Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has decided to dissolve parliament, and is calling for snap elections in July. Mr. Sánchez made his decision after right-wing candidates scored decisive victories in local elections.
In other news, NATO-led KFOR troops in Kosovo suffered injuries at the hands of ethnic Serb protesters who objected to the installation of Albanian mayors in majority-Serb towns.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, HeHa, McN, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, Subhra Basak, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
DeSantis Slams McCarthy-Biden Debt Ceiling Deal: ‘We’Re Careening Towards Bankruptcy’
Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis slammed the debt ceiling agreement negotiated by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Biden during an appearance on Fox and Friends.
Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany asked DeSantis for his thoughts on the deal. The Florida governor opted to echo the sentiments of Freedom Caucus Republicans in both the House and Senate in arguing the deal amounts to reckless spending.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The debt ceiling deal between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden would amount to, if passed and enacted into law, the largest deficit reduction bill in American history, an official estimate forthcoming from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will show.
Preliminary numbers from the CBO, available on Monday ahead of a formal estimate expected to be released soon, show the deal would amount to more than $2.12 trillion in spending cuts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lindsey Graham Vows to ‘Undo’ ‘Absurd’ Bipartisan Debt Deal, Calls it ‘Disaster for Defense’
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., vowed Monday he would do everything within his power to “undo” the bipartisan debt ceiling bill and the “disaster” he said it would be for America’s defense.
“I will use all powers available to me in the Senate to have amendment votes to undo this catastrophe for defense,” Graham wrote on Twitter. “I support raising the debt limit for 90 days to give us a chance to correct this disaster for defense.”
“Have total disgust for political leaders’ decision to make it remotely possible to gut our national security apparatus at a time of great peril. Take this absurd idea off the table,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Memorial Day Staples Rocked by Inflation, Ketchup Up 27.9%
This Memorial Day, Americans are spending more for barbecues as the necessary fixings cost nine percent more than last year, while food prices have generally gone up 7.7 percent as the country continues to wrestle with record-setting inflation under President Joe Biden.
According to Axios, the research firm Datasembly told the outlet that “barbecue staples like ketchup and mustard have had much larger increases” than what the Consumer Price Index clocked as a 7.7 percent increase in food prices over the last year. The firm said that a “Memorial Day basket of seven barbecue essentials cost $27.32 in 2023 compared to $25.07 the same time last year.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rental, energy and supermarket prices are rising, tightening the purse-strings further of an already thrifty nation. And last week, Germany was formally put into a recession.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Turkish Lira Sinks to Record Low After Erdogan Re-Election
Turkey’s currency, the lira, sank to a record low on Monday as markets reacted to the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan’s bizarre economic policies have caused rampant inflation and declining currency reserves. Market analysts predicted he will double down on these policies and bring Turkey to the brink of fiscal collapse.
“The current setup is just not sustainable. With limited FX [foreign exchange] reserves and massively negative real interest rates, the pressure on the lira is heavy,” BlueBay Asset Management senior strategist Timothy Ash said in a Monday morning email quoted by CNBC.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A United States citizen has been arrested in Ukraine for allegedly expressing strong criticism against the government’s war with Russia and the Biden administration said on Monday that they will not comment on the matter.
Gonzalo Lira, a writer and YouTuber who has been an outspoken critic of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was arrested earlier this month for publicly justifying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a press release from Ukrainian Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Becker News reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blamed the “MAGA Supreme Court” for a unanimous, 9-0 ruling that limited the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate bodies of water.
On Thursday, the nation’s highest court issued a ruling that narrowed the EPA’s wide definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). After the ruling, the EPA must now define WOTUS as a water source with a “continuous surface connection” to major bodies of water.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Concealed Carry Holder Stops Attacker in His Tracks as Chicago Sees Another Violent Memorial Day
A Chicago concealed carry holder was forced to take defensive measures when an attacker opened fire on him over the weekend.
The incident occurred on Sunday when the thug shot at a concealed carry holder.
However, the “victim” shot back, sending the suspect to the hospital.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cities with significant violent crime problems seem to be able to devote far more resources to going after lawful gun owners, retailers, and manufacturers than they are toward arresting and jailing violent recidivist felons. You might think a city with a persistent crime problem — one like, say, Chicago — would use as much of its time and money to incarcerate the relatively few criminals who comprise the majority of their violent crime problem.
You’d be wrong.
Instead of fingering the gang members and other felons who go in and out of its revolving door justice system faster than Al’s Beef can dish out sandwiches, Chicago’s politicians would rather spend time (and get headlines) rail against the alleged “iron pipeline” of guns that come in via surrounding states with less restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms. States like Indiana.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The City University of New York’s (CUNY) public law school’s commencement featured a speech from a graduating student calling for a “revolution” to challenge “oppressive” institutions in America. The speaker mentioned institutions of law and order such as the military, the police, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. prison system.
“I come to you all from the rich soil of Yemen, raised by the humble streets of Queens,” said future lawyer Fatima Mousa Mohammed, who was selected by the 2023 class to speak at the May 12 CUNY Law ceremony. At first, the law school took down the speech on YouTube— but then released it following public outcry as critics derided them for silencing a pro-Palestinian voice.
“I chose CUNY School of Law for its articulated mission [as one of the] few legal institutions… to recognize that the law is a manifestation of White supremacy that continues to oppress and suppress people in this nation and around the world.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOJ, Prosecutors Trying to Claw Back Donations Made to J6 Defendants
While BLM protesters got a Kamala Harris-endorsed bail fund during the violent and destructive mostly peaceful George Floyd riots, the Department of Justice is trying to claw back donations made to January 6th political prisoners.
