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Posts tagged ‘Tennessee’

26 state school board associations distance themselves from national group calling parents ‘terrorists’


Reported By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor| Monday, November 15, 2021

Read more at https://www.christianpost.com/news/26-school-board-groups-object-to-nsba-calling-parents-terrorists.html/

High school, classroom, California
IT Support Technician Michael Hakopian (R) distributes computer devices to students at Hollywood High School on August 13, 2020, in Hollywood, California. With over 734,000 enrolled students, the Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California and the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. | Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

At least 26 state school board associations have distanced themselves from the National School Board Association after it urged the Biden administration to use federal law enforcement agencies against parents who oppose the teaching of controversial curriculum in public schools by labeling them as potential “domestic terrorists.”

The national grassroots organization Parents Defending Education says the states that have distanced themselves from the NSBA’s letter include: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. 

Out of these, 12 states — Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wisconsin — have taken further action to withdraw membership, participation or dues from the NSBA.

PDE wrote to NSBA member states for their comment on the Sept. 29 letter sent to them by NSBA Interim Executive Director Chip Slaven, which critics believe likened activism of concerned parents to “domestic terrorism.”

The letter said the NSBA had asked the U.S. Department of Justice to mobilize law enforcement agencies to respond to “threats and acts of violence against public schoolchildren, public school board members, and other public school district officials and educators” as actions of “domestic terrorism.”

While some school board members across the nation have publicly shared incidents of threats they’ve purportedly received from angry residents, critics believe the request to get federal law enforcement involved is unwarranted and an attempt to silence parents. Specific examples of concerning actions included the disruption of school board meetings “because of local directives for mask coverings to protect students and educators from COVID-19,” the incitement of “chaos” at school board meetings by “anti-mask proponents,” and the confrontation of school boards by “angry mobs” that have led boards to “end meetings abruptly.”

John Halkias, the director of the NSBA’s Central Region, wrote to Slaven the same day, on Sept. 29, sharing his belief that “the Board of Directors should have been consulted before a letter like this was sent out publicly, and no less to the President of the United States and the National Press.”

“I also agree that the letter took a stance that went beyond what many of us would consider to be reasonable and used terms that were extreme, and asked for action by the Federal Government that many of us would not request,” he added. “In fact in a recent press conference, the White House Press Secretary stated that when these incidents occur, it is a matter for local law enforcement and local authorities, and NOT the federal government.”

In an Oct. 2 email, NSBA President Viola Garcia told the organization’s board of directors that “NSBA has been engaged with the White House and the Department of Education on these and other issues related to the pandemic for several weeks now.”

Five days later, the Department of Justice published a memorandum directing “the Federal Bureau of Investigations, working with each United States Attorney, to convene meetings with federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders within 30 days” to “facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers and staff.”

Republican members of Congress also criticized the memo.

“As someone who was born in the Soviet Union, I am … disturbed, very disturbed, by the use of the Department of Justice as a political tool, and its power as the police state to suppress lawful public discourse,” Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., said in a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. “The FBI is starting to resemble old KGB with secret warrantless … surveillance, wiretapping and intimidation of citizens.”

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Leaked Emails Reveal Nashville Officials Hid Low COVID Numbers, Maintained Lockdown Anyway


Reported By Erin Erhardt | Published September 17, 2020 at 1:36pm

URL of the originating web site: https://www.westernjournal.com/leaked-emails-reveal-nashville-officials-hid-low-covid-numbers-maintained-lockdown-anyway/

In times of crisis, we often look to our political leaders for guidance. But our faith in those leaders erodes when they hide information from the public for political purposes.

That’s what appears to have happened in Nashville, where local leaders apparently hid low coronavirus numbers related to bars and restaurants in order to support continued lockdowns.

According to WZTV, contact tracing commissioned earlier this year revealed that nursing homes and construction sites were much more responsible for the coronavirus’ spread than bars and restaurants. In fact, the number of coronavirus cases traced back to bars and restaurants in Nashville was so low — just 22 cases as of June 30 — that the office of Democratic Mayor John Cooper and the Metro Health Department allegedly decided not to release the numbers to the public.

Now, however, emails have emerged between the mayor’s office and the health department in which officials appear to allude to hiding the numbers from the public.

“This isn’t going to be publicly released, right? Just info for Mayor’s Office?” Leslie Waller of the health department asked in one email, according to WZTV.

“Correct, not for public consumption,” responded one of the mayor’s senior advisers, Benjamin Eagles.

The exchange certainly suggests that officials didn’t want the public to know just how few coronavirus cases could be traced back to bars and restaurants. Presumably, this is because such officials wanted to keep the city locked down instead of allowing those businesses to reopen. (Bars and restaurants in the city, it’s worth noting, were not allowed to reopen until the middle of last month, WTVF reported.) That’s unnerving and duplicitous.

First, Americans should be trusted to make their own assessment of their coronavirus risk level based on actual data. Government officials shouldn’t hide that data for political purposes.

Second, for months now, the American public has been forced to make sacrifices in the name of slowing the spread and keeping coronavirus cases at a manageable level. Many people — including bar owners and restaurateurs — have lost their entire livelihoods due to the continued shutdowns. These people deserve to know the facts surrounding their sacrifices. It’s one thing to keep bars and restaurants closed. It’s another thing to do so despite knowing that very few coronavirus cases stem from such places.

About a month later, a reporter for the Tennessee Lookout asked the health department about a rumor that only about 80 cases could be traced back to the state capital’s restaurants and bars.

“The figure you gave of ‘more than 80’ does lead to a natural question: If there have been over 20,000 positive cases of COVID-19 in Davidson and only 80 or so are traced to restaurants and bars, doesn’t that mean restaurants and bars aren’t a very big problem?” Tennessee Lookout reporter Nate Rau asked.

In an internal email, according to WZTV, Brian Todd of the health department then asked five fellow health department officials: “Please advise how you recommend I respond.”

One official reportedly replied: “My two cents. We have certainly refused to give counts per bar because those numbers are low per site. We could still release the total though, and then a response to the over 80 could be because that number is increasing all the time and we don’t want to say a specific number.”

The health department and the mayor’s office refused to confirm to WZTV that the emails were real. But a Metro staff attorney has confirmed that they are, according to Nashville Metro Council Member Steve Glover.

“I was able to get verification from the Mayor’s Office and the Department of Health that these emails are real,” the attorney reportedly told Glover.

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Nashville Man Told By State He’s Positive For Coronavirus. He Was Never Tested.


Reported By Amanda Prestigiacomo |    DailyWire.com

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Dowell via Getty Images

A Nashville man told his local news station last week that he received at least three calls from the state about apparently testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

The problem? He was never tested.

According to News4 Investigates, Brock Ballou, a resident of the Nashville suburb of Mount Juliet, said he was anticipating a call from a contact tracer after one of his coworkers tested positive for COVID-19. However, the tracer repeatedly told Mr. Ballou that he was positive for the virus, despite the fact that he was never tested, he says.

“She specifically said – I’m looking at it right here – you tested positive – this is a follow up call to see how your symptoms are,” Ballou told the news station.

Asked if he possibly misheard the woman on the phone, Ballou said she reiterated his supposedly positive test results multiple times.

“I’m 100 percent sure that’s what she said, she was looking right at it,” he recalled, “she told me I’m in the system – looking right at it that you’re showing positive.”

Over the following days, Ballou received more calls from the state about his COVID symptoms.

“(The contact tracer) said I’m still seeing that you’re positive. Courtesy call – checking your symptoms,” he said.

News4 Investigates said all three phone numbers used to reach out to Ballou have been confirmed by the news station to have come from workers with the state health department of Tennessee. The apparent discrepancy has Ballou questioning the accuracy of the state’s COVID-19 case counts.

“I said I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s wrong. I’m just another number when I’m not.”

The Tennessee health department confirmed through a spokeswoman that they are investigating the discrepancy.

“I can also tell you there is no concern with our count of cases in regard to our reporting of those who test positive,” the spokeswoman said. “Those entries are based on lab results, not on information provided from the monitoring team.”

According to Ballou, he’s been told by the state that the calls made to him were done via a third party contracted by the health department.

As noted by The Daily Wire last week, the Florida State Health Department confirmed that some testing laboratories in the state have not been disclosing their negative novel coronavirus testing results accurately, skewing the positivity rates dramatically. At least two labs were discovered to have inflated their positivity rates of the virus by a factor of ten.

“Countless labs have reported a 100 percent positivity rate, which means every single person tested was positive. Other labs had very high positivity rates,” FOX 35 explained Tuesday.

