominated phase like that in developed nations without greatly increased per capita electricity consumption .
This increase in electricity demand , especially in highly populous countries like India , China , and Brazil , can not be met without fossil fuels .
Why ?
Because other energy generation methods like renewables are incapable of providing reliable and affordable electricity .
Energy forecast in India — which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next decade — suggests that power demand will triple by the year 2040 .
The situation is no different in China , where the government continues to build and approve new coal plants despite President Xi Jinping ’ s pledge that China would become carbon neutral by 2060 .
Today , India and China account for more than half of all coal power plants under construction globally .
This is because both nations understand that only fossil fuels can support their growing demand for uninterrupted power supply to their populations at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fossil fuels has been the major pathway for economic success in the West .
The only alternative system of energy sources available are the renewable-dominated energy grids in places like California and Germany , which have now proved to be disastrous in terms of grid stability and affordability .
With the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns offsetting years of progress against poverty , the time is now for developing and underdeveloped countries to utilize their domestic coal reserves and increase import of high-quality coal in cases where their steel industries require them .
Real and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a full-fledged utilization of fossil fuel resources .
Vijay Jayaraj ( M.Sc.
, Environmental Science , University of East Anglia , England ) , is a Research Contributor for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation and resides in New Delhi , India .

Energy has been a key factor in lifting people out of poverty. With the invention of ingenious methods to harness fuel resources, the energy extracted from naturally available resources like fossil fuels increased rapidly in the past two centuries.
As a result, economies grew and people rose out of poverty. However, the energy revolution and industrialization occurred largely in Europe, North America, and a few Asian countries.
The oil boom in the Middle East helped many of the states there develop dramatically, though with extreme income inequality, in the 20th century. But most countries in South America, Asia and Africa remained either undeveloped or underdeveloped. Late arrival of industrialization meant these countries lag far behind the Western world economically.
If there ever was a time in history when the developing nations needed fossil fuels, it is now.
Here is why.
The Gap in Development
This gap in development between the West and other nations is reflected in key factors that determine the development index of countries. Life expectancy — the number of years the average newborn baby will live — is the most important.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, because of fossil fuel-powered industrial growth, life expectancy in the United Kingdom and other Western countries grew rapidly. For example, in the UK, it improved from 71 in 1960 to 81 in 2011.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Meanwhile, in underdeveloped countries like India and Indonesia life expectancy was only 41 and 48 respectively in 1960s and by 2011 reached only about 66 and 68, respectively — still way behind that in the UK and US in the 1960s.
Developing and under-developed nations have to go a long way before they can achieve the standards of living and life expectancies that are so common in the developed West. But this cannot be achieved without a strong energy sector that acts as the backbone for the technology transition that these countries must undergo.
Fossil Fuels Propel Economic Growth, and Developing Countries Know It
A comparison between electricity use and GDP reveals that countries with higher per capita electricity use have higher GDP than those countries with relatively lower per capita electricity use.
Electricity use per capita and GDP per capita. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Developed countries — like the U.S. and UK — use highly efficient technologies and have a higher per capita energy consumption. Developing countries cannot transition to a highly productive, technology-dominated phase like that in developed nations without greatly increased per capita electricity consumption.
This increase in electricity demand, especially in highly populous countries like India, China, and Brazil, cannot be met without fossil fuels. Why? Because other energy generation methods like renewables are incapable of providing reliable and affordable electricity.
Energy forecast in India — which is expected to become the most populous country in the next decade — suggests that power demand will triple by the year 2040. The situation is no different in China, where the government continues to build and approve new coal plants despite President Xi Jinping’s pledge that China would become carbon neutral by 2060.
Today, India and China account for more than half of all coal power plants under construction globally. This is because both nations understand that only fossil fuels can support their growing demand for uninterrupted power supply to their populations at an affordable price.
The use of fossil fuels has been the major pathway for economic success in the West. The only alternative system of energy sources available are the renewable-dominated energy grids in places like California and Germany, which have now proved to be disastrous in terms of grid stability and affordability.
With the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns offsetting years of progress against poverty, the time is now for developing and underdeveloped countries to utilize their domestic coal reserves and increase import of high-quality coal in cases where their steel industries require them. Real and long-lasting progress can be made only through a full-fledged utilization of fossil fuel resources.
Vijay Jayaraj (M.Sc., Environmental Science, University of East Anglia, England), is a Research Contributor for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation and resides in New Delhi, India.