According to AP, the DOJ is trying to seize over $25,000 raised by Texas resident Daniel Goodwyn, who appeared on Tucker Carlson’s former Fox News show where he promoted a website for political donations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Gets ‘Community Noted’ After Claiming DeSantis Broke Fundraising Record
Twitter owner Elon Musk was corrected by the site’s new “community notes” feature after claiming that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis broke a single-day fundraising record. Not long after the tweet was posted, it was slapped with a community note explaining that President Trump set the record in 2019.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Four Suspects Arrested After Georgia Lululemon Robbery, Employees Fired After Confronting Looters
Four men were arrested and charged after alledgedly stealing $7,000 worth of merchandise from a Georgia Lululemon store. Staff who were present during the robbery called police to report the crime, and were fired for doing so. The men were found and aprehended as a result of the call.
Bayo Allen, 19, Quintavious Gooch, 19, Braylon Shivers, 20, and Nicholas Lynch, 26, were arrested two days after the April 24 robbery that was caught on camera, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Shivers, Gooch, and Allen remain behind bars at Georgia’s Fayette County Jail.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gov. Katie Hobbs Vetos Several Major Election Security Bills in Arizona
Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed four bills that sought to improve election security in the state.
The move has left the state’s lawmakers outraged after the rejected bills had passed the Arizona House and Senate.
The measures made several major improvements to the Copper State’s election laws.
The bills were set to bolster security for the voter registration system, poll site procedures, and the handling of mail-in ballots.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberal US Cities Top Global List for Highest Homelessness Problem
Insider Monkey, a finance website, revealed a list of the top 30 cities worldwide with the highest homeless population. Notably, a handful of the US cities on the list are governed by progressive leadership, which may not surprise readers. While it is evident that some unfortunate individuals are facing homelessness, a trend exacerbated by recent inflationary pressures and a drug addiction crisis, some liberal policies have enabled others to sustain their nomadic lifestyles with taxpayer funds.
Insider Monkey found New York City is number 5 on the list, with a homeless population of about 69,000. Next is Chicago, at number 7 with 65,611. Washington, DC, is number 8 with 57,416, Los Angeles number 13 with 41,980, and San Fransisco number 14 with 38,000.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Stabbed on Canal Street Takes Ferry to Gretna for Treatment
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans police are investigating after a man took a ferry to a hospital after being stabbed multiple times on Canal Street.
According to a preliminary report by the NOPD, the victim, a man, was approached on Canal Street by another man with a gun.
The suspect demanded the victim’s phone.
Police say when the victim refused, the suspect put the gun away and pulled a knife, stabbing him multiple times.
The victim then took the ferry to the Westbank to get treatment by EMS in Gretna, according to the preliminary report.
He was then taken to an area hospital by EMS.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Microsoft’s president and vice chairman Brad Smith has made some bold statements about how he expects the US government to regulate artificial intelligence in the next year. He made the remarks in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Smith wants it to be “unlawful” to remove the AI metadata that Microsoft and others are developing. Microsoft is also developing technology to be able to detect when the watermark is removed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Motorist With Sign Claiming to Have an Explosive Device Drives to Canadian Border
Officials say the driver of vehicle with a sign indicating there was an explosive device on board led Maine State Police on a chase on Interstate 95 to the Canadian border
HOULTON, Maine — The driver of vehicle with a sign indicating there was an explosive device on board led Maine State Police on a chase on Interstate 95 to the Canadian border on Monday, officials said.
A trooper fired shots after the motorist attempted to maneuver the truck toward the Canadian port of entry in Woodstock, New Brunswick, and the man surrendered without injury, state police said.
The border crossing was temporarily closed, and crime scene technicians and the Maine State Police Bomb Squad were expected to be at the scene through the night, officials said.
Officials said there was no danger to the public.
A state trooper noticed the sign on the vehicle indicating the motorist had an explosive device of some sort after attempting to stop the motorist around 10:40 a.m. Monday. Tony Holford, 42, of Providence, Rhode Island, was charged with aggravated reckless conduct, terrorizing, and failure to to stop, state police said.
| — Hat tip: McN | [Return to headlines] |
Nearly Everyone Infected With COVID-19 at CDC Event Was Vaccinated: Agency Survey
Nearly all attendees infected with COVID-19 at an event by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were vaccinated, according to a survey the agency conducted.
In April, about 1,800 CDC staffers and others attended a CDC conference in a hotel in Atlanta, Ga., where the agency is headquartered, for a conference about epidemiological investigations and strategies, The Epoch Times reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Notorious TikTok Doxxer Sued After Launching Harassment Campaign Against Woman, Her Workplace
Danesh Noshirvan, a TikToker with a large following who is more commonly known by his username, ThatDaneshGuy, has been sued after he allegedly utilized the platform to harass and dox numerous people.
He notably appeared to dox the pregnant Manhattan hospital worker who was smeared as a “Karen” by users on social media after an incident where a group of five young men prevented her from utilizing a Citi Bike to ride home, claiming it was theirs to take.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Philadelphia Crime Wave of Burglary, Larceny and Auto Theft Spills Into Nearby Suburbs
The crime wave that has been actively taking place in Philadelphia (among many other U.S. cities) is now starting to spread to the suburbs.
Crime statistics were up “double-digit percentages” in Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties — three major suburban counties that border Philadelphia county — from 2021 to 2022, according to the Delaware Valley Journal.
The Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System shows that increasing crimes include burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Oddly, the report notes that Chester County, usually seen as a hotbed of crime near Philadelphia, saw its numbers decrease in almost ever statistical category.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco Business Owners and Residents Talk Drug, Crime Crisis: ‘Zombie Apocalypse,’ ‘Dystopia’
San Francisco residents and business owners told Fox News Digital that the city has changed in recent years, with many giving personal stories of drug addicts laid out on the streets and violent assaults.
One resident, Seema Gokhale, who lives near the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and has been the city for almost a decade, described life there as “post-apocalyptic.”