It was uncovered that Orlando Veteran’s Medical Center’s reported positivity rate of 76% was actually around 6%, a spokesperson for the center revealed. FOX 35 added, “Orlando Health’s positivity rate is only 9.4 percent, not 98 percent as in the report.”

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Massive $300 Million Plant to Be Built in the United States, Trump Wins Again


Reported By Ben Marquis | November 21, 2017 at 2:42pm

URL of the original posting site: https://conservativetribune.com/massive-plant-built-trump-wins/?

President Donald Trump was elected in large part on a promise to revitalize our nation’s economy through pro-business and pro-growth policies that would produce countless new jobs for American workers. Though Congress has been dragging its feet when it comes to economy-boosting tax cuts and reform legislation, Trump’s administration has done what it can to spur job growth through cutting regulations and fostering confidence among businesses and consumers.

Fox Business reported this week that Tyson Foods, one of the biggest food companies in the world, will be building a massive new plant in Tennessee. The plant will cost an estimated $300 million to build and will provide for at least 1,500 new jobs processing more than 1.25 million chickens per week. The plant is expected to generate upwards of $150 million in additional revenue for the state.

“This project will enable us to provide even more fresh chicken to consumers across the country,” Tyson Foods president and CEO Tom Hayes said in a news release. “As one of the world’s leading protein companies, we continue to raise the world’s expectations of how much good food can do.”

The new plant, which is expected to begin operations in 2019, was initially planned as an even bigger facility in Kansas, but was ultimately shifted to Tennessee after local residents expressed opposition in Kansas.

“The (Tennessee) location is attractive to us because of the strong support we’ve received from state and local leaders, the existing industrial park and availability of labor, as well as access to feed grains produced in the region,” stated Doug Ramsey, group president of Poultry for Tyson Foods.

Meanwhile, Fox Business also noted that progress is already underway in Tennessee for construction of a massive, one million square foot factory in which LG Electronics will manufacture new washing machines. That plant is also expected to be operational in 2019.

But even though Kansas may have been passed over as the initial choice for the new Tyson chicken plant, the company still has its eye on the state for an additional expansion in the future, according to The Kansas City Star, meaning even more jobs and economic growth in the years to come.

“We have been fully aware they were considering multiple locations and planning to build more than one new complex,” explained Jackie McClaskey, Kansas’ secretary of agriculture. “We anticipate positive news in 2018 as we continue to work with multiple Kansas communities and Tyson.”

Even as plans for the one plant in Leavenworth County were placed on hold due to local opposition, other communities have expressed interest in being home to a new Tyson plant that will bring in jobs and revenue.

Nor are there any hard feelings — at least in public — at being initially passed over for a new Tyson plant, as the Kansas Department of Agriculture issued a statement congratulating both Tyson and Tennessee on working out a deal, with an obvious eye toward working together in the future.

“Consumer demand drives growth in the food and agriculture industry, and we have been aware throughout our own discussions with Tyson Foods that their expansion plans included multiple facilities in more than one state, so this announcement was not unexpected,” said department spokeswoman Heather Lansdowne.

“We look forward to continuing to work with Tyson Foods as they further evaluate expansion of their poultry business unit growth opportunities in Kansas,” she added.

Meanwhile, as American businesses expand manufacturing capacity here at home, Trump secured dozens of business deals with foreign nations such as China during his recent trip to Asia, according to CNBC.

It was estimated that, of just 37 deals struck with Chinese companies alone, roughly $250 billion will flow into the U.S. economy as a result.

Left unspecified are similar deals struck with businesses in the other nations Trump visited that could also result in tens of billions more in tax revenue initially and create an untold number of jobs.

This is what Trump was talking about when he repeatedly promised to Make America Great Again.

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BREAKING: Tenn. Defies LGBT Bullies, Makes MASSIVE Move to Protect Christians


waving flagBy: Wilmot Proviso on April 30, 2016

URL of the original posting site: http://conservativetribune.com/tenn-defies-lgbt-bullies

Big Gay Hate Machine

Another state has taken a brave stand against the forces of LGBT political correctness: This week, Tennessee signed into law a major religious freedom act that allows therapists to refuse clients if their lifestyle and life goals violate their “sincerely held belief(s).” According to BuzzFeed (via WND), Tennessee’s Gov. Bill Haslam, a Republican, signed the bill into law Wednesday, allowing therapists and other mental health professionals to refuse clients without fear of being sued.

The law was bitterly protested by LGBT groups as well as the American Counseling Association.

However, Haslam said that the law was necessary to protect the deeply held convictions of therapists as well as the mental health of their patients.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam

“I believe it is reasonable to allow these professionals to determine if and when an individual would be better served by another counselor better suited to meet his or her needs,” Gov. Haslam said in a statement.

“The substance of this bill doesn’t address a group, issue or belief system. Rather, it allows counselors — just as we allow other professionals like doctors and lawyers — to refer a client to another counselor when the goals or behaviors would violate a sincerely held principle.”

However, LGBT forces aligned against it, with one online petition calling the bill “hateful.” (I’ve never quite gotten how calling someone “hateful” for religious beliefs that might, at worst, slightly inconvenience them isn’t hateful itself, but this is just me.)

The petition claimed that “the lawmakers behind this bill don’t care about professional standards or truly helping those in need. Instead they are focused on forcing their personal religious beliefs into other people’s lives. Now innocent people seeking mental health care will pay the price it it passes.”Picture3

Let’s dissect that bit of nonsense.

  • First of all, this bill does not enable anyone to deny emergency care to anyone.
  • Secondly, if you’re forcing someone who is a therapist to work with a client to attain life goals that run counter to their religious beliefs, isn’t that forcing your religious beliefs on them?

Gay Rights Protesters

However, I can see arguments against those, particularly from LGBT individuals who might be reading this article. Or, perhaps you’re an atheist or a polyamorist, or someone else who might be affected by this bill.

Let me speak individually to you, then: Even if you disagree with everything I’ve said thus far, wouldn’t you prefer it if your therapist came straight out and told you he didn’t believe he or she could give you the care you deserve?

A relationship with one’s therapist is one of the most intimate, long-lasting professional medical relationships that a person can have. Given the amount of influence that therapist would have over my life, I would want to know whether they had a deeply held belief that something in my life I had no intention of changing was sinful or morally wrong.

Sadly, that line of reasoning won’t work on political correctness types. It’s not about respecting their beliefs, but rather forcing their beliefs on everyone else. You know, just like they’re accusing the supporters of this bill of doing.

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This State Offered Free College Education. Here’s What Happened.


waving flagReported by Norbert Michel / / February 22, 2016

URL of the original posting site: http://dailysignal.com/2016/02/22/this-state-offered-free-college-education-heres-what-happened

Aside from the subsidy/cost issue, there are many other reasons why this is bad public policy. (Photo: istockphoto)

Norbert Michel studies and writes about housing finance, including the reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as The Heritage Foundation’s research fellow in financial regulations. Read his research.

Several politicians have recently been offering free goodies to voters. One of the most popular of these, oddly enough, is something that several state governments have already tackled: free college tuition.

The details vary by state, but Oregon, Tennessee, Georgia, Michigan, and Louisiana (among others) all use tax dollars to pay for at least some of their residents’ college tuition.

Louisiana provides a great case study for advocates of similar federal policies.

Louisiana provides a great case study for advocates of similar federal policies. Louisiana just so happens to be in the news right now because the governor is threatening to suspend his state’s version of free college tuition for everyone.

Louisiana’s Tuition Program

Louisiana’s plan is called the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, or, more commonly, TOPS. This extremely popular program uses tax dollars to pay full tuition (and some fees) at any of Louisiana’s public universities. Other than residency requirements, all high school students qualify as long as they have a C average (2.5 GPA) and at least an 18 on the ACT.

So the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students doesn’t cover every student’s tuition, but it ends up covering it for a large chunk of middle-/upper-class families.

How It Started

The program started out in the late 1980s as the brainchild of oil tycoon/philanthropist Patrick Taylor. The program, which wasn’t originally named for him, started out as a tuition assistance plan only for low-income individuals.

In 1997 the state removed the income caps. At that point, all Louisiana students, regardless of financial need, were made eligible for “free” tuition at any Louisiana public college. Once in college, students had to maintain a C average to keep their TOPS awards.

As of 2010, approximately 70 percent of Louisiana’s high school graduates headed to college within one year. That’s nearly 20 percent higher than the rate in 2000.

Who’s Paying for It?

