WATCH: This Game-Changing video of Trump’s path to victory from Laura Loomer on X thumbnail

WATCH: This Game-Changing video of Trump’s path to victory from Laura Loomer on X

By The United West/ Defend The Border

FROM LAURA LOOMER ON X:

You need to watch this video to see this game-changing information that will help get President Trump @realDonaldTrump get elected in November!

Watch this Game-Changing video of Trump’s path to victory

As you know, I’m a Jewish woman who has worked for many years, very closely with like-minded, evangelical Christians. My Christian friends have supported me throughout the years, worked to get Trump elected, and always stood firmly against the rise of Jihad in America.

In fact, in 2018, I went on a trip to Israel with my friends over at The United West
@TheUnitedWest, where we were at the ceremony of the historic American Embassy transfer from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem! This was only made possible by President Trump!

The United West gave me some verifiable information about evangelical Christians who are already registered Republicans but did NOT vote in 2020 in six key swing states. I thought that out of all voters who didn’t vote in 2020, the Christian vote would be the quintessential definition of low hanging fruit since Christians are under attack in our country.

We all know the 2020 race was decided (or shall we say stolen) in those six states, but I never realized how critically important the Christian vote was for the 2024 election in those exact same battle ground states.

The research I have posted below suggests and explains that Donald Trump will either win or lose in November based upon whether evangelicals who did NOT vote in 2020, actually come out to vote in November.

In the video below, the “Swing-State” Chart http://TheUnitedWest.org produced is absolutely SHOCKING!

You can also download this chart on their website.

Every swing state GOTV org should have this chart.

We need to get the word out to all of the Christians in these states who did NOT vote.

They need to see just how impactful their votes are, so to please show them the negative impact it had in 2020 when they didn’t come out to vote.

Let’s not replicate the disastrous last 4 years of the Biden-Harris regime, and let’s make a decision to vote for Donald Trump in 2024.

I will be putting out a lot of information for Christians in Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Watch this short video, go to http://TheUnitedWest.org, download the “Swing-State Chart” and post it all over the place, and please share it with the Christians you know in the six key swing states.

Let’s get Donald Trump elected in 2024!

©2024. The United West/ Defend The Border. All rights reserved.

22 WORDS is a compelling documentary that delves into the profound consequences of removing prayer and the Bible from American schools thumbnail

22 WORDS is a compelling documentary that delves into the profound consequences of removing prayer and the Bible from American schools

By Dr. Rich Swier

22 WORDS is a compelling documentary that delves into the profound consequences of removing prayer and the Bible from American schools, as set in motion by a series of landmark court cases in 1962 and 1963.

Theose rulings have contributed to a decline in societal values, marked by rising divorce rates, teenage pregnancy, suicide, violent crime, and the growing acceptance of pornographic content and LGBTQIA+ agendas in schools.

As traditional moral anchors have been replaced by harmful content and agendas, 22 WORDS advocates for a cultural shift and bravely calls for the reintroduction of school-sponsored prayer and the Ten Commandments across the nation.

NOTE: This Documentary Releases on October 3rd at www.iknowGod.us/22WORDS

Subscribe John Amanchukwu’s YouTube channel for more updates on the release of this documentary!

©2024. 22 Words. All rights reserved.

Artificial Intelligence and America’s Children thumbnail

Artificial Intelligence and America’s Children

By Linda Goudsmit

Globalism is a replacement ideology that seeks to reorder the world into one singular, planetary Unistate, ruled by the globalist elite. The globalist war on nation-states cannot succeed without collapsing the United States of America. The long-term strategic attack plan moves America incrementally from constitutional republic to socialism to globalism to feudalism. The tactical attack plan uses asymmetric psychological and informational warfare to destabilize Americans and drive society out of objective reality into the madness of subjective reality. America’s children are the primary target of the globalist predators.


It is time to take a look at what the globalists have in mind for little Johnny and Humanity 2.0. We begin with a history lesson provided by Dr. Michael Rectenwald in his April 14, 2023, article, “Hacking Humanity: Transhumanism“:[i]

The term transhumanism was coined by Julian Huxley, the brother of the novelist Aldous Huxley and the first director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In an essay entitled “Transhumanism,” published in the book New Bottles for New Wine (1957), Huxley defined transhumanism as the self-transcendence of humanity:

The human species can, if it wishes, transcend itself—not just sporadically, an individual here in one way, an individual there in another way, but in its entirety, as humanity. We need a name for this new belief. Perhaps transhumanism will serve: man remaining man, but transcending himself, by realizing new possibilities of and for his human nature.1

One question for transhumanism is indeed whether this transcendence will apply to the whole human species or rather for only a select part of it. But Huxley gave some indication of how this human self-transcendence might occur: humanity would become “managing director of the biggest business of all, the business of evolution….”2 As the first epigraph to this Part makes clear, Julian Huxley was a proponent of eugenics. And he was the President of the British Eugenics Society.3 It was in his introduction of UNESCO, as the director-general that he suggested that eugenics, after the Nazi regime had given it such a bad name, should be rescued from opprobrium, “so that much that now is unthinkable may at least become thinkable.”4 As John Klyczek has noted, “In the wake of vehement public backlash against the atrocities of the Nazi eugenic Holocaust, Huxley’s eugenics proper was forced to go under-ground, repackaging itself in various crypto-eugenic disguises, one of which is ‘transhumanism.’”5

Contemporary transhumanist enthusiasts, such as Simon Young, believe that humanity can take over where evolution has left us to create a new and improved species—either ourselves, or a successor to ourselves:

We stand at a turning point in human evolution. We have cracked the genetic code; translated the Book of Life. We will soon possess the ability to become designers of our own evolution.6

Transhumanism is simply the latest variation of globalist elitism and supremacist ideology, including its eugenics program disguised as “progress” and “evolutionary biology.” Rectenwald continues with references to Yuval Harari, the writer, historian, and children’s book author discussed in Chapter 33:

In a 2018 World Economic Forum statement, Harari spoke as the self-proclaimed prophet of a new transhumanist age, saying:

We are probably among the last generations of Homo sapiens. Within a century or two, Earth will be dominated by entities that are more different from us, than we are different from Neanderthals or from chimpanzees. Because in the coming generations, we will learn how to engineer bodies and brains and minds. These will be the main products of the 21st century economy.19

No longer capable of mounting a challenge to the elite as in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and having no function, the feckless masses will have no recourse or purpose. Exploitation is one thing; irrelevance is quite another, says Harari. And thus, as Harari sees it, the remaining majority will be condemned to spend their time in the Metaverse, or worse. If they are lucky, they will collect universal basic income (UBI) and will best occupy themselves by taking drugs and playing video games. Of course, Harari exempts himself from this fate.

As for the elite, according to Harari, their supposed superiority to the masses will soon become a matter of biotechnological fact, rather than merely an ideological pretension, as in the past. The elite will not only continue to control the lion’s share of the world’s material resources; they will also become godlike and enjoy effective remote control over their subordinates. Further, via biotechnological means, they will acquire eternal life on Earth, while the majority, formerly consoled by the fact that at least everybody dies, will now lose the great equalizer. As the supernatural is outmoded, or sacrificed on the altar of transhumanism, the majority will inevitably forfeit their belief in a spiritual afterlife. The theistic religions that originated in the Middle East will disappear, to be replaced by new cyber-based religions originating in Silicon Valley. Spirituality, that is, will be nothing but the expression of reverence for newly created silicon gods, whether they be game characters, game designers, or the elites themselves.

1. Julian Huxley, “Transhumanism,” New Bottles for New Wine, London: Readers Union, Chatto & Windus, 1957, page 17.

2.  Ibid., page 13.

3.  “Past Presidents,” Adelphi Genetics Forum, August 10, 2022, https://adelphigenetics.org/history/past-presidents/. The Adelphi Genetics Forum was originally named the British Eugenics Education Society and was founded in 1911. It changed its name to the British Eugenics Society in 1926 and changed its name again to the Galton Institute in 1989. In 2021, it changed its name yet again to the Adelphi Genetics Forum.

4.  Julian Huxley, “UNESCO: Its Purpose and Its Philosophy,” Unesdoc.unesco.org, 1946, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000068197, page 21.

5.  John Adam Klyczek, School World Order: The Technocratic Globalization of Corporatized Education, Trine Day, 2019, page 207.

6.  Simon Young, Designer Evolution: A Transhumanist Manifesto, Prometheus, 2005, Kindle Edition, Location 273.

19. World Economic Forum, “Will the Future Be Human? —Yuval Noah Harari,” YouTube, World Economic Forum, January 25, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL9uk4hKyg4.

The stunning hubris of the globalist elite is rivaled only by the danger of its collaboration with government. This collaboration between business and government is the military-industrial complex President Eisenhower warned the nation about in his 1961 Farewell Address:[ii]

A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.

Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peace time, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.

Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions…. This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience…. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications…. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist….

Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.

In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.

The prospect of domination of the nation’s scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.

Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

President Eisenhower predicted the globalist enemy within. His prescient warning is now 21st-century reality and the existential threat to our constitutional republic. Eisenhower’s reference to research and the domination of the nation’s scholars is today’s politicized education industry that includes politicized law and medicine. From preschool to advanced degrees, ideological experts have indoctrinated Americans against America for seven decades. Indoctrinated graduates entered their chosen fields as “experts” who began indoctrinating the next generation, who then indoctrinated the next.

We are in the throes of an informational and psychological culture war. There are no bullets in this war. I often reflect on the saying “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Its profound meaning lies in the fact that thought precedes behavior. If you can change people’s thinking, you can change their behavior. It is the operating principle foundational to educational indoctrination and thought reform––the primary weapons of the information/psychological globalist War on America.

Weaponized education is bludgeoning society with anti-American collectivist ideology in every sector of life. The Marxification of education (Chapter 29) is enhanced with Artificial Intelligence (AI), the prize of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. AI is the medium and the message.

Educational reformer John Klyczek, referenced above in the Rectenwald article “Hacking Humanity,” is the author of School World Order: The Technocratic Globalization of Corporatized Education.[iii] Klyczek explores the hidden dangers of AI’s robot companions in his June 13, 2023, informational video, “Moxie and the Great Reset: How Moxie the Robot Uses GPT AI to Data-Mine Your Kids’ Socioemotional-Learning Algorithms.[iv]

Moxie is the latest creation of California artificial intelligence company Embodied, which develops companion robots. Moxie, who looks like Star Wars‘ robotic droid R2-D2 but is able to communicate like the humanoid C-3PO, was originally designed as a robot companion for children with social and emotional deficits. Considered assistive technology, the premise was that the companion robot would help autistic and mentally retarded children with the anxiety they experience in human interactions.

Klyczek explains:

Moxie is marketed as a “Helping Friend” that substitutes human caretakers and replaces them as robo-babysitters that monitor disabled children during parent-therapist conferences…. Of course, over time, just like transhuman ed-tech, robotic AI ed-tech will eventually creep more and more into mainstream classroom integration until it is employed to boost competence outcomes for students classified as healthy and able-bodied.

Klyczek discusses the capability of augmented robot systems (ARS) for children’s storytelling activities. The ARS are able to measure children’s levels of satisfaction, sensory immersion, and media recognition. This is significant because these areas correspond to the CASEL wheel, discussed in Chapter 20, that measures Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Satisfaction corresponds to interest, sensory immersion to engagement, and media [robot] recognition to empathy.

Klyczek exposes several areas of serious concern to parents:

  • Moxie will be expanded—used in general classroom for SEL goals
  • Data mining of student bio-psychometrics
  • Facial recognition for emotional reactions
  • Replaces human interactions
  • Using children to enhance manufacturer’s own GPT-AI capacity
  • Funded by WEF Partners Amazon, Intel, Sony, Toyota
  • Deeply entrenched in global corporate technocracy network with over 60 overlapping memberships between WEF and Trilateral Commission, Club of Rome, United Nations, World Bank, and Bilderberg
  • Represented at 2023 Bilderberg Meeting by Sam Altman, Microsoft, DeepMind (Google), Google
  • Moxie stores much of its data in Google Cloud
  • Moxie retains text files of whatever the child says before deleting the actual audio file
  • Moxie retains data points of facial expressions before it deletes the actual photo
  • Embodied retains access to all information even though it cannot link it to a specific user

The hidden goals of Moxie, the “Helping Friend,” are data mining your children, enhancing the AI capabilities of companion robots for the manufacturer, and grooming your children for interaction with robots rather than humans, and for life in the 21st-century globalist Unistate. The information collected is a treasure trove of data for social engineering in the classroom, and another surreptitious method of separating children from their parents without parental knowledge.