thestream--2020-12-11--‘Hate Groups’ and ‘Hate Speech’ Are a Hoax

It ’ s getting really tiresome to keep swatting down the efforts of elites to persecute Christianity , dismantle traditional America , discourage us from having children , replace our population with foreigners , and seduce what kids we do have to beliefs that would make them our enemies and damn them to hell .
Know what I mean ?
At a certain point , you get weary .
We ’ ve spent 50 years playing Whack-A-Mole against these efforts at cultural genocide and Stalinist groupthink .
Does it ever stop ?
The answer , of course , is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholics , we face “ evil spirits who wander the world seeking the ruin of souls.
” As all our ancestors have since Adam and Eve .
So in one sense it ’ s nothing new .
You ’ re Not Paranoid .
They Are Out to Get Us .
What is new is that virtually every institution in our country , including large swaths of our churches , is now on the other side , their 30 pieces of silver jingling in their pockets .
No longer is it just the ACLU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as enemies the FBI , our local newspapers , virtually every television network , most social media platforms , our credit card companies , the local public school , the Girl Scouts , and the Jesuits .
It seems like every mutually incompatible conspiracy theory in America has joined together as one .
Just this morning I read that our vile pope , Francis , was joining with the Rothschild family and the World Economic Forum to promote the Great Reset .
That ’ s a global plot to eliminate private property and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a pretext .
Just typing those words makes me feel like a crazy person .
But here we are .
Cut to the Root of the Evil Instead of batting down every attack on its own , we must cut to the root of evil .
Hack it down at the base , instead of the branches .
To that end , I propose that we agree on one thing , in our current context .
For any political or legal purpose , assume the concepts of “ hate groups ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And we should label them as such .
We should oppose any effort by the government or powerful private companies to censor , shut down , or destructively stigmatize members of any group whatsoever .
The only exception ?
If their intentions or activities are in violation of a law .
Not just any law though , but one that ’ s actually just .
Yes , there are some groups that you and I might privately agree deserve to be shunned or even censored .
But guess what ?
Those with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censor , and squash such groups don ’ t agree with us .
They would spread the net that captured the Klan , or neo-Nazis , or Holocaust revisionist cranks much , much further .
They ’ d include ex-gays , ex-trans , ex-abortionists , opponents of same sex marriage , homeschooling advocates , gun rights groups , pro-lifers in general , and the Little Sisters of the Poor in particular .
The left has cannily recognized that it can weaponize America ’ s legitimate shame over the real mistreatment of black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to smear as Klan-like … any group at all that opposes it on any issue .
And many people will listen , out of cluelessness , or cowardice , or genuine zealotry goaded by the new false religion of Wokeness .
See the latest example , courtesy of the intrepid reporters at NBC News , which didn ’ t think we deserved to know about Hunter Biden ’ s laptop .
Have you got that ?
Are you alarmed yet ?
Did NBC push the right buttons and pull the right strings to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so of course the writer leads with the one actually offensive group .
Okay , now you ’ re on board I ’ m sure .
The writer found a group that ’ s genuinely racist by any real definition .
Not just by the broad , sweeping , insane definition that tars every white person , black Republican , and Latino Trump supporter as racist .
( Like how punctuality , professionalism , and good manners are part of “ white privilege ” . )
No , Jared Taylor is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for white interests in the way that thousands of groups advocate for black , Latino , Asian , or other ethnic clan ’ s interests .
And he ’ s unsavory — a fan of eugenics , for instance .
But he ’ s one guy , with a few thousand fans in the U.S. at most .
Hardly a threat .
So NBC widens the net to include … folks like you and me .
There we go .
With its slanderous use of language , NBC has now lumped in organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unskilled immigrants for America ’ s best interests with traditional Christians who hold to biblical morals .
And opponents of six-foot-two boys mowing down girls on the rugby field , then invading their locker rooms .
Or letting male rapists declare that they are now “ women , ” and deserve to be housed among women they can go on to rape .
See how this works ?
What really set me off in this howlingly biased report is not just that NBC relied on the discredited money-making operation the Southern Poverty Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I really bristled when NBC — which doesn ’ t think you deserve to know about China ’ s concentration camps for Uyghur Muslims — went after Church Militant .
That ’ s a Catholic laymen ’ s group that promotes traditional Catholic doctrine .
Period .
Oh yes , and it opposes manifest evils like abortion , transgenderism , and same-sex marriage .
So of course it ought to be lumped in with white racists because … everything the left doesn ’ t like is just as bad as Jim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syphilis Experiments .
Also targeted were the David Horowitz Freedom Center , which exposes pro-sharia Muslim groups that support acts of terror against Israel .
