Well, from the looks of things, I wouldn’t say it’s “Americans”.
Recently, we published a comment about where we are as a nation. I wrote that we were at a “crossroads” and agreed with the author of that assessment. Specifically that unlike most times in history, we can actually feel that we are at a massive turning point. This is unique.
On one side stands constitutional republicanism with free and fair votes, with lots of transparency. On the other side stands banana republicanism; elections will continue but they will be worthless. Think of Venezuela.
Therein lie the choices for our future.
That’s pretty obvious now. We can argue about what the future holds but the deeper question is how did we get to this point?
It is a point well worth asking, and in asking, possibly coming to the dread realization that we are a mafia state, a Third World kleptocracy. And that voting no longer matters.
So who is it that controls our ruling class? Are they native to our soil or are they foreigners? Or is it a mixture of both?
Chances are we’ll never know the full story or how America became in thrall to a nefarious international world order. But we do have hints. Congressman Eric Swalwell was recently outed for being involved in a Chinese honey-trap. Senator Dianne Feinstein has had a Chinese spy as her chauffer for over twenty years. And then there’s the infamous Hunter Biden laptop. It’s a sad state of affairs that our putative President-elect is known affectionately as “Beijing Biden” (or “Beijing [female dog] Biden”).
It’s an open secret now. But you can’t say we weren’t warned. In the video below, you will see a certain Chinese professor openly brag about the grip that the Chinese Communist Party has over the American ruling class.
Please take the time to watch it (as it has already been taken down on other platforms):
https://www.facebook.com/TuckerCarlsonTonight/videos/720251165535714/
Yes, but it appears that both left and right in this country somehow manage to be “pulled into line” by China.
All except the Donald,
which is another reason why they hate him so much.
And therein lies the lesson, does it not?
Yes, The Donald was a celebrity figure from the 90s, a womanizer, a business pirate. A lout, a buffoon if you will (or someone who played the part). No matter. At the end of the day he was not part of this nefarious cabal and as the son and grandson of immigrants, he loved this country in a way that the Bushes the Clintons and the Bidens (and the Schiffs and the Soroses) never could.
And so, his election in 2016 was viewed as a horrendous mistake.
Yes because Deutschebank and Vladimir Vladimirovich own him.
Do you have proof of that Claes? No. It’s possible but unlikely.
Seriously, that doesn’t even make sense, given that Trump put more sanctions on Russia, not fewer.
On the other hand though we absolutely have proof positive that Biden is China’s poodle.
Well Claes if they do “own” him, they certainly are letting him fight for religious freedom, freedom of speech and thought, and pro-life. Trump’s life trajectory is one of those rising graphs I long for, at least spiritually. Perhaps his Roman Catholic independent Slavic wife has made a difference. Whatever, I’m happy for him and sad because I grew up with it that I didn’t recognize the damage the elite Republicans like the Bushes caused though out of blindness no doubt not evil intent. (I’ve always seen the Democratic elite damage and their intentions are usually stated so they are aware). We are blessed as Orthodox to “know” from the Saints and our Tradition what others do not receive…
As per George’s description, I surely admire DJT’s ascending slope on the graph of life. Wish mine looked that way…
Dear Johann,
I don’t think they are really “pulled into line” by China.
You can notice in the video Radcliffe mentioning that the Chinese will do anything for power such as human testing in the hope of developing soldiers with biologically enhanced capabilities, suffice it to say the CIA and U.S. military are not unfamiliar with such pursuits. There is steadfast commonality of spirit as many on the left and the right will also do anything for power. Recently I read that Pelosi held up money for the suffering American people for sheer political purposes, that is in the same realm as what the godless communist are comfortable doing to people. There is a plethora of other examples, Roe vs Wade etc.
These days the good people sit here and stew, the good Americanized people who put them in office?
Pulled into line by China? Hmmm…the Chinese may be smart and have great political ambitions of their own, but Wall Street is pulled into line by only one thing: the idol of $money$ (which, of course, in this world equals power). This idol is apolitical and amoral. “Free trade” (so-called) facilitates the worship this idol unhindered by any of those pesky moral or political concerns.
The Chinese are also particularly fond of money.
Doom, doom, doom. International cabals, an insidious new world order, oligarchic mafia states, and Chinese communists controlling Washington – where have I seen all this before?
I don’t know, the Protocols?
The sentiment is neither new nor unwarranted–especially in southeast Asia:
https://read.dukeupress.edu/positions/article-abstract/24/2/555/21794/Beyond-Jews-of-the-Orient-A-New-Interpretation-of
https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/114799/2/b1109199x.pdf (page 218 of the PDF, 197 of the book)
https://www.quora.com/Is-there-a-Chinese-privilege-in-South-East-Asia
Our country has lost that critical mass of free men who believe and live according to the knowledge that our politicians and leaders work for us – not the other way around. We no longer have that critical mass needed to hold them accountable.
Not sure how we regain that. Too many of us are fat and happy, numbed out with video games and internet addictions. We no longer hold God in importance or value. Look how quickly some areas of the country rolled over and let moronic politicians crush our lives with covid scares. We let them keep Walmart open, but churches must stay closed. Come on.