“It honestly feels like I’m in a place that’s been in a zombie apocalypse. It’s like a dystopia. It really feels like a dystopian reality right now where I see boarded up storefronts. I see people defecating on the streets,” Gokhale said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Campaign Fundraises for Ballot Harvesting Operations in Battleground States
The Trump campaign has announced that it is looking to beat Democrat ballot harvesting in states across the country, specifically taking aim at operations funded by billionaire George Soros.
“We recently alerted you that a Soros-linked Super PAC has begun targeting 6 battleground states with a $75 MILLION spending blitz to buy Crooked Joe the White House,” a Thursday campaign fundraising email read, according to the Washington Times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Trump Spotted in NYC on Memorial Day Weekend, Draws Loud Cheering From Supporters
Former President Donald J. Trump arrived in New York City on Memorial Day weekend and was greeted with loud cheers from supporters.
The 45th president raised a fist in solidarity with his supporters, who are backing him as he has faced legal issues in the city where he formerly resided.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
2 Turks Execute German Man Out of ‘Hatred for Germans, ‘ Says Prosecutors
A 26-year-old Turkish man Abdulsamet Y. and another Turkish suspect, who are accused of gunning down a German man sitting inside his car in March, are being investigated in connection with a hate crime for targeting their victim because he was German.
The incident, which happened in on March 7 inside a parking garage, had mystified German authorities for months. However, investigators now say that the murder of the 58-year-old Christian Nolte was preceded by a traffic accident involving the victim and the perpetrator days before the murder. Notle had photographed the perpetrator’s car, which apparently provoked the Turkish man.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austrian Conservatives Slam ‘Undemocratic’ Plot to Cancel Hungary’s EU Council Presidency
An attempt by left-wing MEPs to deprive Hungary of its scheduled presidency of the Council of the European Union next year is undemocratic and unthinkable, a leading MEP for the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) said on Friday.
In a staunch defense of Austria’s neighbor, Harald Vilimsky slammed the draft resolution proposed by EU lawmakers questioning Budapest’s ability to assume the role in the second half of next year due to ongoing legal proceedings against the Hungarian government for alleged rule-of-law infringements.
It is understood the resolution is supported by a majority of Austria’s political parties, including the ÖVP, SPÖ, and the Greens. However, the FPÖ, currently flying high in domestic polls, has berated the move.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden’s popular reality competition show Let’s Dance was interrupted by a group of climate activists over the weekend. The show, which features celebrities dancing with professionals a la Dancing With The Stars, was in the midst of its live finale when three audience members got up from their seats and charged the stage. They threw yellow paint into the air and held up a banner to support saving the wetlands, but the protest quickly went south when a camera operator used the overhead rig as a battering ram and hit one guy directly in the face.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EXCLUSIVE: In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Swedish Democrat MEP Charlie Weimers warned that the EU could one day resemble a ‘United States of Europe’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Roger Waters took center stage at his concert in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday and was soon met by Jewish protesters waving the Israeli flag and singing Am Israel Chai (the people of Israel live).
A video posted on social media by user Jewish Defense Network shows the protesters challenging the former Pink Floyd front man as they stormed onto the stage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Centre Right Win Big in Local Elections
(ANSA) — ROME, MAY 29 — The centre right won five of seven provincial capital in mayoral run-offs Sunday and Monday while the centre left won one, Vicenza, and an independent another, Terni.
The centre left lost Pisa, Siena, Massa, Ancona and Brindisi to the centre right.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
OpenAI CEO Altman Backtracks After Threatening to Exit Europe Over Overregulation Concerns
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reversed course on a warning that the company may have to stop operating in Europe if a proposed EU regulation on artificial intelligence moves forward.
Last week, Altman warned that OpenAI — the company behind AI chatbot ChatGPT — may have to pull its operations out of Europe if the current version of the EU AI Act moved forward because it was “over-regulating” AI products. At the time, Altman told Reuters at an event in London, “If we can comply, we will, and if we can’t, we’ll cease operating.… We will try. But there are technical limits to what’s possible.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poles Don’t Want to Give Up Their Veto Right on Foreign Policy and Taxes: Poll
The EU bureaucratic structure and the most powerful countries, such as Germany and France, are exerting increasing pressure to eliminate treaties and legal protections that weaker countries use to protect their sovereignty, according to wPolityce.pl.
The increasing pressure primarily concerns the veto right in tax and foreign policy areas, which is to be abolished according to the so-called Scholz plan. Poland has announced its opposition to the plan.
Meanwhile, according to a study by the Social Changes research institute, Poles are increasingly aware of the issue as well.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish President to Sign Russian Influence Bill, Despite Opposition Protests
Poland’s president said on May 29 that he would sign a bill authorizing a panel to investigate Russian influence, despite opposition criticism that it creates a witch hunt against government opponents in an election year. The ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party says the liberal opposition Civic Platform (PO) party allowed Poland to become dangerously dependent on Russian fossil fuels when it was in government from 2007 to 2015, raising questions about whether PO members were under Moscow’s sway. Duda said he would ask the Constitutional Tribunal to look at the law after it takes force due to criticism it is unconstitutional.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spanish PM Sánchez Calls Snap General Election After Disastrous Local Polls
Pedro Sánchez called for early elections on July 23 after his Socialist party suffered heavy losses across Spain in regional and municipal elections Sunday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday said he would dissolve parliament and call for a snap election for July 23, a day after conservatives and the far right posted strong gains in regional and municipal polls.
Spain was due to hold general elections by the end of the year, but the Socialist leader announced his decision to move up the date following Sunday’s local polls, which saw his party suffer heavy losses across the country.
In a televised statement from Moncloa Palace, the official residence of Spain’s head of government, Sánchez took personal responsibility for his party’s poor showing in the municipal elections, which concluded with nearly all of the country’s largest cities in the hands of the centre-right Popular Party (PP), including longtime Socialist stronghold Seville.