And the Ruth Institute , a pro-life and pro-family group whose founder Jennifer Roback Morse we ’ ve published at The Stream .
And the American College of Pediatricians , which opposes sex change surgery and hormones for kids with gender confusion .
You see the pattern ?
I ’ ve written for “ hate group ” Church Militant .
And now I ’ m inclined to write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of sheer cussedness .
So I reached out to its founder and president Michael Voris for a comment .
He said : That a Marxism supporting media outlet like NBC/Comcast goes on a witch hunt for so-called hate groups receiving PPP funds says much more about NBC than it does about Church Militant .
The source of the designation as a “ hate group ” comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) which is itself a hate group , labeling any group that supports conservative political and orthodox theological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is little else than the nexus of the “ media ” and Marxist-minded groups cooperating to gin up a “ story ” where there exists no story .
Church Militant , like millions of other small companies across America , has a payroll to meet , is largely dependent on donations and subscriptions .
We had every right to apply for and receive the funds , just as Planned Parenthood affiliates did .
Everything we did in the process was legal , above board and accepted as such by federal authorities and banking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SPLC as well as Marxist media like Comcast and NBC don ’ t LIKE we were able to participate is just too bad .
I disagree with Voris on just one point .
I don ’ t think we should call any group a “ hate group , ” if that means it should be ineligible for programs like PPP .
Or for posting on social media , or taking donations by credit card , or any other legal activity in the public square .
“ Hate Group ” has been so inflated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than “ a group the writer hates.
” Likewise “ Hate Speech ” means only “ speech we hate and would like to censor.
” Whatever I think about Jared Taylor ’ s silly race fetish , it ’ s no more sinister — and much less powerful — than the race fetish of Black Lives Matter .
And we should stop playing the left ’ s game by legitimizing their efforts to make second-class citizens out of people because of their beliefs — however mistaken .
Because the real targets aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but conservatives and Christians .
All of 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 .
”

It’s getting really tiresome to keep swatting down the efforts of elites to persecute Christianity, dismantle traditional America, discourage us from having children, replace our population with foreigners, and seduce what kids we do have to beliefs that would make them our enemies and damn them to hell.
Know what I mean? At a certain point, you get weary. We’ve spent 50 years playing Whack-A-Mole against these efforts at cultural genocide and Stalinist groupthink. Does it ever stop?
The answer, of course, is no. As the St. Michael Prayer teaches Catholics, we face “evil spirits who wander the world seeking the ruin of souls.” As all our ancestors have since Adam and Eve. So in one sense it’s nothing new.
You’re Not Paranoid. They Are Out to Get Us.
What is new is that virtually every institution in our country, including large swaths of our churches, is now on the other side, their 30 pieces of silver jingling in their pockets. No longer is it just the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. We now face as enemies the FBI, our local newspapers, virtually every television network, most social media platforms, our credit card companies, the local public school, the Girl Scouts, and the Jesuits. It seems like every mutually incompatible conspiracy theory in America has joined together as one.
Just this morning I read that our vile pope, Francis, was joining with the Rothschild family and the World Economic Forum to promote the Great Reset. That’s a global plot to eliminate private property and freedom, using this damn Chinese virus as a pretext. Just typing those words makes me feel like a crazy person. But here we are.
Cut to the Root of the Evil
Instead of batting down every attack on its own, we must cut to the root of evil. Hack it down at the base, instead of the branches. To that end, I propose that we agree on one thing, in our current context. For any political or legal purpose, assume the concepts of “hate groups” and “hate speech” are a hoax. And we should label them as such. We should oppose any effort by the government or powerful private companies to censor, shut down, or destructively stigmatize members of any group whatsoever. The only exception? If their intentions or activities are in violation of a law. Not just any law though, but one that’s actually just.
Yes, there are some groups that you and I might privately agree deserve to be shunned or even censored. But guess what? Those with the power to shun, silence, censor, and squash such groups don’t agree with us. They would spread the net that captured the Klan, or neo-Nazis, or Holocaust revisionist cranks much, much further. They’d include ex-gays, ex-trans, ex-abortionists, opponents of same sex marriage, homeschooling advocates, gun rights groups, pro-lifers in general, and the Little Sisters of the Poor in particular.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The left has cannily recognized that it can weaponize America’s legitimate shame over the real mistreatment of black people in decades past. Then use it to smear as Klan-like … any group at all that opposes it on any issue. And many people will listen, out of cluelessness, or cowardice, or genuine zealotry goaded by the new false religion of Wokeness.
Weaponizing PPP Loans and Phony Charges of “Hate”
See the latest example, courtesy of the intrepid reporters at NBC News, which didn’t think we deserved to know about Hunter Biden’s laptop.