We need to regain that spirit that politicians and govt leaders work for us, that a “career politician” should never exist. A man has a trade, and may serve his state or country in politics for a few years, then returns to his trade.
How do we get back to that?
My son has a solution. DO NOT VOTE, THEY ARE ALL CORRUPT. That is how he says it. In practical terms form a coalition of as many people as possible not to vote at all.
I have long wished there was a “none of the above” on the ballot.
He also says that participating in a corrupt system would make him corrupt. So he does not vote. That is how he exercises his free speech.
How about don’t get out to vote rally?
That would be nice. Unfortunately, at least in my state there isn’t away to unregister to vote. Therefore, I believe they can still use that nonvoter to submit a vote for them. I am a nonvoter and still get political mail. This year I was surprised to receive calls and mail from the democrats. If nonvoting was to work, you would have to get everyone to not vote, and there are some people that still believe there vote counts and wouldn’t give it up. I’ll just keep praying because I know God always has the last word.
It seems the SAME day our Supreme Court seals the deal for the International Commuionists/Globalists to take our country, the FDA approves a genetically altering, sterlizing, anaphylactic-shock inducing and God-knows-what-else vaccine. And this for a something most people don’t even realize they have, but, if they do test positive for it, have a 99% chance of surviving.
Hmmn.
What’s going on here?
“What’s going on here?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qorQThE0BSY
“What’s going on here?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFrdqQZ8FFc
Quite sad to see that many Christians are also “pulled into line” by China, thorough the spreading and acceptance of anti-vaccine and anti-mask conspiracy theories.
The more people accept these theories and refuse to wear masks, the more the disease spreads, the more the economy goes down, and the more power China gets (their economy has been booming).
The main weakness of western democracies is that people are hard to get to act coherently in an emergency, especially when bombarded by conspiracy theories behind the scene via social media. The Chinese knew that this puts them at a relative advantage when dealing with a disease. And this why they did their best to allow the coronavirus to spread.
Do not forget that there were many weeks when flying from Wuhan to Beijing was restricted, while flying from Wuhan to Europe and the US was allowed; moreover, both the Chinese and their cronies (including Biden) accused anybody who wanted to stop these flights of racism.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/Whathappensif/how-china-locked-down-internally-for-covid-19-but-pushed-foreign-travel/
Amen
I’ll tell you what, anonimus. You can hurl your conspiracy accusations at people all day long. It does not matter. Oh yeah…and I will graciously offer my vaccine to you. I don’t want it. ?
Thanks for the offer. I may need it 🙂
The other option I considered was taking the Russian vaccine, but getting there and getting it once there seems complicated.
Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev took it in September and appears very frisky. And the vaccine seems to work, Met. Hilarion did not get the coronavirus at Patriarch Irinej’s funeral, unlike some of the other hierarchs who were present.
ApS, good on Met Hilarion! You know who else didn’t get COVID who was at the late Patriarch’s funeral? A lot of other people who didn’t get the vaccine.
Now, I wasn’t at the funeral but I’ve been exposed to COVID patients for the better part of nine months (if not longer, but that’s a story for another day). I didn’t get the vaccine. And so far, I’m still kicking.
Just sayin’.
More oxymoronic COVID restrictions:
https://www.thecollegefix.com/ohio-allows-high-schoolers-to-wrestle-but-forbids-shaking-hands-before-after-matches/
There ya go anonimus! Get the sputnik vaccine! Give us a ring in about five years and let us know how you feel. ?
By the way, anonimus,
a vaccine may cause complications after 2-3 years that is why it is invariably tested for a number of years. If they now produced it and tested it altogether in a few months and you take it, how can you be sure that it will cause no problems to you in say 2 years from now?
Have you ever thought of that?
Most of the anti-coronavirus-vaccine hysteria in the US is a result of anti-Trump propaganda by Democrats, with the purpose of minimizing the amazing achievements of Operation Warp Speed.
Sad to see that Christians who reject most of the other sewage the Democrat propaganda machine produces, are accepting and spreading the anti-coronavirus-vaccine garbage so enthusiastically.
All this talk about some mysterious side effects appearing 2 or 4 or 10 or 40 years is fear-inducing baloney. A similar-strength response of the immune system gets activated once every few days during cold season. If immune responses of this strength had any side effects for 2 or 4 years, they would accumulate and the human race would be long extinct.
Complications – shmomplications ! I am much concerned about avoiding what happened to a 40-year old perfectly healthy friend who was in coma on a respirator for 5 weeks.
Who said it’s going to take 40 years? If previous studies are good predictors, after receiving the vaccine, the very next time someone is confronted with the virus in their environment, major organ failure will set in and the person will die.
“Complications – shmomplications!”
Did you ever wonder WHY the White House has now reportedly declined “multiple” offers from Pfizer to strike a deal on more vaccines for the second quarter of 2021? – People are going to stop taking it.
I’m not anti-vax, although I have no intention of getting this particular vaccine. However, there are multiple factors at work when it comes to the Pfizer vaccine and the federal government.