The political parallels between teaching whole-word reading and using augmented robots for teaching are disturbing. Both began and were marketed as systems to help children with disabilities. Both were (or, in the case of Moxie, will be) subsequently applied to normal children, with catastrophic outcomes, for political gain. As discussed in Chapter 5, the detrimental effects on children’s brains and their ability to actually read the written word in English were known as early as 1955, when Rudolph Flesch exposed the whole-word method as the culprit in his book, Why Johnny Can’t Read: and what you can do about it.

The damage done by the American education industry in its insistence on teaching children to read using whole words is well documented. Yet whole-word methodology continues and has been expanded from whole-word reading to the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child[v] model (WSCC) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC website describes WSCC in predictably glowing terms. It is essential for parents to recognize the staggering Marxist dualism in WSCC and its 10 Components. Parents are presented with familiar, constructive terms that do not at all mean what parents understand them to mean. For example, “integration and collaboration between education leaders and health sectors” is actually the collaboration between teachers, counselors, psychologists, sexuality instructors, etc., to indoctrinate American children in radical leftist norms. The “student-centered” approach is actually the total immersion of the students in anti-American, anti-family, anti-Judeo-Christian propaganda without parental knowledge. From CDC’s website:

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC)

The education, public health, and school health sectors have each called for greater alignment that includes integration and collaboration between education leaders and health sectors to improve each child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. Public health and education serve the same children, often in the same settings. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model focuses on the child to align the common goals of both sectors to put into action a whole child approach to education.

What is the WSCC model?

The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child, or WSCC model, is CDC’s framework for addressing health in schools. The WSCC model is student-centered and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices. The WSCC model has 10 Components:

  1.  Physical education and physical activity.
  2.  Nutrition environment and services.
  3.  Health education.
  4.  Social and emotional climate.
  5.  Physical environment.
  6.  Health services.
  7.  Counseling, psychological and social services.
  8.  Employee wellness.
  9.  Community involvement.
  10.  Family engagement.

The CDC prides itself on the collaboration between government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to finance its WSCC initiatives:

Funded Non-Governmental Organizations for Healthy Schools

Through the National Collaboration to Promote Health, Wellness, and Academic Success of School-Age Children, CDC Healthy Schools funds five national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to complement and strengthen the work of State Public Health Actions grantees. These NGOs support the 1305 granteesand their organization’s constituents to promote and implement proven policies, practices, and programs in at least one of the following school health priority areas:

Priority Area 1—Physical Education and Physical Activity in Schools
Priority Area 2—School Nutrition Environment and Services
Priority Area 3—Out of School Time Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Priority Area 4—School Health Services for Managing Chronic Conditions

The NGOs that support the following priority areas are:

CDC Healthy Schools also funds the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to provide technical assistance and professional development activities that will build the capacity of state health departments. This will equip school health and education leaders with greater knowledge, skills, and abilities to implement proven strategies that create healthier environments for students. Initiatives such as these are essential to help leaders from across the country access practical tools and resources to promote the health [including mental health] of their student population.

SHAPE America (SHAPE is an acronym for the Society of Health and Physical Educators) is a particularly notable NGO. Its website, shapeamerica.org,[vi] proudly features its alignment with National Sex Education Standards:[vii]

National Sex Education Standards

SHAPE America is proud to have worked with the Future of Sex Education (FoSE) and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) as a contributor and reviewer in the development of the National Sex Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K–12 (Second Edition). SHAPE America is also proud to officially endorse the final document.

These latest standards reflect advancement in research regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, social, racial and reproductive justice, and the long-term consequences of stigma and discrimination. Other additions include: advances in medical technology, the emergence of digital technologies and the growing impact of social and sexually explicit media on relationships.

Readers will remember that SIECUS is an ideological and political instrument for social change. SIECUS proudly describes its goals in the acknowledgements section of the National Sex Education Standards, second edition:

Through policy, advocacy, education, and strategic communications efforts, SIECUS advances sex education as a vehicle for social change—working toward a world where all people can access and enjoy their own sexual and reproductive freedom.

Parents need to understand the deceptive way words are being used. The definition of physical health includes sexual health, and the definition of sexual health is inclusive. “Inclusive” is defined by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards, which means sexual health includes presenting transgenderism and every iteration of non-binary gender identification as normal variations on a theme of non-binary sexuality. Male/female heterosexuality is no longer the accepted norm; every conceivable form of sexual behavior, including pedophilia, is presented as a normal variation of inclusive sexual behavior.

There are no restrictions on sexual behavior or gender identity in a society that has been driven into subjective reality, where feelings rather than facts determine social policy. The entire American education industry is collaborating in the usurpation of parental authority by adopting CDC guidelines that are themselves aligned with the United Nations’ internationalized curricula for education, including sex education.

Child psychiatrist Dr. Miriam Grossman (Chapter 31) is an unapologetic and outspoken advocate for children’s mental health. She has written an essential book to help parents understand the horrific ideological collaboration between our weaponized education and judicial systems, particularly Child Protective Services (CPS). Together, they have redefined “mental health” in political terms, and are participating in a joint effort to replace parental authority with government-approved radical gender ideology.

CPS considers the homes of parents whose conservative views insist on the scientific facts of biology to be abusive and unsafe environments for children. CPS is empowered by the state to remove the children from the home and rehome them. This is an Orwellian reality, and extremely dangerous for the children, for their parents, and for America. Biological sex, gender, and sexual behavior have been weaponized in America by the enemies of freedom. The cultural terrorism that Hungarian Marxist George Lucács unsuccessfully attempted in Bolshevik Hungary in 1918 is effectively collapsing America from within in 2024.

Dr. Grossman’s book, Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide Out of the Madness,[viii] is an essential tool for parents whose children remain in American schools, both public and private. The book begins with a Dedication:

This book is dedicated to the parents of kids with Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria and to the groups who support them.

I spoke with you from your cars, basements, and bathrooms. You huddled and whispered behind closed doors, as if seeking my help was criminal behavior. You’re not criminals, you are heroes. The criminals are the therapists, teachers, school counselors, and sex educators who indoctrinate your children with falsehoods, and the doctors who then disfigure and sterilize them. They are guilty of crimes. Their day will come. (p. ix)

Before the Introduction, Dr. Grossman includes A Note on Language:

We face a crusade, a juggernaut, that seeks to demolish male and female, and its success hinges on the control of language. Under those circumstances, to call a man “she” is not a kindness, it’s a concession—to a scheme to control our beliefs and advance an agenda, one pronoun at a time.

In this book, I emphasize that male and female, after being established at conception, are permanent. I urge parents to be honest and consistent with their children, and to at all times stay grounded in biological reality. I have always done that in my office, and I’m not going to stop now. (p. xxv)

Dr. Grossman continues:

For me this is a black-and-white issue. Most things in life are nuanced, but this is not one of them. This is—and here’s a word you don’t expect to hear from a doctor—evil. It’s evil to indoctrinate children and young adults with falsehoods and to drive a wedge between them and their loving parents. It’s evil to encourage them on a path that leads to harm. And it’s evil to describe it all as a journey to authenticity, and to entice children with glitter and rainbows….

The trans issue is not a debate with reasonable and moral people on both sides, it’s a war. It’s a destructive, cult-like crusade that targets your children 24/7; there’s hardly a place that’s free from indoctrination, slogans, flags, and emojis. You must gird yourselves with knowledge, confidence, and support and oppose the onslaught as much as possible….

Starting with new names and pronouns and ending too often in the operating rooms, the trans journey is an assembly line. One step leads to another, and it’s difficult to get off, so your goal is to prevent your child from ever climbing on…. (p. xxx)

I regret to inform you that with this matter, the sources you’ve always trusted—your child’s school, pediatrician, and therapist—will likely provide ideologically driven misinformation. They will direct you and your child down a perilous path….

I’ll explain that transgender ideology is a system of beliefs, like a religion. It has a unique language and [10] Articles of Faith. While the language and beliefs are bizarre, they are taught as sacred facts. The core belief––that biology can and should be denied—is a repudiation of reality…. (p. xxxi)

I will explain how the American Psychiatric Association (APA) reclassified gender disorders as normal variations of human expression—another dangerous idea. (p. xxxiii)

Articles of Faith

Behold GENDER IDENTITY; it liberated you from oppression, from the harsh constraints of biology.

GENDER IDENTITY is sacred; thou shalt not question it; thou shalt not turn away from it to hard science, for GENDER IDENTITY is jealous and cannot tolerate the scientific method.

Remember GENDER IDENTITY, to keep it holy. Behold, it is both fixed and fluid; healthy and needing drugs and surgeries; do not admit contradictions.

Thou shalt consider “male” and “female” arbitrary assignments; thou shalt deny their establishment at conception.

Thou shalt affirm all gender identities with all your heart and all your soul, so that you will be an ally and keep your livelihood.

Do not misgender [use a pronoun other than the one chosen by the adherent].

Do not deadname [use the adherent’s birth name].

Thou shalt not explore anxiety, ADHD, trauma, or autism; thou shalt always invoke the minority stress model [the hypothesis that sexual minority health disparities are produced by the social stress faced by sexual minority populations due to their stigmatized status].

Thou shalt honor the self-diagnosis and judgment of minors and young adults. Thou shalt not recognize their emotional and cognitive immaturity.

Gatekeeping is an abomination. Thou shalt therefore scorn psychotherapy, and place your trust in breast binding, penis-and-testicle-tucking, pills, patches, syringes, scalpels, implants, and prosthetics. (p. xxxx)

But of all the lies and dangerous ideas promoted, Dr. Grossman says the most pernicious one is that gender affirmation is the only safe and ethical treatment! If you don’t support your child, he’s at high risk of suicide.

Dr. Grossman explains that gender dysphoria (GD) is a symptom, and symptoms can be caused by a variety of conditions. Further, gender dysphoria is complex and is different at different ages of onset. She distinguishes three types of GD: adult-onset, early-onset in young children, and late- or adolescent-onset in teens and young adults. The resolution of gender dysphoria is called desistance. In 1994, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, stated that “only a very small number of children with gender identity disorder [as it was called then] will continue to have symptoms…in later adolescence or adulthood.”

In other words, it is a stage of development that usually corrects itself without intervention. Before 2012, the onset of gender identity disorder was practically unheard of. In 2018, Dr. Lisa Littman, a Brown University physician, researcher, and academic, noticed an unusual trend in her small town. “Teens from the same friend group were announcing transgender identities on social media, one after another, on a scale that greatly exceeded expected numbers.” (Lost in Trans Nation, p. 40)

Dr. Littman began investigating and found that adolescents and young adults were suddenly experiencing gender dysphoria for the first time. She coined the term Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) to describe the new phenomenon. Dr. Littman theorized that “these kids may have rapidly adopted a transgender identity as a ‘maladaptive coping mechanism to avoid feeling strong or negative emotions.’” (Lost in Trans Nation, p. 41)

Dr. Littman was worried that the teens were not being screened for pre-existing and current mental health issues. Instead, they were being fast-tracked for gender affirmation and transition. Dr. Littman wrote about “cluster outbreaks” and explained them as “social contagion.” She discussed the limitations of her research, and strongly recommended further study and the careful evaluation of distressed teenagers before the use of treatments that have permanent effects such as cross-sex hormones and surgery.

Dr. Littman went further and confronted the gender establishment narrative, saying that social and medical affirmation may cause “an iatrogenic persistence of gender dysphoria in individuals who would have had their gender dysphoria resolve on its own.” (Lost in Trans Nation, p. 46) Iatrogenic is any harm caused by a medical intervention.

The medical community came out vehemently against Dr. Lisa Littman, in the same way it pilloried British gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew Wakefield when he questioned the safety of the multi-dose measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and its possible connection to autism in children. Instead of appropriately investigating Dr. Littman’s concerns, the medical and gender establishment attacked her and presented gender-affirming care as settled science—a particularly dangerous lie.