Fourteen organizations designated as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center or the Anti-Defamation League have received funding from the Paycheck Protection Program totaling $4.3 million, according to data released last week by the Small Business Administration, revealing who benefited from the pandemic federal relief funds.
Have you got that? Are you alarmed yet? Did NBC push the right buttons and pull the right strings to get you outraged? Maybe not yet, so of course the writer leads with the one actually offensive group.
Those organizations include the New Century Foundation, known for publishing the white supremacist website and now-discontinued magazine American Renaissance. That group is run by prominent white supremacist Jared Taylor, who for decades has argued that immigration policy should aim to “keep the country white.” The New Century Foundation received $51,600 in relief funds.
Okay, now you’re on board I’m sure. The writer found a group that’s genuinely racist by any real definition. Not just by the broad, sweeping, insane definition that tars every white person, black Republican, and Latino Trump supporter as racist. (Like how punctuality, professionalism, and good manners are part of “white privilege”.) No, Jared Taylor is a white nationalist. He claims to advocate for white interests in the way that thousands of groups advocate for black, Latino, Asian, or other ethnic clan’s interests. And he’s unsavory — a fan of eugenics, for instance. But he’s one guy, with a few thousand fans in the U.S. at most. Hardly a threat. So NBC widens the net to include … folks like you and me.
The analysis by NBC News, one of 11 newsrooms that sued for the release of data, was based on hate groups designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center or the Anti-Defamation League, that received PPP money and primarily focus on advocating against immigrants and opposing the advancement of homosexual and transgender rights. NBC News crosschecked the PPP data against 73 different designated hate groups whose work and advocacy focuses on attacking, maligning and delegitimizing entire classes of people based on their ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or if they have a disability.
There we go. With its slanderous use of language, NBC has now lumped in organizations that think we take in too many unskilled immigrants for America’s best interests with traditional Christians who hold to biblical morals. And opponents of six-foot-two boys mowing down girls on the rugby field, then invading their locker rooms. Or letting male rapists declare that they are now “women,” and deserve to be housed among women they can go on to rape.
Faithful Catholics Are Now Hate Criminals
See how this works? What really set me off in this howlingly biased report is not just that NBC relied on the discredited money-making operation the Southern Poverty Law Center. That didn’t help. But I really bristled when NBC — which doesn’t think you deserve to know about China’s concentration camps for Uyghur Muslims — went after Church Militant. That’s a Catholic laymen’s group that promotes traditional Catholic doctrine. Period. Oh yes, and it opposes manifest evils like abortion, transgenderism, and same-sex marriage. So of course it ought to be lumped in with white racists because … everything the left doesn’t like is just as bad as Jim Crow, lynchings, and the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments.
The real targets aren’t Klansmen or race cranks, but conservatives and Christians. All of us.
Also targeted were the David Horowitz Freedom Center, which exposes pro-sharia Muslim groups that support acts of terror against Israel. And the Ruth Institute, a pro-life and pro-family group whose founder Jennifer Roback Morse we’ve published at The Stream. And the American College of Pediatricians, which opposes sex change surgery and hormones for kids with gender confusion. You see the pattern?
Church Militant Responds
I’ve written for “hate group” Church Militant. And now I’m inclined to write for them twice as often, just out of sheer cussedness. So I reached out to its founder and president Michael Voris for a comment. He said:
That a Marxism supporting media outlet like NBC/Comcast goes on a witch hunt for so-called hate groups receiving PPP funds says much more about NBC than it does about Church Militant. The source of the designation as a “hate group” comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) which is itself a hate group, labeling any group that supports conservative political and orthodox theological positions as automatically “hateful.” This is little else than the nexus of the “media” and Marxist-minded groups cooperating to gin up a “story” where there exists no story. Church Militant, like millions of other small companies across America, has a payroll to meet, is largely dependent on donations and subscriptions. We had every right to apply for and receive the funds, just as Planned Parenthood affiliates did. Everything we did in the process was legal, above board and accepted as such by federal authorities and banking institutions. That a Marxist group like SPLC as well as Marxist media like Comcast and NBC don’t LIKE we were able to participate is just too bad.
A Hate Group Is Just a Group I Hate
I disagree with Voris on just one point. I don’t think we should call any group a “hate group,” if that means it should be ineligible for programs like PPP. Or for posting on social media, or taking donations by credit card, or any other legal activity in the public square.