First there is the rather obvious desire on the Pfizer’s part to produce and sell as much vaccine as the government is willing to purchase. Lot’s of money to be made, after all. This is Pfizer’s (and any other government vendor’s) primary interest. Of course they’d like to strike a deal to sell more and would actively pursue one.
Second is the fact that the Pfizer vaccine must be stored in what are called “ultra-low” freezers that maintain temperatures far below normal freezers (-50 degrees Celsius at minimum). These freezers are in short supply and very expensive, making the Pfizer vaccine significantly more challenging to distribute widely and thus less attractive to the government than the alternative expected soon.
It may be true that “people are going to stop taking it.” I know I won’t be. But these are likely the more relevant factors at play.
There are going to be more options.
I think another aspect is that Pfizer withheld vaccine trial data until after the elections. Which was very unfair to the current administration which greatly helped them with Operation Warp Speed.
They had enough data to declare the vaccine 80% or 85% effective at election time, which is already huge, and would have greatly improved the mood of the country and most likely pushed Trump up by one or two percentage points.
Add to that the fact that there are at least 5 more vaccines down the pipeline. Why would Trump have any incentive to give them a further financial boost and help them squash the competition after all they have done ?
Dear Anonimus per S: I am much concerned for you (and anyone vulnerable) and sad for the wretched experience of your 40 year old healthy friend. There are alternatives to the vaccines or new meds “just out”, alternatives found to be effective by well-trained and well-intentioned physicians and researchers sharing information world-wide which use repurposed generic medications with decades of safety experience and supplements to help the body fight off serious progression of infection of COVID in the vulnerable. I hope you will study them. A priest told me he found the recent US Senate hearings most compelling (#3 below). A vulnerable couple with COVID symptoms used the handbook below (#1) to find a quick telemedicine doctor and after a week on the protocol feel wonderful. #2 gives the protocols discussed in the hearings.
Informed consent means we are supposed to be told all our good options. Would hate for you not to be aware. Would love for you to study then decide for yourself and those you love:
anonimus, Nicole, Brendan et al:
The following information is a quick translation of the Greek text which appeared on Greek web-sites today, about the printed form which is to be signed by those who will get Covid-19 vaccination:
This is the first time that verbal consent or a written statement of responsibility for the vaccine has been sought, which in fact resembles a statement of “disclaimer and risk-taking”:
“I have read and been informed about the vaccine being administered against CovID-19. I understand the advantages and probable undesirable side effects of the vaccine and the risk of not getting vaccinated. I have been informed about the contraindications of vaccination with the above vaccine in the above person. I understand that in the rare case of anaphylaxis, emergency treatment will be provided. I had the opportunity to ask questions, which were answered properly “,
will state the statement that will have to be signed by the citizens who will not be able to give oral consent. The form has already been sent by the Ministry of Health to 1,018 vaccination centers across the country and it requires the mandatory consent of citizens before vaccination.
Here is the Toronto form:
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/8b40-COVID19_Consent_Form_110Dec2020.pdf
It is clearly a government attempt to ditch reponsibility
and say recipients choose to take it at their own risk
RE: “I understand the possible risks to myself if I am not vaccinated.”
That’s sort of an odd statement to include on a consent form.
That’s the irrelevant McGuffin to catch people’s eyes
and frighten them into signing up for the vaccine.
Brendan, thank very much!
The consent statement is practically identical in the Canadian and the Greek Forms. It looks as if one Form has been basically drafted elsewhere, centrally.
Ioannis, love that you are looking “down the line” for side effects. Most newly patented (expensive brand name) meds have been cleared for approval after study of people carefully selected by drug companies who do not resemble your average person. So the real “clinical trial” is in the next 10 years as physicians are called upon to report “adverse events” in their patients. After a number of sickening revelations over time, I began to try to get people off medications entirely when possible and to use only those with at least a decade of safety evidence in the real world. That’s why the protocols for preventing or early treatment of COVID which use safe, cheap generics repurposed for COVID are so appealing and I hope all will visit https://www.aapsonline.org to learn more.
Here is an excellent video on Vitamin D and COVID-19:
“Vitamin D and COVID 19: The Evidence for Prevention
and Treatment of Coronavirus (SARS CoV 2)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha2mLz-Xdpg
Thank you Brendan. Mercola has been saying this for months, tuning into collegial collaboration of scientists and unhampered physicians looking into it and the actual science. His site and the Children’s Health Defense Fund’s are routinely targeted and mocked by the MSM, but later proven correct, after many have been deterred by mocking from late-night TV and morning NYT. A crying shame! If you get a chance to watch those Senate hearings and read the COVID handbook and check out accompanying protocols at http://www.aapsonline.org, I would love to hear what you think. We may all come to different conclusions — I just want everyone to know what’s available, legal, safe and inexpensive ~ and recommended by some smart caring physicians and researchers.
Nicole, I send the COVID guide and the link to my priest. He is working his way through it but his initial response is that it is excellent. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing Michael, very heartening!
BTW, Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) has been cleared for use by the FDA. (After months of ridicule.)
https://twitter.com/george-revere/status/1338993962170912778?s=21
And here’s the original document:
https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-11/nov20-ref-com-e-annotated.pdf
Question: how many people needlessly died because we were told by all the right people that HCQ was snake oil?