Dr. Miriam Grossman courageously exposes the institutional capture of American medicine by radical Marxist gender ideology. She denounces its resultant gender-affirming care as political medicine, which is endangering an entire generation of children with ideological medicine and ideological indoctrination in school.

Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide Out of the Madness is an extraordinary examination of the transgender movement, its psychosocial dynamics, and its political purpose. The book concludes with helpful appendices of practical information and important suggestions for parents dealing with schools, CPS, therapists, and the Internet.

Dr. Grossman’s message is heroic and crystal clear: Parents must arm themselves with accurate information in order to protect their precious children from a “perilous social movement that erases ‘male’ and ‘female’ and aims to revolutionize what it means to be human.”

©2024. Linda Goudsmit. All rights reserved.


Please visit Linda’s Pundicity page: goudsmit.pundicity.com  and her website: lindagoudsmit.com


SOURCES.

[i]  Hacking Humanity: TranshumanismThe Great Reset and the Struggle for Liberty: Unraveling the Global Agenda, Michael Rectenwald, World Encounter Institute, 2023; https://mises.org/wire/hacking-humanity-transhumanism

[ii]  Farewell Addresshttps://wp.lps.org/kbeacom/files/2012/08/Eisenhowers-Farewell.pdf

[iii]  School World Order: The Technocratic Globalization of Corporatized Education, John Klyczek, Trine Day LLC, 2019; https://www.schoolworldorder.info/

[iv]  Moxie and the Great Reset: How Moxie the Robot Uses GPT AI to Data-Mine Your Kids’ Socioemotional-Learning  Algorithmshttps://www.bitchute.com/video/xJhbwYfyvNUG/

[v]  Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Childhttps://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/wscc/index.htm

[vi]  shapeamerica.orghttps://www.shapeamerica.org/

[vii]  National Sex Education Standardshttps://www.shapeamerica.org/Common/Uploaded files/uploads/2021/standards/National-Sex-Education-Standards.pdf

[viii]  Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide Out of the Madness, Miriam Grossman, Skyhorse Publishing, 2023;https://www.miriamgrossmanmd.com/about-4-2


*Space Is No Longer the Final Frontier—Reality Is is available in paperback, hardback, and eBook formats on barnesandnoble.comamazon.com, and directly from Ingram in paperback.


America’s Abundance Has Led to Apathy thumbnail

America’s Abundance Has Led to Apathy

By Amil Imani

The vast land of the United States was once inhabited by a relatively small number of indigenous people. These native “Indians” lived throughout the land for thousands of years and will always remain the first inhabitants of what is now the United States. These native people helped the pilgrims survive the winter. Later, European immigrants came, and the number of settlements finally outgrew the native Americans.

Then, on July 4, 1776, America declared independence from England, the old white grandfather across the sea. The miracle of America happened, and its dynamic birth rapidly changed the entire world.

America developed into thirteen colonies, then into the strong 50 states she is today. In a very short time, America grew from a log cabin settlement to the world’s largest and most technologically powerful economy. The United States is a nonpareil icon and the envy of the world. In many surprising ways, America resembles the great ancient Persian Empire. Like the Persians, who rarely regret the past, Americans always believe “the best days are ahead.” Like the ancient Persian Empire once was, the United States is the greatest country in the world. Like the ancient Persians, who were the first-world managers and the most tolerant empire-builders, America, by its constitution, is also the most tolerant and benevolent nation in the world.

Ancient Persian kings released the Jews from Babylonian captivity, financed the re-establishment of their country, and restored their national religion. (Zionists, they were!) America has done the same. In a strange sense, America is a reincarnation of Persia, an extension of the Achaemenid Empire. No wonder the immigrant Persians (Iranian-Americans) hold the United States very close to their hearts and have blossomed here in their new home. Unfortunately, tragedy reigns in the land of the old Persians. The remnants of the great Persian Empire were swallowed up by the Muslim conquerors storming out of Arabia. An oppressive version of Islam eviscerated the spiritual life of tolerant old Persia. It has taken centuries for the Persians (modern Iranians) to recover their spirit. Zoroastrianism, the original Iranian religion, was not an effective barrier against the radical, murderous version of the religion from the Arabian desert. Zoroastrianism has not rebounded with the new Persian nationalism today.

The Persian Renaissance lies in the spirit of the Iranians themselves. This spirit alone can overcome the Islamists who rule as tyrants. Unfortunately, tragedy reigns in the land of the United States today, and it is up to the people to use the American spirit and get our country back on track. Nations and empires do indeed have “life cycles.” Many historians have studied this throughout the years, and all have come to the same conclusion: a lifetime of about two centuries.

And they all seem to go through the same life cycle: “from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependence back again into bondage.” (Alexander Tyler, 1750). Where are we in this cycle? “We, too, have gone from bondage to spiritual faith; from faith to great courage which established our precious liberty, which, in turn, has given us unprecedented abundance that has made us the world’s envy. That abundance, however, has led to complacency and apathy. (If you ask the average person, What is the biggest problem in America? Is it ignorance, or is it apathy? They will probably respond, “I don’t know, and I don’t care!”

To make matters worse, a noisy clique of local leftists, “useful idiots” with a suicide wish, are doing all they can to take the country with them to the grave they so earnestly seek. On both sides of the Atlantic, these self-appointed squatters of the higher ground are riding so high on their high horse that they are blind to the realities down on earth. When events such as this come to light, it almost makes one wonder if we are merely witnessing a march toward European-style Socialism or are we witnessing a march toward a Totalitarian state.

We live in an unpredictable era. It is like watching a train wreck in slow motion, except, regrettably, we are the passengers sitting on that train. History provides ample illustrations of the disastrous consequences of the collapse of law and order. “In ancient Greece, the first disorder symptoms were a general loss of respect for tradition and the degradation of the young. Among the early symptoms was the decline of art and entertainment. The philosophers and pundits distorted the medium of communication. Rhetoric became combative and intolerant; intellectuals began to deride and attack all the traditional institutions of Hellenic society.” Ibid., 35-36.

America is still the last haven of hope where humanity can flourish. The world owes a great deal to America for inspiration and practical accomplishment. Americans have helped every other nation in the world. America’s enemies decry her greatness, yet they want to be in America and to be American. We must remember that the Constitution is the charter that lights this country’s path. I’m afraid I have to disagree with those who are more than willing to violate the Constitution and call it little more than a body of suggestions that can be disregarded when expedient. To us, the Constitution should be our nation’s most sacred document. The document binds its vastly diverse constituents as equal, loyal members. The law-abiding American people should join with heroes today and express our love for America. America is far more than a country. It is a place of greatness, where the souls and strength of our founding fathers still dwell side by side with modern heroes, and all heroes, past and present, need to unite to preserve America. Together, we can write our own history as a people and take our country back.

©2024. Amil Imani. All rights reserved.

RELATED VIDEO: Biden has spent a total of 532 days (40.3% of his presidency) on vacation

Highly disturbing video from Dr. John Campbell on peer reviewed study on nano-structures in blood caused by mRNA injections thumbnail

Highly disturbing video from Dr. John Campbell on peer reviewed study on nano-structures in blood caused by mRNA injections

By Vlad Tepes Blog

Welp. This is one. Has Campbell jumped the shark on this one? Or is the unbelievable true? or is it as he says, given that he links to peer reviewed papers from Japan and South Korea. Or was he set up to publish this to destroy his credibility for being over the target for so long now on so much government and phrama-fraud?

Watch and decide.

Also it is possible that this is a sort of crystallization phenomenon and may not be a deliberate effect of the vaxx, but some sort of Crystal structure that forms from some component in the vaxx.

No idea.

Link to peer reviewed study.

Several more related links.

RELATED ARTICLE: What’s Tim Walz’s Connection With the Wuhan Institute of Virology?

EDITORS NOTE: This Vlad Tepes Blog column with video posted by Eeyore is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Faux Feminist Kamala Harris: Anti-Woman, Misogynist Candidate thumbnail

Faux Feminist Kamala Harris: Anti-Woman, Misogynist Candidate

By The Daily Signal

Vice President Kamala Harris claims to be a champion for women, but many facts tell a different story.

Harris speaks pro-women rhetoric, but fails to protect women and girls from assaults in locker rooms.

Harris endorsed a new Biden-Harris administration rule expanding Title IX protections to gender identity and sexual orientation, requiring schools receiving federal funds to allow males into female spaces such as restrooms and locker rooms, or into any activity currently separated as male or female.

Initial Title IX rules—signed into law by a Republican president more than 50 years ago—protect women and girls against sex-based discrimination, allowing girls to flourish in school and on extracurricular sports teams.

Regrettably, this final rule redefining “female” also threatens free speech on campus, protects teachers unions, and obstructs due process protections for students accused of sexual harassment on campus.

Harris also fails to protect women and girls from sexual assault as they seek to cross illegally into America at the U.S. southern border. Sexual assault rates of migrant women coming to the United States is shocking, yet Harris embraces policies that incentivize further illegal immigration and human trafficking.

Reports vary widely on the scope of the sexual violence, which speaks to the lack of concern that Harris embodies. Amnesty International reported:

Rape is widespread. It is believed that as many as six out of every 10 migrant women and girls experience sexual violence during the journey.

A 2017 report by Doctors Without Borders found 1 in 3 women traveling through Mexico are sexually assaulted. A United Nations estimate found among women crossing without husbands or families, up to 70% suffered some type of abuse.

The rampant sexual abuse is perpetuated and grows the more policies like those from Harris and President Joe Biden encourage millions to enter the United States illegally. For example, under former President Donald Trump, the “Remain in Mexico” program and other immigration policies substantially slowed illegal immigration flow. Harris and Biden reversed Remain in Mexico, and the United States has experienced record, earth-shattering illegal immigration flows. Supposedly empowered to mitigate the so-called root causes of illegal immigration from Central American and South American countries, Harris instead stood idly by.

Even CNN is conceding that Harris is now a hypocrite for using Trump’s border wall in her new political ad to claim she supports controlling illegal immigration. CNN found more than 50 instances since 2017 of Harris slamming Trump’s border wall, with labels like “useless” and “racist.” But now Harris is running ads touting Trump’s wall.

AUTHOR

Carrie Sheffield

Carrie Sheffield is a senior policy analyst at Independent Women’s Voice.

RELATED COLUMNS:

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RELATED VIDEO: WATCH: RFK Jr. Wins, Harris Loses, and Trump Laughs

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Signal column is republished with permission. All rights reserved.


The Daily Signal depends on the support of readers like you. Donate now

CBS Journalist in Gaza Tied to Terror, Investigation Finds thumbnail

CBS Journalist in Gaza Tied to Terror, Investigation Finds

By NEWSRAEL Telling the Israeli Story

News producer for CBS praised terrorists, had contacts with terrorists as a member of the Gaza City municipality council.

A CBS News journalist in Gaza praised terrorists at an official event of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and had contacts with terrorists as a member of the Gaza City municipality council, an HonestReporting investigation revealed.

Marwan al-Ghoul has been working as a CBS News producer in Gaza for more than two decades, and his affiliation with a proscribed terror group, as well as his official public role in the Hamas-ruled Strip, raise alarming questions regarding the network’s journalistic standards.

Here are the details of what HonestReporting has discovered, based on Arabic media reports and Al-Ghoul’s Facebook page. It is the latest in a series of exposes unmasking Gaza’s biased reporters.

PFLP Links

In 2018, Al-Ghoul was among the speakers at an official PFLP event commemorating one of the prominent members of the terror group who was also Al-Ghoul’s relative.

According to the PFLP website, Al-Ghoul spoke on behalf of the family, which “expressed their gratitude to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and their esteemed comrades everywhere in the Palestinian land . . . for their . . . commitment to continue the struggle.”

Al-Ghoul praised the group’s terrorists, emphasizing his relative’s dedication to “maintaining the noble national values established by the leading martyrs, such as Al-Hakim, Abu Ali Mustafa, and Wadie Haddad, and those who followed their path of struggle and martyrdom.”