“These results suggest Spaniards should clarify which political forces they want to take the lead,” Sánchez said, adding that it was time to let the people “take the floor and define the country’s political direction.”
| — Hat tip: HeHa | [Return to headlines] |
Spanish Prime Minister Calls Snap Election Following His Socialist Party’s Drop in Polls
On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would dissolve parliament and call for a snap election to take place in July, following his Socialist party’s drop in local polls as the right-wing takes the lead.
Spain’s general elections were originally scheduled for the end of the year, but after Sunday’s regional and municipal polls showed significant losses for the Socialist party, Sanchez announced his decision to move up the election to July 23, Politico reported.
Sanchez’s party is polling six points behind the center-right Popular Party (PP).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A furious cyclist today told Just Stop Oil clowns blocking the roads that he ‘hates’ them in the latest bust-up between the eco-mob and members of the public over their infuriating tactics.
The self-declared North London liberal — someone who typically supports Leftist causes — scolded the activists and said they were ‘hurting the green cause’ and ‘f**king it all up for all of us’.
As the group launched yet another slow march in north London, the cyclist blasted: ‘I hope you feel better about yourselves because all you’re doing is harming the cause.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
SOFT cops let eco-zealots bring central London traffic to a standstill during the Bank Holiday peak shopping time.
Police imposed section 12 notices to Just Stop Oil who were slowly marching in Regent Street on one of the most prime days for retail businesses.
Protesters from the group, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, have blocked roads and bridges in the capital in order to highlight their demand that the government stops new oil and gas projects.
A Sun poll has shown 44 per cent of the public feel police are too lenient with eco yobs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Under Macron, France Brings Back Preventive Censorship After More Than 140 Years
The symposium that was to take place on Sunday aimed to honor the memory of Dominique Venner, a historian who took his life exactly 10 years ago in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris as a “sacrifice” to “break with the lethargy that is overwhelming us,” to “awaken slumbering consciences.”
“I rebel against fate. I protest against poisons of the soul and the desires of invasive individuals to destroy the anchors of our identity, including the family, the intimate basis of our multi-millennial civilization,” he said in a message read after his death.
In one of the six decisions taken by the police prefect in Paris last weekend to comply with the order of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne’s government, an administrative court overturned the ban against a conference and a march organized by the royalist organization Action Française to commemorate Joan of Arc. It was thus allowed to proceed and did so without disrupting public order, just like in previous years.
The organizers of the Iliade Institute’s symposium, however, were informed so late — less than 24 hours before their planned event — that it was impossible to obtain an interim measure in their favor by a court. Hence, when the persons invited to the symposium turned out at the venue rented out by the Iliade Institute in Paris, a police cordon barred their entry.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kosovo: NATO-Led Troops Injured as Serbs Protest New Mayors
NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR clashed with protesters on Monday in northern Kosovo, where the Serb minority is protesting ethnic Albanian mayors taking office in Serb-majority areas. The Serb communities had boycotted the election that led to new mayors being installed.
KFOR (short for Kosovo Force) reportedly used tear gas and stun grenades against protesters in Zvecan, a Serb-dominated town some 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Pristina.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zero Young Healthy Individuals Died of COVID-19, Israeli Data Show
Authored by Lia Onely via The Epoch Times
Zero healthy individuals under the age of 50 have died of COVID-19 in Israel, according to newly released data.
“Zero deceased of 18-49 years of age with no underlying morbidities,” the Israel Ministry of Health (MOH) said in response to a formal request from an attorney.
Officials noted that the statement only applies to COVID-19 deaths where the MOH conducted an epidemiological investigation and had received information about the underlying diseases.
“Zero is a very, very clear number, and cannot be subject to interpretation,” Yoav Yehezkelli, a specialist in internal medicine and medical management, and former lecturer in the Department of Emergency and Disaster Management at Tel Aviv University in Israel, told The Epoch Times.
“Why were all the extreme measures of school closures, vaccination of children, and lockdowns needed?” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Any Country That Joins Russian ‘Union’ Can Have Nuclear Weapons, Says Belarus
There could be “nuclear weapons for everyone” who wants to join the Union between Russia and Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko said.
Following the deployment of nuclear weapons to European Union-bordering Belarus for the first time since the end of the Cold War last week, Belarus’s President has opened the invitation to “everyone” to join the security pact with Moscow and get nuclear weapons in return.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Homefront Pinch: Russia Considers Six Day Working Week to Prop Up Ukraine Invasion
More hardship looms for Russian citizens as a “patriotic” business confederation and elements of state media lobby to push the country to a six-day week to support the invasion of Ukraine.
So far the overwhelming majority of the pain of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been felt in Ukraine, which has suffered over a year of bombardment, military casualties, and civilian displacement and disruption. While the number of Russian families touched by the rapidly rising number of their own war dead following Moscow’s invasion is not inconsiderable, the war may hit a much broader base of the population if calls for switching to a six-day working week are realised.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Lindsey Graham Over Comments About ‘Russians Dying’
Russia has issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham over comments made during his visit to Ukraine. The South Carolina Senator could be heard saying “Russians are dying… best money we’ve ever spent” in a video released by Ukrainian President Zelensky’s office.
In the initial clip, Graham appeared to utter both sentences in succussion. A longer clip released after Graham’s comments generated outrage in Russia shows that the senator was speaking at different times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Launches Rare Daytime Missile Strike on Ukrainian Capital Kyiv
(AFP) — Russia fired a barrage of missiles at Kyiv on Monday sending panicked residents running for shelter in an unusual daytime attack on the Ukrainian capital following overnight strikes.
A series of explosions rang out in Kyiv on Monday as Russia targeted the city for the second time in 24 hours.