Yes George. It is heart-breaking. One highly intelligent Orthodox priest told me he was not even going to watch the first Senate hearing (which featured HCQ as prophylaxis and early treatment) because of “commentary” about it he had read. Just stunning how dependent many are on the opinion of others.
Nicole,
I trust Dr Mercola. His site is an immense treasure trove and clearing house of sound medical advice on health and nutrition, as well as how to handle the effects of such disastrous interventions as dental amalgam (ie: mercury poison) and vaccine damage.
What I particularly like about him is that if he does not know something, he will tell you he does not know. This is particularly refreshing in this day and age.
As for Children’s Health Defense, in my opinion RFK Jnr is the one Kennedy who actually lives up to the family hype. I have immense respect for him and the work he is doing. Long may he continue.
You speak for me Brendan!
For me too!
Nicole, I can’t begin to tell you how much a appreciate your posts regarding covid. I truly wish more people in the medical community would speak out.
I cannot wrap my brain around the reckless and unnecessary push to administer this unproven vaccine to the entire population without knowing the potential long term effects.
I could see it if suddenly Ebola developed super spreading capacity and we were facing extermination of 3/4 ths of the population.
Ok, we all went to college and displayed enough knowledge and judgement to earn degrees and licenses to practice in our respective fields. How is it that we cannot seem to wield our collective knowledge, judgement and common sense to influence the powers that be? Or at least our neighbors?
“spreading and acceptance of anti-vaccine and anti-mask conspiracy theories.The more people accept these theories and refuse to wear masks, the more the disease spread”
Surgeon General, Feb 29, 2020:
https://twitter.com/surgeon_general/status/1233725785283932160?lang=en
Truth is, other than bacteria, masks are a placebo for the appearance of safety for medical workers, because even a N95 isn’t stopping a virus, because viruses are smaller than .3 microns. Meanwhile cloth masks that the general public wears are worse than useless, and you’ll find “anti-mask conspiracy theory” legal disclaimers on boxes of them for sale, such as:
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/verify-why-a-face-mask-box-says-it-provides-no-protection-to-the-wearer/507-d5070a18-0146-4ef9-9d22-afe9fa7759a0
What We Found:
The image reading “will not provide any protection against COVID-19 (coronavirus)” is real. Most masks, if not all, being sold have some sort of label saying that it will not provide any protection against viruses, but that does not mean masks should not be worn [because politics and politically controlled orgs say otherwise].
Tiny particles don’t just move in a straight path—they are subject to Brownian motion—darting about randomly,” said Herckes. “Due to this—the masks catch more than you would imagine in both directions. They protect and prevent much of the viral particles in droplets from dispersing into ambient air.”May 13, 2020
Arizona State University › biodesign › …
Cloth masks are a worthy line of defense to mitigate COVID-19 …
I don’t wear masks unless I am forced to do so, but just for accuracy I am sharing this info on super cool and interesting Brownian motion.
The virus travels in tiny water/saliva droplets, a large part of which are absorbed even by cloth masks.
RN95 masks are much better, they protect in two ways: big particles are absorbed directly (think of trying to shoot a tennis ball through a forest), while small particles are absorbed because of the electrostatic potential between the layers of the mask.
Side note – if you want the home-made mask to be as protecting as an RN95, the solution is to put a layer of dust-cloth between two layers of cotton.
“The virus travels in tiny water/saliva droplets, a large part of which are absorbed even by cloth masks.”
The masks used by the general public are useless, or in most cases, worse than useless.
https://abc7news.com/duke-mask-study-effectiveness-covid-19-neck-gaiter-covid-19/6364640/
So he asked Duke University physics professor Martin Fischer to test several types of masks.Fischer built a simple box out of cardboard with an opening for a person wearing a mask to speak into.He attached a green laser light to the box to illuminate the droplets and a cell phone camera to video the experiments, so they could count the droplets each mask allowed through.
Not only did he discover that speaking did indeed produce plenty of droplets, but that the material used in some masks, especially the neck gaiters and bandannas they tested, was so thin it actually put more respiratory particles in the air than the baseline test with no mask at all.”We attribute this to the fleece, the textile, breaking up those big particles into many little particles,” Fischer said. “They tend to hang around longer in the air. They get carried away easier in the air. So this might actually be counterproductive to wear such a mask. So it’s not the case that any mask is better than nothing.”
Very cool. It is so fascinating to see the difference between what you think happens in theory and what actually happens. Geek girl gummies.
Very interesting study, thanks for bringing it up.
I think the home-made masks should always have a cotton side, in order to absorb the droplets, and not to break them into smaller ones (like fleece and other synthetic materials do).
The governments are making a terrible mess of this by not explaining how masks function, and how to wear them if YOU want to be protected also, especially in situations when people around do not wear masks.
I have 2 rules of thumb:
1- if you can breathe without the mask moving, or if there is any way a tiny tiny fly would find its way between the tissue and the face (usually around the nose), then you are poorly protected (though you protect others if contagious, which is better than nothing)
2 – when in a high-exposure situation, or above a certain age, always use an RN95. It is a bit more expensive, but since the virus dies after 2 or 3 days, one can wait for a few days and then re-use it.