It’s easy to call the program a success because of this increase, but it’s just as easy to point out that the program doesn’t really provide free education. In one way or another, someone pays for it.

In one way or another, someone pays for it.

The eventual implosion of the program was easy to predict back in 1997 for the same reasons that pretty much any similar subsidy is destined to fail. Subsidies don’t really lower the cost of products and services; they only lower the up-front price that some people pay.

(In 1997, this program inspired my very first public critique of a government policy. Back then, I thought it was a terrible idea.)

No Such Thing as Free Tuition

A person receiving “free” tuition may not see it (or even care), but subsides actually raise the total cost of an education. The core problem is that they remove the paying customer—in this case the student—from the equation.

Without the subsidy, the paying customer receives the direct benefit for the service and bears the direct cost. If that person doesn’t think the cost is worth it, they don’t pay.

Louisiana’s program replaces this paying customer with groups of government officials. These officials neither receive the direct benefit nor endure the direct cost of obtaining an education. These groups do, however, benefit a great deal from obtaining more of your tax dollars.

And they rarely bear any direct cost from either increasing your taxes or delivering a substandard education product. (The incumbency rate is fairly high for politicians.)

On a practical level, Louisiana’s program converts tuition payments into a state budget item. In other words, a large chunk of each school’s “tuition” becomes nothing more than revenue sent in by the state bureaucracy.

In Louisiana, four separate higher education systems—each its own bureaucracy—fight over these “tuition” payments. Smaller schools inevitably get the smallest shares, but that’s kind of another story.

A Burden on University Resources

When the influx of students hits—more people going to school when tuition is “free” is pretty much a foregone conclusion—it strains universities’ existing resources. So the transfer of money has the natural tendency to lead to expanded facilities, faculty, and staff.

But these increases call for a permanently higher level of funding, and all of these effects tend to reinforce each other. That is, school officials have a built in reason to ask for larger transfers, and politicians have a built in excuse to raise taxes.

When the state’s coffers are not flush with cash, the schools’ budgets get cut. Thus, universities have every incentive to raise more money from students who are not a part of the Taylor Opportunity Program.

Of course, for any given level of Taylor Opportunity Program students, a higher posted rate of tuition results in a larger transfer from the state. If the program covered full fees and tuition for literally every student, then taxpayers would bear the full cost. But it doesn’t, so non-TOPS students bear some of the cost.

(Pretty much every student ends up paying higher fees directly, too, but that’s almost an aside.)

Non-subsidized markets don’t work this way—prices can actually fall in response to changes in demand and supply. Subsidized systems, on the other hand, are destined to result in higher—not lower—tuition.

Recent numbers support this explanation. The Taylor Opportunity Program has nearly doubled in cost since 2008, and most of that increase has been due to higher tuition.

What I failed to fully appreciate in 1997 was how bad of a deal the Taylor Opportunity Program would end up being for the smaller schools. Then I spent almost a decade teaching at Nicholls State University, a regional state school in Thibodaux, La.

Small Universities Are Hardest Hit

In one sense, the Louisiana program amounted to a cruel trick for these institutions. Smaller schools are the ones least able to sustain the permanently higher costs associated with the new TOPS-generated revenue stream.

When the state budget goes south—and it always does in Louisiana—smaller schools get slammed. (Louisiana State University has more than 25,000 students, so small changes in per-student fees go a long way).

No matter how much we want it to, subsidizing something simply doesn’t make it more cost-effective.

The Taylor Opportunity Program does give certain people a better deal on tuition at one point in time, but then it makes up for it somewhere else.

Ironically, the earlier waves of Taylor Opportunity Program graduates are among those about to get hit with a tax increase. That’s what politicians mean by free.

Ironically, the earlier waves of Taylor Opportunity Program graduates are among those about to get hit with a tax increase. That’s what politicians mean by free.

Aside from the subsidy/cost issue, there are many other reasons why this is bad public policy.

First of all—and I know this sounds crazy—everyone should not go to college. Some people simply aren’t cut out, and many just don’t need to. Yes, people with college degrees tend to earn more than those without, but it does not follow that everyone should go to college.

When the program was started, Louisiana public universities offered students a good value because they were relatively inexpensive. Now that Louisiana taxpayers have spent more than $2 billion on the program, tuition rates are out of reach for many students that don’t qualify for the program.

While the best solution for Louisiana would be to get rid of the program altogether (unlikely since politicians love the program), the best residents can hope for now is an increase in the program’s academic standards and some form of means testing. At least these changes would better direct subsidies to academically prepared students with more financial need.

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Woman Sees Something Strange On McDonald’s Window – Immediately Gets Out Her Camera


waving flagPosted by B. Christopher Agee December 17, 2015

URL of the original posting site: http://www.westernjournalism.com/woman-sees-something-strange-on-mcdonalds-window-immediately-gets-out-her-camera/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=ConservativeHeadlinesEmail&utm_campaign=PM1&utm_content=2015-12-17 

While the holiday season often reignites complaints among some Americans that there exists a cultural war on Christmas, one Tennessee motorist recently captured an image that shows not all references to Christ’s birth have been erased from public settings.

Amy Basel reportedly passed by the Spring Hill McDonald’s and noticed not only the traditional manger scene adorning the restaurant’s street-facing windows, but an explicitly religious message.

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“His name is Jesus,” one window’s message proclaimed.

Another decorative statement encouraged visitors to “rejoice.”

As of this writing, roughly 36,000 Facebook users have shared the image. Among the thousands of comments Basel has received in the two days since posting the status update are numerous kind wishes to the McDonald’s staff responsible for displaying the biblical message.

“Thank you McDonald’s for taking a stand,” one commenter wrote. “You have made my whole year! I am so proud of you for the stand you took was for Christ our Lord.”

Some social media users encouraged other businesses to follow suit, while others recognized local merchants who already embrace the faith-based component of the season.

At least a few critics, however, suggested that the Christians applauding this business would not be so open-minded were its owners of a different faith.

“I’d love to hear all of those ‘freedom of religion’ folks [sic] tunes if this business was owned and decorated by people of Muslim faith,” one user wrote. “Y’all are always so accepting of religion until it’s one that isn’t your own!”words of another christian hater

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In Wake of Paris Terrorist Attacks, Here’s a Map of the States Shutting Their Doors to Syrian Refugees


waving flagReported by Kelsey Harkness / / November 16, 2015

URL of the original posting site: http://dailysignal.com/2015/11/16/in-wake-of-paris-terrorist-attacks-15-states-shut-their-doors-to-syrian-refugees/?utm_source=heritagefoundation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningbell&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRous6TAZKXonjHpfsX74%2BokW6S2hYkz2EFye%2BLIHETpodcMTcFmMLrYDBceEJhqyQJxPr3NLtQN191pRhLiDA%3D%3D

On Monday and into Tuesday, more than two dozen governors moved to block Syrian refugees from entering their states. (Photo: Kelsey Lucas/Visualsey)

In the aftermath of Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris, governors across the United States are attempting to shut their doors on Syrian refugees looking to find a safe haven in the country. As of Monday evening, more than two dozen governors announced opposition to policies that would permit Syrian refugees to enter their states amid concerns they could have ties to terrorists.

Thus far, states whose governors oppose more Syrian refugees include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Kentucky Gov.-elect Matt Bevin, who will take office Dec. 8, also said he opposes resettlement efforts.

The movement, which was overwhelmingly spearheaded by Republican governors, came after French prosecutors discovered a Syrian passport on one of the suspected Islamic State suicide bombers in Paris. That finding raised concerns that terrorists are embedding with refugees to enter Europe and other nations.Do you want

The series of attacks in Paris on Friday night left more than 130 dead and hundreds others injured. French President François Hollande called the attacks an “act of war” and launched airstrikes against ISIS.

President Barack Obama sharply pushed back against the growing number of states attempting to undermine his policies surrounding Syrian refugees, saying Monday at a press conference in Antalya, Turkey, that it would be “shameful” and “not American” to close America’s doors on Syrian refugees.

“When some of those folks themselves come from families who benefited from protection when they were fleeing political persecution, that’s shameful,” he said. “That’s not American. That’s not who we are. We don’t have religious tests to our compassion.”DELUSIONAL

In September, Obama vowed to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States next year.

As of Nov. 3, there were more than 4 million registered Syrian refugees, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency.

Those issuing executive orders to block refugees pushed back on the president’s narrative while announcing their decision.

“Michigan is a welcoming state, and we are proud of our rich history of immigration,” said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. “But our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents.”