AFP journalists heard at least 10 explosions from around 11:10 am local time (0810 GMT) in Kyiv, starting just a few minutes after an air raid warning sounded.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
To Occupy Ukraine, Russia Would Need 2 Million Troops, Says Former Polish Defense Minister
When asked what Ukraine had achieved by unsuccessfully defending Bakhmut, former Polish Deputy Minister Romuald Szeremietiew said that Ukraine had actually succeeded in “making Russia bleed.” By hanging onto the city for so long, there was evidence that Ukraine had laid the groundwork for a counteroffensive that was about to begin.
During the interview with the DoRzeczy.pl news outlet, the former minister was also asked whether the raid on Belgorod in Russia had been a part of that counteroffensive, and he concurred. The point of that attack was to show Russia “that its territory is under threat.” This meant that Russia would have to engage its forces in that area of the border, thereby weakening Russia’s presence on the 1,500-kilometer-long frontline inside Ukraine. Szeremietiew said that by forcing Russia to disperse its forces, it has weakened Russia’s position.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Parliament Approves Sanctions Against Russia Ally Iran
Package imposes trade, financial and technology sanctions against Iran and stops Tehran from using Ukraine’s airspace.
The Ukrainian parliament has approved a sanctions package against Iran, a Russian ally it accuses of sending weapons to Moscow during its more than year-long invasion of Ukraine.
The measures were approved on Monday, a day after Ukraine said Russia used Iranian-made Shahed drones in the largest such attack on the capital, Kyiv, since the beginning of the invasion.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
But, those were both funny and dangerous.
Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | May 29, 2023:: PM Modi attended an interfaith prayer event at the new Parliament House (Sansad Bhawan) on the day of the inauguration on May 28. .
The PM and other BJP leaders were seen respectfully listening to the Quran, there amid allegations of ‘Hindutva Assertion’ by Oppositions.
A ‘Sarva dharma prarthana’ (multi-faith prayer) event was held at the new Parliament building, and among those in attendance were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla, and several other ministers including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister YogiAdityanath, Among the incantations, Quran was also recited by an Islamic cleric at the event among scriptures of 12 faith were read including Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity.
Interestingly, leaving all the contradictions among the faiths, most of the faith representatives upheld the messages of peace and prosperity.
But, the Muslim cleric recited from the Quran Surah 55. Ar-Rahman — verses (Ayat) 15-25 [Surah 55: 14-20] [Surah 19-25]where it is hinted, All Glory to Allah and Allah is the owner of his creation and Muslims (the believers) are its real beneficiaries and stake-holders. Not only that in the same Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah certainly tempted his believers (Muslims) for “[They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low. (Ayat-54) and “In them are women limiting [their] glances, untouched before them by man or jinni — So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (Ayat 56-57). This Surah (chapter) is full of fantasy and un-scientific exposition which was not fitted for the recital in an interfaith ceremony arranged for unity, prosperity and development based upon ancient belief and new scientific exploration.
Thanks to the Arabic language which was not understood by the audience and dignitaries present in the New Parliament House of India in Delhi. Some dignitaries shook their heads in positive gesture hearing the Quran recital in question, but that was something dangerous otherwise.
| — Hat tip: Subhra Basak | [Return to headlines] |
Report: Taliban Threatens to ‘Conquer’ Iran After Border Shootout
A top Taliban jihadist warned his group would “conquer Iran” if given approval in a video that surfaced this weekend after a deadly shootout between Iranian border guards and the Afghan terrorist group.
Iran and the Taliban regime, both radical Islamist and terrorist entities, have enjoyed superficially friendly relations. Iran is one of the few nations in the world to recognize the jihadists as the official “interim” government of Afghanistan in late 2021, following the Taliban’s conquest of the country after 20 years out of power. On the border between Nimroz, Afghanistan, and Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran, however, the two countries have experienced decades of tensions over the limited water supply.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mr Mundine, a leading advocate for a ‘No’ vote, blasted the ABC as he appeared on the national broadcaster’s News Breakfast program on Monday.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
In most Australian capital cities, it takes at least a decade to save up for a 20 per cent mortgage deposit. In Sydney, it takes more than 14 years. But in two major cities, the saving time is half that.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
British police officers are aiding north African countries to root out people-smuggling gangs in an attempt to prevent hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean this year.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Home Office Aims to Deter Channel Crossings From Albania With Ad Campaign
Adverts in Albanian will target people considering making the journey across the Channel to the UK without permission.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Tory government’s decision to further open the gates to mass migration — clearly against the will of the people — is placing an “unbearable” strain on the housing market, the Migration Watch UK has said amid warnings that hundreds of thousands of new homes will be needed to keep up with the artificially high demand.
Last week, it was revealed that rather than fulfilling very longstanding promises to the public of reducing migration, the governing Conservative Party under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has overseen yet another record in terms of net migration, with 1.2 million foreigners moving to Britain in 2022. Once those who left the country in that period were taken to account, the nation was left with a record-breaking 606,000 net migration figure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Catholic Group Spent Millions on Data Tracking Gay Priests, ‘Washington Post’ Reports
NPR’s Steve Inskeep talk to Washington Post reporter Michelle Boorstein about the Catholic organization that bought mobile phone data to “out” priests who use gay dating apps.
Steve Inskeep, Host:
A conservative Catholic organization in Denver spent at least $4 million on data from dating and hookup apps to track priests. The Washington Post says the nonprofit paid for the data with donations from philanthropists and then shared the information it purchased with Catholic bishops. The Post’s Michelle Boorstein broke this story with her colleague, Heather Kelly. And Michelle Boorstein is on the line. Good morning.
Michelle Boorstein: Good morning.
Inskeep: I guess we should define a little more definitely what the group was looking for. Your headline in The Washington Post says “Catholic Group Spent Millions On App Data That Tracked Gay Priests.” Why gay priests?