The PFLP is a proscribed terror group whose members were involved in deadly attacks against Israelis, including suicide bombings, stabbings and shootings.

The fact that Al-Ghoul was invited to address an official event of the group suggests his (and his family’s) affiliation with it is deep. The effect such an affiliation might have on his “journalistic” work cannot be underestimated.

Official Role

Al-Ghoul also cozied up with the terror group’s officials as a member of the Gaza City municipality council.

In 2022, a news report showed him smiling next to Gaza City mayor Yahya Sarraj as they hosted a PFLP delegation to discuss “issues of concern to citizens and ways of cooperating.”

What could possibly be discussed in such a meeting? How to better embed terrorists amid the civilian population?

That would not be far-fetched to assume, considering that back in 2022, the IDF revealed that an Islamic Jihad rocket was launched from a location owned by the Gaza City municipality. It misfired and killed two Palestinians.

Referring to the Gaza City mayor, the IDF spokesperson’s unit said at the time that “Sarraj chose to take care of the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad more than the residents of the city he heads, and he abused public space that belongs to the residents of the city for terror. This is how he harmed his citizens directly.”

According to an announcement on his Facebook page, Al-Ghoul resigned from his membership in the city council in November 2022. It’s not clear how long he served, why he resigned, whether he got paid to do the job, and if so by whom.

But according to a Fatah official quoted by WAFA, Gaza municipal council members are appointed by Hamas. And according to Reuters, Hamas is the body in charge of paying public sector workers.

The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Local Government may be in charge on paper, but de-facto, Hamas runs the show.

In any case, AL-Ghoul’s profile photo still appears on the official website of the Gaza city municipality, with a bio that presents him as a “media professional working with several Arab and international channels,” as well as a “member of the Municipal Council.”

What’s clear is that such a public role, in an enclave ruled by terrorists and where terrorists are hosted by the mayor, cannot be done without problematic ties. Especially for a journalist who needs to cover political and civilian issues objectively.

Celebrated Journalist

None of that seemed to bother CBS News, which either turned a blind eye to Al-Ghoul’s activities, or had no idea about them.

The network relied heavily on his work at the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war and praised his “journalism.”

Unsurprisingly, Al-Ghoul’s reports from Gaza are typical — they include destruction and victims, not Hamas terrorists.

Perhaps this is because he prayed for the “victory” of these terrorists in a Facebook post on October 7, as they massacred Israeli women and children:

And it might also be because, as the head of the Mayadeen media Group, Al-Ghoul had long lasting ties with the Hamas-run Government Media Office. In 2008, he delivered a panel in a workshop organized by the office on “the freedom of journalistic work under the Israeli occupation” (although Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.)

Al-Ghoul is not a journalist. Like many other Gaza “reporters” who work for respected Western media outlets, he is a propagandist, at best, or a terror collaborator, at worst.

CBS News should not celebrate his work, but be ashamed of it.

EDITORS NOTE: This Honest Reporting column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

WATCH EPIC TROLLING: J.D. Vance walks up to media awaiting Kamala Harris thumbnail

WATCH EPIC TROLLING: J.D. Vance walks up to media awaiting Kamala Harris

By NEWSRAEL Telling the Israeli Story

J.D. Vance and Kamala Harris landed on the same tarmac, prompting the Vice President to swiftly exit with her motorcade before Vance could approach.

“I wanted to take a good look at the plane because hopefully it’s going to be my plane in a few months but I also thought you guys may get lonely because the Vice President doesn’t answer questions from reporters…” said J.D.

WATCH: EPIC TROLLING: J.D. Vance walks up to media awaiting Kamala Harris

RELATED VIDEO: ELON MUSK: Democrats are importing voters!

EDITORS NOTE: This World Israel News column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Armed Illegals Who Violently Took Over Apartment Blocks in Colorado RELEASED on $1,000 Bond thumbnail

Armed Illegals Who Violently Took Over Apartment Blocks in Colorado RELEASED on $1,000 Bond

By The Geller Report

Two of the Venezuelan gangsters who participated in the violent takeover of apartment buildings in Aurora, Colorado have been released on $1,000 BONDS.

The government is increasingly the greatest threat to our nation and our safety. J6es have sat in the gulag for years before trial.

Trial is under relentless political persecution.

Arm yourselves.

Two suspected Tren de Aragua members released from custody after Colorado shooting

By Jennie Taer

Two suspected Tren de Aragua gang members busted in connection with an attempted murder in the migrant hotbed of Aurora, Colorado, have been released from custody, The Post has learned.

Venezuelan brothers Dixon Azuaje-Perez, 20, and Nixon Azuaje-Perez, 19, who are charged with trying to tamper with evidence in the July 28 shooting, were sprung after posting $1,000 bond — and despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement issuing a detainer for their arrests, sources said.

The pair are being monitored with GPS technology and are located near an apartment complex in Denver, sources said.

Aurora Police Department confirmed to The Post that the two “are no longer in custody.”

Homeland Security sources told The Post that the brothers entered the US on Aug. 22, 2023 at a port of entry in Eagle Pass, Texas, using the CBP One app, even though they lacked proper documents to be allowed in.

Continue reading.

AUTHOR

Pamela Geller

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Kamala’s Illegal Migrant Mob Takes Over CHICAGO Apartment Building Last Night

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Alan Dershowitz leaves Democratic Party, cites DNC: ‘I was disgusted’

EDITORS NOTE: This Geller Report is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

VIDEO: Robert Spencer on the Leftist/Islamic Alliance, U.S. Errors in Countering Jihad Violence and More… thumbnail

VIDEO: Robert Spencer on the Leftist/Islamic Alliance, U.S. Errors in Countering Jihad Violence and More…

By Jihad Watch

/in , , , , , , , , /by

Thursday, on Yoel’s Hang Outs.

WATCH: Robert Spencer on the Leftist/Islamic Alliance, U.S. Errors in Countering Jihad Violence and More…

AUTHOR

Robert Spencer

RELATED ARTICLES:

Students for Justice in Palestine calls for ‘total collapse of the university structure and American empire itself’

Fight Fiercely, Harvard?

UK: Man gets six months in prison for chanting ‘Who the f**k is Allah’

Taking Care of Muslim Migrants Can Be Fatal

UK: Muslima enters London church screaming ‘Allahu akbar’ and ‘I am here to kill the God of the Jews’

Muslim Migrants and the Seething In Europe

EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch video is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

0 0 Jihad Watch 2024-09-08 04:55:02VIDEO: Robert Spencer on the Leftist/Islamic Alliance, U.S. Errors in Countering Jihad Violence and More…

VIDEO: Aristotle on Tyranny in 12 minutes thumbnail

VIDEO: Aristotle on Tyranny in 12 minutes

By Vlad Tepes Blog

The tactics used by tyrants are ancient. Recognizing them in time might allow us to defend ourselves. That is, if we allow ourselves to recognize them. Recent experience shows that we will not allow ourselves to recognize it.

WATCH: The Timeless Truth About Tyranny According to Aristotle—Why Tyrants Prefer Foreigners

RELATED ARTICLE: 9 States Where the Cost of Living Has Increased Most During Biden’s Presidency

EDITORS NOTE: This Vlad Tepes Blog column with video posted by is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

A Subscriber’s Perspective on U.S. K-12 Education. With an interesting comparison to our European counterparts… thumbnail

A Subscriber’s Perspective on U.S. K-12 Education. With an interesting comparison to our European counterparts…

By John Droz, Jr.

I get LOTS of correspondence — typically 200 to 300 emails a day. I try to read most of them, but I do have a life otherwise.

I’ve decided to periodically post an email I receive if it covers something slightly different than I have discussed, and I think it would be of general interest to my Substack readers. Here is a recent good example from a Professional Engineer…


Hi, John,

I greatly appreciate your good work.

My comments are about the NASA article (in your last Media Balance Newsletter) regarding uncreative behavior being learned in school.

In his seminar, “Creative Problem Solving,” the late Victor Papanek (best known as the author of Design for the Real World), told us that 90% of children entering school are inquisitive and creative, and that after first grade, the ratio switches: only 10% retain their inquisitive and creative traits!

In my own family, my mother observed that all three of us children were inquisitive and creative before starting school, but while those traits in me seemed to be accelerated by my school experience, both my brother and sister had traumatic experiences in first grade that resulted in a significant loss of those traits. My mother had the opportunity to investigate two of our teachers some years later. She found that students who had my first-grade teacher typically graduated high school in the top quarter of their class. In contrast, students who had my sister’s first-grade teacher typically graduated high school in the bottom half of their class.

The matter became of direct interest to me when my son was in first grade. His mother and I were able to effectively counteract the destructive methods of his teacher, and were relieved when in second grade his natural creativity was enjoyed and encouraged by his teacher. This positive experience helped him to weather occasional mediocre teachers in the years that followed, and I am happy to report that he continues to be an inquisitive and creative adult.

Partly due to my son’s rough start, I ran for a seat on the school board. During my 12 years on that board, I discussed this topic with several educators, all of whom affirmed that this inversion of inquisitive and creative traits after first grade was well known to them. (My local administrator was the first, and when he nodded in agreement, I immediately asked about the continued assignment of a particular teacher to first grade. I was not the only board member who had been prompted to seek election after having a child experience that teacher.)

NASA broke new ground in the 1960s, with their study conducted by the then-young George Land. After that study was done, Dr. Land did further research, concluding that the problem is systemic and ongoing. He spent his life pursuing ways to remediate the ill effects of public school education. His work inspired others so that today there are numerous post-school programs to help folks regain their natural creativity.

In my view, one of the roots of the problem is the U.S. approach to schooling. Here is an area of public policy where we truly could improve life in the U.S. by emulating the Europeans.

A fundamental difference between U.S. and European public schools is in teacher education requirements. While in the U.S., the easiest course of study at all levels—Bachelor’s to Ed.D—is in education, European nations take an entirely different tack. First off, there is no push to get everyone into the university. On the contrary, every effort is made to make sure only well-qualified and committed students are admitted. The statistics are difficult to nail down, but a case can be made that getting into the universities requires being in the top 5-10% of the student population.

Next, “Education” is not a field of study. All teachers earn degrees in academic fields. The small-town German Mittelschule (not college preparatory) I attended, had at least two teachers with PhDs. My homeroom teacher had a PhD in geography. Our history teacher had a PhD in that field. Our physics/chemistry teacher had schoolmates who were at the Max Planck Institute. To teach a foreign language, one had to earn a degree in it, of course, but also have a year of study at a university in a country where that was the official language. Our English teacher had spent a year at Oxford. Our French teacher had spent a year at Strasbourg.

There were major differences in curriculum, too. Here in the States, we had six periods a day—one of which was a study hall—and every day’s schedule was the same. In the Mittelschule, we had school Monday through Friday and half a day on Saturday. The curriculum was the same for everyone. There were five core subjects, which met five times per week. There was a second tier of subjects that met four times, then there were classes that met twice. All told, we had something like a dozen subjects. This broad curriculum encompassed a well-balanced education: math, science, history, languages and literature, art and music, religious instruction, athletics, and wood shop (for the boys).

[ … ]

One of the subtle side effects of the fundamental difference in academic preparation of teachers, is that ALL the teachers in German schools had been gifted students, while FEW of the teachers in U.S. schools had been. As a consequence, teachers in German schools readily identify and encourage gifted students. Even though my school was not college preparatory, there were gifted students in my class who were encouraged to take the bridge year and entrance exams to attend the university. One is a chemical engineer, another majored in geography, and a third earned his PhD.

In contrast, teachers in U.S. schools generally do not do well with gifted students. I believe this is rooted in the fact that not being gifted themselves, they cannot relate to gifted children. Additionally, the curricula are not encouraging to gifted students.

The result is that gifted students have unmet needs that compound over the years. As a school board member, this was a continuing source of vexation for me. When budget cuts had to be made, the gifted program—such as it was—would be the first thing to get trimmed, until it was finally eliminated altogether.

There are exceptions, of course. The school system that serves Princeton University faculty children is an example. My hometown (Bartlesville, OK) has fallen on hard times, but when I was coming up through school there, the management of Phillips Petroleum Company was intent on recruiting and retaining the top talent from the nation’s best universities. As a result, we had—with the exception of a few teachers, as noted—amazingly good schools, with ample encouragement and opportunity for gifted students.