In a letter addressed to the president, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, “Neither you nor any federal official can guarantee that Syrian refugees will not be part of any terroristic activity. As such, opening our door to them irresponsibly exposes our fellow Americans to unacceptable peril.”Islam is NOT

While their responses send a clear message to the president, John Malcolm, a senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, said the practical implications blocking refugees are limited.

“Governors can certainly order state agencies to stop doing anything to assist federal authorities with their resettlement efforts, but they cannot stop federal authorities from continuing those efforts, nor can they stop immigrants who are lawfully admitted to this country from moving to and settling in those states,” Malcolm said. “They can, however, ask state law enforcement authorities to keep an eye on the refugees who settle in their states, so long as those authorities do so within the bounds of the Constitution.”

“It’s abhorrent for the federal government not to consult with and consider the interests of the states,” added Jim Carafano, a foreign policy expert at The Heritage Foundation. “Particularly the views of governors, as it impacts the welfare and public safety of their citizens.”America Never Forget

Florida Gov. Rick Scott addressed those concerns in a letter sent to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell. In that letter, dated Nov. 16, Scott wrote:

[I]t is our understanding that the state does not have the authority to prevent the federal government from funding the relocation of these Syrian refugees to Florida even without state support. Therefore, we are asking the United States Congress to take immediate and aggressive action to prevent President Obama and his administration from using any federal tax dollars to fund the relocation of up to 425 Syrian refugees (the total possible number of refugees pending for state relocation support at this time) to Florida, or anywhere in the United States, without an extensive evaluation of the risk these individuals may post to our national security.AMEN

muslim-obamaIn response, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced legislation on Monday afternoon that would suspend issuance of visas to refugees from countries with a high risk of terrorism until the U.S. Department of Homeland Security meets certain standards. Those standards include fingerprinting and screening all refugees, implement a tracking system “to catch attempted overstays,” and enhancing security measures that are already in place.

“The time has come to stop terrorists from walking in our front door. The Boston Marathon bombers were refugees, and numerous refugees from Iraq, including some living in my hometown, have attempted to commit terrorist attacks,” Paul said in a press release.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, also called to suspend the refugee program.

“The Syrian refugee program should be suspended until the American people are satisfied that they know exactly who the president is admitting into the country via this program,” Burr said. “There is simply too much at stake, and the security of the American people should be our top priority.”

This article and its accompanying map has been updated to reflect the growing number of governors who do not wish to permit Syrian refugees into their state. of domenstic terrorist

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Full, Unedited 8th Video Confirms Planned Parenthood Sells Fully Intact Aborted Babies


waving flagPublished by Steven Ertelt   Aug 28, 2015   |   Washington, DC

Today, the Center for Medical Progress released the full, uncut video of the conversation between undercover investigators form CMP and top officials with StemExpress, which buys aborted babies and their body parts from Planned Parenthood. The full footage is of a shorter video that summarized the meetings earlier this week.

The release of the full, unedited video also comes one day after Planned Parenthood released a new report claiming the eight videos released exposing it were “altered.” The abortion giant says the videos were manipulated and therefore not eligible for serious inquiry by Congress, which has launched two joint investigations of the abortion corporation. Still, Planned Parenthood’s own paid for experts admitted that there was no evidence of any manipulation of the audio in any of the eight shocking videos.

The full two-hour-long video appears below:

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While the videos have focused on the Planned Parenthood abortion business, the biotech firm StemExpress, which buys and resells aborted baby body parts from the abortion giant, has filed a lawsuit seeking to block some information the Center for Medical Progress obtained in its three year undercover operation. Just a short time after a judge issued a ruling that the biotech firm StemExpress can’t block the Center for Medical Progress from releasing videos, it put together a preview of its latest installment.

StemExpress is a for-profit biotech supply company that has been partnered with Planned Parenthood clinics across the country to purchase human fetal parts since its founding in 2010. StemExpress’ Medical Director, Dr. Ronald Berman, is an abortion doctor for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in California.how many body parts

PP MonsterIn the video, Cate Dyer, the CEO of StemExpress, is shown in a lunch meeting with undercover operatives posing as representatives of a biotech firm. Dyer is laughing about how StemExpress purchases fully intact aborted babies from Planned Parenthood. She laughs about how shippers of the aborted babies would give a warning to lab workers to expect such a baby.

“Oh yeah, if you have intact cases — which we’ve done a lot — we sometimes ship those back to our lab in its entirety,” she says.

“Tell the lab its coming,” she laughs about the intact unborn babies. “You know, open the box and go ‘Oh my God,’” Dyer adds.

The eighth video in the ongoing controversy over Planned Parenthood’s sale of aborted fetal body parts shows the CEO of StemExpress, a major buyer of fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood, admitting the company gets “a lot” of intact fetuses, suggesting “another 50 livers a week” would not be enough, and agreeing abortion clinics should profit from the sale.

In the video, actors posing as another human biologics company meet with StemExpress CEO Cate Dyer, plus Vice President of Corporate Development and Legal Affairs Kevin Cooksy, and Procurement Manager Megan Barr. StemExpress and the actors are discussing a potential partnership to supply extra fetal body parts to each other.

“So many physicians are like, ‘Oh I can totally procure tissue,’ and they can’t,” expresses Dyer, seeming to indicate that abortion doctors must do the procedure in a special way to obtain useable fetal parts. Federal law requires that no alteration in the timing or method of abortion be done for the purposes of fetal tissue collection (42 U.S.C. 289g-1).

“What about intact specimens?” asks one of the actors. “Oh yeah, I mean if you have intact cases, which we’ve done a lot, we sometimes ship those back to our lab in its entirety,” replies Dyer. “Case” is the clinical term for an abortion procedure. An “intact case” refers to an intact abortion with a whole fetus. “The entire case?” asks an actor. “Yeah, yeah,” says Dyer. “The procurement for us, I mean it can go really sideways, depending on the facility, and then our samples are destroyed,” she explains past botched fetal dissections, “so we started bringing them back even to manage it from a procurement expert standpoint.”What did you say 05.jpg

Feticidal chemicals like digoxin cannot be used to kill the fetus in a tissue procurement case, so a fetus delivered intact for organ harvesting is likely to be a born-alive infant.

“What would make your lab happy?” asks one of the actors. “Another 50 livers a week,” says Dyer. “We’re working with almost like triple digit number clinics,” Dyer explains, “and we still need more.” She later notes, “Planned Parenthood has volume, because they are a volume institution.”

Dyer also agrees that payments to abortion clinics for fetal body parts should be financially beneficial to them.

“Do you feel like there are clinics out there that have been burned, that feel like they’re doing all this work for research and it hasn’t been profitable for them?” she asks. “I haven’t seen that.” StemExpress publishes a flyer for Planned Parenthood clinics that promises “Financial Profits” and “fiscal rewards” for clinics that supply aborted fetal tissue. It is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dorothy Furgerson.Hate Merchants

The sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $500,000 (42 U.S.C. 289g-2). The Sacramento Business Journal reported in June that StemExpress has an annual revenue of $4.5 million.

David Daleiden, the head of CMP, commented on the newest video in a statement to LifeNews.

“StemExpress is the ‘weakest link’ that unravels Planned Parenthood’s baby parts chain–they readily admit the profit-motive that Planned Parenthood and their proxies have in supplying aborted baby parts,” he said. “Congress and law enforcement should immediately seize all fetal tissue files from StemExpress and all communications and contracts with Planned Parenthood. The evidence that Planned Parenthood profits from the sale of aborted baby parts is now overwhelming, and not one more dime of taxpayer money should go to their corrupt and fraudulent criminal enterprise.”

After the swarm of negative publicity surrounding Planned Parenthood selling aborted babies and their body parts, StemExpress was forced to cut ties with the abortion company.

Meanwhile, two committees in the House of Representatives have already launched investigations of Planned Parenthood. One committee is looking into whether or not the abortion business is breaking federal law by altering abortion procedures to better obtain aborted baby body parts for sale. Another committee, among other things, is investigating the Obama administration and whether there is any connection between it and the abortion giant.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wants to know if the Obama administration, via the Department of Health and Human Services, provided any federal grants to Planned Parenthood that ultimately went to pay for the sales of aborted baby body parts and if they were used by Planned Parenthood to “support transactions involving fetal tissue.”