The whole point of the masks is to protect others and some of those RN95 masks, don’t. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ban them.
There is the RN95/FFP2 type, which looks like a duck bill and has foam around the nose and elastic straps behind the head. Those offer a perfect seal, greatly limiting virus in/virus out.
Of course, if they have a breathing trap, it completely defeats their purpose (unless one only cares about protecting himself and does not give a toss about the others).
Then there is the KN95 (Chinese version of RN95), which have a “vertical bill” that looks like a Daffy Duck bill after being shot by Elmer (90 degree rotated), and which are attached behind the ears. They are better than surgical masks for protecting the wearer, and protect the others about as much as surgical masks (they allow some air out).
It’s certain that not all masks are equal, and that some types may provide very little protection indeed. However, what you fail to mention is the math that is involved when both parties wear masks – of whatever kind. At that point your chance of getting infected drops 90%+.
Many people erroneously claim that masks are ineffective because viruses are much smaller than they can physically protect against. The problem with this approach, is that it presumes viruses are flying on some sort of cruise missile trajectory straight for your pie hole. The more relevant analogy would be that of a two or three layered chain link fence stopping pebbles on the seashore, as wave upon wave crashes into it.
The problem is there are ACE2 receptors in the eyes, not just the nose. Whatever is aiming for your “piehole” will get you in the eyes, first, unless you are also wearing goggles. Then the virus will sit there until you adjust them or take them off and get them all over your hands and then back to your face again, eventually. You’ve got to be pretty serious about this stuff to get it right.
Strange thing to reply. I hope you’re trolling me (why?). We don’t cough or sneeze out of our eyes, hence it is less important to cover your eyes when around others. If another person IS NOT wearing a mask and sneezes in your face, I have no doubt the droplets may make it into your eye.
If you simply wanted to draw my attention to the fact that ACE2 receptors have been found to be expressed on the ocular surface – I am familiar, but still fail to see what it has to do with masks. As you said yourself, you could wear goggles (or a face shield) if concerned about this route of transmission.
You said when both parties wear masks – of whatever kind. At that point your chance of getting infected drops 90%+. The masks people are wearing don’t work like that. Droplets can escape. These droplets can get into your eyes even if your nose is covered, right?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7301882/
Why would I troll someone on my own blog???
Let’s not forget that masks have become the ultimate “virtue signal” for many people who have found a cheap and easy way to “prove” their moral superiority.
George more than a virtue signal. A proposal I read about would require vaccinated and non-vaccinated people to wear different color masks.
I think it more like the opposite: not wearing a mask is seen by many as a way to signal one’s manliness and courage and independence. This is why NOBODY wore a mask at the funeral of Met. Amphilochije in Montenegro – it was considered in that culture a sign of being weak.
Of course once the Patriarch was infected and died, the Montenegro politicians who were enthusiastically shouting and spitting droplets in the Patriarch’s face at the funeral learned their lesson. And when they came to the funeral they were all wearing masks. Too bad the patriarch had to die for them to learn their lesson.
One-upmanship is a two-way street.
“Too bad the [ninety year old] patriarch had to die for them to learn their lesson.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Otla5157c
Abdul Alhaz 5 months ago
2012: This song as satire.
2020: This song is official CDC advice.
Our family wore masks when the CDC was expressly advising against using them. Guess we got it and my dad died because we didn’t listen to the CDC.
Sorry to hear about your father, Johann.
Thanks. I probably whine about it more than I ought to, and certainly more than he would tolerate. As he undoubtedly would have said, “It’s done. You can’t go back. Move forward.”
What was his name? Were you able to have a funeral? It’s important to keep his memory alive. Sharing his probable reaction to your comments made me smile 🙂
He went by Eli.
The “funeral” almost didn’t happen, but I pulled some strings and had three tiny ones. The Friday before (I’d wanted to do it on Radonitsa) the cemetery said no one could be present for the burial. I hit the ceiling, since I bought the plots I did and made the arrangements I made having been told that ten people would be allowed at the site. We delayed it for two more weeks and I ended up performing the “rite,” chanting some prayers graveside—not sure that’s something that’s allowed, but something had to be done and I tried to research what could be done by a layperson. My priest served Trisagion prayers graveside on the 40th day, and on his birthday in July, I arranged for a small Adventist memorial in the cemetery chapel out of respect for him and his siblings. While he wasn’t observant, he never renounced the religion of his upbringing, and he did uphold a solidly Christian mores. When I would try to engage him in religious discussion, he’d say I was like his own father.
A side note…
During those intervening months, the Floyd incident and riots happened and I became angry that he was allowed a lavish funeral amidst all these restrictions yet he himself had COVID.
I also felt that the Left began to co-opt the tragedy of those lost to the virus for their own benefit and twist the narrative—and in September they had a lady who lost her father (much later on) speak about her experience at the DNC. Of course it was oozing all the typical identity-politicking that has become a de rigueur element of their take on any national—or international—crisis. It made me livid to the point of issuing a rather long-winded counterpoint to the claims she put forth, which I sent to a number of local representatives and talking heads, but received no reply.