“Hate Group” has been so inflated by overuse that it now means nothing more than “a group the writer hates.” Likewise “Hate Speech” means only “speech we hate and would like to censor.” Whatever I think about Jared Taylor’s silly race fetish, it’s no more sinister — and much less powerful — than the race fetish of Black Lives Matter. And we should stop playing the left’s game by legitimizing their efforts to make second-class citizens out of people because of their beliefs — however mistaken.
Because the real targets aren’t Klansmen or race cranks, but conservatives and Christians. All of us.
Don’t play their sick, totalitarian game.
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--2020-12-11--Is It a ‘Frivolous Effort to Disenfranchise Millions,’ or Do They Need a Remedial English Lesson?

Some of you need a lesson in English .
I ’ m talking to all of you who want to call the Texas-led election lawsuit “ a frivolous effort to disenfranchise millions of Americans.
” You know who you are .
This is maddening .
You shouldn ’ t be using words like these unless you know what they mean .
I hate to play the schoolteacher , but if you need a lesson in definitions , you need a lesson , even if it has to be a remedial one .
I ’ d start with the word “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to say it really is frivolous because “ there ’ s no evidence of fraud.
” We can show loads and loads of evidence , but you ’ ll insist on saying it isn ’ t evidence because you can think of other ways to explain it all .
Apparently you missed my lesson on the word “ evidence ” last month .
You do realize , don ’ t you , that courts admit evidence even if one side might have another explanation ?
Do you think there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want frivolous , try this one : “ Your honor , I move that exhibit A be removed from evidence because I can think of other ways to interpret it.
” You ’ d be slapped quick with a contempt citation for that one .
Back to “ frivolous.
” The word means “ trivial , unimportant , bothersome.
” I think you think it only means “ bothersome , ” or even “ we wish it would just go away.
” Some of you want to spin it as Trump playing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loser , trying to steal the election .
You think the best thing is to call him out for it , then ignore him .
Let him go away .
And good riddance !
Except it isn ’ t just Donald Trump .
It ’ s Texas , too , and a third of the rest of the states .
It ’ s tens of millions of voters .
You can dismiss Trump all you want ( I won ’ t bother trying to correct you on that ) , but what about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissing us , too ?
Do you hope we ’ ll go away , too ?
Is that what you ’ re saying ?
Then there ’ s the integrity of the election itself .
I ’ m on record saying it ’ s no longer about Trump or Biden , it ’ s about whether we ’ re still a democratic republic , whose leaders are chosen by the people .
Is that frivolous , too ?
What if this election was stolen by corruption ?
What if millions of us want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stolen ?
Don ’ t we have the right to pursue that question to its legal end ?
Doesn ’ t this country need that assurance ?
Some of us would rather this country not become another Venezuela .
Is that frivolous , too ?
And then there ’ s our very real concern that millions of us have been disenfranchised by corruption in a few big cities .
How frivolous is that ?
But now we need to explain that other big word for you .
You ’ re saying this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voters.
” You ’ re thinking about how the Supreme Court might declare lots of votes invalid in Pennsylvania , Georgia , Michigan , and Wisconsin .
That fits one definition of the word , but surely you know that ’ s not the only one .
Stuffing ballot boxes , double- and triple-counting votes to make sure your side wins — that ’ s all about making sure that only your votes count .
It ’ s disenfranchising everyone else .
So if the Court decides it has to invalidate some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s not disenfranchisement , it ’ s the Court ’ s best after-the-fact attempt to remedy disenfranchisement .
Is it a bad answer ?
Probably , but there ’ s only one good answer , honest elections on the first Tuesday in November , and it ’ s too late for that one now .
If bad actors leave us nothing but bad answers to choose from , then we choose one and call it the best we can do .
So if it turns out that way , don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame the Supreme Court .
Don ’ t even blame Donald Trump .
Blame the people who broke the law .
They ’ re responsible , not the ones trying to do things legally .
“ Stealing the Election ” — and “ Honesty ” and “ Integrity ” That was a silly thing to say , though , wasn ’ t it ?
I know full well you ’ ll blame Trump .
You ’ ll say he “ stole the election.
” Your people will take to the streets by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , looting , and killing , screaming Trump STOLE the election !
” I could try to explain this to you in advance , along with the rest of this English lesson .
If the Supreme Court decides that Biden stole the election , that does not mean that Trump stole it .
That ’ s not hard , is it ?
Of course it isn ’ t .
You know it as well as I do .
But you ’ ll scream it anyway : “ Trump STOLE the election !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true ; it just has to be something you can spin .
So what shall I do now ?
Shall I go on to re-teaching you the words “ honesty ” and “ integrity ” ?
No , your problem there isn ’ t with definitions .
