Have a great weekend and have a happy Juneteenth (LOL).
NEW for TLAV- Far from being a war against “white supremacy,” the Biden administration’s new “domestic terror” strategy clearly targets primarily those who oppose US government overreach and those who oppose capitalism and/or globalization.https://t.co/JR0V88RSRA
— Whitney Webb (@_whitneywebb) June 18, 2021
Who Is A “Terrorist” In Biden’s America?
By Whitney Webb/The Last American Vagabond
Far from being a war against “white supremacy,” the Biden administration’s new “domestic terror” strategy clearly targets primarily those who oppose US government overreach and those who oppose capitalism and/or globalization.
In the latest sign that the US government’s War on Domestic Terror is growing in scope and scale, the White House on Tuesday revealed the nation’s first ever government-wide strategy for confronting domestic terrorism. While cloaked in language about stemming racially motivated violence, the strategy places those deemed “anti-government” or “anti-authority” on a par with racist extremists and charts out policies that could easily be abused to silence or even criminalize online criticism of the government.
Even more disturbing is the call to essentially fuse intelligence agencies, law enforcement, Silicon Valley, and “community” and “faith-based” organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, as well as unspecified foreign governments, as partners in this “war,” which the strategy makes clear will rely heavily on a pre-crime orientation focused largely on what is said on social media and encrypted platforms. Though the strategy claims that the government will “shield free speech and civil liberties” in implementing this policy, its contents reveal that it is poised to gut both.
Indeed, while framed publicly as chiefly targeting “right-wing white supremacists,” the strategy itself makes it clear that the government does not plan to focus on the Right but instead will pursue “domestic terrorists” in “an ideologically neutral, threat-driven manner,” as the law “makes no distinction based on political view—left, right or center.” It also states that a key goal of this strategic framework is to ensure “that there is simply no governmental tolerance . . . of violence as an acceptable mode of seeking political or social change,” regardless of a perpetrator’s political affiliation.
Considering that the main cheerleaders for the War on Domestic Terror exist mainly in establishment left circles, such individuals should rethink their support for this new policy given that the above statements could easily come to encompass Black Lives Matter–related protests, such as those that transpired last summer, depending on which political party is in power.
Once the new infrastructure is in place, it will remain there and will be open to the same abuses perpetrated by both political parties in the US during the lengthy War on Terror following September 11, 2001. The history of this new “domestic terror” policy, including its origins in the Trump administration, makes this clear.
It’s Never Been Easier to Be a “Terrorist”
In introducing the strategy, the Biden administration cites “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists” as a key reason for the new policy and a main justification for the War on Domestic Terror in general. This was most recently demonstrated Tuesday in Attorney General Merrick Garland’s statement announcing this new strategy. However, the document itself puts “anti-government” or “anti-authority” “extremists” in the same category as violent white supremacists in terms of being a threat to the homeland. The strategy’s characterization of such individuals is unsettling.
AG Merrick Garland: “In the FBI’s view, the top domestic violent extremist threat comes from racially or ethically motivated violent extremists specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race.”
pic.twitter.com/4JtruuMSv2— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 15, 2021
For instance, those who “violently oppose” “all forms of capitalism” or “corporate globalization” are listed under this less-discussed category of “domestic terrorist.” This highlights how people on the left, many of whom have called for capitalism to be dismantled or replaced in the US in recent years, could easily be targeted in this new “war” that many self-proclaimed leftists are currently supporting. Similarly, “environmentally-motivated extremists,” a category in which groups such as Extinction Rebellion could easily fall, are also included.
In addition, the phrasing indicates that it could easily include as “terrorists” those who oppose the World Economic Forum’s vision for global “stakeholder capitalism,” as that form of “capitalism” involves corporations and their main “stakeholders” creating a new global economic and governance system. The WEF’s stakeholder capitalism thus involves both “capitalism” and “corporate globalization.”
The strategy also includes those who “take steps to violently resist government authority . . . based on perceived overreach.” This, of course, creates a dangerous situation in which the government could, purposely or otherwise, implement a policy that is an obvious overreach and/or blatantly unconstitutional and then label those who resist it “domestic terrorists” and deal with them as such—well before the overreach can be challenged in court.
Another telling addition to this group of potential “terrorists” is “any other individual or group who engages in violence—or incites imminent violence—in opposition to legislative, regulatory or other actions taken by the government.” Thus, if the government implements a policy that a large swath of the population finds abhorrent, such as launching a new, unpopular war abroad, those deemed to be “inciting” resistance to the action online could be considered domestic terrorists.