The expose’ videos catching Planned Parenthood officials selling the body parts of aborted babies have shocked the nation. Here is a list of all eight:

  • In the first video: Dr. Deborah Nucatola of Planned Parenthood commented on baby-crushing: “We’ve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I’m not gonna crush that part, I’m gonna basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact.”
  • In the second video: Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Mary Gatter joked, “I want a Lamborghini” as she negotiated the best price for baby parts.
  • In the third video: Holly O’Donnell, a former Stem Express employee who worked inside a Planned Parenthood clinic, detailed first-hand the unspeakable atrocities and how she fainted in horror over handling baby legs.
  • In the fourth video: Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Savita Ginde stated, “We don’t want to do just a flat-fee (per baby) of like, $200. A per-item thing works a little better, just because we can see how much we can get out of it.” She also laughed while looking at a plate of fetal kidneys that were “good to go.”
  • In the fifth video: Melissa Farrell of Planned Parenthood-Gulf Coast in Houston boasted of Planned Parenthood’s skill in obtaining “intact fetal cadavers” and how her “research” department “contributes so much to the bottom line of our organization here, you know we’re one of the largest affiliates, our Research Department is the largest in the United States.”
  • In the sixth video: Holly O’Donnell described technicians taking fetal parts without patient consent: “There were times when they would just take what they wanted. And these mothers don’t know. And there’s no way they would know.”
  • In the seventh and perhaps most disturbing video: Holly O’Donnell described the harvesting, or “procurement,” of organs from a nearly intact late-term fetus aborted at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte’s Alameda clinic in San Jose, CA. “‘You want to see something kind of cool,’” O’Donnell says her supervisor asked her. “And she just taps the heart, and it starts beating. And I’m sitting here and I’m looking at this fetus, and its heart is beating, and I don’t know what to think.”

SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must Investigate Planned Parenthood for Selling Aborted Baby Parts

So far, 12 states have responded to the Planned Parenthood videos and launched investigations into their abortion and organ harvesting business including South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, Texas and Louisiana. The district attorney in Houston Texas is also investigating after the Houston-based Planned Parenthood abortion facility was caught selling aborted babies.

Congress has expanded its investigation into the Planned Parenthood abortion business and five states have revoked taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood’s abortion business, including Utah, Arkansas, Alabama, New Hampshire and Louisiana and Iowa’s governor has ordered a review of Planned Parenthood funding.

The full, unedited videos have confirmed that revelations that some aborted baby remains sold by Planned Parenthood go to biotech companies for the purpose of creating “humanized” mice. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood has been exposed as having sold body parts from aborted babies for as much as 15 years.

The federal law that technically prohibits the sale of aborted babies and their body parts was written by a pro-abortion Congressman decades ago and essentially spells out a process by which sellers of aborted baby body parts can meet certain criteria that allows the sales to be legal. That’s why a Colorado congressman has introduced legislation to totally ban the sales of aborted baby body parts.

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Ashton Carter orders gun policy reviews at military bases after Tennessee shootings


By Rowan Scarborough – The Washington Times – Thursday, July 30, 2015

URL of the original posting site: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/30/ashton-carter-orders-gun-policy-reviews-at-military
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said it is time for military branches to develop plans for the option of arming personnel at U.S. sites. Military personnel are generally not allowed to carry guns on base, a responsibility left to security and to military police. (Associated Press)
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said it is time for military branches to develop plans for the option of arming personnel at U.S. sites. Military personnel are generally not allowed to carry guns on base, a responsibility left to security……

In his first policy response to the killings of five American troops at a Tennessee reserve center, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter released a memo Thursday that will let more service members carry guns stateside while on base or at more vulnerable satellite offices.

A two-page memo tells service secretaries to review rules and revise as needed to meet security threats. It could mean that more armed security personnel are added to a base or center and that, in some cases, regular personnel are told to carry guns because of a heightened threat environment.

The Islamic State group, based in Syria and Iraq, has put great effort into trying to persuade Muslims via social media to kill U.S. military personnel.

“The tragic shooting on July 16 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, illustrates the continuing threat to DoD personnel in the U.S. homeland posed by Homegrown Violent Extremists,” Mr. Carter wrote. “This incident and the ongoing threat underscore the need for DoD to review its force protection and security policies, and procedures, particularly for off-installation DoD facilities.”

Makes sitting ducksMr. Carter reminded military leaders that current regulations allow authorized personnel to be armed at recruiting offices, such as the one attacked by Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez.

Pursued by police, Abdulazeez promptly made his way to a Navy-Marine Corps reserve center, where he gunned down four Marines and one sailor. Police shot and killed Abdulazeez.

The defense secretary said now is the time for the four branches to develop plans for the option of arming personnel, particularly 7,000 recruiting and ROTC stations that have no security and rely on local police.

Mr. Carter said he wants security improved at those sites. “Looking at arming personnel doesn’t mean that’s what the services will ultimately decide,” said Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, as quoted by The Associated Press. “But it does tell them that they have, within DOD policy anyway, the existing authority to do that.”

Military personnel are generally not allowed to carry guns on base. That duty is left to security personnel and military police.

“I’m sure that the service chiefs, as they look at this, will be well aware of the constraints that they face in doing this, and that will be part of their plans,” Capt. Davis said.Heart

Rep. Scott E. Rigell, the Virginia Republican who represents the military-rich Tidewater region, sent a letter to Mr. Carter urging him to change policy. “I appreciate and support Secretary Carter’s decision to allow specified service members to carry firearms on military installations as a means of enhanced force protection,” Mr. Rigell said Thursday. “Our nation’s military Secretaries now have until August 21, 2015, to submit their specific policy recommendations to Secretary Carter. The solutions they advance should be comprehensive and equivalent to the known threat posed to our service members. Secretary Carter should move these policy changes forward deliberately and without unnecessary delay. Our service members have the right to defend themselves.”

Mr. Carter’s signed memo said, “I know commanders and other leaders will remain committed to the protection of our dedicated men and women of the all-volunteer force who sacrifice on a daily basis to keep our Nation free.”

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At least six U.S. states move to arm National Guard offices


Reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City and Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Alan Crosby and Jonathan Oatis

 URL of the original posting site: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/19/us-usa-florida-recruit-idUSKCN0PS0P420150719

“It is painful enough when we lose members of our armed forces when they are sent in harm’s way, but it is unfathomable that they should be vulnerable for attack in our own communities,” Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said in a statement.

Governors Rick Scott of Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Mike Pence of Indiana issued similar orders for National Guard members after four U.S. Marines and a Navy petty officer were shot and killed on Thursday in Chattanooga, Tennessee. One site where the shootings occurred was a recruiting office in a strip mall.

All six of the governors are Republican.

In Florida, Scott ordered six storefront Florida National Guard recruiting centers to be moved to the nearest Guard armory buildings. The governor said Guard members who do not carry weapons should get them and obtain expedited concealed weapon permits, if necessary. In his executive order, Scott said bulletproof glass and better video surveillance equipment are among steps that should be considered to make recruiting offices safer.

Pence ordered the arming of military personnel at all Indiana National Guard facilities and recruiting storefronts, and Oklahoma Governor Fallin’s office said her executive order also included military recruiting offices. Military personnel in uniform would not usually have authorization to carry a personal weapon while working in recruiting offices, the Pentagon said on Friday. “It has become clear that our military personnel must have the ability to defend themselves against these type of attacks on our own soil,” Abbott said in a news release.you think

“Arming the National Guard at these bases will not only serve as a deterrent to anyone wishing to do harm to our service men and women, but will enable them to protect those living and working on the base,” he added.

AMEN

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Expert: Chattanooga Proves That Military Must Rethink Gun-Free Zones


waving flagby AWR Hawkins16 Jul 2015

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After gunman Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a Muslim immigrant from Kuwait, allegedly shot and killed four Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee, former NYPD detective Harry Houck said the military’s “gun-free zone” mindset has to change.Picture1

cropped-george-washington-regarding-2nd-amandment.jpgSpeaking to CNN Newsroom, Houck said, “I’m a Marine. And this really is hitting me a little harder here than normal that [these Marines] weren’t able to protect themselves at the time this occurred.” “We need people that are armed,” he added. He also said that even if that means getting armed guards, then so be it; something has to change.citizens armed tyranny

The Tennessean reports that Abdulazeez pulled in front of a recruiting location, shared by various military branches, and shot holes through the “doors and glass… [of] the… Air Force, Navy and Marine offices.” He allegedly did this while sitting in his car.

Ironically, one of the earliest post-attack photos of the recruiting center shows shattered glass and bullet holes by the very sign that designated the office a gun free zone. Mike Ball tweeted the photo:

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The Tennessean also reports that “within minutes” of the first attack, Abdulazeez allegedly opened fire on “the Navy Operational Support Center and Marine Corps Reserve Center Chattanooga.” The operational center is about seven miles from the recruiting offices where the attack began.