You just have to decide you care about such things , which is another lesson altogether .
I sincerely hope you ’ re up to speed on it .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Some of you need a lesson in English. I’m talking to all of you who want to call the Texas-led election lawsuit “a frivolous effort to disenfranchise millions of Americans.” You know who you are.
This is maddening. You shouldn’t be using words like these unless you know what they mean. I hate to play the schoolteacher, but if you need a lesson in definitions, you need a lesson, even if it has to be a remedial one.
“Evidence”
I’d start with the word “frivolous,” but some of you are going to say it really is frivolous because “there’s no evidence of fraud.” We can show loads and loads of evidence, but you’ll insist on saying it isn’t evidence because you can think of other ways to explain it all. Apparently you missed my lesson on the word “evidence” last month.
You do realize, don’t you, that courts admit evidence even if one side might have another explanation? Do you think there’s something unusual about that? If you want frivolous, try this one: “Your honor, I move that exhibit A be removed from evidence because I can think of other ways to interpret it.” You’d be slapped quick with a contempt citation for that one.
“Frivolous”
Back to “frivolous.” The word means “trivial, unimportant, bothersome.” I think you think it only means “bothersome,” or even “we wish it would just go away.” Some of you want to spin it as Trump playing his nasty distasteful games, being the sore loser, trying to steal the election. You think the best thing is to call him out for it, then ignore him. Let him go away. And good riddance!
Except it isn’t just Donald Trump. It’s Texas, too, and a third of the rest of the states. It’s tens of millions of voters. You can dismiss Trump all you want (I won’t bother trying to correct you on that), but what about the rest of us? Are you dismissing us, too? Do you hope we’ll go away, too? Is that what you’re saying?
Then there’s the integrity of the election itself. I’m on record saying it’s no longer about Trump or Biden, it’s about whether we’re still a democratic republic, whose leaders are chosen by the people. Is that frivolous, too? What if this election was stolen by corruption? What if millions of us want to be confident it wasn’t stolen? Don’t we have the right to pursue that question to its legal end? Doesn’t this country need that assurance? Some of us would rather this country not become another Venezuela. Is that frivolous, too?
And then there’s our very real concern that millions of us have been disenfranchised by corruption in a few big cities. How frivolous is that? But now we need to explain that other big word for you.
“Disenfranchised”
You’re saying this is one huge attempt to “disenfranchise millions of voters.” You’re thinking about how the Supreme Court might declare lots of votes invalid in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin. That fits one definition of the word, but surely you know that’s not the only one.
Stuffing ballot boxes, double- and triple-counting votes to make sure your side wins — that’s all about making sure that only your votes count. It’s disenfranchising everyone else.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
So if the Court decides it has to invalidate some votes, even millions of them, that’s not disenfranchisement, it’s the Court’s best after-the-fact attempt to remedy disenfranchisement.
Is it a bad answer? Probably, but there’s only one good answer, honest elections on the first Tuesday in November, and it’s too late for that one now. If bad actors leave us nothing but bad answers to choose from, then we choose one and call it the best we can do.
So if it turns out that way, don’t blame Texas. Don’t blame the Supreme Court. Don’t even blame Donald Trump. Blame the people who broke the law. They’re responsible, not the ones trying to do things legally.
“Stealing the Election” — and “Honesty” and “Integrity”
That was a silly thing to say, though, wasn’t it? I know full well you’ll blame Trump. You’ll say he “stole the election.” Your people will take to the streets by the thousands, setting fires, smashing windows, looting, and killing, screaming Trump STOLE the election!”
I could try to explain this to you in advance, along with the rest of this English lesson. If the Supreme Court decides that Biden stole the election, that does not mean that Trump stole it. That’s not hard, is it?
Of course it isn’t. You know it as well as I do. But you’ll scream it anyway: “Trump STOLE the election!” It doesn’t have to be true; it just has to be something you can spin.
So what shall I do now? Shall I go on to re-teaching you the words “honesty” and “integrity”? No, your problem there isn’t with definitions. You just have to decide you care about such things, which is another lesson altogether. I sincerely hope you’re up to speed on it.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-12-11--From Gulag to Google

From Gulag to Google

It is true that Google is not imprisoning dissenters in a vast network of prison camps , similar to what Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described in The Gulag Archipelago .
But there is a good reason that retired NYU professor Michael Rectenwald titled his 2019 book Google Archipelago : The Digital Gulag and the Simulation of Freedom .
The reach and power of the social media giants is frightening .
It is with little exaggeration that the owners of Google ( which includes YouTube ) and Facebook and Twitter are called “ the masters of the universe.