Then I got an email from a local news outlet here in LA (affiliated with NPR of all things) and so I managed to integrate some elements of that earlier missive into some musings on racial dynamics which they wanted to feature as part of a series they’re doing. So while some of the overt political language was toned down with my consent (more for space consideration—we went from more than 10,000 words to just about 6,000) I think I was still able to get my point across. But I do venture into some identity politicking of my own since I don’t think it’s going away:
https://laist.com/2020/10/30/race_in_la_you_can_only_choose_one_a_biracial_american_explains_why_he_wont_check_just_one_box.php
Mark, this was an incredibly powerful read. Thank you for sharing.
I will likely read this again tonight after my daughter is asleep. I won’t forget your father.
Take good care.
Aps
Are you Serbian? Are you from Montenegro? Where did you get this claim that in that culture wearing a mask was considered a sign of weakness?
I have not heard this before and would genuinely like to know.
Thank you.
Just watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpfFOlDjr1c
and try to locate any masks.
That video doesn’t answer the question I asked.
“…learning their lesson…”
1) The Patriarch was 90 years old with heart problems. He could have dropped dead at any timr. God called him, simple as that.
2) The virus is endemic, get used to it. A magic vaccine and masks will not save you.
Finally masks, lockdowns, and distancing do nothing delay the inevitable. I live in Florida and we are doing just fine. No overflowing hospitals, people are not dropping dead in the streets, and the supposed surge in cases tracks to the increased number of tests. In short, it’s a sham. There is no surge in cases in Florida. Or look at South Dakota.
Wearing a mask and distancing does not make you God.
The only virtue-signalling going around are the excuses people are making for China.
Someone suggested that calling China out for her misdeeds bears a resemblance to a certain piece of early 20th century propaganda. Making that suggestion (or accusation) is virtue-signalling of the highest order.
https://notthebee.com/article/the-pope-creates-the-council-for-inclusive-capitalism-with-heads-of-major-global-companies-and-im-sure-theres-a-dan-brown-novel-about-it-somewhere?fbclid=IwAR2WliDorfTnvXFQ3eTpU3IxOQaOdoBu-cladt4WTM3uQTOafuzo2b9aggA
Have you seen the Babylon Bee’s new rag, and this article in particular?
This was probably made once the BB staff realized – sadly – that their satirizing of world news was no longer funny, because clown world had been working overtime.
Who owns America is above my pay grade, but here is some good news out of Hungary and Poland from the Counting Stars blog, as it pertains to a blow dealt to George Soros. Top headline, as of my posting this.
https://www.outono.net/elentir/english/
Thomas More Law Center (& Stanford epidemiologist) act to protect religious freedom again: https://drrichswier.com/2020/12/14/renowned-epidemiologist-aids-st-michael-academys-challenge-of-michigans-lockdown/
Who owns America? Technocrats, Big Pharma, the WEF?
CHD Article on Big-Picture Look at Current Pandemic Beneficiaries Accepted by Peer-Reviewed Journal • Children’s Health Defensehttps://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/pandemic-beneficiaries-technocrats/
Who runs these entities?
Yes Bill Gates said and did that: Robert F. Kennedy Jr (not a Trump supporter ?)
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/yes-bill-gates-said-that/
See especially the info below the video, from a Scientific American article (“not yet purged”) and patent tech info.
Bipartisan objection vital.
Who “owns” America? Sheesh what an easy question.
America is made up of people, and someone “owns” you when they can control/manipulate you by your needs, wants, desires, addictions, fears; when they can manipulate you by what you see and hear and believe.
It’s an age-old dilemma for both people and nations: attempt to possess the whole world and lose possession of your own soul. A great nation, a great empire, the greatest the world has yet seen? Yes. Indispensable and the exception to the rule of loss of soul? No. No amount of self-righteousness, self-justification or stubborn presumption on God’s endless grace suspends this higher law, not even for America.
Diversity has only been a strength to nations when the diverse peoples thus dominated by the power of empire were convinced the mythos, principles, and goals of the empire deserved to prevail. The fish always rots from the head. Empires have always collapsed internally long before the barbarians are at the gates. Usually, it seems there were too many barbarians inside already, and loyalty was shallow, especially when the elites made too many enemies due to their ignorance or pride. Elites at the end of an empire are usually a dissipated and spoiled people.
Over the span of time, I’m not afraid to consider God’s Hand has allowed the rise of one or more nations merely to counter a more evil one. For a time, every nation has considered itself virtuous until it wasn’t.
Insisting on the world’s most expansive military and “full spectrum dominance” (in what is basically just worldwide gunboat diplomacy with nukes), it seems a very wise policy for the rest of the planet to usurp, disrupt, neutralize and otherwise counter such a violent and economically dominant empire. It has lost all sense of fairness and treats its allies as poorly as its adversaries.