Houck pointed out that the police were in pursuit of the gunman when he began the second attack “and he still got… rounds off.” Houck praised the police for their bravery and commitment, but stressed again that the Marines inside the center simply had no way to respond to Abdulazeez’s attack; they had no means with which to defend themselves.Criminals and Dictators

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly awrhawkins@breitbart.com.

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States move to counter gay marriage ruling


By Tim Devaney – 06/30/15

URL of the Original Posting Site: http://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/246582-states-move-to-counter-gay-marriage-ruling

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More than a dozen states that saw gay marriage bans struck down last week by the U.S.  Supreme Court are vowing to protect religious liberty, even though they grudgingly accept that the ruling is now the law of the land.

  • In the wake of Friday’s decision, Texas’s attorney general told county clerks in the state that they have a statutory right to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples if they have religious objections to gay marriage.
  • In Alabama, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore — a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage — said a new state court order could temporarily delay the practice, only to walk back the remarks.
  • And in Louisiana, the attorney general contends there is nothing in the Supreme Court’s ruling that renders it effective immediately, raising questions about how soon the state would have to comply. Leftist Giant called Tyranny

Many other states across the South and upper Midwest are criticizing the ruling as an encroachment on states’ rights and religious freedom, though most acknowledge they cannot ignore it. “Ultimately, my position is that the state should have been legally entitled to define marriage,” South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley told The Hill. “I feel the state has traditionally held that role, and certainly when it’s in the state’s constitution it should be respected.” “But we are a nation of laws and we must respect that,” he added.

Before the Supreme Court’s ruling last Friday, those states and 11 others — Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Tennessee — had laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. Though not outright defying the high court’s decision, states are now seeking to make clear the limits of its scope. “The ruling does not tell a minister or congregation what they must do, but it does make clear that the government cannot pick and choose when it comes to issuing marriage licenses and the benefits they confer,” said Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway.Giant Government Compliance Officer

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the state would issue exemptions to county clerks, judges and justices of the peace who express religious objections to issuing gay marriage licenses, promising to “defend their religious beliefs.” “The government cannot force them to conduct same-sex wedding ceremonies over their religious objections,” Paxton said, accusing the Supreme Court of “ignoring the text and spirit of the Constitution to manufacture a right that simply does not exist.”

In cases where there are objections, however, other public officials would issue the documents.

A federal judge ruled in May that Alabama’ s same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional and stayed her opinion until the Supreme Court ruled on the issue. This week, Moore — the state Supreme Court’s chief justice — initially said a new motion in the earlier case would effectively table Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, a case known as Obergefell v. Hodges.
But same-sex marriage advocates argued that the order has no tangible effects thanks to a federal injunction, and Moore later backed away from the assertion. “In no way does the order instruct probate judges of this State as to whether or not they should comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell,” he said.SCOTUS GIANT

Still, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange accused the Supreme Court of “overturning centuries of tradition and the will of the citizens.” “I expect the focus will now turn to the exercise of one’s religious liberty,” Strange said.

A number of attorneys general also complained that the Supreme Court’s decision infringes on states’ right to define marriage how they see fit. Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said the court’s ruling “overturns the will of the people of Louisiana, and it takes away a right that should have been left to the states.”

Caldwell is threatening to essentially disregard the Supreme Court’s ruling for the time being, saying there is “nothing in [the] decision that makes the court’s order effective immediately. Therefore, there is not yet a legal requirement for officials to issue marriage licenses or perform marriages for same-sex couples in Louisiana.”

Gay rights activists warn that any acts of perceived defiance would threaten to undermine the legal system. “It’s a dangerous message for southern governors to disobey an order from the Supreme Court,” said Marc Solomon, national campaign director at Freedom to Marry. “The notion that public employees get to pick and choose which laws they follow based on their religious beliefs is a really dangerous precedent and a terrible public policy,” he added. “If you’re a public official, you need to carry out those laws, and you don’t get to decide whether they’re right or wrong.”
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The attorneys general in North Dakota and Mississippi both said they are waiting on other court cases to be resolved before they enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. Other states like Ohio and Nebraska expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court was interfering with their marriage laws but also indicated they would respect the ruling.

And top officials in a handful of states that formerly banned gay marriage are now welcoming the Supreme Court’s ruling. Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster said he would move swiftly to recognized same-sex marriage in the wake of the court’s ruling. “The history of our country has always been one of moving toward inclusion and equality,” Koster said in a statement. “I applaud the court for their courage and strong sense of fairness. Missourians should be seen as equals under the law; regardless of their gender, race, or whom they love.”It HasNever Been About Marriage

Austin Yack, Hanna Krueger, Kate Hardiman and Rachel Ravina contributed.

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Coalition of African-American Pastors Threaten Civil Disobedience If Supreme Court Passes Gay Marriage Law


waving flagBy Vincent Funaro , Christian Post Reporter, June 25, 2015|2:20 pm

URL of the Original Posting Site: http://www.christianpost.com/news/coalition-of-african-american-pastors-threatens-civil-disobedience-if-supreme-court-passes-gay-marriage-law-140842/#KdHwXPVmQZtlRQkZ.99
Rev. Bill Owens
Rev. Bill Owens, the president and founder of the Coalition of African American Pastors. (Photo: Facebook/Bill Owens)

A coalition of African-American pastors vowed this week that there will be massive civil disobedience if the U.S. Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage in a ruling on the matter expected this month. At a press conference in Memphis, Tennessee, members of the Coalition of African-American Pastors joined Christian ministers at the Church of God in Christ’s historic Mason Temple to warn the Obama administration to prepare for massive civil disobedience among pastors and clergy if state bans on gay marriage are deemed unconstitutional.

“If they rule for same-sex marriage, then we’re going to do the same thing we did for the civil rights movement,” said Rev. Bill Owens, president and founder of CAAP. “We will not obey an unjust law.”

“The politicians and courts have tried to take God out of this country,” continued Owens. “This country was founded on Godly principles. We will not stand back.”

Rev. David Welch, president of the Pastor’s Council in Houston, Texas, spoke out at the conference explaining the lengths people of faith might go to resist gay marriage.

“God created marriage between a man and woman and no Supreme Court jurisdiction can define this,” said Welch. “We stand clearly saying we will acknowledge God’s law no matter what the cost, no matter what the price. If they want to fill jails with pastors across the nation of every color, denomination and every size who will stand for the laws of God and His truths.”burke

Welch also compared Christians resisting gay marriage to the civil rights movement of the 1960s and encouraged pastors to fight for their right to worship freely.

“If it comes down to declining to perform same-sex weddings, that we will be charged with a civil or criminal penalty, then we will accept the penalty,” said Welch. “But this isn’t just about the wedding ceremony itself. This is a core, fundamental issue of our First Amendment freedom that the court is toying with right now. Either we have the right of freedom of conscience and religion and the freedom to practice it, or we don’t.”

Opponents of gay marriage around the U.S. are going to different lengths to resist it. Texas Republican lawmakers proposed a bill that would seek to enforce a ban on gay marriage even if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to declare such bans unconstitutional, While it was co-signed by 87 Republican members of the House, HB 4105 wasn’t brought to the floor for debate before the midnight May 15 deadline, which rendered it dead. Democratic lawmaker and businesses such as Dell, Celanese and Dow Chemical lobbied against the bill.

Lawmakers in the state Senate, however, managed to pass a bill known as the “Pastor Protection Act,” which goes into effect Sept. 1, and allows clergy to refuse to conduct marriage ceremonies that violate their religious beliefs.

“Freedom of religion is the most sacred of our rights and our freedom to worship is secured by the Constitution,” Abbott said at a June 11 signing ceremony, according to the Texas Tribune. “Religious leaders in the state of Texas must be absolutely secure in the knowledge that religious freedom is beyond the reach of government or coercion by the courts.”

On April 28, the Supreme Court heard arguments on an appeal from the Sixth Circuit of Appeals regarding four state-level gay marriage bans. Many experts have said the Supreme Court will narrowly rule this month that all states must allow same-sex couples to obtain a state marriage license.

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Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Have Right To Marry Nationwide


June 26, 2015 12:15 PM

URL of the Original Posting Site: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2015/06/26/supreme-court-rules-same-sex-couples-have-right-to-marry-nationwide
Supreme Court Decision

WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — The Supreme Court declared Friday that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the United States. Gay and lesbian couples already could marry in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The court’s 5-4 ruling means the remaining 14 states, in the South and Midwest, will have to stop enforcing their bans on same-sex marriage. Gay rights supporters cheered, danced and wept outside the court when the decision was announced.