” Their domination must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Internet Giants and the Election The recent elections have provided stark and shocking proof of the power of these internet giants , dwarfing any concerns about voter fraud .
The influence that Big Tech had over the elections was far greater , illustrated in the censoring of the Hunter Biden story , with the help of the mainstream media .
According to one survey , had more Americans known about the alleged scandal , some would not have voted for Joe Biden .
That alone would have tipped the scales in Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( again , with the enthusiastic help of the mainstream media ) was the failure to report on Trump ’ s many positive accomplishments .
According to this same survey , had more voters been aware of the good Trump had done , some would have changed their vote .
What Big Tech has done , though , is absolutely brazen .
“ You will report our version of the news , ” they are basically saying , “ or you will not report at all.
” And for the most part , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we don ’ t even realize we are being manipulated .
Google will show us what it wants us to know , not just the most relevant information .
We are being programmed and indoctrinated and we haven ’ t a clue that it ’ s happening .
Is not this like the reach of the Gulag ?
Is not this more similar to totalitarianism than to our supposedly free and open country ?
Big Tech ( specifically Twitter ) shut down the account of The New York Post , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s right .
They shut their account down for daring to report on the Hunter Biden laptop .
How can this be ?
But it gets worse .
Big Tech ( again , Twitter ) has taken on the President of the United States , censoring ( or , at least filtering or commenting on ) his own tweets .
Let that sink in for a minute .
If Big Tech is not afraid to take on the most powerful man on the planet — and one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what makes you think it will not try to take us on as well , not to mention shut us down ?
And now YouTube has announced that it will remove all videos that dispute the results of the elections , even while legal challenges are still being processed in the courts .
In the same way , YouTube has removed videos with different takes on COVID-19 , even if those videos come from experts in their field .
“ Thou shalt not dissent !
” is the word for the hour .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead .
To this moment , every post that my team puts on Facebook that has anything to do with the elections , however remotely , appears with a link to the election results , courtesy of Big Tech .
To this moment , virtually every video we post on YouTube , regardless of content , gets flagged immediately , forcing us to request a manual review .
And even though the vast majority of the videos are approved for monetization , why are they flagged in the first place ?
Based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not fared so well , having their entire library of videos removed from Vimeo ( they dared question the “ gays are born that way and can not change ” narrative ) .
Others have had their Facebook pages shut down for posting verses from the Bible that spoke against homosexual practice or , within the last two weeks , for exposing Facebook ’ s anti-conservative methodology .
What , then , is the solution ?
First , Congress needs to continue to hold the feet of Big Tech leaders to the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms as platforms ( rather than publishers ) .
And where there are monopolies that need to be broken up , so be it .
( I ’ m not a legal expert ; others will have to parse these details . )
Second , we need to continue to develop viable , alternative platforms and search engines .
This is happening already , but it will take some time to catch up to the massive numbers of Big Tech .
Third , rather than simply fleeing the platforms that are seeking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flood those platforms with good , godly , truthful content .
Get the word out .
Push the envelope .
Challenge the system .
I have often pointed to the words of the courageous , German Christian leader Basilea Schlink , penned in the aftermath of the destruction of World War II .
She wrote , “ We are personally to blame .
We all have to admit that if we , the entire Christian community , had stood up as one man and if , after the burning of the synagogues [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] , we had gone out on the streets and voiced our disapproval , rung the church bells , and somehow boycotted the actions of the S.S. , the Devil ’ s vassals would probably not have been at such liberty to pursue their evil schemes ” ( see her book Israel , My Chosen People ) .
This is a message to take to heart , a message to move us to action .
Let us , then , do the equivalent of going out on the streets and voicing our disapproval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And again , I recognize that Big Tech is not imprisoning us or , in this example , behaving like violent Nazis .
It is our response I am focusing on . )
Let us post gospel truth on every social media outlet we have .
Let us stand up for righteousness and get our message out .
And let us oppose censorship when it raises its ugly head .
We can have different takes on COVID .
Or have different views on election fraud .
We can love or hate Trump or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The issue is one of freedom .
Google and its cohorts can only become more Gulag-like if we let them .
We can not and we must not .
Let us shout together , “ Freedom !
” Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

It is true that Google is not imprisoning dissenters in a vast network of prison camps, similar to what Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described in The Gulag Archipelago. But there is a good reason that retired NYU professor Michael Rectenwald titled his 2019 book Google Archipelago: The Digital Gulag and the Simulation of Freedom. The reach and power of the social media giants is frightening. It is with little exaggeration that the owners of Google (which includes YouTube) and Facebook and Twitter are called “the masters of the universe.” Their domination must be challenged — while it can be.