Boorstein: Well, this is a group that’s really prioritizing this kind of conservative view of Catholic life. So our reporting showed that their interest is really in this — you know, prioritizing priests who use these gay hookup apps. The huge data set that they have did include, in much smaller numbers, a variety of other apps, which included OkCupid, other gay apps, other straight apps and that kind of thing. But the vast majority of their data was focused on Grindr, which is an app that gay men use.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Department of Education Investigates Schools for Not Sexualizing Kids
by Daniel Greenfield
Biden launched his 2024 presidential campaign with an ad attacking Republicans for keeping a book featuring a 10-year-old performing sex acts out of schools.
“‘Lawn Boy’, one of the books shown in the Biden ad, includes lines like, “I was ten years old, but it’s true. I put Doug Goble’s ___ in my mouth.”
According to Biden, whose administration had previously colluded to investigate parents rallying against sexualizing schoolchildren with graphic materials like these as domestic terrorists, anyone opposed to having ‘Lawn Boy’ in schools is a “MAGA extremist”. While that assault on parents was stifled, under Biden, the Department of Education is launching a new attack.
Last year, the Forsyth County School District in Georgia pulled “All Boys Aren’t Blue”, along with 7 other books from middle school shelves. It brought back all the books except ‘Boys’.
Now Biden is going after them…
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
A transgender female won the California-Nevada high school girls’ skiing championship in March, and the father of one of the competitors is speaking out.
According to the Daily Mail, June Watterson, a sophomore, won the girls’ state title on March 6, winning by 17 seconds. While competing against girls in skiing, she remains in the boys’ category for biking.
But a competitor’s father says the skiing competition is unfair with Watterson competing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Selina Soule, a track and field champion who was forced to compete against biological males in high school, pleaded with other women to take a stand in defense of female athletes as she prepares for a legal battle against the state of Connecticut.
“Everybody who has encountered this issue needs to speak up and ask for fairness,” Soule said Wednesday on “America Reports.” “I was one of the very first to start speaking on this issue, and it’s taken awhile, but we are finally starting to get somewhere…we need to protect every single girl in this country,”
Soule urged “everybody out there…to start speaking on this issue and ask for fairness to be restored to women sports.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Furry Fury as Convention Goes 18+ in Reaction to DeSantis Law: ‘Heartbreaking’
An upcoming “furry” convention in Florida will restrict its attendees to adults over 18 in response to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ law prohibiting children from attending “adult live entertainment.”
Megaplex, an Orlando-based convention dedicated to “people who enjoy dressing up as or making art of anthropomorphized creatures,” originally released a statement regarding their decision on Wednesday.
“Many have raised concerns about recent changes in Florida legislation. After reviewing Florida SB 1438 it has been decided that for legal reasons and protection of our attendees, our venue, and the overall convention, Megaplex 2023 attendees must be 18 years of age at the time of registration pickup,” the statement read.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kohl’s Now Facing Target-Style Boycott Over LGBTQ+ Clothing for Babies
Kohl’s is the latest retailer to face criticism for offering LGBTQ+ apparel for infants, sparking outrage and calls for a boycott.
The department store’s onesies, featuring the LGBTQ+ pride flag, have drawn backlash from shoppers who claim the company is catering to the Woke crowd. Kohl’s, which has already seen its stock shares decline by almost half in 2022, now faces a similar backlash as Bud Light and Target.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
South Dakota Governor Tells Higher Education Board to Remove Mandates on Preferred Pronouns
Authored by Mimi Nguyen Ly via The Epoch Times
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem issued a letter on May 25 to the governing board that oversees the six public universities in the state. In it, she lamented about the situation of higher education in the country, and challenged the board to a series of actions to “show the nation what quality higher education is supposed to look like.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spotify CEO Question About Aliens Prompts Supreme Court Callback From Elon Musk: ‘What is a Woman?’
Spotify’s CEO asked his Twitter followers on Monday what one thing our society does that would be hard to explain if aliens visited, which gathered replies from many, including Elon Musk, who reached back to a question a now Supreme Court justice could not answer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Target Corporation senior executive in the marketing department maintains a position with a controversial K-12 advocacy organization called GLSEN — Target’s Pride Month partner — which is focused on integrating gender ideology at all levels of K-12 schools, from curriculum to district policy.
Carlos Saavedra is a vice president of brand marketing at Target and a treasurer at GLSEN. GLSEN focuses on getting districts to adopt policies that will keep parents in the dark on their child’s in-school gender transition, providing sexually explicit books to schools for free, and integrating gender ideology at all levels of curriculum in public schools.
Target and Saavedra did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas Legislature Sends Anti-DEI Bill for Public Universities to Gov. Greg Abbott
The Texas state legislature has passed a bill banning some diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts at publicly-funded universities, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to sign.
The legislature approved final language of the bill on Sunday, The Hill reported. If Abbott signs it, then Texas will follow Florida in enacting such legislation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
USA Today’s Nancy Armour attacked ESPN broadcaster Sam Ponder in a column on Sunday over Ponder’s defense of women’s sports. Ponder and her ESPN colleague Sage Steele offered support for former college swimmer and outspoken advocate for to save women’s sports Riley Gaines.
Gaines tied with Lia Thomas, a biological male who identifies as a woman, in the 2022 NCAA Championship. Thomas won a national title the night before the tie performance.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
If you really want to stop the Mongolia invasion of Europe, what you need to use is bullets, not hugs.
Otherwise Europe can kiss their 4000 year old civilization goodbye.
To call it a “Mongolian Invasion” is to gravely insult Mongolians, who, despite being only a generation or two removed from their pastoral and nomadic ways are light years ahead culturally of the current hordes of orcs invading Europe.
I would like to add spikes, mines, flamethrowers (this will make the eco-idiots angry double-time).