The outcome is the culmination of two decades of Supreme Court litigation over marriage, and gay rights generally. In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that same-sex marriage must be allowed under the United States Constitution.

“No union is more profound than marriage,” Kennedy wrote, joined by the court’s four more liberal justices.

“From their beginning to their most recent page, the annals of human history reveal the transcendent importance of marriage. The lifelong union of a man and a woman always has promised nobility and dignity to all persons, without regard to their station in life. Marriage is sacred to those who live by their religions and offers unique fulfillment to those who find meaning in the secular realm. Its dynamic allows two people to find a life that could not be found alone, for a marriage becomes greater than just the two persons. Rising from the most basic human needs, marriage is essential to our most profound hopes and aspirations,” Kennedy wrote.want_rel_liberty_r

Kennedy also wrote the court’s previous three major gay rights cases dating back to 1996. It came on the anniversary of two of those earlier decisions. As Kennedy read his opinion, spectators in the courtroom wiped away tears after the import of the decision became clear. One of those in the audience was James Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court fight. Outside, Obergefell held up a photo of his late spouse, John, and said the ruling establishes that “our love is equal.” He added, “This is for you, John.”Big Gay Hate Machine

President Barack Obama placed a congratulatory phone call to Obergefell, which he took amid a throng of reporters outside the courthouse.

Kennedy was joined by the four liberal justices of the court: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer.

Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented, and all wrote separate dissents.

Alito wrote, “Today’s decision usurps the constitutional right of the people to decide whether to keep or alter the traditional understanding of marriage.”

Roberts said gay marriage supporters should celebrate, but don’t celebrate the Constitution.

“If you are among the many Americans—of whatever sexual orientation—who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it,” Roberts wrote.

Scalia wrote his dissent “to call attention to this Court’s threat to American democracy.”

“Today’s decree says that my Ruler, and the Ruler of 320 million Americans coast-to-coast, is a  majority of the nine lawyers on the Supreme Court. The opinion in these cases is the furthest extension in fact—and the furthest extension one can even imagine—of the Court’s claimed power to create “liberties” that the Constitution and its Amendments neglect to mention. This practice of constitutional revision by an unelected committee of nine, always accompanied (as it is today) by extravagant praise of liberty, robs the People of the most important liberty they asserted in the Declaration of Independence and won in the Revolution of 1776: the freedom to govern themselves,” Scalia wrote.

Thomas wrote, “Aside from undermining the political processes that protect our liberty, the majority’s decision threatens the religious liberty our Nation has long sought to protect.”

Obama called the ruling a “big step in our march toward equality.” In a statement in the Rose Garden, Obama said that justice arrived like a thunderbolt. “This ruling is a victory for America,” Obama said. The president thanked gay rights supporters who worked tirelessly for this cause. “America’s a place where you can write your own destiny,” he said.tyrants

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton weighed in, calling the ruling a “historic victory for marriage equality.”War on Christians

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said in a statement that the Supreme Court should have allowed the states to decide. “Guided by my faith, I believe in traditional marriage. I believe the Supreme Court should have allowed the states to make this decision. I also believe that we should love our neighbor and respect others, including those making lifetime commitments,” the former Florida governor said. “In a country as diverse as ours, good people who have opposing views should be able to live side by side. It is now crucial that as a country we protect religious freedom and the right of conscience and also not discriminate.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the ruling saying the court’s recognition of same-sex marriage as a right in every state “affirms our democratic values, that each of us is equal.”Clinton Democrat Party

The ruling will not take effect immediately because the court gives the losing side roughly three weeks to ask for reconsideration. But some state officials and county clerks might decide there is little risk in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The cases before the court involved laws from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee that define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Those states have not allowed same-sex couples to marry within their borders and they also have refused to recognize valid marriages from elsewhere.

Just two years ago, the Supreme Court struck down part of the federal anti-gay marriage law that denied a range of government benefits to legally married same-sex couples. The decision in United States v. Windsor did not address the validity of state marriage bans, but courts across the country, with few exceptions, said its logic compelled them to invalidate state laws that prohibited gay and lesbian couples from marrying.

The number of states allowing same-sex marriage has grown rapidly. As recently as October, just over one-third of the states permitted same-sex marriage.

There are an estimated 390,000 married same-sex couples in the United States, according to UCLA’s Williams Institute, which tracks the demographics of gay and lesbian Americans. Another 70,000 couples living in states that do not currently permit them to wed would get married in the next three years, the institute says. Roughly 1 million same-sex couples, married and unmarried, live together in the United States, the institute says.

The Obama administration backed the right of same-sex couples to marry. The Justice Department’s decision to stop defending the federal anti-marriage law in 2011 was an important moment for gay rights, and Obama declared his support for same-sex marriage in 2012.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)The Lower you go burke freedom combo 2

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CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG GONE. NEXT STATUES. THEN RENAME HIGHWAYS, SCHOOLS.


waving flagBy John Gibson, Jun 23, 2015

 URL of the Original Posting Site: http://radio.foxnews.com/2015/06/23/confederate-battle-flag-gone-next-statues-then-rename-highways-schools
squeeze into mold
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg

Liberals’ Intollerance of History Sets Off Massive Purge. The Confederate Battle Flag is toast. Burnt toast.

South Carolina’s Governor and both U.S. Senators (one black, one white) have called for its removal from the capitol grounds. The legislature will take up the issue and will promptly vote to remove the flag.

The lonely voices of resistance to the purging of the Confederate flag will soon be silenced. It is simply not cool to display the Confederate Battle Flag.

Wait…correction. It is forbidden.

Just to be clear, I’ve never owned or displayed any item of confederate flag-ware. Don’t particularly support its display. But geez…I don’t cause of deaththink I’ve ever seen a stampede to political correctness quite like this one. Any moment I expect Jimmy Carter to issue a tearful apology for using the Stars and Bars to carry the South.

But after the flag has been rendered non existent if you thought that was going to be the end of it, silly you.

In New Orleans, the mayor is thinking maybe that statue of Robert E. Lee in Lee Circle has to go. Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s office  is looking forward to New Orlean’s 300th birthday. His office issued a statement that the city “should include a close examination of the historical symbols throughout our city and what changes could be made as we approach 2018, including the Robert E. Lee statute in Lee Circle.”

The statement went on, in expand the scope of the purge: “These symbols say who we were in a particular time, but times change. Yet these symbols – statues, monuments, street names, and more – still influence who we are and how we are perceived by the world.  Mayor Landrieu believes it is time to look at the symbols in this city to see if they still have relevance to our future.”Liberalism a mental disorder 2

That’s a hint of what is to come. Jefferson Davis Highway? New name coming. Statue of the President of the Confederacy? Soon to be gone. In fact, the Atlantic Magazine is ginning up the next round of expunging the Confederacy from the pages of history, at least that part of history in public view. It is a looooonnnng list. “The database of the National Center for Education Statistics shows at least 20 schools named for Robert E. Lee, and nine apiece for Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis,” the magazine says, clearly urging changes and quick.

In Tennessee there’s a bust of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the state capitol. Gotta get rid of that. Same in Texas where there’s a statue of Jefferson Davis on the grounds of the University of Texas, Austin.

Out, thou foul flag… and statue and highway sign and school name! Be gone!Head in Hands 01

What are libs going to do when they want to call Republicans the Confederacy rising again when there is no sign that the Confederacy ever existed?

Will Levon Helm and The Band now go the way of the hated and banished flag for the offense of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down?” My god, the racism in that song, in his soulful voice, is just so obvious.

Fine. Purge to your heart’s content, Liberals. If you finish with the flags, statues, highways and schools, and you still have a taste for blood, there’s always the graves of Confederate soldiers. There they are under those headstones–maybe they’re not even dead yet. Alinsky affect

You can always shoot ’em again. Of if that’s not enough, dig ’em up. The bones are probably dust, but go ahead–burn the dust. It will make you feel all righteous and superior.

And that’s what this is really all about, isn’t it?

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SOUTH CAROLINA Democrats Oppose Legislation That Would Ban Islamic Sharia Law from State Courts


 Reported By

URL of the Original Posting Site: http://freedomoutpost.com/2015/05/south-carolina-democrats-oppose-legislation-that-would-ban-islamic-sharia-law-from-state-courts/#bXJ1U2gA1cTDKkx9.99
Islamization

The Republican-sponsored anti-sharia legislation which would ensure that Islamic and other foreign laws are kept out of consideration by South Carolina courts is being stonewalled by Democrat panderers who seek to appease Muslim supremacists pushing hard to get sharia law recognized by American courts.