Clearly, a commitment to good schools by local power brokers helps, but after it got going, in Bartlesville, it was in large measure self-sustaining. My grade school of 400 students had a gymnasium packed with parents for the monthly PTA meetings. My parents got sitters for us, so they could both go. Parents were activists.

Sadly, that was then, and this is now.

What we face nationally goes far beyond a concern with robbing children of their inquisitive and creative traits. There is an organized effort to standardize schools in the U.S. so they share a common curriculum objective. We must be aware of and then closely examine those objectives, which are often hidden.. We must ask who the people and groups are that are doing this. We must ask who is funding them. This is all the more urgent because of what has been found in US K-12 subject standards (like Science) and because of their widespread adoption.

Under the Clinton administration, Congress enacted Goals 2000 in 1994, an outcome-based education initiative that codified certain National Education Goals and offered grants to states that committed themselves to specified reforms.

In 1996, the governors of 43 states, together with one corporate CEO from each state held the National Education Summit which created Achieve, a business organization reportedly “to help states raise academic standards, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability.” Achieve was instrumental in coordinating the development of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) introduced in 2013, which are comprehensive for K-12 school programs.

Nearly parallel to this development was that of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) sponsored by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers and introduced in 2010.

These standards have been adopted by numerous states — 49 in the case of the NGSS. The Achieve organization has been the subject of at least one critical review, “The Organization Named Achieve: Cradle of Common Core Cronyism,” by Richard P. Phelps.

It is well known that leftist political and economic agendas are not popular. To get elected, leftist politicians regularly claim to champion “centrist” positions, even masking their true intentions once in office by various forms of subterfuge. They have several strategies for gaining and keeping power, one of which is to change the nature of the voting population by changing the nature of public education.

Training children to be conformists and to trust the opinions of publicly acclaimed experts helps rid the electorate of folks with critical thinking skills. An examination of the 400± page foundational document (A Framework for K-12 Science Education – 2012) reveals that it heavily promotes compliance with political correctness — e.g., an entire chapter on Equity.

Beyond the 3R’s (readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmatic), the most important objective of an education must be the teaching and cultivation of Critical Thinking. The subject area of Science is the best place to introduce and nurture it. Scientists are naturally questioners, and Critical Thinking is largely about questioning.

To ensure that our children gain the skills they will need to be informed citizens, we must continually assess the curricula in our schools and demand that they not falter in pursuing this objective.

Hope you found this worth reading!

David W. Pennington, PE
Marathon, Florida

ABOUT DAVID W. PENNINGTON

David W. Pennington is a long-time licensed Professional Engineer whose field is mechanical engineering. His experience in school encouraged his creativity, broadened the spectrum of his interests, and provided him with ever more tools with which to pursue them. While employed by a major medical device company he was a part of teams that produced intellectual property covered by 12 U.S. patents. In addition, David submitted over 30 invention records detailing his original ideas.

©2024. All rights reserved.

Here are other materials by this scientist that you might find interesting:

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.orgdiscusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.infocovers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.infomultiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2024 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time – but why would you?

Why aren’t governments tackling the epidemic of sexual abuse in America’s public schools? thumbnail

Why aren’t governments tackling the epidemic of sexual abuse in America’s public schools?

By MercatorNet – A Compass for Common Sense

This week the Washington Post ran a long feature about a school police officer in South Carolina who has been accused of several sexual assaults on high school girls. It turns out that more than 200 police officers have been charged with child sexual abuse between 2005 and 2022.

These officers are patrolling schools to prevent mass shootings. But a few bad apples amongst them have been sexual predators. “The Justice Department and many law enforcement agencies and school systems have failed to take basic steps to prevent sexual misconduct and root out abusive cops,” the Post claims.

The tragic thing is that these allegations come as no surprise. It is just the latest in a steady trickle of stories in the media about sexual abuse in American public schools. No doubt the problem is similar in other countries. The difference is that collecting meaningful information about abuse in schools is far more difficult in the US because of its sheer size and the number of jurisdictions – 50 states plus the District of Columbia and other territories, divided into more than 13,000 school districts.

Three articles by journalist James Varney for RealClearInvestigations highlight a massive problem which emerges from time to time but has never been comprehensively studied. He writes: “For a variety of reasons, ranging from embarrassment to eagerness to avoid liability, elected or appointed officials, along with unions or lobbying groups representing school employees, have fought to keep the truth hidden from the public.”

Lack of data is a consistent problem which seems almost insurmountable. Last year a journalist for Business Insider dug into the issue after he discovered that the public high school which had attended in southern California had become “a stalking ground for child predators”. He concluded that “shoddy investigations, quiet resignations, and a culture of secrecy have protected predators, not students”.

How many victims?

How many children have been abused in American schools? It’s impossible to put a number on it. A tally of newspaper reports would leave out the teachers and school employees who have been quietly dismissed or who are never reported.

However, Varney writes that “Given the roughly 50 million students in U.S. K-12 schools each year, the number of students who have been victims of sexual misconduct by school employees is probably in the millions each decade, according to multiple studies. Such numbers would far exceed the high-profile abuse scandals that rocked the Roman Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts of America.”

Millions? This certainly dwarfs the abuse problem in the Catholic Church, which has been pilloried for shielding abusive clergy from the law.

The key study of the prevalence of sexual abuse in public schools is 20 years old and controversial, but it raises questions which remain unanswered.

In 2004, Charol Shakeshaft, of Hofstra University, was commissioned by the US Department of Education to analyse the extent of sexual abuse in public schools. She relied upon surveys by the data collected for American Association of University Women. Her methodology is not above criticism, but what she found is still being used as a reference point. And it is deeply disturbing.

Shakeshaft found that 9.6 percent of all students in grades 8 to 11 reported unwanted sexual misconduct by school employees. “Misconduct” covered a wide range of behaviours, from jokes to touching to leering to rape. If that percentage is correct, she calculated that “more than 4.5 million students are subject to sexual misconduct by an employee of a school sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade”.

Around the same time, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops released the results of an independent study of abuse by clergy. The John Jay Report found that between 1950 and 2002, 10,667 people made allegations that priests or deacons had sexually abused them as minors.

“So we think the Catholic Church has a problem?” Shakeshaft said in an interview with Education Week in 2004. “The physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests.” Presumably she meant the number of victims, not the rate of offending.

The cover-up

Numerous reports have declared that the cover-up of clergy sexual abuse has been worse than the crime itself. The UK’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published in 2022, is one amongst many. It found that:

“The protection of personal and institutional reputations above the protection of children was a frequent institutional reaction. Statutory agencies were not informed, perpetrators were ‘moved on’ and there were failures by those in authority to thoroughly investigate allegations. Records about child sexual abuse allegations were not kept.”

When a grand jury released a report on sexual abuse in the state of Pennsylvania in 2018, it said that the Catholic Church had developed “a playbook for concealing the truth”. That report was badly flawed, as Mercator pointed out at the time, but the metaphor is a useful one. American public schools are using that playbook. Amongst educators, it’s called “passing the trash” – abusers are quietly dismissed and allowed to move to another school district where they abuse again.

Billie-Jo Grant, of California Poly State University, an expert on school abuse, told Varney that the federal Department of Education (DOE) “does not and never has tracked sexual misconduct committed by adults against students. DOE has never aggressively worked to stop teachers’ unions and administrators from passing the trash. DOE does not hold accountable the many enablers who have created a pool of mobile molesters in our schools nationwide.”

“Passing the trash” is “a shockingly frequent phenomenon in America’s public schools,” according to a 2023 study by the Defense of Freedom Institute. It also cites research by Billie-Jo Grant in which she found that abusive teachers will be passed to three different school districts before they are fired or charged by police and can have as many as 73 victims.

There are laws on the books to ban this practice, but they are ineffective. Activists are lobbying for model legislation called the SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation) Act. Progress has been slow; only a handful of states have passed it.

The common thread

Outrage over abusive clergy and cover-ups by bishops in the Catholic Church is understandable. The Church sets the moral bar high for its faithful and they deserve to have exemplary pastors. The vast majority of priests are, and have always been, upright and decent men and in recent years the incidence of abuse has declined sharply. But the scandal of predatory priests, negligent bishops and the ruined lives of children cries out to heaven for vengeance. The Church’s tarnished reputation may be part of its atonement for these offences.

However, it is incomprehensible that public school systems in the United States and other countries, like Australia and the UK, have learned nothing from that disaster and are not scrutinised with the same vigour. This negligence makes one suspect that most governments, federal and state, are more interested in weakening Christian churches than they are in protecting students. This places children at risk. As one activist told Varney, “we are not mandated to send our children to church; we are mandated to send them to school.”

It’s not just a question of fairness. Over the past few decades, an epidemic of child sexual abuse has swept through institutions in Western countries, from churches to the Boy Scouts to public schools. The Catholic Church is definitely not an outlier. There may be a deep cultural problem in our society which we are afraid to face – we no longer understand what our powerful sexual drives are for. As a consequence, they are flailing about like live electric wires and innocent children get burnt.

Until governments come to grips with this and stop using churches as whipping boys, the problem will continue unabated and millions of children will be hurt.


Have you had any experience with sexual abuse in government schools?


AUTHOR

Michael Cook

Michael Cook is editor of Mercator

EDITORS NOTE: This Mercator column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

This is not fake news: U.S. Surgeon General warns that parenting is a health hazard thumbnail

This is not fake news: U.S. Surgeon General warns that parenting is a health hazard

By MercatorNet – A Compass for Common Sense

The US Surgeon General, Dr Vivek Murthy, just issued an official advisory warning against the stressful nature of parenting and labelling it “an urgent public health issue.” The document says Surgeon General Advisories “require the nation’s immediate awareness and action.” So, according to the Surgeon General, what exactly is the urgent issue and what immediate actions should be taken to rescue parents from the stress of raising their own children?

In short, the advisory cites data showing that parents experience more stress than non-parents and that sometimes, some parents’ stress levels are so high they cannot function. It says parental stress can negatively affect children. It says major sources of parental stress include “financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns over children’s health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media, and cultural pressures.”

All true.

I’m a mom of five children, and I birthed four of them within a time span of roughly five years. 12 years later, I had a baby in my 40s. We had diapers and dating going on at the same time. I’m no stranger to stress. I have known financial strain, the instability of layoffs, bone-deep fatigue, and so much more.

As for not being able to function, that depends on your definition of the word “function”. (Does inventing games where I lay motionless on the bed while my kids pile heaps of clean laundry on top of me count as “functioning”?) Parenting has beat the stuffing right out of me at times. But through all these years, I never saw my children as a threat to my mental health.

Children are a danger to their parents

This Surgeon General’s Advisory is the first time I recall seeing an official government entity framing children as a clear and present danger to their parents. It reminds me of radical feminist Sophie Lewis’ assertion that babies in utero commit “fetal violence” toward their mothers by introducing health threats to and demanding nourishment from their unfortunate maternal hosts. Likewise, Suzanne Sadedin says an unborn baby employs “manipulation, blackmail, and violence” against its mother while floating in the womb and usurping whatever sustenance it can suck from her body.

Collectivism is always the answer

What does the Surgeon General say should be done about this assault on parents’ health? The “We Can Take Action” section of the advisory starts with this preface: “[W]hile parents and caregivers may have the primary responsibility for raising children… [it] is a collective responsibility.” It then gives a laundry list of collectivist solutions including the following:

  • “Bolster support for childcare financial assistance programs such as childcare subsidies and child income tax credits; universal preschool; early childhood education programs.”
  • “Establish a national paid family and medical leave program.”
  • Prioritise “poverty reduction, prevention of adverse childhood experiences… and improve access to healthy food and affordable housing.”
  • “Strengthen public and private insurance coverage of mental health care.”
  • Expand workplace policies, including “paid parental, medical, and sick leave” and “access to childcare (in the community or on-site)”.

Unsurprisingly, most of the solutions call for more government intervention and lots more childcare. (Sorry, but universal preschool has not been shown to improve the situation of the majority of children or their parents.) We will never fix the problem by encouraging less family unity and more government “help” that comes at the cost of higher taxes.