Russia, chastened and repentant, learns it cannot rely on its Western partners and sees to its own affairs, recovering its ancient Faith. China arises from centuries of isolation and backwardness and is a marvel in the world, pouring more concrete in development in the first twenty years of this century than all of America in the entire 20th. All the US does now is try and obstruct them on their roads (their OBORs) to prosperity. The US is helpless short of war, and even then will likely lose.
My proof from history: The Monroe Doctrine. If America were truly a benevolent power and deserved to prevail, Latin America would be a model to behold under American tutelage and assistance after 200 years. It isn’t.
Instead, I read the Greek and Russian prophets going back 200 years. What has passed for Western spiritual leadership can safely be ignored, they’ve been wrong so many times.
It’s always been God or Mammon, prophets or profits.
I agree with a lot of this, but there are a few points I have different take on:
1. China has been facilitated by America, not hindered by it, despite all of the rhetoric we hear. Remember when Bush granted them “Most Favored Nation” trading status around the time the Tiananmen incident was going on? Even back then, the mantra was “Russia, Russia, Russia” or some such variant on the Evil Empire theme, but the mirror image of the USSR–the PRC–somehow got the title of “Most Favored.”
2. The problem with Latin America is the “mañana” mentality inherited from the Spaniards. Sure, the US has fuelled a lot of the instability and corruption we see there, but ultimately the culture lends considerably to their current circumstances. Is Spain even on the level of its European neighbors? Look at the Philippines after 300-odd years of Spanish rule. It might have the highest literacy rate and most educated population in southeast Asia, but it’s also one of the poorest and most corrupt in the region. From an economic and industrial standpoint, they’re dwarfed by their Muslim (and Anglo-Dutch colonized) neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia. It’s a shadow of the place it was in the couple of decades after the US granted it independence. Their politicians are now often drawn from the ranks of washed-up movie stars; long gone are the statesmen fashioned after the American heroes of yore. And since I’ve managed to work us halfway around the globe in a paragraph, who runs most of the industry and enterprise in all southeast Asian nations? Ethnic Chinese–who themselves are deeply suspicious of the PRC.
3. The problem with the “barbarians inside” is that “gimmegrants” have taken the place of immigrants grateful for the opportunity to be here.
Johann,
Yes, I understand about China. It is becoming increasingly baffling and a sign that the elite of America did not have the best interest of the American people themselves with the massive transfer of industrial production from the US to China.
Agreed about the Philippines as well. A huge tragedy, and an embarrassment to both European and American civilizations.
On ‘gimmegrants’, I hold the unpopular opinion that this is Divine justice. God cares for those people too, and having them overwhelm the borders of the nations which exploited them; whether Europe, America, or China with the Uighurs, this is what happens when you exploit rather than assist your subjugated peoples.
Very sorry to learn of the loss of your father to this virus, Johann Sebastian.
Folks, when will be there an update on the Jericho March? I’ve been trying to follow it online, but it’s a little confusing since it seems there were multiple marches taking place in the capital at the same time. I only found a few news articles mentioning the Jericho March specifically, but these are written before the event. Is there, possibly, a recording of the event on YouTube? There’s a ton of clips on the organizer’s website itself, but I can’t find one that has the Orthodox portion in it. That being said, there DOES seem to be a recording of the whole thing, that starts running automatically when you land on the website, but I can’t find how to fast forward or wind back, it just sorts of runs in the background by itself (hopeless with tech).
2:11:29 https://www.facebook.com/JerichoMarch20/videos/297127591700406
Gail, I was unable to watch past the first 3-5 minutes as it highly offended me to see Our Lady of Guadeloupe reduced to and used as a political symbol. I am understating my reaction BTW.
Nothing was lifted up. She was diminished. I found it incredibly disrespectful. She was being treated as one more ideological poster rather than the Mother of God to whom we always have recourse in times of distress.
No humility or reverence shown by the speaker.
Gail,
Though it’s been a few days since, I still wanted to thank you for providing the link. To be honest, I needed some time to digest what I saw. From some comments here, I was expecting that Met. Jonah, or another Orthodox priest had signed on to participate in the Jericho March. Perhaps this was a little wishful thinking on my part ?! I watched the entire video and did not see them.
However, I was very much concerned by one particular phrase. When introducing you, Eric Metaxas says something like “We wanted to have orthodox clergy here, but they wanted too much money. So we have some orthodox patriots instead.” What did he mean by this? Did Met. Jonah require payment to participate??? I sincerely hope not.
Thanks again,
Diane
I think he was just making a joke. – No, Metropolitan Jonah did not require money to participate! We discussed the event with him but it just didn’t work out. There was another speaker who we thought would be there, but something came up for him, as well. At the last minute, George decided to do it.
The vast majority who participated were lay people. That was by design. A lot of them did not want their leadership there, as they were none too happy about the fact that they did not stand up against the lock downs.