I like to use what the South Africans use, a tire necklace, it’s my contribution to globull warming.
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Politicians are again secretly cooperating with the powerful
By Norbert Häring
source: https://tube4.apolut.net/w/dgWPBUNsuEFxPwuSUJpi7L
A commentary by Norbert Häring / APOLUT.
Translation LN
During the weekend up to 21 May, high-ranking politicians, also German, met completely “privately”, i.e. without democratic accountability, in Lisbon behind closed doors with the Bilderbergers, the powerful from the media, business, military and intelligence services from North America and Europe. Only the list of participants and a brief agenda are made public. The list of participants at least provides an interesting insight into the balance of power in the North Atlantic region.
The meeting has now been going on for almost 70 years. Representatives of important media were there according to the list of participants, but they do not report. They only allow themselves to be influenced in their reporting. The Chatham House rule applies. You can use what you learn, but you cannot reveal where you got it from. This is of course maximally unfavorable to people who want to know the interests behind what they read in the newspaper or magazine.
The Anglo-Saxon media with international agenda-setting power, such as The Economist and the Financial Times, are regular participants, often – as this year – with several representatives. Also included in this category is the Bloomberg news agency. Anne Appelbaum of The Atlantic is also likely to be there because of her very close contacts in the military and intelligence community. The head of the Springer Group (Bild, Welt and others) is also a regular participant.
Since the Bilderberg meetings regularly deal with the very large geopolitical and geo-economic issues, and usually only the highest level of management is represented there, with the possible exception of politics, one can certainly draw conclusions from who is invited about which ones are particularly important.
The Chancellery Minister was there
From Germany, three politicians and four top managers from companies, Deutsche Bank, Axel Springer, BASF and Merck, attended this year.
The politicians were Chancellery Minister Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD), Bundestag member Norbert Röttgen (CDU), vice-chairman of the Atlantic Bridge and a foreign policy hawk, and Anton Hofreiter (Greens), chairman of the Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee.
The heads of government included Mark Rutte from the Netherlands, Mette Frederiksen from Denmark and Sanna Marin from Finland.
Many heads of government appear to be reluctant to attend the meeting as the lists of participants have been published. Therefore, the second level of ministers is much more represented in politics than in business. In principle, only those heads of government who have no reputation to lose in terms of excessive closeness to corporate interests, such as Mark Rutte, who openly and clearly implements the World Economic Forum’s agricultural agenda against his farmers, or Sanna Marin, Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, and of course Chrystia Freeland, who finds nothing wrong with sitting on the board of the World Economic Forum business lobby in addition to her positions as Canada’s Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister.
On the other hand, EU powerhouses are very well represented, with Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for External Relations Josep Borrell, Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Energy Commissioner Paolo Gentilioni.
Remarkably, David Lammy, the British Labour Party’s shadow foreign minister, was already invited and in attendance. The Bilderbergers continue to build when a change of power becomes likely.
It is important to note that there is a good alternative for top politicians who shy away from the bad reputation of Bilderberg meetings but still want to socialize with the most powerful companies. For them, the World Economic Forum has organized a round of business leaders at the annual Davos meetings that almost nobody knows about and nobody reports on: IGWEL, the Informal Gathering of World Business Leaders.
The fact that the Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Børge Brende, attended the Bilderberg meeting, in addition to Forum Chairman Freeland, helps to merge the two rounds of corruption.
What I wrote last year on this occasion still applies:
“Are we really to believe that the officials are representing with due determination and independence the economic, fiscal and data protection interests of EU citizens against companies like Pfizer, Facebook and Goldman Sachs, having just flirted with them and probably made them understand how important the American digital, pharmaceutical and financial companies are for the preservation of the geopolitical dominance of the West? Of course, the heads of the CIA and NATO must be able to discuss things in secret with EU representatives. But should Facebook, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, BP and Palantir really be there? There is no theory of democracy that justifies such a format.”
The center of power
Which companies are (regularly) represented gives a pretty good idea of which industries and companies are either particularly powerful or particularly important to the powerful. Traditionally, the vast majority of participants come from the financial sector. This is logical, as this sector’s decisions on the allocation and retention of financial resources are associated with a great deal of potential power.
Goldman Sachs regularly participates with several representatives, this time with two. Deutsche Bank and French Axa also have a representative. The credit rating agency S&P was there, as was IFRS, a foundation for the standardization of accounting rules. The power of these two organizations can hardly be overestimated, but is often greatly underestimated. Libertarian technology investor Peter Thiel was also present.
The second largest sector in terms of numbers is direct media. However, if one were to take into account the enormous market capitalization, i.e. power, of companies like Google and Microsoft, the digital surveillance industry would come first or second. In addition to the two mentioned, the artificial intelligence stalwarts Open AI and Deep Mind were also represented, as well as Palantir, a company that works even more closely than the others with the military and intelligence agencies.
The military and intelligence agencies, especially the US, are also very strongly and highly represented at the Bilderberg meetings.
…………………………………………….
A sorted list
To get a better overview, I have sorted most of the 130 or so participants into more strongly represented sectors and groups. Professors (Harvard is of course particularly important here), foundations (Carnegie Endowment etc.) and companies from weaker industries are not included. However, this was not a research exercise, but only a relatively quick and not necessarily completely systematic and error-free sorting.
Financial sector
Deutsche Bank AG: Achleitner, Paul M.
Goldman Sachs: Barroso, José Manuel
Goldman Sachs Waldron, John (USA)
S&P Global; Yergin, Daniel (USA)
Prudential plc;; Vadera, Shriti (GBR), Chair,
Thiel Capital LLC; Thiel, Peter (USA)
Banco Santander SA: Botín, Ana P.