There doesn’t seem to be acknowledgment in the Surgeon General’s Advisory that the separation of parents and children for most of the waking hours of every day and the reality of both parents focusing most of their time and efforts outside the home may be contributing to the very problem they’re trying to solve: the widespread breakdown of the mental health and happiness of both children and their parents.

The advisory does have some solid suggestions that deserve kudos. For instance, it urges friends and family members to offer practical support to parents, including “lending assistance with household chores, childcare responsibilities, or running errands” and “looking for ways to support parents and caregivers so they can take breaks, attend needed appointments, and engage in self-care activities.” Bravo.

Humble solutions

Here are some additional suggestions for policymakers and individuals:

  • Live near familyGrandparents and others can offer vital support. Studies show that living near grandparents can benefit children, parents, and grandparents.
  • Ease parents’ financial burdens by lowering taxes; do this by eliminating social programs, not increasing or expanding them. Largely let families solve their own problems with their own money.
  • Cultivate an economy in which one parent can primarily support the family financially, and one parent can primarily focus on the physical and emotional needs of their children.
  • Spend more time and effort preparing children for parenthood. Cultivate selflessness, sacrifice, and responsibility in children (Hint: Large families often foster this.)
  • Limit time spent on electronic devices for both parents and children (for more vital information on this, see my articles here and here.)
  • Revitalise THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. Initiate simple neighbourhood gatherings to get to know the people around you. Use social media neighbourhood groups to support each other, like offering to pick up a gallon of milk, etc., for the family next door.
  • Don’t wait for the government to save you. If you are overstressed — as I was at one time when my kids were young — ask another parent to swap babysitting with you every week (or as often as needed.) Doing this reduced my stress level significantly.
  • Reconsider and revise your priorities. If work has become more dominant than home life, or if your life is overrun with too much to do, simplify and sacrifice in order to focus on what matters most to you.

Despite the often chaotic and stressful nature of parenting, most parents see their children as a deep and satisfying source of joy — despite the pain. There is work and struggle in parenthood. That’s part of what you sign up for when you decide to welcome a helpless person into your life.

But you also sign up for a life of purpose and boundless adventure beyond what you could have imagined. And almost all parents rise to the occasion. They embrace the adventure of raising a family, and it gives them both daily and lifelong purpose. At the end of the day — and at the end of their lives — most parents consider themselves better off rather than worse off for having embarked on the irreplaceable adventure of becoming parents.


What do you make of the US Surgeon General’s advisory? Leave your thoughts below.


AUTHOR

Kimberly Ells

Kimberly Ells is the author of The Invincible Family. Follow her at Invincible Family Substack.

EDITORS NOTE: This Mercator column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

An Open Letter to the God of Islam thumbnail

An Open Letter to the God of Islam

By Amil Imani

It is axiomatic that to be a Muslim, you must believe in Allah by taking him as your one and only lord, accept Muhammad as Allah’s beloved messenger, and take the Quran as a literal work of Allah and a perfect prescription for living.

Hard as I tried, I had a terrible time being a Muslim right at the entry-level. I, therefore, decided to write this open letter in the hope of receiving some satisfactory answers to the many questions that trouble me greatly.

From the first breath of life to the last pang of death, Islam relentlessly bombards us: surrender yourself fully to Allah, pray for his help, let him make all decisions for you and run your life, don’t ever question anything, since questioning is the whisperings of the accursed Satan who strives to take you astray.

Islam says that Allah is the javaab-ul-doaa (answerer of supplications/prayers) and that to him, we should supplicate for any help in all matters.

Well, I am doing strictly what I was told. In this open letter, I am supplicating Allah to provide me with answers to some of my numerous and troubling questions.

It must be a peculiarity about me. I am loath to surrender my inquiry about things and allow others, divine or not, to think for me. If I am to let Allah do all the thinking and deciding for me, then why am I given my brain? I have challenged the Islamic divines.

See, I have already failed the test since I have not surrendered fully to Allah and, by questioning, did not place my total faith in him.

I have been spending much of my life trying to get some satisfactory answers to my questions about Islam from Islamic scripture and authorities without success. More often than not, I get conflicting answers, confusing responses, and even outright contradictory statements.

Hence, I decided to pose some of my perplexing questions in this open letter directly to the god of Islam, Allah, earnestly hoping for deliverance from the anguish of doubt.

I will do my very best to conduct myself with decorum and courtesy toward Allah. At no time will I behave rudely toward him, just in case he is indeed the sole author of this incredible universe, as Islam claims. To be discourteous and rude is not my habit. I don’t even behave rudely toward anyone, much less so in dealing with a purported unfathomably magnificent being.

The list of my questions is long indeed. Here are some of my questions, not necessarily in order of importance, presented in all meekness to Allah, the Lord of Islam. All questions are important to me, and assigning relative importance to them is arbitrary. So, I get started.

I have no illusions of grandeur and no pretense of knowing very much. I am a sincere seeker of truth, and it is in this spirit that I am humbly composing this message to you, Allah. I hope I am not discourteous by simply addressing you as Allah. I mean without preceding invocation of your name by honorifics.

I fully realize that I am insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But, again, you have created me, so I must be worth something. This realization gives me the courage to address you with my questions, your Lordship.

Without further ado, I have some questions for you here.

* Islam says that you are the uncreated creator. I have a tough time with that claim. Of course, I am finite. I have some questions for you here, and my intellect can hardly imagine that something comes from nothing. There is that old refrain, “Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could,” that humans take as an article of faith and fact. But, again, we humans can hardly fathom things that transcend the limits of our finite rational mind. Any clarification of this assertion would be beneficial.

* Speaking of creating, Islam says you created the universe by the command: kon va yakoon (become and became). The universe appeared instantly in obedience to your command. There are different views about this whole topic of creation that I don’t want to trouble you about. For now, my simple question is: Lord, by this simple command of kon va yakoon, you brought about this indescribably magnificent universe, yet you took some twenty years to write your smallish book, the Quran. Why did it take you so long to write it? I fear a thunderbolt might strike me dead for posing this intrusive question. I hope you hold off and allow me to continue.

So, I can supply a rationalization, not a plausible reason, for it. I told myself, Your Lordship, perhaps it took you twenty years because Muhammad was illiterate and slow in getting your dictates and taking them to a scribe to jot them down. That’s why. Yet, finding someone who could actually write things down among the horde of savages was not an easy task.

A follow-up question! Why a supremely august being, as you are, with all the indescribably exulted powers and attributes, chose an illiterate Arab, a hired hand of a wealthy widow, as your messenger is a mystery. Couldn’t you have selected a Rabbi from nearby Medina, a Zoroastrian Mobed, a Christian Priest from Mecca, a Hindu Monk, a Buddhist Clergy? These were people who had specialized in matters of religion, rather than an Arab whose only skill was helping drive caravans of camels.

I have seen Islam’s pat answers to all questions: no one is given the right to ask Allah about his doings; he does what pleases him and ordains what he wants. But this is no answer. It is a copout.

*Are you male, your Lordship? I’m sorry for asking a personal question. The reason I ask is that you have a lot against women. You stipulate that women are worth one-half of men. You ordain that men are rulers over women and much more. I don’t see that. My lifelong experiences with women have convinced me that women are as worthy as men, if not better, in many respects. For one, women are the life-givers and nurturers of life. Men, by contrast, are forever in the business of life-taking.

Science tells us that women are as capable as men in every sphere other than those that require brute force. However, machines are much superior to men in brute force, and women can operate those machines as well as men.

Is there something inherently inferior or evil about women? If so, then pardon me, your lordship. It is you who designed them that way. Didn’t you?

Is it not a fact that the savage chauvinist Arabs of Muhammad’s time are the ones who instituted this oppressive scheme against women, and Muhammad stamped his approval of the fraud in your name?

My next question is about the role of religion. My limited understanding is that the primary function of religion is to bring disparate people together. It brings unity and amity among diverse and quarreling human groups. Islam fails miserably on this major point. While Muhammad was alive, he kept preaching the gospel of divisiveness. He taught a gospel of us against them, believers against the unbeliever. Since his death, Muhammad’s followers have doggedly followed his gospel of divisiveness.

How can fueling the fire of polarization bring about peace and unity after what Muhammad and his disciples continue to do, killing the unbelievers in mass and without the slightest bit of mercy?

Compounding the problem is the fact that as Muhammad was still gasping his last breath, his senior disciples were busying themselves with the business of killing one another in their lust for power and leadership. And Islam has been on a mission with internecine as well as infidel killing ever since.

If I don’t get answers to these questions, I will continue to ask more of them in the future. Who knows? As unlikely as it may seem, Allah may indeed deem it appropriate to send another of his archangels with a Quran addressing these and other troubling questions. Remember that he does what pleases him and ordains what he wants. Like I was told.

©2024. Amil Imani. All rights reserved.

Why is ‘Florida’s capital of anti-Semitism’ also ‘Florida’s murder capital’ in 2024? thumbnail

Why is ‘Florida’s capital of anti-Semitism’ also ‘Florida’s murder capital’ in 2024?

By Beverly Newman, Ed. D.

In Florida, generations of Jews are routinely victimized with absolute impunity.

This is institutional antisemitism passed along from generation to generation of Jew-haters against generations of Jew-victims. In our family, Florida’s intergenerational antisemitism is now in Generation 4 — starting with my Dad, Holocaust Survivor Al Katz, and thereafter passed down to my husband and me, our child, and our four grandchildren.

In 2023, our four Indiana grandchildren, one of whom was still in high school, purportedly disinherited themselves of Al Katz’s bequest to them of hundreds of thousands of dollars, by their signing of a sheet of paper, prepared by the Florida lawyer representing the Manatee County condo association suing them for Al’s condo debts; despite the fact that none of Al’s great-grandchildren was ever an owner of his condo or liable for his debts.

By falsifying official government records, the law firm representing Heritage Village West Condominium Association in collaboration with HVW President, Matthew Schrier, signing under oath, filed a lien against HVW 4102 intending to nullify Al Katz’s warranty deed, stipulating his sole ownership of HVW 4102 since 1984. Put simply, with the stroke of his pen, Matthew Schrier “transferred” on paper 40 years of continuous real property ownership from a Holocaust Survivor to his great-grandchildren with no distributions thereof, threatening them with alleged insurmountable debts unless they would disinherit themselves and agree to HVW’s foreclosure on Al Katz’s condominium and awarding of hundreds of thousands of dollars to HVW’s lawyers.

This slight of hand, of course, is patently illegal except when the hundreds of thousands of dollars belonging to Jews is involved. The Manatee County court avidly approved of the numerous transactions that falsified governmental records; fraudulently foreclosed on Al Katz’s real property at the foreclosure sale held online for two minutes, selling HVW 4102 to HVW at a cost of $100.00; and HVW’s stealing and looting of thousands of Jewish personal property items inside of HVW 4102.

This pattern is the self-same one used in Nazi Germany – to seize Jewish real property and loot all Jewish personal property therein. Even with copious photographic and eyewitness evidence of these felonious grand thefts and antisemitic hate crimes, the supervising court was unmoved to stop the evisceration of Al Katz’s bequests to his Jewish family, preceded by HVW’s decade-long antisemitic campaign against them via threats, extortion, defamation, vandalism, thefts, intimidation, and classic antisemitic accusations.

Likewise, the Manatee County law enforcement and prosecutor’s office have since 2008 refused to take a single action against any of the perpetrators of the well-documented crimes, felonies, and antisemitic hate crimes against our family, such that our reports of crimes receive no case numbers, no investigators assigned, no response at all from the authorities, no indictments, no prosecutions, no fines, and no penalties of any kind ever.

Growing up in KKK Indiana, living in non-Jewish neighborhoods, attending schools from primary through doctoral levels with nearly 100 percent non-Jewish student populations, working with nearly 100 percent non-Jewish staffs and administrators, and living for decades across the street from a Catholic church and immense Catholic schools complex, preschool-grade 12, I have never witnessed the enormity and impenetrability of institutional antisemitism that our family has suffered for decades in South Florida.