The Internet Giants and the Election
The recent elections have provided stark and shocking proof of the power of these internet giants, dwarfing any concerns about voter fraud. The influence that Big Tech had over the elections was far greater, illustrated in the censoring of the Hunter Biden story, with the help of the mainstream media.
According to one survey, had more Americans known about the alleged scandal, some would not have voted for Joe Biden. That alone would have tipped the scales in Trump’s favor. Added to this (again, with the enthusiastic help of the mainstream media) was the failure to report on Trump’s many positive accomplishments. According to this same survey, had more voters been aware of the good Trump had done, some would have changed their vote.
What Big Tech has done, though, is absolutely brazen. “You will report our version of the news,” they are basically saying, “or you will not report at all.”
And for the most part, when we search for news online, we don’t even realize we are being manipulated. Google will show us what it wants us to know, not just the most relevant information.
We are being programmed and indoctrinated and we haven’t a clue that it’s happening.
Is not this like the reach of the Gulag? Is not this more similar to totalitarianism than to our supposedly free and open country?
Censorship by Big Tech
Just think.
Big Tech (specifically Twitter) shut down the account of The New York Post, one of the nation’s leading and oldest newspapers. That’s right. They shut their account down for daring to report on the Hunter Biden laptop. How can this be?
But it gets worse. Big Tech (again, Twitter) has taken on the President of the United States, censoring (or, at least filtering or commenting on) his own tweets.
Let that sink in for a minute.
If Big Tech is not afraid to take on the most powerful man on the planet — and one of the most fearless and even vindictive as well — what makes you think it will not try to take us on as well, not to mention shut us down?
And now YouTube has announced that it will remove all videos that dispute the results of the elections, even while legal challenges are still being processed in the courts. In the same way, YouTube has removed videos with different takes on COVID-19, even if those videos come from experts in their field. “Thou shalt not dissent!” is the word for the hour.
The purge is on, full steam ahead.
Gulag-Like Operations
To this moment, every post that my team puts on Facebook that has anything to do with the elections, however remotely, appears with a link to the election results, courtesy of Big Tech.
To this moment, virtually every video we post on YouTube, regardless of content, gets flagged immediately, forcing us to request a manual review. And even though the vast majority of the videos are approved for monetization, why are they flagged in the first place? Based on what?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Other colleagues of mine have not fared so well, having their entire library of videos removed from Vimeo (they dared question the “gays are born that way and cannot change” narrative).
Others have had their Facebook pages shut down for posting verses from the Bible that spoke against homosexual practice or, within the last two weeks, for exposing Facebook’s anti-conservative methodology.
Gulag-like, indeed.
What, then, is the solution?
The Solution
First, Congress needs to continue to hold the feet of Big Tech leaders to the fire, exposing unequal practices that violate their terms as platforms (rather than publishers). And where there are monopolies that need to be broken up, so be it. (I’m not a legal expert; others will have to parse these details.)
Second, we need to continue to develop viable, alternative platforms and search engines. This is happening already, but it will take some time to catch up to the massive numbers of Big Tech.
Third, rather than simply fleeing the platforms that are seeking to shut us down, we need to flood those platforms with good, godly, truthful content.
Get the word out. Push the envelope. Challenge the system.
I have often pointed to the words of the courageous, German Christian leader Basilea Schlink, penned in the aftermath of the destruction of World War II.
She wrote, “We are personally to blame. We all have to admit that if we, the entire Christian community, had stood up as one man and if, after the burning of the synagogues [on Kristallnacht, November 9, 1938], we had gone out on the streets and voiced our disapproval, rung the church bells, and somehow boycotted the actions of the S.S., the Devil’s vassals would probably not have been at such liberty to pursue their evil schemes” (see her book Israel, My Chosen People).
A Message to Move Us
This is a message to take to heart, a message to move us to action.
Let us, then, do the equivalent of going out on the streets and voicing our disapproval and ringing the church bells. (And again, I recognize that Big Tech is not imprisoning us or, in this example, behaving like violent Nazis. It is our response I am focusing on.)
Let us post gospel truth on every social media outlet we have. Let us stand up for righteousness and get our message out. And let us oppose censorship when it raises its ugly head.
We can have different takes on COVID. Or have different views on election fraud. We can love or hate Trump or Biden. That is not the issue.
The issue is one of freedom.
Google and its cohorts can only become more Gulag-like if we let them.
We cannot and we must not. Let us shout together, “Freedom!”
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.