DNB ASA: Braathen, Kjerstin
AXA SA: Buberl, Thomas
Newbridge Advisory Ltd.; Sawers, John (GBR)
CVC Capital Partners; Rappard, Rolly van (NLD), Co-Founder and Co-Chair
PSP Investments; Orida, Deborah (CAN)
IFRS Foundation Trustees; Liikanen, Erkki (FIN)
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB; Wallenberg, Marcus (SWE)
Brookfield Asset Management: Carney, Mark
Institut Montaigne: Castries, Henri de (FR)
KBC Group NV: Debackere, Koenraad (BEL)
Acciona SA: Entrecanales, José M. (ESP)
Aker ASA: Eriksen, Øyvind (NOR)
AXA: Gosset-Grainville, Antoine (FRA), Chair,
Nova Credit Inc.: Goulimis, Nicky (GRC)
Citadel LLC: Griffin, Kenneth (USA)
Zeno Partners; Moreira, Duarte (PRT)
ASML Holding NV; Wennink, Peter (NLD)
Surveillance technology (IT, AI)
Palantir Technologies Inc., Karp, Alex (USA)
OpenAI, Altman, Sam (USA)
DeepMind, Hassabis, Demis (GBR)
Microsoft Corporation; Nadella, Satya (USA)
Google LLC; Schmidt, Eric E. (USA)
Media
Axel Springer SE: Döpfner, Mathias (DEU)
Kurier; Salomon, Martina (AUT)
Bloomberg LP; Micklethwait, John (USA)
The Economist, Joshi, Shashank (GBR)
The Economist; Minton Beddoes, Zanny (GBR)
Financial Times; Rachman, Gideon (GBR)
Financial Times; Yang, Yuan (GBR)
The Atlantic; Applebaum, Anne (USA)
T24 News Website; Yinanç, Barçin (TUR)
La7 TV, Gruber, Lilli (ITA),
Le Temps, Holzen, Madeleine von (CHE)
Warner Bros. Discovery Poland, Kieli, Kasia (POL)
Umicore and Mediahuis; Leysen, Thomas (BEL)
El Español; Ramírez, Pedro J. (ESP)
Military/Secret Services
Director of National Intelligence, Haines, Avril D. (USA),
Supreme Allied Commander Europe: Cavoli, Christopher
National Security Council (USA): Chhabra, Tarun
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: Easterly, Jen (USA)
GCHQ: Fleming, Jeremy (GBR)
Kissinger Associates Inc., Kissinger, Henry A. (USA)
Kravis, Henry R. (USA), Co-Chairman, KKR & Co. Inc.
NATO; Stoltenberg, Jens, Secretary General,
National Security Council; Wright, Thomas (USA), Senior Director for Strategic Planning,
Energi
Shell plc; Beurden, Ben van (NLD)
Vattenfall AB: Borg, Anna
BP plc; Looney, Bernard (GBR)
TotalEnergies SE; Pouyanné, Patrick (FRA)
Green Power Denmark, Jensen, Kristian (DNK)
+++
Ever notice that the Generals of Europe never attend these meetings, they meet 2 times of more a year in Spain and Switzerland at private estates with very high security and they always met after these elites of Bilderberg and Davos meetings.
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Are you woke, little friend?
Blinded woke culture tears culture apart
With new times come new words, such as the imported word woke. It has its roots in African-American slang and comes from the word awake.
Woke stands for awakening, becoming aware. Much like in revivalist times, it was used to refer to someone who was awakened, that is, someone who woke up from their slumber in relation to God and now understands the seriousness of sin and the sweetness of the gospel.
Today, the focus is on a different kind of awakening. It is about awareness of oppression and injustice between different groups, with a focus on race, gender and sexuality.
It is important to realize that we as humans can be blinded to reality.
Think about a class reunion or a conversation about the former community in the youth group. When someone talks about his or her experience of being invisible and ignored, the others may suddenly realize something that was going on all the time but was not previously perceived. There is an awakening and one sees something that has always been visible but previously fell outside one’s self-absorbed field of vision.
From the perspective of the Christian faith, this is one of our great human failings. We can ignore even the most crucial fact of reality, ignoring God and ignoring our obvious need for him.
The New Testament uses strong words about fallen man, describing us as blinded and darkened. So we certainly need to wake up from our deep slumber – both in relation to God and to our fellow human beings – and we need to humbly recognize our ability to deceive ourselves and misjudge reality.
Awakening is needed!
But our problems do not stop there; they remain with us even after an awakening. Those who have gained a new insight – those who have seen the light – are tempted to look down on those who are still blinded, and often allow the insight they have just gained to overshadow new areas. One goes from one single-mindedness to another, from one denial to another.
This is characteristic of the new woke culture that is now tearing apart so much of American culture and which we are largely importing into Sweden. The result is a polarized and aggressive debate climate, where those who have become aware also perceive themselves as superior and therefore do not have to condescend to take the blinded seriously.
All factual objections can be dismissed as poorly disguised ways of continuing the oppression. Therefore, objections should be ignored and silenced, not addressed. People you disagree with should be regarded as evil and, if possible, put in ideological quarantine.
Pride ideology is currently the most current example of this. Any critical discussion can end with an accusation of oppression of minorities.
The phenomenon is not new. The same mentality existed in the Marxist movement. Whatever critics said could be interpreted as an attempt by the ruling class to retain power. All arguments were woven into an analysis of power, and thus the issues could be set aside. But in the long run, this leads to the oppressed becoming the new oppressors.
Freud’s theory also contained similar features. Every objection could be turned into a disguised confirmation of the theory – which thus became inaccessible to substantive debate.
Racism, gender and sexuality are important issues and we need to debate them. But no one can claim to have seen everything there is to see in these areas. We all have more to learn from each other.
This can only happen if we actually start listening to each other instead of despising and trying to silence each other.
Is there anything to add?
writes
Stefan Gustavsson / ledarsidan@varldenidag.se