Such scenarios are not unrealistic, given the loose way in which the government and the media have defined things like “incitement” and even “violence” (e. g., “hate speech” is a form of violence) in the recent past. The situation is ripe for manipulation and abuse. To think the federal government (including the Biden administration and subsequent administrations) would not abuse such power reflects an ignorance of US political history, particularly when the main forces behind most terrorist incidents in the nation are actually US government institutions like the FBI (more FBI examples here, here, here, and here).
Furthermore, the original plans for the detention of American dissidents in the event of a national emergency, drawn up during the Reagan era as part of its “continuity of government” contingency, cited popular nonviolent opposition to US intervention in Latin America as a potential “emergency” that could trigger the activation of those plans. Many of those “continuity of government” protocols remain on the books today and can be triggered, depending on the whims of those in power. It is unlikely that this new domestic terror framework will be any different regarding nonviolent protest and demonstrations.
Yet another passage in this section of the strategy states that “domestic terrorists” can, “in some instances, connect and intersect with conspiracy theories and other forms of disinformation and misinformation.” It adds that the proliferation of such “dangerous” information “on Internet-based communications platforms such as social media, file-upload sites and end-to-end encrypted platforms, all of these elements can combine and amplify threats to public safety.”
Thus, the presence of “conspiracy theories” and information deemed by the government to be “misinformation” online is itself framed as threatening public safety, a claim made more than once in this policy document. Given that a major “pillar” of the strategy involves eliminating online material that promotes “domestic terrorist” ideologies, it seems inevitable that such efforts will also “connect and intersect” with the censorship of “conspiracy theories” and narratives that the establishment finds inconvenient or threatening for any reason. MORE.
Unvaccinated West Point cadets getting bullied and punished, families say https://t.co/uDa309lnzA pic.twitter.com/9HQr0g0fYL
— New York Post (@nypost) June 18, 2021
Unvaccinated West Point cadets getting bullied and punished, families say
Via The New York Post
Unvaccinated cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point are getting singled out, bullied and unfairly punished — even if they have COVID-19 immunity from earlier infections, according to a report.
All but around three dozen of the 4,500 students at the centuries-old New York training academy have been vaccinated — with a spreadsheet showing the cadets’ status getting widely circulated, Fox News said.
Those not vaccinated are derided as “diseased” and “dirty” and treated as outcasts — and punished for violating mask and social distancing mandates, even after statewide restrictions have been lifted, cadets and their families told Sean Hannity.
Some cadets complain that they are unable to take any leave this summer because a seven-day enforced quarantine eats up any available time.
“It’s like solitary confinement — for a disease we don’t have,” one cadet told Fox, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.
Others have insisted they are getting pressured into getting vaccinated, even if they know they have immunity from already being infected, one parent, Brian MacDonald, told Hannity of his daughter.
“She’s in a position where she’s had COVID, she recovered from COVID, she has the antibodies for COVID, and West Point is putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on her to take the vaccine,” he said.
“I don’t understand what the leadership at West Point is doing right now,” he complained.
Mathias Sampson, a 20-year Army veteran, told Hannity that his daughter has not had the jab because she “has valid concerns about this vaccination — concerns pertaining to fertility, long-term effects.”
“The CDC nor West Point have answers to these concerns,” he said.
West Point confirmed the authenticity of the circulated spreadsheet, saying it had been “inadvertently” disseminated, and also acknowledged some heckling of cadets over their vaccine status, Fox said. MORE.
It's the latest front in the culture war over how students should be taught U.S. history.
Its roots date back to the early 1970s, but it has become a modern-day flashpoint.
Now, some are wondering who is funding the movement and why.https://t.co/AJOUtmgjPQ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 18, 2021
Group with Marxist ties behind critical race theory push in schools
Via The Washington Free Beacon
As the controversy over critical race theory in public schools heats up, activists on both sides of the debate have spent massive amounts of time and money on a topic that takes aim at white privilege in America.
It’s the latest front in the culture war over how students should be taught U.S. history. Its roots date back to the early 1970s, but it has become a modern-day flashpoint that has moved from the classrooms into politics. Now, some are wondering who is funding the movement and why.
Parents Defending Education, an advocacy group headed by conservative Nicole Neily, said parents should be wary of progressive groups behind teaching critical race theory.
“Through a stealth marketing campaign, Black Lives Matter — the global enterprise not the cause with lowercased letters — found its way into their children’s homeroom classroom with its divisive, political agenda — putting students just one click away from the Black Lives Matter Political Action Committee and a lesson that ‘the characteristics of white supremacy’ include ‘objectivity’ and ‘right to comfort,'” she wrote.
At its core, critical race theory is a broad set of ideas about systemic bias and racism in American history. It argues the legacy of white supremacy remains embedded in society through laws and institutions.