Post and Courier: A vote on the anti-Sharia law bill was postponed until Tuesday at the earliest after an hours-long debate over Charleston Republican Rep. Chip Limehouse’s proposal. Limehouse has said a law is needed to prevent radical Islamic beliefs from infiltrating state courts. Democrats said the bill showed why the GOP was unfit to govern and why South Carolina is the butt of late-night television jokes. They accused Republicans of legislating off of Internet rumors.

Rep. James Smith, D-Columbia, called the bill “red meat” and “politics at its worst,” while Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, chastised Limehouse and others for having the wrong priorities.Liberalism a mental disorder 2

Defenders of the measure said that events in Iraq and the growth of radical Islam in America mean that South Carolina should ensure that laws adhered to by militant groups like ISIS don’t end up in U.S. courts. Sharia law is also sometimes used in Muslim communities to settle contract disputes or family matters, although American courts are not bound by those rules. The terrorist group ISIS has used the 14th century laws to justify the beheading of prisoners in Syria and Iraq.

Limehouse has cited the Center for Security Policy, a conservative Washington, D.C.-based think tank, that has prompted states around the country to introduce laws banning the use of foreign or Sharia laws. The center has cited 146 cases in 32 states where Sharia law was used as a legal argument. Those states are Tennessee, Louisiana, Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Washington, Alabama and Florida, according to the center.Got-Quran_thumb1-300x228

A fear of Islamic law has grown particularly among conservative groups around the country as terrorist groups have carried out attacks and spread their message on social media. Rep. Joe Neal, D-Hopkins, said Republicans were fear-mongering. “Laws in this state ought to be based on our Constitution not on fear, not on suspicion,” he said. “We’re better than this because we don’t need to give in to fear … and the kind of low-brow politics this seems to represent.”Picture9

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Arabic Streets Signs In American City Indicates Islamic Takeover


waving flagPosted by Dave Jolly

URL of the Original Posting Site: http://godfatherpolitics.com/21799/arabic-streets-signs-in-american-city-indicates-islamic-takeover/#R4WjBSAEKD2azOPh.99against America

dearborn-michigan-highest-concentrationHow would you feel if you drove into a town here in the United States and found that many of the street signs were in Arabic only with no English wording? Then you look around and discover that many of the signs on businesses were also in Arabic. Not possible you say? Think again! Welcome to Dearborn, Michigan.

Imperial Islamic President ObamaSteve Tarani, author and speaker recounts what he saw when he rode with a member of the Detroit Metro SWAT Police as they drove around Detroit and into Dearborn:

“The street signs suddenly went from English to Arabic. There wasn’t a single English word on any shop or any street sign. And in fact, these little yellow signs were posted all along the edges. Jeremy said to me, ‘this is it. We don’t go past this line.’ And I said to Jeremy, ‘what do you mean? You guys are Detroit Metro. You’re the SWAT team. You can go anywhere you want. What if you get a call over there?’ He said ‘this is it, it’s hazardous for our team if we go past this line.’”

“I have seen it with my own eyes, witnessed it in the backseat of a car and it is for real. No-go zones exist in the United States.”

“Dearborn, Michigan is not the only place that these settlements exist. They are spread out over the country in various cities. There’s an estimate of over 5,000 known terrorist cells in the United States. However our most persistent and significant threat, right now, to us here today this morning, is the homegrown violent extremists.”

Some people try to discount Tarani’s account but I’ve seen too many reports that have come out of Dearborn that would tend to support his account of the Muslim takeover of the American city. Christians have been only attacked by Muslims without prosecution. They’ve also been told to stay away from the city’s Islamic festival and even banned from talking to people on the public streets outside the festival.

The Muslim influence is so strong in Dearborn that the high schools hold girls only proms because Muslim girls are not allowed to socialize or dance with boys. These proms are religious based and no one has said anything about a violation of church and state or tried to stop them. Christian students are banned from having Christmas parties, prayer meetings or Baccalaureate services, but Muslims are allowed to pray in school and hold Islamic proms. You have to ask why organizations like the ACLU, American Atheists, Freedom From Religion Foundation and Americans United for Separation of Church and State remain silent about what is happening in Dearborn schools.

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Murfreesboro, Tennessee is fast becoming a second Muslim controlled city like Dearborn and there are others on the way. I have friends in the United Kingdom who have told me of how Muslims have taken over entire cities and areas in their country. What they tell me is that it all started with cities like Dearborn and Murfreesboro and just continues to spread. One of my friends compared Islam in England to a cancer that continues to spread and contaminate everything it encounters. In time it will spread to the point that the country dies from it and becomes the home of a religion that teaches hate, bloodshed and sharia law. Like a cancer, the only way to save the nation is to stop the spread of the religion of terrorism. Then he told me that in our modern sophisticated world full of freedoms and rights that it’s impossible to stop the spread of Islam without igniting a worldwide religious war.

muslim-obamaNow realize that Barack Hussein Obama has been actively inviting Muslims to come to the US. He is also advocating opening our doors to up to 7 million Syrian Muslim refugees and there is no telling how many terrorists ware hiding among those 7 million. That would be like trying to cure a patient by injecting him with massive doses of cancer cells.

I have to honestly say that the future of America is not looking very bright and to be honest, I don’t know what to do to change it other than make others aware of it and encourage everyone to get on their knees and pray for the Christian revival of America.

 

 

 

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Nashville Police Refuse Secret Service Illegal Search of Obama Critic


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 Posted by Mark Meckler / October 20, 2014

URL of the Original Posting Site: https://selfgovern.com/nashville-police-refuse-secret-service-illegal-search/

Imperial President Obama

safe_imageIt’s rare to receive a 911 call from the Secret Service, but that’s exactly what happened in January 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a new letter to the House Oversight Committee.

The Secret Service agents had gone to a Nashville resident’s home to investigate Facebook comments the Tennessean had made against the President.

Unsurprisingly, the Obama critic — who hadn’t violated any laws — wasn’t willing to come out of his home and be investigated by the federal government.

“He shoved the door in our face and went around the corner,” the Secret Service agent told the 911 operator. “Possibly, he had a gun in his hands.”

Of course, slamming a door in someone’s face isn’t against the law, and neither is having a weapon. The man, who’s a law-abiding gun owner, made no threats. He only demanded to see their warrant.

They didn’t bother to get one, but that inconvenient fact didn’t stop them. One of the agents asked the Nashville police sergeant to “wave a piece of paper” in order to fool the resident into believing they actually had obtained a warrant.comment 01

So, let’s recount this, shall we?Obamas Police State

  1. The Tennessean criticized the President in a non-threatening way… as is his First Amendment Constitutional right.
  2. The Tennessean had a gun to defend his home… as is his Second Amendment Constitutional right.
  3. The Tennessean asked to see a warrant… as is his Fourth Amendment Constitutional right.

None of these rights were respected by the Secret Service agents.

But you gotta love the Nashville Police.

Chief Steve Anderson wrote a letter to the former Nashville Secret Service Director Julia Pierson and Assistant Director A.T. Smith detailing these abuses. “I think you can see that had the MNPD officers complied with the directive from the Secret Service agents,” he wrote, “There was likelihood for this event to have escalated into a serious and/or embarrassing situation for both of our agencies.”

He never heard back from Pierson, but Smith responded with a “condescending and dismissive” tone. When Anderson went to their office to discuss whether they thought it was right to wave around a piece of paper to pretend they had a warrant, the Secret Service agent allegedly answered, “I don’t know. I’m not a lawyer.”

It’s good to see local authorities standing up to a corrupt, bloated federal government hell-bent on taking away our individual rights. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tennessee, one of the committee members who received the letter, thinks this is an outrage.

“There’s already a lot of fodder to attack the Secret Service with, and this will be more,” he said, before saying that the Secret Service’s tactics were grievous Constitutional violations.

Here’s the best part of the story. The Chief Anderson says that his officers are no longer allowed to work with the Secret Service unless they get a directive from the top.2

Why? He wants to make sure his officers aren’t asked to engage in questionable and possibly unconstitutional activities.

Kudos to the Nashville police for standing up to a bloated, corrupt federal government and saying, simply, “no more.”

This article first appeared on The American Spectator.

Photo credit: Visions of America / Shutterstock.com

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