No matter the visibility of the crimes inflicted against our family, the perpetrators remain invincible, untouchable. Years ago, Dr. Rich Swier published “Florida’s Capital of Antisemitism“, the status of which crimes against our family has only intensified and solidified many years later. Also intensifying and solidifying are the murders in the self-same City of Bradenton/ Manatee County, now dubbed as “Florida’s Murder Capital 2024“; for antisemitism is a highly-contagious disease creating a climate of hate witnessed and practiced by our youths in gang violence, murders, drug-related crimes, child abuse, and human trafficking, all of which plague this picturesque area on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Rather than being the picture of beauty The Divine One blessed this county to be, it has morphed into a forbidding and foreboding site of hatred run amuck from generation to generation, breeding many children filled with uncontained disillusionment, disgust, distress, and desires to harm themselves, their peers, family members, strangers, community, and society for cheating them out of the decent childhood they deserve.

©2024. Beverly Newman, Ed. D. All rights reserved.

The Global Scam Network: A Deep Dive into International Fraud thumbnail

The Global Scam Network: A Deep Dive into International Fraud

By Amil Imani

In the age of digital globalization, scams have become a widespread problem, often orchestrated from across the globe. While scam stories are far from new, the evolving nature of fraud, the countries from which they originate, and the staggering financial losses for the United States require fresh analysis.

Key Scam Originating Countries

Several nations have been linked to high levels of fraud targeting American citizens and businesses, ranging from phishing and romance fraud to business email compromise (BEC). Here’s a breakdown of the most prominent ones:

  • Nigeria: Nigeria has long been associated with various forms of fraud, especially email scams, commonly known as “Nigerian Prince” scams. In recent years, sophisticated fraud networks have emerged, often involving cybercrime syndicates. These groups use social engineering tactics, romance scams, and fake business proposals to siphon billions from unsuspecting victims worldwide. The FBI estimates that Nigerian BEC scams alone result in losses of over $1.8 billion annually globally.
  • India: India has seen a rise in fraudulent call centers that target American consumers. These scams often involve tech support fraud, IRS impersonation scams, or fake credit card services. Criminal networks run many operations in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, where scammers impersonate IRS or Microsoft representatives. In 2022, it was estimated that tech support fraud originating from India led to losses exceeding $347 million in the U.S.
  • China: Chinese scammers are often linked to counterfeit goods, intellectual property theft, and fraudulent online marketplaces. China’s rise as a global e-commerce powerhouse has also enabled fraudsters to use platforms to sell fake products, affecting the fashion and pharmaceutical industries. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported that Chinese counterfeit scams cost the U.S. economy upwards of $600 billion annually.
  • Russia: Russian cybercriminals have become some of the most notorious worldwide. They are frequently linked to sophisticated hacking schemes and ransomware attacks. Russian crime groups target American corporations, government institutions, and critical infrastructure. The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in 2021, for instance, which was attributed to Russian hackers, resulted in a payout of $4.4 million in Bitcoin.
  • The Philippines: Call center scams, especially related to online dating, romance fraud, and fake investments, often originate from the Philippines. Scammers build elaborate counterfeit profiles, usually targeting emotionally vulnerable Americans. In 2023 alone, the FBI reported that romance scams from the Philippines resulted in over $700 million in losses.

The Growing Threat of gift cards scams

A significant and growing portion of the fraud ecosystem revolves around gift card scams. Scammers increasingly prefer gift cards to defraud people, as they are easy to purchase, widely available, and provide minimal protection for the buyer.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), one in four people who report losing money to fraud have fallen victim to gift card scams. Typically, these scams begin with a phone call from someone posing as a well-known – demanding the numbers on the back of gift cards to resolve a “security issue” or prevent arrest.

Popular Targets for Gift Card Scams

Target gift cards have become the most frequently reported brand for scams, followed by Google Play, Apple, eBay, and Walmart.

Scammers often instruct victims to purchase cards from retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, CVS, and Walgreens, ensuring anonymity and complicating law enforcement efforts.

Scammers typically coach victims to purchase multiple gift cards across various locations and to remain on the phone with the scammer to prevent interference from store employees.

Between 2018 and 2021, gift card scams increased yearly, with total losses reaching $148 million in just the first nine months of 2021. The median loss for victims of these scams rose from $700 to $1,000 during this period, with Target gift cards accounting for a median loss of $2,500 – 30% of victims reported losing $5,000 or more on a single Target card.

If someone demands payment via gift card, it is unequivocally a scam. Gift cards should be used for gifts, not payments. Victims are encouraged to report fraud to the card issuer and file a complaint with the FTC.

Fresh Insights: Emerging Scam Hubs

While the countries above remain at the forefront, newer countries are joining the ranks of global scam hubs driven by economic inequality, weak regulatory oversight, and internet access.

  • Eastern Europe: Countries like Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria are becoming hotbeds for digital fraud and cybercrime. These nations host many fraudulent websites, phishing networks, and money laundering operations. Losses attributed to Eastern European fraud networks are challenging to quantify, but they are believed to contribute significantly to global BEC losses, estimated to cost the U.S. $43 billion since 2016.
  • Ghana: Known as “the new Nigeria” regarding online romance scams, Ghana is becoming a significant player in defrauding American citizens. Many Ghanaian scammers pose as U.S. military personnel stationed abroad, developing relationships with their targets before requesting money. In 2022, U.S. losses from romance scams tied to Ghana reached over $300 million.

Quantifying the Financial Impact

Quantifying the amount of money lost to scams is challenging, as many victims are reluctant to report their losses. However, estimates suggest that the annual cost to the United States alone is staggering. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC),

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recorded over 800,000 complaints in 2022 alone, with reported losses exceeding $10 billion – a 60% increase from the previous year

Yes, Americans lost billions of dollars to scams in recent years. Here’s a snapshot of the financial toll on the U.S. from scams in just the last few years:

  • Business Email Compromise (BEC): $2.4 billion in 2021 losses
  • Phishing schemes: $1 billion in 2022 losses
  • Romance scams: $1.3 billion in 2022 losses: Victims are lured into romantic relationships with scammers who ultimately exploit them financially.
  • Tech support fraud: $347 million in 2022 losses: Scammers pose as technical support representatives to gain access to victims’ computers and steal personal information.
  • Investment scams: Victims are promised high returns on investments that are ultimately fraudulent.
  • Phishing scams: Scammers send emails or messages to trick victims into revealing sensitive information.
  • Ransomware attacks: Roughly $20 billion in global economic damages in 2022, much of it targeting U.S. institutions

Beyond the Numbers

The financial toll of scams extends far beyond monetary losses. Victims often suffer emotional distress, damaged credit, and a loss of trust in others. In some cases, the psychological impact can be severe, leading to depression and even suicide.

Why America is a Primary Target

  • High Disposable Income: Scammers target the U.S. because of its vast population of individuals with higher disposable incomes. Americans are more likely to have access to credit, savings, and online banking.
  • Advanced Technology Infrastructure: While the U.S. leads in technology adoption, it is more vulnerable to cyber-attacks and online scams, exploiting the systems designed to offer convenience.
  • Weak International Coordination: Despite efforts, international law enforcement needs help to keep up with cybercrime’s ever-evolving nature. The lack of cohesive international regulations and jurisdictional challenges enables scammers in foreign nations to operate with impunity.

Combating the Global Scam Epidemic and the Road Ahead

Addressing the global scam epidemic requires a multifaceted approach. Governments, law enforcement agencies, and technology companies must work together to:

  • Enhance law enforcement cooperation: Strengthen international collaboration to track and prosecute scammers.
  • Improve consumer education: Raise awareness about common scams and provide tips on how to protect oneself.
  • Strengthen cybersecurity measures: Develop and implement robust security protocols to prevent scammers from exploiting vulnerabilities.
  • Support victim recovery: Offer resources and support to victims of scams.

As fraudsters continue to adapt and exploit new vulnerabilities, international coalitions must focus on intelligence sharing, cybersecurity investment, and policy enforcement. Another critical strategy is to empower consumers with better education about emerging scam tactics.

In the age of hypoconnectivity, the battle against scams has indeed become a global one. However, with innovative approaches to cybersecurity and international cooperation, there’s hope that the financial hemorrhaging from the U.S. to global scam hubs can be curtailed.

By understanding the origins of global scams and their devastating impact on individuals and communities, we can take steps to combat this growing threat and protect ourselves from becoming victims.

©2024. Amil Imani. All rights reserved.

‘Sorely Needed’: Speaker Johnson May Attach SAVE Act to Government Funding Bill thumbnail

‘Sorely Needed’: Speaker Johnson May Attach SAVE Act to Government Funding Bill

By Family Research Council

Congressional Republicans say House leadership will likely attach a bill to prevent illegal immigrants from voting in U.S. elections — a bill Republicans say is necessary for the “protection of citizenship and our national sovereignty”— to a must-pass government funding bill as a precondition for avoiding a government shutdown.

Multiple sources indicate Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) will add the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to a continuing resolution, or CR, which Congress needs to pass before October 1 to avert a government shutdown.

“I suspect you’re going to see a CR with the SAVE Act coming up in the next two to three weeks,” predicted Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) on “Washington Watch” Wednesday. “What the Speaker has discussed with us is a six-month continuing resolution. You and I both don’t love that,” Perry told the program’s guest host, former Congressman Jody Hice, “but that gets us into the Trump administration, God willing, if he were to prevail. But included with that would be attaching to that the SAVE Act, which requires states then to verify citizenship of every one of their voters. And that’s something that is sorely needed.”

Congressional Republicans see the bill as necessary to fix a loophole in federal law that may incentivize illegal immigrants to vote in U.S. elections. The SAVE Act amends the 1993 National Voter Registration Act (sometimes called the “Motor-Voter Law”), which stipulates that anyone who applies for a driver’s license must be offered the opportunity to register to vote. The form asks applicants to certify they are U.S. citizens, but a court ruling prevents officials from taking any steps to verify the applicant’s citizenship. The SAVE Act would require officials to assure the would-be voter’s U.S. citizenship before an illegal ballot gets cast.

Democrats object to the law as unnecessary and redundant, saying existing laws already bar non-citizens from voting. But Republicans say the current landscape does nothing to prevent illegal immigrants from voting. “Of course, it’s already illegal for people that are here illegally to vote, but that’s not to say it doesn’t happen, because no one is enforcing it,” explained Perry. “This would require states to actually enforce the law.” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) wrote in an op-ed for Breitbart that Congress finds itself “in the historically unique position” of being able to leverage government funding for election security.

“Asking for proof of citizenship should not bother anyone. That’s the only way that we can protect the integrity of citizenship and the integrity of our elections,” Ken Blackwell, senior fellow for Human Rights and Constitutional Governance at Family Research Council, told Hice later in the show. “This is a situation that cries out for more … protection of citizenship and our national sovereignty.”

With just two months before the 2024 presidential election, Republicans see the election integrity bill, which has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, as pivotal. Speaker Johnson called the bill “a generation-defining moment” in U.S. civic history. “We see it as a potential game changer,” said Perry. “We just want our elections to be fair, but determined by American citizens. And the fact that the Democrats oppose that should tell you everything you need to know.” The bill has the support of conservatives in both houses of Congress. “This is where the House Freedom Caucus and I stand: While we oppose passing any CR, if it’s forced upon us, we will fight to ensure the SAVE Act is part of the deal. It’s time to hold the line and demand accountability, because secure elections should be non-negotiable,” said Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) in a statement emailed to The Washington Stand.

As concerns over illegal voting take center stage in Washington, the issue is winding its way through the nation’s courts, as well. On Wednesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) sued Bexar County after its commissioners pressed forward with a plan to send mail-in ballots to all county residents, regardless of their eligibility or citizenship status. “This program is completely unlawful and potentially invites election fraud,” said Paxton. The move comes after Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) removed more than 1.1 million ineligible registrants — including 7,000 non-citizens — from the state’s voting rolls.

In neighboring Arizona, America First Legal sued all 15 county recorders for failing to remove illegal and ineligible voters from the system ahead of November’s election. The lawsuit contends that two provisions of federal law — 8 U.S.C. § 1373(c) and 8 U.S.C. § 1644 — allow state and local officials to obtain information about applicants’ citizenship, an authority which they have failed to use. “America First Legal will do everything in its power to fight mass illegal alien voting and foreign interference in our democracy,” said Stephen Miller, a former Trump aide.