Supporters believe the law has preserved the unequal treatment of people based on race. Opponents argue because the theory focuses on race, the approach itself is racist. Others claim it paints a negative picture of the United States and is designed to make white children feel bad about their country.
Though it’s been around for 40 years, the controversy around critical race theory heated up in September when then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning federal contractors from conducting diversity training that drew on “race-based ideologies” such as critical race theory. Trump accused schools that teach students about slavery of spreading “hateful lies” and insulting the country’s founding fathers.
The Biden administration rescinded Trump’s order, which prompted Republican lawmakers in several GOP-controlled legislatures to introduce bills that would prohibit teaching it. Some states, such as Idaho and Missouri, mentioned critical race theory by name. Others, such as Tennessee, Arizona, and Iowa, touched on key aspects that are part of critical race theory.
The National Education Association, the largest labor union representing public school teachers, has strongly pushed against the ban and encouraged its members on June 12 to participate in a “national day of action” by selecting a site in their town or city that “symbolizes or reflects history that educators would be required to lie about or omit if these bills become laws” and protest.
Zinn Education Project, which cranks out race-centric material for middle and high schools across the country, sponsored the event. Teachers in all 50 states can and do download these lesson plans for free.
But some question the motives and teachings of the Zinn Education Project,
One lesson, called “Students Design a Reparations Bill,” asks students to improve on the “flimsy” reparation bills making way through Congress.
“Critical thinking isn’t encouraged,” Betsy McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York, wrote in an opinion piece. “This isn’t a debate about whether there should be reparations. This is one-sided indoctrination.”
The Zinn Education Project launched in 2008, boasting 130,000 members and about 10,000 new registrants each year. The group is a collaboration of two non-profits: Teaching for Change and Rethinking Schools.
The Zinn Education Project has organized massive rallies in support of teaching critical race theory and supports teachers unions that promote its teachings.
The group was founded by the late Howard Zinn, a Marxist historian who served as a foot soldier in the Communist Party. Zinn became a progressive hero and is best known for his book A People’s History of the United States. The book quickly became required reading by enthusiastic professors around the country and has sold more than two million copies.
Zinn’s even been name-dropped on The Simpsons, Good Will Hunting, and The Sopranos. The History Channel aired The People’s Speak, a film partly based on Zinn’s book featuring special appearances by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Sean Penn, and Pink. MORE.
Newark, New Jersey Installs 700-Pound Bronze Statue Of George Floyd https://t.co/JQ7RfRqMyG
— Thomas Paine (@Thomas1774Paine) June 19, 2021
Newark, New Jersey Installs 700-Pound Bronze Statue Of George Floyd
Via True Pundit
One city in New Jersey really, really wanted to honor the memory of George Floyd, so they erected a 700-pound bronze statue of him outside City Hall.
Pix 11 reported that the statue was unveiled in a ceremony on Wednesday, with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and others paying tribute to Floyd, who died on May 25, 2020, after Minneapolis police attempted to arrest him and one, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
“Hopefully it inspires those who walk by to be more active, take part in activism,” Baraka said of the massive statue.
“The statue was commissioned by actor and filmmaker Leon Pickney and it was sculpted by artist Stanley Watts,” Pix reported. “The artwork was donated to the city and will be on display for at least a year in collaboration with the Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs.”
In a press release commemorating the statue, organizers wrote that “Mr. Floyd’s death elevated the Black Lives Matter movement, which has resulted in an international response, including protests, police reform measures, and the removal of Confederate statues from public parks and racist names from organizations.” MORE.
Amazon will open full-size grocery store in Washington State that lets shoppers walk out with goods https://t.co/yVRvZ13gta
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) June 15, 2021
Amazon will open full-size grocery store in Washington State that lets shoppers walk out with goods without having to pay a cashier
Via The Daily Mail
Amazon is set to open its first full-sized grocery store which will let shoppers walk out without having to pay a cashier.
The 25,000-square-foot Amazon Fresh store, located in Bellevue, Washington, is set to open on June 17.
It features an array of cameras and sensors that allows customers to skip the checkout line.
The Just Walk Out technology uses computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning to track items placed in a cart or basket, and then tallies up the bill to be paid with the person’s Amazon account or designated payment card.
The Bellevue location will be the first full-sized store to offer the technology, while also allowing traditional payment methods.
Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s vice president of Physical Retail and Technology, said in a statement: ‘Bringing Just Walk Out technology to a full-size grocery space with the Amazon Fresh store in Bellevue showcases the technology’s continued ability to scale and adapt to new environments and selection.
‘I’m thrilled it’ll help even more customers enjoy an easier and faster way to shop and can’t wait to get their feedback on this latest Just Walk Out offering.’ MORE.
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