New journal article on effect of vaccines in a pediatric practice:
Relative Incidence of Office Visits and Cumulative Rates of Billed Diagnoses Along the Axis of Vaccination
by James Lyons-Weiler* and Paul Thomas**
*The Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge, Pittsburgh, PA 15101, USA
**Integrative Pediatrics, Portland, OR 97225, USA
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8674; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228674
Received: 23 October 2020 / Revised: 14 November 2020 / Accepted: 18 November 2020 / Published: 22 November 2020
(This article belongs to the Section Children’s Health)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8674/htm
You may wish simply to see the charts and read Discussion & Results/Conclusion…
It’s giving a 503 Error saying it’s unavailable
Hi Petros, it just came up for me when I clicked on the mdpi link in my post using DuckDuckgo and the article came out beneath it. But when I tried for a pdf with Safari it gave me an error message. Some browsers give me a hard time which may be their form of censorship. I’ll try to get it another way also and report back…
PS Petros, I have just downloaded a pdf via the link, but don’t know how to attach it here, sorry. You might just search for the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020 for the authors. But hopefully using a different browser will pop it up from the mdpi link. It’s open access. I understand internet traffic can affect the searches sometimes. Duckduckgo is usually my best bet.
PS my earlier comment didn’t make it, so just to advise that I’ve been able to use the mdpi link from my post but using duckduckgo. Safari often won’t get things which will pop up on duckduckgo. I’ve wondered if the slow down is like insurance companies training their folks to put docs on hold when calling for authorizations for patients! It is effective! I learned to multitask while being on hold with managed care as a managed care Psych Fellow in 1996!
Sad to see the Cypriot Church has decided most of the synod members will be taking the new vaccine (per OrthoChristian)
A Prayer for the USA
O holy right-believing Alfred, Great King of Wessex and father of the English nation, hear our supplication.
Thou hast shown us an indelible example of courage and faith in the marshes of Athelney, when all England was suffering the depredation of the heathen Danes. Thou didst build up the defenses of thy kingdom as thou didst also strive to increase the Christian Faith in thy kingly heart, showing an example of true wisdom to friend and enemy alike; enlightening thy people, showing mercy to thy vanquished foes, wisely preparing for war, but striving always for a holy peace.
Thou didst love learning and render into English many holy books, sending them out to all thy people, raising up their minds and hearts in the light of true knowledge.nThou didst renew the ancient laws of England, becoming a new Justinian, showing an example of the righteous judgment required by God of all who are in seats of power.
We, thy spiritual children in America, ask now thy strong intercession before the King of kings; help us in our time of trouble. Be like Elijah and grant us a double portion of thy spirit that thirsted after these virtues of courage, faith, steadfastness in the face of uncertainty and fear, the love of the Lord that brings holy wisdom, and righteous and merciful judgment in the fear of God.
O Alfred, wise king, do thou entreat Him to guide us steadily, as He guided thee, and to grant order, justice, peace and tranquility to our native land.
In the name of the Father to Whom thou drawest nearer every day, the Son Whose Love thou didst teach to all, and the Holy Spirit Who fillest thy heart, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Priest Christopher Johnson
An excellent article on the totalitarianism behind modern technology: http://anothercity.org/analyzing-the-new-totalitarianism-of-today-5/
An excerpt:
What matters is rather the preservation of that religious dimension connatural to the human spirit which, on the one hand, is the only ground on which the action of Grace can bear fruit and, on the other hand, is the only condition to save the world from catastrophe.”29
IV. CONCLUSION
By being a totality that pretends to be “metaphysically neutral” the technological society exerts on its members a distinctive form of oppression: it gives them the illusion of ever-expanding autonomy, while in fact its covert philosophy implies “universal reification” and ultimately “an unprecedented degree of persecution of the spirit.”30 This is why for Del Noce the rediscovery of the religious dimension needs to be “Socratic,” in the sense of being linked with the question of freedom, of the preservation of human personality before the overwhelming power of society, of the Platonic “great beast.” In some ways, our epoch is remarkably similar to that of classical Greek sophistry: it has an instrumentalist concept of reason, a relativist and pragmatist disposition, a tendency to reject philosophy in favor of purely expressive (as opposed to contemplative) thought. Not coincidentally, near the end of Authority vs. Power Del Noce quotes a beautiful passage from Kierkegaard’s Journals:
Only a wretched and mundane conception of the dialectic of power holds that it increases in proportion to its ability to compel and to make dependent. No, Socrates knew better; the art of power lies precisely in making free…[I]t needs to be emphasized again and again that it is the highest: it is something only omnipotence truly succeeds in; one human being cannot make another wholly free, because the one with power is himself captive in his possession of it and is therefore continually coming into a false relationship with the one whom he wants to make free.31
Del Noce comments: “This text is interesting because of the relationship it brings up between the exigencies that move Greek anti-sophistic metaphysics since its origins and its fulfillment in theological thought.”32 This means: the reaffirmation of philosophical reason and of the religious dimension, and its fulfillment in faith, are inseparable from the question of freedom, including freedom from worldly powers. I mentioned earlier that the rejection of transcendence by scientism is tied to the notion that human liberation requires a “closed” human world. Del Noce’s thesis is that the exact opposite is true, and the most potent refutation of totalitarianism is the lived rediscovery that human freedom is founded on the recognition of the transcendent.
On vaccine passports: Yes Bill Gates said it, here’s the UNEDITED proof from June 2020:
https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/yes-bill-gates-said-heres-proof