The road ahead at the federal level is not without obstacles. Some in Washington oppose attaching the SAVE Act to the CR, and many House conservatives have expressed displeasure that the House must pass a CR rather than legislating discreet bills for each area of government. Two congressmen — Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) — have announced they will vote against the bill. Perry said the speaker’s solution is the most practical response. “We’re going to be left with a couple options: a continuing resolution, which keeps spending the same amount of money [and the] same policy until the deal is worked out, or an omnibus, which would be terribly written in Chuck Schumer’s office by his staff, spending wildly” and codifying “terrible policy,” said Perry.

Democrats in both chambers have gone all-out to oppose the measure. A meager five House Democrats voted for the SAVE Act in July, with 198 opposed. (The Democrats who voted in favor were Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez Jr. of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.)

Polls show the American people believe the Republicans have the better part of the argument. A whopping 87% of Americans support the bill’s goal of assuring only Americans vote in American elections. “I’m for those wanting a better life to get the opportunity to become a citizen the right way. But if you’re not American, you shouldn’t be voting. Simple as that,” said NFL great Brett Favre.

Despite overwhelming public support, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has pronounced any funding measure including the SAVE Act “dead on arrival.” And Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) called the bill’s election integrity measures “outrageous partisan poison pills.”

“Chuck Schumer might say it’s dead on arrival,” but if the House passes the election integrity bill as part of the must-pass bill, the Democrat is “going to have no choice to either accept that, or he will be responsible for shutting down the government,” Perry told Hice. “If the government shuts down over the Democrats’ unholy obsession with noncitizen voting, that’s on Chuck Schumer,” said Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in a social media post. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) made similar comments Wednesday during comments to the Republican Jewish Coalition.

“Sure would be a strange reason to shut down the U.S. government,” noted Elon Musk, who became a legal immigrant to the United States in 2002.

But Blackwell does not believe the bill will cause a stand-off in Congress. “By actually shining some spotlight on this challenge, I think that we can we can pull the curtain down on this illegal action,” said Blackwell, who oversaw Ohio’s elections as Secretary of State (1999-2007).

Nothing is more important to American political life than safeguarding the integrity of the ballot, he said. “Every vote counts. And so protecting the integrity of the system by making sure that there’s no illegal vote that cancels out a legal ballot is prudent. We cannot sit on the sidelines. Each citizen of the United States has to demand this integrity, has to demand this sort of transparency, has to get involved. And we must continue to make sure that we have as many people as observers and workers at the polling places as possible at the precinct level.”

“We should not have a polling place in America that is not covered by two sets of eyes, bipartisan sets of eyes, so that we have transparency. So, make sure you go to your local party, go to your local county office, and ask how you can become involved as a worker or an observer,” he exhorted.

“We cannot let darkness prevail in this election,” Blackwell concluded.

AUTHOR

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson is senior reporter and editor at The Washington Stand.

RELATED ARTICLE: A ‘Conservative’ Case against Tennessee’s SAFE Act?

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2024 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

EXCLUSIVE: Don Jr., Trump Campaign Thrilled With How Much Better They Think Vance Has Been Than Walz thumbnail

EXCLUSIVE: Don Jr., Trump Campaign Thrilled With How Much Better They Think Vance Has Been Than Walz

By The Daily Caller

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign and his eldest son, Don Jr., say they are thrilled with Sen. J.D. Vance’s performance on the campaign trail in comparison to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in exclusive conversations with the Daily Caller.

Trump Jr., who was one of the main forces behind Vance becoming his father’s running mate, explained to the Caller that people were “wrong” about Vance and said that he “understood the guy.” Trump Jr. and other campaign officials highlighted Vance’s media appearances, saying he is not scared to go against the liberal mainstream media, whereas Walz has continued to dodge questions from reporters on the campaign trail and has yet to sit down for a one-on-one interview since becoming the Democratic VP nominee.

“I’ve known him well and for a long time. I understand his talents. And I think every Sunday when I watch the Sunday shows or frankly, any other media, I am continually reaffirmed that me going all in for J.D. was 100% the right move,” Trump Jr. told the Caller. “But what’s also interesting is there’s plenty of people that were sort of, let’s just say, J.D. Vance, not necessarily fans or perhaps indifferent, who have since reached out to me knowing my push, knowing that they were probably pushing different directions who are straight up saying, ‘Don you are 100% right on that one. I got it wrong.’ And he’s absolutely kicking ass out on the campaign trail right now.”

Regarding other possible picks, Trump Jr. said that he believes the media would have treated whoever his father picked with disdain.

“I think the media would have done the attacks on everyone and anyone that Trump ever picked. That’s their job, as sort of the lapdog propagandists of the Democrat machine. I think they went particularly hard on J.D. But those hits just don’t fall well, because his backstory, his life story, as articulate as he is, the way he prosecutes the case,” he said. “J.D. does better in a hostile media territory than the very vast majority of Republicans do on even Fox News. And so the way he’s able to prosecute that case against the Democrats, the Harris-Biden regime, their failures, it’s just been incredible to watch.”

One of the main reasons Trump Jr. said he pushed for Vance was due to his support for the America First movement, which he said he thinks Vance can “keep going in an age beyond Trump.”

“So I think he’s just shown a level of commitment to the movement that’s amazing. I think you combine that with his other talents, his youth,” Trump Jr. told the Caller. “And my dad will be a part of this thing for hopefully a very long time. But we don’t have much of a bench on the conservative side, certainly not on the America First side that can actually play the game the way it needs to be played against the Democrats, who have just been steamrolling us for years. I think he’s one of those rare talents, on our side. So, I think I recognized that earlier than most, I think others are starting to finally get it now, and that’s great.”

“You can’t put Tim Walz and JD Vance in the same category for comparison. I mean it’s not even close,” Trump Jr. added.

Meanwhile, sources on the Trump campaign and National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt all echoed their support for Vance as Trump’s running mate and heavily criticized Walz, who has come under fire for signing legislation in favor of putting tampons in boys bathrooms, accusations of stolen valor and his history and relationship with China.

“Senator JD Vance honorably served our country in the US Marines and has truly lived the American Dream. He has proven to be a great asset to President Trump and our campaign as he barnstorms the country meeting with voters and owning the fake news media. Senator Vance certainly serves as a strong and sharp contrast to Weirdo Tim Walz, who has been one of the most radical liberal governors in the country and supports insane policies, like putting tampons in men’s bathrooms,” Leavitt told the Caller.

A senior Trump campaign official added that they are surprised Democrats have not found a way to replace Walz on their ticket, saying he is only hurting Democrats’ chance of defeating Trump.

“It’s shocking that the Democrats haven’t already done the rumored switcharoo on VP. Walz is terrible for their ticket. He came to the dance with a record of lies about his military resume, he can’t face the press without a babysitter, and despite being Governor of Minnesota, their ticket has actually lost ground in polling there since he was selected,” the senior Trump campaign official told the Caller.

Another Trump campaign official said Vance is “killing it” and has done a good job on the campaign trail.

“Besides President Trump himself, he’s the strongest advocate there is for President Trump’s policies. And unlike Kamala Harris, he’s willing to go into the lion’s den. He’ll go on Meet the Press, CNN, wherever, he’ll go do an interview, and he’ll take tough questions and he’ll come back with great answers and I think he’s been executing the case. and he’s been aggressively on the campaign trail. And we’re happy. He’s killing it,” the Trump campaign official said.

Longtime Republican strategist John Ashbrook told the Caller that Vance is “absolutely crushing it” and called Walz a phony.

“He refuses to let opposition dictate the terms of any debate and clearly delivers a message about fixing our economy and securing our border. It was very smart of President Trump to elevate the voice of a poor kid from Middletown, Ohio, who echoes the sentiments of the overlooked millions he fights for every day,” Ashbrook said. “And he offers a stark authenticity contrast with Tim Walz who’s spent his lengthy political career pretending to be something he’s not.”

AUTHOR

Henry Rodgers

Chief national correspondent.

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RELATED VIDEO: J.D. Vance: ‘Every single member of Tim Walz’s family endorsed Donald Trump for president’

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

JOBS REPORT SHOCK: Native-born American Workers LOST 1.3 Million Jobs in August. Foreign-Born GAINED 630k. thumbnail

JOBS REPORT SHOCK: Native-born American Workers LOST 1.3 Million Jobs in August. Foreign-Born GAINED 630k.

By The Geller Report

Employment among foreign-born workers has increased 4.4 million since pre-pandemic (and is back on trend) while jobs among native-born Americans have fallen 833k over that same time – Americans left in the dustbin…

Who would vote for this catastrophic regime? Illegals.

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Employment Situation — August 2024

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 142,000 in August, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in construction and health care

Chart 1. Unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, August 2022 – August 2024

Chart 2. Nonfarm payroll employment over-the-month change, seasonally adjusted, August 2022 – August 2024

Household Survey Data

Both the unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.1 million, changed little in August. These measures are higher than a year earlier, when the jobless rate was 3.8 percent, and the number of unemployed people was 6.3 million. (See table A-1.)

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.0 percent), adult women (3.7 percent), teenagers (14.1 percent), Whites (3.8 percent), Blacks (6.1 percent), Asians (4.1 percent), and Hispanics (5.5 percent) showed little or no change in August. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)

Among the unemployed, the number of people on temporary layoff declined by 190,000 to 872,000 in August, mostly offsetting an increase in the prior month. The number of permanent job losers was essentially unchanged at 1.7 million in August. (See table A-11.)

The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was virtually unchanged at

1.5 million in August. The long-term unemployed accounted for 21.3 percent of all unemployed people. (See table A-12.)

The labor force participation rate remained at 62.7 percent in August and is little changed over the year. The employment-population ratio also was unchanged in August, at 60.0 percent, but is down by

0.4 percentage point over the year. (See table A-1.)

The number of people employed part time for economic reasons was little changed at 4.8 million in August. This measure is up from 4.2 million a year earlier. These individuals would have preferred full- time employment but were working part time because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs. (See table A-8.)

The number of people not in the labor force who currently want a job, at 5.6 million, changed little in August. These individuals were not counted as unemployed because they were not actively looking for work during the 4 weeks preceding the survey or were unavailable to take a job. (See table A-1.)

Among those not in the labor force who wanted a job, the number of people marginally attached to the labor force, at 1.4 million, was little changed in August. These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. The number of discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached who believed that no jobs were available for them, changed little at 367,000 in August. (See Summary table A.)

Establishment Survey Data

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 142,000 over the month. Employment growth in August was in line with average job growth in recent months but was below the average monthly gain of 202,000 over the prior 12 months. In August, job gains occurred in construction and health care. (See table B-1.)

Construction employment rose by 34,000 in August, higher than the average monthly gain of 19,000 over the prior 12 months. Over the month, heavy and civil engineering construction added 14,000 jobs, and employment in nonresidential specialty trade contractors continued to trend up (+14,000).

Health care added 31,000 jobs in August, about half the average monthly gain of 60,000 over the prior 12 months. In August, employment rose in ambulatory health care services (+24,000) and hospitals (+10,000).

In August, employment in social assistance continued its upward trend (+13,000) but at a slower pace than the average monthly gain over the prior 12 months (+21,000). Individual and family services added 18,000 jobs over the month.

Employment in manufacturing edged down in August (-24,000), reflecting a decline of 25,000 in durable goods industries. Manufacturing employment has shown little net change over the year.

Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and warehousing; information; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government.

In August, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 14 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $35.21. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.8 percent. In August, average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 11 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $30.27. (See tables B-3 and B-8.)

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls edged up by 0.1 hour to 34.3 hours in August. In manufacturing, the average workweek changed little at 40.0 hours, and overtime edged up by 0.1 hour to 3.0 hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls remained at 33.7 hours. (See tables B-2 and B-7.)

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for June was revised down by 61,000, from +179,000 to +118,000, and the change for July was revised down by 25,000, from +114,000 to +89,000. With these revisions, employment in June and July combined is 86,000 lower than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)

Read the full report.

AUTHOR

Pamela Geller

EDITORS NOTE: This Geller Report is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.